Dragon's Breath (11 page)

"I
am
safe," I said, giving Eadric my most dazzling smile. "I have you with me, don't I?"

Eadric appeared to be speechless. He stared at me for a moment, perhaps to see if I was joking, but I didn't let him see how I really felt. I didn't want a stick to protect me; I could protect myself.

"You're right," he said, shrugging. "Let's go find that bean."

We continued between the stalls, pausing to examine the items that interested us, like the acorns that could hold an entire wardrobe and the shoes that could carry a person enormous distances, but we still didn't see the dog or hear anyone hawking fresh vegetables. I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever find the stall when I saw a little dog with white, fluffy fur carrying a leather bag in his mouth.

"Pardon me," I calied to the dog. "Are you Archie?"

The little dog stopped abruptly and turned to look at me, the bag gripped tightly between his teeth. He nodded without opening his mouth.

"We were told that you might know where we can find someone who sells magic beans," I said.

Archie tilted his head to one side and looked me up and down. I must have passed his inspection, because he set the bag on the ground, although he was careful to place both front feet on top of it. "Look for the stall with the dark green canopy. Old man Bosely is the only one I know who sells magic beans. If he's not there, ask Milky White. She's learning the trade."

"Who is Milky White?" I asked, but the little dog had already grabbed his bag and trotted off through the crowd, his plumed tail swishing.

I found Eadric nibbling the leg of a roast partridge. He offered me a wing and didn't seem offended when I refused.

"We need to look for a green canopy, a man named Bosely and someone called Milky White," I said.

"It must be another cat. I can't believe what they have these cats doing. I'll tell you, though, that cat back there really knows how to cook a partridge," he said, smacking his lips.

It took us a while to work our way across the marketplace, as Eadric wanted to stop at every food stall. It wasn't until we'd reached the last row of vendors that we found the right one. A large stall shaded by a canopy of darkest green, it reminded me of the velvet-lined chest where my mother kept her jewels. The colors were more brilliant than those of ordinary vegetables—ruby apples, amethyst plums, topaz squash, and sapphire berries. I saw fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before, like the long yellow fruit that grew in bunches like fingers, and enormous striped melons as big as a horse's head. They seemed to have everything—everything but beans.

A man with a scraggly beard and a shock of white hair watched us approach. He was so short that his chin could have rested on the countertop, yet his hands were enormous and I could see the swell of his muscles under his brown jerkin. The cow standing behind him was entirely white but for the tip of her nose and her enormous dark eyes. I decided that she had to be Milky White.

I was opening my mouth to ask about the bean when Eadric reached for a plum, squeezing it between his thumb and forefinger. The man's eyes were crossed, so it was hard to tell exactly where he was looking, but it was clear that he'd noticed Eadric. "Can I help you?" he said. "We have a policy here—you touch it, you buy it." He pointed to a sign on the table written in glowing script.

You touch it, you buy it.
No free samples. No refunds.
Shoplifters will be persecuted by harpies.

"How many plums would you like?" the man asked. "They're magic plums, so they're guaranteed to be delicious."

"Four," said Eadric.

"What we're really looking for are magic beans," I said.

The man shifted his gaze in my direction. "We don't have any now. They're not in season. Come back in six months. We should have some by then."

"We need them to counteract a spell," said Eadric. "We can't wait six months!"

"Sorry, I can't help you. I traded my last beans for Milky White. That'll be one penny for four plums."

"Is there anyone else who might have some?" I asked. "Maybe Milky White's former owner could spare one."

The cow blinked her long, dark lashes. "Those are gone, too. Jack told me that his mother threw them out the window when he brought them home."

Bosely grunted and scratched his nose. "As I said, come back in six months. You can buy as many beans as you want then."

Fifteen

U
nwilling 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."

Eadric nodded. "Maybe that's why Olefat thought it was safe to come here."

"But won't they end up in the same place?" I asked. "She touched the wall, too."

"They'll go back to wherever they came from," said the merchant. "Can't say where that might be."

We continued on for a few more minutes and had reached the section of the marketplace where potions were sold when we heard shouting. A crowd was running toward us, growing louder and more frantic. Something roared in a voice so loud that the shutters behind me shook. I covered my ringing ears with my hands, while Eadric clapped his hand to his dagger. "I have
got
to get a sword!" he said, his eyes scanning the crowd as he looked for the source of danger.

The crowd opened up, revealing a black-maned lion and a sliver-horned unicorn facing each other. The unicorn screamed, rearing up on his hind legs to crush the lion's skull with his flailing hooves. As the unicorn was about to strike, the lion leaped aside, then turned to slash at his opponent with raking claws. The same people who had been so eager to get away moments before now seemed more interested in gawking.

"We'd better go," I said. "We don't have time to stay

and watch."

"I want to see how it ends."

"Fine," I said, starting to walk. "You stay here while

I keep looking."

"Can't you wait another minute?"

"Not if we want to look for the bean
and
a sword."

"Oh, right," said Eadric, hurrying after me.

I was almost ready to abandon our search for the bean, when we reached a stall with a faded gray canopy and an assortment of merchandise for sale. A white-haired old woman looked up as we drew near. She smiled toothlessly and said, "What can I do for you?" Even if she'd had teeth, her appearance would have been unusual, since she had only one eye and it never seemed to look directly at us, rolling around in its socket as if it had a life of its own.

"We're looking for magic beans," Eadric said bluntly. "Do you have any?"

"You're out of luck. No beans this time of year. They're out of season."

"Maybe you can still help us," I said to the old woman. "Do you know anyone who has dragon's breath for sale? Or a horse feather or two?"

"Dragon's breath is rare. It's too hard to collect without getting fried. I've never heard of horse feathers. Are you sure someone isn't playing a trick on you?"

