like a couple of growling cats spoiling for a fight.
‘How many do we expect this year?’ whined Vetchling, poking at the cakes with a filthy finger.
‘I told you – five tonight for the Dance of Death. Five to meet the Dark Angel. ‘Tis a good number.’
‘Aye, five is a good number. Quick, sister, ‘tis getting dark and the sun will soon be gone. We must be ready.’
‘Aye, the others will be here shortly and there’s much to be done afore the veil draws aside tonight. The invitation must be powerful.’
‘’Twill be very powerful, too powerful for him to resist. Are many coming to help in the summoning, sister?’
‘Aye, a goodly number – thirteen of us for the summoning, and the five on the sledges also. It shall be enough. He cannot refuse the invitation, nor will he want to. I’ve felt him waiting, waiting to be let in, and tonight the veil will be thinner than it’s been in many a year at Samhain for we have Dark Moon also. The Dark Magic will aid us, sister, and the Dark Angel hisself.’
Vetchling cackled at this.
‘Well said, sister. There, all is prepared and we’re ready now to cast.’
In the Great Barn Maizie paced up and down wringing her hands. Gefrin and Sweyn stood awkwardly nearby whilst Rosie tried to hold on to her two excited children and sympathise with her mother at the same time.
‘Don’t worry, Mother, she’ll be safe enough.’
‘I know, I know, but she looked so strange earlier. You know how pointed and peaky she is at the best o’ times. She were much worse tonight, and her eyes! Oh, they were enormous with great black pupils like a cat’s. I told her to sit down by the door and then she disappeared. Where on goddess’s Earth can she be?’
‘Mother, we’ve got to go outside – ‘tis almost sunset, Yul’s on the Green and everyone’s in the labyrinth ready. We’ll miss the ceremony if we don’t go now.’
‘Blast that girl! She’ll really be in trouble when I find her. If she’s with that Magpie again—’
‘No, Mother, she ain’t. I can see him out on the Green – he’s the only person not wearing a black cloak,’ said Gefrin. ‘Come on, we got to be in the labyrinth or we won’t get the Earth Magic tonight.’
They all began to troop out of the Barn and onto the Green, when Sweyn noticed the small black heap by the wall. He prodded it hard with his boot and let out a whoop of triumph.
‘Hey, Mother, don’t worry, I found her! She’s been lying here under her cloak all the time, leading us a merry dance! Look – she’s not ill at all, just asleep!’
‘Ooh, just wait till the ceremony’s over!’ said Maizie through gritted teeth. ‘She’s really for it this time, making me worry like that. Come on, we’ll leave her here. She’ll be alright for a while.’
But as they left the Barn, Sweyn looked back and saw the heap stir, disturbed by the heaviness of his boot. He waved the others on and went back into the Barn. Slowly Leveret sat up, swaying and barely able to open her eyes. Sweyn watched as she pushed herself up and, holding onto the wall, managed to stand upright. Carefully she stepped away, one foot at a time, towards the doors.
‘Not so fast!’ said Sweyn, reaching out and grabbing the hood of her robe to yank her back. ‘Not so fast, little sister. You’ve upset Mother again so it’s time for another lesson.’
Yul stood on the roof of the wicker dome in the very centre of the Village Green, resplendent in his grey and silver robes. The green and purple glass lanterns flickered their eerie light around the labyrinth as the sun sank behind the trees. It was a beautiful clear night, the sky bright blue and gold with wisps of clouds lacing the heavens. Yul stood tall and straight with his arms raised and hands open, chanting the sacred words that he’d learnt from Clip. His heart was full of love for the wonders of the Earth and the sky, for his people of Stonewylde, for the magical dance of the year as the wheel turned. He felt the Earth Magic pulsing through his body, spiralling around the Village Green, snaking through the labyrinth. His deep voice chanted, interwoven with the beat of the soft drums inside the dome beneath his feet. The Stonewylders, spread throughout the twisted coils of the labyrinth swayed