The King's Crown by Gavin Johnson (best classic books to read txt) 📕

some extra support, even Claire had carried the fish back towards the camp site. About an hour later, nighttime crept over the sky. The kids had a fire lit, and smoked fish, filling their stomachs, and making them very sleepy.

Jack sat on a log with Isabella, and decided to complement her on something, but what? Then it hit him. “You know Isabella, you are probably the most reliable person in this group,” Jack said, trying to sound cool and smooth. Isabella smiled meekly, she was a bit confused. “Where did that come from?” Isabella wondered. John lowered his fish slowly and growled, “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Nothing! It’s just a fact that Isabella is a little more reliable than Claire,” Jack replied. “Claire is very reliable, I bet even more reliable than Isabella!” John said, staring at Jack. “What are you talking about?” Jack asked. “Claire is way more reliable than Isabella, I’d pick her any day!” John shouted. “Really, because who defeated that huge spider? Oh yeah, Isabella did!” Jack shot back. “She isn’t the strongest one here, okay, but you shouldn’t go around saying who’s more reliable Jack!” John cried. “Hey, you’re the one who turned it into an argument!” Jack pointed out. “Geez Jack, sometimes you can be such an ass!” John said.

Jack became infuriated. “You’re the ass! You think I’m telling Claire that she is no good! Well, she is weak, she couldn’t beat a robber! No offense,” Jack said. “Jack, why don’t you shut up, we got a quest to get to, and besides, you were complaining about everything ever since we started this journey!” John screamed. “Hey! I never wanted to be part of this quest in the first place!” Jack yelled. “No one asked you!” John shot. “Yes, you did! You begged me to come along, I should be back at Ernesto’s, getting some pay!” Jack shouted. The boys continued to argue for a couple of seconds, before something happened the children thought would never happen. “ENOUGH!” Claire screamed. This made John and Jack jump. Isabella looked at Claire in shock. Claire marched up to Jack, and got up close to his face, the start of tears emerged from the corners of her eyes. “Did you have a father who hated you? Or a mother who pretends you don’t even exist? What about a sister whom everyone loves and adores? I’m a princess of the kingdom of Ken-yang, but no one knows I even exist!” Claire said through clenched teeth, practically screaming in sadness. There was a long stream of tears under each eye, which ran down the cheeks to the chin, small drops of tears were dripping from there.

Jack was shocked, he had no idea that Claire was royalty, then again, who would? Claire had a raggedy, dirty blue and white dress on. She wore leather hand-me-down shoes. Her hair was greasy, and looked like she hadn’t bathed in days. She stepped back, officially balling her eyes out. “So that’s why you were at the lake, you ran away because of your family!” Isabella said. Claire nodded, tears still flowed down her cheeks. Isabella knelt down to comfort her. “I, had no idea,” Jack whispered. “Listen Claire, I’m sorry about what I said, I didn’t mean to hurt you in any way,” Jack apologized. Both boys knelt down to comfort Claire also.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Hours later, when all the fish was devoured, and the fire was out, everyone was asleep. Everyone that is, except Jack. Jack was wide awake, reenacting in his head about what Claire had said to him. He didn’t remember much of his childhood, or his parents otherwise. Jack thought that Claire was pretty lucky, she had a real family. Then again, her family thought she was a disgrace, but a family is a family nonetheless. He glanced over at Claire, her cheeks still had some tears rolling slowly down. He sighed. Trying to keep his eyes closed, hopefully sleep would follow, but to no avail until hours later.

John was the first to wake. He stretched. Then went to wake the rest. Unfortunately, the kids were a little more groggy then usual, thanks to the fight last night. “C’mon everyone, time to get up, the journey to the woods won’t be short, I know that!” John ordered. Jack grunted and twisted. “Jack, get up!” John said. “Let’s sleep in, just this once,” Jack suggested. “No Jack, we need to get up, I won’t start another fight!” John said. “Ask all you want, I’m not getting up!” Jack said, still facing away from John. John massaged his forehead. Trying to figure out how to get the group awake. The answer came through the air. BOOM!!! A gun shot exploded through the air. This shocked the three awake. “Oh good, you three are awake!” John said sarcastically, he was wielding his sword. The four exchanged glances that said to each other that said, “We should go!” Isabella and Jack went on Misty, and John and Claire on Magik.

