11 Or Etse!

11 Or Else! Jack and Annie were too stunned to speak. Staring at the bizarre creature, Jack remembered the story of the Raven King-how the king had wanted to be a bird, how he had stolen a spell from the Wizard of Winter, how the spell had worked only halfway and left him half bird and half human. The Raven King jumped from the window to the floor. One by one, his raven bodyguards swooshed into the room after him. At least twenty ravens came through the window. Soon Jack and Annie were surrounded by dark wings, sharp beaks, and bright eyes.

Once his guards were in place, the Raven King twisted his head from side to side, looking from Jack to Annie. “ Where are the two ravens who stole my diamond?" he asked in a raspy voice. “ What diamond?" asked Annie.

“ What . . . what ravens?” asked Jack, his voice trembling. He wished desperately that he still had the Diamond of Destiny to give him strength and courage. “ The ravens that came to this castle after raiding my treasure room, " said the Raven King. “ Where are they hiding?” Jack tried to imagine that he was still holding the diamond. “ We don't know anything about them, " he said in a low, steady voice. Pretending to hold the diamond actually made him feel brave. “ You don't know anything about them?" said the Raven King. “ No, ” said Jack. “ You must have the wrong castle. " “ Ah, the wrong castle, ” said the Raven King. “ Yes, ” said Jack. “ Perhaps you're right, " said the Raven King. “ But are you certain you haven't seen them? They look very much like this little one here. ”

The Raven King threw his cape over his shoulder and held up an iron birdcage. A raven was held captive inside.

“ JAH, AWK-NEE! ” the raven croaked. “ Teddy! " cried Annie. “ His name is Teddy?” said the Raven King. “ How charming. I've caught a Teddy. I think he'll make a wonderful pet, don't you?” Jack was horrified to see Teddy trapped in the Raven King's cage. “ It's not charming, " he said. “ It's cruel. You better let him go, or else! ” “ Yeah, let him go, ” said Annie. “ Or else. ” " Or else?" said the RavenKing. “ Or else what?” With backward jerks of his head, he laughed a raspy laugh. As the king laughed, Jack glanced at the floor under the window. He saw the hazel twig. He moved toward it. The Raven King caught sight of him. His laugh stopped abruptly. “ CREE! CAW! ” he croaked to one of his bodyguards. Jack dashed for the twig. But before he could grab it, the king's bodyguard had swooped across the floor and picked up the twig in his beak. As the raven carried it to the top of the window, Jack noticed that one of his tail feathers was bent.