by A E M
She heard a loud bellowing cry from her left, and immediately went to investigate. The thick, wooden door was partially opened. She fingered the design in the middle quickly before pushing it open. The room was small. A bed rested against one wall. On the opposite wall sat a dresser between two chairs. Sitting on the edge of the bed, doubled over in pain, was Cecilia. Rhett paced the room.
“What happened to Cecilia?” Charlotte asked. “Do you want me to get Sebastian?”
Rhett looked over at her and grunted. “The hobs have given us a room, which is more than many are getting right now. Right now Sebastian needs to attend to the wounded.” He sat down on the bed and held Cecilia’s hand. “I think the stress of this evening brought on labor.”
“You think?” Cecilia snapped. “I know!” She gasped and moaned in pain again. She got up and paced the room. “This isn’t supposed to happen yet, but it’s going to regardless.” Cecilia laughed loudly. “I may give birth in a ball gown!” She hooted and looked over at Rhett. “I certainly have gone up in the world.”
“Well, it will be a grand occasion. I don’t see why you shouldn’t wear whatever you like.”
Cecilia sighed and placed her hand on his face tenderly. “The babe will be wrapped in the strips of a ball gown.”
“Oh, surely we can find a soft blanket. I’ll ask.” Charlotte said.
Rhett grunted at Charlotte again. “Thank you. We’d like a little privacy now. I will get Sebastian when and if we need him.”
“Of course.” Charlotte nodded and left the room, shivering at the sound of Cecilia crying out again. Were wonderful things always painful?
She peeked into each room as she went down the hallway. The mermaids were in one room, tending to a hurt sister. Charlotte ducked back out quickly. She knew enough to keep her distance from mermaids when they were hurt. They could be sweet and helpful when they wanted to be, but you didn’t want to cross them when they were upset. It was like night and day.
Charlotte retraced her steps back to the main hallway, and then turned down the next hallway, which was quiet and still. The doors were all shut, and the lights were low. One of the doors in the middle of the hallway opened, and Josef stuck his head out. He waved at her to come in. The room was packed with hobs. Josef’s hand slipped into her right hand. Basil’s leathery hand slipped into her left hand. She squeezed them both and let them guide her to the bed in the middle of the room. She was vaguely aware of her own heartbeat flooding her ears. Her stomach clenched, and her lungs gasped in broken fragments of air exchange. On the bed were two hobs. Spindle and Chime. They were pale. Neither one was awake. Charlotte fell to her knees by the bed. She reached for Chime’s limp hand and cradled it in between her own shaking hands.
“Somebody please say something.”
“They will be alright.” Zander, one of Chime’s brothers, said. “Chime was knocked down when the attack happened; she hit her head on a table when she fell. Spindle attacked the intruder, and his leg was broken in the scuffle.”
“Chime hasn’t woken at all,” Josef informed her. “Sebastian sedated Spindle and they have been taken care of. We are waiting for them to wake up.”
“My brave friend.” She kissed Chime’s hand and blinked back tears. “Tell me when they wake and will see me.”
Josef nodded. “Of course.” He patted her hand.
Charlotte reached for his hand. He held it firmly. “Josef, Cecilia has gone into labor. Would there be little comfy blanket we could give her for the baby? I will take it to her.” Her words came running faster. “I can go get it, too. Just tell me where to find it if there is one.” She looked to the door. “It’s just that I thought—”
“I’ll take care of it, Charlotte.” Donna, Chime’s sister, said.
“Thank you.” She let Basil lead her back to the door.
“Check the hall on the far right, dear.” Basil squeezed her hand before shutting the door gently behind her.
Charlotte walked back to the main hallway. She felt torn between guilt and thankfulness that she had been whisked away from the attack. She peeked into the main room where Sebastian was working through the next row of patients.
