Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve (5 page)

“Yeah, but your rhymes never work,” said Annie.

“True, but I have more than just rhymes,” said Teddy. He pulled a twig out of his pocket. “See?”

“What's that?” said Jack.

“'Tis an enchanted hazel twig,” said Teddy. “Its magic is strong enough to change me into anything I want.”

“Oh, wow,” said Annie.

“Did Morgan give you that?” asked Jack.

“No,” said Teddy. “Morgan and Merlin do not even know I have it. A forest sprite, a cousin of my mother's, gave it to me, in case I was ever in urgent need.”

“So what do you want to change into?” asked Annie.

“Why, a raven, of course!” Teddy said.

Teddy's crazy
, thought Jack.

But Annie didn't seem to think so. “What a cool idea,” she said.

They're both crazy
, thought Jack.

“'Tis cool indeed,” said Teddy. He held up the twig.

“Wait a minute!” said Jack. “Do you have a plan? I mean, what're you going to do once you change into a raven?”

“I shall fly up to the mountain nest,” said Teddy. “Find the diamond. Bring it back. Mission done.”

“And what do
we
do?” asked Annie.

“Wait here for me. I'll be back as soon as I can,” said Teddy. He climbed up onto the window ledge. His moon shadow stretched across the floor.

“Good luck!” said Annie.

“Thank you!” said Teddy. He raised his hazel twig.

“Stop!” said Jack. “Can we discuss your ‘plan' a little more?”

But Teddy was already sweeping his hazel twig through the air. He waved it from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.

“Teddy, stop!” said Jack.

But Teddy started his rhyme:

“O hazel twig from hazel tree!

Make me a raven—”

“Quick,” he said, “a word that rhymes with
tree
?”

“Wait!” said Jack.

“Doesn't rhyme with
tree
,” said Teddy.

“Three!” said Annie.

“Brilliant!” said Teddy. He started again:

“O hazel twig from hazel tree!

Make me a raven one, two, three!”

He waved the twig wildly.

“Careful!” said Jack. He ducked and covered his head.

Suddenly he heard a roar. He felt a blast of
heat. Then he heard a strange screech.

Jack looked up. Teddy's hazel twig had fallen to the floor. Jack saw Teddy's shadow on the floor, too. But it was no longer the shadow of a boy.

A chill went through Jack.

A large raven was perched on the window-sill. Moonlight shone on its sleek blue-black wings, its shaggy throat feathers, its thick neck and big beak.

A second raven stood beneath the window. It looked like the first, only smaller.

Where's Annie?
Jack wondered wildly. He tried calling her name. But a terrible croak came from the back of his throat: “AWK-NEE!”

Jack felt as if he were caught in a terrible nightmare. With jerky turns of his head, he peered down at his own body.

His arms had turned into jet-black wings. His legs were spindly twigs that ended in four long, skinny toes with curved claws.

Teddy had accidentally changed them
all
into ravens.
One, two, three.

“
C
RA
-
JAH
!
CRA
-
AWK
-
NEE
!” Teddy croaked.

Teddy was speaking Raven now, but Jack understood him perfectly. Teddy had said,
Sorry, Jack and Annie!

Annie stepped forward. She fluttered to the window ledge and perched with Teddy.

“
GRA
-
QUORK
!” she croaked.
That's okay! This is fun!

“
QUORK
?” Jack squeaked.
Fun?

“
GRO
-
JAH
!” croaked Annie. “
KAH
-
SPREE
!”
Come on, Jack! Let's fly!

Annie and Teddy lifted off the ledge and disappeared into the moonlit mist.

This can't be real
, thought Jack.
It can't be real!

He looked at his feathers and claws. He stretched out his right wing, then his left. He flapped them both. Before he knew what was happening, he lifted clumsily off the floor and landed on the window ledge.

Jack saw Annie and Teddy flying around in the moonlight. They were zipping about like acrobats—diving and tumbling through the air.

