The Price of Magic

Chapter VI

Clara awoke the next morning and went down to the workshop, expecting to see Christopher busy at his wheel. But when she saw the still, abandoned potter’s wheel and untouched clay, the realization hit her all over again. She sighed and sat at the dining table, miserably staring at the many pots that were displayed in the windows.

            There was a knock on the door. Clara stood to open it, already knowing that it was Sir Matthew. She smiled when she saw him. “Good morning, Sir Matthew.”

            “Clara, I have urgent news,” He said. “May I come in?”

            Clara hesitated. She didn’t want to discuss this here, where Donna might hear them. Christopher had kept it a secret from her, so Clara planned on continuing that. But at the same time, she was still wary about leaving Donna alone. Clara decided that Donna would be okay for at least an hour, and would probably be asleep the whole time she was gone. “No, let’s go to the forest,” she told Matthew.

            Once they’d arrived, they found a clearing and settled on a couple of tree stumps. Sir Matthew told Clara about following Simeon to the dungeon, and that there were dragons. Clara was shocked, but became even more interested when he mentioned the old woman who was with the Prince.

            “Any idea who she was?” Matthew asked.

            “Yes, actually,” Clara replied, remembering what Christopher had told her. “Christopher once told me about this…witch…called Martha. Apparently she was the most powerful sorceress ever and could control dragons with the highest level of black magic possible. That was nearly a thousand years ago, but with powers like hers, I wouldn’t be surprised if she were still alive. But Matthew, if Martha is giving Simeon lessons in black magic…”

            “This is bad,” Sir Matthew said. “It’s worse than I thought. Well we know one thing.”

            “What’s that?”

            “We know the answer to all those strange things that have been happening.”

            Clara stared at him. “Remember that I’ve been cooped up in a tiny pottery shop for a few weeks, Matthew.”

            “Right,” the knight said. “Well, a few days ago Prince David and I were talking and suddenly the ground started shaking. We thought it was just an earthquake, but when I asked around, no one else seemed to feel it but those closest to the castle. Also, the ground was warm; it was even steaming in some places.”

            “Hang on, weren’t there fires in some of the surrounding villages a week or two ago?” Clara asked, thinking back to the news Christopher would tell her. Most of it didn’t concern their work, so she didn’t listen.

            “Yes, that too,” Sir Matthew said. “Several of the houses on the outskirts of the kingdom were burned to the ground mysteriously. No one knows how the fires started.”

            “But why would Simeon and Martha need dragons?” Clara asked. “We’ve got the pieces, but none of them fit. We need more help. Some inside help.”

            “I thought I was the inside help,” Matthew said.

            Clara shook her head. “There’s only so much you can do. We need someone else.” She thought for a moment, then an idea came to her. “I’ve got it. Who’s that Prince David person you were talking about?”

            “He’s visiting from a neighboring kingdom,” Sir Matthew said. “He wants to marry Dame Rose.”

            “Right, I forgot about Simeon’s sister,” Clara said. “We could use her help too. Simeon might not trust Prince David completely, but he’ll tell his sister anything.”