The witchs apprentice, p.11
The Witch's Apprentice, page 11
“Can you really fly, Kenny?”
“Uh…not exactly. Not yet, at least. It’s hard when I don’t have wings. Mostly I just hover.”
“He’s like a balloon filled with helium. Maybe we should tie him to the chair,” Kavita says with a smile.
“That’s not funny, Kavi,” Vik snaps.
But it is kind of funny, and Kenny chuckles along with me. It feels good to share a joke with my friends. “I’ve got so much to tell you. I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Why don’t you start by telling us about the convention,” Kenny suggests. “How many witches have you met?”
“Just the three in Ma’s coven who took the UR with us—Dutch, Quayesha, and Mrs. Benjamin.”
“What’s the ‘er’?” Kavi asks.
I decide to give the short version. “It’s basically a sturdy bubble that travels underground. It wasn’t working properly, but we still got here in no time. I think the phoenix egg might have made the UR malfunction.”
Kavi’s eyes grow wide. “Phoenix egg?”
I look at Vik, and he gives a slight nod. “Your brother found it last summer and gave it to me to protect.” I don’t mention that Kavi is the reason Vik wanted to get the egg out of his house.
“Have you told Ma about it yet?” Vik asks.
I sigh and shake my head. “Not yet. But Blue said she already knows. Apparently, the phoenix emits some kind of signal.”
Kenny makes a face and says, “Blue? What’s that creep doing in Chicago?”
“Has he kidnapped any other magical creatures?” Kavi asks, still bitter about the way Blue treated Mo. Then she folds her arms across her chest and directs her anger at us. “How come no one else is curious about the phoenix? Did everyone know about it except me? I hate secrets!”
Kenny looks at Vik. Vik looks at me.
“Actually…your brother asked me to show it to Ma, so I brought it with me to Chicago. And then yesterday, it hatched!”
“Can I see it? Please, please, please!” Kavi cries with her hands clasped.
“Stop being such a pest, Kavi! Jax doesn’t have time for show-and-tell,” Vik says impatiently. “We’ve got important things to discuss.”
“I don’t mind,” I say, but before I can turn my phone to show the little phoenix perched on the stove, Kavita snarls at Vik.
He holds out his hand and tries to calm her down, but Kavita has already started to transform. Two threads of smoke come out of her nostrils, and her lizard eyes flash with rage.
“Kavi, NO!” Vik tries to be firm with her, but it’s clear that he’s scared. He backs away from his snarling sister and pleads, “Not here—not now!”
Kenny jumps up and flings open the doors of his metal cabinet. He starts to float again but still manages to grab a bag of marshmallows and offer it to Kavita. Her eyes dim, and a smile creeps across her face as she greedily snatches the plastic bag from Kenny’s hand.
“Um—why don’t you eat them outside?” Kenny suggests.
Kavita nods and walks out the door Vik is holding open for her.
“Whew—that was close! Quick thinking, Kenny,” I tell him. “How long does it take for her to go back to her normal self again?”
“No time at all,” Vik says. He turns the tablet so I can see his little sister sitting on the grass, shoving fistfuls of powdery white marshmallows into her mouth.
Kenny closes the door and then disappears from view. I hear him muttering and fumbling with—or bumping into—the tools that hang on the wall of the shed. Then he appears again, and I smile as I realize that Kenny has taken Kavi’s advice and tied himself to the leg of the table.
Gripping the tabletop with his hands to steady himself, Kenny says, “So tell us about your encounter with Blue.”
I take a deep breath and begin. “Uh…my friend Vonn took me to him. Blue told me he’s taking Sis to court, and he wants me to testify tomorrow.”
“Wow. And you’re okay with that? Ma’s okay with that?” Vik asks.
“Apparently not,” I grumble. “She hid the summons sent to me by the Supreme Council! They want to hear my point of view, but Ma hasn’t even mentioned the trial. And she hasn’t let me go to the convention with her, either.”
Kenny frowns. “So what have you been doing for the past couple of days?”
