“I agree,” Artemas said. “But in the last few moments I have closely examined each individual in this room, including Magic and the cat. From what I initially conclude, everyone seems perfectly normal.”
“How can that be?” asked Ulric. Artemas merely shrugged.
“Belthasar had to go somewhere,” Emma reasoned. “Either he disappeared into thin air–”
“–or he really is inside one of us,” Molly said, “and doing a fine job of acting normal.”
“Another cheery possibility,” Mr. Smithers said with a frown. “Unless, perhaps, he no longer exists. Maybe Belthasar went from person to person so many times that he just–well–wore himself out of existence!”
“Interesting theory,” Artemas considered, scratching his forehead. “But I have my doubts that the strength in him could be destroyed that easily. As long as he takes refuge inside a living being, his evil will continue to thrive. But it appears that he isn’t inside one of us, so I will have to examine this mystery more closely. I will find an answer.”
“Unfortunately we don’t have time to stick around until you do,” Mr. Jordan said. “The timedoor closes in about fifteen minutes. We have to leave now.”
“Of course, of course,” the magician muttered, still contemplating Belthasar’s mysterious disappearance.
“Thank you again for your hospitality,” Mrs. Jordan said, hugging King Rupert and Queen Eleanor. “I hope we get to visit another time.”
“I have complete faith in Artemas,” the King replied. “He will find a way to reconnect to your world.”
“And soon!” Queen Eleanor said as she hugged Emma goodbye. “I expect to hear all about your adventures when you return. We’ll sit in one of the courtyard gardens and have raspberry tea and biscuits, and I’ll let you talk for hours and hours without interruption.”
“I promise,” Emma said. “Keep a kettle boiling.”
Then Christopher and Molly said farewell to King Rupert and his wife once again, though they felt less sad now than four years ago.
“This seems more like a see you later than a goodbye,” Molly admitted as she handed the cat to Queen Eleanor. “I’m sure we’ll be back again. But I’d like to try a relaxing vacation next time.”
King Rupert chuckled. “I don’t think you and your brother would feel at home here if the air wasn’t full of intrigue and adventure and the world not falling apart around you.”
“Beats a day at the beach!” Christopher quipped, shaking the King’s hand and kissing Queen Eleanor on the cheek. “Hope to see you both soon.”
Moments later, Artemas ushered everyone to the timedoor with luggage in hand, wished them good health and good fortune. He promised to get to work on reopening the door as soon as possible.
“Perhaps before next Halloween,” he said as one by one they stepped through his magical creation, disappearing behind the stone wall like shadows fading into mist.
Queen Eleanor held the cat close to her, gently caressing its back as she watched the others depart. King Rupert stood behind his wife, resting a hand on her shoulder and telling her that everything would work out for the best. Artemas and Ulric also remained in the chamber until the timedoor finally closed for the last time with a loud crack. The noise frightened the cat and it cuddled closer to the Queen.
“Well, I suppose I should get to work determining when conditions will be suitable for creating another timedoor,” Artemas said.
“And I have more meetings scheduled with my troops,” Ulric added. “There is much to discuss since I’ve been away.”
King Rupert kissed his wife on the cheek. “And I, my dear, have a list of duties as long as my arm to attend to. I must be off at once.”
She huffed in dismay. “None of you are going anywhere!” ordered Queen Eleanor as the three men made a beeline for the door. They turned around in unison and looked at her like schoolboys skipping out of class early. “Not until the four of us sit down by an open window for a leisurely breakfast and a kettle of hot tea,” she added with a tender smile. “The world won’t fall apart in the next hour. Your duties can wait. Some things are just more important than others.”
King Rupert grinned and kissed his wife again. “You’re right as usual, my dear. I’ll even have a bowl of milk brought in for–um, what shall we name her?” he asked, pointing to the cat. “I assume you’ve decided to keep it for a pet.”
“Of course!” Queen Eleanor held up the cat nose to nose with the King as Artemas and Ulric looked on in amusement. “Millicent, meet Rupert. He’s not a bad sort once you get to know him.”
“Millicent?” he said with a raised eyebrow as they strolled out the door.
Queen Eleanor smiled. “I named her after Mother!”
CHAPTER TWENTY
On the Other Side
Few words were spoken as they walked swiftly among the stars, eager to return home after such a tiring journey. Magic trotted happily in the lead with Christopher, Molly and their mother close behind. Mr. Jordan followed with Vergil slumped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, wavering on the edge of another nap. With one eye barely open, the boy watched Mr. and Mrs. Smithers trailing along at the end of the line. Emma gripped her husband’s hand as she passed through the timedoor, amazed beyond her most fanciful dreams at both its beauty and unsettling wonder.
“You’ll break my fingers if you squeeze them any tighter,” Mr. Smithers whispered.
“Sorry, dear,” Emma replied, unable to take her eyes off the endless array of stars. “Though you described this to me many times, I can’t believe I’m actually here.”
“Just wait until you reach the other side, then you’ll be truly amazed!” he said. “Just like I was the first time I stepped into Artemas’ chamber.” He smiled and whispered into her ear. “Just like I was the first time I met you.”
