 
WYCHETTS AND THE THUNDERSTONE

The fifth book in the Wychetts series

by William Holley
Text and cover image copyright © 2014 William Holley

All Rights Reserved
More books available in the Wychetts series:

Wychetts

Wychetts and the Key to Magic

Wychetts and the Farm of Fear

Wychetts and the Tome of Terror

Coming soon:

Wychetts and the Dungeon of Dreams

Wychetts and the Moon of Magister

Find out more at www.wychetts.com
Contents

Previously

Prologue

Chapter 1- The Customer is Always Right

Chapter 2- I Win Again

Chapter 3- A Drink Problem

Chapter 4- Hardly Equipped to Go Snorkelling

Chapter 5- An Invasion!

Chapter 6- Consumer Rights

Chapter 7- His Highness

Chapter 8- A Drop of Rain Won't Hurt You

Chapter 9- The Loosest Possible Definition of 'Safe'

Chapter 10- Tea and Rock Cakes

Chapter 11- A Twang of Toad Vomit

Chapter 12- Welcome Aboard

Chapter 13- The Boy Must Go

Chapter 14- The Bubble Bursts

Chapter 15- Less Life Than a Damp Dishcloth

Chapter 16- No Respect for the Elderly

Chapter 17- Something Resembling a Plan

Chapter 18- Pure Ultimate Power

Chapter 19- Admiring the Scenery

Chapter 20- Sitting Ducks

Chapter 21- Just for the Tourists

Chapter 22- The Power of Asgard

Chapter 23- I Don't Need Rescuing

Chapter 24- A Very Complicated Manoeuvre

Chapter 25- You Lied to Me

Chapter 26- Now for the Tricky Part

Chapter 27- Gotcha!

Chapter 28- About the Boy

Chapter 29- An Alternative Arrangement

# Chapter 30- You Have Proven Yourself the Stronger

#

#  Previously

Wychetts (pronounced "Witch-etts") is an old timber framed cottage that contains an amazing magic power...

Centuries ago, the Wise Ones governed the Realm of Magic, and built Wychetts as a repository for their wisdom. But the forces of darkness plotted against them, and seized the cottage in a bid to use its magic for evil. Five hundred years passed since the last of the Wise Ones were vanquished by the Shadow Clan, then Bryony and her new stepbrother Edwin arrived to unwittingly awaken the ancient power and become the new Guardians of Wychetts!

At first the children wanted to use the magic of the Wise Ones to rid themselves of each other and go back to their old lives; but when the Shadow Clan returned to claim Wychetts' power, Bryony and Edwin had to work together to save the cottage and the whole of civilisation from destruction (not to mention a worldwide shortage of ice-cream).

Since that fateful day the young Guardians have experienced a series of incredible adventures, guided by Inglenook, Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. A wooden face carved into the fireplace in the living room, Inglenook controls the flow of Wychetts' power and can communicate with the children through a magic key when they are away from the cottage.

Bryony and Edwin also rely on the quick-witted mouse Stubby to make it through their magical adventures. And as they discover more about their powers, the children face their own different challenges...

Eager to use Wychetts' magic for good, Edwin learns that brandishing the power of the Wise Ones carries huge responsibilities, but can he step up to become a worthy Guardian?

Meanwhile, after an initial period of doubt, Bryony has become more self-assured in the use of magic. But she is haunted by foreboding about her absent mother: a scribbled note discovered in her old stuffed toy; an overheard whisper from plotting enemies; a vision of her own darkest fears conjured by an ancient field demon; the same mysterious words that even Inglenook cannot explain...

It has now been three weeks since Bryony and Edwin retrieved the stolen Tome Terriblis from a vengeful young witch, just in time to stop the power of the antique spell book causing irreversible damage to the elemental balance. But the violent storms have mysteriously continued, bringing floods and devastation across much of the world...

#  Prologue

He had trusted them.

They were his kin, his faithful subjects. They were his blood.

But his blood was now cold, his heart empty of the love once felt for his people.

For he had been betrayed, dragged from his throne and cast into the water by those he had believed most loyal.

The treacherous mob had jeered as he fell, the hefty stones lashed to his neck dragging him to the bottom of the dark abyss.

They thought him dead...

But he had survived.

And he survived still, thousands of years later, prowling his murky dominion for those who came to steal from him.

He had lost his kingdom, his trust...

But he would never lose his treasure.

#  Chapter 1- The Customer is Always Right

Still raining.

Bill Platt smiled to himself as he parked his posh company car outside the small, red brick cottage.

Everyone else was cursing the weather, but Bill and his new employers knew that rain was good.

Rain was good, because when it rained people realised how important gutters and down-pipes were. And Bill sold gutters and down-pipes, all crafted from attractive weather resistant plastic.

It had been an excellent first two weeks for Bill with Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes Limited. He'd made ten sales, and earned more than six thousand pounds for the company.

The only minor quibble was that he hadn't been paid yet. He'd been told that due to an administrative issue his wages hadn't been processed. It turned out his surname had been entered into the company database as 'SPLATT' instead of 'PLATT'.

But Bill didn't mind. Everybody knew that only proper companies had administrative issues, and as the Accounts Secretary had pointed out, it was an easy mistake to have made.

A flash lit up the sky, accompanied by a growl of thunder. The downpour intensified, the splattering raindrops distorting the world beyond the windscreen into a blur of coloured globules.

Bill knew this one was a long shot. The Sales Team had received a customer enquiry and given him the address. It was way out of town, much further afield than he would normally go, and he'd never have found the place if it wasn't for his posh company satnav guiding the way. Even then it had been a hazardous trip, an obstacle course of fallen trees and flooded roads that would have deterred less committed travellers. But Bill had been spurred on by the chance of further success; just one more sale would put him top of the sales chart, and on track to win the coveted Salesman of the Month plastic pipe shaped trophy.

Bill retrieved his posh company briefcase from the front passenger seat, then braced himself against the driving rain as he left the car and scurried towards the cottage.

It was an old building, and a quick glance at the roof revealed cast-iron gutters: prone to cracking, and expensive to replace like for like. A good reason to install a more modern and durable water channelling arrangement.

His posh company satnav had shown a little stream running past the cottage garden, but after three weeks of rain the stream was more of a river, its brown waters churning ominously close to the side of the house.

Given the perilous position of the cottage, Bill thought gutters and down-pipes would be the least concern to its owner. But he reminded himself that he was here to do a job, and that coveted Salesman of the Month plastic pipe shaped trophy wasn't going to win itself.

Bill reached the door and pulled the dangling bell cord.

There was another flash of lightning, followed by the inevitable rumble of thunder. Bill turned up his jacket collar, keeping his head bowed to avoid the seething elements.

As he stood waiting for the door to open, Bill checked the time on his posh company smart phone. It was getting late, and he'd promised Jane he'd be home in time for supper. She might get cross with him, but he couldn't wait to see her face when he brought home the Salesman of the Month plastic pipe shaped trophy...

He was about to pull the bell cord again when the cottage door opened.

"Good afternoon." A small, grey haired old lady smiled at Bill. She wore thick-rimmed tortoise shell glasses, a fawn coloured cardigan, and a pair of pink fluffy slippers.

"Hello, Madam." Bill did his best to appear business-like whilst getting soaked to the skin. "I'm Bill Platt from Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes Limited. I understand you contacted the Sales Team with regard to..."

"My blockage." The old woman nodded.

"I'm sorry?" said Bill.

"In my sewer," explained the old lady in a soft lispy voice. "It must be my dentures."

"Your dentures?" Bill was a little confused.

"I accidentally dropped them down the toilet," explained the old lady. "I'm having to use my dearly departed husband's set."

Up to now Bill hadn't noticed the old lady's teeth, but when he looked he saw they didn't seem to fit right. There was also a strong fishy smell wafting from the cottage, which Bill assumed was a result of the blocked sewer.

"I apologise." Bill wiped a raindrop from the end of his nose. "But Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes don't deal with sewers. We sell and install gutters and drainpipes."

"Are you certain?" The old lady's smile flickered as she stared at Bill through her thick glass lenses. "The nice girl on the phone promised you would help."

Bill was about to tell the old lady that of course he was certain, but then remembered what he'd been told on day one of his Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes Limited Customer Care Course: the customer is always right.

Well, sometimes. Day Two of the Course had gone on to explain how, in certain circumstances, the customer wasn't always right; which actually seemed to be most of the time, especially where refunds were involved.

Bill shook his head, but as the little old lady stared pleadingly at him, his resolve to follow official company guidelines softened.

"Perhaps I could take a look," he offered. "Although it doesn't strictly fall within my job description, I am a bit of a handy man in my spare time."

"That's so kind of you." The old woman's smile returned. "It's in the back garden. You can get through via the side gate."

The cottage door closed. Bill hesitated. He really should be getting home, but if he helped the old lady he might get positive customer feedback, which would be taken into consideration in the event of a tie for the coveted Salesman of the Month plastic pipe shaped trophy.

He hurried through the side gate and into the back garden. It was immaculate, with a beautifully tended lawn and neat flowerbeds. The flowers were all a little bedraggled with the rain, but Bill knew the place would have looked splendid on a bright summer's day.

The old lady stood waiting at the back door.

"It's that round thing in the ground over there." She pointed her wooden walking stick at a rusty metal cover at the back of a flower bed. "Don't mind the plants, they'll grow back soon enough. It's my dentures I'm more worried about."

Despite the old lady's words, Bill did his best not to squash too many flowers as he picked his way towards the sewer cover. He put his posh leather company briefcase down before kneeling to inspect the sewer cover. He scraped some mud aside with his fingers to reveal a pair of handles, and after a bit of pulling he managed to lift the cover.

"Don't worry." Bill dragged the cover to one side. "You'll soon have your dentures back."

He opened his posh leather company briefcase and retrieved a pencil.

"Standard company issue," he explained to the old lady. "Just the job for probing blocked sewers."

Pencil poised at the ready, Bill peered into the opened sewer. A pungent whiff rose from the darkness, a noxious combination of rotting vegetables and fish.

"I can't see anything," he reported. "There's not enough light."

"It might help if you went down," suggested the old lady. "I've got a spare pair of wellies if you need them."

The opening was certainly wide enough, but Bill knew he'd need more than a pair of wellies to go exploring a sewer. But he couldn't let the old lady down. Plus, Day Three of the Customer Care Course had told him how important it was to project a positive company image at all times. Unless in the case of refunds where it didn't matter quite as much.

"I'll just check how deep it is." Bill picked up a small stone and dropped it into the sewer. There was a worryingly long delay before he heard a distant splash.

"They're pink." The old lady's lispy voice sounded louder than before.

"Huh?" Bill stared into the sewer, thinking he'd glimpsed movement down there. Maybe it was a rat, but it had looked too large and didn't have any fur.

"My wellies," continued the old lady. "They're pink, but quite a masculine hue if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm sorry." Bill straightened, keeping his gaze on the sewer. "But I'm not sure..."

Something pointy and stick-like prodded him in the back. It was quite a hard prod, enough to knock him off balance and go sprawling head first into the open sewer.

His startled scream echoed as he plummeted through the darkness, a scream that turned into a gargle as he hit the water.

Bill went under, floundering in the ice-cold blackness. Then he surfaced, gasping and spitting foul tasting liquid.

The water was only knee deep, but luckily he was unhurt. Bill looked up, blinking back rain as he spied the old lady peering down through the circular opening high above.

"I'm sorry about that." The old lady's lips peeled back to reveal her ill-fitting dentures. "Just thought you needed a little encouragement."

"Thanks," spluttered Bill, clambering to his feet. "But I'm sure I'll be fine from now on."

Bill took out his posh company smart phone. Luckily it wasn't damaged when he fell, and he was able to use it as a makeshift torch. The pale light revealed a tunnel up ahead, its curved walls glistening with slime.

"I've found the main outlet pipe," he announced. "I'll just see if..."

Bill froze, posh company smart phone held in front of him. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he'd seen movement in the tunnel.

Then he heard a sound. It was difficult to distinguish because of the splattering rain, but it sounded like a belch. A deep, menacing belch.

Bill told himself it was probably just thunder echoing through the sewer pipes. Then he caught more movement in the tunnel, a flash of something scaly in the light of his smart phone...

Bill took a step backwards. "On second thoughts, I think I'm going to need a bigger pencil. Or better still, we could ask the local Water Authority to check it out. They're the experts, bound to have loads of pencils. So I'm ready to come out now, if you could please fetch a ladder?"

The old lady smiled down at him and removed her tortoise shell glasses. Her eyes seemed to grow in size, and suddenly her face began to change. Thick scales cracked the skin on her cheeks, and bony spikes erupted from the top of her head. Her mouth widened, and she pulled out her dentures to reveal a pair of fleshy green gums.

And those fleshy green gums were the last thing Bill saw before the sewer cover clanged shut. At the same instant something grabbed his arm. He yelped and dropped his phone, the light fading as it sank into the murky water.

#  Chapter 2- I Win Again

Prince Edwin raised his sword, the pointed shaft glinting in the sunlight as he roared a command to his troops.

"The outer wall is breached. The enemy is at our mercy. Chaaaaaaarge!"

Prince Edwin stirred his horse into a gallop. With an answering cheer, his brave knights followed their leader towards the grey stone castle.

It was a glorious sight, a spectacle sure to be recounted in feasting halls and fireside gatherings for centuries to come. Prince Edwin's knights flew like the wind, polished armour shimmering, orange banners streaming behind them like flames.

"My liege." A shrill voice sounded in Prince Edwin's left ear. "Do you think a frontal assault is a wise move?"

Prince Edwin glanced at the small brown mouse perched on his shoulder. "I appreciate your counsel, Squire Stubby. But the enemy is in disarray. It is the ideal time to launch an attack."

"It could be a trap," ventured Squire Stubby. "You know how devious your opponent can be."

"I am well aware of her treachery," said Prince Edwin. "It has been a long war against my mortal foe. There have been many defeats, many setbacks. But this day the tide has turned. This day will see me triumph over the Black Queen."

But despite his words, Prince Edwin knew the fight was far from over. The castle had been breached, but the enemy still lurked within...

The lowered drawbridge trembled with thundering hooves as Prince Edwin and his knights swarmed through the shattered portcullis. A wall of black armoured knights stood waiting for them in the castle yard; these were the elite guards, the most able of the Black Queen's forces. They were committed to the service of their mistress, and would never surrender. Prince Edwin knew this would be a fight to the death.

"There are too many," trilled Squire Stubby. "And in the narrow confines of this courtyard our mounted knights will be at a disadvantage. Sire, I propose a tactical withdrawal."

"I shall never retreat." Prince Edwin snarled his disgust at the suggestion. "This day I shall lead my troops to glory."

With a roar of fury, Prince Edwin crashed his horse into the enemy ranks. The black knights tried to stand their ground, but the Prince's steed knocked them aside with a nod of his armoured head.

"Onward!" Prince Edwin ploughed his mount through the sea of black armour. "We must reach the tower!"

Exhaling a loyal cheer, Prince Edwin's troops charged as one. The black knights fought back, and the castle yard echoed with a clattering symphony of steel on steel.

A black knight swung an axe at Prince Edwin. The Prince leaned back in his saddle to avoid the arcing blade, but lost his balance to go tumbling from his horse.

Prince Edwin hit the ground with a jolt that knocked his sword from his grasp. Seeing his enemy downed and defenceless, the black knight raised his axe again. Most men would have cringed in the face of certain death, but Prince Edwin was not most men.

The Prince raised his right hand, a beam of orange light lancing from his fingertip to strike the black knight. There was a bright flash, then the axe clattered to the ground as the black knight crumbled into dust.

Prince Edwin retrieved his trusted sword, and dispatched another of the enemy before taking stock of the situation.

The ranks of black knights were thinning; his troops had gained the advantage. It was only a matter of time before the courtyard was taken. But he still had to find a way into the tower.

And then he saw it, glimpsed through the broiling sea of battling bodies: an opened door at the foot of the squat stone keep.

"The entrance to the tower." Prince Edwin pointed with his sword. "A way to the throne room, the heart of my enemy."

"I plead caution Sire," said Squire Stubby. "Why would a door be left open? I fear more trickery from the Black Queen."

"You fear too much," growled Prince Edwin. "This is a day for the brave."

With no thought for his personal safety, Prince Edwin dashed across the courtyard and through the doorway to the castle keep. Two waiting black guards lunged at him, but a single lash of the Prince's sword turned them both to dust. He hared down a passageway, dispatching more guards before reaching a steep spiral staircase.

Prince Edwin ascended, his armoured feet clanging on the steps as he raced towards victory.

A trio of black knights stood guard at the top of the stairs, but scarcely had time to raise their swords before the Prince obliterated them with a wave of his finger.

The entrance to the throne room now lay unguarded before him. Prince Edwin raised his hand, and the doors blew apart in an explosion of splintered wood.

Keeping his sword unsheathed, Prince Edwin entered the lair of the Black Queen.

The heart of his enemy's domain was a vast, cathedral like chamber. The throne itself stood at the far end on a raised dais, the chair and its occupant shrouded in dark silk hangings.

Prince Edwin strode towards the throne, but froze when he heard a shrill squeak in his ear.

"To the rear, Sire!"

The Prince wheeled round to see a figure behind him. Instinctively he brought his sword up, but the figure remained as still as a statue. Lowering his sword, Prince Edwin afforded himself a smile when he realised that's just what it was...

"A statue. Of the Black Queen herself." Prince Edwin shook his head. "So typical of her vanity to keep such an object in her throne room."

"It is very lifelike." Squire Stubby nodded approvingly as he studied the statue. "They've certainly captured her sense of brooding tyranny."

"Lifelike indeed, but nothing to be scared of." Prince Edwin turned back and marched to within a step of the shrouded throne. "Your castle is taken," he told the Black Queen. "I call upon you to surrender."

There was no reply from the Black Queen.

The Prince edged forwards. "The battle is over. Order your troops to yield."

Silence greeted Prince Edwin's demand. He leaned forwards, using the tip of his sword to part the folds of dark silk obscuring the throne...

And gasped when he saw the royal seat was empty.

"A trick!" squealed Squire Stubby. "I did warn you, Sire."

But the Prince didn't have long to ponder the whereabouts of his enemy.

Something cold and sharp pricked the back of his neck.

Prince Edwin twisted round, and saw the statue of the Black Queen now standing behind him, pointing a jewelled sceptre as his throat.

Whilst Prince Edwin stared helplessly, the stone figure transformed into flesh and bone, its lips creasing into that all too familiar smirk.

"It is you who must yield," said the Black Queen. "For I win. Again!"

#  Chapter 3- A Drink Problem

"I win," repeated Bryony, keeping her crayon levelled at Edwin's throat. "I win yet again."

"That's not fair." Edwin lowered his feather duster, fixing his stepsister with an accusing glare. "You cheated."

The ornate surroundings of the throne room had dissolved around them, and the children were now back in the lounge of their cottage home.

"I used magic." Bryony emphasised her words with repeated thrusts of the crayon. "That's the point of the game. That's why it's called 'Magic Chess'."

"I'm afraid she's right," said Stubby, still perched on Edwin's shoulder. "Using magic in Magic Chess does not constitute cheating."

"See." Bryony nodded at Edwin. "Even your underling says I didn't cheat."

"I am not his underling," protested Stubby. "I was only playing such a role for the purposes of the game. And if he'd listened to my advice he wouldn't have lost again."

"I didn't lose," snorted Edwin. "Bryony cheated. I demand to consult the umpire."

The carved wooden face above the fireplace came to life. "The Young Mistress did not break the rules of the game," decreed Inglenook, Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "Although perhaps she might have stretched them a little. The main point is that you are both learning to use magic more effectively."

"But some are learning quicker than others." That smirk returned to Bryony's lips as she turned back to Edwin. "Fancy another match, little stepbrother?"

"I'm bored of Magic Chess," grumbled Edwin. "Can we play something else?"

"Whatever you want," agreed Bryony. "Makes no difference, seeing as I'll beat you again."

Edwin bit his tongue. Bryony had a point. So far she had beaten him at every magic game. Magic Chess, Magic Draughts, Magic Dominos, even Magic Tiddlywinks. Although he wouldn't admit it to his stepsister, it was obvious that Bryony was getting the hang of magic much faster than he was.

"How about a game that doesn't involve magic?" he suggested. "Like good old fashioned Snakes and Ladders?"

Bryony pulled a face. "Sounds a bit dull."

"We can make it more interesting." Edwin had been thinking about changing the rules of his favourite game for some time. "We could go up the snakes instead of down them?"

"Wow." Bryony threw her hands in the air in a gesture of mock excitement. "Let's live life on the edge, huh?"

"Or..." Edwin decided to play his trump card. "How about using cheese instead of dice? And the loser has to eat it afterwards."

Wrinkling her nose, Bryony looked Edwin up and down. "There's something wrong with you."

"I think that's a good idea," said Stubby. "And I volunteer to eat it on the boy's behalf."

"That's only if I lose," pointed out Edwin.

"You'll lose," predicted Stubby. "The only thing more certain is that you'll never be a Prince. You couldn't rule a straight line, let alone a country."

"Then let's not bother. I'm sick of silly games anyhow." Edwin turned his back on Bryony and stared out of the window. Rain drummed against the diamond leaded panes, pounding out a monotonous beat that had continued non-stop for three whole weeks.

"It's supposed to be the summer holidays." Edwin sighed as he stared at the sullen grey sky. "Time to go places, do stuff. Not to be stuck indoors."

"You should consider yourself fortunate, Young Master." There was a reprimanding edge to Inglenook's normally cheery voice. "These storms have caused far greater disruption to other people in this country and all across the world. Towns have been flooded, homes destroyed."

"I know." Edwin had seen all the TV footage of weather chaos around the globe. That is until the wind had blown down their aerial last weekend. "It's just that I'm sick of playing dumb magic games with Her Royal Slyness."

Inglenook's wooden faced creased into an uncharacteristic scowl. "Magic Chess is not merely a game, Young Master. The Wise Ones developed such pursuits to hone their magic skills."

"Don't worry about Edwin," Bryony told Inglenook. "He's just sulking because I'm better than him at magic."

"You are not better than me." Edwin wheeled round and glared at Bryony. "We're both Guardians of Wychetts, so we're as good as each other. Isn't that right, Inglenook?"

"Well..." Inglenook hesitated, but the lounge door opened before he could reply.

"So that's where it got to." Edwin's mother Jane swiped the feather duster from her son's grasp. "I wish you wouldn't play with my household items. You could have someone's eye out."

Edwin said nothing. His mother didn't know about their magic games.

"Anyway," continued Jane, "I just came to let you know that supper will be late because Bill hasn't come home yet."

The children had lost track of time whilst playing magic games, and didn't realise how late it was.

"I wouldn't be too worried." Noting the concerned look on Jane's face, Bryony gave her stepmother a reassuring smile. "You know how devoted he is to his new job."

She wouldn't admit it to his face, but Bryony was rather proud of her father these days. For the first time ever he had a steady job. It might not be some high powered role in a top company, but he had a posh company car, leather briefcase and business smart phone. And he was doing well by the sounds of it.

But not everyone was chuffed with Bill's success. Jane thought he worked too many hours, and was constantly moaning that he was never home in time for tea. Unlike her stepmother, Bryony was prepared to forgo her father's company if it meant more money coming in. The problem was he hadn't been paid yet because of an 'administrative issue'. It was Bryony's birthday in a couple of weeks, and she hoped her dad would be paid in time to buy her a decent present for a change.

An ominous rumble of thunder sounded. Jane looked up at the sky and shivered. "I do wish it would stop raining."

"It's going to be like this for weeks," said Edwin. "That's what the forecasters reckon."

There was another growl of thunder, and the sky lit up with a pulsing flash of silver.

Jane shivered again, her auburn eyebrows arching with concern. "He promised he'd be home in time for supper."

"Why don't you call him?" said Bryony. "He loves using that posh company mobile phone of his."

"I've tried five times in the last half hour." Jane shook her head. "No answer."

"Then he's probably in the middle of some crucial sales negotiation," suggested Bryony.

Jane didn't look convinced. "I'll believe that once he brings home some pay. For all I know he could be spending all that money down the pub."

"My father doesn't have a drink problem." Bryony was horrified at the suggestion. "He's only been drunk once, and that was because the bottle of barley water turned out to be six years past its sell by date."

"A lot of places are flooded with the rain," said Edwin. "He might be stuck somewhere, marooned in his posh company car."

"He'll be fine," said Bryony. "It has very comfortable seats with lots of leg room."

Edwin shrugged. "Can't float though, can it?"

"Please don't say things like that." Jane pointed her duster at Edwin. "Bryony is right. Bill is probably OK. Just putting in a few extra hours, that's all."

Another boom of thunder shook the cottage. The windows rattled, and clumps of soot fell down the chimney.

"I'm going to start cooking supper." Jane lowered her duster. "If he turns up late he'll just have to eat it cold."

Jane was halfway to the door when she stopped and turned back to the children. "By the way, have you taken any of my spoons to play with? I had a set of six but they've all disappeared."

Edwin and Bryony professed their innocence. Jane scowled doubtfully as she strode from the room.

"Wouldn't like to be your dad when he gets home." Edwin grinned at Bryony. "Or rather, if he gets home."

"Don't be such a drama queen," said Bryony. "My dad will be fine. Won't he, Inglenook?"

The carved face above the hearth came alive again.

"I am afraid your father is in peril, Young Mistress."

Bryony's jaw dropped. "Are you sure?"

"Of course he's sure," said Edwin. "Inglenook never gets it wrong."

"He's not perfect," countered Bryony. "All it takes is a bit of rain and his magic goes on the blink."

Edwin knew what Bryony was referring to, and so did Inglenook.

"It is true that Wychetts' magic was affected by the elemental imbalance from the Tome Terriblis," conceded the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "But I can assure you that current climatic conditions are having no adverse effects. And I maintain that your father is in danger, Young Mistress."

Before Bryony could respond, a familiar voice came echoing from the hallway.

"Hi everyone. I'm ho-ooome!"

"Told you." Bryony poked her tongue out at Edwin before rushing off to greet her father.

Jane had got there first, and was giving Bill a relieved hug by the time Bryony reached the hallway.

"I've been worried sick about you," crooned Jane, resting her head on Bill's shoulder. "I'm so glad you made it ba..." Then she withdrew, cupping a hand over her nose and mouth. "What's that smell?"

"It's my new aftershave." Bill grinned. "Don't you like it?"

"It's a bit..." Jane took another step backwards. "Fishy."

"Really?" Bill frowned. "The bottle said 'woodspice'."

"With a hint of haddock," added Bryony, grimacing as she caught a whiff. "That's rank, Dad. Even by your normal standards."

"And look at your shoes." Jane pointed at Bill's muddy feet. "Where on earth have you been?"

"Oh, just out and about. Wherever work takes me." Bill smiled, then belched loudly. "Could I have a glass of water?"

"I'll get it," offered Bryony, hurrying into the kitchen. She filled a glass at the sink, and handed it to Bill as he entered the room.

"You left the house at half past five this morning." A frowning Jane followed on her husband's heels. "It's gone six in the evening now. It must have been a very long day for you."

Bill nodded. "But gutters and downpipes don't sell themselves, even in this weather. And I'm going to have to work even longer hours to win the coveted Salesman of the Month award."

Jane folded her arms, cocking her head to stare at Bill. "And I suppose that means more time in the pub?"

"Pub?" Bill frowned, then belched again. "What makes you think I've been in the pub?"

Before Jane could reply, Bill raised his glass of water and tipped it over his head.

Jane emitted a horrified gasp.

"Most refreshing." Bill handed the empty glass to Bryony. "Could I please have another?"

Although puzzled by her father's behaviour, Bryony refilled the glass and gave it to Bill. He belched again, then tipped the second glass of over his head as well.

"Looks like he has got a drink problem after all." An incredulous Bryony turned to Jane. "I've never seen him spill two in a row."

Bill shook the empty glass over his head to dislodge the last droplets, then handed it back to Bryony with a grateful smile. "Lovely. Think I'll have a bath now."

As Bill strode off towards the bathroom, Bryony caught sight of a freckled face peering around the kitchen door.

"See," she hissed at Edwin. "Inglenook got it wrong."

"He can't be wrong," Edwin hissed back. "He's the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom."

Bryony shrugged. "He said my dad was in danger. But Dad's home and he's perfectly OK. Well..." She checked herself. "As OK as he'll ever be."

"I'm not convinced." Edwin shook his head. "I still think your dad might be in peril."

Bryony smiled as a stern faced Jane applied a mop to the puddle of water on the floor. "Only from your mum."

#  Chapter 4- Hardly Equipped to Go Snorkelling

Bryony couldn't sleep.

It wasn't the sound of raindrops pummelling her bedroom window, the moaning wind and crashing thunder, or even the lightning that flickered incessantly round the edges of the curtain; after three whole weeks she was used to all that.

No, it wasn't the weather that kept Bryony awake.

It was the thing. The thing lurking in the back of her mind that crept out each night to devour her every thought...

And the thing was Mum.

Mum.

The word repeated in Bryony's mind, blocking out the noise of the storm.

It had been almost four years since she'd last heard from her mum in America. Her real mum, that is. Four years. In that time there had been no letter, no phone call or email.

But then again, Mum had another daughter now. She was probably too busy bringing up the child and juggling her hectic high profile job.

But still. One lousy letter wouldn't have gone amiss.

Something was wrong, Bryony could feel it.

It wasn't just the thought that Mum didn't love her anymore that made Bryony feel sick inside. Something bad was going on, and somehow Mum was involved in it.

That note inside her soft toy Mr Cuddles, and the strange message it conveyed. Those words had been repeated by the vision of her mother at Barrenbrake Farm the night the Shadow Clan had raised that horrible field demon. The words had not only shocked Bryony, but sent her enemies fleeing in panic.

