Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers (4 page)

YOU HAVE PROBABLY NEVER SEEN a Faerie, Elf, or some similar creature call upon a magic spell. It is quite a wonderful sight to behold—let me assure you. For one thing, it is quite surprising to think that something so small can be so powerful. But such is the nature of Faeries, Elves, and even Eens. As for Winter Woodsong, she was one of the most powerful Eens in all the land, so you can imagine that Kendra and her friends watched with eager anticipation when the eldest of the elders closed her eyes and began to hum.

The hum was a magical sound, unlike anything Kendra had ever heard. It came deep from within Winter’s throat, loud and with a tremor, like a thousand hummingbirds beating their tiny wings all at once. As the sound in Winter’s throat grew louder, the pool in the middle of the room began to bubble and sparkle. Then, with a soft “whoosh” sound, a stream of water shot into the air, and out of its midst appeared a glowing crystal orb. It floated magically in the air, whirling with a quiet buzz as stars and bolts of electricity crackled about its surface. The room filled with a deep purple light. Then, softly, the orb spoke.

“Why have I been disturbed from my slumber?” it asked. “I have slept now for years longer than any could number.”

“I, leader of the Council of Elders, have called forth your wisdom, O Gracious One,” Winter said. “We need your guidance, for the Box of Whispers has been stolen.”

The orb did not reply immediately. It spun swiftly in the air, buzzing more loudly now, as if it were in deep thought. At last it said: “The Box of Whispers is the oldest treasure of Een, created in ancient times, long since seen. Safely, it has rested for decades untold. If not returned, our safety may unfold.”

“And where is the box now?” Uncle Griffinskitch asked.

The orb spun again for another moment, then said, “Deep in the castle of Krodos the box now resides. There, the Red Thief lives. In vengeful ecstasy, he writhes.”

Kendra saw Winter and her uncle exchange a nervous glance. Then Winter asked the orb, “And who is this ‘Red Thief’?”

“Many creatures live beyond the curtain,” the orb said. “The thief is one of these—this is certain.”

Winter frowned at the orb’s mysterious answer. “What will we do in this matter?” she asked next.

“Set forth on a quest, some brave Eens must,” the glowing crystal replied. “With but a select few this task we trust. First, to Gregor Griffinskitch I cast my light, to lead the way with his magical might!”

At that moment, a light beamed forth from the orb and shone upon the old and whiskered Een. If Uncle Griffinskitch was surprised by the orb’s announcement, he didn’t show it. Without hesitation, he stepped forward into the middle of the chamber.

“Next, I call forth Broon Bumblebean, most learned of any scholar,” the orb continued. “Then, Juniper Jinx, take your place to protect the Eens with sword and steely pace!”

Jinx and Professor Bumblebean both stepped forward to join Uncle Griffinskitch. The orb paused, and a whisper went through the rest of the council. Who else would join the company?

Then, without warning, the orb suddenly turned towards the red curtain where Kendra and her friends were hiding. The orb shot out another ray of light. The curtain fluttered, then flew wide open, revealing the spies for all to see.

“What is the meaning of this?” Burdock demanded. “Intruders! We have intruders!”

“Silence!” Winter insisted. “The orb speaks yet.”

“Come forth, little Oki, both honest and true,” the orb declared. “With your purest mind this quest pursue!”

Kendra noticed sweat pouring down Oki’s face. She knew the last thing he wanted to do was step into the middle of the room, but it seemed as if the orb was controlling his very legs. Trembling head to foot, he joined the others who had been named.

“Last, I call Kendra Kandlestar to the floor,” the orb said. “With spark of courage, your choices will roar. Now, I have said all I have to say. Go forth, friends, and save the day.”

With these final words, the orb retreated into the pool, leaving the five chosen heroes to stand uncomfortably in the chamber.

“I go where Kendra goes,” Ratchet declared, marching into the middle of the elders. “I don’t care what that orb says.”

“Humph,” Uncle Griffinskitch mumbled angrily. “What right do you have to demand anything?”

“Indeed!” Burdock added, pounding his staff. “Ratchet Ringtail, you are nothing more than a spy, a scoundrel, and—above all else—a troublemaker!”

“You forgot inventor,” Ratchet added boldly. “A world-class one.”

“Only an animal would think to spy on the Council of Elders,” Burdock hissed.

“Now, now, Burdock,” Elder Nora Neverfar said. “There is an Eenling in their group, too, you know.”

