Stolen Magic(39)

As they walked the long corridor back to the great hall, she wondered if Ludda-bee could be the thief. The cook had studied Johan-bee’s habits, so she’d be aware of when he’d go to the garderobe. And she knew the Replica’s hiding place. But if she took it, she’d have to leave the Oase and stop complaining. The loss would be too great.





CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO



The piebald horse picked his way down the mountain, slowed by the deep snow. He felt the low rumble far beneath his hooves, but his nature was placid and he experienced no fear.

The widow, who had never ridden a horse before, wound her fingers tight in his mane. At first the children expressed wonder at being so high up, but within a half hour they fell silent, the steady motion putting them all in a kind of trance. The baby slept. The donkey trailed behind.

An hour passed. The air warmed. The snow, which in the cold had been light as sifted flour, grew heavy and wet and harder to push through.

They entered the woods below the cottage. Although less snow had reached the ground, the trees grew close together, and the ground was stony. The horse had to pick his way and progressed more slowly. They hadn’t gone far before the earth shuddered, instantly awakening the ogre in the horse. Fee fi! He stopped because that seemed safest, since every step would be treacherous, but the donkey bolted. The baby and the three-year-old wailed.

The shuddering was noiseless, but a crack split the air ahead as a tree toppled and narrowly missed the donkey, who surged ahead.

A great groaning and whirring came from above them on the mountain. His Lordship guessed rocks and snow were skidding down. Fo fum! Let the slide not reach them!

It didn’t, but, in the distance, someone screamed.

His Lordship knew he couldn’t investigate the cry, not with as many as he could carry already on board. He wished he could.

The widow whispered into his neck, “Thank you.”

But she gave him too much credit. He knew they’d merely been lucky. In his mind he became a horse again and continued the slow, careful descent.





CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE



When they delivered Elodie to the great hall, Ludda-bee went to the kitchen, and Johan-bee relieved one of the bees guarding the kitchen doorway. The breakfast table had been taken down. Hungry as she was, Elodie put thoughts of a meal out of her mind. The guests were again in their pairs, searching the shelves and cabinets that lined the walls: Master Uwald with Albin, Master Tuomo with Mistress Sirka. Master Robbie stood with Master Uwald and Albin along the north wall, but his eyes were on the door Elodie entered through. She wondered if he’d been watching for her.

Dror-bee now explored the books and relics with Ursa-bee. High Brunka Marya sat alone on her stool, watching this pair and then that and certainly listening to everyone.

Where is my masteress by now? Elodie wondered.

She jerked her head in a signal to Master Robbie, and he followed her to the high brunka.

“High Brunka—”

“Good morning, kidlings.” She smiled wanly at them.

Elodie saw faint colors on her fingertips again.

“Lamb, I wish you’d come to the Oase at a more pleasant time, and we could have shown you the Replica and taken you around.”

“I don’t mind,” Elodie said, because she could think of nothing better. “Remember when we said IT thinks there were two thieves? IT may be wrong.” She explained that the rushes had been disturbed in the Turtle Room. “That’s the room IT thinks would have been used if there was just one thief. But the Turtle could also be the wrong chamber. Johan-bee said there are mice, and they could have shuffled the rushes.”

“He’s right. We need cats, but they don’t like being confined in here.”

Master Robbie asked, “Are bees still searching the relics rooms?”

“They are.” The high brunka sighed. “I wish we had collected fewer things.” Her weak smile flickered again.

They left her.

Master Robbie said, “IT said we should ask Deeter-bee about the last theft.”

The historian sat on his bench by the south fireplace, where Elodie had first seen him.

Master Robbie took Elodie’s hand as they crossed the room. She felt herself blush and wondered if Albin was watching but didn’t want to turn her head to see.

“I told Grand— er, Master Uwald that I’d like to be a barber-surgeon.”

“What did he say?”

“He laughed. Whales and porpoises, he laughed a long time. Then he said, ‘The richest boy on Lahnt wants to be a barber.’ He also said we could talk more about it after this was over.”

Deeter-bee watched them come.

Elodie and Master Robbie sat on the bench with him, Elodie on his left, Master Robbie on his right. Both leaned forward so they could see each other, too.

Elodie cast about for something to say. “Er . . . um . . . in one of the mansioners’ plays, King Tantalus says . . .” She made her voice deep and ringing. “‘History points a bloody finger at the future.’”

Not just High Brunka Marya turned to look at her; so did everyone else.

She lowered her voice. “Deeter-bee, does history point at this thief?”

He yawned. “History’s finger points backward.”

She persisted. “Is there anything we can learn from the other theft?”