The Spy's Door

by Maidie Reeve

  “How do you eat?” Aisha asked.

  “We get water and some food once a day. The Snout lowers it down in a big bucket. After a little while he pulls it back up,” Betsy replied.

  “We never see anyone else,” Karl added.

  “What about your charms?” Aisha asked.

  “They were taken away from us when we were captured,” Edward said. “We’ve had no magic to help us.”

  “Well, I’ve still got my charm,” Basil announced. “And I think there’s a way to get out of here.”

  “How?” Aisha asked, stunned that it was Basil who might have a solution to their awful situation.

  There was the loud thump of boots on the grate.

  “You. Boy. Bad thoughts. Stop. No food,” The Snout grunted.

  “Shhh! He’ll punish us all,” Edward whispered in Basil’s ear. “Wait until he starts snoring, and then tell us your plan.”

  Chapter Eight

  Along the Elf Road

  “You’re safe now,” Morgan said, as Jun and Sophie slipped through The Sixth Gateway and into the next world.

  They all stood on the path in front of an archway cut into a very high yew hedge. A thick haze covered the opening, and it was difficult to see the world beyond.

  “Who are you really? And why are you helping us?” Jun asked, once he had caught his breath.

  “I am who I say I am,” Morgan replied. “But I am also one of Eda’s agents, and I have been giving whatever help I can so that you can reach her in time. But I can see that three of you are missing. Have you left them somewhere?”

  “Of course we haven’t left them anywhere,” Sophie replied sharply. “They’ve been captured by Malefic’s goblins, and are probably in his fortress by now. We’re not sure yet how we’re going to rescue them and help Eda as well.”

  “By the way, where is Eda? We thought we’d have seen her by now,” Jun interrupted. “Does she know that Malefic hasn’t showed himself yet? He’s created all sorts of horrible things to try and stop us, but he hasn’t tried very hard to get The Book.”

  “Eda is in the world of gateway nine, gathering together all the magic she can to defeat Malefic.” Morgan replied. “She knows that Malefic is being very clever, and won’t be drawn into the game again until he is ready. However, his goblins are on the move, and we believe that he plans to meet his troop captains at The Black Feather Inn in the world of gateway eight.”

  “I’ve been there. I’ve been to The Black Feather Inn,” Sophie said. “It was very run down, and the innkeeper was a really rude old hobgoblin.”

  “Is that why you gave us the parchment with the drawing of the black feather?” Jun asked Morgan.

  “Yes. Eda used her magic to duplicate the ones that Malefic gave to his captains. It is the passport through the worlds which are under Malefic’s control.”

  “Well, it’s worked so far,” Sophie said. “Although we think it’s been too easy, and probably part of Malefic’s plan to get us where he wants us.”

  “Eda has opened The Elf Road which enables safe travel between the different worlds,” Morgan continued. “She has asked all loyal good folk to meet at the end of the road in the world of gateway nine, and be ready to fight. But she needs you to keep playing the game so that Malefic can be lured through The Ninth Gateway.”

  “I think it’s going to be very difficult, as Malefic probably knows what’s going on. We’ve been watched ever since we started the game,” Jun added. “We’ve seen a mysterious creature wearing a hooded cloak in every world except the last one, but it hasn’t spoken to us, or come close enough for us to see what it is.”

  “It’s not a creature, it’s probably Perscrutor, Malefic’s master spy,” Morgan replied. “I’ve heard about him, but I’ve never seen him. I’m told that Malefic has given him the special power to enter and exit each world through his own magic door. He doesn’t need to use the gateways, and can turn up anywhere.”

  “That means that he can see everything that we do, but we can’t catch him. I suppose it’s just another challenge,” Jun sighed.

  “What about Twig and Aisha, and my cousin Basil? What can you do to help them?” Sophie demanded.

  “They will have been taken to Malefic’s fortress through his own passage. I can’t help them. Unfortunately, that is your challenge,” the minstrel replied.

  Sophie and Jun were not pleased with Morgan’s response.

