Stolen Magic(19)

“I’ll give a reward.” Master Tuomo stood again and surveyed the guests and bees. “A hundred silver coins, all my money in the world.”

A fortune. The Replica was worth more, but if the thief preferred not to kill people and beasts, he or she might take the reward instead.

Elodie’s head swam. Was Master Tuomo trying to save his sons—or turning suspicion away from himself?

He added, “If anybody finds the Replica, bring it to High Brunka Marya, and I’ll promise you the reward. Uwald will vouch that my word is good. If you know something, tell me, and if it leads to the Replica, I’ll pay you.”

Master Uwald said, “I’ll pay the reward, Tuomo. I can afford it better than you.”

High Brunka Marya looked up at the ceiling as if she might see Brunka Harald’s ghost floating there. “Thank you both, but the hundred silvers will come from brunkas, and information will be delivered to me.”

“What are we to do after we search the bees’ things? I won’t sit still.”

“Dear Master Tuomo, you may look where you like, so long as you do so in the pairs I named, and so long as you remain in this chamber. And a . . . er . . . personage will arrive soon to speak with each of you, a personage adept at finding lost objects.”

“Who?” Master Tuomo demanded.

White smoke wreathed the entry door.

“The one who brought me to the Oase.” Elodie let pride infuse her voice, although she shouldn’t have, since she hoped to appear dull witted. “Lahnt is lucky. Masteress Meenore is here.”





CHAPTER THIRTEEN



With the sympathy of a brunka, Brunka Arnulf brought out a meal for Count Jonty Um. The ogre devoured half a wheel of cheese, two loaves of bread, and a bunch of late carrots, and drank two pitchers of cider, dining as quickly as he could while preserving his noble manners. When he finished, although he longed to sleep in a warm place, he shape-shifted into a swift again and flew.

Dawn had just begun.

If His Lordship hadn’t been tired, if his mind hadn’t been sluggish with food, if he had been a bird more often, he would have remembered that dawn was the hunting hour and would have waited before shape-shifting.

As the swift rounded the eastern slope of Zertrum, an arrow pierced his shoulder, and he fell.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN




“There once was a dragon called Roarer

who filled the people with horror.

Their fear pleased IT mightily,

IT flamed at them frightfully

and caused a boisterous furor.”



Enh enh enh.

No one else laughed. Elodie smiled, while wishing her masteress would stop amusing ITself.

ITs head, shoulders, and forelegs (ITs arms, as Elodie thought of them) inched gingerly into the Oase. “I will not force the matter,” IT said when ITs sides filled the opening.

Everyone but Elodie, Albin, and High Brunka Marya rushed to the opposite wall.

Master Robbie took a few hesitant steps forward, managing to look at once afraid, curious, and hopeful.

High Brunka Marya said, “IT’s going to help us find the Replica. IT’s as clever as a ratcatcher.”

“I am assuredly cleverer than that. Thief, you may confess now and save me the trouble of smoking you out, so to speak.” Enh enh enh.

Elodie scanned the bees and guests. If she had stolen the Replica and had never encountered a dragon before, her knees would have buckled. But everyone remained upright, looking equally terrified.

IT grinned, showing ITs teeth, which were pointy as spikes.

The high brunka said, “IT wishes to speak with some of my bees first. Um . . . Ursa, take the first turn. I expect you—bees and guests—to be frank with IT, as open as children.”

Elodie thought the high brunka didn’t know many children.

“Share everything, even your suspicions, no matter how absurd you think they are.”

Ursa-bee, as it turned out, was the bee Elodie had noticed weeping with her fist in her mouth when the high brunka had announced the theft. She was a woman of middle height, neither thin nor fat, probably in her mid-twenties, with a high forehead, thin nose, and receding chin. Her pale green eyes contrasted with her dark skin. She crept forward, her hands clasped prayerfully.

“Everyone else, in the pairs I named, can help with the search. Give the masteress and Ursa a wide berth for their private conversation. I’ll be watching and listening.” She drew a stool from the pallet corner into the center of the great hall.

While Ursa approached IT with slow steps, Master Robbie grabbed Elodie’s hand. “I’ll show you what else is missing, and what’s still there.”

His hand was gloved, as hers were. How bold of him to take her hand!

“Wait!” She pulled free and tried to catch ITs eye to see if she should go or stay and listen to the interviews, but IT stared fixedly at Ursa-bee. “All right. Show me.”

And, she thought, tell me what you know about everyone.





CHAPTER FIFTEEN



ITs smoke rose in white spirals. People to frighten, a puzzle to untangle—bliss. Begin with an accusation: “You are from Zertrum, are you not?”

Ursa-bee shook her head so hard her cap trembled.

“From where then?”