by E. D. Baker
Micah set down his mug of cider. “I have some wonderful news for you. I’m getting married! You’re going to have an aunt!”
Cory was too tired to pretend excitement over something she already knew. The performance of the night before had been a huge success, and Jack Horner had already booked Zephyr for three more shows. She had stayed up late with Blue and a group of their friends, so had gotten very little sleep. She wished she could be more enthusiastic about Micah’s news, but just didn’t have it in her right then.
“Aren’t you going to ask her name?” asked Micah.
“What’s her name?” Cory asked, stifling another yawn. If she hadn’t wanted to talk to her uncle this morning, she would have slept in instead of getting up extra early. Unfortunately, talking to him seemed really hard when she was so tired.
“She’s Quince Brookfield,” said Micah. “Weegie’s chiropractor! I’ve never believed in love at first sight, but now I know that it can really happen!”
“That’s wonderful,” Cory said, trying to force more enthusiasm into her voice.
“Cory, why aren’t you more surprised?” asked Micah. “You sound as if you knew this already. Wait a minute. You didn’t have anything to do with this, did you? Did you do your Cupid thing to me and Quince? Is that why it happened so fast?”
Micah’s voice had become increasingly suspicious. The look in his eyes was enough to snap Cory out of her stupor. Although she wished he hadn’t guessed, she certainly wasn’t going to lie to him.
“All I did was encourage something that you were discovering for yourself,” said Cory. “Quince is your true love. She is the one you are meant to spend your life with. I didn’t make something happen that wasn’t supposed to eventually. I just speeded it up a little.”
Micah looked as if he didn’t like what he was hearing, so Cory didn’t mention that she had brought them together, or that if it hadn’t been for her, they might never have met. Sometimes, a little less knowledge could be a good thing, if only he didn’t guess that, too.
“And you know she’s my true love because . . . ,” said Micah.
“I saw her in a vision every time I saw you! It’s what I do, Micah. It’s what all Cupids do. We know when two people are right for each other, and we do what we can to make it happen. You can’t be upset with me for that. I just handed you your very own happily-ever-after on a silver platter!”
“I suppose that’s a good thing,” said Micah.
“It’s a very good thing,” Cory said, wanting him to have the joy back in his voice that he’d had just a minute before. “Tell me, have you set a date?”
“We’d like to do it in two weeks if we can get everything worked out,” said Micah.
“Ah,” said Cory. “Then it might help to know that I’m moving out today. Grandfather has invited me to live with him.”
“Really?” Micah said. “Were you going to move out even if I hadn’t met Quince?”
“Your marriage is only part of the reason I’m moving,” said Cory. “Grandfather is letting me keep Shimmer at his house. We’re going to build her a den in the backyard.”
“That’s perfect!” Micah told her. “I’ve felt bad that she couldn’t live here. What about the woodchucks? Are you taking them, too? Because they could stay here if they’d rather. I’ve gotten used to having them around.”
“I haven’t asked them yet. I’ll tell them that they have a choice.”
“I’m glad things are working out for you, Cory,” said her uncle. “You deserve it!”
“And I’m glad that you’ve found your own true love!” Cory replied.
“I should get going,” Micah said, standing up. “I want you to know that I am grateful and always will be. It’s just that I always thought I’d have some say in who I fell in love with. I don’t doubt it when you say that she’s my true love, because in my heart I know she is, so I guess it doesn’t really matter. Will you be here when I get home tonight?”
“I don’t think so,” Cory said. “I should have moved to Grandfather’s by then. You and Quince will have to come over for supper as soon as we get settled.”
Micah bent down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before he left the kitchen. Cory could hear him going out the front door as she poured herself a bowl of mixed grains and milk. She looked up when the kitchen door opened.
“That didn’t go too badly,” Blue said as he sat down and reached for a bowl. He looked rumpled and still half asleep, but Cory thought he looked adorable.
“How much of the conversation did you hear?” Cory asked him.
