The Secret of Zanzibar
Read The Secret of Zanzibar Online
Authors: Frances Watts
âWhat was that?' The fur on the back of Alistair's neck prickled as he stared at the path below. âTibby, did you see something move?' he whispered. He tensed, ready to spring from the rock on which he was sitting and race back to the camp to sound the alarm.
There was a pause, during which Alistair was aware of the faint rush of the river at the bottom of the narrow gorge and the rattle of dry leaves in a murmur of breeze.
Tibby Rose, who was perched on a rock nearby, replied in a low voice, âNo. Maybe it was the wind.'
The two mice were high up on a cliff, watching a path that climbed the steep-sided gorge. They had seen no movement on the trail since Slippers Pink and Feast Thompson had arrived earlier that afternoon.
Alistair scanned their surrounds, his gaze travelling from the dusty path to the sheer rocks that plunged all the way down to the thin ribbon of river. He had
come such a long way since the first time he and Tibby Rose sat by a river together, he reflected. Back then, they had been planning how to get Alistair home to Shetlock from Souris, with no idea of how he had got to Souris in the first place â and no idea of the adventures and dangers that lay ahead. Their journey down that river had led to another when they met Timmy the Winns, who had sung them a song about Gerander's great river. Soon after, Alistair and Tibby learned that they themselves were Gerandan, and not long after that they found themselves travelling to the Winns on a secret mission. They had been accompanied by Slippers Pink and Feast Thompson, two agents of FIG, an underground resistance group fighting to free Gerander from Sourian occupation. It was a fight they were currently losing â¦
âHow did Slippers and Feast seem to you?' Alistair asked his friend. âI mean, they were kind of serious, don't you think? Like they'd had some bad news.'
Tibby shook her head. âI don't see how things could get worse,' she said. âQueen Eugenia is planning to kill every member of your family because you're the heirs to the Gerandan throne and she wants it for herself.'
On this depressing note Alistair rested his elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand and focused on the path once more. But the sun was sinking below the immense rock wall on the other side of the gorge, throwing everything into shadow and making it increasingly hard to see.
Alistair sighed and shifted positions to ease a cramp in his leg. It wasn't just the shadows that were playing tricks on his eyes, he knew; fatigue was making his vision blur. Ever since the FIG headquarters in Stetson had been compromised by the discovery that Tobias, FIG's former chief of operations, had betrayed them to the Sourians, they had been on the move. They had camped the first night in the hills above Stetson and a couple of nights in the foothills of Mount Sharpnest. Sometimes they didn't camp at all, but walked through the night, through forests and fields, avoiding the roads. They had been four nights now in the Sheldon Gorge, but they'd have to leave soon. It was dangerous to stay in any one place too long.
For the first time Alistair had a sense of how hard the life of a full-time FIG operative was. Always on the move, never certain of where one would sleep that night, never sure if enemies were lurking around the next corner â¦
Suddenly all Alistair's senses were thrown into high alert at an unexpected sound. Footsteps crunching on pebbles?
âTibby,' he began, his pulse racing. âDid you â¦?'
âI heard it,' she breathed. Glancing over, Alistair saw that she was peering around in the fading light. âBut it seemed to be coming from over â'
Alistair cried out as something â or someone â seized his tail and pulled. Spinning around, he lashed out automatically, only to hear a voice say indignantly, âHey, watch where you're aiming that fist.'
Alistair's body sagged in relief as he realised that the footsteps he'd heard belonged to his brother and sister. âYou scared the life out of me,' he told his brother.
âYou really shouldn't do that, Alex,' Alice said. âI wouldn't blame Alistair if he punched you anyway.'
Alex ignored his sister. âDad and Uncle Ebenezer are taking next watch. They're on their way now.'
He had no sooner spoken than the stout figure of the triplets' uncle appeared around the edge of a giant boulder. The lean white figure of their father, Rebus, was close behind.
