Children of the Red King Book 05 Charlie Bone and the Hidden King

by Jenny Nimmo

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  "I think Charlie is trying to tell me that someone we hoped might have come hasn't," said Paton. "It doesn't surprise me, however." He was looking at the door when he said this, and an expression of relief and surprise crossed his face when Bartholomew Bloor walked in. He was followed by Naren and her mother.

  Bartholomew saw Paton at once. You could hardly miss a man in dark glasses who was a head taller than everyone else. The explorer walked straight over to Paton and said gruffly, "Paton, I would like to introduce my wife, Meng, and my daughter, Naren."

  Paton stood up and everyone shook hands.

  "I would also like to apologize," Bartholomew went on, a little awkwardly. "Charlie made me take a good look at myself and I want you to know that I am not like the rest of my family."

  "Of course you are not," said Paton, grasping Bartholomew's hand in both of his.

  Bartholomew lowered his voice and said, "Now then,

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  what are we supposed to do while the children are - otherwise engaged?"

  "Nothing, Bart," said Paton. "Just be alert. I think we should start quite soon." He looked at his watch and then spoke to Naren. "My dear, would you go over to Charlie and tell him, very quietly, that it is time? Then go with him up to the counter. He'll know what to do next."

  "Yes, Mr. Yewbeam." With an eager smile, Naren made her way over to Charlie and whispered, "It's time."

  Charlie stood up and Benjamin said, "Good luck, Charlie!"

  As Charlie and Naren walked toward the counter, Charlie tapped Tancred and Lysander on the shoulder. The two boys gave no sign that they had felt anything but a minute after Charlie and Naren had disappeared around the counter, they left their table and followed, Tancred poking Billy and Gabriel in the back as he walked behind them.

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  The Onimouses' kitchen gradually filled with endowed children. Not a word was said. Every one of them was aware that this was, perhaps, the most important day of their lives.

  Mrs. Onimous had given Una a cup of soothing chamomile tea, and the little girl was much calmer than usual, though her dark eyes sparkled with anticipation.

  Charlie noticed several of the others glancing curiously at Naren and he quickly introduced her as a friend who'd been in hiding. "She has a pretty amazing talent, too," he added.

  When all nine children were assembled, Mr. Onimous cleared his throat and made a small speech. "Ahem, we all know why we are here, but before we go any further, I'd just like to say that I am now going to show you a place that has remained secret for many centuries. It is a tunnel known only to my family, with the exception of Charlie and Billy. It leads into... the Red Castle. I would ask you, please, to keep it a secret. Do I have your word on this?"

  Everyone earnestly murmured, "Yes, sir."

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  "Thank you. I shall lead the way, with Una. I suggest the rest of you walk in single file." Mr. Onimous picked up a lantern from the table and made for a small door at the other end of the kitchen.

  "Excuse me," called Tancred. "But does anyone know where we're going once we're in the ruin?"

  "Yes," Emma said calmly. "There are two old walls, with room for maybe two people between them. They go very straight for about half a mile, and then they go around and around, like a snail shell; the king is in a glade at the very end."

  At the mention of the king, everyone moved solemnly into line. Mr. Onimous opened the door and Charlie, following right behind, found himself in the familiar storeroom. When they reached the cavern where a sack of potatoes hid the secret door, Mr. Onimous waited until all the children had crowded into the small, musty room.

  "We are about to enter the tunnel," Mr. Onimous said, almost in a whisper. "Be prepared. It is very dark; it is damp; it is a little airless. It goes a very long way.

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  Lysander, my man, I suggest you bring up the rear, with Tancred. You others can go anywhere in the middle. Lysander will close the door when you are all through. Are we ready?"

  Everyone nodded. Afewsaid, Yes, sir." Mr. Onimous hauled a large sack away from the wall, revealing a very low and ancient door. The little man reached inside his woolly jacket and brought out a small key on a gold chain. Fitting the key to the lock, he turned it once and the door swung inward with a loud creak. It was no higher than Mr. Onimous and the taller boys had to bend their heads to get through it.