Beware the Moon of Magister.

Inglenook knew what those words meant, Bryony was sure of it. But the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom wouldn't tell her anything. At first he had answered her questions with vague comments, but his riddles had only deepened her suspicion. And lately he had refused to speak of it at all, his face staring lifelessly back at her like the wooden effigy she'd uncovered that first night in the cottage.

Inglenook knew, but he wouldn't tell her. And because of his secrecy, Bryony felt she couldn't trust him anymore.

To Bryony, secrets were as bad as lies.

Of course, Edwin thought Inglenook was wonderful. But Bryony had spoken little of her fears to her stepbrother. He couldn't help anyhow, and would probably be even more useless than her father.

Dad seemed unwilling to discuss Bryony's mother. There was a time when he'd have made excuses for her, but now he'd just shrug whenever Bryony raised the matter, and say that Mum would probably be in touch soon. This vagueness angered Bryony, but then it wasn't really Dad's fault...

Bryony found her mind turning towards her father.

All evening he had been acting strange. Even for him.

After spilling his drinks in the kitchen, he had disappeared into the bathroom for two hours. Jane was cross because supper got burned, but she was even crosser when she went to the bathroom and found him sitting in the bath with all his clothes on.

When Jane finally managed to persuade Dad to get out of the bath, he went and sat in the kitchen sink instead. Added to all this, he had refused to eat a morsel of supper. But Bryony thought she saw him grab a passing fly and sneak it into his mouth.

Inglenook had said that Dad was in peril. Whilst Bryony didn't trust the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom to get everything right, she had to admit there was something wrong with her father.

It could be his new job. The long hours and stress probably weren't helping.

Or maybe it was one pub lunch too many as Jane seemed to think.

But whatever the reason, Bryony was sure it would sort itself out. There was no need to worry. That wooden brained Inglenook didn't know what he was talking about.

Determined to snatch a few hours sleep, Bryony rolled over and clenched her eyes shut. She had managed to push all thoughts of her parents aside, but now the sounds of the storm took their place as an encore. It sounded worse than ever tonight, and she wondered if the cottage's thatched roof could withstand such a beating.

Then Bryony heard another noise.

Not pummelling rain, howling wind or rumbling thunder.

It was more a sort of gurgling.

Probably the gutter. She tried not to let it bother her. No doubt Dad could get them a new one at a special discounted price.

But as the gurgling noise continued, Bryony realised it wasn't coming from outside.

She sat up in bed, cocking her head to listen. The storm was so loud that she couldn't be certain, but it seemed like the gurgling was coming from inside the cottage.

Intrigued, Bryony slipped out of bed and padded onto the landing. The gurgling noise was louder, and was definitely coming from downstairs.

She reached out and flicked the landing light switch. Nothing happened. Probably another power cut caused by the storms.

She thought about waking her father, but then decided against it. The weird mood he was in, it probably wasn't worth the hassle. She might as well check this out herself.

Taking care in the gloom, Bryony tiptoed barefoot down the winding stairs. The crooked steps were tricky enough to negotiate at the best of times, but in the darkness it became a perilous descent into the unknown. She clung to the hand rope, probing the blackness below with her toes until they found the next step. And the next, and the next. Until eventually her toes touched something that wasn't a step. Something cold that made her gasp from shock...

Water.

It was difficult to tell in the gloom, but it looked like the hallway was flooded.

But how? The cottage stood on top of a hill, and they were miles away from the nearest river.

Better tell Dad, Bryony decided. Even in his current state of weirdness it was best he knew about this. But as she turned to head back upstairs, Bryony heard splashing from the hallway.

She looked round and caught movement in the shadows.

"Dad?" A whiff of stinky fish aftershave made Bryony suspect it was her father. "Is that you?"

The shadows were still, and there was no response except more watery gurgling. And then another noise...

At first she thought it was thunder. But as it sounded again she realised it was more like burping.

"Dad?" Bryony grew concerned for her father. "Dad, are you OK?"

The burping stopped, and all she could hear was gurgling.

Bryony stood on the stairs debating what to do. Dressed in her nightclothes she was hardly equipped to go snorkelling, but she felt she should check whether Dad was all right.

So Bryony took a deep breath, then stepped from the stairs.

The water only came up to her ankles, but felt cold as ice against her bare feet. Gritting her teeth to stop them chattering, Bryony paddled cautiously down the hallway. In the darkness she had to feel her way along the wall, and all the while the gurgling got louder.

"Dad? Are you there?"

A shivering Bryony splashed her way into the kitchen. Fumbling behind the opened door she found her father's torch he kept hanging there for 'emergencies'. Thinking this was probably such a case, she switched on the torch to illuminate her surroundings.

The water seemed to be getting deeper, now half way up her shins and rising. Torch in hand, Bryony waded towards the kitchen sink. And there she found the cause of the problem.

The tap was running, and someone had left the plug in the sink.

Bryony tried to turn the tap off, but found it was stuck. She dipped her hand into the sink and tried to remove the plug, but it had been wedged so tight she couldn't pull it free.

Then Bryony caught a whiff of fish, and heard a splash from behind her. She wheeled round to shine the torch at the figure in the doorway.

Bill recoiled, raising an arm to shield his eyes.

"Sorry." Breathing a relieved sigh, Bryony lowered the torch. "The tap is stuck. You reckon you're a bit of a handy man, you must have some tool for this sort of thing."

"We have come for you," said Bill, taking a step towards Bryony.

"A wrench, or some kind of spanner?" Bryony was too worried about the overflowing tap to notice her father was speaking in a weird gulping voice. "Or maybe just hit it with a hammer. That's what you normally do if something doesn't work."

"We have come for you." Bill reached out a hand towards Bryony. "We have come for you, Guardian of Wychetts."

It was the last three words that made Bryony realise something was wrong. Dad didn't know anything about Wychetts' magic, so why would he say such things?

"Are you OK?" Bryony shone the torch at Bill's face again.

But it wasn't Bill's face that stared back at her. His features were strangely contorted, his eyes round and bulging, his mouth widening to display rows of thorn like teeth.

Bill screeched as though in pain, shrinking back from the light.

Bryony screamed too, and almost dropped the torch as she departed the kitchen in a flurry of frantic splashing.

"Help!" she wailed. "There's a monster in the house! Everyone wake up! There's a..."

A hand grabbed her wrist as she reached the hallway. Bryony shrieked, but her terror subsided as she heard a familiar voice close to her ear.

"Hush," crooned Jane. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"But he's a monster," gasped Bryony. "Dad's a monster."

"That's not a very nice thing to say about your father," said Jane.

"But it's true," insisted Bryony. "He's an actual monster. With pointy teeth and stuff. And he..."

Bryony choked as a foul smell burned her nostrils.

"Are you wearing Dad's aftershave?" she spluttered at Jane. "You stink of fish."

"We find your scent revolting," said Jane. "You reek of iron and of smoke."

"I do not. It's called 'Summer Meadow' shampoo, and it's... hey." Bryony realised how tightly Jane was holding her wrist. "What are you..."

"We have come for you." Jane started speaking in gulps. "We have come for you all."

Jane grabbed Bryony's torch with her free hand. Only it wasn't Jane's hand, but a scaly webbed appendage tipped with long claws.

The torch was wrenched from Bryony's grasp and hurled against the wall, smashing on impact and plunging the hallway into darkness...

#  Chapter 5- An Invasion!

Bryony prised the webbed fingers from her arm; but as she took a breath to scream for help, another voice cried out in the darkness.

"Bryony!"

Pocket torch in hand, a pyjama clad Edwin came haring down the stairs.

"Bryony, what's going on?" Edwin slowed as he saw the flooded hallway, and then froze as his torch picked out the scaly monster holding Bryony.

"A fish alien!" Edwin yelped with fright, but the monster flinched from the torchlight and bellowed an angry belch. Seizing her chance, Bryony squirmed from its clutches and threw herself at Edwin as he leaped from the stairs.

Her right foot slipped on the submerged hallway floor, but Edwin caught her in his arms as she floundered in the deepening water.

"You OK?" Edwin hauled a drenched Bryony to her feet.

Bryony expelled a mouthful of water, nodding her thanks to Edwin.

There was a splash as the monster dived at the children, but Edwin shone his torch at its face. The monster retreated, shielding its bulbous eyes.

"What is it that thing?" Although nervous, Edwin took the chance to study the fish like creature.

"It was your mum," explained Bryony, sweeping a lock of wet hair from her face. "Then she turned all scaly."

"Don't be dumb." Edwin scowled. "How could..."

There was splashing to the right, and Edwin swivelled to reveal another fish monster in the beam of his torch.

"There's two of them." Bryony nodded at the second creature that had emerged from the kitchen. "That one was my dad."

"I don't believe these creatures are your parents." A small head with a whiskered snout emerged from Edwin's pyjama top pocket. "They are far too good looking to share your respective gene pools."

Bryony stared at Stubby. "You sleep in Edwin's pyjamas? That's weird. And unhygienic."

"I understand your concern," conceded Stubby. "But I haven't caught anything off him so far."

There was a threatening belch from the monster Jane as it charged at the children. Again Edwin stopped it with the torch, but the monster Bill now came at them instead.

Edwin flicked the torch from monster to monster, freezing each one in turn. But as soon as the torch light shifted from them, each monster crept closer, and Edwin knew he could only delay the inevitable.

"We need Inglenook," he whispered. "He'll know how to beat these things."

"I thought he would have done something by now," grumbled Bryony. "I bet he's fast asleep as usual."

"Or perhaps these creatures have found a way of blocking his magic." Stubby twitched his whiskers thoughtfully. "We need to get to the lounge."

"Agreed." Edwin held Bryony's arm. "Are you ready?"

Bryony felt far from ready. Her legs were stiff with cold, and the rising water had now reached her waist. She knew Edwin couldn't swim, so how come he was being so brave?

"Inglenook will help us." Edwin tightened his grip on Bryony's arm. "But you'll have to guide us there."

Edwin backed down the hallway, flicking the torchlight from monster to monster as Bryony peered over his shoulder.

"Keep going," she instructed, relying on frequent bursts of lightning to illuminate the way. "Straighten up a little. More to the right. No, my right not yours, dimbo. Now another three steps..."

Clinging to each other, the children made it to the lounge door. The fish monsters followed, belching menacingly as they edged ever closer.

"Inglenook!" Bryony screamed as they waded into the lounge. "We're being attacked by monsters!"

"Fish aliens," cried Edwin. "It's an invasion!"

A flash of lightning lit up the carved wooden face above the hearth, but there was no response from the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom.

"I told you," snarled Bryony. "He's soundo."

"Inglenook never sleeps," argued Edwin. "He..."

The torch flickered.

"Uh oh." Edwin slapped the torch against the palm of his hand. "The batteries are dying."

The monsters belched in unison, as though sensing victory was close.

"You must try and wake Inglenook." Stubby crawled up onto Edwin's shoulder to escape the rising water. "I fear he is under the magical influence of these creatures."

The children tried calling out to Inglenook, but the deepening water pressed against their lungs, and it was a struggle to even breathe.

Then the torch died, and a terrible blackness enveloped Edwin and Bryony.

"We have come for you," gulped a voice from the gloom. "We have come for the Guardians of Wychetts."

There was splashing, and Bryony felt a clammy webbed hand on her shoulder.

"Inglenook, we need you!" From somewhere Bryony found her voice again. "Wake up, wooden brains!"

"Wake up!" Edwin wailed as a scaly arm wrapped around his waist. "Inglenook, please wake up!"

Suddenly the room was bathed in light. Not a harsh flash of lightning, but a warm orange hue. A glowing ball emerged from the fireplace, a mini sun that shone brighter as it rose to the ceiling.

The monsters screeched, raising webbed hands to cover their eyes, their wide jaws gnashing with fury.

"Back," bellowed Inglenook, his voice stern and commanding. "Back, creatures of the mire. How dare you enter the home of the Wise Ones without my bidding? Now state your purpose or be gone from this place."

The monsters dived into the water. Fearing another attack, Bryony and Edwin clung to each other, but the monsters did not reappear.

The flood waters receded with a gentle gurgle.

"They have gone," said Inglenook. "Returned to where they came."

"You mean outer space?" Letting go of Bryony, Edwin turned to the fireplace. "Another planet, like Mars?"

"Don't be silly." Stubby remained perched on Edwin's shoulder. "It has been scientifically proven that Mars is just a barren orb devoid of intelligent life. A trait shared by many places in this solar system. Jupiter, Saturn. Your head."

"Those creatures are not alien," said Inglenook. "They are very much from this earth. Or rather, the water."

"They're disgusting." Bryony found she couldn't rid her nostrils of that fishy stink.

"They have as much right to inhabit this world as humans," replied Inglenook. "Perhaps more so, since they have been in existence far longer than your species."

"But what are they?" Edwin was slightly disappointed that he hadn't had a close encounter with aliens after all. "They must have a name."

"I believe they are called the Nyx," said Inglenook.

"You believe?" Wringing out her nightdress, Bryony scowled at Inglenook. "You mean you don't know for sure?"

"I have never seen a Nyx in the flesh before, Young Mistress. They are normally shy and secretive beings, rarely straying from their natural habitat of river and bog."

Bryony snorted. "They didn't seem shy and secretive to me."

"Indeed not," mused Inglenook. "Which can only mean my suspicions are not unfounded."

"Suspicions?" Edwin glanced uneasily at Bryony before returning his gaze to the carved wooden face. "What suspicions?"

"The storms are not natural," declared Inglenook. "A magic power is at work. And I fear it is not for the good."

#  Chapter 6- Consumer Rights

The foyer of Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes Limited head office was exactly as Bill had described it. The pristine walls were a calming shade of magnolia, the spotless carpet was lush underfoot, and there was even a flat screen TV for the benefit of customers.

"Looks like you found the right place." Clutching the Wychetts Key in her right hand, Bryony gave Inglenook's miniature face an appreciative nod as she walked towards the reception desk.

"Naturally," replied Inglenook. "You should be more trusting of Wychetts' power, Young Mistress."

"I'd be more trusting if Wychetts' power had stopped Dad and Jane getting kidnapped in the first place," muttered Bryony. "Or at least if it could tell us where they've been taken."

"I am still searching," Inglenook assured her. "But as I explained earlier, it would seem the Nyx have cast a magic shield around your parents to stop me tracking them."

It was now morning, although the veil of storm clouds made it difficult to judge the time of day. Luckily for Bryony, the journey from Wychetts had been conducted by magical transportation, so she had avoided another soaking. Her hair was still a little frizzy from the night before.

Thanks to the warming heat of Inglenook's mini sun, Wychetts had dried out in no time at all. But any relief the children felt at their escape from the Nyx had been dispelled after a frantic search of the cottage had revealed no sign of Bill and Jane. Inglenook had a grim theory to account for the grown up's disappearance: they had been kidnapped by the Nyx.

He deduced their intention had been to kidnap the whole family, but why remained a mystery. Whilst Inglenook had admitted he knew little about the Nyx, he was sure they were not an evil race, and had developed their magical shape shifting powers purely as a means of survival. Edwin had suggested the Nyx wanted to eat Bill and Jane, but Inglenook thought that unlikely; whilst they harboured no love for humans, he insisted the Nyx had never attacked or injured people, and were likely to be vegetarians. Bryony assumed that would explain all the burping.

Whilst it was unclear if the Nyx's actions had anything to do with the storms, Inglenook suspected there was a connection. It was decided that Bryony would track down Bill and Jane, whilst Edwin had been sent off to follow another line of enquiry.

Edwin hadn't been entirely happy with that arrangement, particularly when Inglenook had given the Wychetts Key to Bryony. But Bryony thought it made perfect sense: she was better at magic than her stepbrother, so it would be a waste giving him the Key.

The plan was to rendezvous after Bryony had spoken to her father's employers. She had reasoned that her dad must have been kidnapped before he came home from work, and that it was really a Nyx shape shifting imposter who had behaved so oddly at supper. She hoped finding out details of her father's last sales appointment would help track him down.

"Hello and welcome to Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes Limited head office." The lady at the desk greeted Bryony with a welcoming smile. She was quite pretty, with large grey eyes and wavy brown hair. But she spoke in a strange lispy voice, and her teeth looked a bit too large for her mouth.

"My name is Marshia," continued the lady. "How may I be of service to you?"

"I've come about my dad." Bryony leaned on the desk, but drew back when she caught a pungent aroma of cheap perfume and...

"I apologise for the odour." Marshia held up a scent bottle and sprayed the air in front of her. "We are currently experiencing issues with our drains, but are working to resolve the problem. Now how may I be of service?"

"It's my dad." Bryony tried not to inhale too deeply. "He works for you. His name is Bill Platt."

Marshia frowned, her grey eyes narrowing. "You mean Mr Splatt?"

"His name is Platt," insisted Bryony, emphasising the 'P'.

"There is a Mr Splatt who joined our sales team three weeks ago," lisped Marshia. "Nice chap, always jolly. Weird taste in shirts."

"That's him." Bryony realised they were talking about the same person. "I'm his daughter."

Marshia looked Bryony up and down. "You're Browny."

"It's Bryony," said Bryony, emphasising the 'Y'. "Do you know where my dad is? He didn't come home last night and I'm worried something might have happened to him."

Obviously Bryony wasn't going to mention that he'd been kidnapped by shape shifting fish monsters.

"Let me check his schedule." Marshia swivelled her chair and started tapping on a computer keyboard. Bryony noticed how long her nails were, almost like claws.

"Well?" Bryony leaned over the reception desk to read the computer screen, but recoiled when she caught another whiff of that pungent odour. It was cheap perfume, mainly. But there was definitely a hint of something else...

"Mr Splatt was assigned an emergency appointment late last evening." Marshia's grey eyes widened as she read the screen. "According to our database we have not heard from him since."

"Can you give me more info?" asked Bryony. "You must have an address."

"I'm afraid I cannot divulge that information," lisped Marshia. "That is classified customer data."

"I need to know," insisted Bryony. "It's important."

"I'm afraid I can't tell you." Marshia was still smiling. "That is classified customer data."

"There is something wrong," whispered Inglenook. "This lady is not what she seems."

"Leave this to me," hissed Bryony. "I've watched enough TV consumer shows to know how to deal with difficult staff."

Marshia's smile flickered, her large grey eyes swivelling to the Key in Bryony's hand.

"I want to speak to your manager." Bryony folded her arms and treated Marshia to one of her fiercest scowls. "I'm not going anywhere until I've spoken to your manager."

To Bryony's surprise, Marshia was happy to oblige.

"Of course. I'll check if they're available."

Marshia picked up the handset of her desk telephone. "Hello. Mr Splatt's daughter is here to see you. Yes, young Browny."

"It's Bryony," growled Bryony, emphasising the 'Y'. "And my surname is Platt, not..."

"You can go through." Marshia pointed a long nailed finger to a door in the corner of the foyer. "The management can't wait to see you."

Bryony thanked Marshia, who responded by spraying more perfume at her.

Stifling a cough, Bryony turned from the reception desk and headed for the manager's office.

"See," she told Inglenook. "All you have to do is stand up for your consumer rights. That's what the TV shows say."

But Inglenook was not so easily satisfied.

"I sense danger, Young Mistress. There is something strange about that young lady."

"I know what you mean," whispered Bryony. "Reckon she's on some work experience scheme."

"More than that," said Inglenook. "I sense there may be dark magic at work."

Bryony sighed as she reached the manager's door. "Shame you didn't spot that earlier last night. It should have been obvious something was wrong with my dad."

"If you recall, Young Mistress, I did voice my concern about your father's safety."

"But you didn't do anything about it. And you were having a nap whilst they carted off Jane. They would have nabbed us too if we hadn't woken you up."

"The Nyx cast a spell to render me unconscious," said Inglenook. "I would never have knowingly allowed them entry into Wychetts."

They had been through all this earlier, but Inglenook's explanation still didn't cut it for Bryony. How could a couple of scaly fish-faced creeps get the better of Wychetts' magic? It could only mean that Wychetts' magic wasn't as powerful as she had thought. So how could she take his word about anything ever again?

Bryony knocked on the manager's door, which opened as her knuckles made contact.

"Young Mistress, I must advise caution."

"Relax." Bryony stepped through the doorway. "The manager will sort things out. I'm going to ask for a coffee. They'll have to give me a coffee, that's what the TV shows say. And then I'm going to insist on free mats. Or is that only when you're buying a car? Anyway, if they don't give me a coffee I'll..."

The words died on Bryony's lips when she found herself in a dark empty chamber.

"I fear something is amiss," said Inglenook.

"A carpet," agreed Bryony, tapping a foot on the bare metal floor. "And a desk. And comfy chairs. I was expecting comfy chairs. We must have got the wrong door."

"There was only one door, Young Mistress."

"I'll ask Marshia." Bryony turned round, but the door shut in her face with a resounding thud. She fumbled for the handle, but there wasn't one.

"Marshia!" Bryony hammered on the door with her fists. "I'm stuck in this room. Can you hear me? Marshia!"

Bryony listened, but all she heard was a distant rumble of thunder.

"I fear we have been deceived," said Inglenook. "There is dark magic at work."

"It's only a locked door," argued Bryony. "There's nothing spooky about that."

There was a loud clang from above, and Bryony felt the whole room shudder.

"OK," she whispered. "That's edging up slightly on the spooky scale."

The floor tilted, and Bryony was thrown off her feet. As she tried to stand, the room lurched again.

"What's happening?" She rolled around as the floor tilted this way and that.

"It seems we are in transit," advised Inglenook.

"Transit? What do you..."

Bryony had almost made it back to her feet when a hefty jolt shook the room. The walls fell away, revealing metal bars all around her.

A chill wind blasted through the bars, and heavy rain lashed at Bryony's face as she tried to work out what had happened.

She was in some sort of cage. A cage that was moving...

Moving upwards!

Blinking back the rain, Bryony peered through the bars of the cage.

Below she could see rooftops shrinking as the cage travelled higher. Above she could make out a thick metal chain rising far into the churning grey clouds, whilst all around was rain and streaks of lightning.

Inglenook was right, she realised. There were dark powers at work. She had walked straight into a trap!

#  Chapter 7- His Highness

The valley stretched out below, a patchwork of sodden fields shrouded in a grey mist of rain. Thunder echoed angrily, and forks of lightning stabbed the ground with random spitefulness. A muddy river meandered across the landscape, its course blurred where its swollen brown waters bled into the adjoining meadows.

Perched on the hillside, Edwin drew his anorak hood tighter to shield his face against the vicious weather. He was on the highest hill in the county, and here the storm seemed worse than ever. The driving rain was mixed with hail, and the wind had an icy bite to it. Many of the hillside trees had been uprooted, their twisted trunks split and blackened from repeated lightning strikes.

To Edwin it seemed like he was standing in the middle of a battlefield.

And he knew it would only get worse if the storms continued.

"Let's get this over with." A shrill voice sounded from inside the top pocket of Edwin's anorak. "I can't think of a worse way to spend the morning."

Edwin glanced down at Stubby. "Yeah, we drew the short straw alright. Sent up to this barren place in the middle of a storm with no magic to help us. But at least we've got each other for company, huh?"

Stubby twitched his whiskers. "That was actually what I meant."

Edwin was used to Stubby's jibes, but he couldn't understand why Inglenook was now treating him like a second class citizen as well.

There were two Guardians, but only one Wychetts Key. Edwin and Bryony had learned to share the Key between them, and Inglenook normally left it up to them to decide whose turn it was. But today he had presented it to Bryony without any discussion, as if she was more worthy than Edwin.

Edwin had protested, but Bryony, of course, had loved it. Edwin could still see her self satisfied smirk as she pocketed the Key. It should have been obvious, she had said: Inglenook had given her the Key because she was better at magic than Edwin.

Inglenook hadn't confirmed or denied Bryony's claim, but his last words echoed in Edwin's mind...

"A true Guardian must face their responsibilities with or without the magic of the Wise Ones to guide them. Courage, faith and perseverance are just as powerful. And the most powerful is faith."

Standing on the storm lashed hillside, Edwin repeated the words to himself.

Courage, faith and perseverance.

And the most powerful is faith.

Edwin's simmering resentment cooled. Bryony might think herself better at magic, but they were both Guardians of Wychetts. Whatever the reason for Inglenook's decision, he knew the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom would never desert him.

Edwin knew he had to focus on the job in hand. Mum and Bill had been kidnapped by the Nyx, and he had to play his part to help bring them home, with or without Wychetts' power.

"Let's find this church," he said, turning to gaze up the hillside.

The top of the hill was hidden in cloud, but Edwin could discern the vague form of a building in the haze. Body bent against the driving hail, he picked his way up the desolate hillside until the vague form above solidified into a stone building with a with a tall tower at one end.

The church.

Edwin continued up the hill until he reached the base of the church tower. At the top of the steeple, so far above, he could make out a weather vane in the shape of a cockerel.

"Guess that must be him." Edwin tilted his head back and called out. "Hello Mr Weather Vane."

There was no response from the Weather Vane.

"It's no use," said Stubby. "You'll never make yourself heard above all this wind and thunder. We may as well wait until Inglenook and the girl arrive."

"They could be ages." Edwin shook his head. "I'm not waiting here all day. My mum's life could be in danger."

Determined to succeed in his mission, Edwin pondered the situation. He couldn't make the Weather Vane hear him from down here, so he had to find a way of getting closer.

He noticed a metal drainpipe running up the tower wall, all the way to the pointed spire roof.

"What do you think you're doing?" Stubby emitted a shocked squeak as Edwin grabbed hold of the drainpipe.

"I'm going to climb the tower." Edwin pulled against the drainpipe. "Looks like this will take my weight."

"Ninety nine point nine per cent of which is from the neck down," observed Stubby. "Have you lost your brain, or just lent it to someone as a doorstop?"

"Inglenook said we need to talk to the Weather Vane," Edwin reminded Stubby. "He speaks with the Four Winds, and might know what's been causing the storms."

"Indeed," said Stubby. "But it's a long way up."

"That's because you're a mouse," said Edwin. "Everything looks a long way up to you."

"A fair point," conceded Stubby. "But in truth it's the long way down that worries me more."

"We'll be fine." Edwin started clambering up the drainpipe. "Inglenook will look out for us."

"Inglenook is not here," said Stubby. "And he can do nothing to help if you fall."

Edwin had only climbed a couple of feet, and stopped to consider Stubby's warning.

The mouse was right. Inglenook wasn't here, so how could he protect them?

But Edwin dismissed such concerns. Mum was in danger. Bill too. And for all he knew the whole world could be under threat from the Nyx.

"We don't have a choice." Edwin started climbing again.

"This is madness," squeaked Stubby. "I've always thought you were one pickled egg short of a picnic hamper, but now I realise you're missing the sandwiches as well. Not to mention the cutlery, crockery and actual picnic hamper. You're climbing up a metal drainpipe in the middle of a thunder storm. It would be safer to share a bath with an irritated electric eel. And have you considered what would happen if you fell and hit your head? Who would pick up the pavement repair bill?"

Edwin tried to ignore Stubby's whingeing, but it wasn't long before his own doubts returned. The climb would have been hard enough under normal conditions, but the raging storm presented its own set of problems. The metal pipe was slippery from the rain, icy hail peppered his face, and the strong wind threatened to hurl him to the ground.

But Edwin knew he must go on. He had to complete his mission.

Edwin's arms began to ache, and his fingers turned numb from the cold. But on he went, blocking out the pain until he reached the top of the drainpipe.

"You did it." Stubby sounded incredulous. "What you lack in brains you more than make up for in foolhardy courage."

"Thanks," said Edwin. "I think."

Grabbing hold of the iron gutter, Edwin hauled himself onto the edge of the steeple roof to get a better look at the Weather Vane.

The cockerel figure was ornate, if somewhat rusty, and sat on a spindle. Four spokes protruded from its base, each tipped with a letter indicating a main compass point. If Inglenook was right, and Edwin didn't doubt that for a second, this weathered old bird could hold crucial information to help solve the riddle of the storms and find Mum and Bill.

"Hello," Edwin called up to the Weather Vane. "Have you got a couple of minutes?"

There was no reply from the Weather Vane.

"Maybe he can't speak after all," wondered Edwin.

"Oh he can speak alright," said Stubby. "It's well known that the Weather Vane is one of the biggest gossips going."

"Then maybe I'm doing something wrong." Edwin chewed his bottom lip. "Is there a special way to address the Weather Vane?"

"You can call him whatever you like," said Stubby. "He's only a..."

"Your Highness," said a haughty voice from above.

"Huh?" Edwin looked up at the Weather Vane. "Did you just say something?"

"Did you just say something Your Highness," said the Weather Vane. "That is how you shall address me."

"You're not a Highness," sniffed Stubby. "You're just a chunk of rusty metal."

"I am no such thing." The Weather Vane stared down in a snooty manner. "I am the highest weather vane in all the land. Not to mention the most handsome and knowledgeable."

Stubby tutted. "Vane by name and vain by nature."

"You are not worthy to consult with me," said the Weather Vane. "Now be gone from my presence, I have important work to do."

"Work?" Stubby shook his little mouse head. "All you do is sit there getting blown around all day. There are traffic lights that put in a harder shift."

"Please be quiet," Edwin told Stubby. "He won't help if you annoy him. Let's try another tack."

Edwin cleared his throat, wiping raindrops from his cheek before he addressed the Weather Vane again.

"Your Highness, we come humbly seeking advice, and would be most grateful if you could grant us an audience."

"That is better," said the Weather Vane. "And because you have addressed me correctly, I shall consider your request."

Edwin smiled at Stubby. "See." Then he cleared his throat again. "Your Highness, we are wondering if..."

"I said I shall consider your request," said the Weather Vane. "I did not say I had decided to grant you an audience."