Applause broke out from the direction of the first hallway she had checked. The clapping was mixed with cries of, “Isn’t that the most adorable fur ball you’ve ever seen?” Charlotte hurried back to the room. Cecilia held a large, furry, wailing baby in her arms. Charlotte did not think the ball of immensely loud fur looked cute, but she formed her lips into a smile and nodded. Cuteness was relative, after all. She slipped through the doorway and edged close to the bed. Donna had been fast. The baby was wrapped in a light blue blanket. A light pink blanket sat on the nightstand. Other hobs were in the room, as well. A few were cleaning the floor. Some brought refreshment. Some had brought gifts. Charlotte shook her head in disbelief. Hobs always thought of others first.
“This little one was born to give us all a little hope,” Donna said. “That’s what my father always said to look for when tragedy hits. There is always hope to pull you through if you look for it.” Many of the other hobs nodded their heads in agreement.
“What’s his name?” Charlotte asked.
“Raymond.” Rhett answered.
“Welcome, Raymond.” Charlotte bent down and gave the new one a smile. “Congratulations, Cecilia and Rhett.”
Charlotte hurried to the last hallway. Most of the doors were open, and the rooms were full of guests. Her heart pounded against her chest as she scanned each room for her parents. She found Beau and the rest of his family in one of the back rooms. Beau sat on a bench at the back of the room with his head in his hands. Anger brewed in his eyes. She raised her eyebrows, but he only shook his head at her and leaned back against the wall.
Bliss crossed over and gave her a brief hug. She leaned close and whispered, “Raven is missing. He wants to search for her, but nobody will let him look until dawn.”
Charlotte stepped back. “Why not? What if she’s hurt?”
Bliss whispered a fraction softer. “What if she is part of the reason that tonight happened?”
Charlotte shook her head. “She couldn’t be. She stood up for me tonight.”
Bliss raised her eyebrows and shook her head slowly. “Don’t let your friendship with Beau cloud your senses.”
“Bliss, how could you go from spending a summer with her to doubting her?”
“You have no idea.” Bliss seethed unexpectedly. “You lead a pretty little life with no idea of what is actually going on out there. You wouldn’t last in the real magical world, Charlotte.”
Charlotte frowned and stepped back. Bliss had always been sassy and daring. They had even fought on many occasions, but never had she heard this tone of voice from her.
“The Maguard is being assembled as we speak.” Bliss added. “They will sort all this out.”
“The Maguard still exists?” Charlotte asked.
Bliss smirked. “You see? Of course it still exists.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Come see me someday, little Lottie.” Bliss backed away. “Come when you have seen the truth and are ready to know more.” She nodded toward a group of hobs on the other side of the room. Isaac, eyes closed and skin pale, lay still on a small bed against the wall.
Charlotte steadied her shaking legs and ran to the bed. She slipped his chilled hand between hers and pressed it up to her lips. None of the hobs spoke to her. None of them would meet her eyes. She looked around the room. “What happened to him? Where is my mother?”
“Has no one told this child anything?” A loud, bossy voice questioned from the doorway.
Charlotte’s eyes widened. A magani she had never seen before stepped into the room. She was a warm and brilliant color of gold. She was half woman and half Unicorn. She was tall and muscular like a centaur, though she was smaller than Zorach. Long, wavy gold hair streamed down her back, and a pearl horn stuck out of the middle of her forehead. She was a unitaur,
one of the rarest magani. Charlotte only faintly remembered a bedtime story about one.
“Finally somebody other than me is asking that,” Charlotte mumbled, more to herself than anyone else.
“While your words are true, child; they are unnecessary.” The unitaur sashayed through the room. “I will fill you in on the basics you should know tonight. You will learn more of the details tomorrow.”
“Thank you. What is your name?” Charlotte asked. In the corner of her eye she saw several hobs’ eyes grow wide, and others shook their heads or arms at her.
The unitaur snorted. “What your hobs are trying to tell you is that unitaurs tell their name to precious few, and you are not precious to me.” She tossed her hair to the side and looked down at her. “However, you and anybody else may call me Lodestar if you absolutely must have a common name to address me with.”
“How about I not offend you with a common name?”
“As you wish.” Lodestar knelt down beside the bed. She placed a hand on Isaac’s forehead and closed her eyes.
