by Kate Gordon
“I wish that I could, but I just don’t have it in me, Ambrosius.” The mage looked at Lily. “You have some powerful magic of your own, young one. Who are these creatures you bring with you?”
Lily turned to the taniwha standing in a group, watching them. “These are mighty taniwha, Brökk. Defenders of our land who came when I called.”
“How did you do it, Lily?” Ambrosius whuffled warm breath over her hair.
“I don’t know.” The emotion she felt, so deeply, so real, when she called the taniwha rose up through her. She blinked as more tears threatened to fall. “The words, a karakia, just came out. Kuia would probably say our ancestors came to me and helped.”
“Then we also owe them a debt of gratitude, Lily, for they helped us achieve something we could not do on our own,” said Ambrosius. “Your instincts to travel to this faraway land were right, Brökk. There is, indeed, ancient magic here.”
Wiping away the tears she could not stop at Ambrosius’s words, Lily smiled. Everything had come out the way it was meant to. Just like Kuia always said.
She turned to the taniwha. “Tena koutou. Thank you. You have helped us defeat a great enemy, and we are forever grateful.” She paused, thinking for a moment. “Could you do us one more favour, please? Hold the prisoner while we tend to the injured unicorns?”
The silent taniwha flicked their tongues, then walked towards the witch and the unicorns holding her captive. Abellona’s shrieks reached a new level as the taniwha took hold of her legs and arms, and dragged her away into the trees.
“Not too far, please,” Lily called. “We'll come and find you when we've got some way of holding her.”
Light was just beginning to show on the horizon when Lily had used up the pots of salve and bottle of tonic. With Chloe and Sasha’s help, they’d treated as many wounds as they could, and washed unicorn faces clean of the horror of fighting in the life-or-death battle. Brökk didn’t have a lot of magical energy left, but enough to stop the bleeding of some serious wounds. Mikaela shared her special energies, standing with noses touching with those who were weakest.
“Isn’t it awesome to see Xanthe with Galen?” Chloe said as they walked back to where the ponies were grazing near Ambrosius.
Xanthe couldn’t yet fly, but Galen and Guilio kept taking to the air, swooping and diving over the herd in delight.
“Awesome doesn’t begin to describe it.” Lily grinned, then yawned so hard she thought her jaw might crack. “Wow, tired doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling either. I could sleep for a month.”
Yawning, Sasha said, “Me too.”
“You must go home,” said Ambrosius when they stopped beside him. “We will put Abellona into the cage in which she held Xanthe and block the end with branches. I have already had several volunteers to stand guard.”
“Could she magic herself out?” Lily asked.
“Without Galen and her staff, her magical abilities are sorely impacted. Brökk is strong enough to maintain a captive spell over her for the moment. When we return to our homeland, we will consult with our brethren as to how she will be restrained long-term.”
Lily nodded. She was too tired to think of anything except getting home safely before her family woke up. “Oh, there is one other thing. What will you do with the taniwha when you put Abellona in the cage?”
“We will express our most sincere appreciation for their assistance and let them return to their isolated creek in the forest.”
“Say thank you from me too.” Lily yawned again. “We’ll try and come back to see you tonight.”
“We would love that, but I believe we’ll rest for a whole day at least. Perhaps you should too.”
Lily hugged Ambrosius, and his warm breath ruffled her messy hair as she nodded. “Take your brave ponies and go home, girls. And thank you once again.”
Chapter Sixteen
The ride back through the forest seemed to take forever. The ponies dragged their feet, and Lily struggled not to slump in the saddle. She was worried about the cut on Rainbow’s hind leg.
“What am I going to tell Mum about Rainbow’s leg?” she asked as they went through the gate into the home paddock. A sudden gust of wind swept her words away and the pines behind them creaked and groaned.
“I don’t know, Lil, sorry,” Chloe’s voice was sleepy. “It wasn’t as dark as it usually was among the trees, was it? We didn’t even need a unicorn’s glow.”
Lily yawned. “Look how light the eastern horizon is. That’s because the sun will be up soon. Well, it would be if it wasn’t cloudy.”
“Oy, Chloe!” Sasha pushed Tommy closer to Angel as Chloe wobbled sideways off her saddle and yanked her pony’s reins. “You can’t fall asleep yet.”
