(A/N Chapter seven, in which Odale discovers something (or someone?) from her past xD. Now, I give you the next chapter *mentally hands over chapter to you*. Oh, and I thought that I should mention that I don't own Septimus Heap. Just my own character (which, for an example are Odale, Cashmére, Zamir, Joseph, Rodrian, Maximilian, Lorea, etc). A/N Ends.)
Chapter 7: The EvilEye
The other's came back soon enough. They seemed to be a little less happy than before.
"So?" Odale wondered, "How did it go?"
Jenna sighed. "Well," she said, "It worked."
"But?"
"There's a huge hole in the middle." Septimus said. Jenna shot him an angry glare.
"I'm sure it wasn't that important." Jenna replied. She wanted to look at it from the bright side.
"It probably was quite important." Odale, who was not as optimistic as Jenna, sighed.
"Just what I said!" Septimus said. Odale sighed. She was a bit annoyed with him. He seemed to notice this, and went silent. But then, he opend his mouth again: "The Queste Stone..."
"Forget it." Odale snapped, "Why would you want it, anyways?"
"I was the one who was suppoused to Draw." Septimus said.
"It didn't seem as though you wanted it while you tried to cheat."
"I did not cheat!" Septimus protested, "Fume was cheating!"
"Yeah?" Odale had already forgot what Septimus had said to fume, almot an hour ago.
"He put a thing in the urn." Septimus replied.
"How do you know?"
"I saw it, Odale." Septimus almost yelled.
"I believe you, Sep." Odale said, in a calming tune. "It doesn't matter, anyways. We don't even know who's Queste it is."
"It's my Queste, Odale." Septimus protested, "The ExtraOrdinaries..."
"Yeah, they wanted you to be the one, but it's the one who accept it's who gets the Queste."
"I took it first."
"No, I did."
"I was the one who took it!"
"Sep, it was me."
"No!"
"I snatched it from you, anyways." Odale said, "And I'm the one who's holding it."
"B-" Septimus started, but then he started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Odale asked.
"We're probably the first ones to fight over the Questing Stone!" Septimus answered, and Odale were forced to supress a smile.
"It's not funny." she said.
They- Septimus, Odale, Jenna and Beetle- slept in a storeroom close to Epiniah's domaine. As always, Odale was nerveous while she slept around other people. There were two reasons to this; she was either way afraid that they'd kill her in her sleep, or she was afraid that she would wake them up. Odale always had nightmares, and very often she awoke screaming.
"Jenna," she said, "Maybe somebody should guard the entrance..."
Jenna shook her head. "Why?" she asked.
"Well, you never know." Odale answered, "Somebody might be after us. But I could guard it."
"I don't think it's needed." Jenna said.
"I do." Odale replied. "And, after all, I was DomDaniel's apprentice for ten years. I learnt a lot of stuff meanwhile."
"Yeah, like paranoya." Septimus said.
"Oh, so the Young Army was so much better?" Odale snapped.
"I learnt good things that I have use for, yes." Septimus replied, equally snappish.
"Sep, you learnt nothing of importance." Odale said, "Please, the Young Army were nothing. They were just used to ridicule the wizards."
"No..."
"No?" Odale laughed, "What were they used as, then?"
"We... were suppoused... to... to..."
"How comes it that I remember exactley what I were doing, while you don't remember a jot?"
"What did you do, then?" Septimus asked.
"Are you really sure you want to know?" Odale wondered, her voice drained with... something that did sound a whole lot like anger.
"I wouldn't have asked otherwise, would I?" Septimus snapped, sounding very alike Odale.
"I killed people." Odale replied, instead of snapping back. "Okay? I killed people."
She had never really admitted that to Septimus. He maybe knew- Odale wasn't sure if he knew or not- that she had killed some, but she had never actually said it outloud to him. Everyone went silent when Odale said that. It wasn't that shocking that, really, but it felt weird to hear anyone admit it just like that. Odale bit her lip- it felt as though she shouldn't have said that. But she didn't want to continude on with the conversation, so she settled down in a corner. She leant against the wall, and closed her eyes. "Have it your way, then." she muttered, "No guards."
