"Overruled again!" snarled Anne. Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles had turned white. "Why am I not surprised!" Spinning on her heel, she marched from the room, pulling Andy with her.
Unbelievable! thought Chase. A Marlowe's moving into the Tinker house. Was it possible for things to get any crazier? Never in a million years would he have thought his grandparent would let Alex come live with them. He must've really sweet-talked his way into Grandfather's good graces. Was Grandfather's heart condition making him more vulnerable mentally as well as physically?
As the others turned away, Chase sidled up to Alex. "Whatever you said to Grandfather and my dad to convince them to trust you," said Chase in a quiet, menacing voice, "remember, I definitely don't. One false move and you'll be sorry you ever messed with the Tinkers!"
CHAPTER TEN
Enemy Number One
Chase barreled into the kitchen while cramming his math book into his backpack. "I can't believe I'm going to be late again," he complained to Maxwell, who clung to Chase's shoulder and looked as if he'd just been spit out of a tornado. "I'm such an idiot!"
Determined to keep an eye on the newest member of the household—and keep him from having any after-hours access to the magic rooms—Chase had decided to spend every night on the floor in the hallway right outside Alexander Marlowe's bedroom. But, at some point, he must've dozed off.
"You should try getting up earlier," said an accented voice.
Chase skidded to a stop and eyeballed the two people seated at the breakfast bar. The rich scents of fresh coffee and cinnamon wafted through the air.
"Uh…when did you get up?"
"Several hours ago," answered Alex. "Couldn't sleep. I'm still on London time, you know. Thought I'd cook up a bit of breakfast for myself." Alex pointed his fork at Chase. A hunk of golden bread was stuck on the end. "This kitchen is brilliant. Everything tastes fantastic and nothing burns. Sorry I didn't wake you, but you looked so peaceful, it would've been a shame to interrupt your sweet dreams." He gave Chase a look that said, Go ahead; watch my every move. See if I care.
It didn't bother Chase one bit Alex knew he was keeping an eye on him. The guy needed to know that as long as Chase was around, he wouldn't get away with anything.
"Thanks loads," said Chase sarcastically, angry at himself for not staying awake. As usual, it appeared he was able to sleep anywhere but in his comfy bed. Chase swiveled his gaze to Nori. "And what're you doing here so early?"
Nori shrugged. "I came over to see if Alex needed any help settling in." She turned to Alex and smiled. "I hope you got enough sleep last night."
"A few hours. It should get better the longer I'm here."
"Maybe I'll conjure up a bed of nails for you," said Chase, his hard gaze practically shooting daggers at Nori. "Then you won't have to stay long."
"You're much too kind," said Alex with a grin. "But the one I have already will do quite nicely, thank you."
Unable to think of any snappy comebacks except, "Whatever," Chase reached out to grab a banana from the fruit bowl. As he did, Maxwell scurried down Chase's arm. Hunching his back, the ferret tiptoed across the counter to stand in front of Alex. Maxwell's nose for evil was usually undisputed. He hissed softly as he squinted his beady black eyes at Alex and sniffed the air.
Ha! thought Chase. Now we'll know the truth. Go ahead, Max, zap him with your lightning bolts!
"Hey, little fellow," said Alex. He reached out and scratched Maxwell behind his ears. And Maxwell let him! As Maxwell's pink tongue flicked out and licked Alex's hand, Chase's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Shaking his head, he stomped to the back door. "Traitor!" he snapped.
"You probably shouldn't go off with your fly open and all," called Alex.
"Yeah, right," said Chase with a snort. "Like I'm gonna fall for that one."
"It really is…uh…" said Nori.
Chase glanced down, then quickly yanked up his zipper. "I'm running late, okay?" Right before the door slammed shut behind him, he heard Nori say, "Wow, what a grouch."
"I have a right to be grouchy," he said to himself as he heaved his backpack over his shoulder. "We have a crappy Marlowe living in our house, for cripes sake!"
