“Is this…it?” I asked.
“Isn’t much to look at, is it? But yes.”
I squared my shoulders, stepped up to the front door, and I squared my shoulders, stepped up to the front door, andBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 396
knocked. After a few seconds, the door swung inward, opened by a housekeeper with brown-streaked gray hair.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
“Er,” I began, “I’m looking for—”
Maximo pushed the woman aside. “Avery Mullins! Where’s my Orly?”
“She—maybe we should speak alone, Maximo.”
He frowned, concern written over his face, and opened the door wider.
Master Wendyn and I exchanged a glance before we followed Maximo inside. This conversation needed to happen, but I was not looking forward to it.
Still, I would have it for Orly.
***
We walked back to the Conclave in silence.
“It wasn’t your fault, Avery.”
“You don’t know that. You weren’t there. I just left her there.” I hugged my arms around myself and tried not to remember the look on Maximo’s face.
“Yes, but from what you’ve said, she told you to.”
“But I didn’t have to listen to her. I’m the older, more experienced one. I could have gone with her to Belanok.”
He glanced at me askance as we passed by a familiar-looking confectionery. “And that would have helped how?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I could have protected her.” “And maybe not.”
“But maybe.”
He gave an impatient sigh. “You can’t live your life based on maybes and regrets. You have to move forward from where you are.”
“And where am I?”
“You’re the one who has to figure that out.”
That was no help. We started up the 106 steps of the Conclave, and silence fell between us. As we entered the double doors at the top, I turned to him and asked, “Do you think I should go see Hammond Ecklebert too? Tell him what’s become of Rummy?”
A wizard stepped from the wall and intercepted us. “Avery Mullins?” he asked, looking me up and down as though to verify my identity.
“Yes?” I said, looking him over as well. I didn’t know him.
“Ah. Then you are back. The Council wants to see you.”
“The Council?” I repeated. Bones. Nothing sounded less pleasant at the moment. “But I’ve only just gotten back, and I’m tired, and hungry, and—”
“The Council comes first,” he said, waving for us to follow.
With a glance at Master Wendyn, I fell into step behind the man.
***
The master and I were taken into a room with a long table and about fifteen master wizards seated on one side of it. They invited me to sit and I did. The master seated himself by my side.
Moments later, PMW Robenhurst entered, followed by two Council guards and a pair of clerks. The clerks took their places at the ends of the table, while the guards stationed themselves near the door. Robenhurst continued across the room, the swishing of his robes loud in the odd, echo-y silence of the room. He crossed to the back side of the table and leaned across it directly in front of me.
“Underwizard Mullins.” He extended a hand and, after briefly staring at it, I did as well. We shook hands and then the PMW greeted Master Wendyn as well before seating himself.
Parchment and pen sat before every man at the table. I couldn’t help wondering if this were an investigatory sort of interview, or a you’ve-been-lying-to-us-all-along sort of interview. But Master Wendyn had said they had spoken to him as well. Hopefully this was just a formality.
“I’ve heard much of you in the last few days,” Robenhurst said, steepling his fingers before him. “I’m pleased to meet you at last.”
“Um,” I said, “hello.”
“I understand you’ve been on a ship with Keturrah “I understand you’ve been on a ship with KeturrahBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 399
Ingerman.”
“Yes,” I said cautiously.
“What did she want with you?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer that, and wished desperately
that the master and I had had more time to discuss what he’d told the Council during his interview. This was going to require lying, but I didn’t know how much—or if there was a deception defense spell in place.
Robenhurst grew impatient at my silence and leaned forward to shake his finger in my face. “What did she want with you, Mullins?”
“She said she wanted to take us to Belanok.”
“‘Us’? That would be you and Orly Edmunns?”
I nodded. “And Rumford Ecklebert.”
Down the line of men seated at the table, they all
scribbled furiously, taking detailed notes.
“Did she say why?”
“Not exactly.”
He leaned his chin on his hands. “What did she say about
taking you to Belanok?” I tried to answer as honestly as possible. “She said that we had a lot to learn, that magicians in Belanok were a lot more advanced.”
“Was she speaking of Orly too? Did Orly Edmunns ever do magic in your presence? Is Orly Edmunns practicing advanced magic in your presence? Is Orly Edmunns practicing advanced
Beckstead / Shadowed by Death / 400 magic?”
“I—” Which question should I answer first? Which question
could I answer honestly? “Erm…I can honestly say that Orly never
did magic of any sort on the ship.” I didn’t bother mentioning
Cat’s magic dampening spell, which would have prevented it
anyway.
“Did Ingerman say why she took you and Orly with her to
Belanok?”
This one I debated how to answer. Had they asked Master
Wendyn the same question, and if so, how had he answered it?
He’d told me he left Papa out of it, but that was all I could
remember. At last I said, “Ingerman seemed very interested in
Orly and talked about the witches of Belanok and how she planned
to train Orly as one.”
“But you, Underwizard Mullins,” Robenhurst pressed. “Did
she have a purpose for taking you to Belanok?”
