Chase Tinker and the HOUSE OF DESTINY

by Malia Ann Haberman

  "Well, I think you're worthy," said Alex. "After all, you use your magic for good. And, you want to save them and others from my family's dark magic."

  "Good point, Alex," said Persephone, flipping through more pages. "This book is filled with such great information. Lucky for us you knocked it down."

  "Hey!" said Chase. "It looks like our luck is getting better already."

  "And after the leprechauns, we'll go see the vampires," said Persephone.

  "Vampires!" exclaimed Chase. "You want to ask vampires for help?"

  "They're some of the strongest, fastest creatures on Earth," said Persephone with a shrug. "They have super hearing and all kinds of great abilities to help with fighting."

  Chase shuddered. "But don't they, like, suck out your blood and turn you into one of them?"

  "Not always," she answered. "Sometimes they kill their victims."

  "Oh, that's better," said Chase, his voice filled with sarcasm. "Thanks, but I like my blood right where it is."

  "We can at least see if they'll speak with us," said Nori. "If they try to bite us, we'll teleport away."

  "Can we talk about this later?" said Chase, rubbing his neck and grimacing. "Let's get some practicing done. Alex, why don't you shoot some of your energy beams at me and I'll try to deflect them."

  Alex crossed his arms and shuffled his feet. "I…um…I don't know how. I've never used them."

  "Never?" said the other three kids in unison.

  Alex shook his head.

  Chase propped his hands on his hips. "When we first met, you led me to believe you could zap me to pieces if you wanted."

  "Wouldn't you have done the same thing?" asked Alex. "I didn't want to appear completely helpless. I hate to ask, but can you help me learn? I don't know if it would've helped, but I wish I could've used them to protect myself from my family."

  Chase chewed on the inside of his lip. If Alex didn't know how to use this part of his magic, then should they really help him learn it? Even though Chase was starting to trust the guy, it was a relief knowing they were safe from having the painful energy beams used on any of them. But before he had a chance to say anything, Nori took the decision out of his hands.

  "It's all about concentration," she said. "It takes a lot of mental strength to generate that much power. It'll be much more difficult than morphing. You need to focus your mind on where the magic is coming from." She flicked her hand and conjured several mannequins. "Don't worry, they're fireproof. Go for it."

  The other kids moved back as Alex raised one of his hands and pointed his fingers at one of the dummies. His hand trembled as he tried to force the magic out. Small silvery-red energy beams sprouted from his fingers, then fizzled out. He rubbed his head. "That's hard work. It's making my head hurt."

  "Try it again," said Nori.

  Ten minutes later, Alex had managed to singe the shoulder of one of the mannequins. His shoulders slumped. "I'm dreadful at this! I think I've worked enough on it for one day. Why don't we practice something else?"

  Chase wasn't about to say it out loud, but he was happy to see that using his power didn't come easily to Alex. Still, he knew, with plenty of practice, Alexander Marlowe had the ability to be as powerful as the rest of his family, and a formidable ally when it came time to fight. If he remained trustworthy, that is.

  Nori glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's almost time for Persephone and me to go, um—" She sent Chase a sidelong look. "—help my mom with her magic."

  As the girls walked from the library discussing what they needed to pack for their quest, Alex put out his arm to stop Chase. "Can you hold up a minute?" He stared at the floor and cleared his throat. "I wanted to say thank you for changing your mind about me, and letting me stay here and be a part of your family."

  "Uh, you're welcome. I guess," said Chase.

  "You won't regret it."

  Chase gave a quick nod. "Okay."

  As they headed out into the hallway, one thought kept running through Chase's mind. I hope not. I really and truly hope not.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Here We Go Again

  Chase crammed some spare shirts, jeans, underwear, and other things he thought he might need into his backpack. They figured it might take several days or maybe even a week to make the rounds to the different magical communities. They had a little over two weeks until the Marlowes were supposed to attack, so they should have time to convince everyone, get back, and prepare.

  Chase's heart began to pound. He couldn't stop thinking about how the last fight with the Marlowes had almost turned him into a murderer. Somehow, he needed to get his powers completely under control. He had to find a way to channel it so his anger would make them stronger, not uncontrollable.

