Luthier's Apprentice, The (12 page)

“Okay,” she said. “We still don’t know what to expect from whoever inhabits that weird thing. Hey, my watch has stopped.”

Corey glanced at his watch. “Mine too,” he muttered.

If, in fact, time stopped in this world, this served as evidence to support his theory. But he wasn’t yet ready to share his thoughts, his secret agenda, with Emma.

Emma leaned against the back of the seat. “Take it easy when going down. My stomach doesn’t feel too good… unless you want me to throw up all over the instrument panel.”

“I’ll do my best. Hold on.”

Gripping the wheel, Corey watched the altitude indicator as he levelled the plane for a smooth landing.

“Here we go,” he said. “Hold tight.”

Emma groaned.

After a moment the wheels made contact with the ground. The plane bumped and shook and coughed several times before it came to a stop.

“
Yesss
!” Corey said. “
Yes, yes, yes!
” He couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. He was so thrilled, he reached for Emma and kissed her on the lips.

She seemed stunned at first, her cheeks red like tomatoes. But then she laughed with him. “Okay. I admit it. You weren’t too bad.”

He drew away from her. “What are you talking about? I was amazing!”

“Really, Corey. A little modesty would suit you better,” she mocked.

In a snooty British accent, he said, “‘I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To a logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate oneself is a much a departure from the truth as to exaggerate one’s powers.’”

“Let me guess—
The Yellow Face
?”

He shook his head. “
The Greek Interpreter
.”

“Damn!”

Corey knew his strength in violin playing was his uncanny memory, not actual technical skill. This he left to Emma. He had never seen or heard her play, but he could guess by looking at her marvelous fingers what she was capable of.

“I wish my father would have been here to see this,” Corey said.

“I bet he must be very proud of you, wherever he is,” Emma said, gently touching his arm.

Corey sighed. “Thanks... Um, Emma? Sorry about that.”

“About what?” She blushed again, glancing away. “Oh...right.”

“I got carried away.”

She looked at him. She smiled. “I guess I can forgive you. You didn’t kill us, after all.”

He smiled back, his gaze lowering to her lips. He felt an uncontrollable urge to kiss her again, but thought better of it. “Come on, let’s get out and see where we are.”

Outside the cockpit, the air rippled with distant music.

“Definitely violins,” Emma said.

They studied the landscape. To the right was the lake, to the left the woods. Half a kilometre away, the castle loomed.

“The music seems to come from those woods beyond the castle,” he said.

Emma frowned. “What a strange noise, like many violins playing different melodies at the same time. And what’s with all the purple?”

Corey had a theory, but he wasn’t willing to share it with Emma. Not yet.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I don’t think you should be looking for logical explanations.”

Emma’s expression turned serious.

“What is it?” Corey asked.

“What you said is probably true. About Grandpa and the missing violinists. This is all so confusing. Do you think these are the forests Grandpa gets his wood from—you know, to make violins?”

“What do you think?” he asked.

“This is what it looks like, but...I don’t know.”

“There’s a lot we don’t know yet. What we need to do, before jumping to conclusions, is take a look inside that castle, or whatever that is—we have to call it something, so let’s call it castle. We have to find out who owns it, and what it has to do with your grandfather and the disappearance of all the violinists.”

“I agree,” she said.

“Also, this thing with your psychic powers...”

“Oh, that.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She shrugged. “I really can’t explain it. Three weeks ago I woke up and began having psychic episodes.”

He listened as she described the incidents she’d experienced lately.

“Weird.”

“Incredibly weird,” she said. “Corey...What if we can’t find Annika? What if we can’t get back?”

He would have done anything to lift the dark cloud from her face. “We’ll find Annika. We’ll find our way back. And we’ll solve this mystery. I promise.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and together they walked toward the castle.

He made a vow to keep Emma safe. The incident with the wolves had been a close call and he was afraid to guess what other dangers awaited them.

P
EERING FROM ONE OF THE F-HOLE
windows, Annika saw the small plane land. At the same time, Blackie broke free from her grasp and leaped to the floor.

“No!” She turned away from the window. “Blackie!”

Great
. Now what? The rabbit had behaved so well until now. It must have been fed up from being trapped so long in her arms.

Annika hurried after Blackie as he hopped toward a wide archway. This place was a nightmare of empty hallways, corridors, coiled stairways and dark passages. Gilded-framed old paintings and photographs of famous violinists adorned the walls. She couldn’t have named them, but she’d recognized some of them from books she had seen at Emma’s house.

The thought of Emma made her heart tighten. Had she and Corey come after her? If so, where were they? If they had gone through the portal some time after her, they would surely have found her by now. Unless… unless they had ended up in another part of this world. Her stomach churned with worry. When she’d awoken from the strange slumber, she found herself lying in one of the long empty hallways. Blackie had been sound asleep on her tummy.

Calm down. Stop shaking. Stay positive
. She would find a way out. She would see her family and friends again. Her cell phone was dead and her watch had stopped. It seemed hours had passed since she’d arrived here. She thought of her mom and dad. At this moment they must be worried sick. Maybe at this same moment they were searching for her.

Where was that bizarre violin music coming from? Her head was throbbing.

Suddenly she heard voices and held her breath. Flattening herself against the wall, she edged closer to the archway.

Then she saw Blackie step outside into the purple twilight.

