Magic Below by Liam Peters

Author:Liam Peters [Burns, Laura J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Oz; 9781623701291; 9781434292070; Laura J. Burns; fantasy; magic
Publisher: Capstone
Published: 2015-10-27T00:00:00+00:00

.11.

“It’s still not working,” Brink said. He had been trying to create an illusion for what felt like hours. Just a simple flame, just for a single second. But he couldn’t do it now any more than he could on his first day in the dungeon. “Glinda’s enchantment is too strong.”

“Then I’m afraid you’ll be trapped here for good,” the Glass Cat told him, yawning. “I can’t do everything, you know. I came up with the plan; the rest is up to you.”

“Right. The plan.” Brink sighed. “You could have just told me what you meant instead of making me think I had to find a mirror. I wasted all my water because of you.”

“I had no time to explain. I was exhausted from searching for you, and I needed to nap.” Her tone was unapologetic, and Brink had to smile. Even in the dark, he felt like he could see her disdainful expression.

“So you napped for the entire day while I searched for a mirror?”

“No. I snuck out of your cell and explored the castle,” she said.

“How?”

“I’m a cat,” she said. “I’m stealthy.”

“There’s got to be another way out of here,” Brink said. “Can you think of anything? You know my talent won’t work here. You’re the one who told us about the protective enchantment around this palace.”

“If I could think of another way, don’t you think I would have?” she asked archly. “I was hoping that the enchantment would only work outside the palace. But I suppose the dungeons are where Glinda needs protection the most. She certainly wouldn’t want her prisoners having magical powers.”

“Well, that’s… not encouraging,” Brink said. It was wonderful to have the cat for company, but she hadn’t really been very helpful.

“There is still hope,” the Glass Cat told him. “Up in the tower, I saw Glinda’s magic mirror. She is watching Princess Ozma and her army as they march toward us.”

“What?” Brink turned toward her voice. “What do you mean?”

“Ozma and her troops are on the road of yellow brick, on their way here,” the cat spat. “Didn’t I just say that?”

“But why?”

“Generally when one brings an army, it’s to attack,” the cat replied.

Brink sat still for a moment, trying to figure out what in the world the cat was talking about. He couldn’t do it. “Why would Princess Ozma attack Glinda?” he finally asked. “Glinda is obviously on Ozma’s side—why else would she have put me in a cell? She thinks Ozma’s ban on magic is just and fair.”

The cat laughed. “Oh, you humans! You certainly are stupid. I keep forgetting.”

“That’s enough,” Brink snapped. “You deserted us when we arrived at Glinda’s Palace, like you always do when there’s danger. And then you show up here with no explanation about where you’ve been or how you got here, and you give me an escape plan that requires me to make an illusion when you know I can’t. And now you’re calling me stupid!”

“I apologize,” said the cat.

Brink was so astonished that he couldn’t say a word.

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