 
Katelin is just another thirteen-year-old Peruvian girl with her fair share of problems, however these are no ordinary troubles of a teenager. Travelling to England to the mystical county of Cornwall she brings with her supernatural crystals. When a family member goes missing magic combines with Cornish legends and Katelin with her half brother Calum find themselves caught up in a desperate struggle against an evil wizard from Merlin's time, who wants the Inca Crystals and their power. In a battle to save our dimension they both become aware of the danger and that it is no longer a game - could their fears mean our world will be lost?

All rights reserved

Copyright Lia Ginno, 2007

Lia Ginno is hereby identified as author of this

work in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs

And Patents Act 1988

The book cover pictures is copyright to Lia Ginno

www.legends-liaginno.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/TheLegendsAndTheIncaCrystals/?fref=ts

This book is published by

Wise Owl UK Publishing

Lincoln

This book is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of

trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out otherwise circulated

without the author's or publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and

without a similar condition including this condition being imposed

on subsequent purchaser.

A CIP record for this book

is available from the British Library

CHAPTERS

ONE New Family

TWO The Pressy

THREE The Secret

FOUR Travelling Crystals

FIVE Secret And Magic

SIX A Conjurer

SEVEN Katelin's Vision

EIGHT Isabelle's Disappearance

NINE A Flying House

TEN Calum's Rescue

ELEVEN The Truth

TWELVE Jules Verne

THIRTEEN Turning Back Time

FOURTEEN The Wizard

FIFTEEN Escape

SIXTEEN Capture

In the beginning...

A silvery head of hair and a face crinkled by time, with eyes glazed over like a lizard's, appeared from the deep vastness of a stone altar.

" _Have you got it?"_

" _Yes, yes," the blind Shaman answered, as the four men standing above him helped him out of the shadowy tomb and pulled up the dangling rope ladder._

The old Shaman languished weakly on the bottom ledge of a massive bulk of cold stone, hearing the rumble of the heavy mortar lid as it was heaved back in place by his four friends.

" _Are you sure the tooth will grow again?" he asked._

" _Yes, I know it will, within weeks and I will cut this one into three pieces," one of the old men answered._

" _Well Rani, you can then give the pieces to your great-granddaughter with our blessing. Our work is now done," the blind Shaman held out his trembling hand. On his palm was a glowing crystal tooth. Catching a strand of golden sunlight coming through the open entrance door of the temple, the crystal grew luminescent._

"Careful," one of the younger Shamans said to Rani.

Rani hastily slipped the crystal into a small box. "Thank you. Now let us leave this sanctuary."

_On bent legs, hobbling, holding Rani's arm, the blind Shaman with his friend crossed the Sun Temple's granite floor and walked out into the dense Amazon forest. Behind them, a low cloud hung over the sacred ruins making the image of the temple seem_ _like an illusion._

With a smile of satisfaction flickering in her smoky grey eyes, the hidden woman watched the five Shamans' departure. "I hope the chosen ones live up to their inheritance and destiny," she muttered to herself.

# Chapter One

## New Family

"Ouch!" Katelin's night-black hair caught between the seat and her mother's shoulder as they both leaned forward to peer through the aircraft's tiny window. Below them, the green and gold patches of the fields edged by a turquoise sea became clearer by the minute as the plane began its descent to the little airport of Newquay in Cornwall.

Giving her mum a rueful grin Katelin tugged at her hair, flinching as it came free. Her mother's earthy perfume drifted across to her as Isabelle raised her eyebrows at her daughter and threw an 'I told you so' glare at her loose untidy hair.

Katelin ignored the look. Her tummy was churning. She wrapped her fingers round the small rough box in her pocket. It felt warm again just like yesterday on the long and boring journey from Peru. However, today she was too excited to feel bored. She was meeting her father at long last. She had not seen him since she was three, when he had left Peru and returned to England. In fact she had not spoken to him either, but he had never forgotten her birthday, he always sent her presents, though never a letter. If it had not been for her grandparents she would have known very little about her father.

How would she feel when she actually saw him? Katelin had imagined their meeting so many times until it now swam about in her brain - the mere thought increasing the butterflies in her stomach. She turned to look at her mother. Isabelle was always so calm and her serene smile usually brought peace to Katelin's heart, but not today. She gave her mum another grin and wriggled in her seat. The deep drone of the engines changed pitch. Katelin's insides lurched and her heart started beating in her throat as the plane's wheels slid out ready for landing.

Isabelle's gentle tones said in Spanish, "Well this is it." She patted her daughter's hand, squeezing it in reassurance.

Katelin nodded, soft amber tints danced like flames in her big brown eyes against her ochre skin. She gripped the rough stone box harder in her pocket, wondering why it felt so warm again; it seemed to grow warm only when they were flying. But she had promised her great-grandpa, a Shaman, that she would not open the box. The plane dropped and landed with a slight bump on the tarmac, its wheels hissing along the tarmac. Katelin's belly somersaulted, shudders of emotion wrenching through every part of her body until she thought she might vomit.

They trudged off the plane and stood waiting for their bags, Katelin hopping from one foot to the other. She was used to travelling; usually around Peru, from Iquitos in the Amazon jungle where she lived and Isabelle worked, to the city of Cuzco high in the Andes Mountains. Cuzco was where her mother's family was born and where most of her Peruvian family still lived. It was a mystical, spiritual place, lost in the clouds for years and once the center of the Inca Empire. It was where Gregg, her English father, had met and fallen in love with her mother.

Catching up their bright pink cases they heaved them off the carousel onto a trolley and went out to the arrivals entrance. Katelin's butterflies had turned to frogs leaping about in her insides as though they were having a party. Almost immediately, her mother pointed to a small group of people.

And there was her father....

His head towered above others around him. He was just like the photo her nana had sent and for a moment Katelin wondered if she was in a dream. His gaze locked onto hers for a second. Then she became aware that next to him stood a slim woman, obviously his new wife, holding a two-year-old girl in her arms. Her father raised an arm and waved in their direction and the woman beside him smiled. A boy of about seven or eight appeared behind them scowling, then his jaw dropped open and he stared transfixed at Katelin.

Her father, hugged Isabelle, then turning he introduced her and Katelin to his family. First there was Pippa, his wife, and Tamsin the small fair child in her arms, and finally, Calum, his son, whose mouth hung open still catching flies. His stupefied expression made Katelin want to giggle.

As they were introduced, Katelin and Isabelle, as was their custom, kissed both sides of each person's face. Except for Calum, who side-stepped Katelin's greeting after wiping off Isabelle's kisses with the back of his hand, a look of distaste on his face. Isabelle grinned down at him. Katelin hid a smile. She knew her mother understood that look; she had three brothers after all.

Gregg at last turned to Katelin and they stood beaming at each other. Trembling, Katelin stepped close to her father. His lips grazed both sides of her cheeks, touching her for the first time in ten years and a shiver went down her spine. Suddenly he bent his hard lean body and wrapped her gently in his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. He smelt of sea and fresh air, his sapphire eyes were glassy and moist as he looked down at her. Katelin, who had the ability to mind read, smiled into his eyes.

'What a beautiful child she has grown into,' he thought. 'I do hope her ways don't affect my other two children.' Gregg felt the old apprehension return and his guts knotting, but mixed with his anxiety was his overwhelming love for his daughter. All this time of wondering what she was like, and here she was. The love seeped through him, spreading like a trickle of warm honey. Unaware that Katelin knew exactly what he was thinking, he let her go, kissed the top of her head and took hold of her hand.

Katelin feeling her father's love knew she had to keep that love alive somehow, this time. Only then did she realise that hot tears were streaming down her face. Chuckling, her dad kissed her tears, wiping her cheeks tenderly with his long fingers. Still clasping her hand in his, not wanting to let her go, with his free hand he grabbed their trolley pushing it towards the airport exit and the big 4x4 jeep outside.

The weather was warm for the end of August, the air was still with no Cornish wind, but the few trees around seemed to quiver as if touched by an invisible breeze when Katelin walked out into the sunshine. Rays of golden light illuminated the stretched landscape and shimmered in Katelin's hair, turning strands of it red as though it was on fire.

Walking behind her, Calum gasped. Katelin turned towards him and he gulped. She read the sudden fear in his eyes as he met her gaze then looked quickly away.

"I'll put Tamsin in her seat and sit in the back with her," Pippa said taking command and not waiting for any replies as she deposited Tamsin into her car seat. "Gregg, you put the bags in the far back with Calum and Katelin. Isabelle you can sit in the front with Gregg, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about together."

Calum climbed sulkily into the back and stared gloomily at the floor, thinking, 'so this is my half-sister. She is going to be just as awful as my annoying little sister, Tamsin, no doubt.' His lips went tight; he screwed up his face and half peeped at Katelin as the car doors banged shut and she settled herself into the seat. She looked straight at him. He shuddered and his mop of blond hair, which hung to nearly his shoulders, swayed as he quickly returned his gaze to the floor. 'Why wasn't she a boy instead of another sister? They could have played football or rugby. How could he give a girl a rugby tackle? It would probably mess up her hair! Break her nails!'

The car purred into action and Katelin excitedly squirmed beside Calum as he peeped at her again. He could see why Grandad called her Kat. She was spooky, it was her eyes... she had weird eyes. Although they seemed normal now, he was sure they had been different when he first saw her. His first impression had been that she looked like a creature: some sort of cat. Her eyes had seemed yellow or greenish, like nana's cat, but now they were dark brown with long lashes that curled elaborately over her cheeks giving her an air of innocence. He wasn't fooled; he could tell she was going to be trouble. She was most definitely going to be as queeny and as haughty as any cat.

Calum heaved a sigh. He could not understand why his mum had asked Katelin and Isabelle to live with them for the whole time they were staying in England. He knew his grandfather wanted to see Katelin urgently and was pretending to be very ill: everyone, especially his dad, was worrying unnecessarily about his granddad. Scowling out of the window, Calum sighed again. Why couldn't they have rented a cottage nearby? It was what his dad had wanted. He had not been too pleased about having his ex-wife and her daughter staying with them, but for some odd reason his mother had been very insistent that they should, and as usual, got her way.

Katelin grinned inwardly at Calum's hostility. Her lips twitched, she knew exactly what Calum was brooding about. Smirking she turned to him and meowed then laughed at the astonished look on his face.

When she was an infant, she had thought that everyone could mind read just as she did, had not realised until later that she was different from other people. At one time she really had to concentrate to be able to tune in, but lately she had found it easier and easier, reading people's thoughts without even trying. Her mother was no problem. Isabelle would sometimes wrinkle her nose and look at her daughter with a secret smile when Katelin answered a question even before it was asked, but her mother never said anything or challenged her about it. Katelin just delighted in doing it too. It was so entertaining knowing what was buzzing in people's brains. Sometimes it was difficult, if people thought too quickly or randomly and, of course, now there was English to contend with. Always optimistic, Katelin liked that – it would improve her English language skills.

She turned her attention to her father, who was driving. His thoughts were muddled and quick, but concentrating, Katelin slowly tuned in. He was thinking about her mother. He had always loved Isabelle and still did, but she had changed when she became pregnant. She had seemed a little strange and at night had said she was experiencing great visions. He had put it down to bad dreams and their different cultures. Isabelle's family were very spiritual people, close to nature and their environment... a little peculiar, in his view. He thought them pagan in their beliefs, and superstitions. After Katelin was born Isabelle seemed to return to her wild, happy self, except that the relationship between her baby and herself was uncanny. Then, when still an infant, Katelin had begun to display unusual ways and by the time they all came to England for a visit to his parents, Gregg was very concerned about his daughter's strangeness.

Gregg had voiced his fears about his daughter to his mother and she, who was herself a little eccentric in his opinion, had laughed at him. His mother, Gregg's thoughts continued, had always said he lacked imagination; she could never see how he had become a successful artist. She said his painting was a gift from God, but he painted what he observed. What was wrong with that?

Now he thought about it, Katelin's freaky behavior had never concerned either of his parents. His mother was into family history and had discovered that her ancestry - and therefore his too - went back to the Druids. Druids! Gregg shook his head in puzzlement. The Druid society was decidedly flaky; he could not see why his mother was so proud of it! Yet the movement still functioned today, giving to charities and helping those in need. There were Druid groups all round the world; they even had websites. It had astonished Gregg to learn that the Queen Mother and Winston Churchill had both had connections with the Druid tradition and their charities. 'And what is more,' his mother had once informed him in a boastful sort of way and as if it cemented the whole society, 'the Archbishop of Canterbury had recited a Druids' prayer!' Thinking about it again now, the Druid Christian was inclined to be spiritual... otherworldly, like Isabelle, more in touch with nature than he was able to grasp, unlike his mother! Maybe that was why she understood Katelin so well.

Following his thoughts, Katelin nodded in unspoken agreement. Her paternal grandparents, whom she loved dearly, had visited her In Peru every year and neither of them had ever considered her strange. Both had been as overjoyed with her as she with them. Katelin's grandmother, Nana, had told her that Gregg was a very down to earth man, rooted in only what he understood. His thoughts confirmed that to her now.

Shifting through the gears as the road began to climb Gregg felt a sudden pang of guilt. After he had gone back to Peru with Isabelle and Katelin, his baby daughter's mysterious behaviour had become more frequent. Then, when she was three... But no, he did not want to recall it even now, it had shaken him to his very core. Coldness swept his skin and with a shiver of fear he pushed it from his mind.

Reading his distress Katelin gulped and waves of shock spilled through her. She now knew why her father had always been so distant. It was not just that he thought her strange; he was frightened of her ways!

Gregg's hands felt clammy on the steering wheel as his thoughts raced on. After that he had returned home to England trying not to think too much about Isabelle and the strange child he had left behind. And now here she was, and her grandfather was asking to see her. He was worried about his father: he had recently become ill. Whatever it was, the illness had come on quickly and yet his mother seemed more excited about something else and not at all perturbed about her husband's ill health. He sighed; it was all very bizarre.

Swallowing a lump in her throat Katelin blocked out her father's thoughts. If they were to become friends, she would _have_ to stop behaving mysteriously, she told herself. But how could she do that? It was part of who she was. Then her mother's face floated into her mind. Isabelle, who had always told her to be proud of who she was, would not approve of her pretending to be someone she was not. Katelin's feelings were so mixed up they swirled like a wasp caught in a jar. She had never felt this confused before. She pressed her face against the cool glass of the car window. Despite the bright sunny day and the glittering granite houses and walls they looked cold and bleak.

It took only thirty minutes to arrive at Gregg's house. The family lived high on the side of Carn Brea just above South Crofty tin mine and could see the entire coastline, from St Ives almost to St Agnes. Like most of the mines in Cornwall South Crofty was no longer working. It stood dark and lonely, silhouetted against the bright sky.

The house, built of sparkling grey granite, was on the side of a steep hill and the drive sloped directly down to it from the road. Grazing in the paddock to the right of the drive were four horses and a pony. At the crunch of the car tyres on the gravel they raised their heads from the task of munching grass. When they saw Calum alight from the car they whickered to him and headed to the fence.

Calum scrambled out of the car and ambled over to them, fondling each horse's ears in turn and talking in a tender voice, saying to them that later he would feed them. Pippa came up beside him, carrying Tamsin who was wriggling to get down and stroke the horses. Katelin followed, breathing in the aroma of the grassy meadow.

"Do you like horses?" Pippa asked Katelin, as she let Tamsin go.

"Yes. But the horses of Peru are not so fine looking as these. Ours are smaller and much sturdier."

"That's because these are English Thoroughbreds and they are known for their elegance and speed," Calum said, giving her a surly look. "They also have lots of staying power and strength. They are sturdier than they look." His pride in the horses was obvious.

Unable to suppress a gurgle of laughter, Katelin leaned over the fence. Calum was mistaken in thinking the horses had not impressed her. In fact she found them very striking, especially the black gelding. He looked so glossy as though he had been polished and he moved gracefully. "I think they are beautiful. What is this one's name?" She caressed the black horse's neck enjoying the silky feel beneath her fingers.

"Spirit," said Calum, pleased that after all she did seem to admire them. Spirit was a tall horse with long spindly legs and next to Silver his pony, Spirit was his favourite. Unbending a little, he said, "He shares a double stable with Silver, that little one there who is twelve hands, but they are very good friends." Calum was sure of that. He was equally sure that they both understand every word he said to them and he had told them about Katelin coming.

Walking up behind them, Gregg put his arm about his daughter's shoulders to manoeuvre her towards the house. "Shall we go inside? Then you can freshen up and I will take you to see Grandad. He has been asking for you."

Katelin loved the feel of her father's arm about her. She leaned into him and gave him a soft smile, the butterflies in her tummy gone.

#

# Chapter Two

The Pressy

Katelin's bedroom had a large picture window to the front giving an uninterrupted view across the fields to the bay of St. Ives. On the other side of the bedroom a small window looked out to the rear of the house and two paddocks. Beyond them she could see the old granite cottage where her grandparents lived. She gazed at it longingly, warmth and comfort glowing inside her.

Turning her attention back to her room, she grimaced. The only thing that brightened it was the colorful striped Peruvian blanket, which she had sent to her grandmother one Christmas and which now lay over her bed. Suddenly, rainbows pranced across the stark white walls. Over the large window hung some crystals and as she moved towards them they caught the sun, spattering their magical colours. Katelin smiled and reached up to slide her hand round the smooth surface of a crystal drop. This was her nana's work.

Just then her mother entered the room, her quietness like a rustle of air. "Is your room alright?" she asked Katelin in Spanish in her wonderful throaty tones.

"Si. Look what Nana has done." Katelin ran her hand over the rainbows darting along the wall. "Let me see your room."

Her mother nodded, bowing low and sweeping her arm across her body in an exaggerated theatrical gesture to indicate Katelin should go first. "Ready to be inspected!"

Katelin giggled at her mother's play-acting.

Isabelle's room had only one big window, which went from ceiling to floor. Facing it was a mirror that bounced light around the room and filled it with brightness. Like Katelin's, the walls were white, clean and calm.

"Why are the English so dull?" Katelin asked, thinking that everywhere you went or looked in Peru there were bright colours, especially in clothes and if you lived in the Andes, everything was multi-colored like the top she was wearing.

Amused, Isabelle shook her head thinking, 'I hope Gregg won't continue to hurt our daughter's heart and will see instead the pure child she is. If only he would see Katelin's charm, her great sense of fun and humour and accept her unexplained ways.'

Katelin gazed at her mother, her mind she could so easily read, she wanted to say, 'Oh yes, if only!' and wished with all he heart that her Dad could love her, just like her mum.

Are you ready?" Gregg's voice cut into their thoughts, shouting from the bottom of the stairs.

"Nearly," Isabelle yelled back and handed Katelin a hairbrush.

Giggling, Katelin turned up her nose and with her head held high went to the mirror, gave what could only be described as swipes at her hair, dropped the brush and raced downstairs.

"Little minx," her mother muttered, following more slowly.

"Ready," Katelin announced, throwing herself through the door to where everyone sat waiting, "Oh no! Forgot Grandad's present." Spinning round, she barged past her mother and sprinted back up the stairs two at a time, sounding like a herd of elephants on the rampage.

"Teenagers!" Isabelle winced.

Katelin was down again in seconds, thumping down the stairs and jumping the last three just as noisily as she had gone up them.

"You sounded as if the stairs where caving in," said Calum with obvious delight. She was as noisy as he was.

"Mmm," Pippa eyed the pair of them. "Come on then if you are ready. Try to be quiet. Remember Grandad is not feeling very well."

When they arrived at Nana and Grandad's house, both Gregg and Pippa were stunned to see him sitting on the sofa in the lounge. For the last few weeks Gregg's father had been too ill to get downstairs, so they had visited him in his bedroom. It must have taken a lot of effort for him to get down the stairs, thought Gregg, and yet he did not appear tired and he didn't look ill either – his face was illuminated!

As soon as Grandad saw Katelin, he opened his arms wide and she rushed into them, her grandfather folding her gently against his broad chest. Katelin kissed his warm soft face and whispered into his ear, "How ill are you really?"

Grandad grinned and winked at her.

Next Katelin turned to her nana; she was standing waiting quietly. They held each other in a bear hug and Katelin saw tears in her grandmother's crinkly, vivacious grey eyes. She held Katelin's face between her two hands and kissed it all over, thinking, 'Oh! I do hope Grandad and Calum's theory works and then I will be able to see you whenever I want.' The tears now brimmed over and ran down her cheeks.

Perplexed by these thoughts, but thrilled that she might see her grandparents more often Katelin whispered, "Cool," to an equally puzzled Nana.

"Kat, come and sit here," Grandad said, patting the doughy sofa and the seat next to him, his white hair flopping over his forehead as he moved up to make room for her.

Tamsin, resenting the attention Katelin was getting, started to whine and climbed on Grandad's lap. He lifted her up and kissed the top of her head. This seemed to satisfy Tamsin and she settled into his arms.

"How are you Calum?" Grandad winked at him, not wanting Calum to feel excluded. Without waiting for a reply he proceeded to tell Katelin how clever Calum was with a computer. "He started me on computers; just great they are, they can give you any information you require. They can also print photos and Calum has a digi-camera. He has shown me marvellous things we can achieve with his camera and computer. Now we have a laptop of our own, don't we Nana?" Grandad said bubbling strangely with chatter.

"Here, have some tea and cake," said Nana carrying in a tray from the the kitchen and putting it on the small table in front of Grandad, staring menacingly into his intense blue eyes and hoping it would calm him down.

The cakes smelt of spice and cinnamon and floated into their nostrils making everyone's mouth water. Even Grandad stopped talking for a second while he picked up a cake, eating a whole one in one mouthful much to Nana's disapproval, although Grandad pretended he didn't see her expression. Katelin burst out laughing and so did everyone, except Calum: Grandad was acting like a naughty child!

All the while Calum sat opposite his grandfather and Katelin; his features grew deeper and darker. He didn't know if he felt excited or angry because, obviously, Grandad was going to tell Katelin their secret at the first opportunity. Calum had worked hard on their idea and now, assuming Katelin had brought the things Grandad had asked for, it should work, so why did Kat have to know?

"I know very little about computers," Katelin said, swallowing a mouthful of cake. "Mum has one at work and when she brings it home I have a go on it and we have a few in school to use, but only the seniors are really allowed to use them. I will have to wait another year. So I can't really do much on them. I would like one though."

'Just like a girl,' Calum thought. Why, oh why did she have to be a sister and why was his grandad going to tell her? Mmm. Maybe he was just talking in general. No, he wasn't going to explain the reason for the things Kat had brought with her. Crumbs, it was even a secret from Mum and Dad... No! He had got it wrong. He was sure now Grandad wouldn't tell Katelin anything, it was too important to reveal. With that thought he reached for a cake, munching on it happily.

Katelin, Isabelle, Nana and Grandad talked non-stop, first about Isabelle's work and her research into plants and their healing and curative properties and then about the rainforests slowly being destroyed throughout the world, along with their valuable resources. Katelin told how she loved the rainforest, its smell, colours and sounds. How she especially liked the friendly communities of the Amazon Indians.

Calum, who had been bored with the conversation and wishing he could get his grandad to himself, was suddenly interested. "I would love to visit the rainforest."

"I'm sure you will come to Peru one day and I will show you all the wonders of the forest," Katelin said. "I will take you on a trip up the great Amazon River and we could visit my Peruvian family in the Andes too."

Calum's lips twitched, thinking, 'Sooner than you think, if it works.'

Katelin's forehead rippled; first Nana, now Calum. 'I wish they would think more deeply about these visits so I could understand what they mean... if it works! I wonder what it can be.'

Nana got up and broke into Katelin's puzzlement by announcing it was time for chocolate. Disappearing into the kitchen she came back with a fountain running with warm chocolate, which she put down on the shiny polished surface of the dining table.

Katelin's eyes bulged. Nana grinned, enjoying the children's amazed faces as she handed them each a long fork topped with a marshmallow. Both stared at the fork as though it was something unnatural, wondering what to do.

"Well go on then! Put the fork in the tray of chocolate at the bottom of the fountain," Nana instructed to the dumbstruck pair.

Giggling they both did as she said. The whiff of sugary nectar swept towards them making their tongues tingle as the dark glistening chocolate engulfed the squashy marshmallow and then rippled down their forks, running onto their hands and dribbling across their arms.

Calum sucked the sweet into his mouth with a purr of happiness. "Heaven," he said licking his fingers and diving for another.

"There is some healthy fruit to dip in as well," Nana said, seeing Pippa's frown and offering her and the other adults a fork each.

Katelin helped herself to a strawberry and twirled it in the creamy chocolate. What fun Nana was, who would have thought of such a super way to eat chocolate? The fruit and chocolate caressed her taste buds: red juice combined with deep brown stickiness trickled from the corner of her mouth and down her chin. Mmmm, Calum was right, pure heaven.

The adults reluctantly took a fork, not wanting to seem too eager because of all the sugar and after all, they were not children.

Except for Grandad.

Tamsin was standing on a chair in order to reach the chocolate and being helped by Pippa. Now she wanted to take the fork and dip it herself, but Pippa was not too sure about her managing it on her own. Tamsin immediately flew into a tantrum, slipped and fell against the fountain, which fortunately by this time was half empty. It jumped, swayed and seemed to hover for a second before showering Tamsin and the nearby furniture in chocolate. Her pale blonde hair became streaked with brown waves of glistening liquid. Startled she was momentarily silent, but as the chocolate slithered down the back of her neck and crept inside her dress, she started to cry.

Calum found the scene hilarious and bubbled with uncontrolled laughter while trying to lap at the rippling chocolate on Tamsin's leg, which turned her cry into a scream. She kicked out at Calum, flicking the chocolate in all directions. Nana grabbed at Tamsin, wrapping her in a large towel, but by this time half the lounge was covered in slicks of warm drizzles. A thick, bulbous drip that had been hanging from the ceiling grew, spun and landed on Katelin's shoulder. Calum immediately twisted and dipped a marshmallow in it, smudging the chocolate all over Katelin's top. The two children had tacky brown fluid round their faces, down their arms and across their clothes and looked like plastic pliable clowns in a Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

Nana stared as if mesmerised blinking at her room. It was more like a chocolate cave than her lounge. Grandad moved quickly with a vast amount of tissue trying to catch some of the escaping solution flowing along the table to the floor. Although he found it all funny he knew it was not a good time to laugh, so he somehow held it inside him not even letting it reach his face or lips, but his eyes were twinkling.

"That _was_ a good idea Mum!" Gregg said sarcastically, glancing at his mother, who made a face at him. He took strips of tissue from Grandad and started to wipe some surfaces, moving on to the children.

Pippa, holding Tamsin securely in the towel like a captured animal said, "I think it is time to leave, Tamsin needs a bath now; tea and bed and maybe, Calum, you could feed and see to the horses. After all, you can't get much dirtier."

"OK Pip," Gregg stood up and saluted. "Forward march chocolate drops," he chuckled.

Pippa's eyes narrowed and she threw Gregg one of her 'looks', which shut him up.

As they all moved to go, Katelin remembered the box. "Here Grandad," she whispered, reaching a sticky hand into her pocket and hurriedly pushing the small granite box into his hand, "your pressy." She knew it contained crystals from Grandpa Rani, although she had not looked inside. She didn't want her parents to ask about the contents and she glanced behind her, but neither had noticed; they were too intent on clearing up and saying their farewells.

"Thanks," said Grandad. "What about the photos?"

"They're still in my bag. I will bring them over in the morning, why do you need them?"

"I'll explain tomorrow."

"Well come on," Gregg said to the children. "We don't want to tire you, Dad," he said, feeling uncomfortable after Pippa's cross expression.

So many thoughts came whizzing into Katelin's head, but she could only take in one person's at a time and everyone was thinking fast in English, which prevented her from understanding much of any of them. She wanted to know more about why Grandad had asked her to come to England and bring him the crystals and the photos. What was their significance? She would just have to wait until tomorrow to find out, unless she could get Calum to...

Going out into the evening sun, Katelin concentrated on the boy walking alongside her, his thoughts weren't complicated, but they didn't reveal anything about crystals.

'I expect I'll have to do all the horses by myself,' Calum was thinking, 'Mum having visitors. I imagine Katelin won't bother to help or know how to; she'd probably be a pain anyhow.' He felt put upon and left out... and jealous of the attention his half-sister was getting.

"I will help you feed and bring the horses in," Katelin said, chuckling mischievously. She so enjoyed the game and the look on Calum's face each time she responded to his thoughts.

"No. It's OK. I can manage," Calum shrugged.

"It would be nice of you to accept Katelin's offer of help," his mother said, her eyes saying more than her words.

Calum scowled, irritated, 'How does Mum say so much with just a glance?' he thought.

"Will that be alright, Isabelle?" Pippa asked. "I'm sorry; I should have asked you first, but Calum will make sure she is safe," she added softly, pride in her voice. She could see how Calum was feeling. She too felt unsure and a little jealous of Isabelle, even though she knew it was irrational to feel this way.

"Oh Kat will be fine – she gets on outstandingly well with all animals, especially horses," Isabelle said laughing at the very idea of Katelin not being safe around horses. She nodded her agreement.

Inwardly, Calum groaned: 'She would be fine....'