Chloe rubbed her eyes. “Oh, sorry, Angel.” She patted the mare’s neck. “How am I going to get home once I leave you at Lily’s?”
Lily tried to make her brain think, but it wouldn’t co-operate as the wind swirled around them, lifting the ponies’ manes. All she could manage was to sit silently on Rainbow’s back, swaying with his long stride.
“Sleep at Lily’s for an hour or so, then go home and say we’ve been out for an early morning ride.” Sasha grinned. “It wouldn’t be lying, because it is very early morning.”
“I guess,” replied Chloe. “I almost don’t care what my mother says at this point.”
“But you will if she threatens to sell Angel again.”
Chloe jolted upright. “Oh, don’t say that, Sash! That’s awful.”
“Just making sure you don’t go and do something silly when we’ve managed to sneak out all these nights without our parents finding out.”
The wind brought a cold, fine rain as they reached the barn. Lily slid, aching and sore, from the saddle and had to clutch onto Rainbow to stop her legs buckling under her. “Will you be okay riding home along the road, Sash?” She spoke quietly as she opened the gate from the yard onto the driveway for her friend, who always seemed to keep going no matter how tired she was.
“I’ll be fine. See you sometime tomorrow. I mean later today.” Sasha lifted a hand in farewell and disappeared into the grey and wet pre-dawn light.
“Come on, Chloe, let’s get the ponies unsaddled and our gear away.” Lily undid Rainbow’s girth. “Can you help me with the barn door so it doesn’t bang open in this wind?”
Chloe slipped off her pony. “The wind’s horrible! I hope Sasha and Tommy are okay.” She pulled the saddle off. “That wind’s cold when the ponies are still hot. Have you got a spare cover I could put on Angel?”
They wrestled with the big barn door. “Rainbow’s old one would probably fit, but if Mum or Dad come down to the horses before we wake up, they’re going to wonder why the ponies have covers on when they didn’t last night.”
“Oh, yeah.” Chloe put her tack away. “Not thinking.” She yawned. “Too tired.”
“You and me both. They’ll go under the trees anyway with this rain. They’ll be fine. We’ll take a couple of slabs of hay for them to share with Gracie.”
“Okay, good idea.”
Lily trudged back to the barn as the rain fell harder, struggling to see if they’d left everything tidy.
Barn closed. Gate closed. Garden path. Back steps. Boots off. Tuck them at the back so no one could see they were wet.
Quietly, carefully, they tiptoed down the hall to Lily’s room.
Thump!
Chloe stumbled against the wall.
They froze, hearts pounding.
“That you, Lily?” Mum’s sleepy voice drifted down the hall.
“Sorry!” Lily hissed. “Just been to the toilet.”
“Go back to bed then.”
“Yes, Mum.”
She closed her bedroom door. They were home at last. And the unicorns were safe. Thank goodness.
Chloe wrapped her in a hug, her mouth by Lily’s ear. “Sorry.”
“No worries,” she replied.
Somehow, they managed to get Ch
loe’s wet clothes hanging up in the wardrobe without making any noise. Lily left hers in a pile. “Here’s a t-shirt for sleeping in. And a pillow.” She crawled into bed, Chloe at the other end, topped and tailed.
Lily stared out the window briefly. It was nearly dawn, but the heavy clouds and rain made everything darker than when they’d ridden home. That wind isn’t slowing down either. It swirled and crashed around the house. I hope the ponies and the unicorns will be okay.
Thump! Thump!
“Illy!”
Lily kept her eyes shut. Go away, Liam.
She was so tired. So much had happened last night. It’s still raining.
Her eyes snapped open and she sat up. Chloe!
Chloe was still here, asleep at the other end of the bed.
Shoot!
“Go away, Liam!” she growled. “I’m trying to sleep.” Lily shoved the covers off. “Chloe!” she whispered urgently. “Wake up!”
Chloe groaned. “Nooo... Go away.” She rolled away from Lily.
“Come on, we’ve slept too long! You have to go before my family realises you’re here.”
Out the window, lightning flashed through black clouds as thunder boomed overhead.
