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  Leah’s eyes moved from the circlet glowing in her hand, to the rock glowing in Raff’s hand, and finally the empty bag in Belle’s hand. There’s no way this could all be a coincidence. Her stomach lurched as she wondered if it had anything to do with why Zolinda had said they were in danger.

  Chapter Fifteen

  - Fey Village -

  Belle was determined to push all thoughts of mysterious glowing objects and scary warnings from witches to the back of her mind. She’d never been shopping before, and she had no intention of letting anyone or anything ruin it.

  Apparently, Leah had spoken to Dub earlier that morning, and he’d agreed to talk to Madame Persimmons about arranging a meeting for the next day. She wasn’t sure exactly when Leah had spoken to Dub. As far as she could remember, they’d been together since they woke up. She shrugged the thought aside.

  Who cares? I’m going shopping!

  It was a beautiful sunny morning and she was thoroughly enjoying the walk to the village. The forest around them was bathed in warm sunlight, a gentle breeze keeping them cool as they walked. Brightly coloured birds flitted from tree to tree, calling to each other in a cacophony of sound.

  The group of senior students walking in front of them were laughing and jostling each other as they walked. Since reading some of the handbooks, she now knew their pointy ears classified them as elves. They were also dressed in various shades of green, another thing common to elves. From the look of the third one’s beard, he had to be a dwarf, and the fourth wore garlands of flowers around her head… an earth fairy maybe?

  Leah and Raff were engaged in friendly banter beside her. She sighed in relief; life was so much more peaceful when those two remembered they were friends.

  They had almost reached a section of the road where the trees closed in above them, when a shiver ran down Belle’s spine. As they moved forward, the canopy of trees overhead totally blocked the sun. The sun-starved trees beneath the canopy were almost covered in moss, looking strangled and forlorn.

  Belle was struggling to breathe, assailed from all sides by the putrid smell of mould and decay. She could almost taste the malevolence hanging in the air, so strong she was gritting her teeth to control the overwhelming urge to run. And then it was over. They stepped out from under the canopy, and back into the blessed sunlight.

  Leah shuddered. “How creepy was that?”

  Belle had broken into a cold sweat, her legs suddenly turned to jelly. “Ummm, guys I don’t feel so…” She felt someone catch her before she hit the ground, then everything went black.

  When she opened her eyes again, she found herself cradled in Raff’s arms, while Leah held her hand, talking softly.

  Leah’s startling eyes were full of concern. “Hey, are you ok?”

  “I’m fine,” Belle managed a shaky laugh. “Something about that place just really got under my skin.” She tried to sit up, uncomfortable with the thought of Raff’s arms still holding her, and embarrassed at the scene she had caused.

  “You stay right where you are thank you,” Raff said, his voice sounding funny. She’d never heard him sound so shaken.

  Leah sat down on the road next to them, still holding her hand. “I’m thinking we should sit here for a while, and enjoy the view.”

  “But I so wanted to go shopping,” Belle whispered, the tears she had been trying to hold back escaping and rolling down her face.

  “Hey, we are still going shopping, if I have to piggy-back you all the way.” Belle was relieved to hear Raff’s voice sounding more normal. “It won’t hurt to sit here for ten minutes until you’re feeling better. Shopping is an exhausting business. You’ll need lots of stamina to last the distance,” he chuckled. “Oh, and I think this calls for refreshments.”

  He reached behind him to pull off his backpack and pass it to Leah. “You’ll find all the stuff we need in there,” he said with a wink.

  Leah opened the backpack and pulled out three bottles of water, three apples and three sandwiches. The look of astonishment on her friend’s face made Belle laugh.

  “What?” Raff said and she just shook her head.

  Belle soon felt better after the sandwich and water. Munching on her apple, she became aware of the students passing them on their way to the village, giving the trio funny looks as they sat having a picnic in the middle of the road.

  “So Raff, I have to ask, what made you bring a picnic, when you knew there’d be plenty to eat in town?” Belle asked.