Silver, Calum's pony, was a pale blond with a creamy white mane. He was standing at the gate to the field, pawing the ground wanting his tea. He could hear Calum mixing his food. One of the other horses, a deep red in colour and known as 'Chestnut', but named 'Nutty' by Calum because she could be a lunatic, was prancing on the spot, also waiting by the gate and getting agitated. Calum knew Nutty was going to rush from the field: she was shivering behind the pony, who was living up to his name, his mane shimmering with silver in the late afternoon sun.

Katelin had done what Calum had told her, stirring the various buckets each time they were filled. She knew Calum was impressed with this; he felt in charge, which was OK with her, but boring.

"We just put the feed into each stable, open the field gate and they all know their own way. They come up the drive and go straight into their stables. Except Nutty, she sometimes gets so het up she misses her stable and then gets even worse because she thinks she has been left out and runs up and down everywhere. You had better stand in the feed room, so you won't get hurt – she could barge at you and knock you over," explained Calum, shaking his head at such nonsense rather like an old man.

"Why don't you ride her in then?" asked Katelin.

"Are you kidding? I couldn't get a bridle or even a head collar near her, let alone a saddle. Just look at her down there getting into a tizzy." He stuck out his bottom lip: she clearly had no idea about his horses.

"I'll ride her without a bridle or anything. Which one's her stable?" Katelin felt prickles rush over her, tingling the blood in her veins. "I'll be alright," she added.

"The end stable is hers, but I don't think it's a good idea," Calum said feeling uneasy. "Just leave her Kat. I'll shut the top entrance gates and she can just run round the farm – she will eventually go in – she's just stupid."

Ignoring him Katelin went marching down the drive to the gate. She was not even wearing a riding hat! Calum thought she was as nutty as the horse. Surely she was not really going to try riding Nutty without even any reins? His tummy began to tighten. Katelin must be even more brainless than he thought - had she not listened to him? He would be blamed for any accident. He stood hesitating, wanting to run to the house and call his Mum.

Then Katelin climbed the gate.

"Oh gosh," he gulped.

With a light leap Katelin had sprang from the gate onto Nutty's back. Startled, the horse stood motionless, her quivering red coat the only movement, then her eyes rolled white with fright.

"Open the gate then," Katelin yelled to Calum, who stood as motionless as Nutty, his mouth wide open and his eyes bursting with disbelief. Slowly, like a robot he moved and opened the gate.

It squeaked on its hinges, as it swung open. The gravel on the drive crackled as the horses trotted up to their stables, but Katelin held the chestnut back by pulling on her mane. After the others had gone, she made Nuttty walk quietly up the drive, bending close to the mare's neck so as not to hit her head on the low doorframe as they entered the stable. Nutty blinked in the gloom after the bright sunlight, trying to find her bucket.

Slipping from Nutty's back Katelin kissed the horse's neck as it gobbled its food then turning to Calum, she grinned in triumph.

Calum suddenly came alive; "I suppose you thought that was clever, scaring me witless?" Almost in tears he spat the words at his sister.

"I told you I would be alright. I ride like that all the time. I have never ridden with a proper saddle." Katelin felt pleased with herself – that was one up on Calum! Then she saw his face, felt his concern and was immediately flushed with guilt. "I'm sorry," she whispered, putting her arm about his shoulders.

He shrugged her off, his eyes hot with unshed tears, his focus blurred. "I'll close all their doors," he snapped and strode off. He didn't want Katelin to see him crying even if they were tears of anger.

Katelin realised she had made a mistake. Her showing off had not been funny. Things were even worse between them now, not better.

They entered the house and walked in silence into the kitchen where Calum's mother, busily chopping up vegetables, was chatting to Isabelle. Sensing the tension between the two children Pippa stopped chopping and looked up. "Is everything alright?"

"Fine," answered Calum and went stomping upstairs to the bathroom.

Not fooled by her daughter's smile and knowing that something was wrong, Isabelle followed Katelin up to her room, making the excuse to Pippa that they should unpack their cases.

Katelin's heart sank: she knew she would be in for a telling off for her selfish, thoughtless, wild ways. She deserved it, she thought, resolving that she would not show off in front of her brother again.

Chapter Three

The Secret

Katelin and Calum sat eating their breakfast, cold sulkiness between them. Their father had left the house and gone to his art gallery and shop in St. Ives. Isabelle and Pippa were exclaiming in delight over one of Tamsin's antics.

"I thought I would go and see Grandad and take Nana the photos she asked for," Katelin said, not glancing at Calum.

"Well alright," her mother answered. "But don't tire Grandad and if Nana suggests you leave, don't argue about it; come back straight away."

"That applies to you too if you're going as well," Pippa said, nodding towards Calum as she wiped Tamsin's mouth with a flannel.

"Me go; me go," Tamsin said trying to climb out of her high chair.

"No, you can go later with us." Pippa rose to catch Tamsin as she wavered, about to topple out. Tamsin, who did not like being told 'No', let out a loud wail and started kicking and beating her mother with her tiny fists, her body going rigid with temper.

"Look at this new book Auntie Isabelle has brought you," Pippa said.

Tamsin stopped screaming, grabbed the book and opened it. While she was distracted the two children crept out. Too late, Tamsin became aware she had been tricked and screaming threw her book to the floor, her yells reaching Katelin and Calum as they ran across the field behind the house and climbed over the granite wall that was between the back paddock and their grandparents' cottage.

As they jumped down into the lane Katelin caught herself on a bramble that twisted round her trousers. Calum, pretending not to notice, carried on crossing the lane to the back door of the cottage. Wincing, Katelin dislodged herself from the thorns and followed.

"Good morning you two." Nana was washing up at the sink. "They're here," she shouted to Grandad. Gesturing with her head in the direction of the lounge for the children to go through, she quickly dried her hands and went after them.

"How is it going?" Calum asked Grandad in a conspirator's voice especially for Katelin's benefit.

Grandad looked up from the screen of his laptop. He appeared to be in tip top health, his eyes clear and bright and his face hearty. "Hello, you two - not getting on?" he asked, spying their stiff tight faces.

"I was silly and frightened Calum yesterday with the horses," Katelin said. That was as far as she was willing to apologise, again! In her opinion he was sulking far too long about what had happened.

"I was not frightened. You can be stupid and land in hospital for all of your holiday for all I care," he snapped.

"Now, now," Nana put her arm round Katelin and rubbed Calum's hair affectionately with her other hand.

Grandad chuckled. "These crystals I think are going to do the job. It's all going to work, Calum." He turned and went back to fiddling with the bottom of the computer. "I did most of it last night, got the holes to the size of each crystal." He said twisting a screw with a small screwdriver.

Calum joined him, peering into the bottom of the laptop.

"What is going to work? What are you doing? Why did you need the crystals from the Machu Picchu hill?" Katelin's questions came tumbling out; she had waited long enough.

"One thing at a time, then I will explain," Grandad, answered her. "Hold that tightly there, Calum," he instructed.

Calum did as he was told, but was seething. Grandad was going to tell her! How could he? He burst out, "Why are you telling her? You said I was not even to tell Dad."

"That is because your father wouldn't understand. He lacks insight and wonder. He wouldn't take such a risk and would undoubtedly stop us," Grandad said, straightening up to be locked with Calum's cold stare. "Oh dear," he sighed, thinking, 'how am I going to reconcile you two?' He gazed at them for a moment then said, "Well, you explain to Kat, Calum. You had the idea in the beginning; it came mostly from you." He turned to Katelin. "You have a very clever brother here," he said, hoping that giving the credit to Calum might help.

It didn't.

The old man shrugged, "Well Katelin will have to know if she is going to use it too."

Calum sat sulkily beside his grandad, a furrow between his eyebrows. It was plain to him that Grandad loved Katelin more than him. He had even pretended to be ill to get her to come to England. 'I expect Dad loves Kat more than me too,' he thought, hot tears began to sting his eyes.

His feelings of rejection and of not being loved were known only too well to Katelin. She had similar feelings about her dad and knew how much it hurt. She felt a wave of sympathy for Calum. Not wanting him to feel such sadness, her strong loving nature came to the fore: she did not want to cause her brother that kind of misery.

"Never mind," she said, gazing at Calum. "If you think I shouldn't know, I trust your judgment. Here are the photos, Grandad." She handed a packet to her grandfather and turned to leave, "See you later," and with a quick wave she went through to the kitchen and towards the back door.

Grandad stood holding the photos, peering over his glasses at Calum, his blue eyes deep and troubled. How he wanted the pair to be friends. He raised one of his eyebrows in question at Calum.

Nana squeezed Katelin's arm. She could not bear her granddaughter to be unhappy. Missing out with her father was bad enough as it was. Nana was angry with Calum: he had enjoyed his dad's love every day of his life. "How about you and I go shopping, later today?" she suggested to Katelin. "Those two can work on their project. Have you seen any of our English shopping centres yet?"

"That would be nice." Katelin eyes glistened bright and moist. How lovable Nana was. She always knew how to diffuse difficult moments. Katelin didn't understand what she meant by 'their project,' but was not sure she cared about that anymore. She just wanted to be part of this cosy family closeness. She stood tall, her chin determined. "I could do with an English dress. My dresses are so..." she hesitated, searching for the right words in English to express how she felt. "Different," she said eventually, adding softly, "like me."

"OK, OK," Calum growled; he had had enough. He felt really guilty but was not sure why. "We can tell her if you think she will keep it a secret. She did bring the crystals, I s'pose," he threw a tight-lipped smile in Katelin's direction.

"I can keep a secret, you would be surprised how much I can keep secrets," she said. If only he knew... she had kept a secret all her life.

"Well you tell me a secret and then I will tell you ours," Calum said, doubting any girl could keep secrets, except Nana of course.

"I will tell you my secret later, when you and I are alone," Katelin said quietly. "It's just too secret."

"Yeah right," Calum answered, "as if."

"I will. It is a big secret," Katelin promised.

"That sounds fair," Nana intervened. At this rate they would start another argument.

"You start explaining then," Grandad prompted his grandson.

"Explain the theory or just what it does?" Calum was being stubbornly awkward.

"Just the facts, Calum," said Grandad, thinking, 'little tyke.'

"Well, Kat, the crystals you brought are the key to making this laptop teleport people from one place to another. Or at least that's what we hope," Calum stated, as though it was the most natural occurrence in the world.

Katelin stared, thinking she must have misunderstood Calum's English. "I don't quite... how do you say... understand," she said, her accented English sounding very Spanish. "What you are saying?"

"Some... of the crystals... are magnetic... which draws things or people into the void," Calum drawled, speaking deliberately slowly as though she was a dumb animal. "The other crystals will become.... electromagnetic in the computer... and will push people out.... Right?" He stood shaking his head, 'Girls!' It was so simple to him.

"Yes," Katelin answered, mimicking his slow speech, "so... how... do... they... work... in the laptop?"

Grandad was opening his mouth to explain when Nana interrupted by asking him to come and help make some drinks. She gave him one of her looks and a wink that said, 'Don't interfere,' and they both disappeared into the kitchen.

"The children need to work their relationship out together," she whispered in her husband's ear, "this might help." They both stood behind the kitchen door listening.

"We push the crystals into those slots at the bottom here," Calum pointed, showing Katelin where they had to be inserted. "These are the magnetic ones, and those are the ones that transport you, and these will turn electromagnetic with the electro field from the laptop and will push you out. Then we go into my file that I created and pick a photo, like this one, say." He got up a photo on the screen, "this is one of my bedroom. Then I type in a secret word and press 'Enter'. I won't do that at the moment, but when I do, then a person will be pulled into the void and the unknown zone that the laptop creates, and teleported to wherever the place is in the photo. My room, in this case," Calum finished, looking like a Cheshire cat with cream.

Katelin sat down with a bump onto Grandad's seat, next to the laptop. "How many times have you done this?" she demanded, dazzled with astonishment.

"Well, we haven't yet. We needed your special crystals."

Still Katelin looked spellbound. So that's what Nana had been thinking about yesterday when she was imagining she could see Katelin whenever she wanted. That was why they needed her to bring photographs; among them one of her own bedroom. A flush of excitement crept tingling along Katelin's spine.

"When are we going to try?" she whispered in awe, as though someone might hear. "Grandad's right; you are clever," she gazed at her brother in admiration.

Calum beamed. She was as excited as he was and so long as she could keep a secret.... He jumped up and shouted to his grandparents, who had heard every word and were congratulating each other on their cunning, "She wants to know when we're going to do it." Calum bounced round the room as they both entered carrying glasses and a jug of orange juice.

Grandad eyed his grandchildren's smiling faces and sighed with pleasure, thinking, 'That's better.'

"Well," he said, "it is ready to go now, but Nana thought I should try it on Whiskas first." So saying, he scooped up the tabby cat, which was curled up in an armchair, waking her in the process.

"Oh," Calum frowned, disappointed. He had wanted to be the first.

Seeing he was crestfallen, Nana shook her head. "Think, Calum. If the cat disintegrates or something weird happens it will be easier to explain." She had thought hard about this over the past weeks. She loved her cat to pieces, but not as much as she loved her grandchildren. They were the most precious things in her life. Also, the cat was old and had enjoyed a good life, if by accident something did go wrong....

"You mean poor Whiskas could maybe... die...?" Calum was horrified.

"No. Of course not," Grandad said confidently. "But if you disappeared for a long time, maybe even for good, somewhere in the void of space - or as we call it, the 'unknown zone' - what would I tell your parents?" he joked.

"Mmm, yes," Calum said seriously. He would get his chance next.

"OK, let's do it," said Katelin. The decision was made and she didn't want to wait any longer.

The cat was put in her basket, much to her disapproval and she tried to climb out. So Grandad moved her to a chair, plonking her down on a soft cushion opposite the laptop. For a moment she looked as if she was going to jump down and everyone held their breath. Then, thinking better of it, she decided it might be comfy and turned herself round and round, her paws patting the surface. A few moments passed until at last Whiskas seemed satisfied and settled down, curling up her body again to what she thought would be a snooze. Watching her, Katelin smiled: after all, she had been rudely woken up.

"Everyone go outside and look in the window," Grandad instructed. "I've made a remote control that will push the enter button from outside."

"Why?" asked Calum.

"We don't yet know how big the range will be that draws things in, do we?"

Calum nodded.

They all rushed outside and round to the side window; it was a wide window with room for them all to look through at once. They could see the cat's reflection on the screen of the laptop along with the photo of Calum's bedroom. Whiskas, her eyes closed, had gone back to sleep.

"Will you do the honours?" Grandad passed the remote to Calum.

"I didn't see anyone type in the secret word," Nana said.

"Oh no, I forgot! Wait," Grandad exclaimed and hurried inside. They saw him bend over the laptop, his fingers tapping the keyboard. Moments later he was back, puffing for breathe. "Right, OK, go ahead Calum."

Calum nodded and pressed the remote.

Chapter Four

# Travelling Crystals

Nothing happened; Whiskas was still there sound asleep on the chair, her furry stomach rising and falling. Nana sighed. "Oh well," and shrugged, "what if we try two crystals?"

Suddenly a white glare started to emerge like a curl of smoke from the laptop. Gradually it grew to a brilliant luminescent radiance of light. Grandad pushed the two children to the ground and shouted at Nana to "Hit the deck!" as he too slid under the window to the warm earth, his arms about the children.

As suddenly as it had emerged the light died as though someone had flicked a switch.

Everyone looked at Grandad. He gestured for the three of them to remain down. Then, slowly, he got up and peeped in through the corner of the window. The cat and the chair had both vanished.

"They're gone!" gasped Grandad and stood up and did a jig.

First Calum, then Katelin looked into the room, then at each other a grin spreading across their faces.

Nana's head was turning from right to left, her eyes scanning the lounge. 'Either the cat had hidden or it had really gone,' she thought, then, 'ah, but a chair can't hide!'

Grandad scooted round the house and went back inside. The others raced after him. After examining the room he announced, "The cat has certainly disappeared," and he gave another jig. "I think we should all invest in very dark sun glasses!"

Nana raised her eyebrows and the children looked puzzled.

"That glare would be bad for your eyes, like looking at the sun," he explained.

"The stones did come from the Sun Temple, I think," Katelin said.

"I've been wondering about that," Grandad said. "How exactly did you get them, Kat?"

"I asked my great-grandpa Rani, he is a Shaman and is nearly ninety years old; he gave them to me."

Katelin had been perplexed when her great-grandpa had not asked why she wanted them. He had just insisted that three of the quartz crystals must be kept in the granite box he had given her until she was in Cornwall. "It is extremely important when travelling in a plane to keep them locked in this box," he had said. She had given him her promise and now understood why he had been so insistent.

"What's a Shaman?" asked Calum, his deep brown eyes big and round with curiosity.

"They're sort of magic, holy people who are very wise and they can travel the spirit world. They have visions and can heal the sick; they can influence the weather and know things in the future. Sometimes they have to become animals to enter the spirit world or need an animal spirit as their guide to help them see their visions. The Incas are an old culture and race. Great-Grandad and I descend from them."

"Wow! Are they magic like wizards then?"

"No, not exactly: Shamans are very enlightened, enchanted people. We believe that a puma is the sacred spirit that guides us and lives on earth, it is said this puma will save the world. The ancient city of Cuzco was the capital city of the great Inca Empire and it was built in the shape of the Sacred Puma, with a fortress at the top as its head."

"Is your great-grandfather an animal then?" Calum asked solemnly.

"No, but I think he may be able to turn into one. He says he knows who the Sacred Puma is on Earth." Katelin's face was as serious as Calum's.

Grandad, listening to this exchange, was hopping from foot to foot. "Mmm, yes, yes, that's all very interesting, but let's go and see if Whiskas is OK." He pushed Katelin and Calum out through the back door. Nana was already outside and halfway across the field. Had the cat arrived in Calum's bedroom? History and inheritance was one thing, but they too were making future history and Grandad was impatient to see if they had.

"What will Mum say when she sees you, Grandad?" Calum asked as he held onto his grandfather's arm to help him over the wall, not that he needed help. He was so eager he nearly leapt over by himself.

"I'll say I felt like some fresh air."

Like two excited teenagers, Nana and Grandad skipped across the paddock. Reaching the back door of Calum's house they heard voices coming from the garden. Both Pippa and Isabelle were engrossed in conversation about plants and Tamsin was following them.

"That's lucky," Nana whispered, as they all tiptoed inside and up the stairs.

Katelin and Calum got an attack of the giggles watching Nana and Grandad creeping along like two mischievous children. Calum was the first up the stairs and went to open his bedroom door.

"No!" hissed Grandad, "I'll do it, just in case. If anything happens to you, your mum will have my head." He opened the door slowly and peeped inside, his gaze sweeping round the room. The chair was alone, upright with the cushion still on it; there was no sign of Whiskas and the room looked normal – that is, normally untidy as Calum's bedroom always was.

Grandad opened the door wider. Behind him the others were craning their necks to see round him. As he entered the bedroom the cat shot past him with a loud screech.

They all jumped, she had been hiding under the bed. Grandad, with Calum this time, did a jig, his old knees creaking as they bent up and down. Nana turned to Katelin, held out her hands and they both danced round the room. They were so filled with euphoria that no one heard Pippa coming up the stairs.

"What on earth?" Pippa said. They all stopped and stared at her as though she was an alien being.

Katelin was the first to recover. "We thought Grandad needed some fresh air," she said, remembering it was what he had suggested if they were caught.

"Well this is hardly fresh air in here, is it?" Pippa frowned at their beaming faces. "And why were you all dancing?"

Four faces stared back at Pippa; all looked sheepish, trying desperately to think of an answer.

"Well, we were dancing because I had made it down here and feel so much better," Grandad smiled lamely.

"Feel so much better?" repeated Pippa, "I would say it's a miracle!" She knew something was going on – guilt was written all over their faces.

"Maybe we should stroll back now?" Nana said casually, trying to squeeze past Pippa, who was still standing solidly in the doorway.

"What a good idea," the other three agreed, much too quickly.

"What's going on?" Isabelle asked as they all descended the stairs into the lounge.

"That's what I want to know," Pippa said, her fierce dark stare glaring at Calum. He felt himself beginning to melt and turned away to look at Tamsin sitting on the floor. Otherwise... somehow, his mother would have the truth out of him with just one of those stares that seemed to liquefy his conscience.

Isabelle, sensing Calum's discomfort and the strange behaviour from Nana and Grandad, turned to Katelin. 'Yes,' she thought, 'definitely up to no good, all of them. Never mind, she would find out later when she had Katelin to herself.'

Reading Isabelle's thoughts, Katelin inwardly groaned. Like Calum, she knew her mum would get answers from her that she didn't want to give. What were they going to tell them?

As the four tramped back across the field they could feel that Pippa and Isabelle were watching them closely.

"We will have to think of something really good, or Mum will know that it is a fib and then I'll have to tell her." A worried Calum helped Grandad over the wall. Conscious that he had an audience, the old man pretended to falter.

"Me too," echoed Katelin.

"We will, we will," Grandad said; his daughters-in-law were the last thing on his mind right now.

The cat was sitting near the kitchen door. When she spied them all coming towards her she meowed and leapt like a coiled spring over the garden fence at the end of the vegetable patch and disappeared rapidly under a trailer.

"Do you think Whiskas is alright?" Nana glanced at Grandad.

"Of course; always was a scaredy-cat. She is just a bit confused I expect. She was sprightly enough running away, just as fast as ever," Grandad grumbled, entering the kitchen. "What shall we do next?" he asked, thinking that he rather wanted a turn now they knew it worked.

"How about sending me back to Peru? I've brought the photos of my bedroom. I thought it was an unusual thing to photo. Now I know better," Katelin smirked. She would enjoy getting home quickly. Better than that long journey by plane. "But how would I return if I went home?"

"Well," said Calum, "We just need another laptop at your house so you can come back. Least, that's the idea."

"But I haven't got one so I will be in Peru instead of here. That would be even harder to explain!"

"Oh, first things first," said Grandad. "You children are too impatient. We don't yet know if it works over the sea or even over a long distance. Let's concentrate on that first. I will buy you a laptop and put more crystals in it so you can take it home to Peru and teleport back here in the future, after I know it works and is safe."

"How about you send me to Gregg's studio? I can say I got the bus and he can bring me home. I can ring when I'm there so you know I'm alright," Nana said to the three of them. "The distance is about ten miles. A little further then Calum's bedroom," she added in a soft, persuasive voice.

"Mmm, I'm not sure." Grandad rubbed his chine feeling anxious... and disappointed.

"What other suggestions have you got then?" Nana snapped.

"I'm just worried," answered Grandad; truthfully, he was.

"It should work, after all the cat's fine Grandad." Calum agreed eagerly with Nana and looked at Katelin for her added support.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Katelin patted Grandad's hand.

They all held their breath as Grandad thought.

"OK," he said at last. "Where are your sunglasses?"

"I'll go and get them," Nana grinned and practically flew out of the room and up the stairs. They heard her footsteps overhead; drawers opening and closing. Moments later she returned wearing her sunglasses and gliding down the stairs in an exaggerated fashion, like a film star. They all giggled. She looked very regal and she waved in a queen-like way. Nana was a tall, upright woman. She was always happy and had laughter lines around her lips. Her skin was brown from gardening in the Cornish sea air, making her nearly as brown-skinned as Katelin.

"I had better get my purse and take my mobile phone," she said, hurrying through to the kitchen where her bag was hanging on a hook. "I feel like Mary Poppins," she gave a nervous chuckle. "I think I'm ready." Extremely excited she stood in front of the laptop. "I will phone to say I'm alright as soon as I get there," she promised.

"I think you should shut your eyes, just to make sure you're not blinded from the glare, or turn your back to the laptop," said Grandad sitting at the laptop and clicking up the photo of Gregg's studio.

"I'm not going backwards!" Nana exclaimed, looking alarmed. "I'll shut my eyes."

Grandad motioned to Katelin and Calum, "Outside you two." He kissed Nana, "You sure about this?" he asked once again, holding her tightly for a second.

"Yes, you silly old fool," Nana said affectionately and pushed him towards the kitchen door.

She stood solid, but Katelin knew that a worm of fear was wriggling in Nana's tummy. The two children hurried outside to gaze in through the window, both of them aflame with spine tingling sensations that were a mixture of fear and excitement. Grandad tapped in the magic word then he rushed to join them outside. He motioned thumbs up to Nana, who returned the thumbs up sign and closed her eyes. Grandad shut his eyes, said a quick prayer then pressed the remote. The brilliant light burst forth from the laptop as the three outside slid down to the earth. For a second the luminous light pierced the sky above them then vanished. Slithering up the wall the three of them peered into the room.

Nana had gone.

Chapter Five

Secret And Magic

Nana appeared in the corner of the studio behind an enormous, dense bushy plant. She realized she had arrived when she heard Gregg's voice speaking to a customer at the cash desk at the front of the studio. Nobody else was in the shop.

Nana really did feel like Mary Poppins; all she needed was an umbrella! Maybe she would get one. It would be just the ticket to complete her 'look' she grinned to herself. She had felt as though she had been flying, but only for the briefest tick of the clock, then here she was. She took a step. Fine, then another, well she seemed to be satisfactory and in one piece. She straightened her dress, just as Gregg turned round; he had finished serving.

"Mum!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from?" He went over and gave her a hug. "This is a nice surprise," he smiled down at her, "why are you wearing sunglasses?"

"Er, yes. I thought I would visit," she stammered, not sure what to say and removing the sunglasses.

"Are you alright? You look a little... startled."

"Do I? I thought the sun was going to shine," she said lamely, patting at her hair, which seemed to be standing on end as if she had been in a wind tunnel and outside it was overcast, still and calm; there was not even a breeze coming off the sea today.

Gregg gazed gently at his mother and her hair, and to her relief all he said was, "How about a cup of tea?"

"I would love a cup. I have been shopping and feel quite worn out. I'll just ring your dad and tell him that you'll bring me home later. Will that be OK?"

Flying and teleporting were enough to make anyone feel confused, or a little different. After all it was not an everyday experience. Fully recovered now, she also felt rejuvenated, as if new life had been breathed into her. Inwardly she was thrilled and couldn't wait to do it again.

Gregg looked around at the floor then up at his mother, "Shopping?" he queried. "Where are your bags?"

"I couldn't find what I wanted," she explained. "I should have said window shopping."

"Ah," he murmured, a puzzled frown creasing his forehead as he went to fill the kettle.

While he was gone, Nana rang home.

"Nana feels marvellous," Grandad said as he replaced the receiver. "She said it was great fun. Your dad looked a bit surprised and she felt a little confused for a second. Mind you, your Nana is often confused, always has been a bit... chaotic, your Nana, but wild with it," he smirked. "She said it was like flying but as soon as you felt you were flying, you weren't." Grandad was now grinning from ear to ear. He was also very relieved that Nana was still together. He'd had visions of her being speckles of light twisting about in the air about him or worse, disintegrating and becoming a pile of dust on Gregg's studio floor.

"My turn then," Calum said, he couldn't wait any longer.

Grandad looked doubtful.

"Please, please, pretty please!" Calum pleaded. "After all, it was half my idea."

"Maybe just to his bedroom, Grandad," said Katelin with a sweet smile.

Grandad looked at the pair of them, their deep brown eyes big and round, reminding him of puppy dogs.

Reading his thoughts Katelin almost said 'Woof', but turned it into a cough just in time.

"OK. You will have to go backwards with your eyes closed. On Monday we will go to Truro and buy sunglasses for all of us – very dark ones - and another laptop for you Katelin, so I can put in the stones."

Calum danced up and down with glee. Going backwards was no problem as long as he could try it.

"Kat, you must come back and tell me if he's not arrived, say in about ten minutes after you get to his bedroom. If he turns up fine, you had both better stay there for the afternoon. Your parents already think we are up to something, so act normal for the rest of the day. Right?"

"Yes Grandad, promise." Katelin nodded and waved to Calum, then on impulse went over and kissed his cheek. Calum rubbed his cheek with disgust, 'Ahk girls!' But he didn't say anything or argue about it – he was too full of a quivering fever of excitement.

"Off you go Kat – remember act normal – don't rush upstairs when you get in," ordered Grandad. "We will give you about ten minutes before I teleport Calum."

Katelin raced across the field, scrambling over the wall careless of the brambles. The house was silent, not a whisper could she hear. She peeped into the lounge; empty. Quietly she crept upstairs and sneaked into her mother's bedroom, then the other bedrooms. Once reassured that nobody seemed to be about, she went to her own bedroom noticing the time on the bedside clock. 'Five minutes to go; I had better sit here.... No! I'll just open Calum's door first, then I can see his room from my bed and surely it would be a safe distance,' she thought, staring into Calum's empty room.

Tingly vibes were creeping up her spine; they seemed to have been doing that all day. She knew now what it meant when people said you could feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. She was sure hers were. She felt so tense; her muscles all seemed rigid.

Suddenly, Calum appeared.... standing in his bedroom in the spot Katelin had been staring at. Had she blinked? One second he wasn't there and the next he was. Calum had his eyes closed as Katelin rushed towards him, "Are you alright?" she asked breathlessly, bending close and reaching out her hand to see if he was real.

