The Wizard Returns: Book Three of the Wizard Born Series (25 page)

“I can be stubborn, too,” Evelyn said with a nod that Jamie knew meant there was no use arguing.

Jamie jerked his head up when he heard the
pop
from the fireplace, and he grunted softly and saw that the fire was dying down, only a pile of red glowing embers remaining. Something heavy was in his lap. A magic book. Fred was beside him on the bench seat, asleep, with her head resting against his shoulder.

He rubbed his eyes and groaned, “What time is it?”

“Almost eleven,” Evelyn said from the rocking chair, where she had her Bible open and her reading glasses on.

Rollie stood, dropped the book he’d been reading onto the red cushion of the chair next to Fred and Jamie, and stretched with a big yawn. “Time for this boy to hit the hay.”

“I think I’m going to stay out here on the day bed tonight,” Jamie said.

Evelyn looked over her reading glasses at him. “I thought we had this settled. I’m sleeping out here.”

“Gramma, I think it would be better if I did, at least for tonight. I think I should stand guard in case a sorcerer shows up.”

“You don’t think we’ll be safe? You haven’t felt any magic since we’ve been here.”

“I know, but I kinda advertised the fact that I’m a wizard when I went flying to that burning barn, and now I’m worried that I might’ve alerted another wizard.”

She looked at him for a long moment, staring over her glasses, before standing and saying, “All right. If you think it’s necessary. You know this world and its magic, and I don’t. Rollie, will you please help me blow up the other air mattress in the second bedroom?”

Jamie nudged Fred. “Wake up, sleepy head. Time to go night night.”

She stirred with a slow groan. “I gotta go to the bathroom first.”

“You mean the outhouse.”

Fred frowned miserably, and Evelyn said, “I suggest everybody use it before you go to bed, because it’ll seem like a long trip in the middle of the night. I put a camp lantern by the back door so you can find your way.”

“Rollie?” came a woman’s voice from the laptop. “Are you there?” Jamie turned and saw Adele’s face on the screen of the little computer in the corner.

“I’m right here, Mom,” Rollie said.

Evelyn looked at Jamie and Fred and gestured with her head toward the second bedroom.

“Come on, Fred,” Jamie said. “Let’s help Gramma set up the air mattress.”
And give Rollie some privacy
.

Rachel waited respectfully in the kitchen while Adele talked to Rollie on the computer in the family room. When she finished, Rachel escorted her to the front door. Adele’s eyes were glistening and her mouth was tight. They were near the end of the hall when she suddenly turned and threw her arms around Rachel and let out a couple of pitiful sobs. Rachel squeezed her tightly, and when she let her go, Adele said in a wretched, tiny voice, “I’m so unhappy right now, Rachel. I don’t know what to do.”

“None of us do, Adele. Nobody’s ever been in a situation like this before.”

“My son....” She dabbed at her eyes with the fingertips of one hand. “He’s so far away right now...on another planet. And Garrett might as well be.” She swallowed hard. “We hardly say two words to each other.” Her lower lip trembled, and she blinked back more tears. “You and Lisa are the only people I can talk to about this. I can’t talk to our minister, or a...or a marriage counselor. What would I say? My son has magic and my husband thinks he’s consorting with the Devil?”

“It’s going to work out, I’m sure. Just have faith. Our kids have been through some tough times together, with Renn and those two evil witches and all, and they’ll find a solution to the demon, and Garrett will reconcile with Rollie.” She patted Adele’s arm. “I just hope nobody buys your house before then. Is Fred’s hex still working?”

“Nobody but us has even made it to the front door. It’s driving the real estate agent nuts.” Adele sniffed twice and smiled weakly. “Rollie just told me that he’s going to figure out a way to deal with that demon. He’ll study those magic books night and day if he has to. He’s certain that the answer is in one of them.”

“Jamie thinks so, too. He believes they did the right thing by going there.”

“It’s so far away, though.”

Rachel took one of Adele’s hands and squeezed it. “But it doesn’t seem so far when you can see them on the computer. Come over anytime, Adele, anytime you need to see your boy. As long as it doesn’t cause too much friction between you and Garrett.”

“I don’t care if he likes it or not. If I want to talk to my son, I will. No mule-headed man is gonna stop me.”

