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I AVOIDED dinner that evening. Unable to face Valcas so soon after what had just happened, I ran and hid in the bathroom of our guest suite when I heard a knock at the door. Shirlyn pleaded with me to come out, but I told her I wasn’t feeling well and to go on ahead without me. I literally felt sick. Shirlyn must have taken pity on me because she left me alone after I told her I wasn’t hungry. It took a lot to ruin my appetite.
I heard voices in the hallway, but I couldn’t make out what anyone was saying. Please, please, I prayed, go on without me. Thankfully, the door closed without any further requests that I go to dinner. I left the bathroom when all was quiet again. I knew that Valcas wouldn’t remember anything that happened in the library the next morning. I envied him for that, knowing that I would never be able to forget.
As I shrank into the pillow bed, I tried to remember what I used to brood about before meeting Valcas. He single-handedly managed to take my brooding to all new levels. Yet, if it hadn’t been for Valcas I never would have met Edgar, and I would still be back at Uncle Al’s cottage alone and unhappy. My heart ached for poor Edgar. I really hoped he was feeling better and wondered whether he’d made it back to his workshop in the woods. I pulled myself out of bed and reached for my backpack. The travel glasses were nestled inside. I removed them from my backpack and placed them on my face.
“Edgar, are you there?”
A familiar face in a blue bonnet appeared against a white background. “Hello, Calla. He’s here, but he hasn’t been speaking.”
“Oh. Edgar’s not any better?”
“No. He’s much worse. I’m afraid to transport him home. I don’t think he’s strong enough. We’re going to need your help, Calla.”
“What can I do?”
“I need someone who can travel to go to his workshop, find a recipe and gather ingredients.”
“What kind of recipe?”
“Edgar has run out of elixir. If I had the recipe, I could try to brew it for him. However, I’m not sure I would have all of the ingredients that I expect are somewhere in his workshop. I would need to leave him here to be able to search properly, but he’s too weak. I can’t leave him alone.”
“The youth elixir? Did he really invent something that can extend his life?”
“Yes.”
Enta’s request for me to travel to Edgar’s workshop weighed heavily on me. I had barely scratched the surface of Valcas’ past. Leaving now would mean starting all over again. I pushed this thought to the back of my mind. I could always return to Valcas’ past. Edgar needed me now. Of course I would help Edgar. It was the least I could do after all that he’d done for me. Unfortunately, when it came to the actual traveling part, I had a slight problem.
“I don’t know how to get outside to a vehicle to be able to travel to Edgar’s workshop.”
“How did you get there? Couldn’t you just use the vehicle you used to arrive?”
“I don’t know where it is. We traveled here in one of Edgar’s motorboats, which turned into something called an Estrel-Flyer, some kind of flying motorcycle. We were captured and questioned, and now I’m trapped inside this bizarre world. Not only do I have no idea how to get out, but I did something really stupid today and I think I’m going to be watched more closely from now on.”
“I see. Who traveled there with you?”
“Shirlyn and Romaso. I wanted to travel here without them, but then Valcas showed up at the harbor in Folkestone. I think he was already there waiting for me. Shirlyn and Romaso were in the motorboat with me when I used the travel glasses to escape.”
“I see,” Enta said again. “I’ll take care of Edgar as long as I can. I trust that you will do what you can as well.”
“I suppose I could try running through the hallway.” I shuddered, remembering what had happened the last time I’d traveled that way. Then I thought of something even more concerning. “What if I make it to Edgar’s workshop and can’t find the recipe for the elixir?”
“That is an unfortunate possibility. If it becomes necessary, call me and I’ll try to help you while you’re searching.”
“What do I do with Shirlyn and Romaso while I’m gone?”
“You can leave them there. There’s no need to worry about them.”
“Okay, thanks. I’ll see what I can do about getting out of here and finding that recipe.”
I sighed after removing the travel glasses from my eyes and placing them back in my backpack. I collapsed onto the pillow bed where it was warm and comfortable. What Enta said about Edgar worried me, but finally contacting someone with the travel glasses relaxed me a little. Soon afterward, I began to doze.
I woke later to the sounds of Shirlyn and Romaso whispering to each other. Even through my sleepy haze, I could feel that someone else was in the room.
“Are you feeling better, Calla?” Valcas sounded amused, but his eyes were filled with concern.
“Yes, much better now,” I answered.
“Well then get out of bed. I can’t have you sulking all evening.”
I sat up. “What should I be doing?”
“We should be enjoying our youth, spending time with our friends, living.”
Stunned, I gave Valcas a questioning look which made him laugh. I wondered what brought on his sudden burst of enthusiasm.
“It’s still warm outside,” he continued. “I wanted to see if you would like to go for a ride in an Estrel-Flyer. Shirlyn and Romaso are coming too.”
“You want to take us flying? Outside the tower?”
“Yes. A driver will accompany Shirlyn and Romaso.” In a lower voice he added, “I don’t know how much more of their flirting I can stand.”
He looked at me repentantly. The emotion looked so strange on Valcas’ face, especially when accompanied by his smile. “I was wondering if you would fly with me.”
“Yes, I will. Let me just grab my backpack.”