Dragon's Breath (2 page)

It wasn't hard to do. I took a deep breath and felt the tickling sensation in my nose. The sneeze was coming, and it was going to be a big one!
"Ah-choo!"
I shot back up to my normal size and shape, but the tickling wasn't over.
"Ah-choo!"
My stomach lurched as I turned back into a frog. Too many changes too fast were more than it could take.
"Ah-choo!"
The instant I turned into a human again, I clapped my hand to my face and squeezed my nose so hard it hurt.

"Here!" said my grandfather, reaching through the door to unlock it. "Go before you change again! I love you no matter what shape you're in, but I'd much rather have a human granddaughter than one who's a frog!"

Three

A
s I hurried up the winding staircase to Grassina's turret, I tried to think of a way I could use magic to stop my froggy transformations. I was stepping onto the landing when I noticed that the door to my aunt's room was open. Inside, I saw Grassina and Haywood sitting on the window seat. It was obvious that their love was as strong as ever. For the first time I could remember, my aunt's eyes were as happy as her smile.

Grassina turned to look at me when I stepped into the room. "Wherever you went," she said, "it must have been awfully important to take you away before breakfast. It smells delicious. Thank you for making it."

"It needs salt," I said. "And I tried to use magic to get it. I pointed at the salt, said 'salt cellar,' and ended up in the dungeon."

Haywood winked at me and smiled. "These things happen," he said. "You just need to be more specific." Before turning into an otter, he had been a wizard in training and probably knew more about magic than I did.

"You're so wise, precious one," Grassina told the otter, stroking his ears.

"I saw Grandfather," I said before they could forget that I was there. "We had a nice visit, and he helped me find the way out. He said that Mother came down to look for me while I was away."

"Mm-hmm," murmured Grassina, leaning down to kiss Haywood's head.

Haywood turned to me. "Your mother must have been worried about you when you disappeared."

The door banged against the wall behind me, and Eadric rushed into the room. "There you are, Emma!" he said. "I've been looking for you everywhere. You wouldn't believe what happened while I was getting dressed. I was putting on my shoes when suddenly I turned back into a frog! It was so fast, too, not at all like the last time. I couldn't believe it at first, but it lasted only a little while, then suddenly I was back to being me. And then it happened again. What's going on? Yesterday when we turned back, I thought that everything would be all right."

"It wasn't only you, Eadric. I changed, too—every time I sneezed."

"Ah!" said Haywood. "You sneezed. That explains it!"

"I was afraid something like that might happen," Grassina said. "I was hoping you'd have more control of your magic before it did."

Eadric frowned. "I'm glad you understand. Now how about telling us?"

"It's simple, really," said my aunt. "Emma's magic is strong, and she has to learn how to control it. Until she does, whenever she stresses her body, that stress is going to snap her back to whatever form she was in last. That means that when she sneezed, which is an intense physical reaction, she became a frog. And remember that your spell was linked, so you both had to turn back into humans or you both had to remain frogs."

I couldn't believe my ears. I already had enough problems with my magic, and now this! "Why haven't I heard about this before?"

Haywood explained that it didn't happen often. Changing to another shape was generally discouraged among witches until they could exercise greater control, but in my case it wasn't a matter of choice.

"This could happen again?" I asked.

Grassina nodded. "I'm afraid so. You'll need to work on your magic as much as possible. It's controlling you now, and that's not a good way to live. I know you wanted to go with us to see your grandmother, but perhaps you should stay here."

I didn't like that idea at all. Sitting around the castle worrying that I might turn back into a frog was the last thing I wanted to do. "I'd still like to go with you," I said. "I haven't visited Grandmother for a while, and Eadric wants to meet her before he returns to his parents' castle."

"What's that I smell?" Eadric asked. "Did someone make breakfast?"

"I did," I said. "Why don't you—"

Eadric hadn't waited to be asked. Grabbing a plate of eggs, he carried it to a bench by the wall. After popping a bite in his mouth, he said, "These eggs are delicious, but they could have used a little salt."

I rolled my eyes.