"Oh." Edwin's smile fell. "When will you be able to do that?"

"When I have time," said the Weather Vane. "Between my more lofty responsibilities."

"This is hopeless," muttered Stubby. "We'd get more sense out of a lamppost."

Edwin tended to agree, but had come too far to abandon his mission.

"We'll have to keep trying," he told Stubby. "Inglenook said the Weather Vane hears all."

"Inglenook?" The Weather Vane's haughty tone wavered. "You refer to the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom?"

"I do," said Edwin. "I'm a Guardian of Wychetts. My name is..."

"You are Edwin," said the Weather Vane.

"You know me?" Edwin was impressed.

"I have heard of you," said the Weather Vane. "The Four Winds often speak of the new Guardians of Wychetts: a whiney ginger boy, and a black haired girl too mouthy for her own good."

"That's them to a tee," said Stubby. "And I suppose the Four Winds have a lot to say about me as well?"

"Indeed they do," said the Weather Vane. "You must be Stubby, their assistant."

"I am not their assistant." Stubby emitted a horrified squeak. "My role is more high level management."

"So you know all about us." At last Edwin felt he was getting somewhere with the Weather Vane. "Then you'll speak to me? I mean, you'll speak to me, your Highness?"

"I may." The haughtiness returned to the Weather Vane's voice. "If you can prove your credentials by showing me the Wychetts Key."

"I don't have it." Edwin's confidence wilted. "The Key is with Bryony, the other Guardian."

"So Inglenook sends a mere underling to seek my help?" The Weather Vane sounded outraged. "I shall speak to no one except the Guardian who bears the Key to Magic. Provided they address me in the correct manner, of course."

Edwin sighed, letting the rain trickle down his face as he pondered his failure.

The Weather Vane would only speak to Bryony. There was no choice now but to admit defeat.

Or was there? Edwin had an idea.

"Inglenook says you speak with the Four Winds." He smiled up at the Weather Vane. "Then you must know a lot of things, your Highness?"

"I know everything there is to know," agreed the Weather Vane.

"Then you must know what's causing this terrible weather," continued Edwin. "These can't be normal summer storms, right?"

"There are rumours," said the Weather Vane. "Whispers on the wind regarding the theft of an ancient relic."

"What relic?" Edwin was oblivious to the driving hail as he dragged himself further up the steeple roof. "And what's it got to do with the storms?"

"That is not for your ears." There was a squeal as the Weather Vane turned away from Edwin. "I shall only speak of such things to the bearer of the Wychetts Key."

"Of course, your Highness." Edwin hid his disappointment behind a gracious smile. "Such knowledge is too important for the likes of me. The fate of the whole world could depend on it. Or it could just be common gossip."

"Common gossip?" Outraged, the Weather Vane swung back to stare at Edwin. "A noble born cockerel such as I does not engage in common gossip."

"I am not accusing you of such, your Highness." Edwin maintained his respectful bearing. "But can you trust the Four Winds to tell the truth?"

"The Four Winds never lie," insisted the Weather Vane. "Admittedly the West can exaggerate a little, and the East tends to over dramatise, but they would never gossip about something as important as the Thunderstone."

"Thunderstone?" As Edwin said the word, a clap of thunder sounded. "What is the Thunderstone?"

"I can say no more." The Weather Vane swung away from Edwin again. "You are too lowly to know such information."

"But it's important." Edwin's deferential tone became more pleading. "My mother's life could be at stake, the fate of the whole world too. You must tell me..."

"I shall not." The Weather Vane swung from side to side. "I have already divulged more information than is befitting a person of your lowly station. Now be gone from my presence, I have work to do."

"High level swivelling, eh?" Stubby twitched his whiskers.

"I do not swivel," said the Weather Vane, even though he was doing just that.

And swivelling faster, Edwin noticed.

"You are swivelling quite a bit," he told the Weather Vane. "Are you OK?"

"I am perfectly fine," came the uppity reply. "You will now leave me in peace whilst I..."

The Weather Vane's voice became a scream as his swivelling accelerated into a high speed spin.

"I don't like this," wailed the Weather Vane. "You must help me! You must stop the spinning!"

Edwin raised an auburn eyebrow. "But surely I am too lowly to help such a grand person like you?"

"You must help! Something is happening to me. It is not the wind. I fear it may be..."

The Weather Vane screamed again as he became a spinning blur.

"I'll help," said Edwin. "But in return you must tell me all you know about the Thunderstone."

"Very well," cried the Weather Vane. "But hurry!"

"I'm coming." Edwin dragged his legs onto the spire roof.

"More madness," squeaked Stubby. "Can't we just wait until the girl turns up with the Key?"

"There might not be time." Edwin scrambled up the spire, hands and feet slithering on the wet slate tiles. The wind blew his hood off, but he ignored the stinging hail as he hauled himself to the summit.

Lightning flashed, a fork of pure white energy slicing the air close to Edwin's head. He slipped, grabbing hold of the metal spindle at the base of the Weather Vane. The spindle bent under his weight, and suddenly Edwin felt himself sliding backwards.

He held on to the Weather Vane, his feet kicking air as he dangled over the edge of the spire roof.

"Well done," said Stubby, clinging precariously to Edwin's left shoulder. "That really helped."

Edwin scowled down at the mouse. "Would it kill you to stop being sarcastic for five seconds?"

"Probably not," agreed Stubby. "Seeing as you are likely to have killed us both in half that time."

The Weather Vane continued to spin, his cries mingling with the rumbling thunder and clattering hailstones.

Then another sound cut through the din: a cross between a screech and a cackle.

Edwin glimpsed a dark shape flying towards him through the curtain of hail. At first he thought it was some kind of bird, but as the shape came nearer he saw it looked more human...

Well, almost.

It was a female form clad in a tattered dark cloak, with scraggly grey hair streaming from its skull-like head. Tiny points of light shone from its sunken eye sockets, and its bony jaw gaped open to emit that ear splitting screech.

"What is that thing?" Edwin's eyes widened as they tracked the approaching creature.

"I've never seen anything like it," admitted Stubby. "But it's safe to assume it hasn't come here to present a weather forecast."

The creature pointed at Edwin, and lightning arced from its skeletal fingers.

Twisting his body, Edwin yelped as the fork of electricity skimmed his arm.

The creature wheeled away from the spire, cackling gleefully. Edwin was unharmed, but the lightning had left a scar of scorched fabric on his anorak sleeve.

"That was a Storm Hag," yelled the spinning Weather Vane. "They are deadly elemental beings."

Edwin saw more Storm Hags descending from the clouds. He tried counting them, but only made it to ten before their cackling leader dispatched a bolt of lightning straight at him.

Again Edwin bent his body to evade the attack, and sparks flashed as the lightning bolt struck the church steeple.

"There's too many." Edwin hung helplessly as the Storm Hags came at him. "Inglenook, help!"

"Inglenook can't hear you," squealed Stubby. "We're on our own now."

Edwin writhed like a worm on a hook, somehow avoiding another barrage of zig-zagging lightning bolts. There were more sparks, then a cry from Edwin as he felt himself falling...

# Chapter 8- A Drop of Rain Won't Hurt You

Bryony clung grimly to the bars of the cage. They were still travelling upwards, but the land below had vanished beneath a cloak of broiling cloud, so it was impossible to tell how high they were.

"What's taking you so long?" Bryony held up the Wychetts Key to glare at Inglenook's little metal face. "Hurry up and get us out of here."

"I am trying," said Inglenook. "But there is a magic shield around the cage which is blocking the signal from Wychetts."

"You're useless," groaned Bryony. Then she had an idea. "But you'd be able to pick up the signal if you were outside the cage?"

"Most probably," replied Inglenook. "However I would strongly advise against..."

Bryony thrust the Key through the bars before Inglenook could finish his warning.

"Now try," she urged, waving the Key around.

"This course of action carries great risk," said Inglenook. "Please return the Key to the confines of the cage, Young Mistress."

"Don't be such a wimp." Bryony extended her arm as far as she could through the bars. "A drop of rain won't hurt you."

"I can assure the Young Mistress that rain is the least of my concerns. I sense danger approaching."

There was a clap of thunder, and Bryony saw three forms swooping from the clouds above. They were hideous creatures with skull-like faces, their ragged cloaks billowing in the wind as they tore through the sky towards her.

"Storm Hags!" cried Inglenook. "Bring me inside. Quickly, young Mistress."

But Bryony was too slow to react. The leading Storm Hag reached the cage, screeching and clawing at her arm. Bryony pulled her hand inside the cage, but the Key jammed on the bars and was jolted from her grasp.

Mouth gaping in silent horror, Bryony watched the falling Wychetts Key vanish into the swirling clouds below. The Storm Hags screeched elatedly, circling the cage like ragged skeleton vultures.

Bryony clung to the bars, gritting her teeth whilst lightning flashed and thunder boomed all around her. It became harder to breathe as the cage travelled higher. Her head reeled, and her stomach churned as the cage rocked wildly in the wind.

She peered upwards, wondering where her journey might end.

Then the clouds parted, and Bryony beheld a vast dark shape looming over the cage.

Her scream of terror became a rasping choke as her lungs emptied of air, and then darkness closed all around her...

#  Chapter 9- The Loosest Possible Definition of 'Safe'

The Weather Vane broke away from the spire, taking Edwin with it.

Maybe it was fear, or some desperate hope, that made Edwin keep hold of the Vane's metal spindle as he fell from the tower.

The air rushed past his ears with a whooshing noise that drowned the booming thunder and Stubby's squeak of terror.

Edwin closed his eyes when he saw the ground hurtling towards him. But the dreaded, bone-jarring impact never came, and suddenly it felt like he wasn't falling anymore. If anything, he seemed to be rising.

Forcing his eyes open, Edwin peered below and saw the ground was receding.

Yes, he was rising. But how?

He looked up at the Weather Vane still spinning in his grasp. It seemed impossible, but Edwin realised the Weather Vane had saved him, its metal spokes whirling like the rotor blades of a helicopter!

Edwin exhaled a whoop of joy as the spinning Weather Vane lifted him higher.

"We're saved," he told Stubby, who was still clinging to his shoulder.

"I hate to always seem the party pooper," said Stubby. "But those Storm Hags appear to have other ideas."

Edwin saw a swarm of Storm Hags diving at him, spitting sparks and shrieking fury.

A sudden gust of wind blew him out of the creatures' path, and then another sent him spiralling upwards. Buffeted by the elements, Edwin was flung helplessly this way and that. He felt sick, but at least the wind seemed to have saved him from the Storm Hags, their ragged forms fading into the murky haze below as the gale carried him higher.

Suddenly the winds calmed, and Edwin found himself hanging in clear blue sky above a blanket of churning grey clouds.

"Nice work," he told the Weather Vane. "You really saved us back there."

"I did nothing," said the Weather Vane, now spinning at a slower rate. "It seems I am being controlled by another power."

"You mean magic?" Edwin frowned. "Who could that be?"

"It doesn't matter now we're safe," said Stubby. "Although that's the loosest possible definition of 'safe', given that we're hanging in the air hundreds of feet above the ground with nothing keeping us aloft except a rusty coat hanger."

"You will not refer to me as a coat hanger," said the Weather Vane. "And I am not rusty."

"Who are you kidding?" sniffed Stubby. "You're rustier than a rust filled rusty bucket manufactured in Rustington."

"Will you two please stop arguing?" pleaded Edwin. Then he noticed something about the Weather Vane. "You've stopped spinning, your Highness."

"I'm glad of that," said the Weather Vane. "It was playing havoc with my tail feathers."

Edwin didn't share the Weather Vane's relief.

"But if you've stopped spinning, what's keeping us in the air?"

Edwin heard that whooshing noise again. Looking down, he saw the blanket of clouds getting closer...

"That would be nothing," squealed Stubby. "We're falling!"

"Please, your Highness." Edwin implored the Weather Vane. "Start spinning again."

"I will not," came the huffed reply. "Even if I knew how to."

In a heartbeat they had plummeted through the clouds, and Edwin could make out the ground below.

He saw flooded fields, and a swollen stream beside a small red bricked cottage, the roof of which was speeding towards him at an alarming rate...

Again Edwin closed his eyes, but again the fatal impact never came.

"We appear to have landed," announced Stubby.

Edwin opened his eyes to find he was standing on the ground in front of the cottage.

"We're safe." He lowered the Weather Vane and gave the metal cockerel an appreciative smile. "Thanks for your help, your Highness."

"I did nothing to aid your cause," came the terse reply. "And I object to being handled so roughly. You have bent my spindle. I shall never be able to function properly again."

"But if you didn't help us, who did?" Edwin shook his head, both thankful and mystified by his escape from the Storm Hags. Someone had used magic to help him, but who and why?

Inglenook would know, of course. But Inglenook wasn't here, and Edwin feared he would have to solve the riddle on his own.

"I suspect we have been brought to this place for a reason," said Stubby. "Perhaps the occupant of that house had something to do with it."

Edwin nodded as he examined the little cottage. It was a quaint but otherwise unremarkable building, nothing about its appearance suggesting it was at the heart of this magical mystery. The front garden looked well maintained, albeit a little soggy. His gaze followed the white picket fence that screened the garden from the lane, and then he saw the parked car.

"Hang on a minute." Resting the Weather Vane on his shoulder, Edwin walked up to the car.

There could be no mistake. There were plenty of similar looking cars on the road, but few with so many sweet wrappers and dodgy eighties music CDs scattered on the passenger seat.

"It's Bill's company car." Edwin punched the air with glee. "We've found him!"

"Let's not celebrate too soon," warned Subby. "I don't see your stepfather anywhere."

"But at least we're on the scent. We'll try the cottage, they must have seen him."

Edwin left the car and set off towards the cottage, but was halted by an indignant cough from the Weather Vane.

"You shall return me to my steeple immediately."

"I can't," said Edwin. "At least not until I meet up with Bryony and Inglenook. You'll have to come with us for now."

"This is so undignified." The Weather Vane tutted as Edwin carried him towards the cottage. "I am of royal lineage, forged by skilled craftsmen to be set on high where I can be admired by all. Not carried around like an umbrella."

"Perhaps we should have you converted into one," mused Stubby. "You'd be more use to us than you have been so far."

"Sshh." Edwin put a finger to his lips when he reached the cottage door. "We don't want to freak out whoever lives here, so leave the talking to me."

"Fine," agreed Stubby. "I'll just sit here and watch you freak them out all by yourself."

Edwin wiped the rain from his face, run a hand through his sopping ginger hair, and pulled the bell cord above the cottage door.

The faint jangling of bells could barely be heard above the rain and thunder. Seconds passed, and no one came to the door. Edwin pulled again, harder this time. Still no response.

Not to be deterred, Edwin decided on another course of action.

"Let's try round the back."

Still carrying the Weather Vane, he trudged to the rear of the cottage. The back garden was as immaculate and soggy as the front, but one of the flowerbeds looked a little trampled. He was examining the trail of crushed plants when an excited squeak drew Edwin's attention elsewhere.

"Look," said Stubby. "The back door's open."

Edwin hurried to the cottage and opened the back door wider.

"Hello?" He leaned forwards out of the rain. "Is anybody home?"

No answer except another peel of thunder.

Edwin hesitated. Whilst he didn't like creeping into someone else's house, he knew finding Bill and his mother trumped the need for good manners. So he walked through the door into a small but tidy kitchen.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Through another door Edwin could see a hallway and flight of stairs swathed in flowery carpet.

"Hello?"

Still no answer to Edwin's calls.

Edwin shrugged. "Whoever lives here, it looks as though they're out."

"That seems unlikely," said Stubby. "With the back door having been left open."

"Good point," conceded Edwin. "But if someone was in they would have heard us by now."

"Perhaps the occupant is hard of hearing," said the Weather Vane.

"I shouted pretty loudly," said Edwin.

"Allow me," said the Weather Vane. "I have the loudest crow of any cockerel in the land."

"Don't we know it," said Stubby. "You haven't stopped crowing since the moment we met you."

"And with good reason," said the Weather Vane. "For I am the highest of the high."

Stubby sniffed. "Then why are you all splattered with pigeon poo?"

"It isn't pigeon poo," the Weather Vane huffed. "It's subtle weathering. All the rage this season."

"I'm sure it is," said Stubby. "If you want to look like the bottom of a birdcage."

Irritated by his companions' bickering, Edwin found himself shouting with frustration.

"Will you two please be quiet?"

Stubby and the Weather Vane fell silent.

Edwin took a deep breath, and was about to suggest they leave the cottage when he heard a noise from somewhere: a soft, muffled whimper.

"You hear that?" he whispered.

"Of course." Stubby's bulbous ears swivelled. "It's coming from the hall."

"We'd better check it out." Carrying the Weather Vane over his shoulder, Edwin padded warily down the hallway. Then he spied an object lying on the flowery carpet.

"A walking stick." Edwin felt a growing sense of unease. "Why would someone leave a walking stick on their hallway floor?"

Edwin was pondering his own question when he heard the muffled whimper again.

"The cupboard under the stairs," said Stubby. "It's coming from there."

"Someone's trapped inside." Edwin went to open the cupboard, but it was bolted on the outside and he couldn't open it with one hand.

"I'm going to have to put you down," he told the Weather Vane.

"At last," came the terse reply. "It is so undignified being handled in this rough manner."

Edwin looked around for a place to put the Weather Vane, but someone else had already spotted a solution.

"There." Stubby pointed at a cylindrical object standing next to the foot of the stairs. "The perfect repository."

The Weather Vane let out a horrified gasp when he saw what Stubby had in mind.

"That is an umbrella stand. I shall not be put in an umbrella stand!"

"It's only temporary," said Edwin. He dragged the umbrella stand away from the stairs to make room, and then plonked the Weather Vane inside. "We'll have you back on the spire as soon as Bryony and Inglenook meet up with us."

"It suits you," Stubby assured the Weather Vane. "Look, one of the umbrellas has a handle in the shape of a duck's head. You two should get to know each other."

"This is outrageous," seethed the Weather Vane. "I have never been so humiliated in all my..."

"Shh!" Edwin raised a hand again. "We need to be careful. We don't know who's inside that cupboard."

Of course, he hoped it would be Bill. But Edwin knew he couldn't afford to take any chances.

Once Stubby and the Weather Vane quietened down, Edwin knelt by the cupboard door. The whimpering noise grew more agitated as he slid back the bolt.

"Bill?" Edwin prised the cupboard door open. A pair of legs emerged, kicking wildly. But they weren't Bill's legs. Not unless he'd taken to wearing nylon stockings and pink fluffy slippers.

Edwin peered into the cupboard to see a face staring back at him. It was a grey haired old lady wearing a pair of tortoise shell glasses. She had tape across her mouth, and her hands were tied behind her back.

"Blimey!" Edwin gawped at the old lady. "I wonder how she got in there."

"Unlikely to be the result of a freak parcel wrapping accident," pondered Stubby. "Why don't you get her out and ask her?"

Nodding frantically, the old lady made more whimpering noises.

Edwin seized the old lady's ankles and dragged her out of the cupboard. Then, very carefully, he removed the tape from her mouth.

Whilst the old lady gasped with relief, Edwin tried to untie her wrists; but the rope cords were knotted too tightly.

"I need scissors." Edwin spoke slowly to the old lady. "Do you have a pair?"

The old lady tried to speak, but could only manage an unintelligible slur.

"She could be ill," suggested the Weather Vane. "I suspect she is having some sort of seizure."

"Then we'd better call an ambulance." Edwin stood up. "I wonder if she has a phone?"

Still slurring nonsensically, the old woman nodded her silvery head. At first Edwin thought she was having a fit, but then he realised she was answering his question. Following the direction of her frenzied nods, he found a telephone on a small table next to the front door. It was an old fashioned device, with a clunky handset and dial. It took him a few seconds to work out how to use it, but when he dialled '999' the line was dead.

"The cables must have come down in the storms." Edwin turned back to the old lady. "I'm sorry, but..."

"She's not nodding at the phone," said Stubby. "I think she means that box there."

Edwin hadn't noticed the box on the table next to the telephone. It was a small oval container with the word 'EMERGENCY' written on the lid.

"You mean this?" Edwin picked up the box and offered it to the old lady, whose nodding and slurring became more enthusiastic. Then she leaned forwards and opened her mouth, like a baby bird demanding food from its mother.

Edwin assumed the box contained pills or medication. He prised the lid open and dipped his fingers inside, then groaned with revulsion when he saw what it contained...

It wasn't pills or a bottle of medicine, but a pair of false teeth.

The old lady's nodding grew more agitated, and Edwin's horror mounted as he realised what she wanted him to do.

"No way." Edwin shook his head. "I am not putting these in your mouth."

The old lady's slurring took on an assertive tone.

"All right." Edwin sighed, realising he had little choice in the matter. "Here goes."

The old lady leaned closer. Edwin pulled the false teeth from the box and thrust them towards her gaping mouth. Then he closed his eyes, unwilling to witness the revolting spectacle before him. There was a squelching noise, and then a click. Edwin felt something warm and moist close around his fingers.

"Thank you," said the old lady. Her voice wasn't so slurred now, but still didn't sound quite right. "My name is Val."

"My name is Edwin," said Edwin, his eyes still closed.

"Pleased to meet you," said Val.

A few seconds passed before she spoke again.

"You can take your fingers out of my mouth now."

#  Chapter 10- Tea and Rock Cakes

"You were shut in that cupboard for three whole weeks?" Edwin couldn't believe it. "That must have been terrible."

"I've had worse experiences." Val presented Edwin with a cup of steaming tea. "And with all this bad weather it's not like I missed much gardening time."

"That wasn't what I meant." Edwin smiled appreciatively as Val placed the cup and saucer on the kitchen table. "You couldn't go to the loo or anything."

"I have a very good bladder for my age," said Val, pouring a cup for herself.

"I bet," spluttered Edwin, after taking a sip of tea. "You could treat fences with this stuff."

"Besides, it's all about will power. Will power and belief." Val nodded at Edwin. "If you believe enough, anything is possible."

Edwin took another sip, and tried believing Val's tea didn't taste like wood preservative.

It didn't work, and he grimaced as he swallowed.

"I'd offer you some sugar." Val had obviously noted Edwin's pained expression. "But I can't find any spoons. I had a set of six, but they've been disappearing one by one for years now. Odd that."

"It's OK." Edwin smiled at Val as she sat down at the table. "The main thing is that you're all right."

At first Edwin had been worried for Val, being locked up in a cupboard would have been stressful for anyone, let alone a frail old lady. But Val seemed to be recovering quite well. After hurriedly introducing himself, Edwin had offered to make her a cup of tea to help calm her down, but Val had insisted on making it herself. It was the least she could do, she said, to thank him for rescuing her.

"Perfect!" Val gasped after taking a slurp of tea. "Would you care for a rock cake? I baked them three weeks ago, but they've been sealed in a tin so won't have gone off."

"Thanks." Edwin was feeling a little peckish, and helped himself to a cake from a plate in the middle of the table. "So tell me. How did you end up in the cupboard?"

"Let me think." Val tapped her walking stick on the floor. "Ah yes. It was three weeks ago when a chap turned up to read my gas meter. I thought that was odd, seeing as I don't have a gas supply. But he was quite insistent, and told me the meter was in the cupboard under the stairs. Well, I showed him the cupboard to prove I wasn't losing my marbles. I turned my back on him, and then I must have blacked out because all I remember next is waking up in the dark, bound and gagged like you found me. Minus my best false teeth, to boot."

"Someone pinched your false teeth?" Edwin didn't think that likely.

"They're a good pair," insisted Val. "Would fetch a lot on the second hand market."

Edwin doubted if there was much of a market for used false teeth, so guessed there was more to this incident than petty denture theft.

"What did this chap look like?" Edwin bit into his rock cake. It lived up to its name, and he was lucky not to break a tooth. "Ow!"

"Don't be such a wimp." Val gave Edwin a disappointed look before biting into a rock cake herself. She winced and held her jaw, then lowered the cake from her mouth. "Perhaps they're a little on the firm side. I could manage it with my best teeth, but these ones aren't quite up to it. Still, while there's a will there's a way."

Val pulled her false teeth from her mouth, then clamped her gums around the rock cake.

Edwin watched in horrified fascination as Val sucked noisily.

The sucking went on for several minutes, until the rock cake was soggy enough for Val to swallow. When she had finished, she popped her teeth back into her mouth, licked her lips and smiled at Edwin. "You were saying?"

"Er..." It took a second or two for Edwin to remember what he'd been talking about. "The man who called at your door. What did he look like? Was there anything distinctive about him? Like his eyes?"

"Oh yes." Val nodded. "He had eyes. Two of them. And a nose."

Edwin sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

And yet he had to find out more, because he suspected there was some connection to Bill's disappearance. And if he found Bill it would surely lead him to Mum.

"Although his nose couldn't have been working very well," continued Val. "He was wearing the most revolting aftershave. Reminded me of rotten fish."

"That's them!" Edwin thumped his fist on the table, rattling the crockery. "The fish monsters! Now I wonder why they wanted to read your gas meter?"

"They hadn't come to read her gas meter." A shrill voice sounded from Edwin's jacket pocket. "That was obviously a ruse to gain entry into the cottage."

Val frowned at Edwin. "Who said that?"

"I did." Stubby emerged from Edwin's top pocket. "Forgive my interruption, but I could listen to this bungled interview no longer. My name is Stubby. I would hand you my calling card, but unfortunately I got a little peckish this morning and chewed it up."

Edwin hadn't introduced Stubby to Val, thinking it might be too much for an already distressed old lady. But Val took the appearance of the talking mouse in her stride.

"Would you like a rock cake too?" She offered the plate to Stubby.

"They're too big for him," said Edwin.

"You could break a bit off," suggested Val.

"Not without a pneumatic drill." Edwin pushed the plate away. "Anyway, we need to focus. Finding out who locked you in the cupboard might help lead us to Bill."

"Bill?" Val looked expectantly at Edwin. "Is there someone else in your pocket?"

"He's not in my pocket," said Edwin. "He's my stepdad, and he's gone missing. He works for Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes. We found his car parked outside, so he must have been here yesterday."

Stubby nodded. "Hence it stands to reason that whoever locked Val in the cupboard had a hand in Bill's disappearance."

Edwin pursed his lips thoughtfully. "But I wonder what this has to do with the Thunderstone?"

"Thunderstone?" There was another rattle of china as Val almost dropped her cup and saucer.

"Yeah." Edwin wondered why Val had reacted so dramatically. "The Weather Vane told us it had been stolen."

"Stolen!" Val rose shakily to her feet, her knuckles whitening as she gripped her walking stick. "So that's what they came for."

"What?" Edwin stood up too. "What did they come for?"

"The Thunderstone, of course." Val pointed her walking stick at the window ledge.

Edwin could see a potted plant, and a china jug with a cow painted on it, but nothing that looked like it might be a Thunderstone.

"I don't see a Thunderstone," he told Val.

"Of course you don't," growled Val. "Because it's been stolen."

"You'll have to forgive the boy," said Stubby. "He's slower than a snail wearing snowshoes."

"I kept the Thunderstone here." Val jabbed her stick at an empty space on the window ledge. "Between my petunia and my novelty milk jug."

"But what is the Thunderstone?" said Edwin. "And why would anyone want to steal it?"

Val lowered her walking stick, and her lips tightened as she turned to face Edwin.

"The Thunderstone is an ancient relic." Suddenly she didn't sound like a little old lady anymore. "To the High Priests of Asgard it was known as Thor's Hammer, and they used it to restore harmony in the event of elemental imbalance."

Edwin glanced out of the window. It was still raining, perhaps harder than ever, and the sky was almost as dark as night. "I wouldn't call that harmony."

"It could also be used to cause catastrophic storms," said Val. "Floods, tornados, tidal waves. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could be a lethal weapon. That is why the Priests of Asgard appointed special people to guard it. And that's what I am. A Shield Maiden of Asgard."

"You?" Edwin looked Val up and down. "But you're just an old lady."

"There's no 'just' about being old," sneered Val. "Or a lady, for that matter. It's not how young you are, it's about what's in here." She pressed her right hand to her chest.

"Sure." Edwin hadn't meant to upset Val, and quickly changed the subject. "But what's Asgard?"

"Asgard was an ancient kingdom to the North." Through her thick glasses, Val's eyes appeared to mist up. "A magical realm the like of which mortals could only dream. But it's gone now, destroyed many centuries ago during a devastating war."

"A magical realm?" Edwin frowned. "Was it anything to do with the Wise Ones?"

"What do you know of the Wise Ones?" Val's eyes narrowed as she regarded Edwin. Then she smiled, and clunked her walking stick on the kitchen floor. "Of course. You are a Guardian of Wychetts."

"That's right." Edwin nodded energetically.

"Then all is not lost." Val's smile broadened into a grin. "With Inglenook's help we should be able to trace the Thunderstone in no time at all."

"Er..." Edwin's smile fell. "Inglenook isn't here."

Val's grin vanished as she looked Edwin up and down. "You don't have the Wychetts Key?"

"No." Not for the first time that day, Edwin felt a bit of a let down. "My stepsister Bryony has it. She's a Guardian too." His gaze lowered to the tiled kitchen floor. "A better one than me, apparently."

"And where is the girl?" queried Val.

"Gone to look for her dad." Edwin kept his face angled to the floor. "They were supposed to join up with us, but they won't know we're here."

Val snorted irritably. "So the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom sends his junior to help me. Me, a Shield Maiden of Asgard. The Keeper of the Thunderstone itself."

Edwin looked up to fix Val with a challenging stare. "You didn't keep it very well."

"What do you mean?" Val scowled. "The Thunderstone has been under my family's guardianship for nearly two thousand years."

"On your windowsill?" Edwin shook his head with disbelief. "Between a petunia and a novelty milk jug?"

