by Roger Hurn
‘You’re right, Lizzie,’ said Ritchie. ‘We’ve got to go to Piper’s Wood and try out the time travel idea while we still can.’
Lizzie looked doubtful. ‘But that will only take us to Elfhame, not back to 1377.’
‘This is true,’ said Will. ‘Yet our friends are still held captive in that vile barn. Every hour that they languish there is an hour too long. We must needs rescue them.’
‘Will is right,’ said Alice. ‘Their plight is exceeding perilous. We must bring them out of their captivity and hide them in this time where they will at least be safe from the Hooded Lady’s clutches.’
‘We hope,’ said Ritchie.
‘Yes but that still doesn’t solve the problem of getting you all back to Francheville.’ Lizzie’s face was clenched with worry.
Alice put her arm round her friend’s shoulder.
‘The priest of our church says that the journey to heaven begins with the first step,’ she said. ‘I think that saving our companions will be the first step on our journey home.’
‘You’re right.’ Ritchie was bouncing up and down with excitement. ‘Let’s do it. We can figure out a way to get you and your mates home later.’
***
Chapter Nineteen
At shortly after three o’ clock that afternoon the four children slipped into Piper’s Wood. At first it seemed cool and shady after the summer brightness of the meadow but as they made their way further into its depths the dappled green sunlight faded and the atmosphere became increasingly dark and claustrophobic. A slight breeze rustled the leaves, which muttered and whispered like spies in the shadows.
‘Does this place give you guys the heebie-jeebies?’ whispered Ritchie. ‘Or is it just me?’
Will poked him sharply in the ribs. ‘Be silent you lily livered craven,’ he hissed, ‘before you infect us all with your fear.’
‘So I’ll take that as a yes then shall I?’ Ritchie and Will never needed much of an excuse to square up to each other and they were now bristling like two small dogs.
Alice and Lizzie exchanged glances and sighed.
‘We’re all on edge,’ said Lizzie. ‘So let’s just cool it, eh boys.’
‘Save your strength for the trials that lie in wait,’ said Alice soothingly. ‘We will have need of it then.’
The two lads grunted and looked slightly shame-faced. There was a moment of silence then Ritchie stepped back into his role as leader of the little group as if the spat with Will had never happened.
‘And talking of trials, can we go over the rescue plan again just to make sure everyone’s clear what we’re doing?’
The others agreed and, in hushed voices, they went through the details. In truth, they didn’t have much of a plan. It consisted of using the flute to open a gateway to Elfhame; hiding in the forest until nightfall, then sneaking up to the barn. Will and Alice would go inside and explain what was happening before introducing Lizzie and Ritchie. They would then lead the children silently back to the gateway and into the 21st century.
They were carrying back packs filled with snacks and cans of drink as well as a claw hammer, a small saw, a selection of screwdrivers and a pair of pliers, all of which Ritchie had borrowed from the tool kit in the garage.
‘I pray they will accept you and not be panicked by your strangeness,’ said Will.
‘Soft, Will, our friends will rejoice to see us. Their prayers will have been answered and they will come with us gladly. Though I do counsel that Will be our leader in Elfhame.’ She looked pleadingly at her companions. ‘Forgive me, I mean no offence, but the others would fear to follow Ritchie.’
Lizzie nodded. ‘No offence taken, Alice. Ritchie’s cool with that.’ She saw Alice and Will frown. ‘Err … I mean he agrees to let Will take charge. You do, don’t you Ritchie?’
‘Yeah, obviously but I still don’t know what we’re going to do with a bunch of medieval peasant kids when we get them here. We can’t hide them all in the den.’ Ritchie preferred to focus on this rather than the terrifying prospect of what would happen if the escape attempt went wrong and Rasna and the Hooded Lady caught them.
‘They can stay here in the wood ‘til we crack this time travel business. If anyone sees them they’ll think they’re part of the Randy,’ said Lizzie.
‘Surely, it is merely a matter of finding the right notes on the flute?’ said Alice hopefully. ‘Lizzie is a gifted minstrel and our cause is just. She will not be baffled long.’
‘Amen to that,’ said Will.
