Kendra Kandlestar and the Shard From Greeve by Lee Edward Födi Page A

admonished. “Is there more powder? What else do you have?”
    “Just a little Snore Galore ,” Oki answered. “And some Fake Flakes .”
    “ Fake Flakes? ” Jinx said. “What are those?”

     
    “Oh, they help you make a copy of anything you like,” the mouse explained. “You just sprinkle a little on a shoe, or a dinner plate—you name it—and you have an exact copy.”
    “You should have sprinkled it on Ratchet’s brain,” Jinx retorted. “But enough is enough. It’s time for us to go rescue some Eens.”
    “There’s a terrible Rinkle in that plan,” Oki said.
    “What wrinkle is that?” Jinx asked.
    “The wrinkle is Captain Rinkle,” Oki said. “It’s a pun.”
    “This is hardly a time to joke,” Kendra told the mouse.
    “I know it,” Oki said. “But Ratchet said we should start selling puns, now that we’re outlawed from magic. I can’t really help it. All these puns keep coming to mind.”
    “What a ridiculous idea,” Jinx said with a scowl. “No one’s going to buy your silly puns.”
    “Never mind; Oki is right,” Kendra told the grasshopper. “We can’t just storm the Elder Stone. We need to follow Uncle Griffinskitch’s plan; he said to fetch Winter Woodsong tomorrow morning. She’ll know what to do.”
    “I’ll go with you,” Jinx announced. “I don’t trust this Lurky Lurk fellow. He might try something, and I want to be there if he does.”
    Kendra happily agreed with this plan and, with it settled, she set to preparing supper for her two friends. On this night, dinner was Squibbles and Pip (an Een specialty), and everyone sat down to partake in the unusually solemn meal.
    “Has anyone heard of this Agent Lurk before?” Kendra asked as she pushed her food absentmindedly about her plate.
    “Not me,” said Jinx, “but who knows who’s really hiding under that cloak.”
    “The cloak’s the thing,” Oki added. “I think it’s enchanted.”
    “If you ask me,” Kendra said, “the cloak helps Lurk turn invisible. I’m betting he’s the one who was in the garden today. That’s why we couldn’t find any trace of him.”
    Just then there was a loud knock on the door, and Oki nearly jumped out of his seat. “EEK! Do you think it’s Lurk?”
    “Relax,” Jinx told the mouse. “Spies with invisible cloaks don’t knock.”
    With an anxious yank of a braid, Kendra rose and answered the door. She let out a sigh of relief; it was only Professor Bumblebean. However, the normally jovial scholar seemed in a fluster. His eyes were red and swollen, and he dabbed at them with a handkerchief.
    “Are you all right, Professor?” Kendra asked hesitantly.
    “My word,” Professor Bumblebean said as he settled himself in the nearest chair. “I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve just come from Faun’s End; Burdock has enacted another decree. And your uncle, Kendra—I’m afraid he’s been taken to the dungeons to join Ratchet. They say that he tried to attack the council with his staff!”
    “That’s impossible!” Kendra said, her face flushing red with anger. “I saw Lurk take his wand back at the bridge! How could Uncle Griffinskitch use his staff if he didn’t even have it?”
    Professor Bumblebean sighed, “It’s as I suspected, then; it’s just a falsehood, an excuse to imprison our Wizard Griffinskitch.”
    “What’s this decree you mentioned?” Jinx asked.
    “The council is whipped into a frenzy,” the professor replied. “They’ve called a state of emergency. The use of all magic by anyone in the land of Een has been suspended temporarily—or so they say. That crafty Agent Lurk has been told to collect all wands.”
    “Days of Een!” Kendra exclaimed. “Who’s Burdock to be taking wands? Winter Woodsong won’t stand for this; that much I can tell you.”
    “Oh, I do say . . .” the professor murmured, dabbing his eyes again with his handkerchief.
    “What is it?” Kendra asked anxiously.
    “I’m afraid Elder Woodsong is