Into Thin Air by Cindy Miles Page B

to really happen.
    It made her head swim. But at least she remembered Disney World.
    Davy seemed harmless enough, though. Cute kid, actually. He looked like a typical scruffy little Victorian London paperboy.
    "Well? Ya wanna come?" Davy asked again, his skinny little knickered legs hopping around with excitement.
    What she really wanted to do was sit down and pore over that book they'd borrowed from Mrs.
    MacGillery. She hoped something in it would spark another memory. A useful memory. But a short walk around such an amazing castle surely couldn't hurt. Besides, her head ached from constantly worrying about what was happening to her. A little sightseeing might do her some good. Give her a tiny bit of normalcy, maybe. And somewhere, in the back of her mind, she had the feeling she'd always wanted to visit a medieval castle.
    The interest in the castle spirits, not to mention the handsome lord of the keep, was a totally new development.
    Ellie glanced at Nicklesby, who gave her a warm smile. "Go ahead, young lady. I vow Davy Crispin here does indeed have access to the best views from the keep." He gave Davy a stern look. "Mind the west tower, lad. 'Tis a treacherously brisk wind coming off the sea. While it can't blow you away, it is surely something to be considered for Ellie."
    "Aye, Nicklesby!" Davy said, hopping up and down. "Come on, then!"
    Ellie grinned at Nicklesby and started after Davy. "Be back in a little while."
    As she and Davy wandered off, Nicklesby shouted from behind, "Be mindful of the artillery chamber, lad!"
    "Aye!" Davy called back. Then to Ellie: "Hurry! We'll explore the artillery first!"
    For the first time since arriving at Castle Grimm, Ellie took a close look. She'd been so consumed by her bizarre predicament, she'd ignored the rugged beauty of the medieval keep. Black timbered beams stretched from one corner of the great hall's high ceiling to the other, the walls covered with tapestries—including the one of the great Eleanor of Aquitaine, from whom she'd swiped her temporary name. The monstrous hearth took up the length of one whole wall, big enough for a few men Gawan's size to stand in it, and before it sat the most comfy-looking leather sofa and overstuffed chair she'd ever seen. Maybe she'd drag the book from Mrs. MacGillery's onto her lap and perch in front of the fire once she finished with Davy's tour. Perhaps she'd even con Nicklesby into making her a cup of tea.
    At the mammoth staircase, Davy bounded up each step with the enthusiasm of a puppy. Well, more like he floated. She followed close behind, not missing one detail of the castle's interior.
    "Come on!" he said. "Hurry!"
    More tapestries clung to the walls up the staircase, along with wall sconces—electrical replicas—and once they'd gone up one level, they turned down a long passageway that led to a set of tall double doors. Davy slipped straight through the wood, poked his head back out, and grinned.
    "Come on! It's not locked!" he said, then disappeared back through the oak.
    Ellie pulled the old handle and pushed open the doors. The room was pitch-black.
    "Turn on the light!" Davy cried. "It's just there, right beside you!"
    With a tentative hand, in case there may be a spider or something crawling along, Ellie felt for the switch, found it, and clicked it on. Soft light filled the stonewalled chamber, a yellowish radiance that made everything seem ancient.
    Ellie's breath caught in her throat as she drank in a sight she was pretty sure not many had been privy to. She wasn't quite sure why it fascinated her so much, since she couldn't remember ever being enamored by medieval weapons before. But this? It was beyond amazing. As with every other room she'd been in within the walls of Castle Grimm, an enormous fireplace dominated the chamber. But along two walls were majestic suits of armor, complete with helmets, swords, and shields, all appearing to be in different styles, or from different time periods, from a very primitive