  But even if he learned better control, if they weren't able to get the Shard back, would he have to kill someone anyway? Was killing the Marlowes the only way to stop them?

  He looked over at Andy's bed. "Hey, Andy, wake up. Aren't you sleeping way late this morning?" he said to the lump in the middle of the bed. "I need to tell you something before I leave." The lump didn't move. "Andy! Wake up!" He poked the top of it. "What the heck?" Yanking back the blankets, he gaped at the plumped-up pillow and bunched blankets that were supposed to be his younger brother. Chase glanced around the room as if expecting to see Andy hanging out in a corner or hiding behind the curtains. "Andy?" He walked to the sliding-glass doors and gazed down at the rain-drenched yard. No one was in sight.

  I know he was here last night. Since Chase had started to sort of trust Alex, he was sleeping in his own bed again. Though he hadn't unset his booby traps. Just in case.

  Loud knocking on his door made him jump. "Hey, Chase," called Persephone, "you in there?"

  "Yeah," he called back. "Come on in."

  The door swung open. "Are you ready yet?" she asked, strolling into the room, her own backpack hooked over her shoulders.

  "Just about. Have you seen Andy?"

  "Not since last night."

  "He made his bed to look like he was sleeping in it," said Chase, gesturing at the mound of blankets. "Why would he do that?"

  Persephone shrugged. "Maybe he didn't want to talk to anyone. He's still mad at all of us, so he's probably someplace in the house, sulking."

  "Yeah, I bet you're right." Grabbing his pack, he hoisted it over his shoulder. "But I prefer having him mad at us over getting hurt again." He picked up Maxwell and tucked the drowsy animal into the crook of his arm. "Okay, let's go."

  When they reached the entrance to the Meadow Room, Nori, Alex, and Ben were already there waiting for them. Chase narrowed his eyes at Nori. "Did you tell your mom where you're going this time?" When they'd gone to Blackshire to rescue Janie, Nori had left without telling Mika about their mission. She was grounded for three months afterward for not telling the truth.

  "Don't worry," she answered. "I let her and Doctor Dan know what we're doing."

  "And what about extra magic?" asked Ben. "I have Andy's teleporting baseball card in case we need it."

  "I have all my bracelets," said Nori, shaking her wrist to make them jingle.

  "I'm set," said Persephone.

  "Same here," said Alex.

  "Let's remember we want to avoid getting into any fights, though," said Chase.

  "We all feel the same way," said Ben, "but it's better to be safe than sorry."

  "Do you honestly think anyone will come back and help us?" asked Nori.

  Chase had been thinking along the same lines, but he hadn't said anything, because having this quest to think about had raised everyone's spirits. "But it'll help them as much as us, won't it? We have to convince them of that."

  "We can't do it standing here," said Ben. "Let's hit the road."

  Chase was the first to duck through the doorway. The meadow was as green and lush as ever. The sweet scent of hundreds of flowers filled the air. "Cool, huh?" he said. He pointed to a far corne
r. "The fairies live in those trees over there."

  They were halfway across the meadow when three fairies zipped through the long branches of the weeping willow and whizzed toward him. Their gold and silver wings flashing, they buzzed around Chase's head before coming to a stop.

  "Welcome, Chase Tinker and his friends," said one of the fairies.

  "Guys, this is Queen Azalea," said Chase, "and her fairies-in-waiting, Poppy and Gladiola."

  Poppy smiled and waved, while Gladiola tossed her long gray braid over her shoulder and glared as if she thought they weren't worthy of speaking to her beloved queen.

  "Wow!" breathed Nori.

  "I'm honored to meet you, Your Highness," said Ben with a small bow.

  "I don't think Gladiola likes us much," Persephone whispered in Chase's ear.

  "And I am happy and quite relieved to see all of you here at last," said the queen. "Let us hope you are not too late!" Her gaze almost burned a hole right through Chase as her lavender eyes met his dark ones. Even though he'd apologized for accidentally ignoring their call for help last year, she was still angry. He hoped she'd forgive him if the quest was a success.