"It's possible, but it isn't likely. We'll just have to keep looking," I said and began to turn away.

"Perhaps I have something else you might like. Let me see." The old woman bent over, reaching under the counter for something, but as she leaned down, her eye popped out, rolled across the counter and fell to the ground with a soft plop.

Eadric bent down to search the ground for the eye.
He's a kind person,
I thought, watching him pick up the filthy eye and hand it to the old witch. A lot of people wouldn't have wanted to touch it.

"Thanks," said the woman. "I used to have a jar of them, but my husband took it when he ran off with a younger witch. When I finally caught up with him, he and his little tart had already broken up and he'd left the eyes with her. I never did find out the name of the witch or what had become of my jar of eyeballs."

"Really?" I said. "I might know where they are."

The old woman gasped as her mouth dropped open, giving off an odor that made my eyes water. "Where are they? Tell me where they are and I'll give you your beans!"

"I thought you said you didn't have any," said Eadric.

"That was before I knew you had something I wanted. I always like to keep a couple on hand. You never know when they might be useful. Tell me, where is my jar of eyeballs?"

"Well, I don't actually know that they're
your
eyeballs," I began.

The old woman waved her hand, dismissing any question of ownership. "That doesn't matter. I'll know them when I see them. Where are they?"

"The beans first," said Eadric.

The witch reached for a box tucked beneath the counter. Hefting it onto the wooden board, she rummaged through it while muttering under her breath. "Magic buckles, magic baubles, magic bones ... ah, here they are—magic beans!" Taking two shriveled yellow things from the dirt in the bottom of the box, she held them up between her thumb and forefinger, showing them to Eadric and me. "Now, tell me about my eyeballs."

"Wait a minute," said Eadric. "What are those?"

"Magic beans, of course. They may be old, but they're still potent! If you don't want them, you can wait six months for fresh ones."

"Never mind," he grumbled. "I guess they'll do."

The old woman turned to me. "My eyeballs?" she prompted.

"I saw a jar filled with eyeballs in a witch's cottage about a week ago," I said. Eadric and I had been stuck in the cottage when we were frogs, but I wasn't about to tell her that.

"Were they alive?" the old woman asked, holding her breath.

"Yes, very much so. They kept looking at me."

She clapped her hands, unable to control her glee. "And where is this cottage?"

"In the enchanted woods at the edge of Greater Greensward."

"That's all I need to know! Thanks! Enjoy your beans!" she said dropping them into Eadric's outstretched hand. Grabbing a box from under the counter, the old woman dashed from her stall.

"Now we can go see about your sword," I said, pleased with our newest acquisition. "If we hurry, we can be back at the castle before dinner."

Laughing, Eadric set his hands on my waist and picked me up, spinning me around until I was dizzy. "This day has turned out better than I thought it would! We got your beans, I'm going to get my sword and we'll still be at your castle in time for a hot meal. How about a kiss to celebrate?"

"You and your celebrating! Are you sure we have time for a kiss? Shouldn't we hurry before all the swords are sold?"

"I hadn't thought of that!" he said, setting me down so fast that my teeth clacked together. 'You can give me that kiss later."

"Wait! I just thought that—" But Eadric was already gone, disappearing between the stalls as he rushed to find the armorers' section of the market. I hurried after him, not sure where we should be looking, so I was surprised when I heard someone singing and realized from its words that it was a sword.

Alas, my master, you do me wrong,
To cut me off from sight and song.
For I can serve you oh so well,
Fighting better and faster than any!

It was still singing when I reached the stall where Eadric stood in line, a look of great longing on his face. There were only two other young men in front of the stall, both dressed in dark green. The man wearing a pointed cap was paying for his sword while the other waited to test one.

After collecting the customer's money, the tradesman gestured to the young man in front of Eadric and handed him a sword. "Here, try this one, young master," he said.

The sword seemed to come alive the moment it left its scabbard, glowing with a soft light that almost vibrated. When the young man stepped to the well-used practice dummy and raised his sword arm, the gleaming metal began to sing.

I am the sharpest sword around.
My blade can cut through butter.
I slice through trees with equal ease,
Carve stone without a mutter.

"No two are exactly alike," the tradesman explained. "They're named swords, the best in the known world. They bond to their owners very quickly."

"I'll take it," said the young man, tossing him a leather sack filled with clinking coins.

The merchant smiled and ducked his head, but he counted the coins before the young man was out of sight. A bell chimed, and I saw other merchants begin to close their stalls, helped by cats, dogs and a few human assistants.

The sword merchant frowned when he saw that Eadric was still waiting. "I'll be closing now, young master," he said as he lowered the first of the shutters that protected his stall.

Eadric placed his hand on the next shutter, preventing the merchant from moving it. "Surely you can take the time to show me one of your fine swords. I need to buy one today if possible."

The merchant glanced at Eadric out of the corner of his eyes. "We're not supposed to transact business after the bell has rung. I'll be back in a fortnight."

"I can't believe that you don't want to sell one more sword. If they're as good as you claim they are, it won't take me long to decide."

"Ah, well, I suppose it couldn't hurt." The merchant reached into a box, puliing out an ornately carved scabbard from which a filigreed grip protruded. "Here's one of my finest." He held up his hand in protest when Eadric began to pull the sword from its scabbard. "No, no! We don't have time for that. The watch will be coming soon, and I must have everything put away. Do you want the sword or not?"

"Without trying it?" asked Eadric. "I'd like to feel the weight of it in my hand."

It was getting dark, and men with tapers were lighting raised lanterns by the fountain. The merchant's eyes flicked toward the light, then back to Eadric. "There isn't time. Never mind, young master," he said, laying his hand on the scabbard as if he were about to reclaim his property. "It was a mistake to think that—"