by James Nicol
She retraced her steps, peering down more narrow streets and into shop doorways. There were so many uniformed witches – how would she ever spot Gimma?
When she heard the clock over the courthouse sound out two o’clock Arianwyn realized she had forgotten all about Salle. Her heart sank. She was an hour late! She dashed back to the market square, running through her excuses as she went, and just at the corner near Hetherington’s department store she saw a flash of red coat as Salle disappeared inside.
Arianwyn followed, calling as she slipped in through the revolving doors.
‘Salle, wait! Salle, I’m sorry I forgot to meet you. I was looking for Gimma!’
Arianwyn reached out and caught Salle’s arm. Her friend spun round, her eyes blazing, her face red.
‘What’s the matter? What’s happened?’ Arianwyn asked.
‘What do you care?’ Salle spat, turning down an aisle beside a display of bright scarves.
Arianwyn paused, as though she’d been struck. ‘Salle, please. I’m sorry, Gimma ran off—’
‘Oh, and of course Gimma is your new best friend, isn’t she? So you just forgot all about me!’
This time Salle’s blow landed heavily. It seemed to knock all the wind out of Arianwyn. All she could do was reach out a tentative hand to her friend but Salle turned sharply and disappeared down another aisle. It was busier and she weaved quickly in and out of the shoppers.
‘Salle!’ Arianwyn called, bumping and pushing to reach her friend.
She found Salle sitting on a small stool, dabbing her face with a handkerchief.
‘I really am sorry. Look, tell me what happened, please?’ Arianwyn asked.
Salle glared at her. ‘The audition didn’t go at all well. And all I wanted was to see you so we could talk about it and you’d make me feel all right. But you weren’t there.’
‘Gimma—’Arianwyn tried to explain.
‘Oh, don’t bother!’ Salle said, getting to her feet. ‘We need to be back at the bus or Mr Thorn will do his nut.’
‘Let’s go, then,’ Arianwyn said, reaching for her hand.
‘I’ll go on my own, thanks. Don’t bother trying to walk with me,Wyn. I’d rather be on my own!’
The words stung.
Salle stomped away. Arianwyn watched her move through the shoppers and then after a few moments she made her own way out of Hetherington’s and back to the street where Mr Thorn had dropped them off that morning.
As she turned the corner she saw Salle waiting next to the bus, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She was relieved to see that Gimma was already on the bus, stony-faced and staring into space as Mr Thorn tried fruitlessly to chat to her.
Salle and Arianwyn climbed on to the bus and each took a seat on opposite sides in total silence.
Chapter 32
UNEXPECTED ARRIVALS
rianwyn stood in a small queue outside the post office a few days later, waiting for it to open. The first gentle days of summer had arrived. The sky above was bright blue, there was a warm breeze and everyone seemed to be in a happy mood.
Except for Arianwyn.
She flicked through the letters in her hand: an order to the Civil Witchcraft Authority, a letter to her father and one for her grandmother, telling her about the parade. She thought Grandmother might find it amusing. She hadn’t mentioned the falling-out with Salle. They had not seen each other since the bus ride home and Arianwyn missed her friend.
The doors to the post office were pulled open and Mrs Attinger, the postmistress, called an enthusiastic ‘Good morning!’
Arianwyn reached into her bag for her purse, ready to pay for her stamps. But her purse wasn’t there. ‘Oh, jinxing-jiggery!’ she muttered and turned quickly, planning to dash back to the Spellorium. As Arianwyn turned, still rootling through her bag, she walked straight into Salle.
‘Ouch, look where you’re— Oh it’s you!’ Salle said icily.
They stood facing each other in silence for a few moments, both blushing. Then Salle looked away. Arianwyn felt hot and suddenly awkward, as though everyone passing in the street was watching them.
‘I’m . . . sorry about the other day, Salle. Gimma was so upset and I felt bad. I had to go and look for her.’
‘I really don’t care, actually!’ Salle said and then she turned on her heel and headed away from the post office.
‘Salle, wait!’Arianwyn scurried after her, calling as she went. ‘Salle, please let me explain.’ Arianwyn’s fingers grasped the edge of Salle’s cardigan.
‘Let go!’
‘Not until you listen! You have to let me explain.’
