by Tony Abbott
“Here’s what I’m thinking,” she said. “King Anga is waiting for the Knights of the Ruby Wand, right? We have to convince Anga that the Skorth are the Knights of the Ruby Wand.”
“Those Skorth?” asked Pinch, looking nervously at the ghostly ships. “You’ll need lots of luck getting Anga to agree to that!”
“No,” said Keeah. “You’ll need lots of luck. Because you’re going to tell him.”
“Me?” said Pinch.
“You,” said Keeah.
“Why will the Skorth stop here?” he asked.
“Leave that to me,” said Keeah.
Closing her eyes, she murmured a dozen mysterious words, and a ball of dazzling light appeared, buzzing over her head.
“She’s very sparkly,” said Pinch.
“Flink, I have a mission for you!” Keeah said. As she spoke to the sprite, Flink responded in words that sounded like the tinkle of tiny bells. The next moment, the sprite grew twisty little horns. Her beautiful wings turned ragged. Stingers coiled out from her tail.
“That’s one ugly bug, that is,” said Pinch.
“The better to convince the ugly Skorth,” said Keeah. “Flink, I want you to pretend to be a bug sent from Gethwing. Tell Nok, the Skorth commander, that King Anga awaits his arrival. Tell him that Anga has kept Gethwing’s Ruby Wand safe just for him.”
“Wait, that’s not true,” said Pinch. “Is it?”
“No,” said Keeah. “Gethwing may not even know about the Wand. But the Skorth won’t know that. Flink, you’ll know the Skorth leader by his helmet of silver bones. Tell him to come with two others.”
Keeah hadn’t quite worked out the later phases of her plan, but she knew that more than a few Skorth would be a problem, not just for Anga, but for her and her friends as well.
“But … won’t they hurt King Anga?” asked Pinch. “I mean, he can be a little … you know … but he’s our … you know …”
“I’ll make sure the Skorth don’t hurt Anga,” said Keeah. “They won’t hurt my friends, either, especially after we’re all together again.”
Pinch frowned. “But your friends are trapped in the … Oh, I get it. You want us to free your friends from the Patio … of Terror!”
“You are a noble Pinch, Pinch,” said Keeah.
“But you don’t want the Skorth to have the wand, either, do you?” the weasel asked.
“No, I don’t,” said Keeah, scanning the nearest path to the top of the cliffs. “But we do want to delay them until the royal navy arrives. According to my plan, when the Skorth come here, we’ll take the wand from Anga.”
“Oh! You have a plan!” said Pinch.
“Well, most of one,” said Keeah. “This is Phase One, but believe me, it’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
“There are icebergs?” asked Pinch.
Keeah took a deep breath. “What I mean is, can’t you just imagine what will happen when the Skorth demand Anga give them his wand?”
Pinch snorted a laugh. “Oh, yes! When you put it that way, it’s a wonderful plan! Exquisite trickery! Such cleverness. Absolutely —”
“Uh, I don’t see it,” said another weasel.
“Right. Me, either,” said Pinch. “Explain it again, please?”
But there was barely time to explain it once, for the Skorth navy was already moving away from the Doobesh coast and on to open sea.
As Flink swept into the air, and Keeah and the weasels hurried inland, the princess knew exactly what she needed to do, where she needed to be, and the moment she needed to be there.
Mostly.
Keeah mostly knew those things.
But there wasn’t time to figure out all the fine points. Time was running out.
The instant they arrived among the trees just beyond Anga’s patio, Keeah stopped.
“Here’s where I must leave you,” she said.
“We’ll do our part,” said the weasel leader. “Troops, follow me to free the boy and girl!”
The weasels disappeared into the green thickness of the jungle, leaving Keeah alone with her thoughts.
“Phase One, Flink. Phase Two, Pinch to free Neal and Julie. Phase Four, convince Anga that the Skorth are the knights. And now … Phase Three!”
Not at all certain that her plan would work but knowing she had no time to lose, Keeah ran to the base of the cliff. She climbed up the steepest — and shortest — path to the top and found the cave of the witch sisters.
“Here goes….”
