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A horrible vision flashed in front of Trundle’s eyes as he swung upside down from the badger king’s neck. He saw himself being carried into the dark and noisy workings of the clock. He saw himself caught up in the cogwheels and levers and hammers. He saw himself being mashed to a pulp and spat out as hedgehog meatballs!

But a moment later, the whole promenade of iron knights came to a juddering, screeching halt. The mechanism had jammed. The badger king jerked and shuddered, almost shaking Trundle loose.

Esmeralda’s frantic voice came up to him. “Throw down the crown!” she hollered. “Free your hands!”

He twisted his head and saw the three of them down there, waving and yelling. “A-a-all ri-i-ight. Ma-a-ake sure you ca-a-a-atch it!” he called down, his voice shaken to pieces by the jarring vibrations of the iron king.

“I will!” hollered Esmeralda.

Trundle let go of the crown. Esmeralda stood beneath it, her arms stretched up. But at the last second she dived to one side. The crown struck the paving stones with a mighty cloiiiing and went bouncing across the courtyard.

Trundle was appalled! He was convinced that he saw something break off the crown as it bowled through the tall grass and weeds with Jack in close pursuit. What was Esmeralda thinking? Why hadn’t she caught it?

He was so annoyed with her that he swung down from the iron king’s neck, clambered down his body, and made a swift descent of the ivy-clad tower without once thinking of how dangerous it was.

“You loon!” he shouted at Esmeralda. “Why did you jump out of the way?”

“The sun got in my eyes!” retorted Esmeralda. “I couldn’t see properly! You should have waited till I was ready!”

Trundle stared at her. “I should have hung there by my toes till you were ready?” he exclaimed. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Not too much harm done,” called Jack, running toward them with the slightly dented crown in one hand and something circular in the other.

Trundle looked at the round object. It was the orb, broken off the top of the crown.

“May I see it?” asked Percy. Jack handed him the crown and the orb. Percy held the metal ball up to the light and turned it slowly in his fingers.

“Interesting,” he said. “Very interesting.” He showed it to the three friends. “Do you see? It has a line running around it. I think it’s made from two separate pieces.” He shook it gently. “I think I can hear something moving inside.”

“Open it!” cried Esmeralda.

“I’ll try,” said Percy. “But it might be wise to move away from the tower—if only for the sake of our ears!”

He had a point. Even down here, the noise was earsplitting, and the grating of the trapped mechanism was so violent that Trundle half feared it would shake the entire tower to pieces.

They moved away. Percy handed Esmeralda the crown and took the iron orb in both hands. He gave a sharp twist. There was a squeak of metal rubbing on metal, and the two halves of the orb fell apart.

“Ooooh!” breathed Esmeralda, staring into the two hollow shells of the orb. “What’s that?”

One of the hemispheres had something wound up inside it. Something red.

Very carefully Esmeralda picked the thing out. It immediately uncoiled and revealed itself to be a very long, bright red feather.

“Oh!” she gasped, bringing her other hand up to hold the stem of the feather. “It’s trying to get away!”

Trundle could see what she meant. The tip of the long feather was straining away from her, as though it wanted to pull itself free.

“Why is it doing that?” Trundle asked.

Jack was hopping excitedly from foot to foot. “I know what it is!” he cried. “Oh my gosh and golly! I never thought I’d ever see the like! It’s as beautiful as it says in the songs!”

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“What songs?” asked Esmeralda, struggling with the maverick feather. “What is it?”

“It’s a phoenix feather!” exclaimed Jack. “Haven’t you ever heard the songs?” And so saying, he began to sing.

O glorious and majestic bird

In a golden nest at the end of the world!

Most beautiful and wise and kind—

Blessed is he who can the phoenix find.

A feather red he left at rest

When away he flew to build his nest.

If secrets you seek, take the feather to the bird.

Ask the phoenix wise and hear his word.

You must sail away for a year and a day

Into lonely lands where no beast does stray—

Before he bursts into splendid fire,

The lovely phoenix will grant your desire.

