A Witch Alone by James Nicol

Author:James Nicol
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Chicken House

‘We should head straight back to the town hall and inform the mayor!’ Miss Newam said curtly.

Ahead, Arianwyn could see the trees finally giving away to open ground, and glimpsed the high walls of Lull in the first grey light of dawn. She was full of relief at being home, but at the same time the crushing disappointment of their failed mission lingered. ‘You’ll have to explain our . . . guest, as well!’ Miss Newam eyed Tas with suspicion as she had done countless times on the long tiring walk.

They had travelled in silence mostly, all night long. Only Tas occasionally asked a question about Lull or the ‘human lands’, which Arianwyn answered quickly and quietly, in no mood for conversation. Colin had avoided talking to Arianwyn at all, and each time they had caught each other’s gaze he had just looked away, his eyes dark and angry.

By Arianwyn’s estimate it must almost be breakfast time, and they’d been away from Lull for just under twenty-four hours. It had become incredibly cold, their breath misting the air in front of them. Rather chilly for early October, she thought, shivering. She didn’t exactly relish the thought of telling the mayor that the hex had spread further in the wood either and was now closer to town – he really wouldn’t be happy. ‘Can’t we leave our report until later?’ she asked. She glanced at Colin but he didn’t meet her gaze.

‘No!’ Miss Newam gasped in horror. ‘We need to report this as soon as possible and not just to the mayor. The C.W.A. will need to be updated as well, you know . . . about everything!’ She glared at Arianwyn.

Arianwyn sighed. All she wanted was some dry socks and mug of tea. Then perhaps she would be able to face the mayor and the C.W.A.

‘Ahem!’ Miss Newam coughed, drawing Arianwyn to one side so Tas couldn’t hear. ‘You’ll need to speak to the High Elder as well, of course, don’t forget. I’m certain she will wish to hear why you haven’t managed to find the book!’

Arianwyn stared at Miss Newam. ‘You heard the feylings. Erraldur was overrun with dark spirit creatures and hex. It wasn’t safe to carry on. And we couldn’t have got through the blockages of hex, anyway!’ Her words were full of tiredness and frustration and she regretted them at once.

Miss Newam only sniffed, pursed her lips and raised a single thick black eyebrow. They all tramped silently and slowly through the trees at the very edge of the wood and emerged at last on to the meadow.

Then stumbled to a halt.

There, grazing in the middle of the meadow that skirted Lull, was a herd of qered – tall horse-like spirit creatures. Arianwyn could see four of them, moving away as they saw the approaching party, their strange whale-like cries echoing around the meadow. They were massive, their huge bodies covered partly in dark scales, partly in coarse hair. They had long serpentine tails that flowed behind them along with their seemingly never-ending manes.

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