The four of them pressed on into the wood until they came to the oak tree that had been blasted by lightning. Tendrils of ivy wrapped themselves round the blackened bark and held the dying tree in a suffocating embrace.
Lizzie took out her flute. She looked nervous and her hands were trembling slightly. ‘I’m not sure this is going to work. I mean the melody’s right but I don’t know if my playing’s good enough.’
‘You can only try your best,’ said Alice. ‘If it fails then we will have to find another way to enter Elfhame.’
‘That’s right.’ Ritchie gave his sister a light punch on the arm to encourage her. ‘You can do it, sis. I know you can.’
Will stepped forward and bowed. ‘I will not hold you worthless should your skill prove unequal to the task.’
‘Gee thanks,’ replied Lizzie. ‘I think that was a vote of confidence.’
She gave a wan smile and took a deep breath. ‘Here goes nothing,’ she murmured.
Before she could blow a note a man stepped out from behind the tree. It was the tramp.
‘You can play ‘til your fingers ache but you will never do more than conjure a pretty melody. Only a pipe fashioned in Elfhame has the power to open the cracks between the worlds so that we may slip through.’ He held up a silver flute, ’A pipe such as this.’
***
Chapter Twenty
The tramp’s gaze swept over the four startled friends. He slipped the flute back inside his coat. To the children’s surprise his brown face lit up in a warm smile. ‘We meet at last,’ he said. ‘And, by Hecate, it seems I am still in time to keep you from harm.’
Ritchie and Will both moved towards him with their fists clenched. ‘Now hold on a minute here,’ said Ritchie. ‘We know you’re the Piper and that you’ve got orders to kill Alice and Will.’
The tramp shook his head vigorously. ‘Not so. My name is Ezra Silverspear. I am a chronomage of Elfhame. My task is to track down renegades such as the Piper and stop them from travelling into your world and causing mischief.’
Lizzie pointed at Ezra with her flute. ‘Chronomage? That means time wizard, doesn’t it?’
‘It does. But what I really am is a type of policeman. I try to stop people from breaking the laws of time. Whenever a renegade crosses over from one dimension to another it causes a ripple in space and time. When that happens, a chronomage is sent to the scene and we arrest the criminals.’ He paused and then grinned ruefully. ‘Well, we do if we can find them but sadly there are rather more crooks than chronomages.’
‘The Piper is definitely a crook,’ said Ritchie indignantly. ‘But you seem to have spent all your time chasing after us.’
Ezra held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. ‘When I materialised in your world I lost the Piper’s scent but found yours. You must have arrived hot on his heels for your presence to have covered his tracks as it did. I hoped that if I could find you, you might lead me to him.’
‘Wonderful! So you were using us as bait.‘ Ritchie’s voice dripped with scorn.
‘Not really. But, you see I had no idea who you were at first. For all I knew you could have been his human allies. I can assure you there are humans who will do anything for gold, including betraying their own kind.’
Ezra smiled when he saw the looks of outrage on their faces. ‘But once I ran you to earth I could see it was highly unlikely that a hardened rogue like the Piper would make you his partners in whatever crime it is he’s planning.’
‘I should think so too,’ said Lizzie.
Ezra scratched his head and pulled a wry face. ‘Though, truth to tell, I still don’t know much about you or how you came to be mixed up with the Piper. Perhaps now would be a good time for you to put me in the picture.’
The children all looked doubtful. ‘Oh he’s got a point I suppose,’ said Lizzie. ‘OK, Mr Ezra Silverspear, here goes.’
Each of the children told their part of the story to the chronomage. When they’d finished Lizzie said, ’But now you know we’re innocent can you tell us who the Piper really is?’
‘And do not forget the Hooded Lady,’ said Alice. ‘Who is she?’
‘Who indeed?’ Ezra replied. He breathed in deeply and his brow creased in thought before he continued. ‘Let me begin with the Piper,’ he said at last. ‘His name is Bogan. He’s an unscrupulous creature who hires out his skill with the pipe to the highest bidder. Most of his employers are wealthy tourists who grow tired of the sights of Elfhame and crave the excitement of visiting a forbidden world.’ Ezra frowned disapprovingly. ‘These people are mainly harmless, though occasionally they can’t resist interfering in human affairs and that causes us chronomages no end of trouble, believe me.’
