Read Online Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos-Theo 1 by R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka - Free Book Online Page B
Book: Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos-Theo 1 by R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka
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Authors: R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka
Tags: Fiction, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Magic, Family Life, Occult fiction, Adventure and Adventurers, Great Britain, Egypt, London (England), Antiquities, Good and Evil, Occultism, Blessing and Cursing, Egypt - Antiquities, Museums, London (England) - History - 20th Century, Great Britain - History - Edward VII; 1901-1910, Incantations; Egyptian, Family Life - England
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rubbed my elbow, then pushed my hair back out of my eyes so I could look down and see how much damage had been done. The bottom of my right sleeve was in tatters, and my wrist had a number of scrapes on it. "Isis and I had a bit of a disagreement."
"That confounded cat will be our undoing," Father declared, then strode out of the room. "Now come along. You're making us late."
As I followed, I could only hope that the amulet would work its magic on Isis. Hopefully by the time we returned from the holidays, she would be cured.
Henry's Homecoming
C HARING C ROSS S TATION was even more of a madhouse than the day before, if that were possible. Families dressed in traveling clothes and lugging valises were shepherding excited children into the station, while porters wheeling carts of towering luggage did their best to avoid them. Trains pulled up to the platforms and belched out groups of schoolchildren home for the holidays like puffs of gray smoke. As I searched the most recent batch for signs of Henry, I felt a slight tug on the back of my coat. I whirled around and found myself face to face with the urchin, Sticky Will.
"'Ello there."
He looked a little grimier than he had yesterday, and his collar had sprung loose. "Hullo!" I said. "I was hoping I'd find you—"
"Seems to me as I'm the one wot did the finding."
I waved my hand. "Never mind. What did you find out?"
"Blimey, miss!" the urchin said, staring at my arm. "Was you in a fight?"
"No, I wasn't in a fight," I said. "My cat and I had a misunderstanding, that's all."
The pickpocket eyed me up and down. "Must be some cat. 'As 'e got lion blood in 'im?"
"At the moment she seems to," I muttered. "Now, what did you find out?"
"The bloke made 'is way to some digs on Carleton Terrace Gardens."
"Carleton Terrace! Isn't that right next to the German Embassy?" Did that mean this skulky fellow was a German? And why would a German be following Mum? Or care so much about her trunks?
The urchin shrugged. "I just follows 'em, miss. I don't tell 'em where to go." His eyes darted over my shoulder, then back at me. "We're even now, right miss?"
"Yes, I suppose—"
"Got to go," he said, turning to dart back into the crowd.
"Wait a minute," I said. "How can I find you?"
The urchin grinned, revealing a missing tooth. "I'm usually here most days." He glanced over my shoulder one more time, then was gone, disappearing into the crowd. I was surprised at how alone I felt all of a sudden. A person could get used to having an ally.
Just then I heard an all too familiar voice behind me. "Does Father know about this?"
Slowly, I turned around. "Henry. You're home." I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice. Well, I tried a little. Why couldn't
he
be helpful like Sticky Will?
"Are you so desperate for friends that you're picking up strays?"
My face grew hot and I clenched my fists to keep from socking him. "I have plenty of friends," I spluttered.
"Really? Who? A scrawny cat? Flimp? A boring curator you make cow eyes at?"
"I do not make cow eyes at him!"
"Street urchins?"
"Oh, shut up. I do too have friends." I did. Really. Sticky Will was my ally, wasn't he? Or was he just a pickpocket hoping for another pasty? Oh, who needs friends anyway? "Where are Mother and Father?"
"Getting my luggage. They told me to run on ahead and see if I could find you."
Behind him, I saw my parents making their way through the crowd, along with a porter juggling Henry's luggage. "How many days' break do you get this winter?" I asked.
"Three weeks," Henry said. "And if you're snotty to me, I'll make sure they put
you
on a train to school when they send me back."
The cad.
***
After we picked Henry up from the train station we went directly home to our house on Chesterfield Street. It was wonderful to be home! Thick curtains and even thicker carpets kept all the drafts away and there was a fire burning in every room in the house. Cook, relieved to have something to do, made a
"That confounded cat will be our undoing," Father declared, then strode out of the room. "Now come along. You're making us late."
As I followed, I could only hope that the amulet would work its magic on Isis. Hopefully by the time we returned from the holidays, she would be cured.
Henry's Homecoming
C HARING C ROSS S TATION was even more of a madhouse than the day before, if that were possible. Families dressed in traveling clothes and lugging valises were shepherding excited children into the station, while porters wheeling carts of towering luggage did their best to avoid them. Trains pulled up to the platforms and belched out groups of schoolchildren home for the holidays like puffs of gray smoke. As I searched the most recent batch for signs of Henry, I felt a slight tug on the back of my coat. I whirled around and found myself face to face with the urchin, Sticky Will.
"'Ello there."
He looked a little grimier than he had yesterday, and his collar had sprung loose. "Hullo!" I said. "I was hoping I'd find you—"
"Seems to me as I'm the one wot did the finding."
I waved my hand. "Never mind. What did you find out?"
"Blimey, miss!" the urchin said, staring at my arm. "Was you in a fight?"
"No, I wasn't in a fight," I said. "My cat and I had a misunderstanding, that's all."
The pickpocket eyed me up and down. "Must be some cat. 'As 'e got lion blood in 'im?"
"At the moment she seems to," I muttered. "Now, what did you find out?"
"The bloke made 'is way to some digs on Carleton Terrace Gardens."
"Carleton Terrace! Isn't that right next to the German Embassy?" Did that mean this skulky fellow was a German? And why would a German be following Mum? Or care so much about her trunks?
The urchin shrugged. "I just follows 'em, miss. I don't tell 'em where to go." His eyes darted over my shoulder, then back at me. "We're even now, right miss?"
"Yes, I suppose—"
"Got to go," he said, turning to dart back into the crowd.
"Wait a minute," I said. "How can I find you?"
The urchin grinned, revealing a missing tooth. "I'm usually here most days." He glanced over my shoulder one more time, then was gone, disappearing into the crowd. I was surprised at how alone I felt all of a sudden. A person could get used to having an ally.
Just then I heard an all too familiar voice behind me. "Does Father know about this?"
Slowly, I turned around. "Henry. You're home." I tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice. Well, I tried a little. Why couldn't
he
be helpful like Sticky Will?
"Are you so desperate for friends that you're picking up strays?"
My face grew hot and I clenched my fists to keep from socking him. "I have plenty of friends," I spluttered.
"Really? Who? A scrawny cat? Flimp? A boring curator you make cow eyes at?"
"I do not make cow eyes at him!"
"Street urchins?"
"Oh, shut up. I do too have friends." I did. Really. Sticky Will was my ally, wasn't he? Or was he just a pickpocket hoping for another pasty? Oh, who needs friends anyway? "Where are Mother and Father?"
"Getting my luggage. They told me to run on ahead and see if I could find you."
Behind him, I saw my parents making their way through the crowd, along with a porter juggling Henry's luggage. "How many days' break do you get this winter?" I asked.
"Three weeks," Henry said. "And if you're snotty to me, I'll make sure they put
you
on a train to school when they send me back."
The cad.
***
After we picked Henry up from the train station we went directly home to our house on Chesterfield Street. It was wonderful to be home! Thick curtains and even thicker carpets kept all the drafts away and there was a fire burning in every room in the house. Cook, relieved to have something to do, made a
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