The short man faltered, unsure.
"People have already paid to see me perform. If I announce I will no longer be performing, I will venture to guess that you will have a lot of refunds to deal with. If you allow me to perform, anyone who asks for a refund because they don't like my show will be reimbursed by me personally. You won't be losing any money."
"Except for bad press," Mr. McMillan started.
"Which you can always change by hiring another magician in the future and discounting me and my show. You can always say I've been fired and replaced by someone better."
"Even though no one is better than Roger," Glenna said staunchly. She saw a grin begin at the corner of Roger's mouth.
"Very well," Mr. McMillan said. "If you will cover any refunds because of your show, then I will let you finish out the weekend."
Roger nodded in acceptance. He let out a breath of relief as Mr. McMillan stomped away. Turning to Glenna, he knelt and grasped her shoulders. Staring at her, he said softly, "Please tell me you found my cloak."
"Not yet, Roger. But I will."
Roger sighed and pulled his hand over his eyes. "I shouldn't have expected you to. I'm sorry I put this on you. Don't worry, Glenna, I will find it or... I may have to retire. Maybe Mr. McMillan is right."
Glenna didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. Don't worry, Roger, she thought as she held his hand. I'll fix this for you.
Glenna didn't mention the orange fur to Roger. She had kept it clenched firmly in her other hand throughout the exchange and the show. She didn't want to lead him in the wrong direction if she was wrong about it being a clue. But as she bid Roger goodbye, she made a drastic decision. She didn't know where to go from here or where the cloak could be. She had no clues, other than the orange fur. There was nothing else she could do here. Only Otherworld was left.
Glenna decided she would have to try to go back.
* * *
Glenna stopped by her parents' tent on her way to the hidden trail and grabbed her leather wallet. It was a small purse that hung on a strap crossing her chest. She had found it to be invaluable in the past as she explored the festivals and now she was even more grateful to have it. The familiar etched designs under her fingers gave her hope she would solve the mystery. It also made her feel safe. She carefully tucked the orange fur and her map into the bag before closing it resolutely.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate were busy with customers. Glenna was able to slip in and out before they noticed. Heart racing, she approached the hidden trail, slowing her steps as she went down the slope to the magical lane. Though it had been fun the first time she went, she still found it strange and confusing. It made her feel as if she was very far away from her parents and brother. But she knew she couldn't let Roger down.
The din of the sellers and the flash of scarlet cloth as a vendor flapped it through the air passed unnoticed to Glenna. She was determined and her mind focused sharply on what lay ahead. As she turned the bend, she grasped her necklace in her hand.
The trail flickered and glowed before revealing itself. Glenna took a deep breath and left the world she knew behind.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Atterberry
It felt instantly cooler as Glenna stepped under the trees. She had barely gone three steps before a fierce buzzing filled her ears. A small figure flashed and darted before her eyes, moving swiftly in circles around her head.
Glenna couldn't help but grin as Flutter hovered directly in front of her. Her hair, green this time, was woven and bound on top of her head and trailing down her neck and back like a horse's tail. But her eyes were what frightened Glenna. They flashed with anger.
"I can't believe you just left like that. I was still talking to you when you ran away," Flutter said accusingly.
"I'm sorry, Flutter. I had to get back home. I didn't know it hadn't been all night there. My parents would have been worried sick."
Flutter made a face. "If you had stopped to listen, I could have told you an hour there is a day here. You should have realized that anyway." Flutter pointed one finger at her crossly.
"How could I have known that?" Glenna asked.
Flutter sighed. "Haven't you ever daydreamed? Or even night dreamed? Doesn't it seem like you just started when you wake up or get disturbed? Sometimes you find that it's been hours or all night! That's how time runs here. That's what the difference is."
"Well, I guess that makes sense," Glenna said doubtfully. She didn't really understand, but she didn't feel like arguing it. Sometimes it was just easier to go along with what was happening in this foreign world.
"Anyway, if you had waited, I could have explained," Flutter said.
