The Jack Brenin Collection

by Catherine Cooper

  ‘Rest! What about lunch? Nora won’t be back for ages, we can feed ourselves. It’s hungry work entertaining goslings.’

  Jack didn’t protest; he was famished. Camelin picked up his wand.

  ‘What do you fancy?’

  ‘You’re not really going to magic our dinner, are you?’

  ‘I’ve been practising.’

  Jack was too tired to argue. He watched as Camelin made a sweeping spiralling flourish while mumbling some words he’d obviously learned by heart. As the wand touched the table there was a blinding flash, followed by a puff of smoke, which filled the kitchen. Jack’s eyes watered. He coughed and spluttered until the air cleared. When he could see the table, much to his amazement, it was covered in food. There were sweet and savoury pies, pastries and cakes. Camelin flourished his wand again and a plate of sandwiches appeared. Jack was impressed.

  ‘Does it all taste as good as it looks?’

  ‘Well it does if you close your eyes. I haven’t quite managed to match the right taste to the right food yet.’

  ‘Well it looks good enough to eat.’

  ‘You can sit there and admire it if you like, but I’m getting started.’

  Jack quickly filled his plate before Camelin had the chance to put his beak into everything. Before he started to eat, he found a pen and started writing on the piece of paper Nora had given him.

  ‘What you doin’?’ Camelin managed to ask through a mouthful of pie.

  ‘We’ve got to make a list of our favourite foods for the feast in Annwn and you seem to have thought of just about everything. I thought I’d write them down now.’

  ‘Put on barbecued kebabs, and pizza, and don’t forget about the marzipan under the icing on the cake. They will make you a cake, won’t they?’

  ‘I don’t know, but I’ll write it down just in case.’

  Jack picked up a sausage on a stick. It looked all right, but when he bit into it the taste of lemon cheesecake filled his mouth.

  ‘Hmmm! I see what you mean! Quite a shock to the taste buds.’

  ‘Aw! You get used to it.’

  Jack grimaced when his chocolate éclair tasted of pickled onion.

  ‘At least you won’t be asked to help prepare the party food.’

  ‘You mustn’t say anything to Nora, she doesn’t know I’ve been practising on my own.’

  ‘What are we going to say when she asks what we had for dinner? If she checks the pantry there won’t be anything missing.’

  Camelin shuffled and began examining a cupcake. Jack knew he was hiding something.

  ‘You’ve been in the pantry already, haven’t you?’

  ‘I might have got a bit carried away earlier, but Nora won’t ask us what we’ve had, she’ll see we’ve eaten.’

  ‘We’ve eaten! You mean, you have!’

  ‘Aw, Jack! Come on, this was meant as a surprise, an early birthday present from me to you. This can be our special party, since I’m not invited to the one tomorrow afternoon.’

  Jack shook his head. There was nothing he could say that would make it any better. The party hadn’t been his idea. Although he was really excited about it he did feel guilty that Camelin wouldn’t be able to join in. Having a raven as your best friend wasn’t always easy. He just hoped Nora didn’t ask any awkward questions when she got back. Jack had eaten his fill, but Camelin still had some food left.

  ‘We’d better clear this away soon. Have you nearly finished?’

  Instead of answering, Camelin opened his beak wide and scooped up what was left on his plate. Jack took out his wand, but Camelin barged into him and knocked it out of his hand.

  ‘Don’t you remember? I know a tidy spell, I’ll have this lot cleared away in a flash.’

  A flash was exactly what happened when Camelin thrust his wand into the air but Jack had to admit, it was very effective. In the blink of an eye, the table was clear and not a crumb was left in sight.

  ‘That’s very impressive. You really have been practising.’

  Camelin chuckled.

  ‘It comes in very handy when I get given jobs to do… so… what we got to do next?’

  ‘Decorate the house for Hallowe’en.’

  ‘Can I do the ghosties?’

  ‘Of course you can, and I’ll draw some witches.’

  ‘Draw!’

  ‘You know, draw… with a pen.’

  ‘Huh! That’s ordinary boy stuff. What’s the point of having magic if you don’t use it?’

  ‘But we’re not supposed to misuse magic, it’s for help and protection, not decorating the house.’