“She might as well be an animal,” Burdock snorted. “She’s acting like one.”

“At ease, elders,” Winter said, kindly raising her gentle hand. The orb had taxed her powers, but still, she spoke with firmness. “Indeed, they should not have been listening to our private words. But perhaps they were called here by some magic power, for the orb has named them for this quest. Two of them at least.”

“Well, like I said, I go where my pals go,” Ratchet repeated.

“The company of heroes has been chosen,” Winter decreed. “And so it must be, five in all. No more, no less shall go. That includes you, I’m afraid, Mr. Ringtail.”

“I don’t like this one bit,” Ratchet said. “I think that orb just forgot to name me. Call it back, why don’t you?”

“The whole idea of this quest is ridiculous,” Burdock Brown interjected. “No one has been beyond the magic curtain since . . . since . . .” He paused uncomfortably and Kendra couldn’t help but notice the rest of the elders staring at her.

“Ahem,” Uncle Griffinskitch grunted, breaking the silence.

“Well, it has been ten years,” Burdock muttered. “Do you really think it’s wise to go into the outside world?”

“Do we dare go against the orb’s word?” Enid Evermoon asked.

“No, of course not,” Winter repeated. “The orb has spoken. That will be all.”

“But I can’t go!” Oki squeaked. Kendra knew Oki well enough to know that he had been trying to contain his fear, but now everything gushed out at once. “I don’t know anything about magic quests! And my parents will never let me go! Eek!”

Winter smiled kindly upon the tiny mouse. “Little one,” she said, “you
will
go on the quest. This is not a matter for discussion. As for your parents, I will speak to them myself and do my best to ease their fears.”

Oki gave Kendra a helpless look, but all she could do was shrug. She felt just as powerless. Why had the orb chosen her? She had no special talent or skill. She wasn’t a wizard, a professor, or a captain. The choice of Oki made sense. He had worked after school for the elders for over a year and seemed to know all sorts of things. But what help could she, Kendra, be on such a long and dangerous journey? And why had everyone stared at her when the magic curtain had been mentioned? What did the curtain have to do with her?

Then Winter spoke, breaking Kendra’s dizzying train of thought.

“Gregor, come forth, old friend,” the eldest of the elders called to Uncle Griffinskitch.

The old wizard shuffled forth and bowed his head before Winter.

“A heavy task has been laid upon you,” Winter stated sternly, but not unkindly.

“I am ready for it, Elder Woodsong,” Uncle Griffinskitch told her.

“Then I trust you are clear about this mission,” Winter said. “The Box of Whispers is what you seek, Gregor. All other interests must be cast aside.”

“I understand all too well,” the old Een said, and Kendra caught a hint of sadness in his voice. She wondered what Winter had meant by her comment. What else did Winter think Uncle Griffinskitch would want to do out in the wilds beyond the magic curtain?

“Old friend,” Winter said, leaning forward to rest her hand on Uncle Griffinskitch’s shoulder, “come to my study before the moon rises tonight. I will consult with you further, in private, before you set forth on this quest.”

“I will come,” Uncle Griffinskitch said.

“Very well,” Winter said, turning her attention back to the room. “Then the council is dismissed. Our meeting is ended.”

“But—,” Burdock began.

“There will be no more discussion on the matter,” Winter said firmly. “Council shall take leave immediately. We must let the company prepare for its quest to recover the Box of Whispers!”

THE CHAMBER SLOWLY EMPTIED, and soon only Kendra and the rest of the chosen company remained in the room—with the addition of Ratchet, who simply refused to leave.

“Be gone with you, Ringtail,” Uncle Griffinskitch told the raccoon. “How many times do we have to tell you? You were
not
chosen by the orb.”

“Hold on a minute,” Ratchet said. “I may not be allowed on this quest, but you’ll need to get out of Een. And the best way to do that is on one of my boats.”

“And what boats are these?” Uncle Griffinskitch asked.

“Oh, they’re his new invention,” Kendra said. As far as she was concerned, the longer that Ratchet was with them on the journey, the better. “They’re great,” she added timidly, noting her uncle’s annoyed glance.

“Humph,” Uncle Griffinskitch muttered. It was the type of humph that meant he was deep in thought. “Your boats may be of some service,” he said after a moment. “But you will go no further than the curtain. Is that clear?”

“Of course,” Ratchet replied.

