Stealth the Ghost Panther by Adam Blade

Author:Adam Blade
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2009-06-13T16:00:00+00:00

TOM PAUSED OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS. THE gates stood open, and beyond them the street was dark and quiet.

“Where are the guards?” Elenna asked, her eyes wide as she gazed around.

“I don’t know.” Tom felt his heart thumping hard as he led the way through the gates. “And where are all the people?”

Even at this time of day, the city streets were usually full of market stalls, their lamps shining brightly on fruit and cheese or freshly baked bread and biscuits. The citizens would shop and gossip, while children darted to and fro among the stalls. But there were no lights, no sounds of voices or laughter. All the doors and windows were tightly shut.

Storm’s hooves sounded loud on the cobbles as Tom led him through the streets. Silver padded close to Elenna’s side, his muzzle raised to sniff the air. The hairs on his neck were bristling as if he could sense an enemy, though there was nothing to be seen.

“It’s like a ghost town,” Elenna whispered.

“Or a town ruled by a Ghost Beast,” Tom added grimly.

As they turned a corner, Tom caught a glimpse of two flashes of emerald green. Silver growled deep in his throat. Tom grabbed the hilt of his sword, but as he drew it, the two emerald flashes darted away into the night.

Tom shivered. “I think we just spotted Stealth.”

Elenna nodded, looking around apprehensively. “Where did he go?”

“I don’t know. But we had better keep our eyes open.”

As Tom finished speaking, a threatening snarl curled through the air from behind. Tom whipped around. How could the Beast have gotten there so quickly? He glanced rapidly around them, his sword at the ready, but nothing moved in the darkness.

“This Beast is very good at hiding,” Elenna remarked.

Tom nodded. “Stealth is no coward,” he said. “He’ll show himself when he’s ready.”

The thought of a Ghost Beast stalking them made every hair on Tom’s head prickle with tension, but he strode on determinedly toward the palace. “We’ve got to make sure King Hugo and Wizard Aduro are safe,” he said.

At last, the street they were following led into the square in front of the palace. The gates to the palace grounds stood open, just like the gates to the city.

“There are no guards here, either,” Elenna murmured.

They could see no lights on in the palace as they passed through the gates, but as they approached the building, lamplight suddenly flickered through a window just above the main door. Tom looked up to see King Hugo gazing out. His face looked ghostly pale.

“Greetings, sire!” Tom called out, relieved that the King was still alive.

King Hugo did not reply. He stared down at Tom and Elenna as if he was afraid of them.

Feeling even more uneasy, Tom tried to push open the palace door, but it didn’t budge. He rattled the handle, but the door still didn’t move. It was locked!

“Please let us in, sire,” he called up to the King. “We’ve brought news.”

For a moment, King Hugo didn’t reply.

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