“He’s still your husband, Adele.”

“For now.”

“Don’t
say
that. Things will work out. Trust me.”

Rachel hugged Adele goodnight and let her out. Rachel closed the door, but looked up when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Carl walked down in his pajamas, carrying his pillow. “I think I’m going to sleep in the family room tonight,” he said, “so I can keep an eye on things.”

Rachel crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. “Keep an eye on things?”

“In case Jamie and them have any problems.”

“What are you going to do about it if they do? Make a magic doorway and ride to the rescue?”

“No...but...I don’t know. It just seems like a good idea.”

“Well, if you are, then I am too.” She nodded firmly. “I get the couch.”

They both turned when they heard a knock on the front door. Rachel opened it to find Lisa and Larry standing on the front porch, wearing their robes and slippers and each carrying a pillow and a blanket. Lisa said, “Is it okay if we sleep in your family room tonight?”

Rachel laughed and let them in. “Sure. We are, too.”

“Looks like you had the same idea as us.” Larry grinned. “We can have a spend-the-night party. We can make popcorn and stay up late watching bad movies.”

Lisa patted Larry on the back as they walked down the hall. “I just want to be near that computer. It’s still on, isn’t it? Still showing them in the house?”

“Of course,” Carl said. “But we’re going to have to sleep on the floor.”

“I don’t think I could sleep in my bed tonight anyway. I’m too anxious.” Lisa sighed. “Though I’m sure Fred’s going to give me an earful about it.”

Jamie sat on the day bed trying not to laugh while he listened to Fred rant. She took one last look at the laptop in the corner and threw up her hands. “Our parents are such
incredible
dorks! Look at them! It looks like they’re having a sleepover or something.” Lisa and Larry were waving at her through the computer while they folded quilts into pallets on the carpeted floor of Jamie’s family room. Rachel was on the couch, and Carl stood next to her in his flannel pajamas.

“Is there an age limit on sleepovers, Fred?” Evelyn asked.

“There ought to be. Is there an age limit on dorkiness?”

“They’re just worried about you, and they probably find this reassuring. Have some sympathy for them.”

Jamie heard the back door close and Rollie entered the room, carrying an armload of firewood. “Jamie, I brought this in on my trip back from the outhouse. Thought you might need it if you’re gonna stay up.” He nudged the screen aside with his foot, and placed a few logs over the dying embers. The rest he set beside the fireplace.

“Thanks, Rollie,” Jamie said. “It was starting to get a little chilly in here.”

“I’m going to hit the hay, then.” He brushed his hands off and headed for the first bedroom. “I think I’ll sleep on the air mattress, if that’s okay with you. I don’t really want to sleep in a dead wizard’s bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” Rollie closed the door behind him.

Fred walked over to Jamie and rubbed one hand through his hair. “I’m going to bed, too.” She kissed him lightly and walked to the other bedroom.

“I’ll be there in a minute, Fred,” Evelyn said. “Let me say goodnight to Jamie first.”

“I’ve got dibs on the air mattress,” Fred called over her shoulder.

“Fine.” Evelyn rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You kids act like the beds are haunted.”

“It’s just strange, Gramma. Somebody else slept in them.”

“Somebody else has slept in every hotel bed you’ve been in.”

“True, but they weren’t mass murderers.”

“Well, maybe you can take some of that money from the closet and buy new mattresses for these beds.” She tapped her chest lightly with one finger. “I, for one, don’t mind. That feather bed is comfortable.” She rested her hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay out here by yourself? I’ll stay with you if you want me to.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll probably go through some of the books while I’m up.”

“That might make you sleepy.”

“Then I’ll play some games on the laptop or something. I’ll wait until my parents go to sleep, so they don’t freak out when I break the video connection.” Jamie stood and kissed her on the cheek. “You can go to bed now. I’ll be okay, I promise.” He watched her go, and when she offered to keep her bedroom door open, he shook his head and she closed it, leaving him alone.

The bottom logs in the fireplace were just beginning to catch, and Jamie watched the flames leap up the edges of the wood, little dancing ghosts in pale yellow and blue. He took a deep, calming breath, stilled his mind, and sent his magical senses out to their limit and waited, like a spider holding the fine threads of its web.

