Chapter 13
"Now let us get down to brass tacks. How did you know the man I suspected would be a Nome?" King Tahir asked. The heads of state had been ushered down to the large meeting room while the other guests were allowed to continue to enjoy the party or go to their rooms.
"I didn't. The spell I cast would only work to reverse any spells that had been put on him by the Nome King. He has very limited magic but some of the spells he can whip up are only reversible by ones such as myself or Princess Elphaba or Lady Glinda. You had suspicions though which means that there is still hope," Zixi said.
"Why send a spy? Councilman Lake has been here for years and no action was taken. What about now makes things so special?" Glinda wanted to know.
"While not known for their patience, Nomes are immortal, so if they need to wait for kingdoms to rise and fall, they will. They hate those they call "Upstairs People", or those that can dwell on the surface without magic, because Nomes cannot survive aboveground. That is why I needed to recast the cover spell for Councilman Lake, without it, he would die before we could get answers out of him. As for now, legend states that the first born of the one from both worlds shall be even more powerful than their mother. That being said, Elphaba married a Vinkun Prince. While those from the Vinkus are not known for their magical abilities, they have the ability to commune the closest with nature and with all of nature's creations out of everyone in Oz. It is why there are those that worship the Griffins and why they were able to get dragons to cast a spell on the desert. Should the Nomes possess the first born then Oz help those who stand in their way," Zixi explained.
"Great Oz," Elphaba murmured. She felt Fiyero's hand grab hers and give it a squeeze.
"So they are coming for Zara," Queen Ayla frowned.
"That is my best guess. Crystal balls do not work to see what is beneath your feet so I am only guessing. However, my spies have seen movement aboveground as it heaves while the Nomes dig their tunnels. They are up to something," the foreign Queen said.
"How do they intend to enter Oz if the desert is not available to them?" Mopsi spoke up.
"I originally believed they would try to come the way my spy did through an old tunnel beneath the portion of desert that separates Ix from the Gillikin. All they would need to do would be to tunnel to it through the desert and around the section that the dragons had sealed off. But there is only one tunnel that remains in good shape and so far it has not been penetrated. What makes this more urgent are the rumors that they have found the last remaining dragon. Supposedly, he hid in the Dominions of the Nome King for his own safety once Morrible sent men out to kill his brethren. Since the Nomes could find no way to survive on the surface then he would be safe. You see casting one covering spell is easy but the Nome King doesn't have the power to cast multiple spells. My guess is that it was taking everything he had to continue Lake's cover," Zixi unloaded more of what she knew.
"A dragon?" Councilman Ta'rek couldn't believe it.
"One that could reverse the spell on the desert and send the Nomes right to the Vinkun doorstep," the Queen said.
"Now that Lake's cover is blown, they'll try to act quickly," Elphaba frowned.
"That would be my guess but only if they've convinced the dragon to help them. While Nomes are known for their trickery, they are speaking to a master of trickery and it would not surprise me if they do not succeed at first. However, some dragons can be easily bought with the promise of riches and jewels, of which the Nomes have plenty, since they spend all their time digging for them," Zixi told them.
"So we have a fifty/fifty shot that a dragon could be in our laps any minute," Fiyero spoke up.
"Or troops overrunning our home," Lord Arduenna frowned.
"I suggest that we beef up our borders and put every Ozian citizen on alert. If we are to fight them, we must be ready," Councilwoman Ama spoke up.
"Then might I suggest something?" Zixi asked.
"Of course," Elphaba said.
"Why not booby trap the tunnel that my spy used? Should they not want to wait for the dragon, we should at least make it harder for them," Zixi said.
"Then your troops will be unable to render aid to us if we need it," Fiyero pointed out.
"As a sign of good faith, I will give you a battalion of my own troops. We will then booby trap the tunnel and if the Nomes try to use it, they'll find they made a mistake," she shrugged as if a battalion of troops was no big deal.
"Then it is agreed. Let's get to work," King Tahir said.
To Be Continued…