Calum's eyes popped open and he gawked at Katelin. "Wow," he gasped. "That was quick. I only just closed my eyes!" He twisted round, spinning on one foot.

"Do you feel... normal?" asked Katelin, again putting a hand out to touch Calum as though he might be made of glass or was a ghost.

He laughed at her. "Kat, I'm fine, honestly." He shrugged, "Just perfectly normal and awfully hungry. Is it dinner time?" He looked at his watch. Under a minute had passed since he shut his eyes. "Is everyone having lunch?"

It was her turn to shrug. "The house is empty. No dinner in the kitchen either, when I came through. How can you talk of food? What was it like?"

"Like... nothing. I didn't feel anything, no flying like Nana. One second I was there with Grandad, then here with you." Calum spread his arms wide embracing the air. "It was a bit disappointing really. Where do you think Mum is? I'm starving. Grandad said act normally. Well I am and I need some food."

Katelin sighed. She should have had a turn. Surely there was more to it than this? Dismally she followed Calum downstairs. He was opening the fridge and frowning. He got out a large lump of cheese and a bunch of grapes, cut two large chunks off the cheese, put them onto two plates then picked off some grapes and added those to the plates.

"Here," he handed one of them to Katelin. "This will do for a while."

Katelin took the plate, shaking her head from side to side, dispirited.

Calum grinned. "Maybe the journey was too short."

"Maybe," Katelin agreed.

Calum went through into the lounge and flung open the patio doors. They both sat on the large stone step outside. The air was warm, the sun was beginning to peep through the clouds and they could smell the sea. In the field below, cows dawdled pulling at the grass. Beyond them the towering mining wheel pinpointed the position of the South Crofty tin mine with its deep chamber and hidden underground passages.

"I expect Mum has gone down the road to get some fresh salad," Calum popped a grape into his mouth. "Tamsin loves going down to the farm and pulling up the lettuce and picking the tomatoes in their greenhouse."

Katelin glanced at her plate; this cheese had an unusual aroma. She ate a small piece, it tasted very different to the cheeses they had in Peru. This was creamier. She was used to salty cheese, softer, usually made from goats' milk. This cheese was hard and red. She was not sure if she liked it. Calum broke into her thoughts.

"You said you were going to tell me one of your secrets," he reminded her.

"Mmm, but you can't tell anyone, not even Nana or Grandad. You must promise." Katelin was wishing she hadn't promised to tell him her secret. She was not sure she trusted him and was worried about his reaction and worse, he might tell their Dad! She could read Calum's mind anyhow to find out about anything she wanted to know.

"I promise. Well, go on then," demanded Calum.

Katelin hesitated, delving into Calum's mind.

"You haven't got one have you? You are a liar, Kat. You just didn't want to be left out did you?" Calum fumed and stamped his foot. 'I had the biggest secret in the world,' he thought, 'and she knows it now. She's probably making up something stupid right this moment. Well it was the last time he'd be tricked by her!'

"You think I'm making a secret up and you're not going to be tricked by me ever again," Katelin said, raising her eyebrows and looking down her nose. Her head tilted to one side, she glanced scornfully at him from under her long lashes.

Calum studied her carefully. She had just guessed that. "You're right. I'm not going to trust what you say again."

"I can read your thoughts, your mind. That is what you were thinking. I can read most people's thoughts."

"Yeah, right." Calum went into the kitchen, opened up the bread bin and buttered himself some bread. But he didn't give anything to Katelin this time. 'I wish Mum would hurry back and get me some food.'

"You wish your Mum would hurry back, because you are hungry." Katelin said leaning casually in the doorway of the kitchen.

"You're just guessing again," Calum spat out.

"Think of a number," Katelin demanded, not giving up even though it was probably the most sensible thing to do. But she had promised Calum a secret and she didn't want him to think badly of her.

Calum decided to play along; he thought 'six.'

"Six," Katelin said smirking, "another."

'Lucky,' Calum thought. 'Erm... one hundred and forty-seven and a half. That will stop her!'

"One hundred and forty-seven and a half," Katelin cocked her head cheekily to the side with her eyebrows raised, waiting for Calum's next response.

Calum's words locked in his throat. 'Could she really know what he was thinking?'

"Yes I can," she was beginning to enjoy the game. "Think of a word," she instructed.

'Food. Ham and chips,' his mouth watered.

Her face alight with mischief, Katelin said, "Ham - whatever that is - and chips. Think of the secret word that makes the computer transport."

"No," he retorted, but he couldn't stop his brain from thinking 'spy'.

"Spy," Katelin answered triumphantly. "What does spy mean?"

"A spy is a sort of secret agent. "Calum's mouth dropped open, "You really can do it! You do know what I am thinking."

"Told you – want to try some more? I like the practice, especially because you think in English. I am slower with it. If your thoughts are muddled or quick I have difficulty understanding."

"Can you really read anyone's thoughts?"

"Yes. Dads; your mum's; Nana and Grandad. I haven't met anyone that I cannot read yet."

Calum went quiet. "I conjured up a dog once," he said, biting a large chunk out of the bread and gazing up at Katelin. He had never actually said or admitted that before, not even to himself!

"What do you mean?"

"I wanted a dog; so I thought hard and I got one. I haven't done it since. It frightened me and Dad said I couldn't keep it anyhow," Calum said sulkily.

"Dad saw you do this...?"

" Well I just conjured up the dog and he saw it."

"What is 'conjured'?"

"When you make something appear from nowhere."

"Conjured," Katelin tested out the word. "Like magic, like the teleporting laptop?" It was her turn to look startled. "This is done how?"

"Nooo, not like the laptop exactly and I don't know how I did it either. I just thought of a dog sort of in my head then I thought really, really hard, and it appeared," Calum shrugged.

"What did Dad say when you told him you made the dog appear with magic?" Katelin was hurt and puzzled. How come her dad didn't mind Calum having 'strange ways' and doing unusual things, but was frightened of her 'strange ways', as he called them?

"Oh, he didn't actually see me do anything and I didn't tell him I conjured it up. He thought the dog was lost."

"Maybe it was lost and it was just a sort of... um, how do you say?" Katelin frowned; her English was not good enough for some words.

"Coincidence," Calum finished for her. Sometimes, he too only half believed he had conjured up the dog.

Katelin nodded, "Yes, coincidence. What else have you conjured up?

"Nothing."

"Why not?"

Calum shrugged.

"Why don't you do it now?"

"What, another dog?"

"How about your dinner you wanted? This ham and chips."

"Mmm," Calum was unsure, what if he couldn't do it... What if it was just by chance the exact looking dog had got lost? What if...

"Stop thinking what if and try!" Katelin said impatiently. She couldn't see a problem. Calum just needed to try, that would settle his worries. "And no, I will not laugh at you if you can't do it."

"Oh gosh, I hate you knowing what I am thinking all the time," Calum blushed.

Katelin laughed. "I don't do it all the time, only when I want to, and you are just scared. Come on, ham and chips for two; I want to try this ham."

Calum wiggled his nose and curled his lip, then stood up resolved. 'Here goes.' He went out into the garden then changed his mind and turned and went into the kitchen. Food should be served on the table, not on the grass, not if you wanted to eat it. That's if it was edible!

Katelin trailed silently after Calum. He raised his arms and shut his eyes. Voices drifted towards them and the two mums entered the kitchen; they had come back from the farm.

Calum looked at Katelin, 'No good now,' he thought, somewhat relieved.

Katelin shrugged. "Later," she whispered.

"I expect you two are hungry?" Pippa said.

# Chapter Six

# A Conjurer

Katelin glanced at Calum and pleaded with her eyes for help. Isabelle was insisting she come and sit in the garden with her after lunch, thinking it was about time they had a talk to see what her daughter was up to. Katelin was wondering what she was going to say to her. Her mother could always tell when she tried to avoid the truth. Not quite a lie, more a little fib, mostly not to upset her mum.

Calum gave her a tight smile and raised his eyebrows in a gesture of helplessness. He had his own troubles. His mother was after speaking to him too. What was he going to say?

Suddenly Katelin had an idea. The two mothers appeared to be getting on very well... almost too well.... but she and Calum had noticeably had their differences up until now and she was aware both their mums wanted them to be friends.

"Auntie Pippa," she said, "Calum and I were hoping to go for a ride on the horses now lunch is finished." She gave Calum a meaningful glance hoping he would catch on.

"Yes, we would only go round the Carn," Calum said, looking sweetly at his mother. "Katelin rides so very well," he added, much to Katelin's surprise. It seemed that secrets had bound them together.

"In a minute," Isabelle answered. She was determined to speak with her daughter.

"But we are friends now. We have made up. Honestly. Grandad and Nana helped," Katelin said. Pretending they hadn't got on before was not far from the truth, would it be convincing enough to be a reason for acting strangely?

Calum realised what Katelin was trying to do. He didn't want to be quizzed by his mum and answered Katelin with his thoughts. After all, it was sort of true anyhow. They had been opposed to each other, but now she seemed okay, maybe she could be fun. He gave her a conspiratorial grin.

Katelin grinned back at him, "I will be the best of sisters," she said and getting up from the table she gave him a hug.

'That's going too far Katelin,' he told her in his mind, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Her smirk twinkled impishly and Calum smiled back at her, but in thought he told Katelin to watch out - he would get his own back.

"Well that is a turnaround!" Isabelle looked from Calum to Katelin; their friendliness seemed genuine. Maybe she had worried about nothing. The children hadn't got on well in the beginning, which was not surprising. It would be good to let them do something together that they both enjoyed. That is probably all they had been doing, getting to know each other earlier. It was so kind and typical of Grandad and Nana to help them. After all, what possible harm could Katelin's 'ways' do anyhow? Isabelle scolded herself for overreacting and letting her motherly concerns get the better of her.

Reading her mother's thoughts, Katelin wheedled, "Please Mum."

Isabelle gave in, she was too tired to argue anyway, "Oh alright then, if Pippa agrees."

"If I put Tamsin down for a sleep and ask Nana to sit here and keep an eye on her, we could go for a ride too," Pippa said to Isabelle. "I don't let Calum go by himself and Katelin doesn't know the horses."

"Nana is at Dad's studio," Calum said as Katelin chimed, "Nana's shopping."

Pippa looked taken aback, "Really? But she hates driving to St Ives because of the awkward streets and parking."

"She went by bus," Calum answered quickly, his mouth suddenly feeling dry.

"Bus?" Pippa repeated like a screeching parrot. "She never goes on a bus and the stop is at the bottom of the hill. She wouldn't walk down there to get it."

"Well she did," Calum said, in his mind pleading with Katelin for help. 'Say something, Kat, help me out here.' The novelty of knowing he could talk to her without speaking almost made him laugh: maybe this mind reading was cool after all.

"She needed some sunglasses," Katelin said, thinking this would help, until she saw Calum's expression and his eyes rolling to the sky.

"Sunglasses?" Pippa shrieked. "It is not really sunny and it is nearly the end of summer." Exasperated, she shook her head, "What with dancing round the bedroom, Grandad's miraculous recovery and Nana going by bus; now sunglasses. I think you are all getting some weird sickness." So saying, she scooped Tamsin out of her high chair to take her up to bed. The toddler had other intentions and stiffening with temper began to scream, but Pippa had had enough for one day. Ignoring the tantrum, she took the protesting infant upstairs, calling back over her shoulder, "Either Isabelle or I will go with you. Saddle up the horses."

"I will stay," said Isabelle. "I feel the journey is catching up with me. I will leave my bedroom door open and have a short sleep so I will hear Tamsin if she wakes." Her voice trailed wearily to a halt. She did look tired, her eyelids heavy.

Katelin and Calum made their escape and ran out of the kitchen before anyone could ask them more 'awkward' questions.

Standing at the top of the drive outside the tack room they looked at the horses that were grazing in the field below. Birds could be heard chirping in the prickly gorse on the Carn behind them. A seagull called above their heads, their screeches making both of them glance upwards. The sky was smeared grey and blue with rays of bright sun streaking like a slide from Heaven down to Earth.

"Oh look, Calum said, "it might be a sunny afternoon after all."

Katelin gazed to where he pointed. A shaft of sun spread its lustre on the rippled tin roof of the stables, picking out patches of rust in a way that made her think of pools of golden treacle.

"Do you get eagles here?" asked Katelin, calling over her shoulder to Calum as she looked across the fields at the cluster of houses in the village below. She turned to see the engine house of South Crofty mine in the distance. Gazing at the high shadowy wheel outlined against the skyline, Katelin shivered. It gave her the spooks: there was something about that mine....

"Only kestrels, that's a small eagle. I would like to see a great big eagle. Have you seen any big ones?"

"Yes, we have them in the Andes Mountains. If you would like to see one, why don't you conjure one up like you did the dog? See if you can conjure one here in the sky," Katelin said.

Calum fidgeted uncomfortably.

"You must try, go on.... see if you can," Katelin coaxed.

"We have to catch up the horses," Calum said, going into the tack room and coming out with several head collars.

"Stop making excuses and try. We can get the horses in a minute."

Calum hesitated, biting his bottom lip. Then, catching a glimpse of Katelin's determined face, he took a single step away from the stables and onto the grass. He held both arms out straight in front of him, then, frowning, he turned his palms upwards. Standing erect, his skinny profile taut and feeling tightness pounding in his chest, he took a deep breath. "Here goes," he said.

Closing his eyes he concentrated on a picture forming in his mind, a picture from his bird book. The inside of his head grew warm and he screwed up his face as he started to hum, the humming began as a drone and slowly it got louder until it turned into a high pitched awesome whine as he focused the picture of an eagle in his head. Suddenly his eyes burst open and he looked up into the air and saw a great Golden Eagle. It hovered above them on majestic broad wings, the wingtip feathers fluttering slightly as it hung in the air like a giant shadow then unexpectedly it dived. Swooping down, it glided with hardly a movement of its gigantic wings and settled gracefully on the field post opposite them.

Calum gasped and heard Katelin squeak beside him.

The eagle's lethal talons gripped the wooden post as he glared about him. The children gawked at the bird and he gawked back at them, jerking his head before glancing around him. Next, he spread his wings and took off, flapping into the sky as if waving to them. In seconds he was over the Carn and out of sight.

Calum, astonished at what he had done, was unable to speak. He turned to Katelin seeing a smile roll slowly across her face.

"Wow, he was great. Did he come from your conjuring? That was what you imagined, was it not?" she said in halting English, nearly losing her words so overcome was she with Calum's impressive magic.

Calum answered in a daze, "It came from my book on birds." He gulped, "It must be some sort of supernatural power I have Kat!"

"Oh, that's for sure. The sound you made when you did it was awesome!"

Overwhelmed with his own credibility, Calum smirked at her and gave a nervous giggle. Katelin giggled in response and soon they were laughing together, so much so that Calum had to hold his sides because they were hurting and Katelin was bent double, tears of laughter streaming down her face. Eventually they managed to calm down at least enough to stand upright again, but both were grinning from ear to ear.

"We had better catch the horses and start brushing them," Calum suggested breathlessly, still chuckling.

"Do you think you can conjure up anything, in your mind?"

"No idea, I will have to try again, once I get over the eagle vision. It looked real though didn't it? Maybe it was not a vision but a real thing."

"Oh, it was very real, no doubt about that. Maybe we will see it when we go riding."

"Maybe," Calum said. He didn't know if he was pleased or not about that thought. His whole body felt weak, as if he had been knocked over by a car and his legs, as he caught his pony, were trembling like jelly. If he felt like this every time after he did conjuring he was not sure how keen he was to do it again.

"What an unusual day this has been," said Katelin, her voice drifting across to Calum as he flicked the head collar over Silver's ears and caught and buckled it under the animal's chin, his fingers shaking.

"The day isn't finished yet," Calum said.

They began to brush the horses and gradually his energy returned and his limbs stopped quivering.

Katelin was to ride Spirit and was very stubborn about not having a saddle, much to Pippa's disapproval. However, Calum assured his mother that Katelin wouldn't need a saddle or even any reins. But Pippa said, "No reins, no riding." So Katelin had reins and rode like a wild thing, with such abandonment that Pippa soon lost all her worries. At one point she thought it was hard to tell which was the horse and which the rider. Katelin's long black hair streamed in midair behind her and Spirit's long black mane swished, waving and blustering and appeared to twirl, wrapping itself round Katelin's body. The stallion's graceful but wild galloping made them appear like a raven or a beast with a human head and four legs.

They jumped walls, raced across the blanket of gorse, weaving under trees and round stony boulders. Calum, who was quite proficient at riding but lacked his sister's recklessness, followed Katelin. The wind lifted his wavy blond hair underneath his hat as he moved to the rhythm of his mount's stride, flapping his long legs against Silver's side and egging the pony to go faster in an effort to keep up with Katelin and Spirit. However, he never looked like part of the animal as she did.

Pippa could hear their chatter and merriment floating back to her as they slowed down and trotted alongside each other. She was glad that her son and his half-sister were going to be friends. She was surprised at how much she liked the girl's mother. They, too, were getting on charmingly. Indeed, Isabelle was charm itself and very easy to talk to. She had such a quietness about her, a calm smile and peaceful nature that made everyone around her feel immediately relaxed. Pippa had not expected to like her. She had been keen to meet her and see what it was that had intrigued yet frightened her husband. She had asked Gregg's parents about both Isabelle and Katelin, but they had seemed reluctant to say too much.

Gregg adored his two English children and it had always puzzled Pippa that he'd had no real contact with his Peruvian daughter. However, Gregg never forgot Katelin's birthday and he always insisted on picking out her presents by himself. Whenever Pippa tried to talk to him about her, he changed the subject or got angry, so she had felt very surprised at his obvious emotion at the airport. Pippa couldn't decide if she was annoyed about it all or if it was just that she was puzzled.

They were unsaddling the horses when Gregg drove past the top gate on his way to his parents' cottage further up the hill. Calum and Katelin saw Nana in the passenger seat and both waved enthusiastically, grinning when she gave a thumbs-up sign.

After such a fast ride the horses were steaming and sweaty, so the children washed them down before turning them out into the field. The animals immediately rolled in an effort to dry their silky wet bodies on the grass then they stood up quivering and shook themselves. The children watched, giggling together. Next, it was their turn to wash and after removing their clothes, which smelt strongly of horse sweat, and having a shower, they went to join the adults in the garden.

The sun, which had struggled out at last, hung red on the skyline, its dying light smudging the horizon with dusky luminous gold. Katelin thought it looked like the edge of the world. The smell of garlic, bacon and steak drifted pungently towards the children making their tummies rumble. They were having a barbecue and the smoke curling from the hot coals and sailing into the sky made them realise how hungry they were after their ride.

"You're sure the time was just gone twelve?" Pippa was questioning Gregg as the children drew near.

"I had just looked at my watch because I was famished. You must have made a mistake," Gregg answered Pippa assuredly.

"No, Nana was here at a quarter to twelve. We looked at our watches to see if we had time to go to the farm shop before lunch. Didn't we Isabelle?"

Isabelle nodded. "It was definitely a quarter to midday," she agreed.

"There!" Pippa said. "They were all behaving oddly, Nana and Grandad as well. Dancing in Calum's bedroom weren't you?" she said, turning towards the two children. Hearing the conversation they were retreating swiftly back across the grass to where Tamsin was playing with her dolls' house. Neither of them wanted to get involved in that conversation.

Calum called out, "I think I'll play with Tamsin," and with Katelin in tow they headed towards a startled Tamsin, who was sitting on the lawn some distance away from the adults.

"Well, Nana must have flown there or something," Gregg said, his gaze following the two children in surprise. It was a rarity for Calum to offer to play with his little sister. "Maybe she flew on her witch's broom!" His sarcasm made it obvious he thought the women had got the time wrong.

Isabelle's lips twitched, trying to suppress a laugh and even Pippa's mouth began to curl at the corners. But she reprimanded Gregg, saying she didn't think it was nice to suggest his mother was a witch.

"Mmm," he said ignoring her. "I expect she parked her broom in the corner, or she managed to fold it up and push it into her handbag." Then remembering what Pippa had said, "Dancing? What do you mean? I thought Dad was unwell."

"Yes, well he has made a miraculous recovery."

"He certainly looks well. The children are acting oddly too," said Isabelle, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Recalling his mother's appearance when he had seen her in the studio, Gregg smiled. "Mum looked bizarre. She had sunglasses on and her hair was windswept and she said she had been shopping. She never wears sunglasses unless she is reading in the sun. There were no shopping bags either. Then she went out after lunch and got more sunglasses for the two children and Dad: the old-fashioned type too – very black and dark that don't react to the light." Gregg said, rubbing his chin as he removed the steak from the barbecue.

Gregg was at a loss about the whole incident, "I told her they weren't much good especially for the health of your eyes in the sun and that she needed reactive lenses. She answered that they were just the ticket." His tone was mystified. "I don't suppose all this strange behaviour has anything to do with Katelin's strange ways?" he murmured to Isabelle.

She shrugged, "You can't blame her for everything, Gregg."

He frowned, "I suppose not... I'm just saying that it seems odd, that's all." Tongs in hand, his face flushed from the hot coals and perspiration beading his forehead, Gregg turned back to attend to the barbecue.

On the other side of the lawn and flowerbeds, Katelin was trying to persuade Calum to do more conjuring. From behind some tall spindly plants she glanced across at the grownups. "Go on; do it. They can't see."

"Would you like some fairies, Tamsin?" Calum asked. He really did want to try conjuring again and to do silly imaginary creatures this time. Would they be real?

Tamsin beamed at her brother and nodded.

"Just two then," Calum stood up.

"Try not to hum quite so loud," Katelin cautioned. Calum was hidden but if his humming were as loud as before the adults would hear him and then they would be in trouble.

Calum smirked, raised his hands, turned his palms to the sky closed his eyes and hummed quietly. When he opened his eyes again two fairies in pink gossamer dresses, a little like Tinkerbell from Calum's Peter Pan video, had appeared. Tamsin was delighted and hugged her brother. He threw her off and stepped back. The fairies flew onto Tamsin's hand and she and Katelin put them carefully into the dolls' house. They were about five centimetres high and when they moved their heads it made a tinkling, bell-like sound.

"How long do you think they will live?" Calum asked Katelin, wondering how to explain them if his parents found them. His conjuring this time was easier than before; he didn't feel so wobbly. In fact he felt wonderfully good.

"No idea," Katelin replied and lay down on the grass beside Tamsin. She peeped into the tiny windows of the house. "They are so sweet. Why pink?" She glanced up at Calum standing above her, a shadow against the pearly sky.

"Tamsin's favourite colour," Calum said and bent down to peer through the little windows.

Tamsin was trying to catch one of the fairies to bring it back outside again.

"Be careful, Tam, they are very fragile, you could break them," Calum warned as the infant nearly squashed one against the side. A sound omitted from the small fairy, followed by a tinkle from her head.

"They seem to be real don't they? She sounds cross," Calum said.

"Yes, they're real, just like the eagle."

"Dinner," Gregg shouted from the table.

"Come on, Tam, you can play again later," Calum said to Tamsin as she screwed up her face to start one of her tantrums.

"I want to play with my fairies," she screamed as hearing her cries, Pippa came hurrying across the lawn. Katelin and Calum stared at each other for a split second then both scrambled in front of the dolls' house and sat with their backs covering it. Slowly, Katelin got to her feet and stood blocking Pippa's view of the little house just as a fairy came out through the window. Calum gulped, locked eyes with his mother and for one dreadful moment thought she would see the fairy. However, Tamsin was squirming wildly and Pippa had trouble picking her up. As soon as she had the toddler safely in her arms, she headed back to the table with her, too intent on Tamsin to notice anything unusual.

Calum rolled his eyes and smirked at Katelin, who stifled a giggle. Then she caught the fairy and put her in a downstairs room and shut all the windows so the two fairies could not escape.

"Do you think they are safe like that?" Calum asked Katelin.

"I should think so, it won't be for long." She shrugged and headed for the table. She was so hungry. "Maybe later," she said to him in a quiet voice, "they will fly off like the eagle."

Gregg, however, caught the last word, 'eagle' as they stepped onto the patio and slipped into their chairs.

"Oh yes, that reminds me." Gregg helped himself to salad and poured Pippa and Isabelle some wine. "I heard on the local news on the car radio coming home that a big Golden Eagle has been seen on the Carn. They think it was either lost or has escaped from a private home."

Katelin glanced at Calum, who seemed to be having difficulty in swallowing his mouthful of food. Her startled look and Calum's choking did not go unnoticed by Isabelle. Luckily, Pippa was still involved with seeing to Tamsin and Gregg was vigorously patting Calum's back.

"Gone down the wrong hole?" Gregg said to Calum.

However, Isabelle, used to Katelin's ways, had seen the children's expressions before Calum started choking. "Have either of you something to say?" she asked them.

Katelin was busy concentrating on reading her mother's mind. No, it was all right she didn't know, or guess the eagle had anything to do with them. Who would? Katelin asked herself, but her mother was puzzled; knew there was something going on.

"We saw it," Katelin said quickly, her face a picture of innocence.

"Did you indeed," Isabelle replied, her eyes studying Katelin's face as though piercing into her very soul.

"Yes, it landed on the gatepost then took off." Katelin looked down at her plate and picked up some food on her fork, not wanting to meet Isabelle's searching gaze; that bit was true.... She hated her mother's stares.

Calum had stopped choking and was surveying Kat. She was as calm as a millpond, he thought in admiration.

"You saw it too?" Gregg asked Calum.

"Yes, it was beautiful, just like I always imagined," he giggled. 'How was that for cool Kat? - A double meaning to the word imagine,' he said in his mind to Katelin.

"Great," Katelin said to him across the table.

Chapter Seven

Katelin's Vision

Katelin stood feeling serene in the paddock behind the house. Shading her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the sea gleaming on the horizon and she gazed up at the dawn sky. She watched the pink and orange streaks beginning to merge, and become a golden glow that spread across the heavens then faded to a deep, polished blue. The air was still; no sounds could be heard, even the birds were hushed. When she breathed out, she saw her breath spiral and stay suspended like a small soft cloud in the cold air. Katelin smiled and stretched, luxuriating in the feeling that every muscle was relaxed. She closed her eyes and focused inward, feeling mesmerized, yet alert. Chills ran up and down her spine. The moment seemed ageless as though she was eluding the ebbing of time. Then she felt as though her life force had become illuminated with a divine presence that was engulfing her, holding her to the magnet of the Earth. It was as if she was the only person alive; the only living creature on the planet.

Tilting her face to the sky, Katelin felt a rustle of soft wind lifting her hair and knew without opening her eyes that she was floating, hovering above the ground, her arms held out gracefully like wings. She was cocooned in a soothing calm. A dreamlike trance took over her being: she was no longer real or unreal, but transcended into a supernatural state. Slowly something swept through her and she became aware of every movement and every breath of every living existence. Geometric patterns like Celtic knots swirled and intertwined in her mind and aboriginal shapes of animals rushed towards her. Then she was flying over the Carn; could smell the gorse, touch it, as it raced below her. No longer mortal; Katelin was part of the Earth; part of the planet itself.

Now she was running, dashing and leaping like a cat, springing across the wild untamed landscape that captured her bewitched mind. She was crawling through the undergrowth, could hear the snap of twigs and the cracking of branches, smell the dampness of the grass. Then she was flying again, blue sky surrounded her and she could see the countryside below in all its bright colours. Gradually, the land began to fade and her consciousness returned. She breathed in again; became aware of her location as her supernatural state slipped from her. Still floating in the air a few feet from the ground, she opened her eyes and saw Calum sitting cross-legged on the grass beneath her. Wide-eyed, he stared up at her as she dropped slowly to stand beside him.

He smiled and put out a hand to touch her as if he wanted to feel her magic. Nothing was said. He studied Katelin and thought; 'Kat's great, even if she is an unusual sister to have.'

"Thanks," Katelin smirked, picking up his thoughts.

Calum blushed. "You were floating for a whole eight minutes. I timed it. That's a long time to hang in the air. Does it hurt?"

"No, the opposite; I feel very peaceful, like I am dreaming. I was flying across the Carn. I wonder what that means?"

"No," Calum said shaking his head. "You didn't fly. You just hovered above me, like a bird. You didn't move."

Katelin laughed. "I know; I just felt as though I was. My visions always mean something. They are trying to tell me something that might happen." Katelin sat down next to Calum, crossed her legs and picked idly at a buttercup in front of her, reflecting on her vision. 'Something to do with the Carn...?' she wondered.

"How long have you been able to float like that?"

"It's called 'levitating' \- my first time was on my third birthday. That's why Dad left. He is frightened of me, I think." Katelin glanced at Calum, hurt in her eyes.

"Why is he frightened? I think it's tremendous I would love to try it. Could you teach me?" Seeing Katelin's pain he put a tentative arm about her shoulders and added softly, "I'm sure he does love you."

"Mmm maybe. I think he sort of does. But you had better not let him find out about your magic. He may leave you too."

Sighing, Katelin got to her feet, brushed the grass from her lap and moved towards the house. "I'm very damp. Are you?" she said, attempting to sound cheerful. She turned to look at Calum, but he was digesting what she had said to him. He didn't want his dad to leave.

