Witch is How The Mirror Lied Page 9

  The protectors had apparently needed no persuading to accompany me on the trip to the White Mountains.

  “I’ve never killed a royal dragon before,” Hardy said. “Should be a fun trip.”

  “I’m not sure about that, but I’m pleased to have you on board. One thing, though, I don’t want to kill the dragon unless we have no other choice.”

  “You’re the boss. Your call.”

  “Okay. Let’s do this.”

  Before we set off, the headmistress provided me with a change of clothing. The safari suit was unflattering, but I was soon thankful for it, as we fought our way through the incredibly thick undergrowth.

  “How long will it take us, Hardy?”

  “I reckon it’s a couple of hours’ walk from here.” He checked his compass. “More if the undergrowth is as bad as this all the way.”

  “Have you been to the White Mountains before?”

  “Never, and I don’t know anyone who has. The furthest we normally go is the Valley of Shadows when we’re accompanying the kids on their field trips. That only takes around thirty minutes.”

  Fighting my way through the undergrowth was bad enough, but it was the heat that sapped almost every ounce of my energy.

  “How much further?” I asked for the umpteenth time, like a kid on their way to the seaside.

  “We’re almost there.” He pointed. “Do you see those peaks? Those are the White Mountains. Another ten minutes, and we should be at their base.”

  It was actually closer to twenty minutes later when we emerged from the forest. It was great to finally be free of all the annoying insects, which had been buzzing around my face for the last couple of hours.

  “The dragon’s nest is likely to be high in the mountains,” Hardy said. “Hopefully, we can surprise it while it’s asleep. It doesn’t look a particularly difficult climb.”

  Not difficult for him and his men, maybe, but there was no way I’d be able to get up there in my current state of exhaustion.

  “Help!” The voice came from somewhere above us. “We’re trapped!”

  Although I could hear them, I couldn’t see anyone.

  “Where are you?” Hardy shouted. “Show yourself.”

  “Up here!”

  “Look! Over there!” I pointed to a makeshift white flag, which was being waved by a small elf-like figure who was kneeling on a ledge.

  “Can’t you get down?” I shouted.

  “We daren’t. Every time we try to make a move, the dragon attacks us.”

  “When did you last see it?”

  “Earlier today.”

  “It seems to be all clear now. Why not try—”

  First, I saw the shadow, and then I heard the sound of the creature’s giant wings.

  Hardy and his men rushed for cover in the small cave at the base of the mountain. I started to follow, but quickly realised I’d never make it, so I did a U-turn and headed back for the cover of the forest. Once there, I looked up at the ledge, but there was no sign of the elf-like figure. Hopefully, he’d taken shelter somewhere.

  Meanwhile, the dragon had landed in the clearing, close to the cave where Hardy and his men were sheltering. If it breathed fire into the cave, the three of them would be toast. I had to distract the creature somehow.

  “Hey, you!” I stepped out from the cover of the forest. “Over here!”

  The dragon turned its head towards me, and I was expecting the worst, but then it spoke in a gentle voice, “What kind of creature are you?”

  “I’m a witch.”

  “How come I can understand what you’re saying?”

  “I don’t know. I can speak to some animals, but I had no idea I’d be able to talk to you until just now.”

  It began to walk slowly towards me, and there was something about its demeanour and tone of voice that told me I wasn’t in danger, so instead of turning tail and running, I stood my ground.

  “I’m a conquestor dragon.”

  “Oh? I thought you were a royal dragon?”

  “No, I’m definitely a conquestor. My name is Sybil.”

  “I’m Jill. Nice to meet you, Sybil.”

  “Likewise. Why have you come here?”

  “I came to find you.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “It’s a little awkward. I wanted to find out why you’ve been attacking the airship.”

  “What’s an airship?”

  “It’s—err—it’s like a giant bird, I suppose. It flies across these mountains.”

  “Do you mean the flying creature which makes the strange noise?”

  “Yeah, that’s it.”

  “I had to keep it away from Cora.”

  “Who’s Cora?”

  “My baby. She’s in the nest. Would you like to see her?”

  “Where exactly is your nest?”

  “Up there, near the top. Hop on my back and I’ll take you up there.”

  “I—err—I’m really not sure about this.”

  “Come on. You’ll be perfectly safe.”

  “Okay.” I scrambled up her tail, and then sat astride her back.

  “Are you ready, Jill?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” I held on for dear life as she began to flap her huge wings. Moments later, we were soaring through the air.

  “Cora, this is Jill.” Sybil had put me down next to a giant nest, which contained the cutest little dragon you ever did see.

  “Kip, kip,” Cora said.

  “That’s all she can say.” The proud mother looked on.

  “She’s gorgeous.”

  “She is, isn’t she? But then, I’m biased.”

  “Did you attack the airship, err—flying creature because you thought it might harm your baby?”

  “Yes. Cora is my first, so I can’t take any chances. I didn’t really attack it, though; I just chased it away. Like I did with those funny little creatures on the ledge below.”

