her head. It was Rosie. But not Rose the living fairy, Rosie the pixie doll.
Cleogha charged into the room after Rosie. She clutched my muddy rapier in one hand. Her black witch’s outfit was filthy and twigs dangled from her dirty hair.
Just as I’d hoped to do, she ran into Zeila and they both went down in a snarling heap. My rapier clattered to the floor.
I guess tackling a witch is a smart move after all.
Cleogha’s appearance shocked me and my mind whirled with questions. What is she doing here? How is she alive? And most importantly, Is she on our side?
Then Zeila lost hold of her broom and the air suspending me above the floor seemed to melt. I floated down like a feather.
Behind me, Jozlyn gasped for breath. “The broom!” she panted hoarsely. “It’s the source of Zeila’s magic!”
I knew immediately that she was right.
When Zeila had dropped the broom, her magical hold on Jozlyn and me had failed. Somehow, the witch’s spells were tied to her broom. Without it, Zeila couldn’t keep her spells working.
That meant that if we destroyed the broom …
I didn’t have time to finish the thought. I ran across the room and jumped over the wrestling witches.
They continued to tear and claw at each other like wild dogs. But even for Cleogha’s size advantage, it didn’t look like she could hold out much longer. Zeila had a fistful of her hair and was struggling to stand.
I snatched my rapier from the floor where Cleogha had dropped it. As I turned, Zeila shrieked. “What are you doing?”
I froze and Zeila laughed. Cleogha lay motionless at her feet. “Put the sword down, little boy,” she commanded.
My heartbeat pounded thunderously in my ears and time seemed to stop.
Thump. Zeila stepped toward me. Thump. She raised her arms. Thump. She sucked in a deep breath. Thum—
“Now, Josh!” Jozlyn shouted, and time screamed to a start. She was on her knees with Zeila’s broom clutched in her outstretched hands.
I looked at Zeila and raised my rapier. “What am I doing?” I mocked, and Zeila seemed to shrink, becoming small and weak. Her eyes were wide with terror. “I’m vanquishing you!”
My rapier came down swiftly and sliced through the long handle of the broom in Jozlyn’s hands. Colors and lights exploded, and a gust of wind blasted me off my feet.
Zeila’s cry of “Nooo!” was the last thing I remembered.
37: APPRENTICE REWARDS
IT was over and we were home, the heroes of Tiller’s Field. Only we didn’t feel much like heroes. We mostly felt tired.
We’d arrived home late on the shoulders of Mougi the ogre. He’d found us wandering in the dark of Everleaf Woods.
After Zeila’s broom had been cut in half, all of her spells had weakened and failed, Mougi’s mushroom patch included. While the mushrooms still tasted scrumptious and offered a huge variety of flavors, they no longer sent up poisonous clouds. Mougi was free to leave his patch.
The townsfolk of Tiller’s Field met us at Mosswood Bridge. An enormous ogre is hard to miss, so they’d seen him coming. At first they were afraid but when they spotted us on the ogre’s shoulders, a loud cheer went up. Any friend of the heroes of Tiller’s Field was a friend of theirs, too.
Thankfully the townsfolk were people again, not frogs. Jozlyn had cried at seeing them, and even I’d felt a sticky lump in my throat.
We really had done it. The town was safe and Zeila was powerless without her broom. I thought we’d seen the last of her.
Everyone applauded us, hugged us, and patted us on the back. “Hip-hip-huzzah!” they shouted over and over as we walked quietly with our parents toward home. It was like a parade with us in the lead.
That night Dad had to send away dozens of visitors. Connor had been one of the first and most eager to see us. When Dad politely asked him to come back the next day, Connor agreed. Of course he stuck his head in the front door and shouted, “Not bad, peasants! Welcome home!”
The next morning a group of important visitors arrived. They stood outside the way they had on Cauldron Cooker’s Night. Among them were Mayor Garlo in his crooked top hat, Wizard Ast, and Sheriff Logan looking as grim as ever.
Behind them stood Cleogha the witch. She looked quite different, and I almost didn’t recognize her. She’d brushed her hair and put on a yellow outfit with pink trim.
“My, my,” Mayor Garlo told us, puffing his bushy mustache with a big breath. “You have done quite well for yourselves. All of Tiller’s Field thanks you and is in your debt.” He paused and cleared his throat.
