Keeper of Myths
Page 17
His mother pushed past the others and gave Buzz a fierce hug. “I thought I told you not to leave the house.”
“I’m sorry, Mum,” he said. “I had to.”
She smiled at him and hugged him again. “It doesn’t matter now.” She looked over at El Tunchi. “We’ve come to an arrangement.”
Buzz felt his stomach twist into knots as he looked at the forest spirit. The little green guy looked excited, bouncing on the spot and whistling merrily to himself. He kept on eagerly scanning the horizon.
“Or rather, my brother did,” Mary’s grandmother revealed.
“Uncle Benjy?” Mary questioned. “He’s alive?”
“Oh yes, your great-uncle Benjamin is alive, and from what he describes, more together than he has been for a long time.” Esther gathered Mary in for a hug. “I’ll try to explain, but I’m not sure where to begin.”
“Let me do it,” Tia offered. “Once his cloak went up in flames, Benjy managed to transport himself one last time. He asked to go home. The cloak sent him to Esther’s house.”
“Thing is,” Esther explained, “the fire that consumed Benjy and Amin was so hot, it fused them back together. So when my brother landed on my rug, he was whole once more.” Esther sniffed. “He made quite a mess, and I’d only just finished tidying up after my little episode.”
“Yes, it was all quite dramatic.” Buzz’s mum’s eyes were very wide.
“You were there?” Buzz questioned.
“Yes, Tia and I had gone to Esther’s house to try to find you. We knew that wherever you were, you were going to be with Mary.”
“And we wanted to find you quickly because things were getting seriously freaky in Crowmarsh, and El Tunchi wanted his payment.” Tia reached out and ruffled Buzz’s hair. “We needed to keep you safe.”
El Tunchi began to chuckle. “Obviously, I was following them. I was waiting to pounce once they’d found you. I hid in the shadows of Esther’s house, and I heard Benjamin’s story. Heard how Benjamin had lost the cyphon somewhere when he transported.” He rubbed his hands together. “Then I offered them a new deal.”
There was the sound of wood and stone. It was coming from the top of the ruins.
Everyone looked up, and Buzz saw Benjy. No—Great-Uncle Benjamin. Benjy was gone. Benjamin looked older but much happier. In one hand he held the cyphon, and in the other he held El Tunchi’s staff. It reverberated on the stone of the staircase as he descended into the ruins.
“He found the cyphon.” Buzz’s mother let out a sigh of relief.
“I told you he would,” El Tunchi scolded. “My staff has never failed to find an object it has been tasked to discover.”
Buzz couldn’t help but stare at his mother. She seemed to be taking all this talk of cyphons and magical staffs in stride. I should have told her and Tia about the Runes of Valhalla instead of keeping them secret, Buzz realized. Instead of keeping his two worlds separate, he should have made them one.
Great-Uncle Benjamin smiled as he walked past the frozen Berchta. “Looks like you’ve got things under control here.” He held up the cyphon. “Now all we need to do is get the rest of those gods into this claw and find them a new home.” He handed El Tunchi his staff.
“I can’t wait,” the little green man said. “An actual purpose. The first time in centuries.”
Benjamin held a hand out to the jungle spirit. “We will do it together, and the path will be long and dangerous. I look forward to it. Friend.”
El Tunchi smiled widely, showing all of his sharp, pointy teeth.
Great-Uncle Benjamin looked over at Buzz and Mary. “It’s time for you both to go home. I’ll deal with the gods and gather them all up.”
“But don’t you want to come home with us as well?” Mary asked. “You’ve been away for so long.”
Benjamin looked over at his sister. “It was amazing to come home, but I understand now that I’d never really left it. Home has always been in my heart.” He took his sister’s hand. “I’ll be back one day, once I’ve found a new home for the gods. It will give me time to learn to live with Amin once more. To accept that he is part of me.”
