The bone dropped toward the floor. It flipped over, then rocked from side to side.
“See,” Annie said to Jack and Teddy. “Now he’s rolling on his back with his bone in his mouth. Poor thing.”
“Poor thing?” said Jack.
“We have to help him,” said Annie. She stood up. “We have to help them, too—the girl and her brothers.”
She hurried across the room. Jack and Teddy followed. Annie stopped at the small spinning wheel.
“We can’t see you,” said Annie, “but we’re not afraid of you. We want to help you. Can you hear me?”
The spinning wheel stopped spinning.
“She can hear us!” Annie said to Jack and Teddy. Annie turned back to the ghost girl. “What happened to you and your brothers and your dog and everyone else in the castle? How did you all become invisible?”
Jack felt a wave of cold air whoosh past him.
“I think she’s moving,” said Annie.
“Aye,” said Teddy, “to the looking glass. See?”
An invisible finger had begun to write something in the thick dust of the mirror. Four words slowly appeared:
“I can’t believe it!” said Teddy. “This must be the secret castle that guards the Diamond of Destiny!”
“What’s that?” said Jack.
“A magic diamond that belongs to Merlin,” said Teddy. “It was set in the handle of the very sword King Arthur pulled from the stone many years ago.”
“Oh, I know that story,” said Annie. “That’s how Arthur became king!”
“Yes!” said Teddy. “And someday the Diamond of Destiny will give the same strength and power to the next rightful ruler of Camelot.”
“That’s what Merlin must have meant when he said the future of Camelot depends on us,” said Annie.
“Indeed,” said Teddy.
“Wait, wait,” said Jack. “I’m confused. What does the Diamond of Destiny have to do with invisible kids and dogs?”
“After Arthur became king, Merlin gave the diamond to a noble family of Camelot,” said Teddy. “The name of the family was kept secret. As long as the family kept the diamond safe, they would have good fortune. But should they fail to protect it, they would fade from life.”
“Oh! So the family let the diamond get stolen,” said Annie. “And now they’ve all turned into ghosts!”
“Precisely,” said Teddy.
“I wonder where the diamond was kept,” said Jack.
“Good question,” said Teddy. “Certainly some special hiding place, perhaps in one of the towers.”
“Guys, look!” said Annie. She pointed to the wall near the mirror.
A long, heavy tapestry had been pulled aside to reveal a small door in the stone wall. The door was slowly swinging open.
“The ghost girl!” said Annie. “She’s showing us the diamond’s secret hiding place!”
The three of them hurried to the stone wall and looked inside a tiny cabinet. The walls of the cabinet were made of gold and ivory. But the cabinet was empty.
Annie looked around. “Ghost girl?” she said. “Who stole the Diamond of Destiny from its hiding place?”
Letters began to appear on the mirror again.
In the thick dust, the invisible finger wrote:
“Oh, no,” whispered Teddy. “Please, no.” Jack felt a fresh wave of fear. “Oh-no-please-no-what?” he said.
“Wait,” said Teddy, pointing at the mirror. The finger wrote one more word in the dust:
“Just as I feared,” said Teddy in a hushed voice. “The Raven King!”
“So that’s why Merlin sent for those books!” said Teddy.
“What books? Who’s the Raven King?” said Jack.
“Now it all makes sense,” said Teddy.
“Who’s the Raven King?” said Jack.
“But I wonder how he found the Diamond of Destiny,” said Teddy.
“Teddy, who’s the Raven King?” Jack nearly shouted.
“He’s a terrifying creature who comes from the Otherworld,” said Teddy. “I read all about him in one of the books I brought Merlin from Morgan’s library. As a boy, the Raven King longed to be a bird so he could fly. He stole a spell from the Wizard of Winter, but he didn’t have the magic to make it work properly. So the spell only worked halfway. It made him half bird and half human.”
“Oh, man,” said Jack.
“Now he commands a huge army of ravens who treat him as their king,” said Teddy.
“Why would he steal the Diamond of Destiny?” asked Annie.
“I don’t know,” said Teddy, “but we must get it back! For the sake of Camelot’s future!”
