Rise of Allies (The Gryphon Chronicles, Book 4) (52 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

The Crystal Ball

A
fter staying up all night to defeat the Bugganes, everybody went straight to bed after breakfast and, consequently, missed the last full day of the Gathering. But there was no chance of them missing the farewell festivities that night—namely, the much-anticipated Crystal Ball. The gala that marked the end of the Gathering took place each year in the center of the maze, so that the Old Yew and his ancient offspring could feel included.

Jake and Archie donned the dreaded tuxedoes for the occasion. Presently, they loitered in front of Merlin Hall, waiting for the girls to finish getting ready—though that could take all night.

Looking dashing in their formal clothes, the boys leaned against one of the big stone lions that flanked the wide front steps. Hands in pockets, they watched the endless stream of guests leaving the palace and filing into the maze. It reminded Jake of how nervous he had been going in there for his Assessment. Only three days had passed, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

Meanwhile, he and his cousin chatted about the fact that the fairy market had already disappeared. All the itinerant magical vendors had packed up their wares and moved on.

“Guess we’ll see them next year,” Jake remarked.

“Say, coz, do me a favor,” Archie said abruptly. “Don’t tell my parents I died today. I think they’d be…a little upset.”

“I won’t, believe me! How are you feeling?”

“Tired. I could’ve kept sleeping. That reminds me, I had the strangest dream.”

“Oh?”

“I dreamed I was in my lab at home when Leonardo da Vinci, of all people, walked in, picked up a piece of chalk, and helped me figure out some problems with my submarine.”

“The bloke who invented the Enchanted Gallery?”

Archie gave him a long-suffering glance. “He did a lot more than just that, Jake.”

“Er, I knew that.”

“Anyway, strange…it seemed so real! Somehow I managed to wake myself up and wrote down everything he told me to fix. I’m going to try it as soon as I get home.”

“What if it works?” Jake asked. “What would that mean, do you suppose?”

Archie blanched. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

“Maybe he really came to you in a dream.”

“Jake, he’s been dead since the early 1500s.”

“So? Ghosts are obviously real.”

“But not to me. I’m a scientist.”

Jake looked at him. “Maybe the Kinderveil is lifting.”

“Please don’t say that! I don’t want any powers. It’s enough trouble having a big brain.”

“You might not have a choice,” Jake said kindly.

He didn’t want to upset his cousin after what he’d already been through today, but he instantly suspected that, if it wasn’t the Kinderveil lifting, Archie might have returned from his brush with death with the power of prophetic dreams.

Jake knew it was possible, because he had talked with other psychic-medium kids during the Gathering who had reported having gained their abilities after surviving terrible accidents or illnesses, like scarlet fever or typhus.

But he did not press the issue. He knew his cousin well enough to grasp that any sort of magical or clairvoyant ability would be completely at odds with how Archie saw himself. He was just grateful that Archie was alive.

“Hey-ho, here’s one of ours!” Archie said, sounding eager to change the subject as he gave a cheerful wave to Maddox. The young Guardian had just stepped out of the wide double doors of the entrance hall onto the top of the stairs.

“Nah, that can’t be Maddox St. Trinian,” Jake teased. “He would never put on a tuxedo.”

“Guess that means you’re coming to the ball?” Archie asked.

Maddox joined them with a shrug, resting his foot on the step above. “Not to go would be bad form.”

“I didn’t think you owned a tuxedo,” Archie said.

“It just appeared,” he said. “Whether it came from the gnomes or from Ravyn, I don’t know. At least it fits.”

“Guess we better be ready to catch Isabelle in case she swoons when she sees you,” Jake said with a grin.

Hand to brow, Archie imitated a lady fainting. “Quickly, the smelling salts!”

The boys laughed at the general silliness of females. But they all stood up the moment the young ladies appeared.

Miss Helena stood behind Isabelle, Dani, and Nixie, looking proud of her work in spite of her lingering worry over Derek’s absence. The girls looked quite fetching.

Isabelle wore a lavender dress trimmed with white lace, and Dani wore a green that matched her eyes. But as pretty as they both looked, somehow it was even more startling to see Nixie arrive wearing a splash of color rather than her usual all-black. Granted, there was still black in her dress, along with the crimson, but at least it was a start. Much to their amusement, she had tied a tiny bowtie around Malwort’s neck, so even the spider would look smart for the occasion.

“Everyone ready?” Miss Helena inquired.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Uncle Richard and Aunt Claire?” Jake asked.

“They’re already there,” she answered. “Shall we?”

They all started down the rest of the stairs in a group.

“One moment, please, children!” a crisp voice called from behind them.

“Aunt Ramona!” Jake greeted her.

The Dowager Baroness stood tall and stately in her dark indigo gown. With her gray hair gathered in a severe bun, her lips pursed, her knife-hilt cheekbones etched with disapproval, they instantly realized the Elder witch did not look happy.

“Good! You’re all here,” she said. “I should like to speak to you, please. Yes, all of you. This way. Follow me.”

Glances were exchanged.
Uh-oh.

“Miss Helena, you may wait in the entrance hall.”

“Yes, Your Ladyship.” The governess stepped aside but sent Jake a startled look that demanded,
What did you do now?
He lowered his gaze and followed his aunt.

All the kids exchanged worried looks as Aunt Ramona led them down the hallway and into an empty parlor.

