by E. M. Cooper
‘What? Thigimus is standing down?’ Mystilic shook his head. ‘I can’t believe they voted for that weasel.’
Seb nodded.
‘Was Thigimus pushed?’
‘I’ve no idea although we heard he has a new teaching job at Fanglewick.’
‘Hmm, why now when Thigimus can’t have too many wizarding lifetimes left in him? And why would they vote for that slippery worm, Zachary?’ Mystilic scratched his chin. ‘Nothing makes sense unless wily Arnold rigged it somehow.’
‘But they used the scrying table for the voting,’ Seb said. ‘He couldn’t fiddle that, could he?’
Mystilic snorted. ‘Never underestimate a greedy wizard with his sights and heart set on power. I’m sure there’s an overarching plot afoot.’
‘I’m still here,’ Marnie said quietly.
‘Oh yes, sorry,’ Mystilic said. ‘You’ve been thrust into a peculiar world here in Downfell. Your foster parents, the Arnolds are wizards and they’re about to send their only son to school in the Old World. Fanglewick is the most esteemed magic school in the multiverse and the one all aspiring wizards dream their offspring will attend.’
Most of Mystilic’s words bubbled over her head in a swirl of crazy words like multiverse, Fanglewick and magic schools. Instead of being surprised, Marnie hoped if Charlie was going away, it was far away, overseas preferably. ‘Where would that be?’
‘Here’s where it gets tricky. The Old World is here.’
‘Downfell?’ Marnie was disappointed.
‘y-Yes but in another dimension—a parallel one.’
Marnie glanced rapidly from Seb to Mystilic several times in case one of them cracked and burst into laughter.
‘We’re telling the truth,’ Seb said.
‘So how do you get there?’
‘First, you need a touch of wizarding genetics,’ Mystilic said, ‘second you have to get through the barriers such as the demonic halo, and lastly, avoid the Old World’s government officials, the border bothering brigade. They guard and protect the border between our worlds making sure no undesirables get through.’
Although she knew instinctively it sounded bad, Marnie asked, ‘What’s a demonic halo?’
‘A dark and treacherous zone between our worlds. Any unfortunate human who accidentally stumbles into a vortex to the Old World gets, um, how do I say this delicately?’
‘You really can’t,’ Seb said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Mystilic nodded. ‘They’re usually consumed by demons in the halo—a ghostly band between our dimensions.’ He shuddered. ‘Thankfully for wizards, they’re not keen on our flavour.’
‘Flavour?’ Marnie peered at Mystilic, still feeling off balance. ‘So just to clarify, you’re one of them too?’
‘Indeed,’ he said proudly, ‘but as you’ll discover, there are all kinds.’
‘And what’s a vor ...?’
‘A vortex is like a swirling spout of light that can carry you to other dimensions,’ the mage explained.
‘We can’t actually see vortices with our naked eye,’ Seb added.
Marnie blinked as she tried to sort all the ideas and emotions in her head.
‘The trick is not to think too hard about it,’ Mystilic said with an empathetic smile. ‘It doesn’t do you any good.’
‘We also came here for another reason,’ Seb said to the mage. ‘Marnie’s having trouble reading.’
Marnie felt her face heat up.
‘Well, you’ve come to the right place. What’s your problem?’
‘I can read letters, but they jump around and slow me down so much it takes me ages to even read a page.’ Embarrassed, and to salvage what was left of her pride, she added, ‘I can do numbers in my head though.’
‘Really? That’s very curious and admirable.’ Mystilic rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a pair of glasses tangled in string. After extracting the glasses, he offered them to her. ‘Try these on.’
Marnie put them on and looked around the room.
‘You’ll need a book to test them properly.’
Marnie gazed at a page of a book Mystilic held open. ‘The letters are still wriggling, not as much as usual though.’
‘Read them.’
‘Take three, um, s-spoons—’
‘Stop there.’
‘It’s better, but the words are still shaking.’
Mystilic took the glasses and popped the glass from them before replacing them with another pair of lenses he found in the drawer.
Marnie put the new lenses on.
