Read Online Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George - Free Book Online Page B

right. He’s never said it, but I believe that the Arkower plans to take over your country. He wants the Castle and the griffins, even after all this time.”
    Lilah arranged her dirty skirts around her knees. Celiebraced herself, and saw Rolf sit up straighter as well. Lilah looked perfectly at ease, but her sister and brother knew she was about to go on the attack.
    â€œWe should probably be on our way soon,” Lilah said as though commenting on the weather.
    As though a wizard weren’t searching for them.
    â€œBut before we do, I have a few questions for you,” Lilah went on, and she fixed her gaze on Ethan, who was intelligent enough to squirm despite her still-casual air. “Questions like, why is the Arkower preparing for attack now, when he’s had hundreds of years?”
    â€œHe — he —” Ethan stammered.
    â€œHow many of you are there, and how is he planning to attack?”
    â€œWe — there are only — ”
    â€œYou’re not taking another step with us, no matter how much you helped with the escape from the mountain last night, until I get satisfactory answers,” Lilah said pleasantly. She arched an eyebrow.
“Do you understand?”
She finished in a menacing tone that made Celie shift away from her.
    â€œOooh,” Rolf said, eyes gleaming.
    Ethan looked around for support, but they all just looked back. Celie was holding her breath. Would Ethan tell them? Could he help them? Or was he really a spy?
    The boy ducked his head, his ears and cheeks flaming. “I’ll tell you everything I know,” he mumbled. “I swear. But I don’t really know all of it. I mean, I was told when I was eight that I would go to the mountain and serve theArkower. My parents are dead; I didn’t have another choice. The older boys, the ones before me, they find ways to leave. To sneak away … They are ashamed when they realize that no matter how badly they want a griffin, the griffins don’t want them.”
    Lilah made an impatient gesture, and Ethan hurried to continue.
    â€œI think the Arkower originally wanted to build up the Glorious Arkower again. We had parts of the Castle, and there were some griffins left. But no one has ever bonded with one of the griffins, and they don’t breed as quickly as they used to.”
    â€œBecause the Castle is gone? Or is there another reason?” Celie asked.
    Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know. He gave up his name and became the Arkower, as though he was dead and our land was dead. But I think he had a vision of restoring our land, our griffins, our Castle.” He licked his lips nervously. “It was ours first, you know.”
    â€œWe know,” Rolf said, circling his hand to encourage Ethan to keep going.
    â€œBut that didn’t work, so …” Ethan shrugged.
    â€œSo now he’s going after our griffins and our Castle?” Celie asked, but she didn’t need to. Ethan nodded. “How?”
    â€œI really don’t … well, he wanted to use the shard of the Eye that’s still here, but it got stolen. That’s how I found out about his plan to go to Sleyne.”
    â€œSo he needs the Eye to travel to Sleyne?” Pogue asked,looking thoughtful. “I wonder if we could use it to get home without his help, then.”
    â€œI don’t know,” Ethan said.
    â€œWhere is the shard of the Eye?” Lilah asked.
    â€œI don’t know that, either,” Ethan said. “If I knew … well, I would have told the Arkower.” He made a face. “It’s difficult to keep secrets from a wizard.”
    â€œThat is being the truth,” Lulath said. “Even the Bran, who is kind, is making me to want to confess when I have nothing to confess.”
    â€œWho stole the shard?” Celie asked.
    Ethan looked around at Rufus and his father. “This is going to sound very odd, and I did try to tell the Arkower, who