  Raff shrugged. “Habit I guess. My foster-brother Jeb and me used to go on all day adventures, on the other side of the village. I always packed the supplies, in case we needed them. And TA-DA, today we needed them.”

  “Okay, well thank you. But can we go now? I don’t want to sit here and watch any more kids walk past who might buy the last one of something I wanted,” Belle pleaded.

  Leah laughed at Belle’s naivety. “Belle, if someone buys the last one, there’ll be none left for you to see, so you won’t know you missed out.”

  Raff was scratching his head, muttering something about girls being weird again. Belle and Leah burst out laughing as they pulled each other up.

  * * *

  Belle was sure it had been the best day of her life. Well, there had been a few good ones since arriving at the school, so maybe one of the best days of her life. She licked the forty-seven flavours ice-cream she’d bought with the last of her credit note. She was pretty sure there weren’t really forty-seven flavours in it, but it tasted awesome and she didn’t really care.

  Most of the students had already finished their shopping long ago and headed back to school. Belle’s hands had started to shake at the thought of going back under the canopy, but she was determined not to let Leah and Raff see how nervous she was. They had already spent way too much of their day looking after her.

  She was waiting for them to come back from the armoury, at the other end of the village. Raff and Leah had wanted to check it out, and Belle had opted to meet them at the ice-cream shop. She smiled as she watched them coming down the road, nudging and pushing each other all the way. They were so alike in so many ways, which was why they were always butting heads.

  “Yumm, that looks good!” Leah called as they approached. “I think I might need one of those for the trip home.”

  “I’ll get them,” Raff offered. “Yours looks good, Belle, what is it?”

  “Forty-seven flavours, supposedly.”

  Raff raised his eyebrows, obviously dubious. “I’m game. Leah, you want the same?”

  “Mmmm, yes please.”

  Raff was back within seconds, licking furiously in an attempt to stop the ice-cream running down his arm. He handed Leah hers, and then turned to Belle.

  “Okay, Leah and I have come up with a plan. We’ll walk to where we had our picnic, and then hold hands and run full pelt through the canopy until we’re out the other side. Sound like a plan?”

  “Absolutely!” Belle smiled as relief rushed through her. They’d known she would be terrified and were determined to help.

  “And now, we need to get going. I think we’re the last ones here,” Leah said, as she linked their arms and started pulling them down the road.

  * * *

  By the time they reached the picnic spot, they’d already finished their ice-creams, and Belle was having trouble controlling the panic welling up inside her. She knew she was being ridiculous, but her brain was stubbornly refusing to accept any reasonable argument.

  “Ready?” Raff held out his hand. She took it, and he pulled her in-between himself and Leah, who was smiling encouragingly as she grabbed Belle’s other hand. Belle took a deep breath, nodded, and they set off.

  The beast attacked as soon as they reached the canopy. Belle screamed a warning at the sight of the black mass hurtling out of the trees, but it was too late. It thudded into Leah, pinning her to the ground and knocking Belle and Raff flying. Within seconds, Raff was up and running towards where Leah was trapped and screaming,
her shoulder torn and bleeding from the beast’s razor-sharp claws.

  The beast merely lifted its enormous paw off Leah’s body and batted him away, as if he were nothing but an annoying fly. Raff flew backwards through the air, landing on the road with a resounding thump. Holding her breath, Belle pleaded silently for him to move, terrified he never would again.

  She crouched silently among the trees on the other side of the road. At least the slight distraction Raff had provided had allowed Leah enough time to scramble into the bushes. Feeling utterly useless, she watched the beast attacking her friends and knew there was nothing she could do to help.

  The beast screamed in rage when it discovered its captive had escaped. It was like a gigantic black wolf, its red eyes burning like live coals. When it snarled, as it was doing now, she could see huge yellow teeth, and drool dripping from its gaping maw.