  ‘How long do you think it would take us to do it ourselves? Your party’s tomorrow afternoon and Nora said there are still a lot of important things to do. This would be helping. Anyway, Nora would use her wand if she were here. How do you think she’s going to have time to do all the food… it’ll be magicked.’

  Jack knew Camelin was right.

  ‘I’ll sort some witches out, then.’

  ‘Naw, don’t do witches, everyone has witches, do Hags instead.’

  Jack lifted his wand and concentrated hard. He remembered everything he could about Finnola Fytche and Devorah Dytch. A line of dancing hags appeared. Jack used his wand to suspend them from one end of the kitchen to the other. He went over to examine them; they looked very lifelike. As he touched a replica of Devorah, it released a green cloud. Jack gagged and pulled a face.

  ‘Ugh!’

  Camelin chuckled.

  ‘That’s brilliant. They not only look like Hags but smell like them too. I’ll have a go at making the ghosties wail.’

  It wasn’t long before the whole ground floor of Ewell House had been decorated. Jack put down his wand and admired their work.

  ‘Pretty good, don’t you think?’

  ‘I do,’ said Nora as she entered the kitchen, ‘but you’re not quite finished.’

  Jack could see a sack by the door.

  ‘Pumpkins,’ said Nora, ‘they need to be made into lanterns… by hand and beak too. We’ll do this bit properly while we wait for sundown.’

  Jack enjoyed preparing the pumpkins, but he could see Camelin wasn’t too keen on removing the orange flesh with his beak.

  ‘It tastes revolting raw. Can’t I do something else? You don’t really need me to do this.’

  Nora got up and brought a large dish over to the table.

  ‘You can tidy up, that will be a great help.’

  Jack saw Camelin look wistfully at his wand before he began to put the discarded pumpkin into the bowl. By the time the light began to fade, the lanterns were ready. Nora put a tea light in each and lit them. Nine gruesome faces grinned back at them.

  ‘Wasn’t that fun?’

  ‘It was,’ replied Jack.

  Camelin shuffled over to the biggest pumpkin.

  ‘Can I blow them all out?’

  ‘Of course you can.’

  Before long, the kitchen was in darkness.

  ‘Time to go to the meadow,’ said Nora.

  Camelin flew onto Jack’s shoulder. No one spoke as they left the house and made their way to the garden gate. It was pitch black as they walked along the back lane. When they reached the stile, Camelin took off and headed for the trees.

  ‘Do you think he’ll come?’ Jack asked Nora.

  ‘I hope so.’

  When they reached the forest’s edge they stood in silence. Jack peered into the darkness in the hope of seeing Kerne. After a while, his eyes began to ache. Nothing moved in the forest and the only sound was an occasional creaking from the bare twisted branches. The forest looked desolate. Jack thought about the Gnarles. Since this trouble had begun they were now totally isolated. Every living thing had either been captured or escorted to Steaple Lacy. He hoped they were sleeping soundly and unaware of Velindur’s presence.

  Jack looked up to where Camelin sat hunched on a high branch. He turned to Nora but her eyes were closed. Jack knew she was lost in thought. The faint crack of a
dry twig made Jack hold his breath. Was it Kerne? He couldn’t see the shape of a man or stag. Maybe he’d imagined it. He jumped and nearly cried out when Nora touched his shoulder. When he turned, he could see she was pointing towards a dense tangle of undergrowth. Jack quickly looked up and saw that Camelin was also watching the movement below. Jack gasped when a black shape suddenly rose from the ground. It was huge, but Jack knew it had to be Permeris when he saw the shape of two distinctive curled horns on either side of his head. Only the snake’s silhouette could be seen but the familiar hissing voice confirmed, without a doubt, that it was Kerne’s trusted companion.

  ‘So, it is true what Judd told me. He said you’d be waiting here at nightfall. I believe you have requested to speak with my master?’

  ‘We have,’ Nora replied.

  ‘It is not usual for Kerne to leave the heart of his realm and venture to the veil between the two worlds. Your request will not be granted for a trivial matter, so I trust this is of the utmost importance.’