“Oh!” Chloe’s eyes opened, then she hid her face in the pillow. “Don’t care.”
Lily knew Chloe hated thunder, but somehow they had to get her home and fast. “You do care. What’s your mum going to say?”
Chloe lifted her head to look out the window. Thunder rumbled and the rain came down even harder. “Darn.”
“Chloe Cho!” Lily hissed. “I’ve never heard you curse before.” She tugged Chloe’s clothes off the hangers. “Now, get out of bed and get home before we all get into trouble!” Her friends couldn’t be more different. Sasha would have loved this weather and wanted us all to go out in it!
Grumbling and mumbling, Chloe put her clothes on. “They’re still wet.”
“And they’ll be even wetter before you get home.”
“But Lil, how am I even going to get home in this weather? I’ll drown if I don’t die of fright from the thunder.”
Lily plopped down on the bed and sighed. “You’re right. It’s a disaster. You should have gone home last night.”
Chloe stood at the window, her face glum. “But I was so tired. I couldn’t have walked that far.”
“Darn.” Lily repeated Chloe’s curse word as she thought. “Oh, what if you climb out the window, sneak around the house and come in the back door as if you’ve been to see Angel?”
Chloe lifted her head, her lips curved in a hopeful smile. “And say what? Something like would I be able to get a lift home?”
Lily nodded. “Or phone your mum and say you’re staying here until the rain stops.”
“Worth a try, anyway.” Chloe zipped up her jacket as thunder and lightning cracked simultaneously overhead. “God, I hate thunder!” She pushed the window open. “See you in a minute.”
The wind carried rain in before Lily could get the window shut. Now she was drenched. “Darn,” she repeated to herself. “I may as well get dressed now.”
She pulled her bedroom door open just as her mother said, “Chloe!” in a surprised voice. “What on earth are you doing here so early? And in this weather too.”
Lily zoomed into the kitchen to see Chloe absolutely streaming water onto the doormat. “Oh, Chloe, fancy seeing you here!” she said while trying not to grin.
“I came to check on Angel with this awful weather, Mrs Masterton.” Chloe shot Lily a pained look. “Could I call my mum to come and pick me up, please?”
“Of course.” Mum turned to Lily. “Get a towel and some dry clothes for Chloe, Lily. She can’t stand around so wet and cold.”
Sprinting to the bathroom for a towel, Lily heard her mother say, “Were the horses under the big trees?”
“Yes.” Chloe sniffed, then coughed as she hung her wet jacket on a hook.
“Come in and stand on this mat,” Mum instructed. “I’m sure they were just fine, tucked in there.”
“Seemed to be.” Chloe coughed again as she rubbed her hair dry with the towel Lily passed her.
“Who’s coughing?” Kuia’s creaky voice drifted in from the hall as she shuffled slowly along.
“Chloe is, Kuia.” Lily went to give her grandmother her arm to cross the lounge without her walking stick.
“Fetch a bottle labelled kumarahou tonic, Lily, my love.” Kuia sat down heavily at the dining table. “This rain doesn’t do my rheumatism any good.”
“Haven’t you got a tonic for that, Ma?” Lily’s mum asked as she helped Chloe get her wet hoodie over her head.
“Of course, Tessa, but not with me.” Kuia took the bottle Lily brought and shook it. “Measure out two tablespoons into half a glass of warm water. It doesn’t taste very nice, Chloe, but it will help if you’re getting a cold.”
Now dry and dressed, Chloe took the glass from Lily and sipped. “Yuck! Do I have to drink it?”
Lily couldn’t help laughing. She knew how awful some of Kuia’s herbal things tasted.
“You better, or Kuia will just go on.” Mum bustled around getting breakfast things out. “It might taste better if you eat something.”
Chloe sat down at the table with Lily to start on cereal and milk.
“Mum, where’s Dad and Liam?”
“Feeding out to the cattle.”
“Oh, they’re out early!” Lucky we made it to bed before Dad got up!
“Dad’s off to that cattle sale up north right after breakfast.”
“Okay.” Lily crunched a mouthful. Gosh, she was tired. And worried about the unicorns and Rainb... “Chloe, your mum!” Her spoon clattered into the bowl.
“Oh, no.” Chloe’s face went pale. “I’ve been thinking of some other things.”
