Jake's War, Book Two of Wizards (15 page)

“This keeps Urda and Anna safe, but I don't see how it confounds our enemies,” I said. I liked the idea of catching them out. Lord knows, they were doing it enough to me.

“We have the opportunity to discover what Anna knows and they'll think Urda is out of the game. We may well need all her gifts during the wedding. By the way, it was a good idea to block Wenna from the room as she might try to come in here to see what's going on. She can't even enter the corridor as it is.”

I shook my head as I tried to figure that out. Then I realized I'd ordered her to leave the room. I hadn't put a time limit on it.

“I need to take that off her.” I stood up again and Esmeralda waved me back down.

“A conspiracy of three is difficult enough to keep. I don't even intend to inform my mother though the King must know what's happening. We are best off if Wenna doesn't find out what's going on. I would not like to rely on that girl's acting skills. If she resents you, then so much the better. It strengthens the illusion we wish to project.”

“You are a mean, devious woman, Esmeralda Doran,” I said in open admiration.

“That's Princess Mean Devious Woman to you, Jake.”

I gave her a low bow, which she graciously accepted.

“I'm going to protect everyone I know, here and on Earth from
the eating death,
whatever you say.”

Esmeralda nodded. She might as well agree because it was something she couldn't control.

“You must go and take your friend back to Earth along with that oversized caravan you brought. Then hop here to help me with the coffin. Urda must stay out of sight if we're going to convince everybody she's exhausted and in mourning.”

I sat there like a lemon, still trying to get my head round everything that had happened.

“Now, Jake. And when we finish all this you will come to my room and we will have a long talk. Is that clearly understood?”

I nodded. Sometimes the women in your life were in charge and that was all there was to it.

I hopped back to the coach and learned that Mr. Griffith was getting a tour of the Palace by Captain Cari. It took me half an hour to track them down and another half an hour to get the coach back to the woodyard.

Mr. Griffith patted the side of his bus lovingly as we got out.

“She may be old, but when you think of the miles per gallon she's managed today you have to admire her,” he said.

“You could get Malcolm to clean the inside of it,” I suggested. When he nodded I smiled. Another good deed accomplished. Well, at least it was a deed that made
me
feel good.

I hopped to Dad's hut and stole a roll of rubbish sacks. A quick hop to the side of a river on a world I used to visit and I dropped to my hands and knees to put rocks into a sack. Anna didn't weigh much and it was easy to carry the sack of stones over my shoulder as I hopped back to Urda's room.

It was proving to be a busy day.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Revelations

I hopped into my room at home carrying Anna. Urda had her hand on me as she'd never been in the house before. She pulled off the folded sheets and blankets on my bed and started to make it. Anna stirred in my arms, but stayed asleep. The poor kid was going to be confused when she woke up in another bed on yet another world.

I put her on the bed and Urda tucked her in. It was proving to be a tiring day and I still had to go and see Esmeralda. Taking Anna's hand I taught her English and Welsh. Though the things she had no knowledge of wouldn't take until she learned what they were, words like television and microwave.

“Jake, is that you?” Mam's voice came from halfway up the stairs.

“Yes, Mam. I've brought some friends to visit.”

Mam entered the room and took in Urda and Anna in a glance. She smiled at Urda and Urda smiled back. Then she touched Anna's forehead.

“Who is she? Is she sick?”

“This is Urda's sister, Anna. Someone tried to kill her and we've brought her here to keep her safe.”

Mam went to Urda and gave her a warm hug. “I never got the chance to thank you for saving Jake. I didn't know you had a sister.”

I suggested we go downstairs to avoid disturbing Anna and then I explained to Mam what was going on. Mam said that the girls could stay with them as long as they wanted. However, Mam and Dad were due to travel to Salice on Thursday along with the other wedding guests.

“This wedding is rushing up on me from all sides. I wish the girls had given me a little more time to sort things out. I mean, being five or six months pregnant, what does it matter?”

Until I expressed it I didn't realize I felt that way. But it was true. Bronwyn was out there ready to strike while all Jenny and Esmeralda were interested in was marrying me as soon as possible.

