The Market Thief

Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

“We do not need an invite from a king, we can have ball right here right now.” Suggest Eli.
“How’s that?” I ask
Eli shakes his head, “Theo, Theo, have you forgotten.”
I interrupt him. “Don’t you dare say we are in a wizards house.”

Eli twirls me and not being as graceful as an Elf, I fall on my backside. “Well we are?”

From the floor I look up at him and before I can stop myself I hear myself saying, “How can we do that.”

“The magic word for dance is Arik.” Eli uses his best impression of Alfred.

“That’s going to make the clothes dance.” I ask.

“Trust me,” he assures me, “the dresses closest to you will begin to dance.”

I hold out my hand. “Help me up so I don’t ruin the dress.” Once I’m standing I say “Arik.” Once again when I said the magic word it echoed loudly in the attic.

The outfit right in front of me begins to dance then the next one square off and bow to each other and start to dance. Soon there are six or seven outfits dancing.

“May I have this dance?” Eli asks with a bow.

“I would be honored,” I take his arm and he sweeps me around the floor. We dance for a while but then we begin to bump into other outfits dancing. The room is getting crowded with dancing outfits. We look around and notice that more and more outfits are leaving the trunks and joining the dancing.

“Look how beautiful it is with all the colors and different outfit.” I whisper to Eli as not to break the spell.

I jump at a loud crash, we whirl around, and a suit of armor has crashed to the floor. Another suit is dancing with his axe twirling over his head; the other is holding his sear out in front of him and twirling on his toes. “It would be funny to watch them dance if only they weren’t carrying their weapons.”

“They should not be dancing at all,” Eli looks at me his eyes are as big as saucers.

“What do you mean?” I put my hands on my hips.

“The magical command was only powerful enough to make a few outfits dance, it should not have affected all of them and it never should have made the suits of armor dance.” Eli says as he is looking around the attic.

“What?” I give him the look I’ve seen Hulda give Alfred.

“The spell should not have affected all the outfits, but I did not worry about it because this is a wizards house and things like that happen. Only,” he pauses.

“Only what? Lord Elysia what have you gotten me into?”

“Well, the suits of armor are too heavy and to far away they should not have been affected.” Eli is very puzzled.

I push Eli aside, “get out of the way!” An axe bites into the floor right were we had been standing. We end up in a tangle of arms and legs. I try to get up but keep stepping on the dress.

“Eli, make this stop before I end up ruining Hulda’s outfits.” I yell.

He grabs me and rolls out of the way as a spear is thrust into the empty air we just left. “I am trying but it is not working.”

We finally get untangled and stand up. “Ok, Ok what is that word Alfred used to stop the books, that should work?” I duck to avoid the sword being swung at my head.

Eli is crawling away to avoid two suits of armor battling each other. “I have been using that word but it has not done any good.” He rolls out of the way as one of the suits loses his axe and it flies towards Eli.

“Look out, Theo!” yells Eli, “if we do not get out of here we are going to be in trouble.”

I duck and roll, “going to be in trouble? I think trouble has found us.”

Suits of armor are running into outfits and each other, they just get up and keep on going. I can’t see Eli anywhere. My mouth and nose are full of dust, my ears hurt from the clashing of the suits. “Eli was the word nodeun?”

“No!” yells Eli from my right side, “it is Nodlecnu but it is not working.” He stops to catch his breath.

“Move!” I yell, but I’m too late, a dancing suit of armor spears Eli from behind. “Nodelcnu” I yell. It sounds like thunder is rolling through the room. Everything stops exactly were it is.

I sprint over to Eli who is laying face down in a rapidly spreading pool of blood. I reach out to grab the spear and pull it out.

“Don’t,” whispers Eli, “that will cause it to bleed more.”

I stand up wiping bloody hands on my shirtsleeves. “I have to go and get help.”

Eli shakes his head very slightly and closes his eyes. He is very pale and I can see his lips moving but hear no sound. I lean closer. “Reach into my shirt pocket and pull out the yellow stone.”

“What good is a rock going to be?” I yell at him.

“It is a,” he pauses and wheezes, “It is a calling stone.”

His energy is fading fast; I have to do something now. I reach into his pocket and feel around for the stone. “What have I done, stupid me. Can’t I do anything right?”

I feel the stone and clutch it tightly in my fist. I don’t even look to see what color it is, it wouldn’t matter anyway I can’t see through all the tears.

“Theo,” he gathers his energy, “stop crying, picture the person, say leumas and need help. The person should hear and come.” Eli faints.

The stone slips through my fingers slick with his blood. I grab it just before it hits the floor. “Think Theo, think! Who should I call? Okay, Hulda will never make it up the stairs. I don’t know any of Eli’s family that leaves Alfred. He is going to kill me.”

I picture Alfred in my head. “Leumas!” I scream, “Eli’s hurt Help! Please, please hurry!” I whisper.