“Most of it,” said Blue. “I sleep on the floor of the main room about ten feet from this door. I’d have to be very determined to not hear conversations that take place in this kitchen. You told me yesterday that the putti are coming to help you move. I’ve never met any putti, but I understand they look like babies. I can’t imagine that they’ll be much help.”
“It should be interesting,” Cory admitted. “I can’t wait to see it myself.”
After a quick breakfast, Blue changed his clothes and left for work. Once he was gone, Cory got dressed while Macks sat on the porch and kept an eye on Shimmer. Cory was on her way to ask Macks if he would like a cup of cider when the message basket pinged! She was surprised to see that the message was from Blue.
Cory,
I’m sending more ogres to watch over you today. After some unexpected testimony from an elderly tooth fairy, the guilds are starting to worry. Some new nasty threats have been uncovered and most of them were aimed at you. I am afraid that they hope to disrupt the trial and frighten off the last few witnesses by doing something to you. Your new ogre bodyguards should arrive within the hour.
Love,
Blue
“I wonder what the guilds are planning now?” Cory muttered. She glanced out the window, half expecting to see something awful, but everything looked the way it usually did. She shook her head at her own foolishness. Whatever they were planning, it was bound to happen when she didn’t expect it.
Cory showed the message to Macks, then had to go back inside when she heard the basket ping! again. The next message was from her grandfather, saying that the putti were on their way. Cory went outside to look for the woodchucks. She found Noodles and Weegie in the garden, nibbling dandelion leaves.
“I need to talk to you,” she said, and sat down by the edge of the garden. “I’m moving to my grandfather Lionel’s house today.”
“We figured something was up when we saw you stuck half your stuff in boxes,” said Weegie. “Noodles said that the last time you put your stuff in boxes, you brought him here.”
“That’s true,” Cory told her. “I just wanted to tell you that you’re both invited to go with me. My grandfather has a big yard that leads down to the river. It’s really pretty and I think you’d like it. If you don’t want to go with me, you could either move to the park across the street or stay here with Micah. He’s already said that he’d like to have you stay.”
Weegie turned to Noodles and grumbled. Cory waited while they grumbled, twitched their ears, and nudged each other. Finally, Weegie turned back to her and said, “Can we go with you to check out the place? If we don’t like it, we’ll want you to bring us back here.”
Cory nodded. “We can do that. We’ll be leaving in a little while, so don’t go far.”
She was starting to stand up when Shimmer made a chirping sound and landed beside her. The little dragon tried to climb in her lap, and protested when Cory set her back on the ground. “Sorry, sweet girl, but I need to finish getting ready. My helpers should be here soon.”
Cory was about to go in the house when Wanita called from the walkway, “Cory, I see you have your friend back. Is your uncle letting you keep her this time?”
“Hi, Wanita,” said Cory as the little witch struggled to drag Boris away from the newly planted shrubs. “Actually, we’re both leaving. I’m moving in with my grandfather and Shimmer is going with me.”
>
“That’s too bad!” Wanita told her. “The part about you leaving, I mean. We’ll miss you in the neighborhood. Oh, before I forget, I wanted to tell you my news. I heard that the guilds are using a lot of pressure to get Witches United to join them. Rumor says that the guilds in the alliance don’t think they have a chance without all the power that the witches can bring, and because Organized Witches of the World is a bunch of pansy-faced, goody-two-shoes witches, they want the members of WU. Since no one knows which way the WU brooms will fly, the trial is still up in the air, so to speak. Say, I have to go. My bridge club is coming over today. We’re going to decide which bridge to destroy this week. Good luck with your move and keep in touch!”
As Cory watched Wanita half walk, half drag her pet boar down the street, it occurred to her how much she was going to miss Micah’s neighbors. She could invite them to parties and see them around town, but it wouldn’t be the same.
The whisper of a solar vehicle made Cory turn and look in the other direction. A large solar cart used to haul big items was coming down the road. Three putti sat on the driver’s seat that usually held one person. Cory recognized Orville and two of the other putti she’d seen at her grandfather’s house. She smiled and waved as she walked to the curb to wait for them.
