Dance of the Stones (9 page)

Equus shifted uneasily. “She is too young.”

“So was Adam. Yet when searching for your talisman,
he was tempted by the dragon and resisted. He found his
own strength,” said Myrddin.

Equus sighed. “We too must strengthen our defenses for
battle. Concealment is not enough. We must seek knowledge
of the Dark Being's movements. I will ride the wind to the
edge of the shadow.”

“Be careful, Equus.” Ava touched his back with a wing.

“I regret that you must go alone, but without our tools
Myrddin and I are powerless to travel with you.”

“Travel only among sunbeams,” advised Myrddin. “The
Dark Being abhors the sun.”

“Going alone will be less dangerous,” replied Equus.

“It will be easier to escape detection, and the talisman can
protect me.” He bunched his hind muscles in preparation.

The gold disk on his forelock gleamed as he leaped across
the sky and disappeared in a swirl of stardust.

Myrddin stamped his foot. “Oh, for my staff! I cannot
abide this feeling of helplessness.”

“Faith, Myrddin. We will all regain our tools and the
Lady will rise again. Traa dy liooar, remember?”

“Yes, yes. Traa dy liooar . . . we hope!” echoed Myrddin
in a voice of deep foreboding.

*   *   *

“So!” Adam said as Owen finally woke.

“So, what?” Owen yawned sleepily.

“So, did Ava come?”

“And how.” Owen's face lit up. He stretched out his arms and looked at them in wonder. “She turned me into a hawk and we flew into the past.” He rolled out of bed. “Come on. Let's wake the girls and I'll tell you about it.”

Adam thumped his pillow and followed, slamming the door in fury. He couldn't believe Ava had chosen Owen over him. It wasn't fair.

*   *   *

It was still well before breakfast time when the boys converged on the girls' bedroom and Owen recounted his night's adventure.

Adam listened but fidgeted as frustration built inside him. This adventure was supposed to be his.

“The boar sounds awful,” said Chantel, shuddering, her eyes as big as saucers. “Were you scared?”

“Sort of.” Owen wrinkled his nose. “The way they killed it was gross. I thought I'd throw up when the kids started chucking its head around.”

“So Ava said we are supposed to get things and reenact some kind of ritual?” asked Adam.

Owen nodded.

“Well if that means cutting the throat of a boar, count me out!” Adam's voice was full of disgust.

Chantel went white. She shook her head furiously. “No . . . no, that's not right . . . Equus and the others . . . they wouldn't . . . ” Her voice trailed off.

“Shut up, Adam. You're scaring Chantel,” Holly said.

Owen patted Chantel's arm. “Of course we won't have to kill anything. That was thousands of years ago.” He turned back to Adam. “Ava was just showing me what happened when the Circle was completed. We don't have to kill animals. I think we just need to gather some of the things they used in the ceremony.”

“I don't get it,” said Adam. “How will that help? If Ava's circlet is buried somewhere in the center of the Circle, in another circle that's disappeared, we still don't know where to dig.”

Owen looked worried. “I know.” He gestured beyond the end of the garden. “Nothing out there looks like the place I saw in my dream. Stones are missing. The village is in the middle. A road is cutting across. There's no forest.” He spread his hands helplessly. “I don't recognize anything.”

“Hold on,” said Holly. “We're dealing with magic. We might not have to know where it's buried. You said something about . . . gathering elements of magic . . . and . . . and using them to release the circlet.”

Owen nodded excitedly. “You're right. Ava said. ‘This will release my circlet.' So maybe we don't have to dig. Maybe, if we use the right magic, the circlet appears on its own.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “Do you think the mistletoe is an element?”

“I can get you that!” Holly said. She jabbed Owen's ribs.

“You laughed when I told you the Mother Tree had offered me mistletoe. Go on, eat your words!”

Owen grinned. “Watch it, Clever Clogs, or your hat won't fit.”

“What about the fire?” asked Chantel hesitantly. “That seemed important too.”

“Easy!” said Adam sarcastically. “We'll light a big bonfire in the Circle and invite the whole village.” He smirked at Owen. “I suppose you're going to dance round it?”

