Jeff kept his voice low. “What do you see, Rig?” Despite himself, the whispered banter and their comical poses lifted Rig’s spirits and he grinned reluctantly.
“I am hoping a lot of toads, but I cannot be sure,” he whispered back.
Jeff and Rhed turned their heads to look at Rig, but they could not tell whether he was joking. Rig turned away from the shore.
“Come on, boys. Let’s find a place to sleep.” Rig moved into the bush.
Jeff and Rhed followed, not wanting to be left behind outside Rig’s silver glow. He was like a dimly glowing walking torch.
Rig waded a good way into the forest before he found a large tree with huge roots tangled in knots above the ground. This would give them cover. He told them to get comfortable but not to move away. He would not go far.
A few minutes later he returned with fruit, berries and nuts. Rhed pulled out some cookies and chips from his bag and added them to the pile that Rig produced. Soon they were all nibbling and enjoying the fruit and berries, some of which were different from anything they had ever had but they were good and filling.
Rig had them take off their wet sneakers and socks and covered them in a silver dust blanket.
“They will be dry in no time,” he said.
Then Jeff asked the dreaded question. “Rig … will Madgwick?” He could not finish the sentence, could not get the words out, as if saying it out loud would make their worst fears come true.
Rig sighed heavily and stared into the night, as if he were lost in thought about Madgwick. He did not want to raise the boy’s hopes. Besides, they would all know soon enough if his hunch was right.
Rig kept his answer simple. “I am not sure. There were a lot of shimmers to fight.”
“Why?” asked Rhed in a small voice, as if he did not want to upset Rig, but Rig seemed to know what he was asking.
“I wanted to fight in place of Madgwick. Madgwick is a good warrior but his magic is limited and young. It still needs to grow. He would not have been able to take you all the way across the lake in the magic dust boat like I just did. We had to get you to safety. That was our first concern.”
“I suppose there is no harm in telling you now. They have Matt right now but you, Jeff, would serve their purposes to infiltrate the dreams of children just as well. They took Matt because he is younger and it’s easier to manipulate him. It would have been harder with you, but they would have done it in the end, with disastrous consequences to your mind. That is why we wanted you to stay behind, but you are here.” He paused. “So we will do what we have to do to protect you and get Matt back.”
Jeff was surprised. “Me? What about Rhed?”
“You and Matt come from a line of dream catchers. In a nutshell, you can catch dreams and influence them.”
“Wow, I can?”
Rig sighed. “You don’t know yet how to catch dreams but with training and some practice you could do it. But on the downside, with the right spell or enchantment, your dreams could also be manipulated and used for evil.”
“So Matt and I are dream catchers, but what about my mom and dad?”
“Your mother is a dream catcher.”
“I think by now you have realised this is a dangerous place, not just a great adventure. I can’t get you back to the doorway, and I can’t leave you here. I am stuck with you and you are stuck with me. My mission is to rescue Matt and since you are here with me perhaps you could start to listening to me while I try and figure a way of finding Matt and getting everyone back home in one piece.”
Jeff and Rhed were quiet.
Then Jeff asked, “Do you think the shimmers will still come over the water?”
“They will not stop until they have fulfilled their mission, which is to stop us, although by now they may have another order for your capture as well. They are coming but they will have to come around the lake. They cannot go too far over water before the moisture makes them evaporate. This lake is very wide. They will have to go around so it will take a few days for them to catch up with us.”
“Rig, how?” began Jeff.
Rig put his hands up. “Enough questions for now. We need to go at a good pace tomorrow so we need some sleep. There will be time to answer more questions tomorrow.”
23
They were on their way as the sun rose in the morning. Jeff was still upset about Madgwick and pulled his lips tight to put on a brave face. Rig was taking no nonsense either. He gave them each a large root to chew on.
“It will help with your bruises, aches and pains, and give you some energy.”