“And for these ghost kids, too,” said Annie, “and the ghost dog!”
She looked around the room. “Don’t worry!” she called. “We’ll help all of you! We’ll get the Diamond of Destiny back!”
“We will?” asked Jack. “How? We don’t know where this crazy raven man lives or anything.”
“Look! More writing,” whispered Teddy. “She heard you.”
Three more words slowly appeared in the mirror dust:
Jack felt cold air whoosh by him again. The curtain covering the window moved aside. A patch of moonlight shone on the floor.
Jack, Annie, and Teddy walked to the window and looked out. In the distance, a craggy mountain rose into the moonlit sky.
“Ah!” whispered Teddy. “So there dwells the Raven King! I had thought his nest was in the Otherworld.”
“It might as well be,” said Jack. “We’ll never be able to get to the top of that mountain.”
“Aye,” said Teddy, “no mere mortal can climb that steep rock.”
“How will we get the diamond back?” cried Annie.
“I said no mere mortal,” said Teddy. “I am more than a mortal, remember? I’m a sorcerer.”
“Yeah, but your rhymes never work,” said Annie.
“True, but I have more than just rhymes,” said Teddy. He pulled a twig out of his pocket. “See?”
“What’s that?” said Jack.
“’Tis an enchanted hazel twig,” said Teddy. “Its magic is strong enough to change me into anything I want.”
“Oh, wow,” said Annie.
“Did Morgan give you that?” asked Jack.
“No,” said Teddy. “Morgan and Merlin do not even know I have it. A forest sprite, a cousin of my mother’s, gave it to me, in case I was ever in urgent need.”
“So what do you want to change into?” asked Annie.
“Why, a raven, of course!” Teddy said.
Teddy’s crazy, thought Jack.
But Annie didn’t seem to think so. “What a cool idea,” she said.
They’re both crazy, thought Jack.
“’Tis cool indeed,” said Teddy. He held up the twig.
“Wait a minute!” said Jack. “Do you have a plan? I mean, what’re you going to do once you change into a raven?”
“I shall fly up to the mountain nest,” said Teddy. “Find the diamond. Bring it back. Mission done.”
“And what do we do?” asked Annie.
“Wait here for me. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” said Teddy. He climbed up onto the window ledge. His moon shadow stretched across the floor.
“Good luck!” said Annie.
“Thank you!” said Teddy. He raised his hazel twig.
“Stop!” said Jack. “Can we discuss your ‘plan’ a little more?”
But Teddy was already sweeping his hazel twig through the air. He waved it from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.
“Teddy, stop!” said Jack.
But Teddy started his rhyme:
“O hazel twig from hazel tree!
Make me a raven—”
“Quick,” he said, “a word that rhymes with tree?”
“Wait!” said Jack.
“Doesn’t rhyme with tree,” said Teddy.
“Three!” said Annie.
“Brilliant!” said Teddy. He started again:
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“O hazel twig from hazel tree!
Make me a raven one, two, three!”
He waved the twig wildly.
“Careful!” said Jack. He ducked and covered his head.
Suddenly he heard a roar. He felt a blast of heat. Then he heard a strange screech.
Jack looked up. Teddy’s hazel twig had fallen to the floor. Jack saw Teddy’s shadow on the floor, too. But it was no longer the shadow of a boy.
A chill went through Jack.
A large raven was perched on the window-sill. Moonlight shone on its sleek blue-black wings, its shaggy throat feathers, its thick neck and big beak.
A second raven stood beneath the window. It looked like the first, only smaller.
Where’s Annie? Jack wondered wildly. He tried calling her name. But a terrible croak came from the back of his throat: “AWK-NEE!”
Jack felt as if he were caught in a terrible nightmare. With jerky turns of his head, he peered down at his own body.
His arms had turned into jet-black wings. His legs were spindly twigs that ended in four long, skinny toes with curved claws.
Teddy had accidentally changed them all into ravens. One, two, three.
“CRA-JAH! CRA-AWK-NEE!” Teddy croaked.