“Me too.” Running to grab the phone, Lily knew exactly what Chloe meant. What was happening with the unicorns? Were they okay after the battle and then the storm? How or when would she and her friends get to see the unicorns again? I should have run down to see Rainbow as soon as I got up and checked his leg! “Here, call.”
Chloe went over to the sofa as she dialled. “Hello Māmā.”
Lily could hear Mrs Cho’s angry voice as Chloe held the phone away from her ear.
“I came to check on Angel, Māmā, and I did not want to wake you. Sorry, I forgot to leave you a note.”
Chloe rolled her eyes as she looked at Lily. Her mother kept talking and talking.
“I’m okay, Māmā. Lily has lent me some dry clothes.”
Her mother continued.
“I will come home when the rain stops.” And then she sneezed.
Lily’s mother lifted her eyebrows as the volume of Chloe’s mother’s concerns grew louder.
“Thanks for being a chilled-out mum,” Lily whispered.
Her mum kissed Lily on the head as she got up to put more toast on.
Chloe put the phone back on its stand. “She’s coming to pick me up in ten minutes. She says I cannot always be eating my meals at your house. It is not right.” She sneezed again. “I do think I’m getting a cold. My head’s sore too.”
“How about a painkiller with your breakfast?” Mum reached into the pantry. “I’m sure your mother will think that’s okay.”
“Yes, please.” Chloe sank into her seat. “I’m so tired.”
“Sounds like you need a quiet day resting in bed.” Lily’s mum handed Chloe a pill and a glass of water.
“Thanks, Mrs Masterton. I’ve got a piano lesson today, so I’ll have to practice first.”
“Hmmm,” was Mum’s response as she turned to talk with Kuia.
“I’ll check on the ponies after breakfast.” Lily hugged Chloe gently. “They’ll be fine.” She crossed her fingers and hoped. “I’ll message you later.”
“Thanks, Lil.” Chloe sneezed, then sighed. “I’m not much use, am I?”
“You can’t help being sick, and I won’t be doing much outside today anyway
.” Lily lowered her voice, hoping Mum wasn’t listening. “It’s too dangerous to ride through the forest when it’s this windy, for a start.” She was longing to see the unicorns, but how? She only hoped they’d manage it before the unicorns decided Brökk was strong enough to create the chasm back to their homeland. She didn’t want to think how awful it would be to never see Ambrosius again.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
Mum opened it. “Come in, Mrs Cho.”
“No, no, I just come for my daughter.” Chloe’s mother said in her clipped English. She wore a big rain jacket, but she still looked very wet. With a snort that was sort of a laugh, Mrs Cho added, “Some time I think she rather live here than in her own home.”
Lily stared down at her empty bowl. She didn’t dare look at Chloe. She knew Chloe would often rather be at Lily’s place because Chloe had said so. They’d all ride a lot more together if Mrs Cho allowed it. But she didn’t.
“Hello, Māmā.” Chloe got up, pushed in her chair, and took her plate to the dishwasher. “I’m sorry to disturb your morning.”
“So you should be. Going off in weather like this. Crazy, I told your father.”
“Bàba is home?” Chloe smiled. Her father was away a lot with work.
“Yes, for now. Let us go.” Mrs Cho held out Chloe’s wet jacket. “Say thank you.”
“Thank you, Mrs Masterton,” Chloe said politely, as she let her mother put the jacket on. “I’ll talk with you soon, Lil. Thanks for checking on Angel. Goodbye Kuia.”
“Talk soon.” Lily smiled at her friend. “Goodbye, Mrs Cho.”
“Yes, bye.” Mrs Cho ushered her daughter out just as Chloe sneezed. “Oh, now you are sick, are you?” She shut the door firmly.
Lily could hear Mrs Cho’s voice over the wind and rain until the back gate banged shut. Poor Chloe. Her mother wasn’t easy.
“Mum, I’m just going to run down and check on the ponies, then could I have toast and a hot chocolate in front of the TV for a bit? I didn’t sleep well with this storm.”
“Why not?” Mum agreed as she made more tea for her and Kuia. “Not much else to do on a horrible day like this. Put all your wet weather gear on, won’t you?”
