‘So you think that theygave him that name because it was on the book? Why? What game isyour grandfather playing?’
‘I have no idea. Hetold us nothing,’ Zephira replied.
‘He told you to seekthe druid Alin Amber, did he not?’
‘Well yes, what iswrong with that?’ asked Zephira.
‘He was the Yith whotold me the story three years ago. Your grandfather was sending youand Aquitain to find the Yith who gave me the book to give toAquitain. Doesn’t that seem a little strange?’
Zephira was feelingdistinctly uncomfortable. The High Wizard’s suggestion that hergrandfather had set up some elaborate scheme years ago involvingAquitain seemed incredible, but the evidence was leaning that way.Her grandfather was always very careful about what Aquitain wasallowed or not allowed to learn, and had tutored him as if he mighthave some specific task in the future. Maybe there was a hiddenagenda behind their presence here.
‘I don’t know what tosay. All I can say is that neither Aquitain nor I knew anythingabout what you’ve just told me.’
‘Zephira, I’m inclinedto help Aquitain with whatever he has to do, but I don’t know how.I need more information. Can’t you tell me anything?’
‘Well, none of thiswould have happened if his body didn’t start going strange. We hada family meeting and my grandfather said we needed to get some helpso that he could control it. That’s when he got Facit the Logiconin to help. He said he had someone else as well, but we had toleave before they came owing to the trouble with the Archon. Weonly had a couple of hours to leave Panmagica, and all that wastaken up in making our preparations.’
‘That’s it,’ said Quab.‘Their grandfather was waiting for the time when Aquitain’s shapechanging ability became active. Whatever Aquitain has got to do hassomething to do with his ability to shape change.’
‘I suppose that’spossible,’ Featherdown agreed, ‘but druids can do that easily,can’t they?’
‘Yes and no. We canchange into a variety of animal forms, but there are many that areexcluded to us. Aquitain is a true shape changer. In theory he canchange into anything provided he takes the time to learn, andthat’s exactly what he’s been wanting to do.’
‘Don’t forget that he’salso a mind wizard,’ said Featherdown.
‘That means he can usehis powers when shape changed to another creature. If a druid or anormal wizard changes shape they can’t use their powers orprayers.’
‘By the Powers, thatcould make him quite formidable. Just imagine if an eagle couldcast fireballs or a monkey could suddenly cast a lightningbolt.’
‘Well you can feelsafe, because he can’t do those things. Granddad only allowed himto learn defensive powers,’ said Zephira.
‘Really,’ saidFeatherdown, ‘that suggests to me that he was worried about whatAquitain might do. This gets more interesting by the minute.’
Zephira bit her tongue.She was being prompted to give away Aquitain’s weaknesses, and shedidn’t know how far she could trust Featherdown and Quab. The threeof them were all lost in their own thoughts for a moment or twothen the High Wizard decided that they had discussed the situationenough, and suggested that they all take a break. Zephira left notquite sure whether she should be happy or sad, but getting roaringdrunk seemed to fit both possibilities, so that’s what she set offto do.
**
Miranda teleported backto the U-shaped gully that she had always known as her ownbackyard. She knew every bush, every flower, and she had plantedmany of them, along with every twist and turn in the stream thatflowed from the waterfall through the gully, and down into thejungle on its way to the swamp several leagues away.
She was mentally weary.It had already been a hard day, one of the most emotional she couldremember. She hoped her mother was still away, as she just wantedto have a good night’s sleep. After that she could face the worldagain. Maybe when she awoke she’d find the last few days were justa dream. In some ways she hoped that was true, in others she hopedthis time would remain as real as it seemed now. The wizard wasturning her whole world upside down, and she wasn’t quite sure whatto do about it.
She trudged down thegully through the waterfall and its icy cool added nothing to hertemperament. She opened the gateway, passed through it to her realhome, and teleported to the armoury to divest herself of herfighting equipment. She was slowly and methodically making her wayback to the living room on course to her bedroom, when she ran intoher mother.
Her mother was a nymph- one of the most dangerous creatures in the world to a malenewman. Nymphs lived to allure men to their deaths by excessivesexual pleasure. Her mother had been cursed with this afflictionnot long after Miranda’s birth, when a well-meaning druid hadreincarnated her after a violent death. Few people knew the realstory surrounding the birth of Miranda or the death of her mother,but there were many versions of the tale and all wereincorrect.
‘How was your day,Miranda?’ asked Snowbelle casually.
‘I’ve been quite busy,mother. I’m tired and I might take a nap.’
‘I heard that there wasa dark cloud over Twin Towers a short while ago. It’s descriptionseems very similar to the one I remember seeing the last time Iused the Staff of Storms,’ remarked her mother.
‘That’s veryinteresting, mother. I’m tired, can we discuss this later?’
‘I checked on the Staffof Storms, and it was missing. Do you know anything about thatMiranda?’
‘Yes, mother. I thoughtthat it might need a bit of exercise, so I took it for a walk.’
‘Don’t get smart withme, Miranda! That is a very powerful weapon, not a toy for lightentertainment.’
‘And I used it as aweapon, mother, to assert my royal displeasure!’
‘Well, that isacceptable, but leads us to the question as to who or what upsetyou? Is it something that I should do something about?’
‘No mother, it is wellwithin my capabilities.’
‘Are you going toenlighten me, or should I ask Allalanllea?’
‘Allalanllea is notinvolved,’ said Miranda.
‘Perhaps I should askher that question. Allalanllea come here.’
The great spiderappeared. ‘Yes your Highness?’
‘Has anything unusualhappened today that involved Miranda?’
‘Not that I recall,Your Highness,’ said the spider.
‘Then your vision mustbe suspect. Who is your Queen?’
‘You
