Dragons of the Valley - Donita K. Paul [63]
“That sounds like the typical exaggeration of a legend.” Maxon pointed ahead. “We’ve come to the fork in the river.”
Hollee looked over her shoulder. “Wizard Fenworth does not like to get his feet wet.”
“But he’s a bog wizard, isn’t he?” Maxon asked. “He should be accustomed to damp.”
“He says that’s exactly why he doesn’t like to be soaking wet.”
A wide grin spread across Maxon’s face. “His librarian is rather fond of the water. But Bealomondore can’t swim.”
Taeda Bel frowned. “I hope they don’t take forever getting across. I’m worried about Tipper.”
“Why don’t you go ahead?” Hollee gave her friend’s arm a pat. “We’ll catch up to you.”
Taeda Bel jumped and did a somersault. “Come as quick as you can.” She charged into the water and was on the other bank, waving good-bye, before the wind could catch up. With a hop and a twirl, she darted off.
Soon the wizard and the tumanhofers approached the spot where the two kimens waited to make the crossing. Wizard Fenworth leaned on his walking staff as he tramped up the hill and sat down as soon as he got to a sizable boulder. He took off his wizard’s hat and fanned himself.
After a moment, he jammed the hat back on his head and frowned at the water. The flow here was more sedate than upstream. “How do you think we should ford the river, Wit?”
“Swim,” said the librarian as he took a seat next to Fenworth.
“You can, but I don’t care to get my feet wet. Swimming would definitely get my feet wet and other parts of my anatomy as well.”
Librettowit shrugged and pulled a flagon of water from one of his hollows. He took a deep draw from the flask.
“A bridge?” Fenworth pulled on his beard. A caterpillar crawled out and away from his fingers.
Librettowit shook his head. “It would take too long. We really ought to see what that princess is up to.”
“A simple gateway then?”
Hollee clapped her hands and nodded. “I like that idea. I like the sticky feel of going through a gateway. And I like the lights.”
Again Librettowit shook his head. “Are you just going to leave gateways dotting the land? You’d have to dismantle it. Doesn’t take long to make one, especially if you have helpers, but you must admit that taking one apart can be tricky.”
Fenworth laid his staff across his knees and glared at the River Hannit. “I could whirl us across. Do it all the time. Hollee used to get motion sickness, but now she likes whirling almost as much as gateways.”
The little kimen nodded so hard she bounced on the spot where she stood.
“And how much whirling have you been doing?” Librettowit examined his wizard. “You look a little worse for wear. Whirling requires a great deal of kinesthetic energy and more brainpower. You’ll wear yourself out, and then where would we be?”
Fenworth looked away. Hollee had been with the wizard long enough to recognize the look on his face. Something astonishing was about to happen. She followed the line of his gaze and promptly saw something that only the wizard could do.
The roots of a nearby tree stretched toward the water. New growth pushed out of the old, and pale green tendrils snaked across the bank. Soon a mass of tangled roots stretched halfway over the river.
Maxon ran to the edge of the bank and placed a foot on the half-assembled bridge.
Hollee shrieked. “Don’t!”
Maxon jerked back as Fenworth’s head whipped around to see why Hollee had interrupted him.
“Silly kimen,” said the wizard. “Wait until it has finished growing. Your feet might be caught in the twisting new roots, and we’d have to cut you out. We are trying to make time, not waste it.” He turned back to his project. “Now where was I?”
It took a minute or two for the growth to pick up speed. Hollee waited as patiently as she could. She twitched a bit and explained to the others that Wizard Fenworth worked better without interruptions.
“I know that, child,” said the librarian with an even tone. “Best to play a game of solitaire or read a book while you wait.”
Maxon and Bealomondore dealt out cards