by Kim Thompson
“And then vines came out of its mouth,” said Willa.
“Aye. Just like in the dream,” said Gwyneth. “It’s a blessing he can’t get up an’ follow us.”
“I know, that’s our only advantage at the moment.” Willa sighed. “We’re fighting him too, but he keeps growing back.”
The cousins moved off to the bonfire burning nearby. “Night is upon us,” observed Gwyneth.
“Yes. We need to exchange arms.” Willa thrust her sword at Gwyneth. “Here.”
Gwyneth grasped it and took a couple of slow swings. She nodded, impressed. “’Tis a marvellous blade.”
“Made by dwarves.”
“Ye can have mine.” Gwyneth pulled out her sword and handed it over. It was big and bulky, and its ancient blade was pitted and nicked. Gwyneth fitted the belt and sheath around Willa’s waist, as Willa awkwardly hefted the sword, nearly dropping it.
“It’s too heavy for me,” she exclaimed. “You’re stronger than you look.”
Gwyneth smiled brightly. “Hold on now!” She ran into the hut and came out again with a sturdy wooden staff. “A fightin’ staff may serve you better. ’Tis rowanwood, especially powerful during Beltane.”
Willa took it in her other hand. “I’ll take both, just in case.” She paused, suddenly stricken with doubt. “How can we do this, Gwyneth? We have to act together, act as one. How will we know to strike at the same time?”
She was answered by meowing and saw that Loom had joined them. Gwyneth listened carefully, then nodded.
“Loom says if we remain calm and alert, we’ll both know the moment.” She put her hand on Willa’s shoulder and smiled. “Good luck, my friend.”
Willa resurfaced awkwardly, with the heavy sword dangling at her side and the long staff under her arm. Tengu was waiting for her and gave her a hand out of the water. “Miss Trang is down, and the vines are squeezing the life out of her! The Green Man is getting stronger.”
Willa pulled the soggy yarn scarf from her pocket and called, “Mab! It’s time to untie the knot.”
Mab flew up, aghast. “Are you sure?”
“Yup.” She turned to the others. “Walpurgis Night is falling on the other side, and we’ve got to face the Green Man at the same time they do.”
“What will happen when night falls?” Belle asked.
Willa looked to Horace. “The Green Man will get a burst of strength,” he said slowly. “But so will we.”
Willa brandished her staff. “Keep the fire going and be ready for whatever comes. Horace, can you see that everyone here is armed?”
“You can count on me.”
Willa turned to Tengu. “Let’s go give Miss Trang a hand.”
There was a sudden flicker of light as Oberon landed on Willa’s shoulder, his sword drawn.
“May I join you in this worthy enterprise?”
“Glad to have you,” she answered with a smile. Mab landed on her other shoulder, her sword and chain mail sparkling in the light. Willa nodded. “You can come, too, but the yarn has to stay here. We must keep it safe.”
Mab nodded and lifted the long loop of wet yarn from around her neck. “When should I loose the knot?”
Willa looked around at each pale, determined face. There were nods all round. Willa turned back to Mab. “Go ahead.”
Mab bent to the task. One end of the scarf fell free, and the stitches began to unravel. Argus took the scarf and gave Willa a reassuring nod. “I’ll take care of everything here. Good luck.”
The sun dropped from the sky. Willa and Tengu sprinted through the forest, with Oberon and Mab glittering just ahead of them. The staff felt good in Willa’s hand, but the sword banged heavily against her legs as she ran. She wondered if she’d be able to swing it effectively.
They found Miss Trang lying on the ground, struggling against the vines that bound her. Robert, Baz, and a few dwarves hacked at the foliage in vain. Other dwarves had gone to the aid of Radsvidr and Aurvangr, who had fallen and were disappearing into the deadly green coils.
Tengu let out a war cry and ran to their aid. Oberon and Mab sprang to help Miss Trang, working to sever the vine that was pulling her mouth shut.
The Green Man himself was staring up at the sky, paying no attention to the activity around him. Willa followed his gaze.
The sun was slipping below the horizon, and the light was fading fast. Walpurgis Night, she thought, and drew her sword.