“You’re making me blush,” she softly said, loosening her fingers slightly.
Soon a dim light appeared in the distance, and moments later the eight travelers from Endora stepped out of the timedoor, emerging through the stone support underneath the bridge by the river. The late morning sun splashed on the nearby trees, many still adorned with their red, gold and orange leaves of autumn. The air brushed warmly against their faces, making it feel more like spring than mid-November. Everyone smiled and breathed deeply as if they had been away for half a lifetime. Mr. Smithers stepped out from under the bridge with Emma and climbed up the grass embankment to survey the landscape, drinking in memories of his long lost home.
“Here we are,” he said, extending a hand through the air. “This is my kingdom, so to speak. The good old USA!”
“You must have missed it so,” Mrs. Jordan said as she took Vergil from her husband. Magic bounced about in the grass with Christopher and Molly.
“More than I can say,” Mr. Smithers replied, glancing up and down the nearby road. Then his eyes locked onto his old diner sitting off in the distance and he sighed. “Well, maybe I didn’t miss everything,” he added, pointing at his abandoned business, now vacant for four years.
“That’s where we first met you,” Mr. Jordan said, remembering how sad and disheveled a man Mr. Smithers had appeared back then. But four years as a member of King Rupert’s guard and his marriage to Emma had injected him with new life and boundless hope. Mr. Jordan felt confident that Stanley Smithers could restart his life here with no difficulty at all.
“You once told me there was a time when you actually enjoyed running your establishment,” Emma reminded him.
“I did. But that was before the gray days in my life,” he softly said, his face as serious as stone. Then Mr. Smithers turned to his wife and smiled. “But you erased the gray out of my life, dear, and now all is right with the world.” He glanced at the diner again, massaging his chin and thinking up a storm. “Perhaps I could reopen it. I lived in the apartment above it, and we’ll have to stay somewhere while we’re here. I suppose this is as good a place as any to start. But I’ll consult with
a lawyer first to see where my situation stands. After all, I departed without a warning. I’m sure I’ll have some explaining to do with all the unpaid bills and taxes I left behind. Oh well, nothing like starting from scratch, right?”
“That’s the spirit!” Mrs. Jordan said.
A sharp crack split the air in the next instant and everybody jumped as if a firecracker had exploded behind them. The timedoor had closed. Christopher, Molly and Magic ran up to the others.
“I guess that means our vacation is officially over,” Christopher said. “I really enjoy these fieldtrips out of the classroom.”
“It’s back to the books tomorrow, mister,” his mother said. “Consider yourself lucky that you escaped my tutoring lessons.”
“I suppose we can thank Belthasar for that, wherever he is,” Molly joked as she knelt in front of Magic and made silly faces at him. The dog panted with his tongue hanging out, scratching himself behind the ear. Molly sniffed a few times. “Boy, but you do need a bath, and soon!”
“Well, before we start worrying about diners and dog baths, I suggest we go home, fire up the grill and enjoy an autumn barbecue,” Mr. Jordan suggested. “You won’t find a more pleasant November day than this. Let’s not waste it!”
As nobody objected, they loaded their luggage into the car and headed home.
The blue flames fluttered softly in the grill as Mr. Jordan slathered barbecue sauce over sizzling chunks of beef tips and chicken. He placed thick slices of zucchini drenched with olive oil and lemon pepper upon the fire next to them, and soon after piled all the food upon a large platter and carried it to the picnic table. Mrs. Jordan had whipped up a potato salad and two pitchers of lemonade, and moments later everyone sat down to a backyard picnic as an occasional maple leaf dropped off the trees and drifted lazily through the air.
“Such delicious food!” Emma said, savoring every bite. “What a lovely way to enjoy a meal. I don’t know which impresses me more, this or the ride in the automobile.”
“There are even more wonders in our world to astound you,” Mr. Smithers promised. “But sometimes the simplest things in life are the most enjoyable.”
“Being together with family is my favorite activity,” Mrs. Jordan said as she smiled at her husband and three children.
“But you’ve got to admit that Artemas’ timedoor pretty much takes the prize for being impressive,” Christopher said. “Our world has nothing like that!”
“That would be pretty hard to top,” Molly agreed.
At that moment Mrs. Jordan snapped her fingers and chuckled to herself. “That explains it! Now I understand.”
“What do you understand, sweetheart?” her husband said as he scooped up a forkful of salad.
“I now know what happened to that last jar of grape jam I made four years ago.”
“Don’t look at me. I didn’t take it!” Vergil said laughing, his face smudged with barbecue sauce.
“What are you talking about?” Christopher asked.
“When Artemas created the grapevine in our living room, I saved some of the grapes to make jam.”
“And it was delicious!” Molly said, munching on a bit of chicken.
“I remember bringing the last jar up from the cellar one day and leaving it on the counter near the window while I answered the telephone,” she explained. “When I returned, the jar was nearly empty. Just a small amount of sugar water and pectin on the bottom along with the paraffin wax seal. The jar hadn’t leaked and I could never explain what had happened.”