“Learning about the city and taking care of the phoenix,” I tell him. “Then Blue told me about the trial, and…well, he told me something else that you need to know. That night when we were inside the emporium, we breathed in some type of gas. That’s what’s making us change.”
“Speak for yourself,” Vik says. “Nothing’s happening to me.”
I hear a tinge of envy in Vik’s voice and hurry to explain that the changes are temporary. “Blue said the effects wouldn’t last. He just wants to prove that humans and magical creatures can coexist peacefully in our world.”
“But can they?” Vik asks doubtfully. “There’s been nothing but chaos at home since Kavi started turning into a dragon. Kenny has to hide out in his shed and tie himself down so he doesn’t float away. This is all my fault!”
“You’re not responsible for any of this, Vik,” I insist. “Blue set a trap for us, and we walked right into it.”
“But we only went there to save my sister,” Vik says quietly.
“And the dragon.”
“And your aunt,” Kenny adds.
“The point is, we were trying to do the right thing,” I remind Vik. “Blue counts on kids like us wanting to prove ourselves and not let anyone else down. That’s why his sleeping spell only affects adults. He figures the world could be a lot better if the older generations let us run things for a while.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kenny says. “Adults have messed everything up. They break their promises and fight all the time—and just look at the environment. We may not have fresh air or clean water when we grow up!”
“Adults aren’t perfect, that’s for sure,” I admit. “They expect us to be honest and tell the truth, but they don’t always set a good example.”
For a moment none of us speak as we think about the grown-ups who have let us down. Vik is the first to say something.
“So, do you have special powers now, too?” Vik asks.
I nod but decide not to tell him about the three bullies. “I haven’t really figured out how to use them yet. I feel like Peter Parker—‘With great power…’ ”
Kenny and Vik finish my sentence for me: “ ‘…comes great responsibility.’ ”
“Right. Plus, Vonn told me that you don’t have to have magic to help people. I helped someone today just by pulling up weeds in the park! It’s your intention that matters most.”
I’m not sure if that makes Vik feel any better, but suddenly we’re all distracted by the sound of Kavita’s raised voice.
“Aunty? Aunty, is that you? Vikram—Vik, come quick!”
Vik flings open the shed door and grabs his sister by the shoulders. “Kavi—calm down! You know you can’t get excited! It’s too risky.”
Kenny’s tied to the table, so he can’t follow Vik outside, but he holds the tablet up so I can see what’s happening.
Kavita slaps her brother’s hands away, jumps up, and insists, “But I heard her! It was Aunty—I’m positive.”
“That’s impossible, Kavi. I know how much you miss Aunty but…”
Kavi stamps her foot and puts her hands on her hips. “It’s true, Vikram! I was just sitting here eating the last marshmallow, and suddenly I heard her say, ‘Bau lobhi na bano!’ ”
“ ‘Bau lobhi na bano’?”
Kenny’s holding the tablet toward the two siblings so I can’t see him, but I can hear the awe in his voice.
“Whoa…is that dragon-tongue?”
Kavi rolls her eyes. Vik laughs and says, “No, Kenny, it’s Gujarati. Kavi heard our aunt say, ‘Don’t be so greedy.’ ”
“Come back inside—quick. I need to tell you something,” Kenny says sheepishly.
They file back into the shed and gather around the table once more. Kenny props up the tablet but doesn’t say anything. Vik and I look at him expectantly. When Kenny doesn’t go on, Kavi grows impatient.
“Well? What’s so important?”
Kenny’s cheeks turn red, and Kavi looks away, ashamed at her outburst. She doesn’t apologize but keeps quiet so that Kenny can share his news when he’s ready.
“It’s possible Kavi really did hear her aunt because, well…I think I got a message from Jef,” Kenny says finally.
“How?” I ask.
Kenny shrugs. “I’ve never heard Jef’s voice—none of us has. But I’m pretty sure he’s trying to tell me something.”
“What did he say?” Vik asks.