Chase thought the day would never end. He spent the whole time wondering what Alex was up to in the house. And, from the way Nori was acting, Chase suspected she was probably telling him all the secrets Chase had told everyone not to share. Besides that, Andy never managed to keep a secret for long. Between the two of them, it was a sure bet Alex knew more than he should. It was a darn good thing Chase and Grandfather were the only ones who knew how to get into the attic, or how to find the gold chest leading to where the dangerous and forbidden powers were hidden.
At least he could rely on Persephone to be discreet. She distrusted Alex as much as Chase did.
Chase was finally on his way home when a fantastic idea popped into his head. He lurched to a stop. "Why didn't I think of this before?" he said to a squirrel, who was eyeballing him from a low tree branch. "Booby traps. Yeah! Then if he tries anything—Bam! He's caught like a rat."
Feeling better now with some sort of plan to put into motion, Chase raced down the road. His mom and dad were in the kitchen when he dashed through the back door.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?" said Ben.
"Just excited to be away from school at last," said Chase. He wasn't about to tell them what he was up to, especially since his mom had been caught in one of his booby traps last summer. She'd made him wash windows to make up for it.
He paused and glanced from his dad's face to his mom's. They both had tense jaws and furrowed brows: sure signs he'd arrived in the middle of some kind of argument. "So, what's up? Did I interrupt something?"
Anne flung the dried tomatoes she'd sliced into a pot. "Your father and I are having a—discussion."
"Oookay. Where's everyone else?"
"If you mean Alex and the rest of the kids," said Anne, "they're around the house somewhere." She said Alex's name as if it were a disgusting curse word.
Chase scrunched his face. "Are you making sure they aren't telling him things about us?"
"I'm sure they know what to share and what not to," said Ben.
Tromping to the refrigerator, Chase flung open the door. "I'm having a hard time accepting that you and Grandfather are letting him live here."
"You and me both!" said Anne.
"We have our reasons," said Ben. "And I'm asking you not to question me or him about our decisions regarding Alex."
"Even if we think those decisions are wrong?" snapped Anne. "This isn't the 1950s, Benjamin. Wives have a say in things now, too, you know."
Chase slammed the fridge door. "Mom's right! We should all have a say since we live here, too. It's way too weird you're letting one of our enemy move in. Don't expect me to ever trust the guy."
"Like I said, we have our reasons and we know what we're doing."
"So it's true, my opinion doesn't even matter." Anne ripped apart a head of lettuce as if it were the enemy.
"But why?" asked Chase. "It doesn't make any sense, especially after everything they've done to us and other magical people. Not to mention all those poor guys in Blackshire having their free will stolen."
"I know," said Ben, "but Alex wasn't involved in any of those dealings. If he had been, those memories would've been in his head. We can't persecute him for crimes he didn't commit. Besides, he's only fifteen. Too young to be out on his own."
"So what?" said Chase. "He's still related to them. And now we're supposed to act like—like he's one of us! Good thing his powers are bound up."
"I hate to tell you this, Chase," said Ben, "but a lot of those charms wear off after a while. The binding one lasts around three days or so."
"Real nice!" snarled Chase. "Then let's either do the spell again or lock him away in a room where he can't morph out and cause trouble."
"He's a guest, not a p
risoner," said Benjamin impatiently. "And after seeing what's happened to Mika, you should know it's not good for magical beings to have their magic constantly blocked."
"So what?" said Chase, flicking his hand. "He could explode, for all I care."
Ben sighed. "Let it go, Chase."
"I can't listen to this anymore!" said Anne. Tossing aside the lettuce, she strode from the kitchen.
"She always has to run out," said Ben.
"I don't blame her. The whole thing sucks!" Chase paused. "So, uh, how long does the booby trap charm last?"
"I think that one can go on indefinitely," said Ben. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason. Just curious." Yanking his backpack off the counter, Chase headed for the kitchen door. "I should probably get started on my homework."
Chase knew his dad was eyeballing him suspiciously as he swung open the door and hurried from the room.
He was surprised to find his mom in the dining room, standing at the French doors and staring out across Puget Sound. "This is such a beautiful place," she said. "You'd never know there was so much darkness and evil in the world."