“AWK-NEE CAW!” Jack croaked.
Annie, come back!

“SPREE! SPREE!” she called.
Fly! Fly!

“AWK-NEE!”

Annie rose from a dive. In one easy swoop, she glided up and sat beside Jack on the window ledge.

This is so much fun, Jack!
she croaked.
Don't just sit here!

Teddy flew by them.
I'm off to the mountain-top!
he croaked.
Fly with me!

Come on, Jack!
croaked Annie. She took off after Teddy, swooping through the cool night air.

Oh, man!
Fear clutched Jack's small raven heart.
I have definitely entered the tunnel of fear now
, he thought. Merlin's words echoed in his mind:
“Proceed onward with courage, and you will come out into the light.”

Jack looked out at the night. He closed his eyes. He jumped off the ledge.

Jack was falling! He opened his eyes and flapped. His wings lifted him up. He steadied himself. He hovered in the cold night air, his eyes darting from right to left. He looked down. He nearly fainted! The castle courtyard was far below!

Jack flapped wildly. He glided. He flapped again. He glided. Flapping and gliding, he climbed higher and higher into the sky.

Finally Jack caught up with Annie and
Teddy. They were circling in the air, waiting for him.

“RARK!” Jack croaked.
Onward!

The three of them flew together through the moonlit night, heading for the nest of the Raven King. Except for the swooshing of their wings, they made no noise.

They soared up the side of the mountain, past hemlocks and tall pines. They flew through long, misty clouds.

As they glided toward the mountain's peak, Teddy let out a low croak:
Raven troops!

Jack peered through the night. He couldn't believe his eyes. In the white moonlight, he saw
thousands
of ravens roosting on rocky ledges!

Jack, Annie, and Teddy kept flying. They soared above the troops, higher and higher, toward the craggy peak of the mountain. When they reached the top, Teddy let out a squawk.

There it is!
he croaked.
The nest of the Raven King!

T
eddy dropped down to a ledge. Jack and Annie followed. Hidden in the shadows, they crouched together, their dark feathers touching. They peered out at the moonlit lair of the Raven King.

The king's giant nest was tucked under a rocky overhang. It was made of mud, twigs, and long strips of tree bark. Two raven sentries were guarding its dark entrance.

Okay
, Jack softly croaked,
what's the plan?

Listen carefully
, Teddy answered. In tiny
queeks
and
caws
of raven whispers, he spelled out a plan:
I'll distract the guards. Annie, you keep watch at the entrance. Jack, you go into the nest and get the diamond. Then both of you head back to the castle and wait for me there.

What about the Raven King?
croaked Jack.

I sense he's not here
, croaked Teddy.
I see no legions of bodyguards. But we should hurry before he returns.

Jack had lots more questions about the plan. But before he could ask them, Teddy lifted off his perch and flew toward the entrance.

Let's go!
cried Annie, rising into the air.

Jack was in a panic. He fluffed out his feathers and croaked,
Wait, you guys!

But it was too late! Teddy was already dive-bombing the raven sentries!

“ARK-ARK-ARK!”

The two sentries left their watch and flew at Teddy with short shrieks. They chased him high into the sky.

Annie zipped to the entrance of the nest.
Come on, Jack!
she croaked.

Jack jumped off the ledge and flew on to the giant nest. Without thinking, he stepped through the entrance.

He jerked his head from side to side. With his raven sight, he saw walls packed with dried mud, animal fur, vines, and sticks. The floor was covered with moss.

Jack took a few steps forward. He stopped. He saw no sign of the Raven King. He cocked his head from side to side, listening. All was quiet.

Jack looked around the nest. One part of the nest's wall looked different. It was black and
shiny. He stepped toward it. He touched it with his beak. It wasn't a wall at all. It was a curtain of feathers.

Jack pushed through the feather curtain. Moonlight shone into the space behind it. Heaps of gold and silver coins glittered in the cool light. Pale pearls, emeralds, and rubies shone and sparkled.