“This is awesome,” Jack said, grateful for the change in subject. ”When did you do all this?"
“I was hoping to get here for the game, but my plane was delayed,” Linda explained. “So we thought this would be a nice surprise.”
“It's a great surprise,” Jack said. “How long will you be staying?”
“I'm not sure,” Aunt Linda replied.
Becka was pouring wine and grape juice into wine glasses. “It's good you came when you did. Much later and you might have missed us. Jack and I are leaving for England right after school is out.”
“England!” Linda recovered quickly, accepting a glass of red wine. “You're going to England?”
Becka nodded. “Remember, we talked about it at your last visit. I'd hoped you could get us a lead on a house, but I haven't been able to reach you. But Thomas has a friend who has a cottage in Oxford. She'll be in the States all summer, so we're subletting. If you'll be home, we can visit you, but you don't have to feel obligated.”
“That sounds … wonderful.” Linda attempted a smile, but Jack had the sense that something was bothering her.
Chapter Eleven
Under Siege
The next morning was a Saturday, and Jack's class had scheduled an end-of-school excursion to Cedar Point, an amusement park on the lake. When he looked in the mirror in the bathroom, the right side of his face was an angry purple, and he could still hardly open his eye. Great. I'll have to answer a thousand questions about this today. He wished he could just stay home. But Will was supposed to pick him up in half an hour, and after their talk at Corcoran's, Jack was reluctant to cancel.
Aunt Linda was on the sunporch, drinking a cup of tea.
“Sorry I have to go out today,” Jack apologized. “I wouldn't have planned it if I'd known you were coming.”
“We can talk tonight, Jack. Have fun today.” She looked subdued, almost as if she had been crying. “Did I tell you that you look different?” He nodded. “I probably notice it more than most people, because I've been away. You must be working out a lot.”
“Three or four times a week.”
“With Leander Hastings?”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Where have you been all this time? I… I didn't know what to think. I was afraid Wylie had caught up with you, or something.”
“I'm sorry. I laid a rather long false trail for him to follow. And then I had some … business to take care of, back home.”
“You sound like you do this kind of thing all the time.” Jack couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice.
“I have had considerable practice hiding from wizards, if that's what you mean.” She started to say something else, but then there was a loud banging at the kitchen door.
“Come in!” Jack called. “We're on the porch.”
“Jack! Where were you last night? We …” Will stopped in his tracks when he saw Linda. “Oh, hi, Ms. Downey,” he said. Then he caught a full view of Jack's face. “Jeez! What happened to you?”
“I ran into Lobeck and friends after the game last night.” That was going to be the short story, and Jack planned to stick with it.
“What?You win the game for us, and he clobbers you?”
“Just forget it. I think he'd had a few too many beers. Like a dozen. Which reminded him that he didn't make varsity.”
“Is that why you didn't come to Leesha's party? She thought you were coming. Me and Fitch were looking for you.”
Jack shook his head. “No. Actually, I was with Ellen. We … uh … decided to ditch the party,” he said.
“Oh. All right, then.” Will nodded. From his expression, he approved Jack's choice. “You didn't miss much. There were a lot of people drinking, a lot of people pretty messed up.” Will raked his hand over his dark stubble of hair. “Maybe it's time someone taught Lobeck a lesson. Maybe I'll volunteer.”
Jack blinked at him. Will's dark eyes were fierce and intent. Will had a certain trajectory about him. Like a great sailing ship, he was slow to turn, but once he got underway, look out.
“It's okay, Will. Really. I'm guessing he won't bother me again.” Jack slung a small day pack over his shoulder. “I'm ready.”Will studied him a moment, shaking his head. “If you say so.”
Fitch was waiting in the car, and Jack had to go through his story again. It was going to be a long day.
Ellen had promised to meet them around noon at one of the roller coasters. It was a beautiful day, hot and sunny, and Jack expected that practically the entire sophomore and junior classes and most of the teachers would be there.
Once they arrived at the park, Jack began to feel more cheerful. After some initial comments, no one asked too many questions about his face or the fight with Lobeck. The playoff victory made Jack something of a celebrity. He kept his eye out for Leesha, but didn't see her.
