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He says it s the main entrance to the castle. But he needs the other wizards to help him get it open.
Follow me. She dashed back the way she had come.
Librettowit and Bardon gently lifted the tree off the bench and carried it. Kale followed with the others
close behind. A muted snore reverberated within the trunk.
Toopka skipped back to hold Kale s hand. Do you know what?
No. What?
You can t tell this is a castle from the air. We only knew it was the right place because Regidor saw the
waterfall. You can t see the statues or the benches or the walkways. Nothing! And then Regidor couldn t
find the door. He had to use his forefoot instead of his eyes. He closed his eyes and walked around the
mountain with his forefoot on the rock. I followed. Then he found it. I couldn t see it. He said he didn t
see it, but he felt the gap in the stone. I didn t see the gap in the stone, but he showed me and showed me
and finally I saw it. Hurry up.
She ran ahead.
Bardon looked over his shoulder at Kale. You know, she doesn t seem one bit older than she did three
years ago.
She has learned to read a little, Kale said.
She can be quite helpful in the kitchen, added Taylaminkadot.
Librettowit shifted his burden and said, Emerlindians and doneels have a longer maturing period.
They re considered youngsters for almost a hundred years. Tumanhofers and o rants mature in eighteen
to twenty years. Mariones and urohms maturation period is about the same, but their life span is
considerably shorter than the other high races. Kimens mature rapidly, in three or four years. No one
outside of the kimen race is sure about their longevity.
Still, said Taylaminkadot, there has always been something secretive in Toopka s manner. She refused
to choose a day to celebrate her birth every year. And when I urged her to pick a number to say it was
how old she was and start counting from that, she didn t want to. In fact, she became quite stubborn.
The subject of their conversation danced toward them, hopping, skipping, and twirling. Come on!
You re almost there.
They followed her around a hedge and spotted Regidor inspecting a section at the base of what looked
like a cliff.
After placing Fenworth in the shade, they gathered around the meech dragon. He showed them the
camouflaged entry. The tumanhofers and Toopka sat down to watch as Lyll, Cam, Regidor, and Kale
worked to open the door. Cam assigned each wizard a range of colored threads to manipulate. Bardon
scouted the area to make sure this important work wouldn t be interrupted by grawligs.
Kale had never seen such a complicated weave. She had to concentrate to keep the strands from
slipping away from her. Sometimes, it was a matter of holding hers in one place while another wizard
moved his strands. She smiled as she realized her mother was the best at unwinding the threads.
Just like untangling a mess of necklaces or yarn when you re knitting, her mother said.
I try not to let my knitting get in a tangle, said Cam.
I rarely wear necklaces, said Regidor.
Lyll chortled and directed Cam to move his threads through a loop in Regidor s strand.
In the end, they had the colors isolated and tied off. Regidor gave a push against the door, and it swung
open.
Librettowit and Bromptotterpindosset lifted Fenworth and carried him in after the others. They stood in a
vast entryway with tapestries and huge oil paintings on the walls, a two-sided, curved stairway before
them, and a marble floor done in many colors, much like a mosaic.
Regidor tilted his head. Odd.
Lyll s eyes swept the room as she nodded. Definitely.
Cam breathed in deeply and expelled the air slowly. We must proceed with caution.
Kale felt goose bumps rise on her arms, and a shiver tingled her spine. There s someone in the castle
now, isn t there?
Yes, said Regidor and drew his sword.
50
IN THE CASTLE ONCE MORE
Bardon also pulled his sword. Behind him he heard the swish of metal leaving leather. He glanced at Kale
and saw she had her hand in front of her as if she held a sword, but nothing was there. A quick look at
her mother showed she stood in the same position. They had invisible weapons. Bardon had seen Lyll
Allerion wield her sword in a fight with mordakleeps. He presumed she had trained Kale to use the
weapon just as effectively.
How many people are in the castle? he asked.
Hard to say, Regidor answered. They re scattered all over this wing.
We re in the part of the castle where the Knights Chamber is located, right?
Right.
Let s escort the wizards, Taylaminkadot, and Toopka there. Then, we ll determine who is to stay and
work on breaking the spell, and who will go looking for intruders.
Regidor nodded. Bardon looked over his shoulder to see if his party was ready to go. Kale and her
mother had changed into matching outfits that would not hinder their movements during a fight. Instead of
the loose clothing that had been comfortable for a long hike, they now wore fitted garments of a blue
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