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  “Tyranius knows you are here, and I believe has already tried to kill you twice. The elves of the Forever Forest will protect you, and give us time to make plans about what to do next. What we need now more than anything is time. You need time to understand your Gifts and how to use them, and we need time to rally The Watchers.”

  “So, do you understand now why I am sending you away? After seeing what you three children are capable of over the last two days, I’m sure Tyranius is right to be nervous.” She laughed. “The Gifts you have exhibited already are incredibly rare. In fact, I’ve only ever read about them in the book of legends.”

  “Belle’s healing ability, for instance,” she smiled at Belle. “Your ability to heal so many wounds without passing out, and the advanced recovery rate of the patient, is beyond anything I’ve ever seen. What you did should have taken at least three healers, and they would still have needed to sleep for a week afterwards. Not to mention the fact that Raff should have taken at least a week before he was back on his feet. And then, you tell me you can communicate with your horse. I’ve never even read about that one!”

  She looked at Raff. “The power you used to throw off the beast reminds me of stories I have read about the Mages of old. They were able to use their Gift to shape whatever weapon was needed at the time. I have an inkling we’ll be seeing a great many more astonishing feats from you,” she winked at him, and Raff’s chest visibly swelled.

  Leah held her breath as Madame Persimmons finally turned to her. “And Leah. I have never heard of a fairy in this world being able to control the element of fire. I can only assume you are an Elementalist, and that your power over fire must be a throwback from your Dark Fey blood. Either that, or you are what’s called an empathic Elementalist. You could only put the fire out if it was endangering yourself or others. While it’s not unusual to be an Empath or an Elementalist, the combination is quite rare. It will be interesting to see how you go with the other elements. ”

  “So, if you have any more questions you need answered, you can ask The Oracle in the Forever Forest. He will be able to answer them better than me. I want you ready to leave first thing tomorrow morning. You’ll be taking your horses of course, and I’ll be sending Dominic and Dub to escort you there. Now please, be careful, and try to stay out of trouble until then.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  - The Call -

  Leah shivered, whether from the cold seeping into her bones from the early morning frost, or terror at the journey ahead of them, she didn’t know. She still couldn’t believe Madame Persimmons felt they’d be safer in the forest than here at the school.

  Their cloth bags containing the pieces of the amulet had been attached to leather thongs and hung around their necks, safely tucked away under their shirts. They had decided to walk, rather than fly, to the Forever Forest, all agreeing it would be safer, and hopefully draw less attention. Looking around at the outwardly calm faces of the others in the group, Leah wanted nothing more than to scream, and then find a hole to crawl into somewhere.

  Belle and Leah were both dressed as boys. Tyranius and his spies would be looking for two girls and a boy, so three young boys travelling with a dwarf and a coblynau should be less conspicuous. Leah sucked in a huge breath as they said their goodbyes, pasting a smile on her face as they headed off down the road leading to the Forever Forest.

  It wasn’t long before they left the road, and headed into a forest filled with the tallest trees Leah had ever seen. In some places, they cut out the view of the sky completely, forming a canopy that was perfect for hiding them from any prying eyes above. She shuddered at the memories of the last time they were under a canopy of trees, but this was different. The canopy was so high up, it didn’t create the same sense of closeness the other horrible place had done. Even Belle seemed unaffected by it.

  They walked for about an hour, the only sounds those of the leaves crunching underfoot and the cries of birds from the trees up above. Leah was happy not to talk, walking beside Solange and using the time to try and come to terms with the thoughts racing through her head. Was it really only a week ago she’d stood in her room in Naissance feeling sorry for herself? And now here she was, involved in an ancient prophecy, and running from someone trying to kill her!

  She smiled at the fierce look on Dub’s face. He certainly looked ready to take on any creatures that made the mistake of crossing their path. Their eyes met, and he winked at her, knowing what she was thinking and giving her a thumbs up in reassurance. She smiled back at him, grateful she wasn’t going through this alone.

  Dominic’s face was a mask of concentration, so intent was he on keeping them heading in the right direction. People had been known to get lost in the dense forest, wandering around for days, only to find themselves back at the same place they had entered.

  And Raff? She laughed softly to herself. He was over the moon about embarking on a far greater adventure than he’d ever thought possible. His eyes darted everywhere as he walked, and he kept whispering his thoughts into Rogue’s attentive ear.

  Where was Belle? She’d been so distracted by her own thoughts, she hadn’t noticed Belle had fallen behind. She nudged Solange to a stop and waited. Belle was frowning, and looking wildly around her in confusion. Seeing Leah waiting for her to catch up, she clucked to Midnight and increased their pace.

  She looked really worried. “Can you hear that?”

  “Ummm… hear what?

  “A woman’s voice; I’ve been hearing it for the last ten minutes or so.”

  Leah stopped, listening intently. “Nope, I definitely don’t hear a voice.”

  Belle sighed “Then I must be going nuts, because I can definitely hear it! It’s why I stopped, so I could try and work out where it was coming from.”

  “Ok, so did you?”

  “Well, it sort-of feels like it’s coming from me! Like it’s following me!” She rubbed her little book, looking around nervously.