Odale didn't sleep well that night. At first, there was the Queste that bothered her, and then there were the murders. Usually, she could pretend it never happened, but now and then there were days when she felt really bad about things she had done in the past. Not just killing people, but- back when she was DomDaniel's apprentice- wanting to kill Marcia, and she also felt really bad over how she had treated Merrin. Poor Merrin. She wondered a bit about what he was doing, and if he was okay. Odale wished she had asked him where he was staying. If he now had somewhere. And the Wizard Tower; who knew what was happening in there. Odale groaned. She shouldn't be thinking about these things when she was trying to sleep. She shouldn't. Wishing she had more space, she roled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She didn't only want more space; she wished that she could get up and walk back and forth a bit. Walking back and forth was one of her habits. Originally, she had just went down to the sixth floor, but ever since she had got turned into a wolf that one time, the thought of the damp rooms were very unattractive. After what seemed as hours, Odale decided to stop trying to sleep, and instead she decided to wait for the others to wake up. But, even though she now actually was trying to stay awake, she fell asleep.
Epiniah awoke them in the morning. Odale wanted to leave right away, but Epiniah had offered to give them breakfast, and the others insisted in staying. They ate their breakfast, rather quickly, but not very lively. When they were just about to go, Epiniah stopped them. He picked up paper and a pen, and wrote: The journey to the Low Countries is long and rather dangerous. But there's another, less dangerous way that I think you would prefer.
Odale almost sighed. She just wanted to get away from the rat-man. He brought back horrable memories to her.
"What way?" Septimus asked. Epiniah continude to write;
In the Forest, there are ancient ways which leads to the place you seek. You should ask Morwenna, she knows. I can help you there by the charcoal burners' gulleys.
"Hmph." said Odale. She really started to dislike this. She didn't like the Wendrom Witches at all. That probably had something to do with her contact to the Port Witches.
"It sounds good to me." Jenna replied, "What do you others think?"
Odale wrinkled her nose. "I don't like it at all." she said, "The Wendrom Witches are not trustable."
"I think they might be." Septimus replied. "At least they were last time I asked them for help."
"You think." said Odale, "You think they might be."
"Yes, I do."
"But you don't know witches. Witches aren't all that reliable."
"Your mother's a witch."
"Do you see my point?"
"Odale we are going to the Forest." Jenna said, "I understand that you don't trust them, but, please, this is about mine and Sep's brother."
Odale sighed. "Fine." she snapped, "But if something goes wrong, don't blame me."
So, against Odale's wishes, they went to the Wendrom Witches. It took a while, but eventually they arrived there, near the dawn. They were actually rather well welcomed, which had surprised Odale a bit. Her mother had after all left the coven to move into the Castle. A very rude thing to do, in a witch's eye. However, the group was welcome to join the Witches' Summer Circle. Whilst Epiniah was having his foot- he had hurt it while they were getting to the Forest- by Morwenna, Septimus and Beetle were chatting with the younger witches. Septimus even had braids with bead on them in his hair- which Odale disliked. Odale herself was also talking to some witches, but some of the older ones. They talked about both Odale's mother, and then a little about Darke. Jenna was sitting alone by the camp fire. Suddenly, something catched Odale's gaze. She had been on her guard ever since she had overheard Epiniah and Morwenna talk about showing Septimus, Jenna, Beetle and her the Forest Way. Epiniah had promised that he had been willing to pay any prize and Morwenna had agreed, but she hadn't said what the prize was. Odale had just been about to go over to Septimus, who seemed to be enjoying his time too well, when she saw two witches push a boy, about Odale's age into a tent. The tent did not look very inviting, and from what Odale had seen, the boy did not seem very happy. She excused herself, and thanked the witch who had braided a few feather's into her hair, and went of to check what was happening. Odale sneaked up behind the tent, and listened to the witches in there: "We don't want your kind here, boy." one of the witches hissed, "We know what you can do."
