Kids Korner “As is your hair, young mistress.” “Oh, sorry,” Wart added. “That’s Word Wizard Eliza.” “Really, a Word Wizard?” Merlin’s eyes sparkled. “Very impressive. With such a powerful ally as your friend, Wart, why should you need me today?” “Wart needs a sword for Kay to fight in the arena and become King of all Britain,” cried Joey, “or else Wart will get in trouble and have nowhere to go and he’ll starve—ooff!” Liza nudged her brother in the side. “Don’t freak him out more than he already is,” she whispered. Clearing his throat, Wart added, “We need to find a sword, Merlin, and we don’t have much time. Can you help?” “Well,” said the wizard, “I’m afraid I don’t have any swords myself, but,” he added, “I know someone who can help you find one. Reggie!” he called to the rafters. From high in the trunk, a giant white snow owl glided down to Merlin’s shoulder. “This is Reginald,” said Merlin, stroking the bird’s wings. “He’ll lead you to one.” “Cool,” Joey said in awe. “Thanks, Merlin,” said Wart, running toward the entrance. “Come, young Joey and Wizard Eliza! We have not a moment to waste!” And he hurried out the door, followed closely by Joey and then Eliza. “Miss, Eliza,” Merlin called, stopping the girl in her tracks. “Stay for a moment.” The door snapped magically shut behind the boys. “I know what you are, Miss Eliza Hearthstone,” he said playfully. Liza turned around slowly. “How do you know my full name?” she asked, nervous. Nothing like this had ever happened before. She and Joey had talked to characters in other books, but they had never known more about her than she about them. “The same way that you know my beard is supposed to be white instead of red. Or rather, Merlin’s beard is supposed to be white instead of red. I’m not from this story,” he revealed, wiggling his eyebrows. “Good catch by the way on the whole beard thing!” he added, looking down at it and laughing. “I think Wart just thought it was a side effect of the spell that blew up in my face.” “Who are you?” Eliza asked. 32 Growing Up In the Valley • JUNE 2015
“Now, you see, that’s a much better question.” He smiled wistfully before looking down at a modern watch on his wrist, which Eliza just noticed. “Oh, my, would you look at the time,” he exclaimed. “I’ll have to be going.” “Wait!” she called to him, stepping forward. “You never answered my question!” He turned to her with a trickster’s smile. “I’ll answer your question, but only with a few of my own. Did you really think that you were the only one with such an ability, Eliza Hearthstone? The only one to cross the worlds and realms of imagination?” “Well, I never really thought about it—” she replied. “Did you ever stop to think about what the purpose of such a gift may be?” Liza looked down at the ground, slightly embarrassed; she really had never considered it. “Have you seen the shadows yet?” Eliza looked up, startled. “How did you know about—?” But the wizard or whatever-he-was was gone. And Eliza was left alone in the wizard’s workshop.
“Have you seen the shadows yet?”