  Holding the lantern as high as he could, Mr. Onimous clutched Una's hand and led the way forward. Emma walked behind them, ready to give instructions once they were in the ruin. Naren followed Emma, and Billy slipped in behind Naren. Then came Charlie, followed by Olivia, Gabriel, and Tancred. Lysander brought up the rear.

  Everything Mr. Onimous had said about the tunnel proved to be true, but it was darker, damper, and

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  stuffier than anyone had expected. Gabriel began to cough. Charlie took deep breaths and steadied himself against the damp wall. Behind him Olivia gave a little cry as she tripped on a stone, bumped into Charlie, and tumbled to the ground.

  "I can't see a thing," Olivia moaned.

  "You just couldn't resist wearing those pointy boots, could you?" said Charlie, helping her to her feet.

  The lantern light was very distant now, and those at the back began to stumble into one another. Charlie was about to change places with Olivia when Billy turned around and handed him a lighted candle.

  "Pass it down," Billy whispered. "I've got five."

  Charlie gave the candle to Olivia, whispering, "Pass it on."

  When all five candles were held aloft it was as though the tunnel were filled with moonlight. But more than brightness, the candles brought comfort to the anxious children; the air seemed fresher, their feet lighter, and even though they had to go almost another mile, the time passed very quickly.

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  They emerged, at last, into a wood of thin birch trees. Straight ahead were the two walls.

  "No running," Mr. Onimous commanded. "Let's be careful now."

  The path between the walls began in the wood, but in a few paces they were out of the trees and walking beneath a blue sky streaked with crimson clouds.

  "Sunset," Charlie said to himself.

  Everyone had fallen silent again. The only sound came from the ground as they marched over the ancient stone pathway. When they began to round the twisting corners of the snail shell,. Charlie's heart beat so wildly he had to press his hand over it. Beside him, Emma said, "Soon."

  And then they were there.

  The queen was waiting for them beside the tree. She whinnied softly and trotted toward them, tossing her head in greeting. And then she walked away and left them with the king.

  They stood before the towering, fiery tree with

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  wide eyes and upturned faces, but words failed them. They saw the dark streams coursing down the trunk and, instinctively, they moved closer.

  Charlie had memorized the spell, word for word. He took Billy's hand, then Naren's, and began to murmur the lines. The others linked hands but they all had to bend under the sweeping branches before they could make an unbroken ring.

  "Three times," Charlie whispered. "Around the king, around, around until his tears are clear again."

  They circled the tree, their faces very grave now, each one of them gazing at the blood-red tears.

  Once, twice, three times. Around the tree, around and around. When they had completed three circles, Charlie tugged Billy's hand and moved faster.

  "We've done it three times," said Billy.

  "Keep going," said Charlie desperately.

  The king's tears were as dark as ever, but Charlie wouldn't give up. They s
pun around the tree until they began to feel dizzy. And then, with brimming eyes, Mr. Onimous broke the ring, crying,

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  "It's no good, kids. It's me. I'm the trouble. How could anyone believe I was less than twenty years? Whoever made that spell meant every word to be obeyed."

  The empty space between Olivia and Emma held everyone's gaze, and yet no one else could bring themselves to break the link. They stood beneath the tree while Mr. Onimous sobbed into his hands and the sky gradually filled with evening clouds. It grew so shadowy under the spreading branches they could barely see one another's faces. But something held them there.

  The tall grass at the edge of the glade rustled and shivered, although there was no wind. Something crawled out of the grass and stood up.

  "The beast," said Mr. Onimous, his voice shaking with dread.

  "Asa," said Charlie under his breath.

  It came toward the circle, a shadowy, humped, and hideous creature. No one moved. The beast walked into the empty place between the two girls, and Emma, with her heart in her mouth, put her hand

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  on the beast's head. Olivia, staring at Emma, speechlessly began to do the same.