Orville jumped off the solar cart first. “We’re so excited that you’re moving in with us! We’ll take care of the move. All you need to do is show us what you want to take and we’ll get started.”
“Right this way,” Cory said, and led them to the porch. They passed Macks, who was tossing a ball into the air for Shimmer to catch. The little dragon swooped over the putti, making them cry out in surprise.
“Hey, Orville!” Macks said when he saw the putti. “Don’t worry. Shimmer won’t hurt you! This little girl only goes after the people who pester Cory.”
Eyes wide, Orville turned from Shimmer to Cory. “You have a dragon?”
Cory nodded. “She’s moving with me. Grandfather gave his approval.” She began to wonder if taking Shimmer was going to be a problem. It would never work out if the putti were afraid of her.
“We’re going to have a dragon at the house!” Orville shrieked. “That’s wonderful! Wait till everyone hears about this!”
Cory grinned as the putti began to jump up and down. Apparently, they weren’t afraid after all.
“Uh, Cory, did I hear you say something about moving?” asked Macks.
Cory gave herself a mental kick. She had told everyone except Macks. “I’m sorry! I forgot to tell you. I’m moving to my grandfather’s house today.”
Macks’s grin was so wide that Cory thought his face might split in two. “That’s great! Nothing against your uncle’s house, but it is kind of small for all of us. Say, this means I’ll get to eat that great food every day! Not that you aren’t a good cook, but no one can beat Creampuff!”
“It’s all right, Macks. I know how much you like her cooking. Orville and I are going to finish packing my things. Please keep an eye on Shimmer, and watch for the other ogres Blue sent over. They should be here soon.”
Taking the putti inside, she set them to work packing the last of her possessions while she collected her toothbrush and a few other things she’d kept in the bathing room. When she came out, Macks had come to tell her that the other ogres had arrived and would be happy to help her move. With the ogres carrying the boxes out and the putti straightening her bedroom, Cory was soon ready to leave.
After checking the house one last time and locking the door behind her, Cory headed toward Macks’s solar cycle. Orville met her on the way. “The female woodchuck tells us that she and her mate are going as well. We brought extra boxes and they chose one to ride in. They are already on the solar cart. Are you ready to go?”
“As soon as I get my dragon,” Cory told him.
Shimmer had picked up on the excitement of the move and was hard to catch, but eventually Cory was able to coax her down with the sight of her favorite ball. With the little dragon tucked in the knapsack, they finally started out. Two ogres rode their solar cycles first, with Cory and Macks right behind them. The solar cart came next with the other ogres following. People stopped and stared as they rode past. “I’m sure the guilds will know that I’ve moved after this,” Cory told Macks. “I hope they leave Micah alone now.”
It didn’t take long to drive to Lionel’s house. The ogres seemed very impressed as they parked their solar cycles in the driveway and started carrying the boxes inside. Cory had Macks carry the box holding the woodchucks around back before he set it down. Weegie and Noodles ambled out of the box, sniffed the air, and took off into the yard. Impatient, Shimmer wiggled out of the knapsack while Cory was still wearing it. The little dragon leaped into the air, leaving Cory to watch her circle over the yard and head to the river.
“Should I call her back?” asked Macks.
Cory shook her head. “She’ll come back when she’s ready. I want to go say hello to my grandfather and pick out a bedroom so the putti can unpack.”
Lionel was in his study thumbing through a binder filled with leaves, so his greeting was brief. He did tell her where to look for a bedroom, however, promising to meet her for lunch. Although Cory had a seemingly endless number of rooms to choose from, it didn’t take her long to make her decision. She picked a room that looked out over the back lawn and gave her a clear view of the river. There was a small balcony off the room, providing the perfect place for a baby dragon to land.