The children said nothing so he continued.
‘Then there are the collectors who bribe him to steal human treasures and smuggle them back home.’ By now, Ezra’s expression had grown very grim. ‘But, worst of all by far, are the few who wish him to open the gateway so they can prey on humans and cause hurt and harm.’
‘You speak of the faery folk.’ Alice tugged at Ezra’s sleeve in her excitement. ‘My grandmother often tells us tales of elves and hobgoblins. She says they can appear and disappear at will - sometimes doing good and sometimes harm.’
Ezra laughed. ‘I believe you humans have countless names for my people.’
‘Yeah and I reckon the last lot you mentioned sound more like ghouls and vampires than elves and pixies.’ Ritchie glared at Ezra. ‘Am I right?’
Ezra rubbed his hand wearily across his forehead. ‘I cannot deny it. Evil takes many disguises when it skulks in the shadows.’
‘And are you one of them?’ It was Ritchie who asked the question but all of the children stared at Ezra as if by watching him closely they could see if he was telling the truth or not. He didn’t flinch or look away.
‘I have already told you who and what I am,’ he said gravely. ‘Now you must decide if you believe me.’
***
Chapter Twenty-One
‘I believe you.’ Alice bobbed a curtsy to Ezra. ‘Your face is hard like stone but your voice is warm like my father’s. And he is an honest man and true.’
‘Tis so,’ agreed Will. ‘What say you, Ritchie?’
Ritchie pressed his lips together. He was confused. He had been so sure that this man was the Piper and now he didn’t know what to think.
Lizzie grew tired of waiting for her brother to speak. ‘Well I think you’re the real deal.’
The man glanced over at her and he gave her a brief smile before returning his gaze to Ritchie. Ritchie sighed. ‘OK. I’ll go along with this for now but, let me warn you, Ezra, I’ll be watching you like a hawk.’
Ezra gave him a slight nod. ‘You are wise to be wary but I will not betray your trust.’
‘Right, so what do we do now, Ezra?’ Lizzie asked.
Ritchie closed his eyes in frustration at his sister’s question. He felt a surge of resentment towards this man who had terrified him, chased him and now was taking the leadership of the group away from him. He couldn’t believe how quickly the others had accepted this stranger.
‘I shall return to Elfhame and arrange to have the children freed from the barn. Then I’ll round up the Piper and his associates.’
‘Oh right? And we’ll just sit here and twiddle our thumbs will we?’ said Ritchie. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘No,’ replied Ezra. ‘Alice and Will shall accompany me back to Elfhame so that they can rejoin their friends. You and Lizzie can go home and put this nightmare behind you.’
‘No way.’ Ritchie thrust out his chin defiantly. ‘If you think me and Lizzie are just going to let you slope off back to Elfhame with Alice and Will in tow then you’ve got another think coming, mate. You’re still on probation as far as I’m concerned. You and the Piper could be thick as thieves for all we know. I mean he could have sent you to snatch Alice and Will while he gets on with the job of stealing the ‘Crystal Beast.’
Ezra stroked his chin pensively. ‘So how can I persuade you that I am no friend of the Piper?’
‘By letting me come with you to make sure you aren’t up to any funny business.’
Before Ezra could answer, Lizzie jumped in. ‘I can’t believe you sometimes, Ritchie!’ She was red faced with indignation. ‘How dare you even think of leaving me behind? If you’re going to Elfhame then so am I.’ She stood with her hands on her hips and an expression that could turn milk sour.
Ezra tried to argue that it wasn’t safe for either of them to go but then Alice and Will made it plain that they had no intention of leaving without Ritchie and Lizzie.
‘They are our trusted companions on this quest,’ declared Will. ‘We will not be parted from them in our darkest hour.’
Finally Ezra had to admit defeat. ‘I don’t think the Piper and his friends realise what mighty foes they have in you. Very well then but you will act on my orders at all times otherwise I cannot guarantee your safety.’
