Read Online The Ring of Five by Eoin McNamee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Eoin McNamee
Tags: Fiction, General, All Ages, Children's Books, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Espionage, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure - General, Fantasy & Magic, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, True Crime, Children: Grades 4-6, School & Education, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Schools, Men, spies, Boys & Men, Mysteries; Espionage; & Detective Stories, Boys, Juvenile Mysteries
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say that if you ask a question at one side, your voice will travel all
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the way around the room and return with the answer. They also say that there is always a snare in the answer."
"It comes in your own voice too," Dixie said, putting on a spooky voice herself.
"You can't get to it from here," Les said, seeing the way Danny was eyeing it. "If you're thinking of trying to ask it who tried to drop a statue on your head, it's forbidden to go up there. Unauthorized entry to the gallery is a Ninth Regulation offense. The answers are supposed to be really tricky, so I suppose Devoy thinks we're not bright enough to work them out."
They passed under the Gallery of Whispers and emerged into a long, high-ceilinged study hall. There were desks in rows, and a high table at the top, where Miss Duddy sat scrutinizing the students as they entered.
"Desk number seventeen, Caulfield," she piped up. The high desk had new books piled on it.
"We do an hour's study," Les whispered, "then we're free."
Danny looked up and saw something moving in the dim-lit rafters. There was a fluttering sound, and then another. Shadows of wings were thrown against the wall, huge and dark.
"What's that?" Danny whispered.
"Only the ravens," Les whispered back. "They're kind of the symbol of Wilsons. They say that the ravens were a gift from the Fifth himself!"
"Caulfield and Knutt, a First Regulation offense each," Miss Duddy intoned. "Whispering in Study."
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Les groaned and turned his eyes to heaven. He pointed Danny to a desk and sat down at his own, which was covered in an untidy sprawl of books and papers. One by one the other cadets took their seats, and silence fell over the hall, broken only by the rustle of paper.
Danny looked at the pile of books in front of him. There were titles like From the Bosporus to Oxford: One Spy's Journey; Basic Inks; How to See and Not Be Seen; Political Assassination: A Brief Guide; and Spycraft: An Intermediate-Level Reader .
He opened the most promising-looking one, which was called Poisons: A History . An upbeat introduction promised "an introduction to the marvelous world of poisoners and poison." He soon found himself lost in a world of queens murdered by asp bites, and hollowed-out rings for holding poisons. There were drawings of people writhing in agony and turning black while still seeming to have a cheerful smile on their faces, as though it was a privilege to be poisoned by some new and wonderful strain of deadly nightshade. He looked up and saw that Toxique, the trainee assassin, was watching him. He pointed wordlessly to the cover of Danny's book and nodded grim approval.
Danny then picked up a dull-looking book on the nature and composition of invisible inks, which seemed to be full of mathematical symbols for the chemistry of inks. Above his head there was more fluttering. He looked up to see a line of ravens. They were sitting on a beam almost directly above his head looking at him, heads cocked to
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one side, their beady eyes unblinking. He started to feel uncomfortable. Why were they watching him? Perhaps they thought he was a Cherb as well.
He looked around the hall. Les had his head buried in a book, but was so still that Danny thought he must be asleep. Dixie was making strange movements with her hands, as though building an imaginary structure in the air. She flashed him a quick smile and went back to her work.
He couldn't concentrate on any of the books, and the minutes stretched out. It was a relief when Blackpitt announced, "End of study. Take your weary brains off to bed. Pay attention to flossing and oral hygiene. Prevention is better than cure," he added bossily.
Danny stood up to go. As he did so, something fell from the rafters above and landed with a splat in the middle of his desk, narrowly missing his head. He looked up. There was only one raven left, but it had its beak open, and if he hadn't known better, he would have said it was laughing.
The cadets made their way
74
the way around the room and return with the answer. They also say that there is always a snare in the answer."
"It comes in your own voice too," Dixie said, putting on a spooky voice herself.
"You can't get to it from here," Les said, seeing the way Danny was eyeing it. "If you're thinking of trying to ask it who tried to drop a statue on your head, it's forbidden to go up there. Unauthorized entry to the gallery is a Ninth Regulation offense. The answers are supposed to be really tricky, so I suppose Devoy thinks we're not bright enough to work them out."
They passed under the Gallery of Whispers and emerged into a long, high-ceilinged study hall. There were desks in rows, and a high table at the top, where Miss Duddy sat scrutinizing the students as they entered.
"Desk number seventeen, Caulfield," she piped up. The high desk had new books piled on it.
"We do an hour's study," Les whispered, "then we're free."
Danny looked up and saw something moving in the dim-lit rafters. There was a fluttering sound, and then another. Shadows of wings were thrown against the wall, huge and dark.
"What's that?" Danny whispered.
"Only the ravens," Les whispered back. "They're kind of the symbol of Wilsons. They say that the ravens were a gift from the Fifth himself!"
"Caulfield and Knutt, a First Regulation offense each," Miss Duddy intoned. "Whispering in Study."
75
Les groaned and turned his eyes to heaven. He pointed Danny to a desk and sat down at his own, which was covered in an untidy sprawl of books and papers. One by one the other cadets took their seats, and silence fell over the hall, broken only by the rustle of paper.
Danny looked at the pile of books in front of him. There were titles like From the Bosporus to Oxford: One Spy's Journey; Basic Inks; How to See and Not Be Seen; Political Assassination: A Brief Guide; and Spycraft: An Intermediate-Level Reader .
He opened the most promising-looking one, which was called Poisons: A History . An upbeat introduction promised "an introduction to the marvelous world of poisoners and poison." He soon found himself lost in a world of queens murdered by asp bites, and hollowed-out rings for holding poisons. There were drawings of people writhing in agony and turning black while still seeming to have a cheerful smile on their faces, as though it was a privilege to be poisoned by some new and wonderful strain of deadly nightshade. He looked up and saw that Toxique, the trainee assassin, was watching him. He pointed wordlessly to the cover of Danny's book and nodded grim approval.
Danny then picked up a dull-looking book on the nature and composition of invisible inks, which seemed to be full of mathematical symbols for the chemistry of inks. Above his head there was more fluttering. He looked up to see a line of ravens. They were sitting on a beam almost directly above his head looking at him, heads cocked to
76
one side, their beady eyes unblinking. He started to feel uncomfortable. Why were they watching him? Perhaps they thought he was a Cherb as well.
He looked around the hall. Les had his head buried in a book, but was so still that Danny thought he must be asleep. Dixie was making strange movements with her hands, as though building an imaginary structure in the air. She flashed him a quick smile and went back to her work.
He couldn't concentrate on any of the books, and the minutes stretched out. It was a relief when Blackpitt announced, "End of study. Take your weary brains off to bed. Pay attention to flossing and oral hygiene. Prevention is better than cure," he added bossily.
Danny stood up to go. As he did so, something fell from the rafters above and landed with a splat in the middle of his desk, narrowly missing his head. He looked up. There was only one raven left, but it had its beak open, and if he hadn't known better, he would have said it was laughing.
The cadets made their way
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