Read Online Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal by Peter Wilson - Free Book Online

be
yanked through a portal without warning?” he asked, amused by the
question.
    “But we were told you gave us the cube, so
that we could contact you,” said Jack.
    “Ha! Gave is a strong word. But no matter,
I’m here now.” he said standing up and dusting himself off.
    He stood there and looked at the three of
them, a calculating look on his face. Finally he said, “Now tell me
Gregson’s, what could possibly be so important that you would risk
coming here?”
    “What do you mean?” asked Jack. “What
risk?”
    “What risk? Why the risk of losing your
head. You’re wanted men and women you Gregson’s. Considered
extremely dangerous and wanted dead or alive. Turning three of you
in would make a man very rich,” he said as he pulled a dagger from
a sheath tied to his waist. “So I ask you again, what brings you to
the Grotto?”
    Jack looked from the knife to his cousins,
stunned. How were they going to get out of this?
     

Chapter
Seven
    Run!
    The Horde rolled along the uneven ground,
the black mist surrounding the edge of rock above the Grotto. A
thin tendril of smoke climbed up in to the sky, slowing growing out
until it resembled the black shadow of a man.
    He watched the three children below that had
arrived through a portal. The plan had worked, he thought,
smiling.
    Through the mist a thought came to him,
querying his progress. He began to report the news back to his
master when someone appeared in a flash of light, right in front of
the children.
    He watched as they talked. All of a sudden
the man below pulled out a knife.
    The Shadow Man chuckled as he sunk back into
the black smoke. Perhaps this stranger would do his task for him.
Either way, the Gregson heir would die today and his master’s plans
would start to be realised.
    The black mist watched and waited.
    ***
    Jack’s shoved his hand into his pocket and
grabbed the black orb his Grandmother had given him. He held it
high above his head, unsure of his next move.
    “We were told you would help us, not hurt
us,” he said to Anthrow.
    “What is that?”
    “A weapon,” Jack replied, feeling a bit
foolish while trying to sound threatening. He had no idea what
would happen if he threw it on the ground.
    “What sort of weapon?” Anthrow pushed. He
didn’t seem concerned at all as he stood before them, knife still
in hand.
    Jack looked around. His Grandmother had told
him to throw the orb and run, but right now they were trapped. A
rock face behind them, a man with a knife in front. There wasn’t
anyway to run.
    His cousins also had no idea what he was
holding, and he didn’t want to risk something happening to them as
well.
    He sighed, and replied “A pixie. A crazy
pixie orb.”
    Anthrow dropped his knife to the ground and
put his hands up showing them he was no longer a threat.
    “Crazy pixie. You mean Chaos Pixie don’t
you?”
    “That’s right, Chaos Pixie.”
    “That crazy woman gave you a Chaos Pixie?”
Anthrow said as he gave a nervous laugh. “Look let’s just calm
down. I am a friend of the Gregson’s. Maybe not the evil crazy
ones, but any who know Marion Gregson…”
    “Marion is our Grandmother,” Rosie said.
    “There you go! I’m here to help you.”
    “Then why did you threaten us?” David
demanded. “Jack, get ready to throw that Chaos Pixie Orb right at
his face.”
    “No! Marion - your grandmother told you to
contact me, so there must be a message! Let me read it. She trusts
me, let me prove to you I can be trusted.”
    Jack didn’t lower his arm but looked over to
Rosie and nodded as she pulled her backpack off. They had decided
to put the note between the pages of the Book so it didn’t get
crumpled.
    “Here,” Rosie said as she passed it to
Anthrow, staying as far away from him as possible.
    He grabbed it, broke the seal their
Grandmother had placed on it and started reading.
    David meanwhile took the opportunity to
crouch down and grab the dropped knife from the ground.
    Anthrow’s eyes widened