PalaceJack was sitting at the computer in the living room.
He was doing research on penguins for a schoolproject. His mom and dad were cooking in thekitchen. Jack could smell bread baking in the ovenand spaghetti sauce bubbling on top of the stove.
"Jack!" Annie burst into the living room. "Comewith me!" she said. "What's going on?" said Jack.
"They're here!" said Annie. "Teddy? Kathleen?" askedJack.
Annie nodded, her eyes shining.
"Oh, man!" Jack whispered. He jumped up from hischair and grabbed his jacket and backpack. "Mom,Dad--we'll be back soon!" he called.
"Dinner's in thirty minutes," their mom called fromthe kitchen.
"No problem!" said Annie. Then she and Jackheaded out the front door into the cool spring air.
"Where did you see them?" said Jack.
"At the edge of the woods!" said Annie. "I wasriding my bike home from my piano lesson. Whenthey saw me, they waved.""You didn't stop and talk to them?" said Jack.
"No, I pointed to the house," said Annie, "to letthem know I had to get you first.""Oh! Thanks!" said Jack. "We'd better hurry!""I wonder where they're sending us!" said Annie asthey crossed their yard and headed up the sidewalk. "Iwonder what our next mission is! Hey, did you bringthe Wand of Dianthus?""Yep, it's in my backpack!" said Jack.
5Jack and Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods.
They hurried through the shadowy light of lateafternoon, until they came to the tallest tree. Jacklooked up. The tree house wasback. The two youngenchanters from Camelot were looking out thewindow.
"Hi!" yelled Jack and Annie.
"Hello!" Teddy and Kathleen shouted.
Annie grabbed the rope ladder and climbed up intothe tree house. Jack followed.
"We're so glad you're back!" said Annie. She huggedTeddy and Kathleen. Jack hugged them, too.
"How's Penny?" Jack asked. He'd been missing thelittle penguin they had given Merlin on their lastadventure.
"Oh, Penny and Merlin have become the best offriends," said Kathleen. "She has brought him muchjoy and laughter.""Cool," said Jack. He wasn't surprised. Penny hadmade him really happy, too.
6"What do you want us to do now?" said Annie.
"On your last missions, you found secrets ofhappiness to help Merlin," said Kathleen.
Jack and Annie nodded.
"Now, on your next mission, Merlin wants you tohelp bring happiness to millions of people," saidKathleen.
"Whoa," said Jack. "That's a big job."Teddy and Kathleen laughed.
"How do we do that?" asked Jack.
"Simple," said Teddy. "You must seek out a brilliantartist--""Do you mean like a painter?" asked Annie.
"It could be," said Teddy "But it could also be anyperson who uses passion and imagination to createsomething beautiful.""Merlin wants you to help put that artist on theright path," said Teddy, "to share his or her gifts withthe world.""Oh, cool!" said Annie. "Where do we start?"Kathleen took a creamy white envelope fromher cloak. It was sealed with melted red wax. Infancy writing, it said: For Jack and Annie of FrogCreek. "'Tis a royal invitation," said Kathleen.
Jack took the envelope. He carefully broke the sealand pulled out a thick card with gold edges and goldscript. He read aloud:
"A party at a summer palace! In 1762!" said Annie.
"Yes," said Teddy. "The palace is in Vienna, Austria.
It is one of the most splendid palaces in all the world.""That sounds like fun," said Annie.
"Indeed, it should be," said Kathleen. "But you mustwatch your manners. And beware of unexpecteddangers.""What kind of dangers?" asked Jack.
"I do not know," said Kathleen. "But Merlin believesyou will need magic to keep safe. Did you bring theWand of Dianthus?""Yes," said Jack. He reached into his backpack andpulled out the silvery wand. It was shaped like thehorn of a unicorn. Kathleen took the wand from Jack.
She closed her eyes and spun it through the air, as ifshe were spinning a baton. In a blur of light andmovement, the wand changed into a small silverflute.
"Wow," said Annie.
9"A flute?" asked Jack.
"A magicflute," said Teddy. "Playing this flute willdeliver you from danger.""But Jack and I don't know howto play the flute,"said Annie.
"Do not worry," said Kathleen. "If the time is right,the flute will make its own music."10"Just blow over the mouthpiece," said Teddy. "Andwhile one of you plays, the other must make up asong. Whatever you sing will come true.""Cool!" said Annie.
"But when your song has ended, the flute's magicwill end, too," said Kathleen. "You can only use theflute's magic once, so choose the time wisely.""Okay, got it!" said Annie.
"Are you ready to go?" asked Kathleen.
"Uh, wait," said Jack. "Party invitation . . . magicflute ... Is that all? Don't you have a research book forus?""On this journey, Merlin wants you to rely only onyour wits and your talents," said Teddy.
"Oh. Okay," said Jack, though he wasn't sure he hadmany talents.
"Tell the magic tree house where to go by pointingto the words on the invitation," said Kathleen.
Annie pointed to the words Summer Palace. Butbefore she made her wish, she looked at Teddy11and Kathleen. "I hope we see you again very soon,"she said. "Say hi to Merlin and Morgan when you goback to Camelot.""And Penny, too," said Jack.
Kathleen and Teddy both smiled.
"Yes, we will," said Teddy.
Annie took a deep breath. "Okay. I wish we couldgo there!"she said. "To the summer palace!"The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still. |