Page 28 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

“Are those white whiskers and wrinkles?” Corbett cocked his head and narrowed his eyes in confusion. Then his eyes opened wide as all traces of the old Orrick disappeared and, once again, the young Sir Rick stood before him. “Orrick, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Orrick. “I am shifting back and forth to my old and younger self and I don’t seem to have any control over it at all.”

“I’m confused.” Corbett scratched his head. “So, does my ward think you are Orrick now instead of Sir Rick?”

“She does, and almost saw my transformation. That is why I needed to scare her away.”

“I don’t like this,” said Corbett. “I don’t want to lie to Lady Hope. I’ve promised her father that I’d be her guardian. If word of odd things like this happening gets back to him, our alliance will be broken. I might have a battle on my hands if he thinks I’ve let her fall into any kind of danger.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Lady Hope is not going to mention this to her father.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because she is too interested in finding the Eternal Flame. Unfortunately, I think she has bad intentions for it. I highly doubt she’d want her father to know she was up to no good.”

“Nay, I’m sure you’re right.”

“Unless her father is behind this and has sent her here himself to find the flame. Have you ever considered that as a possibility?” asked Orrick.

“Nay. I don’t think so,” answered Corbett. “Lord Threston is known to be a fair and honest man. I’m sure he isn’t behind anything deceitful.”

“Then if not, there is only one answer to all this.”

“And what would that be?”

“Like I thought earlier, Lady Hope must be a witch. She is looking for the Eternal Flame to use it for herself. And something tells me her betrothed, Lord Irwin, is part of this deceitful plan as well.”

“I hope you’re wrong, Orrick,” said Corbett with a frown. “But if not, we need to do something about it right away. You need to find out if Lady Hope has bad intentions.”

“I intend to do just that,” he said. “Now that I am back in my younger form, I will do anything that it takes to find out what Lady Hope is up to. And I promise you that I will stop her before anything bad happens.”

Chapter 9

Hope headed down the stairs to the great hall. She’d been happy to see Orrick again, but his magic had scared her. She couldn’t wait to get away from him, even if she had forgotten her bag and the book in the tower chamber again.

“Sister, there you are.” Grace hurried over, glancing over her shoulder. “Lord Irwin has been asking for you. I didn’t want to tell him you’d gone to Sir Rick’s chamber.”

“I was in the tower, but it wasn’t Sir Rick I saw.” She pulled her sister into the shadows.

“Well, who was it?” asked Grace curiously.

“Orrick is back.”

“Orrick?” A puzzled look showed on her face. “Do you mean the old sorcerer?”

“Aye.”

“Oh, good. He should be able to help you find the Eternal Flame.”

“I thought so, too. But now I’m thinking he is doing things to keep me from it.”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?” asked Grace.

“The book for instance.”

“What book?”

“The book I stole from the tower room about the Eternal Flame.”