‘Stanley Power!’ the king shouted, fuming at Grandpa. ‘How dare you show your face in my kingdom again?’
‘Please,’ said Grandpa calmly, ‘let me explain.’
‘Explain?!’ the king raged. ‘After what you did to us, I should have you and your whole family dragged off to rot in my dungeon right now!’
Zac stared at the king. What could Grandpa have done that was so terrible?
The king caught Zac’s eye and seemed to guess what he was thinking.
‘You mean he hasn’t told you?’ the king snarled at Zac. ‘He hasn’t told you why our kingdoms outlawed modern technology? He hasn’t told his own family how he tried to wipe out the Five Frozen Fortresses with that weapon of his?’
IRIS! Zac realised. Grandpa and Blackwood must have brought IRIS here to test it or something, before Grandpa took it apart.
‘Your majesty, I am truly sorry,’ said Grandpa to the king. ‘It was a mistake. I didn’t know what I was doing.’
‘You almost sent my whole kingdom off to sleep with that horrible gadget!’ the king yelled, leaping to his feet. ‘You call that a mistake?’
‘I had no idea that would happen,’ said Grandpa. ‘I didn’t know that my sister had turned the gadget into a weapon! As soon as I realised, I took the weapon from her and broke it apart. I’m on your side in this!’
‘Rubbish,’ the king spat.
‘It’s the truth,’ said Grandpa.‘Elizabeth was testing IRIS on your people and I stopped her before it reached full power. If I hadn’t done that, you and your kingdom would still be asleep. I’m not here to cause trouble, your majesty. I’m here to protect everyone from my sister.’
‘Grandpa’s right!’ said Zac. He tried to step forward, but the guards blocked his way. ‘We’re trying to make sure no-one uses IRIS ever again. Blackwood’s the one who wants to put it back together!’
‘Ha!’ said the king, storming over to Zac and the others. ‘Why should I believe you?’
‘Because her granddaughter, Caz, is down in your dungeon right now,’ said Zac. ‘Your guards just arrested her for bringing modern technology into the –’
WHIRRRRRRRR!
An ear-splitting grinding noise blared up from the dungeon beneath Zac’s feet. The guards around the Power family started backing away as the whole throne room began to rattle and shake.
‘Guards!’ the king shouted. ‘Do something!’
But the guards had all backed off to the edges of the room.
WHIRRRRRRRR!
Suddenly, something huge and pointy broke up through the floor, right at the king’s feet. It spun wildly, letting out a piercing metal scream.
‘Your majesty!’ shouted Grandpa.‘Move!’
It was a giant drill, cracking the floor apart and sending chunks of marble flying through the air.
Zac’s eyes flashed to the king. Zac was sure he would be running away from the drill at his feet. But the king was just standing there, frozen in terror.
WHIRRRRRRR!
The throne room rumbled as the drill exploded through the marble floor. Enormous cracks split the floor in every direction.
Zac ran over and dived, tackling the king and knocking him clear of the rising drill.
THUD!
They crashed to the ground and the king’s crown went rolling across the throne room floor. The king, shocked into action, glared at the massive drill that was whirring its way up through the floor.
‘What is that thing?’ the king yelled over the screaming of the drill. ‘Who dares to do this to my throne room?’
Zac gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes at the king. ‘Who do you think –’ But Zac’s answer was cut short as the drill’s noise suddenly stopped.
The king’s eyes widened as the drill was pushed all the way through the hole in the floor, sending clouds of marble dust into the air. It clanked to the floor.
For a moment, there was a stunned silence. Then a dusty figure hauled herself through the hole. It was Caz.