  The others watched in astonishment as the beast allowed the girls to curl their fingers into its long, coarse hair. The circle was complete again.

  Without a word, the ring of children began to move, and the beast moved with them. Around the king, around and around.

  Charlie's eyes were fixed on the scarred trunk. The blood-red tears ran faster, they splashed onto the damp earth, and then trickled away in thin, glittering strands.

  The children began a second round. The gray bark was soaked in dark streams, and a pool began to form at the base of the tree.

  Around the king, around and around.

  They began their third circle. And this time Charlie tore his gaze away from the dreadful tears. They wouldn't stop. They would flow on forever, Charlie thought, until the ring of children stood knee-deep in a crimson pond.

  The tears were now falling so fast they made the

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  air hum and the branches sigh. The breeze became a mighty wind, streaming into the children's faces, tugging their hair, and blowing through their winter clothes. A cold, clean, rapturous wind that sounded like ancient music.

  "Look, Charlie, look!" cried Billy.

  Charlie was too afraid to look. A cold droplet splashed onto his face.

  "Look! Look! Look!" Other voices joined Billy's.

  Charlie dragged his gaze back to the tree. Rain poured through the branches and ran down the gray trunk. The deep scars were now an icy white, the tears that washed them pure, clear water.

  The children's hands fell to their sides. They looked up through the branches and the wind covered their faces in red and gold leaves. The washed bark shone a pearly gray as the wind carried the king's autumn robe away. Leaves sailed through the air like dancing flames, over the castle walls, over the river, over the houses; red and gold clouds that covered the city:

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  roofs and gardens, alleys and roads; in the depth of the winter a carpet of autumn gold.

  In a luxury apartment at the top of Kingdom's store, Amy Bone stared at her finger in horror. She opened the window, tore off her emerald ring, and flung it at the sky.

  "N-o-o-o!" roared the enchanter. But a cloud of bright leaves blew into the room and swept him through the window, a ball of green tumbleweed, licked by scarlet flames.

  Amy heaved a deep sigh, closed the window, and left the store.

  At number nine Filbert Street, Maisie Jones, fully dressed, sat up in the bathtub. A white moth with silver-tipped wings sat on her knees.

  "My word," Maisie said to the moth. "Who left the window open?" For she was covered in leaves.

  Leaves even found their way into Bloor's Academy. Helped by the wild wind, they forced open the great doors and rushed into the hall. They whirled up

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  the ancient stairs and rustled down the hallways, tapping on walls, whistling through cracks, and slipping under doors.

  "Stop them! Stop them!" shrieked old Ezekiel as he tried to wheel himself against the tide of leaves.

  "What's happening?" Dr. Bloor demanded, looking at his son.

  "How should I know? We'd better stay where we are." Manfred seized Ezekiel's wheelchair, pushed him into Dr. Bloor's study, and bolted the door. "They can't get us now," he said, rubbing his hands together until the sparks flew.

  At the top of the Music Tower, Mr. Pilgrim watched leaves dance like fireflies outside his window. Names stirred at the back of his mind. He struggled to remember them. He felt he was swimming up through deep, dark water. He saw a face. And then it was gone.

  Outside the Pets' Cafe, parents and children gathered in the open air to watch the fiery leaves stream through the sky.

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  Bartholomew Bloor was about to slip away with his family when Charlie caught him by the arm. "Thank you, Mr. Bloor," he said. "It was the spell in your diary that did it."

  "Did what, Charlie?" said the explorer. "Better find out what's happened, before you thank me."

  "OK. But good night, anyway!"

  This time Bartholomew smiled. "Good night, Charlie."

  When he strode away, Naren skipped around and waved to Charlie. "He's not so bad," she called. "See you, Charlie Bone!"