“Then be ready to leave at dawn,” the old wizard instructed. “The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll rescue the box.”

“And the sooner we can come back home,” Oki whispered to Kendra.

“I do say, Elder Griffinskitch,” Professor Bumblebean said, pushing his half-moon glasses up the slope of his nose, “no Een I know has been beyond the magic curtain for ten years. As such, we should visit the Een library.”

“What for?” Jinx asked.

“Why, we have maps and books and journals of the ancient explorers housed there,” Professor Bumblebean replied. “We can’t possibly commence this journey without them.”

Jinx rolled her eyes. “Well, I have my sword. That’ll do for me.”

“Humph,” Uncle Griffinskitch muttered. “Books and swords may serve us well on our journey, but we’ll need other things as well.”

“Like what?” Kendra asked. She had never been on any journey, long or otherwise, and she had no idea how to prepare herself.

“We’ll need sleeping gear, warm clothing, and some dried foodstuff,” Uncle Griffinskitch replied. “Remember, we’ve got a long way to go, and everything we bring will have to be carried on our own backs.”

It all felt a little overwhelming to Kendra. Once again, she found herself questioning the orb’s decision to include her on the quest. But her uncle must have noticed a look of exasperation on her face for he tapped her on the shoulder.

“Don’t fret,” he told her. “I must go meet with Elder Woodsong, but tonight, I will help you pack. And Oki, I will pass by your house on my way home and leave instructions with your parents. In the meantime, I suggest that you all go with the professor and help him in the library.”

“I’ll stay out of this book business,” Jinx declared. “My weapons need sharpening before we set off.”

“Very well,” Uncle Griffinskitch said. “Attend to your affairs, Captain Jinx. We’ll meet you back here at dawn.”

Jinx nodded and took her leave. Uncle Griffinskitch grunted his own farewell and hobbled away to meet with Winter Woodsong.

“Well, we’re off to the library,” Professor Bumblebean said cheerfully, leading Kendra, Oki, and Ratchet out of the Elder Stone and into the streets of Faun’s End.

In Kendra’s opinion, there was no other building in all of Een like the library. For starters, it was made from a giant barrel. To human eyes, the barrel would have seemed gigantic, but to Kendra, it was simply enormous—an alien, oversized object from a world she found difficult to imagine. Even so, the barrel was not the only reason the library seemed so spectacular. At the top of the great casket, the ancient Eens had raised an enormous crystal dome, built of sparkling glass and arched branches that twisted and snaked to meet at a sharp point high above the ground.

“It’s marvelous, is it not?” Professor Bumblebean beamed as he brought the group to a stop on the wide steps that led into the library. “This structure represents one of the most fascinating feats of architecture in all of Een.”

“Is it very old?” Kendra asked.

“Oh, indeed,” the professor replied, seeming all too pleased that she had asked. “Do you not know the story of the library? You see, it was my ancestor, the legendary Byron Bumblebean, who was responsible for the beginnings of the library. Byron once traveled to a distance land of giants, where he engaged in a crooked game of cards with a gargantuan scoundrel. Despite the cheating nature of giants, Byron won the match. When his colossal opponent could not pay his bet, he gave Byron a barrel of pickles. Well, as the story goes, when he finished eating all the pickles, he donated the empty barrel to Faun’s End, and the town used it to build the library.”

“Sounds like the ancient Eens really got themselves out of a pickle,” Ratchet said, and Kendra and Oki started to giggle.

“I’m not sure I understand your meaning,” Professor Bumblebean said, puffing out his chest with pride.

“It was just a joke,” Ratchet said.

“A joke?” Professor Bumblebean asked. “I don’t see the fun in it. Myself, I descend from a long line of scholars, and I believe I would know if something were funny.”

“Okay, okay,” Ratchet muttered. “There’s no need to get your knickers in a twist. Let’s just get on with our business.”

“My word,” the professor said, rolling his eyes and turning towards the tall arched door of the library. “No wonder Elder Burdock is always referring to you as a scalawag.”

“What’s a scalawag?” Kendra whispered to Oki as they followed Professor Bumblebean.

“I think it’s the same as a rascal,” Oki replied.

