Martin King and the Space Angels (Martin King Series) Read Free Page B

through the eyepiece, and stopped breathing. Through the lens, Mr Slater looked different. His hair was white, his skin was paler, and his eyes were blue… no, not blue. Purple.
    ‘What is it?’ whispered Darcy.
    ‘King.’
    ‘Yes, sir?’
    The teacher was wearing a golden Double Albert with a velvet waistcoat. Beside his desk lay a silver-topped ebony cane. His face was weathered, and his narrow eyes gave a hint of deep intelligence.
    Martin suddenly realised how stifling the classroom was; all the windows were closed to keep out the rain. Everyone was watching him. Mr Slater was looking at the Truthful Eye with an odd expression on his face. It was almost as if he recognised it. Martin hid the monocle back behind his shirt.
    ‘What did you just have in your hand?’ said Slater.
    ‘Nothing,’ said Martin.              
    ‘Nothing?’ said the teacher, his eyes still narrowed. ‘Well, just get on with your work, please.’
     
    *
     
    ‘He recognised the monocle!’ said Martin. ‘Did you see his face, Darcy? I don’t know how, but somehow Mr Slater recognised the Truthful Eye!’
    The three friends were sitting in the school canteen. The gravy was starting to congeal on their plates and the table was covered in old crumbs and ketchup spills. They spoke in whispers to avoid being overheard.
    ‘How can you know that for sure?’ said Tommy.
    ‘I just know,’ said Martin, and Darcy nodded. ‘And there’s more. I looked at Mr Slater through the Truthful Eye.’
    ‘It did something?’ said Tommy, his eyes widening. ‘The monocle did something?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Martin. ‘It made Slater look different. I put the lens to my eye and suddenly he had white hair, and purple eyes. It’s weird, but… he looked like Falcon.’
    ‘What do you think it means?’ said Tommy.
    ‘I’m not sure,’ said Martin, shrugging.
    Darcy sighed. ‘I wish Falcon had given us more clear instructions.’
    ‘Maybe he was just a lunatic,’ said Tommy. ‘I mean, it’s not like he was right about the special powers.’
    Martin shook his head. ‘That wouldn’t explain everything we saw. We saw Falcon’s people capture him, remember, and fly off into the sky. If Falcon was just a lunatic we would all have to be lunatics as well.’
    Tommy grinned. ‘Yeah, I suppose you’re right. But what do we do?’
    ‘Not much we can do, is there?’ said Martin.
    ‘Well Falcon told us to find the magician,’ said Darcy. ‘If we could only work out what he meant…’ She sighed. ‘I wish we did have special powers. That would have been awesome.’
    ‘Yeah, well, we don’t,’ said Tommy. ‘All we have is that monocle and I don’t know what good that will do us.’
    Martin glanced at his watch. ‘I’ve got to go. I left my English book in my locker.’
    ‘OK, see you in a bit,’ said Tommy.
    Martin stood up, and left the canteen to the sound of rain hammering against every window.
     
    *
     
    The corridor was quite empty, and Martin walked along it towards his locker. He passed Slater’s office and stopped in surprise. A scarlet light was glowing from the crack underneath the door. Martin crept closer, trying to breathe more quietly. He heard Mr Slater’s voice. The man sounded petrified.
    ‘I have tried, Great One, I have tried!’
    A deep, pulsing laugh rang out.
    ‘Tried and failed.’
    Martin didn’t recognise the other voice. It was inhumanly deep and devoid of any inflection.
    ‘One might almost wonder if you have really tried at all.’
    ‘I swear, I swear…’ said Slater. ‘I have spared no effort in this mission. I will find it. I promise you. I will find it.’
    ‘I hardly need to state the consequences of disobedience.’
    ‘Of course not. You have my complete loyalty.’
    The voice laughed again. It was like the sound of a drill burrowing a hole into a skull.
    ‘The loyalty of a man willing to aid the destruction of an entire world?’
    ‘You know my reasons for that.’
    ‘Of course.