Read Online Kendra Kandlestar and the Crack in Kazah by Lee Edward Födi - Free Book Online
Authors: Lee Edward Födi
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hair. Even from a distance, Kendra could see that the boy’s eyes sparkled with kindness. Her heart took a little leap; for she knew at once that this was Krimson Kandlestar, the man who would one day become her father.
Winter Woodsong, it seemed, had known all along where Gayla was focusing her attention. She didn’t even bother to turn around, but instead chuckled and said, “I’m sure young Kandlestar would be most pleased to dance with you.”
“Dance?” Gayla said brusquely. “With that twiddleberry?”
Then another Een girl sauntered past Krimson, flicking her long blonde hair and giving him a coquettish wave.
“Ugh,” said Gayla with a derisive snort. “That Miranda Marigold is such a flirt; I ought to sock her.”
“Now, now; take heart,” Winter chuckled. “There’s more than one way to stir the soup.”
With that, the impish woman grabbed Gayla and Kendra by the hands and whirled across the lawn, gamboling past the other dancers until they arrived right where Krimson was standing. Kendra watched in amusement as Winter twirled Gayla right into Krimson’s arms—unfortunately, the boy wasn’t expecting it. He fell backwards with Gayla lying on top of him in a heap.
“Er . . . I’m sorry, Miss Griffinskitch,” Kendra heard Krimson mumble awkwardly. His face had turned the same color as his hair—bright red.
“What’s wrong with you?” Gayla snarled. “Aren’t you going to ask me to dance?”
Krimson seemed at a loss for words, but he pulled himself to his feet, bowed slightly to Winter Woodsong, and whisked Gayla away into the crowd of dancers. Gayla’s face was painted with a scowl.
“She sure is mean to him,” Kendra murmured to Winter.
“Indeed,” the old woman said. “Love is a cruel master.”
Kendra wasn’t sure what Winter meant by these words; but that was the sorceress for you. She always spoke in riddles.
Winter took Kendra’s hand again, and together they frisked across the fairgrounds until they arrived at a small circular stage that had been erected near the riverbank.
“Ah, the Magicians’ Match shall start soon,” Winter declared. “I am the master of ceremonies, you know—so I suppose I now must take my leave. Perhaps I shall see you in the future, young sorceress.” She gave Kendra a cryptic smile and then, in a wink, was off.
Kendra gave her braid a tug and turned to see Oki scampering forward.
“Did you see who’s competing in the match?” the little mouse asked excitedly. “Look!”
He pointed up to the stage, where a few of the wizards were taking their places. One of them was a large grey raccoon. Kendra had to rub her eyes; why, for a moment she thought it was Ratchet! Then it occurred to her that not only was this raccoon thinner than her old friend, but he was also wearing a wizard’s cape and holding a staff.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Oki told Kendra. “It’s not Ratchet, though. It’s his gramps, Roompa Ringtail! He’s the one who designed our cloud ship. We built it based on his blueprints.”
“I always wondered why it flew without any hiccups,” Kendra remarked.
“I know,” Oki said. “But old Roompa knew what he was do—EEK!”
Kendra didn’t need to ask Oki what was wrong, for just then a hunched and growling Een strutted onto the platform. He looked a lot younger than the irascible Een Kendra knew from her own time, but there was no mistaking him: it was Burdock Brown, the wicked wizard who would one day crown himself the self-proclaimed Emperor of Een.
“ Poopensnautch, ” Oki squealed nervously. “We’re in trouble now.”
YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION, “Some people never change.” This was certainly true of Burdock Brown, for all it took was one glance at the mean-spirited wizard for Kendra to realize that while he looked remarkably younger, he looked no less terrible. He scoffed and snarled, giving hint of the cruel tyrant he would one day become.
“Oh, don’t think of
Winter Woodsong, it seemed, had known all along where Gayla was focusing her attention. She didn’t even bother to turn around, but instead chuckled and said, “I’m sure young Kandlestar would be most pleased to dance with you.”
“Dance?” Gayla said brusquely. “With that twiddleberry?”
Then another Een girl sauntered past Krimson, flicking her long blonde hair and giving him a coquettish wave.
“Ugh,” said Gayla with a derisive snort. “That Miranda Marigold is such a flirt; I ought to sock her.”
“Now, now; take heart,” Winter chuckled. “There’s more than one way to stir the soup.”
With that, the impish woman grabbed Gayla and Kendra by the hands and whirled across the lawn, gamboling past the other dancers until they arrived right where Krimson was standing. Kendra watched in amusement as Winter twirled Gayla right into Krimson’s arms—unfortunately, the boy wasn’t expecting it. He fell backwards with Gayla lying on top of him in a heap.
“Er . . . I’m sorry, Miss Griffinskitch,” Kendra heard Krimson mumble awkwardly. His face had turned the same color as his hair—bright red.
“What’s wrong with you?” Gayla snarled. “Aren’t you going to ask me to dance?”
Krimson seemed at a loss for words, but he pulled himself to his feet, bowed slightly to Winter Woodsong, and whisked Gayla away into the crowd of dancers. Gayla’s face was painted with a scowl.
“She sure is mean to him,” Kendra murmured to Winter.
“Indeed,” the old woman said. “Love is a cruel master.”
Kendra wasn’t sure what Winter meant by these words; but that was the sorceress for you. She always spoke in riddles.
Winter took Kendra’s hand again, and together they frisked across the fairgrounds until they arrived at a small circular stage that had been erected near the riverbank.
“Ah, the Magicians’ Match shall start soon,” Winter declared. “I am the master of ceremonies, you know—so I suppose I now must take my leave. Perhaps I shall see you in the future, young sorceress.” She gave Kendra a cryptic smile and then, in a wink, was off.
Kendra gave her braid a tug and turned to see Oki scampering forward.
“Did you see who’s competing in the match?” the little mouse asked excitedly. “Look!”
He pointed up to the stage, where a few of the wizards were taking their places. One of them was a large grey raccoon. Kendra had to rub her eyes; why, for a moment she thought it was Ratchet! Then it occurred to her that not only was this raccoon thinner than her old friend, but he was also wearing a wizard’s cape and holding a staff.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Oki told Kendra. “It’s not Ratchet, though. It’s his gramps, Roompa Ringtail! He’s the one who designed our cloud ship. We built it based on his blueprints.”
“I always wondered why it flew without any hiccups,” Kendra remarked.
“I know,” Oki said. “But old Roompa knew what he was do—EEK!”
Kendra didn’t need to ask Oki what was wrong, for just then a hunched and growling Een strutted onto the platform. He looked a lot younger than the irascible Een Kendra knew from her own time, but there was no mistaking him: it was Burdock Brown, the wicked wizard who would one day crown himself the self-proclaimed Emperor of Een.
“ Poopensnautch, ” Oki squealed nervously. “We’re in trouble now.”
YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION, “Some people never change.” This was certainly true of Burdock Brown, for all it took was one glance at the mean-spirited wizard for Kendra to realize that while he looked remarkably younger, he looked no less terrible. He scoffed and snarled, giving hint of the cruel tyrant he would one day become.
“Oh, don’t think of
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