"I'm sorry, Flutter," Glenna tried to apologize.
"Well, you should be," Flutter said. She paused uncertainly in the air before lowering in slow motion to a nearby branch, her wings fluttering sadly. "I didn't know if you were ever going to come back."
Glenna felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't actually ruled out returning to the foreign land, but she hadn't exactly planned on it either. She realized she hadn't thought about it at all. To know Flutter had spent the last day or so in her world worried about her made Glenna feel terrible. Then she thought of Roger and what she needed to do. She knew exactly who she wanted by her side.
"I'm here now, Flutter," Glenna said. "And I need your help. We've got a job to do."
* * *
A deep, dangerous red, Flutter's hair flowed behind her like a lion's mane or a hot flame as she led the way across the bridge. As she had listened to the story of Roger's show, her hair had changed with her temper. She had insisted that Glenna visit Atterberry before they discussed things any further and Glenna had agreed.
So up the lane they traveled, but once they reached the edge of the wide path, Flutter turned left instead of right, away from the path that led to the pavilion.
"Isn't Roger... I mean Atterberry, at the pavilion?" Glenna asked as she hurried after the sprite. Flutter was leaning into the wind and Glenna could see the bottoms of her bare feet as she followed her.
"No," Flutter called over her shoulder without slowing. "We're going to his house."
"But where is that?" Glenna asked. She had the faint idea Roger owned a home in Washington, but if Atterberry in this world was connected to Roger in her world, then where would Atterberry live? Surely not the home in Washington.
"Where everyone in the Faire lives... well, almost everyone," Flutter said. She didn't bother to explain any further and as Glenna fell behind she decided it was a better idea to concentrate on keeping up than to question her.
As Flutter zipped around a corner, took a shortcut through the trees, and then turned sharply, Glenna felt a niggling at the back of her mind. She felt as if she had just traversed this path. It seemed familiar, but at the same time different.
The trees were large and old, leaning into each other as if whispering secrets. Here and there in the gloom, a faint twinkling caught Glenna's eye, but when she looked straight at the glowing objects, nothing was there.
Flutter reappeared, having returned impatiently to wait on her slow human friend. Glenna gasped as she ran, "Flutter, I'm trying to go fast. I can't help it if I don't have wings."
"I guess you can't," Flutter said. She didn't appear to be tired at all as she floated in front of Glenna, going backwards so she could watch her. She lay on the air as if she were floating in a pool, her hands behind her head. She looked a bit arrogant and smug as she led the way once more.
"Flutter," Glenna started to warn her, but she didn't have time. Flutter plowed directly into a gossamer-like spider's web. Its sticky, silvery strands wrapped around her like a poisonous string of jewels.
"Help," Flutter exclaimed, her eyebrows raised and fear in her eyes. A large spider was already scurrying down the tree and towards the sprite. Hungry, it chomped its fangs. Glenna could almost sense its excitement.
"Help!" Flutter shouted once more. Glenna took a deep breath and pushe
d herself to run faster. She didn't want to touch the nasty web, but by sprinting, she was able to snatch Flutter out of harm's way. She spared a glance at the spider, which was waving its arms in the air at her as she sped away.
"Ugh," Flutter said as Glenna slowed to help free her from the tangled threads. "I'm going to need a bath and some lavendel juice."
"Lavendel juice?"
"It helps get the sticky residue off." Within seconds, Flutter was free and flying high once more.
"Oh, yeah, thanks for saving me, Glenna," she said.
Glenna smiled to herself. She could tell Flutter was not happy about having to be saved by her charge. She followed the sprite through the darkening woods. The heavy tree limbs yielded less and less room for light to peek through as they ventured deeper.
Tall grass edged the path, which was giving way to a narrower lane. Glenna felt a nervous fluttering in her stomach. The woods here seemed dangerous and mystical, but at the same time almost like... home. She felt an urging as if she wanted to leave the path and venture into the unknown. Shaking her head, she quickened her stride and almost ran into Flutter as the sprite paused suddenly at the end of the trail.