She boldly stepped into the cave, making sure her fingers sizzled with violet sparks.
“You sisters betrayed us!” she said, pretending to be angry.
“Oh!” said Magdy in surprise. “Don’t hurt us! We’re really very good witches!”
“We wanted the wand because we’re old and have lost most of our magic!” said Hagdy.
“Your sparks look dangerous,” said Magdy.
“They can be,” said Keeah. “But I promise no one will get hurt as long as you … make me something.”
The twin sisters blinked.
“Make?”
“Something?”
“Really?”
“We’ll do it!”
In a flash, Hagdy and Magdy dragged a workbench from the depths of the cave. While they dusted off their old magical equipment — bottles and bowls, books and scrolls — Keeah described exactly what she wanted.
“A magic wand, identical to the Ruby Wand in every way, but instead of being destructive, I want it to do something different.”
“Something happy?” asked Magdy. “Like make balloons?”
“Or blossom with flowers?” added Hagdy.
Keeah smiled. “Something better. I want the wand to do nothing at all.”
Magdy frowned. “Nothing? Not even —”
“No,” said Keeah.
“But what about —”
“No,” said Keeah.
“What sort of magic is that?” asked Hagdy.
“The only kind that Anga can handle,” said Keeah. “None at all.”
“How about some baby dragons?” said Magdy, popping open a small bottle and sniffing. “They’d be very cute —”
“Skip the dragons,” said Keeah. “And please hurry. We’ll need the wand very soon as part of my plan.”
“Oh! You have a plan!” said Hagdy.
Keeah frowned. “It’s getting there. Bring the wand to the Patio of Terror as soon as you’re finished. I have other things to do.”
“Ooh, sister, I feel young again,” said Hagdy, clearing the workbench.
“And I feel even younger!” added Magdy.
Smiling to herself, Keeah rushed back down to the base of the cliffs. There she found Julie and Neal waiting for her. “Good, you’re safe!”
“All thanks to me,” said Neal. “I did my genie thing and we totally escaped.”
“I told Pinch to let you go,” said Keeah.
“See? I told you,” said Julie. “There was no reason to sing your Zabilac song again.”
Neal grumbled. “The important thing is we’re together again. Phase One is complete.”
“Freeing you was Phase Two,” said Keeah.
“You’ve been busy,” said Julie. “When do we get that wand?”
“Phase Five. Or maybe Seven,” said Keeah, suddenly wondering how many phases her plan actually had. “Now, follow me. We haven’t a moment to lose.”
The three friends rushed around to the front of Anga’s palace, where they spied Pinch talking intently with Anga. When the weasel king smiled, the sun broke through the trees.
“Phase Four,” Keeah whispered. “Pinch is telling Anga who the knights are —”
“Who are they?” asked Julie.
Before Keeah could answer, they heard the creaking of wood and the splashing of water.
“Holy cow! I think that’s the Skorth!” cried Neal. “This is even worse than the Patio of Terror!”
“No, no, this is a good thing,” said Keeah.
Neal gulped. “If this is good, what’s bad?”
“You mean besides your song?” said Julie.
Keeah spotted the patio entrance. “When the Skorth demand the wand, Anga will get upset.”
“Upset?” said Julie. “Yeah, a little.”
Keeah nodded. “That’s what I’m counting on. He’ll get upset. Then they’ll get upset. Then Anga will start a storm. Then the Skorth will attack. In all the craziness, we’ll get the wand.”
Neal counted on his fingers and frowned. “At which phase do we escape to safety?”
Keeah tried to smile. “I haven’t gotten that far yet. Now, hush. We need to get to Anga’s tower. Fly me up? Secretly?”
So Julie and Neal linked arms with Keeah and flew straight to the top of the throne tower. This time, they found a place for all three to hide — on a narrow balcony surrounding the throne room at the summit.
The throne room was a broad courtyard open to the sky and lit by lamps hung on bamboo posts. The lamps shed a golden light on Anga’s leafy throne.
“I can see why Anga keeps this place to himself,” said Neal. “It’s pretty cool.”
