Angel of the Battlefield by Ann Hood Read Free Book Online Page B

idea slowly sinking in.
    â€œMaisie,” Felix said evenly, “that is not a good thing.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Maisie said. “It’s a great thing. An amazing thing.”
    Felix studied the paper he was still holding. “It’s a list of names,” he said.
    â€œThousands of them.”
    Maisie peered over his shoulder at the fancy, old-fashioned writing. One brief paragraph at the start and then all of those names. Despite the dimness of the room, Maisie could just make out some of the names:
Benjamin Thacher. Henry Morse. James Ellis . . .
they seemed to be in categories of some kind.
    â€œOh! I get it!” she said. “They’re arranged by states,” Maisie said, pointing. “See?”
    Massachusetts. New York. Connecticut . . . The Mustang’s car door slammed shut, and the sound of their mother’s footsteps on the circular drive echoed in the still night.
    Felix dropped the paper back onto the desk. “Let’s get out of here,” he said.
    But Maisie picked the scroll up again and started to read the names to herself, her lips moving slightly as she did.
John Dunlop . . . Jacob Hart . . .
“Put it down!” Felix said. “We have only a few minutes to get into our beds and pretend to be asleep!”
    He was halfway down the stairs before he realized that his sister had not followed him. Felix ran back to find Maisie still standing exactly in the same spot, still reading the list of names.
    â€œPut it down!” Felix yelled again. “Mom’ll be in the house any second.”
    He could practically hear their mother struggling with the key. Luckily for them, the key was tricky and had to be put in the lock just so, with the door held just right, for it to work. That would slow her down at least.
    â€œCome on!” he said.
    Carefully, Maisie began to roll the paper and tuck it under her arm.
    â€œYou can’t take it with you,” Felix said.
    â€œWhy not? No one’s going to notice it’s missing.”
    â€œLook,” he said, starting to panic, “something happened to us just now. Something weird. What if it has to do with that piece of paper? You really want to take it into your room?”
    Maisie hesitated. “I don’t think it’s the paper. I think it’s something in this room. That’s why we’re supposed to stay out.” This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her, and she just had to figure out what it meant. And how to do it again.
    â€œBut we’re not allowed in lots of rooms,” Felix reminded her, afraid of what she might be thinking.
    â€œThat’s because there’s something disintegrating inside. Like fragile rugs or rickety furniture. Everything in here is pretty solid. Something else makes them keep everyone out.”
    â€œWe can come back tomorrow when Mom goes to work,” Felix said desperately. “But if we get caught in here now, we’ll never get to the bottom of it. They’ll probably padlock everything shut.”
    Maisie sighed. “Fine,” she said. She hated how logical Felix could be. “I just hope Mom doesn’t see us pop out of the dumbwaiter.”
    â€œThere’s no time for that. We have to get over to the servants’ stairs. Fast.”
    Felix ran out, but Maisie stayed put. Something had caught her eye. She took the shard from her pocket and walked over to the Ming vase standing on its pedestal. Carefully, she fit it into the empty place where her shard belonged. But if her piece was back in its proper place, why was there still a hole in the vase, on the opposite side? Maisie put her finger in that hole. Did Felix also have a shard? Or did someone else?
    â€œMaisie,” Felix hissed from the doorway. “Come on!”
    â€œI’m coming, I’m coming,” she said. She popped her piece out and slipped it back into her