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

bowl. “Anyone would think we were starving you!” He shut the door, leaving the cat to yowl his frustration at his lost prize.
    â€œThe mouse is OK,” said Robin. “But we should keep an eye on him for a while before we let him go.”
    â€œThere’s an old birdcage in Artan’s room,” said Alfie. “Come on. We can put him in there.”
    The cage proved to be very suitable. It was nice and big, and the bars were close enough together to stop the mouse slipping out between them. They even found some straw to line it with. Artan floated over to see what they were doing as they placed the mouse inside with some sunflower seeds and a jam-jar lid filled with water.
    â€œWhat type of mouse is that?” he asked.
    â€œA common field mouse, I think,” said Alfie.
    Artan took a long hard sniff. “Smells funny.”
    â€œThat’s because Leo slobbered all over him,” said Amy.
    â€œ Do you even have a sense of smell?” asked Alfie.
    â€œThat’s right,” rumbled Artan. “Mock the poor old hollowed-out bear. I’ll have you know you couldn’t pick a better nose than mine. Go on, give it a try.”
    â€œUrgh. Get away!” Alfie pushed the bear’s cold nose away as it nudged his cheek.
    â€œI will if you give me an in-
scent
-ive. Get it?” He did a little flip in the air as he cracked up laughing at his own puns.
    The bear’s jolly mood changed completely when Alfie recounted the attack of the night before. He became more and more agitated, swooshing around the room knocking masks and paintings off the wall in his clumsy rage.
    â€œThey came in here – to our
home
– and harmed one of our own? We should fly straight into their lands and give them a taste of fear!”
    â€œCalm down,” said Alfie, grasping the bear’s paw and pulling him down. “You sound like Maddie. We’re not going after them.”
    â€œWell, we should at least be prepared in case they come back,” he growled.
    â€œHe’s got a point,” said Robin. “I know the portal is sealed, but we should be ready to protect ourselves – just in case. Think. You saw them at Caspian’s offices. Is there anything you remember?”
    Alfie thought hard and remembered how the elves had screamed in pain when the armour in Caspian’s offices had grabbed their wrists. “Iron! It burns them or something.”
    â€œOf course!” said Amy. “That must be why Caspian had those little blokes ring the tree with iron.”
    â€œRobin, do you remember Granny’s stories?” said Madeleine suddenly. “When we were little she told us she always keeps a cat in the house and an iron poker by the door…”
    â€œâ€¦In case the Fair Folk come calling,” finished Robin, his eyes wide. “Do you think she was talking about elves? She couldn’t really know something about them, could she?”
    â€œLet’s ask her tomorrow,” said Alfie.
    â€œHey, look at this.” Amy had been investigating the harpsichord and had found something. “I was wondering why some of the keys wouldn’t work. This was hidden under the lid.” She handed Alfie a curved black mirror in a round copper frame. It was about the size of a large saucer.
    â€œI was wondering where Orin left that,” grinned Artan. “Give it a go.”
    Alfie stared into the mirror, and a distorted reflection with a huge nose stared back at him.
    â€œIt’s not a very good mirror,” said Madeleine, polishing the surface with her sleeve. They took turns to look into it until Alfie’s stomach broke the silence with a loud grumble.
    â€œAll right, calm down. It wasn’t that funny!” he said as the others fell about laughing. “Let’s go and see if Dad needs a hand in the kitchen.”
    â€œAlfie, the mirror!” cried Robin. Alfie looked at the curved disc in his hands