Ходячий замок
Chapter 4
Icanonlyfindthisoneroomandthebathroom.”
Tohersurprise,bothMichaelandtheWizardroaredwithlaughter.
ItwasnotuntiltheyhadalmostfinishedbreakfastthatSophiediscoveredwhatmadethemlaugh.Howlwasnotonlyhardtopindown.Heseemedtodislikeansweringanyquestionsatall.SophiegaveupaskinghimandaskedMichaelinstead.
“Tellher,”saidHowl.‘Itwillstopherpestering.”
“Thereisn’tanymoreofthecastle,”Michaelsaid,“exceptwhatyou’veseenandtwobedroomsupstairs.”
“What?”Sophieexclaimed.
HowlandMichaellaughedagain.“HowlandCalciferinventedthecastle,”Michaelexplained,“andCalciferkeepsitgoing.TheinsideofitisreallyjustHowl’soldhouseinPorthaven,whichistheonlyrealpart.”
“ButPorthaven’smilesdownnearthesea!”Sophiesaid.“Icallthattoobad!Whatdoyoumeanbyhavingthisgreat,uglycastlerushingaboutthehillsandfrighteningeveryoneinMarketChippingtodeath?”
Howlshrugged.“Whatanoutspokenoldwomanyouare!I’vereachedthatstageinmycareerwhenIneedtoimpresseveryonewithmypowerandwickedness.Ican’thavetheKingthinkingwellofme.AndlastyearIoffendedsomeoneverypowerfulandIneedtokeepoutoftheirway.”
Itseemedafunnywaytoavoidsomeone,butSophiesupposedwizardshaddifferentstandardsfromordinarypeople.Andsheshortlydiscoveredthatthecastlehadotherpeculiarities.TheyhadfinishedeatingandMichaelwaspilingtheplatesontheslimysinkbesidethebenchwhentherecamealoud,hollowknockingatthedoor.
Calciferblazedup.