Seeing the tears welling in his eyes, Katelin dashed back to Calum, flung herself down and threw her arms about him, giving him a squeeze. "Sorry," she said, inwardly reprimanding herself: how could she have made such a thoughtless remark; she who knew so well what it was like to be rejected? "He will never leave you, Calum. His family, his mum and dad, his life is here and I know he loves you. I have read his thoughts. He is even frightened I may damage you with my ways. He loves you so very much."

"We are two very odd kids, aren't we Kat?" He wiped his tears on his sleeve.

"Not odd. Just different and I think we must have inherited it from Dad because his blood is in both of us."

Calum blinked, surprised, then he laughed at Katelin's suggestion. "Dad would freak!"

"I suppose he would," she agreed. Katelin loved her distant father and his leaving had hurt her heart. As she got older and realised he had rejected her, it had been like a black hole inside her. By coming to England, meeting him at long last and being able to read his thoughts, she was now sure that in his own way he loved her too. Knowing this was helping her to heal. 'Yes,' she thought, 'the hole is getting smaller.' Her father was the one with the problem - just as Nana had often told her.

Katelin's stomach bubbled as a new thought entered her brain. What would her father do if he ever found out about Calum? Would she be blamed? It wasn't her fault he had special abilities too; but she had encouraged him to find out and use them. She wondered about telling their grandmother. Aside from her mum, Nana was the most kind, understanding and open-minded spiritual person Katelin knew; she could tell her anything. But maybe she should tell her mum? The thought brought a sudden pang of fear: if she did, Mum might take her home. Katelin had always dreamt about herself and her dad being together having fun and sharing time. Her nana knew this and had told her that one day it would happen. Maybe this was the time. If only her father was like Nana and Grandad, believing in wondrous possibilities and full of adventure. She remembered Nana saying he was too solid to have adventures and be daring. Katelin could see that for herself now. It didn't mean he loved her less; it was just the person that he was. Thinking about it brought a smile to her lips. Yes – that hole was definitely smaller; maybe almost closed. Pushing herself up from the grass she gave a little twirl of happiness.

Calum grinned watching her; he somehow knew it was about Dad. "He hurt you when he left you and not visiting, didn't he?"

"Yes, but I don't hurt so much now. Meeting you has helped. I think that in his own way he loves me. I'm sure it will be different when I go back home this time."

Standing, Calum gave her a hug and held her tight. "We also have the laptop. Now we know it works I will be able to visit. You can show me the rainforest, just like you promised."

"Only _if_ Grandad lets us use it," she giggled. "Let's go to this Truro place."

"It's too early, the shops aren't open yet. I don't think anyone else is out of bed in the house either."

"Oh," whispered Katelin as they crept indoors.

"Where bee?" Tamsin asked Calum, making him jump. She had been playing in the lounge, but hearing Calum and Katelin, came running through to the kitchen to greet them.

She was a sturdy child, her round blue eyes so appealing when she looked up at Katelin and grabbed her hand. She also had the most beaming smile that lit up her face when she was happy. She was happy now.

"Fairies gone. Me looked...looked." Tamsin opened her arms wide to Katelin, pleading in a helpless gesture.

"Oh dear!" Trying to smother a laugh, Katelin bent and picked her up, carrying her back into the lounge. The child's skin smelt of soap and her little body was warm and squashy. Katelin kissed the top of her head, burying her nose in Tamsin's hair. Even her hair smelt like sunshine, thought Katelin as she popped her down by the dolls' house, avoiding the tiny furniture scattered around the floor. They both twisted low to look in the little windows of the house.

"See, gone." Tamsin's smile began to fade.

"Where are Mum and Dad?" asked Calum, Tamsin was not normally allowed downstairs by herself.

"Bed," Tamsin stated simply, not taking her gaze from her dolls' house.

'I expect they knew I was up,' Calum thought. He glanced at Katelin. "How long do you think fairies live for? Or maybe the fairies could just have evaporated or something."

"Mmm, Si, I suppose so. Why not give her some more?"

"We really should conjure up something and see what happens to it," Calum said seriously. "We can't have fairies all over the place," he paused. "What if Mum or worse, Dad finds them?"

A solitary tear rolled down Tamsin's face then tears were spilling over her cheeks and Katelin tried to wipe them and soothe the child at the same time. Her crying was getting louder and Katelin looked at Calum in desperation.

Calum sighed, raised his arms, his palms turned upwards. "This is becoming a full time job," he grumbled, shutting his eyes and starting to hum. Within seconds two golden fairies appeared. He opened his eyes as he heard Tamsin beginning to bawl again.

"Me want pink," she cried, stamping her tiny feet and staring at the glittering fairies sitting on the roof of the doll's house.

"Tough," Calum replied, without a touch of remorse. "I wanted gold ones. If you don't stop crying I will make them go away and you won't get any more." Calum wasn't sure that he could make them go away; he would have to try that next. The threat, however, had the desired effect and Tamsin, swallowing a sob, stopped complaining.

Katelin found this all very amusing. She looked at Calum with interest. She had never had a sibling she could control until now. She had many cousins in Peru, but they were all older then she was so she certainly had no control over them, quite the reverse.

"Well, she is always whinging," Calum said, avoiding Katelin's gaze. "Nothing ever pleases her, even when she gets her own way - which is all the time."

"What is this whinging?" asked Katelin, lifting one of the fairies from the roof to hold it on her finger. The fairy tinkled softly, then pirouetted and sat down in the middle of Katelin's hand; it tickled.

"Whinging means moaning and complaining and always getting me into trouble with Mum and Dad." Calum glared at Tamsin as he uttered the last few words.

Tamsin puffed out her cheeks and pursed her lips as she reached for the other fairy. Katelin, laughing at her defiant little face, helped her, putting both fairies in Tamsin's podgy hand. They twirled and one flew to the floor, her transparent wings shimmering gold that twinkled with rainbow highlights. Tamsin was laughing now with Katelin at the tiny creatures' antics.

"They tickle!" Tamsin exclaimed, peering at the fairies and wrinkling her nose.

"Remember you must hide them from your mum and dad, or they will disappear again," Katelin warned gently.

Tamsin nodded glancing up at Calum, who was sitting arms crossed and cross-faced on the sofa, and gave him a beaming smile. Calum just shook his head and gave a deep sigh. Even Katelin was under Tamsin's spell and on her side instead of his, it seemed. Sometimes his little sister made him so angry he just wanted to explode! He got up off the sofa and leaving them to it, stamped LOUDLY up the stairs to his room.

It was hard work convincing Pippa and Gregg that Grandad was well enough to go into Truro. Grandad told them he was only going to get a laptop he wasn't going shopping. He would sit and have a hot chocolate in his favorite café.

Gregg couldn't understand why the laptop was so urgent. Katelin was not going home for another six weeks.

"I have to show her how to use it," Grandad explained, but that didn't wash with Gregg, who could see no reason why she couldn't learn on the one they already had. Of course Grandad won the argument, pretending that all the bullying would only make him worse and he was old enough to decide for himself if he fancied a little trip out.

Eventually, after some gentle persuasion from Nana, Pippa and Gregg gave up the argument, insisting only that Nana should drive. As soon as his parents were out of earshot, Calum suggested taking a camera to photograph parts of Truro that were quiet so they could teleport there in the future.

Grandad agreed rapidly. "What a great idea and it will save me petrol and finding car parks." He couldn't wait to get more laptops to travel with and he was determined to have his turn when they got back.

When they arrived in Truro they collected the laptop Grandad had ordered and started to explore for 'quiet' places. Katelin suggested doorways; that way, when someone materialised, people would think they had just come out of the door. Grandad suggested the toilet, which had all of them in fits of laughter, especially Calum. He wanted to know what would happen if they teleported onto someone's lap when they were sitting having a poo! Nana, looking shocked, but with a twinkle in her eye said that was quite enough of that talk and a peaceful spot by the river might be better. Then Calum suggested a clump of bushes or trees, as it was a good way to hide their sudden appearance.

In the end, Nana got so fed up with Grandad and Calum's bickering over the right place that she suggested they take lots of photos and decide when they were at home what would be most suitable. "In the meanwhile," she said, "I am taking Katelin shopping, unless either of you want to come?"

Swiftly they both shook their heads. "Not even if you paid me in chocolate," Grandad said. "Let's meet in the café later and I'll treat Katelin to the famous hot chocolate drink, with whipped cream and a chocolate flake. Mmm."

Nana bought Katelin two new dresses and a pair of delicate shoes to go with them, which she loved, and then they all enjoyed a hot chocolate.

On the way home in the car, Nana came up with a brainwave. They were talking about the problem of teleporting somewhere and then not being able to get home. "What if you wore a bracelet," she said, "connected to a long chain that was fastened to the laptop, so that when you were pulled into the void you brought the laptop with you? This would allow you to return."

Grandad could see no reason why this wouldn't work. "It sounds in theory, like a good plan. It would certainly save buying more laptops. First I will install the other crystals in this new laptop then I will consider the bracelet idea."

"Maybe we should try to transport two people," Katelin said. "After all, we did send the chair and the cat. Why not two people?"

They all agreed to try that too.

The four of them were in a state of excitement again as Nana parked in her driveway. As soon as they alighted from the car they saw Gregg running across the paddock towards them. He had a toned physique, long legs and a slim torso and like Katelin and Calum, his movements were graceful, his long easy stride reminding Nana of a leopard.

She locked the car after everyone had climbed out and shouted to Gregg over her shoulder. "I thought you were going to your studio?" She opened the boot, removed the bags along with the new laptop, handed the shopping to the children and gave the laptop to Grandad.

Reaching her, Gregg puffed, "I came home again. Pippa phoned me. Isabelle has disappeared." He was gulping for air, clearly not as fit as he looked.

"Disappeared?" Nana repeated. Taking in Gregg's appearance she said, "Really Gregg, you must try to get yourself a little fitter. Do some swimming or jogging with Calum."

"Not now, Mum. This is serious," Gregg said, his face crumpled with worry while trying to sound less breathless.

"What exactly do you mean?" Katelin asked her father. He did look upset. She was not sure if she felt concern for his health, as did Nana, or for what he had said about her mother.

"Well, Pippa, Tamsin and your mother decided to take the two goats for a walk over the Carn and well... she just disappeared." Gregg finished lamely, putting an arm about Katelin's shoulders.

"You take goats for a walk?" Katelin laughed. "Did they disappear too?"

Gregg turned Katelin towards him and held her by her shoulders, bending down to look into her eyes. His own were electric blue and churning with worry. "It isn't a joke, Kat," he said softly. "We can't find your Mum."

Katelin read her father's mind. He was very anxious and afraid. He thought some serious accident had happened to Isabelle. He and Pippa had both tried to look for her and now he was considering ringing the police. Katelin's legs suddenly felt weak as realisation dawned, but her father had hold of her catching her when her legs gave way. Lifting her up, he carried her gently to the garden seat.

Her mind whirled as if she was drowning into a whirlpool of distress. The weather was warm, but damp mist and drizzle had hung about all day. Suppose Mum was trapped and hurt? She could die.

"Don't frighten her any further," Grandad scolded.

Gregg then tried to sound lighthearted by adding, "She has just gone walkabout and thinks she is in her mountains I expect."

Calum alone knew that it was no good giving soothing words to Katelin, her being able to read people's minds!
Chapter Eight

Isabelle's Disappearance

The police were unable to do anything until a person had been missing for at least twenty-four hours. Isabelle had only been missing for five. Often, they said people would turn up after a while, probably wondering what the fuss was about. Gregg hoped they were right.

Seated round the dining table with Grandad and Nana they were all finishing sandwiches, when Katelin asked, "Tell me exactly what happened. Why do you think something has happened to Mum?"

Pippa, pushing away her plate looked up, her eyes watering and red. "We were just talking, Katelin. We had stopped walking to allow the goats to jump across the boulders. They just love playing there," she bit her lip and glanced towards Nana and Grandad, "you know the spot, near the castle?" They both nodded. "Well Tamsin was climbing on the boulders too. She followed the goats up onto a rock and couldn't get down so I went over and lifted her down. When I turned back to where Isabelle and I had been standing, she had gone! I looked right around the collection of stones, climbing up to the tall one at the very top. I called and called her name, but she had just... vanished." Pippa started sobbing.

Gregg put his arm about her and continued with the story. "An hour later, when Pippa had given up and come home hoping Isabelle might have somehow returned, she phoned me. She was so upset I called Jane - she's my assistant, Kat – and asked if she could come into the studio early and take over, so I could get home. I thought maybe Isabelle had just got lost so I rode across the Carn on Spirit, and Peter from the farm shop came with me and brought his dog, Toby. We searched and searched, but we didn't see anyone anywhere."

Katelin was mystified like everyone else. What could possibly have happened to her mother? At this moment she felt calm but numb; she had felt like this ever since the first minute of being told. But now, a feeling so strong that her mother was unharmed flooded through her and she just knew her mum was all right. She looked at Pippa's troubled face.

"I know Mum is well, she will be OK," she knelt down at Pippa's feet and clutched her hand, then stretched up and kissed her wet cheek.

Gregg, still with his arm about Pippa, felt an outpouring of love for his daughter because of her kindness and bravery. He put out his hand and stroked Katelin's bent head. She gazed up into her dad's clear blue eyes. They reminded her of a deep blue lake.

When she went to bed that night Katelin was restless. She either lay awake or dozed off and dreamed that she was flying over the Carn looking for her mother. That was twice she had felt she had been flying over the Carn. The first had been yesterday when she had shown Calum how she could levitate. Only yesterday... it seemed longer. What did it all mean? Great-Grandpa Shaman said all dreams had a meaning. Her meditating visions could be about future happenings too, showing her the way... the way to what? She wished he were here; he knew about such things and could interpret visions. He had encouraged her in the past to use her visions for the better. She'd had a hard time understanding them, more than she ever did mindreading and understanding other people's thoughts.

Drifting between sleep and wakefulness Katelin thought she heard her mother talking; then it grew louder. "Use your power, Kat." Katelin came awake with a start and sat bolt upright in bed.

Calum was sitting on her bed whispering, "Why don't you, Kat?"

"Why don't I what?" Katelin rubbed her eyes, still heavy with sleep. Only half awake she tried to focus on what Calum was saying.

"Use your powers to try and talk to your mum? You said she was the easiest person to read. Here, I've got some of her hair from her brush and her shirt she slept in yesterday. They do this in films. Psychics, you know; they touch something personal of the missing person and they get a vision or can communicate with them." Calum held out the items.

It had been him that she heard in her dream not her mother. Katelin glared crossly at him. "This is not a film," she snapped, "and I am not a psychic.".

His sweet pure face and deep brown eyes held hers steadily. "What have you got to lose? It's worth a try." Calum pushed the items at Katelin, "If I had your gift and it was my mum, I would try."

Katelin knew he was right; anything was worth trying. She silently took the hair in one hand and grabbed hold of the shirt in the other. "You're right. Sorry. It's just that I haven't ever read a thought from a distance before, but I shall try." Cuddling her mother's nightshirt, she could smell her scent on it; it was like fresh air, spring flowers and nature. She closed her eyes, felt herself drifting, trying to feel her mother's presence. With a crack, as if a window had flown open, a collection of coloured light flowed into her mind and she saw her mother lying on a bed staring at a granite wall. Isabelle got up smiling and went to the window; it had bars on it. As she peered out she could glimpse the top of the castle on the Carn to her left. She seemed to be at the bottom of the Carn, just below and to the right of the castle. She turned and winked, then whispered, "Be careful."

For a second, shock stole Katelin's breath then her eyes snapped open and she cried out. "I did it! I did it! Mum seemed to know what I was doing. She even winked at me and told me to be careful."

"Shush," Calum said. He didn't want his parents to hear, although he felt as thrilled as Kat and was convinced she could find Isabelle.

"Mum showed me the view from the window where she is being held," Katelin continued in a quieter voice. "She can see the castle."

"Well she is very near then. I knew you could do it." Calum looked smug, his smile as broad as his face showing a small gap were he had recently lost a baby tooth. "As soon as possible we will go and find her. Here's the plan: after breakfast we will tell mum and dad we are going to Grandad's and Nana's. When we get there we will tell Nana and Grandad we are going home to clean the stables to occupy your mind and help stop you worrying. Each of them will think we are with the others, so they won't miss us. I just know we will find her."

"How exactly are we going to look for her?" Katelin asked, scrambling out of bed ready for action.

A knock sounded on her door stopping her in her tracks. She sat back on the bed as her dad came in.

"How are you, Katelin? I thought I heard something." His face and hollowed eyes showed he had not slept well. All he saw was that both his children had dark rings about their eyes and it made him feel even more concerned.

"As fine as can be," Katelin said. She tried to look both demure and worried, although now all her fear had gone to be replaced by tingling sensations inside her that were spreading quickly through her slim body.

"We will get in touch with the police again today, Gregg said. "They will help find her; she will be home by the end of the day. Don't worry, Kat." He sat down beside her on the bed and squeezed her hand.

She nodded. Looking into his mind she knew he hadn't slept all night, nor had Pippa, who was blaming herself, but for Katelin's sake they were both determined to look cheerful. Her father, however, was deeply disturbed about Isabelle's disappearance and her safety. Why would anyone want to take Isabelle? That is what he couldn't understand. It was also the only conclusion he was left with; someone must have kidnapped her or surely they would have found her. The thought filled him with dread. Who saw her and why? She had only been here for a few days. He felt his insides churn.

He had no idea that Katelin knew exactly what he was thinking and feeling and wished she could reassure him, but if she told him what she had seen he would be even more frightened, both for Isabelle and of her. Oh dear! How could she stop him being so troubled? She had to be brave, she told herself trembling inside.

"I can tell you Mum is perfectly well," she touched her father's hand and held it as though she was the adult and he the child. "Trust what I say, Dad. You know I know this." She smiled calmly at him as he sat next to her on the bed.

He gazed at his daughter. She had the most beautiful eyes... but something hit the bottom of his stomach and sickness seemed to rise up in his throat. Even though she hadn't demonstrated any of her unnerving 'ways' since she had been here, obviously she was still able to perceive uncanny things. He felt pleased all of a sudden that she knew Isabelle was all right. He wanted so much to believe it that he almost did.

Then he had another thought: 'Did Isabelle's disappearance have something to do with Katelin and 'her ways?' Gregg felt so mixed up. Memories came flooding back and the conflict started inside him, just like before whenever he had thought about his Peruvian daughter. He would have to try to get through all his nonsense he was not going to let her down again. He would start right now by not expressing his thoughts. He didn't want Katelin to feel guilty, maybe responsible about Isabelle, and hopefully he was wrong. He patted her hand and got up from the bed.

"Let's get some breakfast. I won't worry again if you say she is unharmed." Gregg grinned at his daughter, sounding more cheerful and reassured then he felt and then left them both to get dressed.

Katelin welled up; emotions swamped her. She did feel guilty now; it had not occurred to her before that her mum's disappearance could have anything to do with her.

"Dad thinks it has something to do with me being different. It could be to do with me." Katelin said, grabbing Calum's arm as he went to follow their dad out of the bedroom. She wanted to burst into tears.

"Even IF it is to do with you, she is OK and we will find her. Get dressed so we can," Calum ordered impatiently.

How Katelin needed a hug, she had never ever felt so alone. Tears started to stream down her face. The night's tension and lack of sleep combined with her father's thoughts soaked her tired brain.

Calum put his arm about his sister. "All these cuddles, I shall turn into a sissy girl soon," he joked.

"Well," Katelin sniffed wiping her nose and tears with the tissue Calum handed to her, "girls are more sensible than boys and cleverer."

"Yeah right, I can see that," he teased.

Comforted, Katelin laughed, holding onto Calum and feeling his bony elongated body. How she loved this brother of hers.

# Chapter Nine

# A Flying Horse

Everything went according to plan. Gregg and Pippa agreed they could visit Nana and Grandad while Gregg spoke to the police. Grandad and Nana were busy converting the new laptop when the children turned up, and thought it was an excellent idea for Calum and Katelin to muck out the stables to keep Katelin's mind busy.

"Look after her, Calum," Nana said quietly to him as they left. "And let us know as soon as you hear anything from the police."

"I will," Calum assured her.

As soon as they were out of sight of their grandparents he said, "Right, I have been thinking how we can get round the Carn quickly. I thought a helicopter. I always wanted to fly in one."

"To fly in one, meaning someone else would have to fly it and you go along for the ride," Katelin shook her head. "No; how would we land it or get close enough to buildings even if we could fly it? But flying is a good idea."

"OK. I have conjured up one eagle, how about an extra, extra, large eagle? We could ride on its back, just like the stories in my books."

"Same problem. How do you control an eagle? Mmm..." Katelin frowned, "what about a flying horse though?"

"A flying horse? Yeah right. What if people saw that? They'd think that was _really_ normal wouldn't they!"

"Couldn't you make it invisible or make it look like a bird from the ground. I can control a horse and we could land him and even get close to buildings or anything." Katelin was so excited she hopped from one foot to the other, impatient to start. She was nervous about her mother. She could see her in her mind, looking out of the barred window at that very moment.

"Mmm, I can't make a horse invisible. So all I have to do then is conjure up a horse that looks like a bird from underneath." Calum rolled his eyes. Mockingly he said, "You know, that sounds simple!" Then he saw the misery on Katelin's face and stopped teasing. "Suppose the horse disappears and we fall to the ground? I tried to see how long my conjuring works last night. I couldn't get to sleep, so I conjured up a beetle and put it into three see-through containers, one inside the other, and then a tin box, which I locked. This morning it had gone, vanished."

"Do you know how long it was before it vanished?"

"At least three hours - before I went to sleep, I kept peeping at it. It was still there before I actually did sleep. I don't know exactly how long after I went to sleep, maybe longer, or..."

Katelin cut him short; "Three hours will do, so conjure up a flying horse now."

"Oh yeah, easy peasy," Calum said sarcastically. "I need to think about it first, otherwise I don't know what we might get."

"Well make him black, like Spirit, so if we land and we are seen, they will think it is him. Black wings too. From the ground he will look like a large bird."

Katelin walked along to the high-hedged road, out of sight of both houses, Calum followed. The hedgerow was covered with black bulbous berries. Thinking about what he was about to do, Calum idly picked one and popped it into his mouth.

"This is supposed to come from my imagination," he grumbled licking his lips, deep mauve juice dribbling down his chin.

Katelin ignored his moan. "If we go round the bottom of the Carn keeping the castle on our left we should find Mum," she said, feeling less confident every minute. Suddenly she came to a halt and glared at Calum.

He grimaced, thinking that Kat's stare was almost as piercing as his mum's stares could be when she wanted him to do something – usually clear up. It must be a female thing, he thought. "Oh alright then," he retorted, "as long as you are sure. One flying horse coming up - I hope," he added under his breath. "With black wings and a bird tummy. Easy peasy...lemon squizy. Here goes."

He shook his head as though dazed, his blond hair bouncing, his long dark lashes flickering against his cheek as he blinked rapidly, his mauve-stained lips curving in a mocking smile. But he stood tall and started humming, holding his arms out and his palms upwards to the sky. His humming became deafening until he was emitting an ear-piercing screech as he focused all his imaginative creative ability.

A black horse materialised and stood snorting in front of Katelin. Eyes wide, she tapped Calum on his shoulder. "You can stop now, it's here."

He opened his eyes just as Katelin flung herself onto the horse's back. Its transparent black wings were so sheer they looked as though they would break with a breath of air, not fly. On his belly and halfway up his sides were long silky black feathers that gave the illusion of a gigantic bird.

"Come on," Katelin offered a hand to Calum and pulled him up behind her.

"That was tough. It doesn't look like a horse with those wings," he said, his voice husky from all the screeching.

"You're brilliant; it looks more or less normal apart from the feathers, let's see if it will fly. Hold on tight to me." Katelin pressed the horse's belly with her legs as Calum sat behind her, clasping hold of her waist. The horse took two steps, then a third, which was half in the air as his wings came away from his sides. The fourth step was off the ground and the gigantic span of his glossy black wings spread out fully like a huge crow in flight. He gave one flap and before they knew it they were soaring upwards into the blue sky.

"Normal?" Calum squeaked, wobbling as they flew above the trees and chimney pots. What part, he thought, was normal about any of this, especially the appearance of the beast they were riding?

Katelin soon had control of the horse's head by pulling on his mane. Steadying herself she pressured the horse to fly to the left and then she straightened him and headed towards the bottom of the Carn. They flew across the landscape, ruffling the undergrowth, gorse rolled over the hill. A stirring and deeply remembered awareness came to Katelin. This is what her vision was about and she tried to remember what else she had 'seen', in the hope that it would find her mother. "We have to get lower," Katelin said in frustration, leaning over the horse's neck to make it drop until they were skimming roofs and flying round trees, ducking under the telephone wires leading to a small hamlet, a few cottages the only buildings along this side of the Carn where the castle would be off to their left. No movement could they see; the gardens looked deserted; the roads empty. It was as if everyone had died, Katelin thought with a shudder. They came to the end of the Carn and she turned the horse back. She was feeling miserable and desperate. Why couldn't she remember her vision? She knew she had seen something significant, but what?

"I feel like Father Christmas," Calum grinned, his nervousness gone. This was great; he was beginning to enjoy the ride after all. The horse felt warm and powerful beneath his legs, the muscles bunching on its shoulders as it spread its wings and soared through the air. This was without doubt the most fantastic experience... well, and teleporting, but this was more fun.

"Are you still looking?" Katelin broke into his thoughts.

"Yes," said Calum peering down, trying to see into windows. They turned and flew back over the granite boulders of the monument on top of the hill, until they had nearly reached home again, hovering near it.

"Once more," Calum said, seeing Katelin's pale, pinched face, feeling her despair. "Keep trying. Focus on your mum and her thoughts. Where is her hair? Did you bring it with you?"

Katelin nodded. She was fingering the hair in her pocket and she had tied her mum's nightshirt round her neck like a scarf, hoping the closeness would inspire a vision. They reached the castle again and once more turned back for home, both quiet and despondent, now zigzagging over houses much further back from the Carn where the slate roofs merged into lines: a sombre haze of dreary grey.

Suddenly, Calum gave a whoop. "Look there!" he shouted, pointing to a tall house in the distance. "Those colours look familiar. Isn't that Auntie Isabelle's jumper?"

Turning the horse towards where he was pointing, Katelin glimpsed something brightly coloured poking out of a window at the top of the large house next to a church. As they neared she saw that it was tied to bars on the window. "Yes, Calum," she shrieked. "Oh yes, it is. It's Mum's Peruvian jumper!"

Katelin let out a scream of delight and squirmed on the horse's back, a feeling of relief washing through her. Tugging at the horse's mane, she pointed its nose towards the ground. Where could she land? How would they land?

At the far end of the church was a crumbling brick square that looked as though a building of some kind had fallen down. Only a dark silhouette of a former church window and broken wall now existed. The whole place was overgrown with prickly brambles, twisting weeds and shadowy bushes. Ideal!

They glided towards the ground, landing the horse and almost sliding off its back as with an abrupt jerk it touched down. They both slithered to the ground and gazed around, wondering if the horse had been seen and both thinking, 'Will it stay?' They needed it to get home. Katelin smoothed her hand down its neck, "Thank you," she murmured. The horse snorted then bent its head to nibble unconcernedly at the bushes and long grass.

"He can't go far," said Calum, "we're in a walled enclosure."

Katelin grunted. "He can fly!"

"Well he won't," Calum reassured her, keeping his fingers crossed behind his back.

Now they had dismounted, it was all clearer to see. They were in a square. The walls, broken to rubble in places, had obviously been part of the church at one time. One still had a fragmented arch that had once held a window. Leaving the horse and praying for it to carry on munching, they crept round the church, scrambling over weed-strewn broken bricks and lumps of stone. There was an absence of sound; nothing scurried about, not even a bird or a rabbit. Beside the church, the three-story house loomed morbidly. Brown vines crept up the walls, shackling themselves to the stone. It had an eerie falsehood about it like the set of a horror movie. Katelin shuddered, wondering if the ghostly shadows of lifeless people were watching them.

Stumbling beneath a gnarled elder tree and partly concealed by its branches, the shivering children looked up at the barred window. Isabelle's jumper was now plain to see. Just then, Katelin caught sight of her mother's face peering through the bars. Then she seemed to look right at them, waved and blew a kiss. Her mum looked quite cheery considering the circumstances.

"She's there, she's seen us, Calum," Katelin hissed, blowing a kiss back, her legs wobbling with relief.

Isabelle put a finger to her lips and with her other hand indicated there was someone downstairs so they must be quiet.

Now able to see her mother, Katelin read her thoughts with ease: 'Go back for some help, Kat. Go away in case he sees you. Quickly! Get the police.' She waved wildly through the bars as though trying to demonstrate her thoughts.

Katelin nodded, mouthed, "OK Mum, we'll get help. Don't worry."

A look of bewildered surprise came over her mum's features. "Where did that come from?" Isabelle mouthed, pointing.

Swinging round, Katelin saw that the horse had wandered up behind them. Calum caught hold of its long mane, pulling strongly, trying to drag the animal back to where they had landed and out of sight. That was all they needed, to be spotted! After several tugs the horse went reluctantly with Calum.