Charlotte crossed her legs and grasped her hands together in her lap.
“You have failed to display any sort of magic, is that correct?” Lodestar flashed her eyes open.
Charlotte’s mouth hung open for a moment before she replied. “You are correct.”
Lodestar’s eyes narrowed. “It is too late for you to acquire any magical talent.”
Charlotte stood and placed her hands on her hips. She wasn’t as tall as the unitaur, but she knew from Basil and Josef that small could be just as intimidating. She looked Lodestar directly in the eyes. “I am quite painfully aware of my lack of magical skills and the proper age at which one acquires those skills. I would appreciate it if you could directly tell me about my parents.”
Lodestar waved a hand at her. “I was merely confirming what I had heard from others. Now, if you can keep the sauciness under control until I am through it would be greatly appreciated.” Lodestar looked at her with flashes of both approval and disapproval before continuing. “The castle was attacked by a combination of traitors from within and their fellows waiting in the woods. A combination of confusion spells were aimed around the room and your mother was taken. Many were hurt, some badly; but there have been no reports of death yet. Unless you count your family pet; in that case there has been one confirmed death. Ebby has still not been accounted for, but given her attachment to your family, we believe she went after your mother. The girl, Raven, has not been found, either. Given her short time with your family, we do suspect that she may have been involved, although because she was away most of that time, her loyalties are still up in the air.”
“Why this is happening?”
“No one knows yet. When we alerted the Maguard, they did indicate that people have been disappearing over the last three years. Slowly the first couple of years, but the frequency this year has them concerned. I believe they have made a mistake in not making it known what was going on, but years of nothing to worry about will do that.”
Charlotte wrung her hands together. Her mother was taken? She gulped down a sob and blinked her eyes before focusing back on Lodestar. “You are neither familiar with my family, nor part of the Maguard. How do I know that you aren’t a spy?”
“I asked her to come,” Zorach answered from the doorway. “I knew she was in the immediate area, and she is an old friend of mine.”
“Zorach,” Lodestar scolded. “Never give away a lady’s age, regardless of the fact that she is half animal.”
“My apologies.” Zorach laid a handkerchief on Isaac’s pillow. “Sebastian sent this. It is soaked in wakeful oil. Hopefully it will help.”
Charlotte shifted her attention back to her father. Isaac’s eyes fluttered open. He jolted up to a sitting position and stared at Charlotte with wide eyes. “We didn’t even know it was possible! You have to believe we didn’t know!”
“Father, what in the world are you talking about?” She grabbed his hand and held tight.
“We didn’t know! You have to help me. Just promise me, Wilder!” He yelled, eyes darting quickly around the room. “Promise me!”
Wilder crossed the room quickly and stood before the bed. “Calm yourself, friend. I promise.”
Isaac fell back onto the bed and closed his eyes.
“I don’t think he’s fully aware.” Wilder said. “Somebody get Sebastian right now.”
“It’s faint!” Isaac flashed his eyes open again and yelled. “I can’t lose her!”
“We will find her, Isaac.” Wilder said. He laid his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “The Maguard is on its way.”
Sebastian popped in the room in with Basil and Josef. He quickly laid his hands on Isaac’s chest. A white glow passed from Sebastian’s hand to Isaac’s chest. Charlotte didn’t hear what Sebastian said, but her father relaxed and fell back into a sleep. Sebastian shook his head slowly, muttering to himself and checking over Isaac. The room was silent and still while he worked.
“I’m sorry about that. I should have been here.” Sebastian paced back and forth in front of the bed.
Charlotte held her shaking hands together and tried to breathe deeply while she waited for Sebastian to process everything. What had her father been referring to? Was he somehow at fault for what had happened tonight? What did he want of Wilder? She stole a glance at Wilder, but he was in the back of the room comforting his family. Beau looked over at her and mouthed something she didn’t catch.
Sebastian stopped pacing and snapped his fingers. “Wait. I wonder—” He placed his hand over Isaac’s stomach and held it there. “Ah, yes.”