Theo turned to Moritasgus. “Don’t worry about this cyphon thing. You can stay right here with me. I’ve got a shed at the bottom of my garden. It’s warm and dry and—”
“No, Theo.” The badger shook his head. “My time in this realm has passed. I will go with the others and find this new home.”
“But—” Theo began.
“Be happy for me.”
Theo looked like he was trying to swallow down tears, but he nodded.
“And don’t go getting yourself into any more trouble,” the badger said. “You are far too brave for your own good.”
“Brave,” Tia scoffed. “Theo?”
The badger fixed her with a fierce gaze. “The bravest mortal I have ever known, and I have known many and lived many centuries.”
“Right.” Tia was looking at Theo in amazement, and Buzz noticed that Theo was actually blushing.
Buzz rubbed at his eyes. He was beyond tired. “Okay. I think you’re right. It’s time to go home.”
El Tunchi coughed. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He threw a leather pouch up into the air, and Buzz caught it.
“The Runes of Valhalla,” he said. “I’d almost forgotten.”
“Yer keep them safe,” Ratatosk said. “And don’t leave it so long to come and visit me next time. Yer know where the World Tree is.”
Mary tickled the squirrel under his chin. “We’ll come soon, but first, I think we’ll all be quite busy getting Crowmarsh back to normal.”
“Mortals have a great ability to adapt, accept, and forget,” the badger said. “Crowmarsh will be fine.”
“You’re right,” Mary said almost to herself. “Mortals’ greatest power is their ability to adapt. I was fighting against the fact that Hel was a part of me. But she is. I’ve got to accept it and move on.”
“It is time.” Great-Uncle Benjamin held up the claw, and it began to vibrate.
“The cyphon calls you. Know, gods, that this is the end of your time here but the beginning of the rest of your lives.”
EPILOGUE
Buzz, Mary, Sam, Theo, and Tia looked into the cauldron.
“I wish for a new chess set made in the style of One Dream,” Tia said.
Buzz shook his head. “That’s just creepy.”
“Why?” Tia scooped a large box out of the cauldron eagerly. “I like One Dream, and I like chess. It’s the perfect combination.”
“I think it is a great idea, Tia.”
“Thanks, Theo.”
“I wish for a telescope,” Mary said. “Like, a really good one that proper scientists use.” She looked over the edge of the cauldron, and her eyes went wide. “Something a little smaller. I don’t think they’ll let me take that on the plane.” She gave a coo of delight as she reached in and pulled out a long box.
Sam muttered something under his breath, and he then pulled out a figure of Dortmeld riding Captain Phantom’s bike.
Buzz laughed. “I guess the cauldron is supposed to be full of inspiration and imagination.”
“Okay, my turn,” Theo said. “I’m gonna get myself some new footwear.” He reached into the cauldron, and Buzz expected him to bring out some shiny white sneakers, but instead it was a sturdy pair of walking boots.
Theo shrugged. “I spent a lot of time in the forest with Moritasgus. Some proper boots would have helped.” He looked over at Buzz. “What are you going to wish for?”
Buzz looked around at his friends and sister. “I’m good, actually. Got everything I need.”
“Good,” a voice said from behind them. “Because it’s time for Ceridwen’s cauldron to go back.”
Buzz turned to see his father standing in the doorway to their cellar with his arms crossed. “And it’s not a toy. It’s a very powerful and magical artifact.”
“Where’d you say you got it from again?” Buz
z asked. “I can never remember how to pronounce it.”
“Tír na nÓg.” Buzz’s dad looked forlornly at the cauldron. “If you knew the things I had to do to find it.” He shook his head. “It would have been the perfect payment for El Tunchi.”
“No offense, Dad, but I think our solution was better.” Tia pursed her lips. “You did steal this, after all. You always told me it was wrong to steal.”
Professor Buzzard’s cheeks flushed. “I was desperate,” he protested. “I thought Buzz was going to be taken away.”
Tia grinned. “I’m winding you up, Dad. You did what you did out of love. And it’s just a borrow now, not a keep forever.”