"I'll tell you later," Katelin mouthed, smiling up at her mum. Pointing to her watch, she held up ten fingers. Isabelle nodded, but lifted her hand fearfully, indicating that she wanted Katelin to go.

Silently backing away, Katelin caught up with Calum and together they tugged the horse to the concealed square. There, she swung herself onto the horse's back and reached for Calum's hand.

"You go. I will stay and keep watch," Calum said. Not giving her time to argue, he raced to hide behind a large overgrown bush in amongst the undergrowth and fallen granite.

"No, Calum, if anyone stays it should be me. I will stay," Katelin slipped off the horse, "you go and get help."

"Dad will take more notice of you than me and anyhow I don't think I could fly or control the horse without reins like you."

"We should both go then and quickly. Come we are wasting time."

"I'm staying," Calum said stubbornly, his whispers growing louder. "Tell Dad we are at St Euny Church. He will know where to come. Hide the horse in the stable," added Calum, peering round the bush but not moving from his leafy hiding place.

Katelin had no more time to argue. "Whatever happens, you promise you will stay hidden?" Her face full of urgent concern, she stared at him and as she spoke, her eyes glowed and turned bright yellow.

He gaped at her then grinned, "You really do remind me of a cat, sometimes Kat." He pushed her back towards the horse, "I promise. Now go!" he said, ducking down behind the bushes.

Reassured that he was well hidden, Katelin swung once again onto the horse's back, relieved that she couldn't see Calum at all. Her long legs in her black trousers seemed to disappear into the horse's black feathers and her luxuriant black hair reached to its back. It was as though she had merged with the horse and Calum, watching from behind the bushes, thought that together they looked nothing like any being that came from this Earth.

She nudged the horse with her knees and soon they were flying again. Katelin squeezed the horse's sides as tightly as she could, urging him to go faster. Anxiety fluttered and swirled in Katelin's tummy. What would her father say when she told them they had found Mum? Would he be cross because she had left Calum there by himself? She felt sure he would. She bent down along the horse's neck, urging him to even greater speed, his wings beating so rapidly that the air about them rushed past like a small tornado. But it went unnoticed by Katelin, hanging on tight, concentrating all her energy into the urgency of getting back to Calum and her mum and trying to ignore the well of sickness it brought into the pit of her stomach.

She flew as close to the stables as she dare. If her family saw the horse now it would take more time to explain. Making sure there was nobody about, she slid briskly from the horse's back then quickly catching hold of his mane, pulled him into the stable. His unshod hooves thudded on the stone floor. Closing his wings, he gave a soft whicker then tucked into the hay tied in a net in the corner. Once more thanking him, Katelin shut the stable door, bolted it, spun a few steps... and bumped into her father.

"Where have you been? Where is Calum? You've had me worried sick," his words greeted her, his face white with fear.

"We found Mum," Katelin said, startled to see him standing there. Just behind him in the stable was a winged horse! Biting her lip, she started to race down the drive hoping her father would follow and not turn to look inside the stable.

"She is a prisoner in a house. Calum insisted on staying there, hidden, even though I pleaded with him to come back with me. He said to tell you he is at St. Euny Church."

Katelin felt like bursting into tears. She had nearly reached the house when her father caught her up. Now he had his hands on both her shoulders. He stopped and stared at her steadily trying to take in what she had said, then in one quick movement he got out his mobile and at the same time rushed towards his car. Connecting with the police, he spoke rapidly into the phone.

Turning to Katelin he yelled. "You stay with Pippa and your grandparents, they are all indoors. Tell them where I am going. You all stay put indoors, until I get back.

"But I..."

"Is that understood?" Gregg's voice was choked, his face now scarlet with rage. Katelin had never seen anyone look so angry.

"But..." her protest was cut short.

"NO arguing, GO IN. I will have a word to say to you when I get back."

The engine purred into life. Gregg slammed the car into gear and screamed up the drive, grit spitting in all directions as Katelin walked dejectedly indoors wondering tearfully what she now had to face.

# 

# Chapter Ten

# Calum's Rescue.

Crouched down in his hiding place Calum checked his watch for about the hundredth time; nearly fifteen minutes since Katelin had left. Where was she? Where was Dad? Suppose Dad didn't believe her? He looked up, eyes squinting, scanning the sky. Would she fly back?

A sudden noise cut into his thoughts. Peeping through the bush he saw the front door of the house had opened. Isabelle came stumbling out, followed closely by a bent old man wearing blue flowing robes. He had long, waist-length white hair and a bushy beard and to Calum, he looked like a man from a bygone age. Puzzled, Calum wondered if he was dressed for a play or a film or something. But then, why had Aunt Isabelle been kidnapped?

The weird old man stared about him, as did Isabelle. Apparently satisfied, he nudged her towards the back of a van, which Calum now saw was parked in the drive at the front of the house. At the same time, the old man spoke over his shoulder to someone who was still inside the house.

At least two of them then!

Where was the funny looking old weirdo taking Isabelle? Calum felt a pulse throbbing in his throat; his heart was pounding so loudly he thought the man might hear it. What should he do? He had promised to stay put, whatever happened. Panicking and without thought he jumped up. Luckily the bushes still concealed his slight body. Slowly and silently he inched along the cold granite remains of the wall, trying to get a closer view without being seen. The gentleman was mighty strange: he had the most ashen pale skin that made him look like the walking dead and wasted flesh seemed to cling to his cheekbones. His features reminded Calum of a vulture with a scraggy extended neck. His body was round and big-framed with big feet and he had long, bony fingers like the talons on the eagle. Calum gulped as a thought struck him: had the eagle he conjured up transformed into this chilling ghostly person?

He shouldn't have messed with magic.

Undecided what to do, Calum shrank back against the wall. If he let them go, he and Kat would have to find Isabelle all over again, that's if it was possible. He made a decision. He put out his arms, turned his palms upwards and began to hum softly. 'A car, sports, fast car,' he thought furiously, his imagination conjuring up the latest James Bond car in the last '007' film he had seen. A sleek open-topped silver car materialised just as the old man pushed Isabelle into the back of the van. He went to close the doors and lock Isabelle in when swinging round he saw the vehicle that had appeared soundlessly in the driveway, blocking his exit. The car was empty! Straightening, the man peered all around as though looking for the driver.

Watching, Calum tensed. Now what? Had this stopped the old man, or should he... somehow... He cast around for something to use as a weapon, spied a thick branch; maybe he could knock the kidnapper over long enough for Auntie Isabelle to escape? The second man had still not appeared.

Seizing the makeshift club he gripped it tightly in his trembling hands then stepped out from his hiding place, treading on a dead twig as he leapt forward. It gave a loud 'CRACK'. The blue-robed man spun round just as Calum hit him across the shoulders. Crying out in shock, the elderly man staggered backwards. Seizing her chance, Isabelle jumped out of the van. Her captor, stunned, went to put out his right hand, but Calum, acting on instinct, was already screeching. With his arms stretched out in front of him and a high, ear-piercing shriek, he created a force of energy that froze the old man like a statue.

Isabelle was so amazed she stood rooted to the spot, nearly as rigid as the old man. In a blur of movement, Calum grabbed her hand. "Come on," he gasped, pulling her away. His action seemed to bring her to her senses, and they both sprinted for the James Bond car. Calum desperate, not knowing how long the old man would stay rigid, scrambled over the side and almost fell into the driving seat. Isabelle tumbled into the passenger seat just as they heard someone calling from the house. Panicking, Calum yelled, "GO!"

Nothing moved.

Turning to look behind him he thought. 'What now? How to start it... Turn on, GO, engine _GO_.'

With a smooth, muted roar it started.

A young man wearing ragged, unusual looking clothes had come out of the front door and was staring across at Isabelle sitting in the car. Then his gaze travelled towards the frozen old man, who was standing with one arm outstretched, his long scrawny finger pointing motionless into the air.

"Stop!" the young man called, running towards the car.

"Yeah, right," said Calum as they took off down the road, his foot hard down on the accelerator. He was only just able to see over the dashboard, but luckily the car seemed to have a speed and mind of its own. Dust spurted up at the young man as he tried to catch up with them. Calum glanced in the wing mirror as he got to the bend in the road.

At that moment another car whizzed towards him from the opposite direction. He slammed on the brakes. The two vehicles missed a collision by inches and both stalled.

It was his dad and he was getting out of his car, his face grey.

Calum's heart started beating again; he was sure it had stopped up to this point. Now his heart was going so fast it sounded like a drum, he could hear it thumping and making his head swim. Somehow, he managed to keep focused and he peered again into the wing mirror. No one was following or in view.

He glanced at Isabelle. She hadn't said a word; white-knuckled she clung to the dashboard, either to stop herself from swaying with Calum's erratic driving or perhaps because she was dazed, he couldn't tell which. Slowly she released her fingers and her knuckles flushed pink as the blood started to flow into them again. She turned and stared glassy-eyed at Calum, her mouth working but no sound coming out.

Gregg flung open the car door, gaping at his son. Calum was so low in the seat Gregg had only seen the top of Calum's head as they nearly collided.

Calum's jaw unlocked and he found his voice, "Turn round quick or they will be after us," he babbled to his dad, pushing him away and back towards his own car.

Clearly undecided whether to obey his son or tell him off, Gregg flapped his arms and opened his mouth to speak. Just then they heard a siren and a police car came round the bend, the brakes screeching as they narrowly missed the Bond car and Gregg, who was standing in the middle of the road.

Calum groaned, how was he going to explain this? Where was Katelin when he needed her? 'Help!' he thought desperately, attempting to communicate a mind message to Katelin.

Katelin had tiptoed into the kitchen, but was immediately surrounded by Pippa, Nana and Grandad, all talking to her at once.

They had seen and heard Gregg spin up the drive.

"Where have you been?" Grandad said sternly, "And where is Gregg going?"

"Where's Calum?" asked Pippa and Nana in unison.

"We found Mum. She is a prisoner in a house at St Euny Church. Calum insisted on staying to keep watch. He is hidden in bushes and is very safe." Speaking this aloud, helped Katelin to confirm to herself that he was safe. "He promised he wouldn't move an inch. Dad has phoned the police and he has gone to the church to get him." Katelin's voice grew softer as each word came out. She wished it was Calum standing here not her. She hated gazing into their three tormented faces, her mind clamouring with their thoughts.

Pippa's face went pale, tears started tumbling down her cheeks and she collapsed in a chair, her hands covering her face as she rocked to and fro.

Tamsin, not understanding what was going on but seeing her mother crying, went over to her, kissed her cheek and hung around her neck looking lost.

"How did you find her?" Grandad asked, eyeing Katelin suspiciously. "No lies," he added, his tone dark and his eyes a cool steely blue.

Katelin shuffled uncomfortably. 'Where to start?' A chilly unease engulfed her as she looked at Pippa rocking to and fro with anguish. Her chin started to quiver. Hot tears stung her eyes and then she too was sobbing. The strain of the last few days, all the fear about her mum, together with the apprehension of meeting her father after such a long time, had combined to send her emotions into overdrive. Shuddering, she felt limp with confusion in a way she had never experienced in her young life. Nothing had prepared her for this feeling of being utterly drained.

Nana put her arms about Katelin, holding her and stroking her hair, murmuring softly, "There, there, there," until Katelin stopped shaking and grew calmer. She was about to tell them about her own and Calum's powers, when she heard her mum in her head telling her she was all right and so was Calum. Next she got Calum's message, he was wondering how to explain a Bond car and a frozen old man and needed her help.

Katelin's tears stopped and she started to laugh, hysterically and uncontrollably.

"This is no laughing matter," Nana said, gazing with surprise at Katelin's reaction.

"We have to go and rescue Calum from the police."

All three stared at her as though she had gone mad.

"He's fine." Katelin went to Pippa taking her hands gently and looking up at her alarmed grandparents, reading their thoughts. Both were concerned for her mental state. It was too much to explain to them just now.

"I'm alright, honestly. So is Mum. Calum has rescued her and I just want to see her. Please can we go?" Katelin looked on the point of tears again, her enormous eyes pleading for them to believe her and just go and see for themselves.

"OK," Grandad said at last. "Get in the car. You two stay here," his voice faded as he turned and saw both Nana and Pippa, carrying Tamsin, were already heading out of the kitchen door. All five piled into Grandad's car.

The first sight that met their eyes as they rounded the bend to St Euny Church was a youth in strange clothing, a little like a lost hippy mixed with an old-fashioned seaman. He was talking with the police and Gregg. Isabelle was sitting in a silver sports car, staring at an old man, who stood motionless next to an open van. Two paramedics were examining him closely and appeared to be discussing the best way to get him into the ambulance.

Calum was with his dad listening to the young man's answers. As Grandad brought the car to a stop behind the Bond car, Katelin jumped out and with a quick wave and a beaming smile at her mother, ran over to her brother, studiously avoiding her father's gaze.

"I got your message," she whispered to Calum. "You're amazing!"

He grinned at her, his face lighting up with relief, 'Thought you'd never get here!'

They both listened to the hippy youth, who seemed unable to answer the policeman's questions, and those he did answer came in a stutter, with a French accent. He didn't know who the old man was, or Isabelle, he told the police.

'He's lying, Kat,' thought Calum. She nodded, but said nothing.

The youth said he had just been visiting the old church, when he heard noises outside. When he came out he found the old gentleman, like he was now. When he said this he glanced down at Calum, who blinked back at him, looking totally innocent. The young man was obviously nervous about what Calum might have to say. He was French and had difficulty understanding some of the questions. The police asked for his address and he answered that he lived in France as he was travelling looking at churches in England.

Evidently Isabelle had told the police that the only person she had seen had been the old man and at last they seemed convinced of the young man's story and told him he could go.

Turning away, Katelin ran back to her mother and leaned into the silver car, hugging her tightly. Isabelle kissed her daughter's cheek and stroked her hair, but her gaze kept straying to the rigid old man and she was shivering. Katelin followed her mother's gaze. He looked malicious, his eyes gleamed and appeared hollow with no end to them. His thin, aged finger and hand had long curly black nails like talons. His white hair at close view was yellowed with age in noxious plaited clumps. In contrast, his blue robe was made of smooth velvet etched with gold-coloured embroidery; it hung loose and sloppily from his shoulders, with a cross over his chest.

Katelin moved away from the car and circled him. He smelt musty, like something ancient that was decaying. She could see why her mother shivered. The paramedics were trying to bring his arm down with a view to getting him onto a stretcher.

"Don't touch him, Kat!" Isabelle cried out.

"I won't," Katelin said, walking back to stand by her mother.

"He told me he wanted some special crystals and he would exchange me for them." Turning to Katelin she whispered, "Calum did this: turned him into a frozen statue. I saw him do it," she added, as though afraid that Katelin wouldn't believe her.

"Yes," answered Katelin, taking her mother's hand gently, "I know. Let's get you home and we will explain." She shouted to Calum, "Come on, Grandad is taking us home."

Calum, clumsy with relief, nearly fell over his own feet as he turned towards her, promising to tell the police all he knew later. They would be round after they had finished investigating the premises, they informed Gregg. They wanted to listen to what Calum had to say and hear everyone's story of events.

While Gregg helped Isabelle from the Bond car to his own, Nana crept over to the old man, observing him carefully. Fingering and touching his robes and scrutinizing the cross he had hung on a chain, she smiled at the two young paramedics, who were still scratching their heads. Then she gave them a nod and went back to Grandad's car and slipped into the passenger seat. Turning she said to Pippa, who was cradling a sleeping Tamsin in her arms, "He appears to have a nasty abrasion on the back of his neck."

Calum and Katelin exchanged glances.

From the car they all watched the old man lowered onto a stretcher to be taken in the ambulance to the city hospital. He was stiff, like a steel pole – a reaction to shock – or so the paramedics concluded.

# Chapter Eleven

# The Truth

While Isabelle had a hot bath Katelin made her a cup of calming chamomile tea. She brought it up to her mother's bedroom, pleased to see that after the bath and a change into clean clothes, her mum seemed much more like herself. As she sipped the tea, Katelin brushed her hair with long soothing strokes until it shone. Neither of them said much; after the traumas of the last few hours it was enough just to be together. As soon as Katelin had assured herself that her mother was well in every way, they both went down to the sitting room to join the rest of the family, all except for Tamsin, who was out on the patio, for once playing quietly with her dolls - much to Pippa's relief.

Calum had insisted that because she was the eldest, Katelin should do the talking. There was an expectant hush. Uncomfortably aware that she was the centre of attention, Katelin, with a pleading glance at her father, began by asking everyone to listen without interrupting, even if they did not believe what she was about to tell them. Then taking a deep breath she proceeded to explain.

When she finished, silence hung in the air.

Grandad raised one eyebrow and rubbed his chin.

Nana seemed puzzled.

Isabelle turned to Calum and patted his hand as if in sympathy and Gregg and Pippa just looked stupefied.

A broad grin spread across Grandad's features, 'Grandchildren with such powers! How marvelous,' he thought. Then finding his voice he said, "Well you are a pair of legends aren't you?" and he winked at them both.

"What, exactly, does that mean?" Gregg asked his father angrily.

"Well, Kat has always been able to do... unusual things. I thought it came from her Inca background. But now Calum too!" Grandad's grin got even bigger. "They are both your children Gregg. They both have your genes, your blood going through their veins, which means they have inherited their legacy through you; maybe through our Druid ancestry."

Gregg shot a horrified look at his father then turned to Calum. "How do I know you can do those things, conjure up..." his arms waved about in the air in mock showman style as he sought for the words, "...magic objects?" he spluttered.

"Oh, he can. He really can. Look at that old man," Isabelle said, still sounding awestruck.

"He is a Druid," Nana stated to no one in particular.

"Who?" Gregg asked.

"That old man," Nana's voice became hushed. "He's a Druid priest, I'm certain of it."

"Don't be silly. They existed hundreds of years ago. How ridiculous is that? And I'm fed up with hearing about Druids." Gregg stood up and started pacing the floor. First his daughter, now his son; it was too much. He looked out of the patio doors at Tamsin: was she as sweet as she seemed and... uncomplicated?

"It's no more being silly than our son doing paranormal tricks," Pippa said.

"This is all nonsense." Gregg felt the old fear coming back. Not both of his children surely? It couldn't be true. And if it was, then nobody must know. His children – the whole family – would become a freak show!

"Conjure up something," Katelin told Calum. She had read her dad's mind and agreed with him that their powers had to be kept secret, but why, oh why was he so afraid? "Go on Calum," she ordered.

"What shall I do?" he asked her, not looking at his father's flushed face. He remembered what Katelin had said about what Dad might do if he found out about the conjuring and it frightened him.

"A fairy castle for Tamsin," she glanced at the infant chattering to her dolls outside the open patio doors.

"A fairy castle," Calum echoed with a grimace, stiff and miserable. "I'd rather do another car. Batman's?"

"No, we still have to explain the other one; although... " Katelin thought for a moment an idea forming in her mind. "The police will need an explanation. You could say you just saw the car there and stole it. That would mean you didn't know anything about how it got there. You know nothing about the old man either, except you saw him forcing Mum into the van, so you distracted him and he turned and must have fallen. She glanced at Nana, "That'll be why he had a bruise on his neck, but you ran and took the car so you really didn't see. The old gentleman was getting up off the ground when you left, as far as you know." Katelin was pleased with her explanation of events. Play dumb, that seemed to be best. Even if they told the police the truth they wouldn't believe it.

"You do fib well," Calum grinned, full of admiration.

"Far too well," Gregg agreed, peering at his daughter. He wasn't amused. He felt so tired in body and mind. The events and revelations about his children drained the strength from his limbs. His legs went numb and he sat down heavily, the seat creaking at his abrupt weight. His posture slumped.

Tamsin stood up and toddled into the sitting room, made a beeline for Calum and pulled at his t-shirt.

"Fairy castle, pink fairies," she smiled, adding, "please."

"Oh, OK." Calum said. He might as well get it over with. He raised his arms, turned his palms upward and started humming. Seven pairs of eyes stared at him. He closed his own to block them all out. His humming reached a crescendo and Tamsin covered her ears, just as Calum's eyes flew open and a toy castle with four round turrets and a drawbridge appeared on the patio. Tamsin jumped up and down giggling. The expressions of shocked admiration from Grandad chimed with those of shocked horror from Gregg, but at that moment the doorbell rang.

The police were puzzled; the whole incident was a bit odd and they had never seen a case of shock like that old man's before. Even the boy's story about events did not quite ring true. The car he had found was more like a futuristic machine than any they had ever come across and they couldn't find any ignition keys for it either. However, the boy had been adamant that he had left them in the ignition.

The police insisted that all the family should take care when leaving the house and not open the door to strangers, as they still didn't know why Isabelle had been kidnapped. They eventually left saying they would be back after they had talked to the old man in hospital, probably in the morning. They weren't satisfied about anything they had heard so far and thought it more than mysterious.

As the police drove away Pippa turned and looked towards her family. "One thing the police are right about is staying close to the house and preferably together indoors."

"We will be safe until I go to sleep," Calum stated.

Then, as the adults focused their attention on him he swallowed, wishing he could melt. "My magic disappears some time during the night. I expect my brain sleeps, no imagination you see, that is when things seem to go, I think..." A frown appeared between Calum's eyebrows. He was still trying to puzzle this problem out.

Grandad laughed, which started Nana laughing, joined by Kat then Pippa, who hugged her now solemn little son. Only Gregg could see no reason to laugh.

Isabelle glanced at him with an exasperated smile; it was too much for him to take in. Just like when Katelin had been small, the unfathomable gifts she had been given were beyond his understanding and now Calum's. It was madness! The children were enjoying their powers like another interesting toy. Better, probably, than any toy that most children ever had, but they certainly were having fun with their 'ways'. Calum's pure face showed no real worry or fear about being unusual. He didn't realise that his bequest could be used for evil purposes \- and neither did Katelin. Everyone except Gregg could see the innocence shining out of them.

Thinking about it, Isabelle felt the old anger swell up bubbling inside her. He was so consumed with fear about his children's capabilities he didn't trust their good hearts. His own children!

Wanting her mother to stop being cross with her father, Katelin frowned at her and shook her head. Isabelle flushed: she forgot her daughter knew what she was thinking.

"Dad can't help his fear Mum."

"No I know, but just listen to Calum. Not even a beetle would he hurt!"

Calum was explaining about the plastic beetle experiment, from the night before, saying it was plastic because a real one could have died from lack of air in the boxes.

When he finished, Pippa looked worried. It seemed to her they only had till Calum slept before the old man would be unfrozen and then they could all be in danger again, but why? What did he want? "Nana and Grandad you should stay with us tonight, all in one securely locked house," she said.

"I don't think a lock will stop the old man if he has powers like the children's," said Isabelle.

Katelin considered her mum's remark. "He can't have such powers, Mum, otherwise he would have used them before. He wouldn't have kidnapped you. What exactly happened?"

"One minute I was looking at Pippa rescuing Tamsin; the next, I had a hand put about my mouth and a strong arm around my body and I was dragged backwards down a tunnel. It was that old man; he is stronger than he looks. He tied a scarf round my mouth so I couldn't shout and tied my hands and pushed me along the tunnel. We came up in the ruins of the church and then he took me to the house next to it, where you found me. He was the only one I saw, although I did hear low voices talking later that night. The young man maybe, although I only glimpsed him as we were leaving this morning. I couldn't be sure it was him I'd heard the night before, or even if he was the person that horrid old man spoke to this morning. I was pushed outside too quickly and he was behind the old man, or someone was, protesting about taking me to St Leven. I think that's what he said. Is there such a place?"

Grandad answered. "Yes, near Land's End, there is another church there; never been to it. Why there, I wonder? The tunnel you were dragged into must be the one that legend tells about: a secret passageway below the castle to St Euny church. No one as far as I know has ever found it. Carn Brea has so many legends attached to it; like the one about giants. One used to live on Carn Brea and another lived at St Agnes, they had a fight and then the Carn Brea giant was defeated and is suppose to have been turned into stone. Its sightless and petrified head is supposed to be those big boulders where Pippa took the goats. In fact," Grandad continued, "the hill is a Stone Age settlement dating back to 37O BC. The huge boulders and rocks are said to be a remarkable example of mythical and religious rocks. So, I wonder how the old man knew about the tunnel? It certainly makes you ponder about the other legends - if there is a secret tunnel I mean."

"The old man wanted some crystals. He seemed to think you had them, Kat." Isabelle said to her daughter. Katelin wriggled in her chair, wondering how to answer, but before she could, Grandad gave a cough and looked very uncomfortable as he met Isabelle's sharp gaze.

"Ah, I asked Kat for some crystals to be brought here from the Sun Temple at Machu Picchu. Your Grandpa, Isabelle, got them for Kat. The one who is a Shaman? He knew what I needed. One of the crystals, I believe, is an Intihuatana stone, which was sacred to the Inca people. It measures the angle of the sun and tells the exact time of the equinox. Then there are three very special magnetic quartz crystals, and three fire opals; finally, there are three chrysopal opals. They each have different attributes: the fire opal is a discovery crystal, the chrysopal is a stone that has magical powers of distance over great oceans, and the rock crystals overcome mental limits." Grandad hesitated glancing towards his son. Sighing, he continued, "The electro-magnetic force in some of the quartz crystals has the ability to pull things in, and the force field in the laptop, which they absorb, throws things out."

"Out of what?" Gregg asked. His father was sounding as loopy as the children, maybe that is where their 'ways' had come from; hereditary genes often skip generations.

"The laptop."

"Of course they do!" Gregg said sarcastically.

"Let him finish, Gregg," Pippa and Isabelle voiced together.

"With the crystals and a special program Calum and I wrote, the laptop can teleport you from one place to another - if you have a photo of the place." Grandad smirked. Inwardly he was thrilled that he could tell his son about the discovery.

"What has a photo got to do with it?" Isabelle asked

Katelin, who had been following the conversation closely – both spoken and unspoken – explained. "You need a photo of the place you want to go to, to teleport to, like your studio Dad, Nana transported herself there." Katelin eyed her father cautiously.

Gregg slumped further into his chair and stared in a daze at the glow of excitement on his father's face. Today was like a bad dream; he wished he could wake up and start a 'normal' day. He glowered at his mother, "You are telling me that you actually did this thing... teleported?"

"Yes," said Nana, "but as you see, it did me no harm at all. Now, as I was saying, I think that the old man is some sort of Wizard, a Druid Wizard, from the cross he was wearing and what Isabelle told me about him." Nana winced; she might as well let her son know the lot or the worst, depending on the way you look at things, poor love. She smiled at Gregg: her solid, dependable son who had not an ounce of daring; no vision or sense of adventure, and yet she loved him to distraction. She was enjoying herself – nothing so exciting had ever happened to her before. When you became older everyone seemed to think adventures were not needed, but in fact they were more important than ever. Made you feel alive. Two magic children and a Druid Wizard! 'Wow, cool,' she thought and grinned; she was even imitating her young grandson's words.

Reading Nana's mind Katelin smiled mischievously at her. "He may be a Wizard, but Calum is better than him." She beamed at her brother, who flushed pink seeing the adoration and worship in her eyes. He had rescued her mum and as far as Katelin was concerned, he could do no wrong.

"Not necessarily," Nana warned. "Maybe he mistook your powers or didn't know you had any. He looked sort of surprised, although he was frozen. He was going to stop you with something, that's why his finger was outstretched. You were fast Calum, and lucky, but he will be ready next time. You must be careful."

From the depths of his chair, Gregg groaned, "Next time?"

Pippa looked up, "If he is after the crystals, then yes, since we still have them, presumably?" She looked at Grandad, who nodded.

"I'm not a Wizard, like him. I'm a magician." Calum said indignantly. "And he will be unfrozen when I sleep."

"Yes, well at the moment we are safe because you are awake; so Grandad and Nana go and get your bed clothes and things, while we do the horses." Pippa was in command again and giving instructions.

"We don't want to stay here, we'll be alright at home I'll lock the doors. We still have a lot to do on the laptop. Katelin's new one," Grandad moaned.

Gregg fixed his parents with a cold glare. "I think it will be better if we are all together. I cannot handle another night of worry, wondering if you are all right in your cottage. So don't argue, your... meddling ideas started this. For once, just do as I say, Dad, and bring the laptop here if you must."

"But we could transport to Calum's bedroom if we think we are in danger," Grandad grinned at the thought, "I haven't tried teleporting yet."

"Stop! Just stop with all this nonsense and bring the laptop here," said Gregg, practically choking with anger, stopping everyone from grumbling. He eyed his father, "And you can show me how it works," he added more softly.

Grandad nodded then smiled at the two children. "Like I said, you are a couple of legends. That's for sure." Then in a hushed voice, "Can you show me some of your conjuring later, Calum, and your mind reading, Katelin? I shall have to watch what I think now won't I?" he laughed.

The children nodded grinning.

"I can only read one person's thoughts at a time, whoever I choose to tune in to, so you don't have to worry, Grandad," said Katelin.

"Mm, it's great though. I can talk to Katelin secretly in my head if I want," Calum smirked.

Grandad grinned and was nearly in jig mode again, but thought better of it when from the corner of his eye he glimpsed his son's dark, pooling eyes.

