The Lost Treasure of Annwn (10 page)

‘You mean you ate it.'

Camelin hung his head

‘Only realised what it was once I'd swallowed it.'

‘Did you shrink?'

‘Certainly not! Did you?'

‘I did but I was invited and the only way I could get through the door was to shrink.'

Camelin gave Jack a half glower.

‘Fairies,' he grumbled.

‘They were very nice, especially Twink.'

‘Oooh! On first name terms now are we?'

‘I was introduced. Can you see them?'

‘Yep, and hear them. Don't see anything to get excited about.'

‘They gave me a gift…'

‘What kind of a gift?'

‘A special one, I can hear and understand any creature now.'

‘What's so special about that, you could do that already.'

‘Without a wand.'

Jack could see Camelin was impressed even though he tried not to show it.

‘I'll tell Nora when I get back. You'd better get some sleep, we're going to Falconrock in the morning, just the two of us, so don't go inviting any of your new friends to join us.'

‘I won't.'

‘Especially not the Dorysk, he's got a nasty habit now of turning up when I least expect it. Since he's joined the Night Guard, I swear he's spying on me.'

Jack smiled. Soon Camelin wouldn't be able to keep any secrets from Nora. A loud knock on the kitchen door interrupted Jack's thoughts. They both listened.

‘Nora,' grumbled Camelin as he hopped back onto the windowsill. ‘She said she'd come round later with a pie and a pot of blackberry jelly. She'll have heard you were back from the trees.'

‘I'll see you tomorrow then.'

‘It'll be great, just us two.'

‘Nora said I've got to find the library on my own. I'll ask my Book of Shadows; there might be some helpful information in there.'

‘You don't need to look in there, you've got me.'

‘But Nora said I had to do it on my own.'

‘I've been lots of times with her, she's made me promise not to tell you the way but she didn't say I couldn't do any ravenphore.'

‘Ravenphore?'

‘You know! The signals they do with flags, only I do it with my wings and beak.'

Camelin hopped onto Jack's round table and gave him a demonstration of a technique he'd obviously been working on. First he raised his left wing, then his right. Jack almost laughed when he thrust his head forward and stared into the distance. He pointed his beak down, then up.

‘What d'you think?'

‘Brilliant.'

‘There's more…'

‘More!'

‘Yep, if you've gone too far I'll do this,' explained Camelin as he pirouetted around and rotated his beak at the same time. ‘And if you have to go underground I'll do this.'

Jack bit his lip to stop himself from laughing out loud as Camelin put his head down and pulled his wings back.

‘Last one coming up,' said Camelin as he put both his wings over his eyes.

‘What's that one?'

‘Watch out! I hope I don't have to do that one tomorrow.'

‘Me too! See you in the morning.'

Without waiting for a reply Camelin took off. Nora and Grandad were still talking downstairs so Jack got out his Book of Shadows, put his hand on the front and thought carefully before asking his question. He already knew he needed his golden acorn and special key but Nora had implied that finding the library was going to be the hardest part. He wasn't going to be able to take his wand, which meant he'd have to rely on his instincts. Any help his Book might give him would be invaluable. He took a deep breath and let out a long slow sigh before speaking.

‘How can I find the library at Falconrock?'

To find the door with the special lock

There are things you'll have to do,

Go under, over, along and through.

Find the tower, mount the stair,

The path is clear from the Druid's chair.

Climb the gorge and cross the bridge,

Enter the tunnels under the ridge.

Once you're there you can't turn back

To leave the rock, just follow the track.

Jack hadn't expected to be given any answers but the riddle hadn't really helped. He decided to learn it by heart, just in case it made sense once he was there. When he was sure he knew the rhyme he asked his book another question.

‘What does Falconrock look like?'

Jack stared at the Book on his bed but nothing happened. He was about to put it away when the page opposite the writing rippled. A map began to form. When the drawing was complete he tapped it with his wand. Two rocky outcrops rose from the page, their tops covered in trees. The cliffs were mottled with patches of red and orange and they looked steep and jagged. No wonder he'd have to fly there, it looked very inaccessible. Between the two cliffs was a deep ravine. The only building Jack could see above the trees was the top of a red tower; this had to be the tower the riddle had mentioned. He wondered what the gorge would be like and if it would be difficult to climb. He tapped the top of Falconrock with his wand and watched as the map sank back into his page. If he found the library and opened the door he would be entirely on his own. If he wanted to find out about crystal magic it was something he was going to have to do.

