27 - A Night in Terror Tower Read online

Edward’s smile faded. “I—I think so.”

  I could hear the Executioner outside the door. The heavy treading of boots on the stone stairs.

  “Edward—please hurry!” I urged.

  I heard the bolt slide outside the door.

  I heard the heavy wooden door begin to slide open.

  Edward struggled to stack the glowing stones one on top of the other. The one on top kept slipping off.

  Finally, he held all three in a small tower in his palm.

  The door slid open a few inches more.

  Edward held the glowing stones high. And called out the words, “Movarum, Lovaris, Movaris!”

  The glowing stones exploded in a flash of white light.

  The light faded quickly.

  I glanced around.

  “Oh, Edward!” I wailed in disappointment. “It didn’t work! We’re still in the Tower!”

  Before my stunned brother could reply, the door swung all the way open.

  33

  And there they stood. A tour group.

  I didn’t recognize the tour leader. She was a young woman, dressed in layers of red and yellow T-shirts, and a short skirt over black tights.

  I grinned at Edward. I felt so happy, I didn’t think I would ever stop grinning!

  “You did it, Edward!” I cried. “You did it! Your spell did work!”

  “Call me Eddie,” he replied, laughing gleefully. “Call me Eddie, okay, Sue?”

  The spell had worked perfectly. We were back in the twentieth century. Back in the Tower—as tourists!

  “This tiny Tower room is where Prince Edward and Princess Susannah of York were held as prisoners,” the tour guide announced. “They were held here and sentenced to death. But they were never executed.”

  “They didn’t die up here?” I asked the tour guide. “What happened?”

  The tour guide shrugged. She chewed her gum harder. “No one knows. On the night they were to be murdered, the prince and princess vanished. Disappeared into thin air. It is a mystery that will never be solved.”

  Members of the tour group mumbled to each other, gazing around the small room.

  “Look at the thick, stone walls,” the tour guide continued, chewing her gum as she talked. “Look at the barred window so high above. How did they escape? We will never know.”

  “I guess we know the answer to the mystery,” someone whispered behind me.

  Eddie and I turned to see Morgred grinning at us. He winked. I saw that he was wearing a purple sports jacket and dark gray trousers.

  “Thanks for bringing me along,” he said happily.

  “We had to bring you, Morgred,” Eddie replied. “We need a parent.”

  Morgred raised a finger to his mouth. “Hush! Don’t call me Morgred. I’m Mr. Morgan now. Okay?”

  “Okay,” I said. “And I guess I’m Sue Morgan. And this is Eddie Morgan.” I slapped my brother on the back.

  The tour group started out of the Tower room, and we followed. Eddie pulled the three white stones from his jeans pocket and began juggling them.

  “If I hadn’t borrowed these from your robe,” he told Mr. Morgan, “that tour guide would be telling a very different story—wouldn’t she!”

  “Yes, she would,” the sorcerer replied thoughtfully. “A very different story.”

  “Let’s get out of here!” I cried. “I never want to see this tower again.”

  “I’m starving!” Eddie exclaimed.

  I suddenly realized I was starving, too.

  “Shall I perform a food spell?” Mr. Morgan suggested.

  Eddie and I each let out a loud groan. “I think I’ve had enough spells to last a lifetime,” I said. “How about we go to Burger Palace for some good old twentieth-century hamburgers and fries!”

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