Alfie Bloom and the Talisman Thief Read Online Free PDF Page A

it must have brought the elves from their realm. He remembered what Emily had said about the offices being multi-dimensional and suddenly the huge variety of strange carriages in the coachhouse began to make sense to him.
    â€œ Quick, I’ve locked the door from reception, but you need to get out of here,” said Emily, hurrying them into Johannes’ coach. Alfie grabbed her arm before she closed the door.
    â€œEmily, I know they don’t like each other, but Caspian
will
try his hardest to get Ashford back, won’t he?”
    Emily grasped his hand reassuringly. “He never does anything less, Alfie. The oak portal will be sealed when you return. Do not, however impatient you might feel, attempt to go through it.”
    Alfie felt his dad grip his shoulders. “He won’t.” It was as much a command as a statement.

The Black Mirror
    â€œOi, sleepyhead!”
Thud-thud-thud.
    Alfie was wrenched awake by the sound of his cousin Madeleine hammering on his door and yelling through the keyhole. He could hear her brother Robin telling her off.
    â€œKeep it down, Maddie. You’re the most annoying alarm clock ever!”
    Alfie wished that she had a snooze button as he rolled out of his huge four-poster bed and opened the door for the twins.
    â€œSorry, I tried to stop her barging up here,” Robin apologized as Madeleine bounced into the room. Alfie rubbed the sleep from his bleary eyes.
    â€œ Your dad went food shopping,” said Madeleine, poking through the comics on Alfie’s bedside table. “He gave us some money to go for lunch with you and Amy. You know it’s after one o’clock? Is she still in bed too?”
    â€œMaddie, come back!” called Robin as his sister dashed off to wake Amy. He threw his arms up. “I swear she gets more annoying every day. Meet you in the courtyard when you’re ready,” he called back as he hurried after her.
    Alfie dug out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and tried to remember where he had kicked his shoes. He’d never get used to such a huge bedroom. By the time he had showered and dressed, Amy and the twins were already lounging on the grass in the courtyard’s garden. He was very glad to see that Amy’s black eye was almost unnoticeable now. He loved the castle, but the gifts he had received from Orin, especially the ancient creation magic the druid had hidden inside him, seemed to keep bringing danger to people close to him.
    â€œWhat’s up with the tree?” asked Madeleine. Alfie had almost forgotten about the strange men that Caspian had brought with him to the castle last night, but it appeared that they had been hard at work. Three iron bands encircled the oak tree, which Alfie guessed were to prevent the elves from opening the portal from the other side again. On each band was an indentation that, before even looking, Alfie knew the talisman would fit into. The talisman was already a key for many things that Orin wanted him to be the only person to open, such as the druid’s study and the great seal under the castle. It seemed he was now the guardian of the portal too. This was another lock he would never open.
    Alfie and Amy filled the twins in on what had happened during the night. They were too shocked by Ashford’s kidnapping to dwell on the revelation that he was a time-travelling thief too.
    â€œSo that’s
all
Caspian is doing to get him back?” cried Madeleine. “Talking? There must be something
we
can do.” She leapt to her feet and began examining the bands around the tree. “Your talisman will open these, won’t it? We could go after him. Me and Robin could bring our bows. We’ll rescue him ourselves!”
    â€œSit down, Madeleine. You’re not helping,” said Robin wearily. “Even if we could figure out how to open the portal ourselves, what are we going to do? Go up against a pack of armed elves? You’re not going to shoot