“What happened to the cake?” demanded Juniper.
“Did you stop that woman doing magic?” Sorrel said sharply.
“Yes, it’s all sorted,” said Maia happily.
“Mary never meant to hurt anyone,” Ionie said, crouching down and stroking Sorrel. “She only wanted to help Mike and her business. She didn’t realize she was doing such powerful magic. It just got out of control.”
“She’s never going to use that magic journal again,” Sita told Willow.
“And all the magic cake has been thrown away,” Lottie said, cuddling Juniper.
“She’s also agreed to make ice cream for the marina,” said Maia. “Which means the Copper Kettle will stay open even if there aren’t quite so many customers.”
“That’ll probably suit Mary,” said Sita. “I don’t think she liked being so busy!”
“Everything’s worked out perfectly,” Maia declared. “There’s nothing to worry about any more.” She glanced at Sita. “Is there?”
Sita smiled. “No. If I can stop an angry mob of bewitched people, I think I’ll be able to cope with SATs. I’m not even going to worry about starting secondary school. It’ll be a big change but it’ll be fine. We’re all going to stay best friends, carry on fighting dark magic and making people happy, and that’s all that really matters.”
Willow rubbed her head against her. “I’ve been telling you that for weeks.”
Sita kissed her. “I know. I should have listened to you.”
“Don’t forget we’ve still got one more term at Westcombe to go before we leave,” said Lottie. “OK, I doubt Mum will let me out of the house while we’re doing SATs but after that we’ve got the school trip! It is kind of scary, but I bet it’ll be fun.”
“We’ve also got sports day and the Year Six play to look forward to,” put in Maia.
“And the end-of-year maths challenge!” said Ionie, beaming.
“Yay!” said Lottie excitedly.
Maia and Sita shook their heads at each other and grinned.
Maia held up her hand for a high five. “Whatever happens, we all know that magic is forever!”
The others met her hand with theirs. “Forever!” they echoed and then they all spun away, laughing.
Lottie chased after Juniper while Willow cantered away with Sita in pursuit. Sorrel pressed against Ionie’s legs, purring loudly.
Maia crouched down and Bracken put a paw on her knee. Happiness rushed through her as she gathered him in her arms and he licked her nose.
“Things may change this year but we’re going to love each other forever, aren’t we, Bracken?” she whispered. “Whatever happens, wherever I go, you’ll always be with me, won’t you?”
“Always,” he promised, his soft fur tickling her face and his eyes shining star-bright.
Copyright
STRIPES PUBLISHING LIMITED
An imprint of the Little Tiger Group
1 Coda Studios, 189 Munster Road,
London SW6 6AW
A paperback original
First published in Great Britain in 2019
Text copyright © Linda Chapman, 2019
Illustrations © Lucy Fleming and Mike Love, 2019
eISBN: 978–1–78895–095–4
The right of Linda Chapman to be identified as the author and Lucy Fleming and Mike Love as the illustrators of this work respectively has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from
the British Library.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed upon the subsequent purchaser.
www.littletiger.co.uk
Hidden Charm Page 7