“‘The time is near for the Circle Dance,'” quoted Holly softly. “Someone has to dance.”

“Yeah right,” Adam snorted. “Then there's the water . . . I suppose that's something we have to use?”

Owen opened his mouth to reply, but Adam rushed on. “Yup, we'll take a pail and fling water around and tell everyone we're blessing the stones.” Adam snorted. “Rituals, smituals!” He stood up. “I'm going for breakfast.”

Owen grabbed Chantel's hairbrush and pitched it after him.

“What's eating Adam?” asked Holly as he left the room.

“He's mad because Ava's chosen me instead of him,” muttered Owen.

“He's often mad,” said Chantel sadly. “But it used to be all the time and just at me.” She grinned suddenly. “Now he gets mad at you and leaves me alone.”

Owen threw a pillow at her. “Thanks a lot.”

Holly jumped off her bed and stretched. “Forget Adam. Do you think we've guessed some of the elements, Owen? Mistletoe, fire and water. That makes three.”

Owen nodded. “I think so.”

“Is that it, or do we need to figure out more?” said Chantel.

Owen shrugged. “Dunno.” He looked at Holly. “How will you get to the forest for mistletoe?”

“I'll think of something. Maybe we can persuade Mum to take us for a picnic.”

Owen moved over to sit beside Chantel. “What should we do about Adam?”

Chantel pulled her face. “Leave him. He'll come round.”

“He makes me feel guilty.” Owen sounded frustrated. “He really expected to be chosen this time.”

Chantel wriggled uncomfortably. She tried to choose words that didn't sound disloyal. “He always feels left out. Then he gets mad.” She raised her eyes to Owen. “He didn't use to be mad all the time. He played with me lots when I was little . . . it's just been this last year . . . since Mom and Dad . . . ” Chantel's voice faded away. “It's not your fault,” she finished.

“They're your parents too. How come you're not mad all the time?” asked Owen.

“I don't think about it,” Chantel said simply. “When things get bad, I kind of go away in my head and make up stories.”

Holly chuckled. “Adam told us you lived in an imaginary world. He was right.” She came over and hugged the younger girl. “Because of your imagination you weren't surprised to hear the Wise Ones.” She looked thoughtful. “We'd better think of a way of distracting Adam.” She walked over to the dressing table and held up the four plastic tickets her dad had produced the night before. “Let's visit the museum. He'll like that. Maybe he'll discover some information to help us find other magical elements.”

*   *   *

Adam stomped downstairs, sick with disappointment. It wasn't fair. The Wise Ones were ignoring him. He wanted to fly with Ava or ride with Equus in his dreams, but first it had been his nerdy little sister and now Owen. When was it going to be his turn? He deserved it. He had given Equus the talisman when he could have kept it for himself. Maybe that was what he should have done . . . kept it. Then he would have power over the whole world and the Wise Ones would have to talk to him. He sighed. He was so sick of being a ten-year-old kid no one cared about.

*   *   *

Uncle Ron was reading the newspaper, and Adam was munching toast when the rest of the kids gathered at the breakfast table.

Uncle Ron flipped down the corner of the paper and smiled at them. “Good morning.”

“Morning, Dad,” chorused Holly and Owen. Chantel smiled shyly.

Owen eyed the cereal boxes. “Any other cereal?”

His father shook his head.

Owen pulled a face. “This is healthy stuff that makes you go to the toilet.”

Chantel, who had stretched out her hand toward a box, pulled it back.

Everyone laughed.

“Hope you all like four-minute eggs,” said Lynne, appearing with a tray of eggcups.

“Did you see the newspaper?” Ron asked Lynne as she joined them at the table.

“Only the headlines.”

Ron pulled out one of the inside pages and handed it to Lynne. “There's a story on Savernake Forest about a plan to widen the road by cutting down some trees.”

“What?” Holly jerked upright. “Not the big old oak hanging over the road?”

All the children froze in mid bite.