Teddy was speaking Raven now, but Jack understood him perfectly. Teddy had said, Sorry, Jack and Annie!
Annie stepped forward. She fluttered to the window ledge and perched with Teddy.
“GRA-QUORK!” she croaked. That’s okay! This is fun!
“QUORK?” Jack squeaked. Fun?
“GRO-JAH!” croaked Annie. “KAH-SPREE!” Come on, Jack! Let’s fly!
Annie and Teddy lifted off the ledge and disappeared into the moonlit mist.
This can’t be real, thought Jack. It can’t be real!
He looked at his feathers and claws. He stretched out his right wing, then his left. He flapped them both. Before he knew what was happening, he lifted clumsily off the floor and landed on the window ledge.
Jack saw Annie and Teddy flying around in the moonlight. They were zipping about like acrobats—diving and tumbling through the air.
“AWK-NEE CAW!” Jack croaked. Annie, come back!
“SPREE! SPREE!” she called. Fly! Fly!
“AWK-NEE!”
Annie rose from a dive. In one easy swoop, she glided up and sat beside Jack on the window ledge.
This is so much fun, Jack! she croaked. Don’t just sit here!
Teddy flew by them. I’m off to the mountain-top! he croaked. Fly with me!
Come on, Jack! croaked Annie. She took off after Teddy, swooping through the cool night air.
Oh, man! Fear clutched Jack’s small raven heart. I have definitely entered the tunnel of fear now, he thought. Merlin’s words echoed in his mind: “Proceed onward with courage, and you will come out into the light.”
Jack looked out at the night. He closed his eyes. He jumped off the ledge.
Jack was falling! He opened his eyes and flapped. His wings lifted him up. He steadied himself. He hovered in the cold night air, his eyes darting from right to left. He looked down. He nearly fainted! The castle courtyard was far below!
Jack flapped wildly. He glided. He flapped again. He glided. Flapping and gliding, he climbed higher and higher into the sky.
Finally Jack caught up with Annie and Teddy. They were circling in the air, waiting for him.
“RARK!” Jack croaked. Onward!
The three of them flew together through the moonlit night, heading for the nest of the Raven King. Except for the swooshing of their wings, they made no noise.
They soared up the side of the mountain, past hemlocks and tall pines. They flew through long, misty clouds.
As they glided toward the mountain’s peak, Teddy let out a low croak: Raven troops!
Jack peered through the night. He couldn’t believe his eyes. In the white moonlight, he saw thousands of ravens roosting on rocky ledges!
Jack, Annie, and Teddy kept flying. They soared above the troops, higher and higher, toward the craggy peak of the mountain. When they reached the top, Teddy let out a squawk.
There it is! he croaked. The nest of the Raven King!
Teddy dropped down to a ledge. Jack and Annie followed. Hidden in the shadows, they crouched together, their dark feathers touching. They peered out at the moonlit lair of the Raven King.
The king’s giant nest was tucked under a rocky overhang. It was made of mud, twigs, and long strips of tree bark. Two raven sentries were guarding its dark entrance.
Okay, Jack softly croaked, what’s the plan?
Listen carefully, Teddy answered. In tiny queeks and caws of raven whispers, he spelled out a plan: I’ll distract the guards. Annie, you keep watch at the entrance. Jack, you go into the nest and get the diamond. Then both of you head back to the castle and wait for me there.
What about the Raven King? croaked Jack.
I sense he’s not here, croaked Teddy. I see no legions of bodyguards. But we should hurry before he returns.
Jack had lots more questions about the plan. But before he could ask them, Teddy lifted off his perch and flew toward the entrance.
Let’s go! cried Annie, rising into the air.
Jack was in a panic. He fluffed out his feathers and croaked, Wait, you guys!
But it was too late! Teddy was already dive-bombing the raven sentries!
“ARK-ARK-ARK!”
The two sentries left their watch and flew at Teddy with short shrieks. They chased him high into the sky.
Annie zipped to the entrance of the nest. Come on, Jack! she croaked.
Jack jumped off the ledge and flew on to the giant nest. Without thinking, he stepped through the entrance.
