Read Online Deep Amber by C.J. Busby - Free Book Online Page A

you’re right, it was my fault we took the wrong path. I’m sorry. And you did try and save my life. So… thanks.” He grinned atDora, and thumped her on the knee. “You know, you can be quite fierce when you decide to be.” His tone was rather admiring. “I tell you what – lift me up on your shoulder and then at least I’ll be able to see where we’re going. I dare say we’ll find someone in the city who can turn me back.”
    Dora took a deep breath. Wasn’t that just typical of Jem. She’d finally got angry with him – and he seemed to like her better for it!
    Dora grinned, and decided that she was not going to take any of Jem’s nonsense any more. Especially now that he barely came up to the top of her boots.
    She bent down to lift Jem up, but as she did so, something small and blue fluttered into sight. It settled on a tree branch close to her head and folded away its wings. Without them, it looked like a furry blue caterpillar.
    â€œSorry I’m so late,” it said, not sounding the least bit sorry. “Took me for ever to find you. You’ve been dipping in and out of the real forest, that’s the trouble.”
    Dora blinked, and looked again, but the blue caterpillar was still there, looking faintly put upon.
    â€œUmm…” was all she could say, before thecaterpillar waved an imperious antenna at her.
    â€œCaractacus at your service. Forest agent. You’ve got yourselves deep into the wrong bit – so they sent me to sort you out. But as I said, it’s taken a while. Wherever you go, bits of other worlds keep getting mixed up all around you.”
    â€œOther worlds?” said Jem, looking up eagerly from Dora’s shoulder.
    The caterpillar gave him a disapproving stare. “It’s the objects you’ve got in your packs. They’re pulling things in and out of this world – probably trying to get back where they came from. And this close to the World Tree, things are always a bit mixed up.”
    Dora could see Jem already had his mouth open to ask another question, and she glanced sideways at him with a frown. Sir Mortimer had told them not to discuss the objects with anyone. But Jem was far too curious to care about Sir Mortimer’s instructions.
    â€œWhere did the objects come from, then?” he said.
    â€œDear me, boy,” said Caractacus with a sigh. “Use your head. One of the other worlds. It stands to reason. They’re not from here, after all – whereelse did you think they would be from?” Caractacus shook his head, as if he couldn’t quite believe how ignorant Jem was. Then he nodded at Dora’s pack. “I imagine you’re taking them to the palace.”
    Dora hesitated. They were not supposed to talk about where they were going either – but Caractacus seemed to already know about the objects, and it was generally a good idea to stay on the right side of any of the forest folk.
    â€œThe Druid said we should take them to Lord Ravenglass,” she said. “Umm – sir.”
    â€œThe Druid, eh?” said Caractacus. “So that’s where you’re from. I think maybe we’d better all sit down and have a little talk.”
    He slipped off his branch and flew down to sit on the ground next to them. Dora blinked. Now he was closer, he still appeared to be some kind of blue caterpillar, but he was somehow bigger, and his face was slightly more human-looking. He gestured with one of his legs, and immediately a warm, friendly little fire burst into life in front of them. An orange glow filled the clearing, and the darkness of the forest seemed to recede. He gestured again, and a basket appeared filled with bread, cheese, sweet red apples and a bottle of water.
    Jem whooped. “Food! I’m starving. Let me at it.”
    He scrambled up into the basket and headed straight for a piece of cheese the size of his head. Just before he