  ‘It is,’ Jack almost shouted. ‘There is one, banished to Elidon, who we believe has taken some of the Fair Folk from Glasruhen and is holding them against their will.’

  Nora put her hand on Jack’s shoulder and continued to explain. It seemed to take forever for Nora to relate all that had happened. When she’d finished, Permeris bowed his head.

  ‘I will relay your concerns to Kerne. If he feels there is a case to answer, he will meet you here at midnight.’

  Jack wanted to say more. He wanted to tell Permeris how worried he was and to make him understand the urgency of their request. A voice whispered softly inside Jack’s head. He’d forgotten Permeris could hear his thoughts.

  ‘Do not worry, Jack Brenin. Crimes of any kind, against any creature, are not tolerated in Kerne’s realm. Justice will be done tonight. The Lord of Elidon will be informed and if any are being held against their will, before the morrow they’ll be returned to you.’

  Jack knew Permeris would hear his silent thanks. He trusted the snake and knew he would plead their case to Kerne. At last he felt that something was being done to help Twink and the others. Jack looked up at Camelin and then back at Permeris, but the snake had already disappeared from sight.

  Nora called up to Camelin.

  ‘Fly over to Steaple Lacy and let everyone know what’s happened. I feel confident all this will be sorted out before morning. On your way back, find Timmery and ask him to join us.’

  ‘Do this, do that,’ grumbled Camelin.

  ‘Don’t you worry,’ replied Nora, ‘Jack and I are going to be busy too. We have some decorations that need to be checked.’

  Camelin didn’t reply. Jack had to smile as he watched him fly off in a huff, but he did wonder how Nora knew their imaginative creations had added sounds and smells.

  Once they were back inside Ewell House, Nora began her inspection. After prodding one of the Hags, she quickly dispersed the smell and waved her wand over the rest of them. She left Jack to fold napkins and position the smaller pumpkins while she checked the other rooms. When she came back into the kitchen, Jack asked her about the decorations.

  ‘How did you know the hags would smell?’

  ‘They were too realistic. Did you make the ghosts?’

  ‘No, Camelin did them.’

  ‘You know they wail, don’t you?’

  Jack nodded. He was surprised when Nora burst out laughing.

  ‘I’ve left the sound effects; they’re really good. It will add to the atmosphere if any of your guests bump into them. If we put one of the big pumpkins outside the front door and one on the patio, that’ll be everything ready.’

  Jack helped Nora position the two heavy pumpkins. They stood together on the patio and gazed at the night sky. Jack always felt small and insignificant when he looked at the stars. Since coming to Glasruhen his life had changed, and now it was about to change again. If everything went to plan, tomorrow night he’d be crowned as King of Annwn. He’d have new responsibilities and duties to perform. He desperately needed to know what Velindur was planning. He had no doubt that trouble was brewing. There was tension in the air and the ominous threat of danger. Jack had a sudden desire to speak with Gwillam, but he knew that wasn’t going to be possible. He looked up at the sky again; it must be getting late.

  ‘Here they come,’ said Nora, as she nodded towards the garden.

  A familiar black shape was flying towards the house, with a tiny bat following. Camelin swooped down onto the patio and Timmery landed on Nora’s shoulder.

  ‘I’m glad Camelin found you. I’d like you to come back with us to the forest’s edge. At some time tonight, the Dorysk and Dragonettes will return from Elidon and I need you to find out if everyone is ready for tomorrow night. Bring the message back to me, no matter what time it is, as I need to know if all has been accomplished. The Dorysk has other duties to perform, so if you could bring the message it will save him a journey to Ewell House.’

  ‘Oooh! Does that mean I’ll see the Horned One, Protector of the Wildwood?’

  ‘It does if he arrives, and if he reveals himself to us. The veil between Earth and Elidon is thin at the forest’s edge and Kerne has the power to breach the shadows, especially since we requested an audience, but only if he so chooses. Now, I think it’s time to set off. Are we ready?’

  ‘Ready,’ they all replied.

  DISTURBING NEWS

  As they stepped out into the garden, Jack pulled up the hood of his coat. It felt colder than it had earlier and he wished he could still see the stars. A band of dense, low clouds obscured the night sky and the whole of Glasruhen was shrouded in darkness. Nora lit the tip of her wand to light their way. She stopped outside the Herborium door.