In front of Glenna and Flutter, the trail converged with two others. The larger one led up and away and resembled the wide gravel paths near the pavilion. The last was a wide road. Houses lined it, separated from each other by fences, bushes, flowers, and, in one case, a stream with a bridge.
The one nearest the road was surrounded by trees. It was a ramshackle cottage with a woven stick fence and purple banners hanging from the eaves. A wide windowsill near the small squat door featured a fractured white teapot covered with pink flowers and two mismatched teacups. In the corner, a spray of yellow flowers burst forth from a crooked vase. A wooden stool was positioned below the ledge. It appeared someone could sit inside the house and, by using the wide windowsill as a table, have tea with someone sitting outside.
Paving stones led up the walkway to the door and were surrounded by various growing things, tangling and snarling along the edges and creeping onto the house in the form of ivy. A chimney floated up the right side, appearing as if it was hanging on for dear life. Behind it, Glenna could just spy a small pond shimmering near a wide tree limb.
That was when it struck her as to why it all seemed so familiar. The wide tree limb stretching towards the sunlight was the same one she had seen behind Roger's tent. In fact... the house was Roger's tent! Well, it looks like Roger's tent would in house form, Glenna thought. As she studied it, she realized that under the ivy, tapestries depicting the magician's skills still lingered. She could see one of Atterbery's eyes peeking from under a wide green leaf, the vine stretching up over his nose and above his head to curl around the handle of the teapot.
Flutter skirted the door and flew directly in the open window. Its latticed glass admitted her entry, but was far too small for Glenna to fit through. She hesitated before knocking.
"Come in," a weak voice called, and Glenna nudged the door open. It swung smoothly on its hinges, allowing a wide square of light to creep over the floor next to the checkered light from the window. Weathered brown boards riddled with cracks and dust was all the limited rays revealed.
The rest of the room was dark and dreary. Glenna stepped slowly inside, allowing her eyes to adjust to the gloom.
"Glenna?" the voice asked and Glenna recognized it as Atterberry's.
"Atterberry?" she inquired, her voice shaky.
"He's over here," Flutter said before exclaiming, "Oh, dandelions! I forgot you can't see in the dark. Here!"
Within seconds, the room was lit with a blazing light from a sconce hanging in the center of the vaulted ceiling above. What it revealed was terrible.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Fox
To the right of Glenna was another wooden stool, which sat in front of the table ledge window. To her left, shelves covered with cheeses, breads, meats, and vegetables surrounded a small stone-lined fireplace. The shelves appeared jumbled and crammed as they crowded every available bit of space on the wall. Onions and peppers hung from above like great, draping banners along the rafters. A small fire crackled in the hearth. But what struck Glenna and brought tears to her eyes was the figure in the small bed in the corner.
Blankets and pillows were piled onto the small surface around Atterberry. He was pale and weak as he stared out the window over his head.
"Atterberry? Are you alright?"
Atterberry focused his gaze on Glenna. His face was thin. He looked much different from how Glenna remembered him.
"What's wrong?" she asked again.
Glenna felt Flutter land lightly on her shoulder. One tiny hand grasped Glenna's hair for support.
"He's fading," Flutter whispered.
"Fading?"
Atterberry struggled to smile, his gaze lighting briefly on his two friends, before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Flutter nodded slowly. "It means that his person is beginning to not believe in him. They're letting him go."
"No." Glenna shook her head quickly. "Roger wouldn't do that. He wouldn't let Atterberry fade. I know he wouldn't."
"As far as Roger knows, Atterberry is just a part of his own mind. He doesn't mean to hurt him or destroy him. He just doesn't believe in that part of himself anymore."
"What's going to happen to Atterberry?"
"Well, a small part of Roger is still holding on, but if it lets go, then Atterberry will be gone. He'll disappear."
"No," Glenna cried. She hurried forward and grasped Atterberry's hand in her own.