Jeff looked at the root with trepidation, wondering whose snot or vomit they were about to chew on. The root looked like a potato but it was a deep pink with bright yellow spots.
“It’s a tree root, really,” Rig sighed and walked away, laughing under his breath.
Jeff nibbled on the root and raised his eyebrows.
“Watermelon,” he informed Rhed.
“Oh, cool.” Rhed took a bite.
The boys were keeping up, chewing on their roots as they walked through the forest.
The trees were so old that the trunks had deep grooves and the forest floor was carpeted with bright green moss covering the roots that protruded like spaghetti.
The sun filtered down in between the branches and leaves. He heard birds and other animals but could not see them. They were too high up.
“Do not touch anything. Not a flower, not a leaf, nothing in this forest is as it seems,” Rig warned.
“What do you mean? This place is stunning, weird but stunning.” Jeff grimaced as he sidestepped a huge pink flower that was oozing red juice looking suspiciously like blood.
“This is the land of Drakmere, where nightmares originate. The closer we get to the castle, the more its enchantment will work to entice you. Nothing you see is real.”
Jeff pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked up. Silly as it was, he could not shake the idea that the trees were watching them. He heard the rustle of the leaves far above him.
“Uh, Rig,” he started. He did not want to sound foolish, so he worded his sentence carefully.
“I think someone is watching us.”
“Probably the trees,” answered Rig, not breaking his stride.
“Okaaaay,” said Jeff. He grinned as Rhed, who was so busy watching the trees, tripped over a root.
Rhed scrambled to his feet, pushing his glasses back up his nose and shoving his thick ropes of black hair back over his shoulder.
“The trees are watching us, really?”
“The trees,” called Rig over his shoulder. “This forest is enchanted just like the forest surrounding Little Falls, but this one is not as friendly.”
Rig stopped and looked up, taking in the gigantic trees. He turned around and saw that both boys had stopped and were staring at him with their mouths open.
“Our forest, the forest back home is enchanted?”
“Of course it is. Who do think got rid of that maremist that attacked you in the forest?” Rig carried on, but not hearing any sound of movement behind him made him stop and turn back. He threw his hands in the air in frustration and his purple eyes flashed. “Now what?”
Both boys were still staring at him. Rhed found his voice and words first.
“The forest attacked the mare … thingy?”
“Maremist,” said Rig. “It caught Matt and planted a spell, the forest fought it off, and gave you time to get away.”
“Matt was in a spell? So he was not sick? Is he sick?” Jeff asked.
Rig headed back to where Jeff was standing. It was obvious that Jeff could not walk and talk at the same time. If he did not sort this out they would be camping right here tonight. About half a day from their camp last night!
Rig took in a jagged breath and had a look of irritation on his face. “They’re just kids, they’re just kids,” he muttered.
“Matt was attacked by the maremist. He was never sick. He was just in a spell. The spell w
as completed by a full moonbeam that touched Matt that night. It put him into a moontrance.”
Rig stopped for breath. “Our spell weavers were working on a spell to wake him but it could only be woven during a full moon, which was going to be last night. But then he got snatched by the moonglow first. The trance lifted when he entered the moonglow. When you saw Matt in the glow, he was awake and normal, true?”
Jeff, remembering Matt’s eyes, full of excitement, nodded.
“The maremist was sent by the evil witch Wiedzma and Drakmere’s King Grzegorz to catch Matt. Which it did. Had we known what she was planning, we would have never let it get close to Matt. Anyway the forest reacted to the attack. And your friend Rhed here,” Rig nodded in Rhed’s direction, “by knocking your brother out of the mist so quickly, helped to prevent the spell from being completed.” Rig grinned crookedly. “Which means there is a very good chance that Wiedzma, not knowing this, may find it harder to enchant Matt with her spell than she thinks. It gives us a chance to get to Matt.”
Rig pointed in the direction they were walking and swung his arms. “Can we try walking and talking? We’ve got quite a way to go.”