  “Funny little—? Oh, you mean the elves.”

  “I thought they might come after Cora.”

  “I don’t blame you for being protective towards your baby, but the flying creature isn’t actually a creature at all.”

  “It looks like one to me.”

  “I can see how it would, but it’s actually a—err—it’s difficult to explain. We use it to travel around in. It won’t do any harm to you or your baby.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “You brought me up here to see Cora, so I’m guessing you trust me.”

  “Yes, you seem nice.”

  “Thanks. Could I ask a favour of you?”

  “Sure.”

  “Would you allow the airship to fly over these mountains? I give you my word that no harm will come to you or Cora.”

  “Okay, but what about those funny little creatures on the ledge? What did you call them?”

  “Elves. At least I think that’s what they are. If you take me to the ledge where they’re hiding, I’ll make sure they leave here without causing you any problems. Is that a deal?”

  “It’s a deal.”

  “Great.”

  “Get back on board, and I’ll take you down there now.”

  I did as she said, and as we flew away, I waved goodbye to Cora.

  “Kip, kip.”

  ***

  Sybil dropped me off close to the ledge where I’d seen the elf.

  “Thanks, Sybil.”

  “My pleasure. Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around to take you all the way down?”

  “No, it’s okay. I should be able to get down from here.”

  I waited until she’d flown away, and then went in search of the elf. It was only when I began to inch my way along the ledge that I spotted the entrance to a tiny cave. It was much too small for me to get in, but I knelt down and looked inside. Huddled there were four tiny elves who all looked terrified.

  “Hi, in there. It’s safe now. You can come out.”

  “Are you sure?” The one with the makeshift flag took a fe
w steps forward. “What about the dragon?”

  “She’s gone, and she’s promised not to hurt you as long as you leave this side of the mountain.”

  “What do you mean, she promised? How can a dragon make you a promise?”

  “It’s a long story; too long to go into now. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

  “I’m not sure about this.”

  “It’s up to you, obviously, but the alternative is to stay in that cave for the rest of your lives, which probably won’t be very long without food or water.”

  He turned to the others, and they exchanged a few words.

  “Okay. We’re coming out.”

  They all looked terrified, and kept checking the sky, in case the dragon returned.

  “How did you get here from Candlefield?”

  “We don’t come from Candlefield. We live on the other side of the mountains in a small village called Evkon.”

  “I didn’t think anyone lived out here.”

  “We’re the only ones as far as I know. Our ancestors moved to the White Mountains to find work, and they decided to stay.”

  “What kind of work?”

  “We’re miners.”

  “What is it that you mine?”

  “Blue star crystals. Every few years, some of us make the expedition to Candlefield to sell them for cash, or to exchange them for the goods we need. Otherwise, we pretty much live off the land.”

  “Where are the mines located?”

  “On the other side of this mountain range. We only came over here to see what the prospects were like for possible future development. That’s when the dragon attacked us. We were taken totally by surprise because we’ve lived close to these dragons for ages, and we’ve never had any problems before.”

  “There’s a reason for that. This one has a young baby, and she thought you meant her harm.”

  “We would never hurt anyone.”

  “I believe you, but you’ll have to stay clear of this side of the mountain, at least until the baby dragon has grown up.”

  “Don’t worry. We won’t be back here in a hurry. You’d better come with us—getting down this slope can be very dangerous.”

  “I’ll be fine. You go ahead. I’m going to rest up a while before I attempt it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive. I’ll be okay.”

  “I don’t even know your name.”

  “It’s Jill. Jill Maxwell.”

  “I’m Cyrus. If there’s ever anything we can do to help you, you know where we are.”

  “Thanks.”

  I waited until the elves were out of sight, and then magicked myself to ground level.

  What? You didn’t actually think I was going to climb down, did you?

  I landed just outside the cave where Hardy and his men had taken refuge.

  “Hardy! Are you in there? It’s safe to come out now.”

  Moments later, the three of them appeared from the shadows.

  “Where’s the dragon?” Hardy said.

  “It’s okay. Sybil won’t do us any harm.”

  “Sybil?”

  “That’s her name; she was only trying to chase us off to protect her baby.”

  “How can you know that?”

  I told him about my visit to the dragon’s nest, and her promise not to attack the airship again.

  “I’m not sure you actually needed our protection, Jill. It seems to me you are quite capable of looking after yourself.”

  “I still appreciate you accompanying me here. I’m not sure I would have found it without you.”

  “Are you ready for the long trek home?”

  “Actually, I’m going to make my own way back. I know a shortcut.”

  “There is no shortcut. None that I know of, anyway.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. I’ll see you guys back there.”

  Now that I had my bearings, there was no sense in putting myself through the ordeal of the forest again, so instead, I simply magicked myself back to CASS.

  “Jill? Thank goodness you’re okay.” The headmistress ushered me into her office. “You look exhausted.”

  “I’m fine. Just about.”

  “Where are the others?”

  “They’re okay too, but they’re taking the long road home.”

