The Apprentice Witch
Page 22
Arianwyn stopped dead in her tracks. Had she heard right? She blushed and shifted from foot to foot and then glared at Salle. ‘You knew about this?’ She grimaced. Salle smiled.
The mayor continued, ‘As you are all aware, Miss Gribble recently saved the entire town from a night ghast. She did this without any thought for her own safety or well-being and demonstrated a huge amount of courage.’
‘Hear hear!’ somebody called from the crowd and there was another outbreak of applause. Arianwyn couldn’t believe her ears! She didn’t know where to look.
‘And so I wish to offer her the freedom of the town in recognition of her dutiful and heroic service, in the face of great adversity.’ Mayor Belcher stepped forwards and extended a hand to Arianwyn. Unsure exactly how to respond, Arianwyn grasped it. ‘I’m so sorry about Gimma, Mayor Belcher,’ she said softly.
‘Please don’t trouble yourself, and besides I am the one who should apologize. I fear I was blinded by my love for my niece, Miss Gribble . . . can you forgive me?’
Arianwyn smiled. ‘Of course!’
The mayor smiled and then rather unexpectedly caught Arianwyn up in a massive hug. The crowd of townspeople cheered loudly.
‘And now I shall hand over to Miss Delafield, who has another honour to confer on Miss Gribble.’ After more applause, Miss Delafield, resplendent in her uniform, hobbled forward on a walking stick – the white cast thumped loudly as she moved. In her free hand she carried a small velvet box.
It looked very familiar indeed.
‘Miss Gribble recently undertook her re-evaluation,’ Miss Delafield said loudly, ‘and has proved to be a singularly powerful witch. It gives me the greatest of pleasures, on behalf of the Civil Witchcraft Authority, to announce that her apprenticeship is at an end and from today she is a fully qualified witch!’
Arianwyn couldn’t believe her ears. She watched in stunned silence as Miss Delafield flipped the box open and there, nestled amongst the black velvet, was a bright, silver, five-pointed star.
Miss Delafield reached forwards and took away the bronze moon brooch and pinned the shining star to Arianwyn’s blouse in its place. Arianwyn felt her cheeks warm as the crowd erupted into loud cheers and shouting.
‘Congratulations!’ Miss Delafield beamed. ‘I am so proud of you, and so grateful to you as well.’ She caught Arianwyn up in a tight embrace and when they broke apart Arianwyn was sure there were tears on Miss Delafield’s cheeks.
The lane rang with the sound of cheering, clapping and the stamping of feet. And then came calls for a speech. Unsure what to say,Arianwyn stood on to the steps of the Spellorium and looked out at the sea of smiling faces before her.
For a second she didn’t think she could say anything at all. And then she said, ‘Thank you all so very much. I feel very honoured to have all your support—’ She was just about to thank Miss Delafield and the mayor when a small but urgent voice called out, ‘Where’s the witch, then?’
The crowd parted this way and that as Cyril Myddleton came forwards. He had a ball tucked under his arm, his clothes were in their usual dis -array. His encounter with the night ghast was clearly long forgotten and no signs of lasting damage remained. Arianwyn smiled warmly, relieved.
‘Miss Witch!’ he called cheerfully, oblivious of the crowd around him or the gravity of the occasion.
‘What seems to be the matter?’Arianwyn asked.
‘Me mam says you’re to come straight away please, miss.’
Arianwyn went cold. But with all eyes on her, she asked brightly, ‘And what seems to be the problem?’
‘We got ourselves some more of them snotlling things, miss!’ the boy said urgently. Arianwyn couldn’t help but smile.
‘Do you want me to come with you to help, this time?’ Miss Delafield asked quietly, coming to stand beside her.
Arianwyn considered for a moment and then said, ‘No, thank you!’
There was a loud cheer from the crowd and Arianwyn set off, following Cyril along Kettle Lane. People reached out to pat her shoulder or back as she dashed past. She glanced back at Mayor Belcher and Miss Delafield. They both beamed proudly and waved at their new fully fledged witch.
Arianwyn felt her own smile spread across her face and she lifted a hand to wave back.
She felt at home, complete and whole.
GLOSSARY OF GLYPHS
Årdra is the fire glyph. Its strength is immense, as is its ability to destroy at the hands of an inexperienced witch. It also contains properties for light and protection.
Briå, the air glyph, is summoned for spells that require delicacy. It is used in broomcraft and for transformation. Its defensive properties are limited but can be wielded by a witch with high skill.
For spells of strength and protection it is best to use Erṯe, the earth glyph. Strong and resourceful, it is the easiest of the glyphs to summon but the most difficult to master.
