Chapter 5

Chapter 5 The Royal Titles of Hamsters Are a Delicate Affair. Don't Mess Them Up if You Want an Invitation to the Ball! The Ironsword Academy's library was right next door. Ms. Minerva led Morgan there while she explained the situation. "I've tried everything!" she said. "I've given them their favorite treats. They have clean wheels, new beds, and fresh water, but none of it is working. They're not happy." The hamster cages were set next to each other on a table in the back of the room, behind the encyclopedias. Morgan inspected their plastic habitats. The duchess had buried herself in a pile

of food and woodchips. The baron was lying on his back on a mound of wood shavings, staring out at Morgan with a sad look in his eyes. "Did you try putting them in their hamster balls?" Morgan asked. "Yes. Watch." Ms. Minerva reached in to pick up Baron Sweetcheeks and placed him in a hamster ball on the floor. He sniffed around for a second, then flopped down to take a nap without walking anywhere. "I don't know what's wrong! They were always fine with moving to different rooms before. And they love exploring!"

While Morgan was thinking, a group of students on the other side of the library all started chattering at once. "Awww, look at him! He's so cute!" He looked toward the front of the library, by the check-out desk, and saw a crowd of Ironsword students around a different cage. The cage was bigger, and it was decorated with a castle-shaped hideaway. There were balls and other toys to play with as well as ample shavings and grass to eat. "That's Prince Pellets," Ms. Minerva explained. "The Ironsword guinea pig. He's still a baby, so he's only a little bigger than

the hamsters, but he'll grow to be more than twice their size one day." Prince Pellets wiggled. The students all cheered again. The Ironsword librarian quickly shushed them, but their gleeful murmuring could still be heard across the room. "They must really love him," Morgan said. "But nobody else is over here with the hamsters." "Everyone's allowed to choose where they sit for reading club. They all want to be near Prince Pellets."

Morgan lifted the baron out of his ball and nuzzled his nose. He found a sunflower seed in the cage and offered it as a snack. "I like you, Baron. I'd come sit with you." The hamster seemed to appreciate Morgan's attention and sniffed at the sunflower seed. He reached up with both paws and grabbed it. The hamsters' mood reminded Morgan of how he'd felt when Ash joined their school. Or when Theo joined their team. Or now, if he was honest. Morgan knew the Evoker Kid was going to be a good friend, but the little guy—and the hamsters

were—feeling the same way he used to: afraid that he'd be left behind. "I think they miss the attention," Morgan said to Ms. Minerva. He picked up the duchess and gave her a little hug. "Eat the grass! Eat the grass! Eat the grass!" the students chanted on the other side of the library. Prince Pellets quickly nibbled away at a small bunch of grass. The students murmured loudly again in approval.