by Jenny Nimmo
Alice gave a little shrug. "I have no way of knowing that. Good-bye, my dears, for now."
They watched Alice Angel walk away and disappear through the park gates. She didn't look back, and her disappearance was just that, a melting into thin air, as if she hadn't really been there at all. And yet the flowers still lay where she had left them.
"I'll give them to Mom," said Olivia. "She loves white flowers."
Charlie's thoughts had already returned to the problems at Bloor's, and he was beginning to devise a scheme for Olivia. "I think we should keep your talent a secret," he told her. "Does everyone agree?"
Fidelio said, “ secret weapon!"
"You mean no one should know except us?" asked Emma.
"No one," said Charlie.
"Suits me," said Olivia. "But how am I going to help?"
"Have you been in the King's room lately?" asked Charlie.
"Lots of times, when I've had detention," Olivia replied.
"Good. The first thing we've got to do is make Joshua Tilpin look repulsive, so repulsive," went on Charlie, relishing the vision he was beginning to conjure up, "that Tancred will be repelled by him. In fact, it would be just as well if all the endowed were repelled by him."
"I've got an idea," said Fidelio. "We all know what Tancred's afraid of."
"Spiders," said Emma.
"Spiders," Charlie agreed. "Second thing is to scare the living daylights out of Ezekiel Bloor. I'll have to work on that one."
"Oh, yes!" cried Fidelio, punching the air. "This is going to be good. This is going to be very very good."
THE WARRIOR
Uncle Paton said it would be foolhardy to use the Filbert Street house for a meeting. Ingledew's would be far better. Olivia's newfound talent must remain a secret. No one would think it unusual if they saw her enter the bookstore. Emma was her friend and they often spent the weekend together.
On Saturday evening, Charlie and Uncle Paton set off for Ingledew's. Grandma Bone paid no attention to them. She had the upper hand, so she thought. Charlie and his troublesome friends had been taught a lesson. Billy Raven was once again in the Bloors' power, and Charlie was in hers — more or less.
Fidelio insisted on being in on the plan, and when Charlie and his uncle walked into Miss Ingledew's cozy back room, Fidelio was already there, sitting on the sofa between the two girls. Charlie squeezed in beside Olivia, and Uncle Paton took one of the armchairs. Miss Ingledew brought in a plate of cookies and sat on the arm of Paton's chair.
The meeting began.
"Timing is the most important aspect of this plan," said Uncle Paton. "Are you clear about that, Olivia?"
Olivia said, "My watch is never wrong," and she held out her wrist, so that everyone could admire her large silver watch with its trendy hologram face.
“Very fine," Uncle Paton remarked, "as long as you consult it at the right time."
"Yes," said Olivia meekly
"And now you must be absolutely clear about everyone's position in the King's room. Charlie, describe the room as it usually looks when you are all doing your homework."
Charlie described everyone's position as best he could.
"It's up to you and Emma to make sure they all keep their places, so that Olivia can visualize them," Uncle Paton said sternly. "Right?"
"Right," said Charlie and Emma.
Uncle Paton then went on to outline the next part of the plan.
An hour later, the meeting broke up. Felix Gunn arrived to take Fidelio home, while Charlie and Uncle Paton walked back to Filbert Street. Olivia was to spend the night with Emma. She needed to look at some of Miss Ingledew's illustrated history books.
"I hope the Bloors won't guess what we're doing," said Charlie, as he and his uncle mounted the steps of number nine.
"Charlie, they'll never guess," said Uncle Paton confidently. "Not in a thousand years."
* * *
Charlie found it hard to act normal on Monday Fidelio's excited swagger made him nervous. "We're supposed to look depressed," he told his friend.
"You, maybe," said Fidelio. "But I'm not one of the endowed victims. Anyway I always act like this."
There was one other person who Charlie had to alert. Lysander hadn't been at the meeting, but Charlie felt he had to warn him about what might happen. Unfortunately he couldn't get Lysander on his own until after dinner when they were climbing the stairs to the King's room. Charlie deliberately knocked a pile of books out of Lysander's arms, and they tumbled down the stairs.
"What did you do that for, clumsy?" grumbled Lysander, as he bent to retrieve the books.
Charlie leaned clown to help him. "I've got to warn you," he whispered.
"Warn?"
"Shhh!" hissed Charlie. "Something's going to happen to Joshua in a minute. Tancred will be scared out of his wits, but it's not real, OK? It's just an illusion."
"What . . .," began Lysander.
"Are you two going to move or shall I walk over you!" Dorcas Loom glared at them from the bottom of the stairs.
"Cool it, Dorc," said Lysander, gathering up his books.
The two boys leaped up the stairs, followed by Dorcas, who was puffing like a steam engine.
Charlie took a quick look around the King's room before he sat down. He was relieved to see that everyone was in the exact place that he had described to Olivia. Asa's face was covered in bruises, he noticed.
Charlie glanced at Emma beside him, but she refused to meet his eye. Probably she didn't dare to. Everything now depended on Olivia.