Maybe I’m not the spider
, he suddenly realized
. I could be the fly instead
.

He shook his head at the thought and resumed his magical searching. He felt nothing, so he released the spell and exhaled heavily, his chin sagging against his chest.
We’re safe, for now
.

He left the day bed and dragged the floor lamp closer to the fireplace, as far as the extension cord would allow, and sat in the rocking chair, facing the flames, a spell book in his lap, unopened.

Jamie knew that if another wizard appeared that night, he wouldn’t come through the door. He would probably translocate right into the room, ready for a fight, looking to steal valuable books, books like the one Jamie held. Jamie remembered Eddan as a young apprentice, his master often telling him
spell books are like treasure to sorcerers, more valuable than gold
.

Eddan had fought more than his share of battles over them. Many nights he would be working diligently away in his tower, totally consumed by some project or experiment, when another wizard would suddenly materialize in the room, hands poised to cast a spell, and the only warning would be a slight tickling in Eddan’s mind a moment before. The old wizard would instantly raise his shield, turn and confront the younger attacker, subdue him, and banish him to the world where Rita and Cassandra now lived.

Eddan had won every battle except the last, when Renn had appeared in the tower with his new found weapon, the dragon’s head staff, and mortally wounded Eddan. Eddan barely escaped to Earth, and Jamie had been born.

And now I’m sitting in Renn’s house, burning his firewood, and reading his magic books
. Jamie pondered the heavy tome in his lap.
Except this probably wasn’t his. I bet he stole it. Murdered some poor guy and took all his books
.

Jamie knew that somebody might try to do the same to him at any moment.
Stay awake
. He stood and set down the heavy tome.
Stay awake and alert
. He began pacing the floor in a counterclockwise circle, from the fireplace to the front door, then left past the wall with the curtained windows flanked by shelves loaded with books. Then left at the corner near the closet with the money, past the kitchen door to the table, and left at the corner with the laptop, to the wall with the two bedroom doors and the day bed.

After his fourth circuit around the room, he paused at the daybed and regarded the comfortable pillows piled on it.
This would probably be a good spot to read. I should do some of that while I have all this time on my hands
. He retrieved the spell book from the rocker and moved the floor lamp back, then settled down, his back propped against some pillows, and began flipping through pages of the musty-smelling volume.
I might find what we’re looking for tonight. Maybe in this book
.

Chapter 19

Jamie woke with a start when he heard the noise. He raised his hands and threw up his shield, his heart suddenly chugging like a runaway train as he bolted to a sitting position on the day bed.

“Sorry to wake you, Master Jamie.” Mrs. Tully stepped inside carrying a cloth sack in one hand, and closed the front door behind her. “I brought some eggs for your breakfast. I had to stop at the market because my hens didn’t lay enough. I’ll make some biscuits, and we have some preserves in the cellar. There may be a bit of salted ham left, too.”

Jamie dropped his shield and remembered to breathe. “You’re early. Rollie and I were going to escort you this morning.”

“There’s no need. I told Rollie that last night.”

Jamie turned when the second bedroom door opened and his grandmother came out, wearing her pale yellow robe and slippers. “Good morning, Mrs. Tully,” Evelyn said. “You’re certainly up early.”

“She wants to make breakfast,” Jamie said.

“I told you last night that we could handle it ourselves. We brought food.”

“’Tis my duty, Mrs. Wallace.” Mrs. Tully headed for the kitchen. “I need to start the fire in the stove.”

“Jamie, go help her,” Evelyn said.

Jamie jumped up and grabbed the extra logs that still sat beside the fireplace and hurried to the kitchen. While Mrs. Tully was hanging up her cloak in the corner, he put the narrow pieces of oak in the stove and ignited them with a quick spell.

Mrs. Tully walked in carrying her sack, followed by Evelyn. Evelyn said, “You know, we have a gas camp stove. It’s fast, if you want to cook the eggs on it.”

Mrs. Tully shook her head while she opened the sack. “I’ve cooked on this stove for years. No need to change now.”

“That’s an awful lot of trouble.”

“’Tis no trouble.” She pulled some flour out of the cabinet and set a wide board beside it.