Chase went to stand beside her. "I'm keeping my eyes on him, Mom. Don't worry. I won't let him hurt anyone. I promise."
She turned her head to the side and gave him a small, sad smile. "I know you'll try your best, honey," she whispered. "If there's one thing I know for sure, you're as stubborn and determined as your father."
Chase grinned. "And good-looking, too, don't forget."
"Oh, go do your homework, handsome," she said, giving him a playful shove on the shoulder.
"Yippee, homework." He trudged past the dining table, jumping around a chair when it tried to force him to sit in it. "Call me when dinner's ready."
On his way to the fourth floor, Chase didn't see the other kids anywhere. Hopefully they were on the other side of the house and he'd have plenty of time to set the traps.
Grandfather had given Alex James's old room, down the hall from Chase and Andy. Chase checked up and down the hallway before opening Alex's door and slipping in. The room was bright with sunlight, and Chase was surprised to see the bed was neatly made. A pair of sneakers sat next to the closet, and Alex had placed a few knick-knacks and personal items on the dresser.
Knowing he didn't have a lot of time, Chase resisted the urge to snoop and raced across the room to the sliding-glass door. Easing it open, he stepped out onto the walkway. Many of the outside walkways that encircled the house gave easy access to a lot of the magical rooms, so setting a booby trap here would help keep Alex from getting to any of them.
From where he stood, he could see where the green grass of the yard ended and the silvery sand of the beach began. He ducked back into the room when he spotted the tiny figures of Nori, Persephone, Andy, and Alex coming down the beach. They were all bare-footed and in shorts and t-shirts. Chase scrunched his face. From his point of view, they looked like a cozy, friendly group. Even Persephone looked relaxed. What had that taken, a day-and-a-half? "Well, Alexander Marlowe," Chase said to himself, "I'll find out what you're really up to and then I'll kick your butt right outta here."
He spit into his left palm and then rubbed his hands together. Sticking them outside the door, he swung them apart and murmured, "Tendicula, Flower Pot." He stepped back, closed the door, and grinned.
Back out in the hall, he closed Alex's door and prepared to set another trap. This one was a little trickier. He needed it to go off only when the person he wanted to trap walked through it, and only at a certain time.
He took the jet-black hair he'd pulled from Alex's hairbrush and placed it in the palm of his left hand. Spitting on the hair, he rubbed his hands together again. He swung them apart and said, "Tendicula, Goo, between midnight and 7a.m. every day." Now if Alex decided to go on any late night excursions, he'd have to do it as a puddle of slimy goop.
Feeling like some weight had been lifted off his shoulders for the moment, Chase raced to his room to get his homework finished before dinner.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Flower Power
"I'm not sitting by Alex," Chase whispered to Persephone as they all gathered around the dining table.
"Then go sit in the kitchen," she whispered back.
"That's not what I mean. I—oh, forget it! I'll sit by my mom." Chase yanked out a chair and plopped onto it. He didn't want to argue so he focused on digging into the chicken parmesan and garlic bread, instead.
"Has anyone seen Andy?" asked Anne. "He's never late for meals."
"He was with us when we were searching for Alex's socks," said Nori as she passed the bowl of asparagus. "Maxwell stole them and stuck them under one of the beds."
"He said he'd take them to my room for me and then be right down for dinner," said Alex. "I don't know what could be keeping him, though."
Chase nearly choked on the hunk of bread he was chewing. Had Andy gotten caught in one of the booby traps? Nah. That was impossible. One was outside and the other was meant only for Alex. At least, it was supposed to be.
Persephone narrowed her eyes at Chase as he grabbed awkwardly for his water glass and almost spilled the contents across the table. "Do you know something?"
"Uh…no…" said Chase. "Why would I?" He jumped to his feet and rushed across the room. "I'll go see what he's up to."
"And so will I," said Persephone, following right on his tail.
When Chase arrived at Alex's bedroom door, not only Persephone, but Ben, Anne, Nori, and Alex had tagged along as well.
