Read Online Quest Maker by Laurie McKay - Free Book Online Page A

of the hall.“Um . . . Brynne will fix that. And until she figures out how, Jane and I will help you when it happens.”
    â€œNow you sound worried,” Caden said. “As you should.”
    â€œWell, you turned green.”
    Caden looked at his hands. They were the usual fleshy color.
    â€œIt’s a figure of speech, your bossiness.” The hall was starting to empty. Tito nodded in the direction of the science room. “Check it out.” Mr. Creedly stood guard in front of it like a Summerlands prison attendant.
    Behind Mr. Creedly, there were several splintered cracks in the door’s oak frame. The small window in it must have shattered, for it had been replaced with a rough wooden plank.
    Mr. Bellows, the skeletal English instructor, walked past from the other side of the hall. He had a key in his hand. He slowed as he approached Mr. Creedly.
    â€œThis is not your room,” Mr. Creedly said.
    Mr. Bellows looked ready to argue, but stepped back. “I just need to enter for a moment.”
    Mr. Creedly raised his spindly arms. The shadows stretched across the door and wall behind him. “She is angry. You’ve angered her.”
    Mr. Creedly was right about that. Ms. Primrose was angry. And hungry. Both. They seemed to be interwoven. The angrier she got, the hungrier she was.
    Mr. Bellows snickered. “I don’t know what you’retalking about,” he said, but he looked at Mr. Creedly’s outstretched arms and stepped back. “I’ll come back after lunch.” As Mr. Bellows passed Caden and Tito, he turned to Tito. “Win the spelling bee Thursday, and you’ll definitely get the English award next week.”
    â€œAwesome,” Tito said. “A-W-E-S-O-M-E.”
    â€œNicely done, Tito. Smart,” Mr. Bellows said. “S-M-A-R-T.”
    Caden was feeling sick once more.
    Then Mr. Bellows shifted his attention to Caden. “And you.” Mr. Bellows and Caden had never before spoken. “You, young Razzonian prince, enjoy my spelling contest as well.”
    What was there to enjoy about that? “Doubtful,” Caden said.
    After Mr. Bellows left, Tito turned to Caden. “Everyone really does seem to know about you.”
    â€œMy family is famous in the Greater Realm. All know of us.” He nodded to Mr. Bellows’s retreating figure. “He’s evil, you understand that?”
    â€œI still need him to give me an A.” Tito grinned, the left side of his mouth higher than the right. “It’s better to lull them into a false sense of friendliness. Keeps them off guard.”
    â€œPerhaps,” Caden said. Mr. Creedly remained stationed at the classroom door. Now he watched Caden and Tito like he wanted to sink poisonous fangs into them. “He doesn’t look lulled,” Caden said.
    â€œYeah, I don’t think he’s going to let us in that roomeither.” Tito leaned back against the wall. “That room blew up, and if your brother is out shopping, he’s not inside it. Why do you need to get in there?”
    Caden needed to get inside because his and Jasan’s lives depended on him finding out what had happened. Seven days would be up in the flap of a fairy wing. “Because there is something new I must tell you,” Caden said. He also needed to tell the sorceress and enchantress. “Brynne and Jane must know, too.”
    â€œOkay. Then tell us over delicious, evil-people-prepared food.”
    The cafeteria was noisier than usual. Caden waited at the middle table for Brynne, Tito, and Jane. Near the front, Derek and his group laughed and pointed at him. No matter. Caden was certain he could flatten them if he wanted.
    Toward the back, the teachers who ate with second lunch were gathered. Mr. Bellows was there. He and Mrs. Belle were arguing. That was interesting, considering the scene by her destroyed classroom, but not that unusual. The villainous teachers often argued.