Silver Hill

by Catherine Cooper

  ‘I want to help too,’ said Timmery. ‘The others have gone off into Annwn without me so I don’t see why I can’t come with you.’

  Jack concentrated hard and pointed his wand at Camelin’s raven basket. It rose off the floor and hovered.

  ‘Fly,’ Jack commanded and made a sweep with his wand around the loft.

  ‘Whoa!’ cried Camelin as the raven basket sped around the loft in a wide circle. Jack had to duck as it rushed passed his ear.

  ‘Oh Jack Brenin, you’re the best,’ Timmery called as he flew after the basket.

  ‘Well, that was a surprise,’ said Jack. ‘I really didn’t think I’d be able to do it but the basket isn’t going to be big enough for all of us.’

  ‘If you go and get my wand I can big it,’ croaked Camelin.

  ‘You could tell me the bigging spell and I could do it,’ replied Jack.

  ‘My spell, my basket.’

  Again everyone looked at Jack.

  ‘Alright, we’ll try. I’ll go and get your wand.’

  Jack rushed down to the herborium. He pushed the stool under the cupboard so he could reach the door and took off the silver chain. He pointed the key at the cupboard on the wall. It grew immediately to the size of the keyhole. The wand was propped up inside with a lot of other things so Jack relocked the cupboard before shrinking the key back down. He was halfway up the stairs when he remembered the map. It would be invaluable if they knew where they were going. He didn’t want to take Nora’s map so he decided to magic a copy. Part of the wart spell he’d used contained the word to create, if he used the word on its own and concentrated all his attention at the map it might work.

  ‘Creo,’ he commanded.

  Nothing happened at first then a sheet flew off the top of the map and landed at his feet. It was an exact replica of Nora’s map. Jack picked it up and was about to leave the library when another map rose from the table, and another, and another.

  ‘STOP!’ yelled Jack and breathed a great sigh of relief when the map stopped duplicating itself. He wished his knowledge of magic were better. He was really going to have to be careful when he gave the basket directions, he didn’t want any accidents. With the map safely rolled up under his arm, Jack ran up the stairs. He was out of breath when he reached the loft. Camelin was waiting expectantly and looked really excited when Jack handed him his wand.

  ‘Here you are, please be careful.’

  ‘Stand back,’ Camelin ordered as he pointed it at the basket.

  The tip of the wand glowed with a soft yellow light that travelled rapidly towards the raven basket. The sides grew as the bottom expanded. Jack was impressed, Camelin was not only doing the spell carefully but it was working really well.

  ‘It’s still not big enough,’ said Motley.

  ‘Leave me alone,’ grumbled Camelin, ‘I’m doing my best.’

  He pointed his wand for a second time but instead of the soft yellow light, orange sparks flew out of the tip. The basket rapidly doubled in size before exploding with a bang. Oversized round polystyrene balls filled the loft as the bottom of the raven basket erupted.

  ‘Oops!’ said Camelin. ‘That’s what happened to the cake on the third bigging.’

  ‘Try it again on my basket,’ said Jack.

  Camelin looked surprised, and said, ‘That was your basket.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter. If you want to fly to Silver Hill keep the light from the tip of your wand yellow and hold the spell until the basket’s big enough for all of us.’

  Camelin followed Jack’s instructions. The raven basket grew slowly as the soft yellow light engulfed it. When it was three times its original size, Camelin stopped.

  ‘How’s that?’

  ‘Brilliant,’ replied Jack, ‘but how do we get out of the window?’

  Camelin turned quickly and pointed his wand at the round glass. In an instant, the soft yellow light spread over the surface and surrounded the frame.

  ‘Oh my!’ exclaimed Timmery as the window doubled in size.

  ‘That’s enough!’ shouted Jack. ‘We’ll get through it now.’

  Camelin looked pleased with himself as he climbed inside the basket. Jack waited until everyone was aboard before climbing in himself. Now all he had to do was get everyone there safely. He knew it was important to use the right command. He’d nearly crashed the rowing boat by being careless. Jack spread the map out and examined the different entrances into Silver Hill. They didn’t want to go back in through the waterfall. Maybe halfway down would be a good place to start. The great hall would be easy to reach and the tunnel with all the doors.

  ‘Where to?’ asked Camelin.

