Little Orphan Anvil: The Complete Trilogy by Joseph Beekman (good beach reads .txt) 📗

or a scent in the winds of the air—they candistract one from their primary focus and task at hand.”

“It won’t happen again,” Tabitha replied apologetically. “I promise.”

Aleeria had been delighted in seeing how Tabithahad taken such an interest in the old beliefs of sorcery.She was more than happy to instruct her on some of thegood ways of the ancient magic. It was that samesorcery that had been receiving a rebirth back in theLand of Iron and Anvil.

After the witch-lady had laid waste to the landwith her dark magic, four years earlier, the villagers didnot want to make the same mistake of dismissing thepresence of the old ways of sorcery—both the good andthe bad. They wanted to remain aware and back intouch with their former beliefs of magic; not just on thenewer form of magic of the robot-droids that had beendiscovered through the volcanoes iron ore.

And so a few of the remaining elders, that stillpracticed the old ways of sorcery, began to teach thegood of that magic to those who were interested.

However, they kept their teachings in check—keen to the presence of a dark side within the magic ofall things. They also made sure not to overshadow theiron craftsmen and their popular instruction of themetallic magic and its robotic-droids.

As Aleeria watched Tabitha, she could onlysmile. The old magic is returning to the realm, shethought joyfully. And in its proper form, too!

“Now then, young lady,” Aleeria said, her ghostlyreddish hair waving about. “Focus—think very muchlike you had when those crazy spiders were so close tospinning you and the others forever within their lair!”

Tabitha shot a look of disbelief at Aleeria. “Youhave got to be kidding me!” she protested. “That wasdifferent! I was only trying to save myself andJonathon from those creepy spiders—I had no choicebut to accept that we were all about to die…”

She waited for Aleeria to respond, but instead thesorceress just listened, silently nodding her head.

“Well, with the situation as it was,” Tabithacontinued, “I just went into a sacred place of my souland became one with it. Once I was there, I thencreated a mirror image of the area that was all aroundme; it was the image of the strands of web I had beenstuck to! I figured by doing that, I could then secretlymove about, unnoticed.”

“There you go!” Aleeria responded, startlingTabitha. “Go into that same place of your soul—thatsacred place as you had said. It’s no different thantrying to knock that piece of fish off of the robot.”

Aleeria floated over to Anvil. “That place inyour soul, Tabitha, is not only the same magical placewhere you went to save yourself; it’s also the sameplace for other tasks as simple as this—” She waved herhand over Anvil’s dome-top, indicating the dried pieceof fish.

Tabitha’s eyes now seemed to sparkle with a newunderstanding. She looked at Aleeria and smiled.

By now, Will and Jonathon had turned theirattention from their fishing lines that were trollingthrough the water, and focused upon Aleeria andTabitha with interest. Haley and Tinspar had also beenlistening; they watched intently to see what sort ofmagic tricks the two ladies had up their sleeves.

“Okay, let me give it a try!” Tabitha said quickly,itching to give it a try. “Move to the side so I can get aclearer picture of that piece of fish inside my mind.”

Aleeria floated off to one side of Anvil. “Now,remember, don’t be so hasty! Relax and let things fallinto place as they are meant to.”

Tabitha squinted her eyes, leveling her line ofsight to the fish propped atop Anvil. Taking a deepbreath, she aimed her focus and then closed her eyes.

After a moment, while everyone stared in silentwonder, the robot began to shake. Its body bleeped andwarbled as the piece of fish began to rise, driftingmomentarily in the air. Aleeria smiled as everyone elsegasped.

The fish then flew to the side of the raft, where itdropped into the river. Haley started to laugh, but hewas quickly silenced when Tinspar’s hand covered hismouth. Tabitha remained as still as a stone, her eyesshut.

Suddenly a large fish shot up from out of thewater, startling everyone, including the sorceress. Willand Jonathon jumped to their feet, their eyes wide withsurprise. The fish flopped about in the air for a fewseconds, and then it plopped to the floor of the raft.

Opening her eyes, Tabitha looked over at thefish; she smirked, darting her eyes around to everyone.They were silent, looking at her in shock. She startedlaughing, jumping up and down.

“I did it!” she shouted merrily. “I replaced thatdead fish with this live one!” She pointed at the bigfish squirming about on the wooden planks. “I think itwill be a fine dinner for us all!”

Will and Jonathon were speechless, while Tinsparand Haley clapped their hands in delight.

Aleeria floated over to Tabitha, smiling from earto ear. “You sure did, sweetie!” she said. “I’m so proudof you…I feel the old ways of sorcery are beginning tobloom for you!”

Tabitha twirled around, her eyes aglow. She tooka bow before the others as they applauded.

Jonathon, however, stood still; he was shakinghis head with a slight pout on his face.

“I call that cheating,” he harped. “Catching afish should be done the old fashioned way—with afishin’ line!”

Will moved over to Tabitha and gave her a pat onthe back. “Good for you, dear child! I say, if one cancatch us some dinner as grand as that big ol’ fish, and inthe manner of which you have just done, then I’m allfor it! The old ways of sorcery have been ironed intoyour soul rather well!” Tabitha blushed, lowering hereyes. “Your folks would be proud, young lady.”

Tinspar was glowing; his big, bug-like eyes wereflashing in a bright blue. He started humming as heresumed the task of managing the raft; it was beginningto enter some rougher water.

Jonathon turned back to his fishing pole andplopped down; he shivered from the winds that hadpicked up, bringing a biting chill with them. While hetook up his fishing line, Will came