The Circle of Owls (The Grimalkin Book 3) Dani Swanson (best books for 8th graders .TXT) 📖

that they were alone. The only movement was caused by the artic wind bustling about the mountain top. She gave a defeated sigh as she started to walk away from the smoking cave entrance.

“Coward!” She cried out into the void…..her own word came echoing back to her as if the mountains were telling her that Robin herself was the coward.

Robin heard a rumbling coming from behind her in the cave. She darted to the side of the entrance and hid behind a bush. The dragon squirmed through the tight opening of the cavern, the egg still clutched in its claws, and took flight. Its ample wings sparkled in the sunlight as it caught the force of the North wind – soaring out of sight.

Robin and Tinker cowered in the bushes until the shadowy figure of the dragon could no longer be seen on the horizon.

Chapter Five

Lilly had been spending all her time following around the members of the Circle of Owls. Her anger had grown into an obsession. After being awake for over a week straight, she found herself perched in a tree outside of the Chateau MelBel, in her human form, watching through a window as the Circle of Owls set up operations in Sorgin’s home.

The members of the circle momentarily went back to their homes, for those of them who still had homes to go back to. Many had been a part of the circle for so long that it was all they knew. Lola was still making the Kingdom of Owls a haven for those who needed it, as she worked on an antidote for the curse Cricket had placed on her. The Golden Acorn’s powers weren’t promised to work forever, and she feared that the circle would return.

Cricket was once again wearing her peacock mask as she watched Lilly - she was glad that Lilly had seen that the Circle had been re-established under her rule. She, unlike the majority of the members, was not scared of Lilly Quinn or the power of the Grimalkin. In fact, she was fascinated by the powers that Lilly had. Not only could she take the lifeforce from another living creature, but she could suggestively control many creatures by looking deep into their eyes. Cricket, who was a master of mind control in her own right, had to learn her powers through spell books….and was awestruck by anyone who had natural talents, and did everything in her power to have them and to learn from their talents. If she couldn’t control Lilly anymore, she was going to find a way to have her powers.

“Are you not a little bit nervous that she has tracked ALL of us down?” Sorgin removed her mask as she joined Cricket at the window. She leaned on her walking stick with the skull handle. Cricket could feel the surge of energy come from it. Sorgin adjusted the scarf in her reflection of the window pane; ensuring that it was properly covering the scar around her neck.

“Not in the least. She can’t get in here. Eventually she will weaken and then we will get her collar back on her….she’s not strong enough to penetrate our spell. As long as we work together, we will be able to capture her again. Cricket and the Imp Witch smiled at Lilly before covering the window with the curtains.

Lilly laid back, stretching her legs out on the tree branch in front of her. She would avenge her mother regardless of how long it would take.

Chapter Six

Robin’s curly mess of hair danced in the breeze from the cavern opening; the coals left in the fire brightened to match her hair as the air passed over them. Tinker was curled up in the nook of her arm, nuzzling her wet nose against her human, trying to wake her. “I had a nice dream Tinker…..we were in a nice fluffy warm bed.”

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it?” Robin gently opened her eyes to the familiar voice. “How nice of you to join us again…..did you get tired of the snow?”

Robin pulled herself up on her side as Tinker moved closer to the coals. Robin stared across the cave with a defeated look on her face. “What do you want? I returned the egg. I thought you were going to be done with me after I returned it….” She went to the pile of wood she had collected the night before and started her fire again. The snow had started to fall again outside, making her want to continue down the mountain even less than before.

“You have to finish writing the story in your book for me.”

“What’s the point? She’s never going to get a chance to read it at this point. We’re lost in the mountains.” Any expression that Robin would have normally had, was gone from her face. She looked as those who had been stupefied by the Grimalkin – blankly staring into the fire.

“I thought that you wanted to help Thea find the truth to her past? She’s never going to get her memory back…..they made sure of that. You are going to have to teach her the history.”

“How is that going to happen if I’m dead?! I don’t even know how long I’ve been up here! I can’t feel my toes anymore and I’m starving!”

“Check your bag before you have a meltdown.”

“What? Why were you in my bag?”

“Because I knew you would be hungry….check your bag…”

With trepidation, Robin went into her bag and found some berries, and some meat that Robin couldn’t readily identify.

“Where did you find this? What is this?” Robin was skeptical of the food given to her but was still finding a stick to roast the meat on while she was asking her questions.

“It’s food that I got from out there…just eat it.”

Robin sat silently as she ate the smoky tasting meat, feeding a few pieces to the little grey cat.

“Do you feel better now?”

Robin nodded as she gnawed meat off the bone.