Grandpa removed two metal lockets, both attached to thin chains. "And I want to give you these." He handed one to Abby and the other to Derick. Abby's locket was heavier than she expected it to be. It had ornate designs around the front, but the locket itself was a simple flat circle. "I want you to put those somewhere very, very safe--preferably, you'll wear them. And you'll need to check them every day." "What do you mean?" Derick asked. "Look at your locket every day," Grandpa said. "If nothing has changed, then continue with your studies as before. But if something does change, you may be desperately needed. The locket will tell you what to do." He wrung his hands. "I get especially nervous at the beginning of every school year. It would probably be the best time to ..." He let his sentence trail off as he became lost in thought. "To what?" Abby asked. "Please keep your lockets a secret--I cannot stress that enough. No one should know about them, especially not the teachers," Grandpa said. "Wait," Derick said. "What's inside the lockets?" Grandpa gazed into Derick's eyes, then into Abby's. She wasn't sure what she saw in his eyes--concern? Love? Fear? Grandpa let out a sigh. "I hope you never have to find out." Excerpted from Cragbridge Hall, Book 1: The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
