Faris and Jack
Page 15
Part of her knew that she wasn’t really worrying about Jack right now. The thing that was scary for Holly wasn’t what she was about to do, or even what Jack was doing…it was the feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her that this was only the beginning of something bigger. Something worse.
With a soft hiss Holly transformed from her faerie-self back into a large, brown owl. Stretching out her long wings she stepped forward and dropped over the edge of the cave opening, uttering a small hoot as she went. She swooped into the mouth of the cave – one, two, three she counted quickly – before turning on her wings and soaring back up into the sky.
Holly had counted just three Spriggans left behind to guard the horses, which she had seen clearly in a large cage at the back of the cave. Someone is definitely organising them, she thought as she flew back to join Cheval and the other horses on the hill above the cave opening. The cage holding the missing horses was certainly beyond Spriggan craftsmanship and there had been some form of magical locking device on the cage – Spriggans had very little magical knowledge, nowhere near enough to form something of the power Holly had seen. With another soft hiss Holly landed on the branch of a bush and changed back into her faerie-form, so that she could talk to the horses.
“What could you see?” Cheval whispered.
“There’s just three Spriggans left inside. They were all stood around the fire trying to keep warm. Looks like they’re injured too. They must have been hurt in the first attack and that’s why they’ve been left behind.” Holly whispered back.
“And Mooncoin’s family?”
“All three of them are locked in a cage at the back of the cave. It’s definitely not Spriggan work, something much stronger. Looks like there’s some form of magical charm worked on it to keep it locked shut.”
“Can you unlock the cage?” Cheval asked, worry plain in his dark eyes.
“Yes, I think I should be able to manage it. Bit of Figlia magic should work.” Holly sounded confident, but inside she wasn’t completely sure she’d be able to defeat the magical charm imprisoning the horses. “If you take care of those three Spriggans, I’ll do the rest. I think a good squishing is in order.” Holly said with a cold smile.
Cheval returned the smile, “I couldn’t agree with you more, mon chéri.”