Buzz’s dad raised an eyebrow. “I fear I may have warped your moral compass, young lady. This is not an excuse to become an internationally renowned cat burglar.”
“I’d be a great cat burglar,” Tia mused.
“It could become your new family business,” Theo suggested.
Buzz’s dad crossed his arms. “Are you guys trying to get me in trouble with Natasha? She’s only just forgiven me for not telling her about the Saturday loop or the Runes of Valhalla.” He walked over to the cauldron and looked down at it. “It’s really quite beautiful, isn’t it? The creature I borrowed it from has been in a deep trance for at least a couple thousand years, learning the mysteries of the universe. It was paying the cauldron no attention at all.”
“We don’t need it, Dad,” Buzz said. He could hear the longing in his father’s voice. “It’s just a shame we had to wait for the World Tree to heal and ended up keeping the cauldron for so long.”
“Fingers crossed that creature is still in a trance,” Mary said.
“I’ve spoken to Ratatosk,” Buzz’s dad said. “Yggdrasil is all better. It will transport us, no problem.”
Buzz looked at the people around him, and grinned. “Well, let’s do this quick. I’ve got a horse riding lesson later, and then we’ve got to go and get the newest issue of Captain Phantom.”
Sam grinned. “It’s like I’ve always said. It’s all about priorities.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This novel, and also Secrets of Valhalla and The Book of Wonders, is the result of many hours of hard work, imagining, and ultimately believing that I had something meaningful to offer to young readers.
But I could not have done it alone.
Initial thanks must go to my mother, Monica Richards, for instilling a deep love of reading in me and even patiently typing up my stories when I was little. I was a harsh taskmaster!
Thank you to every single English teacher I’ve had from infant school to university. You have all seen something in me and nurtured it. You taught me that stories are important. That they are powerful. Most important, you gave me the confidence to write them.
Special thanks to those who have read drafts over the years and offered advice—you know who you are and I really appreciate it! Thanks, as well, to those who have babysat in recent months so that I could lock myself in the office and get some words down—in particular, Heidi Cooper.
I need to say thank you to all those friends who said I could do it—even when I doubted myself, even when I felt like I was losing the race. Extra-special thanks to my agent, Caroline Walsh, for seeing something in my writing, and thanks, as well, to Tracey and Josh Adams, for all their work in securing me a book deal.
To my editor, Andrew Harwell, I couldn’t have got across the finish line without you. You’re such a very talented editor, and I have loved working with you. I have really appreciated your patience, support, and excellent editorial comments. You always make my books better! Thank you, as well, to the whole team at HarperCollins for all the work it takes to bring a book to market.
Last, I need to say thank you to my husband, David Nasralla. Thank you for the great ideas. Thank you for challenging me to be better. Love that we are building a life together, and look forward to new adventures with you and our gorgeous babies.
Thank you.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JASMINE RICHARDS was born in London, grew up in a library, and was the first in her family to go to college. After graduating from Oxford University, she had a brief stint at New Scotland Yard, then chose a career in publishing over being the next Sherlock Holmes. Today Jasmine is a senior editor at a leading British publishing house and lives in the Cotswolds (rather near the Tangley Woods) with her husband and two children. She is also the author of Secrets of Valhalla and The Book of Wonders, of which School Library Journal said, “Swiftly paced writing, appealing characters, and action packed; will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books.” You can visit Jasmine online at www.jasminerichards.com. Do stop by and say hello.
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BOOKS BY JASMINE RICHARDS
The Book of Wonders
Secrets of Valhalla
CREDITS
COVER ART © 2016 BY SAM NIELSON
COVER DESIGN BY HEATHER DAUGHERTY
COPYRIGHT
KEEPER OF MYTHS. Copyright © 2017 by Jasmine Richards. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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ISBN 978-0-06-201011-7
EPub Edition © April 2017 ISBN 9780062420251
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