[Magic Kingdom of Landover 05] - Witches' Brew by Terry Brooks Read Free Book Online

There was magic there. Did you sense it, too?”
    She nodded. “I think I know one of them.”
    Surprise turned to astonishment. “You do? How could you?”
    She frowned. “I don’t know. I just felt it while standing there on the wall.” She paused. “I thought at first it was the big man, Rydall. But now I’m not sure. It might have been the other.” She shrugged, her interest in the matter fading. “Do you think we will see any bog wumps on the way, Questor?”
    They traveled steadily all day, stopping several times to rest the horses and once for lunch, and by sundown they had reached the south end of the Irrylyn. There they set up camp for the night. Mistaya went swimming in the warm waters of the lake, then fished with Abernathy and a couple of the King’s Guards for their dinner. They caught several dozen fish in almost no time, causing Mistaya to complain to the scribe that it was all too easy. While the Guards carried their catch back to the camp to clean and cook, the girl and the dog sat alone on the shores of the lake and looked out across the silver waters as the sun sank in a shimmer of red and pink behind the distant horizon.
    â€œDo you think Mother and Father are in danger, Abernathy?” she asked him when they were alone, her face and voice impossibly serious.
    Abernathy considered a moment, then shook his shaggy head. “No, Mistaya, I do not. And even if they are, it will not be the first time. When you are a King and Queen, there is always danger. When you wield power of any kind, for that matter, there is always danger. But your parents are very resourceful people andhave survived a good many things. I would not worry for them if I were you.”
    She liked his answer and nodded agreeably. “All right, I won’t. Are you and Questor staying with me once we reach Elderew?”
    â€œOnly for a day or so. Then we must go back. Your father will have need of us. We cannot be away for very long.”
    â€œNo, of course not,” she agreed, rather pleased that she would be on her own. Her grandfather knew magic as well. She wondered what he could be persuaded to teach her. She wondered if he would let her experiment a bit.
    A shadowy form crept out of the trees to one side and melted into some bushes that ran along the edge of the lake. Mistaya and Abernathy were seated on a cluster of flat rocks elevated above the bushes and could see anything trying to approach. Neither missed the furtive movement.
    â€œBog wump?” she asked in an excited whisper.
    Abernathy shook his head. “Some sort of wight. Neither very old nor very bright, judging from its lack of circumspection.”
    She nudged the scribe lightly. “Bark at him, will you, Abernathy? A good, loud bark?”
    â€œMistaya …”
    â€œPlease? I’ll not pull your ears for the rest of the trip.”
    The dog sighed. “Thank you so much.”
    â€œWill you?” she pressed. “Just once? I want to see it jump.”
    Abernathy’s jaws worked. “Humph.”
    Then he barked, a quick, sharp explosion that shattered the twilight silence. Below, the wight jumped straight out of the bushes in which it was hiding andstreaked back into the forest as if launched from a catapult.
    Mistaya was in stitches. “That was wonderful! That was so funny! I love it when you do that, Abernathy! It just makes me laugh!”
    She gave him a big hug and pulled lightly on his ears. “You make me laugh, you old woolly.”
    â€œHumph,” Abernathy repeated. But he was clearly pleased nevertheless.
    The fish cooked up nicely, and dinner was delicious. The members of the little caravan ate together, and everything was quickly consumed. It was better than a picnic, Mistaya concluded. She stayed up late swapping stories with the King’s Guards despite Abernathy’s clear disapproval, and when she finally rolled into her