  ‘Here,’ replied Jack and touched the map to show Camelin the route he’d chosen.

  The basket lurched, rose from the floor and hovered in front of the window for an instant before setting off at speed towards Silver Hill.

  THE DWINDLING DOOR

  ‘This is great,’ Camelin called as the basket quickly left Glasruhen Hill behind.

  Jack wasn’t so sure. As a raven he had no fear of flying but now, as a boy, it was different. He held on tight to the sides of the basket but it swayed alarmingly as they sped through the air. Every time he looked down his stomach lurched and he felt queasy. The others seemed to be enjoying the flight but Jack couldn’t wait for it to end. He was grateful the darkness had reduced the landscape to black outlines. He tried shutting his eyes but it made him feel worse.

  ‘We’re nearly there, look!’ said Camelin as he nodded towards the three mounds.

  ‘You’d better hold on tight,’ Jack called. ‘I don’t know how well this thing is going to land.’

  The basket didn’t falter or slow down. Jack could see even Camelin looking worried as they headed straight for the side of Silver Hill.

  ‘We’re going to crash,’ Jack yelled as he saw the closed door the basket was speeding towards.

  ‘Can’t you open it?’ cried Motley.

  Jack pointed his wand at the hillside. He didn’t have time to think of the right words to say. ‘Open,’ he commanded.

  To his surprise the door sprung open and the basket flew in before bumping along the floor of the tunnel. It wobbled violently from side to side and each time it hit the ground they were nearly thrown out. As the end of the tunnel came into view the basket finally slowed and with one last bump, came to a halt.

  ‘Not brilliant, but it got us here, and in double quick time,’ said Camelin as he hopped out.

  Jack made the tip of his wand glow, spread out the map and tried to work out where they were. The basket had taken them to the exact place he’d touched. The tunnel with all the doors wasn’t far away.

  ‘We’ve got to be quiet,’ Jack told them. ‘We need to find Raggs and get out of here before anyone notices us.’

  The Dorysk sprang out of Motley’s fur and changed in mid-air into a tiny bat.

  ‘Timmery and I will go on ahead and have a look around.’

  ‘Stay close,’ Jack told Motley.

  It seemed very quiet inside Silver Hill. Jack hoped the inhabitants were all asleep. They stopped at the end of the tunnel with all the doors. Jack peered into the darkness and could just see Timmery flitting around one of the doors. The Dorysk was nowhere to be seen. Jack signalled to everyone to follow as he tiptoed down the tunnel. Timmery moved on, from door to door, and by the time they reached him they’d come to the largest door. A tiny beetle crawled out of the keyhole.

  ‘Your rat’s inside, in a cage suspended from the ceiling and there’s no one else in the room,’ the Dorysk told Jack as it transformed back into a bat and joined Timmery again.

  Jack nodded his thanks and tried the handle but the door was locked. Before taking off his chain he looked back down the tunnel to make sure they hadn’t been seen; it was still deserted. The key quivered between Jack’s fingers. Sparks danced over the metal as it changed shape. There was a loud click as Jack turned it in the keyhole. He pulled the handle down and pushed the doo
r open a fraction. Everything inside the room was man-sized. The table, desk and chair were far too big for any Bogie or Spriggan, either the Draygull or Velindur lived here. Suspended over the desk was a small iron cage and inside it was Raggs. He sat up when he saw them enter the room. Jack closed the door quietly before making the light from the tip of his wand brighter. Motley darted up the chair onto the table and stood on his hind legs to try to reach the bottom of the cage.

  ‘Have you out of there in no time,’ he assured Raggs.

  ‘Are you alright?’ asked Jack.

  ‘Fine, apart from a bump on the head. It was my own fault I got left. I wasn’t quick enough and hadn’t got a good grip on the tail when the dragon took off. I fell and the draught from the dragon’s wings sent me rolling down one of the tunnels. Went down with such a force I banged my head on the rock and knocked myself out. Next thing I know that Draygull’s standing over me. I thought he was going to eat me when he grabbed me but instead he brought me here, for questioning. The Big One locked me in the cage. They spoke together and then left, no one’s been back since. I thought it was them coming back when I heard the key in the door. How did you ever find me?’

  ‘Team work,’ said Jack. ‘Did you hear what they were saying? It might help if we knew what they’re doing.’

