“I present to you, the Fair Elsbeth!” There was a flourish of music, then Melissina swirled out of the wagon. She spun around the area in a blur of swirling skirts and flowing scarves.
As the first song faded, Charles walked through the crowd shaking the hat. There were only three coins in the hat as Melissina and Phichorian started their second number. Charles could see Phichorian considering whether or not to do a third song. Melissina stumbled as the song ended. Phichorian played another flourish, then motioned for Charles to come to him. He made show of quietly checking the coins, then handed Charles his lute and moved to the center of the performance area.
“This was a mere sample of our talents. Look for us again this afternoon in a new location! We thank you for your attention and look forward to seeing you this afternoon.” He bowed even though there was no applause, then went to Charles and Melissina. He spoke softly, but pitched his voice to carry.
“Go inside and keep an eye on her. I’m going to find a more lucrative location.”
“Yes, sir.” Charles put a hand on Melissina's arm and led her to the back of the wagon. When Charles and Melissina had settled in, Melissina took off her veils. Charles relaxed; it was easier to talk to her when she looked like herself. Bobble came down from his hiding place on the ceiling and settled on Phichorian’s lute case.
“What’s going on?”
“Phichorian’s gone exploring. He’s pretending to be looking for a better location.”
“I see, and how did it go?”
While Melissina described the performance, Charles glanced out of the back of the wagon, looking for Phichorian. They were so close — he was so close — to going home, he couldn’t help but be impatient.
Phichorian finally wandered back to the wagon, grinning and waving as he saw people who had seen them perform. As soon as he swung himself into the wagon, he became serious.
Melissina waited until he was inside before she started questioning him. “Did you find anything? Any way in at all?”
Phichorian nodded. “There’s a new door in the castle wall. One I’ve never seen before.”
“A door?” Melissina asked to encourage him.
“Yes, a small, flimsy, wooden door.”
“So you think the sweater will work?”
“Exactly.” But Phichorian did not look as relieved as Charles would have expected.
“You think Amertious told them about the sweater?” he asked.
“It’s possible Necorious considers those doors the best defense and that’s why they’ve rushed to cast a very complex spell, not to mention how difficult it is to add a door to a solid stone wall.”
“But it could be a trap? They could have done it to catch Melissina?”
Phichorian nodded. “It could be. And there’s more. They know the spot where you entered our world. There are six guards there. Not many know that spot, and Amertious is the most likely to have told them. I’m sorry, but you can’t go back just yet.”
“That’s OK,” Charles said. “I’d like to see how it works out.”
Melissina spoke up at last. “So you think we should go in through the door?”
Phichorian sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know if there’s another way in, or if I’m just being too cautious. It all depends on how much we trust Amertious.”
“The river tunnel,” Melissina said out of the blue.
“River tunnel?” Phichorian asked.
Melissina nodded. “I’d forgotten about that. It’s never been used in my lifetime, but there is a tunnel down by the river. There’s a spell to open the passage and another to get in. It’s an escape route, but I think it will work in reverse. I know the spells, but then Necorious might too.”
“So we have two bad choices,” Phichorian murmured.
“Which do you think has the better chance?” Charles asked.
Phichorian thought about it. “The river tunnel is less obvious as a trap, and Melissina didn’t think of going in that way.”
“And you don’t trust Amertious,” Melissina said.
Phichorian didn’t deny it or apologize. “Do you think you could find it in the dark? It would be safest to go at night.”
Melissina nodded. “I used to play down there with Father and my tutors. If Bobble can give me a little light, it should be fine.”
“Excellent. One more performance, then we’ll set up camp outside of town and, as soon as it’s dark, we’ll slip away.”
“Not an inn?” Melissina was trying not to sound disappointed.
“It will be safer to go to the river at night when we only have rocks and fallen branches to deal with. During the day, we’d have spies and guards. And it’s easier to get out before the gates close than to try and sneak out during the night, especially since I think they’ve added guards since we got here.”
Melissina nodded. “You’re right of course.”
“Then we’re agreed.”
* * *
The final performance of the day went better and they were not questioned as they drove the wagon out of the city. Phichorian took his time choosing their campsite. Charles could barely see the town through the trees, but he could see it.
As Phichorian took out the supplies for dinner, Charles asked, “Are you sure it’s safe to be this close to town?”
Phichorian grinned. “Melissina asked me the same thing. The guards will want to keep an eye on us no matter what. The town is occupied, so they will be on the look-out for spies. I think they bought the story that we’re too cheap, or too broke, to pay for a room at the inn, so they’re not too suspicious. As long as we don’t arouse their suspicion, they’ll only keep half an eye on us. If they can see us, they won’t think we’re hiding and we can slip away under their noses. If we hide too well in the forest, they’ll wonder why and come have a look. From here, they can’t see the river, but they can see us.”
Charles was impressed. “So if we do the opposite of what seems logical, we can get away with it.”
“Something like that.”