Pinch’s troops were ranged on either side of the courtyard, while Anga stood in front of his throne, leaning first on one foot, then the other, holding the Ruby Wand high, then low, then forward, then at his waist. “Pinch, lower the cradle for our visitors!” he commanded.
As the cradle descended, Anga began to murmur to himself. “Skorth! My fearless knights … No, no, that’s not right. Ahem … Skorth! Knights of valor … No, no. Ah, I have it! Warriors of the Skorth. My noble knights! Yes, that’s it!”
“Anga wants to make a good impression on the Skorth,” whispered Julie.
“I predict that’s not going to happen,” said Neal.
Suddenly, they heard grunting and the thrashing of leaves down below.
“They’re coming,” Keeah whispered, trying to remain calm. Her heart was pounding so quickly she thought it might explode.
I hope this works!
There came a sudden squeal from the dangling vines, and the cradle ascended.
“Finally!” said Anga. “My knights arrive!”
The courtyard darkened and cooled as three Skorth warriors stepped into the courtyard. The silver bones on the helmet of their leader gleamed in the golden lamplight. His bony feet clacked on the floor. He and his two companions wielded swords with blades as wavy as swift-moving water.
“I am Nok,” said the Skorth leader.
“Ahem!” said Anga, rising from his throne. “Warriors of the Skorth — my noble knights — so long foretold —”
“Since Saturday,” muttered Pinch.
“I am pleased to see you! To show allegiance to your new leader, please bow.”
“Please … what?” growled the Skorth captain. “Did you say … bow?”
Pinch shot a worried look at Anga.
The weasel king cleared his throat, and a cloud moved overhead, darkening the courtyard for a moment before passing.
“If you would, yes,” said Anga. “I like my underlings to bow. It makes me feel taller, you see.”
“Anga’s getting nervous,” whispered Julie. “We should stop this.”
“I think that’s Phase Eight,” said Keeah.
“We—shall—not—bow!” snarled Nok.
Anga’s eyebrows twitched, and a second cloud appeared. It lingered, and the courtyard grew darker still.
“But perhaps you don’t understand. I am King Anga,” he said. “Possessor of the legendary Ruby Wand. The prophecy says I shall rule the Knights of the Ruby Wand. It’s all in the prophecy. Pinch, read the prophecy!”
From his position next to the throne, Pinch shuddered. “Yes, Sire.” He unrolled a sheet of yellow parchment. “The prophecy states that he who possesses the wand —”
“In other words, me!” said Anga.
“— shall rule the Knights of the Ruby Wand —”
“In other words, you!” said Anga.
The Skorth warriors looked at one another.
“So you see, it’s very logical,” said Anga. “And thus I repeat … please bow.”
The three skeleton warriors raised their wavy swords high in the air.
“Oh, boy. Oh, boy,” said Neal.
“Ditto,” said Julie.
“We are not Knights of the Ruby Wand!” Nok snarled. “We are Warriors of the Skorth. We are allies of Lord Gethwing!”
Splat! A large drop of rain fell on the floor in front of Nok.
The sky thundered as Anga’s silver tuft bristled. His fangs showed briefly. “Lord Gethwing? Well, he can’t be very important, because king is better than lord any day. But just to be sure, I hereby pronounce myself Emperor Anga. So there!”
“This isn’t going to be pretty,” said Neal.
“I hereby pronounce you dead!” shouted the Skorth captain. “Men, charge the throne!”
With a clatter of bony feet, the Skorth leaped at the throne, their wavy swords flashing in the lamplight.
“Troops, protect your king!” yelled Pinch.
“Your emperor!” shouted Anga.
“Your dead emperor!” growled Nok.
“Phase Five!” cried Keeah. “Or Six!”
“Traitors!” yelped Anga as he skittered on all fours toward the cradle. “My knights would never do this!”
“For the last time — we are not your knights!” said Nok. “Get the little weasel!”
One Skorth sliced the vines holding the cradle, sending it tumbling to the ground.
“Oh! Oh! Pinch, save me!” cried Anga.
“Run into the patio!” called Keeah, leaping down to the courtyard with Neal and Julie.