  Other families were now hurrying away, the children still in very high spirits, their parents pleased but eager for life to return to normal. A task had been completed, a wish fulfilled, but until Charlie Bone got home, no one would know the outcome.

  Promising to call every one of his friends with good news or bad, Charlie and Uncle Paton set off for number nine.

  As soon as they saw the candles lined up on the

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  kitchen windowsill, they knew that a change had taken place. Grandma Bone would never have been so considerate. Charlie rushed up the steps with his uncle striding behind.

  They found Amy and Maisie having a nice cup of tea.

  "Where have you been?" Charlie's mother hugged him tight. "I was so worried."

  He didn't ask her where she had been. He knew she would never be able to tell him. "Good to see you, Mom," he murmured.

  "I don't know what's happened to the weather," said Maisie, "but I feel awful strange. It's so hot in here."

  "It is NOT hot!" Grandma Bone shouted from the hall. "It is absolutely freezing. Someone tell that woman she's crazy."

  "I wouldn't dream of it, Grizelda," said Paton. "I find it absolutely boiling."

  The kitchen erupted with joyful laughter, while Grandma Bone stomped back to the living room and slammed the door.

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  Maisie had managed to make a large jam sponge cake, quite a feat for someone whose temperature, an hour ago, had been well below freezing.

  The four of them sat down to an almost normal family meal, and then, when Paton judged the time was right, he took Amy's hand and said, very gently, "Amy, we have found your husband."

  "Lyell?" Amy's hand flew to her heart. "How?"

  With Charlie's help, Paton told her everything that he thought she should know. How Lyell had been hypnotized by Manfred Bloor, at the height of his dreadful childish powers. And how Charlie had found his father with the help of the Mirror of Amoret. The enchanter was not mentioned by either Paton or Charlie, and for the time being, they thought it best not to speak of Maisie's deep-freezing.

  "Will he wake up?" asked Amy. "What shall we do?"

  "I think he may be very close to waking," Paton said solemnly. "But something more might have to be done. Af
ter all, it's been ten years."

  Amy stood up. "I must go to him now."

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  "No," said Paton. "Not yet. Lyell was hypnotized on the stroke of twelve. We must wait until it's close to midnight. The cathedral clock will help to wake him. But there's something else." He turned to Charlie and said quietly, "The king's tears?"

  "I've got them," said Charlie.

  "And Amy" - Paton took her left hand - "could I ask you to put on your rings?"

  Amy stared at her bare fingers. "However did they come off?" She ran upstairs.

  At ten minutes past eleven, Grandma Bone was snoozing in front of the television when a noise from the hall woke her up. She found Amy and Charlie putting on their boots and coats. It had started to snow again.

  "Where are you two going at this hour?" Grandma Bone demanded.

  Paton came out of the kitchen and said, "We've found your son, Grizelda."

  Grandma Bone gave a stifled cry and stared at

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  Paton in horror. Her mouth fell open and she clutched the door frame.

  Paton walked up to her. "You hid him from us very well. What diabolical cunning it was to keep him almost under our very noses. Well, we know where he is now, and Amy and Charlie are going to bring him home."

  Grandma Bone staggered back and dropped into a chair. "I see," she whispered.

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  LEOPARDS!

  The snow began to fall faster as Amy and Charlie walked toward Bloor's Academy.

  "Real snow," said Charlie, holding out his hand to catch the flakes. "Not Tancred's magical stuff."

  Amy laughed. "Come on, Charlie. We'd better run before we're buried."

  They had decided to knock until the Bloors let them in, but when they crossed the courtyard they saw that the tall doors were wide open. Leaves fluttered around the hall and snow lay on the flagstones. Light streamed into the courtyard through the stained-glass windows of the chapel. Someone was playing the organ.

  Taking his mother's hand, Charlie led her around to the chapel entrance. Red and gold leaves drifted through the open doors; inside the chapel they floated in the air like brightly colored butterflies. Lyell Bone was playing the organ at the far end.