Part 6 (2/2)
”If you go,” said Sybil without looking at him, ”I won't share any of Master's magic with you.”
Odo, opening his beak with surprise, looked around at Sybil from the bed.
”Ah!” said Damian, grinning. 'Then you do know magic. I thought as much.”
”Of course I know magic,” magic,” cried Sybil, so upset she didn't care what she said. She was glaring out the window, arms folded over her chest. ”Haven't I been the alchemist's servant for ... cried Sybil, so upset she didn't care what she said. She was glaring out the window, arms folded over her chest. ”Haven't I been the alchemist's servant for ... years? years? How could I not learn his secrets?” She turned to face him. ”You may think I am nothing.” She gulped back tears. ”I may not have been his kin, but he treated me with ... great kindness. Love.” How could I not learn his secrets?” She turned to face him. ”You may think I am nothing.” She gulped back tears. ”I may not have been his kin, but he treated me with ... great kindness. Love.”
”I don't care how he treated you,” said Damian. ”I'll stay, but only if you show me some of your magic.”
Sybil darted a panicky look at Odo, who was sitting on Thorston's head. He shrugged, lifted a claw, and muttered, ”Risan ... risan.” ”Risan ... risan.” Next moment, the skull-Odo's customary perch-rose into the air a few feet. Momentarily, it hovered, only to drop and shatter into bits. Next moment, the skull-Odo's customary perch-rose into the air a few feet. Momentarily, it hovered, only to drop and shatter into bits.
As the boys stared with amazement Sybil darted a ferocious look at Odo. But after taking a deep breath, she turned to Damian and said, ”There, you see, my my magic. Now you are perfectly free to leave.” magic. Now you are perfectly free to leave.”
”Did you truly do that?” exclaimed Damian, who had been watching Sybil, not Odo.
”Who else would?” said Sybil. Unwilling to look at Odo, she spun about and stared out the window. ”And when you leave,” she called, ”be free to greet Master Bashcroft. He's waiting right outside.”
”Bashcroft?” said Damian. ”Out there?”
”He watched you as you came.”
The boy paled. ”He did? The reeve is the most despicable man in Fulworth,” he said. ”I'll have nothing to do with him.”
”He seems to be spying on you,” said Sybil.
”Please, Mistress,” said Alfric, ”Let me stay. I'll do whatever you ask. Just don't send me back to that man.”
Damian shoved Sybil aside and looked down into the courtyard at the reeve. ”He bullies Mistress Weebly,” he said. ”Which makes her bully me.”
”Sybil,” said Odo, ”may I remind you: if Bashcroft discovers Master is dead, he will walk right in and take possession of everything. Including us.”
”Can't you do something to keep him away?” Damian said to Sybil. ”You're a magician.”
Sybil peered down into the courtyard before turning back to Odo. ”There is something we can do: we can bury him.”
”Bury the city reeve?” the city reeve?” cried Odo. cried Odo.
”Don't be silly,” said Sybil. ”Bury Master Thorston.”
7.
”What are you saying?” shrieked Odo.
”Did I not say it simply enough?” said Sybil. ”We must bury Master in the cellar.”
”In the cellar cellar?” cried Damian.
”Have you a cemetery there?” asked Alfric.
”But why?” said Odo.
”Because if we take Master's body out of the building, his death will be noted-will it not?”
”Yes, but-”
”If his death is noted,” Sybil continued, ”you said so yourself-we'll lose all chance of learning anything. Bury him here, and no one need know. It will give us time to find his secrets.”
”May I remind you,” said Damian, ”I did see him die. Anyway, you can't just bury a person in one's house. It must be in sacred ground.”
Sybil glared at him. ”You're perfectly welcome to leave,” she said. ”This has nothing to do with you.”
”It has everything to do with me,” returned Damian. ”I've come to learn your master's secrets. You've made it clear you have some. I've no intention of leaving without learning them.”
Knocking erupted on the front door.
”G.o.d's mercy,” cried Odo. ”If that's another green-eyed child, I shall lie on my back and stick my feet into the air.”
Sybil, seeing Damian wince, said, ”What are you frightened about?”
”It's possibly my mistress come after me.”
”Why should she do that?”
”I've ... I've run away.”
Alfric, who had been looking out the window, said, ”Please, I think it's Master Bashcroft.”
”That's no better,” said Damian.
”This boy belongs to him” said Sybil, pointing to Alfric.
Damian looked on Alfric as if for the first time. ”What do you mean belongs belongs to him?” to him?”
Alfric hung his head. ”He bought me.”
There was more pounding on the door.
”Please, Mistress,” said Alfric, tugging on Sybil's sleeve. ”I want to stay.”
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