‘Read on,’ he urged.
She stumbled and stammered, ‘Take three spoons of hem-hemlock juice and force it down the d-demon’s th-throat until it sc-scr-screeches or cho-chokes.’
Mystilic snapped the book shut as though he’d heard enough. ‘Mmm, I’ve known a rare few with this problem. I’d say you need something at the blue end of the spectrum—possibly even violet. Very unusual. Let me speak with a lens maker I know and I’ll give you more samples to try. Once you have a pair that suits, you can borrow lots of books from here to practise. It won’t take you long to get up to speed.’
‘Wow, that’s great, thank you. Do you think I might borrow the glasses, so I can get used to them?’
‘Of course.’ Mystilic shoved the tangled string back in the drawer and pushed it shut with his elbow.
‘What study are you doing, Seb?’ Marnie asked.
An awkward silence followed before Seb glanced at Mystilic, who nodded.
‘I’m planning on taking the entrance exam to Fanglewick.’
‘You? But how? You’d have to get past those halo demons.’ She eyed him suspiciously. ‘Wait a minute, you’re not one of them too, are you—a wizard?’
Seb grinned. ‘I’m not a full blown wizard like Charlie and his parents ... only a scatterling.’
‘A what?’
‘Scatterlings have wizard genes but not the full quota. The Arnolds and Miss Baxter all knew about our background when we were taken in as foster children. That’s why we were chosen.’
Marnie tried to make sense of his words.
‘They scour the world for children like you,’ said Mystilic gazing at Marnie.
Shocked, Marnie felt her fingers and toes prickle and tingle. ‘We? What? Me too?’
‘Yes.’ Seb smiled slowly.
‘I don’t follow.’
‘They do blood tests and when they discover you’ve got magic potential, they mark you for wizarding families like the Arnolds.’
Still struggling to understand and accept Seb’s news, Marnie said, ‘But why would they do that?’
‘Permit me to explain,’ Mystilic said. ‘Scatterlings have a single wizarding parent. Their children fall into one of three groups: standard wizard, elite wizard or plain human. Most are in the last group. Crafty wizards like the Arnolds are forever on the lookout for the elite.’
‘Why?’
‘To exploit of course, so my advice is to always lie low. If your magic emerges, keep it hidden. Remember, any sign of talent or improvement will make them suspicious. Actually your reading impediment is perfect. Once you get the right lenses, never ever let on that your reading has improved. I’d keep your numerical skills under wraps too. Play dumb and they’ll assume you’re a very ordinary human. ’
‘What about the other foster kids?’
‘I’m pretty certain they’ve no wizarding abilities,’ Seb said, ‘but you can never tell. Some hide them.’
‘It’s unpredictable,’ Mystilic said. ‘The trouble for wizards like the Arnolds is that they have to wait for their foster children to mature enough before they receive any inkling of whether they have any magical inclination. It’s a hit or miss business.’
‘Come on, Marnie, we’d better head home. The Arnolds will know we’ve been out too long if we stay. We’ll come back to see you next weekend, Theo.’
Once they were back on the street, Marnie pressed Seb for more information. ‘I don’t understand
how you’re going to get to the exam.’
‘I’ll follow Charlie. Mr Arnold uses his telescope and scrying table to check for travelling vortices. That’s what his maps and charts are all about. He gets moody when he can’t find them and obnoxiously happy when he spots them. Watch him, you’ll see. They’ll wait for a full moon when the demon tide’s low and travel is safest.’
‘I thought you said wizards could travel safely through the halo.’
‘Mmm, it can be riskier if you’re not a full-blooded wizard. Even elite wizards have been known to disappear in the halo, but that’s extremely rare.’
‘So you must be certain you’ve enough wizarding genes to get through the halo.’
Marnie’s stomach flipped when Seb didn’t answer.
‘Theo gave me a manual to prepare for the exam. I’ll show you, if you’re interested.’
Marnie raised her eyebrows. A fat lot of good it would be for Seb to show her.
‘I could read you bits aloud.’
‘And what if you pass the exam?’
