Hearing the serious tone in Primrose’s voice, Elina reluctantly agreed. Her scarf vibrated warmly against her skin and she knew she had chosen to do the right thing.
Primrose removed the letters from the cradle’s secret drawer and placed them on the stove, ordering them to be destroyed by fire. The Ancient Tree obliged, the ashes then crumbled into miniscule pieces and disappeared.
The smell of roses filled the room and both girls understood the message.
‘And the third?’ Elina asked.
‘Your bracelet is the way to teleport to our ancestors. If you are in danger you need to press the rose, turn it anticlockwise until it clicks and whoosh, away you go,’ Primrose added dramatically, grinning, ‘the reverse actions will bring you back. You might need to use the bracelet tonight.’
‘What?’ Elina exclaimed.
‘That’s the fourth thing I need to speak to you about,’ Primrose said, enjoying the look of confusion on her sister’s face. She produced the fine silver mesh from a deep pocket. ‘We need to find out who our lodger is and take it to them.’
Primrose went on to explain about the magic contained in the silver mesh and of its protective qualities. She then outlined the plan of action that their grandmother felt would be the best way forward.
Elina practised pressing and moving the rose on her bracelet, without making it click and then tried and perfected the casting of the silver mesh, not wanting there to be a problem, when ensnaring whatever was imprisoned inside the Tree.
For a brief moment, she wondered if she should tell Primrose about the last text message she had received when staying at Violette’s but then thought better of it. Primrose had enough on her mind without the added pressure of knowing that she could be dealing with someone she might have once known.
Both girls made an extremely big fuss of Dilly and Shadow, then briefed them as to what dangers they might be placing them into, yet again. If things were to go badly, the wolves were to meet them in the glade where Primrose had met Dilly. They were also told there might be a possibility that both Elina and Primrose could disappear suddenly and that they should not panic, because they were off to see Briony.
Elina made sure the trap door was open in case they or the wolves needed to make a quick getaway.
Walking towards the panel, they both took a deep breath and looked into each other’s eyes.
‘Ready?’ Primrose asked.
‘Ready,’ Elina replied.
Primrose closed her eyes and placed her index finger in the middle of the strange markings on the panel, just as Forrestiana had told her.
Behind her, Dilly stood waiting with Shadow next to her, both ready to fight whatever might come through that panel. Elina held the fine silver net ready to use it for containment or as a barrier against evil.
Primrose felt the Gold Magic surge through her, down her finger and through the panel. Nothing happened. She withdrew her finger, breathed deeply and tried again, but still nothing happened. The accumulated Dark Magic on the other side of the panel was blocking her magic.
‘It’s not working,’ Primrose said with frustration, drawing her brows together, clearly puzzled.
‘Is your mind clear of fear?’ Elina suggested, tongue in cheek.
‘I must admit to feeling a teeny bit on edge,’ Primrose laughed nervously.
‘Could you try two fingers?’
‘No, Grandmother said one should give enough leverage to start a dialogue with whatever is on the other side of this panel, two might…’ Primrose let the sentence drift away, she would not think negatively.
‘Try once more. If that doesn’t work, perhaps I can channel some more energy through you as well. You know I’m a little bit more patient than you.’
‘Are you saying that I might just blow it or us up? Don’t you trust me, Lina?’ Primrose grinned. She had been thinking of ignoring her grandmother’s advice, but the matriarch had unnerved her slightly. She was definitely not one to flaunt too many times.
‘But the net?’ Primrose queried, ‘You need to be ready to use that with both hands.’
‘We’ll have to be resourceful,’ Elina answered, ‘Dilly and Shadow can help with that. They like a challenge.’
She turned and faced the young wolves, who wagged their tails happily; they would gladly do anything for either of them.
‘One more try then. What are the magic words?’ Primrose joked, ‘Abracadabra or Open Sesame!’
‘Try please,’ Elina laughed, their nerves beginning to get the better of them.
