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Authors: Paula Harrison
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looked so red the night before.
She shivered, noticing that her wings had suddenly disappeared and she was back in human form again. She wished she could make the change happen when she wanted it to.
The church clock struck the half hour. She was meant to be meeting the faerie Elders right now. She took a deep breath and plunged under the canopy of the dark trees.
Laney had no idea where in the forest she was supposed to be meeting the Elders. She struggled on through the trees and their low branches scraped her arms.
“Stop,” said an icy voice. A bright light blinded her.
She shielded her face. She was in a clearing, with Mr Stingwood and a lady with cold-looking eyes. Mr Stingwood didn’t have his walking stick with him this time and the way he strode forwards made Laney wonder if he’d ever really needed it.
The bright light came from a white orb that he was holding. He let it float upwards to hang in the air above them. “Let us begin,” he said, and with a sweep of his hand he made the trees and bushes around the edge of the clearing grow together into a tightly knitted thicket set with savage thorns.
Laney gasped. She was stuck inside a prison of branches. There would be no getting in or out. When she turned back, Stingwood and the lady had changed to faerie form. The air glowed white around them and the silvery marks on Stingwood’s hands were bright. Their wings were folded behind them.
“But where’s Mrs Whitefern?” said Laney.
Stingwood ignored her. “This is Miss Reed.” He pointed to the lady with the icicle eyes. “She will be conducting your test. She’s standing in for MrPuddlewick, who used to be the Elder of your tribe.”
“Are you ready to begin?” Miss Reed’s eyes drilled into Laney.
Laney’s heart thumped. She felt less ready than ever before.
“Wait!” The voice that spoke sounded far away. Then the woven thicket rustled.
“Peter, you must let us through!”
Laney’s heart lifted. That sounded like Gwen’s voice. Surely Gwen would help her.
Stingwood frowned but waved a hand to let a tunnel open in the tightly woven branches. Two faeries came through. The tangle of thorns shut instantly behind them. Gwen looked graceful in her faerie form despite her plump frame and lined face. She wore a gauzy scarf around her head and short wings glistened behind her.
Laney noticed with a jolt that the other figure was Claudia’s mum. Mrs Lionhart was small, but her dark wings and fierce eyes gave her an air of power. She stared at Laney with open curiosity.
The air in the clearing buzzed with magic. Standing among these four powerful faeries made Laney wish she could find a way through the thicket and sneak back home.
“You should not have shut me out like that, Peter,” said Gwen sharply. “I am a Thorn Elder too.”
Stingwood bowed. “My
deepest
apologies,” hesaid silkily.
“This must be done with the utmost care,” Gwen went on. “Testing someone who’s only just Awakened – we’ve never done anything like this before.”
“We haven’t performed the Seeing Thread on a grown faerie for several years,” said Mrs Lionhart.
“There hasn’t been a red moon before,” replied Stingwood. “Not in the last twelve years. The girl has Awoken at a time of bad omens. We must put maudlin feelings aside and do our duty.”
Laney didn’t like being called “the girl” very much. “Why is everyone so worried about the moon being red last night?” she said.
“This is not the time or place to explain faerie lore to you.” Mr Stingwood’s bushy eyebrows lowered. “Do not speak unless you are asked to.”
“If it’s something to do with me, I’d like to know.” Laney was amazed at how brave she sounded. She folded her arms tight to stop him seeing how much she was shaking.
“See these markings?” Mr Stingwood showed her the silvery marks on his hands. “These are the signs of a faerie Elder. If you cross me, you will regret it.”
“Peter! She’s
She shivered, noticing that her wings had suddenly disappeared and she was back in human form again. She wished she could make the change happen when she wanted it to.
The church clock struck the half hour. She was meant to be meeting the faerie Elders right now. She took a deep breath and plunged under the canopy of the dark trees.
Laney had no idea where in the forest she was supposed to be meeting the Elders. She struggled on through the trees and their low branches scraped her arms.
“Stop,” said an icy voice. A bright light blinded her.
She shielded her face. She was in a clearing, with Mr Stingwood and a lady with cold-looking eyes. Mr Stingwood didn’t have his walking stick with him this time and the way he strode forwards made Laney wonder if he’d ever really needed it.
The bright light came from a white orb that he was holding. He let it float upwards to hang in the air above them. “Let us begin,” he said, and with a sweep of his hand he made the trees and bushes around the edge of the clearing grow together into a tightly knitted thicket set with savage thorns.
Laney gasped. She was stuck inside a prison of branches. There would be no getting in or out. When she turned back, Stingwood and the lady had changed to faerie form. The air glowed white around them and the silvery marks on Stingwood’s hands were bright. Their wings were folded behind them.
“But where’s Mrs Whitefern?” said Laney.
Stingwood ignored her. “This is Miss Reed.” He pointed to the lady with the icicle eyes. “She will be conducting your test. She’s standing in for MrPuddlewick, who used to be the Elder of your tribe.”
“Are you ready to begin?” Miss Reed’s eyes drilled into Laney.
Laney’s heart thumped. She felt less ready than ever before.
“Wait!” The voice that spoke sounded far away. Then the woven thicket rustled.
“Peter, you must let us through!”
Laney’s heart lifted. That sounded like Gwen’s voice. Surely Gwen would help her.
Stingwood frowned but waved a hand to let a tunnel open in the tightly woven branches. Two faeries came through. The tangle of thorns shut instantly behind them. Gwen looked graceful in her faerie form despite her plump frame and lined face. She wore a gauzy scarf around her head and short wings glistened behind her.
Laney noticed with a jolt that the other figure was Claudia’s mum. Mrs Lionhart was small, but her dark wings and fierce eyes gave her an air of power. She stared at Laney with open curiosity.
The air in the clearing buzzed with magic. Standing among these four powerful faeries made Laney wish she could find a way through the thicket and sneak back home.
“You should not have shut me out like that, Peter,” said Gwen sharply. “I am a Thorn Elder too.”
Stingwood bowed. “My
deepest
apologies,” hesaid silkily.
“This must be done with the utmost care,” Gwen went on. “Testing someone who’s only just Awakened – we’ve never done anything like this before.”
“We haven’t performed the Seeing Thread on a grown faerie for several years,” said Mrs Lionhart.
“There hasn’t been a red moon before,” replied Stingwood. “Not in the last twelve years. The girl has Awoken at a time of bad omens. We must put maudlin feelings aside and do our duty.”
Laney didn’t like being called “the girl” very much. “Why is everyone so worried about the moon being red last night?” she said.
“This is not the time or place to explain faerie lore to you.” Mr Stingwood’s bushy eyebrows lowered. “Do not speak unless you are asked to.”
“If it’s something to do with me, I’d like to know.” Laney was amazed at how brave she sounded. She folded her arms tight to stop him seeing how much she was shaking.
“See these markings?” Mr Stingwood showed her the silvery marks on his hands. “These are the signs of a faerie Elder. If you cross me, you will regret it.”
“Peter! She’s
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