The Green Man stretched out his arms. As the sun’s rim sank from sight, he let out a joyous howl. There was a tremendous CRACK, and his legs splintered out of the great vine, which crumbled beheath him. Freed, he rose and stood, dark and tall against the sky. He stomped both feet, and the earth shook. Then he turned on Miss Trang, his mouth opening wide like an immense black cave. Just as he lunged forward, Mab and Oberon freed Miss Trang’s snout and she exhaled flames in his face.
He fell back momentarily as his features reformed, and Robert and the others turned on him, with Willa joining in. Now that he was upright, however, they could only chop at his feet and legs, and he easily kicked them away. He circled Miss Trang, trying to avoid the flames.
Willa! The Green Man has risen! The words popped into Willa’s head.
Gwyneth? thought Willa in amazement.
Aye! You can hear me! Brilliant! Listen, we’re drawin’ the Green Man to the fire!
We’ll do the same! answered Willa. She fell back, waving to the others. “The fire! Draw him to the fire!”
One by one, Baz, the dwarves, and finally Robert dropped back. The Green Man saw his opportunity, and with a sweeping gesture, he sent a wave of vines rolling over Miss Trang. Her mouth was snapped shut and bound tightly. She fell back, her eyes closed.
Another wave of foliage rippled toward them. Robert scooped Willa up onto his back and turned toward the trees.
“Miss Trang!” she gasped, looking back. She caught a last glimpse of the fairies — tiny golden glimmers above the dragon’s head.
Mab! Oberon! Look after her!
They thundered into the woods. Willa hung on, looking back. Would the Green Man follow? After a moment she heard trees splinter and crash, and a dark form rose up behind them.
They burst out of the trees and galloped around the pool. Flames from the fire lit scared faces in the dark and glittered in the pool.
Willa slid off Robert’s back. “He’s right behind us!” The dwarves arrayed themselves around the pool, bows and arrows ready.
We’re here! What now? Willa thought.
Ye must get him into the smoke!
Willa looked up at their fire. There’s not much smoke!
Rowanwood! You need rowanwood!
Willa ran to Argus, who had his hand on the attic rope.
“Pull it lower so I can reach!”
Argus hauled on the rope, and Willa looked inside. The dragon-skin bundle was still intact and ablaze in the midst of the burning room.
She heard a scream and turned to see the Green Man step out of the woods. He drew to his full height before them, a two-storey mass of branches, thorns, and leaves. The dwarves shot their arrows, which lodged in his body with little effect.
Willa thrust the rowanwood staff into the fire. Immediately, clouds of smoke billowed out, white against the night sky. They drifted across the pool, collecting around the Green Man, who let out an irritated snort. The dwarves let fly another volley of arrows.
Willa drew the staff from the fire. It was ablaze now, and she moved toward the Green Man. The smoke seemed drawn to him, wrapping around his head in a thick blanket.
He’s in the smoke! He can’t see a thing!
Now is our chance! We must strike at his heart, but I need a moment to get closer, came Gwyneth’s response.
So do I. Let me know when you’re ready.
Robert, Baz, and Tengu were at
tacking the Green Man again, chopping at his legs with their axes. A few of the dwarves dropped their bows and joined in. Willa passed the burning staff to Tengu.
“Tengu! Keep up the smokescreen!”
Tengu nodded and sprang into action, weaving in and out of the Green Man’s legs as the rowan smoke rose into his face. Willa ran around to the side of a giant leg, grabbed hold, and began to climb.
With the smoke wreathing around his face, the giant didn’t seem to notice her as she scrambled higher. Thorns tore at her hands and legs as she climbed. All was confusion and noise below. Between wisps of smoke, she caught glimpses of her friends slashing away while the forest itself reached out to grasp them in a twining embrace. She looked back at Argus and the fire, still going strong. In the flickering light, she thought she saw her mother’s face among the watchers, eyes wide, but that was impossible.
Willa looked up again. Focus. She grabbed the next branch and pulled herself up. She was high enough now and began inching her way toward the middle of his chest. Up here, the bundles of branches that made up his body were looser, and she could see between them. She paused and put her eye to a gap. Deep in the middle of the torso she caught sight of a tightly packed core — a solid wooden knot where his heart should be.