"Glenna," Flutter said, "do you have any idea what is making Roger stop believing in himself?"
The room stood still as Glenna narrowed her eyes in thought. She knew exactly what was causing Atterberry's demise. It was Mr. McMillan. Once Roger did the last show and was fired, then Atterberry would be gone.
"I think it's because Roger may not be a magician anymore after tomorrow. He's going to finish up his shows and then he'll be done."
Flutter listened solemnly to Glenna. "Why?"
"Because he didn't do well in the last show. And, oh! Flutter, Roger's cloak is missing, too. It got wet, he hung it to dry, and now it's gone."
"That's why Atterberry can't do magic anymore, because Roger doesn't think he can do magic anymore. He doesn't have any confidence. And now Atterberry's fading," Flutter said.
"If he can do the show well enough for the crowd to love him, then Roger should be able to get his job back tomorrow. I know he can! But I don't think he'll do as well as he will have to without his cloak," she finished morosely.
"Then we have to find it for him," Flutter declared. She flew to the windowsill and began pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind her back.
"Do you have any clues?" she asked, a serious expression on her face as she stomped along the ledge.
"Yes," Glenna said, her face lighting up. She opened her satchel and drew the tuft of hair from inside. It felt soft in her hand. She held it up for inspection.
"It's different," she exclaimed.
Flutter stared at it. "What was it like before?"
"It was rougher and... fake. Now it feels like fur."
"It is fur." Flutter darted over to examine the hair Glenna clenched between her forefinger and thumb. She circled slowly, inspecting it. "I believe it's some type of fox fur, from the color and length."
"Fox fur?" Glenna repeated, puzzled. No fox would have been big enough to leave the fur on the tree in her world. Not unless foxes can climb trees, Glenna thought. She didn't think they could, but she wasn't sure.
Flutter nodded decisively. "Yes, I think that's what it is. We need to go to the pavilion and investigate. If we can discover who took it in this world, then you should be able to solve it in your own world."
"Alright," Glenna agreed dubiously, "but who is going to stay with Atterberry? Shouldn't we take care of him?"
Flutter shook her head. "There's noth
ing we can do to help him except make Roger believe in him again."
"We can't just leave him here," Glenna protested.
Flutter sighed. "Then let's check next door and see if Sibella is in. Maybe she'll sit with him while we work. You wait here and I'll go see." Flutter left quickly through the open window, disappearing behind a large red flower.
The window overlooked the long, low tree branch. Glenna studied the area. It was clear the cloak was nowhere in sight. She stood up and leaned over the bed, craning her neck to see in both directions. Nothing was there.
Glenna stared at the patchwork quilt as she waited on the sprite to return. She felt as if there was something important she needed to remember. Something that she had seen in both worlds....
But try as she might, Glenna couldn't think of what it was. She jumped in alarm as the door banged open behind her. A woman with thick dark hair and mysterious eyes stood in the doorway. The long purple skirt that ended just above her bare feet matched the color of her eyes exactly. A red scarf was wrapped around her hair as if attempting to tame it and it whipped in the sudden breeze. A loose white embroidered shirt and large amount of jewelry along with a patterned shawl of black and red completed the ensemble.
Glenna stared at the imposing figure in front of her in alarm.
* * *
"You must be Glenna," the woman said. She started forward and her eyes seemed to hypnotize Glenna, pinning her to the floor.
"I... I...," Glenna tried to explain, but she couldn't find the words.
The woman laughed. "I'm Sibella. I'm here to stay with Atterberry."
"So then... you're not... bad?"" Glenna asked.
The woman laughed delightedly. "I hope not."
"What... what are you?" Glenna asked. She realized she had been clutching the fur in her hand behind her back and she quickly slid it into her satchel. She didn't want to reveal her only clue to this mysterious woman.
"Just Sibella." The woman spread her hands wide as if in apology. "The Fortune-Teller." At this, Glenna gaped openly.