The Ragwitch by Garth Nix

Author:Garth Nix
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Fiction
ISBN: 9780007375455
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1990-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

GOLDEN Fire

THE Water Lord’S CaTCH

MIRRAN WAS STILL weak after the golden wand’s transfor-mation, so he and Julia walked slowly along the gully. He told her a little more about the North-Queen, and the war that followed, but avoided saying any more about Anhyvar—except to say that the Magic she had hoped to find to end the war had only made it fiercer and more horrible, by making her into the North-Queen.

In return, Julia told him all she could remember of what Lyssa had said about the end of the North-Queen’s reign—how the Magi and the Wild Magic had cast Her out, and She had taken the form of a rag doll to survive. And over many hundreds of years, the Kingdom had recovered and forgotten the North-Queen, and what had been learned of the Ragwitch became a thing for scary tales and to blame for bad luck.

Mirran had listened carefully, particularly to what Julia knew about affairs after his defeat in Yendre and supposed death. Then he asked her about the Ragwitch and what She had done since Her return.

The colour faded from Julia’s face and she leant against the side of the gully as she thought of the answer. She didn’t want to remember the people of Bevallan, fleeing from the Gwarulch and unstoppable Angarling, only to meet the Meepers swooping in from the sky. Or the Glazed Men and Women,

‘survivors’ of the Namyr Gorge, all pale as death, with their halting movements. But she told Mirran, and he listened as if such things were no surprise to him—and in fact, he had seen far worse, when the North-Queen was at the height of Her power.

‘You have endured great evil,’ said Mirran, when Julia had finished. ‘Few would have the courage to keep going. Many grown men and women would have given up before now.’

‘To be completely absorbed by Her?’ asked Julia, shuddering. She could think of nothing worse than being a part of that loathsome leathery monster and Her vicious, ugly thoughts.

‘And I had . . . have Lyssa to help me.’

‘Yes,’ said Mirran thoughtfully. ‘The aid of one of Alnwere’s Rowans is worth a great deal.’

They walked in silence after that, for an hour or more, till the stream suddenly dried up altogether, and the gully led out into an open plain of red and blowing dust. The sun hung low in the sky and its red glare made the land ahead look like a sea of drying blood. Mirran stared in horror and mumbled something Julia didn’t hear.

She turned to ask him what he’d said when her question was drowned by a chilling howl that burst out behind them, echoing down the gully and on to the plain. It was a sound Julia knew well, though she had only heard it through the dulled ears of the Ragwitch. A hunting Gwarulch had found their trail—and Gwarulch never hunted alone.

‘Gwarulch!’ cried Mirran. ‘And I am unarmed. But if they are just memories . . .’

‘Lyssa said they’d be real to me,’ said Julia, fighting back the urge to run, screaming.

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