Val coughed awkwardly. "Bought it on a trip to Devon. Used to moo when you picked it up, but it stopped doing that after I dropped it in nineteen eighty six."

"That's got nothing to do with it," snapped Edwin. "If you're a Keeper of the Thunderstone, you should have locked it away somewhere safe, not leave it on display like an ornament."

"It wasn't an ornament," said Val. "I used it as a paperweight."

"I don't believe this," groaned Edwin.

Val sighed, then smiled again. "I'm sorry, lad. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. You're right. I haven't been a very good Keeper of the Thunderstone. I wasn't even supposed to be a Shield Maiden in the first place. My elder sister Barbara should have been Keeper by rights, but she passed away many years ago without an heir, so I was next in line. She would have made a better Keeper than me, I'm sure."

"It's OK." Edwin smiled back. "It wasn't your fault."

"But I should have realised." Val tapped her walking stick on the floor again. "The signs were there."

Edwin frowned. "What signs?"

"The Thunderstone has remained inactive for hundreds of years," explained Val. "Ever since the Fall of Asgard. Then, about three weeks ago, it started buzzing and giving off heat. Around the time the storms began."

Edwin nodded. "So it started working all by itself?"

Val shook her silver head. "A special ritual needs to be performed to invoke the Thunderstone's power. Something else caused those first storms."

"I know what that might have been." Edwin explained hurriedly about the Tome Terriblis, and how its powers had caused a dangerous elemental imbalance.

"I see." Val stroked her wrinkled chin. "Then the Thunderstone was reacting to the unnatural forces of the Tome."

"And that must have been the signal," said Stubby. "When it reacted to the storms, the Thunderstone revealed its location to those who wanted to steal it."

"Like a blip on a radar." Edwin puffed his cheeks. "But if the Nyx stole the Thunderstone, why did they also kidnap my mum and stepdad?"

"The Nyx?" Val's already wrinkly face became even more wrinkled. "You think the Nyx are responsible?"

Edwin told Val what had happened at Wychetts the night before. The old lady listened carefully, but didn't seem convinced.

"That would be most unlike the Nyx. They are usually shy and secretive. I can't believe they'd..."

"Shh!" Stubby raised a little paw. "Do you hear that noise?"

Edwin listened, and heard a soft gurgling from somewhere.

He looked enquiringly at Val. "Is that your plumbing?"

"Of course not." Val looked offended. "I told you, I have a very good bladder for my age."

"That wasn't what I meant." Edwin got up from his chair, cocking his head to listen. "It's coming from the hall."

Curiosity aroused, Edwin left the kitchen and walked into the hallway. Each step he took was accompanied by a squelching noise. Puzzled, he looked down and saw the flowery carpet had gone soggy.

Edwin advanced down the hall, following the gurgling sound until he reached the front door, where he saw water trickling through the letter flap.

"That stream must have burst its banks." Stubby peered out from Edwin's top pocket. "We'd better get the old lady out before the house is flooded."

"Let's not forget the Weather Vane." Edwin turned to the foot of the stairs, but the umbrella stand was empty. "Hey, where did he..."

There was a shriek from the kitchen.

"Val!" Edwin ran back down the hallway. The rising water was splashing round his ankles by the time he reached the kitchen. The back door was open, and there was no sign of Val.

"Val, are you there?" Edwin thrust his head out of the back door. The rain and wind lashed his face as he peered into the gloom. The stormy sky was darker than ever, and he struggled to see in the deepening murk.

A stuttering flash of lightning lit up the garden, and Edwin spotted something lying in the trampled flowerbed. It was a leather briefcase, just like the one Bill used for work. Edwin walked up to examine the briefcase, but his attention was drawn to a circular opening in the ground close by.

"That's a sewer hole," advised Stubby. "I'd keep away if I were you."

Ignoring Stubby's warning, Edwin stood over the sewer opening and peered inside. He thought he saw movement in the darkness, before another burst of lightning revealed a glimpse of something silvery...

"Val, is that you?" Edwin leaned further over the opening. "Bill, are you down there?"

"Get back," said Stubby. "You're standing too close."

Edwin stepped away from the hole, but not before a webbed hand reached up from the sewer to seize his left ankle.

The hand pulled him down, and Edwin screamed as he plummeted through the hole into the blackness below...

#  Chapter 11- A Twang of Toad Vomit

Coughing and spluttering, Edwin was pulled from the rancid water.

He could see nothing but darkness, and his nostrils burned with an intense fishy stench.

Webbed hands gripped his arm and hauled him through the gloom. He tried to struggle free, but slipped and went splashing back into the water.

The webbed hands dragged him out again, and an angry belch sounded in his right ear. Then he saw light ahead...

It was a feeble greenish glow, but enough to illuminate the roof of a circular tunnel. And standing below, a familiar old lady wearing tortoise shell glasses...

"Val!" Edwin almost choked on the word. "Are you all right? What have they done to you?"

"Nothing." Val smiled reassuringly as the bedraggled Edwin was thrust towards her. "They've behaved like perfect gentlemen."

"They're not gentlemen," spat Edwin. "They're Nyx."

"You need to relax," whispered Val. "They won't harm us if we co-operate."

"How do you know that?" Edwin became suspicious. "And are you actually Val? You could be one of them for all I know."

"I could be," acknowledged Val. "So could you."

"But I'm not," protested Edwin.

"Can you prove it?" asked Val.

Edwin had to admit that he couldn't.

"In which case I'll just have to trust you." Val smiled again. "And you'll have to trust me."

Whilst he couldn't fault the old lady's reasoning, Edwin still wasn't convinced. "It's not you I don't trust, but the Nyx."

"You have no reason to fear them," said Val. "The Nyx still respect Shield Maidens of Asgard, as they respect the Guardians of Wychetts."

"Respect?" A damp mouse head emerged from Edwin's anorak pocket. "If dragging us down here for a sewer bath is their idea of respect, I'd hate to find out how they treat those they dislike."

"I didn't say they like us." Val leaned forwards on her walking stick. "The Nyx have plenty of reasons to be suspicious of humans. Even magical ones."

"How do you know all this?" Edwin frowned at Val. "Do you speak Nyx?"

Val shook her silvery head. "No human has ever mastered their language. But luckily I know a clever bird who has."

Val stepped aside, and Edwin saw a metal cockerel propped up against the tunnel wall.

"I have learned every language on earth," boasted the Weather Vane. "Human and non-human. Nyx is relatively complicated due to its subtle grammatical nuances."

"It's basically just burping," countered Stubby. "Anyone with chronic indigestion could master it in seconds."

A fish-like face emerged from the gloom next to Edwin. The Nyx opened its elongated mouth and emitted a series of gulps and belches.

"What's he saying?" Edwin shrank back from the Nyx as it stared at him with its large bulbous eyes.

"I'll let the mouse decipher," said the Weather Vane. "Seeing as he is such an expert."

"Yes. Well." Stubby coughed awkwardly. "The problem is, he has a bit of an accent..."

"The Nyx welcomes us to the Royal Palace," translated the Weather Vane. "And trusts we find the accommodation to our liking."

Edwin wrinkled his nose. "This is a palace?"

"We are in the residence of the Queen Nyx herself," said the Weather Vane. "You are the first humans to be granted access to such a prestigious venue."

"You must be joking," muttered Stubby. "I've been in more prestigious sewers."

"This is a sewer," Val reminded him. "And I actually think it's quite cosy." She turned to the Weather Vane. "Tell him we are honoured to be admitted to the Royal Palace, and that we look forward to meeting the Queen at her earliest convenience."

The Weather Vane made that strange gulping sound. The Nyx nodded, and then responded with more of the same noises.

The Weather Vane translated again. "He says it is the Queen Nyx who is looking forward to meeting us. He will now escort us to the throne room."

The Nyx padded off into the shadows. Val went to follow, but Edwin caught her arm as she hobbled past.

"We can't trust these monsters," he hissed. "They kidnapped my mum and stepdad."

"The Nyx are not evil," insisted Val. "And if they wanted to harm us they would have done so by now."

From the blackness ahead came the sound of agitated belching.

"He requests that we hurry," said the Weather Vane. "It will not do to keep the Queen waiting."

"We must do as they ask." Val headed off in the direction of the belching. "And be particularly respectful to their ruler. The Queen Nyx is a very powerful magic being."

"So what should we do when we meet her?" Edwin picked up the Weather Vane and hurried after Val. "Do we bow, curtsey, or what?"

"A Nyx will greet his Queen by prostrating himself in the nearest puddle and blowing bubbles through his gill flaps," explained the Weather Vane. "But as humans you would be excused such courtly etiquette."

"I'm glad to hear it," muttered Edwin, still sodden and filthy from his recent dunking.

"Then again," mused Stubby, "it would be the closest you've ever come to displaying good manners."

"However I would advise you to accept all offers of hospitality," continued the Weather Vane. "To refuse any food and drink would be considered most ungracious."

Edwin spotted light up ahead. It was the same greenish glow as before, revealing a widening tunnel before them.

"We've left the sewer now, and must be nearing the throne room." Val chatted to Edwin as they followed the Nyx guide along the tunnel. "Normally all this would be underwater. The Nyx have used magic to drain the passages so we can pass through them."

Edwin studied the glowing green slime on the curved tunnel ceiling. He guessed it was some sort of luminescent fungus, but then again it could be magic. Inglenook would know, of course. But Inglenook wasn't here.

Without Wychetts' magic, Edwin knew he had to keep his wits about him. Despite Val's insistence that the Nyx were harmless, he suspected the Queen might have some grim fate in store for her prisoners.

A wall of green moss marked the end of the tunnel. The Nyx guide waved his webbed hand, and the moss parted like curtains to reveal a wide gallery beyond.

The high ceiling was smothered in glowing green slime, illuminating a raised wooden walkway dividing the floor. On either side stood rows of Nyx, hundreds of scaly faces that turned to stare at Edwin with their large bulbous eyes.

Edwin didn't know how to read Nyx expressions. Perhaps they were curious, maybe even afraid. But the belches and gulps that accompanied those staring faces led him to believe his presence here was not entirely welcome.

The Nyx guide led Edwin and Val along the raised walkway. The fishy stink was stronger than ever, but Edwin tried not to show his disgust as they approached the end of the walkway, and the Nyx Queen herself.

Even seated on her ornate clamshell throne, Edwin could tell the Queen was much taller than her subjects; but there were other things that set her apart. Her scales had a golden hue, and the pointed fins on her head resembled a crown. She wore a dress of fine silver mesh, and a necklace of glittering shells. Her webbed fingers were long, and her claws longer still.

But her eyes were like all the other Nyx, and gave Edwin that same unreadable stare as he stopped in front of the throne.

The Nyx guide stepped aside, leaving Edwin and Val to face the scrutiny of his ruler. The Nyx Queen studied her prisoners carefully, then leaned forwards and belched loudly in Edwin's face.

Edwin recoiled as he caught a blast of fishy breath, but Val caught his arm.

"The Queen welcomes you to her palace," said the Weather Vane. "And apologises for any inconvenience she may have caused you."

"Inconvenience?" Edwin snorted. "They kidnapped us. My mum and stepdad too. I'd call that more than inconvenience."

"Careful," whispered Val, tightening her fingers round Edwin's arm. "Remember we mustn't offend her."

The Nyx Queen's disc eyes were still locked on Edwin. Then she clapped her webbed hands together.

A Nyx servant emerged from behind the throne, presenting Edwin with a bowl of dark green liquid.

"The Queen offers you the finest Marsh Brew," announced the Weather Vane, obviously relishing his role of royal interpreter. "An alcohol free beverage produced in the royal underwater vineyards. Every drop is examined by Her Majesty to ensure it meets the required high standards. This batch was passed by the Queen only this morning."

Edwin took the bowl, examining its murky contents with suspicion.

"Drink up," hissed Val. "It is rude to refuse Nyx hospitality."

"You first." Edwin passed the bowl to Val. The old lady smiled graciously at the Nyx Queen, then tipped the bowl to her lips and slurped noisily.

"Oh yes." Val nodded appreciatively after swallowing. "This has a very zesty character. I'm getting hints of juniper berries, a subtle suggestion of nutmeg, and a twang of toad vomit."

"You are correct," said the Weather Vane. "But you missed the main ingredient: stagnant pond water fermented for six weeks in an old pair of fisherman's waders."

"That's it!" Val grinned. "I thought there was something familiar about it. We must ask for the recipe. It would go down a storm at the next OAP coffee morning. Now you try some, lad."

Val handed the bowl back to Edwin.

The Queen leaned forwards in her throne, her fish eyes still focussed on Edwin as he debated whether to sample the Marsh Brew.

"Hurry up," said Val. "We mustn't keep the Nyx Queen waiting."

Edwin didn't feel obliged to pander to their royal host. He had plenty of questions for the Nyx Queen, and wanted answers fast. But as Edwin prepared to address her, the Nyx Queen stood up from her throne.

She was even taller than he'd thought, and her crown of spiky fins almost touched the cavern ceiling. Those fishy eyes still stared at him, and Edwin felt small and weak in her towering presence.

Deciding it would be best to play along, at least for now, Edwin raised the bowl and took a tiny sip of Marsh Brew.

It wasn't the nicest thing he'd ever tasted, a cross between cabbage water and vinegar, but compared to Val's tea it was actually quite pleasant.

He took a second sip for good measure, before giving the bowl back to the Nyx servant.

Another Nyx stepped forward, offering Edwin a dish laden with clumps of green moss.

Still mindful of the Nyx Queen's gaze, Edwin grabbed a handful of moss and stuffed it into his mouth.

It was drier than he'd expected, and a lot chewier. He stood munching for several seconds, then became aware that everyone in the throne room was staring at him. The Nyx expressions were impossible to decipher, but it was the look on Val's wrinkled face that suggested to Edwin that all was not well.

But by then it was too late.

"That was for wiping your lips," said the Weather Vane.

"Huh?" Edwin picked a sprig of moss from between his front teeth. "You mean..."

"You have just eaten a napkin." Val put a hand to her mouth. Edwin thought she was going to tell him off, but instead she started giggling.

The Weather Vane chuckled. Then Edwin heard gulps and belches from the assembled Nyx subjects. But these were different gulps and belches to before. Less threatening in tone, more like laughter.

Then Edwin realised that's just what it was. The Nyx were laughing at him. All of them.

Even the Queen joined in. Only Stubby remained serious.

"I don't see what's so funny," muttered the mouse. "In my experience the napkin is usually the best bit of a meal."

Despite feeling embarrassed by his courtly faux pas, Edwin found himself laughing too. Then he realised he was the only one laughing, and looked round to see the Nyx Queen had raised an arm for silence.

"Now what's up?" He glanced nervously at the Weather Vane. "Is she mad at us?"

"We can speak your language," gulped the Nyx Queen. "And will talk directly to the Guardian of Wychetts."

"Looks like you're redundant," Stubby told the Weather Vane. "Unless it's Nyx washing day, in which case you'd make an excellent rotary clothes airer."

"The vole will be silent," ordered the Nyx Queen.

"Vole?" Stubby emitted a squeak of outrage. "How dare she call me a..."

"Sssh!" hissed Val. "We must not offend our royal host."

Stubby fell silent, but Edwin was in no mood to pussyfoot around any longer.

"You have no right to bring us here." He jabbed a pointed a finger at the Nyx Queen. "What have you done with my mother and stepfather? And why did you steal the Thunderstone?"

More gulps and belches went up from the massed Nyx subjects, but Edwin realised they weren't laughing anymore.

The Nyx Queen raised her arm again, and the throne room fell silent.

"We had no part in the theft of the Thunderstone." The Nyx Queen bared her sharp needle teeth as she spoke. "But we know who did."

#  Chapter 12- Welcome Aboard

Bryony woke, and immediately regretted doing so. Her head was spinning, and her skull reverberated with a terrible droning noise.

"Welcome aboard." A purring woman's voice sounded close to her ear. "I apologise for the lack of comfortable seating, but our executive lounge is fully booked."

There was something familiar about the voice. Bryony turned her head, wincing from the effort. Then, very slowly, opened her eyes.

Her vision swam, and it took a few seconds before she could properly discern her surroundings.

She was lying in a grey walled room. The metal floor vibrated softly beneath her, and she could hear that droning noise echoing from below.

Bryony sat up and saw a figure standing over her: a beautiful blonde haired woman with emerald eyes, clad in a cream coloured uniform with chocolate brown gloves and boots. She wore a band of glittering diamonds around her slender neck, and it was hard to say whether she was dressed for war or a fashion shoot.

But there was a lot about Katya Pauncefoot that defied understanding; except that her appearance confirmed Bryony's suspicions about who had abducted her.

"The Shadow Clan." Bryony glared at Katya. "I knew you'd be behind this."

"Do not fool yourself." Katya's pink lips curved into a mocking smile. "You know so little of our plans."

"Then tell me." Bryony ran a hand through her wind-tangled hair. "What is this place, and what do you want with me?"

"You are aboard Darkwing," purred Katya. "The Shadow Clan's airship."

"An airship?" Bryony remembered seeing that vast dark shape above the cage before she blacked out. "I didn't know the Shadow Clan ran an airline."

Katya's smile fell. "Darkwing was not built for pleasure cruises. She is the only vessel of the Shadow Fleet to have survived the Great War of Magic."

Bryony's eyebrows knotted. "What was the Great War of Magic?"

"As I said, you know so little." Katya's smile returned. "But I am willing to teach you all that Inglenook has not. Would you care for a guided tour?"

"Why have you brought me here?" Bryony shrank away from Katya's outstretched hand. "Are you causing all the storms? Tell me what you're up to."

"All will be revealed in time," said Katya. "Don't worry, you won't be harmed. Provided you co-operate."

Bryony shook her head. "I'll never co-operate with the Shadow Clan."

"You'll find you have no choice." Katya's smile twisted sinisterly. "Seeing as we have your father."

* * *

"Darkwing is a triumph of Shadow Clan magical technology." Katya purred proudly as she led Bryony along a hexagonal corridor. The grey metal walls were studded with rivets, and the floor clanked underfoot. "Her hull is constructed of tempered dragon hide, and she can reach speeds of up to one thousand miles an hour, given a fair wind."

Katya stopped to indicate a porthole in the wall.

Bryony looked through the porthole and saw a fat pig-faced monster guzzling food from a bucket, with a lizard like creature sitting behind it. There was a horrible noise from the pig's backside, and then flames shot upwards as the lizard ignited the air with his hot breath.

"So that's how you fill the balloon." Bryony wrinkled her nose with revulsion. "Though I wouldn't call it magical technology."

"But most effective," said Katya. "Although we are working on an alternative fuel source, as baked beans aren't cheap these days. This way."

Bryony followed Katya along the corridor, wondering where she was being taken. Surely the Shadow Clan had some terrible end in store for her, so why didn't they just get it over with?

Strangely she didn't feel scared. More angry.

Inglenook had let her down again. He should have known they were walking into a trap. He was supposed to guide them, yet he had led her straight into the clutches of their worst enemy!

"Where's my dad?" Bryony wasn't in the mood for guided tours. "I want to see him now."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." Katya replied without turning round. "Your father is held in a secure place many miles from here. We didn't want to take any chances. The stakes are too high this time."

"Which is why you got those fishy Nyx monsters to do your dirty work, huh?"

"The Shadow Clan would not usually stoop to ally ourselves with those swamp dwelling primitives." Katya's voice was thick with distaste. "But desperate times call for desperate measures. And these are desperate times, I can assure you."

They reached the end of the corridor. Katya pulled a lever on the wall, and a door slid open with a metallic grinding noise.

Katya stood aside and waved Bryony through. "You are now entering the flight deck."

Bryony walked through the door to find herself in a large oval shaped space. At the far end, beneath a row of circular windows, a uniformed pilot sat hunched over a bank of controls that were a weird mish-mash of modern technology and archaic symbols.

Bryony didn't recognise the pilot because he was wearing a cap, and it was only when he turned to stare at her with his tiny grey eyes that she realised who was controlling the airship.

"Mr Dawes!" Bryony stared back at the beaky nosed man. "I thought you'd be here somewhere."

"Its Captain Dawes to you," croaked Dawes.

"That's a joke," rasped a throaty voice. "I should have been made captain of this ship."

Bryony noticed a dead tree in a bucket in the corner of the flight deck. The gnarled trunk resembled an ugly old man's face, with deep knot holes for eyes, and the pointed branches looked like claws. It was none other than Twisted Bough, the most evil tree in the land.

"You have no qualifications to pilot an aircraft." Dawes' tiny grey eyes swivelled to glare at the ugly tree. "You couldn't fly a kite."

"They only made you Captain because you've got the right hat," grumbled Twisted Bough.

"And a head to wear it," sneered Dawes. "Not to mention other useful things for flying an aircraft, such as hands."

"That's enough, boys." Katya scowled at her colleagues, then turned back to Bryony. "So now you've met the Captain and Flight Attendant..."

"Flight Attendant?" Twisted Bough sounded outraged. "I thought I was going to have a title more befitting my role on this ship?"

"I agree," croaked Dawes. "In which case we should refer to you as 'ballast'."

"As I was saying." Katya kept her emerald gaze on Bryony. "Now you've met the Captain and Flight Attendant, it's time we introduced you to another of our crew."

Bryony heard footsteps, and looked round to see a woman approaching. She was quite pretty, with wavy brown hair and large grey eyes.

"Hello," said the woman in a weird lispy voice. "I am your Air Hostess. I hope you are enjoying the flight."

"Marshia!" Bryony recognised the receptionist from Gutterly Great Gutters and Drainpipes Head Office. "You were working for the Shadow Clan all along."

Marshia smiled, revealing her oversized teeth. And as she came closer Bryony caught a pungent whiff of fish.

But by that time Bryony had already worked it out.

"You're not really Marshia. You're a Nyx!"

Marshia's laugh became a series of belches, and then she removed her teeth to expose a pair of fleshy green gums. But an even more revolting spectacle was to follow.

Marshia's toothless grin widened until it threatened to split her face. Dark scales erupted on her skin, and red spiky fins sprouted from the top of her head. She raised a webbed hand tipped with claws, and leered at Bryony with a pair of large bulbous eyes.

"This is Miss Grinny Greengums," purred Katya. "Our newest recruit. It was her idea to set up Gutterly Great Gutters to lure your father into our clutches, and her shape shifting abilities have proved most valuable to our cause."

"So what is your cause?" Bryony kept her wary gaze on Grinny Greengums as she spoke. "What are you planning and why have you brought me here?"

"Allow me to demonstrate." Katya nodded at Grinny Greengums, who pulled a large lever on the wall beside her.

"Oi," groaned Twisted Bough. "I wanted to do that."

Captain Dawes frowned at the ugly tree. "I'm intrigued to know how."

There was a rumbling noise, and a hatch opened in the centre of the flight deck. A chill wind blasted through the opening, accompanied by bellowing thunder.

Katya grabbed Bryony's arm and yanked her across the flight deck. For a second Bryony feared she would be thrown from the ship, but Katya held her at the edge of the hatch.

Bryony peered down into the hatch and saw a swarm of ragged, skeleton faced creatures massed beneath the airship.

"You've already met the Storm Hags," said Katya. "Elemental beings of great destructive power."

"Are they causing the storms?" Bryony flinched when one of the Storm Hags flew up to the hatch and screeched angrily at her.

"The Storm Hags are mere servants." Katya pointed through the opening. "There is the source of your weather chaos."

The swarm of Storm Hags parted, revealing a large wedge shaped stone in a metal clamp suspended from the airship. The stone was trembling, and lightning bolts arced from its tip to stab the broiling clouds below.

"The Thunderstone." Katya purred in response to Bryony's questioning look. "An ancient relic from the realm of Asgard."

"The Thunderstone has magical properties," said Captain Dawes. "And was used by the High Priests of Asgard to maintain the elemental balance."

"But the realm of Asgard perished many years ago," continued Katya. "And we have no knowledge of their rituals. So to invoke the Thunderstone's power we need to infuse it with our own magic energy."

Bryony noticed a metal rod extending down from the airship, and flying sparks where it touched the top of the Thunderstone.

"That way we can control it," said Grinny Greengums. "And unleash weather chaos across the entire planet."

Bryony saw a row of glass orbs in the wall of the flight deck, each showing images of devastation from around the world: flooding, hurricanes, tidal waves, and ruined buildings left in their wake.

"You'll destroy the whole world." Bryony glared at Katya. "That's your plan. You want to destroy the world by flooding it."

Katya's delicate eyebrows arched. "And what would be the point of that?"

"There isn't a point," snarled Bryony. "It's what you do. You're the Shadow Clan. You're evil."

"It is true we've been enjoying the results of the Thunderstone's power," admitted Captain Dawes. "But that is merely a side show to our main objective."

"The storms are just the first phase," gulped Grinny Greengums. "The second is even more spectacular."

Katya tightened her grip on Bryony's arm. "And that is where you come in."

#  Chapter 13- The Boy Must Go

"The Shadow Clan." Edwin nodded slowly. "That makes sense."

At the Nyx Queen's invitation her guests had withdrawn to her private chamber, where their royal host was explaining how the Thunderstone had been stolen.

"The Shadow Clan were alerted to the location of the Thunderstone when it reacted to the recent elemental imbalance," continued the Nyx Queen. "I believe you Guardians had some involvement in that."

"Maybe." Edwin's cheeks flushed guiltily. "But it wasn't all our fault."

"Not all of it," added Stubby. "It was mainly down to a combination of bad luck and sheer stupidity. But mostly stupidity. Which was their fault."

The Nyx Queen nodded. "We regret that the Nyx are not totally blameless for the theft of the Thunderstone. One of our kind, a traitor named Grinny Greengums, has joined forces with the Shadow Clan, lending her shape shifting abilities in exchange for help to seize the Nyx throne for herself. It was Greengums who tricked her way into the Shield Maiden's home to steal the Thunderstone in the first place."

"After she'd shut me in the cupboard," said Val. "And pinched my best dentures, the rotter."

"Of course," said the Weather Vane, who had been placed in one of the Queen's ornate mud vases. "I knew it was the Shadow Clan all along."

"It certainly adds up." Val glanced sideways at Edwin. "I told you the Nyx are not evil."

Despite his earlier suspicions, Edwin could find little reason to doubt the Nyx Queen's story. From his past experience he knew there was no limit to the Shadow Clan's wicked scheming. But there was still one question that needed answering...

"So what happened to my mum and stepdad?" He stared demandingly at the Nyx Queen. "Where are they?"

The Nyx Queen raised a scaly arm, and a portion of slimy wall dissolved to reveal a large glass sphere behind it.

The sphere was full of dark green water, and there were two figures submerged inside: a dark haired man in a suit and tie, and an auburn haired woman wearing a cardigan and flowery skirt.

"Mum!" Edwin ran up to the bubble and pressed his hands against the glass. "Bill!"

Neither Bill or Jane responded. Their eyes were closed, and streams of small bubbles rose from their lips and nostrils.

"They are unharmed," gulped the Nyx Queen. "And merely sleeping."

"But they're underwater," wailed Edwin. "They'll drown."

"Not in our magic water." The Nyx Queen gazed into the sphere. "They are perfectly safe, and shielded from all harmful influences."

"The Nyx Queen speaks the truth," said Val. "In olden times Nyx water was prized as a powerful healing aid."

"That isn't the point," said Edwin. "I want to know why my mum and stepdad were brought here in the first place."

"For protection," said the Nyx Queen. "The same reason we sought to bring you to us, along with your stepsister."

"You wanted to protect us?" Edwin exhaled an incredulous snort. "So that's why you attacked us in our own home?"

The Nyx Queen bowed her head. "We apologise if the actions of our troops distressed you. But over the centuries we have suffered greatly from the actions of humankind, and we had no option but to take such drastic measures."

As far as Edwin was concerned, the Nyx Queen's answer came nowhere near an apology. "You tricked your way into our home, used magic to knock Inglenook out, then scared the living daylights out of us. It's no wonder you've had problems with humans if that's how you treat us."

"He means you should have knocked," Stubby advised the Nyx Queen.

"You are mistaken." The Nyx Queen raised her head and stared at Edwin with her bulbous eyes. "We acted not to protect you, but to protect ourselves from you."

"Huh?" Edwin pulled a puzzled face. "But we never meant you any harm. Up till last night we didn't even know you existed."

"You may not mean ill to the Nyx," gulped the Queen. "But there are those who would use you against us."

"The Shadow Clan?" Edwin snorted. "But we'd never lend our powers to help them."

"Perhaps not willingly," said Val. "But what if the Shadow Clan held your parents prisoner?"

"It was the Shadow Clan's intention to kidnap your stepfather," explained the Nyx Queen. "Posing as Val, Grinny Greengums trapped him in the sewer, where she thought he'd be secure. Fortunately we had already discovered Greengum's plans, and stationed guards in the sewer to collect him. But as far as the Shadow Clan are concerned, he is still their prisoner."

"Then that's one advantage we have over them," said Stubby. "But what do the Shadow Clan want with the Thunderstone?"

"Inglenook would know," sighed Edwin. "But he's not here, so there's nothing more we can do for now."

"But you are a Guardian of Wychetts." The Nyx Queen looked Edwin up and down with her large round eyes. "Why do you doubt your own power?"

"I might be a Guardian, but I'm useless with magic." Edwin averted his face from the Nyx Queen's gaze. "My stepsister Bryony is better than me. That's why she has the Wychetts Key."

"She has not." The Nyx Queen shook her head. "Or if she does, she is lost to you forever."

"Lost? What are you talking about?" Edwin's throat went dry, and his stomach knotted with dread. "What's happened to Bryony?"

"The girl's fate is unknown," said the Nyx Queen. "But we have traced the Key."