Wizard Ast leaned on his staff. “What the mayor is trying to tell you-say,” he smiled through his beard, “is we wish to reward-repay you.” He turned and nodded to Cleogha.
The yellow-dressed witch shuffled forward and extended her hand to Jozlyn. “This be yours,” she said softly. “It be right that you have her back.”
In the witch’s hand was Rosie the pixie doll, looking as good as new. She didn’t have a single rip or tear or spot of dirt.
Jozlyn cried out in joy. “Oh, Rosie!” she exclaimed, hugging the doll fiercely to her chest.
Mayor Garlo cleared his throat again. “We have decided that Witch Cleogha is no threat to out town and have agreed that she shall be allowed to return home. My, my. She may even fly on her broom on Cauldron Cooker’s Night … so long as she is quiet about it.”
“Furthermore,” Wizard Ast added, “we have decided-determined that you two children are ready to begin-start training for your future.”
Ast turned to Jozlyn. “You are hereby apprenticed to Witch Cleogha. You will learn-study the secrets of magic. Your skill-talent with the wand has demonstrated your aptitude.”
Jozlyn gasped and her eyes went wide. I couldn’t tell if she was excited about the idea of learning magic or worried about spending time with Cleogha.
The old wizard then turned to me. “You, lad, will be apprenticed to Sheriff Logan. Please kneel.”
As stunned as Jozlyn, I numbly did what the wizard asked. I couldn’t refuse with all of them standing there. But why did Sheriff Logan have to be involved? He scared me!
The sheriff’s arm blurred and he drew his long sword in a single smooth motion. He rested the blade lightly upon my shoulder.
In a quiet but commanding voice, he said, “I dub thee Deputy Josh, my page. By courage and valor have you earned this honor.” He lifted the sword and then touched my other shoulder with it. “Continue to serve Tiller’s Field and I will see that you become a swordsman of legend. Now rise.”
I stood up and Sheriff Logan held out his hand for me to shake. He had a big smile on his face, the first I’d ever seen there. Seeing it made me feel better about him, and I wasn’t afraid of him anymore.
The four visitors left shortly after that. Our training would begin soon, but not immediately.
Jozlyn and I took a walk to Mosswood Bridge where we dangled our feet over the edge in the warm water. We were quiet for a while before Jozlyn finally spoke.
“Adventures never really end, do they Josh?” she asked while staring at the gurgling creek.
I thought about that a bit and decided she was right. We’d defeated Zeila in one adventure, but new adventures waited for us both.
“Not for heroes like us,” I grinned. “Ribbit.”
The End
Also David Anthony & Charles David Clasman
Monsters. Magic. Mystery.
#1: Cauldron Cooker’s Night
#2: Skull in the Birdcage
#3: Early Winter’s Orb
#4: Voyage to Silvermight
#5: Trek Through Tangleroot
#6: Hunt for Hollowdeep
#7: The Ninespire Experiment
#8: Aware of the Wolf
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Superhero Kids
Fighting Crime Before Bedtime
#1: Alien Ice Cream
#2: Bowling Over Halloween
#3: Cherry Bomb Squad
#4: Digging for Dinos
#5: Easter Egg Haunt
#6: Fowl Mouthwash
#7: Guitar Rocket Star
#8: Holiday Holdup
#9: Ivy League All-Stars
#10: Joey Down Under
#11: Kung Fu Kitties
#12: Lost Puppy Love
#13: Monkey Monster Truck
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Read a scare … if you dare.
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Cauldron Cooker’s Night Artist
The hand-painted cover art, official Knightscares logo, maps, and interior illustrations were all created by the talented artist Steven Spenser Ledford.
Steven is a freelance fine and graphic artist from Charleston, SC with nearly 20 years of experience. His work includes public and private wall murals, comic book pencil, ink, and color, magazine illustrations and cover art, t-shirt designs, sculptures, portraits, painted furniture, and more. Most of his work is produced from the tiny rooms of the house he shares with his very patient wife and their two children—Xena (a psychotic tortoise-shell cat) and Emma (a Jack Russell terrier). He welcomes inquiries at [email protected].
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Cauldron Cooker's Night (Epic Fantasy Adventure Series, Knightscares Book 1) Page 18