Page 31 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

“Here is your cloak,” said Corbett, holding out the old sorcerer’s cape. “But what is this all about and why all the secrecy?”

“Lord Irwin is on his way up to the tower to confront Orrick. I need to get up there and then back out to the garden where Lady Hope awaits me before they figure out what is going on.”

“Just tell that troublesome Irwin that Orrick has gone somewhere,” suggested Corbett.

“I can’t,” said Orrick, pulling the cloak around him to hide Sir Rick’s tunic and hose. “I told him Orrick is up there sleeping. He might get suspicious if the room is empty. I don’t know what Irwin and Hope are up to or what they are capable of doing. I need to find out as much as I can.”

“So you’re going to shift back to Orrick while you’ve got Lady Hope waiting for you in the garden? You are crazy!”

“Right,” said Orrick, running up the back stairs to the second floor, hoping to get to the tower before Irwin.

“Hurry back,” called out Corbett from the bottom of the stairs. “I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”

Orrick rushed up to the second floor, seeing Lord Irwin already in front of him, heading down the corridor for the tower. There was no way he’d ever make it there before Irwin. He had to think of something fast. Looking up at a burning torch on the wall just in front of Irwin, Orrick lifted his hand and swiped it through the air. The fixture fell and almost hit Irwin on the head.

“God’s eyes!” Irwin jumped backward while several servants rushed over to help him. While he was distracted, Orrick slipped past him in the shadows and hurried ahead of him to his tower room.

He made it up the winding staircase and inside the room and had just closed the door when he heard footsteps on the stairs below him. Then Lord Irwin knocked and called out to him.

“Orrick, are you in there?” He pounded harder on the wooden door. “I need to talk with you anon.”

Orrick reached out for the door, almost forgetting he looked like Sir Rick. He caught his image in the standing mirror, letting out a deep breath as he shifted back into the form of the old sorcerer. He groaned as his bones bent and his body shrunk in size. Whiskers popped out from his face and he watched his reflection as his beard grew longer and longer. He looked down to see the skin on his hands becoming looser and wrinkling as well.

Orrick no longer liked the feeling of being old, nor did he appreciate trading his handsome appearance for this one. Still, it had to be done.

Before he could even reach for the door, it swung open. He was about to reprimand Lord Irwin for entering before being invited in, when he saw little Noah, leading him into the room.

“Noah, what are you doing?” he asked, remembering at the last minute to disguise his voice.

“Lord Irwin wanted to see you, so I let him in.”

“I can see that,” he grumbled. “Well, what do you want?” he asked the man. “I was . . . taking a nap.”

“A nap? You never take naps,” said Noah, running over to the bed and hopping atop it.

“Noah, I’m sure Lord Corbett is looking for you.”

“He’s not,” said the boy. “He’s standing in the back corridor behind the kitchen, looking up the stairs.”

“What?” asked Irwin. “Why would he be doing that when the meal is in progress?”

“He probably expected you to cause trouble when you bolted away from the dais to come up here.”

“How did you know that?” Irwin cocked his head.

“I – I’m a sorcerer. I can see things. Before they happen,” said Orrick.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” said Irwin, stepping into the room. Orrick moved in front of him to keep him from entering further.

“You don’t need to worry about me frightening Hope with my magic. I assure you I will never harm her.”

“That’s not why I came here,” said the man.

“It’s not?” Orrick wondered what the man was up to.

“Nay. I came to ask you where to find the Eternal Flame.”

“That’s what Lady Hope wanted to know as well,” said Noah, rolling around on the bed.