One Witch at a Time (10 page)

Rudi blinked at her. He had seen for himself that the enchanted border was distressingly real. His heart sank as he realized that Agatha could not be telling the truth.

But he held his tongue. It was possible she had a good reason. Wasn't it?

Agatha continued. “I didn't know the beans were magic when I took them. Everything happened so quickly . . .”

“Why did you go up to the Giant's lair in the first place?” said Rudi, trying to contain his anger and disappointment. “You knew it was risky. That's why you didn't tell your papa.” He remembered with a pang of
heartache the anguish on Ludwig's face and in his voice.

“He would only have worried,” said Agatha. “He believes all the stories. But I walked right through the Giant's gate, as if he were expecting me.” She glanced around quickly, to be sure they were alone. “Some of the stories are true, though. Most especially,
one
story is true.” Her eyes gleamed with excitement. “The story about the summer.”

Rudi recalled what Ludwig had said about the Giant stealing the summer. At the time, he had barely paid attention. He'd assumed it was nothing more than Petz folklore. A story to explain away the injustice of life in a harsh place. But Rudi didn't know what to believe anymore. “You mean to say the Giant stole the summer.” It was more a challenge than a question.

Agatha nodded eagerly. “Yes! But no one has dared go near his fortress in years and years. They're all afraid of him, even Papa.”

“Aren't you afraid too?” said Susanna, wiping her nose with a borrowed mitten.

“I'm more afraid of living in this hopeless place forever. I ventured to the Giant's fortress to prove it could be done. And I was right! And I discovered wondrous things! Warmth and sunshine. A storehouse full of food. Whole sacks of beans! But they had such odd markings.”

“The keyhole,” said Susanna, nodding solemnly.

“Yes!” said Agatha. “I picked up a handful of beans. I
only meant to have a closer look. But then I heard someone coming, and his voice was like thunder. ‘Trespasser! Thief! Who dares to steal my magic?' I forgot I had the beans in my hand until I was halfway home.” She stopped to catch her breath, which hung about her face in an icy cloud. “And then of course I couldn't go home. I couldn't endanger Papa. . . .”

“You could have dropped the beans,” suggested Rudi, because that's what he would have done.

“I nearly did,” said Agatha. “But then I realized I had a weapon in my hand.”

“The beans?” said Susanna, perplexed.

“The
magic
,” corrected Agatha. “I realized that by taking the Giant's magic, I was taking his power. It might be a way to get back what is rightfully ours.”

“But the magic is no use to you,” said Rudi, who had learned a thing or two about witches. “Besides, the beans you took must be only a tiny portion of all his magic.”

Agatha would not be discouraged. “Any amount of magic holds power, yes? Perhaps we don't know how to use the magic. But if it's hidden from the Giant,
he
cannot use it either.”

“So you fled through the mountains,” said Rudi. “And hid the beans in Klausen.” Once more the image of the snow finch flitted stubbornly across Rudi's memory.

Agatha nodded. “Getting lost was a blessing in disguise! The Giant
would never follow me to another province. He thinks we all believe the story about the hex on the border.” She lifted her chin in pride, and Rudi bit back the urge to tell her about the snow finch. But he decided to bide his time.

“And then,” said Agatha, “I happened upon the market. I thought that if I could trade the beans to someone else, they might be carried away even farther. To someplace he'd
never
find them.”

“To Brixen,” muttered Rudi.

Agatha seemed not to hear. “And by then I was quite hungry anyway, and so I had another reason to make a trade. So you see? I told you I was not begging. But please—do you understand now what I've risked? I cannot let you return those beans!”

Susanna Louisa threw her arms around Agatha's waist. “Don't worry! We would never let you come to any harm.”

Rudi kicked in frustration at the frozen ground. He wished it were that simple. But it seemed Agatha would come to harm whether the beans were returned or not. “The Brixen Witch has given us a task, and we are sworn to carry it out. The magic of Petz must be returned to its rightful owner. No matter that its rightful owner is a tyrant and a bully. I'm truly sorry about that part.”

Agatha squinted at him. “Why must you? Aside from promising a witch, that is?”

Rudi tried again. “It's hard to explain, but it has to
do with magic crossing borders. Terrible things can happen. Worse things, even, than Petz is already suffering. You must believe me. I wish we could do something to help.”

Agatha stared at him in icy silence. Then finally, “A witch told you all this?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then,” said Agatha brightly, “there's one thing I know about witches. Not a single one of them can be trusted. You want to help me? Then come with me to the Giant's fortress, but not to return the beans. To help me steal something else. Something even more valuable than magic beans.” Without waiting for an answer, she took Susanna's eager hand and started up the hill once more.

Rudi scrambled to follow. He could not do what Agatha asked, but at least they were moving again. “I promised Ludwig you'd stay out of trouble,” he called after her. “Besides, you're wrong about witches. About the Brixen Witch, anyway. She's wise, and kind, and—”

“She can be testy sometimes,” added Susanna Louisa helpfully. “But Rudi's right. She would never let any harm come to us. Rudi!” She turned back to face him. “Don't you think the Brixen Witch could help Agatha deal with their nasty mean giant witch? I should think she'd be very glad to help!”

“The
Brixen Witch has no power in Petz,” Rudi answered automatically. It was not something he wanted to say. But it was the truth.

Susanna wrinkled her brow. “What should we do, Rudi?”

Rudi thought about it. “There's more to the Brixen Witch than magic,” he said finally, and that was the truth too. It gave him an idea. Before he could change his mind, he said to Agatha, “We will make a bargain with you. We will take you to ask the Brixen Witch for help . . .
after
we return the Giant's beans.”

