Carnival Quest: The Candy Shop War, Volume 3 by Brandon Mull

Author:Brandon Mull
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: 2022-12-13T19:50:14+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Upward

Looking ahead at the okapi, Nate laid one hand on Pigeon’s shoulder and the other on Summer’s. “Mozag is here,” he whispered.

“What?” Pigeon asked, looking around.

“Don’t be conspicuous,” Nate said, glancing over at the roustabouts climbing into the aardvark enclosure. “He’s an aardvark.”

Trevor moved closer. “Really?”

“Are those guys after him?” Summer asked.

“Mozag called them roustabouts,” Nate said. “Keep your eyes on the okapi.”

“Mozag is the most powerful magician we know,” Pigeon said. “He’s bailed us out in the past.”

“Shouldn’t we help him?” Summer asked.

“Not according to Mozag,” Nate said. “He gave me a message. We have an assignment. We need to get out of here.” He glanced over and saw a writhing aardvark being shoved into a coarse sack.

“I could use my Clown Lips,” Summer said, reaching for the candy.

“No,” Nate said. “Where do we go if we start a fight down here?”

“But we can’t let them take Mozag,” Summer insisted.

The roustabouts exited the aardvark enclosure. The animal in the bag had gone limp.

“He told me the way to save him and everyone else is to bring down the carnival,” Nate said.

“They’re looking around,” Pigeon said.

“Don’t return eye contact,” Nate said, staring at the zebra-striped legs of the okapi.

“Two of the men are leaving,” Trevor said. “One is coming this way.”

“Should we run?” Pigeon asked, a tremor in his voice.

“No way,” Nate whispered. “Be cool. Act oblivious.”

“I’ll keep the lips ready,” Summer whispered.

“Yeah,” Nate agreed, fingering the Cannon Blast in his pocket.

The roustabout stood directly behind Nate and tapped a blunt finger on his shoulder. He turned and looked up at the man. The guy had a square face and a nose that had been broken once or twice. His blocky build made him imposing.

“You kids found your way down here early,” the roustabout said, his voice deep and a little gravelly.

“We tried a coin in the roller coaster slot,” Nate said. “Seemed obvious after the bumper cars. Is there a problem?”

“You’re welcome to explore,” the roustabout said. “Encouraged even. But respectfully. Why talk to the aardvark?”

“I’m a little different from other kids my age,” Nate said. “I find aardvarks adorable.”

“One of those aardvarks is a troublemaker,” the roustabout said. “What do you know about him?”

“He eats bugs?” Nate tried.

The roustabout glanced at the other kids.

“Why did you stuff him in a sack?” Summer asked.

“That’s what happens to troublemakers,” the roustabout said flatly.

“Isn’t that cruelty to animals?” Summer asked. “I want to talk to your manager.”

The roustabout exhaled sharply through his nostrils. “You really don’t.”

“I feel like we’re being harassed,” Summer said. She looked at Trevor. “Do you feel targeted?”

“A little,” Trevor said.

“If we harass you, there will be no debate about what is happening,” the roustabout said, cracking his knuckles. “Play by the rules, and we won’t have to interrupt the game.”

“We’re just exploring,” Nate said. “We paid tickets to come in here. What game are you talking about?”

“Steer clear of talking aardvarks,” the roustabout said.

“I don’t even speak aardvark,” Nate said. “I didn’t build this zoo. I didn’t put aardvarks here.

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