‘Still not working,’ Primrose sighed with disappointment.
Elina stepped forward and gently placed her index finger on the back of Primrose’s wrist, ‘Try now,’ she said seriously. Both girls locked eyes, smiled at each other and grinned. What could possibly go wrong?
‘Something’s happening, I think we’re through.’ Primrose exclaimed, as she felt a small vibration and heard a loud crack.
Elina and Primrose quickly moved away, as a small waft of black dust floated through the tiny hole created by their magic. Primrose clapped her hands together, muttered a few words and small burning embers sparkled briefly, then disappeared. With the dust dispersed safely, Elina quickly and efficiently placed part of the silver net over the hole, to protect themselves.
Dilly and Shadow still stood poised and ready for action.
At first Darius was confused; he thought he had heard a slight tapping and then a loud crack came from part of the wall that used to be a door, a noise that momentarily shattered his quiet world; a noise that had not been heard for a very, long time. He stared at the wall and saw a small pin-prick of light. He blinked; it was still there! Freedom! A chance of freedom had finally come to him. Tears streamed down his face. Hope blossomed.
‘I don’t think so. You’re mine. Revenge will be ours. Remember what Lettie did to you. She needs to pay.’
‘Go away!’ he shouted loudly, ‘I will not be taken. I will be free.’
However, reality struck, his hope quelled as he suddenly realised that he might inadvertently be putting another life in danger. But surely, he owed it to himself to make one last bid for freedom.
‘Keep fooling yourself, my friend. I am coming. I have been patient for far too long!’
Primrose and Elina looked at each other.
‘Did it tell us to go away?’ whispered Elina, moving her ear closer to the hole.
Primrose tried to peer through the hole, but it was far too small. ‘Who are you?’ she asked softly.
‘Move… escape… too much danger… for you. You need to go,’ Darius’s voice crackled, due to its lack of use; he had made the decision that he had no right to put another life at risk. It was her choice to make. ‘You are too late!’ he called out, resigned to his fate.
‘Not a chance,’ Primrose said confidently, ‘not until you tell me who you are.’
‘Stupid, silly child, go away!’ Darius snapped; anger mounting as he breathed in the dust created by the hole and realised that he was speaking to a young girl. He knew time was not on his side.
‘I am so close. You have not got a chance. Give in now. I will be gentle. Fight me and you will regret it!’
‘Idiot, go! You have no idea what trouble you are in!’ Darius snapped again.
‘Never been afraid of a bit of trouble - I’m not moving,’ Primrose remarked calmly. ‘Used to drive my mother mad, never did as she told me either, even when she asked nicely, which was rare. So what chance have you got, when I don’t even know you.’
‘You don’t stand a chance, just go and do it quickly. Something is coming. I don’t know what, but it’s dangerous.’ The effort of talking was tiring Darius; his throat was dry and parched. He hacked violently. ‘You are too inexperienced to help. It’s too late. Just go!’
‘You’ll be surprised just how much growin
g up I’ve done lately,’ Primrose returned as she heard another vicious bout of coughing. After it ceased she stated firmly, ‘Name first!’
‘Then you must go,’ Darius emitted a loud sigh, too tired to argue with the persistent child. At least some of his family might get to know what had become of him.
‘Promise,’ Primrose crossed her fingers; she would go, but only far enough to let Elina try to persuade the man to talk.
‘Darius,’ he answered, ‘now go and be quick about it, there’s too much danger approaching for you to stay any longer.’
Primrose could not believe it; she once had a gaming partner called Darius. She silently indicated to Elina to take her place and keep talking.
Darius, on the other hand, cursed his bad luck, but he would not sacrifice the girl, whoever she was. Too much guilt weighed on his conscience already; he would not be the cause of anyone else’s suffering and have them endure the horrors he had been forced to.
A dark shape started to form on the edge of the forest, that to many looked like a small rain cloud. It began to snake its way sinisterly towards the Ancient Tree.