Agatha's dark eyes met his. A few strands of copper-colored hair had escaped from under her hood, and Rudi noticed how the sunlight, weak as it was, caused the strands to glow like wisps of flame around her face. She looked at Rudi sidelong. “Do you really think your witch could help me?”

Rudi hesitated. This time, more than anything, he wanted to tell her
yes
. If anyone could help Agatha, it was the Brixen Witch.

Unless, of course, no one could help Agatha.

“I'm certain of it,” he said.

Agatha nodded decisively. “It's a bargain, then. I'll help
you
return those infernal beans, and your witch will help
me
steal the summer back from the Giant.”

They continued up
the slope, through a bleak and barren landscape of gray snowfields scattered with slabs of black rock and bent fir trees. The wind blew colder here, with fewer structures to block its path. Rudi pulled his borrowed hat lower on his head and silently thanked Ludwig for his kindness.

And he silently scolded himself for making his own task even harder. What had he gotten himself into just now? When he'd offered to help, he'd imagined the Brixen Witch could give Agatha a bit of practical advice. Suggestions for dealing with second-rate witches, perhaps. But stealing back the summer? Even if such a thing were within the Brixen Witch's power, would she be willing to help? Rudi had no idea how he would honor the bargain he'd just made with Agatha.

No
matter, he told himself. First things first. Return the beans to the Giant's fortress, and then puzzle out what comes next.

After what seemed like hours, they approached a ridge. At least Rudi thought it must be a ridge, for as they walked, there seemed to be more sky and less ground ahead of them. Though, in truth, it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

As they drew nearer, the ridge took on a distinct shape. It looked like a structure of some sort, as gray as the mountain, as gray as the sky. But it was not the mountain, and it was not the sky. It was a wall of rough, sharp stone topped with a row of iron spikes. At either end of the wall, the ridge snaked away into the distance like the spine of a great gray beast. With every step the wall loomed higher.

The Giant's fortress.

Though he hadn't thought he could feel any colder, the sight of it caused Rudi to shiver. But it also filled him with a steely resolve. Their destination was finally in sight. Time to finish their task so they could go home.

“I don't like it here,” declared Susanna Louisa, her words nearly blowing away on the gusting wind. “Is this a good idea, Rudi? Can't we leave the beans and go?” She sniffed deeply and wiped her dripping nose.

Rudi did not answer her. He stood, wiggling his
freezing toes inside his boots, and waited until she had finished her silent argument with herself.

Finally, Susanna wiped her nose once more and slipped her soggy mitten into his. “If you say so, Rudi. But I still don't like it here.”

“This way,” said Agatha.

She led them around the fortress and to the very edge of the ridge. Here the wall of the fortress turned and rose up as if it were a part of the ridge, forming a sheer cliff of stacked stone. Rudi peered around the wall, stretching himself as far as he dared against the onslaught of wind and cloud. They could go no farther unless they climbed the wall itself or stepped off the ridge into the bottomless sky.

Once more Rudi shivered. “Now what?”

“There,” said Agatha, pointing. Embedded in the stone wall was a small wooden door, so badly scoured by wind and sun and sleet that it had faded to the color of the surrounding stone.

“An invisible door,” said Rudi, though it was not truly invisible, now that he paid closer attention.

Agatha stepped toward the door at the edge of the mountain.

Susanna Louisa covered her eyes.

“Careful!” called Rudi.

Agatha answered by waving them closer.

But Susanna would not step closer. She gripped Rudi's
hand so tightly that when he pulled out of her grasp, he left his mitten behind.

“Ready?” said Agatha as together they stood at the door.

“Not really,” admitted Rudi. “But go ahead.”

With a knowing nod, Agatha reached for the iron latch and pushed the door.

Nothing happened.

She jiggled it. “The latch is stuck.”

Rudi stepped forward and tried. “It's not stuck. It's locked.”

Agatha groaned. “He must have locked it after I was here last time.” Because everyone, even a witch, remembers to lock the door after the thief has come and gone.

Rudi stooped to peer through the iron-rimmed keyhole above the latch, and gasped at what he saw. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Yes,” said Agatha, her eyes gleaming.

“What's going on?” This was Susanna Louisa, curiosity overcoming her fear.

Rudi pointed, and Susanna peeked through the keyhole. “I can't see a thing. There's something green in the way.” Rudi waited for Susanna's brain to catch up with her eyes. Finally: “Agatha! It's your summer!” Susanna rattled the door handle. “It's locked! Now what?”

Rudi did not remark on how quickly Susanna's
courage had returned, even while his was waning again. He only sighed and shook his head.

Then he remembered something. “Marco the blacksmith gave me a key.”

“He did?” said Susanna. “When?”

“Just before we left Brixen. A skeleton key. He said it would open all but the most devious lock.” Rudi pulled off his remaining mitten and searched the pockets of his coat. Finally he found it, heavy and large and warm. With his companions hovering around him, Rudi drew a breath and inserted the key into the lock.

It would not turn.

“Let me try,” said Susanna, pushing forward and jiggling the key. She frowned. “It won't turn.”

“I know that!” said Rudi.

“You said the key would work in any lock!”

“Any but the most devious lock,” corrected Agatha. “What could be more devious than the locked fortress of a devious witch?” She held out her gloved hand, and Susanna obediently laid the key upon it. “And what better way to enter the devious witch's locked fortress than with his own magic?” She held out her other hand. “The keyhole beans.”

Rudi took a halting step backward. “I don't think it's safe for anyone but a witch to use magic.”