“What is it already?” Charlotte insisted.
“Your father and mother were bonded magically. I’m not sure why. It’s typically only used in apprenticeships, but it seems your father also has at least two long-term enchantments going—” Sebastian stopped talking and looked over at Josef. “Father?”
Josef took a sharp breath in. “It’s not my place.”
“What is it?” Charlotte asked again.
Sebastian frowned. “There’s a block. I can’t work out the other spells. He is also diverting a great deal of energy to at least one other spell; a spell that has negative side effects if continued for very long. I suggest we keep at least one hob with him at all times.”
“Can we find my mother through one of the spells?” Charlotte asked.
Sebastian nodded. “He needs to be awake, though. He is weak, Charlotte. Let’s give him a rest, and try to safely wake him in the morning.”
Charlotte buried her face in her hands. She didn’t want to wait. She wanted her mother home safe right now. Josef laid a hand on her shoulder. “We will ask him as soon as he wakes next, I promise.”
She looked back up at them and furiously wiped away the tears from her eyes. “What if that’s not soon enough?”
Zorach stepped forward. “The Maguard is already searching, Charlotte. They will be at the castle soon to help from here. For now, we should all get some rest. We rise with the sun to search the grounds.”
The room emptied except for Beau and Charlotte’s families and a couple of hobs. Wilder lay down on a blanket on the floor by Isaac, and Wynn and Bliss lay down on a couple of couches. Beau stayed on the bench. Charlotte sat down by him. He didn’t meet her eyes.
“Are you mad at me because you weren’t there for Raven?” Charlotte asked quietly.
He closed his eyes and nodded.
She cringed. “Well, at least you are honest.”
“I wouldn’t have changed a thing, though. You know I care about you.”
“I wish I hadn’t been in the way of you being able to save your girlfriend. How are we ever going to be friends again if she is dead or hurt? What if I ruined your happily ever after with her?” She looked toward her father and a part of her wished that she could erase the evening that was hurting so many.
Beau thumped her on the arm. “Ow!” She cried out.
Bliss sat up and lo
oked over at them. “Would you two please get a room? They rest of us are trying to sleep! And you shouldn’t be worried about Raven at all.”
“That’s enough, Bliss,” Wynn said as she sat up and put her arm around her daughter. “Why don’t you two finish your conversation quietly in the hall?”
Beau and Charlotte moved to the hallway, but the conversation was hard to pick back up. Beau stared down at the floor. Charlotte stared at the door to the room.
“Bliss is really upset.” Charlotte finally said.
“She and Raven were really close this summer.” Beau looked up. “Closer than Raven and I actually were. If what they say is true, Bliss is feeling betrayed.” He dropped his gaze back to the floor. “The truth is that I feel guilty that she was here tonight, Lottie. I didn’t really like her. If I had been honest with her, then she wouldn’t have been here.”
“But you acted like you liked her!”
He shook his head. “I was faking it.”
“Jerk!” Charlotte stood. “Is that what you’ve become since I’ve left? A fake jerk?”
He stood. “I’m sorry! I’m trying to be truthful now, okay?”
“Not okay, Beau, but I’m not the one you have to settle this with. Raven is.”
“I have to settle this with lots of people, Charlotte. Raven. My family. You. So let me, will you?”
She sat back down against the wall and patted the floor next to her. “Better start with me. Your other hurdles will be higher.”
He sat down by her. “That’s why you’re my best friend, you know that?”
She rolled her eyes. “Start talking.”
“You know how I’ve been dating a lot this last year?”
“I’ve heard.” She acknowledged. “My father said that he was beginning to think that you didn’t want to ever settle down. I told him you hadn’t found the right girl yet.”
His features were strained, but he laughed. “I was dating around because I do like this girl, but she’s not available.” He shrugged. “I was randomly dating and keeping things from being serious. But then all of the sudden Bliss takes a liking to Raven, and she’s hanging out with my family all summer. It got out of hand before I knew what was happening.”