Ḁluna is the water glyph, useful for spells of healing and for those skilled in the arts of divination. Like water, it can appear weak but has a hidden strength.
L’ier is the banishing glyph and contains at its heart a sliver of dark magic for it summons a small rift, opening a portal from the human world to the void to which a dark spirit is returned.
ʘru is the simplest glyph to summon and creates a light spell orb. It is usually the glyph and spell a witch would first learn, before the age of five.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have been so lucky to have so much love and support whilst writing this book and many careful hands to guide me along the way.
Julia Williams, who said I should ‘just get on and do it!’ and kindly read some very early chapters – thank you for setting me off on this most amazing of adventures!
Imogen Cooper,Vanessa Harbour and the amazing team of editors and writers at the Golden Egg Academy who helped to encourage and nurture my little tale and gave me confidence to go on and on and on! What you are doing is a rare and wonderful thing and I feel lucky to be part of your golden gang, you gorgeous people!
Bella Pearson, my wonderful GEA mentor – your love of my story, faith in me, kindness and friendship have been more than I could ask for – to have the opportunity to work with you was just amazing.
Early readers, Katy Kwa, Emma Greenwood, Kay Vallely, Andrew Wright, Sue Eves, Anthony Burt, Anne Marie Stone and Fiona Noble – thank you all for your thoughtful feedback, encouragement and friendship.
To the wonderful warm community of children’s writers out there in the world – you have been nothing but friendly and supportive, thank you for being lovely!
Kate Shaw – the most awesome agent – you are wise, brilliant and have THE best laugh in the world!
Vashti Hardy and Lorraine Gregory (Moo and Queenie!), your friendship has been the most wonderful thing to come out of this (aside from the awesome book obviously!). Thanks for keeping me calm, cheering me on and making me laugh on a daily basis!
I have been so lucky that Barry Cunningham (and his hat!) were both suitably ‘charmed’ by The Apprentice Witch and that we have found a home with Chicken House. I’m truly honoured and humbled to be amongst the list of the wonderful authors you have published.
To all the marvellous Chicken House team, but especially Rachel Hickman, Jazz Bartlett, Laura Smythe, Laura Myers and Elinor Bagenal – golly gosh but you are all just AMAZING and I love working with you all.
My wonderful, wonderful editors, Kesia Lupo and Rachel Leyshon, you are stars and have made the book so much more with thoughtful guidance and the gentlest of nudges! You are now officially honorary witches and two of my favourite people ever!
Daniela Terrazzini, your stunning sketches captivated me from the start and I am over the moon that my words are wrapped in your strikingly beautiful illustrations!
To all my friends and family – thank you for not thinking I had gone totally round the bend for embarking on this and for being proud and promising to all buy LOTS of copies!
To Juli
an, for never doubting that this would happen, for buying the dishwasher and for being at my side every day and through everything.
And lastly to you – the reader of this book – you have brought the story to life with your imagination and it now belongs to you! Also, you’re very dedicated to read this far!
TRY ANOTHER GREAT BOOK FROM CHICKEN HOUSE
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY
by Trenton Lee Stewart
When a peculiar advertisement appears in the newspaper for children to take part in a secret mission,children everywhere sit a series of mysterious tests. In the end, just Reynie, Kate, Sticky and Constance succeed. They have three things in common:they are honest, remarkably talented and orphans.
They must go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. There they must work as a team to save not only themselves, but also the world outside the walls.
Paperback, 978-1-906427-02-3, £6.99 • ebook, 978-1-909489-25-7, £6.99
ALSO AVAILABLE:
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY & THE PERILOUS JOURNEY
Paperback, ISBN 978-1-906427-14-6, £6.99 • ebook, ISBN 978-1-909489-26-4, £6.99
THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY & THE PRISONER’S DILEMMA
Paperback, ISBN 978-1-906427-69-6, £6.99 • ebook, ISBN 978-1-909489-27-1, £6.99
Text © James Nicol 2016
First paperback edition published in Great Britain in 2016
This electronic edition published in 2016
Chicken House
2 Palmer Street
Frome, Somerset BA11 1DS
United Kingdom www.chickenhousebooks.com
James Nicol has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical or otherwise, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express prior written permission of the publisher.
Produced in the UK by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon CR0 4YY
Cover and interior design by Steve Wells
Cover and interior illustrations © Daniela Terrazzini
British Library Cataloguing in Publication data available.
PB ISBN 978-1-910655-15-3
eISBN 978-1-910655-62-7