Free The Magician's Tower by Shawn Thomas Odyssey Page B

catch hold of the mantelpiece and save himself from a nine-foot fall. His feet swung forward into the fire, but he quickly pulled himself up onto the chimp-free chimney. From there he hopped to the platform on the other side and began rapidly making his way up the steps to the third level.
    â€œBOYFRIEND!” Isadora cried. “You better not leave me here!”
    â€œHold your horses, my lady!” Roderick called back.
    Oona took her footing on the piano rather precariously. Her shoes had little grip, and they were sliding allover the place. She steadied herself on one of the ropes, waiting on the lip of the lid as the piano rocked closer to the fireplace.
    She leapt … but like Roderick, she jumped too early. For half a heartbeat she thought she was going to fly right into the mouth of the fireplace, but her fingers clamped hold of the mantle. She kicked her feet, fighting to pull herself up. Her dress felt like it weighed two hundred pounds.
    Suddenly, there was an ape above her, this one more gray than black, and it cackled at her with wild amusement. It caught hold of the back of her dress, hauling her up. Oona had an idea that the chimp’s intentions were not so much to help her but to start up its own little game of Toss the Helpless Girl.
    Just as the ape brought her up to chimney height, however, both Oona and the ape realized that something was burning … and a second later Oona
felt
what it was. The bottom of her dress had swung into the flames and was now on fire.
    Dreadfully fearful of the flames, the gray ape tossed her in the opposite direction of the piano, but not before Oona reached out and caught hold of the golden banana hanging from its neck. The chain snapped, and she came down on the far platform, rolling over several times before hitting the wall. She quickly sat up, slapping at thehem of her dress, only to realize that the fire had been doused in her roll across the floor.
    â€œWell,” she said, breathing a sigh of relief. “That was certainly memorable.”
    â€œIsadora!” Oona heard Roderick shout from above. “Grab hold. I’ll pull you up!”
    Pushing herself to her feet, Oona glanced toward the second level of furniture. She could see Roderick up there balancing on the hanging chest of drawers. He steadied himself with one rope and was using his other hand to rock the chandelier below toward Isadora.
    It took only two swings, and Isadora grabbed hold. She hung on for dear life as the ape on the sofa tried its best to pull her free. But the chimp quickly gave up and started throwing the sofa cushions at Adler, who had only just managed to reach the stairs at the bottom of the tower.
    Suddenly, the entrance to the tower swung inward, and Mr. Bop stepped into the ape house, causing the entire structure to quake with each step. A fresh round of fruits and vegetables began to pelt the enormous man about the head, and he quickly backed out through the door, apparently having second thoughts about his chances in the physical task.
    Oona, meanwhile, raced up the steps to the top floor, determined to beat Roderick and Isadora to the door on the far side of the room.
    Two grinning-faced apes blocked her way at the top of the stairs. How Roderick had managed to get past them, she didn’t have a clue, but she could see him now, hauling Isadora up to the third floor, Isadora clinging to the chandelier with her eyes shut, her shoeless feet dangling beneath her. She was about halfway up, and Oona realized that there was no time to waste.
    Remembering her recent encounter with the gray-colored chimp on the chimney, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a red phosphorus match. The two chimpanzees unfolded their lanky arms and watched with growing interest as Oona struck the match along the wall, and then both of them jumped back.
    She held the match out before her.
    The chimps shrieked and shrank back from the flame. One of them actually