Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve - Mary Pope Osborne [3]
“We are now in one of the outlying realms of Camelot,” said Merlin. “Beyond these woods lies the castle of a duke.”
Merlin leaned forward, as if he were about to tell them something really scary. “It will be your mission,” he said, “to bring order to the duke’s castle.”
Merlin sat back in his chair. His gaze was calm, but a fierce light shone in his eyes.
Bring order to a castle? thought Jack. Is that all?
“Who messed it up, sir?” asked Annie.
“You will find out soon enough,” said Merlin.
“We accept our assignment gladly,” said Teddy. “The mission will be done without fail!”
Merlin fixed his gaze on Teddy. “Perhaps,” he said. “But a warning, my boy: you are hasty and careless with your magic rhymes. On this mission, you must choose all your words wisely.”
“Indeed I will,” said Teddy.
Merlin turned to Jack and Annie. “And a warning to you, too,” he said. “You are about to enter a tunnel of fear. Proceed onward with courage, and you will come out into the light.”
Tunnel of fear? Jack thought.
Merlin picked up the lantern and handed it to Teddy. “The duke’s castle lies to the east. Go quickly,” he said. “Order must be restored as soon as possible.”
Teddy nodded at Merlin. Then he turned to Jack and Annie. “To the duke’s castle!” he said, and he led them out of the heart of the oak.
It was cooler outside now. Daylight was fading quickly. The wind had picked up.
“A grand adventure for us, eh?” said Teddy.
“Yes!” said Annie.
Jack was excited, too, but he had lots of questions. As Teddy started off through the oak forest, Jack hurried to keep up.
“What do you think our mission is exactly?” he asked.
“Merlin said we should bring order to the castle,” said Annie.
“Perhaps he wants us to mop the floors and wash the dishes,” Teddy joked.
“And make the beds!” said Annie. She and Teddy laughed.
“Our mission has to be harder than just doing chores,” said Jack. “What about the tunnel of fear?”
“Oh, you need not be afraid of fear,” said Teddy. “I know magic, remember?”
“Teddy, did you know any magic before you met Morgan and Merlin?” asked Annie.
“Ah, indeed. My father was a sorcerer,” Teddy said. “And my mother was a wood sprite from the Otherworld.”
“That is so cool,” said Annie.
They crunched through piles of dead leaves. A gust of wind shook the tree branches. Golden oak leaves spun to the ground.
Jack’s thoughts were spinning, too. Merlin in the heart of the oak, sorcerers, wood sprites— none of these things would ever make sense back in Frog Creek.
At last Teddy led them out of the forest and into a clearing. “Halt!” he said.
They all stopped walking. Beyond the clearing was a small village of thatched-roof cottages. The cottage windows twinkled with candlelight. Chimney smoke rose into the dusky sky.
Teddy held up his lantern. “Onward!” he said.
They went down a dirt path that passed through the village. Several children in ragged clothes peeked out their front doors.
“Greetings!” called Teddy. “Can you tell us how to get to the castle of the duke?”
“The castle?” a boy said in a frightened voice. “’Tis just beyond the wood!” He pointed at a forest on the other side of the village. “Follow the path and you’ll come to it!”
“Oh, but you mustn’t go there!” a girl cried.
“Why not?” asked Annie.
“Something’s been very wrong at the castle,” said the girl. “Ever since the ravens came!”
“Has anyone been there to see what’s going on?” asked Jack.
“Only old Maggie, who used to work there,” said the girl. “Two weeks ago, she went to the castle as usual. But she came running back, scared out of her wits.”
“Maggie says the castle is all haunted with ghosts,” said a boy. “She keeps repeating the same rhyme over and over.”
“Ghosts?” said Jack. His mouth felt dry.
But Teddy just laughed. “Ghosts don’t scare me!” he said.
“Have you ever seen one, Teddy?” asked Annie.
“No! But I should like to!” Teddy said with a grin.
“Look!” One of the girls pointed at the sky. “The ravens are back!”
A flock of large black birds was flying low in the dark gray sky. The village kids screamed. Several grown-ups rushed