Carnival at Candlelight
Read Carnival at Candlelight Online
Authors: Mary Pope Osborne
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C
arnival at Candlelight
is the fifth book in a group of Magic Tree House books called the “Merlin Missions.” On their first four Merlin Missions, Jack and Annie traveled to mythical lands, where many magical things took place. I love writing books that take place in fantasy worlds, but I also love writing books about real life. So the next Merlin Missions will combine the two—Jack and Annie will have fantasy adventures in real places in real times.
One of the most amazing places I’ve ever been is the city of Venice, Italy. Venice is a group of islands in a lagoon between the Italian mainland and the Adriatic Sea. The water, the art, the architecture, the atmosphere—all make Venice one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Writing a Magic Tree House adventure set in Venice meant that I could return there in my imagination every day for many months. Working on this book was a very exciting journey. I invite you now to share my journey and discover the mystery and magic of Venice for yourself.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2005 by Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrations copyright © 2005 by Sal Murdocca
Window cling illustration copyright © 2005 by Sal Murdocca
RANDOM HOUSE
and colophon are registered trademarks and A
STEPPING STONE BOOK
and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
MAGIC TREE HOUSE
is a registered trademark of Mary Pope Osborne; used under license.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Osborne, Mary Pope.
Carnival at candlelight / by Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Sal Murdocca.
p. cm. — (Magic tree house; #33)
SUMMARY
: While on a mission to prove to Merlin that they can use magic wisely, Jack and Annie travel to eighteenth-century Venice, Italy, to save the city from disaster.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89455-8
[1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction. 3. Tree houses—Fiction.
4. Brothers and sisters—Fiction. 5. Venice (Italy)—Fiction.]
I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title. III. Series: Osborne, Mary Pope.
Magic tree house series; v #33.
PZ7.O81167Car 2005 [Fic]—dc22 2004018256
v3.0
For Gail Hochman, of course
I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs;
A palace and a prison on each hand:
I saw from out the wave her structures rise
As from the stroke of the enchanter’s wand…
—Lord Byron,
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
D
awn was breaking in the Frog Creek woods. Jack saw a light shining up ahead. He ran toward it. He ran so fast, he couldn’t hear his feet hitting the ground. He couldn’t feel the frosty winter air.
As Jack got closer to the light, he could see the magic tree house at the top of the tallest oak. A girl and boy were looking out the window. The girl had dark, wavy hair and sea-blue eyes. The boy had tousled red hair and a big grin on his face. As the two kids waved at him, Jack felt incredibly happy.
“Jack, wake up!”
Jack opened his eyes. His sister, Annie, was standing beside his bed. She was wearing her winter jacket. It was barely light outside.
“I just had a dream about the tree house,” she said.
“Really?” Jack said sleepily.
“I dreamed we were running through the woods at dawn,” said Annie, “and when we got to the tree house, Teddy and Kathleen were there waiting for us.”
Jack sat up. “I just had the same dream!” he said.
“Meet you downstairs,” said Annie.
Annie left Jack’s room. Jack jumped out of bed, put on his glasses, and threw on his clothes. He grabbed his winter jacket and his backpack. Then he slipped quietly down the stairs and out the front door.
Annie was waiting on the porch. The February air was chilly. Frost sparkled in the grass as the sun rose over the Frog Creek woods.
“Ready?” asked Annie.
Jack nodded and zipped his jacket. Without another word, he and Annie hurried up their street and headed into the woods. They ran through the long shadows of early morning, between the bare winter trees. Then they stopped.
The tree house
was
back, just as Jack had seen it in his dream! It was high in the tallest oak tree, shining in the cold morning light.
“Wow,” breathed Jack. “Dreams
can
come true.”
“Yep,” said Annie. “Teddy! Kathleen!”
No one answered.
“I guess only part of this dream came true,” Annie said sadly. She grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jack followed. Annie climbed into the tree house. “Oh, wow!” she said.
“What is it?” said Jack.
“They’re here!” said Annie in a loud whisper. Jack climbed in behind her. Their friends
Teddy and Kathleen, apprentices to Morgan le Fay, were sitting under the tree house window. Wrapped in heavy woolen cloaks, they were both fast asleep.
“Hey, sleepyheads!” said Annie. “Wake up!”
