The Heath Cousins and the Silver Statue: Book 5 in the Heath Cousins Series

By Eileen Hobbs

In Book 5 of the Heath Cousins series, Addie B. is in London for spring break when she receives a startling letter from Jack confessing he is starting to forget about their past journeys to the magical land of Ambra. He encourages her to write down all their adventures. While reminiscing, Addie B. finds a letter from Gemma in her g

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: May 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685156442

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 LETTER FROM JACK

Adelaide Bennington Winifred Heath, known as Addie B. to her family and friends, looked down at the crumpled letter in her hands and wiped away a tear. The letter was from her cousin Jack, the oldest of her Heath cousins. She could not believe what she had just read.

"Dear Queen B.," it started. That had been his nickname for her since their first journey to the Moonstone Cave.

My heart is breaking as I write this, but I feel I must write it before I forget it all. That's the problem, you see. I am beginning to forget. Our adventures, Ambra, Gemma…all of it. I don’t know why, but the other day, I tried to remember our first journey to the Moonstone Cave, and I couldn’t! It was all just a blur. Maybe we just begin to forget things as we get older. But I wanted to tell you right away. You see, it's urgent that you begin to write down everything. Our journeys, the battles, Gemma, Mai Li—everything. So, when we forget, we’ll still have the stories to pass down to others. That's why I have sent you my onyx necklace.

Addie looked down at the smooth ebony stone she held tightly.

I think…I believe it's time for someone else to have this. I believe that there is someone else out there who is meant to be a protector.

Jack's letter continued: When we left last time, Mai Li whispered to me that she was not sure she would ever see me again. You know how she can see things sometimes…in the future?

Addie thought about the journey to the Crystal Canyon when their friend Mai Li, whom they had met on their second journey to Ambra, predicted that Jack would not return home with them. She had been right then. Could she be right this time too?

I am so sorry, Addie. Please forgive me. I hope it doesn’t happen to you. I hope you never forget.

Your loving cousin,

Jackson

How could this happen? Addie B. wondered. How could he forget all their adventures like the Garden of Choice, fighting the evil Daiyu and their wonderful friends Gemma and her white wolf Jumani? How could he forget Mai Li, whom he cared for so much?

I can’t just sit here and cry like a baby, she thought determinedly. I must do something.

She reached into the drawer beside her bed and took out a fresh, new red spiral-bound notebook. At least I can honor his wishes, she thought.

She began to write.

"The first adventure we had to Ambra started a few years ago. I was on my way to meet my cousins, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, at our grandfather's house in Maine. We had just lost our dear grandma Winnie, and life would never be the same without her."

She continued to hurriedly write, all her thoughts and memories pouring out of her until, several hours later, she set her pen down and closed her eyes. Now, she thought, drifting off to sleep, no one will forget.

Chapter 2

THE LOCKET

A week later, Addie B. stood looking out on the square from the Palace Hotel in London. This time, the Christmas lights and stalls had been replaced with trees full of colorful blossoms, and bright green leaves skittered across the cobblestones. It was spring break, and she and her parents had decided to come to London from their home in Farnley to get away for a bit. But this time, her cousins would not be joining her, and she felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. Everything was changing, and it felt as though she were falling down and down into a long hole, like Alice in Wonderland, being blown this way and that way. It had been six months since her last visit here, six months since they had heard from Gemma and met the Almas look-alike in the mysterious shop in Chinatown, six months since she was entrusted with the sparkling ruby to take back to Ambra and return to the Book of Light. Was this it then? Did they not need her and her cousins Jack, Beanie, and Bodie anymore? Even if she was asked to return, she would have to go alone. Beanie and Bodie were still in school, and Jack was at the military academy. There would be no way for them to leave right now.

Addie went to her suitcase and pulled out the wooden treasure box her grandmother Winnie had left her. She always brought it with her wherever she went. She opened it carefully, catching the sweet scent of cedar as she did. On top was the last letter from Gemma, the one that led them to Ambra by way of The Ruby Lantern, the famous Chinese painting in the British Museum. Underneath that was the letter from Mai Li, leading them to the Kingsgate Bridge for their second journey. She carefully laid the letters down by her on the bed. Next were all the familiar objects left there by her grandmother: a pressed rose, a bright-blue feather, a small locket with the letter W on it (for her grandmother's name, Winnie), a few sketches of birds and flowers, and the poem that had guided Addie B. and the cousins on their first journey. Then she retrieved a small piece of sparkling crystal from the Crystal Canyon. She held each object in her hands lovingly as she examined each one. She opened the locket and was surprised to see a piece of paper in it. It was tiny and had been folded several times. She began to gently open it up. When it was fully open, it was a square about the size of a wallet. There was some type of script on it that she couldn’t make out at first. She reached into the box and pulled out the last item, her Moonstone ring. The ring gave her the gift to translate any language into English. The pale, creamy stone gleamed as she slid it onto her finger. She held the piece of paper up close and studied the writing.

Di siestra Adelaide,

Sen more fineste oray

It wasn’t Latin or Spanish or a Native American language like in the other letters. But she had seen and heard this language before. What could it be? And