Willa positioned herself as close to it as she could get. Then she wedged one arm firmly between two branches and drew her sword with the other hand.
I’m here and I see the heart! Are you ready?
Nay! came Gwyneth’s answer. Almost … almost…
Willa waited, hanging on and calculating exactly where to thrust. Glancing down, she saw that Baz and Robert were both down, green vines coiled around them like boa constrictors.
Ready! Gwyneth called.
On the count of three. One … Willa pulled her sword arm back. Two … Just then there was a break in the smoke, and the Green Man looked down at her, his grey eyes meeting hers. His arm swung across, slamming her against his chest, and the sword flew from her hand.
Wait, Gwyneth! Stop!
She looked over her shoulder and saw the sword splash into the pool. There was a different sound — a dragon’s roar? — and the Green Man turned his head away from her. Willa wildly scanned the fighters below. The only eye she caught was Tengu’s, who saw her problem immediately. He dropped back a step, flipped the rowan staff around so the flaming end was behind him, and flung it like a javelin. As if in a dream, it arced up through the air, and Willa’s hand shot out to grab it.
THREE! she called to Gwyneth — NOW! — and she thrust the burning end of the staff into the Green Man’s chest. His arm smashed into her again, but Willa hung on and pushed the staff with all her might, further, further into the dark knot at the centre of his chest.
An ear-splitting scream rent the air. Willa looked up at the green face tipping toward her, the mouth widening, the scream intensifying. That mouth, and the darkness beyond, were descending toward her, and she realized he meant to swallow her up. Then the world shifted, the Green Man was leaning forward, and Willa’s legs swung out. She hung from the staff, her fingers slipping. Looking down, she saw the welcome waters of the pool and let go.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Someone has got me”
She hit the water hard and plunged to the bottom. A split-second later, the monstrous bulk of the Green Man hit the water too, his massive, screaming face looming toward her. Willa twisted and pushed off from the bottom, trying to swim out from under it, but the black mouth gaped above her, filling her vision. She made a last lunge to escape, reaching out desperately….
Darkness enveloped her, and a numbing cold seeped through her veins. Screaming voices slipped through her like a million needles. She could feel her mind start to splinter and float away. Her body seemed distant, frozen and unresponsive … except for her hands, extended before her. They felt strangely warm, and she realized that other hands were holding hers.
Someone has got me, she thought. I’m all right.
She squeezed the hands, and they pulled. Willa hung on. She felt her strength draining away, but she held on. She felt the cold start to slip away.
Someone has got me, she kept thinking, over and over. She lifted her head. Through the darkness, she could see a glimmer of light that grew larger and larger until she was pulled out into it.
Warmth flooded through her, and the light was blinding. She lifted her head, blinking. She was underwater, and she was looking into the eyes of Mom and Belle. They each held one of her hands. She looked at her mom, beautiful in the underwater light, with her hair — totally silver — flowing up and around her. She looked at them both.
Thank you.
Her mom pulled her into a tight hug. Belle gave her hand a little pat. All right. Let’s get outta here.
They swam to the surface to cheers on all sides. Helping hands hauled them out of the water.
Willa! Are ye all right?
Gwyneth! I’m okay. You too? And your cousins?
We’re grand. All scratches and bruises, but grand.
Willa stared at the remains of the Green Man. His body lay the length of the pool, and at the centre of his chest the rowanwood staff still burned. His legs remained on land, smouldering, as Miss Trang breathed fire on them.
The vines that had gripped everyone had simply fallen away when the Green Man fell. Willa could see Baz crawling out of a pile of greenery, and Robert kicking off branches. The dwarves and Tengu were gathering the crumbling vines into a large pile now, right under the attic, and Roshni flew down to set them alight.
“Yahoo!” cried Tengu. “Someone get the marshmallows!”
Oberon and Mab flitted past Willa, their arms entwined and Mab’s head on Oberon’s shoulder.
“Darling, you were magnificent,” she breathed.
“Yes. Yes, I was,” he sighed happily. She gave him a sharp look. “So were you, cupcake,” he added hurriedly. “So were you!”