  "We'll do our best," said Ben.

  The fairy with sapphire-blue hair flew over to Alex. He held out his palm and she landed in the middle of it. "It's fantastic to see you again, Poppy," said Alex, grinning.

  Poppy giggled and fluttered her wings. "I am pleased you came to see us once more."

  "We want to do all we can to help you and the others."

  "I wish you much safety and good luck on your quest." She flew up and kissed him on the cheek before zipping back to hover beside Queen Azalea. Gladiola swiveled her disapproving gaze to Poppy.

  "Hmpf!" she snorted. "Silly fairy-girl!"

  "Oh, Glad," said Poppy. "Don't be such an old prune-face."

  Nori sidled closer to Alex and grabbed his hand.

  "Jealous of an itsy bitsy fairy?" murmured Persephone, a teasing lilt in her voice.

  'Uh…no," said Nori, blushing. "Well, maybe a little. She is awfully cute."

  "So, we're ready to go whenever you are," said Chase.

  "The gateway is over this way," said Queen Azalea. "Follow me, please." She led everyone to a round, mossy glade surrounded by low, dark-green plants.

  Chase sniffed the air. "Smells minty."

  "Good nose," said Queen Azalea. "These are mint plants. Their essence strengthens magical journeys."

  "Will we need to come back here each time we're ready to visit another community?" asked Benjamin.

  "No. The portal will remain where you appear," said the queen. "But it will become invisible when not in use. Simply say, 'portal' and it will show itself again."

  "We want to visit the leprechauns first," said Persephone. "They live somewhere in the hills of Ireland."

  "Say you wish to visit the leprechauns' lands and you will be transported there," said Queen Azalea. "When it is time to leave, step into the gateway and, once again, say where you wish to go. But stay away from the trolls." She shuddered. "Nasty, vile creatures."

  "Got it. No trolls," said Chase.

  "Although, I would recommend visiting the witches, wizards, and warlocks," said Queen Azalea. "Many of them are powerful and are known to use mostly white magic."

  "Awesome!" said Persephone. "Thank you."

  Queen Azalea gave a quick nod before darting away. She whisked round and round the outskirts of the small glade, sparkling dust trailing behind her. As she zipped past, Chase heard her chanting a spell in a language he'd never heard before.

  "Riocht na si thar cinn le do thoil oscail amach an geata."

  Stopping at last, she brushed her palms together and said, "It is now open. You may enter the circle."

  "So, uh, what did you say?" asked Chase as the humans crowded into the small space.

  "I asked the gateway to open, of course," said Queen Azalea with a roll of her eyes. "Now good journey. And may luck be with you!"

  Chase clutched Maxwell to his chest and nodded. Yeah, I think we're gonna need it, he thought, right as Nori muttered, "Here we go again."

  "The outskirts of the Land of the Leprechauns," said Ben.

  "Take care, Alex!" called Poppy.

  "Can't believe we're trusting humans!" said Gladiola. "We'll rue the day."

  Flashing golden energy swirled up and around the five travelers. At the same time, a warm, tingling sensation shot from Chase's toes to the top of his head. The meadow room disappeared, and instantly he and the others were rocketing through a brightly colored, spiraling tunnel. Chase had to close his eyes to stop the dizziness from overwhelming him.

  Minutes later, they landed with a thump. Chase grabbed onto Persephone's arm to keep from tumbling to the ground. Quickly regaining his balance, he gulped a few times, hoping to calm his rolling stomach. "Everyone make it okay?"

  Maxwell shook his head and hissed as he climbed up onto Chase's shoulder.

  "Are we okay?" exclaimed Alex. "I feel like I was flushed down the loo!"

  Persephone massaged her forehead. "I thought my brain was going to burst from the top of my head."

  "I'm just trying not to barf right now," said Nori, looking dazed and greenish. "Riding in this thing's going to take some serious getting used to."

  Persephone glanced around. "How do we get out of here?" They were still surrounded by the swirling, golden energy.