Jeff got going again. They were wasting time. Matt was waiting for them, he was awake and normal, and if he was normal then he was probably driving everyone crazy.
Rhed followed closely. He was walking straighter and puffed his chest out as if he was feeling quite chuffed with himself. His quick tackle may have helped Matt. He began a detailed account of how he exactly tackled Matt out of the mist.
Rig watched them pass him. He bit his lip as if he felt bad for being so abrupt. For the longest time, well since Gwyndion was lost in Drakmere, he had not allowed himself to be sidetracked by anything or anyone.
For all these years, he had carefully kept his emotions locked behind a wall. These kids were not so bad. Rig shook himself and followed the boys down the path.
24
Madgwick woke up with a start. It was morning and the newness of the day was a breath of fresh air. For a moment he did not know where he was, then it all came flooding back to him.
The kids were in the silver dust boat edging away into the darkness, Rig pulling at the glittering oars, his face fierce in concentration. Then there were the shimmers pouring over the shoreline, the intense fight and the flashes of light blinding him, the hopping toads and Angie wailing in the background.
Madgwick pushed to his knees. He stretched and smiled. He felt good. He checked for bite marks but found nothing. Angie must have done some magic on him. He looked around for her, wondering how she got there and how she knew when to arrive.
She had saved him! Then Madgwick stiffened. Angie was still wailing in the background, and the sound was coming from the trees. He jumped to his feet alarmed and made his way as quickly as he could in the direction of the squealing.
“Angie!” he shouted as he ran.
He found Angie sitting with crossed legs on a green patch of grass. Bright red mushrooms with white polka-dots were popping up around her. She was smiling and clapping her hands. She was not squealing, she was singing!
Madgwick winced as she missed the note completely. It sounded like she was screeching in a soprano voice. He stopped, not sure he wanted to get any closer. Perhaps he should go back to the shore where he could not hear her as well.
Don’t be mean, he told himself, if it hadn’t been for Angie I would not even be here to hear her screeching, squealing, wailing … uh, singing. He continued slowly, calling a little more quietly so that she would not get a fright and turn him into something smelly.
The wailing stopped. “You’re awake,” exclaimed Angie. “I was just about to sing another a spell. This one’s for you, do you want to hear?”
Madgwick stood next to the tree, not sure what to say. He had always liked Angie very much, but she was usually the crankiest person ever. He had never seen her so full of smiles. He was unsure of how to handle this Angie.
“Ummm, sure,” Madgwick said, not really sure what spell she was singing, wondering if he could ask her to sing under her breath. Deciding that the combination of green and warts would not suit him at all, Madgwick sat on a tree root and prepared for the onslaught.
Angie started. As the song progressed the mushrooms were popping up, pop, pop, pop. Probably in fear, mused Madgwick. And Angie sang. She belted it out as loud as she could, her voice wobbling in her effort to reach the notes and failing miserably, but that did not stop her. Her hands were moving faster than the eye could see as she was weaving the intricate spell. It was impossible to follow. Just when Madgwick’s ears were burning from the pain and he thought he really had to make an excuse and leave for a bit, she stopped.
Dead quiet, Angie sat watching the spell hover in the air in front of her before it whooshed away, disappearing into thin air. She looked up at Madgwick. “There, all done.”
“What spell was that, Angie?”
“That spell, my dear boy, will help you in your time of need. When you think all is lost, this spell will activate.”
“But what does …”
“Don’t bother me with silly questions, Madgwick. It will come when you need it. Do you need it now? No, you don’t! So it won’t come, will it?” barked Angie.
Madgwick sighed. She was back to her cranky self.
“Angie,” Madgwick began. “Thank you so much for arriving when you did. I was almost a goner …”
Angie waved her hands, cutting him off.
“I arrived too late. They got you a few times, boy. You are a brave warrior, but not so smart. Why did you not go for the invisible man look?”
