The Lost Crown

The Beast In the Cage

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Walliam said to Chase.

Chase looked abashed for half a second and then grinned at Walliam.  “Can you blame me?  You’re running around with Princess Soronia and stirring up trouble.  You’ve got Swyvern aching to expel you.  I don’t have a home to be sent home to, like you.  I have to be able to stay here.”

Walliam felt his face heat up.  Dandrealla had been true to her word, and he was now in a small room near her chamber on the fourth level of the Archon.  His room was next to Penelope’s, and he tried to avoid thinking about that, or about her fate.  Dandrealla had ordered Chase to look after Walliam while he was recovering.  She had smeared a strange smelling paste on his ear and then done something with the power, and then had bandaged his ear.  The bandage wrapped all the way around the crown of Walliam’s head, and Chase had laughed at him when he came into his new room.

They spoke for a while and Chase told him that there was a celebration going on in the Great Hall, as there were in all of the halls and common rooms across the city.  “Can you get me a mug of something?” Walliam asked.

They heard a woman clear her throat and both looked up to see mistress Dandrealla standing in the door.  “Brother Chase,” she said.  “I think you can fetch brother Walliam a mug of ale.  And bring me a cup of wine while you’re at it.”

“Make mine ale, please,” Andromina said from behind Dandrealla.

Chase left and Walliam watched as the two women settled themselves on chairs where they could both look at him.  Andromina had closed the door.  Her copper colored braids were pulled back into a thick pony tail.  Walliam felt the back of his neck tingle and Andromina smiled at him.  “That’s so no one can hear us,” she said.

Dandrealla gave her an arch look but Andromina ignored the other Magian.  “Walliam,” Andromina said.  “You and Penelope spoke the other night.  What was it about?”

Walliam felt his heart grow heavy.  “She said I was to keep it secret, but I think I should probably tell you now.”

Dandrealla nodded her head.  “Please.”

He took a deep breath and told them about Penelope’s skrying in the hidden world and the strange vision they had seen of the shadowy man and the crown he had held, and about the young woman with the red hair.  He told them how the crown had begun to melt and then had flowed over to the young woman’s hand.  When he finished describing the vision he looked at both of the women to see their reactions.  Their faces were blank.

“Did she expound on the vision?” Dandrealla asked.

Walliam shook his head.  “She didn’t, mistress.  She said that she needed to think about it and she made me swear not to tell anyone.”

Andromina nodded.  “Why did she do a skrying ritual with you?  And why the lotus flower?”

Walliam felt a squirm of fear in his stomach.  He didn’t want to say anything about his adventures in the hidden world.  He was sure that would get him in trouble.  He tried to think of a simple version of the story that left out Swyvern and the crown he had found in the guard tower.  “I -- had a dream that took me into the hidden world.  I fell.  Off of the cliff by Wilding Manor.  I landed -- in a puddle of water and I saw -- someone.”

They were both leaning forward, listening when the door opened and Chase entered with a tray that held the goblets of ale and wine.  He served them all and took a mug of ale for himself and sat down at the end of Walliam’s bed.

Andromina gave Chase a strange look and then nodded her head.  “Thank you, brother Chase.  Perhaps you should leave us for a while.”

Chase had taken a sip of his ale and he stopped and then swallowed.