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CHAPTER EIGHT
Raja the Chipmunk and Oliver the Lizard enjoyed the superb view sitting in the Latika Caf'e. It was located just opposite this gorgeous Hawa Mahal Palace. They ordered a masala dosa, folded around a mound of masala potatoes, as well as a strawberry lassi, and a banana shake.
“Why did the waiter bring a fork?” Raja smirked. “I always use my paws while eating! I don’t need a knife either.”
The Hawa Mahal Palace was sparkling, unreal, and glowing pink in the sunset rays. The sounds of singing echoed across the city, pans sizzling, and laughter rising.
“The Hawa Mahal is marvelous!” Oliver said. “I like its color. Why is it pink, I wonder?”
“The palace is pink because it was carved out of red and pink sandstone.” Raja explained.
“How many windows are there in the Hawa Mahal?” Oliver asked. “Why is it called the Hawa Mahal?”
“There are 953 windows!” Raja didn’t lose an opportunity to show off his immense knowledge on the subject. “The word “Hawa” means wind or breeze and “Mahal” is palace. So the Hawa Mahal is the palace of breeze!”
“Why are there so many windows?”
The Hawa Mahal
“I think the windows allow the breeze to flow through and help to keep the palace cool.”
“Amazing!” Oliver looked intently at Raja. “You’re a straight talker and a real friend. May I ask you for help?”
“Sure,” the chipmunk said, “I’ll try to help you if I can.”
“It’s vital for me to find a real magician! Will you help me? I mean, there are many frauds, just trying to make you believe in magic. I’m not good at distinguishing one from another.”
“Of course!” Raja assured the chipmunk. “To avoid fake magicians? Easy-peasy! You can rely on me. I can see their deceptive behaviors and hidden pitfalls!”
“Look, I’m going to Agra. There will be a festival of magicians there. That’s the only chance for me to find a powerful magician. Would you venture to go with me? I know that you’ve always dreamt of seeing the Taj-Mahal!”
Raja’s eyes beamed with excitement, but he hesitated with the answer. At last he said, “I’ve got to help Krish in this investigation. Then I may go. When is the festival?”
Oliver hopped with joy and said, “We’ve got a few days left before the festival. Let’s get back to our investigation. We have to find Donut and the lions!”
“I feel sorry for Amita. It must be so annoying for a skillful juggler to be an awkward and clumsy wooden doll! She needs a change of scenery. Let’s take her to Agra!” Raja said.
CHAPTER NINE
Sparky the Clown was furious when he noticed his ruined boots. He found out that the coin had disappeared. It meant that he had lost his luck, too. That was stressful for him. The clown got used to it and couldn’t imagine his life without luck.
“Lucky was here. I feel it,” the clown whispered. “But I don’t think that he took the coin. It was someone else.” Sparky the Clown looked around and noticed the jugglers bean bag.
“I knew it! Amita!” Sparky gnashed his teeth in anger. “I should have made more gulab jamuns to get rid of her! Where is my sandalwood portion?”
The clown took out a yellow flask out of his pocket. The sizzling oil inside sparkled with hundreds of bright confetti.
“This sandalwood magic never let me down. Thanks to Keimi.” Sparky smirked as he remembered the creature from the Mizoram forest. The clown had guessed at first sight that there wasn’t an ordinary tiger in front of him. He thought that Keimi the Tigress had warned him not to visit Agra. That was weighing on his mind, but it couldn’t make him delay the trip.
The clown whispered, “My sibling is taking part in the festival of magicians! How could I miss the chance to compete with him? I’ll take on the challenge and win!”
Lucky the Ostrich
Sparky the Clown never admitted that he had been envious of Lucky. All his life he had been racing with him. Now it was time to fight against him. Sparky felt the joy of anticipation.
“Our suspect is going to the festival of magicians in Agra!”
“How did you know that?” Krish asked Amita.
“I overheard the talk. Lucky tried to dissuade his sibling from going to Agra. He mentioned something about the prediction that might come true. They had a nasty quarrel.”
“Let me go to Agra! I’ll check the information,” Raja pleaded. “If Sparky is there, we are going to catch him.”
“It could be dangerous to go alone to Agra. Take Amita and Oliver with you. By the way, where is the lucky coin that was found in the shoe of Sparky? We must put it in the bank safe.”
“I hid it in the circus,” the juggler whispered.
“You mean the coin is still … You’d better go and bring it here. It’s rather unwise and risky to keep the coin in the circus. Too close to Sparky the Clown.”
Raja and Amita dashed to his rickshaw and drove to the circus. They bumped into Lucky the Snake Charmer at the entrance. Lucky blocked Raja’s way, his face gleeful.
“What is a sleuth doing here?” the snake charmer asked; his black eyes glinting maliciously. “Are you the bodyguard of this little juggler?”
“It’s none of your business,” Raja replied.
“Take care of your cobra, so that it wouldn’t crawl everywhere around the circus. It frightens the audience.” Amita added. Lucky stepped back. They walked past him towards the circus ring. Amita saw that clubs and bean bags were scattered on the floor. She began picking them up.
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