Rescue Princesses #4: The Stolen Crystals Page 3

  “What are you all whispering about?” Emily’s little sister, Princess Lottie, bounced over to them, her bright eyes inquisitive.

  “Nothing! Go back to Mom! The banquet’s about to start,” said Emily.

  Lottie pouted. “I know you’re talking about something secret and I want to know what it is!”

  “Look! Mom’s calling you!” said Emily, hurrying her sister away.

  The banquet sped by in a jumble of eating, drinking, and talking. The princesses were glad to get away at the end, despite the extra helping of chocolate ice cream they were given. By the time they left the hall, the sun had set and stars had begun to appear in the dark sky.

  “That earl with the black shoes has a room just down the hallway from mine,” said Lulu. “Let’s go and hide nearby so we can see what he does after dinner.”

  “Great idea!” said Emily. “I want to know what he’s doing. I don’t trust him one little bit.”

  They climbed the first set of stairs and walked down the hallway. As they went around a corner, Jaminta caught sight of someone slipping into the shadows behind them.

  She flicked her fan open and whispered behind it, “There’s someone spying on us! Over there!”

  The girls froze.

  “What should we do? Should we run away?” muttered Clarabel behind her fan.

  “No! Let’s pretend we haven’t seen them,” said Lulu. “Just keep walking.”

  The princesses climbed up the next staircase. As they reached the top, a shadowy figure moved through the darkness behind them for a second time.

  Jaminta felt a tingle run down her spine. She recognized that ninja move. Ally had taught it to them a few months ago, when they were together at Mistberg Castle. She bit her lip. There was definitely someone sneaking after them, someone who didn’t want to be seen.

  Glancing back nervously, the princesses scurried down the corridor. Halfway along, Jaminta ducked behind a large dragon statue, making sure she was well hidden by its wooden body. She looked at the others and put a finger to her lips. They nodded quickly and continued walking.

  Jaminta crouched down, waiting, her heart thumping.

  The shadow flitted closer. It paused for a moment by an open doorway. Then it moved a little closer.

  Jaminta held her breath as she watched the shadow edging toward her. What if the ninja had already seen her? For a moment she wished she hadn’t hidden here without her friends. But it was too late now. Feeling shaky inside, she jumped out from behind the dragon statue.

  “Stop right now!” she called out, trying to sound brave.

  The shadow shrieked and almost fell against the statue.

  Jaminta grabbed the shadow’s arm to hold it steady.

  “Oh, thank you!” said a muffled voice.

  Jaminta felt a shock run through her. “Ally? Is that you?” she asked.

  The shadow unwound a dark scarf from around her chin. “Yes, it’s me!” Ally said, more clearly this time. “Goodness, Jaminta! You made me jump!”

  “But, Ally?” Jaminta stared at her. “I don’t understand. What’s going on? Why are you following us around in the dark?”

  The other princesses raced up to them.

  “Ally! What are you doing?” asked Emily, astonished. “You told me you were fixing the bow on my ball gown this evening!”

  “You were sneaking after us!” said Lulu, her lionlike eyes flashing.

  “No! Not at all!” exclaimed Ally, taking off a black woolen hat and letting her ponytail swing free. “I’m sorry, Your Majesties. I can see why you thought I was following you, but that’s not what I was doing at all.”

  “But you’re wearing dark clothes for camouflage,” Jaminta pointed out. “And using the ninja moves that you taught us.”

  “Yes,” laughed Ally. “Although I’m obviously not as good as I used to be, because you spotted me easily. You girls are better at the moves than I am.” She sighed a little.

  The princesses stared at her, a million questions flying through their heads.

  “Ally?” asked Emily, at last. “Is there something secret going on?”

  Ally looked serious. “We’d better go somewhere more private, where we can talk.”

  “My room’s the closest,” said Jaminta.

  They hurried into Jaminta’s room. Emily, Clarabel, and Lulu settled down on the plump green sofa, while Jaminta lay across the four-poster bed. They looked expectantly at Ally.

  “So why were you being a ninja?” asked Jaminta.