  A look of horror flashed across her face, and she dropped the book as if it had burned her. As Leah bent to pick it up, Belle grabbed her hand to stop her.

  “Don’t!” she almost hissed. “The voice… it’s… it’s coming from the book!”

  Leah was about to call Dominic, Dub and Raff back, when she realised Raff was already looking back at them, standing with his hands on his hips tapping his foot.

  “Hurry up you pair, we’ll never…” His words were cut off when green figures began dropping from the trees all around them. Five of them had landed on Raff, Dominic and Dub, resulting in a kaleidoscope of struggling bodies wrestling and grunting on the ground. After an impressive tussle, Raff, Dominic and Dub were finally subdued, left lying on the ground licking their wounds, while the green clad figures Leah now recognised as elves held swords pressed to their chests.

  Leah had a sneaking suspicion she knew what would come next. As if on cue, the elf who’d been holding the sword to Raff’s chest was flying backwards through the air like a rag doll. Raff was up on his feet, his knife in his hand, ready to take on anyone else who wanted a piece of him. The elf lay sprawled in a crumpled heap at the bottom of a tree nearby, and Leah knew it was only a matter of time before the elves threatening Dominic and Dub joined him.

  “STOP IT!” Leah cried, not sure whether she was talking to the elves or Raff or both. At this, a tall slender elf, dressed in green from head to foot, stepped up to Belle and Leah. He bowed from the waist in front of them, his long honey-blonde hair falling forward over his shoulders.

  “Please excuse our late arrival. We came as soon as we heard the call.”

  “What call?” Leah asked irritably. “Look, just let our friends up, and stop that ridiculous bowing!”

  The elf looked from Leah and Belle, to their friends, and back again, in confusion. Leah tapped her foot impatiently, having visions of more elves flying through the air like rag dolls, and Raff’s enjoyment as he watched his handy-work. The elf in front of her finally nodded and waved his ha
nd. Instantly, the elves guarding Dominic and Dub melted back into the trees around them.

  “I am Lyricus. Please accept my humblest apologies for my error. I thought they must have been trying to harm you, and that was why we received the call.”

  “WHAT CALL?” Leah and Belle both yelled in unison.

  The elf looked startled. “The call of Serena, the great Mother Elf. We have been waiting for generations to hear the call and respond, as the Oracle said we needed to.”

  Raff was scratching his head, totally confused by the whole thing. Dominic and Dub were grumbling, and sending death stares at the elves all around them.

  “Have you guys got any idea what he’s talking about?” Raff indicated to Rogue to wait with Dominic, and moved to where Belle and Leah were standing.

  Belle and Leah looked at each other, and then at the small book that still lay on the ground at Belle’s feet.

  “Nope,” said Leah, bending to pick up the book “But I think it might have something to do with this.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  - Tyranius at the Fey Academy -

  Tyranius was furious! He stepped out of the carriage in front of the Fey Academy and surveyed his surroundings in disgust. He had expected to find the place burned to the ground, but there was no evidence of fire damage that he could see. What had gone wrong this time?

  Although he hadn’t been here in years, the place looked exactly the same as the last time he’d visited the pathetic little hovel. A pretentious, curved stone pathway swept up each side of the entrance, meeting in the centre at the front door. He sniggered, as he imagined the panic and mayhem going on behind that door right now. He had deliberately not informed anyone he was coming, expecting to arrive in the aftermath of a devastating fire to console the survivors.

  The door opened, revealing Madame Persimmons with a welcoming smile plastered on her face. Tyranius knew it was fake; they had shared a mutual dislike for years. He forced a matching smile onto the withered old face of the Elder Guardian, and stepped forward in greeting.

  “Tyranius, what a pleasant surprise. It’s been years! What brings you all the way to Fey Academy?” Her false welcome made him nauseous.

  “Madame Persimmons, how lovely to see you,” Tyranius gushed, as he took her hand. “I decided on the spur of the moment that a visit was long overdue. You do such an excellent job here of preparing these children for their new lives, I wanted to express my gratitude in person.” Did a flicker of something flash in her eyes? Hatred? Suspicion? Fear?

  She waved her arm for him to enter. “Well, please come in. You must be exhausted from your long trip. I’ve arranged to have refreshments brought to my office.”

  They walked to her office in silence, Tyranius revelling in the nervous tension in the air. He loved that he inspired fear and anxiety in the people he ruled. It reinforced his sense of power.

  Madame Persimmons moved behind her desk, gesturing towards one of the big comfy chairs in front of it.

  “I won’t stay long, Madame. I have other pressing engagements to attend to in the area,” he lied smoothly. “I fear I have been lax in my duties, leaving so long between visits. What’s it been, five years?”

  “Closer to seven, I believe.”

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk… that long? My, how time flies. So, everything is ticking along nicely here I presume? I so rarely receive reports of problems here at Fey Academy. It is a credit to you, and your staff, that the place runs so smoothly.” He definitely saw a twinge of unease this time.

  “Actually, there was a small fire in the first-year dorms last night. Fortunately, it was contained well before it was able to cause any major problems. We have yet to trace its origin.” She reeked of suspicion. Interesting!

