He didn’t care that Hypnova had taken the Caliburn Shield. Shazad and Leanora didn’t mind, either. Based on what Hypnova had told them about the other Secreteers, they had a feeling she needed it more than they did. Besides, they wouldn’t have even known about the shield if not for Hypnova, and they had other, more pressing concerns than simply collecting rare magical items.
Joey and his friends had found their way. They knew what they had to do now, and all three of them were finally in agreement. There were other magical impediments like the spike that had powered the Imaginary Vortex still out there in the world. As the Order of the Majestic, it was their job to find and destroy them. It wasn’t just about beating the Invisible Hand, or convincing the world to believe in magic. It was about locating the things that had ended the age of magic and taking them out. Setting magic free. That was what they intended to do, and thanks to Hypnova, they knew exactly where to look.
Joey found Shazad and Leanora in Redondo’s office. It would always be Redondo’s office as far as Joey was concerned, but his friends were doing some redecorating. They had taken the picture frames down off one of the walls and were painting a mural on it using Scarlett’s magic brushes. They had been entrusted to Shazad’s family for safekeeping after the battle of Camelot, but his parents were more open to loaning out the items in their collection these days. They also had an open invitation to the Majestic Theatre. As soon as Hypnova’s mark wore off, they could come visit anytime. Leanora’s family, too.
Joey came up behind Shazad and Leanora, taking in their work. “What do you think?” Leanora asked him. “We’re almost done.” They had painted a perfect re-creation of the Secret Map of the World. It took up the entire wall.
“Not bad,” Joey said, nodding enthusiastically. “Seriously. I’m impressed.”
“It’s easy when you have the right tools for the job,” Shazad said, adding some finishing touches on the wall.
“We got tired of picturing the map in our heads while we were talking about where to go next,” Leanora added. “Now we don’t have to.”
“This is great,” Joey said. “Can we zoom in on stuff? Will it move like the paper map did?”
“It should,” Leanora said. “We’ll find out for sure after it dries.”
“Or, we could find out right now,” Shazad said, stepping back from the wall. He pointed to the spot where he had made his final brushstroke. Shazad had painted something that wasn’t on the map before. It was an island that didn’t exist, and it was already moving.
“What is that?” Joey asked as the island drifted slowly away from mainland China toward the Philippines.
“It’s an island that won’t stay still,” Shazad said, setting down his brush. “It’s part of the reason I asked Leanora to paint this with me. This island here’s been bugging me. I kept glimpsing it here and there whenever I thought about the map, but not all the time and never in the same place. I’m not the only one, am I? You guys must have seen it too.”
Joey searched the memory of the map that Hypnova had implanted in his head. He didn’t know why he hadn’t seen it before, but now that he knew where to look, the island was right there. Now that he believed, he could see it. He couldn’t miss it. Joey saw something else, too. The image wasn’t complete. He grabbed a brush, addressed the canvas, and labeled the roaming island. The words floated alongside the mystery island as it moved out to sea.
“What the heck is the Imagine Nation?” Leanora asked, reading the name off the wall.
“I don’t know,” Joey said. “Maybe we should go find out.”
Acknowledgments
Lost Kingdom is my seventh novel, but a first for me, creatively speaking. I’ve never written a book like this before.
Usually, I plot out my books with super detailed outlines before I start working on them. I try to figure out everything that’s going to happen, chapter by chapter and scene by scene. It takes me months to do this. Sometimes more.
I didn’t do it that way this time.
Instead, I thought I about how much my stories always change from the first draft to the final. That outline I spend so much time obsessing over? It’s not carved in stone. First of all, that would take forever. Second, I think it’s impossible to know every detail of a story before you start writing it.
There are some ideas that only show up when you are “in the story” yourself, thoroughly immersed in the characters’ world. The longer I do this, the more I realize that writing a book is like following a path that only reveals itself to you as you walk it.
So, I tried something new with this one. At the risk of sounding pretentious, I fully surrendered myself to the magic of storytelling. Like Joey, Shazad, and Leanora, I decided to trust and believe that I would be able to find my way as I went. It was stressful at times, and it took a little while longer, but it all worked out in the end. I want to thank you for coming along for the ride, and some other special people who made the trip possible:
For every book I write, my agent, Danielle Chiotti, is an amazing partner who is with me every step of the way. Without her, these stories go nowhere.
My editor, Liesa Abrams, has been a trusted guide on my storytelling adventures for almost ten years now. If not for her, I’d be lost on the trail, wandering around in circles.
Samira Iravani helped me make this journey more authentic and real. Art director Karin Paprocki and artist Owen Richardson designed an amazing cover to help me put my best foot forward. I’m so lucky to have their talent and energy elevate my work. The same goes for publisher Mara Anastas, production editor Rebecca Vitkus, copyeditor Penina Lopez, and proofreader Stacey Sakal. Thank you to them, and everyone at Simon & Schuster/Aladdin.
Finally, I have to thank my family. My wife, Rebecca, and our two boys… They’re my own personal Order of the Majestic. They keep my life filled with fantastic, unbelievable moments, and I couldn’t do this without them.
More from this Series
Order of the Majestic
Book 1
More from the Author
The End of Infinity
The Secret War
Accidental Hero
About the Author
MATT MYKLUSCH is the author of the Jack Blank Adventure series and other books for children (including grown-up children like himself). He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Rebecca; his boys, Jack and Dean; assorted pets; and other forms of magic. Find him online at MattMyklusch.com.
Aladdin
SIMON & SCHUSTER, NEW YORK ALADDIN
Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids
www.SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Matt-Myklusch
ALSO BY MATT MYKLUSCH
The Jack Blank Adventures
The Accidental Hero
The Secret War
The End of Infinity
Order of the Majestic Book 1
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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www.SimonandSchuster.com
First Aladdin hardcover edition May 2020
Text copyright © 2020 by Matt Myklusch
Jacket illustration copyright © 2020 by Owen Richardson
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Jacket designed by Karin Paprocki
Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Myklusch, Matt, author.
Title: Lost kingdom / Matt Myklusch.
Description: New York : Aladdin, 2020. | Series: Order of the Majestic ; [2] | Summary: When Fate puts the Secret Map of the World into Joey Kopecky’s, Shazad’s, and Leanora’s hands, they set out to find a lost kingdom that could hold the key to a new age of magic.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019050028 (print) | LCCN 2019050029 (eBook) |
ISBN 9781534424906 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781534424920 (eBook)
Subjects: CYAC: Magic—Fiction. | Adventure and adventurers—Fiction. | Voyages and travels—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.M994 Lm 2020 (print) | LCC PZ7.M994 (eBook) | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019050028
LC eBook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019050029
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