The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson

Author:Pari Thomson [Pari Thomson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780374391379
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK
Published: 2023-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

The gobstopper soared through the air and into the open jaws of the Venus flytrap. The plant gave a convulsive hiccup, shuddered – and then spat out the gobstopper in disgust. Along with it came the dandelion paperweight, covered in corrosive green slime. Using her sleeve, Daisy picked it up carefully and wiped it off. She grinned. ‘Got it.’

She lifted her hand and the paperweight shone out like a star, glinting off the Prof’s spectacles. Anyone watching from outside would have seen the whole glasshouse glowing like a silver lantern.

‘I think I know what this is,’ whispered the Prof. ‘There are illustrations in Grandfather’s books, but I never thought I’d see it in real life.’ She reached out and touched it, eyes wide. ‘It’s a dandelight.’

The others looked blank, and the Prof sighed, exasperated. ‘The story goes that one of the Old Botanists made it from one of the Mallowmarsh dandelions when they were first planted. The art was lost centuries ago, so this must be . . . really old.’ She glanced at Daisy, still whispering so as not to wake the corporal. ‘According to the story, this Botanist – Sir Robert Chiveley, the man who built Chiveley Chase – fell madly in love with a Greysider, and created the dandelight so she could visit him whenever she wanted. It works like a compass, you see, magnetized to the Greenwild – always leading you towards the door of the nearest pocket.’

Daisy nodded, remembering the way its beam had swung like a compass needle, leading her towards the entrance to Mallowmarsh.

Indigo frowned. ‘But no one without magic can get through the gates – or even see them.’

‘That’s the point,’ said the Prof quietly. ‘The dandelight is also a key: it allows the holder to cross the threshold, even if they don’t have magic themselves.’

Suddenly, there was an odd noise from behind them: something like a dog choking on a bread roll. Daisy turned, and drew in a deep, shocked breath.

Slumped on the floor was the limp form of Corporal Smedley, with blood trickling out of his nose.

And the ghost-moth orchid was gone.

Without stopping to think, Daisy sprinted over to the guard’s body. His face was very pale, and when she shook him he didn’t respond.

‘What do we do?’ Indigo’s voice was panicky.

‘We have to raise the alarm,’ said Daisy. Smedley needed help, that much was clear. They would have to call for it, even it meant being caught themselves.

‘This can’t be happening,’ the Prof was muttering. Her voice rose to an anguished squeak. ‘We are going to be in so much trouble.’

Then there was a noise from the door, and Sheldrake came bursting into the Perilous Glasshouse.

With one glance, he took in the scene: the four children, pale faced and trembling; the guard, unconscious on the floor. And the priceless ghost-moth orchid: gone.

He looked straight at Daisy, his voice laced with menace. ‘You, girl. Come with me.’

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