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Authors: Holly Webb
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power of three young magicians, she realised. And Aunt Clara was so happy the Dysart girls were here – she’d let her guard down.
The spell felt intriguingly different to one of her own, perhaps because of its dual nature – the twins had cast it together, she thought. It seized her magic hungrily, and she snatched it back, paying it out with care, like the crabbing lines she’d used with Peter, off the boathouse jetty. All three girls swirled their magic around Aunt Clara, telling her very firmly to leave. Lily shivered happily, and her magic purred inside her, glad to be set free. It was exciting, to be part of someone else’s spell. But she wasn’t stupid, and the Dysart girls’ spell had dug in little hooked claws. She could feel them, pulling and testing and trying and stealing.
The pale green girls smiled at her sweetly – with not a hint of apology. Lily smiled a thin-lipped grimace back, and Georgie blinked anxiously between them.
Aunt Clara stood up, and murmured something incoherent, something to do with seeing about the fish. Then she walked out of the room, with a slight list to one side, as though she wasn’t entirely in control of her own feet.
‘Thank goodness she’s gone.’
‘I quite despise your aunt.’
Cora and Penelope spoke at the same time, and Lily found it hard to separate out their humming voices.
‘Such a waste of talent – only a minor one, admittedly, but she could be so much better if she tried.’
‘She’s quite good at her glamour,’ Lily pointed out. It felt odd, defending Aunt Clara when she couldn’t stand her either, but Aunt Clara was theirs. She wasn’t going to let a pair of strangers insult her. Not yet, anyway.
‘That!’ One of them sniffed. ‘Only because she’s been using it so long she’s forgotten she does it. I’m sure she thinks she’s completely natural.’ They sniggered, together.
‘There’s a deadening spell on the house too,’ the other one said, shaking her dark curls irritably. ‘It makes my ears buzz. Anyway. None of that matters. Who are you two? And why are you here? We only came because our father said we must, that the dreadful Fish woman wouldn’t let up until we did. And we were mildly interested to meet you.’
Lily was certain they had been. She could just imagine what fun these two would have with a pair of non-magical sisters living next door.
‘What on earth is the Fish doing, having you here? She can’t stand magic, it’s obvious. Doesn’t she know what you are?’
Lily shrugged, elbowing Georgie in the silken flounces, to remind her sister that she was actually capable of talking.
‘She thinks she can hide us better here, that’s all,’ she explained. ‘She didn’t even know we existed, until she met us by chance, and recognised us. Georgie resembles our mother, you see. Aunt Clara’s sister.’ She decided not to mention the theatre. Something about the icy perfection of the twins made her think that they would disapprove. It wasn’t that Lily was ashamed – or so she told herself, very firmly. But she felt she needed every advantage she had in this little game.
‘Your magic is a great deal stronger than your aunt’s. I’m Penelope, by the way; I can see that you can’t remember.’
Lily smiled, refusing to apologise. ‘Thank you.’ The remnants of the tussle over the spell to banish Aunt Clara were still floating about so powerfully that she could borrow a little of the girls’ own magic. One dark lock of hair crawled slowly into the shape of a P, lying flat against Penelope’s shoulder. Lily could feel Henrietta shaking with amusement, pressed up next to her ankle. Penelope didn’t seem to notice – perhaps she just didn’t think anyone would dare use a spell on her.
‘Aunt Clara’s spent so long trying to pretend she hasn’t got any magic that she’s almost spelled it out of herself. I expect she was a lot stronger once. The spell on this house is horrible.’
‘She didn’t tell
The spell felt intriguingly different to one of her own, perhaps because of its dual nature – the twins had cast it together, she thought. It seized her magic hungrily, and she snatched it back, paying it out with care, like the crabbing lines she’d used with Peter, off the boathouse jetty. All three girls swirled their magic around Aunt Clara, telling her very firmly to leave. Lily shivered happily, and her magic purred inside her, glad to be set free. It was exciting, to be part of someone else’s spell. But she wasn’t stupid, and the Dysart girls’ spell had dug in little hooked claws. She could feel them, pulling and testing and trying and stealing.
The pale green girls smiled at her sweetly – with not a hint of apology. Lily smiled a thin-lipped grimace back, and Georgie blinked anxiously between them.
Aunt Clara stood up, and murmured something incoherent, something to do with seeing about the fish. Then she walked out of the room, with a slight list to one side, as though she wasn’t entirely in control of her own feet.
‘Thank goodness she’s gone.’
‘I quite despise your aunt.’
Cora and Penelope spoke at the same time, and Lily found it hard to separate out their humming voices.
‘Such a waste of talent – only a minor one, admittedly, but she could be so much better if she tried.’
‘She’s quite good at her glamour,’ Lily pointed out. It felt odd, defending Aunt Clara when she couldn’t stand her either, but Aunt Clara was theirs. She wasn’t going to let a pair of strangers insult her. Not yet, anyway.
‘That!’ One of them sniffed. ‘Only because she’s been using it so long she’s forgotten she does it. I’m sure she thinks she’s completely natural.’ They sniggered, together.
‘There’s a deadening spell on the house too,’ the other one said, shaking her dark curls irritably. ‘It makes my ears buzz. Anyway. None of that matters. Who are you two? And why are you here? We only came because our father said we must, that the dreadful Fish woman wouldn’t let up until we did. And we were mildly interested to meet you.’
Lily was certain they had been. She could just imagine what fun these two would have with a pair of non-magical sisters living next door.
‘What on earth is the Fish doing, having you here? She can’t stand magic, it’s obvious. Doesn’t she know what you are?’
Lily shrugged, elbowing Georgie in the silken flounces, to remind her sister that she was actually capable of talking.
‘She thinks she can hide us better here, that’s all,’ she explained. ‘She didn’t even know we existed, until she met us by chance, and recognised us. Georgie resembles our mother, you see. Aunt Clara’s sister.’ She decided not to mention the theatre. Something about the icy perfection of the twins made her think that they would disapprove. It wasn’t that Lily was ashamed – or so she told herself, very firmly. But she felt she needed every advantage she had in this little game.
‘Your magic is a great deal stronger than your aunt’s. I’m Penelope, by the way; I can see that you can’t remember.’
Lily smiled, refusing to apologise. ‘Thank you.’ The remnants of the tussle over the spell to banish Aunt Clara were still floating about so powerfully that she could borrow a little of the girls’ own magic. One dark lock of hair crawled slowly into the shape of a P, lying flat against Penelope’s shoulder. Lily could feel Henrietta shaking with amusement, pressed up next to her ankle. Penelope didn’t seem to notice – perhaps she just didn’t think anyone would dare use a spell on her.
‘Aunt Clara’s spent so long trying to pretend she hasn’t got any magic that she’s almost spelled it out of herself. I expect she was a lot stronger once. The spell on this house is horrible.’
‘She didn’t tell
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