‘So you can feel better about forgetting to meet me?’ Salle folded her arms across her chest. ‘I thought you were my friend, Wyn. But as soon as Gimma clicks her fingers you come running.’
‘No I don’t!’ Arianwyn replied, but she worried for a second that maybe she had just lately, ever since the rift . . . ‘Oh all right, Salle. Maybe I did. But you see, I bumped into someone Gimma and I both knew from Kingsport and she told me something about Gimma.’ Arianwyn lowered her voice. ‘Something that worried me . . .’
Salle stepped closer. ‘What?’ she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Salle and Arianwyn moved further away from the bustle of the post office and shops. In a hushed voice Arianwyn told Salle what Polly Walden had said and her own worries about Gimma’s abilities.
‘I haven’t seen Gimma since,’Arianwyn said as she finished the story.
‘Oh my goodness. You have to tell somebody,’ Salle said quickly. ‘You have to tell Miss Delafield!’
Arianwyn shook her head. ‘I don’t know. Miss Delafield’s been so busy checking for whatever it was Mr Turvy thought he saw in the woods.’
‘Did she find anything?’
‘Just a few more patches of hex, but no dark spirits, thankfully.’ The thought of the rift spell made her feel suddenly cold and agitated.
‘Well, you could always just tell . . . the mayor!’ Salle said mischievously.
‘I don’t think I would feel comfortable doing that, Salle.’ Arianwyn laughed, then added with more seriousness, ‘Gimma trusts me.’
‘Well, I think she’d turn you in if you were keeping a secret,’ Salle huffed.
‘What does that mean? What secret?’ Arianwyn felt her cheeks burn. ‘I don’t have a secret!’ she snapped.
‘I know!’ Salle said, laughing a little. ‘And I’m sorry about the other day as well. I was upset about the audition, that’s all. I didn’t mean to take it out on you, Wyn!’
They hugged briefly, the horribleness thankfully behind them at last.
There was a loud roar of a motor engine and the shrill call of a horn as Beryl, the town bus, surged around the bend in the road. Arianwyn and Salle stepped quickly out of her path and waved to Mr Thorn, who peered over the top of the steering wheel. He raised a hand in brief greeting and tooted the horn again.
The bus looked busy: probably tourists from Flaxsham come for a glimpse of the Great Wood, Arianwyn thought. A familiar-looking young man waved enthusiastically at her and was trying to complete some sort of complicated sign language through the glass.
It looked decidedly like . . . but surely couldn’t possible be . . . Colin!
‘Colin!’ Arianwyn said excitedly and waved. He beamed from inside the bus and gave her a thumbs-up.
‘Who’s that?’ Salle asked. Arianwyn grabbed her arm and set off down the street after the bus, which was heading for the town square.
‘Come on, Salle!’ Arianwyn dragged her friend along the pavement. They dodged shoppers and emerged into the town square as Beryl was unloading her passengers. People milled about, collecting luggage and meeting friends and families in the bright sunlight. There was a small crowd of people clustered around the bus.
Colin was surrounded by bags, cases and trunks. He twisted and stretched, obviously grateful not to be experiencing Beryl’s unique bouncing any more.
&nbs
p; ‘Colin!’ Arianwyn called, darting across the town square.
‘Miss Gribble!’ The boy waved and broke into a broad grin.
Arianwyn sidestepped a few other passengers, and their luggage, and Colin reached out for her hand and shook it warmly. Salle followed, staying back just a little.
‘Such a pleasure to see you again.’ He smiled.
‘And you too.’ Arianwyn grinned. ‘But what on earth are you doing here?’
‘Oh, um.’ His face clouded a little. ‘Didn’t you get the telegram?’
Arianwyn shook her head.
‘Well, you see, I’m here for your re-evaluation!’
Arianwyn felt as though she had been submerged in ice water. She’d sort of forgotten about the re-evaluation, hoping perhaps she could just carry on like this for ever and not have to do the test ever again.
‘Miss Delafield sent a special request through a few months ago, but we’ve been so busy this was the first chance we had to send anyone.’
‘Not Miss Newam?’ Arianwyn asked, scrunching her face up.