  Raggs sat up on his hind legs and began talking rapidly.

  ‘They went to help the Spriggans look for two owls, some green birds and an ugly goblin.’

  Camelin hunched his wings and chuckled to himself.

  ‘An ugly goblin. That’ll be you Jack, told you they wouldn’t know you were a boy.’

  Jack ignored the comment and used his key to unlock the cage. He held out his arm so Raggs could scamper out onto his shoulder. Camelin shrugged his wings and began looking around the room.

  ‘Did you find out anything else?’ Jack asked Raggs.

  ‘All the Hags have been questioned. They’ve been locked inside the great hall and they’re not happy. Pyecroft and the two sleeping Spriggans have been put in there too. The Draygull thinks the two Hags he found sulking in the corridor were probably skulking after all and the Spriggans are really mad their lights have gone out, especially since they haven’t got any candles left. The Draygull said he’d organised the Spriggans to make rush torches, they’re going to light them from the fire in the great hall. I think that’s where the Draygull and Big One were off to. The last thing I heard, before the door shut, was the Big One vowing he’d get to the bottom of all this. He said he’d find out what happened to the dragons too.’

  ‘We’d better go,’ said Jack. ‘We don’t want them coming back and finding us here.’

  Jack looked around for Camelin. He could see his tail feathers sticking out of a cupboard.

  ‘Are you ready?’ Jack asked him.

  ‘Come and have a look at this. There’s another one of those light crystals here, a big one. Do you think we ought to take it with us?’ Camelin replied as he emerged from the cupboard.

  Jack went over and picked up the large crystal. It was a lot bigger and heavier than the others, and it wasn’t glowing, it sparkled in the light from his wand.

  ‘This is different, it’s not a light,’ said Jack as he held it up for everyone to see.

  ‘It looks like the diamond-shaped key that opens the Caves of Eternal Rest,’ said Timmery. ‘Do you remember, we saw it when we went to look at the caves.’

  ‘If it is, what’s it doing here?’ replied Jack. ‘Maybe we should go and find the fifth gate and see if the diamond’s missing. We’ve got nothing to lose. If Ember can’t melt the ice and it is the key we’ll be able to let everyone in.’

  ‘Maybe we could just go home,’ grumbled Camelin.

  Jack ignored Camelin and looked at the others.

  ‘Worth a try,’ said Motley. ‘Let’s have a look and see how to get there.’

  Jack unrolled the map and spread it out on the table and traced the route, being careful not to touch the map after what happened last time.

  ‘We’re here and need to get down to the bottom where Ember was tethered. The tallest tunnel is the one that leads to the fifth gateway. It shouldn’t be too hard to find.’

  ‘Ready men?’ said Motley.

  ‘No,’ said Camelin. ‘We came to rescue Raggs. Why don’t we take the diamond back and let Nora sort it out? I’ve had enough excitement for one night.’

  ‘We should vote,’ piped Timmery as he flitted around Jack’s head.

  ‘Good idea,’ said Motley. ‘Those in favour of finding the fifth gateway say aye.’

  ‘Aye,’ said Jack, Timmery, the Dorysk, Motley and Raggs.

  ‘Outnumbered,’ Motley told Camelin. ‘Chin up, we’ll be out of here and heading for home in no time, it’s only a small detour.’

  Jack opened the door a fraction and peeked out. The tunnel was still empty. They hurried back to the basket and once they were inside it Jack opened the map and put his finger on the arched doorway Nora had drawn.

  ‘We need to go here,’ he commanded.

  The basket rocked gently and hovered for a moment before setting off at speed down the tunnels. Jack could see Raggs wasn’t enjoying the ride.

  ‘Don’t close your eyes,’ he whispered in Raggs’ ear, ‘it makes it worse.’

  As they approached the entrance to the great hall the double doors swung open. Jack caught a glimpse of a large group of Spriggans each holding a burning torch. As they whizzed by the torches flared making billows of smoke swirl around. Everyone coughed. Jack could see the Draygull at the head of the Spriggan band. His head whipped to the side as they passed. Jack caught a glimpse of the look in his fiery red eyes.

  ‘Intruders!’ he yelled before letting out an earpiercing screech.