Lynne squinted at the photo and the story. “It could be,” she said slowly. “It's hard to tell from a newspaper photo.” She pushed the page across the table.

Holly pounced and scanned the picture and text. “I knew it! They're going to cut down the Mother Tree.” A weird look crossed her face and she thrust her hand in her jeans pocket. “That must be why this tape was tied on one of the branches. It was a marker.”

“You removed it?” Lynne tutted.

Holly nodded. “It looked out of place so I pulled it off. But it's proof isn't it? It was a marker for a tree they're going to cut down.” She thumped the table. “We've got to stop them.”

“Don't get your knickers in a twist,” said Owen. “It could be a marker for a tree they wanted to save.”

Holly looked at him in consternation. “OH NO, then they won't know which one!”

“Either way, you can't do anything about it,” interjected her father.

“Yes we can!” Holly waved the paper frantically. “There's a rally to save the forest. It's tomorrow. Will you take us? Please, Dad? It's not far, remember, just beyond Marlborough. Please?”

Ron stood up and shook out his napkin. “Sorry, Holly. I'm here to work.” He tried to smooth things over. “But I bet the tree-cutting idea has upset a lot of people. There's mention of petitions being circulated. Why don't you see if there's one in the village? You could sign it.”

Holly swung around to her mother. “Can
you
drive us? You love trees. Help save them.”

Lynne shook her head. “Your dad needs the car, Holly.”

Holly stared around the table. “I don't believe this. People want to cut down some of the oldest trees in Britain, and you're going to stand by and let them! Well I'm not standing by. I'm going to stop them.” Holly flounced out.

Adam took advantage of the fuss to mutter thanks and also disappear from the table.

“Holly! Adam!” called Owen. “Wait . . . what about the museum?” They were gone before he could finish.

Ron grinned at his wife. “Have a nice day.” He bent down and pecked her cheek.

Lynne pulled a face.

*   *   *

Holly sprinted across the garden and sped the width of the field to the stones.

Running didn't help; she was still seething. She jogged along the edge of the ditch and around the entire Stone Circle. It was early. No other visitors had arrived yet to see the stones. She had them to herself.

She stared at each stone as she jogged past. Each had its own character. On some, the surface planes and ridges made faces. One sported the profile of an Egyptian Sphinx, another, the head of a lion. But even though she was amazed by their presence and sensed their magic, she didn't feel them call her as Owen did. It was the voice of the Mother Tree that she heard in her head.

Holly suddenly detoured through the village and paused to read the notice board at the post office; then she took off again and finished the circuit. Breathless, she flung herself down behind the stone nearest to the house and stared unseeing up at the sky.

She
had
to go to the forest. The Mother Tree haunted her. Its branches reached out. She could feel it, smell it, hear its voice calling. She
would
help save it. Holly took the acorn out of her pocket and turned it over and over. “I must get there,” she whispered.

“Get where, the forest?” Adam's shadow fell across Holly as he appeared from the other side of the stone.

Holly jumped. “I didn't know you were here.”

“I didn't know you were till you spoke,” Adam countered. He sat down on the grass beside her.

“I'm really mad,” admitted Holly.

“Me too,” sighed Adam.

There was a long silence as they both stared over the ditch and into the distance.

The sun warmed their skin, a lark sang and through their backs came the faint comforting throb of the stones.

Holly sighed and looked sideways at Adam. “Want to talk about it?”

Adam shrugged. “It won't help. You can't do anything about the Wise Ones ignoring me.”

“Oh, Adam, don't be daft. They're not ignoring you any more than they're ignoring me. It's just that Chantel was the first to see Equus. As for Owen . . . Well, you were with us in the Place Beyond Morning. You must have seen how he looked at Ava.”

“How?” said Adam.

“Don't be dense! Owen's gaga about Ava. He'll do anything for her. Don't you remember? He told her she was beautiful.”

Adam nodded slowly. “She is beautiful, but she's kind of scary.”

“Owen didn't think so . . . they just clicked. So of course she called on him for help. They made a connection, just like Equus and Chantel.”

“So you don't think I'm being punished because I failed in the last adventure?”