First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts by Lari Don

Author:Lari Don [Lari Don]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780863158520
Publisher: Floris Books
Published: 2011-09-25T04:00:00+00:00

“We will hold what in our hands at last? The Book? Is this the last clue?” Yann spoke quietly and thoughtfully. “But where is there great change and fear? You don’t get bears on this island any more, nor many blacksmiths with bars of hot iron.”

“There were big steelworks many miles west of here until a few years ago,” said Helen, “but they’ve all closed down now. That was a big change, but I think the ground there is too polluted to have snakes or newts, let alone bears.”

Yann looked around. “Can anyone puzzle this out for us?”

There was a ripple of shrugs from tired shoulders covered in feathers, scales, damp fur and torn purple fabric.

Helen said, “The bar of iron and the bear do ring a bell with me, perhaps from an old song or story I once heard, but I’m too tired to find it in my head tonight. The Master doesn’t have the clue, so we don’t have to race him to the next answer. Can’t we just sleep on it?”

She stood up and stretched. “I have to go now anyway, because my parents will be worried about me.”

She finally looked at her watch. It was 1.30 am. She closed her eyes, then looked again. It was definitely 1.30 am. Her Mum and Dad would be imagining all sorts of terrible things that might have happened to her, though they probably wouldn’t get anywhere near the truth.

But she didn’t like lying to them. What would she say about her long disappearance? The fabled beasts were all watching her.

“Will you get into trouble, human girl?” asked Yann.

She looked up at him. “Probably. Yes.”

“I could help,” offered Lavender. “I am in your debt. I could conjure up a forgetting spell, and make your parents forget you have been absent all evening.”

“You could brainwash them?” Helen considered the idea. It would be convenient, but she didn’t like the idea of anyone messing with her parents’ minds. “I don’t think so. I think I’ll just have to say I’m sorry and nod lots while they shout at me.” She sighed.

“Will you tell them where you have been?” asked Yann.

“No. They wouldn’t believe me, and I don’t want to get you lot into trouble too.”

“Will they punish you?” asked Rona.

“Probably. I’ve never broken this many rules in one go before, so I don’t know what will happen. Will your parents be angry with you for staying out so late?”

“Not really. Our parents will not think it is odd. Our peoples are often safer moving around at night. So long as we are ready for the Gathering in two nights’ time …” Rona’s voice faltered.

“Which we won’t be without the Book,” Lavender added, “and then we will be lucky to escape their anger with any of our powers and privileges intact.” The fairy sounded all wobbly again, more upset about not getting the Book back than about being attacked by dozens of seagulls.

Then Yann turned suddenly, his head cocked to a sound that Helen hadn’t heard, and Rona said, “Shhhh!” to Lavender.

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