  “This game is really confusing, and we’re not sure how to play it,” Sophie said. “Not only is The Book not working properly, the worlds and their challenges have changed. Lots of the gateways are actually open, and it’s hard to know what to do. Can you at least help us get through this world, and the next gateway?”

  “I am very sorry, but I have done all I can for now. I have to leave you here on the path, and find my way along The Elf Road to Eda’s camp. These next two worlds are still under her protection and you should be safe. Just follow the pathway to the next gate. The folk who live here are friendly, and will help with any problems. I will see you again when you reach Eda’s camp.”

  With these final words, Morgan turned away from the children. He skipped briskly along the path to the archway, and within seconds appeared to dissolve into the morning sunlight.

  “Wait,” Jun cried out. “You haven’t told us what the challenge is at the next gate.”

  “It’s too late, he’s gone,” Sophie sighed. “We’re on our own again, and we’ll have to work things out for ourselves. Let’s see if there’s anything that we can recognize from the last time we were here.”

  They stepped through the arch, and gazed at the world of The Sixth Gateway.

  The path went through a small apple orchard which grew at one side of a small, well-kept single storey farm house. When it reached the house the path turned at a right angle for a few meters before continuing around a corner to the front door. Behind the house the children could see a barn. Its tidy barnyard contained a covered well, and a few chickens were pecking at the ground looking for food. A dairy cow was tied up close by. There was also a pigsty with a very large sow and several piglets.

  “The farmland looks a bit familiar, and it all looks very peaceful, but I think we’d better check The Book before we knock at the door. We need to see if it’s working again anyway,” Jun said.

  Sophie opened the satchel and pulled out The Book. She placed it onto the path and she and Jun knelt down to have a look. Before she could turn the pages, The Book shook itself, the cover flew open, and the pages fluttered all by themselves and stopped at the page for The Seventh Gateway. The page was blank except for a very faded picture of a tree at the bottom of the page.

  “Wow! It’s never done that before,” Jun said with surprise.

  “The Book still doesn’t seem to be working properly, does it?” Sophie said with dismay. “But at least it’s doing something.”

  As the two of them stared at the page spidery words began to appear.

  This land looks safe, at least for now

  But evil can enter, it’s unclear how

  So stay on the path as you never can tell

  Who wishes you ill and who wishes you well

  Some good folk here will help you through

  But not all of them are being true

  Beware a friend who is false of face

  And trying to lure you to a bad place

  If you reach the gate, the way will be clear

  The challenge is easy, with nothing to fear.

  “That’s just great,” Sophie said. “This world is supposed to be under Eda’s protection, but The Book is warning us not to trust everyone. How are we meant to know who’s a friend and who isn’t?”

  “Yeah. This game is really difficult,” Jun replied. “We’ll just have to stay on the path, and be suspicious of anyone we meet. The main thing is to rescue the others, and then try to get to Eda’s camp. I just don’t know yet how we’re going to do this.”

  “Me either. All we can do no
w is find out who lives here, and maybe they’ll be a friend who can help us through the next gateway.”

  Sophie put The Book away and she and Jun walked through the garden, around the corner of the house, and up to a low farm-house door. Jun was careful not to leave the path as he leant over the doorstep and lifted the iron knocker to rap on the door.

  “I’m coming,” a soft voice trilled from inside the house.

  The door was opened by an elf. She was smaller than Sophie or Jun, and dressed in elfin green except for a large white apron tied around her waist. Her face was pale, like most of the elves in The Game World, and her fair hair hung over her shoulders in two long braids.

  “I was baking in the kitchen and saw you from my window,” she said. I recognized you at once, although it was such a long time ago. You’re Missy’s friends aren’t you? You helped her at the village market, and I think she helped you play your game. Am I right?"

  “Yes,” Sophie said, surprised that the elf knew who they were. “Missy, and her sister Sissy, helped us find our way through The Seventh Gateway. I’m Sophie by the way, and this is Jun.”

