Charlie Bone And The Red Knight (Children Of The Red King, Book 8) by Jenny Nimmo Read Free Book Online Page A

silvery bubbles rose from a shell that floated just behind Charlie's ear; and fronds of seaweed waved gently from the baseboard.
    Charlie glanced at the scowling Dagbert. "It's what happens, sir," he told the music teacher. "He can't help it."
    "Can't help it?" Señor Alvaro raised a neat black eyebrow. He was young for a teacher, and his clothes were always interesting and colorful. He had permanently smiling brown eyes, a sharp nose, and shiny black hair. He didn't appear to be too surprised by the watery shapes on the wall.
    As Dagbert shuffled away, the weeds and shells and bubbles gradually faded and the wall took on its usual grayish color.
    "Come in, Charlie," said Señor Alvaro.
    Charlie always enjoyed his music lessons now. He knew he wasn't talented, but Señor Alvaro had convinced him that music could be fun as long as you blew with conviction and hit the right notes, more or less. Charlie had even managed half an hour's practice the previous evening, and Señor Alvaro was pleasantly surprised.
    "Excelente, Charlie!" The music teacher's Spanish accent was soft and compelling. "I am astounded by your improvement. A little more practice and that piece will be perfect."
    The lesson was at an end, but Charlie was reluctant to leave. Señor Alvaro was one of the few teachers at Bloor's whom Charlie felt he could trust. He had an overwhelming urge to confide in him.
    "Do you know about Dagbert?" he asked as he put his trumpet in its case.
    "I know about the boy's father, if that's what you mean, Charlie. I'm aware of the curse placed upon the Grimwald dynasty and I know that Dagbert believes the charms his mother made can protect him." Señor Alvaro's tone was very matter-of-fact. Charlie was surprised he knew so much.
    "Do you know about... about... my talent?" Charlie was unsure of how to put this question and found himself stuttering.
    "Of course!" Señor Alvaro gave one of his heartwarming smiles. "I'll see you on Friday, Charlie. Usual time."
    "Yes, sir." Charlie left the room.
    When he closed Señor Alvaro's door, he felt slightly dizzy. Perhaps it was the darkness of the hallway coming so soon after the bright lights in the music room. He closed his eyes for a moment and a rushing, foggy gray seeped behind his lids. It was the sea, and in the churning gray waves, there was a small boat bobbing among the foam. Charlie saw this boat in his mind's eye whenever he thought of his parents, somewhere on the ocean, watching whales. But today he could just make out a name on the side of the boat: Greywing.
    Charlie opened his eyes. Why had the name come to him so suddenly? Did anyone else know about it? His grandmother Maisie? Uncle Paton? The company that arranged his parents' whale-watching vacation?
    "Charlie!"
    Gabriel came running down the hallway just as the bell rang for lunch. "Can we talk outside, Charlie, after lunch?"
    "Why not now?" asked Charlie.
    "I can't explain. It's too complicated," said Gabriel.
    "Give us a clue!"
    "It's about the Red Knight."
    "Now I'm really interested." Charlie hurried into the hall where the usual crowd of children was rushing to the coatrooms: blue for music students, purple for the actors, and green for the artists. Gabriel hovered beside Charlie while he washed his hands and then they walked together across the hall and down the corridor of portraits toward the blue cafeteria. As they passed Ashkelan Kapaldi, Gabriel nodded at the portrait and whispered, "I saw him today."
    "I think I saw him last night," Charlie whispered back.
    Gabriel rolled his eyes. "What's going on?"
    Charlie shrugged.
    Fidelio had kept two places for them at a corner table. While they ate their macaroni and cheese, Charlie bent close to his friend and, as quietly as he could, described the swordsman both he and Gabriel had seen outside his portrait.
    "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes," Fidelio remarked with a grin.
    "What do you mean by that?" Gabriel asked in an offended tone. "This man isn't after me