One duck was gray with black and white markings. The otherhad a glossy green head and a rust-colored chest. Both hadorange webbed feet and long yellow bills.
Quack, quack,they said.
Annie looked over her shoulder at Jack. "I memorized theduck rhyme a while ago," she said with a grin. "I knew it wouldcome in handy someday."Jack laughed. "Good work," he said.
The two ducks waddled around on their bright orange feet,quacking. Answering cries94came from overhead. A flock of ducks was flying through theclear November sky.
"Go on, Balor and Grinda!" Annie shouted to the twomallards. "Go with them now!"The mallards quacked at Annie.
"Go on!" Jack chimed in. "Fly south for the winter! You'll havefun! We promise!"The two mallards quacked and flapped their wings. First oneand then the other rose off the ground. They flew high into thesky. Jack held his breath as he watched the mallards soar away,flying south over New York City.
Annie put her arms around the unicorn's neck. Then sherested her head on his silky white mane. "You're safe now," shesaid. "But you have to leave us. I have to show you the way toCamelot. The problem is, I don't know how to do that."AH-U-GA! AH-U-GA!
Jack looked over at an avenue that bordered the park. A bigyellow taxi was parked by the95curb. The driver was honking his horn. He waved through thewindow.
"What's that guy want?" said Annie, sitting up.
"I don't know," said Jack.
The driver jumped out of the car. He wore a cap and a plaidscarf. "Hey, it's the same driver who deserted us outside theCloisters," said Annie.
The passenger door of the taxi opened, and a girl stepped out.
She was wearing a purple shawl. "And that's the girl who told usto get off at the wrong subway stop," said Jack.
The taxi driver and the girl in the shawl both waved at Jackand Annie. Then the driver lifted his cap and pulled down hisscarf. He had red curly hair and a wonderfully familiar grin.
The girl pulled the shawl off her head. Beautiful long blackcurls fell down to her waist.
"It'sthem!"said Jack.
"Teddy! Kathleen!" Annie shouted.
Jack and Annie slid off the unicorn's back onto96the snowy ground. The young enchanters ran across the snowto them. Annie threw her arms around Teddy. Kathleen threwher arms around Jack. The four of them laughed and talked atthe same time.
"That wasyou!""That wasus!""I'm sorry I told you to get off at the wrong stop," saidKathleen. "But Teddy was waiting for you there!"97"And I'm sorry I left you stranded in the storm," said Teddy.
"But I knew you'd find your way to the Cloisters!""We thought you guys were these two kids following us,Balor and Grinda!" said Annie.
"Yes, we just saw you turn them into ducks!" said Kathleen.
"Brilliant!""Who were they?" asked Jack.
"Apprentices of the Dark Wizard," said Kathleen. "We didn'tknow they were following you! EvenMerlindidn't know.""They were pretty creepy," said Jack.
"Yeah, but they actually helped us without meaning to," saidAnnie. "They knew the unicorn's name.""We thought it wasDivine Flower of Rome,"said Jack.
"I told Merlin that clue might be a bit difficult," said Teddy.
"Divine Flower isdianthusin Latin, the language of old Rome.""So do Grinda and Balor know Latin?" asked Annie.
98"Hardly," said Teddy. "The unicorn's name is famousthroughout the Otherworld. He is known for his great magic.""And for his goodness," added Kathleen.
"We know about his goodness," said Annie. "When he ranthrough the streets with his horn in the air, the blizzard ended.
And everyone we passed cheered up and seemed to get morehopeful.""The Dark Wizard was trying to capture Dianthus so he couldkeep the unicorn's good magic from the rest of the world," saidKathleen. "Merlin will be very pleased that you have foiled thewizard's plan.""In truth, I believe he would like to thank you himself," saidTeddy. He turned toward the yellow taxi parked by the curb.
The back door of the car opened, and two grown-ups steppedout: a tall, elegant woman wearing a wine-colored cloak and aman in a dark blue robe. The man had a long white beard. Thewoman had long white hair.
"Morgan! Merlin!" whispered Jack.
99As the wizard and magical librarian of Camelot walked acrossthe snow, Dianthus stepped forward to greet them. He bowedhis head. Merlin tenderly stroked the unicorn's white neck.
Morgan le Fay turned to Jack and Annie. "Hello," she said,smiling. "It is good to see you both." Her lovely voice washedover Jack like music.
"You too," said Annie, hugging the enchantress.
"What are you and Merlin doing here?" Jack asked.
"I have always wanted to visit New York City," said Morgan.
"Teddy has just given us quite a ride in that taxi. Merlin had totell him to slow down several times." Morgan laughed andturned toward Merlin.
"Quite a ride indeed," said Merlin. "Greetings to you both,Jack and Annie.""Greetings," they said.
"Thank you for saving my beloved Dianthus," said Merlin.
"Long ago, he was stolen from Camelot by evildoers. He wasrescued by magic weavers in the Netherlands. To keep him safe,they used their art to hide him in their tapestries. I knew I couldentrust you two to set him free on the day the spell was to end.
But your mission turned out to be more dangerous than Iintended. I did not know the Dark Wizard had sent hisapprentices to follow you and capture the unicorn.""Poor Grinda and Balor," said Annie. "Now they're ducks.""Oh, do not worry," said Teddy. "The spell will wear off in afew days, and they'll find their way home.""Yes," said Kathleen, "and I am sure the Dark Wizard willhave some other wicked plan for them.""Aye," said Merlin, "but they will no longer have the use oftheir black rope." He picked the rope up from the ground andhanded it to Teddy.
"Take this back to Camelot and see that it is destroyed.""Gladly," said Teddy.
"It must be terrible to work for the Dark Wizard," said Annie.
She looked at Merlin. "I'mglad we work for you instead."Merlin smiled. "And so am I," he said. "On your last fourmissions, you and Jack have proved you know how to use magicwisely. And102for that, I now entrust you with one of Camelot's greatesttreasures."Merlin pulled a spiraled wand from his robe. "I give you theWand of Dianthus," he said. "As you can see, the wand is madein the shape of the unicorn's horn. It has a bit of his magic in it."Merlin held the silver wand out to Jack and Annie.
Jack took the wand from Merlin. It burned in his hand-withcold or warmth, he couldn't tell which.
"With the help of the wand, you can make your own magic,"said Merlin.
"But you can only use it after you have tried your hardest,"said Morgan, "and remember that it can only be used foranother's good.""We'll remember," breathed Annie.
"Thank you," said Jack. He unbuckled his briefcase andcarefully placed the silver wand inside.
"We must leave you now," said Merlin. He turned to Teddyand Kathleen. "You may ride Dianthus home to Camelot. I willbe along shortly. But first, I would like to drive that taxi aroundNew York City myself. Morgan, will you join me?""Indeed," said Morgan. "But drive a bit more slowly thanTeddy, please.""I promise nothing," said Merlin. He looked104at Jack and Annie. "Good evening to you, my friends. I willcall for you again soon.""Bye," said Annie and Jack.
Merlin took Morgan's arm, and the two walked back to thetaxi and climbed into the front seat. The big yellow car sputteredand then took off wildly. As it careened up the avenue, Merlinblew its horn.
AH-U-GA! AH-U-GA! |