"I-"
"Don't try to get yourself out of this!" another witch hissed, "We see the eyepatch."
Eyepatch? It couldn't be that boy with the eyepatch, could it? She desperately wanted to see that boy, to be sure- absolutley sure- that it wasn't him. At the same time, she couldn't just walk into the tent like that, could she? If it was the one she thought, she definitely could- and should, not to mention. Odale stepped into the tent. Infront of her stood two angry-looking witches. A look of shock flew across their faces, but then the one to the right bared her teeth.
"Get out of here, apprentice-girl." she hissed. Odale didn't reply. Her gaze couldn't let go of the boy laying at the ground's. His long, black hair was put up in a ponytail. His whole body was bruised and scarred, and the black tunic he wore were all tattered. The eye he had, which was not covered with an eyepatch, were staring back at her. He looked shocked.
"Laurine?"
"Zamir!" Odale exclaimed, "Oh... oh."
"Do you know him, apprentice-girl?" the witch to the left asked. Odale bit her lip.
"Yes... I do." she answered.
"Then explain to me why he is here!" the first witch yelled.
"I don't know!" Odale snapped, "Maybe because he was dragged into this tent, and yelled at by two crazy witches?"
"People with the EvilEye are not welcome here." the other said coldly.
"What's all this yelling about?" Morwenna asked, as she emerged into the tent.
"That... boy has the EvilEye, mother." said a witch. She and the other witch were twins, and Odale could not tell them apart, except for that one stood to the right and one to the left.
"Oh." said Morwenna.
"Morw... I meant witch-mother, I promise to get him out of here as soon as I can but-"
Morwenna raised her hand to silence Odale. "If he is your friend, he is our guest." she replied. Odale didn't understand her reasons, but she didn't protest. "We'll leave you both now." Morwenna continude. She signed to the twin-witches to follow. The twins looked very reluctant, but they did not dare to ignore the witch-mother. When they had left, Odale was left alone with the boy.
"Zamir?"
"Yeah?"
"What are you doing here? And where have you been?" Odale asked. Zamir looked down.
"I'm sorry, Lau, I wanted to tell you, but-"
"I suppoused you were dad, Zam."
"Sorry."
"Sorry? Sorry?" Odale said, "If you wouldn't been so beaten up, I'd punch you so hard. Then, you'd be sorry."
"So, not much's changed, then?" he asked. Odale snorted.
"Wait 'til I get started."
"Hey, you're not wearing the belt." Zamir said.
"Exactley." Odale replied.
"And what do you mean by that?" asked Zamir. Odale sighed, and told him her story. From the point where DomDaniel had sent her out to track Jenna down, until the very moment they were in. It took about half an hour.
Septimus had just started wondering about where Odale were, when she emerged from a tent. With her, Septimus's jaw almost dropped at that, came a boy. He was tall, about six inches higher than Odale, and thin. His hair was long and black, and his skin was tan. He was all bruised, but apart from that, he looked rather good. Apart from the eyepatch. The boy and Odale were talking eagerly. Odale waved at Septimus, then said something to the boy. He grinned, and looked at Septimus, he too. That gave Septimus a bit of an uneasy feeling. He went up to Odale and the boy.
"Hello, Odale." he said.
"Hi, Sep." something in her voice told him that she still was angry with him. "
"Who's your... friend?"
"Ah, that is Zamir." Odale said, "He's a... friend of mine."
"Whoa, I just got upgraded!" Zamir said, causing Odale to giggle. She elbowed him.
"Watch it." she replied. "However, Zamir, that is Septimus. As I told you."
"And what is Zamir doing here?" Septimus wondered.
"I was just, y'know, wandering around. I accidently stepped into the witches place, which made them slightly angry with me, and, y'know." Zamir, Septimus thought, was being very unclear with what he meant. And Septimus suppoused that it was intentional.
"I... see."
"You're right, he is a bit of a weirdo." Zamir said.
"Zami!" Odale exclaimed, and swatted the boy. "I was just joking."
