Untitled Starfell #2 (Starfell #2) - Dominique Valente Page 0,33

not much grows on the Cloud Mountains, and Sometimes knew that if he planted that tree he could use it to try and get in touch with you. So maybe it was a bit of both – something you liked, but also something he could use to contact you if needed …’

‘That’s true,’ the dragon acknowledged. ‘It did bring me here.’

Essential peered at the note from Sometimes that was still in her hands, then frowned. Her fingers touched the little splodge at the end that looked like a plant doodle. ‘It’s an iris!’ she breathed. Then she showed it to Willow and the others. ‘He wanted you to find this, look!’

They stared at the note in Essential’s hands. ‘You’re right!’ cried Willow.

‘Maybe he couldn’t tell you what he’d left for you in case whoever had taken him saw it – but he knows that you understand his connection with plants. Maybe he trusted that you’d work out what this means?’ suggested Essential.

Feathering nodded. ‘I think so too.’

‘But how will we find out what it is?’ asked Sprig. ‘Is there another forgotten teller we can ask?

‘No, they’re really rare,’ sighed Essential.

Willow nodded. ‘And extremely hard to find.’

She pulled out the StoryPass. The needle went from ‘There be Dragons’ to ‘One Might Have Suspected as Such’. She tested its heavy brass weight in her palm, then she frowned as she considered the compass-like device. It hadn’t given her an answer, but it did give her an idea of where they might look for one.

‘We might not be able to track down any other forgotten tellers,’ she said, ‘but I think I know another way we can find out what this plant is … My friend Holloway said that there’s a place you could go to if you needed to learn something – where all the magical secrets of Starfell are kept. Library. I think

that’s where

we have

to go.

14

Capture

‘It’s worth trying,’ said Sprig. ‘If anyone would know, I think it would be the people of Library.’

The dragon stared at him. ‘I will take Willow and Essential. You may follow behind us, raven.’

‘Feathering!’ Willow exclaimed, surprised. She had never known him to be rude.

Sprig shook his head. ‘It’s fine, Willow. I’m happy to follow.’

Willow nodded. ‘Well, I’ll just go and fetch my broom then.’ She grinned. ‘And Oswin. I think he’ll be happy to see you both.’

‘Oh yes,’ said Essential, who was rather fond of Oswin.

There was a tinkly peal of laughter, like wind chimes. ‘I doubt that he feels that way about me,’ said Feathering, ‘but I shall be glad to see the kobold in any case.’

‘Oh noooooo, not that great blooming feathered beast again! Wot yew go and signs us ups for this time?’ moaned Oswin as Willow helped him back into the green hairy bag, where she had also put the leaf-scroll and the jam jar plant. Oswin, it had to be said, didn’t much like to come out in daylight, and had risked staying indoors with Harold again rather than venturing out into the wind.

‘Shh,’ she said. ‘We’re off to Library.’ And she filled him in on what had happened.

Oswin groaned. ‘Oh no, anywhere but there!’

‘Why? What do you mean?’

‘Jes yew waits. It’s ’orrible. Dusty. Books everywheres. I got lost there once … worst thing ever.’

‘What happened?’

‘I don’ wanna talk about it,’ he said, then zipped himself into the bag. ‘Lets me know when we is leaving that infermerol place.’

‘All right,’ said Willow, her lips twitching.

Harold had gone back to sleep. She felt bad leaving him behind all by himself – they hadn’t been here for that long. But at least they’d checked up on him as Sometimes had asked. She turned to leave, picking up the bag and collecting Whisper on the way out, and made her way to Feathering, Essential and Sprig, who had already transformed into a raven.

She climbed on to the dragon, and Essential got on behind her. Willow felt her stomach plummet to the ground as Feathering leapt off the tree and launched himself up high into the clouds.

They flew over the Great Wisperia Tree, where she could see Sometimes’s moon garden, and down below, in the canopy of strange-coloured trees, birds of all shapes, sizes and colours went past. They made Sprig’s stark black feathers stand out as he kept pace with Feathering.

The dragon shot the raven a dark look that Willow couldn’t help noticing.

‘Why don’t you like Sprig? I don’t get it,’ she asked, leaning close to his ear.

‘Wells, since yew asks finally …