* * *
They waited in the wagon until the moon was out, giving them just enough light to see. Melissina and Bobble led the way to the river with Phichorian occasionally whispering suggestions, starting by suggesting they go deeper into the forest behind the wagon. “We want them to see the camp, not us.”
When they got to the river, the ground flattened and Melissina saw the path at once, even though Charles thought all of the brush looked the same. But the way Melissa led them was level and easy to follow, and they made quick progress.
The forest around them was quiet. Charles could hear every footstep, every time someone brushed against leaves or stepped on a twig, and he was certain something in the trees could hear them. After a few minutes, he could tell the difference between Melissina's light steps and Phichorian’s careful ones. He strained to listen for anything else, but all he heard were small animals in the bushes and the wind rustling leaves. At least he hoped that was what he was hearing. He kept an eye on Phichorian’s back. For all his protesting, Charles knew that Phichorian knew more about these kinds of places than he did. Phichorian remained relaxed.
Melissina veered away from the river and back towards the trees. Charles realized they must be getting close, and so far so good. He was just relaxing when he heard the sound of branches snapping ahead of them. He couldn’t tell if it was big or small or even if there was only one or many.
Before he had a chance to react, Phichorian had grabbed him and shoved him back, Melissina had her sword out, and Bobble had darted forward to give what illumination he could to the scene.
The branches shook, then snapped out and a large boar ran across the path. Melissina jumped back out of its way. Charles relaxed and got the shakes at the same time. Phichorian pulled him back onto the path as Melissina sheathed her sword. “Something spooked it,” he whispered.
Melissina nodded. “There must be soldiers in the woods. We’ll have to be careful.”
&
nbsp; “Come on,” Phichorian gestured to the path. “The sooner we get there, the better.”
Now that they knew they weren’t alone in the trees, the small group moved quickly and quietly after Melissina.
The cave was not far away now. It was small and easily seen, but Phichorian stayed far back, so Charles stayed by him. If Phichorian sensed magic, Charles trusted him. Phichorian rested a hand on Charles’s shoulder. Bobble sat on the other side.
Melissina approached the cave, stopping three feet away. She raised her arms and started to whisper. Charles couldn’t make out any words, just a steady hum of sounds, reminding him of a yoga chant. She moved her hands slowly down, then up again.
Then Charles heard it, a rustle in the trees similar to what he’d heard before the boar crossed their path, only further away. He strained to listen, trying to tell if the creature making the sounds was another boar or something larger. But he didn’t panic yet. As long as Phichorian was calm, how bad could it be? He glanced over at Phichorian to reassure himself, and realized that Phichorian was so engrossed in watching Melissina, he wasn’t paying attention to anything else.
Now Charles was nervous. He glanced at Bobble, but apparently the spell was fascinating if you understood what was going on. And the rustling sound was still there.
Charles tried listening again. He didn’t want to disturb the rest of them for nothing, but he just couldn’t tell. Would he rather risk bothering them for no reason or risk getting caught? When he looked at it that way, there was no choice.
He glanced at Melissina. The cave and her hands were both glowing faintly. He didn’t know what disturbing her now would do. He turned to Phichorian and jabbed him with his elbow as gently as he could while still getting his attention.
Phichorian shook his head and looked at Charles for an explanation, and then his face cleared and Charles knew he’d heard it too.
Phichorian concentrated on the sound, then made a decision and stepped forward. He made a swift, swirling shape with his arm that ended with a slashing motion, like he was slicing through a square from the top corner to the opposite lower one. The light disappeared the instant he had completed the motion and Melissina stumbled but recovered quickly. She turned to Phichorian for an answer.
Phichorian tilted his head towards the sound. Melissina caught on at once and returned to the path, starting at once back to the camp.
“A banishing spell,” Bobble murmured as they followed Melissina back the way they’d come. “And quite a strong one. Stops any spell being cast by a friend. Mainly used by professors of high-level classes to protect students. The caster must have the subject’s best intentions at heart or the spell will recoil.”
Charles nodded to thank him for the explanation.
* * *
When they were settled safely around their campfire again, Charles asked, “So they were definitely guards?”
Phichorian answered, “I heard armor jangling, it was faint, but definitely metal on metal. And I’ve never seen a boar in armor. So Amertious told them about the tunnel. That means he probably told them about the sweater too.”
“Not necessarily,” Melissina said. “Remember Necorious was the rightful heir. It’s very possible that he was told about the tunnel by his advisers, or even grandfather before he killed him.”
Phichorian sighed, “But is it likely?”
Melissina stared into the fire. “Yes, more likely than Amertious deliberately putting us in danger.”
Phichorian didn’t look convinced but Charles understood. As much as he disliked Amertious, he didn’t want to believe that the man who had taught him to use a sword was able to betray them so completely. “Do you still have the letter he left?”
Melissina nodded and pulled the letter out from her pocket, “Do you think we missed something?”