Kathleen blinked and yawned. Teddy rubbed his eyes. When he saw Jack and Annie, he gave them a wide grin and leapt to his feet. “Hello!” he said.
“Hello!” cried Annie. She threw her arms around Teddy. “We both dreamed you were here.”
“Ah, then our magic worked!” said Teddy. “Kathleen suggested we send dreams to let you know we were here, and it seems our magic sent
us
to dreamland as well.”
“But now we are all awake,” said Kathleen. “And I am very glad to see you.” She stood up, drawing her cloak around her. Her blue eyes sparkled like seawater in the dawn light.
“I’m glad to see you, too,” Jack said shyly.
“Are you taking us on another Merlin Mission?” said Annie.
“Not exactly,” said Teddy. “Merlin has a most important mission for you. But this time, we will not be going along.”
“Oh, no!” said Annie. “What if we need your magic to help us?”
Teddy and Kathleen looked at each other and smiled. Then Kathleen turned back to Jack and Annie. “Morgan thinks you may be ready to use magic on your own,” she said.
“Really?” said Jack.
“Yes,” said Teddy, “but Merlin is
very
cautious about sharing magic powers with mortals, even with two as worthy as you. He is also wary of magic being used outside the realm of Camelot. Nevertheless, Morgan has convinced Merlin to let you prove yourselves. You will be tested on four missions.”
“But we don’t know any magic,” said Jack.
“Remember what I told you on our last
adventure?” said Teddy. “If we all work together—”
“Anything is possible!” said Annie. “But you just said you weren’t coming with us.”
“That is true,” said Kathleen. “And that is why we bring you
this.”
She reached into a pocket of her cloak and pulled out a small handmade book. She gave the book to Annie.
The cover of the book was made of rough brown paper. Written on it in neat, simple handwriting was the title:
“You made this for us?” said Annie.
“Yes,” said Kathleen. “One line of each rhyme is in Teddy’s language, and one is in mine, the language of the Seal People.”
Annie opened the book to the table of contents. She and Jack skimmed the list of rhymes, and Jack read some of the entries aloud:
“Fly Through the Air Make. Metal Soft.
Turn into Ducks—”
Annie giggled. “These are so cool!” she said. “Let’s all turn into ducks!”
“Not now,” said Kathleen. “You must use these rhymes very sparingly. There are only ten rhymes in the book, and each can only be used once. They are meant to last you for four journeys.”
“Four?” said Jack.
“Aye,” said Teddy. “Merlin has agreed that if you can use our magic wisely on four missions, he will teach you the secrets that will allow you to make magic on your own.”
“Oh, boy!” said Annie.
Jack put the book of magic rhymes in his backpack. “So where are we going on our first mission?” he asked.
“This research book from Morgan will tell you,” said Teddy. He took out a book and handed it to Jack. The cover showed a bright, colorful city surrounded by water.
Jack read the title aloud:
.
“I’ve heard of Venice,” said Annie. “Last year Aunt Gail and Uncle Michael went there on vacation.”
“Aye, ’tis a city that has long welcomed travelers,” said Teddy. “But you and Jack will travel to the Venice of two hundred sixty years ago.”
“What will we do there?” asked Jack.
“Merlin has prepared careful directions for you,” said Teddy. He pulled a letter out of a pocket in his cloak and gave it to Jack. “Read this when you get to Venice.”
“Okay,” said Jack. He put Merlin’s letter and Morgan’s research book into his backpack.
“Wait a minute,” said Annie. “If we take the tree house to Venice, how will you guys get back to Camelot?”
Teddy and Kathleen smiled and held up their hands. They each wore a ring made of pale blue glass. “These magic rings belong to Morgan,” said Kathleen. “They will take us home.”
“Remember,” Teddy said to Jack and Annie. “Follow Merlin’s directions carefully. If you prove yourselves to be wise and brave helpers, he will call for you again soon.”
Kathleen nodded. “Good-bye now,” she said to Jack and Annie. “Good luck.”
Kathleen and Teddy raised their glass rings to their lips. Together they whispered words too softly to be heard, then blew on the rings.
Before Jack and Annie’s eyes, the two young sorcerers began to fade into the cool morning air. In an instant, they had disappeared completely.
“They’re gone,” breathed Jack.
“I guess it’s time for us to go, too,” said Annie.
Jack took a deep breath. Then he pointed at the cover of the Venice book. “I wish we could go there!” he said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.