into the snake’s body, which had become labyrinthine in its twists and turns.
‘I don’t want to go any further,’ Clip said to his spirit guide. ‘This place is evil and it frightens me.’
The wolf turned his silvery eyes to Clip’s and looked deep, deep into his soul.
‘The time has come,’ said the wolf, ‘to face all those things that you fear the most. Now is your chance to right all wrongs, to prove yourself a man of honour. You’re the saviour and you must act now.’
Clip looked ahead, peering into the long tunnels and saw a tiny hare crouched in the shadows. He felt a tug at his heart and stepped towards it, wanting only to scoop it up and keep it safe.
‘Now awaken,’ commanded the silver wolf. ‘You know where she is and what she will do. Don’t let the evil claim her for its own.’
Clip’s eyes flew open and he lurched to his feet in the entrance of the Dolmen, almost stumbling into the small fire. He poured his water onto the embers, and taking up his staff, hurried down the hill in the deepening dusk.
‘Can you sit up, Maggy? We need to eat our special mushrooms now.’
He struggled upright, groaning at the pain in his ribs but wanting to do as she asked. He leaned against her heavily and she almost toppled over, the mushrooms dropping from her hands onto the stone.
‘No! Oh, here they are. Be careful, Magpie – we mustn’t lose these. They’re going to take us to the Otherworld.’
Leveret peered at the dried and shrunken caps in the gathering gloom, hoping desperately they were the right ones. She knew how potent Death Cap was; there really was no escape, no antidote. She wanted the end to be quick although she knew there’d be some pain as the lethal toxins entered their nervous systems, destroying their livers and kidneys. It could take some hours. She’d done her research on the Internet and learned far more details than the Book of Shadows had offered her.
She held the four caps in her cupped palms and thought carefully. Was she doing the right thing? For herself, she was absolutely sure. She no longer wanted to live. She had no future – the heaven of Stonewylde wasn’t meant for her. She wished that she was good enough and had so desperately wanted to be the Wise Woman one day. But she’d failed in every sense and this was the only way out of the misery she’d endured these past few days. All her life she’d suffered at the hands of her brothers and she could see it stretching away endlessly into a bleak, loveless future. Inside she felt cold and blank.
And Magpie – did he have a future? Was there any way his life could become worth living? She knew that without her the answer was no. Without her he’d be at the mercy of Jay and Starling. Even when alive she had no power to protect him. So yes, this was the right thing for both of them and best to get it over and done with now. She squeezed the dried caps and felt their sponginess. This was it – this was the way their world would end. No more life, no more Stonewylde, but at least they’d find peace in the Otherworld.
Leveret looked at where the sun had gone down in a bloody puddle of glory. The darkness was crowding in and once more she sensed something down in the quarry. She peered below, sure she could hear a rustling noise in the ivy. Well, if it was a carnivore it would be welcome to their carcasses, and if it was something else, something less tangible – they’d soon be gone into the Otherworld and oblivious to anything in this one, however frightening it was. She felt the mushrooms in her hands – they were so light. Would they work? How could something so small and insubstantial do something so immensely powerful? There was only one way to find out. So why was she feeling so reluctant to do it when she knew it was the right thing?
‘Mother Heggy, speak to me, please! Is this right? Should we do this?’
But there was no answer, only more stirring in the quarry below. A cold shiver began to spread over her skin despite the warmth of Magpie propped against her. Leveret sensed a deep hunger all around her that craved and craved.