"Hmmph." Zamir and Septimus said. Septimus walked of, leaving Odale not knowing wheter she was suppoused to run after him and say that she was sorry, or stay with Zamir. She stayed with Zamir. They had so much to talk about. But first, she wanted to introduce him to Jenna.
Jenna was looking shocked at Odale when Odale and Zamir settled down beside her.
"Hi, Jen!" Odale said, "Er, this is my-"
"Friend." Zamir cut in with a smirk.
"Yes, friend." Odale continude, seind Zamir a glare, "So, Jenna, this is Zamir and Zamir, this is Jenna."
"Pleasure to meet you, Jenna." Zamir said.
"Oh, hm, thanks." Jenna replied, "Zamir."
Then a little shyly, she added; "What is he doing here?"
"I just happened to pass my and some crazy witch grabbed me." Zamir said, as though being grabbed by crazy witches was to him an everyday situation. "But, fortunately, Lau saved me."
"Lau?"
"Odale." Zamir corrected himself, "Sorry."
"Lau, as in short for Laurine?" Jenna asked, "Did you know eachother back when Odale-"
"Yep." Zamir said, "We were the best spy-team there were, weren't we?"
"Zami, we don't speak of that." Odale replied, "But, yes, Jenna. We knew eachother back then."
"Why don't we speak of that?" Zamir asked. Odale blushed.
"Because-"
"Were you an apprentice to DomDaniel, too?" Jenna asked.
"No." Zamir said.
"But you worked for him?"
"Actually, he worked for me."
"For you, Odale?" Jenna was getting more and more shocked by the moment.
"I hired him." Odale shrugged, "Or, DomDaniel made me the first time, but all after that, it was on my behalf."
"Hired him for what?"
"What do you think?" Odale asked, "Helping me to spy, of course."
Zamir looked down, and smiled. "I still don't see why."
"Because you're a good spy, you nut." Odale snapped. That ended the conversation.
Finally, it became night and time to go to sleep. Jenna, Beetle, Septimus, Odale and Zamir slept in the guest tepee. They all slept on goat-furs. Both Beetle and Septimus had been reluctant to sleep anywhere near Zamir, but Odale had assured them that Zamir wouldn't hurt them. She and Zamir was sleeping back-to-back just by the entrance to the tepee. They were MindTalking for a while. MindTalking is something Darke Wizards who know eachother well enough can do. Even though she wasn't using all that much Darke anymore, Odale still had the ability to Talk to Zamir. They were discussing a very important matter; Zamir's EvilEye. Now, Zamir was one of these very few wizards', who at birth is cursed with the EvilEye. That he had the EvilEye mean that whenever he got mad or angry or just jealous and looked at somebody, bad things could happen to that person. It could either be just that that person hit his or hers foot, or something like that. Or, if the person were unlucky, the person could actually die. That was why Zamir was wearing his eyepatch. His eyepatch was blessed, and therefore the curse could not hit any other person, if he didn't take it of. Which he rarely did. Despite the fact that he had been a spy, just like Odale, and that he was a darke wizard, Zamir didn't want to cause any more harm than neccesarily. He and Odale was, by the way, not only Talking about his EvilEye, but also about where he would go. Zamir wanted, he really wanted, to follow Odale to her Queste, but Odale wouldn't allow it.
"It's dangerous." she said to him.
"I don't actually care." he replied. He could almost feel her roling her eyes. "Plus," he said, "I don't have anywhere to go."
"I told you, Zamir, you can stay with my mother."
"What if she'd refuse?"
"She won't."
"Lau-"
"A, it's Odale, B, Zamir, please..."
"Fine. I'll go to your mother." he said. Odale turned around, and gave him a note that she had written to her mother.
"Just give it to her." she said, "She'll understand."
And then, they feel asleep.
(A/N So, that was the chapter. I will explain Zamir more to you, guys. Soon. Oh, and speaking of; his name means 'friend' or 'collegue', which was not intended. Actually. He just felt like a Zamir to me.)