‘Darius,’ a new voice spoke to him, ‘Primrose and I have no intention of leaving you in there. My mother would never forgive me or her. So help us out, we would dearly love to free you and send you somewhere safe, but we desperately need your co-operation.’
Darius was stunned; many years ago he’d had niece called Primrose. He glanced up at the dead computer, but the memory flitted away. He heard the new voice again; it was much softer than the first girl’s. Once more he begged:
‘You both need to go. Something is on its way. It will threaten you as well, if you don’t run now. You have no idea what you are dealing with or the danger you are in.’
‘If that’s the case, you best start helping us then because we are an extremely stubborn duo, and we won’t be going anywhere without you,’ Elina spoke sternly and quickly.
‘I can see the Ancient Tree! You will soon be mine for the taking.’
‘I hope from your silence you are coming to the decision to co-operate. I hope so, because if something is on the way we don’t have much time. As my mother would say, ‘never give up’ and the Ancient Tree would never forgive us. It told us you were here.’
No, no, no Darius thought. He knew that phrase, his sister Briony always said that to him, especially when he found things too hard and wanted to give up. Another niece, he thought. If this was correct then these two girls could possess magic and with the backing of the Ancient Tree he had a real chance of freedom.
‘Freedom will be so much nicer with me, just let yourself go…’
Darius snapped his fingers, and the darkness shrunk slightly. He needed to get out of here and now; he needed to save these two girls.
‘Inside the Ancient Tree there should be a belt, forest scenes, a silver clasp…’ Darius spoke urgently. Primrose was already flying up the stairs; she knew exactly what belt he referred to, ‘… two diamonds; bring it. Widen the hole, pass it through. Then protect the hole with silver and Gold Magic if possible. Seal it forever with me in it. Too much Dark Magic in here: it will taint you. I will do the rest, as long as I have the belt.’
‘Primrose knows of the belt you speak of and she has gone to retrieve it. She won’t be long.’
‘Who are you?’ Darius called out.
‘My parents are called Briony and Jack. My name is Elina,’ Elina looked behind her as she heard a noise; Primrose breathing hard had skidded into the room, the belt held safely in her hands.
‘We have the belt and the silver and the magic,’ Elina exclaimed with relief, ‘are you strong enough to activate the belt yourself, or shall we do it for you?’
‘I have to press both diamonds,’ Darius said, relieved that finally escape was within his grasp.
‘Remember, keep positive. Don’t give up. We will seal the hole this side once you have the belt, but we need to widen it first. Take a deep breath on our signal and try not to breathe in any more of that dust,’ Elina ordered. ‘Primrose and I know from experience how deadly that can be.’
‘That I don’t need to be told,’ Darius laughed for the first time in years.
‘I’m here too…’
Darius snapped his fingers and used the last of his Gold Magic, stalling the Darkness once more.
‘Hurry, it’s here, I’ve not got much time,’ he begged.
‘Breathe!’ the two girls shouted.
Elina and Primrose moved quickly, reading each other’s thoughts. They both knew they were up against the clock. The hole was widening; the girls used the same technique as before. They were nearly ready to pass the belt through, when they too heard the words, ‘I’m here too.’
Darius convulsed as the dust thickened. His feet kicked madly at the walls of his prison. Black dust covered and enveloped him and darkness filled the small hole at the top of the cupboard, blocking out all light.
‘Mine!’
‘Go, Shadow. Go, Dilly. Go from the Tree.’ Elina shouted at both wolves.
Both girls took a quick, deep breath of fresh, clean air and without further hesitation, they surged power at the small hole and blasted their way through it, momentarily halting the threatening darkness and buying a few more precious seconds. Wood splintered; dust billowed like an angry, storm cloud.
Elina shook out the silver net, and swept it around Primrose and herself. In the same moment, Primrose dispersed as much of the black, choking dust as possible with a sweeping spell and both girls dived onto the writhing form of Darius, still holding their breath.