âAlex, you didn't sneak up on them, did you?' scolded Uncle Ebenezer. âYou really shouldn't be playing silly games at a time like this.'
Alex hung his head guiltily, but Alistair could see that he was trying to suppress a smile. In all the years that the triplets had lived with their uncle and Aunt Beezer while their parents were in a Gerandan prison, their warm-hearted uncle had never managed to sound actually cross.
âThere's nothing else to do around here,' Alex muttered.
âThat's not true,' Ebenezer objected. âI have a very important job for you. I need you to find some wild thyme to add flavour to tonight's vegetable stew.'
Alex's eyes lit up, as they always did at the mention of food. âI'll do my best,' he promised.
âTry to keep the noise down when you get back to camp, though, kids,' Rebus warned them. âYour mother is under the rock ledge, trying to get some sleep.'
Alistair felt a pang of concern at his father's words. Emmeline was still weak from her years in the Sourians' notorious prison on Atticus Island, and being on the move all the time was not helping her to regain her strength.
âThat reminds me, did I ever tell you about the time I found a beautifully pungent Gorgonzola on a rock ledge?' asked Uncle Ebenezer.
âI think so,' said Alice. âIs that the time when Dad fainted because he was scared of heights and you had to abseil down from the ledge carrying him over your shoulder?'
âLeaving the Gorgonzola behind,' Alex remembered, looking bereft at the idea.
âMe, scared of heights?' Rebus hooted. âNot likely. The way I remember it, dear brother, I had to carry
you
home after
you
fainted. Not that I'd have a hope of lifting you these days.' He poked his brother's impressive belly.
Uncle Ebenezer patted his stomach. âIt's true I've never let a Gorgonzola get away since,' he conceded with a chuckle.
The two brothers, still bickering good-naturedly over the true story of the Gorgonzola on the ledge, settled on the rocks Alistair and Tibby had just vacated.
The four young mice set off for the camp hidden in the bushes nearby. They rounded the boulder then one by one squeezed through a narrow crevasse. Feeling the cold rough stone scraping his sides, Alistair didn't
know by what miracle Ebenezer was able to pass through the chasm.
Once they had pushed through the green-grey scrub and entered the clearing where they were camped, Alistair's eyes quickly sought out his mother. As Rebus had said, she was lying under the shelter of the rock ledge, one hand flung over her eyes. Aunt Beezer sat beside her. On the other side of the clearing, Zanzibar was talking softly with Slippers Pink and Feast Thompson. The two FIG operatives were listening intently to the golden mouse who was the rightful king of Gerander.
âLooks serious,' Alice murmured, following Alistair's gaze.
âWe'd better not disturb them,' Alistair agreed. He collapsed onto the ground with a groan and Tibby Rose slumped beside him, rubbing her eyes.
âHey, what are you two doing?' said Alex. âGet up. We have to find some thyme.'
âCan't you find it yourself?' Alistair objected. âTibby and I have been on watch for the last couple of hours. We're tired.'
âYou heard what Uncle Ebenezer said, Alistair,' Alex told him. âWe need the thyme to flavour the stew.'
âI heard Uncle Ebenezer telling
you
to find it,' Alistair pointed out.
âBut Tibby's the best at finding herbs,' said Alex. âAnd you don't want a bland dinner, do you? You'll come with me, won't you, Tib?'
Tibby sighed. âYes, Your Highness.'
Alice, Alistair and Tibby Rose had taken to calling Alex âYour Highness' since their discovery that the triplets were heirs to the Gerandan throne. Alex had been quick to point out that he was the most likely of the three of them to become king.
âI'm the oldest, right?' Alex had said. âThink about it: if Zanzibar, Mum and Timmy the Winns should die, then I'll be the king of Gerander. And they're all much older than me, so chances are they
will
die before me, and I
will
be king. So you'd better get used to it.'