# Chapter Twelve

# Jules Verne

"Let's see this flying horse then," Pippa said intrigued. Gregg growled crossly and stamped across the lounge behind her.

"Tamsin you stay with Daddy and play with your lovely castle," Pippa said, a faint smile twitching her lips as she pushed a happy Tamsin towards Gregg then made a rapid exit.

The two children with Pippa and Isabelle skipped up the drive to the stables while Nana and Grandad, grumbling, went across the meadow to collect their things for the night from their cottage.

The horse was still there. His wings were folded against his sides and he seemed to be dozing. As Katelin slid back the bolt of the stable door his head shot up and he blinked at her, his wings lifting slightly away from his sides ready for action. Katelin rubbed his forehead and patted his neck, talking softly as Calum stroked his long silken feathers. Both the adults were enchanted and after being reassured by the children, gently touched each wing pulling them open and spreading them out like two enormous fans. The horse did not seem to mind, nuzzling Katelin's hand as she fed him an apple.

They decided to leave the winged horse where he was, feed him and bring the other horses in for the night. While they were all helping to do this Nana and Grandad came back, now laughing and chatting with wonder, looking at the winged horse and asking Calum how he had imagined such a marvellous animal.

"Could I have a ride on his back?" Nana asked.

"And me," echoed Grandad.

"Maybe another time. I'll conjure him up again when Dad's in a happier mood."

Calum's grandparents nodded. He was right; today was not a good day to ask, not as though the children would mind, but Gregg had clearly had enough revelations for one day. Leaving the children to finish, the adults went down the drive to the house to help settle Nana and Grandad into their room before the evening meal.

Katelin was bringing a clean bucket of water into the winged horse's stable when she heard a startled squeak - like a strangled scream - from Calum in the tack room next door. She dropped the bucket and raced into the tack room. Calum was standing transfixed against the wall, his eyes wide and staring at something hunched in the dim shadows.

There, huddled in the corner, was the young man from the church.

As Katelin stepped towards him Calum's throat unlocked and regaining his voice he said, "What are you doing here?"

The young man gulped, pale with fright. "I wanted to talk to you both."

"Now is your chance then," Calum said cautiously. Katelin, meanwhile, was reading the young man's mind. Her jaw dropped open in astonishment.

"I am Jules Verne, I live in France. I was in the year 1847 a few weeks ago. The Wizard had me a sort of prisoner as well as your mother," he babbled. He had seen what Calum could do and was very scared.

"He's telling the truth," Katelin said bending down next to him. "What do you mean you were in the year 1847?" Her soft voice seemed to calm him and he relaxed a little.

"I was in the French port of Calais when I went to a nearby stable to see about hiring a horse to take me home. Inside the stable I saw this old man, the Wizard, standing holding this orb." He pulled out a blue sphere from his pocket. It reminded Calum of a bauble that hangs on a Christmas tree and seemed to be made of translucent glass reflecting the colours of light around it.

"Next there was a rumble and a flash and I was here in this world and time and I had fallen on top of the Wizard, cracking the orb. It was the orb that enabled him to time travel so he was very angry. He stole it from Merlin, King Arthur's Wizard, originally. He has been travelling in time ever since. Until now, that is. When I broke it he threatened me and it took me a while to realise what had happened. We were still in Calais, but in the future – not my future, I mean. After several days we got a boat and came to England and then travelled here to the church. I just want to go home. I mean you no harm."

He was in despair. Even Calum could read the distress in his face. If Kat believed this Jules after seeing into his mind, then it was OK with him too. He giggled – 1847! No wonder the young man was dressed funny.

"How can we help?" Calum asked.

"The Wizard said you had some crystals that might get me back to my own time. There is a rock at St Leven at Land's End. If he had the crystals he could widen the rocks and then he would slip into the spirit world, but it would end this world. But it wouldn't destroy other worlds like the one I come from that would still exist, because it had past here, in this one – your world. In his spirit world he will be able to rule and will have complete control over all the worlds and power to change the future. The young man went even whiter and his eyes had a terrified glaze to them.

"Did he tell you how you could get back?" asked Katelin.

"He said the rock at St Leven was also a portal to this other world and we could get through with the crystals. Oh! I just remembered; he could only enter this other world at the exact time of the equinox. That's another reason why he needs some of the stones and crystals you have. The Intihuatana stones will tell him the exact time and the magnetic quartz crystals will push the rocks apart and end this world. He will be in charge of the Universe." Jules held up the blue sphere. "He also needs this orb. It has symbols of two interlocking circles representing the union of Heaven and Earth; spirit and matter; consciousness and unconsciousness, you can see them if you hold it in firelight. It has vast magical powers."

Katelin took the orb and turned it slowly round in the palm of her hand. It was beautiful and exquisite, but with a slight crack along the side. "How did he know we had the crystals in the first place?" Katelin asked, puzzled.

"The Wizard had a vision about you both. He found you because of a Celtic cross marked in the stone wall at the end of your paddock. He showed it to me. He scares me he can do scary things. When you froze him I stole the orb. If he finds me I will be turned into an animal; like a lizard, that is what he does. Then I would roam this earth with him forever." His face crumpled and a tormented look of anguish swept across his features as he pleaded with the children. "You must help me, please."

"We will try," Katelin reassured him, "let's go and talk to my mum, she and my Shaman great-grandpa, who is a sort of modern-day wizard might be able to help. He lives in Peru and knows mystical secrets, if we can get in touch with him."

"A wi... wizard?" The youth slithered up the wall preparing to run.

"No, it's alright, he is a good kind of wizard. You have no need to fear."

Calum raised his eyebrows. No need to fear, except from Dad. "Take no notice of our dad, Jules, he is a bit uptight about Kat and me at the moment."

"Uptight?" The young man didn't understand the expression, so Calum explained.

"Ah, I see what you mean. My father is often a little uptight also," Jules grinned, "but I promise I will not mind if only I could be with him again."

Katelin patted his hand, took a deep breath and the three of them walked back to the house and entered the kitchen. Everyone was there except Tamsin, who had been put to bed.

Startled at the appearance of the young man, there was a momentary stunned silence before the questions started and Katelin calmly retold Jules Verne's story.

Nana gasped, "There is a legend about the split rock at St Leven. The legend tells that when the split in the rock becomes wide enough for a donkey with baskets on each side of its back to pass through it, the world will end," Nana recalled with a shiver.

Puzzling thoughts held them all silent.

After a moment, Grandad shattered the silence by asking, "Are you the Jules Verne who wrote all those books?"

The young man looked surprised, "No," he said, then shrugged, "well, that is to say, I have started one book a little while ago, and I always wanted to be an author."

Grandad shot questions at him like rapid gunfire, "When were you born? What year and what town? How long have you been away from home?"

The young man answered all the questions politely. "I was born in Nantes on 8th February 1828. My father Pierre is an attorney and my mother is called Sophie and I have a brother, Paul."

"You definitely are that Jules Verne then. According to our knowledge you wrote lots of books, some of the first science fiction books. You were also supposed to be on board a boat, sort of lost, until 1847 when your parents found you," Grandad said.

"So I get back then? It happens somehow." Jules Verne's face was swept with light as though touched by a shaft of sunshine.

"How long have you been in this time zone?" Grandad asked intrigued, as was everybody else, including Gregg who for the first time seemed curious.

"Two weeks the Wizard said, but it was 1847 when I left." Jules looked sad, "Do you think the world of my time might have changed when I go back and everyone I know will be older or dead?"

"No. I told you, the year 1847 is when your family finds you again," Grandad said confidently. "No wonder you write such amazing books later. That's because you came here to this world and our time." Grandad paused, scratched his head as though remembering, and then said, "You know, I have a portrait of you at home, but when you are a lot older. In one of your most famous books, ' _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,_ ' you pose as a character called Professor Pierre Aronnax when you are about forty years old," Grandad smiled at Jules, pleased with himself for remembering so much. "You all go through to the lounge and I'll see if I can find a picture of it on the Internet. If not," he whispered, "I'll try and slip home and get the book."

Watching Jules Verne's face, Katelin smiled. He looked like a different man he was so happy. He was thinking he would get home and become famous, even to this present day. It was beyond his wildest dreams. But then, so were these magical children in this wondrous age and world, he thought. He stopped worrying.

"I wish Grandpa Rani were here; he would know how we could proceed, I am sure," Isabelle said, wrinkling her nose in thought.

"I could go and get him and bring him back with the teleporting laptop," Katelin said, turning to Grandad for confirmation.

"No you couldn't, I have too much to test. First I have to see if it will transport two people, and over such a long distance. Then I need to know whether you can take the laptop with you somehow, so you can return," Grandad said.

Completely bewildered, Gregg studied them all then shook his head. "Why don't you phone for his advice? Like normal people?"

The children looked at each other and giggled.

Grandpa Rani, who lived in the Amazon rainforest and didn't have a phone, had to be fetched. It was an hour before the old Shaman was able to talk to Isabelle. He wasn't surprised to hear from her and said he had been waiting for the call. The conversation seemed to go on for a very long time. They could hear the low, metallic drone of Grandpa Rani's voice. Isabelle said little, but nodded from time to time. When she eventually put the phone down, eager faces were gazing at her.

"First," Isabelle began, "he said we must be very careful of the Wizard. Grandpa has seen him in his visions and knows he is quite powerful, so Kat and Calum will have to work together to defeat him. We must somehow get the Wizard to the standing stones at Boleigh tomorrow at noon our time. The timing is very important. Grandpa Rani will try with two other Shamans to trap him there, by stopping the earth. We must get him in the middle of the circle of stones."

Isabelle paused for breath before continuing, her brow wrinkled as she tried to recall her grandfather's exact words. "Grandpa will go to the peak of Machu Picchu, the cloud pinnacle in Peru. From there he and the other Shamans will be able to communicate to fuse the Earth so that we will have time to send the Wizard into the box - the one he gave you to transport the crystals in, Kat. The box is made of rock salt and granite; it will hold the Wizard if we catch him. We do that with fire by turning him into a flame. The flame will die unless the box is opened, then the air will ignite it and the Wizard will be able to escape, so whatever happens, we must leave the box shut and locked. Grandpa will throw it into the heart of a volcano when we get back home," Isabelle said with relief, as though it had already been achieved.

"That sounds like fun," Pippa said slightly hysterically. "We have to let our two children capture a clever, powerful Druid Wizard who has probably encountered lots of opposition over long years. It'll be like sending lambs to the slaughter." She put her hand to her head and held it there as though she had a sharp pain.

"Go ahead, Mum, why don't you frighten me?" Calum's sarcasm was edged with fear. "Doing conjuring doesn't seem so great after all."

"Oh Calum, I'm sorry," Pippa cried, crossing to her son and hugging him to her. How could she have been so thoughtless as to voice her fears and say such things?

"What about me?" asked Jules quietly.

"Oh that should be easier," replied Isabelle. "Grandpa Rani said that we must take the orb and the last of the quasi-crystals that you have, Grandad, to Duloe near Looe, where there is a small circle of pure white quartz crystal standing stones. You Kat, with Calum will take the orb and the crystal into this circle. You will both hold the orb and crystal and it will activate your minds, so Calum you can use your imagination to mend it; and Kat, it will show you how to use your vision to send Jules back through time. Between the orb, Calum and Kat, Jules, you should return home.

"However," Isabelle frowned at the children to emphasise her next words, "Grandpa Rani was very insistent that you don't stay within the crystal circle for too long, because the knowledge about our world could overwhelm you both. He suggested two minutes at the most. Your minds should have absorbed enough by then. If I watch I should know when you start to receive this oracle of wisdom. Lastly," said Isabelle, "we must not go near St Leven and the portal, especially with the crystals. It isn't true about it taking you back in time, but if the rock is split and does widen it will open up the spirit world and our world will be destroyed. The Wizard was probably trying to trick Jules into helping him so he could grab the crystals and go into the spirit world himself. With his previous time travelling across all the ages, he has strong contacts in each century, which would bring him from the spirit world, and then he would be very powerful and able eventually to rule the Universe. That is what he wants and that is what we must prevent."

The children nodded, their gaze fastened on Isabelle, their faces tense and pale. Grandad put his arm around Nana's waist and gave her a squeeze. Gregg's eyes were getting wider by the minute as though he could not believe what he was hearing.

"Among all the crystals and stones Grandpa Rani gave you Kat," Isabelle continued, "there are three quasi-crystals; the ones you had to keep in the box. They are from a crystal skull, which possesses vast powers and knowledge that is far beyond our comprehension. Some call these skulls 'Christ minds.' They are very, very old and from a race superior to ours; enlightened civilized beings from outer space."

"Wow, cool!" muttered Calum, fidgeting from foot to foot.

"We mustn't take the crystals to the Boleigh circle of stones either," Isabelle's soft voice went on. Everyone's gaze locked onto her in astonishment, their eyes like dinner plates.

"Oh - one final thing, Grandpa Rani said that once Jules has gone, we must break the orb into bits and throw the pieces into the sea. He suggests we go to a port or harbour of some kind that existed in 1847 so that when we send you back to 1847, Jules, you will be able to get a boat back to France."

Isabelle checked her watch and gave a weary smile." We should do it soon as it is now getting dusky - hopefully, the Wizard is still frozen. I will go with the children to Looe."

To everyone's surprise Gregg stood up and took command. "Come on then, let's get this done. I shall go with the children; you Isabelle will stay here in safety. It is a long way from here to Looe. We should go quickly." He started organizing everyone, telling himself that if he had children who were different then whatever his feelings about it, it was his duty to try to protect them from danger. "Put the laptop on the table, Dad, and find out where the largest port was near here in 1847."

"Why don't we teleport to Duloe?" Calum suggested. "It will be much quicker and Nana got to St Ives OK." He looked at Grandad. "We could see if they have a website and photo on the Internet. We could be there and back in a quarter of an hour."

Grandad looked at Gregg, who nodded.

"Well let's see if there is a photo of this Duloe crystal circle first," Grandad answered, doubt flooding his mind about the whole idea. He had such a lot to test. Still, logically he couldn't see why it wouldn't work with two people, one carrying a laptop to bring them back. After all, the entire cat and the chair had made it OK, and both of the laptops were now ready. Grandad put the laptop on the table and switched it on.

Katelin was puzzled. "How did Grandpa Rani know we hadn't used one of the quartz crystals?" She turned towards Isabelle. She hadn't heard her mother tell him; in fact Isabelle had hardly said anything. She had mostly just listened.

Isabelle shook her head and gave a shrug. Grandpa Rani had always known things beyond any sensible fathom of reason.

A photograph of the Dunloe circle had been found and was being downloaded on the computer and it was agreed to teleport Gregg and the children there. Meanwhile Isabelle had gone upstairs and grabbed coats for herself and Katelin. When she came down a stubborn look came across her features as Gregg frowned at her. "I am going too. I have to be sure the children don't stay in the circle for longer than two minutes," she pleaded.

Gregg opened his mouth, glanced at Isabelle's face and knew he couldn't change her mind. Nana looked thoughtfully from Isabelle to her son.

"Why don't you and Isabelle go first together, Gregg, before the children, to test that the procedure is safe; then you can call us on your mobile and the children can follow," she suggested. "Meanwhile, Grandad will look for a suitable port for Jules."

Speechless, his mouth open, Jules was still standing stupefied in front of the mystical machine with pictures on it.

With a grin, Nana handed Gregg a pair of sunglasses, but because he looked so worried she said she was quite willing to go in his place.

"Oh don't be silly!" Gregg frowned in annoyance at his mother's animated face.

"I'm being silly?" she smirked as he took the sunglasses.

Isabelle had already put hers on and was waiting impatiently. She seemed small standing next to Gregg's tall figure.

"Everyone, go into the kitchen away from the glare," instructed Grandad, keying in the secret word, his finger hovering over the remote.

They all scuttled in to the kitchen, followed by Grandad and closed the door. Calum and Katelin waited, holding their breath until they saw under the door a brilliant light, which disappeared as fast as it came. Within a minute the phone went. Gregg and Isabelle were both safe; it seemed to work fine with two people. They were ready for the children.

Grandad gave Calum the second laptop so they could return and he hugged it to his chest. Katelin held the orb and the crystal, which, remembering what Grandpa Rani had said about travelling, she had put into the little box he had given her.

It was eerily quiet as Katelin and Calum arrived at Duloe. Katelin had been disappointed with the experience of teleporting. No wonder Calum had seemed indifferent. When she levitated she sometimes felt as if she was flying, but teleporting was not like that – but still, it was quick! She shot a mischievous grin at Calum then stared about her. Seeing her mother in the circle she walked over to join her. Isabelle was examining the standing stones. They were beautiful, glistening in the moonlight like shadowy phantoms.

"Did you like teleporting?" Katelin asked her mother.

Isabelle nodded. She was completely entranced with the stones. She ran her hands along their surfaces trying to rub the stones clean of the weathered algae and grime. "They remind me of opals more than crystals."

Gregg came with Calum into the circle. He had taken the laptop from Calum and put it down on the grass away from the stones. Together they had set up the photo of Calum's bedroom, ready for their return.

"Come on, we need to get a move on - the night is coming on and Calum will be soon feeling tired." Gregg glanced at his son, who was far from feeling or even looking tired, his face alive with excitement.

Her smile, full of impishness, Katelin asked, "So what did you think of teleporting, Dad?"

Reluctant to sound too enthusiastic, he admitted it had been a unique experience.

Isabelle finished examining the stones and led Katelin to the middle of the circle. "I suggest you both sit on the grass cross-legged and facing each other."

The children sat down, doing as Isabelle said, smirking as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Now hold the orb in your hand Calum. Kat, you put your hand under his, so Calum is touching the orb, while you hold the crystal in your other hand... in a minute. Leave it in the box for a moment. Calum, you put your other hand underneath Kat's. Now Kat, you will be touching the crystal and Calum is holding the orb, so you will both be sort of holding the orb and the crystal together. Wait until Dad and I have moved outside the stones, then tip the crystal out into your hand Kat and throw the box to us so we can catch it. Yes, I think that will be fine. Do you Gregg?" Isabelle's nose was wrinkling as she thought, pondering if she had got everything right.

The nose twitch amused Katelin, making her smile. Her mother often wrinkled her nose when she was thinking and it always reminded Katelin of a rabbit.

Gregg agreed with Isabelle and they both retreated to outside the circle, behind the looming standing stones. "How small and vulnerable the children look," he muttered.

Katelin tipped the crystal out and threw the box towards her parents. The crystal grew warm in her palm. Silently, small streaks of rainbow rays started to dance above the crystal, like waves on windswept water and both the children wriggled with delight. The rays slithered into separate radiant glows as they grew into the seven individual colours of the rainbow, flying across to the standing stones and igniting each stone with a separate colour. Then the orb abruptly became lustrous with inner light and they could see two interlocking circles twirling inside it. A prism of multi colours flowed round the children and engulfed the circle until the whole of the area was one large dazzling crystal, so vibrant that the children disappeared within it.

Gregg, his heart pounding with alarm suddenly put on his sunglasses and raced into the midst of the colour, followed swiftly by Isabelle. Feeling around, Gregg couldn't see or feel either of the children, only the crystal lying on the ground. With wild fluttering in his stomach and dazed as if a windmill was turning in his mind, he grabbed the crystal and threw it outside the rainbow ring then ran to where it lay pulsating on the grass. Heart thumping, he swiftly picked it up, scorching his fingers but managing to ignore the pain, and put it into the granite container. Immediately the rainbow lights left the circle, shot like a firework display into the night sky and vanished.

Isabelle, looking a little dishevelled, emerged from the circle clutching a child in each hand and dragging them along.

Gregg clasped all three in his arms holding them safe against his chest; fear had drained the strength from his limbs. Staggering back he realized the children were not quite right and a chilly unease entered his heart. He gave one, then the other a shake and as he did Isabelle caught the newly mended orb as it tried to bounce to the ground, jumping from Calum's grasp.

The last thing she wanted was for it to break again. One rainbow experience was quite enough. She stared at Gregg, helplessness in her eyes.

"What now?" Greg said dejectedly,

Calum's eyes were luminous with rainbow glints like large mosaic saucers and Katelin eyes had gone bright yellow, her hair standing on end down the length of her back. A sudden burst of wind threw them all about like feathers in a storm, but it unlocked the children's minds.

"Wow! Wow! Wow! That was awesome. Better then any ride at the fair," Calum exploded as the rainbow of colours left his eyes.

Katelin, growled and her eyes returned to their dark brown, "Better than teleporting. I would like to do that again." What a trip, she had been flying and whizzing like a shooting star. She didn't yet know how to send Jules back, but at the same time knew that she could do it, because the knowledge was in her subconscious mind. She felt empowered and enlightened, but she didn't know what about. It was altogether weird!

"Let's get back home." Gregg walked shakily towards the laptop. These crystals were certainly more potent then anything he could possibly have imagined. He knew that crystals were used to keep accurate time in watches, and in televisions, radios and computers, to make them work, but these crystals – words defied him. 'Christ minds', Isabelle said her grandfather had called them. What was that about? With certainty he knew they mustn't let the Wizard get hold of them. These crystals weren't ordinary. The evil and horror that could be imposed on the Universe if they got into the wrong hands was too unbearable even to think about. It suddenly dawned on Gregg that the crystals had been entrusted to his children because of their purity, and with that thought, for the first time he felt proud.

Looking up at him, Katelin smiled.

# Chapter Thirteen

# Turning Back Time

Back at home, Grandad had been showing Jules the Internet and had searched for him and his books on Google. The young man was astonished, especially to see a portrait of himself aged about forty.

"I look like my father," he cried in surprise.

"Do you? Well we all turn into our parents one way or another whether we like it or not," grinned Grandad glancing at his son.

With a twinkle in his eye Gregg made a face at his father.

"Mmm," pondered Jules, "I remember now: a few years ago in my time, Lady Lovelace, the daughter of the celebrated poet, Lord Byron, published something about how to make a computer. She is a mathematician and I remember reading about it in the newspaper," Jules said. "How about that? It really becomes this!" He bent down examining the laptop, turning it around.

"That's the least of it," said Calum, having returned from Duloe with Katelin. "Did you know that we have sent a rocket into space with a man inside and he has walked on the moon?" How impressed would Jules be with that, he wondered.

"On the moon?" Jules repeated. "How do you get to the moon?"

"In a space rocket," Calum answered and continued to tell him lots of details about rockets, the moon and the planets, bringing up several pictures of the event on the laptop screen, before showing him some world photos. Jules was both amazed and entranced.

It was rapidly approaching darkness outside. Pippa had woken and dressed Tamsin while the others had been at Duloe. The little girl was sitting on Grandad's knee, her thumb in her mouth and eyes like saucers at this unexpected treat, keeping very quiet in case they sent her back to bed again. Nana and Pippa collected everyone's coats ready for the drive to Falmouth, which Grandad, having found an old leather bag and a hammer to take with them, had selected as the best nearest port for Jules. They were all putting on their coats when Gregg suggested there was no need for Nana and Grandad to come too and they should stay at home with Tamsin.

They had other ideas. After all, they all had to stay together, wasn't that what they had been told? They looked at Gregg and then at each other then scuttled out of the door and were first in the car, which made Gregg laugh to himself. Given their age, his parents could move very fast when they wanted.

They all squashed into Gregg's big 4x4, which could seat nine people at a pinch. Calum sat at the back with Katelin and Jules. He was holding the orb, trying to understand its secret, twisting it this way and that to observe its surface. He shut his eyes, letting his imagination flow to the orb. Katelin and Jules sat soundlessly watching him.

"Tell us all you know about the Wizard," Gregg said over his shoulder to Jules as he drove skillfully along the narrow lanes.

"I don't think I know that much. He said I would come in useful because he could do with some young help. He is like an old man sometimes. He cannot move very fast, as you found out Calum. He also gets a little confused when there is a lot going on around him I noticed, like some old people do. I suppose, if he was a young boy when he met and stole the orb from Merlin all those years ago, even if he does time travel it could still be over a long time, centuries possibly, making him extremely old - even in Wizard years!"

"He could be hundreds of years old," said Nana.

"Yes, well anyhow, soon after we arrived here he tried to teach me how to conjure things up, like Calum does. Of course I wasn't able to do it. But then he merged some spell with my mind so that when I thought of objects they appeared, but they didn't last. He was pleased with my conjuring for a while and one night he took me to the St Leven rock. He commanded me to think of widening it. Together we tried, but the powers he had given me were not strong enough and would fade and I was exhausted, so we couldn't manage it – luckily!"

"Yes indeed," Nana said. "So what happened next?"

"He was angry with me saying I had to try harder or he would turn me into a lizard. Although I was scared, I didn't try after that, I opposed him by concentrating only on keeping the stone as it was."

"That was brave of you," said Grandad.

"I don't know how I found the courage because he frightened me and I knew he was evil, but thankfully he didn't seem to know what I was doing. We tried for hours; it was midnight before he gave up. That is why he needs the crystals; they will part the rock for him with me helping, he said."

Jules was silent for a moment. It was fully dark now, the headlights lighting up the road ahead. Gregg was driving carefully to avoid any rabbits that might still be about on the verges.

"How did he know about the crystals?" asked Isabelle, breaking the silence.

"He had a vision. When we got back from St Leven we went to bed and in the morning he told me he had dreamt about both Katelin and Calum. He would like to get hold of you Calum to train you, he said, except you are very pure of heart. Apparently this could present him with some difficulty." Jules turned to face Katelin. "He is extremely frightened of you. He said you are the Sacred Puma of the Incas and have the greatest power ever, but at the moment you don't know how to use it properly. He felt that was lucky for him."

Katelin gasped. She knew she had an unusual gift, but not great powers. Me, the Sacred Puma? That was just rubbish! She frowned, or was it? Slowly she remembered Grandpa Rani telling her he knew who carried the spirit of the Sacred Puma, but when she asked him who it was, he had just smiled mysteriously and told her she would know too, when it was time for her to know. Was that time now? Could she really be the Sacred Puma? Was that why she sometimes felt like a big cat when she had her visions? Katelin's senses were reeling. The legend was special to her Peruvian background. She shook her head in disbelief; she could only read people's minds how did that make her powerful? But it kept buzzing about in her brain.

Isabelle cut into her thoughts. "In that case, now you know this, we have nothing to fear. Just like Great-Grandpa told me on the phone."

"Great-Grandpa told you I am the Sacred Puma?"

"No, he told me a long time ago that you were very extraordinary and important to the world." Isabelle stroked Katelin's hair affectionately.

"To the world?" Katelin echoed. "How can I be?"

"Well it seems the world will be destroyed if you and Calum cannot save us," Isabelle said, studying her daughter more closely. Turning to Calum, who was staring goggled-eyed at Katelin, she said, "You too, are unique."

A gurgling sound came from Gregg as he drove, but he didn't utter a word. Pippa glanced across at her husband and bending towards him kissed him gently on the cheek, her stomach knotting.

Calum gazed at the dark shape of his half-sister sitting beside him. 'Wow Kat!' he thought. 'You're a cat! That's why your eyes sometimes go yellow.'

Too stunned to reply to Calum's thought, Katelin turned to look out at the landscape that was now eerily silvered by moonlight.

Falmouth was busy with people, so Gregg drove through the centre and out again, away from the hustle of the town. About half a mile further on he stopped the car on a hill just above the sea.

"There are always a lot of people this time of year with all the tourists. The harbour has pubs along it where people like to be on a lovely night like tonight. You can walk to Falmouth dock from here, in the morning," Gregg said to Jules, who nodded.

They all got out of the car except Tamsin, who was sound asleep in her chair. It was pleasantly mild and the night was bright with a full moon. A stunning expanse of grass blanketed the cliffs and led down to the town where the lights of Falmouth sparkled, dancing with the stars that studded the inky sky. A slight tinkling sound of laughter drifted up towards them. It was unearthly and still up here on the hill where they were standing, but the lap and swish of the waves directly below them soothed their jagged nerves.

Grandad pointed to a spot over a wall in a field, just beyond the road where they had parked. "That looks ideal," he turned to the children and Jules.

All the adults stood together facing the children, Gregg hoping that the children had got all the wisdom they needed from the rainbow stones. He didn't want to go back to that circle. When he thought about how the children had so nearly disappeared, he shivered with panic. He would never look at rainbows again with pleasure.

Katelin reached for his hand and smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Dad, we'll be OK."

Gregg nodded in response; it was uncanny the way his daughter knew what he was thinking.

They took it in turns to say goodbye to Jules and wish him luck, then Pippa headed back to the car and Tamsin.

"Oh, before I go," Jules said, "the Wizard cannot penetrate any granite stone. That is why you are safe in your house and probably why your Shaman Grandpa suggested the granite circle. The old Druid cannot send spells through them."

"I'll remember that," said Gregg as he shook Jules's hand.

Jules hugged Katelin. "You are really pretty," he said and gave her kisses on either side of her face, in the French way.

Katelin blushed, "I hope you get back all right. I'm glad we met. Maybe you will remember us."

Calum stepped back; he didn't want any sissy kisses. He held out his hand, but Jules ruffled his hair laughing. "Thank you Calum. I shall remember you both always."