  “Goodness, that was indeed fortunate. I hope no-one was hurt in the process?” He tried not to show more than a passing interest.

  She smiled stiffly. “Fortunately, no. Apart from some of the children suffering from smoke inhalation, everyone is fine.”

  “Excellent news.” He leaned back in the comfy chair and crossed his legs. “I was thinking, while I’m here it would be nice to meet some of the newer students, see how they’re settling in. Perhaps the three students who arrived on the same day last week? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of three students arriving on the same day.”

  He grudgingly admired her poise. She was good! He probably wouldn’t have noticed the flicker of fear in her eyes if he hadn’t been looking for it.

  When she didn’t respond immediately, he uncrossed his legs and leaned towards her. “Is there a problem?”

  Madame Persimmons jumped to her feet. “Of course not. I’ll ask Dominic to bring them immediately.”

  She hurried to the door, opening and closing it quietly behind her. He chuckled, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort. She had been a thorn in his side for years, always asking questions about things that were none of her business. He wasn’t sure why he’d asked to meet the children. Maybe he’d suggest they come back to Ellissidil for a little holiday. He chuckled again at the reaction he would get to that statement.

  The door behind him opened, and Madame Persimmons crossed the room. She walked stiffly towards her desk, and sat down. He could see the beads of sweat gathered above the frown on her forehead.

  She looked him straight in the eye. “I’m afraid we have a problem. The three children never turned up for class this morning. No-one seems to have any idea where they are.”

  “I see,” Tyranius said mildly, his mind racing with possibilities. “And when were they last seen?”

  “I saw them after the fire last night, but no-one seems to have seen them since.”

  “Well, I’m afraid this reflects badly on you, Madame Persimmons. Your position as headmistress makes you personally responsible for the safety and well-being of your students. Your negligence in this matter cannot go unpunished. I am removing you from the position of headmistress of the Fey Academy, and you will need to return to Ellissidil with me today.” He was so enjoying this!

  “Of course.” She calmly stood up, and moved from behind her desk. “Do you have someone in mind to fill the position? I’ll need to inform the rest of the staff about what’s happening.”

  “Hmm, perhaps the history teacher, what’s his name? Ah yes, Mr Kafoops, could step in and take on the role temporarily. Perhaps he will be able to find the missing students.”

  Madame Persimmons nodded her head. “Of course. I’ll inform Dominic immediately and grab a few things. Would ten minutes be permissible?” Her calm acceptance was starting to grate on his nerves.

  “I shall be waiting in the carriage. Ten minutes, not a second more Madame Persimmons.” He bowed his head slightly, turned and let himself out.

  He walked towards his carriage with a satisfied smile. He may have lost the children temporarily, but he finally had a justifiable reason for removing the old witch from the Fey Academy, and replacing her with someone loyal to himself.

  As for the missing children, it shouldn’t take long to find some weak-minded fool who was prepared to tell him where they were. Then he’d track them down, and dispose of them once and for all.

  All things considered, it had turned out to be a very productive day.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  - The Forever Forest -

  Belle’s heart skipped a beat as they stepped out from beneath the canopy of trees into a sunlit wonderland of lush, green grass surrounding a crystal-clear lake. Graceful old weeping willows grew around the lake’s edges, their long branches creating ripples where they trailed in the water.

  Small houses were set back further into the trees; in fact, some of them looked like they’d actually been carved out of the trees themselves. The inhabitants were all dressed in various shades of brown and green, making it hard to see what they were doing. They seemed to blend into the scenery, and then suddenly pop up somewhere else. Most of them had stopped what they were doing to stare, whispering to each other and pointing in thei
r direction.

  Belle was wondering whether she’d suddenly grown another head, when Lyricus walked up beside her.

  “They’re not used to seeing children. All children are removed at birth and when they graduate from the Fey Academy, they are apprenticed, according to their talents or Gifts, to an adult willing to take them on and share their knowledge.” Lyricus chuckled at the look of shock on Belle’s face. “How is it you are unaware of this? All students are told this at the Fey Academy, or at least they were when I was there.”

  “We only arrived in Florisia a week ago. We haven’t even had time to learn how to control our Gifts yet. I guess I hadn’t thought to ask what happens after graduation, but then we have had a few more urgent matters to deal with in the last week. How long ago did you leave the Fey Academy?”

  “I graduated last year and was fortunate enough to be apprenticed to the Commander of the Forever Forest Rangers.” He really had the most amazing green eyes she’d ever seen.

  “So how far is it to where the Oracle lives?”

  Lyricus pointed towards the end of the meadow. Belle's eyes followed his pointing hand, and widened. What she had assumed was a misty shroud hanging in the air at the end of the meadow, was actually spray from a magnificent waterfall. The water cascaded from somewhere behind the tops of the trees, plunging into the lake at its feet.

  * * *

  Belle’s legs felt like they were made out of rubber. They had been steadily climbing since leaving the meadow, moving from one timber suspension bridge to the next. With a sigh of relief, she realised they had finally reached the gates marking the entrance to the home of the Oracle. The horses had been left contentedly grazing at the bottom of the bridge, following Lyricus’ assurance they’d be perfectly safe.