Deltora Quest #7: The Valley of the Lost by Emily Rodda Page B

not.”
    “There are more bees coming from the hive in one than in the other,” Jasmine added, drawn into the search in spite of herself. “And look — one tree has berries, the other has flowers.”
    “The toadstools on one side are spotted, the others are plain,” Barda pointed out.
    “That makes five differences,” said Lief. “And there is another. One tree has a branch of leaves on the top left-hand corner, the other does not. Six differences.”
    “The hermit is holding three stems in one picture, and only two in the other! Seven!” whispered Jasmine.
    They looked carefully, but could see nothing more.
    “The number is seven,” muttered Barda, his voice harsh with relief. “The letter we are looking for is S.”
    “No!” Jasmine was pointing again at the rug. “Wait, I see something else! The sack beside him. One sack has a tie. The other does not.”
    “You are right!” Lief exclaimed. “Eight! So the letter we are looking for, the second letter of the Guardian’s name, and the last, is not S, but E.”
    “We have already had an E,” hissed Jasmine.
    “Ah, he is cunning,” growled Barda. “He thought we would be tricked by that. And we nearly were!”
    Lief scribbled on his diagram, then showed them.

    “Eedoe. His name is Eedoe.” Jasmine collapsed on the couch behind her. “Oh, we have done it!”
    In the relieved silence that followed, Lief suddenly became aware that the soft music that had filled the air the night before had begun again. No doubt that meant that the Guardian had woken.
    He glanced at the candle. The wick was flickering uncertainly, swimming in a pool of melted wax. The flame was about to go out. But that did not matter now.
    The hermits on the rug looked up at him with sad eyes. No reason for sadness now, my friends, he thought. We have nearly …
    And then he saw it.
    One hermit’s arm, the arm on which the bird sat, was held above the tie of his robe. The other was not.
    Lief stared stupidly at the paper in his hand. His chest grew tight. He was finding it hard to breathe.
    “Lief, what is the matter?” hissed Jasmine. But Lief could not answer. He walked stiffly to the glass door.
    “Say it!” Barda urged. “Say, ‘Eedoe’!”
    Lief wet his lips. “The name is not Eedoe,” he said huskily. “There are nine differences, not eight. The missing letter was N. The name — the Guardian’s secret name — is — Endon.”

T he door swung silently open. The glass table, the golden casket, lay waiting. But Lief, Barda, and Jasmine stood where they were, gripped by horror.
    “It cannot be!” Jasmine whispered. “The Guardian is too old to be King Endon! He looks as old as time!”
    “He has lived as the servant of evil for sixteen years,” said Lief drearily. “Evil has eaten him from within. Even Father would not recognize him now.” His heart ached as he thought of what his father would feel, if he ever had to know what his friend had become.
    “Jarred always said that Endon was weak,” Barda growled. “Foolish and weak. Protected from the world, and used to flattery and power. But still he loved him, and tried to protect him. He saved Endonfrom the palace, and certain death. And for what? For this!”
    “How could Father know that Tora would refuse to help?” cried Lief. “How could he know that Endon would turn to the dark side, to regain all he had lost?”
    “Do not call him Endon,” Barda muttered. “He is not Endon any longer, but the Guardian. And he has regained nothing! He is deceived and used. He is unloved, alone …”
    Jasmine gasped, her eyes wide and alert. “He is alone,” she repeated. “Alone! Where is the queen? Where is the heir?”
    The others were silent. Their shock had for a moment driven all other thoughts from their minds. But now they saw that Jasmine had seized on the really important question.
    “Father said Queen Sharn was strong,” Lief said. “Strong — and brave. Not at all the spoiled, petted palace doll