They rode on several of the bigger coasters right away, assuming the park would be more crowded later on. Jack had always loved roller coasters, and he was beginning to realize that virtual danger had a lot more appeal than the real thing. By the time they sat in on a couple of the corny midway shows, it was almost noon, and time to meet Ellen.
She was waiting by the Blue Streak, wearing a white T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops. When Will and Fitch tried to quiz her about the fight, she totally blew them off. Jack tried to catch her eye, to thank her, but she wouldn't look at him.
They rode the Blue Streak and tried some of the arcade games, and then it was time for lunch. They bought cherry slushies for dessert. It was getting hot, and the water rides beckoned.
“Let's go on Thunder Canyon,” Will suggested. “It's time to get wet.” He peeled off his T-shirt.
"I'm not done with my slushie.” Jack lifted the paper cup.
“Let's leave them here,” Ellen suggested, pointing to a broad railing by the lagoon. “The line isn't very long right now.”
They all got soaked on Thunder Canyon. Since the line still wasn't very long, they rode twice more. They emerged, shaking like dogs, flinging water everywhere.
“You're not nearly wet enough, Jack!” Ellen grabbed his drink and threatened to empty it over his head. He threw up a hand, smacking her arm, and most of the contents cascaded into the fish pond below.
"Now look what you did!” Jack said, glad Ellen had regained her sense of humor. It was practically the first time she'd spoken to him all day. He turned to see if the carp in the lagoon would go after the ice. Will was leaning over the railing, too, laughing, but then he looked puzzled. Jack followed his gaze. Dead fish were surfacing in a growing circle around the melting slush, their pale bellies shining against the murky amusement-park water. Hundreds of them.
For a moment, Jack froze, processing what he was seeing. Then his gaze met Will's, and the spell was broken. In one quick motion, Jack grabbed the cup with what was left of his drink and dropped it into the plastic bag he'd brought along for his wet clothes. He stuffed the bag into his day pack. Then he swept his arm across the railing, knocking the rest of the slushies into the lagoon. Ellen and Fitch wailed in protest when they saw their drinks fly from the rail.
“Sorry,” Jack said. “My fault. I'll buy another round. Let's get lemonade this time.” And he firmly ushered the still-protesting Fitch and Ellen away from the water. Will followed behind, shaking his head and frowning.
“This is interesting,” Nick Snowbeard said, looking up from his microscope. He had set up a virtual chemical lab in his tiny kitchen. Jack and Aunt Linda were sitting at the kitchen table. Jack had put up a magical barrier so no one else would wander in. Nick was allowing his pupil to show off some of his accomplishments.
“It's an ancient Anglo-Saxon nerve poison. Fat soluble. Very quick and effective. Hard to trace. It takes very little.” He stroked his beard. “I don't expect there's a carp left alive at Cedar Point.”
“Who would have this kind of poison?” Jack asked. “Where would they get it?”
“It is plant-derived. It wouldn't be hard to make if you had the right ingredients. It's just not very well known. It must be someone in the family.”
“If by family, you mean the Roses, then I think you're right on!” Jack exploded. “Who else would want to kill me?” He slumped in his chair.
“Who was at the park today?” Linda asked.
“Everybody I know,” Jack said. “And a lot of people I don't.” Leesha Middleton probably wanted to poison him just about now.
His aunt sighed, pulling her knees up under her chin. “Obviously, your secret is out to someone.”
Nick was thoughtful. “Poison can so easily go astray. As it did in this case. Its a rather… inefficient way to kill someone.”
Jack slammed his hand against the table. “They may have poisoned the entire western basin, but I don't think they'll lose any sleep over it. Don't you get it? They know who I am! They know where I live. What's to stop them from coming after me? Or Shadowslayer.” He straightened in his chair. “One of the Seven Great Blades and it's hidden under my bed with my box of baseball cards. How long will it take to figure that one out?” He had a sudden urge to go back to the house, to make sure it was still there.
“I've set wards around the house,” Nick said gently. “It won't be easy to come after you here. And I'd be very surprised if they killed you outright.”
“I feel so much better,” Jack muttered.
“This might be some kind of warning. Or an attempt to panic you into running.”
“Well, it's working.”
Linda looked up. “Nicodemus. How is he doing with wizardry?”
“Jack has a surprising aptitude for wizardry, despite his warrior stone.”