  ‘I need to see if Arin will come with us. She’s an eyewitness to the recent events in Newton Gill. If she tells Kerne everything she’s seen, it will strengthen our case and justify our request for an audience.’

  Nora lifted the latch and entered. Jack watched from the doorway as she went over to Arin’s tiny bed and spoke softly to the little Wood Elf. When she returned she looked pleased. Jack understood why when she opened her hand. Arin was sitting, with her knees under her chin, on Nora’s palm. Timmery fluttered around Jack’s head.

  ‘Arin can ride on my back, if she wants.’

  Nora smiled but shook her head.

  ‘That’s a very kind offer, Timmery, but once we leave the garden we all need to stay close together. That includes you too, Camelin.’

  Timmery darted to and fro in front of Nora.

  ‘I’m not afraid and I’m wearing my crystal.’

  ‘You’re a very brave little bat, but for my own peace of mind I need to know everyone is safe, and Arin hasn’t got a protector.’

  Camelin humphed but he didn’t leave Jack’s shoulder. Once Timmery was securely attached to Nora’s cloak, they set off for the forest. Everything looked eerie and strange as they made their way to the meadow. Familiar trees looked menacing now their leaves had dropped. Bare outstretched branches loomed out of the shadows, as if poised to grab them. Jack didn’t feel scared, but he couldn’t shake off a sense of foreboding, which seemed to be getting worse with every step they took. He wondered if Camelin felt the same. He was sure he’d felt him shudder a couple of times since they’d left the grounds of Ewell House.

  As they passed the Meadow Mound, he heard the first chime of midnight from the church clock. The bell rang clearly through the still night air. Jack began counting in his head and by the ninth stroke they’d reached the first trees of Newton Gill. As the last peal of midnight faded, they’d reached the edge of the forest. They huddled together. There was a chill in the air against which Jack’s warm coat offered no protection. He hoped they wouldn’t have to wait long before Kerne arrived. As if in answer to his thought, a burst of activity rumbled through the forest. There was a rustling and cracking of branches, followed by the unmistakable sound of galloping hooves. A sudden break in the clouds allowed moon
light to shine through a gap in the trees. The sound stopped abruptly, but Jack was left in no doubt that Kerne was on his way when a hazy form began to materialise in the pool of light. Within seconds, a pure white stag appeared. It stood very still for a moment before raising its head majestically. It bellowed loudly at the moon. The forest filled with a deep baying sound. Jack felt a tingle run down his spine. He held his breath as the Lord of Elidon advanced slowly towards them. Kerne transformed with each step he took. By the time he reached the forest’s edge, he stood before them as an antlered man. They all bowed their heads. In the silence that followed, Jack could hear his own heart beating. Kerne looked at them intently before speaking.

  ‘Permeris has advised that I grant you this audience. He says you would speak with me about a matter of some urgency and importance.’

  Nora stepped forward and held open her hand. Arin rose and bowed to Kerne. He looked surprised.

  ‘A Wood Elf!’

  ‘A Wood Elf from Newton Gill Forest,’ Nora informed him, ‘one who has something terrible to report to you.’

  Kerne smiled encouragingly at Arin, who began speaking in a very shaky voice.

  ‘A great wrong has been committed. Flyers, crawlers and Fair Folk have all been snatched by a great hand that came out of Elidon.’

  ‘And do you know who this hand belongs to?’

  ‘It was a man but I couldn’t see his face, for it was shrouded in darkness by the hood of his cape.’

  ‘There are many men in Elidon, none here of their choosing, but I cannot think why a man would want to capture small creatures or Fair Folk. Is there anything else you remember about him?’

  Arin closed her eyes for a moment before speaking again.

  ‘I was trying to leave Newton Gill on the back of my beetle but from out of nowhere a great hand appeared and tried to grab us. I was thrown to the ground and injured both my ankles, but my poor beetle friend was crushed.’

  Arin fought back her tears. She swallowed hard before continuing.

  ‘I can’t be sure, but I thought I saw a Bogie heading for me. I tried to stand but couldn’t. When I woke I was inside Nora’s Herborium.’