  She finally saw Raff moving. She had no idea where he’d found the wicked looking knife grasped firmly in his hand, but it seemed to have given him renewed confidence. Unfortunately, the beast had seen him as well, and had obviously decided to deal with him once and for all. It launched itself directly at him, but Raff had seen it coming this time and dived sideways out of its path. One of the beast’s sharp claws sliced his leg as he dived, and Belle could see the blood pouring from the long jagged wound.

  Raff staggered to his feet as the beast launched again, and this time the monster hit its target. It landed on his chest, effectively pinning him to the ground with its massive front paws. Raff slashed at its trunk-like legs, but the small cuts only seemed to add to the beast’s fury. His body was ripped and bleeding, and he was screaming at the beast to get off him. Leah’s hoarse cries resounded from where she sat propped against a tree, tears pouring down her bleeding face, her shoulder torn and bloodied from where the beast had held her down.

  Belle looked back to where Raff lay. She was appalled by how small he looked pinned beneath the beast’s massive paws. Suddenly it threw back its head, howling in victory. Belle screamed, as the razor sharp teeth descended towards Raff’s neck. She knew he was about to die.

  Chapter Sixteen

  - Magefire -

  Raff knew he was going to die. He was exhausted from what felt like hours of slashing at the beast’s powerful legs. Time had slowed down, and he felt as if he were drowning. Pain sliced through him from the countless wounds all over his body. He knew it was hopeless to keep fighting; the beast was way too strong. He watched as it threw back its head and roared a victory cry, and then something inside him snapped.

  If he died, who would protect Leah and Belle? He couldn’t give in… they needed him.

  He closed his eyes, and concentrated on what he knew needed to happen. He needed the creature off him.

  “I SAID GET OFF ME!” Raff screamed the words into the descending face of the beast, throwing his arm out in front of him. A jolt ran down his arm and out through his fingers, and he thought the beast must have bitten his arm off as he sunk into blissful darkness.

  * * *

  Raff opened his eyes slowly, the faces of Belle and Leah swimming into focus. Pain burned through his body.

  Was he really alive? How? Leah’s beautiful eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he wanted to reach up and wipe the tears away, but his arms wouldn’t move.

  Of course, the beast had bitten one off. Wonder why the other one won’t work then? He settled for smiling at Leah instead, and drifted off again, back to the awesome place where there was no pain.

  He opened his eyes again, surprised to find the pain a little less intense. He watched in confusion as Belle moved around his body, applying her glowing hands to wound after wound.

  Wait, her hands were glowing? Obviously he was delirious. He knew hands didn’t glow, but whatever she was doing was helping; the pain was easing and he didn’t feel quite so weak. Cool, he thought, as he drifted off again.

  Raff opened his eyes for the third time, and this time he was absolutely stunned. The excruciating pain had been reduced to a dull ache. He turned his head and saw Leah and Belle sitting over near the edge of the trees. Belle’s glowing hands were touching each of Leah’s wounds, the same as she had done for him. This time he knew he wasn’t hallucinating, and he pushed himself up into a half-sitting position.

  “Umm… Belle… do you realise your hands are like… glowing?” he croaked, wishing his head would stop swimming. Leah immediately pushed Belle’s hands away and ran over to him. She picked up his hand and squeezed it.

  “You okay?” Her eyes were still red and puffy, and Raff lifted his other hand to trace a long scratch that ran from her hairline to her chin. He didn’t remember her having that, yet it looked like it had been healing for weeks.

  He smiled. “I’m alive, so that’s a bonus. Though I’ve no idea how or why?”

  “Well, even after you killed the beast, you wouldn’t have survived your injuries if Belle hadn’t discovered she’s a healer.”

  “After I WHAT?” He decided Leah must have become mentally unhinged from the trauma.

  Leah looked at him in confusion. “You don’t remember?”

  Belle squatted beside him, her face breaking into a tired smile. “You’re looking a lot better I see. Leah, I need to finish healing your wounds before the others get here. I don’t particularly want an audience when I’m still not used to what I can do with my Gift.”

  “What others?” He was getting annoyed; he’d missed so much of this adventure.

