Page 25 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

“I like you this way better. It’s more fun,” said Noah from across the room.

“Well, I like the young Rick better,” Orrick complained, thinking about kissing Hope. “Believe me, he was having a lot more fun than Orrick ever had.”

“Read me the book,” said Noah, holding out the Eternal Flame book, crawling up and settling himself on the bed. “I want to know what it says.”

“Nay, not now. Besides, that book is of no interest to you. It is only for people with magic.”

“Then why did Lady Hope have it?” asked the boy.

“That’s what I’m wondering,” mumbled Orrick. “I am starting to think she has magic, and I intend to find out for sure.” Orrick wandered over to his shelves loaded down with books about herbs, potions, ancient secrets, and magic of all kinds. He was looking for his book on shapeshifting, or perhaps one about spells. He needed something to help him stabilize his image so he could stay in his young form and not turn back into the old man. Orrick started to wonder if being in the form of the old man for so long had taken its toll on him. As far as he knew, he shouldn’t be shifting back from his young self unless he made it happen. And he didn’t make it happen. Or at least, he didn’t think so. Right now, he was so confused he didn’t know what to believe.

“Lady Hope is nice,” said Noah as Orrick searched his shelves with his back to the boy.

“Aye, Lady Hope is really nice. She is also a good kisser,” he said to himself.

“Orrick? Orrick, is that you? You’ve returned!” came a female voice from behind him that Orrick knew only too well. He cringed, because now that Hope had seen him, he could do nothing to hide. Slowly, he turned around to face her.

“Lady Hope,” he said in his low voice – accidentally using the voice of his younger self, seeing the girl standing in the doorway. He really needed to get that key back from her sister so he could lock the damned door and keep the nosey wench from entering whenever she felt like it. Either that, or he should put a spell on the door so it wouldn’t open.

“The door was open so I didn’t knock,” she told him, entering the room. She cocked her head and looked at him oddly. “Is there something wrong with your voice?”

“Lady Hope. How are you?” said Orrick, making sure to use the crackly, old voice of his old sorcerer self. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing. I came to see Sir Rick. Is he here?” Her eyes darted around the room. Orrick realized he still wore the clothes of Sir Rick, as well as the bandages. When she boldly walked further into the room and turned her head, Orrick grabbed his long cloak from a hook on the wall and threw it over his shoulders, pulling it closed in the front.

“He’s here,” said Noah, talking to Lady Hope, but flipping through the pages of the red leather book.

“Oh, you found my book,” she said, walking over and taking it from the boy.

“Whose book?” asked Orrick, trying to conceal anything that looked like Sir Rick.

“What do you mean he’s here, Noah? Were is Sir Rick?” She turned around to face Orrick.

“What the boy means is that he was here. Earlier, that is,” said Orrick. “But he left.”

“Left? Where did he go? I thought he was injured . . . or so he led me to believe.”

“I’m not sure where to find him.”

“I know where he is,” said Noah.

“Noah, I think you need to find Lord Corbett. I’m sure you have chores to do,” said Orrick, trying to get rid of the boy before he spilled all Orrick’s secrets.

“I’ll take my things and go too since Sir Rick isn’t here. Mayhap he went down to the great hall, so I’ll look for him there.” Hope picked up her bag and stuck the book into it. Orrick couldn’t let her leave with it. Now that she could read it, who knew what she’d do with the information. He had to get the book back without her knowing he took it.

“Lady Hope, won’t you join me for a cup of brewed peppermint leaves and honey?”

“Oh, nay, but thank you,” she said, taking the bag and following the boy to the door. “I have a lot to do.”

“What a shame. I thought I’d show you a little magic. But if you’re not interested, I understand.”

She stopped in her tracks and spun around on her heel. “Magic? Oh, I’d like to see you do magic.”

Noah came back into the room. “Orrick, show her how you can make things fly around the room or how you can turn water into ale.”

“You can really do those things?” asked the girl, sounding very excited.

“He’s a sorcerer. He can do anything,” said Noah excitedly. “He can even turn his enemies into toads or –”