S
ITTING ON THE TERRACE, THE WOMAN
asked, “Why is that plane flying over there again?”

“Must be
il vecchio
, Donatelli,” Niccolò said.

“Did he not fly past some time ago?”

Niccolò shrugged. “How should I know? He’s
un vecchio
. Maybe he forgot something.”

From the corner of his eye, Niccolò saw her wrinkling her nose. “I do not like the looks of this.”

Niccolò tried to appear serene. He would do anything to disrupt her “
mondo perfetto
.” But as things were, he was confined to uselessness. There’s nothing he would have liked better than turn back time and correct his mistake, but it was already too late for his soul. He knew he was way past redemption, but there might still be a glimmer of hope for the rest. Yes... the fact that the plane was flying over the same area twice was a sign that something unexpected had happened. In all these years, the old man had never made that kind of mistake.

Niccolò felt a surge of excitement. Could it be possible? Had someone else found the portal? Or better yet, had the little brat, Emma, awakened to her powers? There was one way to find out, and that was to pay a visit to Lili.

The icy woman’s voice broke his thoughts.

“What are you smiling about?” she asked, drilling him with her violet gaze.

Stradivarius, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly stood up and snarled.

“Stay still,” the woman commanded. “What is the matter? You do not like your new collar?”

The new collar was an elaborate design made from many tiny violins studded with amethysts. The sharp fingerboards were probably sticking into the dog’s neck. The witch was
pazza
, completely deranged, thought Niccolò.

Suddenly the woman screamed. “Where did that
beast
come from?”

Niccolò turned in surprise to see an innocent-looking black rabbit hop onto the terrace.

Stradivarius barked ferociously, broke free of his mistress’ hold, and jumped after the rabbit.

The rabbit leaped and flashed across the terrace and down the steps leading to the back bridge. The dog ran after it but clearly was no match for the quick ball of fur. Both headed toward the woods.

The woman jumped to her feet. “Stradivarius!” she screamed. “Stradivarius! Come back here this instant!”

“
Non ti preoccupare
. If the dog doesn’t handle it, the wolves will.”

She turned on Niccolò. “You insolent fool. What is the meaning of this? A beast from the upper world? How did it manage to get in here? I want you to conduct a search immediately.”

“And how do you suppose I do that? You and I and that beastly dog are the only ones in this
paradiso
,” he said sarcastically. “That is, without counting your prisoners.”

“This is outrageous.” She spun on her stiletto heels and stormed inside. “I must consult with the dark forces.”

Pleased by the commotion, yet curious at the surprising developments, Niccolò followed her inside and headed to Lili’s chamber.

O
NCE AGAIN, ELIZABETH’S ATTENTION WAS DRAWN
to the window. “It’s the plane.”

From the bed, Lili’s brows furrowed. “So soon again?”

“It
is
a little strange, isn’t it? Father should be cutting wood at the moment. His plane passed a little while ago, didn’t it?” She glanced at her watch. A silly reflex. She knew very well that watches didn’t work here, that time didn’t exist. She only had to look at her sister to be reminded of it. They were twins, yet Lili looked—
was
—almost ten years younger than herself. “How are you feeling?”

“Much stronger,” Lili said. “What’s more…”

Elizabeth sat by her side, on the edge of the bed. “Yes?”

“I don’t know… but I have this strange feeling Emma is close to us.”

“That’s impossible.”

“What’s impossible?” a man asked. His voice was deep and had a strong Italian accent.

Startled, Elizabeth and Lili looked to the door. Niccolò, smug and palely mysterious, stepped into the room.

There was a moment of silence as Elizabeth and Niccolò regarded each other with a mixture of respect and hostility.

“Well? What’s impossible?” he asked again.

“Nothing,” Elizabeth replied coldly. It’d been two years since she had last seen him. In spite of his pallor, he had a face to be reckoned with: a wide forehead, thick eyebrows, penetrating eyes, a slightly long, hooked nose. In his dark, eighteenth century attire, he looked tall and gaunt. Her eyes settled on his hands... his abnormally long, double-jointed fingers...

“Do you like what you see?” he mocked.

Filled with revulsion for what he was, Elizabeth tore her gaze from his hands and looked him straight in the eye. “How is life in purple paradise?” she asked sardonically.

Niccolò sighed. “Not too good, I have to admit.
Naturalmente
, if you had been born with the psychic gift, just as your twin sister here, maybe things would have been different, maybe then you would have been able to destroy her.”

“You’re damn right things would have been different. We would have destroyed her... and
you
.”

“You have a point.” He smiled. “To be honest—”

“Since when have you been honest?” Elizabeth cut him.

But Niccolò ignored her. “To be honest, I came here in good faith. Only to ask you a harmless question.”

Elizabeth glanced at Lili. She was quietly observing their exchange with trepidation. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes anxious as she gazed at Niccolò.

Once again, Elizabeth turned to Niccolò. “What do you want?”

“Does your daughter, by any chance, have
un coniglio nero
…a black rabbit?”

Elizabeth froze, her heart racing.

“Thanks for answering my question,” Niccolò said smugly, turning.

“Wait!” Elizabeth said. “Why do you ask that?”

Still heading to the door, Niccolò said, “I think Emma has come to pay us a little visit. Can’t wait to meet her in person…
la
mia piccola apprendista
.”