Kenny takes a deep breath and says, “ ‘Beware the crow!’ ”
Kavi looks disappointed. “That’s it?”
Kenny nods. “That’s it.”
“And why do you think this message came from Jef?” Vik asks.
“It’s hard to explain,” Kenny tells him. “At first, I just saw letters in my head—but not the alphabet I know. It was another language, I think. You know that it’s hard for me to put letters in the right order sometimes ’cause I have dyslexia.”
“We know. And yet you’re the one who read the sign outside the spice factory last spring,” I remind him. “Vik and I couldn’t have done that without you. So maybe…”
“Maybe you have a gift, Kenny,” Kavi says with a smile.
Kenny blushes again, but this time he doesn’t stare at the floor. He looks right at me and says, “I’m pretty sure the letters I saw were from the fairy alphabet. The letters made words that I shouldn’t be able to read—but I could. I think Jef is trying to warn us.”
“About a crow?” Vik asks skeptically.
“Maybe Aunty’s trying to warn us, too,” Kavita says.
“Maybe she doesn’t want you to get a mouth full of cavities from eating so many sweets,” Vik mutters.
I think for a moment and realize Kavita could be right. “Wait a second—that actually makes sense. Kavi isn’t bound to your aunt. The three of us have a connection to the creatures we care for. Maybe the voice you heard wasn’t speaking to you, Kavi. Maybe your aunt was speaking to Mo!”
Suddenly, I smell smoke! I look over at the stove and find the little phoenix doing a strange dance around the front burner. As it moves in a circle, it whips its long tail feathers—sending a shower of sparks over the tea towel hanging from the oven door. It smolders, filling the kitchen with smoke and setting off the fire alarm. Then more sparks land on the roll of paper towels on the counter, and it bursts into flames!
“Oh no! Guys—I have to go!” I shout before dropping my phone and rushing over to the phoenix. Alarmed, it flaps its wings and lifts off the grill over the burner. I turn the gas off, but the phoenix continues to send sparks all over the kitchen. I cough and search for a fire extinguisher but ultimately settle for a cup filled with water from the sink. I throw it at the paper towel roll, but that just makes even more smoke. It’s getting hard to see in the kitchen, and the smoke alarm is beeping so loudly that my ears ache.
I can hear the panicked voices coming down the hall, though, so I splash more water on the burning tail feathers and tuck the phoenix inside my hoodie. Then I prepare myself to face Miss Ellabelle’s rage. Instead, Dutch rushes in with a silk kerchief pressed against her mouth. She holds out her hand so that it looks like a spider, and a plume of white foam sprays over the counter and the stove. Quayesha leads me out of the kitchen and parks me in the front foyer. Then she returns to the kitchen to help Dutch silence the angry alarm.
I anxiously peer out the front window, fearing that Ma and Mrs. Benjamin will walk in on the chaos I created. Relieved to find the street empty, I unzip my hoodie to check on the phoenix. It looks up at me with sad eyes. “It’s not your fault,” I tell it. “I should have watched what you were doing. It’s dangerous to play with fire.” The damp little bird shivers, so I zip up my hoodie to keep it warm. Then I creep back down the hallway and stick my head into the kitchen. Dutch is still holding out her hand, but this time there’s no foam—she has created a sort of vacuum that’s sucking up all the soot and foam and water. Quayesha seems to have opened a window and created a gale that draws out the smoke and fills the kitchen with fresh air. I watch them work wordlessly and, for just a moment, wish they had been tasked with training me instead of Ma.
“That was amazing,” I say breathlessly.
Quayesha and Dutch nod at each other and then both turn to look at me. “Don’t tell Ma, okay?”
I’m in no rush to reveal the mess I’ve made—if they hadn’t returned at just the right moment, the fire could have spread. “You two are lifesavers! I could have burned down the whole house. I definitely won’t be bragging about that,” I assure them.
“What happened?” Dutch asks.
