The Word of Zed (Part 7)

​The Astronomer
(c) 2008 Melissa Gay

​The Word of Zed
​Part 7

​Zed sat on the stairs in the observatory, arms propped on his knees, chin in palms. Above him the great wheel moved fluidly toward the moment when he'd have to face the Magi. For once, the twin dragonets were nestled in the chains, totally silent.

Zed had clearly violated the rules of conduct. He had left someone in his place who wasn't a true and ordained Scribe, someone who didn’t know the Ultimate Secret. He would be cast out in disgrace and have to return home to face his mother's supreme disappointment.

“Even with the little human gone, the Magi won't take me back,” he said glumly. “Why should he?”

A scroll winged into the observatory and then beckoned for him to follow it. This was not good. He was being summoned to the Magi's chambers. That never happened.

He hopped down the remaining stairs and trudged along the stars, feet slapping on the stones. The scroll rolled itself up and plopped on the floor in front of the Magi's door. He picked it up out of habit, tucked it under his arm and knocked.

“Enter.”

Screwing up his courage, Zed opened the door. The Magi sat in front of the fire, a gold-edged scroll in his hands. Zed knew what it was. He stopped a few feet short of the Magi, his throat tight.

His master pointed at the parchment. “Your contract with me is very clear. You are not to leave the work unless you have someone qualified to take your place.”

Zed looked at his feet. “I know, sir. It was just, well, I had the chance to meet her.”

“Her?”

“Someone I thought the world of.”

“And now?”

Zed shook his head. “She was not anyone special. Not like what I've read in the magazines. She was...” At that moment Tiggy popped his nose out of Zed's pocket.

“I see you have acquired a hedgehog,” the Magi said.

“Actually, he acquired me.”

“Is he prickly or soft?”

“Soft. “ Zed said, pulling the creature from his pocket as Tiggy observed the Magi solemnly.

Zed took a deep breath and let it out. “I am sorry for leaving you with someone who wasn't a Scribe. It was wrong.”

“It was wrong. Little boys aren't like imps, you see, though I think they're distantly related. He did a pretty good job, though the quill performed most of the work. Quite a smart lad. I think he might be a Magi someday.”

Zed's hope rose. “Then you need a Scribe?”

“No. I have a new one. I hired one last evening.”

Zed's hope sank like a leaky balloon. “I will gather my things and leave as soon as possible, sir.”

“However,” the Magi continued as if he hadn't heard him, “I will need you to train her. She's quite bright. You'll have no trouble at all. She should be in the observatory by now.”

Her? “Oh, I see. Yes, sir.” Zed shuffled out, closing the door behind.

As he did, he swore he heard the Magi chuckling.

The new Scribe sat on the platform, quill in hand. Her silky brown hair was plaited into a single braid that curled around her feet, ending in a bright blue bow. Her dress was the same color. When she looked up, he gasped.

It was Paris' assistant.

“How did you…?” he began.

Her kind smile warmed him to his toes. “I had your address from the contest. I came to thank you for the poem you gave me. You weren't here, and the Magi offered me a job.”

“Oh. I see.” This was even worse. “Won't Miss Impton be angry?”

“No. I'm like one of her hedgehogs—she won't notice I’m gone.”

The Magi had said she'd been hired the night before. “How'd you get past the bridge troll?” he quizzed.

“I told him I didn't know any poetry.”

“Oh.” Well, better make the best of it. “I am to teach you,” he said, climbing up the stairs and taking his position next to her. She smelled like flowers.

“I'm Molly,” she said, wiggling her ears. He waggled his in return.

They grinned at each other.

“Well, then, let's get started,” he said, setting Tiggy on the platform near the ink pot.

The stopper toad eyed the newcomer suspiciously. Tiggy ignored it and curled up for a nap as Zed petted him with a finger.

“I always thought they were very prickly,” he said.

“They can be. If you're nice, he's soft. If you're not, he's spiky. He was always very spiky to Miss Impton.”

Zed looked up. “He's a better judge of imps than I was. So what is he to you?”

Molly's smile grew brighter. “Very smooth, like feathers.”

Zed returned the smile. “I thought so.”

With a swish of his robes, the Magi entered the chamber and drifted up the stairs in deep thought. Above them, Mallet and Wrench were cavorting.

I'll miss this. Zed looked over at the imphet. I'll miss her. She's so pretty.

The creak of the chain told him the dragonets were moving the telescope into position.

Zed whispered, “Just write what he says.”

Molly nodded and grasped the quill tightly.

“Loosen up your grip. The quill will fight you if you don't.” She complied.

“Oh, Zed?”

He looked up at the robed figure. “Sir?”

“When you're done training the new Scribe, I'd like you to reorganize the Scrollery. We will be adding new niches and other Magi will be sending their scrolls for us to store and catalog. We need a Scrollarian. Would you be willing to take on that job?”

A Scrollarian? That was an exalted position, one that no imp had ever held.

“Master, are you sure?” he sputtered.

The Magi's eyes twinkled. “Of course, Zed. Who else knows the words like you do?”

Zed gulped and then nodded. “Of course, Master. I'd be honored.”

“Excellent. And now, let's see, we were looking at the flying lizards, the ones with the giant sails on their backs.”

Molly leaned close and whispered, “That's why he offered me the scribe position. He knew you'd come back.” Then she winked.

He beamed.

​Being Zed wasn't so bad after all.
 

* * * * *

“Molly!” Aiden shouted, hitting the room like a whirlwind. He launched himself onto his mom's bed even before she could get both eyes open.

“Who?” she mumbled. The book landed in her lap.

“See! She's there!”

Melissa focused her sleep-blurred eyes on the page and then did a double take. Next to Zed was a she imp. She had a long brown braid, a blue bow and wore a pretty blue dress, just like Aiden had drawn her. She was bending over a scroll as Zed pointed to a sentence. She looked like Aiden's friend Molly, except she was green.

Melissa skimmed through the text. “Zed helps Molly write the words,” she read.

Aiden was all smiles. “See! It's magic, just like Uncle Jim said. Now, Zed has a friend!”

Oh, boy. She put on her best mom voice. “Yes, he does. And you helped him find one. That was very nice of you.” Aiden's smile widened. “How's about we go out for breakfast? You can have waffles to celebrate.”

“The ones with the cherries?” he asked, bouncing on the bed, much to Bobkins' annoyance.

“Yes. Whatever you'd like.” Anything that doesn't involve imps or pop-up books.
 
He launched himself off the mattress and was through the door in seconds flat. She studied the scroll, the sentence the Zed imp was pointing at. She clicked on the light and rotated the book so the words were easier to read.

Thank you, Aiden.

She slammed the book shut and shook her head back and forth. “No way. It just couldn't have happened like that.”

After a few moments, Melissa opened the book again. The words were still there and Zed still had his new friend.

“You know, I don't care what his uncle says, next year I'm just going to buy the kid a dinosaur game.”
 

The End

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​(c) 2008 Jana Oliver
All Rights Reserved
(and yes, that means you AI)