Charles shrugged and sat down to read the note again. No one bothered him as he let the words sink in. “I don’t think he betrayed us.”
“How can you tell?” Phichorian sounded curious, not at all disbelieving.
“He’s not happy about leaving us; he wouldn’t have if he could have found a way around it that he thought was honorable. And he would have found us some protection: his honor wouldn’t let him turn on us even if he couldn’t stay.”
Phichorian smiled a little. “So that fool code can come in handy. But I do think you’re right, at least it makes sense. What do you think, Melissina?”
“I’ve known him for years. I can’t believe he’d betray us.”
“Then we will assume he did not tell them,” Bobble said, “but that does not mean they do not know. If they’ve found out the hermit escaped, and they know we did it, they will know we have some power even without Amertious telling them.”
“It’s a chance we’ll have to take,” Phichorian said, “If we want to get to the king, that is.”
Melissina nodded. “So how do we get to the door you saw?”
Phichorian shrugged. “We’ll go back into town in the morning and see how it looks.”
“Then the best thing we can do is go to bed.” Melissina stood up and went into the wagon.
Phichorian looked at Charles and shrugged. “Good night.”
“Night.” Charles crawled into the tent and tried to fall asleep while thinking of shades and betrayers and what would happen if the sweater didn’t work.
* * *
The next morning, Phichorian drove the wagon back to the line to enter the gates. Charles could tell that Phichorian was nervous today; he was clutching the reins until his hands were white. Melissina had only left the wagon for a few minutes to eat breakfast, then kept herself hidden. Charles understood. If Necorious’s troops had seen them go to the river tunnel, if they recognized Melissina and knew she was with them, the gate was the perfect place to stop them and catch them.
When it was their turn, Phichorian forced himself to smile and look carefree. Charles kept his head down, hoping he looked afraid of Phichorian and not the guards. Maybe they would believe all the tension was from some fight they'd had at breakfast.
The same guard came up to the wagon. He looked from Phichorian to Charles, then gave Phichorian a commiserating look. “Back again.”
“That we are. Yesterday could have been worse, but we’re trying a new spot today.”
“Maybe I’ll catch your show this afternoon.”
“We’ll look for you.” Phichorian saluted and drove through the gates.
They took a meandering route through town. Phichorian stopped the wagon three times, got down and looked around, then hopped back in. The fourth time he stopped, they were close to the small door. He repeated the looking around, then shrugged in a way that suggested this was the best he could do, and climbed back into the wagon. He handed Charles some coins. “Get some food from that stand.”
Charles hurried to obey. He came back with three chicken pasties.
Phichorian was standing by the wagon. “We’ll eat inside.”
Charles nodded. He handed the food through to Melissina and climbed in. Phichorian followed. Melissina handed them each a pasty. She had already given Bobble part of hers.
“If we eat quickly, we can climb out of the side of the wagon, under the tent, and get to the door without them noticing.”
Melissina and Charles nodded as neither could talk around their food. Charles slid his arm out of the tunic, then switched the pasty to his left hand and got his right arm out, which he used to pull the borrowed tunic off over his head, revealing the sweater again. Phichorian finished his food first and started struggling into his leather armor. As the others finished, they helped each other arm themselves in the cramped space of the wagon.
“I can scout ahead,” Bobble offered.
Phichorian shook his head. “Too risky, you could be noticed.”
When they had finished eating and all the armor seemed to be in the right places, Phichorian ripped a hole in the side of the tent close to the wall with the cooking knife and climbed out.
He helped Melissina and Charles down. Bobble followed them to the small door.
Chapter 18
Charles hesitated as he approached the small door. Something felt wrong. He tried to convince himself that it had been a while since they had used one of these doors and he was forgetting what they were like, but he knew that was grasping at straws, especially when he stopped by the door and held out his arms. Melissina's hand was shaking as she gathered up a handful of the wool. Phichorian twisted a bit of the cloth between his fingers as they looked at the door.
“We’re close to the heart of the matter,” Phichorian murmured.
“You think that’s why it feels odd?” Melissina asked.
“There’s more magic here, more defensive spells, so it makes sense that we would feel them more strongly here.”
“You don’t believe that,” Melissina said.
Phichorian didn’t bother denying it. “Is there another way in? One that has a better chance of working?”
Melissina sighed. “I didn’t say we shouldn’t do it, just that I don’t like it.”
Charles kept staring at the door. “What would happen, you know, if it didn’t work?”
Phichorian answered. “We’d be caught in the doorway, or just inside, with a web spell, ready to be dealt with by guards at their leisure.”
That was not a comforting thought.
Melissina gave Charles a little push. “Go on.”
Charles stepped forward, making certain he went slow enough to let the others keep up with him. He turned the latch and pushed the door open.
Everything seemed all right. They made it through the door without incident. In fact, it seemed like they had been worried for nothing. They made it all the way into the courtyard with no sign of a trap.
Charles started to relax. Melissina and Phichorian both let go of the sweater.
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