The children agreed and Ezra began to play the melody that allowed them to slip from one world to another. Just as the air began to shimmer, Lizzie grabbed Ritchie’s hand. ‘If we’re wrong about this guy, we’re done for,’ she whispered. ‘There’s no way back from Elfhame for us if he’s one of the Piper’s gang.’
A look of horrified realisation swept over Ritchie’s face. ‘Forget the flaming Piper. I’ve just remembered he hasn’t told us who the Hooded Lady is. Blimey, Lizzie, he’s working for her!’
In desperation, Ritchie tried to jerk his sister back from the dissolving light of the gateway but he was too late. They were already falling through it to another world.
***
Chapter Twenty-Two
When Ritchie’s head cleared he found that Piper’s Wood had vanished and he now found himself in a rather dank and dismal forest. Lizzie was still clutching his hand and Alice and Will were standing next to him, their faces drained of colour and their eyes wide with fear. There was no sign of Ezra.
‘Where’s that no good lousy trickster? I told you we ….’ Ritchie’s furious tirade against the chronomage came to an abrupt halt when Ezra tapped him on the shoulder.
‘Calm yourself, Ritchie. I am here behind you.’
As Ritchie’s heart did a double somersault in his chest, Ezra smiled gently at the children. ‘I’m sorry if I startled you but I had to make sure you passed through the dimensions safely.’
‘Right!’ snapped Ritchie. ‘And you did it just so you can hand us over to your boss – the Hooded Lady!’
Will took a sharp intake of breath and Alice squealed. They all backed away from Ezra.
‘Wait. Please. Though I do know her well, I am no servant of the Hooded Lady.’ Ezra shuddered as if the very thought of it filled him with disgust. ‘Your suspicions are wide of the mark, Ritchie. You see I won’t rest until I have brought her to justice.’
‘Nice speech,’ said Lizzie. ‘But can you prove it?’
The chronomage shrugged. ‘I can but try.’
Once more he took up his silver flute and played. The children tensed but nothing happened at first. Then, suddenly, four men and two women materialised in the clearing. They were dressed in grey uniforms and wore heavy black boots. Each one was armed with a sword.
The children huddled together and stared fearfully at these apparitions. The new arrivals snapped to attention and saluted Ezra by placing their clenched fists on their chests. Ezra returned the salute. Then
he turned to the children and said, ’May I introduce the officers of CM Squad 9, Albion Division?’
The men and women grinned and nodded to the children. ‘Though time crooks in Elfhame call them ‘The Bloods.’
‘What do you mean ‘The Bloods?’ stammered Ritchie. ‘Are they vampires or something?’
The grey clad officers smiled at this. ‘No, far from it, Ritchie,’ said Ezra. ‘Bloods is short for bloodhounds. You see when you move between the worlds you give off a scent, though it very soon fades. Each person has their own individual smell and, just like bloodhounds, we chronomages are trained to pick up these smells. It’s how we track down people, like the Piper, who visit your world illegally. And that is why criminals call us ‘Bloods.’
‘So what’s my scent?’ asked Lizzie eagerly.
She was a bit crestfallen when Ezra said her time scent was sharp like a lemon. Though Ritchie, Alice and Will were pleased enough when Ezra told them that their time scents were ground pepper, cinnamon and ginger respectively.
‘OK,’ said Lizzie, ‘but what about the Piper and the Hooded Lady? What do they smell of?’
‘The Piper’s scent is mandrake while the Hooded Lady gives off the fragrance of belladonna.’
‘Right, so when you arrived in our world your nose must have been totally fazed by all those different scents.’
‘It was indeed,’ agreed Ezra. ‘And ginger and cinnamon have a more intense fragrance than mandrake so perhaps now you can understand why I followed you and not the Piper.’
‘Hang on a minute.’ Ritchie was still on his guard and was not about to let Ezra off the hook lightly. ‘These bloods are dressed up in uniforms. Why aren’t you?’
‘Because it was necessary for me to move around in your world and yet not be noticed. Wearing my uniform would have given me away,’ replied Ezra patiently.