“It’s a very old song indeed,” Jack explained. “Hundreds of years old! But I never thought it was a true story.”

“Does that mean the phoenix bird knows a secret he’ll tell you if you give him his feather back?” asked Esmeralda.

“That’s what the old song says,” agreed Jack.

“What do you think, sir?” Trundle asked the Herald Pursuivant.

“I think the old song may well tell the truth,” said Percy. “I have certainly read ancient scripts concerning the mystical and magnificent phoenix bird. If I remember correctly, the phoenix is said to live inside a fiery mountain on a bleak and lonely island far from the sun.” He shook his head. “But as for how you are to get there—I’m afraid I have no idea at all.”

We don’t need to know,” said Esmeralda. “The feather knows. Look!” She walked up and down, turning this way and that. “Do you see?” she said. “Whichever way I turn, the feather always wants to go the same way.”

She was right. No matter which way she moved, the fluffy tip of the feather twisted and strained as though desperate to fly off in one particular direction.

“The feather will lead us to the phoenix nest!” said Jack. “Oh, how wonderful!”

“And I bet the phoenix knows the location of the third crown,” added Esmeralda. “The Crown of Fire!”

“How very exciting!” exclaimed Percy. “I think you should go back to your skyboat and prepare to set sail immediately.”

“Yes! We will,” said Esmeralda.

Trundle felt a stab of guilt. He stepped up to the Herald Pursuivant. “Excuse me, sir, you’ve been so kind and helpful that I think we ought to make a confession.”

“And what might that be, my lad?” asked Percy.

“We knocked the door guard out,” explained Trundle. “He’s locked up in the guardhouse, tied up with his own trousers. Sorry about that.”

“We gagged him with a sock,” added Esmeralda.

“He was trying to cut us all into chunks with his ax,” said Jack. “So it was self-defense, really.”

“I see,” said Percy gravely. “That’s probably quite a serious offense.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, well, I can’t stand those guards, and I believe you to be good and honest beasts, so let’s say no more about it. But under the circumstances, I think it’s even more important that you get out of here as quickly as possible. I know a quiet little side gate you can slip out of.”

“Thank you,” said Esmeralda. “Listen, I know you’ve already helped us a lot, but I was wondering if you could do one more thing for us? It’s these crowns, you see. They’re not exactly easy to hide, and I’m worried that someone might come along and steal them from us. So I was wondering whether you’d be prepared to look after them for us?”

“I’m most flattered that you should trust me with something so important,” said Percy, “but I really can’t.”

“Oh, please do,” said Trundle. “Otherwise we’re going to have to carry them around with us wherever we go. And they’re not exactly light, you know.”

“And we have four more to find,” added Jack.

“Please?” asked Esmeralda.

“Well, if you insist, then I shall,” said Percy. “There is a chest in my office that is always kept locked. The only key is kept on a chain around my neck. I’ll put the crowns there for you till you return.”

“Thank you,” they all chorused. “Thank you so much!”

“One last thing,” said Esmeralda. “If a nice, kindly looking old Roamany lady comes by asking after us … don’t tell her a thing!”

“I shall deny all knowledge of you,” said the Herald Pursuivant. “And now, away you go, my fine young friends. Your quest awaits!”

He led them to a small gate and waved farewell as they made their way down the narrow, sloping streets of Widdershins.

Trundle waved back, glad to know that the two crowns would be kept safe.

The sun was just setting as they climbed on board the Thief in the Night. Jack unfurled the sail and Esmeralda took the tiller, and in no time at all they went darting up into the evening sky.

Trundle stood in the bows, the long red feather held between his paws. As Esmeralda turned the tiller, the feather writhed in Trundle’s grip and strained off away from the setting sun.

“To the world’s end!” cried Esmeralda as she turned the skyboat to follow the feather. “To the nest of the glorious phoenix bird, and to the hiding place of the Crown of Fire!”

And even as she spoke, the sails filled with the wind, and the Thief in the Night went skimming off to new adventures.

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