Grandma's Attic

Chapter Four

It would have been a long walk in the dark to Grandma Nari's Chamber were it not for Thredwyl's innate magic. As it was, his blue glow lit the way before him, behind him, above and below him – at least while the passage was straight. But it wasn't the straightest of passages, twisting, rising, falling. It suited him that he couldn't gain that destination any faster. He had some thinking to do. A strategy to formulate. How to get into Grandma Nari's Chamber, how to locate her Mothers Manual, then how to sneak out with it? Yet all he could think was why had he opened his mouth? Why had he mentioned the staid tamed rocks and the young Kupies who were wild? Why had he suggested an infiltrator? And when on when would he learn to keep quiet?

Nine days of freedom – nine – and he was to waste them on this?

For what?

A bag of diamonds if he succeeded. A small bag, to be sure. Chrean had produced it seemingly from nowhere, but that was his innate magic.

And if he failed?

A date. Who had suggested that? With a Nixie.

A Nixie? With snake-thingies where her bottom should be. That was all the incentive Thredwyl needed to achieve this dare. But how, how, how was he to get into Grandma Nari's Chamber?

But... "Nay, nix," he said, when that great lockable door was finally in sight. "It needn't be Grandma Nari's Chamber. Any grandma's chamber will do."

It figured: If all the grandmas had a copy of this (possibly fictitious, he admitted) Mothers Manual, then it didn't matter whose Manual he purloined. And with his graduation to staid status just a few days away, he had the perfect ploy.

And of course, he'd have to play it straight as straight as straight could be. Which meant it would have to be Grandma Eanch, she of the Ruby clan.

He nodded to himself, satisfied, turned on his heel and headed off along the convoluted corridors to the Ruby clan's land.

"By the cringe, they sure do like to advertise," he said on seeing the glittering red gems that festooned Grandma Eanch's red stone door. That door had to be jasper, it lacked the jewel's glint.

A minion opened the door. All togged up in tight red breeches and equally tight fancy-cut coat but lacking the sheen and the shine of a pure clan's clothes. Bred out of bed, he'd heard the phrase said.

The minion looked at Thredwyl, no enquiry, no greeting.

"Um." Thredwyl swallowed. "I...I'd like to speak with Grandma Eanch. About a suitable marriage alliance."

This didn't commit him, it did not. He wasn't here to plight his troth. He was just...making enquiries. Ought he to say that?

But he hadn't the chance. The tight-cut minion ushered him in and guided the way to Grandma Eanch's audience chamber. Well, Thredwyl supposed that's what it was, dominated by a massive chair that sparkled with what Thredwyl deemed red vulgarity. And there sat the sparkling red grandma herself.

He was about to repeat about the marriage alliance, but it seemed Grandma Eanch already knew his purpose here – hmm, his given purpose here. "You wish to contract a marriage alliance with one of our Ruby Kupies? Upon my word, you are a bold one, to not wait until marriage is forced upon you. Forthright, and I approve of the forthright approach."

"Aye," he managed to gasp, utterly flabbered by her prescience.

I have relayed your words to her, said a voice in his head. Telepathy, that's my talent. Clearly this was the tight-suited minion.

That's handy. But... a sudden fear clenched Thredwyl's guts... do you know everything I'm thinking?

I know what you want, and it's not a Ruby Kupie.

"Shites!" Thredwyl slammed his hand over his mouth before that escaped. "Aye...aye," he answered the grandma, "when a thing must be done I believe it's best to make plans."

I like your plans. If I help you steal the Manual, will you help set us free?

You're not...free? Thredwyl had never encountered that concept.

Free, in these tight breeches? Born of the avalanche, denied our rights. Tied to the clan.

Thredwyl didn't know how he could help, but if his cousins were to organise an uprising then surely these Ruby minions could be included. But he'd no time to think of that now.

Grandma Eanch clasped her hands and leaned towards him. "Such wisdom, Young Kupie, so seldom found. And what special magical talent could you bring to the alliance?"

"Light," he said. "But I don't know yet how I'd apply it. And in not knowing this, I also don't know what special magic my Ruby mate might need."

Traces of thought raced over Grandma Eanch's face, glinting here, spangling there. She sat back in her massive chair, nodded, and raised an upward pointing finger. "Our Mothers Manual contains a list of all the possible magical talents. Perhaps you might care to peruse it?"

Before Thredwyl could betray himself with an ill-held grin, Grandma Eanch had snapped her fingers – such a musical note – and beckoned the tight-suited minion over. "Take the young Sapphire to my attic. Show him the Mothers Manual."

Thredwyl must have blinked at least ninety-five times while he tried to form his face into humble gratitude. "Good Granny, I do thank you."

By Grandma's Grimy Knickers, he hadn't expected it to be that easy.

But nix, his dare was not to be so soon accomplished.

"Grandma Eanch's Attic," his tight-suited guide announced with a fancy flourish of arms.

Thredwyl looked around him at the dark dusty room that seemed to have more corners than logic dictated. "And the Manual?"

His guide nodded towards two towering tomes set far back in the shadows.

"Both?"

"Nay, the other's her Spell Book. Now I can't help further, Her Sparkling Gemness is calling me. But I wish you well with sneaking away with it."

Thredwyl didn't need to be closer to see he'd a problem. That manual was too big to hide on his person. It was even too big for him to span his arms around it. How was he to carry it?

"Drats!" he hadn't factored that one. Was he to come so close, only to fail? No diamonds for him, but a date with a Nixie? By the cringe, that didn't sit well with him.

But...but...his eyes travelled then to the Spell Book. If he could magic it smaller... and if he could magic himself away to some place else....

He silently thanked Grandma Nari for her insistence that all Kupies must learn to read.