Colin laughed and then stood a little straighter, adjusting his jacket. ‘No, it’s me. I’ll be doing the evaluation. I’ve qualified now!’ he said, delightedly.
‘Oh, that’s wonderful, Colin!’ Arianwyn said and without thinking she leant forward and hugged him. This nearly made up for the prospect of the evaluation, although she was still far from thrilled.
‘Ahem.’ Salle coughed rather loudly and theatrically behind them.
They pulled apart quickly, both blushing.
Colin glanced at Salle, who had a gigantic grin on her face.
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Arianwyn said. ‘This is my friend, Salle Bowen. Her aunt and uncle run the Blue Ox. You must be staying there.’ Arianwyn gestured towards the inn.
Salle shook Colin’s hand and winked at Arianwyn. ‘You don’t travel light, do you? Would you like a hand with all your things, Colin?’
‘Oh, this isn’t all mine. There’s the equipment for the evaluation.’ He indicated a large shiny wooden case with bright brass handles. ‘But most of the luggage is your grandmother’s!’
‘What?’ Arianwyn gasped.
As if by some strange magic, just at that moment the crowd around Beryl parted and Arianwyn could see across to the doorway of the Blue Ox. There, chatting happily to Aunt Grace and Mayor Belcher, was her grandmother.
‘Your grandmother requested to be escorted to Lull on official business for the Council of Elders, so I was given the task,’ Colin burbled on.
Tall, with silver hair flowing over one shoulder, Grandmother broke into a wide beaming grin as she saw Arianwyn.
‘Oh wow, Wyn. Your grandmother’s beautiful!’ Salle whispered.
Arianwyn dashed across the square and straight into her grandmother’s arms. ‘I can’t believe it. What are you doing here?’
‘Well, I thought it was about time I visited my granddaughter. Let me get a look at you.’ They stepped away from each other briefly, still holding hands tightly. Grandmother’s appraising gaze swept up and down. ‘I knew the C. W. A. was sending some-one for . . .’ She paused, and the silence that rushed in was awkward.
‘The re-evaluation?’Arianwyn offered quietly.
‘Yes,’ Grandmother replied carefully. ‘But I’ll keep out of the way of all that, don’t you worry. I was only tagging along.’ Her face broke into another smile, her eyes twinkling in the sunlight.
Arianwyn stared hard at her Grandmother. Hadn’t Colin just said she was here on official business for the C. W. A.? Perhaps he had just misunderstood.
‘How long will you be staying?’ Salle asked brightly, breaking the silence.
‘Well, the evaluation will be next Thursday morning, if that’s OK,’ Colin said.
Today was Friday. Arianwyn spun quickly to stare at him. ‘So soon?’ she asked, her voice breaking a little.
Colin nodded. ‘And then we have to be off to Kingsport again, is that right Madam Stronelli?’
There were sounds of disappointment. ‘But you’ll be staying for a few days more, surely?’ Aunt Grace asked.
‘Yes, I insist you stay on as my special guests!’ Mayor Belcher interjected.
Grandmother seemed to consider for a moment. She looked at Arianwyn, her lips pursed in thought. ‘Yes, of course, we can stay until next weekend, perhaps. Don’t worry, Colin: I’ll deal with Miss Newam for you!’
‘And let’s arrange for the evaluation to take place in the town hall,’ Mayor Belcher added. ‘We can invite people along. It would be just like it is in Kingsport, all wonderfully grand and what have you!’
Arianwyn felt fear grasp her guts and twist. She couldn’t face her re-evaluation in front of Colin and Grandmother, let alone in front of the whole town! She felt certain something would go wrong again, that she’d fail, just like last time. She looked pleadingly at Grandmother.
‘We had best check with Miss Delafield first, but that’s a very kind offer, Mayor Belcher. Very kind indeed.’ Grandmother smiled warmly and the mayor dashed off, full of excitement.
‘Please, Grandma. I’d really rather not . . .’
‘Don’t be silly, everything will be fine. I’m sure!’
Arianwyn fell silent, but her nervousness remained. She looked at Salle and then at Colin.
‘Well, I’d better get all this luggage into the hotel.’ Colin smiled. ‘I hope I’ll get a chance to see you again, before the evaluation.’
