Authors: Gloria Harchar
Numb from shock,
Glissando
simply stared.
"
What an obtuse, flabby-mouthed numbskull!
"
he exclaimed.
"
Doesn
'
t he know a magical sign when he sees one?
"
Suddenly an officious series of toots sounded for
Glissando
'
s ears only. He whipped his head around to see a pixie page lowering a trumpet, the ornate gold emblem of Jubilant blazing on his chest. Major C, the viceroy who was Maestro
'
s right-hand man, swept past the page and hovered above
Glissando
, wings fluttering in a scarlet blur of movement.
Uh
'
oh, trouble.
"
Good afternoon, C, old man,
"
Glissando
said with a smile and cocky salute, determined not to show his nervousness
, hoping to hide his bruises
.
Major C held his pointed nose high in the air, then straightened his brass-studded uniform and deigned to acknowledge what
Glissando
considered a very friendly gesture to such a stodgy
pixie
. The fact that they had attended the University of Coda together obviously meant nothing.
"
You are pushing the boundaries of
pixie
law by exposing your magic to this
young
human
,
"
Major C said, motioning with a regal nod toward Hamilton and the lad.
Glissando
glanced over. The tutor was still eating and the lad had resorted to petting the lizard again.
"
His Majesty wants to see you at the dais now,
"
Major C commanded.
Glissando
turned to reply, but the Viceroy and his page had already disappeared. Motes of dust sparkled in the sunlight that shone through the window.
With a shrug,
Glissando
leaped onto a mote, wanting to take advantage of the transportation Major C had used. Ribbons of color wrapped around him like small rivers, warm and soothing, and he felt himself being lifted, carried away from earth and into the clouds high above. A pleasant shudder rippled through him, and he knew that in three counts he would be in Jubilant.
Maestro sat in the glittering gold rays that comprised his throne on the pink temple of Anthem.
Glissando
genuflected, touching his forehead to the fluffy floor of clouds that created the dais.
The cool vapor soothed his burning sores.
"
Your Eminence,
"
he murmured.
When Maestro said nothing,
Glissando
glanced up. The King
'
s brows swept down in a thunderous scowl.
"
As a graduate of the University of Coda with a bachelor
'
s degree in
Lumiè
re
Law and Regulations, you should know that you have violated Article
I
. And I quote,
'
A
pixie
must not reveal unusual phenomena that could be construed as magic to a
human
who is not a Chosen One.
'
You have done so not once but twice, the second time happening moments before I could issue a verbal warning for the first occurrence.
"
"
Excuse me, Maestro, but to what are
you
referring?"
"T
he first
infraction
was when you revealed yourself to the boy who owned the toy balloon. The second
breach
occurred when you wrote on that
human
'
s slate.
"
"
Pardon me, Maestro
, but the boy with the balloon didn
'
t see me. He merely saw the balloon flying away.
"
"
A toy that doesn
'
t have the capacity to fly.
"
"
It could happen,
"
Glissando
defended in his most earnest tone.
"
The plaything was light and a gust of wind could have easily whisked it away.
Besides, this is the era of Enlightenment. Everybody is working on new inventions and gadgets. Perhaps the boy has already worked on the toy to make it fly.
"
As
if Glissando's explanation soared
over his head, Maestro continued his scolding, albeit a gentle one.
"
Furthermore, you broke the law by writing on that student
'
s slate and allowing him to see you.
"
He couldn't deny it, especially since he had done so much more—like consort with the enemy.
Maestro
'
s
eyes
reflected sadness
.
"
You are precariously close to harming Jubilant
'
s welfare.
"
Even as guilt shredded his heart, he heard himself say,
"
I w
ould never endanger my country
—not intentionally
."
"
Breaking Article
I
can bring devastating results,
"
Maestro continued as if
Glissando
hadn
'
t spoken.
"
Infringing upon that regulation could cause a change in the weather. A change in temperature can instigate all sorts of erratic behavior in the
human
s and might jeopardize not only your mission but others. You are dangerously close to transgressing that regulation,
Glissando
.
"
"
I know,
"
Glissando
responded, contrite
, even as sweat broke over his brow
.
"
But I fixed my blunder by distracting both lads, and no one has suffered over it. A
human
has to be aware of my presence for damage to occur.
"
Brooding, his chin propped on one hand, Maestro drummed the fingers of the other against the great chair arm, all the while staring at
Glissando
. Apprehension skittered down
Glissando
'
s spine, but he resisted shifting his weight as he stood two steps below his king and waited for the verdict.
"
I
'
ve decided you need to return to Jubilant and brush the accumulated water droplets off your books. For one week you will lecture to the Sophomore Regulations class at Coda.
"
Shocked, for a moment
Glissando
could only stare.
"
But, Maestro, my mission—
"
"
Will be fine for a few days with Allegro until your return.
"
"
But Allegro summoned me.
"
He couldn't leave the other pixie with a mess Glissando had created by involving the enemy.
"
I will send Major C to explain your circumstances.
"
Frustrated,
Glissando
watched as the massive Maestro, appearing more like a dark cloud than a pixie, rose and took one giant leap toward the glittering capital of Symphony. The black tails of his tuxedo whipped through the air
like a dolphin
swimming away. Then Maestro
was gone.
Glissando
glanced at his pocket watch, the one that not only told the hour, but also kept a finger on the mission
'
s pulse. From the lavender hue around
Nicola
, he knew he didn
'
t have much time. Peeking through a hole in the cloud bank that formed the dais, he used his acute vision to search the British Isles below. Frantically, he zeroed in on London and searched the streets, seeking possibilities to help
Nicola
in the event he didn
'
t return in time.
"
Think,
"
he admonished himself.
"
What kind of leverage can old
Glissando
get on the slippery Falcon?
"
His gaze flicked over the throng at the Pavilion. Something caught his
eye
and he scanned the crowd again. The Duke of Clarence strolled with his entourage,
and
on his arm
was
a beautiful lady, his latest mistress. He listened with rapture sketched on his slightly dissipated face.
Glissando
watched, feeling as if he were on to something.
Malcolm
and Clarence. What was the connection?
Then he knew. Clarence was responsible for the military uniforms. And
Malcolm
wanted to sell the Duke new ones. A backup plan began to form in
Glissando
'
s head. A shaky plan, one he didn
'
t really want to rely upon, but better than nothing.
At least he wouldn't be totally abandoning his partner. Glissando heaved a sigh, knowing the punishment would put a dent in Allegro's latest approval of him. Ah, well. Most did judge him harshly so he should be used to the treatment. Idly he wondered what the exemplary pixie was doing now.