The professor opened the mighty wooden door of the library. The door swung inward with a creak, revealing a vast and magical interior. Kendra gasped. No matter how many times she visited the library, she never failed to be awed. Eens, you see, aren’t the type to clutter their libraries with racks and shelves and such. And why would they? Book trees do just as well, if not better, as long as you can find the seeds. Of course, there’s no shortage of such seeds in Een, and the library seemed more a garden than a place of study. And what a garden! It bore no fruit or flowers, but books—more than you can imagine—with each tree sprouting forth with wonderful volumes of text.

The trees stretched up to the domed roof of the library. (Thankfully, book trees are small—Een-sized, if you will—and fit snugly.) Staircases spiraled up many of the trees so that the taller branches could be reached, and there were many balconies and galleries suspended high above the main floor. The space was warm and inviting, for sunshine filtered through the dome and the fragrance from the trees was delightful.

“Ah,” Professor Bumblebean said, taking a deep breath, “the glorious aroma of knowledge. Well, come now, we’ll ascend to the section on creatures from beyond the magic curtain.”

As they crossed the floor, they could see a great many Eens bustling about the book trees.

Ratchet expressed amazement that the Eens were still at work after seeing the dark shadow, but Kendra wasn’t so surprised. Eens may be easily startled, she knew, but they were also just as happy to forget any danger as soon as possible. “Out of sight, out of mind,” she had heard many of her Een teachers say, and now she watched as the library workers happily went about their tasks. One Een was darting among the orchard groves with a large watering can, though it contained not water, as you may suppose, but rather, all the letters of the alphabet. The cheerful fellow whistled as he sprinkled the letters on the roots of the trees. Another Een was ripping pages out of a small book and tossing them into a hole, which was being dug by two of his co-workers.

“What are they doing, Professor?” Kendra asked.

“I do say!” Professor Bumblebean remarked. “Everyone knows that’s how you plant a new book tree.”

They passed another row of trees, and here they saw still more Eens at work. These were each sitting beneath a different tree, with their eyes closed and their hands stretched out to touch the trunks. They seemed in some sort of trance.

Before Kendra could ask the question on the tip of her tongue, Professor Bumblebean had an answer for her. “They’re fertilizing the trees with knowledge,” he announced.

At last the professor brought them to a tree in the very center of the room. A staircase snaked around its trunk, winding ever upwards.

“The section we are about to visit is normally restricted to the elders and other important Eens,” the professor declared. “I hope you respect the privilege you are about to enjoy.”

He turned and led them up the staircase. It was a long way up. Kendra wanted to pause and peer down upon the library, but Professor Bumblebean kept such a steady pace that she had no time to linger.

At last, the stairway came to an end at a small wooden door, framed with the lush leaves of the very tree they had just climbed. Professor Bumblebean whispered a password, and the door opened inward, revealing a quiet balcony that stretched across the uppermost heights of the dome. The tops of the book trees arched over the long gallery, creating a pleasant green canopy.

“Here we are,” the professor said. “Some of the oldest and tallest trees, containing our most ancient knowledge, reach here. Now, I will attend to some maps. The rest of you search for books about monsters.”

“What type of monsters?” Oki asked.

“All of them, of course,” the professor announced. “We may encounter all sorts of creatures on this journey.”

“I was afraid he’d say that,” Oki told his friends.

Together, Kendra, Oki, and Ratchet set about to explore the gallery. They could see that many of the books were not yet ripe; these were green and closed, their knowledge not yet ready to be read. Other books had blossomed and were eagerly displaying their crisp white pages, inviting the young friends to delight in their words.

“Oh, here’s a good one!” Ratchet declared, calling Kendra and Oki over to a small yellowish book. The raccoon flipped through the pages, only to have a jet of fire shoot out at his face. “Yeesh!” Ratchet cried. “How do you like that business?”

“Careful,” Professor Bumblebean said, rushing over and wrenching the book out of Ratchet’s paws. He closed the book and saw the word “dragons” printed in large capital letters across the cover. “I do say, of all the books to try to open!” the professor scolded. “This volume hasn’t matured yet. It’s very dangerous to go opening books that are still trying to grow their text. The books themselves often possess the characteristics of their subjects, you know. If you had paid more attention in school, you’d know this, Ratchet Ringtail.”

“It’s a good thing you didn’t find a book about tornadoes,” Kendra said, laughing. “You’d be blown to the end of the earth, and we’d have to go rescue you on top of everything else!”

“Yeesh,” Ratchet muttered again, caressing his singed whiskers. “I think I’ll let you look for the books from now on, Kendra.”