Read Online Chase Tinker & The House of Magic by Malia Ann Haberman - Free Book Online

and
escape unharmed with the precious relic. He didn't understand it;
he felt stronger, more powerful, than he had been before finding
it.
    " After many months, he made it home. When
he unwrapped his magnificent treasure, sadly, a piece of it had
somehow broken off. Still, he stored it safely in the loft of his
small farmhouse.
    " One morning, several weeks later,
Jedadiah awoke to find his old log home had somehow transformed
into a beautiful stone house. He could hardly believe his eyes.
Right after this, he discovered he now had the power to turn common
rocks into gold with nothing except a touch and a thought. He used
this amazing ability to help himself and others lead better lives.
Knowing that it wouldn't be wise to share the true story, he told
everyone he had made his fortune during his long travels.
    " When Jedadiah married, he and his wife
had eight children. When the oldest, Liam, turned 10½, he also
developed a special ability—the power to transform himself into any
bird he wished. The other children acquired remarkable skills at
the same age. Jedadiah could only shake his head in complete
amazement.
    " Jedadiah and his family discovered
another element of their new circumstance when Liam went off to war
and was killed in battle. Not long after this tragedy, another room
magically became a part of the home, appearing out of nowhere. It
took Jedadiah only a short time to realize that within the room,
other family members were able to perform Liam's ability—and
Jedadiah himself was able to do it any time. This happened again
some years later when his youngest daughter, Rose, died from an
illness. Her power to have eyes in the back of her head also
metamorphosed into a new room and, again, the power transferred to
Jedadiah.
    " What Jedadiah didn't know was after he
passed away, his oldest living child received every power Jedadiah
had possessed. This transference of powers has continued for these
many long years. And the Tinker who holds the powers of those who
came before came to be known as the Keeper of the House. "
    The tale ended and the Relic returned to its
normal color. Grandfather gazed at his three grandchildren, ready
for the questions he was sure would come. After all, they had just
heard a part of their family history from a weird glowing
object.
    " Every room in this house has magic in
it?" Chase asked.
    "Except most of the bathrooms," said
Grandfather, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "We had to add most
of those ourselves. Considering the age of the house, they are a
fairly new invention."
    Chase remembered the one he'd been in earlier
with its claw-foot bathtub and old-fashioned chain-pull toilet.
"What about the bathroom down the hall and around the corner from
your study?"
    Grandfather's eyes crinkled as he smiled.
"Yes, that particular one does have magic. It's your Great-Uncle
Thomas's room for his teleporting power. Leave it to Thomas to
stick his magical ability in the bathing room." He chuckled. "One
day, some years ago, I was in there showering when I began singing
one of my favorite ditties, 'Meet me in St. Louis,' and poof! I
found myself naked on a street in St. Louis, Missouri. Thomas would
have loved that one. I ducked behind a large refuse can and hastily
teleported myself back home. I never sang in the shower again."
    Everyone laughed, except Andy. "So, uh, what
magical power does this room have?" he asked, frowning. "What if I
say the wrong thing and cause something weird, like maybe tulips or
broccoli, to grow out of my ears."
    "No worries there," said Grandfather. "The
attic has no special power. Its only use is to keep our Relic
secure."
    "And no one knows what happened to the
missing piece?" asked Chase.
    "We've wondered about it, and even looked for
it, but it has never been seen," said Grandfather. He rose from his
chair. "Let's head back down and I'll answer more questions in the
study."
    They clambered out of the painting's door and
hopped onto the spiral escalator,