The City in the Clouds-

Chapter 5

What is she talking about? Ramion thought, standing up.

He rushed after his sister.

"Matoa!" he called, following her into the bedroom.

"Shh!" she gasped, raising a finger to her lips, "Be quiet! You don't want mom to hear, do you? If she finds out what I'm planning we're as good as dead!"

Matoa flipped through a book.

"We're going to stop Matrick," she explained, pushing another book into Ramions hands.

"Why are we reading war books?"

"So we know what to do! You think we can just walk up to Matrick and say, 'Hey, stand still we're gonna kill you' and he'll be fine with it?"

"No."

"Exactly!" Matoa said, "So read!"

Sighing, Ramion obeyed and turned to the first page in his book.

Chapter 1 the great wizard of switch road forest

The wizard of switch road is very mysterious, and has not been seen for centuries...

*

"Dinner time!" Jamey called up the flight of stairs.

Ramion jumped up and ran into the kitchen, his heart racing.

"Slow down Ramion! No running in the house!" his mother snapped, as she set a plate of gravy onto the birch wood table.

"Sorry, you scared me!" Ramion replied, slipping into a cushy gnome made chair.

He examined the table, staring at the mounds of roast potato, shrimp dipped in garlic sauce, pitchers of cranberry juice, and heaps of salad.

"Yum!" Ramion exclaimed, patting his belly.

He grabbed a large wooden fork and slid half the bowl of shrimp onto his plate.

"Have some salad too," whispered Matoa, "we won't be here tomorrow."

Ramion frowned, once again.

What? He thought.

The twins gobbled up their dinner in record time.

"Come on!" Matoa said, dragging Ramion into their room, "We need to read up on the great war, so we'll have a battle plan!"

Ramion clambered up onto his bunk and opened another heavy, leather bound book.

"And just so you know, we'll be getting up at 12:00am," Matoa added.

Sighing, Ramion turned a page. Matoa, the sleep lover, was wanting to stay up until midnight!

The door to their bedroom creaked open, and revealed Jamey holding two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Hi! I bought hot cocoa!" Jamey explained, "To help with nerves, that's all."

Ramion climbed down from his bed, and took a cup gratefully.

"Thanks!" he said, chewing on a marshmallow.

"You're welcome," Jamey replied, setting Matoas mugg onto the twin's glass desk.

Slipping into one of the stuffy, cloud office chairs, Ramion sipped his drink.

"Mmm," Ramion gasped, "This is good!"

Laughing, Jamey left the room, the door swinging behind her.

Once Ramion was sure Jamey was gone, he patted Matoa's seat.

"Come here, I need to talk to you!" he whispered.