“Give me a minute,” Wiz muttered. “Just give me a minute, okay?”
“You do not have a minute, mortal, not even a second.” The thing stretched its arms toward Wiz, its fingers spreading like talons. “Answer or you are mine, mortal. Now and forever!”
Panic crushed Wiz’s chest. His mouth tasted like metal and his lips were dry. The thing’s hypnotic eyes rooted him to the spot as firmly as one of the rushes. He could not run, he could not cry out. He could only tremble as the creature moved closer and closer in its mincing gait, hooves tapping on the rock.
“Leave him!” Moira’s voice rang out. “You cannot have him.”
The pressure released and with a great gasping sob Wiz fell to the ground. He twisted his head and saw the hedge witch standing behind him.
“But he agreed,” the creature howled, dancing up and down on the rock. “Of his own free will he agreed to the bargain!”
“The bargain is invalid. He is under an infatuation spell and has no free will on this.”
Wiz simply gaped.
“He made a bargain. A bargain!”
“Trickster and cheat! There could be no bargain and well you know it. Now be off with you! Seek other prey.”
Moira threw her arms wide and her cloak billowed behind her like wings in the moonlight. With an awful shriek the creature whirled and dove into the pond. The frogs cut off in mid-croak and waters parted soundlessly to receive him.
“Mortals, mortals, cursed mortals,” the thing’s words came faintly and wetly from the pool. “Doomed and dying mortals. One day soon the World will see no more of you. You will vanish like the dew on the grass. Doomed and dying mortals.”
Wiz heard the words but he didn’t look. He huddled in his cloak and dug his fingers into the sod as if he expected to be dragged into the pool at any second.
“Oh, get up,” Moira said angrily. It’s gone and you’re safe enough for now.
“What in the World ever made you agree to play the riddle game with the likes of that?” she asked as Wiz picked himself up. “Don’t you know you could never win?”
“He promised me my heart’s desire,” Wiz said numbly. “He said he could give it to me by magic.”
“By magic!” Moira mocked. “You blithering, blundering fool, don’t you know by now to stay away from magic? It’s bad enough I have to leave people who need me to come on this idiot’s errand, but I have to babysit you every second.”
“I’m sorry,” Wiz said.
“Sorry wouldn’t have saved you if I had been a moment later. You blind fool!”
“Well, you said this place was safe,” Wiz said sullenly.
“No, you ninny! I said the wards would keep out most of what was outside. They do nothing against things which already are within the grounds.” She stopped, drew a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.
“Listen to me. There is no place in the Wild Wood that is safe. Do you understand me? No place! You cannot let down your guard for even an instant and if you see or hear anything that even vaguely hints of magic, run from it! Don’t investigate, don’t stay around it, just get away and let me know.”
“I’ll try,” Wiz said.
“You’ll do more than try if you want to live to reach our destination. Now come with me.” She turned on her heel and stalked away with Wiz following.
Moira fumed all the way back to camp. She was furious with Wiz, and, she reluctantly admitted, furious with herself for letting him storm off. Her orders from Simba were to get him to a place of refuge and she had nearly failed because she let her dislike for him overmaster her judgment.
He has spirit, she admitted grudgingly, even with that whipped-puppy air of his. Spell or no, he really would have gone off on his own. Moira couldn’t allow that. I must be more civil to him. The thought did absolutely nothing for her mood.
They ate dinner in uncomfortable silence. The food did little to lighten the atmosphere. The cakes were overbaked and the meat was almost raw on one side for lack of turning. The meal was over and they were settling down for the night before Wiz could summon up the courage to ask the question which had been gnawing at him ever since he recovered his wits.