Part 10 (1/2)

CHAPTER.

15.

SIR EMERIK'S INTERROGATION

Edgar's mouth began to water when he opened the door to the inn and smelled the familiar aroma of rabbits cooking. Outside the world was changing, but in the warmth of the inn, everything had remained the same. Maude was cleaning a table and Briney was tending the fire and roasting a sizzling rabbit on a stick. The rabbit crackled as Briney looked up to see who'd come in.

”What's happened to you?” he asked with some concern, setting his work aside and waving Maude to join him. They were unusually quiet as they approached Edgar, and Maude pointed toward the back wall of the inn. There was another man-quiet and alone-sitting in the dark corner of the room. His hood was pulled up and his head was on the table.

Maude took Edgar by the arm, looked him in the eye the way a doctor might, and hauled him into the back room. It was darker than the main room of the inn, where an orange glow came from flames in bowls of fatty fuel sitting on every table. Maude knelt before Edgar, and then Briney arrived with a leg torn from the rabbit he'd been cooking.

”Here, eat this,” said Briney, staring at Edgar's swollen eye. ”You look terrible.”

Edgar's eye was swollen almost shut, and he was having some trouble seeing in the darkened room. Maude offered a tiny bit of water, and Edgar thanked them as he devoured the small meal.

”Did Mr. Ratikan hit you?” asked Maude, her voice rising in anger. ”I'll bring my broom to the grove and have his head off with it!”

”It's not what you think,” answered Edgar. He nodded his head toward the door to the front room. ”Who is that man in there?”

Maude sighed and whispered back, ”It's the strangest thing. He came in looking exhausted and starving, dropped one of the biggest figs I've ever seen on the table, and asked for a cup of water and two full rabbits.”

”He's from the Highlands, you know,” she continued. ”I hear that's the way the important ones dress up there, with those cloaks and hoods.”

”What do you suppose he's doing here?” asked Edgar, trying not to betray his fear. He'd suspected they would look for him, but hadn't imagined they could find him so quickly.

”Well, I don't exactly know. He devoured the rabbits and fell right to sleep. He must have been awfully tired, that one. He hasn't stirred.”

Edgar ate the last of the rabbit leg and set the bone on the table.

”What's that you have there?” asked Briney, pointing to the bag Edgar had carried from the grove. The two adults then noticed the swollen sores on Edgar's hand.

”What have you gotten yourself into, Edgar?” asked Maude, concern rising in her voice.

Edgar wasn't sure how to begin. There was so much to say, but he hadn't antic.i.p.ated a sleeping man from the Highlands sitting in the inn who might wake at any moment.

”The Highlands are sinking,” said Edgar. ”You do know that, don't you?”

The tone in the little room changed all at once. Briney peered around the corner into the front room and saw that the man was still asleep.

”We know, Edgar. Everyone in the village knows. There's been a lot of talk about what will happen if it reaches the bottom. People are talking about going in. About forcing their way in. They talk about the water mostly, about how the Highlands won't be able to keep it from us any longer.”

Edgar rubbed his inflamed hand against his pant leg, then he quickly told them what was in the bag, where it had come from, and what he thought the Highlands had planned to do with it.

”I wish you'd left that outside,” said Maude when he'd finished, leaning away from the bag and eyeing Edgar's infected hand. ”They intend to do us harm, that much we can say for sure.”

”What shall we do with it?” asked Edgar.

”Leave it with me,” said Briney. ”With the Highlands falling, we've got people traveling between the grove, the Village of Sheep, and us. Everyone is trying to decide what to do and when. We'll figure out what should be done with it.”

Edgar was surprised to hear that the different villages in Tabletop were in communication. Were they organizing, preparing for-what did the book of secret things say? A war?

Edgar got up and glanced at the sleeping man.

”Can you go outside and leave me alone with him?” asked Edgar. It was an odd request.

”I suppose we could, but why?” asked Maude, baffled.

”I have some questions I'd like to ask him that only he can answer, but I don't want him to think you had anything to do with it. I don't want to endanger you or your plans.”

Edgar saw they were both puzzled by what he wanted to do.

”Someone is bound to come into the inn soon, and my chance will be lost,” said Edgar. ”Please trust me, won't you? It will only take a moment to get what I need, but you can't be involved. He'll know you're against them. They'll know.” Edgar raised his head in a gesture toward the Highlands.

Struck by the determination on Edgar's face, Briney and Maude conceded. They started for the front room to lock the door to the inn, but Edgar stopped them.

”Do you suppose I could get you to help me tie him up?” said Edgar. ”I can't have him reaching across the table or trying to escape.”

He scratched his eye, and the two adults looked at one another. They didn't say anything, but instead seemed to read each other's mind and know without asking what the other had decided.

”We'll need a good long bit of rope,” said Briney.

”I know just the place,” continued Maude, moving to the very back of the darkened room.

Edgar had achieved one small victory, but it was yet to be seen if the man would read the page hidden in Edgar's pocket.

When Sir Emerik woke up, he didn't open his eyes immediately. First he sat up and tried to stretch his arms over his head, which was something he was in the habit of doing whenever he got out of bed in his room in the House of Power. He was still sleepy, and it felt like he was trapped in a dream in which he couldn't move. He was so very tired that he thought it best to go back to sleep for just a little longer. Another hour won't hurt. Then I'll go about the village and make the long walk to the grove. Such a long walk.

He was about to drift back into a dreamy world when he felt something hot near his face, which forced him to open his eyes.

The room was dark, and it took Sir Emerik a moment to see much of anything other than a glowing orange object near his right cheek. He blinked furiously and wished he could wipe the mush out of his eyes, but he was still immobile. As he became more conscious, he was able to make out the figure of a boy sitting in a chair across the table from him.

”Don't move,” Edgar said. ”You wouldn't want to get burned.”

Edgar had a flaming torch in his hand, the fire dancing just to the side of Sir Emerik's head. The room was otherwise empty. Briney and Maude had gone outside to keep anyone from coming in.

Sir Emerik was fully awake now and became aware that he had been tied to a chair. The grime in his eyes had moved off to the corners, and he could see Edgar clearly. He saw that the boy had been hit in the face and wondered if Mr. Ratikan had belted him with his walking stick.

”You better know what you're doing, boy,” Sir Emerik said in his most threatening tone. ”This is a dangerous game you're playing.”

Edgar remained undeterred. He put the page down on the table where the open flame of the torch illuminated the words.

”Read that to me. Read it quickly or I'll set your hair on fire.”