Read Online Charlie Bone and the Shadow of Badlock (Children of the Red King, Book 7) by Jenny Nimmo - Free Book Online

would glance at the little group with a slightly superior expression on his face. This annoyed Mrs. Tilpin, but she never once criticized Dagbert, for she knew that he was the most powerful of all the children, and if she were to bring Harken the Enchanter back into the world, then Dagbert would be an invaluable ally.
    Today, Mrs. Tilpin was feeling especially optimistic. The children were ready to proceed. She put The Collected Charms and Enchantments of Steffania Sugwash into a cabinet and locked the door with the small silver key that she kept in her pocket.
    "Aww! Aren't you going to tell us about Steffania today?" One of the Branko twins sent a spindly chair teetering across the room.
    "Petulance will get you nowhere," admonished Mrs. Tilpin. "Who did it?"
    "I did," said the twin who was responsible.
    "Yes, but which twin are you?"
    "Can't you tell, Mrs. "I.?" The voice came from the shadows beside a looming cabinet. "And I thought you knew everything."
    Mrs. Tilpin decided to ignore Dagbert. "If you don't tell me which twin you are, then the lesson is over."
    The Branko twins, sitting close to each other, stared at Mrs. Tilpin from under their deep black bangs. Their round, porcelain-white faces showed not a trace of emotion, but then one of them suddenly cried, "Inez, Fairy Tilpin. I'm Inez."
    "No, you're not, you're Idith," said Dagbert.
    This time he had gone too far. "Dagbert Endless, if you don't stop sabotaging my class, I shall have no alternative but to dismiss you."
    "OK." Dagbert strode toward the dilapidated planks of wood that served as a door to the so-called classroom.
    "Stop!" Mrs. Tilpin commanded.
    Dagbert reached the door and glanced back.
    Mrs. Tilpin eyed the sullen-looking boy with distaste. He smelled of fish, his face had a greenish hue, and his lank hair reminded her of seaweed. But she needed him.
    "I didn't say you WERE dismissed," said Mrs. Tilpin in a slightly wheedling tone. "I'm sure we can get along if we try a little harder. There's something I wanted to show you, in particular, Dagbert."
    "Why Dagbert?" asked Joshua.
    "Well, all of you," said his mother, and with a dramatic flourish, she reached under the table and produced a gleaming, jewel-framed mirror. Holding it out so that each one of them received an almost blinding flash from its shining surface, she announced, "The Mirror of Amoret."
    "It's cracked," Dagbert observed.
    "Exactly." Mrs. Tilpin smiled.
    "What do you mean, 'exactly'?" asked Dorcas Loom in her monotonous voice.
    Mrs. Tilpin wasn't completely without feeling. She felt sorry for Dorcas, with her large pink face and drab, overly permed hair. "Well dear, the reason I'm showing you the mirror is because it's cracked. I thought if we combined our considerable powers, then we might, just might, be able to fix it." She laid the mirror on the table, noting with satisfaction that Dagbert had moved closer.
    The three girls leaned eagerly over the table and peered into the silvery glass. Expecting to find themselves reflected in the mirror, they were surprised to see a mist of subtle colors swirling over the surface.
    "It's like water," said Inez.
    Dagbert stepped closer and looked over Joshua's shoulder.
    "Why can't we see ourselves?" asked Dorcas.
    "Because you are not there," murmured the witch.
    Dagbert directed a skeptical look at her. "We're here," he stated, "so we should be there." He pointed at the mirror.
    "Ah. But this is the Mirror of Amoret," said Mrs. Tilpin. "I can see that you don't know the story, Dagbert. I shall enlighten you. Nine hundred years ago, the Red King, whom we in this room acknowledge to be our ancestor, had ..."
    "Not the only ancestor," Dagbert pointed out.
    "Shhh!" hissed everyone.
    Mrs. Tilpin continued as though the interruption had not happened. "Had ten children. Lilith, his eldest daughter, married Harken the Enchanter, and I am descended from their union."
    "Phew!" Dagbert whistled.
    "Amoret, the king's youngest daughter, married a" - Mrs.