Sixteen

When we reached the castle, the first thing I did was ask Li'l about Grassina. She hadn't come back yet, but there wasn't a thing I could do about it except keep looking for the rest of the items. With only one more day left, I was beginning to feel desperate: the two items we still had to acquire seemed the hardest to find. I tried not to think about what would happen if we couldn't find them.

Exhausted, I took my time going downstairs and was surprised by how quiet the castle seemed. Eadric hurried ahead and was already on his way back up with his food before I'd even crossed the kitchen threshold. My mother entered the room while I was looking for a plate. Eyeing my dusty hem, she asked, "Where did you go this time?"

"The magic marketplace," I said without thinking.

"Oh, really?" Her eyes narrowed to glittering silts. "You're practicing magic, aren't you? I knew it was only a matter of time."

I realized my mistake, but it was too late. I'd already said too much. "I've learned a few things," I said, watching her warily.

"I've been telling you for years that you weren't to get involved in magic!" Mother said, her voice getting shrill. "You never can listen, can you? It was for your own good, you know. I was trying to keep you from getting your heart broken. I suppose you're already hoping to be the next Green Witch. Well, it will never happen. You're not smart enough, and you're so clumsy that you'll probably drop the wrong ingredients in your potions. You simply don't have what it takes."

"I've only just started."

"This is a terrible time for you to do this. Our kingdom is at war—because of you, I might add—and Grassina is off to who knows where." Mother sighed. "Your father and I had hoped that the talent would pass you by. The ability to use magic can ruin a woman's life. Is Prince Eadric aware that you're involved in the practice of magic?"

"He knows all about it."

"And is he still serious in his intentions toward you?"

"Yes, Mother, he is. He knew about my interest in magic before he ever mentioned marriage."

"Extraordinary! Few men want to marry a witch, princess or not. I take it that you haven't accepted his offer yet."

"Not yet, no."

"Accept before you do something stupid and scare him off. Men don't wait forever! Now tell me, did you get what Grassina needs?"

"We have two of the things, but we have to find two more."

"Then you'd better get busy. We need her back here concentrating on her work now! Your father has taken his army and started for the border. Our informants tell us that Beltran's army has passed through the Crimson Hills and will reach the border tomorrow night. His wizard rides with him, which is how they made it past the trolls and through the hills so quickly."

"Grassina knows who the wizard is. She doesn't think he'll be a problem."

"To the old Grassina, perhaps, but I'm not sure what she can handle the way she's acting now. Even in the best of times, love and magic don't always mix well, which is something you should remember." Turning abruptly, Mother stalked from the room, leaving me even more worried than before.

I crept up the stairs to join Eadric in Grassina's room, where we sat in front of the fireplace while Li'l peppered us with questions about our excursion. By the time she ran out of questions, I could barely keep my eyes open.

"We'd better get some sleep," Eadric suggested when I yawned. "We're going to have another busy day tomorrow."

"Before we go, I have to tell you that I spoke with my mother. She said that Father is leading his army to the border. Beltran is only a day's march from there, and Mother is worried that Grassina won't get back in time to help. I just wish there was something that I could do."

"You are doing something—you're helping your aunt so she can help your father when she does get back. You can't do everything."

"I can't even seem to do this one job right. We still haven't found the dragon's breath or the feather, and time has almost run out."

"I'm sure we'll find them," he said. Suddenly, I heard the swish of straw brushing against stone, and a figure shrouded in black shot through the window on a broom. Halfway into the room, my grandmother hauled in her broom handle, stopping it in midair. She hopped off with a grunt and turned to look around. Frightened by Grandmother's sudden arrival, Li'l scurried across the table and crouched behind the bouquet of crystalline flowers.

Grandmother scowled at us when she didn't see what she wanted right away. "Where's my old trunk?" she demanded.

"Which old trunk?" I asked, thinking there might be more than one.

"Don't be a ninny!" said Olivene. "The trunk I gave that whelp Grassina."

"It's in the storage room." I pointed at the door and would have opened it for her, but she stomped across the carpet, flung the door open and disappeared inside.

"What's that all about?" Eadric asked.

"I don't know," I said, "but I think I'd better find out." Motioning for Eadric to stay where he was, I followed my grandmother through the door and found her crouched on the floor beside the trunk, clinking the jars together. "What are you looking for?" I asked, trying to see around her hunched shoulders.

"Here it is," she crowed, holding up the bundle of werewolf whiskers. "Best thing for tracking over distances less than fifty miles. Werewolves have an excellent sense of smell. That old charlatan Olefat doesn't stand a chance now!" Climbing to her feet, she slapped the lid shut with a bang. I cringed, not sure what would happen if the jars were to break.

"Now, what about you?" asked my grandmother, leaning close to stare into my eyes. "Have you been practicing your magic?"

I took a step back. "Yes, I have. I think it's improving, too."

"Good!" she barked. "Keep it up. It's the most important thing a girl your age can do." Shoving past me, Grandmother stomped back into the main room. "So where's Grassina, that worthless daughter of mine? I have to set that feeble-brained nitwit straight about a few things."

I shrugged. "I don't know."

