The Three Furies (Erec Rex) by Kaza Kingsley
Authors: Kaza Kingsley
Tags: Fiction, General, Children's Books, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure - General, Fantasy & Magic, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Social Issues, Animals, Children: Grades 4-6, Dragons, Mythical, New Experience, Social Issues - New Experience
Ads: Link
walked quickly down the hallway toward him.
Everything would have been perfect if Zoey had not shouted, "Erec! Yeah! You're here!"
"Huh?" Erec heard a deep voice from the other room.
"Come on, quick!" He waved his mother and Zoey into the bathroom. Just before he locked the door behind them, he caught sight of the tall man, Kookles, peering around the corner. His long strides
53
carried him down the hall. He pounded on the locked door. "Open up! I said, open up!"
Erec yanked his mother and Zoey into the Port-O-Door and slammed it shut just as the bathroom door burst open with a loud thud. He wondered if Kookles saw a flash of the Port-O-Door in the wall before it disappeared.
After June had finished bowing to King Piter for what seemed like the hundredth time, Jam fixed her a pot of cocoa and a warm meal.
"I don't understand," Erec said to her. "Why do they just want Danny and Sammy, and not the rest of us? Who are those people?"
"I wish I knew." June shrugged nervously. "They must know something about the twins." She picked at her food, upset.
"Know something? What is there to know?"
June shrugged. It seemed strange to Erec. Usually he was the one that everyone was after. He was the known heir to the throne of Alypium. He was one of King Piter's triplets--the other two were still missing. Even though most people thought they were dead, Erec knew that they were alive. One day the three of them would claim their thrones in the Kingdoms of the Keepers. So that made Erec an obvious target.
Of course, if the other two missing triplets were found, then they would be targets too. But they were safe somewhere, according to King Piter, unknown probably to even themselves.
An idea occurred to Erec. What if . . . No. It couldn't be.
But the truth was plain as day. No matter how much he tried to deny it.
Danny and Sammy might be the other missing triplets.
That would explain why people were after them now. It all made perfect sense. They were Erec's age--now that Erec had learned he was really thirteen, almost fourteen. He didn't know his real birthday,
54
but maybe it was their birthday, in March, and not April eighteenth, like he thought. That would explain why June was taking care of all of them. Erec had found out who he was. But they didn't know yet, so they were still safe.
That meant that Mrs. Dumpling Smith and her friends must be working for Baskania. He had found out who the other triplets were and wanted them killed. But why didn't they want to take Erec, too?
Then Erec had a chilling thought. Maybe Baskania had other plans for him. He needed Erec for the twelve quests that were needed to become rulers of the Kingdoms of the Keepers. Only Erec could draw the next quest from Al's Well. Baskania gave the quests to the Stain triplets. Even though they didn't finish Erec's quests, if everyone thought they did, those three could become the next kings.
So Baskania wasn't done with him yet. But Erec was not about to let him get Danny and Sammy.
So they were his missing triplets? Erec stared at them for a long moment. The two of them looked so much alike. Hadn't June changed their looks like she had changed his? Is that what he would have looked like now, if he grew up the way he was supposed to?
But he could not ask. Danny and Sammy were only safe because they did not know they were the heirs to the thrones of Ashona and Aorth, and he would not put them in danger by telling them.
"Hey, look." Danny pointed out of the window. "There's a red snail sitting out there. Looks like you got another letter."
Erec went outside and picked it up off the ground.
Dear Erec,
I had no idea about Bethany. I can't believe it. Baskania and Rosco will pay for this. You mark my words. It wasn't enough to ruin my life. Now they're destroying hers too. And yours.
55
I've been spying in the Green House as much as I can. It was hard to tell what was going on, though. So I got a job there. I gave them a fake name, and I'm working
Everything would have been perfect if Zoey had not shouted, "Erec! Yeah! You're here!"
"Huh?" Erec heard a deep voice from the other room.
"Come on, quick!" He waved his mother and Zoey into the bathroom. Just before he locked the door behind them, he caught sight of the tall man, Kookles, peering around the corner. His long strides
53
carried him down the hall. He pounded on the locked door. "Open up! I said, open up!"
Erec yanked his mother and Zoey into the Port-O-Door and slammed it shut just as the bathroom door burst open with a loud thud. He wondered if Kookles saw a flash of the Port-O-Door in the wall before it disappeared.
After June had finished bowing to King Piter for what seemed like the hundredth time, Jam fixed her a pot of cocoa and a warm meal.
"I don't understand," Erec said to her. "Why do they just want Danny and Sammy, and not the rest of us? Who are those people?"
"I wish I knew." June shrugged nervously. "They must know something about the twins." She picked at her food, upset.
"Know something? What is there to know?"
June shrugged. It seemed strange to Erec. Usually he was the one that everyone was after. He was the known heir to the throne of Alypium. He was one of King Piter's triplets--the other two were still missing. Even though most people thought they were dead, Erec knew that they were alive. One day the three of them would claim their thrones in the Kingdoms of the Keepers. So that made Erec an obvious target.
Of course, if the other two missing triplets were found, then they would be targets too. But they were safe somewhere, according to King Piter, unknown probably to even themselves.
An idea occurred to Erec. What if . . . No. It couldn't be.
But the truth was plain as day. No matter how much he tried to deny it.
Danny and Sammy might be the other missing triplets.
That would explain why people were after them now. It all made perfect sense. They were Erec's age--now that Erec had learned he was really thirteen, almost fourteen. He didn't know his real birthday,
54
but maybe it was their birthday, in March, and not April eighteenth, like he thought. That would explain why June was taking care of all of them. Erec had found out who he was. But they didn't know yet, so they were still safe.
That meant that Mrs. Dumpling Smith and her friends must be working for Baskania. He had found out who the other triplets were and wanted them killed. But why didn't they want to take Erec, too?
Then Erec had a chilling thought. Maybe Baskania had other plans for him. He needed Erec for the twelve quests that were needed to become rulers of the Kingdoms of the Keepers. Only Erec could draw the next quest from Al's Well. Baskania gave the quests to the Stain triplets. Even though they didn't finish Erec's quests, if everyone thought they did, those three could become the next kings.
So Baskania wasn't done with him yet. But Erec was not about to let him get Danny and Sammy.
So they were his missing triplets? Erec stared at them for a long moment. The two of them looked so much alike. Hadn't June changed their looks like she had changed his? Is that what he would have looked like now, if he grew up the way he was supposed to?
But he could not ask. Danny and Sammy were only safe because they did not know they were the heirs to the thrones of Ashona and Aorth, and he would not put them in danger by telling them.
"Hey, look." Danny pointed out of the window. "There's a red snail sitting out there. Looks like you got another letter."
Erec went outside and picked it up off the ground.
Dear Erec,
I had no idea about Bethany. I can't believe it. Baskania and Rosco will pay for this. You mark my words. It wasn't enough to ruin my life. Now they're destroying hers too. And yours.
55
I've been spying in the Green House as much as I can. It was hard to tell what was going on, though. So I got a job there. I gave them a fake name, and I'm working
Similar Books