When Cory returned downstairs, she found that the putti had set tables on the lawn and were carrying out a feast fit for dozens of ogres. Although Cory knew how much Macks liked the chef, she wasn’t sure how the rest of the ogres would get along with the putti. Her concerns vanished when she saw one of the ogres carrying five putti at once while the little men laughingly asked him to put them down. She was impressed with how gentle the big ogres were around the babylike people and how thrilled the putti seemed to be to have the ogres there.
“Maybe I should have done this sooner,” she said to herself.
Cory was watching the festive scene when she saw Shimmer fly over the yard and head around the house to the front. Worried that the dragon might startle a neighbor or fly into an oncoming solar cycle, Cory hurried around the side of the house. She stopped in the curve of the driveway, unsure where to look next. Her hands were already cupped around her mouth, ready to call to Shimmer, when she heard someone talking.
“Aren’t you the cutest thing! Where did you come from, young lady? You don’t act wild. Do you belong to one of my neighbors?”
Cory followed the voice across the side lawn and through a grouping of trees. There she found an elderly, silver-haired woman petting the baby dragon.
“You found Shimmer!” Cory said. The little dragon scurried across the ground to Cory, who bent down to scoop her up.
“She belongs to you?” the woman asked in disbelief. “She’s a beautiful creature. Where did you purchase her?”
“I didn’t buy her,” Cory said, and laughed when the baby dragon licked her, leaving a hot trail down her cheek. “She was given to me and I was thrilled to get her.”
“As well you should be,” said the woman. “Who are you, girl? Haven’t I met you before?”
“I’m Cory Feathering. Lionel Feathering is my grandfather. I just moved in, so I guess I’m your new neighbor.”
“Ah, yes. I saw you at the trial. You’ve gotten quite a reputation these past few weeks. I wonder how much of it is true. Tell me, what do you plan to do with a baby dragon?”
Cory was a little baffled by the change in topic. “I, uh, intend to take good care of her while she grows up. I already promised my grandfather that I’d let her go if she got too big for me to handle.”
“Uh-huh,” said the woman. “We’ll see if you really do. I understand that you’re no longer a tooth fairy. So what is it you do now, or are you too good to work?”
Cory didn’t like the way the woman was talking to
her, but she didn’t want to offend one of her grandfather’s neighbors on the day she moved in. “I’ve started a matchmaking business and I’m in a band,” Cory told her.
The woman gave her a long look up and down. “That’s right, you’re a matchmaker. Did you go to a trade school for that?”
“I don’t believe there are any classes for it,” said Cory. The woman was making her feel oddly uncomfortable. Cory started to edge away.
“And yet you claim to know how to do it? How is that possible?”
“Just a knack, I suppose,” Cory said. “I need to go. I’m glad Shimmer wasn’t bothering you. Good-bye! It was nice meeting you.”
As Cory hurried back to her grandfather’s yard, she thought about the silver-haired woman. She had asked a lot of questions, but Cory hadn’t learned a thing about her.
Cory found Macks seated at one of the tables and handed Shimmer to him. “Would you please keep an eye on her? Try not to let her go out front.”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” said Macks. “Shimmer, let’s see if we can find your ball. I bet none of these galoots have ever seen a dragon catch a ball before.”
While Macks took care of Shimmer, Cory went looking for her grandfather in his study. He was putting away the binder when she knocked on his door. “I just met one of your neighbors,” Cory told him. “She’s an older woman with silver hair and she seems awfully nosy. All she did was ask me questions.”
“That would be Laudine Kundry. She’s lived next door to me for sixty-five years. You may not have heard of her, but she’s the head of the guild called Witches United.”
“She’s the head of WU?” said Cory. “Well, that’s just great. The woman obviously doesn’t like me, and I’ve heard that the other guilds are pressuring WU to join their alliance against guild reform. This will probably push her over to their side.”
“That isn’t good,” her grandfather said. “WU is made up of the nastier, more powerful witches. The guilds probably think that with WU on their side, people will be afraid to speak out against their alliance. Is it possible that you misread her? She really hasn’t had time to form an opinion of you yet.”