The Market Thief

Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I’m not expected in the workroom quiet yet so I stop in at the library and climb into the big overstuffed chair to do some thinking. Do I really want to learn magic? If I were to leave Alfred’s house were would I go? Back to the garbage hunting for food and picking pockets, which I was lousy at. If I learn magic, I will always be able to take care of myself. That settles it I will learn magic. I head for the workroom.

I stick my head in the door and look around; the main part of the room is all stone from floor to ceiling. Off to the right is a niche that has rows and rows of shelves; they look like they hold variety of items. Off to the left is a niche that has rows and rows of books, on the top of the bookshelves are some jars; my curiosity gets the better of me and I go to investigate.

On the way over I pass a long table, which after looking it over I come to the conclusion that it must be Alfred’s workbench. The table is full of vials; each vial has a different color liquid in it. All the vials have labels on them but I can’t read them because they are symbols. I pick up a vial of pink liquid and spot a vial of purple liquid, I wonder what would happen if I mixed the two.

I clear my throat and in my best imitation of Alfred, “I am Alfred T. Neble the greatest wizard of all. I am the smartest person in all of the kingdom.” I pour a small amount of the pink liquid into an empty vial, I pick up the purple one and am about it add it to the pink liquid.

“Theo, stop!” commands Queen Danika from the doorway. “Never mix potions unless you are sure you know the outcome.”

Boy do I feel stupid now; I hurriedly set the vial down. “Yes Ma’am.”

Queen Danika glides across the room. “Your curiosity is going to be the end of us all.”

“I can’t help it,” I protest. “I think about something and I get in trouble. I’m really sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you Queen Danika.”

“Please call me Grandmother, you are a friend of Elysia’s,” chides Queen Danika.

“Grandmother, do you think I have magical ability?” I blurt out.

Grandmother leans close and whispers in my ear, “I know you have magical ability, the test is for Alfred. I cannot order him to train you until he sees that you do have the ability.

I give Grandmother a big hug. “Thank you, no one has done anything like this for me before.”

“Then prove me right to Alfred,” Grandmother pats my shoulder as Alfred stomps in.