Stardust by Linda Chapman Read Free Book Online Page A

exclaimed, horrified.
    Robyn just stared at Lucy.
    â€˜Don’t act as if you don’t know!’ Lucyreplied. ‘She’s doing something to my magic! She’s doing things to me because I’m the Last of the Summer Spirits! She’s…’
    â€˜My mum’s
not
a dark spirit!’ Robyn interrupted furiously. ‘How dare you say such a thing!’
    Anger beat through Lucy. ‘She
is
a dark spirit! Why else would she be doing things to my magic?’

    â€˜Because…’ Robyn cried. She broke off and shook her head. ‘Lucy, you don’t know anything! My mum’s not a dark spirit!’ she said, tears filling her eyes. ‘She’s not!’ And with that she took off into the air and flew away.
    â€˜Wait! Don’t go on your own,’ Ella protested, going after her. She swung round to the others. ‘We can’t let her fly off on her own!’
    â€˜Well, she’s not likely to get into trouble, is she? Her mum’s a dark spirit!’ Lucy exclaimed.
    â€˜You don’t know that for sure,’ Ella said. ‘I’ll go after her.’
    â€˜But, Ella, if her mum
is
a dark spirit, you shouldn’t be on your own with her!’ Faye said. ‘Wait! I’ll come too!’ And they flew after Robyn as fast as they could.

CHAPTER
Nine
    Silence fell. Lucy felt her heart gradually stop pounding and her anger fade. She looked at Allegra. For a moment neither of them spoke.
    â€˜Joanna
is
a dark spirit,’ Lucy said, but suddenly she wasn’t quite so certain. Remembering the shocked and hurt look in Robyn’s eyes, she began to feel bad.
    Allegra chewed her lip. ‘Well, we
think
she is.’
    Lucy sighed. ‘She
has
to be! She’s doing something to my magic. I know she is! And actually,’ she thought back over what Robyn had just said, ‘Robyn sort of agreed with me. Just before she flew off.’
    â€˜I know. I noticed that, but then she did seem really shocked when you said Joanna was a dark spirit,’ Allegra pointed out.
    Lucy nodded. Now her anger had gone she felt awful. It must have been horrible for Robyn to hear her mum being accused of being a dark spirit. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.’
    â€˜Do you want to go back to the clearing?’ Allegra asked her.
    Lucy shook her head. She didn’t feel like being around other stardust spirits. ‘I think I might go home.’
    â€˜OK. I’ll fly back with you,’ Allegra said. ‘Come on.’
    When Lucy got into bed, she lay awake thinking about Joanna. Was she a dark spirit? What did she want? She tossed and turned. When she finally fell asleep, her dreams were full of dark spirits and strange, creepy eyes watching her from the shadows of the trees. She woke up in the morning still feeling tired.
    Her mum was making a cup of coffee. Rachel and Hope were getting ready to go to the stables. Mrs Evans frowned when she saw Lucy’s pale face. ‘Are you all right, Lucy?’
    â€˜I’m tired,’ replied Lucy.
    â€˜Been going round to Allegra’s in the middle of the night again?’ Rachelgrinned. ‘What was it you wanted to discuss this time? How long you should play with Thumper today?’
    Lucy ignored her and sat down at the table, rubbing her eyes.
    Rachel looked rather surprised at Lucy’s lack of response. ‘Ooh, in a mood, are you?’
    â€˜No,’ said Lucy wearily. She couldn’t even work up the energy to be annoyed by Rachel that morning. What did her sister’s teasing matter when she had a dark spirit after her? She saw her mum look at her in concern.
    â€˜See you later, Mum,’ Hope said, going to the door. ‘Come on, Rach.’
    Mrs Evans went over to Lucy. ‘You look pale, sweetheart. Did you sleep OK?’
    Lucy shook her head. ‘Not really. I had bad dreams.’
    â€˜Again!’ her mum said. ‘What about?’