NIGHT OF THE ECLIPSE
Electrum said, “Let’s not all just stand here staring. Help him up.”
Silverthorn pulled him to his feet.
“I think you know everyone here,” Electrum said. He started around the circle. “Silverthorn, Amber, Gilder, and Mirta. Well I guess you haven’t met Mirta.”
She smiled. “Amber has told me about you. Thank you for taking care of my tapestry.”
Trevor nodded.
Silverthorn said softly, “Were you able to get the changeling plant?”
“Oh, yes.” He slipped the bag off his back and held it out. “Here’s the catnip.”
Silverthorn reached for the bag, but Electrum intercepted it. “I think Gilder and I can handle this part. You go watch for guards.”
“What do we do if they come down here?”
“Play tag with them if you need to, just don’t get caught. Take Mirta with you and follow her advice.”
Silverthorn held out his arm to Mirta with a mischievous grin. “Would you accompany me, my lady?”
Mirta’s laugh was light and happy. “My pleasure,” she said and placed her hand on his arm.
Silverthorn looked over his shoulder and winked at Amber as he and Mirta headed up the bank. Electrum wished he could go with her and leave the mixing to Silverthorn. “
“What about me?” Trevor asked.
“Stay out of sight. We don’t want anyone to see you. They’d be suspicious immediately because you don’t have wings.”
Electrum carried the bag to the makeshift table. Trevor moved into the shadows and sat down on a tree root where he could watch.
Electrum slipped on the gloves and pulled out the leaves. He sniffed one.
Putting on the other pair of gloves, Gilder whispered, “Is it the right plant?”
Electrum shrugged. “I hope so.” He began chopping up the leaves with his dagger.
Gilder gathered up the tiny pieces and placed them in the bowls. He brushed up the extra pieces and dropped them on top of the parcel he had placed under the twisted branches.
“Pookah dust,” Electrum said.
“Amber opened the flask and poured the dust into one of the bowls. It flowed out and rose up in a cloud of sparkling particles.
“Put something over it,” Electrum snapped.
Amber whipped off her scarf and slapped it over the bowl, but some of the dust was already floating away on the breeze.
Gilder looked at Electrum. “What do we do now?” he asked.
“It should be enough, but just for good measure…” Electrum took off his hat and nodded to Amber. She lifted a corner of the scarf and he poured dust from his hat into the bowl. Putting his hat back on he said, “Let it settle.”
He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and laid it on the table. Gilder picked up the box of gold dust.
“Pour slowly,” Electrum said. The gold dust flowed into the second bowl and Electrum covered it with the cloth.
It took some tricky maneuvering to get the mixtures into the jars, but finally they were finished. Only a small amount of dust was left on the table.
Electrum took the red jar and walked over to Trevor. “This is for you. When the moon is fully eclipsed, you must be in the clearing and inside the ring of mushrooms. The same place where you were when you first shrank. You’ll have a few moments, because all the sprites will be startled to see you. Break the jar above your head.”
Trevor took the jar and held in tightly.
“Don’t break it now,” Electrum said with a smile.
Trevor loosened his grip slightly.
“Once you get big, please be careful leaving the clearing. We don’t want you to step on anyone.
“I’ll be careful.”
Electrum went back to the table. Gilder handed him the other jar. “Amber and I will clean up here if you want to take this to Silverthorn.”
He looked at the jar. “What happened? It was yellow when we put the mixture in. It looks brown.”
Gilder squinted at it. “I think it’s just the light. Maybe the mixture made it darker.”
Electrum shrugged. “I hope it’s not toxic. Don’t leave anything out where it can be discovered.
“What should I do with it?”
Electrum looked regretfully at Amber’s bag. It was going to be tricky enough juggling the jars and dealing with anything unexpected. The bag would only slow him down. “Put everything in the river. If the water doesn’t destroy it, the light will dissolve it in a few days.”
He trudged up the bank and walked onto the bridge. No one was in sight. Something fell into the water and he looked up. Silverthorn and Mirta were sitting in a holly branch dropping berries into the water.
Electrum flew up and landed on the branch. “What are you doing? I thought you were watching for Sterling and his guards.”
“We are.” He pointed. “You can see everything from up here.”
Electrum turned and was surprised to see the clearing a short distance away. It was filled with sprites. Sterling and Tanner paced around the perimeter. It was easy to pick out the other guards who were scattered throughout the crowd.
“I think they’re searching for us,” Silverthorn said.
“It does look like they’re searching for something. That’s going to make it tougher.” He handed the brown jar to Silverthorn. “You’ll need to be in the clearing when the eclipse is full in order for this to work.”
“I’ve been counting their circuits. If I time it right I should be able to slip through and be in the mushroom circle before they are aware.”
Electrum looked up at the moon. The eclipse was nearing totality. “I’d say you have maybe ten minutes. I need to get Trevor in place. Once he’s big, all chaos will break out. We need to have you changed before he goes in. I’ll wait with Trevor and send him in as soon as you change.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Silverthorn grinned.
Mirta patted his arm. “Don’t worry, Electrum. He’ll be on time.”
Electrum flew back under the bridge and motioned to Trevor. The boy hurried up the bank clutching the jar. “Let’s get in place.”