‘If I get through the demonic halo and I’m accepted into Fanglewick, there’ll be nothing the Arnolds can do to stop me.’ Seb smiled broadly. ‘For the next four years I’ll be given free tuition and board and a chance to be a powerful wizard.’
‘What if you fail?’
Seb grimaced. ‘I can’t. If I become a Fanglewick graduate, I’ll be guaranteed an apprenticeship at the Imporium, the most powerful establishment in the Old World. They research and control the laws and regulations about magic in the universe.’
‘It wouldn’t be the end of the world if you failed. When you’re old enough you could travel back to Ireland and find your parents.’
‘No, if I fail I’ll be forced back to the Arnolds and they’ll punish me for following Charlie to the Old World. They’d never let me try again. I’d face the next four years bound to them—or worse.’
‘What could be worse?’
‘One of the older foster kids told me that the butlers are slaves, bound to the Arnolds forever. He heard one of them tried what I’m about to attempt but failed the exam.’
‘Rubbish, he’s an adult and could walk out the front door if he wanted. Why is he still with the Arnolds?’
‘Magic.’
* * *
CHAPTER 5
Charlie’s dark secret
After a supper of what Seb called stink-patties, which were the week’s leftovers rolled into balls and deep-fried with a pile of boiled cabbage picked from the garden, the foster children were allowed a couple of free hours before bed. Seb slipped Marnie the book he had been studying, so she hid it under her jumper and took it to the attic. Before opening the book, she retrieved the array of lenses she’d hidden under the mattress and laid them on the bed. Remembering what Mage Mystilic had said about her needing blue or purple-tinted lenses, she fished out the pair of purple ones and fitted them into the frames. When they were in place, she took a deep breath and put them on. All at once her room and the world outside her window seemed different, sharp in definition and vibrant in colour. With shaking hands, she reached for Seb’s worn Fanglewick manual. It had a black soft leather cover and was surprisingly thick and heavy. She opened the cover and even though her progress was slow, she nearly wept with delight and amazement as she read, The Preparatory Manual for the Fanglewick Entrance Examination. The words were still and clear and she could read them!
By the time Marnie had reached the bottom of the next page about twenty minutes later, Mrs Arnold rattled the attic ladder and called for lights out. Marnie knew it would take her ages to read the book unless she could learn to read faster. Embarrassed, the next morning she slipped the book back to Seb, worried she might slow his progress.
‘You have to take it back because I’m too stupid to read it quickly enough.’
Seb laughed. ‘How does that make you stupid? You heard Theo. Once you’ve practised with new glasses, you’ll catch on easily.’
‘I hope so.’ She desperately wanted to believe him yet knew only time would tell her the truth.
* * *
A week later on Sunday morning, Marnie and Seb left the Arnolds’ mansion for the library. A stiff wind almost blew them backwards along the path.
‘I wish spring would hurry up.’ Marnie folded her arms over her chest to block the cold. ‘Will it be near the end of winter in Fanglewick too?’
‘I’ve no idea. If it is, their school year starts in spring, which is odd. Although why should it be like our world?’
‘How are your studies going?’ Marnie asked as they passed the school.
He shrugged. ‘The exercises are really hard ... they make me feel dense.’
Marnie sighed, wishing she could read well enough to know what he meant.
He glanced furtively at her. ‘Sorry.’
‘No, don’t be. Tell me about what you’ve studied. Perhaps it’ll help if we talk about it.’
‘The exam’s like an intelligence test.’
‘I can’t see what that would have to do with magical ability.’
‘It absolutely does because most wizards are smart in some way. Some of them are brilliant at logic or words or science. The best are good at everything. Boys like Charlie have had special tutoring almost from birth and have a huge advantage getting into Fanglewick. It’s very important in traditional wizarding families like the Arnolds. Although everyone’s supposed to have an equal chance when they sit the exam, the truth is they don’t. Scatterlings rarely know about their magic potential because no one tells them, and if they get to do the exam, usually they’ve had no preparation, so they fail.’
‘Does Charlie already know magic?’
