CHAPTER SIXTEEN

KING OF CHAOS

Jonny’s mum appeared in the kitchen carrying some shopping bags.

‘Did I hear a laugh again, or am I going mad?’ she said, glancing around the room.

‘Mad, I expect,’ said Jonny.

Then Widget trotted into the room. He had an apple strapped to his head. Jonny’s eyes grew wide at the sight. Henry hadn’t stayed upstairs at all! In fact, there he was, ghosting along behind the dog, taking aim with the bow and arrow they’d made. Jonny shook his head, grimacing, trying to make Henry stop.

WHHEEEE!

The arrow flew across the room and straight out through an open window.

‘Gah!’ roared Henry.

‘Who said that?’ shrieked Jonny’s mum. She grabbed a baguette from a shopping bag and brandished it like a sword.

‘What’s going on? Where are you?’ she gasped, swinging the baguette. ‘Get the phone, Jonny. I’m calling the police!’

‘The police!’ shrieked Jonny. ‘I don’t think we need to bother them, do we? They’re probably busy.’

‘There is somebody or something in here!’ hissed Jonny’s mum. ‘Forget it! I’ll use my mobile. You keep watch!’

She handed the baguette to Jonny while she rummaged in her bag for her phone. She had gripped the bread so hard there were nail marks in the crust.

While she spoke to the police, Jonny looked for Henry. Where had he gone?

‘Hey nonny, nonny!’ came a cry.

Jonny’s mum dropped the phone and stared wildly around the room. Jonny could see Henry, of course. He was sitting on the kitchen table. And then Henry began to speak.

‘Good day to you, madam,’ he said. ‘I can see you’re rather alarmed, but no need to be upset. Awestruck, maybe, but not upset. Allow me to introduce myself.’

Then Jonny watched, horrified, as Henry did a sort of shiver, like a wet pigeon shaking off the rain, and turned from a faded ghost to a glowing, lifelike and extremely splendid figure – one that Jonny’s mum was now staring at. His rich velvet robes glimmered, his jewels sparkled, his red hair gleamed. He was grinning too, and his teeth, Jonny noticed, were surprisingly white for someone over five hundred years old.

Jonny’s mum gawped like she’d seen a ghost – which, to be fair, she had. Then she spluttered something that sounded like ‘Agaaarrgg’ and fainted.

‘See? What did I tell you!’ said Henry, looking disappointed. ‘People tumble like plague victims at the sight of me.’

‘Why did you have to do that?’ Jonny screeched. ‘Why did you have to make yourself visible to Mum?’

Henry had no time to answer. There was a hammering at the door.

‘OPEN UP, IT’S THE POLICE!’

‘The pope’s niece?’ said Henry.

BANG, BANG, BANG!

Jonny froze.

‘We have received a 999 call from this address. Open up,’ a policeman yelled through the letterbox.

Jonny tried to push Henry towards the back door, but his hands simply drifted through the king’s ghostly form.

‘Please leave!’ said Jonny. ‘You’re amazing and it’s been so cool meeting you and I’ll really miss you, but you just made my mum faint and …’

BANG, BANG, BANG!

‘Now the police are here – the law! They’re in charge, kind of. They sort out crime and bad stuff and take you away in handcuffs if you’re naughty. If they see you, which they could now that you’re all glowing and shiny, I’ll be in all kinds of trouble,’ said Jonny, very fast and very urgently. ‘They’ll be shocked and scared and then it will be in the news and my mum will probably go mad at me and I’ll get told off by the head teacher and we’ll have TV crews and photographers and all sorts of people here and –’

‘Peace, boy, I see your difficulties,’ said Henry, smiling. ‘I’ll disappear again. You can trust me. Silent and invisible from three, two, one … Now!’