  “What happened out there?”

  “I have good news: The dragon won’t attack the airship again.”

  “Did you kill it?”

  “No, that wasn’t necessary. She’s actually very friendly. Her name is Sybil.”

  “You spoke to a royal dragon? I didn’t think that was possible.”

  “Yes, and the first thing I discovered was that they’re actually conquestor dragons. At least, that’s what they call themselves, and I guess they should know. The only reason she attacked the airship was to protect her baby. Now that I’ve explained she has nothing to fear from it, she’s promised to leave it alone.”

  “Do you think we can trust her?”

  “I’m absolutely sure of it.”

  “That’s excellent news. Once again, we are in your debt, Jill.”

  “No problem. It was my pleasure, but I’d better get back now.”

  ***

  “Do you feel better for that walk in the fresh air, Jill?” Mrs V looked up and did a double take. “What on earth are you wearing, and what is that awful smell?”

  Oh bum! I’d forgotten to get changed, so I was still wearing the safari suit.

  “This? I saw it in a charity shop and couldn’t resist it.”

  “You’d think they would have washed it before they put it out for sale.”

  “Yes, well, I’d better crack on. Lots to do.” I hurried through to my office.

  “What on earth have you come as?” Winky laughed.

  “It’s a safari suit.”

  He put a paw over his nose. “You smell like a sweaty old sock.”

  He was right—I did. I should have showered and changed before leaving CASS.

  “So, Smelly?” He edged as far away from me as he could get. “About these blinds?”

  “What about them?”

  “Are you going to insist I get them changed?”

  “What? No, they’ll do.”

  “Just like that? After all the fuss you made before?”

  “After what I’ve just been through, I’ve realised that blinds aren’t all that important in the scheme of things.”

  “All you’ve been through? Do me a favour. You’ve literally only been gone for five minutes.”

  “I’ve explained before that time stands still in this world while I’m in the sup world. Since I last saw you, I’ve taken a ride on an airship that was attacked by a dragon. I walked miles through a jungle in search of that dragon, and then I flew on its back to its nest where I met its baby. Then I rescued some elf miners who were trapped on the mountainside. Not bad for a morning’s work, even if I do say so myself.”

  “That’s all very commendable, I’m sure, but it doesn’t alter the fact that you’re stinking the place out. Don’t they have showers in this other world of yours?”

  Chapter 12

  There was no way I could sit in the office all afternoon, dressed in a safari suit, and smelling like a sweaty old sock. As Winky had so delicately put it. I couldn’t drive home like this because the car would have needed fumigating afterwards.

  “Winky.”

  “Yes, Smelly?”

  “I’m going to use magic to go home, get showered and change.”

  “Thank goodness for that. That smell is making me quite nauseous.”

  “I shouldn’t be very long.”

  “What if the old bag lady comes looking for you?”

  “You’ll have to cover for me.”

  “And how am I supposed to do that?”

  “You’re a smart cat; you’ll figure it out.”

  Once home, I put the safari suit and my underwear straight into a large black plastic bag that I found
on the kitchen worktop. After dropping it outside the door, I hurried upstairs for a much-needed shower.

  Boy, that felt good. It was great to have finally got rid of the smell of the forest. I was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a towel, drying my hair when there was a loud knock at the door. It was most likely someone selling something, so I ignored it. They knocked again, even louder this time. And then again. Whoever was at the door wasn’t going away, so I quickly threw on some clothes and went downstairs.

  “What do you call this?” A red-faced woman held up the black plastic bag.

  “Sorry?”

  “I’m sick and tired of you people, thinking that you can use us to get rid of your dirty washing.” She pinched her nose. “It smells like something crawled in here and died.”

  “Sorry? Do I know you? Why are you holding my rubbish?”

  “There!” She exploded. “You’ve admitted it. You were trying to foist your smelly rubbish on us.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve just this minute dropped that bag outside. I was going to put it in the dustbin later.”

  “Then why did you use our bag?” She spun the bag around, and for the first time, I noticed the white lettering printed on the bottom. It read: Washbridge Clothes Aid – a registered charity.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realise it was your bag. I thought it was just a regular waste bag.”

  “Really? Do you know how much it costs us to have these bags printed? And how much it costs to distribute them door-to-door, and then to collect the clothes that have been donated? A small fortune, that’s how much.”

  “Look, this really is just a big misunderstanding. Maybe, I—err—perhaps, I could give you a small donation?”

  “How small?”

  “Wait there while I go and get my purse.” This was all Jack’s fault. How was I supposed to know the bag he’d left lying around in the kitchen was a charity collection bag? “I only have two twenty-pound notes and loose change.”

  “That will do.”

  I started to count out the coins. “Fifty-pence, seventy-pence—”

  “I meant the notes.”

  “But that’s all the cash I have on me.”

  “Do you know how much money I stand to lose today? I can’t continue on my collection while I smell like this. I’ll have to go home to shower and change.” She hesitated. “Unless, of course—” She glanced over my shoulder.