The Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs

Author:Kate Coombs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Published: 2011-05-18T04:00:00+00:00

13

THE WIZARD WAS VERY SHORT. HE WORE A mask covered with evil-looking runes and gashes like scars. The wizard’s great black cloak hid the rest of him, slopping over onto his chair, which was carved with still more baneful runes. This room was ribbed like the insides of a great iron beast. The deep fireplace gaped hungrily. The table and chairs in the corner reminded Meg of thorns. Beside the princess, Nort shivered.

“You’re the wizard?” Meg asked.

“I am,” said a gruff voice.

Meg came closer. “What’s your name?”

“Wizards never tell their names. You may call me Lex.”

“That’s not a wizardly name,” Nort said.

“Ah, but it’s not my name,” Lex said triumphantly. “Now. To business. Let’s see this gold of yours. Dragon gold? Truly?”

Meg lifted a handful of treasure from her pocket and displayed it.

“A dragon’s treasure has magical properties,” the wizard said longingly. “It steeps in dragon magic as the centuries pass.”

Meg put the jewels and coins back in her pocket. “The counterspell,” she prompted.

“Which spell was it?” Lex asked. “The Terrifying Scourge of Baldness? The Evil Cloud of Itch? Or the Midnight Bark of the Dreaded Neighbor’s Dog?”

Meg and Nort looked at each other. “Who names your spells?” Meg asked.

The wizard coughed. “You simple folk cannot comprehend the greatness of wizardly ways and wizardly speech.” His voice cracked partway through this pronouncement.

Nort stared. “You’re not very old, are you?”

“Lo, I am ancient in years and in wisdom,” the wizard proclaimed oracularly. His voice cracked again.

“Are not,” Meg said.

The wizard Lex was silent for a moment. Then he drew back his dark hood, uncovering an amazing shock of red hair. He pulled off the mask, revealing a bony boy’s face patterned with freckles like a more cheerful sort of rune. His dramatically bushy eyebrows were his only impressive feature. “What gave me away?”

Meg shrugged. “Little things.”

The wizard frowned. “I’ve been practicing and practicing my aura of lordly darkness.”

“Maybe in a few years,” Meg suggested. “But it must not matter. Everyone knows you’re the best.”

“That’s true. My mother says I’m the most talented wizard in three kingdoms. There’s an old wizard on the Isle of Skape who’s better, but he’s had years to refine his techniques. Which spell are you here about?”

“A glowing ball that turned my friend into a little silver box.”

“Triangular?” Lex asked.

“That’s the one.”

Lex brightened. “Capture Your Enemy for the Indefinite Future. Doubles as a conversation piece.”

“What does?”

“The box, of course. It’s very pretty.”

Meg managed not to roll her eyes. The wizard seemed to have trouble sticking to the point.

Lex hopped to another thought. “Was my client upset?”

“Amused,” Meg said. “He threw it and missed.”

“Amused. Are you sure?”

Meg nodded.

“After all, the spell did what it was supposed to,” the young wizard reflected. “Anyone can see I’m not responsible for customer error. Even a certain sinister dark-haired client would have to admit it.”

“Bain,” Nort whispered to Meg unnecessarily.

Just then the scarf, which had draped itself around Meg’s neck outside the wizard’s door, uncoiled and sailed down to the floor. It began crawling about like a midnight-colored serpent.

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