  “All right, I’ll tell you,” said Ally. “Ten years ago, when I was working as an undercover agent, I was given a very important case. I was asked to find the missing Onica Heart Crystals and catch the thief who stole them.”

  “Heart Crystals? Were they really famous?” asked Clarabel.

  “The Onica Heart Crystals were the most precious jewels in the whole kingdom,” explained Jaminta. “There were four of them, each one in the shape of a heart. They were clear, just like diamonds, but had a flickering flame right in the middle. Grandfather told me that he used to keep them in a glass case in the banquet hall. Then one morning they were gone.”

  “They were beautiful jewels,” Ally agreed. “And really powerful, too. They were supposed to show a person’s true nature and whether they were good or evil.”

  “I’ve never heard of a jewel that could do that before!” said Emily.

  “What happened after they were stolen?” asked Lulu.

  “I investigated the robbery for months and months. I followed the trail across the ocean to the kingdom of Middingland.” Ally’s eyes flicked to Emily, the Middingland princess. “I was there to spy on someone suspicious. But I never managed to find the jewels, and finally I was told to give up. I was working as a maid in Middingland Palace at the time, and I liked it so much that I stayed there.”

  Emily’s mouth dropped open. “Do you mean you were an undercover agent when you became our maid? Being a maid was part of your disguise?”

  “It was only a disguise at first.” Ally smiled at her. “That was ten years ago. But I could never quite forget the Onica Heart Crystals. They were such special jewels.”

  A scuffling sound on the roof made them all jump.

  Lulu dashed out onto the dark balcony and came back a few seconds later. “It’s all right,” she panted. “It’s only an owl.”

  “I still don’t understand why you were sneaking down the hallway,” said Clarabel.

  “I always wondered whether the stolen Heart Crystals were actually still here in the kingdom of Onica. Maybe the robber hid them somewhere nearby because he knew we suspected him,” explained Ally. “When I saw the man I spied on ten years ago, I couldn’t help following him.”

  “You must be talking about someone from Middingland!” cried Emily.

  “Who is it, Ally? You have to tell us!” asked Lulu.

  “I don’t think I should,” said Ally. “I don’t want to get you into trouble.”

  Jaminta frowned for a moment, then her eyes widened. Ally had looked at someone very suspiciously that morning. Jaminta remembered the mysterious look she’d had in her eyes.

  Ally got up. “Now I must get back to mending the bow on that ball gown. After that I’ll bring you all some mugs of hot chocolate.”

  As Ally disappeared from the room, Emily turned to the others. “I can’t believe Ally kept her secret all this time about why she came to Middingland!”

  “I wonder if she’s right and the jewels are hidden somewhere nearby,” said Lulu excitedly.

  “But if they’re hidden here, wouldn’t someone have discovered them by now?” said Clarabel.

  “The jewels are hidden here! Don’t you see!” Jaminta leapt up, her brown eyes shining. “Ten years ago, Ally went to Middingland to investigate the thief. Emily, you said that Earl Scrant lives in Middingland! And when we hid under that table, we heard him say he wants to dig up something from the mountainside. He must be digging up the stolen Heart Crystals!”

  Emily, Clarabel, and Lulu looked at one another, their eyes widening.

  “I hadn’t thought of that!” said Emily. “I think you’re right, Jaminta. Earl Scrant must have stolen the jewels and then buried them on the mountainside in a hurry because he knew he might be caught.”

  “But what should we do about it?” said Clarabel. “Would your grandfather really believe all this, Jaminta?”

  Jaminta shook her head. “We don’t have any real proof. We can only tell him what we heard while we were hidden under a table.”

  “Then we have to make sure we’re there when Earl Scrant digs up the Heart Crystals,” said Lulu. “If he’s caught carrying them, everyone will know he was the thief.”

  “We can use our ninja moves to follow him,” said Emily.

  “He won’t go up the mountain in the dark, so we can start tomorrow morning, right after we take my rock crystal to the river,” added Jaminta.

  Lulu and Emily exchanged glances.

  “I think we should just concentrate on following Earl Scrant and forget about your crystal,” said Lulu.