  "We walk through it, I would guess," said Ben. He stuck his hand into the barrier. "Yep. Let's go."

  They stepped out into another meadow, but this one had a crumbling stone house and a smooth, blue river on one side, and green, flowery hills on the other. A light breeze swirled around them and cooled the late afternoon air.

  The portal vanished as they all looked around. "I forgot it's about eight hours later here," said Nori as she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun streaming through the clouds.

  "Where are the leprechauns?" asked Chase.

  "Probably on the other side of these hills," said Ben. "At least, I hope they are."

  "Why didn't we pop in there?" asked Persephone, looking like she wasn't looking forward to hiking over the tall hills.

  Ben adjusted his pack and headed out with the kids following. "I thought it would be more polite to arrive normally and maybe try to introduce ourselves instead of dropping in as if we're a bunch of party crashers," he explained.

  "Oh yeah, good idea," said Persephone.

  They trudged up the hill, every now and then slipping on clumps of grass or tripping over hidden stones. As he tramped along, Chase found himself starting to worry again. What if the magical communities refused to help? And how many magical beings had already had their magic stolen by the Marlowes? He rubbed his temple where he sometimes still felt a burning sensation.

  "Whew!" said Nori, when they reached the top. She swiped away the sweat droplets dribbling down her face. "I thought I was in good shape."

  "Maybe we should've had Chase float us up here," Persephone puffed out.

  "Sure, make me do all the work," said Chase. "Remember what Grandfather always says, if we use magic to get everywhere, we'll never get any exercise."

  While the others rested for a few minutes, Chase skirted several boulders and bushes and strode to the edge of the hill. He gazed down into the valley, and gasped. It looked like the walk down would be even worse.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Forest of Darkness

  Chase blinked to make sure he really was seeing what he thought he was seeing. He gulped and croaked out, "Uh, you guys? You better come see this."

  Alex was the first to reach Chase's side. "Crikey!" he gasped out.

  "Oh my gosh," breathed Persephone from Chase's other side. "What could've possibly happened?"

  "It's so…creepy looking," murmured Nori with a shudder.

  Instead of the lush, green valley they were expecting, everything was brown and black
and gray and…dead. Trees that should've been covered in leaves or needles were now tall, unsightly skeletons. The ground was nothing but cracked dirt spotted with clumps of brown withered grass and leafless, flowerless bushes. Thick yellow fog crept through the whole valley and twisted itself around the trees' gaunt limbs.

  "We have to go see if anyone's alive in that mess," said Ben.

  "We're still going down there?" exclaimed Chase.

  "The fog might be hiding things we can't see from here," said Ben. "We'll leave our gear so we don't have to lug it there and back."

  Chase heaved a deep sigh as he and the other kids slipped off their backpacks. "Okay, but if anything is alive, it'll be a miracle."

  With Benjamin leading and Chase at the back of the line, they followed a zigzagging trail down the scraggly hill. Dust, pebbles, and dead grass kicked up around them with every step. "It's like marching into a horror movie," Chase muttered.

  The air grew chillier the closer they came to the valley's floor. Thankful he had his hoodie with him, Chase untied it from around his waist and slipped it on. Maxwell climbed from Chase's shoulder and huddled in the jacket's hood. Chase wished he could climb into a small cozy place and hide for a while, too.

  Before long, the misty fog was swirling and twisting around them. Chase tried to brush it away, but it clung to him, like long, bony arms. He stuck his hands in his pockets and tried not to think of ghosts and cemeteries.

  "Ew! It really stinks," said Nori.

  Along with the fog, a foul smell now swirled around them. It reminded Chase of when he lived in New York City and the sanitation workers had gone on strike. Everywhere he went, the air had reeked with the stench of food and other items rotting in the bags and containers that hadn't been picked up from the sidewalks and alleys. It hadn't been a good time for the city, or anyone living in it.

  Finally arriving at the base of the hill, they hurried across the large area that must have once been a thriving meadow. The thick yellow fog oozed from the cracks in the dirt. Chase found himself sidestepping and hopping forward to avoid walking on any of them.