They took off. Heading north, Isabella looked back, witnessing a battle. The battle took place at a shipwreck, that had been casted from the sea
to Hemlock woods by a great god. The cannons still, and a band of pirates hand their hands on it. Who they were facing was a great mystery to Isabella, as well as the pirates. Isabella couldn’t make out what the warriors looked like, but they were deadly, they practically were destroying the pirates. Isabella had a chill run down her spine. Jack noticed and asked, “Hey, are you okay?” “Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine,” Isabella replied. Misty flew behind Magik who isn’t as fast a Misty, so the way there was a little longer then John would’ve liked.

As the kids approached the woods, a strange feeling dashed through Isabella. The front passage that went through the forest was guarded by a two headed org. It was a palish green color, and had a tarp, one strap was slung over the left shoulder, the tarp hung below the knee caps, the org was bare-footed, and had long daggers for fingernails. Each hand held a powerful axe. All four kids hopped of the horse and bird. The org pointed the sharp axes at them. “Who goes there?” one head demanded. It was the right one. “No one may pass until they had completed the test!” the right said. The left just growled, “I say we just bash them, and slice them to bits!” “No,” the right replied. “That’s not maser’s orders.” His eyes glowed red. The left’s eyes answered by glowing also. “Yes, you are right,” the left said, almost like it was in a trance. The heads then simultaneously turned to John. “To gain access into the woods...” started the left. “...You must first pass a simple test,” finished the right. “What...kind of test?” Jack asked, he focused on the org, making sure he wasn’t bluffing, being a complete waste of their time. “A riddle,” answered the left. The right began to speak the riddle:

I am your companion
I am slender, as I am slick
I kill, and defend you
I can kill, and am as fast as you wish
I can stay at your side for an eternity
What am I?

Isabella pondered at this riddle. A hundred possibilities raced through her mind. What was slender, and slick? Isabella couldn’t make up her mind. Finally, jack blurted out, “I know! It’s armor! It’s slender and sleek, and it defends you!” The org heads smiled with crooked teeth, and rasped, “No, that’s not correct, you only have two more tries!” “What?” John cried. “No fair!” Jack said. “Nice going Jack, you wasted a try!” John muttered. Jack flashed him a dirty look. “Anyway, I know the answer! It’s definitely a charging rhino!” Jack was laughing silently, but his body shook violently, and tears were starting around the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t believe how ridiculous his answer was. “No, I’m sorry, that is not the answer, you only have one more try. Isabella was frustrated, the boys wasted two of three tries, one more, if they got this wrong, they’d have to fight the creature, and Isabella wanted to conserve as much energy as she could before she had to face Og.

Suddenly, Isabella was startled back to reality by a small tap on her arm. It was Claire. “Isabella, I know the answer,” Claire said quietly. She stepped up, and pronounced, “The answer is a sword, it is sleek and slender, it kills and defends, and stays at your side forever.” The org smiled. “Yes, that is correct,” it said. The org stepped to the side, allowing them to pass. The kids wasted no time getting away from those guards.

“Okay, now all we have to do is find the Humble seed,” Jack said. “Thank you for that update Jack,” John said, rolling his eyes. “Sorry, I am just really hungry, can’t think straight,” Jack said, clutching his stomach. “What is with you and food all the time?” John asked. Jack shrugged. “Well, we could have eaten if we got up early, but no, you wanted to sleep in!” John said. “Shut your face,” Jack muttered. John smirked, he loved irritating Jack. Isabella reminded them of the main mission. “Hey, you guys here that?” Claire said dreamily. “What? I don’t hear anything,” John said, cupping the back of his ear. “It’s this way!” Claire shouted, and dashed away. “Claire! Wait up!” Isabella called, but Claire did not listen. John groaned and said, “C’mon, we better catch up to her. As they ran, Isabella could hear the sound Claire was talking about, it was music. Isabella began to feel tired as the hypnotic music grew louder and stronger. While running, Isabella was slowed by a sudden vision. It was quite obscure. All it showed was a black background, with two large, red, beady eyes. When she returned, her body was only a couple feet away from a bark cavern. She threw her hands in front and stopped herself from colliding with bark wall.

The music was blasting in her ears. A slim entering had golden fire sinters slip through. Isabella’s eyelids began to drop once more. She was about two seconds away from tipping and crashing into the gravel, when thankfully, John tapped her shoulder, and whispered, “Found Claire.” Claire was pressed to the side on the opposite of John and Isabella. Jack came up behind Claire. The dreamy music continued to play, but soon stopped abruptly. “I sense the presence of four free-willed spirits, but one is easy to control...” An echoing voice thundered. A dull ache crawled into Isabella’s head, and burrowed itself deep into the brain. The pain was almost unbearable. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Just focus on the black you see, just focus on the