“Of Terror?” said Pinch.
“That’s the one!” said Julie. “We’ll defend you!”
The children rushed between the bony warriors and the weasels, tripping them up.
The warriors clattered to the courtyard floor, then jumped to their feet and charged the weasel again.
But as Anga’s temper flared, and the little weasel grew afraid, icy winds roared across the tower, making it tremble. Lightning bolts flashed through the air like fiery arrows.
Keeah added to the mayhem by blasting at the Skorth, trying to hold them back. Undeterred, Nok and his companions kept up their attack, driving Anga and the kids down to the patio.
“Follow me!” said Neal, his turban low on his head. “I think I remember the way!”
Whack-whack-whack! The Skorth chopped away at the patio floors, walls, ladders, and stairs to get at Anga and the children.
“You’re scaring me to death!” said Anga.
“Good!” said Nok. “You’ll be dead like us!”
“You don’t have to tell me,” said Anga. “I see your backbone through your front bone!”
“Give us the wand!” shouted Nok.
“Not on your life!” said Anga.
“On yours, then!” snarled Nok.
With every moment, Anga grew angrier and more afraid. The sky churned with dense black clouds. Rain pummeled the palace. Hailstones the size of baseballs fell like a shower of bombs.
“This way to the ground — I think!” said Pinch, plowing his way to a lower level.
“When you escape, run to the cliffs,” said Keeah. “Julie, Neal, turn and stand fast —”
Keeah took up position at the top of a set of stairs. Her fingers aimed a quick spray of violet sparks at the Skorth, sending them all clattering to the jungle floor below.
“Yes!” shouted Neal.
“Ha! You will not stop us!” said Nok. “That bug gave us orders to bring the wand to Gethwing, and bring it we shall!”
Neal grinned down at them. “Three deadies against a wizard, a genie, and a wingwolf girl? I don’t think so —”
Nok scowled. “Then let’s bring more players into the game. Indus, call the others!”
“No!” gasped Julie. “Stop him —”
Keeah sent a blast at the skelet
on warrior named Indus, but he twisted aside and produced a tiny horn from his belt and blew into it.
Ooo-uuu-oooo!
The long, low wail was answered a second later by a similar call from the distant shore.
Ooo-uuu-oooo!
“Oh, that can’t be good,” said Neal. “What phase is the one where all the Skorth come?”
“Six and a Half, I think?” said Keeah, sending a blast of sparks at the bony warriors, then dragging her friends down the stairs to the next level. The weasels were running in circles, still trying to find a way out.
“Anga, the Skorth are bringing their entire navy to attack your jungle empire!” said Keeah. “Because you have the wand. Look!”
The Skorth ships docked on the distant shore. Gangplanks were out in a flash and were soon filled with hundreds of sword-wielding warriors. Within moments, the sounds of hundreds of thumping bony feet filled the jungle.
“They’re coming!” said Julie.
“Give us the wand!” Nok shouted from the jungle below, slashing his blade wildly in the air. “Or we’ll tear down your palace — and your jungle — tree by tree!”
Anga suddenly slumped to the floor.
“What is it, Sire?” asked Pinch.
The weasel leader shuddered from tail to snout. The fringes on his shoulders quivered. The tuft on his head wilted. “I can’t. I love my sunny jungle. I don’t want it destroyed. It can’t be ruined. I don’t want this anymore!”
With that, he tossed the Ruby Wand to Keeah.
Neal blinked in surprise. “That was easy.”
“Too easy,” said Julie. “Keeah, the Skorth are coming fast. Make more storms. Big ones. Stop them!”
Keeah felt the power of the Ruby Wand running through her veins and knew in an instant the strong magic that Galen could control with it. But she knew that getting angry solved nothing. It often made things worse. She found she wanted all the anger to end.
And without anger, there was no storm.
“Sorry, guys. I can’t … ,” she said.
So the storm disappeared. The sun peeped through the leaves. The wind vanished into a soft, warm breeze.
“Here they come!” said Pinch.
In a flash, there they were, thousands of skeleton warriors, hacking down the trees with their wavy blades.