“Easy boy, I’m almost done.” Ondreeal sighed, attempting to widen her grip around the brush.
Once she finished growing, she could easily do all the chores Otto dictated to her.
Ondreeal completed two more strokes of the brush before tossing it into the hay. “When I’m big enough, you and I will ride away from this place as far as you can take me, okay?” She stroked his long nose with a smile.
Ondreeal turned to the rest of the barn as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Hazel, the cow, chewed on some grass while the chickens fluttered about their henhouse. The pigs simply lay about in their pen, sleeping through the day.
Ondreeal looked over her shoulder to where beams of light cut down from above, bringing a rippling brightness into the barn. She pivoted, hopping to the door and gently tugging on her two braids of dark hair.
Grey-brown soil stretched out before her, riddled with cracks baked in by the sun. Ondreeal let out a long sigh as she squinted in the light.
A pair of hands landed on her shoulders and she wailed, leaping forward into the barren field. Ondreeal swung around.
Tevery stood just inside the barn, laughing with delight. “You should see your face.” His handsome smile reached his dark eyes.
Ondreeal’s face grew even hotter as she grinned back. “I’ll get you for that.” She launched at him.
Tevery turned on his thin legs, racing out the other end of the barn. They giggled, grass crunching under their feet, they scurried under the bows of tall, wide trees. The full leaves provided a welcome relief from the beating heat. Ondreeal blinked away bright images, caused by the sun, which blocked her view of Tevery. He ran deeper into the forest. He wouldn’t escape. Ondreeal dug in her heels, closing the gap between them. With one big jump, she forced him to the ground and they rolled together. When they finally stopped, clouds of dirt wafted up all around them. Tevery pinned her wrists. Ondreeal kicked him in the shins, making him yelp in pain. She flipped him over, gritting her teeth. She held down both his arms.
Tevery’s wide grin faded to a shy smile. “Okay. Okay. You win.”
Ondreeal’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She hopped up, offering a hand to him. “Told you I’d get you.”
Tevery grabbed her hand, climbing to his feet. “So you got me.” He shrugged.
Ondreeal shifted on her feet, her heart beating faster. Tevery had been her friend for as long as she could remember. They played together in stolen moments, not that Otto ever had a clue. If she had asked permission, Otto would have simply told her to get back to work. So those moments with Tevery marked the happiest in the years she’d spent on the farm, fleeting moments free of the gruelling daily routine of farm work.
Tevery cleared his throat. “Come to the fort. I have a surprise for you.” He grabbed her hand, pulling her ahead.
Ondreeal swallowed. “I should be getting back. Otto will notice.”
Tevery gave her a charming smile. “It won’t be long. You have to see this.”
They ran hand in hand, whizzing past the trees and under thin rays of sun that shone through the foliage. They skidded to a halt, both panting; they stared up at the grey mess of branches, hobbled together on one of the tree’s larger bows. The fort had one window and a door with a frayed rope ladder brushing against the ground.
Tevery quickly scurried up, disappearing inside. He popped his head out. “Come up.”
Ondreeal climbed the ladder, stopping at the top to peer inside. Along the back wall lay two frayed books, browned with age; a pole of perfect silver metal that shone as brightly as the day they found it; a leather satchel filled with Tevery’s animal wood carvings; and a stone bowl, chipped and cracked on one side, full of colourful pebbles and seashells. She sprung inside, sitting with her legs crossed.
Tevery sat opposite with a mischievous grin.
Ondreeal sighed and shrugged. “What did you want me to see?”
Tevery stretched out his closed hand, turning it over and unfurrowing his fingers. There in his palm sat the most perfectly round silver object, no bigger than a grape. Her face reflected back, distorted on its bright shiny surface.
Ondreeal leaned forward. “What is it?”
Tevery hunched his shoulders until the tops of their heads touched. “It’s magic.” His other hand reached closer to the silver ball, finger pointing to it. He moved slowly and deliberately to touch it until the tip of his finger brushed the surface.
An explosion of light flew out, like a million fireflies bursting from Tevery’s hand.
Ondreeal swung back, falling against the wall next to the window—a few more inches to the right, and she would have tumbled out to the ground below, certainly breaking a bone or two.
Tevery lifted his open palm higher then removed it. The silver ball floated freely in the air.