"I've met Emma's other relatives, and I've heard so much about her grandmother," Eadric said. "I'd like to meet her, too. Emma, you should have seen it!" he continued, turning to me. "Grassina sent a message to my parents saying that I'm all right. They can stop worrying now, and I can stay a while longer. I have to wait a few days for Bright Country, anyway. He still hasn't recovered from being turned back into a horse."

Haywood twitched his whiskers. "Do you know what you're getting into? Emma's grandmother has a nasty way with suitors."

"I'll tell her that we're friends," Eadric said. "She can't object to that. Hey!" he shouted, jumping to his feet. "Something pinched me!" Setting the plate on the bench, he rubbed his backside with one hand and thrust the other into the space between the bench and the wall, pulling out something small and golden brown. "Here's the culprit!" he said, waving it in the air.

"It looks like one of my crab-apple dumplings," I said. I had had enough experience with the nasty little things to recognize them even from across the room. Their flaky pastry had turned out well, but the claws they'd grown after my magic went awry could deliver a painful pinch. "I wouldn't eat it now. It's probably stale."

Freshness didn't matter to Eadric. After inspecting the golden brown crust and the squirmy, kicking legs, Eadric shoved the whole thing in his mouth and bit down. "Pretty good," he said through a mouthful of pastry. "Are there any more?"

"I hope not," I said, shaking my head. "But then, I thought we'd found them all weeks ago. Maybe the rest of us should have some eggs, too. Who knows when we'll get to eat again."

"I've already had my breakfast," said Haywood. "Fish, fresh from the pond. Best way I know to start the day."

It took less time to eat the eggs than it had to cook them. When she was finished, Grassina set her plate aside, and began to scratch Haywood behind his ears. Snuggling closer, he tilted his head from one side to the other. "That feels great," he murmured. "That's the spot!"

I grimaced and bit my lip. My normally calm, controlled aunt had not been herself since she found Haywood.

Grassina smiled and looked up at me. "Emma, you and Eadric are welcome to come with us if you want to, but there's no telling what might happen when your grandmother is involved. I'm not even sure if we should attempt this. Your grandmother can be quite hateful and—"

"Of course we should!" I said. "I'll talk to Grandmother. I'm sure she'll do it."

Grassina sighed. "No, I'll talk to her myself. She is my mother, after all. And perhaps she
will
turn him back. Even if she refuses, what more can she do? She's already turned him into an otter."

"I see the rumors are right, Grassina," said a voice from the doorway, and we all turned our heads at once. I was surprised to see my mother standing there. It had been years since she'd last visited her sister's chambers. Mother's lips were tight with disapproval as her gaze swept over us. "You do have an otter in your room. Why would you bring a creature like that into the castle?"

"He isn't a creature, Mother. At least that's not all he is," I said. "That's Haywood, the man that Grandmother didn't want Grassina to marry. Grassina discovered him by the river when she was helping us. Isn't it exciting that they finally found each other?"

"So, sister, our mother turned him into an otter and not a frog, as you believed. When I heard that an otter was up here, I was afraid that Emeralda had changed into another horrid animal since I last spoke with her. How are you, Haywood?"

"Just fine, Chartreuse. And I see you're still your same sweet self."

My mother frowned at the otter, then glanced at the wall behind him. A tapestry hung there, just as it had for years. It showed the image of a woman, her long auburn hair streaming behind her. She stood on the parapet of a castle with her arms upraised, and in each hand she held a glowing ball of green light. On the ground far below, the remnants of an army were in full retreat.

"Ah," said my mother. "The tapestry of the Green Witch. I remember the day you got this, Grassina. When we were little girls, who would have thought that you would end up with the title?"

"I know you thought it would be you, Chartreuse," Grassina said before turning to me. "When we were young, we'd often play at being witches, and your mother always insisted on being the Green Witch. She was devastated when we learned that I had the talent for magic and she didn't. But then, magic chooses its own, doesn't it, Chartreuse?"

My mother's eyes were cold, but she didn't say a word.

