The Serpent's Ring (Relics of Mysticus) (26 page)

“It’s over,” snapped Evan.

“That’s a shame. Well, we had better return those gorgeous costumes,” said Mom, admiring the pearls on Claire’s dress.

“That’s not necessary. They, um, gave them to us,” said Claire.

“Yeah, as payment for helping out,” interceded Evan.

Claire and Evan’s parents looked at each other quizzically. Evan’s palms were sweaty. Roughly and urgently, he wiped them over his white tunic and baggy pants.

After a long, torturing silence, their Dad said, “Well, you missed the clock tower. What do you want to see next?”

“We’re game for whatever. Right, Evan?” said Claire, staring at her brother expectantly.

“Yeah, we’ll go wherever you want,” agreed Evan.

“It’s getting a little hot outside. Why don’t we head indoors,” Dad said and started to walk. “Ah, if only each item could speak. They’d have quite a fascinating story to tell. Did you know a room from the very first Holiday Inn is sitting inside, right now? And next to that is the very first …”

Dad continued with his historical dissertation about many of the artifacts they would soon get to see. This time, Evan tried to pay closer attention and discovered it was sort of interesting after all.

A couple of days later, life had returned to normal—a very calm, nice normal. Evan no longer dreamt of colorful stingrays and terrifying bull sharks. In fact, each morning he struggled, trying to remember his dreams but couldn’t. As was typical on weekdays, his parents returned to work. And since Claire and Evan were still on summer vacation, they were left on their own.

Claire spent much of her time staring into her golden locket. Sometimes, she spoke with Sigurd. Sometimes, she simply viewed the world they had just left. One day, Evan overheard her speaking with Vor, asking all sorts of questions.

Evan had returned to playing video games and watching TV. But it felt less satisfying than it had before. Surprisingly, he was restless, anxious to go on another adventure. And although he and Claire got along much better after their quest, they barely spoke. Whenever they were alone, he desperately wanted to rehash events from their journey. But all he had to do was look at Claire’s saddened face and know some things were better left unsaid.

It was on a Thursday morning when he felt enough time had passed to approach his sister. Even if she didn’t care to, he needed to talk about what had happened.

He found her in the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal.

“Claire, can we talk about Sagaas?” he asked.

“Sure,” she said, and he joined her at the table.

“Vor said we would return one day,” started Evan. “Has she given you any more information?”

“No, she won’t reveal information about the future. All she says is that in time, events will unfold. You’re just going to have to hang tight.”

“Right,” Evan sighed. “Hey, do you think Dad will take us back to Greenfield Village this weekend? I’d really like to see Dunkle and Barfel.”

Without warning—POP!—Dunkle and Barfel arrived in Evan’s kitchen. The entire area instantly smelled like pine and cedar. Evan inhaled the woodland scent and smiled.

“What are you doing here?” Claire asked, also grinning.

“Did you not call? I distinctly believe I heard my name,” said Dunkle.

“You did! You did!” cheered Barfel.

“Wait a minute. You can come to us when we say your name?” Evan asked. “You failed to mention that before.”

“Hum, I am mentioning it to you now,” said Dunkle. “Besides, we are not able to teleport in Sagaas, only in your world.”

“It’s good to see you both,” said Claire, smiling more than she had in days.

“So, where did you hide the Serpent’s Ring?” Evan asked curiously. He had been wondering about its whereabouts for days now.

Dunkle and Barfel looked sheepishly at each other, and then Dunkle approached Evan. He removed the Serpent’s Ring from behind his back and offered it to him.

“You haven’t hidden it yet?” Evan asked anxiously.

“In a word, no,” said Dunkle.

“We tried! We tried!” exclaimed Barfel.

“We have tried, but we have not been able to find a suitable location,” said Dunkle.

“We could hide the Serpent’s Ring here,” interjected Claire.

“It can’t stay here! Have you lost your mind?” yelled Evan.

“And you guys could stay in the basement,” rationalized Claire. “Mom and Dad never go down there. This way, we can help protect the Serpent’s Ring. Besides, Evan, the only way to return to Sagaas is to open a portal. We’ll need to have access to the Serpent’s Ring if we want to go back.”

“Yippee! Yippee!” Barfel hollered and danced around the kitchen, leaping onto the center island and twirling.

“Dunkle, if you stay here, Barfel can’t do that in the main part of the house,” said Evan. “In fact, you’ll have to stay down in the basement.”

“Your parents will not be able to see us,” said Dunkle.

“Right, but they will be able to see the mess Barfel makes,” Evan said and cringed. Barfel had just knocked down some lids from a hanging pot-rack with his wings.

“Good point,” said Dunkle.

“Come on. Let’s go to the basement,” said Evan. “We need to find a good hiding spot for the Serpent’s Ring.”

“And help our guests settle in. Dunkle, Barfel, right this way,” Claire said politely and led them to the stairs.