A swirl made from millions of dots of fire spread out above the ball, washing the fort with light.
Tevery shifted beside Ondreeal, sitting with his shoulder to hers. “See, I told you it was magic,” he whispered, the corners of his mouth curling upwards.
Ondreeal glanced at him. His dark hair was awash with strange white light and clusters of flame reflected in his chestnut brown eyes. She looked up to the slowly turning swirl of lights. “They look like stars.” She reached out to them tentatively, and as she touched one, a star burst to the size of a melon, making them jump back.
Strange words surrounded the ghostly azure ball of light, hanging in the air. Ondreeal could see through to the other side. She squinted at the words. “Ve…ga. Written tra-n…scr-ipt. A-ud-i-o tran-script. I only know the word ‘written.’ I don’t know what the other words mean.” She shook her head.
Tevery touched the words, written transcript, and out of it flowed luminous pages filled with writing. He grabbed her with excitement. “Can you read it?”
Ondreeal squinted. “It has a lot of words I don’t know and haven’t seen in any book before.”
Tevery smiled, sitting up straight. “What do you think it’s for?”
Ondreeal gazed up at the magical wheel of stars, turning on its side. She tilted her head, squinting. “Remember some of the nights we spent in the field, staring up at the sky? There’s always this part that looks like the finger of God or maybe somewhere God touched with so many stars together. It looks a bit like that.”
Tevery turned his head, gazing as he tipped it to the side. “Your right. You think this is a map of the stars?”
Ondreeal leaned forward, shrugging. “Maybe. It must belong to a wizard. What if it belongs to Sir Francis?” Ondreeal’s heart raced with excitement. “Should we return it to him?” She turned to Tevery, grabbing his hand.
Tevery squeezed hers with the return of his shy smile. “You really think we could?”
Ondreeal’s head dropped and her brow furrowed. She needed to get back to the farm soon before Otto noticed—he could spend hours yelling at her.
How could they travel to the capital? It would take at least eight days to walk there and another eight to get back. By then, Otto would certainly disown her.
Ondreeal met his gaze. “What if we pack a few things, take some food, and go. Our parents can’t stop us if they don’t know where we went.”
Tevery’s smile faded and he pulled his hands away. “You mean, just leave my parents? I can’t do that. They’re not like—” Tevery looked down the floor.
Ondreeal sighed. “You mean they’re not like him. You have kind parents that love you. I have Otto.” She turned, facing the open door. “Maybe I should go by myself.”
Tevery shifted closer. “It’s dangerous.”
Tevery spoke the truth. With wizards like the evil Zairoc to the south and an untold number of other magical dangers out there, two children travelling alone could end up prey to all sorts of nightmarish creatures. Otto even warned her of the horrible things mortal people could do to each other without the use of magic, describing in too much detail the things she should fear. But, surely with the magical silver talisman, they could keep safe. Who knew what other amazing things it might do?
Tevery squeezed her hand. “Well, it would only be two weeks. That’s not too long. It could be an adventure. Besides, I can’t let you go alone.”
Ondreeal threw her arms around him and giggled with delight. “We can go tonight,” she whispered.
Tevery pulled back, nodding. He reached out, plucking the silver ball with his finger and thumb. Instantly the stars vanished. They let out deep breaths, sharing a laugh of delight. How lucky they were. They would visit the capital city of Bastion and meet the great protector of the north, Sir Francis, the all-powerful white wizard.
A voice called in the distance. Ondreeal strained to hear.
“Ondreeal.”
Otto’s voice, he’d come looking for her.
Ondreeal leapt to the rope ladder, scurried down and raced through the forest.
“Ondreeal,” Otto called to her left.
Ondreeal bolted to the right, weaving through the trees as fast as her legs would carry her. She burst into the field of dry soil, sprinting through the barn. She skidded to a halt at the pig stalls. The animals all lay sleeping.
Footsteps thundered their way in. Otto’s silhouette stood with bright light behind it. He moved right in front of her. “Where were you?” He stared with a stony glare.
Ondreeal crossed her arms. “I finished all my chores. There’s nothing to plant in a drought. You said that yourself.”
Otto breathed impatient air from his nose. “Where…were you?”
Ondreeal looked to the ground. “At the fort with Tevery.”
