by Justin D'Ath
‘I didn’t hear the magic word,’ I said.
The boss looked confused. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘The one you’re supposed to use when you want someone to do something.’ I glared at her until she got it.
‘Please help me,’ she said in a small, pleading voice.
She was no longer the boss.
‘First, give me the keys to the handcuffs,’ I said. And I didn’t say please.
25
DANGER MAGNET
I got kissed by Princess Monica. Prince Nicklaus shook my hand. And Tommy blew me a raspberry. We were in a luxury hotel room overlooking the Derwent River in Hobart.
My parents were there, too. So were my little brothers, Jordan and Harry – at least, the twins had been there, until Franky Budd turned up with a football signed by the entire Hawthorn football team, and the three of them went down to the car park to try it out.
‘Your son is an outstanding young man,’ Prince Nicklaus said to my parents.
‘Thank you, Your Highness,’ Mum and Dad said together.
‘No, it is we who should be thanking you, Mr and Mrs Fox,’ said the prince. ‘As they say in our country, the child is a reflection of their parents.’
‘Thank you, Your Highness.’
‘Thank you, Your Highness.’
‘We can only hope that our son grows up to be such a fine young man as your Samuel.’
Mum and Dad did their thank you thing again.
Princess Monica was sitting in an armchair holding Tommy. She winked at me. ‘And so handsome, too,’ she said. ‘Even with a black eye.’
I felt the rest of my face turn red. And wished I was outside kicking the football.
Until Prince Nicklaus said, ‘I have spoken to my father, the King, and he has offered your son a reward for saving his grandson.’
‘I’m sure Sam doesn’t want a reward,’ Dad said.
Shut up, Dad! I thought.
‘It really isn’t necessary,’ said Mum.
Shut up, Mum!
Prince Nicklaus held up his hand. ‘My father insists, Mr and Mrs Fox. After all, Thomas is his only grandchild, and it is the King’s right to give gifts when they are deserved. And in this case they are certainly deserved.’
The prince left the room and returned carrying a long, thin package wrapped in gold paper.
‘The gift comes in two parts, Samuel,’ he said, handing me the package. ‘This part is from Princess Monica and me.’
The foil wrapping looked like it was made of gold. I tried not to rip it. Inside was a pair of slalom skis. They were Mattahorns, the kind used by the current World and Olympic champion. They must have cost a mint.
‘Cool!’ I said. ‘Thanks heaps, guys!’
‘Sam!’ Mum hissed under her breath. ‘They’re not guys, they’re Prince and Princess.’
‘It’s okay,’ laughed Princess Monica. ‘I was brought up in Australia. I kind of miss being one of the guys.’
Prince Nicklaus was smiling, too. ‘Would you like to know about the second part of your reward, Samuel?’
‘You bet.’
‘Sam!’ hissed Mum.
‘Yes thanks, Prince Nicklaus,’ I said politely.
He looked serious now. ‘Unfortunately, Samuel, because our son was kidnapped, you and I were not able to ski together in the Devil’s Run Championships. So my father has asked if you would like to come on holiday with the Royal Family to our mountain chalet next January.’
‘But there’s no snow in January,’ I said.
The prince’s eyes sparkled. ‘There is in the Swiss Alps.’
‘Wow! Cool!’ I said. And turned to my parents. ‘Can I go?’
Mum seemed doubtful. ‘The Swiss Alps – don’t they have avalanches?’
They have avalanches in Australia, but I hadn’t told my parents. They worry about stuff like that. ‘I’ll be with Prince Nicklaus.’
‘And with me,’ Princess Monica said.
Dad said to Mum: ‘I suppose if he’s with the Royal Family …’
‘… there won’t be any danger,’ Mum finished the sentence for him.
Prince Nicklaus was right – they were good parents. But they were good at forgetting things, too. A few months earlier, my big brother Nathan had called me a danger magnet, and it seemed to be true.
So I’d be in danger even if I didn’t go to the Swiss Alps.
‘Did you know you can ski down an avalanche?’ I said, just to see Mum and Dad’s reaction.