The Golden Acorn by Catherine Cooper Read Free Book Online Page B

plot.
    The shortcut through the hedge didn’t seem as bad as it had the first time and it hadn’t been difficult to find. It wasn’t long before he was standing at the bottom of Nora’s garden.
    Before Jack took another step he heard a muffled but familiar croaky voice.
    ‘This way.’
    He looked around but he couldn’t see Camelin.
    ‘In here.’
    Jack caught a glimpse of Camelin’s head from behind Nora’s rockery.
    ‘You took your time, I’ve been waiting ages. You didn’t forget did you?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Come inside.’
    It was like a small cave and perfectly dry. Jack crawled in. He could see why he’d been invited. Neither of them would be seen from the house.
    ‘This is great!’ exclaimed Jack.
    ‘It’s safe in here. What the trees can’t see or hear can’t get reported back. What have you brought me?’
    ‘There wasn’t any cheese but I got you some cake.’
    Camelin’s eyes grew wide when he saw the size of the package Jack produced from out of his backpack. Once it was unwrapped, Camelin began to attack the cake and gobble it down greedily. Then he delicately and slowly picked up every last crumb until nothing was left.
    ‘You can bring me something every day in return for your flying lessons,’ he announced.
    ‘You’re not really going to teach me to fly are you?’
    ‘How else do you think you’re going to get through the window in time? We’ve got to fly.’
    ‘But I’m a boy. It’s not possible.’
    Camelin began to laugh.
    ‘You won’t be a boy when you fly, stupid. Nora’s got to turn you into a raven first, just like me.’
    Jack’s mouth fell open.
    ‘How?’
    ‘She’ll take you up Glasruhen Hill and do a special ritual at the Raven’s Bowl. You’ve heard of the Raven’s Bowl haven’t you?’
    Jack shook his head. He’d only heard of Glasruhen yesterday.
    ‘Of course you’ll have to be naked.’
    ‘Naked!’
    ‘You won’t need your clothes when you’re a raven!’
    Camelin laughed as he hopped out of the cave and flew off.
    Jack needed time to think. Why hadn’t he been told yesterday about the ritual? He didn’t mind helping but there was no way he was being turned into a raven, especially a naked one. He went over and over everything he’d seen and heard. He needed his questions answered. He’d have to talk to Nora. He wriggled out of the cave, picked up his backpack and set off towards the house.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
    Jack didn’t know what he was going to say to Nora. He’d promised Arrana his help and he knew they were depending on him but he wasn’t sure he wanted to be changed into a raven. He was certain he didn’t want to fly. There had to be another way for him to get through the window in time. He didn’t even know where it was. He’d been too excited and eager to leave the house this morning. If he’d been thinking straight he could have tried asking the book some more questions. Now he felt apprehensive.
    ‘Are you ok?’ Elan asked. ‘Nora asked me to come and look for you. When Camelin eventually came back he said you were on your way but you didn’t arrive and she wondered if you’d got lost or changed your mind.’
    He must have been in the cave quite a while and he’d no idea how long he’d been standing in the garden lost in thought. Jack felt embarrassed. He didn’t want to tell Elan where he’d been or why he was worried. He looked around.
    ‘I… er… I thought I heard water. Has Nora got a fountain?’
    ‘No, it’s a lake.’
    ‘A lake!’
    Elan led Jack around the back of the kitchen garden down to the water’s edge. They stood in the sunshine by a group of willow trees. Their long tapering branches were draped in the water. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The water reflected the bright blue sky and sunlight danced across the ripples that lapped the shore by their feet.
    ‘Wow! You’ve got a boat too.’
    ‘Nora uses it to row out to Gerda’s island when she takes fresh straw for her shelter. Poor