Ch7-The Emperor

CHAPTER SEVEN The Emperor. Clutching the wand, Jack lay in the pitch-dark. He pushed up his goggles, but he still couldn't see anything. "You there?" It was Annie's voice. "Yes," said Jack. "You okay?"

"Yes. But we're really in trouble now," said Jack. "We fell way down into a dark hole, and the wand doesn't work." He struggled to sit up. "Well, maybe we should try again," said Annie. "What's the point?" said Jack. "We'll never get out of here now." Jack and Annie were silent for a moment. "Hey—we're moving!" Annie said. "Moving?" said Jack. They were moving. The ice under them was gliding silently and smoothly through the darkness. "What's happening?" said Jack. "Maybe we're not in a hole," said Annie. "Look, there's light ahead."

In the distance they saw a glimmer of light. As they kept moving, the light grew brighter. It grew brighter and brighter, until they slipped out of a dark tunnel into dazzling light. Now Jack could see they were lying on a slab of ice, floating down a narrow river. "We're on an ice raft!" said Annie. "What's happening?" said Jack again. "I don't know," said Annie. "But I think maybe the wand did work." The ice raft floated through light and shadow, past tall frozen cliffs. Then it glided toward an archway in one of the cliff walls. "Where are we going?" asked Jack.

The raft floated through the archway into a gigantic cavern. The cavern was like a huge icy cathedral. Its walls shone as if they were covered with silver. "Ohhh," whispered Annie. "What is this place?" said Jack. "I don't know. But now I'm sure the wand worked," said Annie. The ice raft kept floating along a thin river inside the cavern, past icy archways and jagged ledges. Jack felt as if they were being watched. He thought he heard whispering and breathing. "Look!" said Annie. She pointed to one of the cave openings. Standing on the ledge outside the cave entrance were two penguins. They looked

just like the emperor penguins Jack and Annie had seen earlier. Jack and Annie stood up so they could see better. As their raft floated toward the ledge, the penguin in front stepped back into the cave. The other didn't move. "Oh, man!" said Jack. The penguin wore a glittering crown. "The ancient crown," Jack whispered. "We found it!" Annie didn't say anything. She just smiled as the ice raft floated straight toward the emperor penguin. It hit the ledge with a gentle bump. "Hi," Annie said simply.

The penguin made deep murmuring sounds. He didn't speak in human speech. But somehow Jack and Annie could understand every word: Welcome to the Cave of the Ancient Crown. Annie bowed. The penguin had such dignity, Jack bowed, too. The emperor spoke again: Come. He beckoned with his wing, then turned. Annie stepped off the ice raft onto the ledge and followed the emperor into the cave. Jack put the Wand of Dianthus into his pack. He hoisted the pack onto his back and tried to balance his weight so he could step from the raft to the ledge. "Hurry!" said Annie, poking her head out of the cave.