The Magic Misfits - Neil Patrick Harris Page 0,41
the old man go?” the voice came again, now wearing an almost amused lilt. “He’s ancient. Locking him in there all this time? Seems cruel. No?”
Ridley dared to glance back to the opening in the lid of her magic box. Dean mouthed, Please. Guilt heated her body, and she was surprised that Kalagan’s suggestion had gotten to her so quickly and thoroughly. Maybe he did have a mesmerist’s power. She edged her chair backward, flicked the switch on the magic box that released the bolts, then swerved quickly out of the way.
When the lid swung open, Dean practically fell to the ground. He caught himself on his hands and knees, then with a great groan, managed to stand as far up as his old bent spine would allow. He heaved a sigh. “I’m so sorry.”
Ridley didn’t know if he was talking to them or to Kalagan.
The Misfits parted as Dean eased toward the mouth of the cave, glancing back every few steps, as if he weren’t sure he should leave the kids alone. Or maybe to see if Kalagan minded him leaving. But Kalagan’s focus was only on the Misfits now. Ridley’s throat burned as Dean disappeared over the top edge of the cave’s mouth.
“Let’s chat, shall we?” Kalagan said. “I hear you have questions.”
“Leave us alone, you creep,” Carter spat out.
“There is no need for names, Carter. I thought you were better than that.”
Ridley watched as a blush turned Carter’s face red. She could tell that Kalagan’s words had struck a nerve with him as well.
“We’ve got nothing to say to you,” said Leila, doubling up the white rope on her fists.
“Oh, but I think you do. You must! I know you’ve finally received my gift. I’ve been waiting a long time to share it with people who I knew would care.”
“What gift?” Ridley asked, annoyed. But then it came to her. Mr. Vernon’s letter. The confession.
Kalagan’s laughter came like puffs of smoke from a locomotive’s stack. “I imagine it was quite a surprise. Learning what your beloved Dante Vernon was up to all those years ago. How his jealousy, his rage, his selfishness turned him into what some folks might call… a monster.”
Leila’s eyes shot wide. “My father is not—”
“Yes, yes.” Kalagan waved her off. “We already know what you think your father is not. But I came here today to convince you of what he is. My question: Are you ready to listen? Or will you continue to cover your ears like one of those little monkeys in the famous illustration?”
“Don’t talk about monkeys that way!” said Olly.
“Yeah,” Izzy added. “Change-O is our friend.”
Kalagan tilted his top hat as he glanced their way. “Funny.” His voice came out like a purr. “I like you two. Annoying, but in a charming way.”
“We’re not annoying,” Izzy said, looking hurt.
“I called you charming, my dear,” Kalagan added. “Don’t twist it up.”
The way this man spoke was making Ridley disoriented and dizzy. His sentences felt like sharp arrows, shot confidently, wildly, and that might hit a bull’s-eye if they let them.
“All of you have something to offer one another. Carter’s endurance. Leila’s enthusiasm. Theo’s logic. Ridley’s strength. I can understand why you six have stuck together so solidly over the past few months. You make a good team. And that is something to cherish. I long to have my old team back together again. My Emerald Ring. But Dante Vernon has worked hard to make sure that will never happen. Even after he admitted to murdering my parents.”
Ridley gritted her teeth. “I’m very sorry about what happened to your parents,” she said. “But after everything we’ve already seen you do here in Mineral Wells, how can we trust that you didn’t write that letter yourself?”
“Show it to Dante. Watch his reaction. I have a feeling that you already have your doubts about him. The man has his secrets, doesn’t he?”
Carter and Leila glanced at each other with worry. Ridley remembered how important it had been to Leila to get her dad to open up over the summer. And he’d still kept things from them. Was Kalagan correct? Were there things that Mr. Vernon didn’t want them to know about himself because they were too dark? Too horrible? Too dangerous?
“I know that what I’m saying is resonating in your hearts, like the strings of Theo’s violin as he brings his bow magically across them. I am not a bad person. No worse than your beloved mentor. I am only trying to show