Jack and Annie perched on the ledge and peeredinto the nursery. Teddy's lantern and hazel twig werestill on the floor. But there was no sign of Teddy.
Teddy's not here yet,croaked Annie.
Let's go aheadand putthe diamond back in its place.
Jack didn't move. He didn't want to give upthe diamond quite yet. It still made him feelincredibly brave.
Jack? croaked Annie.
Let's put it back in its hiding place. I'll move thetapestry.
74Annie flapped to the long tapestry hanging on thewall. Fluttering in the air, she took its edge in herbeak. She tried to pull it aside, but it was too heavy.
She let go.
can't move it, she croaked, notas long as I'm a raven. I guess we'll have to wait forTeddy to change us back into ourselves.
She flapped to the window ledge and landed besideJack. Jack was relieved. The longer he could hold onto the diamond, the better.
Hey! croaked Annie.
Maybe we could use Teddy's magic hazel twigourselves! Ican comeup with better rhymes than him anyway. It won'thurtto try.
Jack shook his head. But Annie didn't notice.
She hopped down to the hazel twig under thewindow. She carefully picked it up with her beak.
She fluttered back up to the ledge beside Jack. Thenshe moved her head from side toside, passing the twig over Jack's feathered75head, his body, his wings, and his claws. The twigpassed over her feathery body and wings as well.
With the twig still in her beak, she made a deepcroaking sound.
"HA-HA-REE-REE! JAH-JAH-AWK-NEE!7I0 hazeltwig from hazel tree!
Make him Jack, and make me, me!
There was a mighty roar and a flash of light and ablast of heat!
Then Jack heard Annie giggle. "Yippee! I made themagic work for us. Look."Jack looked down at his arms and legs and feet. "Ohh, man," he breathed.
Awk-nee and Jah were gone. Annie and Jack wereback.
Jack wiggled his fingers and toes. He felt his face:
his mouth, his nose, his ears. He loved having hisown body back!
"Teddy's going to be so surprised," said Annie.
76"He acts like he's the only kid who can do magic."She looked around the nursery. "Hi! We're back!" shecalled to the invisible children.
"Guess what? We've got the diamond!""The diamond! Where is it?" said Jack. "Imust've dropped it when you changed us!"Suddenly they heard a swoosh and a flapping at thewindow.
"Teddy!" cried Annie. She and Jack whirled around.
But Teddy wasn't there.
Instead, perched on the ledge of the nurserywindow was a horrifying creature. He was parthuman and part raven. He had silky feathers for hair,a beak for a nose, sharp claws, and a billowingfeathered cape that glistened in the moonlight likeshiny black armor.
"Good evening," said the Raven King. |