“I recall you telling me about that,” Mr. Jordan said.
Emma shrugged. “So what happened to it?”
“I had left the jar in the sunlight, so–”
“–it vanished!” Molly said. “Sunlight dissolves any living thing made with magic. Just like the field of weeds and grass that Artemas created to trap the cat.”
“Exactly! Boy, that’s been bugging me for years,” her mother replied, spearing a piece of potato with her fork and popping it into her mouth. “Well, mystery solved,” she said with a satisfied smile.
“At least one of them is solved,” Mr. Smithers remarked. “I’d still like to know what happened to Belthasar.”
“Me too,” Christopher said. “How could he just disappear?”
“With any luck, maybe he disappeared for good,” Emma replied, patting her husband on the hand.
“Here, here!” Mr. Jordan said, raising his glass of lemonade. “I’ll drink to that.”
And everybody did, raising their glasses under the fine autumn sun as a balmy breeze rustled through the maple trees, sending a fleet of billowy white clouds slowly sailing by.
After they finished their lunch and the children scattered, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan continued talking with Mr. Smithers and Emma at the picnic table, discussing what their future might hold. Perhaps the diner could be reopened, or even rebuilt, bigger and better than before. The possibilities were endless. But whatever loomed around the next corner, they were ready to face it with confidence and zeal.
Then Vergil and Christopher zipped by like race cars, laughing and shouting before tackling each other in a pile of freshly fallen leaves. They tossed up handfuls into the air and plopped to the ground on their backs to watch the leaves drift down like huge red, yellow and orange snowflakes.
“Play with us, Molly!” Vergil shouted as he tried to catch the falling leaves.
“As soon as I finish washing our wonderfully smelling dog,” she called from the top of the driveway as she gently hosed Magic. “Unless you’d rather do this.”
“No thank you!” Christopher said with a laugh.
“Big surprise…”
A moment later Magic wildly twisted his body, sending huge droplets of water splashing against Molly like waves on a beach. She jumped back, shaking the water off her arms and wiping her face.
“I really hate it when you do that, Magic,” she muttered, a stream of air escaping from the side of her mouth.
Then Molly soaped up the dog and sprayed him off again, sending a trail of sudsy water snaking down the driveway, carrying along an assortment of dirt, grass clippings, leaf bits and dead bugs to a nearby sewer in the street.
One of the bugs, however, wasn’t dead.
A large mosquito on the edge of a soap bubble flowed down the driveway and along the road, finally catching itself on the rim of the metal sewer grate. As the water trickled into the sewer, splattering below with a bitter echo, the mosquito dragged itself over to a dry section of the metal. There it rested for a moment and dried off, and then suddenly it sputtered and buzzed with white-hot rage as Belthasar’s angry spirit coursed through the insect’s body, its tiny set of eyes as gray as wet ash. A delicate pair of wings lifted it up on a cool draft rising from the sewer, and then a moment later the mosquito flew off in the warm November breeze to search for a new host.
THE END
As promised, I finally found some time to convert my Endora Trilogy novels to the Kindle format, having made a few minor edits from the print copy in the process. Thank you for reading this book and I hope you’ve enjoyed it very much. Below is my original Author’s Note from the paperback version. Your support is much appreciated!
Thomas J. Prestopnik
February 3, 2014
AUTHOR’S NOTE
To every reader, young and old, who has been (eagerly?) awaiting the publication of this sequel, I truly hope it turns out to be as exciting and enjoyable a book as you may have imagined. I know I have enjoyed writing it far more than I first anticipated after I decided to turn The Timedoor into a trilogy. Just over a year has passed since I started writing The Sword and the Crown, and more than three years has flown by since I began outlining it. I suspect that the third and final volume should not take so long to see the light of day. Though I did release Gabriel’s Journey between the publication of Books I and II in the trilogy, I plan to review my notes and begin an outline for Book III by springtime and start writing as soon as it’s complet
e. So in the meantime, I hope this volume has been worth the wait, and I thank you for reading my work. I also offer a heartfelt thank you to my sister Theresa Ricci and Jean, Barry and Quintin Smith for previewing this book, and to my nephew Nathan Prestopnik for spending many hours designing another wonderful cover for this series. Now one more to go!
Thomas J. Prestopnik
October 31, 2004
THE SAVING LIGHT
• Book III in The Endora Trilogy •
Thomas J. Prestopnik
Copyright © 2014 Kindle Edition
by Thomas J. Prestopnik
Copyright © 2007 Print Edition
by Thomas J. Prestopnik
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a book reviewer who may quote short excerpts of this literary work in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events is entirely coincidental.
For more information, visit Thomas J. Prestopnik’s website at www.TomPresto.com.
ISBN-10: 0741440326 (Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780741440327 (Paperback)
This book is affectionately dedicated
to my twenty-five nieces and nephews,
Matthew, Hayley, Abbie, Evan, Katey,
Kelly, Andy, Brenan, Alison, Ryan,
Meghan, Adam, Jenelle, Joe, Phillip,
Ben, Eddie, Stephen, Renée, Emily,
The Endora Trilogy (The Complete Series) Page 42