Her foot hadn’t reached the bottom step before Dunkle and Barfel had nudged her aside and were running around the basement. Evan flicked on the light and watched the two imps explore. Unfortunately, they wanted to explore every single thing within view, and some things that were not.

“Remember, you shouldn’t have to go upstairs for anything,” said Evan. “Claire and I will bring you food. There’s a bathroom right over there, where you'll find a nice shower and scented soap. Please feel free to use a lot of it. And try not to make it too obvious that you guys are living down here. You know, just in case Mom or Dad do come down here.”

“Evan, relax,” reassured Claire. “The imps will be fine. Come on, we need to find a good hiding place.”

Evan leaned closer to Claire and said in a hushed tone, “All right, but I have a funny feeling our lives will never be the same.”

THE END

Coming Soon

Relics of Mysticus:

Book Two

THE TRICKSTER’S TOTEM

Magical Food Recipes

POPPIN-DROPPIN CHOCOLATE CRÈME CENTER

2 eggs

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon cold water

1 teaspoon sweet-cream butter, softened

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

2 tablespoons chocolate truffle guffle (for purpose of multiplication)*

1. Use a whisk to beat eggs in a medium bowl. Now, spin around the floor 6 times.

2. Stir the granulated sugar, cornstarch, semi-sweet chocolate morsels, and chocolate truffle guffle in a saucepan.

3. Add milk and stir until the mixture is smooth.

4. Cook and stir over medium heat, until mixture boils and thickens. Chant, “Poppin-Droppin, Poppin-Droppin”.

5. Remove saucepan from heat. Gradually stir half the milk into the eggs.

6. Return egg mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.

7. Remove saucepan from heat and place on a hot pad.

8. It is imperative at this point that you drop to the floor and hop like a frog. Repeat 5 times.

9. Fold the whipped cream into chocolate cream. Cover and refrigerate the cream mixture for 15 minutes or until well chilled. Clap, clap, clap.

PUFFED PASTRY FOR THE POPPIN-DROPPIN

1 cup water

1/2 cup sweet-cream butter

1 cup sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

2 tablespoons pink pixie crystals (for purpose of bouncing)*

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 F. In a saucepan, heat water and butter to a rolling boil.

2. Stir in flour, pink pixie crystals and salt. Continue to stir vigorously over low heat, until mixture leaves the pan and forms into a ball (about 1 minute).

3. Remove from heat. Chant, “Puffin, puffin, puffin! Up!”

4. Thoroughly, beat in 1 egg at a time. Stir until smooth. Drop batter onto an ungreased baking sheet into tablespoon sized balls. Twirl, twirl, twirl, twirl.

5. Bake at 400 F for 45 minutes. Allow to cool slowly.

Using a fiddle-tube (or traditional pastry tube, if necessary), fill inside of each pastry with chocolate crème. Sprinkle top with confectioners’ sugar. Enjoy!

*In the event you do not have access to ingredients that are magical in nature (chocolate truffle guffle and pink pixie crystals), if omitted the flavor will not be affected; however, the Poppin-Droppin might lose its ability to multiply and bounce.

WOOFOUT BAR

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening

1/3 cup white sugar

3/4 cup raspberry preserves

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup sliced almonds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons ground bark from dawgbark tree (Caution: might cause temporary reaction in humans)*

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease one 9x9 inch square pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, ground dawgbark, shortening, and sugar. Beat at low speed until crumbly. Use a proper bapple-doodle (or a traditional spatula, if necessary) to press mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes. Chant, “Whoof-arrough-uff” 3 times.

4. Combine preserves, raisins, and chocolate pieces. Stir until blended. Set aside.

5. In a saucepan, combine the honey and butter. Cook and stir until melted (be careful not to boil). Stir in the oats, coconuts, almonds, and sesame seeds until blended.

6. Spread the raspberry preserve mixture over the hot crust. Spoon oat mixture on top, spreading evenly to edges of pan. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into bars to serve.

*In the event you do not have access to ingredients magical in nature (dawgbark tree), it will not affect the flavor; however, it might lose its ability to cause a human to bark like a dog.

FIZZY WHIZZLE

1 pinch pixie powder (be very careful when handling)*

1 gallon ginger pop

1.Pour ginger pop into glass pitcher.

2.Very carefully, and I stress carefully, sprinkle one pinch of pixie powder into each individual glass.

3.Pour ginger pop over Round Raspberry Ice.

*In the event you do not have access to ingredients magical in nature (pixie powder), it will not affect the flavor; however, it might lose its ability to change color. Candy Pixie Sticks may be substituted if necessary.

ROUND RASPBERRY ICE

1 ice-cube tray with round impressions

fresh water

raspberries

1. Pour water into tray.

2. Drop one raspberry into each round impressions.

3. Freeze for a few hours or until solid.

4. Add to glass of Fizzy Whizzle.

*This works well with lemon slices, too.

Reference

Aegir
is the Norse god of the sea.