The distraction halted the maelstrom around them while Gretchen circled around the knight, rubbing her chin.
“Interesting. How long since…” Gretchen twirled her finger in the air. “…your passing?”
The knight glanced at Mandell, eyes wide, then scowled back at Gretchen. “That is none of your concern. I won’t be fooled a second time. Be gone, the lot of you.”
Before he could summon more inclement weather, Gretchen thrust her hand into his chest and felt around his form. She chewed her lip and stared into the distance as she focused.
“Mandell, have your crone unhand me. Why, this is common assault—”
“You’re no more substantial than the dead guys I know.” She grimaced as she wrenched her arm out and shook off imagined muck. “And they can’t do the whole tornado apocalypse thing. Can’t say I know much about wraiths, but I suspect that’s the only difference. A ghost with party tricks.”
Sir Courtenay puffed himself up and loomed over Gretchen. “You compare me with a common ghost? The champion of the realm? My noble deeds elevate me well beyond the specters of normal folk.”
Gretchen grinned and shook her head. “I’ll bet an elemental was involved in your demise. Bit you on the backside and left some of their essence behind.”
He recoiled at that and Gretchen’s face lit up.
“Ah ha! Complicated your passing and left you stranded here.” Gretchen waved her hand. “There’s plenty of examples of wizards who came upon their weather skills in strange circumstances. Rumors about consorting with elementals for that purpose. But for it to interfere in that moment… what a bummer.”
Sir Courtney sagged and his face filled with anguish. Mandell backed away and gave Gretchen a subtle nod.
“The night of my… demise brought with it a wicked storm.” He sank to a nearby block and stared at his feet. “We were patrolling against a horde of goblins that threatened our borders. Our party was separated, and my steed lost its footing over a cliff.”
Gretchen let out a low whistle. “I can see why you have some hang-ups over it. Not exactly the heroic death of ballads now, is it?”
Mandell made slashing motions across his neck and Gretchen blinked.
“Of course, I mean defending against goblins is a noble pursuit.” Her mouth twisted into a wry grin as she glanced back at the wagon the others huddled in. “But your sword never stood a chance against a storm.”
“Aye,” Sir Courtenay sniffed. “And now I’m cursed to walk this earth while my lady Helena rests in the realm beyond.”
Gretchen held her fists on her hips and cocked her head. “Well, seeings as though you have plenty of time on your hands, how about you do a good deed and help the living? Testing the mettle of a princeling sounds exactly like your bag.”
Sir Courtenay flew up glaring at Gretchen and stood nose to nose with her.
“Those tests are a farce! Back in my day you wouldn’t see the like. Made of proper stuff, we were.” He pointed toward the caravan. “This is no more than a traveling circus. A mockery of true bravery.”
Gretchen waved a hand and rolled her eyes. “You’re a knight. The sole occupation of which is making the monarchy look good. Besides, if you want to know more about your ‘condition’ you’ll need a bag of gold.”
“Gold?” Sir Courtenay frowned.
Gretchen turned to the caravan and smirked at the Cauley brothers who sat together with stony expressions. “Well, those pretentious types up at the Wizards College hold their secrets close.” She clucked her tongue. “Unless there’s gold involved. Then they’ll whisper sweet whatever you’d like in your ear all night long.” She chuckled at the triplets and turned back to Sir Courtenay with an eyebrow cocked.
“Are you saying they can restore me?” Hope shined in his spectral eyes.
“Nothing of the sort. Witches and Wizards don’t share secrets no matter how much gold is splashed around. But I’ll warrant they’ll have something to say on the matter. If there’s one thing those twerps are good for, it’s talking.”
Gretchen gave that a moment to sink in then stretched her arms overhead with a yawn and dropped to a pile of blocks. “This… performance,” she waved her arms, “sounds stupider than anything I’ve ever heard. But they might be right, you know. Peace in the land. Lazy kings who couldn’t tell one end of the sword from the other. It might just do this young princeling some good to crap his pants before he earns a crown.”
Sir Courtenay’s mustaches twitched as he fought a smirk.
Gretchen broke out in a wide grin. “See? I bet a guy like you used to make three people crap their pants before breakfast.”
Mandell had circled behind the knight and was pantomiming frantically.
Gretchen coughed. “Look, we won’t let this kid off easy, okay? We’ll test him out good and proper. Throw him into a chasm if he doesn’t prove to be worthy.”
Sir Courtenay tapped the tips of his gauntleted gloves together and nodded. “Our interests cross paths again, Mandell.” He turned to sneer at him. “But I won’t be fooled again by the likes of you. By any of you.”
Chapter 5
The roads only got worse. With waning light ahead, the party pushed on to the mountain’s base and camped under the stars. When Gretchen woke, she almost smashed her face into the wagon’s axle.
“Haven’t these people heard of tents?” she grumbled.
There was a flurry of activity in the camp despite the sun barely illuminating the clearing. Gretchen crept into the woods muttering about the size of her bladder. When she returned, she followed her nose to the smell of strongly brewed coffee. One of the drivers poured small cups from a well-worn kettle and looked up at her with surprise.
“Up already?” He proffered a cup to her.
“Well, this isn’t exactly a fine hotel. I feel more tired now than I did last night.” She took a sip and groaned. “What I wouldn’t give for some of Nora’s tea. But this is almost as good.”
Her complaint earned a snicker from the driver, and Gretchen pulled a crate closer to the fire to warm her feet. “Where are the others?”
“The Cauley brothers have moved on to set up their equipment. The wraith left soon after everyone went to sleep.”
Gretchen eyed a spot under the larger wagon where Mandell appeared to be snoring and spotted the goblins up a tree of all places. Their eyes were closed and arms crossed as they hung upside down.
“I’m assuming that’s the tower in question?” She nodded beyond the camp where a mountain loomed, and a stone tower stood proudly at its summit.
“It’s closer than it looks. The mountain is disorientating.” He shuddered. “It’s no coincidence this is disputed territory. Neither side really wants to patrol the area.”
Gretchen’s brows knitted together, and she sniffed the air testing for magical interference. There was nothing about the place that seemed charmed.
“So, seeings as though nobody is interested in explaining this whole sham to me, can you shine some light on how this will work?”
The driver sat on a nearby log and swept a cursory glance across the camp. Mandell hadn’t moved since Gretchen sat, and the driver nodded to himself and took a sip of coffee.