Black wizards - Douglas Niles [28]
The whole structure was oddly silent, as if mere sound could not convey the grandness of its arrival nor the majesty of its appearance. And too, there was warmth flowing from the edifice – not a physical warmth, but a spiritual sense of power and majesty. Each of them felt this magical emanation as both welcoming and forboding.
The castle remained, and they knew they had no choice but to enter.
* * * * *
"Here, lady. Wood!"
Smiling broadly, the man dumped a huge pile of twigs and dried wood at Robyn's feet.
"Thank you, Acorn," she replied, warily meeting his gaze. She had taken to calling the man after the seed of the oak tree, for he could not remember any name of his own. The name seemed to suit him – his nature was childlike, but Robyn sensed that he harbored a deep inner strength. She wanted to nurture that strength, to see him grow. At the same time, she was still a little afraid of him.
"You did very well," she added, embarrassed by the way he beamed at the praise. "Now, if you will fetch some water so I can rinse these linens, we can take a rest."
Eagerly, Acorn scrambled toward the silver ribbon of bubbling water that ran through Genna's grove, only to pause and return sheepishly.
"Forgot buckets!" he explained, chuckling over and over as if it were some great joke.
As the days had passed, the scraggly stranger had grown more lucid and helpful. He was stronger than an average man and had skills that were useful in tending the grove.
All of which were very helpful, Robyn thought with a twinge of worry, for Genna's illness had grown suddenly worse. She had spent the last few days in bed, tossing deliriously in the depths of a fever, barely rational.
Newt had not spent much time in the grove, either. He had taken long excursions throughout the Vale, even visiting the Fens occasionally. Today, he had gone off to seek Grunt's company, almost certainly to annoy the old bear. Grunt had a notoriously short temper, and Newt delighted in driving the animal into a rage with his sudden spells of invisibility.
Robyn thought again about Acorn. He was friendly and almost pathetically grateful for any praise she gave him, but more and more the man raised shudders of uneasiness within her. One minute he seemed harmless, and the next minute she was afraid of him. But she did not know why.
"Here, lady. Here water!"
Proudly, Acorn returned with two sloshing buckets. He set them down at Robyn's feet as she thanked him, bobbing his head up and down eagerly. She quickly rinsed the light blankets and hung them to dry – well practiced motions, as Genna's sweaty fever necessitated frequent linen changes. She tried to ignore the feeling that Acorn's eyes were boring into her back as she stretched to reach the clothesline.
"Come along, now," she said as he followed at her heels. "Why don't we go and sit by the pond? I have some carrots and apples that we can have for lunch."
They walked across Genna's garden, a lush field of wildflowers and herbs. In the center of the garden was a broad pond with a grassy island at its heart. In places, the sandy bottom of the pond was smooth – perfect for swimming. Elsewhere, lily pads spread across the surface, home to myriad frogs and turtles. Great white swans swam regally among them. Robyn thought again, as she beheld the scene, that it must be the most beautiful place in the world.
As they approached the pond, the water swirled momentarily, and then the smooth bridge of sand rose to the surface. She took no notice of the phenomenon, so accustomed to the ways of the grove was she, but Acorn hesitated.
"Come on," she encouraged, stepping onto the firm bridge. Reluctantly, he followed her to the island while she selected a smooth place for their lunch.
She sat comfortably on the soft bank, stretching her legs over the water and kicking her