Matilda and Pearl by Julie Sykes

Author:Julie Sykes [Julie Sykes and Linda Chapman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788005043
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Published: 2019-08-01T16:00:00+00:00

“Because we aren’t going to use any magic,” said Valentina loudly. “What are you staring at?” she added, glaring at Matilda. “Oh, I know. A successful team.”

“A big fat cheating team, more like,” said Matilda crossly. “I know you were going to use Golden Briar’s magic to get that feather.”

“You can think what you like. You didn’t see anything. And personally, I don’t think having magic would make any difference to your chances, Matilda. Not unless it’s super strong tidying magic. I mean, look at the state of you. Do you even own a comb? Oh, don’t tell me, I expect it broke in that bird’s nest you call hair. Go away and take your loser friends with you. You’re not going to win the scavenger hunt. We are!”

Matilda tensed.

“Ignore her,” said Violet. “She’s not worth it.”

“You’re right.” Matilda breathed out slowly. “Let’s go.”

“Ruby dorm can’t be allowed to cheat,” said Ariana angrily, as the Diamond girls rode away.

“I know, it’s not fair,” Violet agreed. “But what can we do? If we tell the teachers then we’ll just look like snitches.”

“I think we should tell,” said Rosa. “Cheating’s wrong. What do you think Freya? Freya, are you even listening?”

Freya was sitting on Honey’s back, a faraway look in her eyes. “Yes, totally,” she said, blinking. “Whatever you say.”

Rosa sighed in frustration.

“I hate telling tales,” said Matilda. “Let’s not say anything. We’ll just have to make sure that Diamond dorm wins.”

“Yes, let’s do that!” said Rosa, looking happier.

On the way to the middle of the woods, they skirted a pond and Rosa found a sparkling hag stone in the water. Then Violet spotted a green feather caught on a branch.

“We’re doing really well,” she said. “We’ve got three things and the chinchilla fur will make four.”

“Wow!” Matilda exclaimed as they entered a huge clearing at the centre of the dell. “Look at that!” The ancient Heart Tree was twice the size she’d expected. Caught in a ray of sunlight, its trunk shone pure gold and its slender branches arched overhead to form the shape of a heart. But as Pearl walked closer, Matilda realised something was very wrong. The tree seemed to be covered with a furry mould and instead of a fiery red, the heart-shaped leaves were wrinkled and brown. Piles of dead leaves lay in heaps at the base of the tree.

“Is that really the Heart Tree?” asked Freya.

“It can’t be,” said Violet. “It’s dying.”

Matilda got off Pearl and went to investigate. “It is the Heart Tree,” she said, picking up a crinkled heart-shaped leaf from the ground.

“What’s that noise?” Ariana had followed Matilda over to the Heart Tree but now she stopped to listen.

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