Primrose placed the belt in Darius’s right hand, placed one of his fingers on each of the diamonds and then covered them with her own. Elina sealed the silver net around them all; then she quickly turned the rose on her bracelet, before the net could slip.
Primrose pressed Darius’s fingers onto the diamonds of his belt and successfully used a mind transference spell, for the first time, to turn her rose.
Both Elina and Primrose tried hard to hold the writhing body of Darius, which had become empowered by the evil contained within the inhaled dust. Elina channelled her magic into his struggling body and sent him into a deep sleep. As he relaxed, they hoped that the silver net would protect them all.
They landed heavily on a marble floor in the middle of the Circlet.
Back at the Ancient Tree, a chain reaction was set in motion. The Gold Magic used by both Primrose and Elina battled decades of accumulated, ingrained, dark dust that plastered the walls of that ridiculously small room. The resulting explosion could be heard miles away. As it reverberated loudly throughout the dark forest, it snapped branches off of trees and made the leaves billow into the air.
A salvo of explosions sent burning splinters of wood soaring into the air like fireworks. They exploded noisily and violently; spraying golden particles into the night’s sky and forming a fantastic display of power and light. Eventually, the embers floated harmlessly down to earth like soft, glittering snowflakes.
Shadow and Dilly had heard the serious, imperative tone in Elina’s voice and had reacted immediately to her orders. Both wolves realised that they had decided to do something extremely dangerous; it was a command neither dared to disobey and one they knew they had to adhere to immediately.
The two young wolves ran for their lives, as jagged splinters of wood zeroed in on them like guided missiles. They swerved behind trees, boulders and any object that could deflect or give protection from the lethal shrapnel that followed them. Eventually they had covered enough distance to ensure their safety and they slowed their pace to a trot. Both wolves, thankfully, escaped without serious injury.
Finally, Dilly and Shadow stopped. They turned back to look at the Ancient Tree and saw that one massive branch was missing. It had been cleaved explosively from the immense trunk and totally obliterated.
; But, most amazing of all, the Tree had already started the process of healing itself. Slowly the splintered, jagged scar caused by the explosion changed back to old bark, in front of their eyes. The Ancient Tree finally free of the Darkness that had slowly been spreading its poison began to blossom for the first time in years.
Both wolves wondered if their mistresses had been as lucky as they had been and hoped they were both safe and sound. Together they began their trek to the forest glade where Dilly and Primrose had first met, anxious for news. Behind them an ominous, shadowy form retreated and returned from whence it came, frustrated that he had played his game for far too long and allowed too much Dark Magic to build up within the Ancient Tree.
21. A home-coming
In the middle of the Circlet, Primrose and Elina rolled out from beneath the silver net giggling hysterically, their nervous energy and excitement dissipating with laughter. Each checked the other over meticulously, they were totally unharmed.
The stern faces of Forrestiana and Arvensis stared down at them.
‘Of all the stupid, silly, reckless, pranks to play…’ Forrestiana burst out.
‘Never seen the like, to risk your lives…’ Arvensis called out loudly.
Primrose and Elina grinned at each other and carefully, very carefully, lifted a tiny corner of the net to reveal the withered, emaciated body of Darius. They quickly re-covered the figure with the silver net to keep contamination to a minimum.
Shock registered on the faces of Forrestiana and Arvensis, as they suddenly recognised the distorted, wasted face of their son. They shook their heads in total disbelief.
‘Darius,’ Forrestiana whispered aloud, ‘we were told he was dead.’
Silent tears started to fall from her eyes, as she stood and stared at the shape of her son still lying unconscious under the protection of the silver net.
‘I think he still breathes, but he has taken in so much Dark Magic and needs your help,’ Primrose said softly with concern, looking directly at her grandparents.
Unlikely Allies Page 14
