The Battle for the Castle Read Online Free Page B

said. “Put the cat back in the courtyard so I can zap her back to normal size.”
    â€œI want to do it,” said Jason. Their eyes met. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” he said. “How do I do it?”
    William showed him how to hold the token with the god’s smiling face pointing out. “You say the word J-A-N-U-S. I’m spelling it because you don’t want to say it until you’re ready. Make sure I’m out of the way.”
    â€œYou mean I could zap you?” Jason asked.
    â€œThat’s right.” William wished he could take the token back from his friend.
    Suddenly Jason swung around and pointed it at a chair.
    â€œJanus,” he said loudly. Nothing happened.
    â€œIt only works on living things,” William said quietly. “I’ll do it, Jason.”
    â€œNo, go on,” Jason said. “Put her back in the courtyard. I’ll do it right this time. I promise.”
    William released the tiny cat and snatched his hand away. Jason said the word, and suddenly the cat was bumping into the walls of the castle again.
    â€œAmazing,” Jason said. He pulled his glasses down and peered at the token.
    â€œOkay, I’d better put it away,” William said.
    â€œWho is J-A-N-U-S?”
    â€œThe god who looks both ways in time. The month of January is named after him because he looks back at the old year and forward to the year to come.” William held out the box with the lid off. He was itching to grab the token. Suddenly it scared him that Jason knew about it. Now that Jason had jumped the trains, William wasn’t sure of him anymore. “Hey, Jason,” he said, trying to sound casual. “I need it back.”
    After another long look, Jason dropped the little medallion into its bed of cotton. William slipped the top on the box and stuffed it into his pocket.
    â€œThat is one powerful little item,” Jason said.
    â€œI told you.”
    â€œNow who’s this Sir Simon? Did he really catch mice and roast them?”
    â€œIt’s a long story,” William said. And now I wonder if I want to tell you, he thought. “You probably don’t have time now. I mean, what about your father?”
    â€œHe’s always late anyway. Just hurry up and tell me.”
    The cat suddenly jumped over the wall of the castle and disappeared behind one of the trunks.
    â€œCan she get out anywhere?” Jason asked.
    â€œNo, leave her alone. Maybe she’ll find those miceMom’s talking about.” William pulled over an old wooden box for Jason to sit on and a chair for himself. “I’ll try to keep this short. Remember when Mrs. Phillips gave me this castle as a going-away present?”
    Jason nodded.
    â€œWell, she gave me one lead knight with the castle. His name was Sir Simon.”
    â€œHow did you know his name?”
    â€œHe told me. He came alive in my hand the first time I picked him up.”
    â€œOf course,” Jason said with a grin.
    â€œLook, I was right about the token, wasn’t I?” William said.
    â€œI guess so. I mean I keep trying to figure if there’s some trick to it.”
    â€œGo ahead, figure away. What? I grab the real cat and throw a little one into the courtyard. Where am I going to find a miniature cat anyway?”
    â€œOkay, okay,” Jason said, putting up his hands. “Don’t get so crazy.”
    William ran through the rest of the story as fast as he could. He told about shrinking Mrs. Phillips after Sir Simon came alive and the journey he took through the forest to Sir Simon’s castle to help reclaim his kingdom from Alastor, the evil wizard who turned people to lead.
    â€œI was the one who got Alastor in the end,” Williamsaid. He liked telling Jason that part of the story. “I knocked him over with a tumbling run.”
    But Jason was thinking of something else. “Didn’t anybody miss you guys while you