7 A Royal Wizard

CHAPTER Seven A Royal Wizard They climbed up a secret passage and came out a small door on the main level of the palace. Max peered around in all directions. "No Ninns," he chirped. "As long as we're quiet!" "The throne room is not far from here," Keeah said. "Everybody, follow me." Eric crept close to the frosty walls. Julie and Neal were right behind him. The red wolves padded silently next to Keeah. Soon they were outside the throne room.

Eric and Neal peered around one side of the doorway, Julie and Keeah around the other. The throne room was large and round. The walls were covered with tapestries. The floor was tiled in a strange pattern of colored stones. Eric had seen that pattern before, in Galen's secret tower. The throne room's floor was a giant map of Droon. Sparr sat in the king's large golden throne. Galen stood nearby, as white and unmoving as a statue carved of stone. "Bring the amulet to me!" Sparr commanded. Grrr! The wolves growled behind Keeah. "Hush!" she said, patting their heads. "Soon." Four big Ninn soldiers carried an iron box into the room. They set it down in front of their master, opened the box, and bowed. With both hands Sparr reached in and pulled out a large black object. He held it over his head. It was a long triangle piercing a circle. Horns stuck out from either side. A glittering crystal hung in the center of the triangle.

"Behold the amulet of Zor!" Sparr cried out. The Ninns bowed before the strange object. The amulet sparkled in the torchlight. "Soon, we shall begin our long journey," Sparr announced. "Zor… we shall come to you!" "Oh, dear!" Max whispered. Then Lord Sparr drew his sword. He attached the amulet to the handle and tightened it. "What is he doing?" Julie asked. Keeah frowned. "I don't know." The sorcerer strode to the center of the room. He stood over the spot where the colored tiles showed the outline of Jaffa City. "Soon our questions will be answered," he said. He clutched his sword with both hands. He pointed the blade down.

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With one powerful thrust—clong!—Sparr sank his blade deep into the floor. Deep into the map of Jaffa City. "What is going on—" Eric began. Suddenly, the amulet's crystal lit up. It began glowing bright green. It sparked and hissed. Keeah stood up. "It's time," she said. "We'll bring back the king," Eric said firmly. The princess took a deep breath. "Good luck." "To you, too," said Julie, smiling at her. Keeah stepped from the shadows. "Detchu-tah!" she called out sharply. In a flash, the three large red wolves roared into the throne room. They growled and bared their fangs. Steam rose from their open jaws as they skittered by Keeah's side. Sparr stepped back. Fear crossed his face. "The wolves? They were frozen! So… you are your mother's daughter. Too bad your little show of magic won't last very long." "Long enough to stop you!" Keeah said. She raised her hands at Sparr. Eric felt his blood go cold, then hot. "Maybe we should stay to help her. This is all my fault." "Sometimes bad things happen for a reason," Max said. "Perhaps Keeah was meant to do this. I shall stay here. Galen would want me to. But you, you must find the king."

"But—" Eric started. Julie grabbed Eric's arm. "Keeah has powers. She's got to fight Sparr. And we've got to do this!" Neal grabbed Eric's other arm. "Let's go!" As the wolves leaped for Sparr and his Ninns, the three friends scrambled through the halls. They shivered as they dashed down the steps. Their hearts raced as they entered a world of ice.