  Emily nodded. “We don’t want to miss our chance to find out where the earl will be digging.”

  “But I have to take the crystal to the river at sunrise. The Master Gem Maker told me to!” cried Jaminta.

  Lulu tapped her foot impatiently on the floor. “But this mystery with the earl and the Heart Crystals is way more exciting! Anyway, we might get to see Lucky the panda cub again while we’re up the mountain!”

  “I hope we do!” cried Emily. “He’s so adorable! Maybe this time we could pick him some bamboo to eat.”

  “You shouldn’t get too close to Lucky,” said Jaminta. “He doesn’t know you very well, so he might get scared.”

  “Oh, don’t worry!” said Lulu. “We’re Rescue Princesses! I think we know how to take care of animals by now.”

  Jaminta frowned. She wasn’t sure she wanted the other girls getting too close to her cub. After all, she was the one who’d been watching him ever since he was a newborn panda. She was the one who knew him the best.

  “I know!” said Clarabel. “Maybe Jaminta and I could go to the river at sunrise, while you two keep an eye on Earl Scrant and find out what he’s up to.”

  “That’s a good idea!” said Emily. “That way you can still finish making your new crystal, Jaminta.”

  Jaminta smiled weakly. She couldn’t help wishing she could be at the river and up on the mountain with her panda cub at the same time. “All right,” she said. “After we finish making the jewel, we’ll come to find you as quickly as we can.”

  Jaminta watched her grandfather’s fireworks from her balcony that night. Huge bursts of red and gold blossomed up into the dark sky and twinkled as they fell. After they had ended, she climbed into bed and shut her eyes.

  Her mind was buzzing with thoughts. Would the river really change the rock crystal? And would Earl Scrant discover where he’d buried the Heart Crystals all those years ago? She turned over, rubbed her eyes, and fell asleep thinking about Lucky.

  She woke the other princesses early the next morning, while it was still dark outside. They sneaked downstairs together, only to find Earl Scrant standing in the hallway as if he was waiting for someone. He raised his eyebrows when he saw them and marched away, frowning.

  “Do you think he knows that we figured out he stole the Heart Crystals?” whispered Clarabel.

  “I don’t know,” said Emily. “But he won’t see us following him if we use our best ninja moves.”

  “We’d better go down to the river now, Clarabel. It’s nearly sunrise,” said Jaminta awkwardly, wishing they were all going together.

  “Good luck with your rock crystal,” said Emily.

  “Thanks.” Jaminta bit her lip. “And please be careful about getting close to Lucky. He gets scared really easily.”

  “Don’t worry!” said Lulu firmly. “We know what to do. Come on, Emily!”

  The princesses walked out of the palace door and hurried across the garden. Lulu and Emily stopped halfway along the path and waved good-bye to the others. Then they hid behind a large statue of a soldier.

  Jaminta and Clarabel raced on, out the back gate and down the hill, their hair flying out behind them. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but the sky was turning from gray to pale yellow. The river lay at the bottom of the valley like a long, glittering ribbon.

  “I can see why it’s called the Silver River,” said Clarabel. “It’s so beautiful.”

  Slowing down, they slipped off their shoes and walked right to the edge of the riverbank, where ducks dabbled in the clear water. Schools of tiny blue fish darted to and fro under the surface. The girls bent over to look at them, making two princess reflections in the water.

  “I wish we were all together.” Jaminta sighed. “Do you think Lulu still believes that my crystal is dangerous because of the rockslide yesterday?”

  “Maybe, but I’m sure she’ll change her mind when she sees its new shape,” said Clarabel. “It’s really exciting. I’ve never seen a jewel changed by magic before.”

  “I really hope it works!” Jaminta waded into the shallows, holding the lump of crystal in one hand. Carefully, she lowered the gem into the water until it lay still on the sandy riverbed. Then she climbed back out and sat on the bank.

  “How long will it take?” asked Clarabel.

  Jaminta stared into the swirling river. “I don’t know. The Master Gem Maker didn’t say.”