"Then give it to me." Edwin felt Val touch his arm, but he was past caring about Nyx royal protocol. "Give me the Key now!"

"I cannot," gulped the Nyx Queen. "We have traced the Key, but are unable to reach it."

"Then I'll get it." Edwin was ready to go anywhere to retrieve the Key. "Where is it? You must tell me."

The Nyx Queen took a deep breath before she spoke. "The Key fell from the sky into a flooded area south of here. The strong currents washed it through deep underground tunnels into the Cavern of Death, where it now lies submerged."

"Then why can't you reach it?" Edwin couldn't work out what the problem was. "You're fishy people. Why not just swim down and pick it up?"

"Ahem." Stubby cleared his throat. "The name of the place might offer a clue."

"The Cavern of Death." Edwin repeated the words slowly. "Why is it called that?"

"The cavern is inhabited by a water dwelling monster called the Knucker," said the Weather Vane. "Legend has it he was once a great king, but was betrayed by his subjects, dragged from his throne and hurled into an underground lake with heavy stones lashed to his neck. Somehow he survived, but he was so twisted by bitterness and mistrust that over the centuries his body has mutated into a monstrous form. Yet no one knows what the Knucker looks like, because no one who's seen it has lived to tell the tale."

"All we know is that the Knucker is immense and powerful," said the Queen. "It jealously guards any treasure washed into its domain, and will devour all who enter its lair. To attempt retrieval of the Key would be suicide for any of my people. But if a Guardian of Wychetts was to try..."

"Me?" Edwin shook his head. "But won't this Knucker eat me too?"

"The Knucker has never tasted human flesh before," said the Weather Vane. "It might not recognise your scent. There is a chance you could slip past it unnoticed."

"But I can't swim." Edwin shook his head harder. "And you said this cave was deep."

"Over one thousand metres," said the Weather Vane.

Edwin gasped. "Then I'd drown before I reached the bottom."

"I'll go," offered Val. "I've always enjoyed a dip. Would have to dig out my swimsuit. Might need a little adjustment, as I haven't worn it for over forty years."

Edwin dismissed Val's offer with a snort. "You can't face an immense water dwelling monster in an old swimsuit."

"Good point," said Val. "Better take my water wings as well."

"The boy must go," insisted the Nyx Queen. "He is a Guardian of Wychetts. The Key is his responsibility."

Edwin chewed his bottom lip. He knew the Nyx Queen was right. He might not be as good with magic as Bryony, but if something had happened to her it meant everything rested on him.

He had to find the Key, no matter what the risk.

"All right." Edwin looked the Nyx Queen straight in her bulging fish eyes. "I'll go."

The Nyx Queen bowed her head. "With our magic we can aid your descent into the cavern. But when you reach the bottom you will be on your own."

"No I won't," said Edwin. "I'll have my trusted Squire with me."

"Excuse me," said Stubby. "Don't I get a say in this?"

Edwin shook his head. "The vole will be silent."

"Brave boy." Val patted Edwin's shoulder. "There aren't many who would risk death at the hands of the Knucker."

"It's got hands?" Edwin's forehead puckered. "I didn't think anyone knew what it looked like."

"That was just a figure of speech," said Val. "It could have no hands. Or many hands."

"It probably has tentacles," said the Weather Vane. "Deep water dwelling life forms would have little use for hands. It most likely has a claw as well, for seizing and dismembering prey. And powerful mandibles for crushing bones. And perhaps..."

"Thanks for the intel," said Stubby, with more than his usual hint of sarcasm. "But the element of mystery is what makes blind dates so much fun, so I'd rather leave the rest to my imagination."

"You must not fear the Knucker," the Nyx Queen told Edwin. "For whatever fate befalls you in the Cavern of Death, the Nyx people will consider you the bravest of boys, and shall sing songs of your fate for evermore."

"That's comforting to know," said Stubby. "I wonder what word they'll use to rhyme with 'dismembered'."

#  Chapter 14- The Bubble Bursts

Gloom closed in all around, and Edwin felt like he was being swallowed whole. His heart beat quickened, and wisps of steam coiled from his mouth and nostrils as the air became suddenly colder.

He tried to keep calm, telling himself that he was perfectly safe.

Well at least for the next thirty minutes, because that's how long they had before the bubble would burst.

The Nyx Queen had fulfilled her promise of help by creating a protective magic bubble around Edwin for his descent into the Cavern of Death. She assured him the bubble was impenetrable from outside forces, yet it would allow him to pass his hand through to retrieve the Key when he located it.

Edwin could steer the bubble by using his feet. It had felt awkward at first, and he had fallen over several times already. But slowly he was getting the hang of it.

The bubble emitted a soft green light, which should prove useful when they reached the cavern floor. There was enough air inside to last a whole hour, but the Queen had warned that the bubble would become unstable after just thirty minutes, and she could not guarantee his safety after that.

Edwin had voiced his concerns, but the Nyx Queen had assured him that thirty minutes would be enough time to reach the cavern. Provided he didn't get lost.

"The route to the bottom is not straightforward," she had advised in her soft gulping voice. "It is rumoured that the Cavern of Death is made up of many smaller caves, a labyrinth of submerged passages that could confuse the unwary traveller. You should look for a trail to guide you to the Knucker's lair."

The Nyx Queen hadn't explained what the trail would look like, only that Edwin would know when he saw it. Right now, ten minutes in to his underwater expedition, he couldn't see anything outside the bubble except a blanket of murkiness. It was impossible to tell if they were moving, and he had now lost all sense of direction.

Then he caught a flash ahead of him, a dart of silver in the darkness. There was another to the right, and then Edwin saw something swimming towards the bubble.

It was a fish, only a few inches long, but unlike any he had seen before. It had no eyes, and long whiskers sprouted from its elongated snout.

"Look at that." Edwin directed Stubby's attention to the strange looking fish. "Must have evolved to suit its environment. Fish with no eyes. Isn't that amazing."

"Indeed," agreed Stubby. "But a fish with no eyes is nowhere near as amazing as a boy with no brain."

"You're still mad at me for volunteering to do this?"

"There would have been no need to, if you'd waited for Inglenook instead of climbing up the spire to reach the Weather Vane."

"Yeah, but then we'd never have found out what happened to the Key. And then it would be stuck down here forever, and we'd have no hope of rescuing Mum and Bill, or find out what's happened to Bryony."

Edwin's stomach lurched again as he thought about his stepsister. He was sure nothing bad had happened to her. Inglenook wouldn't have allowed that. But still, he'd feel a lot better once he'd found the Key.

The fish slinked off into the gloom. Edwin watched its pale body fade into the murk, and then he picked out something else below. At first he thought it was more fish, but when they came closer the bubble's green light revealed something altogether more disturbing.

Bones. Piles of them lying on the rocky ground. Edwin couldn't tell what kind of animals they had belonged to, and he tried not to look too closely.

"That would be our trail," said Stubby. "Following the bones should lead us to the Knucker's lair."

"You reckon?" Edwin wasn't convinced. "The Nyx Queen didn't say anything about bones."

"Indeed not. But so far we haven't come across any illuminated signs saying 'This way to certain death'."

"How do you think the bones got here?" Even as Edwin asked the question, he doubted whether he wanted to hear the answer.

"I suspect these are the remains of previous explorers looking for the Cavern of Death," said Stubby. "I can't tell you how they died, but I'd hazard a guess that it wasn't from boredom."

Edwin shivered, but not because the air inside the bubble had turned even colder. He knew Stubby was right, and why the Nyx Queen had been reluctant to reveal what form the trail would take.

Using his feet, Edwin guided the bubble along the trail of bones and into an underwater tunnel. It wasn't long before the tunnel forked, and following the bones brought him into a maze of narrow, twisting passages.

Edwin struggled to keep track of the bones, even with the bubble's green light to guide him, and eventually he lost sight of them altogether.

An inspection of his watch revealed they now had only ten minutes left to find the Key. Ten minutes before the bubble, quite literally, would burst.

Edwin was tempted to turn the bubble round and head back to the Nyx palace. Then he remembered Val's last words to him before he started this mission...

"You will succeed, lad. I believe it. And you must believe it too. Remember my motto? Mind over matter. Believe, Edwin. And you can do anything."

Believe, and you can do anything.

Edwin knew he mustn't give up. He had to believe he would find the Key and make it out of the chasm alive.

He moved the bubble forwards. There was still no trail of bones, the bubble's light revealing only more empty murk in front of him.

Then another voice sounded in his mind: a familiar voice, rich and deep, calling his name.

"Young Master Edwin..."

"Look out!"

Stubby's squeal alerted Edwin to a misshapen dark form lunging from the gloom. But the warning came too late, and Edwin couldn't stop the bubble in time.

There was a jolt, and Edwin was thrown off his feet as the bubble struck the object and went bouncing off down a steep side tunnel.

On and on the bubble went, rolling and bouncing off the tunnel walls. Edwin struggled to regain control, but couldn't get back on his feet.

At last the bubble came to a stop. Edwin lay in a heap, his frantic breath steaming the inside of the glowing sphere.

"Damage report?" said Stubby.

"I'm fine." Edwin picked himself up. "Did you see what we hit?"

"It was a rock. And you'd have spotted it if you were paying attention."

"I'm sorry," said Edwin. "But I heard Inglenook's voice."

"You were daydreaming," squeaked Stubby. "Now we've been knocked off course, and lost valuable time in the process."

Another inspection of Edwin's watch revealed they only had five minutes left. And yet he still couldn't see any bones on the cavern floor.

But there was something else lying there: something that glinted in the light of the bubble, something that looked like it was made of metal...

Edwin shuffled the bubble closer to the shiny object. It was half buried in sand, but he could make out a thin metal shaft.

"We've found it!" Edwin gasped with delight. "The Wychetts Key!"

Edwin pushed his right arm through the bubble's skin. The water was freezing, and he grimaced as he fumbled for his quarry. Then his fingers closed around something made of metal, and Edwin laughed with glee when he pulled his hand back inside the bubble.

But his laugh became a groan when he saw what he was holding.

It was made of metal, sure. But it wasn't the Wychetts Key. It was no more than...

"A spoon." Edwin shook his head. "What's a spoon doing at the bottom of an underwater cavern?"

Then Edwin saw another glinting object, and propelled the bubble towards it. Once again he thrust his hand through the bubble into the chill murky water. Once again his fingers closed around something made of metal. Once again he drew his hand back inside the bubble, and once again groaned when he saw what he was holding.

"Another spoon." Edwin couldn't believe it. "Are we in the Cavern of Death or an oversized dishwasher?"

"It's much the same thing if you're a mouse," observed Stubby. "My cousin Clarence got trapped in a dishwasher. The only comfort was that it must have been a clean death."

Edwin spotted another glint of metal on the ground, but as he moved the bubble closer he saw it was just another spoon. He saw another spoon to his right, and another, and another. In fact, as he moved the bubble round he saw they were surrounded by spoons: tea spoons, table spoons, soup spoons; spoons of every imaginable shape and size.

"At least we've solved the mystery of where all your mother's missing spoons ended up," said Stubby. "The old lady's too. Seems someone has been stealing the things and hoarding them down here."

At that moment, Edwin couldn't have cared less about spoons.

He felt like crying. It would be impossible to find the Key if he had a whole weekend to spare, but he only had a matter of minutes before the Nyx magic spell expired.

His lips quivered as he tried to hold back a despairing sob.

Then he recalled Val's words again.

Believe.

Edwin knew he couldn't give up. There was too much at stake. He had to find the Key.

He would find the Key.

If he believed.

Pushing forwards with his feet, Edwin steered the bubble through the cavern. A carpet of spoons lay below him, and Edwin found his belief running out as the hands on his watch ticked down with alarming rapidity.

Just two minutes left.

Then he heard it once more: that familiar voice, calling his name.

"Young Master Edwin."

"Did you hear that?" Edwin jerked his head round, trying to trace the voice. "It sounded like Inglenook."

"Didn't hear a thing," said Stubby. "Except that deep ominous gurgling."

"I didn't hear any gurgling."

"That's because I have more acute senses than you. And I definitely heard gurgling. And of a distinctly ominous variety."

"How can gurgling be ominous?"

"Put it this way: if my stomach gurgled like that, I'd think it very ominous indeed."

"Ssh!" Edwin put a finger to his lips. "Inglenook is calling me again."

"Young Master. This way."

"Where are you?" Edwin couldn't work out where Inglenook's voice was coming from. "Please give me a signal."

The response was not what Edwin expected.

It was a gurgle; a deep gurgle that seemed to come from all around them.

"There," said Stubby. "Is that ominous enough for you?"

Edwin saw movement outside the bubble, something long and serpentine coiling in the murk. He held his breath, and the sound of his drumming heart seemed like thunder in the empty silence.

Then something struck from the gloom, a flailing tentacle that sent the bubble tumbling across the cavern floor.

Edwin was thrown head over heels, but the bubble held out.

"That was the Knucker." Edwin lay gasping from shock as the bubble came to rest against a large rock. "And the Weather Vane was right. It does have tentacles."

"A lucky guess on his part," huffed Stubby. "But he wasn't right about the claw."

"Then what's that?" Edwin cried out as a massive pair of serrated pincers came lunging at the bubble.

"That'll be a claw," conceded Stubby. "And I'll shut up from now on."

This time Edwin thought they were done for, but the claw bounced harmlessly on the bubble, and he heard an enraged gurgle from his attacker.

"What manner of creature are you that comes to steal my treasure?"

It took a second or two for Edwin to realise the Knucker was speaking to him.

"Tell me!" The Knucker's gurgling voice caused the water to broil. "You are not a Nyx or a common water creature. Tell me what you are and why you come to steal my treasure."

"Treasure?" Edwin discerned a huge dark shape outside the bubble. "I didn't know you had any treasure."

"He means the spoons," whispered Stubby.

"Spoooons!" The bubble shuddered as the Knucker's voice sounded. "You come to steal my spoons!"

"No," protested Edwin. "I don't want your spoons, trust me."

"I trust no one." The water around the bubble became a seething haze as the Knucker spoke. "For those I trusted stole from me. They took my throne, my kingdom. But they will not take my treasure!"

A thick tentacle coiled around the bubble, and there was a squelching noise as its large sucker cups took hold.

"I will devour you," vowed the Knucker. "As I devour all who steal from me."

"I mean you no harm," blurted Edwin. "I only came here to look for something. Something that belongs to me."

Another tentacle came into view, holding something for Edwin to see.

"Could it be this?" queried the Knucker. "My special spoon?"

Edwin's jaw fell open as he saw what the tentacle was holding.

It was made of metal. But it was no spoon.

"That's it!" Edwin pressed his face against the inside of the bubble. "That's what I was looking for. My Key!"

"Young Master Edwin..." Inglenook's voice filtered into Edwin's mind. "Time is running out. You must believe."

Edwin suddenly remembered. He looked at his wristwatch and saw there were only seconds before the Nyx Queen's magic wore off.

"I will never surrender my special spoon," said the Knucker. "And I shall destroy all who would take it from me."

The tentacle tightened around the bubble. Edwin heard a squeaking noise, and felt the air around him compressing.

"Believe," repeated Inglenook's voice. "Believe in the power of Wychetts. Believe in yourself. Reach out to me, Young Master..."

Edwin closed his eyes, concentrating on Inglenook's voice. But the voice faded as the squeaking noise became a terrible nerve shredding screech.

Edwin took a deep breath, but nothing could have prepared him for what was to follow.

There was an explosion all around him. The bubble disintegrated, and the chill water closed around him like an icy fist.

Edwin felt like his chest was on fire, and feared his eardrums would burst. He clamped his mouth shut, but couldn't stop water seeping into his nostrils.

"Believe, Young Master Edwin."

Again Edwin heard Inglenook's voice. He opened his eyes and saw a pale blue light in the gloom. Instinctively he reached out to it, but then something thick and slippery coiled around his waist.

"I shall crush you." The Knucker's voice was a thunderous burble. "Crush your feeble body before devouring it whole. Your scattered bones shall be a warning to others who would come to steal my treasure!"

Edwin's vision clouded, and his eyeballs rolled in their sockets as the tentacle tightened around his body.

Then he heard Inglenook's voice again, the soft tones blocking out the Knucker's exultant gurgle.

"Believe, Young Master. Reach out for me with your mind and heart."

Edwin tried to focus on the blue light in front of him.

"I am here for you, Young Master."

Using all his remaining strength and concentration, Edwin managed to raise his leaden right arm towards the light.

The light flared brighter, and Edwin glimpsed Inglenook's smiling features flashing in the murk.

There was a spark from Edwin's outstretched fingers, then a beam of light shot from his hand to strike the tentacle holding the Wychetts Key.

The Knucker's gurgling became shrill with pain, and the tentacle uncoiled from Edwin's waist. He slipped from the Knuckler's grasp, his body twisting slowly to the cavern floor.

Another thunderous gurgle sounded, and as Edwin lay on his back he saw the giant claw lunging at him. Instinctively he raised his arm, just as the Wychetts Key floated down to rest in his hand.

A beam of dazzling light lanced from the Key. There was another gurgle of pain, and the claw withdrew into a veil of murkiness.

Then the darkness closed around Edwin, and he surrendered to the ice-cold numbness that enveloped his body...

#  Chapter 15- Less Life Than a Damp Dishcloth

"He's breathing." The voice sounded like an old woman. "He's alive!"

Edwin coughed, a fountain of water spewing from his lips.

"Well I never," said another voice, haughty in tone. "I was quite convinced he had perished. He was so pale and lifeless."

"He looks pale at the best of times," said a third, squeakier voice. "And generally displays less life than a damp dishcloth."

Edwin took several deep breaths, then opened his eyes and looked around him. He was lying on a bed of moss in small cave, with a ceiling smothered in glowing green slime. And old lady wearing tortoise shell glasses sat by his side. On her shoulder rested a rusty weather vane in the shape of a cockerel, and there was a mouse with half a tail sitting next his bed.

"Who... what... where..." Edwin frowned as he tried to work out where he was.

"You are in the Nyx royal palace," said the old lady. "The Queen's very own private chamber."

"Nyx?" Edwin blinked at the old lady. Then suddenly all his memories came flooding back.

"Stubby! Val!" Edwin sat bolt upright. "What happened in the Cavern of Death?"

"You succeeded." Val smiled. "Just as I knew you would."

"But how did I survive?" Edwin couldn't recall how he got out of the cavern. "Last thing I remember, that Knucker monster had me in its grip..."

"I may be able to answer that." A deep, rich voice drew Edwin's attention to a metal object lying on the moss beside him.

A delighted Edwin scooped up the Key and smiled at Inglenook's miniature metal face. "Am I glad to see you!"

"Likewise, Young Master." The Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom beamed back at Edwin. "For a while I thought I had lost you forever."

"We would all have been lost without you," said Edwin. "But I don't get it. I was at the mercy of the Knucker. I couldn't reach you. Yet the magic..."

"It was your belief that won the day," explained Inglenook. "Although you could not touch the Key, your faith in the power of Wychetts was enough to form a psychic link between you and the magic signal. Once the link was formed I was able to save you and Master Stubby from the Knucker."

"It was a close thing," said Stubby. "Luckily for me there was an airlock in your coat pocket. Unluckily I had to share it with one of your dirty handkerchiefs."

"What I'd like to know is what the monster looked like," said the Weather Vane. "Did it have tentacles, as I theorised?"

"We didn't see any tentacles," said Stubby. "Or a claw, for that matter. Good guess, but better luck next time."

Of course Edwin knew Stubby was fibbing, but didn't want to get side-tracked into a debate about the Knucker's appendages.

"But how did I use Wychetts' magic?" He frowned at Inglenook. "Normally the Key won't work unless I'm holding it."

"The use of magic is as much about belief as physical power," said Inglenook.

Edwin grinned as he realized what that meant. "So I don't need the Key to use Wychetts' magic anymore?"

"A psychic link will drain a lot of Wychetts' power," advised Inglenook. "I would therefore advise its use only in emergencies."

"Oh, right." Edwin felt a little disappointed.

"But you should be proud of your achievement, Young Master. Generating a psychic link is a very rare talent. Few Guardians have been able to master it."

"Bet Bryony could," muttered Edwin. "And better than me." Then his stomach lurched as he thought about his stepsister. "Bryony! What's happened to her, Inglenook?"

"I failed her, Young Master." The cheery expression fell from Inglenook's face. "I could not protect the Young Mistress from the trap that was sprung to ensnare her."

Inglenook quickly recounted his visit with Bryony to Gutterly Great Gutters Head Office, how they had been tricked into the cage, and how he had fallen from Bryony's grasp as the Storm Hags attacked.

Edwin listened attentively, his jaw sagging open in horror. "So the Shadow Clan have Bryony and the Thunderstone!"

"The Young Mistress is alive, of that I am certain." Inglenook's reassuring smile was brief. "I have traced her position to an altitude of approximately two thousand feet, about twelve miles from here in a south westerly direction. But she is in great peril."

"As are we all."

The gulping voice drew Edwin's attention to a tall, golden scaled figure that entered the chamber.

"The Shadow Clan have the Thunderstone," said the Nyx Queen. "And now they have captured a Guardian of Wychetts."

Edwin thought he'd better introduce Inglenook to their royal host, but Val told him that formalities had already taken place whilst he'd been recovering from his watery ordeal. It turned out that Inglenook had also been briefed about the theft of the Thunderstone, and how Val had been tricked by the Shadow Clan.

"So what's going on?" Edwin looked expectantly at the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "Why have the Shadow Clan stolen the Thunderstone, and what do they want with Bryony?"

"That is obvious," said the Weather Vane. "The girl is a hostage."

"No." The Nyx Queen shook her scaly head. "The girl's father was supposed to be the hostage. That is why they lured him to the Shield Maiden's dwelling in the first place."

"To be kept as a bargaining chip." Val tapped her walking stick on the stone floor. "A means of forcing Bryony to do something for them. But what, I wonder?"

"It must have something to do with the Thunderstone," ventured Stubby. "But we still don't know why they stole it in the first place."

"To cause world-wide flooding," said the Weather Vane. "I thought the fact was self-evident."

"That's impossible." Val shook her silvery head. "The High Priests of Asgard created the Thunderstone to maintain harmony, and so limited its magical power. The Shadow Clan must have something else in mind."

"Maybe it's to do with those creatures that attacked us at the church." Edwin looked at the Weather Vane. "What did you call them? Storm Hags."

"The Storm Hags are slaves to the Thunderstone," said Val. "Whoever controls the stone controls them too. Though dangerous, the Storm Hags aren't important in the grand scheme of things. It has to be something to do with the Thunderstone itself."

Now Edwin was more confused than ever. "But if the Thunderstone's power is limited," he pondered, "then it will just stop soon, right?"

"I would say very soon." Val nodded, her lips twisting into a grim smile. "But that's when our problems will really begin."

#  Chapter 16- No Respect for the Elderly

"The Thunderstone will reach maximum strength in sixty seconds." Captain Dawes' voice crackled from a speaker as Bryony was marched along the metal walled corridor. "Preparing to shut off magic power feed."

"Why are you shutting down the Thunderstone?" Bryony looked quizzically at her escort. "Won't it stop working?"

"Remember what I told you earlier?" Katya Pauncefoot smiled at Bryony when they reached the door to the flight deck. "The Thunderstone is merely Phase One of our project."

Bryony reckoned she had been aboard Darkwing for over two hours, but was none the wiser about the Shadow Clan's intentions. After her earlier tour of the ship she had been taken to a room where she'd been offered what Katya had described as 'in-flight hospitality', which consisted of having to sit in a cramped little chair whilst a toad faced imp elbowed her repeatedly in the ribs. She'd also been made to watch a dull movie (that she'd seen ten times already) on an annoyingly small TV screen, and been given the chance to buy a thimble of flat lemonade at five times the price she would have paid in a shop.

Despite all this, Bryony couldn't help but think she'd got off lightly. She was a prisoner of the Shadow Clan, surely they had something more horrible in store for her than an uncomfortable seat, a boring movie and overpriced drinks? She'd had worse experiences on holiday flights.

All of which made Bryony even more worried about her captors' plans.

The door slid open with a low rumble, and a gentle shove from Katya propelled Bryony onto the flight deck. The place was more chaotic than before: lights flashed everywhere, alarms buzzed and bleeped, whilst Captain Dawes and Twisted Bough were arguing more loudly than ever.

"But I want to do this bit," shouted the ugly old tree.

"You can't," said Dawes. "You can't do anything except sit in a bucket."

"It's not a bucket," grumbled Twisted Bough. "It's an ornamental display pot."

"It's a bucket," croaked Dawes. "I should know, as I'm the one who had to go to the local garden store to buy it. Although I'm now thinking it would have been a better use of petty cash to have purchased an electric wood chipper."

"Let's focus, chaps." Katya clapped her hands for attention as she strode onto the flight deck. "What is the current status of the Thunderstone?"

"Reaching maximum power in twenty seconds." Captain Dawes read off a flashing screen in front of him. "Ready to shut down magic power feed at your command."

Bryony peered into the hatch in the middle of the flight deck. The Thunderstone was trembling in its metal clamp, still spitting streaks of lightning whilst the storm clouds below churned more violently than ever.

"I'm doing this bit," said Twisted Bough. "Please let me do this bit."

Katya turned away from the tree. "We have reached the most critical phase of our mission. And as she has played such a vital role in our success, Miss Greengums shall be awarded the honour."

Bryony saw a large glass tank in the corner of the room. Grinny Greengums sat inside, pouring a jug of water over herself.

"That's not fair," groaned Twisted Bough. "I've contributed as much as that oversized newt."

"You've been more of a hindrance than a help." Captain Dawes sneered at the ugly tree. "At least Miss Greengums has the decency to water herself."

"I only need a little dribble now and again," groaned Twisted Bough. "Which reminds me. My pot needs changing."

Captain Dawes shook his head. "You disgust me."

"Typical," muttered Twisted Bough. "There's no respect for the elderly."

"If you have quite finished, gentlemen." Katya rolled her green eyes despairingly. "Miss Greengums will now deactivate the Thunderstone."

"I am privileged to have been chosen for this honour." The dark Nyx emerged from the tank, flashing her gums at Katya in a gesture of gratitude.

Whilst Twisted Bough grumbled on about not being appreciated, Grinny Greengums wrapped her webbed hands around a large lever. Then, with an ecstatic belch, she pulled...

There was a loud grinding noise. The airship shuddered, and Bryony had to grab Katya to stop herself falling over. Through the opened hatch she saw the Thunderstone spit out a last stuttering burst of lightning before becoming still and lifeless.

"The Thunderstone is deactivated," announced Captain Dawes. "Phase One of our mission is complete."

"And now for Phase Two," purred Katya.

Bryony saw the clouds below the dormant Thunderstone dissipate, peeling back like curtains to reveal the flooded landscape beneath. The last rumble of thunder faded, and the chill wind calmed to a gentle breeze.

"I still don't get it." Bryony looked up at Katya. "Why have you stopped?"

"We haven't stopped." Katya's green eyes twinkled. "We have only just begun."

Captain Dawes pressed a button on the control panel. There was a whirring noise as a section of wall slid away, flooding the flight deck with sunlight.

Bryony squinted in the harsh glare. Grinny Greengums staggered back, raising a scaly arm to shield her face. Katya put on sunglasses, before offering a pair to the cowering Nyx.

"Ow!" Twisted Bough's gnarled face was caught in a beam of sunlight. "That's hurting. Anyone got my shades?"

"We didn't bring any for you," said Dawes, adjusting his own dark glasses. "You don't have any ears to hold them up, and it's not as if you'll burn with your mildew."

"Is it happening?" Despite wearing sunglasses, Grinny Greengums stood cowering behind Katya. "Has Phase Two succeeded?"

"It has." Purring with triumph, Katya pointed at the opened wall. "Look, Guardian. See what we have created."

Bryony couldn't see anything but sky, and wondered if her eyes had been affected by the dazzling sunlight. But then she saw something forming in the emptiness, and her lips parted in astonishment when she realised what it was...

#  Chapter 17- Something Resembling a Plan

"It's stopped." Edwin peered at the sky through the opened sewer hatch. "It's actually stopped raining."

Stubby sighed as he popped his head out of Edwin's top pocket. "If there was a competition for stating the obvious, you'd win every week."

"That in itself is stating the obvious," said the Weather Vane. "Which would make you at least runner up."

Using the twisted reed ladder provided by the Nyx, Edwin carried the Weather Vane over his right shoulder as he climbed from the sewer into Val's back garden. The wet shrubs and flowers glistened like silver in the sunlight that streamed through the fading clouds above. Standing on the soggy lawn, Edwin closed his eyes to savour the warmth on his face. There was no bellowing thunder or howling winds, no hammering rain or flashes of lightning.

It felt like order had been restored, that the world was at peace again.

But not everyone seemed happy with the change in weather.

"This is bad," grumbled an old lady's voice. "Very bad indeed."

Opening his eyes, Edwin looked round to see Val clambering from the sewer. He offered to help, but she waved him away with her walking stick.

"The storms have stopped." Edwin gestured at the clearing sky. "It's all nice and quiet again."

"Too quiet." Having negotiated her way out of the sewer, Val limped to Edwin's side. "Listen carefully. What do you hear?"

Edwin listened. "Nothing," he answered truthfully.

"Exactly." Val waved her walking stick. "No birdsong."

Edwin listened again to make sure, and realised Val was right.

"Not a single twitter," continued the old lady. "The storm might have finished, but the birds know the danger hasn't passed. They can sense what's coming next."

"And what is coming next?" Edwin wished Val would hurry up and tell him, but the old lady turned her head away.

"It will form in the east," she murmured, gazing at the horizon. "That's what the old writings say."

"What old writings?" Tired of being spoken to in riddles, Edwin fished the Wychetts Key out of his pocket. "Inglenook, what is she on about?"