“Jenny's only thinking of you,” Mam said. “And it's only right…”

“How is she thinking of me?”

“Because of the power,” Urda said. Mam looked away as though embarrassed. Urda's words brought me up short.

“What power?”

“Urda, shouldn't you go and check on your sister?” Mam said before Urda could reply. Urda bolted for the door, but I stopped her.

“I want to know what you mean, Urda. What power?”

Mam glared at her, but Urda had no choice about answering.

“It was all over the Palace, the day I cured you. A wizard who marries for love increases in power. They all believe it. Thom said it was part of Salice's history.”

I looked at my mother. “Mam?”

“Esmeralda believes it might be enough to keep you safe from Bronwyn. Jenny and Esmeralda watched you dying in agony for over four months, Jake. They would have married you in the hospital if they could.”

I stared at the floor as I tried to take in such arrant nonsense.

“How can marrying anyone make me stronger? If that was going to happen it would have happened when I … when we made… Mam, I've already got them pregnant.”

“Esmeralda said it was in the books about magic and their histories. And don't you go knocking marriage, Jake. Marriage is a magical thing even for ordinary people. Vows binding spirits together.”

“They're doing this to try to protect me?”

“They're doing this because they love you. Though I'm blessed if I can see why given how ungrateful you always are. As for Urda and Anna, they can look after the house while we're at the wedding, so us going to Salice won't be a problem.”

“I've got to think about this,” I told them, and hopped to the Bat Cave.

The cave was empty and felt desolate without the presence of my dragon. I got the camping stove working and brewed a pot of tea. Tea always helps me to think.

The months I spent under Bronwyn's spell were a blur to me. I only came out of it a few days ago and yet I could remember almost nothing of it. By contrast, I could remember the weeks I spent in prison as though they were only a few days gone, and making love to Esmeralda after defeating Talder Plath was equally vivid.

Jenny and Esmeralda watched me lying in agony for months, seeing me slowly getting closer and closer to death. It must have been horrible for them. They trained Urda to save me with no idea whether it would work and they concocted this marriage as a way to protect me from Bronwyn. It would have taken something like that to get Jenny to agree to me marrying Esmeralda as well. I should have known something was going on.

I sipped at my tea and pondered.
Was it fair to marry the girls like this? Should I insist we wait until after we found Bronwyn? Mind you, that could take years.
I wondered if Bronwyn knew about this marriage magic. Urda only found out after she rescued me. If Bronwyn did have a friend in Salice they could have told her. That might explain the attack on Fluffy. Getting rid of one of the brides was almost as good as killing me, so seeing Fluffy with an unidentified rider would be enough incentive to risk it. Of course, this made it even more essential for Bronwyn to attack before we got married if she really wanted to take over Salice.

I was distracted by Fluffy making one of his typical landings and sliding across the cave floor, his claws cutting yet another set of grooves into the already pitted stone.

“Meep.” [Have you got my bowtie yet?]

“Do you think of nothing else? I've been busy.”

“Meep, meep.” [Jenny is explaining to her parents how wonderful you are right now. They don't appear to be convinced. There is shouting over you marrying Esmeralda.]

I had been steeling myself up to visit Jenny's parents before going to see Esmeralda. Under the circumstances I felt I better give them a miss.

“Did you know about this marriage giving me extra magic power business?”

“Meep.” [It was discussed during your stay in hospital.]

“You believe it might actually work?”

Fluffy came and put an arm across my shoulder. He turned his head so we were face to face.

[You weren't supposed to find out about it. You aren't angry with them?]

“No more than usual.” I stroked the flank of my dragon. “I wish they'd stop treating me like a child, though.”

[Then you should act less like one.]

“At least I don't crash land everywhere.”

[That's unfair, Jake. This cave has a very narrow entrance.]

“And the grass at the Palace is so slippery, I suppose?”

[It is! Dragons are designed to land on rock, not grass.]

I laughed at Fluffy and stepped away. “I'll try and remember about the bowtie. I've got errands to run.”