“I don’t have enough power for that kind of magic yet. I’m only due for a magic enhancement session in a few months.”
Angie looked at him, opened and closed her mouth as if she wanted to say something but kept changing her mind. She shook her head and then said it anyway.
“What utter rubbish! You have that power! Madgwick, it’s there and it is strong. The only difference between you and Rig is that you are friendlier, a little shorter, perhaps. Your hair is messier, your toes are longer, your nose is smaller. I think your one arm is longer than the other, your teeth are whiter … You have that thingie …”
“Uh, Angie?” It was apparent that she could go on for hours.
She stopped mid-sentence and stared at him as if she had forgotten he was there. Then she continued. “Aaaannd more experience than you, but that is it really. You have to apply yourself, Madgwick. Focus. Anything is possible if you focus. Try it, try it now! Take your dust, and when the dust comes down, be invisible. Go, go, go, do it now!”
There was no arguing with her. Resigned to trying, Madgwick took a pinch of dust. He tossed it in the air and as it rained down over him. He applied his mind, concentrating hard and was delighted to see he was invisible up to his knees.
Wow, okay, with just some practice he could actually do it. Feeling elated, Madgwick sat down on the trunk of a tree, eager to try again.
But Angie was having none of that. “Practice, Madgwick, but not right now. We have to get going. I think that you are well enough to travel, not?”
Not waiting for his nod, she healed him with magic. After all, she was one of the best.
“We have to go. You have to catch up with Rig and I have a few things to do myself, so I will travel a bit with you but we will go separate ways before long.”
Madgwick got up. “You’re not coming with us?” He had assumed that Angie was joining them, giving them the edge they would need over the feared Grzegorz and the evil Wiedzma.
“I am not going that way.” Seeing Madgwick’s face, she added, “That does not mean you will not see me again during your time here, but I have urgent things to do too.”
Madgwick nodded. You did not question a witch. She would be where she thought she was needed. After all, she had just saved him. She came when he needed help the most, so it was best to just trust her and let it go at that.
&nb
sp; Angie packed her bag and slung it over her back. She grabbed a handful of purple dust and let it drizzle out of her hands. It took form as a witch’s broom but with a small seat. Madgwick’s mouth hung open.
Angie glanced at him. “You don’t expect me to walk, do you? I rather like the idea of a witch on a traditional witch broom. Whizzing through the air.” Angie giggled, obviously highly entertained at her witch-on-a-broom vision.
Madgwick was not as amused. How was he going to keep up with her whizzing through the air?
Angie hopped on her broom and took off. Cackling loudly, she circled twice before landing again. She walked up to Madgwick, glaring into his face, looking cranky once more.
“Don’t tell me you can’t! Just don’t tell me.”
Madgwick did not know what to say. He had never performed that kind of magic before, which is why Rig had to take the boys across the lake. Besides, he’d rather walk than fly a broom.
“I haven’t …” Madgwick started.
Angie interrupted. “Magic enhancement blah blah blah you said. Ugh.”
She stopped in front of Madgwick. Holding her own magical purple dust she clapped her hands millimetres from Madgwick’s face, then reached back and whacked him hard on the forehead. So hard that the purple dust stuck to his face like glitter.
Madgwick stiffened in shock and stumbled back from the force. The dust swirled around him, glitter everywhere.
“Owww!” Madgwick howled. “What was that for?”
Angie grinned. “There! Consider yourself enhanced, fast-tracked! You may need to practice, but you’re good to go.” She hopped back onto her broom and took off. “So let’s go,” she yelled, whooshing past.
Madgwick stared after her. He grabbed some silver dust and with concentration tossed it in the air. In front of him a form was taking shape. He grinned as he jumped on his scrambler. He revved the engine and adjusted the noise level.
Within a few minutes he was racing after Angie on his silent off-road bike, the wind streaming through his hair.
Jeff Madison and the Shimmers of Drakmere (Book 1) Page 11