"OK then, ready?" Gregg asked, impatient to get home and get his family safely into the house. "Best of luck Jules," he added.

Jules and the children nodded.

"Stand back," said Calum to Nana and Grandad.

"Actually, I think it would be best if you all went behind the car or that wall over there," said Jules. "You too," he gestured towards Katelin and Calum. "After all, I was not near the Wizard when he brought me here. We were in the same stable, but I was over in the corner several feet away from him, so I don't think you should stand to close to me. You don't all want to end up with me in 1847."

"Good grief!" Gregg said, hurriedly ushering everyone behind the car, which was parked next to the granite wall. Gently, he lifted the sleeping Tamsin out of her seat and held her against his chest. If granite could protect them from a Wizard then surely it could protect them from going back in time.

Calum was thinking that actually he wouldn't mind being a time traveller, but Katelin, gazing at the granite that glittered in the stone wall in front of her, was attempting to compose her thoughts. Try as she may she couldn't feel calm and peaceful. She was the sacred cat! The Sacred Puma! It was all she heard going round and round in her mind.

She became aware that everyone was waiting, all looking at her anxiously. "Sorry," she glanced at Calum. He just shrugged; he could wait until Kat was ready. Katelin smiled at him. Calum's big eyes were large with innocence, bright and clear, he was relying on her. The thought immediately brought a tranquil hush to her senses. She closed her eyes and focused all her attention inwards, as she did when she wanted to levitate. After a few moments she knew she was floating in the warm night air. She felt her hair lifting, sailing out behind her and a familiar feeling of a presence and patterns came dashing in to her brain. She was trying to think backwards to years before she was born. She 'saw' Calum in her vision; he was holding out the orb and it was rushing her back in time. She didn't know when to stop. How would she know when to stop? Then it came to her, just let it be, the orb would find the time and the way. She relaxed, drifting slowly, rolling across seas and deserts and cities like a shadowy white mist.

Calum was standing holding the orb underneath Katelin. The orb was balanced on one on his hands, while his other hand was held out in front of him helping him to concentrate. He was humming loudly, vibrations quivering the ground as his hum turned into a screech. He imagined as much as he was able, remembering the pictures from the Internet about the surrounding area in the year 1847, trying to help the orb. It felt hot on his palm and started to glow. Then it was spinning and the symbols twirling and he knew it was activated. He stopped humming and closed his eyes, feeling as though he had been released; liberated from expending energy on thought and concentration. He too just drifted; ageless like the sea that swished rhythmically far below them.

Suddenly the hilltop lit up in a brilliant flash of bright light. The next second Jules was gone. A slight stirring swirled the grass where he had been standing a second before.

Like the others, Gregg couldn't believe what he had seen, especially Katelin, still suspended in the shining night. She looked otherworldly and Calum had sounded like nothing on earth. These were his children! Dazed, Gregg shook his head trying to clear it, soothing Tamsin, who had woken to Calum's phenomenal screeching.

Stepping towards Calum, Pippa gently touched his shoulder. He opened his eyes and stared at the empty place where Jules had been. "It worked then?" He smiled mischievously at the faces of the adults as they gazed up at Katelin, who was still hanging in the air.

Gregg contemplated his daughter, not knowing what to do. Isabelle, beside him, raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes. "Go on, touch her," she coaxed in her soft, calming voice.

He passed a mildly protesting Tamsin to Pippa then reached up, lifted his hand and slipped it into Katelin's. As they touched he felt her serenity, could feel the peacefulness travelling up his arm. Behind his eyes he saw the geometric patterns flooding her mind. Then her eyes were opening and she was beaming down at him. Her hair dropped to her shoulders as with one graceful movement she floated down until her toes touched the ground.

Gregg, still holding her hand, drew her towards him and kissed the top of her head. Why, oh why had he feared her? She had such beautiful thoughts.

Reading his mind and overwhelmed with happiness, Katelin squeezed his hand. This was the moment she had longed for: to be accepted by her father for who she was.

Watching them, Grandad gave a secret smile and a mighty sigh. "Let me have the orb," he held out his hand to Calum, who handed it to him. The orb was now dull and still and seemed so ordinary, just like a Christmas tree bauble again. Grandad rummaged in the boot of the car and came out with the bag and hammer. He dropped the orb in the bag and placing it on the grass, smashed it to pieces with the hammer. Sparks flew up like miniature coloured rockets with each hit.

"Now give me that large granite rock, over there, Gregg," he pointed to the long grass at the foot of the wall. Gregg picked up a big heavy rock that had fallen from the wall and Grandad rolled it into the bag, knotting it tightly. Then he and Gregg walked down the grassy slope to the top of the cliff and together threw the bag into the sea below. There was a loud plop as it entered the water then a hiss. The sea around it became turbulent, white foam gushing up like a hot spring that steamed across the surface then died, disappearing under the water. All became silent. The two men peered down: a shaft of moonlight showed them only the gentle white rippling tops of the waves.

"Let's go home," Gregg said, walking back to the others. Putting one arm about Calum's shoulders and the other around Katelin, he hugged them both to him then everyone piled into the car.

As Gregg drove away he felt his eyelid drooping, tiredness swept through him and he could see that Calum was feeling sleepy too, but they all knew they couldn't sleep until they were safely in the house.

Knowing how tired Calum was, Katelin started asking him questions to keep him awake. "What books has Jules written?" It was the first thing to come into her head.

"He did one about the moon, that's why I told him about men going to the moon and one about being under the sea... and another about...."

Their chatter went on until they got home. When they arrived, Gregg lifted Calum from the car and carried him indoors. As they prepared for bed, Isabelle produced an armlet that had six bands of turquoise stones. She asked Grandad and Gregg to separate the armlet to make two bracelets, one for each child. Turquoise, she explained, protected the wearer from harmful spells and would warn about the threat of danger. Both children had them on when they went to bed.

And for once, Gregg did not scoff or make any negative comments about it being superstitious nonsense that a bracelet could protect the wearer.

# Chapter Fourteen

# The Wizard

Katelin tossed and twisted, dozing fretfully, her dreams racing randomly. She felt wet, cold, her teeth were chattering and she was shivering. Hollowness grasped her, with a depth of loneliness like a hole inside her and she was frightened; more scared than she thought anyone could be. She was staggering along rugged terrain, the rain beating down her endurance, her legs heavy, like lead. She couldn't recognise her surroundings, something wasn't right, where was she? Everywhere she looked was unfamiliar to her and spinning. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed bright green leaves and saw the rainforest, could hear the call of the macaws. A warm glow spread through her and at last a calm and peaceful sleep took hold of her mind.

Calum was curled up in a ball, his eyelids fluttering as he dreamed. He saw a golden beam and fairies started appearing and flying round in his room, their glimmering wings dazzling his thoughts. Were they real or an illusion; had he conjured them up or not? He wasn't able to tell any more, he felt so tired. They encircled him, cajoling him into feeling protected and comforted and at last he too fell into a deep, relaxing, sleep.

Gregg was restless and he found that despite his tiredness he couldn't get to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he saw either his children lost in a flickering rainbow or the Wizard's face crumpled like paper and his eyes like pitch black tar, laughing at him as his bony hands grabbed Calum and Katelin. Gregg's stomach grappled in fear, his heart clutching for both of his children. His eyes burst open and his head snapped round to look at the clock on the bedside table. It was nearly an hour after midnight.

Breathing fast he rolled over onto his other side and contemplated Pippa sleeping next to him. Her brown hair was spread round her face and across the pillow, her long lashes curled onto her cheeks. She seemed so young when she was asleep; almost childlike, he thought. How Calum looked like her; a lump rose in his throat and a sense of helplessness engulfed him. What could he do against such evil, such magic? What might this awful wicked old man do to his children... even if they gave him the crystals? He was their father, so why didn't he have magical gifts too, so that he could defend them? Magic! That surprised him. Gregg at last acknowledged that his children were enchanted and he smiled to himself. They were enchanting in more ways then their gifts. Katelin had completely captured his heart in the short time since she had arrived here. How was it he hadn't been able to see her properly when she was little? But he knew the answer; his fear had overridden his common sense, distorting his love for her. Never again, he vowed.

A whistle of wind slipped past the bedroom window, distracting Gregg from his thoughts. A windy day tomorrow, that is all they needed. Then he heard a groan, a howl that seemed to race round the outside of the house. Gregg's blood went cold and alarm gripped his insides, for no rational reason: the howling was only the wind. But as he thought this, the noise grew louder and the windows in the house rattled like a drum roll that was about to introduce... what?

Gregg jumped out of bed, just as Pippa woke. "What was that noise?" There was a tinge of dread in her whisper.

"Only the wind, I expect we will get a storm soon." Gregg's voice maintained a calm he didn't feel, "I'll just check and see if all the windows are shut. We don't want rain coming in. Go back to sleep." As casually as he could, he put on his dressing gown and slippers. He glanced towards Pippa. She hadn't been taken in by his pretence. She too slipped out of bed and was tying her belt round the middle of her housecoat.

The groan from outside was roaring furiously. The whole granite house trembled from the sound as if it was the straw house made by one of the three pigs. Gregg and Pippa's pulses raced, their hearts pounding. Both seemed to know without saying that this was like no storm they had ever encountered before.

Gregg opened the bedroom door slowly and peered out onto the landing. Suddenly the door was whipped from his grasp and spun across the landing, just missing Isabelle and Katelin before it crashed smashing into the wall.

Katelin saw Calum standing in the doorway of his room, looking terrified at what had happened. "Conjure up a granite wall round the house," she commanded. Hunching her body against the unseen blast to reach him she grabbed one of his hands and together they held out their arms horizontally in front of them; Katelin helping to send some courage to a horrified Calum.

His awesome screech bounced round the landing and immediately riveted the depraved hurricane, the wind dropping almost as quickly as it had begun to leave an unnatural silence.

A squeak shattered the quiet making them all jump and twist round. Then they saw that it was Grandad opening his bedroom door a little and peeping through the crack Hesitating, but then seeing the others standing nervously staring at him, Grandad stepped out onto the landing, followed by Nana. Both were in their dressing gowns and looked pale and shaken. Pippa abruptly remembered Tamsin and with a cry of her name rushed into her bedroom. There, still fast asleep, with her bedclothes kicked off, she lay like an angel oblivious to anything happening about her. Everyone had crowded in behind Pippa and they all sighed with relief.

A vile, despicable, corrupt noise soared into the air. All of them tensed and held their breath. The noise rose to an ear-splitting crescendo, slinking up through the chimney that went alongside Tamsin's room. A chilly unease crept down everyone's spine and cold dread washed through them.

Swooping up the sleeping Tamsin from her cot, Gregg wrapped a blanket about her and held her close. A rage of ferocious and seething currents of air hit the house and a crashing noise came from either the roof or chimney. In their panic no one was sure from where it came, but it compelled them all to rush down the stairs. They entered the lounge just as a shapeless mist drifted past the locked patio door, the glass cracking and the frame splitting.

"Turn the doors into granite Calum," Grandad yelled, adding, "and all the doors and windows in the whole house as well. It is the Wizard; maybe he is trapped between the wall you put up and the house."

Calum closed his eyes, half against what he might see if they were open and half to help him concentrate. His throat went dry and he could only gurgle his humming; his arms trembled and no screech emitted from him this time. He felt Katelin slip her hand into his and knew she was trying to help again. But he couldn't think fast enough, he couldn't think at all! He heard more glass breaking and he wanted to shout "STOP IT" but no sound came out.

Squeezing his hand, Katelin somehow projected calm into his mind, helping him to focus. A few seconds later, a granite wall appeared where a moment before had been windows. Within seconds, all over the house windows disappeared to be replaced by granite stone, leaving the house in pitch darkness. Grandad snapped on the overhead light just as Calum opened his eyes.

At the same moment a tornado of soot shot out into the room from the sitting room fireplace. Everyone spun round watching the black dust sail in the air before it fell in a heap onto the carpet.

Gregg shoved the sleeping Tamsin into Pippa's arms and he and Grandad sped towards the fireplace. Both clumsy with fear they collided and fell. Gregg scrambled to his feet first, scurrying like a frenzied rabbit trying to reach the gas poker and set the prepared paper and logs alight in the grate. Flicking the switch of the gas poker much too fast several times, it failed to spark.

Grandad, up on his feet now, wrenched it from his son's grasp and held the switch down steadily as another black plume of soot coiled out into the room. A glare of flame discharged from the poker. Gregg grabbed the tool in Grandad's trembling hands and together they held it, lighting the fire. Immediately, blue and yellow flames roared into action. Isabelle and the children had grabbed more paper and were crumpling it wildly giving it to the two men. Frantic, they added it to the dancing brightness. Soon flames swirled, livid and crazily tall disappearing up the chimney.

Tamsin had woken and was wailing in fear, Pippa trying to calm her.

A vicious gust of air hissed like a venomous snake at the flames, knocking them sideways and turning the fire into grey smoke, nearly putting the blaze out, but the logs had caught at last and drew more tall flames up the chimney to meet the blast of air.

Again everything went quiet. They all stood silent listening, their bodies stiff, waiting for the next onslaught. After five minutes Nana sank down on a chair her limbs shuddering from exhaustion and fright. Slowly they all did the same. The flames continued to roar; Tamsin, her thumb in her mouth, had stopped wailing and was emitting hiccupping sobs as Pippa rocked her gently in her arms.

"If it begins again I think we should transport out of here," Calum suggested.

Katelin nodded. "I think we should do that anyhow and come back in the morning."

"Why come back?" Calum asked, dread furrowing his smooth features.

Gregg came across to his son and lifted him onto his lap. Snuggling down against his father's chest, Calum for once didn't cringe or protest he was too old to sit on his dad's lap and have a cuddle.

Sitting on the sofa, Isabelle put her arm about Katelin, who was hugging her too; it was hard to tell who was comforting whom. Then Katelin grinned, lightening the atmosphere. "Well that was exciting!"

Isabelle smiled and shook her head in amazement. Nothing it seemed daunted her brave daughter for long.

They all sat hushed, praying and hoping the Wizard had given up, at least for a while.

Grandad fetched the two laptops from the cupboard, opened them up and switched them on. Then, because he could not be sure if the Wizard had gone or if he could somehow hear what they were saying if he hadn't, Grandad put his finger to his lips and found pencils and paper in the table drawer, indicating that they write messages to each other.

'Where shall we teleport to if the Wizard attacks again?' wrote Calum. Everyone thought for a moment.

'How about Truro church? It has granite walls and is a holy place. God will protect us from the evils of a destructive Druid', wrote Nana. Everyone nodded.

'Good idea,' Gregg mouthed.

Calum blinked; his eyelids heavy. He wanted to go to sleep: conjuring the granite walls had all but exhausted him and he was having a hard time staying awake, but he was frightened that if he did sleep the granite stronghold would disappear.

Reading Calum's mind, Katelin realised he needed sleep or he would not be fit for tomorrow - or rather, later that day - when they had to try to trap the Wizard in the stone circle. She wrote a message to her father who nodded, agreeing. They would teleport to the church without delay taking the crystals with them so they could all get some sleep, especially Calum.

Katelin could no longer feel the Wizard's presence, but with her father went upstairs cautiously and brought warm clothes down for everyone, together with sleeping bags and several blankets.

Grandad sent Nana and Calum first; Calum holding a laptop so they could return. They all waited. A minute went by then Grandad's mobile went. It was Nana saying they were both safe. Next went Pippa, with Tamsin now fast asleep in her arms. Grandad sent the blankets with Gregg and Isabelle; lastly went the sleeping bags with Katelin and Grandad, the laptop tied to his wrist with a thick thread of silk that Nana had found for him. Silk, he said, was stronger than any rope and it was a try out for some kind of bracelet and chain in the future, as Nana had suggested only a couple of days ago - it seemed more like a week.

When Grandad and Katelin arrived, the beds were made up in the side rooms of the church. Although they were all excited about the experience of teleporting, it was now getting on for three in the morning and Gregg insisted they all calm down and try to get some sleep. Hopefully, no one would disturb them. The early service was at eight o'clock. It gave them barely five hours to sleep.

# Chapter Fifteen

# Escape

Not long after seven the next morning Gregg rolled over in his sleeping bag and came fully awake. The sound of the doors being unlocked had woken him. He listened for footsteps, but no one appeared to have entered the church, although the vicar was sure to be here soon to take Holy Communion. The presence of five adults and three children dossing down in his locked church would take some explaining! Reflecting that they all seemed to have slept remarkably well given the hard stone floor, he hurriedly nudged the others awake, hushing them to be quiet by putting a finger to his lips then tapping his watch. Leaving Tamsin asleep to the last possible moment, Gregg assembled the others in front of the laptop. Bleary-eyed, their arms full of sleeping bags they donned their dark glasses and waited for Grandad to begin teleporting them home.

Gregg, Katelin and Calum went first to check out the house. The conjured granite had all gone, presumably as soon as Calum had fallen asleep. They looked into every room and even the stables, before texting Pippa to say it was safe for the others to follow. By half past seven they were all huddled round the kitchen table cuddling hot mugs of tea and gazing nervously about them, every sound making then jump. Only Tamsin, who seemed quite excited by the big adventure, was in a cheerful frame of mind and babbling about fairies. However, once everyone had eaten a bowl of creamy porridge rustled up by Pippa, they were all beginning to feel stronger and less anxious. Things never looked so bad in the daylight, thought Gregg, who could hardly believe he had actually teleported - not once, but four times! - and it had actually been quite good fun. He was amazed at himself.

He caught Katelin grinning at him and he made a face, then smiling back at her he announced. "I think it would be a good idea if we all teleport to Boleigh later. That way we won't encounter the Wizard until we are in the circle."

Isabelle pursed her lips; "We have to lure him there at noon for Grandpa Rani's Shaman spell to work. How are we going to do that?"

"Much as I don't want to believe in Druid magic, I fear he will know exactly where we are and will follow us," Gregg replied. "He so badly wants to get his hands on the crystals he will stop at nothing."

"Well teleporting to the stone circle won't be a problem," said Calum. "Grandad can download a photo off the Internet. There are probably loads on the Cornwall tourism website."

Grandad nodded turning to the laptop. "I'll have a look and see what I can find."

As he spoke they heard the sound of a vehicle crunching up the drive. Everyone looked up nervously. Striding over to the window Gregg was relieved to see the red van approaching.

"It's only the postman," he said, turning away. Grinning sheepishly, they went back to watching the laptop screen as Grandad tapped the keys. He had already brought up a picture of the Boleigh stone circle and was preparing to download it.

"He's late today," Pippa remarked, as Tamsin toddled out to greet the postman, who usually had a packet of sweets in one side pocket for children - and especially for Tamsin - and a packet of dog treats in the other. He often proudly stated with a grin that no dog – or child come to that - had ever attacked him!

As Tamsin ran outside a shudder of danger slithered over Katelin and Calum. They looked at each other then started running, shouting to Tamsin to come indoors, but she was already out on the driveway. Katelin reached her first, scooped her up and turning gave her to Gregg, who was close behind. He had almost reached the house when he heard Katelin cry out. Spinning round, he saw a rope snake out of the van, whizz through the air and twine round her legs, stopping her from moving. Another pinned her arms to her sides. Calum was frantically pulling at the rope trying to get her free when he too was imprisoned by a rope wrapping round his body. It all happened so quickly.

Hearing their cries Isabelle came rushing out. Gregg thrust a bawling Tamsin into her arms and gave her a push towards the house. "Get back inside!" he shouted shooing her away. "I'll get Kat and Calum."

But he was not fast enough: a horrifying troll-like creature had already spun out of the vehicle and in the blink of an eye had grabbed the children and thrown them into the back of the van, which revved up and shot off down the drive before Gregg had moved two steps.

Blindfolded and helpless, Calum and Katelin rolled across the floor of the van. They could hear their father shouting; Pippa screaming and Tamsin wailing. The sounds dwindled into the distance as the van, spitting gravel, careered through the gates and off down the road.

At least everyone else was safe thought Katelin, her head swimming. She had caught a glimpse of the creature seconds before it blindfolded her. It was huge, with scaly, warty skin and a big bulbous nose. Horrid! She could hear Calum whimpering. "Are you all right?" she asked him. Like her, he must be feeling every bump shaking his bones as the van thundered along the uneven surface.

His answer was muffled, his voice trembling, "Yes, are you?"

Katelin was about to reply when something prodded her sharply in the back, accompanied by a deep growling grunt. Clearly the troll did not mean them to communicate, so she could do nothing to reassure Calum when he 'spoke' to her in his thoughts, telling her he was OK, but very scared.

They did not seem to have travelled very far when the vehicle slowed and came to a stop. Katelin heard the doors open and then she was yanked roughly out of the van. Gripping her shoulders with its claws, the creature was dragging and nudging her along the ground, but it was hard to move with her legs still tied. She could feel Calum trembling beside her and felt a hot surge of anger against their captors. It had all been so swift neither she nor Calum had had time to think or act. Now they were being shoved forward into what seemed like a small enclosed space because they were squashed together and Katelin could feel a wall against her shoulder. Suddenly, a high-pitched whining sound pierced her eardrums and for one horrible moment the floor seemed to move and drop. It took her a few seconds to realise they were in some kind of an elevator. They seemed to be descending for ages, but at last the whining, whirring noise stopped and a dank, foul smell hit their nostrils.

Knowing Katelin could read his thoughts Calum tried to be brave and not think about how scared he was, but a cold sweat dribbled down his chest. He was shaking so much he became clumsy with dread. A scratchy troll finger in the middle of his back pushed him forward, his trembling legs gave way and he stumbled on the uneven floor. As the troll jerked him to his feet Calum's blindfold slipped.

Darkness like an abyss seemed to be on all sides. Wherever they were, it was totally black; he couldn't even see the ground. Then Calum glimpsed a faint glimmer of sheen on a jagged ebony surface. He leaned sideways and felt hard rock brush against his bound arm. Now he was certain they were in an underground tunnel. When he had staggered, the troll creature close behind him had almost fallen over the top of him. Inspiration suddenly gave him courage. He wondered if Kat was reading his thoughts. 'Kat, Kat,' he thought as hard as he could, 'when I say, NOW, in my head, fall over on the ground. Be ready to try and escape. OK?'

"OK," whispered in the air, followed by a grunt and a prod from the troll.

Calum struggled on for another minute preparing to move quickly; then he thought 'NOW' and fell to the ground. Knowing the creature was close he rolled. The beast fell halfway on top of him, but Calum had scrambled to his knees and twisted away from it and only his arm was caught under the troll. The creature felt heavy, scaly and hard and its breath smelt of dead fish, which made Calum retch and for a brief time he thought he was going to vomit all over it. As he scrambled to his feet, his blindfold fell down round his neck and he peered into the darkness. Two eyes glistened back at him and he knew Katelin was staring at him, her luminous amber-yellow cat's eyes glowing like twin lamps.

Next the eyes shifted as Katelin sprang up and twisting her body leapt at one of the trolls, hitting him with both feet and knocking the wind out of him. He tumbled to the ground. "Imagine you are unbinding me," she yelled to Calum, "my arms... quickly."

Katelin glared at the two trolls, both now back on their feet. Their dark shapes loomed large and cumbersome and her mouth went dry as they hesitantly took half a step towards her. With her arms bound she was not sure if she could spring at both of them. Then she heard Calum humming. The snake-like ropes fell away from her and she vaulted at the nearest troll, pinning him to the ground. A rumbling growl started in her throat as she fixed her bright amber gaze on the other troll. It took one look then turned and lumbered away. Katelin's growl turned into a roar and the creature beneath her began foaming at the mouth, his eyes rolling, white and terrified.

Calum, having got himself free of the ropes, looked about him. Squinting hard he peered into the dimness and stumbled towards Katelin, guided by her brilliant yellow eyes and her intermittent growl. She was on all fours, holding down the terrified troll. Reaching her, Calum put out a tentative hand, feeling that her hair was stiff and standing on end. Slowly, he stroked it until he felt her relax. She straightened up and stared at him as if she had forgotten who he was.

"Katelin, it's me, Calum," he said, relieved when the growling stopped and the brightness of her eyes began to fade.

Slowly Katelin stood up and the beast quickly made his escape, shambling down the tunnel as fast as his heavy weight would allow until he was consumed in the darkness.

"Are we alright?" Calum asked in a daze, his mind and body struggling to make his limbs stop quaking. He could no longer see Katelin's eyes; he could barely see Katelin, she was just a dark grey shape against a black background.

"Torches," she snapped, "we need torches."

Of course - why hadn't he thought of that! Calum hummed and two torches appeared one in each hand. He switched them on, passed one to Katelin and they swung them all around. Caught in the beams, a low-ceilinged passageway carved out of rock stretched in both directions. The walls were slimy and dripping with water and puddles glistened on the floor. In that instant Calum knew where they were.

"It's a mining tunnel," he said, still trembling. "They go under half of Cornwall. We are in an old tin mine."

"Come on, we'll go this way," Katelin said, grabbing Calum's hand and giving it a squeeze, leading him in the opposite direction to the way the trolls had gone.

Treading carefully on the rugged, uneven ground, they picked their way forward in silence.

"How did you do that?" Calum asked after they had walked for a couple of minutes, the round shiny beams of light wavering before them. "You were like a cat, like the puma Jules said you were," he added.

"Don't know," Katelin answered, "it just sort of happened." Although she was fairly sure it had something to do with the mind-blowing rainbow experience in the quartz circle. It was as if knowledge of the Sacred Puma had somehow been released within her, but she was still too overwhelmed by the idea to voice it, even to her brother.

"The Wizard must have sent the trolls to kidnap us," whispered Calum. "He probably means to exchange us for the crystals. Have you got the granite box?"

"Yes," she answered still trying to recover from her newfound ability. Katelin fingered Grandpa Rani's small empty box, which never left her pocket. The feel of it was somehow comforting.

The torch beams faded to pinpricks of light as they stepped into a large open cavern. They had come to a crossroads of four other tunnels.

"Which one do we take?" asked Calum, just as they heard a noise like a distant drum beat. "What was that?" His knees began to feel weaker than ever and he moved wobbling closer to Katelin.

Katelin tightened her grip on Calum's hand. "We will be out of this mine soon. I won't let anything happen to you," she said confidently. After all, she was the Sacred Inca Puma, wasn't she?

They both listened intently. The silence in the cavern was profound. Katelin shivered, it was cold down here. Then they heard a low roaring boom again, but this time Katelin thought it sounded like water; the sea crashing against rocks. She closed her eyes and tried to feel calm, searching in her mind for the peaceful feeling that came when she wanted a vision.

"Don't do that, Kat," Calum tugged at her hand in desperation. "This is no time to close your eyes!"

"Shush. Put a force field round us, or something. I'm trying to see a way out," she explained, screwing her eyes tight shut in an attempt to forget the danger they were in and that somewhere in this deep, dank blackness lurked the Wizard about to pounce on them.

"Oh, I see," Calum murmured. His body slicked with cold sweat. The stench in the tunnels was overpowering, so foul it rose and hung in his throat along with his pounding heartbeat. Following Katelin's lead he also closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. A force field? That was a good one! Calum laughed nervously. He hummed loudly, attempting to centre his thoughts. Not able to do so he increased his hum to a screech. Just then he felt Katelin's hand in his, her calm travelling through him. After a while he opened his eyes. Nothing had appeared; everywhere was black, but he had imagined an invisible force field. Gingerly he held out his free hand - no way was he letting go of Kat with the other - and stretched out his arm until his fingertips encountered a hard invisible surface... a wall. He had done it!

Katelin was hovering slightly off the ground and she went to pull her hand from his, but Calum wouldn't release it and gripped harder, going up on tiptoe so he didn't have to let her go. Suddenly, he could 'see' what Katelin was seeing even though his eyes were open. They were running endlessly in the semi-darkness between blackened walls. It was as if he was in a cinema and the walls had become the screen. If only they were really watching a film and this was just a bad dream, he thought longingly, wishing he would wake up.

In her vision Katelin saw them emerging from the tunnel into sunlight and sea, but in which direction? She was spinning along so fast she was dazed and couldn't see the way. A crashing bellow swept into her ears and deafened her until she realised it was the sound they had to follow. Her blurred vision jumbled and began to whirl in circles and suddenly she was in a circle of stones. Boleigh: she and Calum were there with the Wizard, and yet they were not! The Wizard was trying to stop her from levitating, but she wasn't there....

For a moment Katelin was mystified then clarity dawned and she knew what she had to do. Coming out of her vision, she dropped down onto one foot and gently put the other to the ground and opened her eyes.

"Well which way do we go?" Calum asked. He had not been able to understand anything he had 'seen' except them running very fast.

"The rumble we can hear is the sea. We follow the sound; it will lead us to the way out."

"Which way is that then?" Calum's gaze darted around the cavern. As he jerked his torch to and fro, golden pools of light flittered like fireflies in the emptiness.

"Let's try and see which tunnel has the loudest rumble coming from it," Katelin suggested. Letting go of Calum's hand she stepped forward and straight into the force field with a thud. "Ouch!"

Despite his fear Calum giggled. "You told me to make a force field. I did." He cocked his head on one side, held his torch under his chin and smiled sweetly at Katelin.