Otto lifted her chin but she didn’t meet his stare. “Look at me girl.”
She met his gaze.
His eyes softened. “If I don’t know where you are, I can’t keep you safe. I need to know where you are, always. I’ve told you how dangerous the world is.”
She nodded vigorously.
Otto’s gaze hardened. “I catch you with that boy, I’ll break both his arms and legs and it will be your fault.”
Otto stomped past her and out of the other side of the barn.
Ondreeal rushed to the back, staring out to the edge of the forest.
“Ondreeal,” Tevery whispered.
She jumped, turning to Tevery, who pressed his back against the outside of the barn.
He smiled brightly. “We go tonight, right? What say you?”
Ondreeal’s body burst with happiness. “Yes. I’ll pack everything. I’ll bring fresh bread. Cheese and jams.”
Tevery smiled, springing up and racing around the side of the barn. If Otto saw him, Tevery would be in mortal danger, so Ondreeal hurried after him. Rounding the barn, she almost collided with Tevery.
He stood there with a wild blossom. “You’re prettier than this flower.” He gave her that shy smile, then quickly closed the distance, kissing her.
Ondreeal’s eyes closed and the world disappeared, every sound, smell and feeling except for his lips on hers. He pulled back and her eyes fluttered open.
Otto stood glaring at them in the open field.
Two people approached them: Tevery’s parents.
His father called out, “Time to go, son. We’re moving.”
Tevery’s eyes went wide as his head whipped around to face his father. “But, the land.”
His father shook his head. “Farm’s sold, son. Can’t keep it with this heat. Now we’re going. Move!”
Tevery turned back, grabbing her hands. “I’ll come back for you. When I’m old enough, I’ll get a job with the smith. Then we’ll get married.” He gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek then turned, running to his father.
He looked back several times while she watched him go, disappearing out of sight.
All the times they spent together…
Tevery shared the only happy moments in her life.
It was as if the weight of a thousand boulders sat on top of her, pressing down until she couldn’t breathe. She stood frozen in place. She never imagined a life without Tevery, and despite his promise, he might not ever return.
Ondreeal furrowed her brow as she opened her palm. In her hand sat the silver magic ball. Tevery had left it for her. The weight lifted a little and she smiled.
Otto thundered his way over. “What did he give you?”
Ondreeal closed her hands, hiding them behind her back.
Otto glared down at her. “Kid, you’re only ten. I can turn you upside down and shake it out of you. Or you can give that to me.” Otto held out his palm.
Ondreeal gazed hate at Otto as she placed the silver ball in his hand.
Otto looked from the ball back to her. “What is this?”
He would never let her have it. If she told him the truth, at least it might get back to the great wizard. Maybe she could visit him one day. “It’s magic. I think it may belong to Sir Francis himself. You could return it. I can take care of things while you’re gone.” Ondreeal stared hopefully.
Otto clenched his fist around the silver ball. When he opened his hands again, it fell into eight perfect pieces, like a cut orange. “Magic is dangerous. It could get us killed.” He upturned his palm, letting the pieces fall to the soil.
Ondreeal fell to the ground, frantically searching for the pieces until she had all eight. By then, Otto had disappeared into the house. Intense heat beat down on her but she didn’t move. She had so much hope only moments ago—an adventure with Tevery to see the wizard. Now, Otto was all the family she had, again, and the parched land the only place she would ever tread.
***
Ondreeal awoke to the dried, cracked wooden boards that made the ceiling to her tiny room. She shifted on the straw mattress. A constant patter, like the stampede of a herd of horses, hit her small, four-pane window.
Ondreeal bolted up. Rain. It soaked the field, coming down in waves. Lightning arced across the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder.
Ondreeal picked up the pieces of the silver ball, sitting on the windowsill. She tried to piece them together but they simply fell apart again.
Ondreeal stared out at the rain as tears filled her eyes. For a time, she knew what it meant to have a friend and the freedom to spend time with him. Parched soil drank up the water, sealing her fate. Soon the sun would crack over the horizon and with it, a string of orders from Otto. The grueling reality of life on the farm sounded its return with every wave of thunder. She would never leave the farm now. Her only hope lay in Tevery’s hands— that he would return one day, some distant years from now, and take her from this place.