“Naturally,” she answered, her sweet smile returning.
Willa walked back to her mom, who was feeling behind her ears and grimacing. “Gross,” she said.
Willa put a hand to her own head. “They’re not so bad. And I like your hair.”
Her mom raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked down at her reflection in the water. “Oh, good lord. Appalling.”
They smiled at each other.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” said Willa.
“Oh Willa, I had to come. I knew you were in danger.”
“How did you know?”
She sighed. “I just … knew. Stupid mermaid powers, I suppose.”
Willa laughed, and her mom smiled. “Willa, I’ve gone about everything the wrong way. I was just so worried about you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you everything, but I swear I was going to someday.”
“I know, Mom. It’s okay.”
“And what I did to you, making you afraid of water. It was a terrible thing to do, and I’ve regretted it ever since. At the time I thought I was keeping you safe, but I didn’t really understand what I was doing, what I was capable of doing.” She paused, and Willa saw she was crying. “I’m sorry, Willa. I’m just so sorry.”
Willa hugged her. “I forgive you, Mom.” They stood like that for a long while, their arms around each other, crying, laughing and sniffling.
“Willa! Hey, Willa!”
Willa looked up, wiping away her tears. It was Tengu, and he was pointing to the vine that grew out of the time hole. “What about this one? Can we throw it on the fire?”
“No, wait!” called Willa. “I need to do something first. Have we got any rope?”
The dwarves collected a long rope for Willa, and she pulled it into the small time hole and all the way through to the other side.
A joyful scene greeted her as she climbed out of the well. The cousins were piping and dancing around the b
onfire. As she was securing the end of the rope to the well’s pulley, Gwyneth dashed up to give her a big hug.
“Simply brilliant! Well done!” she gushed.
“You too! I can’t believe we did it!” grinned Willa. She turned and showed Gwyneth the rope. “This runs through to my side. I think if we keep this rope as a connection instead of the vine, the time hole will remain in place.”
“Lovely.” Gwyneth smiled, linking her arm in Willa’s. They walked together toward the still form of the Green Man lying at the edge of the wood. Two elves were pulling him apart to feed the fire. One of them called out to Gwyneth.
“Can I, Gwyn? Can I now?”
“All right, Grat, go ahead,” said Gwyneth, laughing. “He’s after cuttin’ the head off,” she explained, rolling her eyes. “Lads!”
She pointed to the hilt of Willa’s sword, still sticking out of the Green Man’s chest. “Your dwarvish blade was deadly! I’ll fetch it for ye.”
Willa stopped her. “Don’t worry about it. You can keep it.”
“Cheers. And ye can have mine.”
Willa smiled. “It didn’t do me much good. I dropped it after I climbed up and—”
“Ye climbed up the Green Man?”
“Yes, didn’t you?”
“Nay, I thought it’d be easier to trip him up.”
“You tripped him? How?” asked Willa in astonishment.
Gwyneth led her down to the feet. She bent to untangle the black cord looped around one giant ankle and the silver box glinting at the end of it.
Willa burst into laughter. “You used the toaster!”
“I told ye ’twas a weapon,” said Gwyneth, swinging the toaster up into the air and catching it.
Chapter Thirty
A Beltane bonfire and one limited edition arachnid souvenir
The masses of dead vines provided enough fuel for a massive bonfire, engulfing the attic as well, and when Willa returned home she found everyone gathered around it, too tired to go inside to bed. Miss Trang, still in dragon form, lay curled up at the far end of the blaze, blinking sleepily. Oberon and Mab sat together on the dragon’s head, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Robert and the dwarves toasted each other with brandy. Tengu had found the marshmallows; he was igniting them one by one and trying to interest the others in the charred results. The only one eager to eat them seemed to be the basilisk, who followed Tengu around like a devoted puppy. Argus sat stroking Roshni’s feathers and listening as Horace happily outlined the book he planned to write about the basilisk, and the scientific paper he had in mind on the topic of time hole aberrations. Baz danced in circles around the fire, rabbits cavorting at her heels and fairies pirouetting above.