“Shut the door, thank you.” When Maddox had pulled the door closed behind the last of them, everybody waited tensely. “Sit, please.” She gestured to the center couch.

The three girls sat down in a tidy row; the three boys went and stood behind the couch, leaning against it.

Aunt Ramona swept them all with a piercing gaze. She rested her hip against the writing desk before them. “I heard the most interesting tale today from Dr. Plantagenet.”

Gulp.
Jake’s heart pounded.

“You know that unfortunate half-troll boy, his assistant? Well, it seems Ogden Trumbull showed up at the zoo this morning with a ghastly creature called a Nuckalavee, asking if he could keep it as a pet. Fancy that! He would not say how he came by the beast, but the doctor noticed that one of his large medicine sprayers was missing, as well.”

Archie sent Jake a subtle, panicked glance. They had slept all day and hadn’t had a chance to return it yet.

“I don’t suppose any of you would know…anything about that, would you?” Aunt Ramona inquired.

Maddox drew breath to speak, but Jake stepped hard on his foot to keep him quiet. Knowing Aunt Ramona, she probably already knew the answer, anyway. Admitting to everything would only have lost them a smidgen of her respect.

“Hmm,” Dani said noncommittally.

Jake took it further. “What’s a Nuckalavee, ma’am?”

Aunt Ramona pursed her lips—perhaps in disapproval, or just maybe, holding back an exasperated smile. “Look it up,” she said tersely. “In any case, we leave in the morning, so be ready, and that goes for all of you. Miss Valentine will be coming with us. And the spider, I suppose.”

“I will?” Nixie echoed in surprise.

“I spoke to the Elders on your behalf, Miss Valentine. They said you could either remain here at Merlin Hall to continue your education or be entrusted to my custody for more personalized attention. I surmised you would rather come with us so you could be with your new friends. I hope I was not mistaken?”

“No, Your Ladyship. Thank you, I am grateful,” Nixie murmured, though she looked a little torn about having lost the freedom she had enjoyed, roaming the countryside with the gypsies.

“Good. Because the Elders agreed that a young mage of your abilities can by no means be left unsupervised. I am afraid, Miss Valentine, that you will always have a target on your back for recruitment by the Dark Druids—just like Jake. We can’t let that happen to either of you, especially now.” Aunt Ramona did not explain that comment, but obviously, it had to do with the threat of war that they, as mere kids, weren’t supposed to know about. “Don’t worry, you will be quite happy, in any case.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nixie lowered her gaze, while Archie grinned from ear to ear.

“As for you, Mr. St. Trinian.”

“Yes, my lady?” Maddox stood at attention.

“You’ll be coming with us, too. All the equipment and clothing you will need for your new assignment will be provided for you, as per protocol.”

He sliced a nod, concealing any twinge of hurt pride he might have felt at the reminder of his relative poverty. “Guardian Stone informed me of my assignment before he departed, ma’am.”

“Any questions?”

He looked askance at Jake. “Permission to throttle my charge as needed on occasion?”

“Oh, I’d be grateful for it, believe me,” she answered in amusement. “Within reason, of course.”

Jake scowled while Isabelle tried to hide her joy at the news that Maddox would be coming with them, too.

“Very well, then. Off we go to the ball. You are dismissed. Except for you, Jacob. Remain behind with me for a moment, please. You may rejoin your friends shortly.”

That sounded like trouble, but he did not dream of disobeying the Elder witch. “Yes, ma’am.”

While the others left the room, sending him discreet, worried glances, Jake started mentally rehearsing possible excuses for his most recent round of mischief.

His aunt studied him intently. “I’m afraid I have some rather troubling news for you, Jacob. You’ve probably heard by now about the vampire prince who arrived the other night. Well, I’m sorry to have to tell you that the reason for his visit concerns you. He came to bring us warning that the Dark Druids may have discovered your defeat of Garnock the Sorcerer. I don’t wish to scare you, but we’re going to have to be very careful with your safety for a bit. They may…want revenge.”

Jake nodded but did not bother explaining that he already knew.

She arched a brow. “Well, you don’t look too rattled by the news. You’re a very brave lad. Which is good. You’ll have to be, if you want to become a Lightrider.”

He kept his gaze down as he recalled Janos saying that the Dark Druids were targeting Lightriders now.

“We’ll return to Gryphondale and sort out our affairs, but very soon, I shall be taking you and the others abroad. Someplace where our enemies wouldn’t know to look for you. Think of it as a nice, long holiday—at least, until the unpleasantness dies down a bit.”

“Where?”

“Oh, somewhere pleasant, to be sure. The seaside is nice this time of year, and I daresay you children would enjoy the ocean. The Mediterranean, perhaps. I was thinking the south of France or one of those lovely Greek islands. Unless you’d prefer the Italian coast?”

Jake looked at her, wide-eyed. As if he’d know! “Whatever you think best,” he answered eagerly.

She nodded. “There is quite good Society in Naples these days, what with all the consumptive Englishmen living abroad. Yes, Italy, I think. I have many friends there… ’Twould be good for your education, as well. And the food! You in particular will appreciate that,” she added with a knowing smile. “Any questions?”

“Not really.”

“Very well, then, come along.”

Jake hesitated, wondering if she had got in trouble with the other Elders for trying to hide his secret. He also wondered if Derek had volunteered to go for the same reason—because of his involvement in keeping Jake’s feat quiet.