The Fire Chronicle Read Online Free PDF Page B

wizard had been biting into a thickly ribbed pastry, and a large gob of cream had landed on his tie. He looked about for his napkin—it was right in front of him—and, not seeing it, wiped the cream off with his finger, and then plopped it in his mouth. “So, we are here, in the charming village of Castel del Monte, to see a man. As it happens, I was on my way here when I received a letter from your sister—”
    “The one she sent today!” Michael said. “What did it say?”
    “I will get to that later. But I immediately diverted my course to Baltimore and then, once I had you in hand, it just seemed easier to bring you along. As to Gabriel’s whereabouts, he is on a mission for me, the same mission, one might say, that drew the two of us away so abruptly last Christmas. I prefer not to go into more detail at the moment.”
    “What a surprise,” Emma said. “Hey, can we get another of those cream donut things? ’Cause you kinda hogged that one.”
    Before Dr. Pym could ask, the signora placed one in front of Emma.
    “What about our parents?” Michael said. “Have you found out where they’re being held?”
    “No,” the wizard said. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t.”
    The mood once again became somber. None of them spoke. The silence was finally broken when a bell began tolling in the square. Dr. Pym clapped his hands.
    “And that is our cue. Your other questions will have to keep.”
    He summoned over the small signora and spoke to her in Italian. Michael took a moment to look through his bag. Therewas
The Dwarf Omnibus
, King Robbie’s medal proclaiming him Royal Guardian of All Dwarfish Traditions and History, his journal, pens and pencils, a pocketknife, a compass, a camera, and gum. He’d always made a point of keeping his bag fully packed for just such an emergency, and he felt a warm throb of satisfaction at seeing everything in its place.
    Suddenly, there was a shattering crash, and Michael looked up and saw that the woman had dropped a large dish, spraying noodles and tomato sauce all over the tile floor. She gestured to Michael and Emma and let out a burst of Italian. She seemed to be imploring the wizard. Dr. Pym responded, and the woman crossed herself several times quickly. The entire restaurant had fallen silent.
    “What’s going on?” Emma whispered.
    Michael shook his head; he had no idea.
    “Children,” Dr. Pym said, laying several bills upon the table, “we should leave.”
    Every eye followed them out of the restaurant. In the square, they were alone, save for the white dog from before, and even it seemed to regard them warily. The setting sun cast the world in a soft amber glow. “This way,” Dr. Pym said, and he headed down the main street at a rapid pace. The village ended after only a hundred yards, and Dr. Pym turned up the hill, leading the children through a gate and into a grove of olive trees. The ground was dry and rocky and steep.
    “Dr. Pym,” Emma huffed, “what happened back there? What’s going on?”
    “I told you that we are here to see a man. What I did not saywas that I have been searching for this individual for nearly a decade. Only recently did I finally track him to this village. You heard me asking the signora how to find his house.”
    “That’s it? That’s what made her drop the plate?”
    “Yes, it appears that he is regarded by the locals as something of a devil. Or perhaps
the
Devil. The signora was a bit flustered.”
    “Is he dangerous?” Michael asked. Then he added, “Because I’m the oldest now, and I’m responsible for Emma’s safety.”
    “Oh, please,” Emma groaned.
    “I wouldn’t say he’s dangerous,” the wizard said. “At least, not very.”
    They hiked on, following a narrow, twisting trail. They could hear goats bleating in the distance, the bells around their necks clanking dully in the still air. Stalks of dry grass scratched at the children’s ankles. The light was dying, and soon Michael could no longer see the