The clock ticked, as it always did. The Red King looked clown from his portrait, as he always did, and yet — was it Charlie's imagination, or did the king's eyes look brighter tonight? And was there an added sparkle in his crown?
"The king can't help you, Bone," said Manfred in a withering tone.
Charlie dropped his gaze. Asa snickered, and Joshua beamed at Tancred. A large raindrop fell on Charlie's open book, and then another. He pulled his book away and a puddle formed on the table in front of him. Charlie dabbed at it with the sleeve of his sweater.
Lysander said, "Cut it out, Tanc!" He was rewarded by a blast of air that blew all his papers into his face.
Come on, Olivia, thought Charlie. Do it now!
Emma's pen began to leak. Ink spread across a page of her beautifully neat handwriting. There was ink on her hands, on her cape, on her face. Idith and Inez were staring at her.
Emma stared back. "Stop it!" she cried.
Dorcas burst out laughing and nudged Joshua. Suddenly, she drew away from him. Charlie watched a huge black spider crawl over the top of Joshua's head. Another one crept over his shoulder. Tancred leaped up, screaming. He ran for the door while Manfred shouted, "Torsson, have you gone mad?"
Joshua's smile began to fade. Both his sleeves were covered in spiders. He stood up and tried to shake them off. By then everyone had seen the spiders. The King's room was filled with screams. Everyone rushed for the door. Joshua tripped, and the twins ran over him as he lay groaning on the floor. A mighty wind rushed around the room as Tancred's trembling fingers fought with the door handle. At last, the doors were opened and nine children erupted into the passage.
Manfred tried to keep his composure, but at length even he was swept up in the panic.
Tancred was now completely out of control. Wind and rain rushed through the building. Thunder crashed overhead and lightning zipped past the windows. Homework was terminated while the staff ran around with rags, mops, and buckets.
Charlie raced down to the cafeteria. The room was in darkness, but far below him, he could hear a deep rumble. The floor of the cafeteria shuddered; tables and chairs slid across the floor banging against each other. And then there was silence.
Charlie was about to go into the kitchen when Cook emerged, holding a candle.
"Is that you, Charlie?" She peered into the darkness.
"Yes, Cook. Are you OK?"
"Right as rain. I don't know how you did it, Cha
rlie, but the balance is back. My floor's all nice and straight."
"Phew. That IS good news."
"Isn't it?"
"Excuse me, Cook, but there's something I've got to find out."
"Run along then, bless you!" said Cook.
At the height of the commotion, a loud banging could be heard on the main doors.
Mr. Weedon, confused by the pandemonium, forgot himself and unlocked the doors. A tall figure walked into the hall.
"I wish to see Mr. Ezekiel Bloor," the stranger demanded.
"You can't do that," Mr. Weedon shouted above the wind. "It's forbidden."
"Don't be silly." Uncle Paton strode past Weedon and entered the door to the west wing.
Olivia, peeping into the hall from the purple coat-room, consulted her watch.
* * *
Ezekiel and Dr. Bloor were enjoying a glass of port in the very room where Billy Raven had been forced to sign his oath. The two men were oblivious to the noise in the main part of the school. They sat close to the window, which framed a magnificent sunset. At the other end of the long table, Billy Raven's white head was bent over his homework.
Dr. Bloor leaped up when Paton came through the door. "What the devil are you doing here, Yewbeam?" roared the headmaster.
"I've brought some papers for you to sign," said Paton.
"Papers?" screeched Ezekiel. "What papers?"
"They concern Billy Raven. I want you to give him permission to spend his weekends wherever and with whomever he chooses."
"You're mad," sneered Dr. Bloor.
"Not at all." Paton laid two papers before them. "Sign here. And here." He pointed to the bottom of both papers.
“And what on earth makes you think we'll sign this rubbish?" said Dr. Bloor, pushing the papers away
Paton stroked his chin. "Dr. Bloor, your grandfather recently made a little experiment."
A shadow crossed Ezekiel's face and he licked his lips.
"What of it?" said the headmaster.
"I thought you would like to know that it was a success — except for one thing. The creature — for want of a better word — is now under my control."
"What? How . . . ?" Ezekiel tried to lift himself out of his chair.
"Prove it!" said Dr. Bloor.
"Very well." Paton opened the door.
There was no doubt about it. Olivia's imagination was marvelous indeed. Framed in the doorway stood a gigantic black warhorse. Lifting its great head, it gave a terrifying bellow and began to enter the room. The warrior on its back had to bend his head as they passed through the seven-foot doorway. When he raised it again, Ezekiel Bloor slumped forward in a dead faint.
Paton regarded the armored warrior with admiration. He wore a tall silver helmet with an awesome-looking nosepiece, and the lower part of his face was covered by a thick black beard. His ruddy cheeks were smeared with blood, as was his suit of gleaming chain mail. In his hand he carried not an elegant sword, but a large and very bloody axe.