“Um—I wanted to make something warm to eat, so I turned on the stove….” I look around and spot my dad’s phone on the floor. I rush over to pick it up. “But then my phone rang and it was my friends back in Brooklyn. They had an emergency, too, and I was trying to help them….” I hang my head and add, “I guess I took my eye off the stove. I’m really sorry—it won’t happen again.”
“Where’s the pot?” Quayesha asks skeptically.
“What pot?”
“You said you were cooking. I assume you weren’t holding the food over an open fire.”
I blink and try to think of an answer. Dutch saves me by pulling a folded brochure from her pocket.
“You still hungry, Junior?” Dutch asks. “We were thinking about ordering in. Or maybe trying that chicken-and-waffles joint up the block.”
My stomach grumbles softly at the mention of food, but I decide I’d better keep the phoenix safe in my room from now on.
“You two go ahead. I think I’ll just take a bath and go to bed. I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”
Quayesha gives me a strange look, but Dutch just nods and heads down the hallway. I hear the front door shut behind her.
Quayesha opens her mouth to speak, but I manage to ask my own question first. “Why don’t you want Ma to know that you saved me—and the house?”
She looks around the spotless kitchen and sighs. “Ma’s old school. She and Mrs. B. think witches should only use their powers when we’re on a mission. Lots of witches use their magic for everyday things—like vacuuming or doing the dishes. Others set up shop and sell their services. There’s plenty of demand for potions and predictions. But Ma doesn’t think witches should use their magic to make money or to make life easier for ourselves.”
I sigh and say, “I wish I could learn how to do what you did tonight, but Ma says I’m not ready to cast spells.”
“Well, magic is a big responsibility,” Quayesha replies. “Lots of people want power, but they don’t always know what to do with it.”
Her words make me think of Spider-Man. Quayesha could go on, but she stops and looks at the shiny steel stovetop instead. I finish her thought for her by saying, “I guess I just proved that I’m not the most responsible person in the world.”
Quayesha puts her hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “We all make mistakes, Jax. That’s how we learn.”
I do my best to smile before heading down the hall that leads to the staircase.
Quayesha follows me and asks, “You sure you’re not hungry? Dutch won’t be long.”
I shake my head and start up the creaky stairs. “I better call my mom and then get some rest. I think tomorrow’s going to be a big day.”
11
In the morning I feed the phoenix another piece of gum and then tuck it into the towel before heading downstairs. Everyone is seated at the dining room table, and instead of slimy gray gruel, they’re digging into platters piled high with crisp bacon, fluffy pancakes, buttered toast, and scrambled eggs.
I say good morning and take a seat across the table from Ma. I’ve been rehearsing my speech ever since I woke up and hope I have the courage to say it to her face. But Ma pays me no mind. Like the others, she’s too busy eating breakfast and arguing with Mrs. Benjamin about the best way to reverse the sleeping spell.
“Ahem.” Dutch, who’s sitting next to me, glances my way, but nobody else pays any attention to me. I clear my throat again, louder this time.
Quayesha also frowns at me from her seat at the end of the table. “You feeling okay, Jax?”
I nod and nervously nibble on a piece of toast. Then I take a deep breath and—with my eyes on Ma—say, “I saw Blue yesterday.”
The room instantly goes quiet as everyone stops eating and talking. All eyes are on me, but it’s Ma I speak to. I feel like she’s seeing me for the first time in a long time. Now that I’ve finally got her attention, I have to make this moment count.
I grip the edge of my seat with both hands to stop them from trembling. “Blue told me about the trial. He told me the Supreme Council summoned me to testify, but I never received anything. Why?”
Mrs. Benjamin loudly sucks her teeth. “That worthless man lies every time he opens his mouth. You can’t see his forked tongue?”
I ignore Mrs. Benjamin and keep my gaze locked on Ma. “Blue said to ask you about the trial. That’s why you’re really here, right? And that’s why you won’t let me go with you to the convention. You don’t want me to testify against Sis.”
Ma wipes her mouth with her napkin and then calmly folds it and sets it next to her plate. “What’s Rule #2, Jax?”
