The unicorn had a broad milk-white chest and graceful neck.
A tuft of hair curled under his chin. A long, spiraled horn rosefrom the middle of his forehead. He stood very still and very tall.
His whole body seemed to be glowing.
Balor and Grinda just stared at him. They both lookedfrightened. But Annie stepped forward. "Hi, Dianthus," shewhispered. She reached out and gently touched the unicorn'swhite chest. "Feel, Jack, feel his heart pounding.""Move away!" ordered Grinda. The girl stepped80between Jack and Annie. "He is ours and he is coming withus.""He'snotyours!" said Annie.
"Whoareyou, anyway?" said Jack. "Where did you come from?"Grinda glared at Jack. "We come from the same magic worldhecomes from," she said. "He belongs with us, notyou.
Balor!"The boy shoved Annie aside and tried to loop the black ropearound the unicorn's neck. But Dianthus reared up and wheeledaround, forcing Balor and Grinda out of his way.
Dianthus leapt across the tapestry room toward the garden.
Jack and Annie followed him through the open doorway into thesnowy cloister. Balor and Grinda charged after them. Theypushed past Jack and Annie to Dianthus. Balor grabbed theunicorn's blue collar. "You are coming with us, stupid, like it ornot!""Don't pull on him!" yelled Annie. "And don't call him stupid!"81Dianthus tried to back up.
"Let go!" screamed Annie. "He doesn't want to go with you!""He has no choice," said Grinda. "As soon as that rope goesaround his neck, all three of us will be instantly transported backto the Castle of the Dark Wizard."82"No!" Jack shouted. He charged at Balor and tried to grab therope from his hand. Balor let go of the unicorn's collar andshoved Jack into the snow. Then he turned back to the unicornand began to swing the magic rope like a lasso.
Dianthus reared up again and kicked his legs. Breath from hisnostrils billowed into the icy air.
"A rhyme, Jack!" yelled Annie. "A rhyme!"Kneeling in the snow, Jack yanked the book from hisbriefcase. He frantically turned the pages, looking for a rhymethey hadn't used.
"Call a Cloud from the Sky?"he shouted to Annie.
"Anything!" she called. "Try it!"Jack read the rhyme aloud:
Down from high, out of the sky,Ee-no-fain-ee-ro-lie!
A thick white fog instantly filled the cloister. The fog was sodense that Jack couldn't even see his own hand.
"Balor, where are you?" shrieked Grinda.
83"Here!" the boy yelled.
Someone grabbed Jack. He struggled to break free. "Let mego!" he shouted.
"It's me!" whispered Annie. "Come on!"Jack stood up, clinging to Annie. They stumbled togetherthrough the garden. Feeling their way along the walkway, theycame to the door that led to the main hall.
"Dianthus, here!" Annie whispered.
Jack heard the soft crunch of the unicorn's hooves in thefrozen snow.
"Where did he go?" Balor shouted. "Find him!" yelled Grinda.
Jack reached out and felt the unicorn's soft mane. Anniepushed open the door. Then she, Dianthus, and Jack slippedinside the main hall.
Jack closed the door before Balor and Grinda could escape thegarden. There wasn't a wisp of fog in the main hall. Themuseum lady was still behind her desk. She stared at Jack,Annie, and the glowing unicorn that had just come in from84the garden. Her mouth opened, and then closed. Dianthusstepped lightly over the wooden floor. Jack and Annie followedhim.
The museum lady never blinked. As Dianthus walkedgracefully past her desk, she reached out and touched him. Shegasped and quickly drew back her hand.
"Thanks for keeping the museum open today," said Annie.
"And thank Mr. Rockefeller for his gifts."The museum lady opened and closed her mouth again, stillunable to speak.
Jack opened the door that led to the street. Jack and Anniefollowed Dianthus out of the museum and down the stone steps.
The blizzard had gotten much worse. Snow was coming downharder than ever. The wind was wailing. The unicorn shook hishead and knelt down.
"He wants us to get on his back!" said Annie. "Quick! Climbon behind me!" Annie climbed onto the unicorn's back. Jackclimbed on behind her.
85Dianthus stood up to his full height.
Grinda and Balor burst out the door of the museum. "Stop!"screamed Grinda.
Dianthus looked back at them. Then he leapt nimbly over asnowdrift and headed into the darkening storm. |