"The Shield Maiden is fearful, Young Master. She believes the Shadow Clan have embarked upon a dangerous venture, and I share her concern. But there is no time to explain at this moment. The Young Mistress is still in great peril, and we must hasten to her aid."

"Sure." Edwin was eager to get going. He knew it would be dangerous taking on the Shadow Clan with Bryony as their hostage, but with the help of the Nyx he was certain they could win through. He turned round to look for the Nyx Queen, but she had still to rise from the sewer. Then he heard a gulping voice from below.

"Young Guardian of Wychetts, we must address you."

Edwin walked back to peer down into the opened sewer. The Nyx Queen stared up at him from the gloom. He still found it hard to read Nyx expressions, but he thought he saw regret in her bulbous fish eyes.

His suspicions were confirmed when the Nyx Queen spoke again.

"We stand before you in shame, Guardian. For our people have elected not to join your fight against the Shadow Clan."

It took a few seconds for the Nyx Queen's words to sink in.

"You're not going to help us?" Edwin couldn't believe it. "But you said we'd team up and fight them."

The Nyx Queen lowered her scaly head. "It is our wish to join you, Guardian. But the Nyx Council has voted against such action."

"But you're the Queen," gasped Edwin. "Surely you can overrule the Council?"

"We..." The Nyx Queen hesitated. "I have no lawful right to embark upon war without their support, and such support has been waning of late. Some of my subjects would rather wait for the outcome of this struggle than pledge their allegiance to me."

Edwin knew what the Nyx Queen meant: if the Shadow Clan succeeded in their plan, whatever that might be, Grinny Greengums would try and seize the throne. The Council was reluctant to openly support the Nyx Queen if it meant making them enemies of a victorious usurper.

"That's democracy for you," tutted Stubby. "Which is why I never vote at elections. The last thing politicians need is encouragement."

"The Nyx system of government is not a democracy," said the Weather Vane. "It should more accurately be described as a 'devolved autocracy'."

Stubby twitched his nose irritably. "Very clever, for someone who should be more accurately described as a 'sign post'."

"We understand." Inglenook addressed the Nyx Queen with his usual courteousness. "And are grateful for the help you have so far provided us."

"But there is something more I can do." The Nyx Queen looked up at Edwin. "I shall provide you with a tool for the coming battle."

The Nyx Queen's scaly head retreated into the shadows. Despite her promise, Edwin couldn't help but feel disappointed by the Nyx Queen's desertion of their cause.

"I thought we could rely on her," he sighed. "We stand even less chance of defeating the Shadow Clan now."

"You must keep faith," urged Inglenook. "We have the power of Wychetts at our disposal, not to mention a Shield Maiden of Asgard."

Edwin looked around for Val, but she was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if she'd also deserted, then spotted the old lady hobbling out of her cottage back door.

"I popped in for a change of clothes," explained Val. "As we're about to do battle with the forces of darkness, I thought I'd better wear something more appropriate."

Edwin couldn't see much different about Val's apparel. "You're still wearing pink fluffy slippers," he pointed out.

Val nodded. "But a clean pair. And I've changed my cardigan. This one's woollier. Now I suggest we get a move on. Whatever the Shadow Clan are up to, they're not going to sit about waiting for us to turn up and spoil things."

"Good point," agreed Stubby. "Except I've yet to hear anyone mention anything resembling a plan."

"It's simple," said Edwin. "We zap ourselves to wherever Bryony is being held prisoner, rescue her and then use our combined magic powers to retrieve the Thunderstone."

"I am afraid that will not be possible," said Inglenook. "It would be dangerous to risk a transportation spell without a precise fix on the Young Mistress' location. The only way to reach her is by some form of vehicular transport."

"How about that thing?" Val pointed her walking stick at the car parked outside the cottage gate.

Edwin was aghast. "We can't use Bill's posh company car."

"The boy's correct," said Stubby. "I doubt whether foiling the plans of an evil coven is a permitted use on its business insurance policy."

"That wasn't what I meant," said Edwin. "It's a car. What we need is..."

"A driver," said a familiar voice from behind him. "That's what you need."

Edwin was shocked to see Bill climbing out of the sewer.

Despite Edwin's misgivings, Inglenook had convinced him that it would be safer for Bill and Jane to remain in the Nyx royal palace until his return, so he was surprised to see his stepfather joining them.

"You're lucky I'm here." Beaming enthusiastically, Bill strode through the garden gate to his car. "Come on, let's get going."

"We can't go anywhere yet," said Edwin. "The Nyx Queen said she would give us something to use against the Shadow Clan."

"She has." Bill waved his car keys. "Me."

Edwin had been expecting some sort of magical charm or weapon, and found it hard to hide his disappointment. "She gave us you?"

Bill shrugged. "I'm the only one here who can drive. Now in you get, chop chop."

Whilst Edwin stood there shaking his head, Val hobbled briskly towards the car.

"It's been a long time since a gentleman took me out for a ride." She smiled coyly at Bill as he held the front passenger door open.

"I bet you used to love the fast boys." Bill helped the giggling Val into her seat before hurrying round to the driver's door. "Come on Edwin. Don't you want a trip in my posh company car?"

Edwin continued to shake his head. He wasn't sure what Bill knew of their mission, but doubted if his stepfather fully realised how dangerous it would be. But Edwin knew one thing: they weren't going to reach Bryony in that car, no matter how posh it was.

He was about to say as much to Inglenook when he felt a tingle from the Wychetts Key, and saw a pair of large wings sprouting from the sides of the car.

"That should be sufficient," said Inglenook. "I suggest we make haste, Young Master."

A grinning Edwin ran to the car. Bill had seated himself behind the wheel, and hadn't noticed his car now had wings. Edwin tried to sit in the back, but getting the Weather Vane inside wasn't so easy. In the end Bill had to open the sunroof so that Edwin could feed the Vane's bent metal shaft through the top.

"Are you comfortable up there?" Edwin doubted if the Weather Vane approved of the seating arrangements.

"It is somewhat undignified," sniffed the cockerel. "But at least I am on high again, and can converse with the Four Winds."

Stubby nodded. "And if the radio reception gets dodgy, we've got a great secondary aerial."

Edwin climbed onto the back passenger seat and closed the door. "Let's go," he urged, fastening his seat belt.

Bill started the car. "Listen to that," he crooned. "As quiet as a mouse."

"If only that was an accurate simile," pondered the Weather Vane.

"And she's got great suspension." Bill released the handbrake. "It's going to be the smoothest ride you've ever experienced."

The car lurched, and Edwin noticed the wings had started flapping.

"Probably a couple of spark plugs need changing." Bill still hadn't noticed the car's external modifications. "But don't worry, she'll be fine after a mile or two."

Bill pressed his foot on the accelerator pedal. The wings flapped faster, and the car lifted off the ground.

"Didn't expect that." Frowning, Bill peered through the windscreen and over the bonnet. "She normally tends to move in a more horizontal direction. Now, where are we headed?"

"We need to reach Bryony," Edwin told Bill. "She's being held prisoner by the Shadow Clan."

"Righto." Bill seemed remarkably unconcerned. "If you can give me a postcode I'll use my posh company sat nav."

"Proceed in a south westerly direction for ten miles," said Inglenook. "And turn left when you reach one thousand feet."

"Weird." Bill tapped the satnav on the car dashboard. "I haven't told it where to go yet. And it normally speaks in a nice lady's voice."

Edwin looked at the Key. "I think you'd better do the driving."

Inglenook smiled, and the car zoomed upwards.

"Don't worry." Bill fiddled with controls on the dashboard, seemingly unaware they were airborne. "I'll have some cool driving tunes on in a second. There." He sat back and smiled as the sound of pop music blared from the car stereo. "You can't beat this album: Classic Car Anthems from the Nineteen Eighties. And this is my favourite track."

"Mine too." Val nodded appreciatively. "I saw these perform live, you know."

"No way!" Bill made a bad attempt at feigning shock. "Surely you weren't even born back then."

Val giggled. Edwin was horrified.

"Will you two in the front stop flirting?"

Val grinned at Edwin, but her grin became a grimace when Bill started singing.

"That's the wrong words," she growled. "It's not even the same song."

"He always does this," sighed Edwin.

"Cheer up everyone." Bill fished a crumpled bag out of the glove compartment. "And have a mint humbug."

"Thank you." Val took a couple of sweets, and was about to pop them in her mouth when Bill started singing again. So she put them in her ears instead.

"Look at us." Edwin shook his head with despair. "How are we going to take on the Shadow Clan?"

"You must keep faith," said Inglenook. "Faith in your friends and the power of Wychetts. But most of all faith in yourself."

"I'll try." Edwin nodded. "But you still haven't told me what the Shadow Clan is up to."

"All will be revealed," said Inglenook. "And I believe quite soon."

The car zoomed higher before levelling out. All around the clouds were changing; the once menacing grey masses melting into harmless white wisps. Edwin glimpsed clear sky ahead, a dab of bright blue growing steadily larger. It was a sight he'd never thought to see again, and felt a surge of renewed hope. But then he heard a cry from the Weather Vane.

"Attention! Object sighted at three o'clock!"

Bill stopped singing, and leaned forwards to check the dashboard clock. "But it's only half past one."

Edwin knew what the Weather Vane meant, and looked out of the passenger window to see something forming in the sky.

Val had seen it too. She leaned forwards, her eyes widening behind her tortoise shell glasses, her lips trembling as she uttered a terrified whisper.

"By the Gods. They did it."

#  Chapter 18- Pure Ultimate Power

"A rainbow." Bryony gave Katya a puzzled look. "You went to all that trouble to make a pretty rainbow?"

"That is not a just a pretty rainbow," purred Katya. "It is Bifrost, the Bridge of Fire."

"A bridge to what?" Bryony turned back to study the rainbow. Whilst rainbows were a common enough sight, she realised had never seen one quite like this. It stretched across the sky in a shimmering halo of banded colours, burning with an unnatural intensity. It almost hurt to look at, and she understood why the Shadow Clan had to wear sunglasses.

Katya still hadn't answered her question, so Bryony was left to make her own guesses.

"It leads to some kind of treasure, right? Everyone knows there's treasure at the end of a rainbow. And leprechauns."

"The girl is a fool," spat Dawes. "Leprechauns indeed!"

"But she is right about the treasure," said Katya. "And the Bridge of Fire leads to the greatest treasure of all. And that is power. Pure, ultimate power."

"No more!" Still sheltering behind Katya, Grinny Greengums gulped pleadingly. "It burns. No more!"

Katya nodded at Captain Dawes, who pressed another button on the flight controls. The window shutter closed, and Grinny Greengums exhaled a relieved belch.

Katya removed her sunglasses and fixed her emerald gaze on Bryony. "So now you understand our plan?"

Bryony nodded slowly. "You used the Thunderstone to create the Bridge of Fire, and now you're going to cross the rainbow to get your hands on some magic power."

"Very good," said Katya. "But not quite right. We aren't going to cross the Bridge of Fire. You are."

Bryony couldn't help but laugh at such a suggestion. "Why should I do that?"

"You are a Guardian of Wychetts," gulped Grinny Greengums. "And only a Guardian of Wychetts can handle Rainbow Magic."

"You've heard of white magic." Katya responded to a mystified look from Bryony. "And black magic too, of course. Rainbow Magic is a multitude of colours, a cocktail of magic powers more potent than any force in nature."

"But it is toxic to us," explained Dawes. "We would burn to a cinder within twenty feet of it. Well..." He glanced at Twisted Bough. "Those of us not suffering from mildew."

"That wasn't what I meant." Bryony spoke quickly before another argument could erupt between the Captain and the ugly tree. "I meant that I have absolutely zero intention of helping you." She folded her arms and smirked at Katya.

"Remember what I said when you first came aboard?" Katya folded her arms and smirked back at Bryony. "We have your father, so you have no choice in the matter."

The smile vanished from Bryony's lips, but she remained defiant in front of her captors.

"You can't threaten me. I'm a Guardian of Wychetts. Inglenook would never let anything happen to me or my dad."

"Like he saved you from our trap?" Katya's purr became a chuckle. "He failed you, and he can't help you now. You have no choice but to do as we command."

Katya's words struck a chord with Bryony. It was Inglenook's fault she'd been captured by the Shadow Clan, and she could no longer rely on the so-called Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom to save the day.

But she couldn't let her enemies know that.

"Never." Bryony shook her head. "I'll never help the Shadow Clan."

"Then I'll make your father suffer." Grinny Greengums sliced the air with her sharp clawed fingers. "And you with him."

"And I'll make you suffer too," said Twisted Bough.

"There's little chance of that." Dawes sneered at the ugly tree. "Unless you're intending to bore them to death by recounting your entire life story."

"I'll just give them the highlights," promised Twisted Bough.

"Then you're in luck," Dawes told Bryony. "Looks like it will be over in a matter of seconds."

"I won't let you harm my dad." Bryony clenched her fists as she squared up to Katya. "Or my step mum Jane."

Katya frowned. "We do not hold your stepmother captive."

"Your creatures kidnapped her last night." Bryony found it odd that Katya could have forgotten such a thing. "When they invaded our cottage."

"Miss Greengums." Katya looked enquiringly at the dark Nyx. "Can you explain?"

"I fear the Queen's hand in this," gulped Grinny Greengums. "She may have discovered our plans and has already moved against us."

"No matter." Katya's blonde head swung back to Bryony. "Once we have Rainbow Magic at our disposal, no one will dare oppose us."

"I won't help you." Bryony remained defiant. "I won't help you destroy the world with Rainbow Magic."

Katya's delicate eyebrows arched. "Who said we wanted to do that?"

"We live in a dangerous age," croaked Captain Dawes. "Another war is looming, and we must arm ourselves to secure victory."

"You mean war against Wychetts?" Bryony's dark eyebrows knotted. "Against Inglenook and the Wise Ones?"

Katya smiled, then leaned down to whisper in Bryony's ear.

And the words she heard made Bryony gasp from shock...

"Beware the Moon of Magister."

"I've heard those words before." Bryony gaped at Katya. "So did you, that night at Barrenbrake Farm."

"We have all heard the words," said Dawes. "They are a warning, passed down through generations of Guardians and Shadow Clan alike."

"Mr Cuddles!" Bryony gasped again. "There was a message inside my toy. It was my mum's writing. She must have written those words when I was just a baby."

"Your poor mother." Katya pursed her lips. "It's such a pity she got involved."

"My mum is involved in this." Now Bryony knew her suspicions were correct. "But how?"

"Inglenook has not told you?" There was an almost pitying look on Katya's face.

Bryony shook her head. "He doesn't tell me anything. Not even about my mum."

"We must hurry," urged Captain Dawes. "The Bridge of Fire will not hold for long."

"Captain Dawes is right." Katya beckoned to Bryony. "The rainbow will shatter within the hour. You must begin the crossing immediately."

"You'll tell me what's going on." Bryony didn't move a muscle. "You'll tell me about my mum."

"Very well," said Katya after glancing at Dawes. "When you have crossed the Bridge of Fire and returned with Rainbow Magic, I will tell you everything that Inglenook has kept from you."

"Everything?" Bryony raised her eyebrows.

Katya nodded. "But be warned. You might not like what you hear."

#  Chapter 19- Admiring the Scenery

Bryony held the bars of the cage as it descended slowly from the airship on the thick metal chain. There was no buffeting wind, but she felt giddy when she looked at the arc of shimmering colour below.

But it wasn't just the mesmerising beauty of Bifrost that made her feel woozy. She had agreed to help the Shadow Clan, the sworn enemy of Wychetts. She was betraying Inglenook, her guide and teacher...

But Bryony realised she had no choice. They held her father as a hostage. And when she returned to Darkwing with Rainbow Magic, she was going to learn the truth about her mother; the truth that Inglenook had kept secret from her.

Bryony pushed all doubts aside. She didn't have time to dither about the rights and wrongs of her mission.

"It is impossible to say how long the Bridge of Fire will last," Katya had explained before Bryony stepped into the cage. "Raw elemental magic is notoriously unstable, but it should hold long enough for you to make the return crossing."

There was a graunching noise as the cage stopped, followed by a squeal as the door opened of its own accord. Bryony let go of the bars and took a step forwards, but her legs became heavy as she shuffled to the opened cage door. She could see an expanse of flooded fields far below, and was concerned to note a lack of handrails on the Bridge of Fire. Surely that was against Health and Safety regulations.

"Hurry," Captain Dawes' voice crackled from a loudspeaker high above her. "Your father's life depends on you fulfilling your mission. There's no time to stand there admiring the scenery. And when you get to the other side, don't get chatting to any leprechauns."

There was a sarcastic edge to that last command that spurred Bryony into action. She gritted her teeth, clenched her hands into fists, and stepped from the cage.

It was a longer drop than it looked, but she managed to land on her feet. The rainbow was surprisingly solid, and had step-like ridges in the surface.

"I'm on a rainbow." Bryony had to say it aloud to convince herself. "I'm actually standing on a rainbow."

More urgent commands sounded from the airship. Bryony gathered her wits to focus on the task in hand. The rainbow looked like it stretched for miles, and she realised she'd better get a move on.

So after taking a deep breath, Bryony set off in a jog across the Bridge of Fire.

#  Chapter 20- Sitting Ducks

"They've done it." Val stared at the rainbow stretching across the horizon. "The Bridge of Fire has been raised for the first time in over two thousand years."

"So what's the Bridge of Fire?" Curious, Edwin leaned forwards between the car's front seats.

Val said nothing, so Edwin reached over and pulled a humbug out of her right ear before repeating the question.

"The Bridge of Fire is made of Rainbow Magic." Val removed the other humbug from her left ear as she replied. "Created when the Thunderstone's power is pushed to the very limit."

"Rainbow magic is the purest form of elemental power." The Weather Vane explained before Edwin could ask. "And the most powerful."

"So that's what the Shadow Clan were really up to." Edwin nodded slowly. "They weren't trying to flood the world after all. What they really wanted was Rainbow Magic."

"But Rainbow Magic is lethal to the Shadow Clan," said Inglenook. "So they captured the Young Mistress to collect it for them, as only a Guardian of Wychetts can handle such power."

"I'm a Guardian too," said Edwin. "Why didn't they pick me?"

"I thought that would have been obvious," said Stubby. "The girl is more magically gifted than you."

"Is that it?" Edwin stared demandingly at Inglenook's face on the Wychetts Key. "Is that why they chose Bryony instead of me?"

"You shouldn't feel too aggrieved," Val told Edwin. "Rainbow magic is still dangerous, even to a Guardian. The High Priests of Asgard were wary of it, and would only raise the Bridge of Fire in a dire emergency."

"Bryony would never help the Shadow Clan anyway," said Edwin.

"But she'll think they have her father as hostage," said the Weather Vane.

Val nodded. "So we need to make sure she finds out they don't."

"It's got to be in here somewhere." Bill was leafing through the car's manual. "Ah, here we are. How to correct the vehicle's dashboard time display. Now did someone say it was three o'clock?"

Edwin smiled as he finally understood why the Nyx Queen had sent Bill to join them, but his expression changed when he glimpsed something in the sky above the rainbow.

At first it was just a dark cigar-shaped smudge, but as they flew closer Edwin realised with horror that it was in fact some immense flying monster...

It was a cross between a shark and a bat, with fin-like wings protruding from the flanks of its long, torpedo shaped body. It had a pointed head, with beady eyes and a gaping mouth displaying a set of vicious dagger shaped teeth.

"Look." Edwin pointed a trembling finger at the floating apparition. "What... is that?"

"That is Darkwing," said the Weather Vane. "The Shadow Clan's airship."

"Airship?" Edwin studied the monster, and as the car flew nearer he could see that the Weather Vane was right. It wasn't a living creature after all...

He'd seen pictures of similar aircraft in history books. Zeppelins, they were called; the torpedo shaped body was a balloon filled with gas, whilst the crew occupied the boat shaped pod hanging beneath it. He could make out windows in the pod, and a round opening in the undercarriage from which a metal clamp protruded. And there was something in the clamp...

"The Thunderstone!" Val pointed her walking stick in the direction of the airship. "There it is, see. Hanging beneath the pod. That's how they created the storms."

"But what about Bryony?" Edwin was more concerned about his stepsister. "Inglenook, can you find her?"

"The Bridge of Fire's energy is interfering with my magic search," reported Inglenook. "So I cannot ascertain the Young Mistress' precise location."

"I can help," said the Weather Vane. "The Four Winds tell me the girl has alighted from the airship and is crossing the Bridge of Fire."

"Do they say anything else important?" asked Stubby.

"The South Wind reports that house prices in London have reached a six year high." The Weather Vane swivelled slightly as he spoke. "And the North reckons no one knows how to cook chips south of Derbyshire."

"I see her!" Edwin spotted a tiny dark haired figure running across the rainbow. "Inglenook, take us closer."

"As you command, Young Master."

The car sped towards the rainbow. But as Edwin's hopes grew, there was another cry from the Weather Vane.

"Bandits at two o'clock!"

"Two o'clock?" Car manual on his lap, Bill was still trying to adjust the dashboard clock. "But just now you said it was three."

Edwin unfastened his seatbelt and poked his head through the open sunroof. He saw a dark swarm of ragged figures approaching from the airship, their baleful screeches echoing in the empty air.

"There they are." Edwin ducked his head back inside the car and tapped Val's shoulder. "Storm Hags!"

"I see them." Val peered through the windscreen at the oncoming enemy. "I've been wondering when they would put in a show."

"They're going to attack us." Edwin held up the Wychetts Key. "Inglenook, time to show them what our magic can do!"

"I regret that is not possible," said Inglenook. "Our proximity to the Bridge of Fire is causing interference to the magic signal from Wychetts. I am using all available power just to keep this vehicle airborne."

Edwin was horrified. "So we're just sitting ducks?"

"Speak for yourself," sniffed the Weather Vane. "I am most certainly not a duck."

"Leave the Storm Hags to me." Val had unbuckled her seatbelt and fumbled with the car door handle.

"Val?" Edwin couldn't believe what he was seeing. "What are you doing?"

"What I should," said Val, opening the car door. "My duty as Shield Maiden of Asgard."

A blast of air tore through the car, forcing Edwin back in his seat. When he recovered, he saw Val was standing up, her upper body thrust through the opened door.

"Here we are!" The old lady waved her walking stick at the swarm of Storm Hags. "What are you waiting for? Come and get us!"

There was a chorus of angry screeches in response to Val's challenge. The swarm convulsed, then came darting towards the car in a twisting spiral of fury...

"Val, noooooo!" Edwin screamed himself hoarse. "Sit down and close the door!"

Val clenched her jaw defiantly. "I've been sitting back too long. I'm a Shield Maiden of Asgard, and it's time I acted like one."

"You're not strong enough to take them on," cried Edwin. "You don't have the power."

"There's a difference between strength and power," answered Val. "I thought you of all people would know that."

Edwin hadn't a clue what the old lady was rambling about, so turned his pleading gaze to Bill instead.

"Make her sit down, please."

But Bill was still fiddling with the dashboard clock. "Hold button 'A' for five seconds," he read aloud from the car's manual. "Then press button 'B' until the correct hour is displayed." He frowned. "I've done that, but now the clock says its twelve degrees outside."

"That's the external temperature gauge." Edwin pointed at the dashboard. "The clock is over here."

"Oh." Bill pursed his lips. "I thought that was the tyre pressure indicator."

Edwin realised Bill would be no hope whatsoever, so he tried Inglenook instead.

"Can't you talk her out of this?"

"I have no authority over a Shield Maiden of Asgard," advised the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "Valerie is free to choose when to fight."

"There won't be much of a fight," said Stubby. "She'll be toast in a matter of seconds."

"You lot in the back can relax," said Val, her gaze locked on the advancing swarm of Storm Hags. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

"So what are you going to do?" wondered Edwin.

The old lady's wrinkled lips creased into a smile. "Believe."

#  Chapter 21- Just for the Tourists

Bryony paused at the top of the rainbow's arch. Her lungs were on fire, and her legs felt like they had turned to stone. She leaned forwards, resting her hands on her knees as she took a series of deep breaths.

There was commotion above. She looked up and saw a cloud of ragged creatures blackening the sky.

"There's nothing to see, Guardian of Wychetts." Captain Dawes' croaky voice cut through the Storm Hags' shrieking. "You must continue your mission."

Something was up, but Bryony knew she didn't have time to dwell on it. She was at the summit of the rainbow, it was downhill from now on.

Slowly, painfully, Bryony forced her legs into motion.

But the going didn't get easier. The steps became narrower as the rainbow steepened, until Bryony realised there weren't any steps at all.

But by then it was too late...

Suddenly she was on her back, hurtling feet first down a massive multi-coloured slide. The air whistled past her ears, and everything became a blur as she gathered speed.

On and on she went, faster and faster. She screwed her eyes shut, trying not to think of what would happen when she hit the ground so far below.

And then, sooner than she expected, she hit the ground.

There was no painful impact, and it took a few seconds before she realised she had come to a rest. She lay sprawled face down on something that felt soft like a carpet. Bryony opened her eyes and saw that it was grass. But not ordinary grass. Each blade was a different colour: red, yellow, orange and even blue.

Still dazed from her fall, Bryony sat up and looked around. She was in some sort of garden, but unlike any she had seen before.

The flowers were a variety of gorgeous colours, and there were trees adorned with blossom of pink, blue and orange. Butterflies flitted from plant to plant, their wings pulsing in a variety of shimmering hues. Small birds, with feathers of every conceivable colour, warbled joyously as they fluttered all around.

Bryony felt like she was looking at the pages of a colouring book, where an enthusiastic child had let their imagination run away with them. But she doubted if even the most imaginative artist could match the beauty of the waterfall.

It gushed from the sky, a shimmering rainbow cascade that tumbled into a pool of swirling colour.

Bryony stood up and hurried to the edge of the pool. She stared at the kaleidoscopic waters, transfixed by their beauty and power. A power she could feel radiating all around her.

And only then did she realise where she was. The waterfall was the end of the rainbow. She had crossed the Bridge of Fire and found the source of Rainbow Magic!

Crouching, Bryony lowered her right hand towards the whirling liquid vortex, but froze when she heard a voice from behind her.

"Top o' the morning to ye."

The voice was strange and lilting, but when Bryony looked round she saw the speaker was even stranger.

He was short, no taller than a toddler, with a plump freckled face and a bright red button nose. He wore an old fashioned green jacket, shiny black boots, and an oversized top hat adorned with a large silver horseshoe.

"Who are you?" said Bryony.

"My name is Patrick O'Tipsy-Shennanigan." The little person swept off his hat and bowed, presenting Bryony with a bald head framed by wisps of bright orange hair.

"You're a leprechaun." Bryony couldn't help but laugh. "I was right. There is a leprechaun at the end of the rainbow!"

"Can I tempt ye with three wishes?" The leprechaun replaced his hat and smiled at Bryony. "Only ten shillings a go."

"Sorry no," said Bryony.

"Then how about a game of riddles? Guess the answer correctly and you get entered into a draw to win me crock o'gold."

Bryony shook her head. "I really don't have time."

"Oh." The leprechaun looked disappointed. "I do scratch cards. Top prize is an amusingly oversized hat."

"Some other day." Bryony turned back to the whirlpool, lowering her hand again.

"I'd be careful with that." The leprechaun hurried to Bryony's side. "That there Rainbow Magic is powerful stuff."

"It's OK," Bryony assured him. "I'm a Guardian of Wychetts. I'm good with magic."

"That's as maybe." The leprechaun shook his head. "But it be magic of the rawest kind. Even the Wise Ones of old wouldn't be going anywhere near it, to be sure."

"Don't worry, er..." Bryony frowned. "What was your name again?"

"Trevor," said the leprechaun.

Bryony's frown deepened. "I thought it was Patrick O'Tipsy-Something?"

"Not really." Trevor suddenly lost his accent. "That's just for the tourists."

Bryony gestured around her. "I don't see any tourists."

"Yeah. Well." Trevor puffed his cheeks and blew. "I could have picked a better spot, to be sure. And I don't really say 'to be sure', either. And I'm really from Croydon."

Bryony looked Trevor up and down. "So you're not a leprechaun?"

"Of course I'm a leprechaun." Trevor seemed offended. "Why else would I dress like this?"

Bryony supposed not, but had other more important things to worry about.

She leaned over the whirlpool, dipping her cupped hand into the swirling rainbow water. It felt surprisingly warm, and a tingle spread up her arm as she sank her hand deeper.

"Then how about two wishes for the price of one?" suggested Trevor. "With the amusingly oversized hat thrown in for free?"

Ignoring the leprechaun, Bryony lifted her hand from the pool. The water drained through her fingers, but her hand now glowed with pulsing bands of colour.

"I have it," she gasped. "I have the Rainbow Magic."

Then Bryony heard a loud snapping noise. Lifting her head, she saw cracks appearing in the rainbow.

"It's starting to break up." Bryony gaped with horror. "I've run out of time."

Then she had an idea, and turned back to face Trevor.

"You said you'd grant me three wishes. I don't have any shillings, whatever they are, so could you grant me a wish for free?"

"Certainly not." Trevor looked horrified. "That would be against the leprechaun trading rules."

"Then I've failed." Bryony glanced at the rainbow again. The cracks were getting wider, and she feared it wouldn't be long before the Bridge of Fire crumbled into nothing.

"I may not be able to grant you wishes for free," said Trevor. "But I could make a suggestion. And leprechaun suggestions aren't covered by trading rules. Unless I was to suggest that you make three wishes, in which case it gets complicated and there are forms to fill in."

"Well?" Bryony stared expectantly at the leprechaun.

"Look at your hand," said Trevor. "See how it glows with colour? That there is pure Rainbow Magic, and with it you can do anything."