Since Trevor couldn’t fly, they had to walk to the clearing. It was tough getting through the tall grass and Electrum stumbled more than once. Finally they were in the shadow of a tall oak tree with a clear view.
The moon was almost completely dark. Something flew overhead and Trevor ducked. They heard rustling behind them and Electrum stepped in front of Trevor, his heart pounding. Relief flooded over him when Mirta and Amber stepped out of the grasses. Gilder followed carrying Amber’s bag.
Mirta smiled and said softly, “Silverthorn just flew overhead. The party’s about to begin.”
Electrum motioned to the bag Gilder was carrying. “I thought you were throwing everything in the river.”
“I did,” Gilder said. “Just moved my personal stuff to this bag. I never had a name brand designer bag before.” He tossed it over his shoulder and shrugged it into place. “It’s very comfortable and has all these great pockets and special compartments…”
There was a commotion in the clearing and they all turned to look. The sprites had stepped back and Silverthorn stood in the center of the mushroom ring. Sterling was pushing his way through the crowd.
Electrum heard a scuffling next to him. Amber was pulling something out of Gilder’s bag. Then she dashed into the crowd. Sterling had left a clear path and she simply followed his wake.
Silverthorn met the guard’s eyes and held the brown jar high. A smile crept over his lips and he broke the jar. A hush fell over the crowd as gold dust and bits of leaves showered down, clinging to him. He pulled forward a wingtip and the smile turned to despair.
Trevor tugged on his sleeve. “Why didn’t it work? You said it would work!”
Electrum didn’t answer. Everything was falling apart. He didn’t know what to do.
Sterling laughed as he stepped into the clearing and faced Silverthorn. “That
was very entertaining, but you’re a little old to believe in fairy tales, aren’t you?”
Sterling stumbled forward as someone crashed into his back. Amber jumped to her feet and wiggled around him. She rushed to Silverthorn’s side.
Sterling smirked. “The little merchant girl is going to have to go home alone.”
Amber smiled at him. “I’ll be going home, but not alone.”
“It didn’t work,” Silverthorn said. “It’s no use.”
“I still believe in fairy tales,” she replied. She held up a green jar and broke it. A cloud of silver dust and bits of leaves enveloped them. Amber’s wings quivered and began to change to silver.
The crowd gasped. Electrum heard Mirta’s soft moan. He slipped his arm around her and she leaned against him.
“Gilder, where did she get that jar?” Electrum asked. But the sprite was gone. He looked back to the clearing. Amber was in Silverthorn’s arms. Their silver wings folded together covering them as he leaned down and their lips met. A sigh went up from the crowd.
“Where’s Gilder?” Electrum asked.
Mirta pointed. “There.”
Gilder stood apart from the couple but still in the mushroom ring.
“Traitor!” shouted Sterling. “You said it wouldn’t work.”
“It didn’t work,” Gilder said. “Silverthorn is still silver.”
“But you have doomed us to a gold queen.”
There were angry murmurs from the gold sprites in the crowd.
The King stepped forward. “Come, come, now. Amber will make a fine princess and someday a fine queen.”
“What about me?” Trevor asked. “What do I do?”
Electrum gathered his wits. “Quickly,” he said. Grabbing the boy’s arm he pulled him forward.
They were at the front of the crowd when Sterling took a step toward Gilder. He snarled in a low voice, “There are laws in our realm. When you return, you will answer for your treason.”
“I have no intention of returning. Unless you wish to join me, I suggest you step back.” He held up a yellow jar.
Electrum gasped. The jar he had prepared for Silverthorn. He slid to a stop and dragged Trevor the other direction. They almost collided with Sterling who was trying to get out of the way as the jar broke and gold dust and leaf bits poured down. Gilder's wings shimmered and turned gold. Cheers went up from the crowd.
Sterling’s face turned bright green. His eyes fell on Trevor and Electrum and he scowled. Pointing a shaking finger at Trevor he said, “You’re not a sprite. What monstrosity has this pookah brought into our midst?”
He waved his hand and Tanner and another guard ran across the open space. Electrum gave Trevor a shove. “Into the mushroom circle. Go! Now!”
Trevor stumbled into the circle. He raised the jar. As the guards grabbed his arms the jar broke and the dust and leaves came down. Trevor began to grow. Cries of fear and alarm filled the air as the crowd scattered. Some ran under the trees, while others flew into the branches. Trevor stopped growing and stood with a guard hanging from each elbow. When he reached toward them they let go and flew away.
Stepping carefully, Trevor walked out of the clearing. Before he stepped under the trees he turned and waved to Electrum. “Thank you,” he said softly.
The moon began to reappear. Electrum tipped his hat and sparks fell around him. Sprites flew down from the trees and ventured out from the shadows. He spotted Gilder talking to Simon. The old sprite’s face was pale, but he stood tall.
Mirta said to Electrum, “Come on.” She led the way to Simon and placed her hand on his arm. “You have a new scholar. Teach her well. She will need your guidance.”
“Perhaps Gilder will find something in the old scrolls that will unite the worlds,” Simon said.
“He will make a fine gatekeeper,” she replied.
A Sprinkling of Thought Dust Page 47