Magic Kitten: Moonlight Mischief by Sue Bentley Read Free Book Online Page B

ginger kitten playing with a toy.
    Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Eve saw a flash of bright white light. She spun round to see what seemed to be an empty pen glowing among all the others.
    Eve frowned. What was that?Curious, she went to have a closer look.
    ‘Oh!’ she gasped.
    There on the concrete floor crouched a gorgeous, tiny kitten with long sandy fur and the brightest emerald eyes Eve had ever seen. Its fur and whiskers seemed to be glowing with a thousand tiny sparkles of light.
    Eve blinked hard as she took a step closer, but the sparkles seemed to have died down and just the tiny sandy kitten remained. Eve shook her head – she must have been seeing things. She was very tired from the long car journey, after all.
    She bent down to pat the kitten. ‘Hello. Where did you come from? And how did you get inside that pen?’
    The kitten’s little body trembled, but it sat up and looked straight at Eve with wide, scared, green eyes. ‘I come from far away and my enemies are looking for me. Can you help me to hide, please?’ it mewed.

Chapter
* TWO *
    Eve stared at the kitten in utter amazement. Now she was hearing things as well as seeing things! She started to back off towards the house, but stopped. The tiny kitten looked so alone.
    ‘You… you didn’t really just speak to me, did you?’ Eve stammered.
    There was a pause and the sandykitten blinked slowly. ‘Yes, I did. I am Prince Flame.’ Some of the fear seemed to fade from his big emerald eyes. ‘Who are you and what is your name?’
    ‘I’m Eve. Eve Dawson. I’m… um… looking after this cattery with my mum and dad,’ Eve answered hesitantly. Her curiosity began to get the better of her shock. ‘Did you say Prince Flame?’
    Flame nodded and lifted his tiny sandy head proudly. ‘I am heir to the Lion Throne. My uncle Ebony has stolen my throne and rules in my place. His spies are searching for me. They want to kill me.’
    ‘Kill you?’ Eve gasped. Flame was so tiny and helpless-looking. She felt a burst of protectiveness towards him. ‘If any nasty cats come here they’ll have me todeal with!’ She had a sudden thought. ‘Is your uncle a kitten like you?
    ‘No. Ebony is enormous and very strong,’ Flame growled softly, showing his little sharp teeth for the first time. ‘But he and I are not cats.’
    ‘Then what…?’
    There was a blinding silver flash. Eve couldn’t see anything for a second and then her sight cleared. Where the cute kitten had been now stood a majestic young white lion.
    Eve gasped and took a hasty step backwards.
    Flame’s fierce emerald eyes softened. ‘Do not be afraid,’ he said in a deep velvety roar. There was another flash and Flame was a cute sandy kitten with long silky fur once more.

    ‘Well, I hope I never meet your uncle!’ Eve said in a shaky voice. ‘Come on, Flame. Let’s hide. I’ll take you into the house.’
    As she bent down and picked Flame up, a few sparks from his fur tingled against her fingers before they went out. ‘Just wait until I tell Mum and Dad all about you!’
    ‘No! You must tell no one my secret.’ Flame reached up and put a paw on her chest. He had a serious expression on his tiny face. ‘Please promise, Eve.’
    ‘All right. I promise. I’ll just say you’re a stray and I’m going to look after you,’ Eve agreed disappointedly.
    Her dad would have been as amazed and excited as she was about Flame, but a promise was a promise. She just hoped she could keep Flame’s secret with so many people coming and going at the cattery.
    Flame rubbed the top of his head against her arm and began purring loudly. ‘That is good. Thank you, Eve.’
    ‘I’m sorry, but keeping Flame is out ofthe question,’ Mrs Dawson said firmly. She had laid down the book she’d been reading. ‘We’ve got more than fifty cats to look after, Eve. You can’t really expect us to let you keep another one!’
    Eve stared at her mum in utter dismay. ‘But I have to look after