  The sound of pounding feet echoed through the hill. Jack could see the flickering lights not far behind as the Draygull and Spriggans chased after them. Each time the Draygull caught sight of the basket it screeched loudly and the terrible sound bounced off the walls.

  ‘They’re gaining on us,’ cried the Dorysk.

  Jack’s mind went blank, the giddy motion from the swaying basket made it hard to concentrate. Nora would know what to do but Nora wasn’t here. Jack saw a bright orange flash streak towards the Draygull as Camelin pointed his wand down the tunnel. It hit the Draygull right in the middle of his chest. It didn’t slow him down but Jack could see he’d grown considerably. Jack turned to Camelin and watched as he steadied his wand in his claw. There was a second flash of light before the bigging spell went hurtling once more towards the owl-man.

  ‘That’s enough,’ shouted Jack, ‘that’s enough! Look, he’s too big to move.’

  A great cheer went up from everyone in the basket as the Draygull struggled to free himself. His enlarged body was now wedged fast in the tunnel and none of the Spriggans could pass him. Jack patted Camelin on the back.

  ‘I didn’t know you’d brought your wand but I’m glad you did, you saved us and it looks like your bigging spell’s come in useful again.’

  Camelin puffed out his chest feathers.

  ‘Do you think Nora will let me have it back now, for good?’

  ‘I’m sure she will, but we’ve got to get out of here first.’

  The basket lurched suddenly and Jack nearly fell out as it veered around the next corner into the barbecue pit. The great chain and open padlock still lay where Ember has shaken them off her legs. The basket made another sharp swerve to the left through the tallest entrance that led off from the pit.

  ‘This is it,’ said Jack, ‘the fifth gateway’s at the end of this tunnel.’

  Jack made the tip of his wand grow brighter. They were in a high walled passageway. There were strange carvings on both sides of the rock walls. Jack could see tight spirals, circles, loops and interlocking shapes. He knew they were in the right tunnel; Spriggans had not made these carvings, Jack had seen the same patterns on buildings in Annwn. The basket slowed to a halt and settled onto the soft earth of the
tunnel floor. Jack pointed his torch towards the end of the tunnel expecting to see two arched doorways but it was a dead end. He stared at the rock face but there wasn’t any sign of a door.

  ‘We’ve come the wrong way,’ grumbled Camelin.

  ‘This is the tunnel,’ replied Jack. ‘Didn’t you see the carvings?’

  Jack went over to the rock and ran his hands over it. There was no gap or crack.

  ‘Try your magic,’ suggested Timmery. ‘You opened the other door.’

  Jack pointed his wand at the rock: ‘Open,’ he commanded.

  Nothing happened.

  ‘It’s a dwindling door,’ the Dorysk announced excitedly, ‘We’re in the right place. This door was made by Druids.’

  ‘What door?’ asked Camelin. ‘I can’t see a door.’

  ‘It’s disappeared down to almost nothing,’ explained the Dorysk. ‘It should be here but the Spriggans have been in and out of it collecting the crystals. Each time they’ve gone in it’s got smaller, that’s what dwindling doors do, so now it’s that small there’s almost nothing left of it at all.’

  ‘That’s stupid,’ grumbled Camelin.

  ‘It was done on purpose,’ the Dorysk continued, ‘so the Druids would know if anyone had been through the door since they used it last. They would never have expected it to be used by Spriggans though. They’re lucky they got in and out, if a human entered without permission the door dwindled down instantly cutting off their only way out.’

  ‘That’s all very interesting,’ said Camelin, ‘but it doesn’t help us get in.’

  ‘Well at least we tried,’ said Jack as he climbed back into the basket.

  Motley began sniffing the wall.

  ‘What’s this?’ he asked the Dorysk.

  ‘Well I never! It’s a keyhole. Come and look Jack, it’s tiny.’

  Jack had to lie on the floor to see the tiny black speck Motley had found.

  ‘It’s too small for a keyhole. It must be a dent in the rock face.’

  There was a popping sound as the Dorysk disappeared. Jack screwed up his eyes and could just see a minute pair of spectacles on the tiniest fly he’d ever seen. He watched as it landed on the rock and made its way to the hole. No one spoke after the Dorysk disappeared from sight. When the tiny fly reappeared again it changed in mid-air into a bat and started speaking rapidly. Jack could see the Dorysk was really excited.