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Authors: Malia Ann Haberman
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which was now spinning downward.
Chase, the last to follow, glanced back. The tall door had already
disappeared into the picture. Before losing sight, he saw the tiny
doors skittering around on the painting, trying to make it much
harder for someone to find the one secret door.
The ride down was even more dizzying than the
ride up. They had to grip the banister or risk falling. "Why didn't
we just teleport into the attic?" asked Chase when his head stopped
whirling.
"It's not possible," said Grandfather. "The
only way is up the spiral stairs and through the secret door we
used. The attic is well-protected to keep the Relic safe from being
stolen and used for evil."
Evil. The word sounded ominous, and
frightening. Chase couldn't help but picture a tall, sinister man
twirling the ends of his enormous black mustache. So who would
want to steal our Relic and use it for evil? he thought as he
trailed after the others. Was it the same people who kidnapped
Dad, or someone completely different? He shivered and rubbed
the goosebumps popping out on his arms. Who would've thought magic
was so dangerous?
Five minutes later, they were back in the
study and seated around the cozy fireplace. Chase relaxed as the
warmth from the flames seeped into his chilled body.
"What power does this room have,
Grandfather?" asked Andy, glancing around as if he expected to see
magic oozing from the walls.
"This is the Shielding Room," said
Grandfather. He whirled and pointed his finger.
" Shield! "
In a flash, a bluish-white barrier surrounded
his slipper right as Maxwell sprang for it. The little ferret
bounced back across the desk.
"Cool!" said Chase. "Any of us can do that
when we're in here?"
"It's how we were able to make fireballs in
Maxwell's bedroom," said Janie breathlessly, "and why I made your
plates disappear in the dining room! It's because when we're in
that room we have the ability to use that power. Just say the magic
words, and voila!"
"So how many rooms are there?" asked
Andy.
Grandfather laughed. "I have no idea. I've
never counted them. I would say three hundred, at least."
"Wow!"
"How do you know what power each room has?"
asked Chase, feeling as if all he ever did lately was ask
questions.
"You'll find clues painted in the wallpaper
that you will need to decipher," said Grandfather.
"What do the clues look like?" said Andy.
"You'll find out when you visit the rooms,"
he answered. "Every room is different."
"And you're the Keeper of the House now and
you have every magical power too?" asked Chase.
"That is correct," said Grandfather. "As my
father was before me and his older sister before him. If something
had happened to me before Ben was of age, Thomas, my younger
brother, would have been next, if he hadn't had his most
unfortunate accident. So when I'm gone Ben will be next, then you,
and if something happens to you, Andy will take over. If something
happens to Andy, it becomes Clair's responsibility, and after her,
James, Janie's older brother."
"And then me," said Janie dejectedly. "I'm
always last."
"If someone doesn't want to be Keeper," said
Grandfather, winking at Janie, "they can pass everything to the
next in line. You might get your chance."
Chase slouched in his chair and frowned as
everything Grandfather had just said hit him like a speeding bus.
If his dad really was…dead (he cringed at the thought of it), and
if something happened to Grandfather, then Chase would be the next
Keeper. Oh man , he thought as he tried not to panic and
freak out in front of the others, I'm sure as heck not ready for
that!
Luckily, the study door swung open, cutting
into Chase's frightening thoughts. Mrs. Periwinkle walked in
carrying a silver tray. "Anyone for milk and snickerdoodles?" she
asked as she set the tray on a table.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Grandfather. "I do
love a good snickerdoodle."
"Grandfather?" said Chase as he handed Andy
another cookie while munching on his sixth. "If the house used to
be in
Chase, the last to follow, glanced back. The tall door had already
disappeared into the picture. Before losing sight, he saw the tiny
doors skittering around on the painting, trying to make it much
harder for someone to find the one secret door.
The ride down was even more dizzying than the
ride up. They had to grip the banister or risk falling. "Why didn't
we just teleport into the attic?" asked Chase when his head stopped
whirling.
"It's not possible," said Grandfather. "The
only way is up the spiral stairs and through the secret door we
used. The attic is well-protected to keep the Relic safe from being
stolen and used for evil."
Evil. The word sounded ominous, and
frightening. Chase couldn't help but picture a tall, sinister man
twirling the ends of his enormous black mustache. So who would
want to steal our Relic and use it for evil? he thought as he
trailed after the others. Was it the same people who kidnapped
Dad, or someone completely different? He shivered and rubbed
the goosebumps popping out on his arms. Who would've thought magic
was so dangerous?
Five minutes later, they were back in the
study and seated around the cozy fireplace. Chase relaxed as the
warmth from the flames seeped into his chilled body.
"What power does this room have,
Grandfather?" asked Andy, glancing around as if he expected to see
magic oozing from the walls.
"This is the Shielding Room," said
Grandfather. He whirled and pointed his finger.
" Shield! "
In a flash, a bluish-white barrier surrounded
his slipper right as Maxwell sprang for it. The little ferret
bounced back across the desk.
"Cool!" said Chase. "Any of us can do that
when we're in here?"
"It's how we were able to make fireballs in
Maxwell's bedroom," said Janie breathlessly, "and why I made your
plates disappear in the dining room! It's because when we're in
that room we have the ability to use that power. Just say the magic
words, and voila!"
"So how many rooms are there?" asked
Andy.
Grandfather laughed. "I have no idea. I've
never counted them. I would say three hundred, at least."
"Wow!"
"How do you know what power each room has?"
asked Chase, feeling as if all he ever did lately was ask
questions.
"You'll find clues painted in the wallpaper
that you will need to decipher," said Grandfather.
"What do the clues look like?" said Andy.
"You'll find out when you visit the rooms,"
he answered. "Every room is different."
"And you're the Keeper of the House now and
you have every magical power too?" asked Chase.
"That is correct," said Grandfather. "As my
father was before me and his older sister before him. If something
had happened to me before Ben was of age, Thomas, my younger
brother, would have been next, if he hadn't had his most
unfortunate accident. So when I'm gone Ben will be next, then you,
and if something happens to you, Andy will take over. If something
happens to Andy, it becomes Clair's responsibility, and after her,
James, Janie's older brother."
"And then me," said Janie dejectedly. "I'm
always last."
"If someone doesn't want to be Keeper," said
Grandfather, winking at Janie, "they can pass everything to the
next in line. You might get your chance."
Chase slouched in his chair and frowned as
everything Grandfather had just said hit him like a speeding bus.
If his dad really was…dead (he cringed at the thought of it), and
if something happened to Grandfather, then Chase would be the next
Keeper. Oh man , he thought as he tried not to panic and
freak out in front of the others, I'm sure as heck not ready for
that!
Luckily, the study door swung open, cutting
into Chase's frightening thoughts. Mrs. Periwinkle walked in
carrying a silver tray. "Anyone for milk and snickerdoodles?" she
asked as she set the tray on a table.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Grandfather. "I do
love a good snickerdoodle."
"Grandfather?" said Chase as he handed Andy
another cookie while munching on his sixth. "If the house used to
be in
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