Mrs. Rogers stood for a few moments in the wardrobe. Should she go forward? Where would she go? Should she follow Garin? No, she couldn't do that. She knew what she longed to do. She would go to Rajiisha.
Just then she heard someone in the spare room, on the other side of the wardrobe doors. It was Tumnus. She heard him call her a fool. I'll show him who goes off half cocked. Of all the nerve. Of course she knew better than to eaves drop on someone. You almost always hear something you'd rather not hear. Still, she couldn't go back now. She had to go forward.
"What's going on with those two?" It was Nob, looking down from a high ridge. Down below was the ambulance wagon parked next to a pool of water.
Resa was looking in the same direction but couldn't make out anything. "Is it Masha and Cyan?" She yanked on Nob's sleeve. "What are they doing?"
"It looks like Masha has hauled her out of the wagon. Yes, that's Cyan. I'd know that hair anywhere. She's sitting by a small pool of water."
"Maybe she's thirsty. Maybe they stopped to get some water before they went on to the palace to cause more mischief." Resa leaned forward trying to get a better look.
"It looks like they're arguing. Whoah!" Nob threw up his arms in exclamation. "She must have pushed her in. She just plain vanished."
"Who pushed who in? Who vanished?"
"Cyan. She's fallen into the pool. And that Masha isn't even trying to rescue her."
" I thought those two were in cahoots. What do we do now?" asked Resa.
"Well, I'm sure not going down there to rescue Cyan." He got back on his stallion.
"Do we go home? We've got baking to do."
"No, I think we best go check with our contact in the kitchen and make certain the queen is still in good health. If you know what I mean."
"If they touch one hair on her head…" Resa shook her fist.
"Now, now. Remember, we're not to get involved unless it's absolutely necessary. We've got to keep our cover. We can work late tonight in the bakery if we have to. We've come this far. We might as well make something out of it."
Gar was sweating profusely, covered in mud, grinning from ear to ear.
"Good game, huh?"
"The best," said John. "You know I think you're even improving. You're a real natural athlete."
"Thanks, John," said Gar. "It's good to be here with the boys, playing rugby. They trust me. I think I needed to get away from all those people back in London for awhile. They just stare at me like I'm about to attack them or something."
"Don't be so paranoid," said John. "Besides, they have good reason to be wary of you, my boy. But let's not go over that one again."
"So we're not going back to London tonight?"
"I thought you wanted to get away from those people."
"Well, everyone but one person."
"Alyndra." John sighed. He knew how the boy felt. He had felt much the same. He had more or less given up on Alyndra in order to preserve his friendship with Gar. "She's not everything you know."
"She's not?"
"No, she's not." He ruffled Gar's hair. "Besides, you are young. You should meet more women before you settle down with just one. You might find you like someone else better."
"Not me. Alyndra is the only one for me. I know it."
"If I had a pound for every time I'd said that I'd be rich."
"You are rich. Aren't you?" asked Gar.
"Well, in a way. But I didn't make money by talking about girls, that's for sure. Now, let's get back to the inn. Vic and Lily will be looking for us. I saw them at the sidelines today."
Cyan pulled herself out of the pool. She was surprised that she wasn't wet. She'd forgotten about that. Somehow she felt even worse in the woods. She struggled to breath. Each breath hurt. But she managed to get up on her feet. There it was. The door to the wardrobe. It was so close. If she could just get through the door, she would be whole again. She pushed on, gasping with each breath. She reached out to the door.
Mrs. Rogers pushed through the fur coats and swung open the door, striking Cyan and sending her down to the ground. Mrs. Rogers looked down to see what she'd hit.
"It's you!"
"Yes, it's me," cried Cyan. "Now let me through those doors." Cyan rose to her feet. Seeing her enemy gave her new resolve. "You can't stop me!"
"Oh, yes, I can!" Mrs. Rogers took hold of Cyan by the arms. "You are not going through the wardrobe. Not if I can help it!"
The two women were locked arm in arm. Mrs. Rogers was stronger but something evil inside Cyan was giving her one last burst of energy. She pushed toward the doors. Mrs. Rogers pushed back. Cyan lost her footing at the edge of a pool, tumbling down into it and pulling Mrs. Rogers with her. All that was left behind was a small pink foam roller by the side of the pool.