  But as they watched, the crystal seemed to grow. Its sides quivered and moved, almost as if it was alive. Then, finally, it settled into a new shape. It wasn’t just a lump of whitish rock anymore. Now it was the most beautiful thing they had ever seen, lying sparkling beneath the water.

  The two princesses stared at the jewel.

  “It’s a star!” cried Jaminta.

  “Wow, that’s amazing!” said Clarabel.

  The gem glowed, filling the water with light. Then the brightness faded.

  Jaminta waded back in and lifted out the Star Crystal just as the sun rose over the tops of the mountains. She held it up to the sun’s first rays and caught her breath. The jewel was now as clear and sparkling as a diamond, and right in the center there was a beautiful flickering fire.

  “Is there supposed to be a flame inside it?” said Clarabel, looking alarmed.

  “Yes! That’s exactly how the Heart Crystals look in all the old pictures.” Jaminta turned the Star Crystal over in her hand. Grandfather was going to be so happy with his present. “I wonder if it still makes a singing sound, like it did before,” she added thoughtfully.

  “You’re not taking it up the mountain, are you?” Clarabel gasped. “What if something bad happens?”

  “It won’t,” Jaminta said calmly. “I believe in this jewel. The power inside it is good.”

  Clarabel looked doubtfully at the Star Crystal, which shone in the growing sunshine.

  Just then, a huge black-and-white shape came out of the bamboo forest on the other side of the river. The mother panda lumbered down the slope and stopped for a moment, pointing her nose toward the two princesses. Then she took a few more strides down to the water and bent her head to drink.

  “I’ve never seen her come right down to the river before,” said Jaminta.

  “Where’s Lucky?” wondered Clarabel, peering hopefully at the forest.

  The panda cub sprang out of the trees and ran across the grass toward his mother. He drank from the river for a second, then sat back on his bottom and scratched his furry white stomach with one paw. A bumblebee flew past his nose and he half stood up to swipe at it, but fell over backward instead. His little legs waved wildly in the air.

  Jaminta and Clarabel giggled.

  “I wish we could stay and watch him all day. He’s so cute.” Clarabel sighed.

  Jaminta put her new Star Crystal into her pocket. “We should probably find the others, though —” she began, but she broke off when her emerald ring lit up brightly. Clarabel’s sapphire ring started to glow as well, and a faint voice came through.

  “Jaminta? Clarabel? It’s Emily! Can you hear me?” Emily’s voice sounded worried.

  “We can hear you,” said Jaminta. “What is it?”

  “The earl and his servant are heading your way. Try to follow them,” said Emily. “We had to stay away from them because they spotted us and —” Emily’s voice crackled and broke off.

  Jaminta pressed the emerald on her ring, but the light had vanished.

  “Look, Jaminta! Here’s the earl,” hissed Clarabel.

  Two figures came striding out of the back gate and down the hill toward them. The girls pretended to be looking for fish in the river. The man in front was tall and thin, with a crooked mouth and a red cloak that swirled behind him. It was definitely Earl Scrant.

  “The servant’s got a shovel,” muttered Clarabel. “They must be planning to dig for the Heart Crystals right now.”

  Jaminta tried to glance at them quickly so that they didn’t see her looking. She saw the earl’s swirling red cloak out of the corner of her eye and it reminded her of something. She’d seen a glimpse of that red cloak before, by the bridge yesterday after they’d visited the pandas.

  Earl Scrant climbed onto the curved bridge and stopped to glare at the two princesses.

  “Hey, look, Clarabel!” Jaminta pointed at the water and spoke loudly, her heart thumping. “I just saw some fish.”

  Both girls leaned over the water, pretending to look.

  “Come on, Drudger! Get a move on!” snapped the earl.

  The other man followed the earl across the bridge, carrying the shovel balanced over one shoulder. As they reached the other side, the mother panda walked back into the forest, leaving the cub still playing on the riverbank.

  Jaminta and Clarabel tiptoed forward. They crept across the bridge, being careful not to make a sound. The two men stopped next to the trees and unfolded a large map.

  The princesses edged closer, listening.

  “We’ll turn right after the rope bridge,” said the earl. “Then I’ll look for more landmarks.”

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