"HAAAA!" roared the ghastly warrior, raising his weapon.
Billy emitted a terrified squeal, but Paton, turning to him quickly gave a large wink.
Dr. Bloor, on the point of losing consciousness, said weakly "Where do I sign?"
Paton, somewhat surprised by the speed of his success, produced a pen and held it firmly between Dr. Bloor's trembling fingers. "Better sign twice. Your grandfather appears to be out for the count."
With a face the color of a bleached sheet, the headmaster managed to sign both papers before dropping the pen and collapsing onto the table.
"Ouch!" said Paton as Dr. Bloor's head hit the table with a thump. "Thank you, Prince, you may go now!" He waved at the ghastly apparition, and the warrior and his horse gently faded.
"Wh-what was that?" Billy stammered.
"An illusion," whispered Paton. He patted Billy's head. "See you on Friday, Billy."
Charlie was waiting in the hall when his uncle returned from the west wing. Paton held the papers aloft. “All's right with the world," he declared triumphantly "It worked."
"Hooray!" cried Charlie, regardless of the rules. There was after all so much noise in the building, who would notice a few words spoken in the hall? "I must find Billy and tell him the good news."
"He knows, dear boy. He knows," said Uncle Paton.
THE CAPTIVES' STORY
On Saturday morning, Paton Yewbeam sat in his car outside the city hospital. It was a dark thundery day but this had nothing to do with Tancred Torsson, who was at that very moment watching a soccer game with his friend Lysander.
Paton wore his dark glasses as usual, but an article in his newspaper caused him to jump so violently that the glasses slid down his nose and fell into his lap. Paton was reading about a place he'd known as a child, a place he had come to remember with horror.
This is what he read:
Celebrations were held in the village of yorwynde yesterday. on Tuesday morning, headmaster Tantalus Wright and postman Vincent Ebony walked into their homes after an absence of three weeks. they told us that they had been held captive in Yewbeam castle, a place renowned for its troubled past.
The two men had lived in a state of semiconsciousness, unable to move or speak. both confessed to having felt as though their minds were being used. they experienced strange dreams in which they were surrounded by children in colored capes.
"Ye gods!" Paton brought the newspaper closer to his face.
Mr. Wright said that they seemed to have been held in a state of suspended animation and, therefore, did not suffer from the lack of food or water. he also said that footsteps could be heard above them. once or twice, a voice called out, and sometimes there had been a tuneful humming. he was convinced there had been a third prisoner in the building.
On Tuesday morning, Mr. Ebony and Mr. Wright had been inexplicably released. "it just came over us," said Mr. Ebony. "we could move, we could talk. we got to the door, and then we were out. I don't know if the other guy got out, though."
Police have since made a thorough search of the castle, but no one has been found.
Paton lowered the paper. "Ye gods!" he said again.
* * *
Inside the hospital, Charlie, Billy Fidelio, Emma, and Olivia were making their way to the ward where Gabriel was recovering.
"Five children?" said the nurse on duty "No. That's too many Three at the most."
"We'll wait outside, shall we, Liv?" said Emma.
"Course," said Olivia. "I'm not sure I want to see a load of sick boys, anyway." She looked almost her old self in an orange velvet skirt, silver top, and hair discreetly highlighted in pink.
"Come on, then," Charlie said to the two hoys.
Gabriel was sitting up, but he looked thin and peaked. He gave a weak but delighted smile when he saw his friends. The three boys approached the bed. Fidelio was the most relaxed. "How are you doing?" he said, grasping Gabriel's white hand.
Charlie just grinned. Hospitals made him nervous. They were too clean, too tidy and too quiet.
Billy was having trouble with his pockets. The moment he'd been released from Bloor's Academy on Friday, he'd insisted on getting Rembrandt from the Pets' Café. Charlie had told him to keep the rat well-hidden or they'd find him in Grandma Bone's soup. So Billy had a rat in one pocket and a gerbil in the other.
The gerbil was Mrs. Silk's idea. She thought it would help Gabriel's recovery. "He'd just love to know what his gerbil says," she told Billy.
Billy shuffled close to Gabriel's bed and put the gerbil on the oh-so-white sheet.
"Rita!" Gabriel exclaimed, lifting the gerbil to his cheek. "I love you, Rita!"
Rita gave several loud squeaks.
"Tell me what she's saying, Billy," begged Gabriel.
Billy was in a quandary Rita seemed to be swearing. Among other things, she was saying, "Where am I? Who got me into this mess?"
"She says she loves you, too," said Billy
"Oh, Rita, you're the best gerbil in the
world!" cried Gabriel.
There was a sudden scream from the boy in the next bed. "Nurse! He's got a rat! There's a rat in here!"
"WHAT?" said a very stern voice.
Billy grabbed Rita, and the three boys ran out of the ward, while shouts of "Rat!" "That's disgusting!" "Where? I want to see!" followed them out into the corridor.
But louder than all the shouts was the sound of Gabriel's laughter.