I hopped from the cave to outside Jenny's front door. I had no intention of going in, but it was the work of a moment to protect her parents and anyone within five miles from the eating death. I'd done the same at my parent's house as soon as I arrived. Next stop was Esmeralda.

I knocked on Esmeralda's door and walked in after she called out 'enter'. She sat at her table pouring over a large book, which she shut quickly when she saw it was me.

“You really should learn a more distinctive knock.”

“Will I need one after we're married?”

Esmeralda flushed a little. It was always like this between the two of us. We sparred as though there was a prize for the most cutting comment.

“Has Jenny kept to her side of our bargain?”

I tried really hard to lie. Esmeralda had no right to know what happened this morning after I felt our baby kick.

“Of course.”

Esmeralda looked at me sharply and her mouth tightened. “I might have known she'd weaken. Did you force yourself on her?”

“It wasn't like that. I felt the baby kick and we kissed.”

Esmeralda moved close to me so we stood nose to nose, her body pressing against mine. She took my hand and pressed it firmly against her tummy.

“Our baby is kicking too, Wizard Morrissey. She will be heir to Salice.”

I felt gentle movements against my hand. Esmeralda was breathing into my face, her hot breath flushed with passion. Her lips were swollen and so red. I kissed her and her arms enfolded me.

“I know you think our marriage will make my magic stronger.”

Esmeralda and I were stretched out on her bed. Sometime had passed since I kissed her. It had been a delightful time.

“Who told you? I'll have them flogged.”

“Urda, and you most certainly will not.”

Esmeralda grinned, “No, not for telling you that. Though there are other things she might yet earn it for. Are Urda and Anna safe?”

“Is anywhere safe from Bronwyn?”

“You think it is Bronwyn now, and not the Valhalla wizards?”

I sighed. It was complicated enough with one enemy, now I had at least two, probably many more if Bronwyn had successfully recruited wizards to her cause.

“You were right. And if Bronwyn attacked Anna, then Bronwyn attacked me and Fluffy and she has at least one other wizard working with her.”

Esmeralda leaned forward and kissed me.

“What was that for?”

“Saying I was right.”

“But what do we do next? What are the Valhalla wizards up to?” I felt boxed in. There were no obvious things for me to do.

Esmeralda sat up. “I have those wizards under constant watch and they've done nothing suspicious so far. We have Anna's funeral organized for tomorrow. It will be interesting to see who attends and how they act. The wedding is on schedule and the King of Frode is expected to arrive tomorrow evening as the first of our distinguished royal guests. Perhaps you should talk to the wizards at tomorrow's banquet and see what you can find out.”

“And what should I do now?”

Esmeralda reached under the sheets and found what she was searching for.

“I'm sure I can think of something.”

I grinned. “Won't that put you one up on Jenny? Given how you've both taken your abstinence pledges so seriously.”

“I'm sure you'll make it up to her before long.”

Chapter Twenty-Three: Proposals

I woke feeling refreshed and hopped home for a quick shower, remembering only when I arrived that my room was currently occupied by two young women. Anna shrieked and dove beneath the bed clothes, probably because I had hopped in naked. Urda sat up in bed for a better look.

“Oops, sorry,” I said, covering my embarrassment with the first object to hand, which turned out to be an item of feminine underwear hanging on a chair.

“Try them on,” Urda urged eagerly. “They'd look good on you.”

“Just came to use the shower. Forgot you were here.” I wanted to hop out of the room, but the thought of not explaining horrified me.
Naked wizard hops into girl's bedroom, flashes and departs
, was the headline I read in my head.

“It's okay, Anna. It's only Jake. He looks a lot hairier without his clothes.” Anna lowered the sheets and stared at me. This did not improve things.

“Err, ladies. I've got to go.” I prepared to hop. It took me a moment to ready myself because I was so embarrassed I couldn't concentrate.

“Jake, don't go,” Urda said quickly. She whispered something to her sister, who slid out of the bed and ran from the room. Urda got up and stepped towards me. I took a step back.