Jack opened his eyes. A chilly wind blew into thetree house. Oak leaves swirled outside the window.
"Look, we have our costumes, " said Annie. "I'm nota princess or a vampire."Jack looked at their clothes. He was wearing aknee-length tunic and tights. Annie was wearing along dress with an apron.
"Camelot costumes," Jack said softly.
They looked out the window together. They werehigh in a huge oak tree in a thick forest.
615The afternoon sun was low in the autumn sky. "Sowhat do we do now?" said Jack.
"The invitation says we're supposed to meet Merlinin the heart of the oak, " said Annie. "Yeah, but whatdoes that mean?" said Jack, scowling. "The heart of anoak?""Let's go down and try to figure it out," said Annie.
She carefully placed their invitation in a corner ofthe tree house. Then she and Jackclimbed down the rope ladder. They stepped ontothe leafy ground. In the fading daylight, they begancircling the base of the giant oak.
They walked all the way around, until they came tothe rope ladder again.
"We're back where we started, " said Jack. "Wenever found the heart.""Wait a minute, " said Annie. "What's that?" Shepointed to a long, thin crack in the bark of the treetrunk. A sliver of light seemed to be coming from thecrack.
716Jack touched the bark around the light. Hepushed. The crack got bigger.
"It's a secret door!" said Jack. He pushed harder.
Creak.
A tall, narrow door swung intothe tree. Light streamed from inside.
"We found it, whispered Annie, "the heart of theoak."Jack nodded.
"Let's go in," said Annie. They slipped through thenarrow doorway into the bright hollow of the tree trunk.
17Jack couldn't believe his eyes. The round room waslit with hundreds of candles. Shadowsdanced on the curved brown walls.
This isn't possible!
thought Jack. The heart of the oak seemed muchbigger than the tree itself!
"Welcome, said a deep, whispery voice. Theyturned around and saw an old man sitting in a carvedwooden chair. He had a long white beard and wore ared cloak.
"Hi, Merlin,91said Annie.
"Hello, Annie. Hello, Jack. It is good to see youagain," the magician said. "I am grateful for the helpyou gave us on Christmas Eve in Camelot. NowMorgan and I believe you might be able to help usagain.""We'd love to!" said Annie.
"The whole future of our kingdom depends uponyour success, 1 said Merlin.
"Are you sure you wantus?" Jack asked. "I mean, we Ire just kids."18"You have passed many tests for Morgan," saidMerlin. "Are you not Master Librarians andMagicians of Everyday Magic?"Jack nodded. "Yes, we are," he said.
"Good. You will need all your skills on thismission," said Merlin. "You will also need a helperand guide from our world, the world of magic andlegend.""Are you coming with us?" asked Annie. "No," themagician said. "Your guide shall be one muchyounger than 1. He is in my library now. Yesterdayhe brought me some books I had requested fromMorgan's library."Merlin rose from his chair. "Come," he said, leadingthem to a door in the curved wall. He opened it andstepped into another room. Jack and Annie followedhim.
The musty room was filled with scrolls and ancient-looking books. Sitting on the floor was a boy abouteleven or twelve years old. He was reading by thelight of a lantern.
19"Your helper and guide," Merlin said to Jack andAnnie.
The boy looked up. He had a friendly, freckled faceand dark, twinkly eyes. He broke into a big grin.
"Arf, arf!" he said. "Teddy!" cried Annie.
Jack couldn't believe it! Their helper was the youngsorcerer who was training as Morgan's apprentice!
Merlin, for once, looked surprised. "You alreadyknow each other?" he asked.
"Yes, we met a while ago when I accidentallychanged myself into a dog!" said Teddy.
"Morgan wanted to teach Teddy a lesson,"explained Annie. "So she sent him with us on fourtree-house journeys before she changed him back intoa boy. He saved us on the Titanic. And he saved usfrom a buffalo stampede!""And from a tiger in India," said Jack, "and a forestfire in Australia."20"Wondrous journeys, indeed," said Merlin. "I amglad you are already friends. Your friendship mayhelp you on thismission.""What is our mission?" asked Annie.
"We are now in one of the outlying realms ofCamelot, " said Merlin. "Beyond these woods lies thecastle of a duke."Merlin leaned forward, as if he were about to tellthem something really scary. "It will be yourmission," he said, "to bring order to the duke's castle."Merlin sat back in his chair. His gaze was calm, buta fierce light shone in his eyes.
Bring order to a castle?
thought Jack.
Is thatall?
"Who messed it up, sir?" asked Annie.
"You will find out soon enough," said Merlin. "Weaccept our assignment gladly," said Teddy. "Themission will be done without fail!"Merlin fixed his gaze on Teddy. "Perhaps," he said.
"But a warning, my boy: you are hasty and21careless with your magic rhymes. On this mission,you must choose all your words wisely." "Indeed Iwill, " said Teddy.
Merlin turned to Jack and Annie. "And a warningto you, too," he said. "You are about to enter a tunnelof fear. Proceed onward with courage, and you willcome out into the light."Tunnel of fear? Jack thought.
Merlin picked up the lantern and handed it toTeddy. "The duke's castle lies to the east. Go quickly,"he said. "Order must be restored as soon as possible."Teddy nodded at Merlin. Then he turned to Jackand Annie. "To the duke's castle!" he said, and he ledthem out of the heart of the oak. |