Icespell by C.J. Busby Read Free Book Online

hundred and forty-three. He rememberedthe last time they’d met her, up in Gore, and the power he’d felt in her piercing golden eyes. If anyone could help them sort out the icespell, it was Great-Aunt Wilhelmina.

An Encounter with Snotty Hogsbottom
    O livia woke up early in the morning, cold and stiff. Pale light was filtering through the single window, and every tree outside seemed to have its own orchestra of birds, each competing with the others to be the noisiest. She groaned, and turned to pull the blankets over her head and go back to sleep, but the others were also stirring and soon Vortigern was chivvying them all into getting up.
    “Come along, come along, haven’t got all day. Bread first, then we need to set off. Quack quack!” And he waddled outside for a quick splash in the lake. Olivia opened one eye and looked at Max, who was blearily rubbing his face.
    “Does Vortigern have to be leader?” she whispered.
    Max made a face.
    “I’m not sure we’ve got any choice. But anyway, he’s right. We have to get going.”
    “Yes, but where to?” asked Ferocious, emerging yawning from a wrinkle of blankets in the corner. “In all the planning last night, I think I must have missed the bit where we actually found out where Great-Aunt Wilhelmina is . For all we know, she’s gone back to Gore.”
    “Umm… good point,” said Max, and felt his heart sink. “Adolphus?” he called. “Do you actually know where your great-aunt is?”
    Adolphus nodded his head happily and grinned.
    “Well, she said… she was going to… she was…umm… I know she told me, but… er… well… no. Not exactly. Sorry!”
    “Wonderful,” said Ferocious. “Excellent. Now what?”
    At that moment Vortigern waddled back into the hut. He stopped when he saw their downcast faces.
    “Quack!” he said. “Cheer up! Time for bread!”
    “Vortigern,” said Ferocious. “I don’t care if you are first in line to the throne of the Roman Empire, if you mention bread one more time I will personally bite your beak off.” And he displayed his sharp white teeth.
    Vortigern bobbed his head and quacked.
    “Not to worry. It’s just I do like a bit of… Well, anyway. Why all the long faces?”
    “We don’t know where Great-Aunt Wilhelmina is,” said Max. “So we can’t go and ask her for a reversal spell.”
    “Oh, is that all?” said the duck cheerily. “Well that’s okay, then. Because I know exactly where she is.”
    “You do?” said Olivia, surprised. “How come you know Great-Aunt Wilhelmina?”
    “Well, I did say I like a bit of magic. Always make it a point to introduce myself to any new magic users in the area. And Lady Wilhelmina came down here, oh, must have been a month ago now. As a matter of fact, I showed her the cave she’s staying in now. Down by the sea.”
    “Yes, yes,” sad Adolphus happily. “That’s it! By the sea. I knew that’s what she said. Yippee! I remembered!”
    “The thing is,” said the duck, thoughtfully, “it’s a bit of a way. Down in the west. Takes me about half a day to fly it… but walking, it could be a couple of days or more. Not sure we can do it on foot and be back before Lady Morgana gets here.”
    “Could we get some horses from the castle?” suggested Olivia. “Or – Max! Could you change us into something? Maybe we could be dragons, then we could all fly?”
    “Er – no thanks,” said Ferocious swiftly. “Me and Adolphus will go together, won’t we Adolphus?We’re old hands at flying together, eh? Not that I don’t trust you, Max, your new magic without potions is very impressive, but, well, I think I’d rather stay as a rat, this time…”
    Max grinned. “It’s all right, Ferocious, I won’t change you into an earwig by mistake. I’m pretty sure I can manage this one, I did it with Merlin.”
    “All the same, very kind of you Max, but I’m fine as a rat,” said Ferocious, scampering over to Adolphus and climbing up onto his back.
    Max looked at