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

with Percy hanging up their coats. Robin had a big smile on her face as she came down the hall to give Dean a hug. “What about Edward?” Dean said in a hushed voice. Thea quickly shook her head no before walking over to the Ice King.

Her voice was soft as she started to speak to him. “Irving, that wasn’t Penelope, she sent me a message. She’s still alive.”

“What?! Are you sure?” He blubbered through tears as he sloppily hugged her.

“It has to be her who has been messaging me. I am going to go in the morning to get her for you, okay?” She looked down to see that the Ice King had his whole leg wrapped tightly in bandages. “What happened here?”

“Oh, that…that’s nothing. I’m just fine.” He tried to cover his leg with the edge of his robes.

“He fell down the mountain on the way to the Kingdom of Owls and had to be carried the entire way there, and his leg is still very swollen.” Dean said with his eyebrows raised from his post by the door. He sheepishly took a drink from his cup when the Ice King turned around to look at him.

“It’s not that bad! You hush! I’ll be ready to go tomorrow!”

“Oh, you most certainly will not.” Thea said through a chuckle. “You will be staying here and resting that leg!”

“I’ll go with her and Dean, she’ll have plenty of support with her.” Robin chimed in as she sat down on the other side of the King.

Through his mumbled, drunken words, he finally agreed that he would be staying behind at the castle. Thea placed her hands on his leg, healing his wounds; which was a large spectacle for the drunken king. Thea healed his leg but still insisted that he would stay home.

They stayed in the parlor and drank to the memory of Edward. Percy was the first to retire for the evening, quickly followed by the Ice King, who staggered through the castle to his chambers. Robin stayed for maybe another hour until she couldn’t stop yawning, excusing herself to go to bed.

Dean had his arm wrapped over the shoulder of Thea, with Fig laying across both their laps at the same time. Thea felt very comfortable there on the couch and gave into it, laying her head in the nook of Dean’s arm.

“She still doesn’t seem the same. Something seems off with her.” She fiddled with the ends of her hair as she looked up to catch his gaze.

“She’s been through a lot. Her sister died…She watched her friend die, and almost got eaten by a dragon. I think she’s earned the right to be acting a little weird, don’t you?”

“I guess….” She said through a yawn. Fig lifted his head and gave Thea a small meow. “Yes, sweet boy, we can go to bed.” Thea gave him a little nudge as he jumped down to the floor and stretched. “I better take my kitty to bed.”

Dean stood with her, and gave her a hug, then guided her chin up to meet his lips. They kissed for a moment, then as they parted, she felt a smile spread.

“Good night.” She whispered sweetly, before turning for the door.

“Sweet dreams, Thea.” His voice was deep yet cracked as he spoke.

She giggled to herself as she walked down the hallway toward her room.

She got outside of her door and could see the light still on in the room next to her where Robin stayed. The door was cracked open and she could hear Robin talking on the other side.

“Why didn’t you give it to her? I told you the story so that you would tell her!”

“I know that….and I will! But how do you tell your best friend you know all this stuff…..and how do I tell her?”

“Just give her the book. That was the whole point of it.” The voice had gotten low, and somber. “You never have had a backbone, I swear!”

“Why do you always have to be so mean to me?”

Thea took a step closer to try to see through the door who Robin was arguing with, when the floor below her creaked, alerting Tinker from her cozy spot on the bed to come investigate. Robin walked behind the cat and swung open the door before Thea was able to retreat to her own room.

“Oh, hey Thea! You gave me such a fright!” Robin was in her pj’s, with her red hair tied on top of her head in a large bun. Her body blocking the view of the room.

“Sorry dear, I was just headed to bed, and thought I heard you talking to someone, so I was coming to check on you to make sure you were all right…” Thea was straining her neck to see into the room.

“Well, no silly, there’s no one here but me and Tinker.” Robin held open the door for Thea to peer in. The room was empty except for the fluffy grey cat sitting by Robin’s feet.

“I must be sleepier than I thought.” Thea said as she rubbed her face. “Night, love.”

“Good night, Thea! Sleep well!” Robin’s voice was extra chipper as she shut the door.

Thea could hear Robin talking through the wall to a different voice. She couldn’t make out the conversation but heard two separate voices having a conversation on the other side of the wall.

CHAPTER NINE

Sorgin had moved the Circle of Owls to a new location in the cloak of a moonless night. The house which Sorgin had acquired through one of her many deals long ago was on the edge of Monkey Tree Village. From the outside it looked to have just a few rooms, and she seemed to be an old spinster who lived with her sister. Cricket and Sorgin were the only two members of the Circle of Owls who showed their faces around the town; the women often disguised themselves, changing their appearances with potions before leaving their home. The others were all