âYou're not king yet,' Alice reminded her brother now, helping a yawning Tibby to her feet. âAnd there's a lot more to being a king than ordering people around. You have to think about what your subjects need.'
âI know that,' said Alex, sounding off ended. âAnd I've got lots of great ideas.'
âOh really?' said Alice as she and Alex followed Tibby towards a patch of scrub at the edge of the clearing. âLike what?'
âThe first thing I'd do is change the name of Tuesday to Cheeseday.'
Alice's incredulous voice, rising above Tibby's smothered laugh, floated back to where Alistair still lay on the ground, his hands behind his head. âCheeseday?'
âYeah: Monday, Cheeseday, Wednesday ⦠Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?'
Alice's response to this question was lost as they moved further from the clearing, their voices becoming murmurs.
Alistair tilted his head towards the adults. Zanzibar was still talking and the others were leaning forward. Alistair tried to ignore the twinge of impatience he felt. He knew that their next step needed careful planning. Somehow, they had to stop the Sourians from invading Shetlock, stop Queen Eugenia from taking over Cornoliana, the capital of Gerander, and declaring it the capital of Greater Gerander. Slippers and Feast were constantly coming and going, carrying messages, rendezvousing with other FIG operatives. But it seemed to Alistair that all FIG members were doing at the moment was running for their lives. The more time passed without any hint of action, the more frustrated he felt. The Sourian army was massing on the border of Gerander even at this minute. The Sourian navy was preparing to cross the Sourian Sea to Shetlock. If they didn't act soon, it would be too late!
His thoughts were interrupted by his sister's voice as she, Alex and Tibby Rose re-entered the clearing. âAnd I suppose when you're king we'll all have poison soup for dinner every Cheeseday?' Alice was saying.
âDon't be silly,' Alex snapped. âWe'll eat cheese on Cheeseday. And how was I supposed to know that was a poisonous weed and not wild thyme? They look identical, don't they, Tibby?'
âThey look completely different, Tibby, don't they?' Alice retorted.
Alistair stood up and brushed the dirt from his fur. âLet's get the stew started,' he suggested, saving Tibby from answering.
âGood idea,' she said, shooting him a grateful look.
By the time Rebus and Ebenezer had returned to the camp, the stew was bubbling away over a small fire in the centre of the clearing. Emmeline had woken from her nap and the other adults had abandoned their discussion, drawn to the aroma wafting from the pot.
âWho's got next watch?' Ebenezer asked as he strode towards the group around the fire, nose twitching appreciatively. âIt's Alex and Alice, isn't it?'
âI haven't had any stew yet,' Alex began to protest, but he was interrupted by Zanzibar.
âIt's okay, Alex. Stay and have your dinner. We'll risk not having a watch for a little while.' He glanced at Slippers Pink, who had taken over as FIG's chief of operations. âWe've got some news to discuss with you all.'
Feast Thompson began to ladle generous portions of the stew into bowls and Alistair passed them around.
Zanzibar set his bowl aside and cleared his throat. âSlippers, why don't you tell everyone what you and Feast learned today?'
Slippers gazed down at her long black boots for a moment, then looked up. âToday Feast and I had word from a FIG member who has made a contact within Queen Eugenia's palace. The Queen is preparing to leave Grouch in ten days' time. Accompanied by a special regiment of guards, she will travel west, cross the Gerandan border and march to Cornoliana.'
âAs the Queen is crossing the Gerandan border,' Feast continued, âthousands of Sourian troops that have been massing all the way along the border will pour into Gerander, and the Sourian navy will sail on Shetlock.'
âThe Sourians anticipate that Queen Eugenia will reach the Gerandan capital within three days of leaving Grouch. There she will claim the throne of Cornolius and declare Cornoliana the capital of Greater Gerander and herself the Queen of all three lands. So within two weeks,' Slippers finished, âGerander, and Shetlock, too, will be lost forever.'
âUnless we stop it,' Feast added.