  “I’m Alfgife, and this is my farm. At least it’s mine and my husband’s, but you won’t see him. Calfic’s gone off with many others to meet Eda in the world of The Ninth Gateway. Strange things have been happening and Eda needs our help. So for the very first time our people have been given special passage along The Elf Road. But I’m talking too much. Let me give you something to eat and drink and you can tell me why you have come back, especially now, in these dangerous times.”

  Sophie and Jun looked at each other. Alfgife seemed friendly and loyal to Eda, but The Book had warned them. However it was hard to believe that the elf was deceitful, so they decided to trust her.

  “Thank you very much, but we can’t stay long, and we have to stay out here on the path. It’s one of the rules for the game,” Jun said to the elf. “We also have to meet up with Eda as soon as possible. That’s why we came back, to help her.”

  “I understand. Let me fetch you something small, just to keep your strength up.”

  Alfgife disappeared into the kitchen at the back of the house. In no time at all, she returned with a wooden tray of fresh bread and butter, and two wooden mugs of milk.

  Sophie and Jun each took a slice of bread and mug of milk.

  “This is delicious. Thank you very much,” Sophie said to Alfgife. “Maybe you can tell us how to get through The Seventh Gateway. Has Eda opened it only for elves?”

  “I don’t know,” Alfgife replied. “Caflic was told to meet all the others at the gate, and it would be opened briefly to let them all through. Oh dear, I think it will be closed again by now so that the goblins can’t use it. But I can tell you where it is.”

  “Is it far? And can we expect any trouble from Malefic or any of his creatures?” Jun asked.

  “No, it’s not far. All you need to do is follow The Elf Road for about half an hour until you reach the crossroads. Keep going for another ten minutes, and you’ll see a clearing in the wood in the shape of a circle. The gate is near there. You can’t get lost.”

  “I don’t think we can follow The Elf Road,” Sophie said sounding very concerned. “We have to stay on the path.”

  “The path and The Elf Road are one and the same in this world. They only go their separate ways at The Seventh Gateway. You can’t see it because the elfin way is magic, and keeps all the folk who travel on it hidden and safe from harm.”

  “Thank you again,” said Jun, putting his now empty mug back on the tray which Alfgife had placed on the door step.

  Sophie also returned her mug, and then she and Jun waved to Alfgife as they went through the farm gate, and stepped onto The Elf Road.

  Just as Alfgife had said, after about half an hour of walking through fields of wheat and barley they reached the crossroads. An old signpost, leaning to one side and pointing in four directions stood in the middle.

  “This isn’t very helpful,” said Sophie peering up at the sign. “Which way will we go? All the paths look the same. We know that we’ve just come from The Farmhouse. Now we have to choose from The Wizard’s Wood, The Traitor’s Lair or The Oak Glade. They can’t all go to The Seventh Gateway.”

  “The Traitor’s Lair doesn’t sound too good,” Jun replied, chewing his lip. “I think it’ll be either The Wizard’s Wood or The Oak Glade.”

  “I don’t believe it!” Sophie suddenly cried out, and pointed. “There’s Twig. Look! He’s just come around the corner on the path to The Wizard’s Wood. He must have got away from the goblins.”

  “Hello!” She called out, and waved at Twig. He waved back and beckoned them to come and meet him.

  “It must be the way to the next gate,” Sophie said.

  “No, wait,” Jun said firmly, and put his hand out to stop her from running down the path to meet their friend. “Twig’s a brownie, and he doesn’t have to take the same path as us. He’ll be here in a few seconds and we can ask him if he’s come the right way.”

  As he spoke, Twig reached the signpost. He smiled at his friends.

  “Am I glad to see you. I managed to escape from the goblins, and I know the safe way to the world of The Ninth Gateway. But we have to hurry, as Eda’s waiting for us. You can follow me. It won’t take us long to get there.”

  “How did you get away? Did Eda help? What about the others? Do we go back the way you came?” Sophie asked Twig eagerly.

  “We’ve no time to lose. Just follow me.” Twig tugged at Sophie’s arm without answering her questions.

  “Twig, is something wrong?” Jun asked. He had noticed that Twig’s eye’s looked glazed, and that he didn’t seem himself.

