The Magician's Tower by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

Author:Shawn Thomas Odyssey [Odyssey, Shawn Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-60684-426-7
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Published: 2013-02-26T05:00:00+00:00

If you know what’s good for you, Roderick,” Sir Baltimore shouted, “you’ll win this challenge!”

Roderick’s father stood below the front of the stage, a cigar clamped between his teeth, smoke pluming around his head as if he were on fire from the inside. Oona had never seen the man looking so angry, and it was all she could do to keep from looking at him as she followed close on Roderick’s heels up the stage steps to the tower. Deacon landed in a nearby tree to await her return.

“That girlfriend of yours is making a fool out of you!” Sir Baltimore shouted at his son. “She’s already up there! Get your hind quarters moving, or you’ll disgrace the family!”

“Daddy!” little Penelope Rutherford cried at her father. “You said you would read me a story!”

The little girl held up her book and swatted her father with it in much the same manner as Headmistress Duvet had swatted Oona with the IMPROPER cane.

“Penelope!” Sir Baltimore shouted, snatching the book from her and slapping it down on the front of the stage. “I will not read any more of this faerie-tale drivel ever again if you do not shush, girl.” He returned his attention to Roderick, balling one fist and shaking it in the air. “Remember what we talked about last night, son. Now go win this thing.”

Oona and Roderick stopped center stage, where the architect calmly folded his newspaper and then stood. He adjusted the ridiculously tall top hat on his head as Deacon perched in one of the nearby trees.

Catching her breath, Oona glanced from Sir Baltimore to Roderick—specifically from Sir Baltimore’s shaking fist to the purplish bruise on Roderick’s cheek—and Oona wondered just how much “talking” had actually taken place between them last night. Sir Baltimore’s fist slammed down on Penelope’s book of faerie tales.

“Go get ’em, son!” he shouted. “The family is counting on you!”

Roderick did not so much as glance in his father’s direction. He and Oona handed their porcupine barbs to the architect, who in turn handed them each a key.

“Take the side stairs to the fourth floor,” the architect said, indicating the outside stairs that Oona and the others had used to descend from the third floor the day before.

“That is all,” the architect said, and promptly sat back down, returning his attention to his paper.

“Go! Go! Go!” Sir Baltimore cried.

Oona and Roderick took to the stairs as Adler Iree came running up the stage steps behind them. It was going to be a close race, Oona realized, taking the steps two at a time. And then she remembered that Isadora was already up there, far ahead of them all, and she began taking the steps three at a time.

Roderick was the first to reach the fourth floor, where the steps ended at a door. Oona could feel the sway of the building in the breeze, and hear the creak of nails in wood. Roderick drove his key into the door, shoving his way inside and slamming the door shut behind him.

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