your mother and Mr. Barnaby. He said that you’re a writer too.”
“I was ,” Will corrected her. “I don’t write any more.”
“Oh, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a writer,” said Vespera. “Once I didn’t write a single word for five whole years.”
“Why didn’t you write? Did your Muse desert you?”
“So you know about Muses, do you?”
“My Muse won’t leave me alone. And my mum’s Muse is bugging me too. They want me to write. But I won't."
“Really? Well, I think maybe I was afraid to write. And then one night I woke up at two o’clock with a poem in my head that was begging to get out.”
Vespera peered into Will’s cup. “Save a little of your tea and I’ll read your tea leaves. But first, tell me what kinds of things you like to write about.”
In between sips of tea, Will told Vespera about his latest novel with the Knights of Valour and the Knights of Death. “The problem is, I never finish anything. I get partway through, and then I get another idea and I want to work on that instead. And now –” His voice broke off. He didn’t know if he wanted to keep talking about it.
“Well, I think the Knights of Death and Valour sound intriguing,” said Vespera. “It might be the novel you’re meant to write. I think you should bring it back to life.”
“I’m not planning to,” said Will. “I hate the thought of writing now.”
When he had a drop of tea left in the bottom of his cup, he gave it to Vespera who swirled the cup around and around three times. Carefully, she tipped it over the saucer. She waited a minute and then turned the cup right side up. Will peered at the wet tea leaves spattered inside the cup. “It doesn’t look like anything.”
“It’s like seeing pictures in clouds. You can’t rush it. We’ll wait until they tell us your story.”
Macavity got up from his spot in front of the fire and walked over to Will and bumped against his leg. Will reached down and stroked him. The cat’s eyes remained a steady pale green. Vespera sat very still, staring into the tea cup, and Will wondered if she had gone into some kind of trance.
Finally, Vespera looked up. “I see a violin. You feel lonely sometimes.”
“Yeah. I really miss my mum.”
“Of course you do. Ah…several more pictures are becoming clear. I see some bumblebees, which means that you have been meeting new friends.”
“Thom and Emma. I just met them yesterday, but it’s kind of weird. It feels like I’ve known them forever.”
“The best kind.”
“What else do you see?”
“A boat. Someone important is coming to visit you soon. This person has been away but hasn’t forgotten you.”
“Mr. Barnaby! He’s the man who’s supposed to publish my mother’s book.”
Vespera passed her hand over the teacup. “You have very busy tea leaves.” A sudden frown crossed her face.
“What is it?”
“I could be mistaken…yes, I’m sure I am…I think we’d better stop.”
“You can’t stop now! That’s not fair!”
Chapter Fouteen
The Griffin’s Curse
“There are two images here that are disturbing,” said Vespera. “Two lizards. That almost always means hidden enemies and treachery.”
“That’s gotta be the Cherrys!" said Will.
“I wish I could say they were something else,” sighed Vespera, “but there is no doubt in my mind that I’m seeing lizards…well, now this is interesting.”
“What?”
“A hammer. Very rare. I believe it’s telling us that you will triumph over adversity.’
“Adversity. I’m not sure what that means exactly.”
“Great misfortune. Your life is not easy. But you will triumph, Will. That should give you hope.”
Vespera and Macavity came outside with Will to the courtyard to say good-bye. Macavity rolled on his back on the brightly coloured tiles. Will frowned. “It’s weird, but when I came here before I’m sure the tiles made a rainbow. Now they look like stars. Do you think that was magic?”
“Without a
“I was ,” Will corrected her. “I don’t write any more.”
“Oh, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a writer,” said Vespera. “Once I didn’t write a single word for five whole years.”
“Why didn’t you write? Did your Muse desert you?”
“So you know about Muses, do you?”
“My Muse won’t leave me alone. And my mum’s Muse is bugging me too. They want me to write. But I won't."
“Really? Well, I think maybe I was afraid to write. And then one night I woke up at two o’clock with a poem in my head that was begging to get out.”
Vespera peered into Will’s cup. “Save a little of your tea and I’ll read your tea leaves. But first, tell me what kinds of things you like to write about.”
In between sips of tea, Will told Vespera about his latest novel with the Knights of Valour and the Knights of Death. “The problem is, I never finish anything. I get partway through, and then I get another idea and I want to work on that instead. And now –” His voice broke off. He didn’t know if he wanted to keep talking about it.
“Well, I think the Knights of Death and Valour sound intriguing,” said Vespera. “It might be the novel you’re meant to write. I think you should bring it back to life.”
“I’m not planning to,” said Will. “I hate the thought of writing now.”
When he had a drop of tea left in the bottom of his cup, he gave it to Vespera who swirled the cup around and around three times. Carefully, she tipped it over the saucer. She waited a minute and then turned the cup right side up. Will peered at the wet tea leaves spattered inside the cup. “It doesn’t look like anything.”
“It’s like seeing pictures in clouds. You can’t rush it. We’ll wait until they tell us your story.”
Macavity got up from his spot in front of the fire and walked over to Will and bumped against his leg. Will reached down and stroked him. The cat’s eyes remained a steady pale green. Vespera sat very still, staring into the tea cup, and Will wondered if she had gone into some kind of trance.
Finally, Vespera looked up. “I see a violin. You feel lonely sometimes.”
“Yeah. I really miss my mum.”
“Of course you do. Ah…several more pictures are becoming clear. I see some bumblebees, which means that you have been meeting new friends.”
“Thom and Emma. I just met them yesterday, but it’s kind of weird. It feels like I’ve known them forever.”
“The best kind.”
“What else do you see?”
“A boat. Someone important is coming to visit you soon. This person has been away but hasn’t forgotten you.”
“Mr. Barnaby! He’s the man who’s supposed to publish my mother’s book.”
Vespera passed her hand over the teacup. “You have very busy tea leaves.” A sudden frown crossed her face.
“What is it?”
“I could be mistaken…yes, I’m sure I am…I think we’d better stop.”
“You can’t stop now! That’s not fair!”
Chapter Fouteen
The Griffin’s Curse
“There are two images here that are disturbing,” said Vespera. “Two lizards. That almost always means hidden enemies and treachery.”
“That’s gotta be the Cherrys!" said Will.
“I wish I could say they were something else,” sighed Vespera, “but there is no doubt in my mind that I’m seeing lizards…well, now this is interesting.”
“What?”
“A hammer. Very rare. I believe it’s telling us that you will triumph over adversity.’
“Adversity. I’m not sure what that means exactly.”
“Great misfortune. Your life is not easy. But you will triumph, Will. That should give you hope.”
Vespera and Macavity came outside with Will to the courtyard to say good-bye. Macavity rolled on his back on the brightly coloured tiles. Will frowned. “It’s weird, but when I came here before I’m sure the tiles made a rainbow. Now they look like stars. Do you think that was magic?”
“Without a
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