Josephine wrinkled her nose again. “I studied science in school, but we never learned about anything like this. It doesn’t really make sense to me.”
Ned moaned, “It doesn’t make sense to anyone. Never has. Never will.” He grumpily rolled back over and pretended to go back to sleep.
Morgan whispered, “Ned doesn’t like this subject. His mother and I . . . well . . . she didn’t believe in the doors either and we didn’t . . . uh . . .”
“She left, Dad—just say she left.”
“Yes. She left.” Morgan turned a bit red, but then a smile crept back over his mouth. “But, Josephine, don’t you see? You’re a gift! You are what we’ve been waiting for!” He folded up the claganmeter until it was only about six inches long and turned toward the lump that was Ned. “Ned! Get up. We have to get going.”
“Where?” he moaned.
“To the Higgins Institute! To find one of Brokhun’s Cracks!”
“Wait!” Josephine cried. “This is all happening too fast.”
Morgan was confused. “But I thought you wanted to go home. That’s what you told me last night.”
“I do. But we can’t just leave Ida and Fargus with the Master. We have to go get them and bring them with us through the wormhole!”
Ned got out of bed. “She’s right, Dad. We can’t just leave them there.”
Morgan sighed. “I wish we could save them. I really do. But in twenty years no one has been able to get into the Master’s estate. What can the three of us do? You are only children and I am a pathetic man with a limp.”
A sly look appeared on Josephine’s face. “You are forgetting one thing.”
Ned and Morgan answered together, “What?”
Josephine stood regally and bowed. “I am a Russing.”
THIRTY-ONE
Josephine’s plan began with a letter. Ned supplied her with paper and an ink pen and she used her best handwriting.
Your Excellency, the Master of Gulm,
My name is Josephine Russing and I am a stranger to your land. I have traveled far and heard so much about you. I would be delighted if you would grant me an audience. It is so rare to discover new relatives, and I think it would be great fun to meet each other, don’t you?
Sincerely,
Josephine Isabelle Russing
Ned read the letter over her shoulder. “‘Great fun’? Have you gone completely barking mad?”
Josephine answered sweetly, “I need to sound harmless and innocent if he’s going to let me into his home.” Josephine blew on the letter to help the ink dry.
“But why . . . ?” At that moment Ned realized what Josephine had in mind and the two of them grinned at each other mischievously.
Ned handed the letter to Morgan. “It’s brilliant. He can’t possibly resist.”
Morgan read the letter and his jaw dropped. “So you connive your way inside. How does that succeed in doing anything but put you in mortal danger?”
Josephine thought this part of the plan was obvious. “I’ll distract the Master while the two of you sneak into the house and find Fargus and Ida.”
“First of all, it’s hardly a house,” Morgan interjected, panicking. “It’s a huge manor, with high walls and a deep moat. And second, I’m afraid that I’m useless in such tasks.” He tapped his bum leg with his cane. “And I’m hardly letting you and Ned go alone.”
“Why not?” Ned demanded. “You’ve been training me for something like this my whole life! I can swim like a fish and climb like a cat. You taught me!”
“But the Brothers . . .”
“It’ll be dark by then. They won’t be out!”
“No!” Morgan yelled suddenly. “I won’t let it happen again. I won’t let the Master have you, too!”
Josephine was frightened by his passion, but Ned was obviously used to it, because he didn’t flinch. He walked up to his father and put a hand on his shoulder. “Dad. You raised me to be brave and to do the right thing. And the right thing is to go rescue Ida and Fargus. And you know I’m right.”
Morgan sat down in his chair, turning over objections in his mind. He opened his mouth to speak, but—nothing. He sat for several minutes, and Josephine could imagine him bolting the door and never letting Ned outside ever again. When he finally spoke, it was in a whisper. “I will let you go under one condition.”
Ned’s eyes flashed. “What?”
“After Josephine has had dinner with the Master, regardless of whether or not you have succeeded in rescuing the other children, you will take Josephine straight to the Institute, find the wormhole, and then . . . the two of you will go through it together.”
“What!?” Ned was shocked. “I’m not leaving Gulm.”
“It is the only way I can keep you from the Master forever. And I’ll join you in Josephine’s land as soon as I can. That is my condition.”
As Ned paced back and forth, Josephine could see his inner turmoil. If he wanted to stay with his father in Gulm, he would have to abandon Josephine and the others to the Master, and he would have to live with that for the rest of his life. But if he went through the wormhole with Josephine, he might never see his father again.
She spoke up. “Can I speak to Ned in private for a moment?”
