The Heir of Mistmantle Read Online Free PDF

not to do. And there must be a senior animal here all the time, so they have someone to report back to.”
    “Excuse me, Your Majesties,” said Captain Lugg, “I don’t like to speak out of turn. I have three daughters myself, and I know how precious the princess is. But there’s still a fair old heap of harvest to bring in, and we don’t know how long this weather will last.”
    Urchin glimpsed a frown of irritation on Crispin’s face, but it was gone in an instant. “You’re right,” said Crispin. “We mustn’t neglect the harvest. It would have serious consequences for the whole island, and life has to go on. I’ve lived through dangerous times, and it’s doing the ordinary things that helps you to cope.”
    “Harvest and all the everyday things will have to go on,” said Cedar as firmly as she could. “Nobody should be forced to leave harvesting and search for Catkin, but…”
    “We will find her,” said Crispin fiercely, “because we have to. We’ll find her, if I have to dig up the whole island with my own claws.”
    “And,” Padra pointed out gently, “we have two new members of the Circle to admit in a few days.”
    Urchin and Needle looked at each other. They were ready to join the Circle. Their special new cloaks were waiting for them. They had prepared for the great day, practiced for it, dreamed of it, talked of it, and agreed that the best thing about joining the Circle was that Crispin, Cedar, and the captains believed that they were worthy of it. But it wouldn’t be right, not now. Nothing mattered now, except getting Catkin back.
    They understood each other without having to speak. Needle stood up and curtsied.
    “We’d like to wait, please,” she said. “It wouldn’t be right to be admitted to the Circle with all this going on.”
    “It would be very hard for you to wait,” said Crispin gently.
    “We wouldn’t enjoy the ceremony,” insisted Needle. “Nobody would, not while the baby’s missing.”
    “And it would take time when we should be out looking for her,” said Urchin. “Your Majesty, you wouldn’t be crowned until the Heartstone was found and I came home.”
    “Excuse me,” said Cedar in a tight, crisp voice as if she were keeping herself sternly controlled, “but you’re all assuming that the princess will still be missing tomorrow. We agreed that she’s still on the island, and the search parties are out. Wherever can Linty take her that she won’t be found?” She opened a chest and pulled out a belted sword, then a cloak. “I’m going out to look for her myself.”
    “Russet, go with the queen,” ordered Crispin. “And you too, Spade. Brother Fir, do you need Juniper?”
    “I need to speak to the animals who know Linty best,” said Fir. “They will speak more freely without a youngster present. May I go now, Your Majesty?”
    Fir hobbled away, and more search parties and messengers were sent in every direction. Soon, only Urchin and Juniper were left waiting for orders.
    “Now,” said Crispin briskly, “you two are to go down to the Chamber of Candles. Juniper, you must have visited it with Fir?”
    “Yes, Your Majesty,” said Juniper.
    “And Urchin’s been there before, too,” said Crispin. “Good. You two, go down there with Docken and search the chamber and all around it.”
    “Certainly, sir,” said Urchin promptly. The Chamber of Candles held so many unpleasant memories for him that it wouldn’t be an easy thing to do, but it seemed that Crispin knew that, and was offering him a challenge. He wanted to show he was up to it. So, with Juniper and Docken of the Circle, he slipped through the Gathering Chamber to a small door and took a sharp turn through an entrance that you wouldn’t even see unless you knew it was there.
    “Good thing I brought a lantern,” muttered Docken. “My eyes aren’t as good as yours, you being squirrels, and young ones.”
    The narrow stairway led to deep, damp tunnels, and in spite of Docken’s