She picked herself up off the floor and with hands on hips she raised her eyebrows. "Wretch!" Her eyes became glaring yellow telling Calum she was not amused, but only for the briefest of moments. Then she smiled back, "Well done, but you could have warned me."

"Sorry," Calum said. He began to hum and once more shut his eyes as he made a hole in the invisible wall so they could pass through it.

When he stopped he took hold of Katelin's hand again and dragged her behind him through the wall. Together they walked to the nearest tunnel entrance and stood listening; no rumble. A slight sound of dripping water seemed to come from another tunnel so they went to the entrance and listened again. Then to the next. As they came to the last one a shadow appeared and a troll stepped heavily out of the gloom, followed by seven more.

Calum gulped and Katelin stepped back, "Run back get inside the force field," she cried. They both ran backwards trying to locate the invisible wall and the hole, Katelin putting her free hand out in a frantic move to find it. Calum desperately hit the air in the hope of touching something hard, his arm zigzagging and waving, his feet slipping on the wet cavern floor.

The trolls marched closer. They scowled. Caught in the torchlight their warty faces glowered with rage. Their large clawed feet sounded like thunder with each step. Nearer and nearer they came. The creatures were nearly upon them, their arms reaching out, their hooked talons about to...

Calum's shoulder hit the invisible barrier. He screeched with delight, just as the trolls went to grab him. Falling through the hole, bringing Katelin through almost on top of him, Calum hummed and just in time closed the hole behind them.

The trolls growled and the cavern echoed with the rumbling noise as they surrounded the children. Sharp claws skittered and squeaked on the invisible wall like chalk on a blackboard, as though they couldn't understand why there seemed to be a barrier. Calum's legs felt so floppy he couldn't stand up and he collapsed, goggling up at the trolls. These were even more fearsome than the two that had captured them: about eight feet tall, green and slimy with teeth like daggers they all seemed to be glaring down at Calum. He couldn't even swallow he was so scared. Then they took a few steps back and again advanced, their warty faces set in grimaces of determination.

Calum gurgled in his throat. Katelin clutched holding him to her and they both held their breath. The eight trolls marched towards the force field, their claws looming in front of them, but again they bumped into the wall. Puzzled, they linked hands and started pushing at the invisible barrier, but they still couldn't get to the children.

Shuddering, tears prickling his eyes, Calum's fear was beginning to weaken the force field. The effect on Katelin was startling: she didn't like her little brother being so frightened. Anger flooded her veins banishing her own fear. Her hair stood on end, sticking out from her head and rising like hackles down the middle of her back. Her eyes began to glow and flash, their yellow and amber light mixed with menacing glints of green. She growled low and threatening, pulling Calum to his feet and holding him securely round the waist, calming him and giving him strength. He forced his concentration on the force field praying it would hold.

The troll standing immediately in front of Katelin got the full impact of her cat-like glare and was clearly terrified. He tried to turn and flee, but he was now locked in an arm hold with the others as they pushed their enormous round scaly bodies again and again at the wall, their pointed teeth gritted with the effort.

Calum was having difficulty in breathing and shut his eyes, expecting to be seized at any moment, claws tearing into his flesh, teeth ripping at his bones. How long would the force field hold? But it did. Even with the trolls battering the wall it stayed firm and the trolls let out a low rant of rage.

Katelin knew the Wizard was close and could be upon them any second. She could smell his vile scent, like a vapour twisting towards them through the tunnels. She shouted into the void.

"We haven't got the crystals with us, but if you let us go now we will bring them to the Boleigh stone circle at noon."

'Noon, noon, noon,' the echo bounced through the murky gloom as though shouted by a ghost.

The creatures had backed away from the barrier and were scraping their long talons on the ground readying for another charge. Calum stared at their hairy bodies and green scaly limbs. Each one's face was a bit like a human, but with the nose of a long-snouted animal. Two horns curled outwards on top of their hairy heads and they had long pointed ears. They reminded him of the creatures from his book, a book that had frightened him when he was small. He shivered with remembered fear and it came to him that he was going to die here in this cold dank tunnel. Never see his mum and dad and baby sister again. Calum began to sob, tears welling and crawling down his face.

Picking up on his thoughts, Katelin became increasingly convinced that the Wizard was somehow able to see their fears and was using them to his advantage. It also occurred to her that the Wizard was testing their powers to learn what they were capable of, so he wouldn't get frozen or trapped again. Or was he about to grab them, vaporize them or turn them into lizards? Wasn't that what Jules had said he did? Katelin growled low in her throat, engulfed by another stream of fury as she thought about the way he had captured her mum and terrified them all with a storm during the night. Now he had sent these fearsome creatures against her and Calum, frightening her little brother to death. How dare he use a child's terror to take the crystals and destroy their world, deliberately choosing to hurt her and the people she loved best to gain his own evil ends.

Too angry to be afraid for herself Katelin's whole body began to shake with rage, it swelled in her chest washing any gentleness from her soul. Jules had said the Wizard was afraid of her, well now he had better be! If she was the Sacred Puma, the Wizard had a fight on his hands like he had never imagined. The anger exploded inside her and she screamed with defiance into the hollow cavern. "You had better be scared of me, old man, very scared!"

The trolls were charging again, battering into the wall, which shook violently. When they heard Katelin's scream of rage they hesitated, but only for a brief second then came on again.

Thinking he felt a flurry of air rustling his hair Calum gulped. How many more charges could the wall take before it collapsed? "Shall I make another wall? How are we going to get away from them?" he asked Katelin, hoping she had the answer.

"Can you conjure up something that will kill trolls?"

"Like what?"

"How about some of those Japanese warriors you were watching on TV the night I came to Cornwall? You know, you said you would like to be one; so now's your chance." Katelin held his hand to her lips and kissed it.

The feeling of his sister's soft kiss and her warm breath on his palm gave Calum some small comfort. He managed to focus, imagining armies of giant Samurai, with steel swords and helmets and skills to defeat any enemy. Just like those he had seen and admired several nights before. He began humming, his free hand outstretched, the other still gripping Katelin's. He wanted to make sure they were big, tough and invincible warriors and knew his imagination and concentration were better when both his arms were extended, but he wasn't going to let go of Kat. No way.

His eyes shut, he heard the trolls pushing at the force field, this time with their heads down low so their horns could tear into the wall. Calum's humming turned to a high-pitched screech and almost immediately thirty huge Japanese warriors appeared in the cavern.

Katelin hissed, "thirty!"

"I wanted to be sure."

The trolls charged, but once again they bounced off the force field and while they were still in a vulnerable position, the Samurai were upon them slashing at them with their glinting swords. The scaly monsters were no challenge against the combat skills of the warriors. The sounds of clashing steel sang out combined with the groans of the dying trolls. As each one fell writhing to the ground it vanished as if it had never existed.

The two children stayed inside the force field watching in silent horror until the last of the trolls collapsed and the way was clear. A rumble came from the left-hand tunnel.

"The sea," Katelin gasped. "Break the wall and instruct the warriors to follow us."

They headed into the blackness of the mine, the Samurai marching at their backs, the beams of their torches wavering before them lighting up the narrow slimy passageway so they did not trip. Now Katelin could hear the low roar of the sea. "We're nearly there, hurry," she urged Calum.

Gradually, the sound turned into a loud rhythmic gush, making their pulses race and their steps quicken as they staggered towards what they hoped was the end of the tunnel. Suddenly Katelin stopped dead, everyone behind her coming to a stumbling halt.

The glow of her light showed a pair of thick boots and legs like tree trunks. She moved the beam upwards. A gigantic hairy man stood blocking their way and behind him a unit of the biggest men she had ever seen. They were at least eight feet tall, broad and muscular, with brutal faces and long red hair like giant barbarian pirates. Above tangled red beards their grinning wide mouths displayed teeth like yellow fangs. Each pirate carried a dagger in one hairy fist and a curved steel cutlass or heavy club in the other. In the lead, the tallest of the brutes laughed out loud as he looked down at the two small children.

Calum glued to Katelin's hand felt her shiver. She let go of his hand and pushed him behind her. "Stay in the middle of the warriors. Tell them to protect you and fight these primitive giants," she instructed. Tensed and curled ready to spring, Katelin's eyes turned luminous yellow and the middle parting of her hair rose stiffly like the hackles of a puma.

Some of the warriors came forward circling and protecting Calum, their swords raised, their steel helmets and visors clanking as they moved. The others came to stand alongside Kat. Snarling, she uncurled her body and flung herself forward in a cat-like leap, her feet smacking into the first pirate's stomach. Swatting her away as though she was a fly his laughter was a great booming sound that shook the ground.

Moving forward, the Samurai warriors wielded their sharp swords and began to rip into the barbarians while Katelin, undaunted, picked herself up and leapt again at the pirate, this time clinging to his facial bristles. Taken by surprise he staggered backwards with Katelin swinging like a tiny insect from his beard. She dropped to the ground, ran up the side of the tunnel and vaulted towards him, kicking him hard in the face just as he got back his balance. This time the pirate fell with a crunch to the ground, his cutlass clattering and rolling under the feet of the warriors as they surged past Katelin. With lightning speed the Samurai cut the barbarians down, but as each one fell and turned to dust, another took his place.

With a loud cry, Katelin hurled herself forward, grabbed a fallen cutlass and threw it at the nearest pirate, striking him in the neck. He collapsed and disappeared. Immediately another brute filled the space. In despair, Katelin spun round to see that Calum was no longer cocooned between the warriors. She swerved past a large barbarian, skimmed under another's legs and dived towards Calum. Reaching out she grabbed him, but Calum had seen that more and more pirates were emerging; he was already holding out his arms and humming, conjuring more warriors.

"Calum, we have to run away from here," Katelin yelled over the sounds of clashing swords and grunting warriors, but he was still humming and seemed not to hear her. She dragged him through the combat zone trying to avoid the mounds of dirt and dust strewn across the floor, which moments before had been the bodies of the Wizard's malicious fighters. Calum's screech changed pitch and he produced a fire grenade. He hurled it at the enemy with his free hand, it exploded into balls of fire lighting up the dark, the screams indicating that it had found the target.

At the edge of the battlefield, Katelin broke into a run, pulling Calum with her, faster and faster, hurtling towards the sound of the sea. Calum continued to hum as he raced along, conjuring and throwing the exploding balls of flame that slowed, but did not stop the heavy footsteps that pounded along behind them as they sped down the seemingly endless tunnel.

"The giants are coming," Calum panted, "the Wizard must have destroyed the Samurai!"

"Keep going," Katelin gasped. "We're nearly there."

Rounding a bend in the tunnel they saw a bright dot of daylight in the distance. The sound of crashing waves drifted to their ears and both could smell the sea and hear the cries of seagulls. The brightness grew bigger as they got closer. Both were gasping for breath and had pains in their sides, their legs wobbling and weighty, but they dared not stop.

Now they felt a blustery wind on their faces and the opening loomed large. Suddenly they both ran out onto sand and the cold sea foamed around their ankles soaking their shoes and splashing up their legs.

"Conjure up a speed boat, quickly," Katelin shouted above the crash of the sea, at last daring to look behind her. Two huge barbarians came staggering towards the tunnel mouth, their arms reaching forward ready to grab. "NOW Calum!"

Calum didn't need to be told again. He hadn't stopped humming, but he changed pitch going into a screech. The boat materialised bobbing on the waves.

"Get in and start it," Katelin instructed. "Be with you in a minute."

He flung a leg over the side of the boat and scrambled in. As the engine roared into life he looked back for Katelin.

She had climbed up the pinnacle of rocks at the entrance of the tunnel and was jumping high into the air, somersaulting off the side of the mine entrance. With an agile twist of her long legs she kicked out at the nearest of the two men as they came running out and towards Calum and the boat. He was knocked off balance and fell against his companion. The second pirate steadied him and they both headed for Katelin, evil in their eyes. Standing upon wet rocks slippery with seaweed, she timed her spring, mounted the craggy stones and leapt straight over their heads. Racing for the boat she dived over its side and Calum pushed the lever down.

The boat took off swiftly carrying them away from the shore, a choppy wake foaming behind them. Katelin scrambled up from the bottom of the boat looking towards the tunnel as it grew smaller in the distance. The giants had vanished, but then she saw the Wizard, his cloaked figure standing silhouetted in the entrance to the mine. What would he do now?

Katelin glanced at Calum, his face was pasty; his huge eyes hollow and ringed with dark circles. She hugged him as he steered the boat out to sea and over his shoulder she saw the beach was now empty. Her hair was wild and tangled in the wind, but no longer stiff and her eyes were brown again; she felt quite weak. "They were none of them really real, you know," she said suddenly. "The Wizard is not as good a conjurer as you, Calum, he just plays mind games."

"Well they felt pretty real to me," Calum retorted, too exhausted to enjoy the compliment.

Katelin untangled herself from her brother. The shoreline looked void of creatures or the Wizard, but where had he gone? Had he heard her telling him to meet them at the Boleigh stone circle? Would he believe she would give up the crystals now she and Calum were free? A sudden pang of fear clutched at her throat: was the family in danger? Without her and Calum they would never be able to defend themselves against the Druid's evil magic. "We should head back to the shore," she said urgently.

"Never," Calum said, thinking he just wanted to go on and on and on, out to sea across the waves into the horizon.

Deciding not to voice her fears, Katelin checked her watch. "We have only half an hour to get to the circle. I know a way we can defeat the Wizard."

Calum cut the engine and the boat sank deep into the water as it came to a stop, the waves tapping the sides with a soothing lap.

"Go on then, how?" he asked.

"First I think you need to conjure up our flying horse again; I can't see how else to get to Boleigh - and have you any idea where it is from here?"

Calum was wishing he were no longer a magician with powers. It wasn't fun anymore. All he wanted was to go home. Even going back to school and getting lots and lots of homework would be fine right now! However, it was no good thinking like that. He had to go to the circle with Kat or there would be no more school and no more him. He heaved a sigh. "If we follow the shore line towards Land's End, Boleigh is near Lamorna Cove; we should be able to see it from the air."

"Good idea. I will explain on the way how we can hopefully get the Wizard."

"What do you mean hopefully? I thought you said you knew how."

"I do, it was in the vision in the tunnel."

Calum snorted, "I didn't see anything but us running."

"Never mind, just conjure up the horse."

He glared at her for a moment then with a shrug he nodded, closed his eyes and started humming.

Katelin sighed with relief. They didn't have time to argue. She somehow just knew that the Wizard would follow and he wouldn't be too far behind them.

# Chapter Sixteen

# Capture

"There's Lamorna Cove," Calum pointed.

Perched behind him on the horse's broad back, Katelin looked down and saw a small rocky harbour with a quay and a few fishing boats drawn up on the slipway. "And over there is the stone circle," he pointed again. "Oh goodness!" he squeaked, "Dad's here!"

Gregg's big 4x4 looked tiny way below them in the car park. Both children groaned with dismay, scanning the countryside for him or any sight of the Wizard, but aside from two people with a dog, walking away from the circle, the place looked deserted.

"Where are they? I can't see them, lets get lower," Katelin said, peering down. Then she saw the tall figure of her father and the other members of the family quite close to the stone circle and sheltering under a nearby bushy hedge, but clearly visible from the air.

"I think they think they're hiding," she said in Calum's ear. "I can't see Tamsin."

"Thank goodness for that," Calum said over his shoulder. "I wonder why they came in the car instead of teleporting."

Katelin grunted with impatience, "Because the laptop has the crystals in it! They could be in danger if the Wizard sees them and they could also put us in danger by being here."

"What shall we do?"

"Put a force field bubble around them. Quickly, before they see us and jump up and wave." Katelin said, crossing her fingers that the Wizard was still far behind and hadn't seen them.

Bringing the black horse to hover right over the top of the family, Calum, wobbling precariously on the animal's back, raised his arms and started to hum.

Pippa saw them first. She looked up with a great beaming smile, her ashen face streaked with tears as she blew them a kiss. She went to move out from the hedge, but came up with a bump against the force field. She stood rooted to the spot, her mouth open in surprise. She said something to Gregg, who tried to push with both hands at the unseen bubble. He looked up at the children a puzzled frown on his face then he waved at them angrily. Nana stepped forward shaking her head and placed a restraining hand on his arm. Isabelle put a comforting arm around Pippa.

Calum was so pleased at seeing his family safe that for a moment he forgot his fears and churning tummy. "That's worked OK. Why does Dad look so cross?"

"He planned to go into the stone circle to help us. He's our dad; he feels his role is to protect us not the other way round, so now he is feeling devastated with helplessness, which is making him angry," Katelin explained. She smiled down at her father and shouted, "Please don't worry, Dad, we'll be OK. We'll be safer if you just stay out of sight."

"Let's go," said Calum, "we've only got six minutes before noon."

They flew over the circle, landed the horse on the far side and glanced about them. Neither of them could see the Wizard or any barbarian pirates. In fact there was no sign of anyone or anything. The place seemed utterly deserted, but above them in the sky the clouds were beginning to gather.

An unnatural hush seemed to enter the world and Katelin knew that far away in Peru her Shaman great-grandpa was fusing the Earth. They had only moments.

"Now is the time, Calum. Get ready," she said.

Gregg being the tallest could just about see inside the circle from where they were imprisoned. He was standing beside Grandad, both straining to see the children. The three women were sitting on the grass praying, their whispered chants irritating Gregg in his powerless position. A glint of something in the circle caught Gregg's eye and he saw the children come into view. They were unmistakable, Katelin's bright mauve t-shirt clashing with Calum's red one as he followed her to the middle of the stones.

"Over there, look," he nudged Grandad.

"I see them," Grandad said standing up on tiptoe.

Gregg watched as the children walked slowly forward. Calum appeared to be carrying a vivid flame nearly as red as his t-shirt. Gregg only noticed it because it flickered, dancing as he put it down in the middle of the circle. The flame immediately brightened and grew, sending a glow taller then Katelin into the air.

"That'll be for setting light to the Wizard before they get him into the box," said Grandad excitedly.

"I know," replied Gregg shortly. He was taut with worry; his hands pressed uselessly against the force field and his troubled gaze fixed on the circle.

The flame gave a strange unearthly appearance to the children, their bodies silhouetted like dark shadows against it.

It was nearly noon.

Gregg could hear the sound of his watch and the beating of his heart; both ticking away the time. Time of what \- his children's lives...? He pushed again at the invisible barrier. It was no use. He kicked at the wall and swore under his breath.

Rocking backwards and forwards, Pippa got to her feet and went to stand next to Gregg gripping his arm. Through the surrounding bushes she caught momentary glimpses of the two children. They looked so small and vulnerable. A jungle of loving thoughts for her son smashed into her body so fiercely they almost brought her to her knees.

It seemed to be growing strangely dark. Gregg looked up and saw black clouds sweeping across the sky and cutting out the sun. He shivered. The light seemed to vanish into an inky gloom just like it does in an eclipse.

From out at sea came a booming noise so loud that all the family covered their ears. Flickers of lightning forked the sky; the earth started vibrating and a cascade of huge hailstones like balls of ice poured from the clouds, rattling off the force field and bouncing up off the ground to crash into other hailstones that rained down on them.

Then the storm seemed to ease and Gregg could see the children again. Both were bent over by the fire, their hands covering their heads against the ice springing about them. With a gust of sound the wind suddenly got up, buffeting against the force field, whirling through the grass and scuttling into the stone circle.

Then the blaze went out.

With a low cry of dismay Gregg bit his lip and watched Katelin and Calum turn in unison, like a mirrored image of movement, and stare down at the blackened grass where the flame had been.

Suddenly the Wizard materialised between them. He stood like a giant, his robes flapping in the wind and his head looked as if it was touching the lowering clouds. His long white hair stuck out stiffly about his head as though an electric current flowed through it. His beard fanned erect and seemed bejewelled in a glowing blue and his black, cruel eyes were like two bottomless pits.

In one movement he stretched out his arm and pointed his finger at Calum. A streak of blue lightning hit the boy across his chest and sent him twisting and revolving backwards. Calum crashed against the granite of a standing stone, slipped to the ground and lay motionless.

Gregg let out a strangled scream, banging his fists against the force field, hoping against hope that if Calum was unconscious it would dissolve. But for some inexplicable reason it held firm. "Have faith in your daughter's power," Grandad whispered, but his face was as pale and crumpled as Gregg's.

Gregg barely heard him. Helpless he watched in anguish as the Wizard turned to Katelin, who was now levitating, wobbling up and down and swaying in the air, her hair standing on end. The Druid moved towards her, waves of magnetic fury slithering off his face. He put out his bony hand to grab her; his lips lifting in a smile of such malicious evil it made Gregg catch his breath.

Then, abruptly, the Wizard started twirling.

He spun slowly at first, but then faster and faster until he was spinning like a top. He put out his arms, clearly trying to slow himself down. Blue flashes of electricity shot out in all directions from his fingertips. One hit Katelin's arm, scorching her tee shirt, but it didn't stop her levitating. There seemed to be some unknown force holding the Wizard and twisting him so fast that he became almost a blur. He was shaking his head, clawing at it with his hands as though he was dizzy. His body seemed to be shrinking as he tried to escape the circle, but a compelling magnetic energy was keeping him within the ring of stones.

Then he let out an inhuman, bloodcurdling scream and spat out a gush of fire like a dragon. The flames spun out of his mouth in a wide arc, igniting the grass in the circle and turning it into a blistering shimmer of tall orange flames. They shot up high forming an arrow of fire. The Wizard seemed to be trying to penetrate the air above the stones and open the force that held him imprisoned in the circle. Unable to escape, the flaming arrow swept towards Katelin. Rapidly the flames became a swirl of dense black smoke that curled and engulfed her in an impenetrable heavy blackness.

Gregg howled in fear for his daughter. Through the smoke he caught a glimpse of her: she appeared to be still levitating, but her body was jerking, her chest heaving and her hands grappling at her throat. Gregg knew that she was choking. He kicked again and again at the force field, sobbing in frustration. Then she was lost to his sight.

The Wizard was enraged. Some invisible power was holding him in a spin and nothing he tried would release him. The world flashed speedily by and as his mind grew hazy his energy seemed to diminish. On one of his twists he thought he could see the boy hanging in the air humming and next to him his sister – and yet he could plainly see Calum lying unconscious by the standing stone and hear the girl coughing and choking in the smoke he had created. He had stopped the children, so what was going on? His befuddled mind must be playing tricks on him. A qualm of fear squirmed into his brain as flames began to flicker at the outer edges of his robe.

Another turn confirmed the sight of the two children, holding hands as they hovered in the air outside the circle. He tried to move towards them, but the swirling granite stones seemed to be growing taller and taller, becoming a fuzzy wall with no opening.

Then he became aware that he was growing smaller. Like a wax candle, he seemed to be melting with each turn, until he was nearly no size at all. Too late, he realised how they had tricked him. He gave a gusty bellow of despair and his body flared tall again, but only for a second.

With a cobweb of soot across her face and covering her long hair and clothes, Katelin emerged from the smoke and ran across the burning grass, opening up the box ready to scoop the Wizard into it. He was now little more than ten centimetres in height, his robes fully on fire and the flames beginning to swallow him up. He jerked, spiralling on the burning ground as the blaze wrapped about his body. Flapping his tiny arms he beat at the fire, giving a whimper of sound as reality dawned on him. He had been right to fear this girl. She had defeated him.

With a barely audible sigh he shrank to a couple of centimetres, turned into a small flame and was consumed.

Katelin bent and scooped the flame into the box, snapping the lid shut and locking it. A smile of sweet satisfaction crossed her face.

The Calum and Katelin who were levitating outside the circle dropped to the ground and peeped round one of the standing stones.

It was ten minutes past noon.

Slowly, the sooty Katelin held out the box towards the other version of herself now standing outside the circle. The other Katelin looked at Calum who grinned; then conjured up a waterfall of sparkling crystal water that cascaded out from his hands, dowsing the flames and leaving the charred grass hissing and steaming in an echo of the malignant sorcery that had taken place upon it.

When Calum considered the flames were dead, he motioned to Katelin and she followed him into the circle, stepping gingerly over to where her grimy 'twin' awaited them.

Calum lifted the granite box from her outstretched palm, checked to ensure it was locked then handed it to his sister, who stood behind him. Her eyes twinkled and her lips twitched. She wanted to burst into song.

"Together we did it," she said, taking the box from Calum. He gave a weary smile in return.

She slipped the box into her pocket. Then all three walked to the edge of the circle and peered down at the fallen Calum, just as he opened his eyes. Looking dazed, he smirked up at their grinning faces.

Then they heard a shout; Gregg was calling their names. All four heads turned together in an uncanny way and observed him, their eyes and faces solemn, but their manner assured.

Gregg's head swayed above the hedge as he shouted. From where they stood it looked as if his head was disembodied, his face seemed to be floating on top of some bushes. All four of them laughed and moved towards the family. The real Calum hummed and held out a hand to dissolve the force field.

None of the family knew whom to hug first. Confused, they all stood staring at the children in astonishment, except Isabelle who walked towards the real Katelin and held her tightly to her.

"You clever, courageous girl," she said, tears streaming down her face.

"How could you tell?" Katelin asked, as her mum squeezed her.

Isabelle gave a secret grin then turned and hugged the real Calum, quickly followed by a weeping Pippa.

"Will you tell me how you know which of us is real?" Katelin insisted, linking arms with a trembling and for once silent Nana and Grandad.

"Because you have a turquoise bracelet and she," Isabelle hesitated not knowing how to react or what to call the 'other' Katelin, "has not." But at the same time she winked at her daughter and Katelin knew it was not the real reason. Her mother just knew her own flesh and blood daughter from the hallucination of herself that Calum had conjured up.

"Gregg you look puzzled," Isabelle laughed. "Calum imagined these two," she said, putting her arms around the two conjured up children, soot from Katelin's image smearing her shirt. Both were acting exactly like Katelin and Calum and were identical in every way, except for the fact that they did not say a word, unheard of in the real pair! Isabelle laughed again and kissed both 'twins' on their cheeks. "They even feel real," she exclaimed. "Our two very clever children weren't in the circle at all, Gregg, Neither of them was hurt nor were they ever in danger."

At the last remark Katelin gave her mother a dig in the ribs and a pretend amazed roll of her eyes to the heavens. Not in danger, if only she knew!

"What shall we do with them?" Gregg asked smiling at his family, all safe. He felt sick with relief and was ashen-faced, extremely shaken and exhausted. He turned waiting for an answer from his real children.

"They will go when I go to sleep, I expect," said Calum, "along with the flying horse, which will be just as well as that would cause some local stories." He stifled a yawn, "The way I'm feeling that won't be long." Despite his exhaustion he was jubilant; all his fear had evaporated along with the Wizard. "It was all Kat's idea," he added, glancing at Katelin, who smirked and put her arm about his shoulder.

"Couldn't have done it without you."

"What a team! Like I said," Grandad beamed, "you are legends, the pair of you."

Katelin gave a little dance of glee, joined first by Calum then by all the family - and the two conjured children - even Gregg, with Grandad going into his usual jig of joy.

"If anyone sees us now," gasped Nana, "all hugging and dancing about like happy pixies, they'll think we're demented!"

"Fortunately there's no one about." Isabelle laughed, then she said with sudden seriousness, "Katelin, give me the box please. I'll keep it until I can give it to Grandpa Rani."

Katelin sighed; she had just outwitted an exceptionally clever Wizard, but it seemed she wasn't capable of keeping him locked up.... Mothers!

"Come on everyone, let's go home," said Gregg.

They walked back to the car park and all piled into the 4x4. "Where's Tamsin?" Calum asked, nestling up against Nana and his mum.

"She is with your Auntie Sara," Gregg answered swinging the car out onto the road, trying to fight his tiredness. He wanted a good strong cup of tea, a large slice of his mother's apricot teacake with lashings of thick butter - and blow the cholesterol!

From the far back of the car he heard the two Katelin's laughing. He glanced in the mirror; surely not both of them could read his mind? But he smiled and when he looked again in the mirror, he saw the real Katelin wink at him.

'Maybe in the next few weeks Katelin's time here will be less traumatic and we can spend some time together,' he thought, happiness filling his heart. 'Maybe she has a gift with painting. Now that kind of legacy I would welcome,' he said to himself with a wry grin.

"Well now you have saved the world, Kat," he said over his shoulder, "how are you at painting?"

Laughter rippled round the car as the two conjured children vanished. Calum

was fast asleep.
Epilogue

Calum climbed the stairs two at a time, munching a chocolate biscuit he'd grabbed without his mum spotting him. He flung down his school bag and went to the laptop, which sat on his desk beside his bunk bed. Switching it on, he took off his school uniform, needing to change before going out to feed the horses.

Pulling on his jeans, Calum stretched and grinned to himself. Great: half-term, he had a whole week off.

The laptop whirred as the blank screen produced an image of Katelin's face. She looked worried. He bent towards it frowning.

Appearing beneath her picture was a communication:

Transport here as soon as you read this message. I need your help. I am in Iquitos. Bring the laptop we may need both of them."

Follow Katelin and Calums next adventures in

The LEGENDS Saving the Rainforest Orchid. Book 2

The LEGENDS and the Bible Code Quest. Book 3

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