He jerked his head from side to side. With his raven sight, he saw walls packed with dried mud, animal fur, vines, and sticks. The floor was covered with moss.
Jack took a few steps forward. He stopped. He saw no sign of the Raven King. He cocked his head from side to side, listening. All was quiet.
Jack looked around the nest. One part of the nest’s wall looked different. It was black and shiny. He stepped toward it. He touched it with his beak. It wasn’t a wall at all. It was a curtain of feathers.
Jack pushed through the feather curtain. Moonlight shone into the space behind it. Heaps of gold and silver coins glittered in the cool light. Pale pearls, emeralds, and rubies shone and sparkled.
Amid all the treasure was a blue-white crystal. It was no bigger than a marble. But it shone with a light all its own, like a piece of a star.
Jack knew at once the stone was the Diamond of Destiny. His raven heart thumping, he walked to the diamond and nudged it with his beak. As the diamond tilted, it shot forth beams of brilliant light.
“JAH! JAH!” Annie was calling to him from outside. “CREE-GRO!” They’re coming!
Jack carefully picked up the diamond with his beak. He felt a surge of strength and courage.
Annie called another warning. But Jack wasn’t afraid at all. He calmly walked out of the Raven King’s nest back into the night.
More sentries had been alerted. They were flying toward the mountaintop, cawing madly in alarm.
“KRAK! KRAK! KRAK!”
Jack saw Annie perched on the ledge. Hurry, Jack! Hurry! she croaked.
Annie flew off the mountain. Holding the diamond in his beak, Jack gracefully flapped his wings and lifted into the air after her.
As he and Annie sailed down from the mountaintop, a chorus of KRAKs split the night. Thousands of roosting ravens rose into the sky like a giant black cloud. Their beating wings rumbled like thunder.
The cloud of ravens covered the light of the moon. The night was completely black.
“SPREE! SPREE!” Annie croaked. Fly! Fly!
She and Jack glided down through the dark sky toward the duke’s castle. The wing beats of the raven army still thundered above the mountaintop. But none of the ravens were chasing them.
They don’t know wh
at to do without their king, Jack thought. He wondered where their king was. But with the Diamond of Destiny in his beak, he felt no fear.
The farther Jack and Annie flew from the mountain, the more distant became the sound of the raven soldiers’ wings.
The duke’s castle came into sight. Jack saw the light of Teddy’s lantern in the nursery. But he didn’t want to stop flying just yet. Instead, he swooped over the castle keep, over the courtyard, the gatehouse, and the bridge, over the candlelit cottages and oak forest. Annie flew with him.
Finally they both glided smoothly back to the castle and landed on the window ledge of the nursery. The Diamond of Destiny was safe!
Jack and Annie perched on the ledge and peered into the nursery. Teddy’s lantern and hazel twig were still on the floor. But there was no sign of Teddy.
Teddy’s not here yet, croaked Annie. Let’s go ahead and put the diamond back in its place.
Jack didn’t move. He didn’t want to give up the diamond quite yet. It still made him feel incredibly brave.
Jack? croaked Annie. Let’s put it back in its hiding place. I’ll move the tapestry.
Annie flapped to the long tapestry hanging on the wall. Fluttering in the air, she took its edge in her beak. She tried to pull it aside, but it was too heavy. She let go.
I can’t move it, she croaked, not as long as I’m a raven. I guess we’ll have to wait for Teddy to change us back into ourselves.
She flapped to the window ledge and landed beside Jack. Jack was relieved. The longer he could hold on to the diamond, the better.
Hey! croaked Annie. Maybe we could use Teddy’s magic hazel twig ourselves! I can come up with better rhymes than him anyway. It won’t hurt to try.
Jack shook his head. But Annie didn’t notice. She hopped down to the hazel twig under the window. She carefully picked it up with her beak.
She fluttered back up to the ledge beside Jack. Then she moved her head from side to side, passing the twig over Jack’s feathered head, his body, his wings, and his claws. The twig passed over her feathery body and wings as well.
With the twig still in her beak, she made a deep croaking sound.
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve Page 3