I’d stretched the truth as far as I could. Now I had no
choice but to lie outright. “No,” I said, and waited for
deception defense’s hammer to descend.
It didn’t.
“Then why did Ketturah Ingerman take you along?” Was there no deception defense spell at all? Could I feel
free to lie my head off? “I think it’s because I happened to be
with Orly at the time.” A great yawn overtook me then, which I
did my best to stifle. “Apologies,” I said. “Is this going to did my best to stifle. “Apologies,” I said. “Is this going toBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 401
take much longer? I’m exhausted.” Robenhurst’s face lit up with surprise. “We’re just getting started. We haven’t even gotten to the subject of why she attacked you during your trial.”
Friar’s bones. Another one I couldn’t explain without lying. “That was…just a personal thing. I insulted her cooking.” I leaned my forehead in my hand and said faintly, “I’m sorry. Did you say we’re just getting started?”
“Yes.” Robenhurst clapped his hands. “You there.” He gestured at one of the clerks. “Bring the underwizard something bracing to drink.” He turned back to me. “Now tell us everything that happened from the first minute you came in contact with Ingerman until you left the ship.”
I only just resisted the urge to look at Master Wendyn for support. This would be a long interview.
***
Several hours had passed by the time the master and I returned to the Hall. He unbuttoned his robes as we left the Conclave behind and entered his study. “I’m afraid they’re going to be keeping a clo
ser eye on you from now on, Avery.”
I rubbed at my eyes and wished that I were in bed. “Yes. I think you’re right.”
The interview had covered everything from Ingerman’s temperament to the layout of her ship to Oscar Wendyn. The most upsetting thing of all had been when Robenhurst had expressly upsetting thing of all had been when Robenhurst had expresslyBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 402
forbidden me to try to rescue Orly. “We’re not looking to start a war with Belanok,” he’d said when I brought up bringing her home. “You’re not to go there under any circumstances. That command comes from the king himself.”
“But…I promised her,” I said.
“If she has a wish to practice magic,” Robenhurst said, “she’s probably better off in Belanok anyway. And if you have a wish to practice magic, then I suggest you obey the king.”
Once the interview finally concluded, I’d been left with the departing feeling that they would be keeping a much closer eye on me from here on out. I would have to be on my guard. But thanks to the last four years of subterfuge, being on my guard was something I’d gotten used to.
“I think I’ll get something to eat and turn in,” I told the master. “I’m exhausted.”
“Understandably,” he said. “When you’re feeling rested, we need to talk, you and I.”
I glanced at him. “What about?” Romance? His undying love for me? No, probably not. But still…what if it was? Had he changed his mind? He’d certainly seemed more friendly in Osseley.
“Nothing that can’t wait.” He seated himself behind his desk, apparently eager to dig into some boring-looking parchmentwork. He glanced back up. “Get some rest. You look like you swam across an ocean today.”
Disappointment flooded through me. “All right. Well…good night.”
“Night.” He turned back to his desk.
I walked down the hall to the staircase, wondering if I’d imagined his friendliness on that Osseley path today. Then voices in the sitting room reached my ears and, curious, I stepped nearer to investigate.
“Hold on, Ivan. I’ll get it. Is it—this?”
Curious, I poked my head in the room. Ivan and Master Beaumont sat opposite one another, holding a gestured conversation.
I cleared my throat. “What’s going on in here?”
Ivan perked up. “Remember Master Beaumont? The gesture Ivan had chosen for Beaumont was a combination of the gestures for face and beard, due to the man’s most prominent facial feature. Master Beard Face. I swallowed a laugh.
“Er…yes. I remember. Since when do you know so many of our hand gestures, Master Beaumont?”
“Ivan’s been teaching me,” he offered, dropping his hands in his lap. “I figured I’d better know some, since he’s going to be my apprentice.”
Ivan’s grin couldn’t have been much bigger. So this was what he’d been hinting at earlier. He and Master Beaumont had come to an agreement.
I softened at Ivan’s obvious happiness. “Congratulations, I softened at Ivan’s obvious happiness. “Congratulations,Beckstead / Shadowed by Death / 404
Ivan. I’m so pleased for you.” I’m happy too.
“How soon do you leave?”
Tomorrow, he gestured, and his grin slipped a little. I
worried you not be here to say goodbye.
So soon. “I’m glad I am here,” I said.
One day more. But it wouldn’t be goodbye forever. And I
couldn’t justify holding Ivan here, stopping him from progressing.
I miss you, I gestured.
Ivan smiled. Be careful. I might be master wizard before you.
“Well,” Master Beaumont said, “I didn’t follow all of that, but I have a feeling it was a personal conversation anyway. Am I right?”
“Not too personal,” I said. “Tell me, Master Beaumont, how do you think Ivan’s going to do as an apprentice?”
“I think he’s going to do splendidly. Just splendid.” He gestured the word for wonderful, the one Ivan had told him meant splendid.
I smiled, pleased at the man’s memory. He and Ivan were going to make a strong partnership. I was already certain of that fact.
# CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Ivan left the next afternoon, and I found the quiet stillness of the Hall difficult to get used to. Not that Ivan had been a loud person, by any means—he couldn’t speak, after all—but the comfort of his cheerful, quiet presence had gone with him.
I sat in the library near Papa while he practiced his letters and formed his first written words.
“Look at that!” Papa said, holding up his parchment to show me. “Jasper it says, all right and proper. And written by my own hand!”
He had the S and the P reversed, but I didn’t see any point in telling him that when he was so delighted. “Yes. Very good work.”
“How do you spell Ida?” he asked.
I told him, and he set to work writing that name next. Mama’s name. Was this what she’d wanted all along? Papa and me, living together, getting along? I’d never know, not unless I nearly died and had another vision of her. But I was pleased and surprised with the way things had turned out, nonetheless.
In the middle of the room, a wizard door flickered and solidified. That’d be one of the master’s family.
Papa jumped when he spied it. “Holy milk buckets! I don’t Papa jumped when he spied it. “Holy milk buckets! I don’tBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 406
think I’ll ever get used to that sort of thing.” The door opened and Oscar stepped into the room, suitcase in tow. “Hello, Avery,” he said, and nodded at Papa. “Jasper.”
“I wasn’t aware you two had met,” I said.
“Oh sure, on one of his last visits,” Papa said. “He showed me that fascinating game he plays, scry and seek.” He chewed on the end of his pen, considering. “How do you spell scry and seek?”
I told him, and he fell to painstakingly writing the letters.
“Are you taking a journey?” I asked Oscar, pointing at the suitcase
“No, not that. I’m moving back in.”
My eyebrows rose. “What? Why?”
“It seemed…necessary.”
“Necessary how?”
He set the suitcase down. “Things got a little complicated with the Wizard Council. I’m in a bit of disgrace, I suppose.” He seemed completely unbothered by that fact. “It felt like the right time to come back and live with my grandson again.” He glanced around. “Where is he, anyway? You’re here, so I know he must be around somewhere. The two of you are never far apart.”
“Except when he’s with Valerie,” I agreed.
“Valerie?” he repeated with surprise. “I thought that had ended.”
“Did it?” I sat up with interest.
“So he told me. Said they wanted different things in life. He brought her over to Westley’s place a week or so ago to break the news to his grandmother. She had high hopes of a match between those two, you know.”
“No, I didn’t,” I said.
“It’s true. But Garrick told me it was all over. No hopes for anything beyond friendship. In fact, just between the two of us, and Jasper if he’s listening, Garrick told me he had feelings for somebody else.”
“Yes?” I said faintly. “Who’s that?”
“Somebody he has more in common with.”
“More in common with than Valerie? They were practically the same person.”
“Somebody who lives in his house.”
“One of the servants?” I guessed.
“Somebody he has magic in common with.”
Papa nudged me. “It’s you, you simpleton.”
My eyes flashed back to Oscar.
He shrugged and picked up his suitcase. “I can neither confirm nor deny this rumor. I have been sworn to secrecy. Now, I think it’s time I unpacked.”
I watched him go, my heart doing strange things within my chest. Remind me to never tell a secret to Oscar.
“How
do you spell love?” Papa asked.
***
I couldn’t look at Master Wendyn through supper. My face flamed red every time I did so. Because of this I was too distracted to do much talking. Fortunately Oscar and Papa talked enough to make up for it. Finally, once the meal had ended, the master stood. I felt his eyes move to me.
“We should probably have that talk, Avery, if you have a few minutes.”
“Oh!” I said, sounding too excited to my own ears. “That is…of course.”
I stood and followed him out, doing my best not to look at Oscar or Papa, who was waggling his eyebrows at me.
Would there be another kiss? I hoped so.
“I thought we could walk outside,” Master Wendyn said in the hall. “You’ll probably need a cloak.”
My feet fairly flew over the stairs as I ran upstairs to retrieve my cloak. A stroll outside? At twilight? How romantic.
We met at the front door and I followed him outside and down a path that wound through part of the wood. Silence continued between us for some time as I waited for him to speak and wondered why he hadn’t yet. But at last he cleared his throat.
“Er…you’ll recall a certain situation that happened between us after your father was kidnapped,” he said.
“You mean when we kissed?” I asked, feeling very daring.
He flushed. “Yes. That. I think the time has come for us to address that.”
I wished he didn’t sound so formal and tense. Was he leading up to good news or bad news here? Disappointment seized my chest, and I found myself saying something flippant, like Papa would. “Was it a bad kiss?”
“No,” he said, and flushed again. “I mean—it was not—it was a fine—that’s an irrelevant question. What we need to talk about is that that can never happen again.”
My next question would likely destroy the last of my pride, but I couldn’t help asking it. “Why?”
He glanced over at me as we walked. “It’s not because I don’t care for you, Avery.”
Something swelled within my chest. Was it happiness? Relief? Love?
“Whatever my feelings are, now is not the time to speak of them. Not while I’m your master.”
My mouth opened in protest. “That’s really not fair.”
“I agree. But I can wait, so I’m sure you can too. Besides, you’re still young. Inexperienced. There are other men out there that you may like more than me.”
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