‘Oh, Wyn practically lives in the Blue Ox. She’s here all the time, aren’t you, Wyn?’ Salle winked theatrically at Arianwyn. ‘Here, let me give you a hand with those, Colin.’ And they disappeared inside the inn, chatting away as they went.
‘Can we go for a walk?’ Grandmother asked. ‘I’d like to hear how you’ve been getting on.’
Arianwyn gestured to the town square and they walked a little way from the Blue Ox and the curious stares of passers-by.
‘You look well!’ Grandmother smiled. ‘Very well indeed. And I hear from Miss Delafield that you have been doing excellent work for her—’
Arianwyn couldn’t hold it in a second longer. ‘Where have you been?’ she said, her voice louder than she had expected.
‘What?’ Grandmother looked genuinely shocked.
‘When I’ve called the store you’ve been either off on some trip or another or sounding distracted. I’ve had three postcards from you and that’s it. No letters, no phone calls, no visits.’
‘Well, I’m here now . . .’ She trailed off.
How could Arianwyn tell her it was all too late now? She’d already messed up everything!
‘Look, I decided to take the chance to go on some trips and to do a little bit of research work for the C.W.A., that’s all.’ Grandmother gazed out across the town square. ‘It really is lovely here.’
‘Grandma!’Arianwyn said desperately, anxious for answers.
‘Come on now, let’s not argue. You’re still my Arianwyn, aren’t you?’
Arianwyn wasn’t sure. She looked at grandmother carefully. So much had changed in the last few months – had Arianwyn changed most of all?
‘I’m not the same as I was back in the winter, you know,’ she said softly, little more than a whisper.
‘I think I can see that,’ Grandmother replied, ‘and I am so anxious to see how you get on with your evaluation test – not that it matters to me, of course – you know that. But I know Miss Delafield was quite insistent on getting your retest brought forwards. Something to do with a moon hare?’ Grandmother chuckled. ‘My little girl!’
Arianwyn stopped walking. She wasn’t a little girl any more. She was a witch. She had taken care of herself and of Lull for six months now – without any help from Grandmother – and things were different. She might’ve made mistakes, but she’d helped people too. Did her grandmother think she was just going to find the same little girl who left Kingsport? She felt her cheeks grow hot.
‘I should be getting back to work,’ she said, rather
formally, hoping it masked her anger.
Grandmother was obviously taken aback but she simply replied, ‘Of course, please don’t let me keep you.’
Arianwyn nodded.
‘I hope I’ll see you later? I can’t wait to see the Spellorium,’ Grandmother added.
‘Please come and inspect it whenever you wish,’ Arianwyn said, though she hadn’t meant it to come out quite as shortly as it did.
‘Well, yes. All in good time,’ Grandmother replied quietly.
Arianwyn turned and walked across the town square. She didn’t glance back.
She had better get ready for her re-evaluation.
At the end of her apprenticeship a witch will serve her community for approximately twenty years before being declared an elder witch. It is at this point that a witch is encouraged to take on the training of apprentices, therefore ensuring the continuation of skills. A quorum of fifteen elder witches serve as the Council of Elders, the governing body of the witches of Hylund. They are led by the high elder.
THE APPRENTICE WITCH’S HANDBOOK
Chapter 33
THE RE-EVALUATION
he week passed slowly and quietly. There seemed to be only a handful of jobs that took Arianwyn out of the Spellorium and she had lots of time to worry about her coming re-evaluation. The mayor had become rather obsessed about it and was telling everyone – he was obviously delighted at the prospect of having a ‘proper’ witch in Lull at last. Each time Arianwyn thought about it she felt hot and sick.
Grandmother had not spent as much time with her as she had thought: lunch one day and a couple of dinners at the Blue Ox. But she seemed to be either visiting Flaxsham with Miss Delafield or keeping to her room. ‘I’ve got lots of papers to read through,’ she explained when Arianwyn asked her.
There was so much Arianwyn wanted to tell her and so much she didn’t feel she could.
Late one evening, two days before the re-evaluation was due to take place, Arianwyn was startled when a small shower of stones rattled against the window of the apartment. Peering out over Kettle Lane, she saw two dark figures in the lane below. ‘Who is it?’ she called.