Bryony examined her colourful glowing hand. She could feel the power flowing up her arm and spreading inside her. It felt like Wychetts' magic, only much more powerful.

"I can do anything." She spread her arms, and with a single leap she jumped over the pool and onto the rainbow. She waved a thankful farewell to Trevor, and then sprinted up the Bridge of Fire in a blur.

Trevor waved back, rueing another missed business opportunity.

He looked around the tourist-free rainbow garden, and sighed.

"Ah well. Next year I'll try Margate."

#  Chapter 22- The Power of Asgard

"Get ready," announced the Weather Vane. "Here comes the first wave."

A cluster of Storm Hags peeled away from the main swarm. Edwin counted eight of them, and watched with horrified fascination as they approached the car in a 'v' formation.

Screeching fury, the leading Storm Hag dived at Val. Edwin couldn't just sit and watch, so lunged forwards to grab the old lady's cardigan. Luckily for him he couldn't quite reach...

The Storm Hag shot a bolt of electricity at Val, who blocked the attack with her walking stick. There was a spark as lightning struck wood, and then the stick, Val and cardigan were enveloped in a flickering silver glow.

"Val!" Edwin's scream was drowned by the triumphant scream of the Storm Hag that wheeled away from its victim.

The electric glow faded, and Val slumped back into her seat. Her glasses were cracked, and her hair stuck out in all directions.

"Val!" Edwin leaned forwards to shake her shoulder. "Can you hear me? Are you all right?"

Much to Edwin's surprise, Val smiled as she answered.

"Never felt better. There's nothing quite as revitalising as a dose of elemental power."

"Huh?" Edwin could only gawp as Val stood up again.

"Another blast should do the trick." Val tore her shattered glasses off, then waved her walking stick at the circling Storm Hags. "Come on, I'm waiting. Give me all you've got, girls!"

Three more Storm Hags came screaming at the car. Edwin shrank back, but Val laughed as she lifted her walking stick for what would surely be the final time...

The Storm Hags fired in unison, and Val's laugh became a scream as the lightning bolts found their target. There was a bright flash accompanied by a boom of thunder. The car shook violently. Edwin closed his eyes, fearing they would be hurled from the sky.

Val's scream grew louder. Then Edwin realised it was more a shout than a scream.

"By the Ancient Gods of Valhalla, I come to reclaim the Thunderstone and smite the enemies of Asgard!"

Edwin opened his eyes, and cried out in astonishment when he saw Val.

Or rather, the person in the front seat where Val had been.

She was a tall woman with long golden hair. Her face was beautiful yet stern, with piercing blue eyes, high cheekbones and an angular jaw. She wore an armoured dress with a shiny bronze breastplate, and her bare limbs were lean and muscular.

"Behold," roared Val. "A Shield Maiden of Asgard!"

Edwin blinked, scarcely able to believe the transformation. Although there was one thing about Val that hadn't changed.

"Your feet?" He pointed at her fluffy pink slippers.

Val shrugged. "Who says you can't combine battle dress with comfort?"

"More Storm Hags approaching," cried the Weather Vane. "At one o'clock."

"Huh?" A frowning Bill looked up from his car manual. "I wish you'd make your mind up."

"Leave them to me." Val raised her walking stick, which had transformed into a long, fork-tipped spear. Lightning crackled from the spear to strike the nearest Storm Hag, which shrieked mournfully as it plummeted from the sky in a bundle of smouldering rags.

"Come!" Val hoisted her spear above her head as she addressed her enemies. "Come and test yourself against the power of Asgard."

The Storm Hags accepted the Shield Maiden's challenge, rushing at her in a shrieking tide. Val withstood the assault with ease, dispatching her attackers with a series of graceful spear thrusts.

Still the Storm Hags came on, flying faster and faster at their target. Val responded in kind, her arm becoming a blur as she sent her enemies to oblivion.

"You killed them." Edwin watched the remains of the last Storm Hags scatter like ashes in the wind. "You killed them all."

"Storm Hags can't be killed." Val's hair streamed behind her like strands of gold. "They are elemental beings of immortal power, and will soon regroup. We have won but a momentary respite."

"Then we must seize this opportunity," said the Weather Vane. "The East Wind tells me the girl has crossed the Bridge of Fire and is returning to Darkwing with Rainbow Magic."

"I see her!" Edwin spotted a dark haired figure standing on the rainbow directly below the airship. "Take us down to her, Inglenook."

Inglenook obliged, but Val kept her spear raised as the car descended. "This day is not yet won," she warned. "If the girl has Rainbow Magic, she could yet be the death of us all."

#  Chapter 23- I Don't Need Rescuing

Bryony felt the Bridge of Fire trembling beneath her as more cracks snaked across its glassy surface; yet she made no attempt to enter the cage hanging before her.

The return trip across the rainbow had only taken a matter of seconds, but Bryony was in no hurry to return to the Darkwing airship.

"You have succeeded." Katya Pauncefoot's voice sounded from the airship's loudspeaker. "Now step into the cage."

"No." Bryony planted her feet firmly on the trembling rainbow. "Not until you honour your side of the bargain."

Katya snorted. "I don't recall striking a bargain. You forget we have your father. Now step into the cage before we set the Storm Hags on you."

Bryony looked up at the sky. Despite Katya's threat, there were no Storm Hags in sight.

"Hurry," snapped Katya. "We are running out of time."

"You can't tell me what to do." Bryony pointed her glowing right hand at the airship. "I have Rainbow Magic now. So release my dad, or I'll blow you out of the sky."

Bryony felt quite capable of carrying out her threat. She could feel the Rainbow Magic flowing inside her, every nerve and muscle tingling with power. It was never like this with Wychetts' magic. And now there was no Inglenook to answer to, no one and nothing to hold her back. She felt all-powerful, invincible.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Bryony took delight in repeating her ultimatum. "Release my dad or I'll blast you with Rainbow Magic."

"You cannot begin to comprehend the powers within you," purred Katya. "You are as capable of destroying yourself as the Shadow Clan. Return to the cage before the Bridge of Fire shatters. There must only be seconds remaining."

"I'm not worried," said Bryony. "With Rainbow Magic I can do anything. It's you who should be scared."

She clenched her raised hand into a fist, and closed her eyes as she felt a surge of power pulsing through her arm. She knew she could obliterate her enemies with just a flick of the wrist...

"Destroy the Shadow Clan if you wish," said Katya. "But you'll never see your father again."

Bryony lowered her arm a fraction, then heard a cry from above.

"Bryony!"

The voice was familiar. Very familiar. But it couldn't be...

Bryony looked up to see a car flying towards her.

She couldn't believe her eyes. It wasn't just that the car had wings. Or that it had a weather vane in the shape of a cockerel poking through the opened sunroof. Or a beautiful armoured spear-wielding woman hanging out of the front passenger door...

It was the sight of the driver that made her gasp with astonishment.

"Dad?"

"Hi love." Bill waved cheerily at his daughter through the driver's window. "Pleasant day for a drive, eh? Nice to have the sunroof open for a change."

"Dad." Bryony shook her head in disbelief. "How come your car is flying?"

Bill shrugged. "How else am I supposed to pick up my daughter when she's standing on a rainbow?"

"Fair enough," conceded Bryony. "But it still doesn't explain..."

"Wychetts' magic, of course!" A ginger headed boy popped up through the car's sunroof, waving a large key.

"Edwin!" Bryony gawped at her stepbrother as the car circled the rainbow. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?" Edwin thought that was obvious. "We've come to rescue you."

"I don't need rescuing," yelled Bryony. "Clear off before the Storm Hags get you."

Another swarm of ragged forms had appeared from nowhere, and was now tearing towards the car in a screeching mass of fury.

"Get ready," Edwin told Bryony. "We'll fly down and pick you up."

"I don't need picking up." Bryony shook her head. "I can look after myself."

"But you don't have Wychetts' magic," cried Edwin.

"I don't need Wychetts' magic. I have Rainbow Magic now, and it's much more powerful. So scarper while you have the chance."

Bryony waved her glowing hand in a shooing motion. Before she realised what had happened, a beam of multi-coloured light shot from her fist straight at her father's car.

The car swerved to avoid the coloured beam, and Edwin ducked as it fizzed narrowly over his head.

"She's a smidgen ungrateful," observed the Weather Vane.

"On the contrary," said Stubby. "We're lucky to have found her in one of her more reasonable moods."

"Sorry," shouted Bryony. "Didn't mean to do that. Now make yourselves scarce. I can handle this on my own."

Edwin's response was drowned by a cacophony of screeches as the swarm of Storm Hags closed in on the car.

Bryony rolled her eyes with despair. Why couldn't her idiot stepbrother do as she said? He'd come here to rescue her, but she was going to have to rescue him.

"Call them off." Bryony swung round to point her glowing hand at Darkwing. "Order the Storm Hags to let them go."

Katya purred pensively. "And then you'll come on board?"

"My dad is safe," sneered Bryony. "You can't blackmail me anymore."

She felt the Rainbow Magic burning ever stronger inside her. So strong it began to hurt...

"I'm going to blast you anyway." Bryony knew she couldn't resist the surge of power. "I'm going to rid the world of the evil Shadow Clan, once and for all."

"Then do it," shouted Katya. "But you'll never learn the truth about your mother."

Suddenly Bryony remembered Katya's promise to her.

"You said you'd tell me everything. Everything that Inglenook has kept secret." Bryony's raised arm started trembling. "So tell me. Now!"

"I can do better than that," said Katya.

There was a pulse of light as a figure materialised in the hanging cage. It was a slender woman with long blonde hair...

Bryony blinked.

It couldn't be.

"Bryony." The woman held out her hand. "I'm here."

Bryony lowered her arm, her quivering lips scarcely able to form the word...

"Mum?"

#  Chapter 24- A Very Complicated Manoeuvre

"It's no use." Keeping his head as low as possible, Edwin peered through the rear car window. "We can't shake them off."

The car swerved hard right, but the pursuing swarm of Storm Hags kept close on its tail.

"We should turn and fight," suggested the Weather Vane. "These wretched creatures are no match for the Shield Maiden's power."

"But the Storm Hags will absorb my power, as I absorbed theirs." Val turned her head as a bolt of lightning crackled past. "For every Storm Hag I strike down, another two will appear to take its place."

Edwin groaned despairingly. "So we can never beat them?"

"The Storm Hags cannot be defeated." Despite her words, the Shield Maiden smiled as she spoke. "But we can use their power to our advantage. And for that we'll need the Thunderstone."

The car changed direction, angling steeply towards the Shadow Clan's airship.

"But what about Bryony?" Edwin peered at the rainbow, trying to discern his stepsister on the shimmering multi-coloured arch. "We should rescue her first."

"The Thunderstone is our only hope of saving the Young Mistress." Inglenook's miniature metal face smiled reassuringly at Edwin. "Fear not, Young Master. I would never desert a Guardian."

"Darkwing will be defended," warned the Weather Vane. "The Four Winds tell me the vessel is equipped with High Capacity Magic Cannons."

Right on cue there was a flash from the underside of the airship, followed by an echoing boom. An orb of red light arced through the air, trailing flames as it sped towards the car.

"There's a red light ahead." Bill glanced up from his manual to point at the oncoming orb. "I think that means we should stop."

The car swerved at the last moment, and Edwin felt a searing heat as the flaming orb hurtled just wide of its target.

"A near miss," said the Weather Vane. "Twelve inches wide on the starboard side."

"Thanks for the running commentary," muttered Stubby. "When we get blown out of the sky, I'm sure we'd all be grateful if you could let us know."

There was another flash and boom from the airship. The car swerved again as a second flaming orb whistled narrowly past.

"That was a second red light we just missed." Bill looked increasingly worried. "I can't afford three more points on my licence."

"We are nearly within range," said Inglenook. "I suggest you all hold on to something. This will require a very complicated manoeuvre..."

#  Chapter 25- You Lied to Me

"Step into the cage with me." The blonde haired woman beckoned to Bryony. "There isn't much time."

"Mum?" Bryony repeated the word, too shocked to say anything else.

"Of course it's me." The woman smiled. "Don't you recognise your own mother?"

There was something odd about the voice, and the smile wasn't quite how she remembered it. But Bryony was in no doubt whatsoever...

"What are you doing here, Mum?" Bryony's amazement turned to curiosity. "Did the Shadow Clan kidnap you as well?"

"The Shadow Clan is not our enemy," said Bryony's mother. "There is another more terrible danger to come. Please step into the cage."

"No." Bryony felt conflicting emotions churning inside her. She wanted more than anything to fall into her mother's arms, and yet her feet seemed fused to the trembling rainbow. "You must tell me how you're involved in this. About the Moon of Magister. About everything."

Bryony's mother looked hurt. "Don't you trust me?"

"I..." Bryony hesitated. "You lied to me."

Bryony's mother flinched.

"Inglenook lies," she hissed. "He hides the truth from you. How many times have you asked him about me? Step into the cage, and I'll tell you everything."

"Tell me now," growled Bryony. Her cheeks reddened, and droplets of sweat trickled down her forehead. She could feel something welling inside her, something greater and more terrifying than anything she had felt before. "I'm sick of people hiding things from me. Tell me now!"

There was a loud cracking noise, and the Bridge of Fire shuddered.

"You are running out of time." Bryony's mother waved desperately. "Step into the cage before Bifrost shatters."

"I have Rainbow Magic." Bryony raised her glowing hand again. "Nothing can harm me."

The Bridge of Fire shook again, and Bryony crumpled to her knees. She tried to stand, but her legs had turned to jelly.

"Quickly!" shouted Bryony's mother. "You have only seconds left!"

"I can't move." Bryony's vision blurred. Her heart pounded like a crazy drumbeat, and her skin felt as if it was on fire. "Mum, what's happening?"

"It's the Rainbow Magic, it's burning you up. You must come to me."

Bryony looked around, but all she could see was a veil of pulsing bright colours. "Mum, where are you?"

"I'm here. This way."

Arms stretched out before her, Bryony crawled blindly towards her mother's voice...

#  Chapter 26- Now for the Tricky Part

There was a flurry of booms and flashes, and suddenly the air was ablaze with red orbs. Edwin clung on to the driver's seat headrest, but his stomach churned as the car weaved its way through the barrage of fiery missiles.

And then the sky was clear.

"We have breached the airship's defence," announced the Weather Vane. "Good driving."

"It was nothing," said Bill, who still seemed to think he was in control of the car.

"There it is!" The Shield Maiden jabbed her spear towards the wedged shaped object hanging from the underside of the airship. "The Thunderstone."

Having recovered from the car's aerobatics, Edwin leaned forwards to study the Thunderstone. Close up it was a lot bigger than he'd realised, about the size of his mother's kitchen table.

"You kept that on your windowsill?" He turned incredulously to Val. "Between a potted plant and a novelty cow jug?"

"Told you it made a very good paperweight." The Shield Maiden hoisted her spear as the car closed in on its target. "Now for the tricky part."

"Tricky?" The Weather Vane groaned. "In my opinion that sums up the whole day so far."

"Then you need to get out more," said Stubby. "This has all been pretty so-so by our normal standards."

The car skimmed the underside of the airship, so close that Edwin instinctively ducked his head. Val kept her arm aloft, and a fork of lightning leaped from her spear to strike the Thunderstone.

There was a terrific crash of thunder, the loudest Edwin had ever heard. The car dived steeply, and Edwin looked up to see a halo of sparks around the Thunderstone as it burst free from the metal clamp.

Val whooped with delight, but Edwin wailed with dismay when he saw the giant stone plummeting towards the car.

Val raised her spear, sending another fork of lightning to strike the hurtling Thunderstone. There was another deafening clap of thunder, and then the Thunderstone began to shrink. By the time it fell into Val's outstretched hand it was no larger than a bread roll.

"How..." Edwin gawped at Val, but a chorus of angry shrieks diverted his attention to the pursuing swarm of Storm Hags.

"They won't let us take the Thunderstone," said the Weather Vane. "It is the source of their power."

"That is correct." Val inserted the Thunderstone between the prongs on the end of her spear. "But whoever wields the Thunderstone controls all elemental beings."

Lifting the spear with both hands, Val tilted her head back and shouted. "By the power of Thor's Hammer, I command you to obey the Shield Maiden of Asgard!"

The Storm Hags went into some kind of frenzy, screeching and cackling as they zoomed around the car, so fast that their ragged bodies disappeared into a blur. Then there was a flash from the Thunderstone, and Edwin saw lighting crackling all around. The Storm Hags' terrible screams changed, blending into a harmonious song that reminded him of a church choir.

And then he saw they weren't Storm Hags anymore, but beautiful white robed beings with wings of shimmering gold.

"Advance, my Sun Daughters!" Val pointed her spear at the Shadow Clan's airship. "Destroy the enemies of Asgard!"

The Sun Daughters obeyed Val's command, flying at their target in a streak of gold. The air rang with their singing, and Edwin had never witnessed such a beautiful yet terrifying sight.

"Now I will leave you, my brave boy." Val patted Edwin's shoulder. "A Shield Maiden must follow her troops into battle. You must rescue your fellow Guardian."

Val stepped out of the car. Edwin screamed, but his cry became an amazed gasp when he saw a pair of glittering wings unfold from the Shield Maiden's shoulders. And his gasp faded into a whimper as he watched Val fly off gracefully in pursuit of the Sun Daughters.

"What a woman." Bill sighed and shook his head. "I must find out what vitamin supplement she takes. Think your mother could do with some."

A barrage of red orbs boomed from the Shadow Clan's airship. Some Sun Daughters fell, but most flew unharmed through the defences to ravage Darkwing in a blaze of fiery wrath. Explosions flared like buds of orange blossom, and plumes of black smoke billowed from the airship's shredded fuselage.

"Sun Daughters!" A croaky voice crackled from the airship's loudspeaker. "Darkwing is under attack! Action stations! All crew to their posts!"

"But I haven't got a post," rasped an old man's throaty voice.

"You are a post," said the croaky voice. "So just shut up and stay in your bucket."

"Typical," groaned the throaty voice. "There's no respect."

Edwin tore his gaze from the battle to look for Bryony below. After seconds of frantic searching he spied his stepsister crawling along the Bridge of Fire, whilst great shards of multi-coloured glass sheared away from the rainbow beneath her.

"There she is." Edwin pointed through the car window. "But what's she playing at?"

"There is a lady in the cage," said the Weather Vane. "I assume the girl is trying to reach her."

Edwin didn't recognise the blonde haired woman who was beckoning to Bryony, but he feared the cage would be no safer place for his stepsister than the crumbling rainbow.

"Take us down" he urged Inglenook. "We don't have much time."

"Yes, Young Master."

The car dived at the rainbow. Edwin stood up to look out of the sunroof, his gaze locked on Bryony as she inched to within touching distance of the cage.

Edwin still couldn't identify the blonde haired lady, but suddenly Bill seemed to know who she was.

"It's her!" he shouted, pointing through the windscreen. "I'd know that traitor anywhere!"

The lady looked up when she heard Bill's cry. At that same moment a mighty tremor shook the rainbow. There was a terrible noise, like a thousand thunderclaps combined, and the Bridge of Fire shattered into a haze of multi coloured crystals.

The car dived into the blinding technicolour snowstorm. Edwin reached out his arms as he saw Bryony falling, but he knew he wouldn't reach her in time.

He lost track of his stepsister in the flurry of rainbow flakes, and saw the cage tilting forwards. There was a scream as the blonde haired woman fell through the opened door.

And then the blizzard cleared, and Edwin looked back to see Bryony clinging to the swinging cage.

"We've got to make another pass," he told Inglenook. "Turn this thing around."

"I am trying," said the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "But we have taken on some extra weight."

Edwin looked to the front and saw someone perched on the car's bonnet...

"It is you!" The blonde haired lady glared through the windscreen at Bill. "I didn't expect you'd have the nerve to face me in battle."

"Um..." Edwin glanced enquiringly at Bill. "You know this lady?"

Before Bill could reply, the blonde haired lady punched her hand through the windscreen and grabbed his neck.

"Quite well by the looks of it," said Stubby.

The car veered away from the hanging cage, but the blonde lady remained crouched on the bonnet, laughing as she squeezed Bill's throat. Edwin tried to squirm through the front seats to aid his stepfather, but Bill lashed out and caught the blonde lady's face with his fist. Her laugh turned into a gurgled scream as the impact sent her teeth flying from her mouth.

Edwin watched the set of gleaming dentures hurtle past the window. Then he looked back at the blonde haired lady. She had grabbed Bill's arm, and was laughing again as she tightened her grip on his throat.

But there was something wrong with her face. Her toothless gums were swollen, and had turned an odd shade of green. Her eyes grew bulbous, and pointy fins sprouted from the top of her head.

Her skin peeled away to reveal dark scales beneath, and the fingers round Bill's throat became webbed and tipped with claws.

"It is Grinny Greengums!" cried the Weather Vane. "Rival to the throne of the Nyx Queen!"

"Rival no more," gulped Grinny Greengums. "For I shall be ruler now the old Queen is dead."

"But the Queen isn't dead." Edwin was too shocked by events to do much else but gawp.

"Not yet," said Grinny Greengums. "But I'm working on that right now."

Bill's face contorted as those webbed fingers closed ever tighter round his neck. His eyes bulged so much that Edwin feared they would pop out of their sockets, and his mouth gaped until he resembled a fish out of water.

But that wasn't the only similarity to a fish. Bill's skin had turned scaly, and gold tipped fins protruded from his head.

And then Edwin realised.

"It is the Nyx Queen. It was her all along!"

"But not for much longer," gulped Grinny Greengums. "Her reign is about to end, and I shall rule in her stead."

"Not if I've got anything to say about it." Edwin pointed the Wychetts Key at Grinny Greengums. "Inglenook, save the Nyx Queen."

"My pleasure, Young Master."

A beam of white light shone from the Key at Grinny Greengum's face. The Dark Nyx recoiled, but kept hold of the Nyx Queen as she slid backwards across the car's bonnet. Edwin lunged forwards, but couldn't stop the Nyx Queen being dragged through the shattered windscreen.

And then the Nyx Queen was gone, thrown over the car bonnet.

A dark scaly arm lunged at Edwin, webbed fingers seizing his arm that held the Wychetts Key. Grinny Greengum's face appeared close in front of him, her toothless mouth emitting a fishy stench that made his stomach heave.

Edwin grimaced as the dark Nyx tightened her grip, but clung on to the Key as though his life depended on it.

Which, he knew, it did.

Grasping Edwin's shoulder with her free hand, Grinny Greengums pulled him onto the car bonnet.

"So is this just a routine day for Wychetts?" enquired the Weather Vane, still perched in the opened sunroof.

"Very much so," replied Stubby, who was clinging to the hem of Edwin's top pocket. "Although it's now edging into the category known as 'slightly more interesting'."

Edwin tried to raise the Key, but the dark Nyx twisted his wrist. The Key slipped from his hand, and Edwin cried in horror as it clattered over the edge of the bonnet.

"You have lost," gulped Grinny Greengums. "And now you will join the Nyx Queen in death."

Edwin struggled, but knew he was too weak to stop the dark Nyx hurling him from the car. Then he saw a hand clinging to the edge of the bonnet, a webbed hand with golden tipped claws. The Nyx Queen sprang into view, lunging at Grinny Greengums in a blur of scales and teeth.

"You shall never take my throne!" The Nyx Queen slipped her webbed hands around Grinny Greengums' neck. "Nor shall I permit you to harm my allies."

Grinny Greengums struck back, clawing at the Nyx Queen's face.

The car pitched forwards. Edwin clung to the bonnet, but the Nyx Queen and Grinny Greengums were too absorbed in their battle to notice. The two rivals still grappled with each other, locked in a deadly embrace as they rolled from the car.

Edwin watched the Nyx Queen and her enemy tumble through the sky, their bodies shrinking into tiny dots.

But he had no time to dwell on the fate of his ally. The car veered crazily, and when Edwin checked he saw the right wing was disintegrating in a stream of feathers.

"What's happening?" Edwin checked the other side, and saw the left hand wing was in no better state.

"We are falling," announced the Weather Vane. "You have lost the Key, and with it Wychetts' magic."

"That is not quite true," said a deep and cheerful voice. "Wychetts' power is still yours to command, Young Master."

"Inglenook?" Edwin checked the front of the car. "Where are you?"

"Falling to earth," said Inglenook. "At a most exhilarating speed."

"I'm sorry," sobbed Edwin. "I didn't mean to drop you."

"I am getting quite used to it, if truth be told. But fear not, Young Master. The psychic link is holding."

"The psychic link!" At last Edwin figured out how he was talking to Inglenook. "Like what happened in the Cavern of Death?"

"Precisely, Young Master. It is your belief in Wychetts' power that is maintaining the magic flow between us."

Edwin breathed a relieved sigh. "So please do something to help us. We need your magic."

"I would indeed. But there is one in greater need at this moment."

Edwin realised whom Inglenook meant. "Bryony!"

The car had travelled some distance during the Nyx fight, and it took Edwin several seconds for him to get his bearings. He spotted the smouldering hulk of the Shadow Clan's airship to the left, still under attack from Val and the Sun Daughters. His gaze travelled down a long metal chain, where he spied a dark haired girl clinging to the hanging cage.

"There she is." Edwin pointed. "Fly the car to her, Inglenook."

"I cannot," said the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "Control of the vehicle is beyond my means at this distance. You are the only one who can save her, Young Master."

Edwin shook his head. "But I don't know how to drive a car, let alone fly one. What can I do to save Bryony?"

"What you did in the Cavern of Death," said Inglenook. "What you did when the Storm Hags attacked you on the church tower. What you have always done, from the very first day you heard my voice."

Edwin nodded slowly. He knew what Inglenook meant, and he now knew how he had been transported to Val's cottage. It hadn't been down to wind direction, or mere chance. It had been Inglenook guiding him all along by the psychic link.

Just as he was now.

"So I guess it's up to me." Edwin hauled himself into a crouching position, then climbed carefully onto the car roof.

"What madness is this?" The Weather Vane cried out as Edwin took hold of his spindle. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"The senses walked out on the boy a long time ago," said Stubby. "He still gets a card at Christmas, but they don't have much contact for the rest of the year."

"I'm going to have to ask for your help," Edwin told the Weather Vane. "I need you to spin for me, like you did when we flew to Val's cottage."

"I am a regal bird," huffed the Weather Vane. "Not a propeller."

"Then you won't help me?" Edwin gazed pleadingly at the metal cockerel. "After all we've been through?"

"Well..." The Weather Vane's voice lost some of its pomposity. "I must admit it has made a nice change to see the world, instead of just hearing about it from the Four Winds."

"Then you'll help me?" Edwin smiled expectantly.

"Oh very well," said the Weather Vane. "Just this final time. But when this is over I want a good rub down and a new coat of paint. This adventuring has played havoc with my plumage."

"I'll make sure of it." Edwin grinned at the Weather Vane, but his expression changed when he heard Inglenook's voice echoing in his mind.

"It is time, Young Master. You must act now."

Air blasted Edwin's face as the car tilted forwards, and he suddenly realised how fast they were falling. The car's wings had disappeared, and he knew he was sitting on nothing except a hurtling lump of metal.

The car was now almost level with the cage. It was hard to gauge the distance, but Edwin reckoned it was at least one hundred metres between Bryony and him.

One hundred metres to fly, with nothing but a Weather Vane to keep him aloft.

And Wychetts' magic, of course.

"Here goes." Edwin took a deep breath, and lifted the Weather Vane above his head.

"If you'll excuse me," said Stubby, "I'm quite curious to know what hare brained plan you have to save the girl. What exactly are you intending to do?"

"Believe," said Edwin.

Then jumped from the car.

#  Chapter 27- Gotcha!

It took all Bryony's strength to lift her head. It felt like a fire raged inside her, every muscle of her body aflame. She could see nothing except swirls of brilliant colour, but she could hear a voice, faint but growing louder, calling her name.

"Bryony... Hold on!"

But Bryony couldn't hold on. All she wanted was for the fire to stop, the whirling colours to fade. She couldn't feel her arms, she could feel nothing but the searing heat inside her.

Her grip weakened, her hands sliding down the bars of the cage...

"Gotcha!"

There was a jolt as a skinny arm wrapped around her waist.

"Hold on to me," said the voice. "I can't lift your weight by myself."

Are you saying I'm fat?

Bryony thought the words, but couldn't say them. It was all she could do to raise her left arm and hook it around the neck of her rescuer.

"Look at me," said the voice. "Bryony, look at me."

Bryony saw a face through a veil of swirling colour. A freckled face with pale blue eyes...

"Look at me, Bryony."

Bryony focused on those pale blue eyes. She felt the heat subside, as though the raging fire within her had been doused. The swirls of colour faded, and as her vision cleared Bryony saw who had saved her.

"Mum?" Bryony glared at Edwin. "Where's my mum?"

"Typical." Stubby's head poked out of Edwin's top pocket. "I knew a simple 'thanks for saving my life' would have been too much to ask."

"My mum was here." Bryony looked around, but saw nothing except sky. "Where is she?"

"That wasn't your mother," said Stubby. "It was the Nyx traitor Grinny Greengums. She was trying to lure you into the cage."

Bryony found no reason to doubt the mouse. It made sense, and she chided herself for being so easily duped.

"You'll have to hold on tighter," warned Edwin. "This thing doesn't come with a safety harness."

Bryony looked up and saw that Edwin was holding something that looked like a whirling propeller. Then she looked down, and gasped when she saw the flooded landscape far below her dangling feet. It was only then that she noticed they were flying.

"Nice try." She looked up at Edwin again. "But if I had the Key I'd have magicked something with more comfortable passenger seating."

"I don't have the Key," confessed Edwin. "I dropped it."

Bryony frowned. "Then how..."

