In the Throne Room, a servant blew a trumpet.
"The king and queen are now entering!"
Everyone bowed.
"Wow," Tom whispered.
The king and queen sat on their thrones.
The queen was holding a book.
Suddenly she frowned.
"Oh, no! I lost my royal bookmark."
"Line up, wizards!" Dirk snapped.
He bowed before the king and queen again.
"The wizards will now do their best spells."
"Yikes." Tom gulped.
"I hope I'm ready, Cat," he whispered.
Dirk led a girl to the king and queen.
"This is my daughter, Ann," Dirk said proudly.
Ann bowed and then waved her wand. Poof!
Dozens of beautiful white birds appeared.
The king and queen clapped.
Then all the other wizards did their spells.
At last it was Tom's turn.
"Your Majesties." Tom bowed.
"I'm pleased to meet—"
"Ah-choo!" The queen suddenly sneezed loudly.
"AH-CHOO!" The queen sneezed again.
The king frowned.
"My dear," he said.
"Are you okay?"
"Please," Tom said.
"Take my handkerchief."
He reached into his pocket.
But Tom did not pull out his handkerchief.
He pulled out . . .
"A cat!" The queen shrieked. "Ah-choo!"
"A cat?" The king leaped to his feet.
"No cats in the palace!"