The Three Furies (Erec Rex) by Kaza Kingsley Page A

for the custodian now, doing things like cleaning up messes. I water all the plants, which lets me walk all over and listen in to conversations. I haven't heard anyone talk about Bethany yet, but I found out where Baskania's offices are. Rosco goes there a lot--I've seen him. I'm going to spend the most time there, spying on them.
    Balor, Damon, and Dollick Stain come around all the time. Those jerks are cheating even more, but I guess that's no surprise. They wear phony amulets that make it look like they did the quests. And their friends, Rock Rayson and Ward Gamin, follow them around. They have eye patches now. You know what that means--Baskania took an eye from them. Yikes!
    Your Friend,
    Oscar
    Erec dropped the empty snail into his pocket. He walked inside, clutching the letter in his hand so tightly it was nearly wrinkled into a ball. This was all too much. Baskania was after his sister and brother. Bethany was captured--alive at the moment, but probably not for long. Oscar was in hiding, seeking revenge on Rosco and spying on Baskania. And the Stain triplets were well on their way to taking over the Kingdoms of the Keepers . . . which would destroy the world.
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    A loud voice made everyone jump. June dropped her spoon into her soup with a big plop. "I see you're all still there," Dumpling Smith growled. She raised the pitch of her gravelly voice and tried to sound sweet. "Very clever. But you two have it all wrong, dearies. I only want to help you. There are bad people about, you know. You need to trust me, no?" Then she became angry. "Don't think you can stay hidden away for long, you two. I'll keep watch with these nice glasses here. The time has come." Erec could hear her heavy breathing. "Interesting house. Is it King Piter's? There he is. I believe this must be his house, now that his castle is gone."
    Everyone in the room looked at one another, afraid to talk.
    "Okay, then. Excellent. We'll be seeing you there very soon." Dumpling's laugh ended abruptly, midstream, as she must have pulled off the glasses.
    June spoke in a hushed voice. "We need to get out of here, to somewhere she doesn't recognize. This house should stay empty until they are sure that none of us are coming back to it." She lowered her face. "I'm so sorry, dear King, to have brought intruders to your home. I'm sure you'll be safe here--nobody would dare to bother you. But I should take my family away."
    The king's voice sounded hollow. "I'm afraid I'm as vulnerable as anybody else right now. I don't have my scepter. I should probably go with you." His hair looked wispier than it did this morning, his face more sunken. Erec hoped that the scepter being gone would help the king regain his strength, but he guessed that might take a while.
    Jam cleared his throat. "Modoms, sirs. If you don't mind me making a suggestion, I have an aunt who lives in Americorth North. She has a simple house, nothing in it that stands out as unusual that I can think of. And I am sure she would be delighted for us to visit for as long as necessary."
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    "I didn't know you were from Aorth, Jam," Erec said. "I thought you were from Alypium."
    A despondent look flashed across Jam's face. "I am pretty sure that my parents were from Alypium, but they both died a long time ago, and I have no siblings. Once I tried to research my family history, and see if there was anyone else left. I did find some long-lost relatives in Aorth--at least I think they might be relatives. They weren't exactly sure either. But they took me in immediately, accepting me as family."
    The king nodded silently, looking too weak to speak.
    June said, "Thank you, Jam. We should go there. As long as Dumpling doesn't put on my Seeing Eyeglasses right as we go through the Port-O-Door, she won't know where we went."
    "How did she get your glasses?" Nell asked.
    "It was terrible." June shuddered. "They kept asking where you went. Not that I would have told them if I knew. The tall one--Kookles, I think his