"Psychic link." Edwin smiled. "I can connect to Inglenook without the Key."

Bryony didn't believe Edwin at first, but after another glance at the distant ground below she came to realise there could be no other explanation.

"But..." One thing bothered Bryony. "I'm better with magic than you. So how come I can't do that?"

"It's simple. All you need to do is... ow!" Edwin winced as though in pain. His cheeks flushed bright red, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. "It's OK," he grimaced in response to a concerned look from Bryony. "It's just the Rainbow Magic."

"How did you get Rainbow Magic?" Bryony stared demandingly at her stepbrother.

"I drew it out of you." Edwin's voice became slurred. "Only way... to save you."

Bryony gasped. "But it nearly killed me. And I'm much stronger than you with magic."

"I did warn him about the dangers," said Stubby. "But the boy's as stubborn as a mule. If only he possessed the same level of table manners..."

"Inglenook... will help." Edwin closed his eyes, and his arm slackened from around Bryony's waist. The propeller's spinning slowed, and Bryony saw it was really just a rusty old weather vane in the shape of a cockerel.

"Edwin, are you OK?" Bryony's concern deepened when Edwin's ginger head slumped onto her shoulder.

"I'll be fine," slurred Edwin. "Inglenook... will look after us. Must... believe."

"Believe in what?" wondered Bryony. "Edwin, what are you talking about?"

Edwin's reply was a soft murmur. Then a louder noise made Bryony look up.

High above the Weather Vane, Darkwing was in flames. A flock of golden winged creatures circled the blazing airship, their melodic chorus heralding the demise of their enemy.

A croaky voice crackled over the airship's loud speaker. "Darkwing is doomed! Abandon ship! Every monster for himself!"

"How can I abandon ship?" said a throaty voice. "I'm stuck in my pot. Hey... don't leave me behind..."

Transfixed, Bryony watched as the airship's flaming fuselage peeled away to reveal a skeleton of metal struts beneath. The singing voices reached a triumphant crescendo, and the airship was consumed in a massive ball of fire.

Even from a distance Bryony felt a wave of heat from the explosion. Shredded remnants of fuselage fluttered down like flaming confetti, and she spied an ugly old tree falling among the debris.

"Ruddy hooligans!" Twisted Bough yelled as he tumbled through the air. "There's no respeeeeeeeeeeeee..."

The tree came plummeting straight at Bryony and Edwin.

"Look out!" warned Bryony. "Oncoming traffic! Edwin..."

The hurtling trunk missed Bryony and Edwin by inches, but a flailing branch snagged on one of the Weather Vane's spokes, wrenching the spindle from Edwin's grasp.

Bryony clung to her stepbrother, watching helplessly as the falling tree dragged the Weather Vane down with it.

And then they were falling too.

"Tell Inglenook to help us!" Bryony yelled in Edwin's ear. "Use your psychic link."

Edwin didn't respond, and Bryony felt his body go limp in her arms. Then he was gone, torn from her clutches by the whooshing air.

Bryony looked round frantically to see what had become of her stepbrother, but all she saw was a flooded landscape speeding towards her...

#  Chapter 28- About the Boy

In a heartbeat she was under. There hadn't been time to take a deep breath, to close her mouth and prepare for the chilling shock of the waters that engulfed her.

Bryony dropped like a stone, as though an immense force was dragging her down into the darkening abyss.

And then suddenly she was rising, reaching out her arms towards the light that filtered through the murk above. There was a splash as she broke the surface, and her flapping hands found something to grasp on to. Then she heaved herself from the water, coughing and spluttering as she clambered onto the gnarled trunk of a floating tree.

"Do you mind?" An ugly old man's face in the tree trunk glared at Bryony. "I am not a dingy."

"That's not so bad," said the cockerel shaped Weather Vane wedged in the tree's bare branches. "They put me in an umbrella stand."

"It's the youth of today," groaned Twisted Bough. "No respect for their elders and betters."

Bryony ignored the moaning tree. The fate of Edwin was of much greater concern to her.

"I didn't see him fall." She shook her sopping head as she surveyed the flooded landscape. "What happened to him?"

"I believe you dropped something?"

The voice made Bryony look up to see a beautiful winged figure hovering above the tree. It was a woman clad in shining armour, carrying a ginger haired boy in her arms.

The woman smiled at Bryony as she lowered Edwin onto the floating tree trunk.

Bryony stared open mouthed at the angel-like figure. "Who are you?"

"I am Valarie, last of the Shield Maidens and Keeper of the Thunderstone." The woman showed Bryony her staff with a wedge shaped stone at the tip. "Your brave stepbrother helped me regain it."

Bryony had lots of questions, not least about the Shield Maiden's fluffy pink slippers, but Edwin was her immediate worry. He lay still, eyes closed, his reddened face slick with sweat.

"Are you all right?" Bryony leaned over Edwin, her heart thumping as she checked for signs of life. "Can you hear me? Please let me know you're alright."

"I'm quite well, thank you." Stubby emerged from Edwin's top pocket. "Although I didn't know you cared."

"I wasn't talking to you." Bryony shot the mouse a glare before returning her attention to her stepbrother. "Edwin, can you hear me?"

Edwin's head moved from side to side, a soft murmur escaping his quivering lips.

"Bryony..."

"Edwin!" Bryony stifled a relieved sob. "I'm here. And you're going to be all right."

"I wouldn't bet on it." Stubby sighed and shook his little head. "The boy's absorbed a vast amount of Rainbow Magic."

"Such raw power can be very harmful," said the Shield Maiden. "Even to a Guardian."

"That was always the risk," purred a voice. "But it was a risk worth taking."

Bryony's dark eyebrows knotted when she noticed the cream coloured cat mincing down the tree trunk towards her.

"The risk wasn't yours to take." Bryony snarled at Katya Pauncefoot. "You've put his life in danger."

"The boy made his own choice." Katya's emerald eyes flashed defiantly. "Just as you did."

"You blackmailed me," countered Bryony. "I wouldn't have helped if I'd had a choice."

"I believe you might have," said Katya. "After all, you know that Wychetts' magic is fallible. Inglenook failed you, as he fails the boy now."

"Bryony?" Edwin's eyelids flickered open, revealing orbs of swirling colours where his eyes should have been. "I can't see anything. What's happening to me?"

"You're probably going to die," said the Weather Vane. "Most painfully, I would imagine."

Stubby tutted. "Thanks for the tactfully delivered diagnosis, Doctor Beside-Manners."

"I was only explaining the situation as requested," said the Weather Vane. "I take no delight in the boy's demise. Despite my earlier complaints, I have found our time together most... educational."

"There must be something we can do." Bryony looked pleadingly at the Shield Maiden. "Can't you use the Thunderstone?"

"I am sorry." The Shield Maiden lowered her head. "The Thunderstone has no control over Rainbow Magic. There is only one who can save the boy. One whom he trusts more than any other."

Edwin murmured something, but Bryony couldn't make out the words. His condition seemed to be worsening by the second. His eyes narrowed into slits of spiralling colours. Sweat poured from his forehead, matting his hair into shiny ginger lumps.

There is only one who can save the boy.

The words repeated in Bryony's mind. She knew what the Shield Maiden meant, but the Wychetts Key was lost, and there was no way to ask Inglenook for help.

Katya was right. Inglenook had failed them...

"The boy established a psychic link with Wychetts," said Stubby. "Perhaps you could do the same."

Bryony expressed her doubt with a shrug.

"It is a matter of faith," said the Shield Maiden. "Of belief and trust."

"I don't trust anyone," spat Bryony.

"Not even your own mother." Katya purred amusedly. "So much distrust, so much bitterness and anger. What a devastating weapon you would have made in our hands."

"You must try the psychic link." The Shield Maiden urged Bryony. "It is your only hope of saving the boy."

"It won't work." Bryony felt swamped by a tide of helplessness. "Inglenook can't help us."

"Then the boy is lost," said Stubby. "Unless you trust in the power of Wychetts."

Bryony placed a hand on Edwin's forehead. His skin burned against her palm, and she knew time was running out.

She had to try the psychic link. It was their only hope.

"Inglenook." Bryony bowed her head and concentrated. "Where are you?"

"It is futile," hissed Katya. "Wychetts' power is useless without the Key."

"Be silent." The Shield Maiden levelled her spear at the cat. "Or I shall swap my pink slippers for a new pair made of cream coloured fur."

"Inglenook, where are you?" Bryony closed her eyes, trying to focus her mind on the missing Wychetts Key. "We need your help."

The only response was the sound of water lapping against the tree trunk.

"Inglenook, please. Edwin needs you." Bryony's eyes began to moisten. "I need you."

There was a mighty splash. Bryony opened her eyes and saw a huge, barnacle encrusted hulk rising from the water. A giant tentacle reached up to the sky, its suckered tip coiled around something shiny and metal.

"Spoooon!" a deep voice gurgled. "Special spooooooon!"

"It's the Knucker," squealed Stubby. "And it has the Wychetts Key!"

"And tentacles!" cried the Weather Vane. "I was right all along."

"But not about the claw," said Stubby.

"Then what is that?" The Weather Vane swivelled to point at the large pincer-like appendage that broke the water's surface.

"That indeed looks most claw-like," conceded Stubby. "Well done. I'd ask if you knew how many teeth it has, but I've a horrible feeling we're about to find out the hard way."

"I shall fight the beast." The Shield Maiden aimed her spear at the monster. "I shall defeat this accursed creature and regain the Key for the Guardians of Wychetts!"

The Knucker dived before the Shield Maiden could launch her attack, taking the Wychetts Key with it. As the vast bulk disappeared beneath the surface, Bryony saw another shape darting through the water towards it. Much smaller and more human like, with scaly skin and a crown of gold tipped fins on its head.

"That was the Nyx Queen," said the Weather Vane. "She has survived and come to our aid."

Bryony heard loud groans and gurgling from below. The water around them heaved and broiled, and the tree rocked as though caught in a storm.

"Watch it," moaned Twisted Bough. "I'm too old to go white water rafting. Ruddy hooligans, the lot of you!"

Bryony clung on to Edwin for fear he might slip into the water. Katya arched her back, digging her claws into the branch. The Shield Maiden hovered above them, her sharp blue eyes scanning the surrounding water while the groaning and gurgling continued.

Then the groaning and gurgling stopped. The waters calmed, and the tree ceased rocking.

Bryony looked questioningly at the Shield Maiden, who pointed with her spear.

"Look, my girl!"

A scaly head crowned with gold tipped fins had surfaced next to the tree. The Nyx Queen extended a scaly arm, and Bryony gasped with delight when she saw what those webbed fingers held.

"The Wychetts Key!" She almost fell off the tree trunk in her excitement. "You took it from that monster?"

"There was no need," said the Nyx Queen. "The Knucker surrendered it willingly. It seems the boy's bravery and faith has restored his trust in humanity."

The Shield Maiden lowered her spear. "And Grinny Greengums?"

"Fled the fight." The Nyx Queen could not disguise her contempt. "Slipped back into the dark mud from which she was spawned."

"Thank you." Bryony took the Key from the Nyx Queen. "We owe you one."

"The Nyx are in your debt," said the Nyx Queen. "I only hope we are not too late to save your fellow Guardian."

Bryony closed her hand around the Key. She felt the familiar magical tingle, and her spirits lifted at the sound of that deep cheery voice.

"Young Mistress, I trust you are well?"

"It's not me you should be worried about." Bryony held the Key over Edwin. "He absorbed the Rainbow Magic from me. It's burning him up."

Inglenook examined Edwin, and his miniature metal face creased with concern.

"Well?" Bryony's throat had turned dry. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I can draw the Rainbow Magic from him, Young Mistress. But I need you to act as a physical link between us."

"You will die," purred Katya. "A second dose of Rainbow Magic will be fatal, even to a Guardian."

"Inglenook will protect her." The Shield Maiden's voice was firm with conviction. "He would never allow harm to befall a Guardian of Wychetts."

"And yet he led the girl straight into our trap." Katya's purring quickened. "He let her father be taken prisoner, he let the boy endanger his own life to save her."

"That was the Young Master's decision," said Inglenook. "Yet I can save him now if the Young Mistress agrees to help."

"And sacrifice herself in the process." Katya's green gaze locked on Bryony. "That's what he wants you to do. Destroy yourself to save the boy."

"Don't listen to her," implored the Shield Maiden. "Inglenook will protect you, girl. You have to trust him, as Edwin does."

"But she doesn't," hissed Katya, her tail coiling in the air. "She knows his magic is weak. She knows he lies to her, as he has lied since the day she awoke his power."

Silence fell, broken only by the slapping of water and the rhythmic squeal of a rusty old Weather Vane.

Bryony looked down at the Wychetts Key.

Inglenook gazed silently back at her, his features seemingly as cold and unyielding as the iron in which they were wrought.

Then Bryony heard a voice, but it wasn't Inglenook speaking to her.

"This is not about you," said Stubby. "Or Inglenook, or Wychetts. It's about the boy."

"The bravest of boys," gulped the Nyx Queen. "The boy who risked everything to retrieve the Wychetts Key."

"And then risked all again to save his fellow Guardian," said the Weather Vane.

The Shield Maiden smiled at Bryony. "The boy who trusted you to do the same."

Bryony took hold of Edwin's hand, and winced when she felt his skin burning in her grasp. She knew what he was going through: the raging inner fire, the swirling sea of colour closing in all around. He was being consumed by the Rainbow Magic, his body and soul withering in the heat of its power.

She could save him, with Inglenook's help. But could she trust the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom to prevent the Rainbow Magic burning her up as well?

She felt the Key tingling in her hand, as though in response to her unspoken thoughts. And then a voice, echoing deep in her head.

Believe.

Bryony knew there was nothing else for it.

She had to believe.

Just this once.

A surge of heat travelled through her, flowing from Edwin's hand to the Key. Bright colours swirled all around, and her head thumped with pulses of pain. She feared she might pass out, but held on to the Key, held on to Edwin's hand and took strength as she felt his fingers tighten around hers.

That voice again.

Believe.

The swirling colours flared brighter as the thumping pain intensified. Bryony gritted her teeth, trying to convince herself that the pain would pass.

And then it did, melting away as the swirling colours faded to reveal a boy's freckled face smiling back at her.

"You did it," whispered Edwin. "You believed."

Bryony looked at the Wychetts Key, which now glowed with dabs of multi-coloured light.

"The Rainbow Magic has been absorbed," announced Inglenook. "You are both free from its power."

Bryony and Edwin smiled at each other, but were too exhausted to speak.

"I knew you would succeed," said the Shield Maiden.

"Never in doubt for one moment," agreed the Weather Vane.

"Wish I could say the same," said Stubby. "But I'll admit you children never stop surprising me one way or another."

In contrast there was an angry hiss from Katya. "You got lucky, Guardians. But this is only an illusion of triumph."

"What happens next, Inglenook?" Bryony held the pulsing Wychetts Key at arm's length. "Now you've got all the Rainbow Magic, so how are you going to get rid of it?"

"By using it." The cheery tone returned to Inglenook's voice. "I think there is a bit of clearing up to do."

Bryony knew what he meant, and held the Key above her head.

"This is where I must take my leave," said Katya. "My emergency transport has arrived."

A tatty black bird with a balding head flew down to circle the floating tree.

"You took your time," groaned Twisted Bough. "I've been in the water so long I've gone wrinkly."

"You started off wrinkly," croaked Dawes. "I've seen smoother skin on a fossilised prune."

Whilst Twisted Bough continued to grumble, Dawes swooped over Katya and dangled a length of cord from his clawed feet.

"Until we meet again." Katya looked at Bryony as she grabbed the cord with her front paws. "And next time you'll wish the boy had let you burn."

Dawes flew upwards, lifting Katya from the tree.

"Oi," shouted Twisted Bough. "Don't I get a lift? You can't leave me here. Elder citizens should get preferential treatment. Hey, come back..."

Bryony watched Katya's departure, but then a gasp from Edwin drew her attention elsewhere.

Beams of multi-coloured light radiated from the Wychetts Key. Bryony heard splashing, and saw circular ripples forming on the surface of the surrounding water. It looked as though it had started raining, but the sky was blue and cloudless.

Then she saw the first raindrop, then another and another. But there was something odd about them. She couldn't figure out what, but Edwin had already worked it out.

"It's raining upwards!"

At first Bryony didn't believe him, but on looking more closely she saw her stepbrother was right.

The rain droplets were going up. It was raining in reverse.

"That is incredible," gasped the Weather Vane. "I have never seen the like in all my long life."

Stubby nodded. "The scientists are going to struggle to pin this one on global warming."

"The elemental balance is restored," said Inglenook. "The Rainbow Magic is being dispersed back into nature."

Clouds formed in the sky as the upwards rain intensified. The lying waters receded, revealing a landscape of green fields around them.

As the last few drops of water returned to the heavens, Bryony felt another wave of magic flow through her. She held on to Edwin's hand as a warming white light enveloped them both.

And then there was just the ugly old tree in a field, standing on its branches with its withered roots pointing at the sky.

"You can't leave me here like this," groaned Twisted Bough. "It's undignified for a tree of my age. Honestly, there's no respect!"

#  Chapter 29- An Alternative Arrangement

"Rock cake, anyone?" Val offered a plate of biscuits to her guests. "I made them myself."

Bryony reached out to take one, but withdrew her hand on spotting a subtle head shake from Edwin.

"Suit yourselves," muttered Val, taking a seat between the children at the table. "But I'm more than ready for a bite to eat."

"That's the problem," said Edwin. "You can't bite them."

They were sitting in Val's immaculate garden. There were a few wispy clouds, but it had turned out to be a pleasantly warm afternoon, a welcome contrast to the three weeks of rainstorms preceding it.

Shattered from their experiences that day, both Bryony and Edwin were grateful for a chance to relax before returning home. And Val, now back in the shape of a little old lady, was more than happy to oblige them.

"What a day that was," she sighed, pouring tea for her guests. "Still, a nice cuppa will soon put things right."

Edwin peered guardedly at the dark brown brew in his teacup. To be honest, he'd sooner try his chances with the Nyx Queen's Marsh Brew.

"Help yourself to sugar," said Val. "I seem to have got all my spoons back."

"It would seem everything is as it should be." The Wychetts Key lay on the table next to Edwin, Inglenook's miniature metal face glinting in the sunshine as he spoke. "Order has been restored to the world."

Edwin smiled, but he noticed Bryony didn't react the same way. She stared glumly at the table, her downturned lips unmoving.

"I can't take all the credit," said the metal cockerel in the umbrella stand next to the table. "And must acknowledge the part played by others in my success."

"Very gracious of you." Stubby had been happily nibbling on a napkin, but looked up to glare at the Weather Vane. "And for my part I'd like to say what a pleasure it's been working with both you and your ego."

"We saved the world together," said Val, looking at everyone around the table. "All of us."

"That is true," gulped a voice from the flowerbed. "And you have the eternal gratitude of the Nyx people."

The Nyx Queen had risen from the sewer, her crown of golden fins glinting in the sunlight as she bowed her head respectfully.

"All of them?" asked Edwin. "Is the Council on your side again?"

"The people's trust for their monarch is restored," beamed the Nyx Queen. "The only regret is that our enemy Grinny Greengums has escaped justice. But she did leave something behind, which I shall now return to its rightful owner."

The Nyx Queen extended a scaly arm towards Val, presenting her with a set of pearl white false teeth.

"My proper dentures!" Val squealed with delight and clapped her hands like an excited child. "I'm glad to see those again. My emergency pair is nowhere near as comfy."

Val took the dentures from the Nyx Queen, then put her fingers in her mouth. Edwin closed his eyes and blocked Bryony's view with his hand. There was a horrible squelching sound, and then Val spoke again.

"A perfect fit. Thank you."

Edwin opened his eyes and saw the old lady grinning from ear to ear.

"Have you any idea where they've been?" Edwin was unable to hide his revulsion.

"They do taste a bit fishy," conceded Val. "But just the thing for rock cakes." She picked up a rock cake and bit right through it.

"Your parents have been returned to Wychetts," the Nyx Queen advised Edwin. "As I promised, they are completely unharmed and will remember nothing of their experience."

"Thank you." Edwin felt no mistrust towards the Nyx Queen now.

"I must take your leave," gulped the Nyx Queen. "I have a kingdom to govern. One day perhaps we shall meet again, but for now I will say farewell to the Shield Maiden, the Weather Vane, and the Guardians of Wychetts."

"And what about me?" huffed Stubby.

The Nyx Queen bowed her head again. "And their vole. Farewell."

The Nyx Queen slipped back into the sewer. There was a soft splash from below, then silence.

"Do you think we'll see her again?" wondered Edwin.

"I hope so," said Inglenook. "Although the Nyx remain shy creatures, I believe they are now more trusting towards humankind."

"And now I too must depart," said the Weather Vane.

"You?" Stubby blinked his black button eyes at the metal cockerel. "You're as likely to depart anywhere as that rotary washing line."

"I've changed," said the Weather Vane. "As you can see."

The Weather Vane had been polished and had his spindle straightened, but Edwin didn't notice the biggest transformation until the metal cockerel moved away from the table.

"You're mobile." Edwin pointed to the little wheels attached to the bottom of the umbrella stand. "How did that happen?"

"A little show of thanks on my part," revealed Inglenook. "After the Weather Vane told me he no longer wished to return to his steeple."

"I thought I knew everything." The haughty tone fell from the Weather Vane's voice. "But today I learned so much more by experiencing life myself. I thank you for that, Guardians of Wychetts, but now I must see more of the world."

"Good on you," said Edwin. "But do you think it's safe to travel on your own?"

"I will not be alone," said the Weather Vane. "The lovely Jemima has agreed to accompany me."

"Jemima?" Edwin saw the umbrella with a duck head shaped handle in the stand with the Weather Vane.

"I knew they'd hit it off," chuckled Stubby. "Two bird brains together."

"So adieu!" The Weather Vane trundled out of the garden, with Jemima beside him in the mobile umbrella stand. "And thanks for everything."

Edwin smiled as he watched the metal cockerel depart. "I think I'll miss him in a way."

"Me too," said Stubby. "He didn't turn out so bad after all."

Edwin turned to smile at Bryony, but she was staring into space.

"I'm fine." Bryony responded to his questioning look. "Just tired, that's all."

"I'm not surprised," said Val, after demolishing her second rock cake. "You've both been through the mill today. It will take a while to get over a dose of Rainbow Magic."

Edwin nodded, but he sensed Bryony's quietness was caused by more than just fatigue.

"Perhaps we should be getting home too," he ventured. "Thanks for the tea, Val."

"My pleasure," said the old lady. "And thank you for helping me recover the Thunderstone."

Edwin studied the wedge shaped stone in the middle of the table. "Promise to look after it more carefully from now on?"

Val shook her head. "I've been thinking about that. Perhaps it might be better if you guarded it instead?"

"We couldn't do that." Edwin gawped at Val. "The stone belongs to you."

"The Thunderstone belongs to no one," said Val. "I am merely a custodian. And getting a bit too old for such a duty."

"And perhaps a bit addled in the head," said Stubby, "if you'd entrust these two with something as powerful as the Thunderstone. They might have saved the world, but I'd sooner trust a dog to cook me a drool free dinner."

"There is an alternative arrangement which will suffice," said Inglenook. "Valarie, would you be so kind as to bring the Thunderstone a little closer."

Val picked up the Thunderstone and held it over the Key. Inglenook closed his eyes, and the Thunderstone began to shimmer. In the blink of an eye it had transformed into a large silver spoon.

Edwin and Bryony swapped bemused glances, but Val seemed to know what Inglenook had in mind.

"Of course. The perfect solution." Chuckling, she held the spoon in the air and shouted. "Spooooon!"

A bubbling noise drew Edwin and Bryony's attention to the stream beside the garden. A giant tentacle arose from the water, its quivering tip probing the air.

"The Knucker!" Edwin grabbed Bryony's arm. "Quick everyone, find cover!"

He was about to drag Bryony under the table, but Val shook her head and smiled. Then she tossed the spoon at the Knucker, which caught it deftly with its probing tentacle. The water broiled as the tentacle submerged, taking the spoon with it. Then a deep voice came gurgling from the stream.

"Special spooooooooooon!"

Grinning, Val dusted her hands together. "That takes care of that. No one will ever get their hands on the Thunderstone now. And I can look forward to a nice relaxing retirement. Only thing is, I'll need to find a replacement paperweight."

Edwin stifled a giggle as he held up a rock cake. "How about one of these?"

#  Chapter 30- You Have Proven Yourself the Stronger

As the Nyx Queen had promised, Bill and Jane had been returned to Wychetts none the worse for their ordeal. Neither had any recollection of the days' events, however Bill was disappointed to have received a letter stating that Gutterly Great Gutters and Downpipes Limited had ceased trading due to 'economic difficulties'. However, he was cheered up by the news he'd won the Salesman of the Month award, and took great delight in placing the engraved plastic pipe shaped trophy on his bedside cabinet. Edwin suspected Inglenoook's hand in that, but said nothing to dent his stepfather's sense of achievement.

Although Jane was naturally disappointed by Bill's latest employment disaster, she at least seemed happy that he was home at a reasonable hour, and for the first time in weeks the family was able to share supper together. Edwin enjoyed the experience, but Bryony still seemed strangely muted.

Later, when the rest of the family had gone to bed, Edwin slipped into the lounge to raise his concerns with Inglenook.

"Something's wrong with Bryony," he told the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. "I'm guessing it's down to the Rainbow Magic, but I can't help thinking there's something else."

"It has been a long day for both of you." Inglenook's voice was soft, deep and reassuring as ever. "Your most gruelling adventure yet. It may take some time for you to recover."

"I feel fine," said Edwin. "And Bryony was supposed to be the more powerful Guardian."

"The Young Mistress may wield more powerful magic than you, Young Master. Yet you have proven yourself the stronger."

Edwin frowned. "How come?"

"As Valarie said, there is a difference between power and strength. Power is raw force, it comes from muscle and bone. Strength comes from character and belief, from the heart."

"I've always trusted you," said Edwin. "But for some reason Bryony doesn't."

"Go to her," whispered Inglenook. "She lies awake, and her mind is troubled."

"She won't talk to me," sighed Edwin. "She hasn't said a word since we got home. It would be better if you..."

"Go to her," repeated Inglenook. "You may speak to her of things which I cannot."

Edwin doubted that Bryony would see him, especially at this late hour, but today of all days he wasn't going to start questioning the Keeper of the Ancient Wisdom. He padded up the winding stairs, and on reaching the landing saw a slit of light under Bryony's bedroom door.

He dared not knock for fear of waking the grown-ups, so he carefully lifted the latch and eased the door open a fraction. Peering inside, he saw Bryony sitting upright in her bed, head turned to the window. The curtains were drawn, so Edwin guessed she wasn't admiring the view.

"Are you OK?" Edwin pushed the door open wider. "I saw the light on and wondered if..."

"I can't look at it." Bryony spoke without turning round. "The moon. Why can't I look at it?"

Edwin shrugged. "Because you're a werewolf? That would explain your eyebrows."

Bryony turned round to glare at him. "What's wrong with my eyebrows?"

"Nothing." Edwin couldn't keep the grin from his face. "They're very pretty. Are you entering them in Crufts again this year?"

The offending parts of Bryony's face knotted together. "Have you come here to have a pop at me? Because I don't want to talk to you or your pyjama pocket pal."

"Stubby?" Edwin shook his head as he stepped into the room. "He's kipping under my pillow from now on. Hygiene reasons."

Bryony nodded. "Probably for the best. Glad you saw sense in the end."

"Yeah." Edwin didn't tell Bryony that the change to sleeping arrangements was actually Stubby's idea. "Anyway, I didn't come here to have a pop at you. I just wanted to say thanks. For saving me from the Rainbow Magic. It took a lot of guts."

Bryony scowled. "Are you saying I'm f..."

"No." A smile returned to Edwin's lips. "Just that it shows what you can do if you trust Inglenook."

Bryony turned her head away again. "I don't trust anyone."

"Er..." Edwin wasn't sure how to respond, so he changed the subject. "I thought tomorrow we could have another game of magic chess?"

"I'm not playing games anymore," muttered Bryony.

"Oh. Right." Edwin decided against taking it further. It was obvious Bryony was in no mood to talk about anything, especially with him.

"I suppose I'd better get back to bed." Edwin turned to leave, but froze when Bryony spoke again.

"She lied to me."

"I'm sorry?" Edwin looked round and saw Bryony was still facing the window.

"Every day I'd ask her, and every day she'd tell me there was nothing wrong and that she would never leave me." Bryony spoke calmly, her voice empty of emotion. "And then one day I woke up and she was gone. No note, no letter, nothing to say why or where she was headed, or if I'd even see her again."

Edwin held his breath. He'd never heard Bryony speak like this before, and he feared doing anything to spoil the moment.

"She was my mum," continued Bryony. "I trusted her more than anyone, and she lied to me. So how can I ever trust anyone again?"

Edwin wasn't sure if he was supposed to answer that question.

"Except maybe one person." Bryony's voice became a husky whisper. "Maybe a boy. The bravest of boys, who risked everything to retrieve the Key and save his fellow Guardian. The boy who trusted me to do the same."

Bryony's head turned to face Edwin. Her lips were set in a quivering smile, and her dark eyes glistened with tears.

Edwin returned her smile, then nodded goodnight as he left the room.

He was sure there was more to it, that Bryony was holding something back from him, but it seemed at last they'd turned a corner. He was hopeful that in the coming days she might open up more and reveal what was troubling her.

And it was her birthday in a fortnight, hopefully that would put a smile back on her face. Edwin resolved to make it a day Bryony would always remember, and that night started planning the family celebrations.

But on the morning of Bryony's birthday the letter from America arrived, and everything changed...

Forever.

To be continued...
