Authors: Gloria Harchar
Allegro shook his head before
Glissando
even finished.
"
However, the addendum to Article
I
6 allows us to be judicial if the pair demonstrates unusual resistance.
"
"
That
'
s
you
r problem.
You
weren
'
t judicial.
"
Indignation burned Allegro.
"
Of course I was.
"
"
Was not.
"
"
Was so.
"
"
Was not.
"
"
Callers, that
'
s enough,
"
a deep voice boomed.
Allegro swallowed his protest, embarrassed. How could he allow
Glissando
to get him all upset? To badger him down to
Glissando
'
s level?
Maestro
'
s white head emerged from the clouds, followed by his body, difficult to distinguish because he resembled a vapor himself. The black tails of his tuxedo shimmered and moved as he flew toward the dais, then seated himself on the sparkling throne. Every time Allegro had seen him he
'
d been dressed the same, his garments like black clouds that had taken on shape. Were they a permanent part of the
pixie
, or did he wear such somber clothing by choice?
Allegro fidgeted, suddenly wondering if what he had done with
Nicola
'
s marriage was ethical. Had he acted rashly?
"
You are not so sure of yourself, Allegro,
"
Maestro said kindly, obviously reading his mind.
"
Well, I hate to admit it, but mayhap I acted in haste.
"
Allegro shot a dark glance at
Glissando
before firmly adding,
"
But that
'
s not to say the sparks of love weren
'
t there.
"
"
It was too soon. You should have listened to me,
"
Glissando
said.
"
I
know since I
'm more experience than you about this sort of mission
.
"
"You shouldn't have gotten in trouble, then," Allegro retorted. "
Once you crossed the line you have no say in the mission
."
"Do, too!"
"Do not!"
"Enough arguing," Maestro inserted, his tone firm. "I know your differences. Allegro
, you do
n't believe in love, so
you
wanted to get the couple together, no matter the consequences.
"
"I'm sorry, Maestro. I really messed up."
"All is not lost, Allegro. As a matter of fact, when I was a century old, about your age in fact, I made a great mistake with Queen Elizabeth."
Allegro stiffened with surprise. "You did?"
Maestro nodded. "Yes. I should have allowed her and Robert's lust for each other to get the better of them so that they could be married. But I followed Article 4 and decided they weren't properly in love. Now I will always wonder what would have happened."
Glissando sat forward in his chair. "We could time travel and fix their separation, Maestro."
Maestro shook his head, his craggy face full of regret. "Your heart is in the right place, Glissando, but alas, once a
pixie
has intervened, no other
pixie
can revisit
the
contract
ed mission
, no matter the outcome."
"Too bad." Glissando released a sigh that matched Allegro's feelings over the tale.
"
Glissando, you
know you made a mistake with Nicola's grandmother years ago and wanted to correct the infraction by making this mission right by Nicola.
B
ut you were reckless in London. You
got your priorities mixed up."
Maestro waved his hand.
"
But
Glissando
is right, Allegro. You cannot leave this job unfinished.
"
Glissando
nodded in a condescending manner.
Allegro bowed to Maestro.
"
Yes
, Your Majesty, I realize that.
"
"
Good. But I must warn you.
"
"
About what?
"
Allegro asked.
"
I fear that you will be tempted to break more rules.
"
"
More?
"
Allegro was shocked.
"
I-I didn
'
t know that I had broken any.
"
Maestro stared at him a moment, then turned to
Glissando
.
"
Will you excuse us a moment?
"
"
Certainly,
"
Glissando
said. He walked toward the far cloud that served as an alcove. Allegro sensed his gaze on him, but he was too numbed with worry. He couldn
'
t tear his gaze from Maestro, his mind frantically searching for the situation in which he could have gone astray. Then he remembered the ball.
Once
Glissando
was out of earshot, Maestro raised his brows.
"
You know what you did, and you
'
re surprised that I
'
m going to reprimand you for it.
"
"
Frankly, I am surprised. When
I caused the wind which caused Nicola's skirts to billow,
I didn
'
t allow myself to be seen. And
Glissando
did a similar questionable action with the toy balloon.
"
"
Yes
, this is true. But
Glissando
is continually in trouble. I have to pick and choose t
he worst of his sins. While you
... you are my stalwart. I know you are very conscientious of the law, painstakingly so.
"
Maestro shook his magnificent white head, noble as any lion
'
s mane.
"
I never expected you to walk on the side
of shadow
.
"
Allegro wrung his hands, his anxiety mounting.
"
Pardon me for asking, Your Highness, but I
'
ve got to know. Did my actions cause harm? Was a ripple in the Band of Peace detected?
"
"
No, but nevertheless I fear your lapse will lead you to greater disaster.
"
"
What do you mean?
"
Maestro pinned him with his atmospheric
eyes
.
"
There is no middle ground for you, Allegro. As one of the
human
s
'
rhymes says,
'
When you are good, you are very, very good. But when you are bad, you are horrid.
'"
"
Horrid?
"
"
In other words,
when you stray,
you are capable of wreaking the absolute worst sort of damage.
"
Allegro couldn
'
t even imagine a circumstance in which he would be tempted to such folly. To break a law would definitely jeopardize his goal of becoming mayor. Even a failed mission would be a better choice than to break a law and cause a crack in the spell that held the monsters at bay in the Underworld.
"
You think you
'
re impervious to law
-
breaking, but heed me well, Allegro. You will be tempted.
"
Maestro searched his face for a few more moments.
"
That is all I can say to you. Now, the rest of my warning includes
Glissando
as well.
"
At Maestro
'
s authoritative wave,
Glissando
joined them.
"
Glissando
and Allegro, obey me. From this moment onward, you must abide strictly by our laws. No more flying along the band of
dark
clouds.
"
Glissando
cleared his throat in a self-important manner that made Allegro bristle.
"
Pardon me,
You
r Eminence, but are
you
referring to the one where we mustn
'
t reveal magic to a
human
?
"