"You didn't all have to come," said Chase as he glanced casually around for a puddle of goo and hoped no one stepped in it if there was one. "Someone probably should've stayed with Grandfather."
"I think he'll be okay," said Ben, crossing his arms. "What's this all about?"
"Yeah, Chase," said Persephone. "You're wearing your guilty face."
Chase sent her a burning look out of the corner of his eye. "I just came to see what's taking Andy so long."
"Well I think you're acting a lot weirder than usual," said Nori.
"You think Andy's still in my room?" asked Alex.
"He—uh—might be," said Chase, scuffing his toe on the floor.
Alex shoved the door open and everyone peered into the room. It was empty, but the sliding-glass door hung wide open. The long curtains billowed in the breeze.
"Oh no!" Chase dashed across the room and shoved the curtains aside. Sitting on the walkway was a large, round flower pot overflowing with lemon-yellow daffodils.
"What beautiful flowers," said Nori. "I didn't know you liked gardening, Alex."
"Those aren't mine," said Alex, looking confused. "I've never seen them before."
"They're Andy," mumbled Chase.
"What?" cried Anne.
"They're Andy," Chase said louder.
"Andy!" She whirled to glare at Alex. "What did you do to my son? Fix him right now!"
Alex took a quick step back and held up his hands. "I didn't do it! Please believe me!"
Chase raked his hands through his hair. He had to confess. "It wasn't him. It was me. I set a booby trap."
"A magical booby trap?" said Alex. "I've never heard of such a thing."
Anne's eyes narrowed to slits. "Chase, what did I tell you about setting those things?"
Chase waved his hands in the air. "It was for Alex, okay? I know he's up to something. He's our enemy and yet he's being treated like he's the best thing since ice cream! I couldn't stand it. I had to do something!"
"I told you to let it go," said Benjamin, "but you never listen!"
"It's because I'm not going to surrender to him!" yelled Chase. "I'll die first!"
"Whoa! Whoa!" said Ben, holding up his hand. "Calm down. No one's dying or surrendering. Where do you get your ideas?"
"I dunno. They just come to me," Chase said through clenched teeth.
"That explains everything," said Nori, rolling her eyes.
>
"I'm not here to hurt anyone," said Alex. "I promise."
"You never thought someone else could be caught in this trap?" said Nori. "Smooth one."
"At least I'm not becoming all buddy-buddy with our Dark Enemy," Chase grumbled under his breath.
"You turn your brother back into himself right now, mister," said Anne, pointing her finger at the pot of flowers. "As usual, you do things without thinking about any consequences! What am I going to do with you?"
"Beats me," muttered Chase. He heaved a deep sigh before spitting into his right hand and rubbing his palms together. "End enchantment." He waved his hands over the daffodils.
The flowers transformed back into Andy in a puff of yellow smoke. "What the heck?" He glanced around at all the faces staring at him. "Where'd you guys come from?"
Anne stepped outside and pulled him into a tight hug. "You were a flower pot with lots of beautiful daffodils, sweetie, but thank goodness you're back to normal."
"I was?" Andy scratched his head. "How'd that happen? I came out here 'cause I thought I saw someone on the walkway, but it was only a seagull."
"We'll talk about it over dinner, okay?" said Anne. As she led Andy back into the room, she sent Chase a look that said, I'm not done with you yet, Chase Nathaniel Tinker.
"You're toast, mate," whispered Alex as he passed Chase.
Chase had to agree with Alex for once. He might as well go prepare the ladder and bucket for more window washing. Yep, he thought as he trailed everyone from the room. This is officially the worst summer ever.
Persephone was waiting for him out in the hallway. "What do you want?" he said. "Gonna make me feel stupid, too?"
As the others moved out of earshot, she whispered, "I wanted to say good job thinking to set a booby trap."
"You like my idea?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "But I saw you on the beach looking all friendly with Alex."
Persephone rolled her eyes. "Of course I was, dork. How do you expect me to be a good spy if I don't visit the enemy's camp? I need to be where he is, especially since you're at school a big part of the day."
Chase Tinker and the HOUSE OF DESTINY Page 8
