Forgotten Magic

Chapter 37

The caravan came to a bumpy stop and my quill shoots across the room, leaving a dot on the wall. Eugene's up front. Lance and Hookfoot are on the roof. And Nickolas was right next to that ink dot on the wall.

He glanced at me, and then climbed up onto the roof. I could hear him asking Cass what the heck happened. I get up and retrieve my quill. I'd been working on the scroll translations at the desk in the boy's half of the caravan.

Then Rapunzel slams into the caravan. "Ann! Come out here! We're going to find a picnic spot!"

I get up and follow her out. And immediately, I'm met with a pare of shackles in my face. I roll my eyes.

"I can't eat with those things on," I say. I run towards the princess and her friends before Nickolas can tell me otherwise.

Rapunzel waved me over. "Hey!"

"We're stopping for the night?" I ask, plopping down onto the blanket. For a moment, I wonder if I'm in trouble for protesting. But apparently I'm not.

"Yeah. Isn't this a beautiful clearing?"

I take a good look around the area we're staying in. It was like most we'd stayed in so far. Wide open grass with dark shadowy forest on the edge.

"Yup," I answer.

We eat in silence by a campfire, people sometimes starting conversations that soon die down. And then a question comes to my mind.

"Rapunzel?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we headed? I mean, if we keep going in the same direction."

The princess pulls out a map from her purse. "Oh...um...it looks like we're headed towards a town called Vardaros." She looks up at Nickolas and Cassandra, as if expecting an objection.

"I think we can do that," Cass agreed. "Anyone disagree?"

I thought about saying something. But I stayed quiet.

"Great!"

. . .

March 17th

Dear Quirin,

Corona huh? That's so great! I hear it's a pretty friendly kingdom.

I asked Edmund about Hector and Adira by the way. You were right, Hector is in the Great Tree. Geez, he needs a break, doesn't he? Adira, on the other hand...she has sort of disappeared. Classic Adira, hah. She's probably finding the Sundrop, just as you suggested.

My mom's still pretty unhappy with Daniel. I'm sure it'll work out though.

Your friend,

Isabel

Daniel? Was that...the same person as 'Dan'? And if so, why would my grandmother be unhappy with him?

I turned to the next letter.

May 24th

Dear Quirin,

That's soooooo great! I'm so excited for you!!! I want to ask a million questions but I won't...

What's she like? How'd you two meet? Any crazy stories to tell? Tell. Me. Everything.