  “Leah sent a message to Dub, and told him what happened. The rescue party should be here any minute.” Belle grinned. “Which certainly answered a few questions I had, about how she kept contacting Dub when she hadn’t left my sight. Dub can read Leah’s thoughts.”

  “Cool.” Raff grinned. He was having trouble concentrating on the conversation while Leah rubbed the back of the hand she was holding with her thumb.

  “Can you just finish healing me here then? Please, Belle?”

  Belle sighed and got back to work. Raff was torn between watching Belle’s glowing hands, and looking into Leah’s gorgeous eyes. The eyes won.

  * * *

  By the time Dominic, Dub and the four other coblynaus arrived, Belle had finished healing Leah’s wounds and the three of them lay huddled together in the middle of the road. The rescue team had brought three stretchers, and Raff chuckled as Leah tried to argue with Dominic that she was fine, and would prefer to walk. Belle must have been exhausted, because she simply nodded and rolled onto the stretcher without a protest. Leah finally gave in, and almost fell onto the stretcher.

  Dominic and Dub lifted Raff onto his stretcher, their eyebrows raised at the sight of his rapidly healing wounds. They shared a look, and Raff knew there’d be lots of explaining to be done when they got back to school.

  As the little party moved out from under the canopy, Raff was surprised to see the sun sinking below the horizon. How long had they been in there? No wonder Belle looked so exhausted; she must have been healing them for hours. And had Leah really said he killed the beast? Yeah right, she must have been delirious. So what had happened? And where was the beast now? Surely if he’d killed it, the dead body should be here somewhere?

  Whether it was alive or dead, there was no sign the beast had ever been there.

  Chapter Seventeen

  - Gifts -

  Leah sat beside Raff’s bed, holding his hand. She grinned; this hand holding thing was becoming a habit. She was still reeling from yesterday’s events. The long scratches and torn flesh that had covered Raff’s body yesterday were now little more than faded lines. It was a miracle he was still alive, a miracle in the shape of their friend Belle.

  She ran her finger down the line on her own face, running from her hairline all the way to her chin. She remembered the searing pain of the monster’s claws digging into her. She shuddered at the thought of how much worse things could have been.

  She felt a slight pressure on her hand. Raff was awake, and staring up
at her. She smiled and squeezed his hand in return.

  “It’s about time you woke up. I was dreading having to try to explain everything to Madame Persimmons on my own. She’ll be here any minute.”

  “Where are we?” The weird, croaky voice coming out of Raff’s mouth made her cringe.

  “This is the school’s sick room. They brought us here last night so they could keep an eye on us. Can’t really blame them, we were a pretty sorry sight.”

  Raff pulled himself up into a sitting position. “So where’s Belle?”

  “She woke up early, and wanted to go sit with Midnight for a while; said she needed to clear her head. She was amazing, Raff, I wish you’d seen her.”

  “So tell me everything.” She could feel his excitement in the hand squeezing hers.

  “Yes, please do,” Madame Persimmons said from the doorway. Startled, Leah looked up to see the old woman approaching the bed, Dominic following close behind. She sighed, it was going to be a long day.

  And then Belle burst into the room, panting. “Sorry I’m late, I lost track of time. Hey Raff, good to see you awake.” She moved to stand on the other side of Raff’s bed, and he grabbed her hand and lifted it to his lips.

  “Thank you,” was all he said, but Leah and Belle could both see the depth of his gratitude in his eyes.

  “Ahem. Sorry to interrupt, but something tells me we’re going to be here a while. Dominic, can you please get chairs for everyone.” Madame Persimmons was looking at the three of them with a sparkle in her eyes.

  Once they were all seated around Raff’s bed, Madame Persimmons looked at Leah and Belle expectantly. “So who would like to start?”

  Belle nodded at Leah, her eyes pleading not to have to do it. Leah sighed and nodded. “Okay, I’ll start. But Belle and Raff, jump in if you think I’ve forgotten anything important.” They both nodded, and Leah took a deep breath.