' "'I don't know'," she said, mocking me in a shrill falsetto. "Well, somebody has to know, and if I don't hear in one minute ... Wait, let me guess. She's out looking for that brainless bumpkin Halpert, isn't she? But it won't do her a bit of good. Even if she finds him, I'm not going to turn him back. In fact, I think I'll wait right here, and when she gets home, I'll—"

"You'll do no such thing," said a deep male voice. I shivered as the temperature of the room dropped.

Eadric's face turned pale as he stared at the blue glow taking shape by the door. "Is that a ghost?" he asked, his voice a faint whisper.

"That's my grandfather, King Aldrid," I said. I was surprised to see him outside the dungeon.

"Haven't you plagued these poor children enough, Olivene?" Grandfather asked, looking a little more soild. "I could hear you down in the dungeon. You have no right to be here, pestering Emma and her friends."

"And who's going to make me leave?" Grandmother asked.

"I will, if I must." Although we could still see through him, Grandfather seemed to grow larger and more threatening.

"You can't do anything to me, you weak old fool! I have more power in my little toe than you'll ever have, ghost or not!"

"Perhaps," said Grandfather, "but I know more about you than you know about yourself. For as long as you lived in this castle, I kept track of everything you did, even after I died. If you don't leave immediately, I'll tell everyone your secret recipe for witches' brew, the potent kind you use for your most powerful spells."

"You wouldn't dare!" shrieked my grandmother, flinging up her arm as if to ward him off. "Do you know how many years it took me to come up with that formula?"

"Seven, I believe, so you'd better get out of here before I give it all away. Lizard lips and nose of—"

"All right, I'm going! But Grassina will regret the day she turns Harlin back into a human. That girl should have learned to listen to her mother!"

"His name is Haywood," said my grandfather as Grandmother stuck out her hand and snatched her broom from the air when it flew to her.

"It could be Huckleberry for all I care," Grandmother screamed, hopping onto her broom. With a shriek of rage, she shot through the window and was gone.

"Thank you for coming by, Grandfather," I said.

"My pleasure, Emma. If there is any way I can help, be sure to ask. I'm not stuck in that old dungeon like some of the ghosts. Now go get some rest, my dear. You look like you could fall asleep standing up."

Indeed, my head had scarcely touched my pillow before I was asleep. Even so, I woke earlier than usual and dressed in a hurry, anxious to get on our way. It was Friday, and we had only one day left to find the dragon's breath and the feather.

When I reached Grassina's rooms, Eadric was taking his new sword out of its scabbard for the first time. This sword didn't sound at all like the others.

Why was I made into a sword?
Why not a pen for writing?
I much prefer the written word.
I do not like the fighting.

Fighting hurts both friends and foes,
Brings us naught but heartfelt woes.
If I could, I'd stop it now.
Never fight again, somehow.

Eadric grimaced. I could only imagine how disappointed he felt on hearing the sword's song. "Whatever you do," he said to me from between gritted teeth, "don't say I told you so."

"I don't really need to, do I?" I said. "It's supposed to be a named sword. Why don't you ask it for its name?"

Eadric snorted. "Talk to it? It's a sword, not a person!"

"It's an enchanted sword. You could try, at least," I said.

"I will!" said Li'l, hopping up and down. "Sword, tell us your name!"

Light shimmered on the sword's blade, but it remained silent.

"Don't bother, Li'l," I said. "I think Eadric has to do it. The sword has been his since the moment he drew it from its scabbard."

"If it means you'll leave me alone ... Sword, what's your name?"

Light flashed on the blade as it began to sing.

My name is Ferdinand,
But you can call me Ferdy.
I've been told I sing too much,
I am a little wordy.

"My sword's name is Ferdy? What kind of name is that for a sword?"

"I think it's a nice name," said Li'l. "It's kind of friendly."

"A sword's name shouldn't be friendly! It should be elegant and powerful, a strong name for a strong weapon!"

Li'l ruffled her wings. "But that's just it. I don't think he wants to be a weapon."

"That's great! I'm about to face dragons with a sword that doesn't want to be a sword."

"Face dragons?" asked Li'l.

"We have to get the dragon's breath, remember?" I said. "Since we can't ask Grassina for suggestions, we have to look in the one place where we know we'll find dragons. We saw one in the enchanted forest when we were frogs, and from the signs they left it looked like there were probably more. Does Grassina have a vial that we could use to collect the dragon's breath? It would help if we could do it while the dragon is asleep, so we're going to need some sleeping potion, too. "

"I might have something you can use. Oh, dear. Grassina isn't going to like this at all." Li'l was still muttering to herself as she fluttered into my aunt's storage room.

"Before we go, we should put the magic beans in the silver chest," I said, holding out my hand to Eadric. "Do you have them with you?"

"Of course," he said, dipping into his belt pouch. "They tasted strange, though."

I couldn't believe my ears. "You ate them?"

"Just the insides. We only need the husk, remember?"

"But they're magic beans. You have no idea what they can do!"

Eadric's face flushed and he looked away. "Actually, I do. They gave me a stomachache right after I ate them, but that went away when the gas started. It's kind of embarrassing to talk about."

"When will you learn that there are some things you can't eat?"

"I'll be fine once I get over this little problem. You worry too much."

"One of us has to, because you don't worry enough!"