Seb looked surprised. ‘No one’s allowed to learn unless they go to magic school or do an apprenticeship in the Old World.’
‘But what if they did?’
‘The Imporium in the Old World monitors for rebels who try to teach children outside although Theo said some wizards use blocking spells to teach undetected. They call it feral magic and it’s illegal.’
Marnie grinned. ‘Sounds exciting.’
Seb raised his eyebrows.
‘Well if the system’s unfair, to me the rules are begging to be broken.’
‘Believe me, it’s a lot easier to get into Fanglewick and graduate with a licence. Some wizards delve too far in feral magic and end up dangerous and crazy or in prison.’
‘Says who?’
‘Everyone knows that.’
‘I don’t.’
Seb rolled his eyes. ‘Everyone linked to the Old World.’
‘If you pass the exam and make it to Fanglewick, what happens then?’ The question hung in the cold morning air and waited too long for an answer.
‘I’ll stay in the Old World and only come home to the Arnolds at the end of each teaching year for the winter break.’
Marnie felt unsteady as though the world was wobbling at the edge of her vision. She tried to pretend his words hadn’t affected her and was annoyed for being so weak.
‘The Arnolds will have to allow me back for holidays. It’s the Old World’s law and the Arnolds know it because they came from there. I’ll be untouchable.’
What will I do, Marnie wanted to ask but didn’t, yet she knew Seb understood.
Another awkward silence followed. ‘I think you should talk to Theo. He might be able to help. You could do what I’ve done and study for the exam. I’ll leave you the book.’
‘I can’t read well enough.’
‘You’ll get faster if you practise.’
‘How do you know?’ Marnie hated sounding whiny, but the thought of Seb leaving made her feel lonely already.
Another silence.
They trudged up the redbrick steps to the library without speaking. By the time they reached Mage Mystilic’s door, the air was cold and heavy as though it were solid and hanging over Marnie’s shoulders. Despondent, she tried to estimate the number of days until her new friend left. Her mind c
hurned as she searched for a solution.
‘Good morning, Seb and Marnie.’ Mystilic studied their faces. ‘How goes your preparation, Seb?’
‘Good, thanks, Theo. I’m guessing it’s only a fortnight away now.’ Seb tilted his head in Marnie’s direction without her seeing.
Mystilic turned to Marnie. ‘How are you faring, my dear?’
She couldn’t contain her crankiness. ‘I can barely read and the only friend I have at the Arnolds’ house is about to blast off into outer space. How do you think?’
He laughed. ‘Come now, it isn’t that grim. As soon as you get your eyes sorted, I’ll help you prepare for the exam too. Although, you’ll need to wait a year for the next intake, but that will pass quickly with the work you’ll need to do.’
Marnie felt her heart leap with joy. ‘You’d do that for me?’
‘Of course.’ Mystilic lowered himself to the sofa by the window. ‘Marnie, you’ll learn to read properly, I promise, and if Seb leaves, I’ll make sure you follow. Trust me. And now I have some new lenses for you to try. Did you bring the frames?’
Marnie reached into her pocket and brought out the glasses.
Mystilic took them and held them up to the light. ‘Where did you get these lenses?’
‘They’re mine.’
He cocked his head at Marnie as though puzzled before continuing to examine the glasses.
She sighed and sat heavily on a sofa chair. ‘They were hidden under the lining in the case my parents left me. Although I’ve had the case since I was a baby, I only found them since coming to the Arnolds.’
‘They’re exquisite.’
‘I can read with them, but I’m so slow it’s almost as bad as being blind.’
Mystilic laughed. ‘No, they’re perfect ... better than the ones I have. All you need is practice.’
‘There’s more.’
Seb looked at her curiously.
‘This photo was lying under the lenses.’ Marnie reached into her pocket for her precious possession and handed the photograph to the mage. ‘I think those people are my parents. I need to know what happened to them.’
‘If I can help you in any way, I will.’ He studied the photo and repeated his assurance. ‘But first you must practise until you can read well. We’ll work on the rest. If Fanglewick accepts Seb, I’ll move heaven and earth to get you there too, I promise.’