  “Everything is fine. Just follow me down the path to The Wizard’s Wood, and I’ll show you how to get through The Seventh Gateway.”

  “I think he’s under some sort of a spell,” Jun said quietly to Sophie. “And we’ll be in danger if we follow him. This was what The Book was warning us about. Remember, it said to beware of a friend with a false face.”

  “You must come with me. I’ve been sent to get you,” Twig said to Sophie, ignoring Jun.

  Sophie now looked carefully at Twig whose expression hadn’t changed. He was smiling, but now she saw that it didn’t reach his eyes. They looked glassy and slightly out of focus. He reminded her of the hobgoblin at The Fourth Gateway.

  Twig continued to pull on Sophie’s arm.

  “Twig, wait. We have to think about what’s best.” Sophie pulled her arm away.

  She stepped back as Twig grabbed hold of her arm again.

  “Sophie, come with me. I know the way. Aisha and Basil need your help.”

  Twig turned and stared at Jun.

  “Jun, tell Sophie. You must come with me.”

  “Jun, I think you’re right. He’s acting very strangely. Malefic must have bewitched him, and sent him to trap us,” Sophie said.

  Twig had now let go of Sophie’s arm and grown silent. He looked dazed.

  “At least we know now that we shouldn’t take the path to The Wizard’s Wood,” Jun said. “And if we eliminate The Traitor’s Lair, it means we have to take the path to The Oak Glade. We’ll have to bring Twig along as well, and try to find a way to break Malefic’s spell.”

  “Come on Twig, come with us.”

  Twig, now silent, didn’t resist as Sophie took his hand, and the three of them started to walk off in the direction of The Oak Glade.

  If they had looked back, they would have seen a small hooded figure standing in the middle of the crossroads, watching them leave.

  Chapter Nine

  Under the Oak Tree

  The game path, bathed in warm sunshine, continued to weave its way through fields of wheat, and then corn. Although the crops looked ready to harvest, there was no sign of any farming activity. Nearly all of the elves had left to join Eda.

  “I can see some trees up ahead,” Jun observed. “It must be the oak wood.”

 
“Let’s hope the challenge at The Seventh Gateway is easy, and that the next world is safe. I’d like to get through it as fast as possible,” Sophie said. “If Aisha and Basil are imprisoned in Malefic’s fortress, they must be really scared, and worried about how we’re going to rescue them.”

  The corn fields soon gave way to a wood of large oaks. The path was over-shadowed by the ancient trees, whose thick canopies of leaves rustled softly against each other. Sunlight flickered through the leaves, but the air was cool. Several squirrels followed the children. They scampered alongside the pathway, darting in and out of the undergrowth. Overhead, tiny sparrows flew amongst the trees, chirping loudly.

  “Hey! Look! There he is again,” Jun exclaimed, pointing at an oak up ahead. “It’s the spy! He’s moving pretty fast.”

  Sophie, still leading a docile Twig, glimpsed the back of a small figure dressed in a dark hooded cloak as it disappeared behind a large tree trunk.

  “I think you’re right. He’s still tracking our every move. Malefic probably already knows that his spell didn’t work, and that Twig failed to make us to leave the path. I only hope that Malefic’s not waiting for us on the other side of The Seventh Gateway, like he did last time.”

  “Me too,” Jun replied. “He must know that Eda’s calling all the good folk together, and that she’s preparing to fight him again. And I can’t believe that he doesn’t have a plan to take The Book from us. He can’t get through The Tenth Gateway without it. We must be extra careful.”

  Whilst they were chatting, Sophie, Jun, and Twig, had entered a small glade encircled by a ring of ancient oaks. In the middle of the glade was a giant oak tree. Its huge trunk was gnarled with age, and large knobby roots spread out from its base like long fingers. Although the tree’s broad canopy cast a shadow over the entire clearing, surprisingly, the glade felt friendly and welcoming, instead of threatening.

  The red brick pathway led straight to the large trunk of the majestic tree, and there it stopped.

  Sophie let go of Twig’s hand, and he stood there, staring blankly ahead. The group of squirrels, now silent, sat nearby and watched the children.