Haywood shoved his head into the palm of Grassina's hand, and my aunt bent down to scratch his ears. Mother groaned. "I have a bad feeling about this," she said to me in a quiet voice. "After they got engaged, Grassina couldn't think about anything but Haywood, whether he was around or not. It didn't matter so much then, but that was before she was the Green Witch. It isn't an empty title, you know, Emeralda. On the same day that Hazel, the first Green Witch, was given that tapestry, she received the ring Grassina wears now."

I glanced at my aunt, but I already knew which ring my mother meant. Carved from a single pale green gem, it looked like a band of tiny, overlapping leaves. She'd worn the ring for as long as I'd known her.

"Every Green Witch since Hazel has worn it. Both the ring and the tapestry symbolize the power wielded by the Green Witch. It's her power that protects this kingdom. Without a Green Witch in Greater Greensward, the kingdom would be vulnerable to attack."

Eadric had crossed the room to join us. "Are you talking about trolls and werewolves? Trolls invade my father's kingdom a couple of times a year, and the werewolves attack every winter."

"Really? We've never had any problems like that," I said.

"Most kingdoms aren't as fortunate as ours," said my mother. "Flocks of harpies, marauding goblins or packs of werewolves are drawn to kingdoms without a powerful witch or wizard to protect them. Just knowing that the Green Witch is here is enough of a deterrent for some, although she's forced to demonstrate her power occasionally."

"I've never seen Grassina fight anyone," I said.

"She hasn't had to for many years now. Her reputation is well known."

I didn't understand. I'd lived with my aunt my whole life, but this was all new to me. "I always thought it was Father and his knights who kept invaders away."

"Your father is a good man and terribly brave, but that means little to an army of trolls or a flock of harpies."

"Why didn't anyone ever tell me about this?"

"Because you never needed to know about it before," said my mother.

I heard a thud and turned in time to see Haywood scurry across a small table and peer into a bowl of water. A miniature castle rested in the bowl, but otherwise the water appeared to be empty. Licking his lips, Haywood stuck his muzzle in the water, then sat back on his haunches, making an awful face. "Ugh!" he said. "It's salty!"

"Oh, no, my heart's delight," exclaimed Grassina.

"You mustn't drink that!"

Mother crinkled her lip in disgust. " 'Heart's delight' is what she called him when they were young," she whispered. "We may have a problem if she's as besotted with Haywood as she used to be. She couldn't focus on anything that didn't concern him, and the rest of her life suffered from it. Our kingdom is in jeopardy if she's weak, no matter what the reason. Even now, trouble isn't far away. Your father should arrive home in a few hours, but he sent a courier on ahead. His men had discovered two spies at a local tavern. They escaped during the interrogation."

Eadric frowned. "Spies in Greater Greensward?"

Mother nodded. "We have to help Grassina come to her senses. She has to forget about Haywood and take care of her responsibilities here."

"No matter what form he's in, I don't think she'd ever forget about Haywood," I said. "But he may not be an otter for much longer. We're going to visit Grandmother today to ask her to turn him into a man."

"Grassina wants to ask her for help? Maybe my sister really is unbalanced."

"It was my idea," I said. "Grandmother turned him into an otter in the first place, so she's the one who has to turn him back."

Mother made a face as if she smelled something awful. "I've never known you to be so meddlesome before. Someone must have been a bad influence on you." She turned her glare on Eadric. "Whoever thought of it, the suggestion is ill-considered. My mother has never helped anyone except herself."

"If you can think of a better idea—" I began.

"Get rid of the otter. Haywood has complicated Grassina's life long enough."

"But she loves Haywood! She'd be miserable without him."

"Then get your grandmother to turn him back, but do it quickly." My mother shook her head when she glanced at Grassina and Haywood. "I have to prepare for your father's return. I must let him know what's happened here."

I walked with Mother to the door, hoping to hurry her out. "When I sent a message to your father telling him that you were home, I didn't mention your refusal to marry Prince Jorge," she said, pausing at the threshold. "I don't know how I'll break the news to him."