His breath coming in painful bursts, Count Jonty Um raced along the rim of the chasm, hoping to find a way off the mountain. The two people he’d dug out of the collapsed cottage managed to stay on his shoulder.
Below his thoughts, he felt animal terror, the fright of all the beasts he’d ever shape-shifted into. In the distance, through the roar of the fire, he heard voices crying out in despair and pain. He slowed. Fee fi! One voice sounded nasal, metallic, and not in pain. He stopped.
Couldn’t be. Meenore wouldn’t risk ITself to come here.
He heard the voice again. Singing! Fo fum! IT had, but where was IT in this confusion?
“Here—Meenore!” he roared. Running again, he continued to shout.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Elodie cursed herself for not thinking.
“Marya, I had to hit you with a bench before you’d help me.” Johan-bee wasn’t rocking, and his hands were steady on the longbow. “Master Uwald was always kind—the last time he was here, too. Master—”
“Anyone who is kind to you is the worst knave that ever lived.” Ludda-bee’s hands inched toward the nearest platter.
“Ludda, I will loose this arrow at you if you move again or say another word.”
She stopped, her eyes bulging, her cheeks puffed out.
What to do? Elodie thought.
“Master Uwald,” Johan-bee said, “please dig up the Replica and saddle two horses. Please come back and tell me when you’re ready.”
“Excellent, Johan.” Master Uwald took the bread knife. “I’ll use it if I must. Robbie, come. Don’t you want to be rich?”
“No, thank you. I want to be a barber-surgeon.”
Master Uwald winced. He circled the table to Master Robbie’s place and grabbed his elbow. “Come. You need someone who loves you.”
Master Robbie, looking an appeal at all of them, went with him.
High Brunka Marya flicked her hand. A few inches of rainbow sprang from it and melted away instantly.
“Goodman Albin,” Master Uwald said, “may I trouble you to open the door?”
Albin hesitated.
“Do it!” Ursa-bee cried. “He’ll kill Marya.”
Albin hauled open the big entry door. As he did so, Master Robbie broke free of Master Uwald’s grip and bounded to the middle of the great hall.
“Robbie!” Master Uwald took a step toward him, then wheeled and left, into a night that was brightening toward dawn.
“Wherever you go, we’ll find you,” High Brunka Marya called after him. “You won’t— Uh!” She shifted on her bench and gripped the table. “More tremors. Johan, you must—”
“Mistress Elodie and I”—Master Robbie spoke forcefully—“went to the room where the magic boxes were kept. . . .”
Why was he saying this? Elodie wondered. He was looking straight at her.
“We touched the daffodil.” He almost shouted the word. “How we laughed.”
What about it? No one was laughing now.
“I was weak with laughter. Then she— She’s such a mansioner.”
Lambs and calves! Despite her fear, Elodie pushed out a bubble of laughter. And another and another. Everyone smiled, even Johan-bee. She began to giggle. Albin joined in first, probably mansioning, too.
She stood, the better to laugh, and laughed harder, her laughter becoming real despite the tremors, the terrified people and beasts, her masteress, His Lordship.
Everyone laughed. Ursa-bee covered her mouth while laughing. Master Tuomo threw his head back. High Brunka Marya’s shoulders shook. Master Robbie laughed while he nodded at Elodie.
Johan-bee’s mouth opened wide with his laughter. He cried, “It’s so funny. I helped steal the Replica.”
Elodie hugged her belly, which ached from laughing. Tears ran down her cheeks, tears of laughter and fear and sorrow.
Johan-bee’s arms trembled with the force of his laughter. The longbow and arrow fell.
Master Tuomo, whooping with laughter, ran at him and toppled him. Albin snatched up the bow and arrow. Master Tuomo pulled the sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Johan-bee’s chest.
With an effort, Elodie slowed her laughter.
Had Master Uwald already dug up the Replica?
Would he really come back for Johan-bee? She doubted it.
Ludda-bee took the sword from Master Tuomo. “Go catch Master Uwald. Johan won’t get away from me. Will you, you great nincompoop?”
Two bees stayed with her, but everyone else who could surged toward the entry door, leaving the high brunka on her bench.
She cried, “I want to be there.”
Elodie turned to see High Brunka Marya take an unsteady step. Mistress Sirka and Goodman Dror returned. Mistress Sirka scooped her up and carried her out, followed by Goodman Dror. The three of them and Elodie followed the others, who were disappearing down the stairs.
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE