Dragon's Breath Book 2 (Completed)

Chapter 15

Unwilling to give up yet, we wandered through the marketplace, asking merchants about magic beans. Most of them looked at us as if we were crazy and said, "Not at this time of year." Others were sneakier, acting as though they might know, then trying to sell us their own merchandise instead.

Although we weren't having any luck finding a bean, we did come across a lot of other tempting magical goods for sale. I was examining a quill pen that never needed dipping when someone screeched, "Emeralda!" from across the marketplace. I cringed, recognizing my grandmother's voice.

"What are you doing here?" she called, elbowing people aside.

"Looking for a gift for Mother," I said. It was as likely an excuse as any, although I doubted my mother would really want anything from a magic marketplace. I had no intention of telling Grandmother about our real errand, however.

Grandmother rubbed the tip of her long nose and squinted. "My cat tells me that you've begun practicing magic. It's about time. Are you any good at it?"

"I can do a few spells," I said. Eadric coughed and I felt my face grow hot, but my grandmother didn't seem to notice.

"Excellent. Keep studying. We need more witches in our family. Come see me when you're ready to learn from an expert!" It was the first time in my life that I'd earned my grandmother's approval, and I wasn't sure what to say. "You haven't seen Olefat, have you?" she asked. "I tracked the old scoundrel here, but he's good at hiding."

I shook my head. "I haven't seen him."

Her gaze darted around the marketplace, settling on a pudgy witch carrying a large woven basket only a few stalls away. "I almost had him in Arabia, but he disguised himself as a dancing girl and hid in the sultan's palace."

"Olefat?" said Eadric, his eyebrow quirked in surprise. "He's an old man!"

"You'd be amazed what a few veils can hide." Squinting, Grandmother stared at the witch and said, "There, on her shoulders. Does that look like birdseed to you?

The specks on her cloak could have been seeds, although I couldn't really tell from a distance. "Maybe," I began, but Grandmother was already scurrying toward the other stall.

A green feathered head popped above the rim of the pudgy witch's basket. "They're here!" shrilled a distinctive voice as Metoo flapped his wings, making the basket lurch and bounce.

"Not now, you stupid bird!" shouted the witch, struggling to hold on to the basket. Olefat was wearing a disguise so good, I wouldn't have recognized him if I hadn't heard his voice. The hood of his cape covered his head, and he wore a long black dress much like my grandmother's. He'd shaved off his beard and mustache and darkened his skin. When he saw my grandmother jostiing her way through the crowd, his eyes went wide and he stepped back a pace, then turned and darted toward the fountain.

"Stop him!" screamed Grandmother. At the sound of her voice, a half dozen furious old witches began to run after Olefat. I recognized them as some of the witches from the retirement community.

Olefat pounded up the steps to the fountain, his heels kicking up his hem, while Metoo squawked and floundered about in the basket. I was surprised to see how fast my grandmother could run once she was free of the crowd. Even so, she was only at the bottom of the steps when Olefat reached out his hand and touched the low wall surrounding the fountain. Grandmother cursed and flung herself at the old wizard as the air shimmered around him. She was too late: he disappeared seconds before her hand slapped the wall. The air shimmered again, then suddenly she was gone as well.

"Why didn't she use magic to catch him?" Eadric asked.

I shrugged, looking up when a merchant standing nearby answered. "Only licensed magic works inside the town limits. The merchants' guild handles the licenses, and they've placed a damper over the town to prevent the use of random magic. Without a damper, unscrupulous customers could steal whatever they wanted and no one could trace them."