 

 

FALCONROCK

Jack was hot and bothered by the time he reached the bottom of Nora's garden. He'd only packed what he'd needed but his backpack and holdall were bulging at the seams.

‘Let me help,' said Elan as she came towards him.

Jack gave Elan the holdall. He expected her to complain about its weight but instead she slung it over her shoulder as if it was empty.

‘Nora wants you to have a go at visualisation before you set off for Falconrock. She thinks you'll get the hang of it really quickly; especially now you've been to visit the fairies. They're masters of illusion and some of that will have been transferred to you when you ate what they offered. You did eat it didn't you?'

‘I did, but I shrank it first: will that make any difference?'

‘Not at all, but let's see how you get on. Nora can put a temporary spell on you if you can't do it.'

‘Thanks. I'd feel a lot happier if I was dressed. Where's Camelin?'

‘Oh he's busy! He's decided to set up a surveillance team of his own and he's recruiting starlings to be part of a Flying Squad. He wants them to keep a watch on Max and his gang, and report back if they see or hear anything suspicious. He doesn't like being the last to know things.'

‘How many starlings are in the squad?'

‘Fifteen,' croaked Saige, as she hopped off the patio step before making her way towards the flowerbed.

‘He'll be unbearable now,' sighed Elan. ‘I don't know if you've noticed but he does like to be in charge.'

Jack laughed. He looked up as a flock of noisy birds flew around the house.

‘Is that them?'

‘It is.'

Nora stepped onto the patio.

‘Take your bags up and go tell Camelin we need him in the herborium so you can practise visualising.'

‘I'll bring this one,' said Elan.

‘Is it really hard, imagining clothes?' Jack asked her as they dropped his bags on the bed.

‘You'll be fine, I'll see you later. You won't want me in the herborium while you're practising.'

Jack blushed. His cheeks still felt hot as he climbed the stairs to the loft. When he reached the bottom of Camelin's stepladder he could hear squawking and chattering coming from above. He called to Camelin but there was no answer. He didn't think he'd been heard above the din. As he poked his head through the trapdoor he smiled. Camelin had his head on one side with one eye shut and the expression closest to a grimace that a bird can have on his face.

‘What's up?' shouted Jack.

‘It's them,' replied Camelin and turned his beak so it pointed at five starlings that were jostling for position on his windowsill, all speaking at once. Jack decided to test his new skill. He listened carefully. He really could understand what the starlings were saying. They were arguing about who should report to Camelin first.

‘STOP!' shouted Jack.

The noise stopped abruptly. All five starlings froze; it was as if they thought they'd be invisible if they kept still. None of them looked at Jack or Camelin. Jack smiled. They looked quite comical in their different poses.

‘That's better. Now, who's in charge?' asked Jack.

All the starlings looked towards Camelin.

‘I mean, in charge of the Flying Squad.'

‘Who told you I'd got a Flying Squad? A raven can't have any secrets around here, not even when he's trying to help.'

Jack ignored Camelin and looked at each starling in turn. He'd heard a couple of names mentioned as they'd been arguing.

‘Who's Crosspatch?'

‘Who wants to know,' snapped the darker starling with a slightly orange beak.

Before Jack could answer the other four starlings began squabbling again.

‘This won't do,' shouted Jack. ‘We need some order.'

‘That's what I told them,' interrupted Camelin. ‘The one who just spoke to you is Crosspatch, he's supposed to be in charge.'

‘Are you that Jack Brenin?' asked Crosspatch, ‘The one we're looking out for?'

‘That's me.'

‘You should have said, we've sworn to spy and snoop and bring back information for you.'

All five starlings nodded, raised their heads, puffed out their chests and stood very still again.

‘That's better,' said Jack, ‘It would be easier if just one of you reported back at a time.'

‘We did. We're each watching one of those boys who don't like you. We didn't come back together. We came because each one of us has got something to report.'

Camelin turned to Jack.

‘I've got three shifts and a starling watching each one of the gang so it's round-the-clock surveillance.'

Jack was impressed. Camelin had obviously been very busy.

‘Could we have your reports, in turn, and maybe you could introduce yourselves too.'

Crosspatch hopped forward.

‘Max is in his garden.'

Jack wasn't sure this was the kind of thing Camelin had in mind until the second starling joined Crosspatch.

‘Snaffle, on Tank watch, he's with Max in the garden too.'

‘Are all five of them together?' asked Jack.

‘They are,' confirmed Snaffle. ‘Chortle, Snatch and Grubber came to say the same.'