The Heath Cousins and the Ruby Lantern: Book 4 in the Heath Cousins Series

By Eileen Hobbs and Mark Brayer

While shopping with her mom in Chinatown, Addie meets a familiar friend from their second journey to the Garden of Choice. How did he get here, she wonders? Before she can get an answer, he entrusts Addie with a brilliant, red stone and a letter from their dear friend Gemma. "You must return the stone to its rightful owner," the letter urges. Wh

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Mar 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781649902405

Eileen Hobbs

Eileen Hobbs grew up in Thailand where her parents were missionaries. She likes to write books that have diverse characters and that take her readers to places they might not otherwise get to explore in real life. The Heath Cousins stories are all based on the growing-up years of her own children and their cousins. Eileen lives in Oklahoma with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. She teaches English composition to international students at a nearby university. She enjoys traveling, gardening, reading, and going to the beach.

Book preview

Chapter 1

A FAMILIAR FACE

It had begun to snow as Adelaide Bennington Winifred Heath, known as Addie B. to her family and friends, walked with her mom along London’s Gerrard Street in the heart of Chinatown. Addie pulled the fur-lined hood of her coat tighter around her head.

She couldn’t wait for tomorrow, when her cousins Jack, Beanie, and Bodie would arrive to spend Christmas together. There was so much more to show them here than there was in her small town of Farnley, England. There was the London Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and of course, the London Eye, the enormous ferris wheel that looked out over the River Thames. But today her mom had asked her where she wanted to go on their shopping day together. For some strange reason, Addie had felt a strong urge to visit this mysterious part of London. Did it remind her of her friend Mai Li, she wondered, whom they had met on her previous journeys to Ambra and the Garden of Choice? She wasn’t sure.

The sights and smells of the Chinese restaurants surrounded them. She breathed it all in deeply. She looked up, trying to read all the red and gold Chinese writing across the fronts of the stores. But she had left her moonstone ring at the hotel—a ring that helped her magically translate other languages. She wished she hadn’t forgotten it. Above them, bright red paper lanterns danced and swayed in the winter breeze.

Addie stopped suddenly, spying an antique store down a dark alley. Black lacquered boxes inlaid with gleaming mother-of-pearl shone in the window, along with blue-and-white vases decorated with flowers and peacocks. Next to the vases, were gold carvings of dragons in different sizes. But what made her heart leap was the sign over the store. It was in both Chinese and English. It said, The Ruby Lantern.

Could it be, she wondered? Could it be another gateway into Ambra and Gemma’s world? She recalled the Story Arch, which she had seen on her second visit to that magical land. The arch had revealed some of the many ways that she could enter that world. She distinctly remembered this name: the Ruby Lantern.

Can we go in here? she asked her mom.

Her mom looked surprised but smiled. Of course!

The door had a bell that jangled above them as they entered. The smell of teakwood and incense greeted them. Old carved-wood furniture was piled up on either side, leaving a narrow path through the middle of the store. The path led to a small desk, where an ancient cash register and a golden abacus were displayed. Everything was covered with a thick layer of dust.

Behind the desk, sat an old Chinese man, his brown face like leather, his hair and long beard as white as the snow outside. Addie’s heart raced. He reminded her so much of someone, but she couldn’t remember who.

The old man nodded at them and smiled. He had a peculiar twinkle in his eye.

I’ve been expecting you, Adelaide, the man said, but it was in Chinese.

Addie gasped. How did he know her name? And how did she understand him? She didn’t have her moonstone ring on.

And then it came to her—why he was so familiar. Although darker and clearly of Chinese descent, he reminded her of Almas, the gardener she had met on her second visit to the Garden of Choice. But how could it be him? How could he be here? Surely she was imagining it all.

Still, her heart fluttered with excitement. Surely this was the beginning of another adventure to the beautiful land of Ambra. She hoped with all her heart it was true.

Chapter 2

THE JEWELRY BOX

We don’t speak Chinese, Addie’s mother said kindly. Do you speak English?

The old man nodded. Of course, he said, smiling. What can I help you with?

I was interested in this vase over here, Addie’s mother said, motioning to a medium-sized blue-and-white vase at the front of the store.

The man stood up and motioned with his arm. Of course. Let me show it to you.

He began to usher Addie’s mother to the front of the store. Then he turned and smiled at Addie. Perhaps your daughter would like to examine the antique jewelry box in the corner there.

Addie glanced to where the man was pointing. She saw a small chest the size of a shoebox sitting atop an antique cabinet. It was made of shiny black lacquer and had worn bronze hinges. On the front was painted a picture of two Chinese girls in long pink robes.

She gently lifted the golden latch on the box. The inside was lined in red velvet. She could only see one thing inside. It was an old yellowed piece of paper the size of a postcard. There was writing on it, but it was in Chinese. Unlike the old man’s greeting, however, she could not understand it. It would require the power of her moonstone ring. There was something else there, too, under the paper, but she almost didn’t see it because it was a similar color to the velvet. It was a small, round, dark red stone. She picked it up and placed it in the palm of her hand. It glowed like the deep red eye of some mysterious creature.

She heard the old man whisper behind her, and she jumped and turned around. Behind him, her mother was examining a statue of a dragon.

Take the ruby, the man said, referring to the stone. You must return it to its owner before it’s too late.

Its owner? What did he mean? But before she could ask him, he turned and walked toward her mother, who handed him the dragon and asked him to wrap it up for her. Addie slid the letter and the glittering jewel into the pocket of her coat.

She had so many questions. Was the letter from Gemma, their friend they first