The Crystal Mirror by Paula Harrison Read Free Book Online

it’s sad, really – the way they had to change their lives,” said Laney. “How weird to have magic power but be forced to hide it…” She stopped, suddenly realising that’s exactly how Gwen and Claudia were living.
    “Listen to me, Laney,” said Gwen. “You must not let humans know what you are. This is the most dangerous time. Your powers are completely new and you’re not in control of them yet. Every thought, every feeling, could make something happen.”
    “She’s already made something happen,” said Claudia. “She changed the colour of the river, down by the bridge. I bet the other faerie Elders will go mad when they find it. They’re already freaking out about some red moon.”
    “A red moon?” Gwen said quickly. “Claudia? Are you sure that’s what they were saying?”
    “Yes, they said the moon was red last night. They were really stressed about it.”
    “They don’t know the red river was caused by me, though?” Laney bit her lip.
    “It won’t take them long to figure it out. One of the Thorns saw you looking at the cat eyes on our pet shop wall, so they must’ve known you could see them. It’s a good thing you had your sunglasses on. You’ll have to tell everyone you’ve Awakened soon, though.”
    Claudia stopped, turning to look at Gwen, who had risen from the bench, her face creased in thought. “A red moon – this is unexpected.” The old lady walked slowly back and forth. “I was working on potions last night so I did not go out, but I knew there was something… The trees felt a change deep down in their roots.”
    “When my mum was talking about a red moon, she said something about a child of a
weaver
,” said Claudia.
    Gwen continued tottering up and down the plant house, ignoring the two girls for a moment. The curling silvery marks on her hands stood out clearly. “Is this really the moment that the prophecy speaks of?” she muttered to herself. “Is it really so soon?”
    “What’s wrong?” said Claudia. “I don’t understand what’s so bad about the moon looking like that. Is it a Thorn tribe thing?”
    Gwen stopped in front of Laney and now her kindliness had vanished. “I must go and find the other Elders. Where are they, Claudia?”
    There was a bang at the front door.
    Claudia ran halfway down the passageway. She looked back, her face serious. “Um, you’ll never believe it, but they’re outside right now.”

“Take Laney and go!” Gwen commanded. “Get out the back way. If you’re careful maybe even the Greytails won’t hear you.”
    “Sure – easy!” said Claudia.
    Laney jumped as she heard more hammering on the front door. “Will they be angry with me?”
    “I’ll tell them that you’ve Awakened, but I need to talk to them alone.” Gwen straightened her velvet hat and headed for the passageway with surprising speed. “You can meet them properly later on. Quickly now, my dear. Follow Claudia.”
    Laney followed Claudia out of the side door as Gwen went to let her visitors in at the front. Claudia skulked through the jungle-like garden and climbed a tree in the corner, which had a cluster of low branches.
    “You can climb, can’t you?” said Claudia, springing off the branch and over the fence in a graceful bound.
    Laney heard voices coming from the house and shrank back behind a screen of leaves. The fence didn’t look easy to get over but if Claudia had done it then surely she could too. “Of course I can climb.” She heaved herself on to the lowest branch and tried to swing one leg over the fence.
    The way that Gwen had hurried her out of the door made her nervous. What were the other Elders like and who were they?
    There was a creak that sounded like the door of the plant house opening. Laney pushed herself on to the fence and tried to swing her other leg across. She hung for a moment, gripping on to the top of the wood with both hands. Now she was stuck. Great.
    “Just swing yourself over,” hissed Claudia.
    Laney flung