dark,” boomed Great-Aunt Wilhelmina. “I’ve got terrible night vision. Ever since I got caught in a thunderstorm a couple of hundred years ago, took a lightning bolt straight to the head.”
“Are you coming with us?” asked Olivia, thinking that if it came to a showdown with Morgana, it would be rather wonderful to have Great-Aunt Wilhelmina on their side.
“Of course!” said the dragon. “Can’t let A-drip-nose be the only representative of the family at such an important moment. Besides, I can fly much faster than any of you. If we leave at first light, I’ll have you there before midday.”
“That should do it,” said Max, thinking. “Morgana must have set out at twilight two days ago, so she’ll arrive at twilight tomorrow. We should have plenty of time.”
In the corner, Jerome and Snotty exchanged glances. Snotty eased a small square piece of foldedparchment out of his tunic, and passed it to Jerome.
“I’m going to see if I can get the spell once Max is asleep,” he whispered. “But if I get caught, send this swift to Lady Morgana. She’ll have to do the last few miles by broomstick. She needs to get to Camelot before midday!”
***
Max woke with a start. The far end of the cave was just visible in the pale light of dawn, but the others were still sleeping. Great-Aunt Wilhelmina let out a rattling snore and Max wondered if that was what had woken him. Then he saw a dark shadow flit across the narrow cave entrance and disappear out into the morning.
Max sat up. He felt around on the blankets. Then he scrambled up and shouted.
“Hey! Wake up! The potion’s gone! Someone’s been in and they’ve stolen the spell! It’s gone! Quick – we’ve got to get after them!”
He ran for the cave entrance, barely registering the others as they leaped up to follow him. He sprinted down the narrow passageway and out onto the beach.
There was no one there.
He pelted along the sand and up onto the path that ran from the cove to the nearest road. There was no one to be seen, but there in the centre of the muddy path were the prints of at least two horses, and they led off towards the road, looking like whoever was riding them had galloped off in an extreme hurry.
As Max stood there, Adolphus came galumphing up behind him and the others soon followed. Max turned to Great-Aunt Wilhelmina, who was looking rather cross-eyed after her rapid transition from deep sleep to broad daylight.
“It’s Snotty Hogsbottom,” he groaned. “I should have known. I thought I’d put him off the trail but he must have found us – and now he’s got the potion.”
“Well, we must follow him, then, and get it back,” said Great-Aunt Wilhelmina. “And since he seems to have disappeared rather rapidly, we’d better do a direction spell, and then fly.”
“Umm… I’m not sure I can,” said Max.
“Of course you can, dear boy,” said the greatdragon impatiently. “Just try. You have more magic in your fingertips than most people manage to acquire in a lifetime. Get on with it, and then we’ll catch up with this Hoggy Snotbottom, and all will be well.”
“Snotty Hogsbottom,” said Olivia. “Not Hoggy Snotbottom.”
“Well, Hotty Bogsnottom, then, or Botty Hotsnoggom or whatever his name is,” said Great-Aunt Wilhelmina crossly. “Let’s just get after him before it’s too late!”
Max thought about a direction spell. He picked up a pointed stone from the ground and held it on the palm of his hand, and tried to direct the right magic at it.
The stone whizzed around in circles for a few seconds and then turned into an apple pie.
Great-Aunt Wilhelmina snorted, but Olivia took the pie happily.
“Breakfast!” she said, and started to divide it between them.
“Try again, Max,” said the dragon.
He picked up another stone, and focused. This time he was almost sure he’d got it right, but then the stone flew up into the air and hit him on the nose, before dissolving into a thousand sparkling
“Are you coming with us?” asked Olivia, thinking that if it came to a showdown with Morgana, it would be rather wonderful to have Great-Aunt Wilhelmina on their side.
“Of course!” said the dragon. “Can’t let A-drip-nose be the only representative of the family at such an important moment. Besides, I can fly much faster than any of you. If we leave at first light, I’ll have you there before midday.”
“That should do it,” said Max, thinking. “Morgana must have set out at twilight two days ago, so she’ll arrive at twilight tomorrow. We should have plenty of time.”
In the corner, Jerome and Snotty exchanged glances. Snotty eased a small square piece of foldedparchment out of his tunic, and passed it to Jerome.
“I’m going to see if I can get the spell once Max is asleep,” he whispered. “But if I get caught, send this swift to Lady Morgana. She’ll have to do the last few miles by broomstick. She needs to get to Camelot before midday!”
***
Max woke with a start. The far end of the cave was just visible in the pale light of dawn, but the others were still sleeping. Great-Aunt Wilhelmina let out a rattling snore and Max wondered if that was what had woken him. Then he saw a dark shadow flit across the narrow cave entrance and disappear out into the morning.
Max sat up. He felt around on the blankets. Then he scrambled up and shouted.
“Hey! Wake up! The potion’s gone! Someone’s been in and they’ve stolen the spell! It’s gone! Quick – we’ve got to get after them!”
He ran for the cave entrance, barely registering the others as they leaped up to follow him. He sprinted down the narrow passageway and out onto the beach.
There was no one there.
He pelted along the sand and up onto the path that ran from the cove to the nearest road. There was no one to be seen, but there in the centre of the muddy path were the prints of at least two horses, and they led off towards the road, looking like whoever was riding them had galloped off in an extreme hurry.
As Max stood there, Adolphus came galumphing up behind him and the others soon followed. Max turned to Great-Aunt Wilhelmina, who was looking rather cross-eyed after her rapid transition from deep sleep to broad daylight.
“It’s Snotty Hogsbottom,” he groaned. “I should have known. I thought I’d put him off the trail but he must have found us – and now he’s got the potion.”
“Well, we must follow him, then, and get it back,” said Great-Aunt Wilhelmina. “And since he seems to have disappeared rather rapidly, we’d better do a direction spell, and then fly.”
“Umm… I’m not sure I can,” said Max.
“Of course you can, dear boy,” said the greatdragon impatiently. “Just try. You have more magic in your fingertips than most people manage to acquire in a lifetime. Get on with it, and then we’ll catch up with this Hoggy Snotbottom, and all will be well.”
“Snotty Hogsbottom,” said Olivia. “Not Hoggy Snotbottom.”
“Well, Hotty Bogsnottom, then, or Botty Hotsnoggom or whatever his name is,” said Great-Aunt Wilhelmina crossly. “Let’s just get after him before it’s too late!”
Max thought about a direction spell. He picked up a pointed stone from the ground and held it on the palm of his hand, and tried to direct the right magic at it.
The stone whizzed around in circles for a few seconds and then turned into an apple pie.
Great-Aunt Wilhelmina snorted, but Olivia took the pie happily.
“Breakfast!” she said, and started to divide it between them.
“Try again, Max,” said the dragon.
He picked up another stone, and focused. This time he was almost sure he’d got it right, but then the stone flew up into the air and hit him on the nose, before dissolving into a thousand sparkling
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