Wychetts and the Key to Magic

WYCHETTS AND THE KEY TO MAGIC

The second book in the Wychetts series by William Holley

Published by William Holley at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 William Holley

All Rights Reserved

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1- Making Life That Little Bit Easier

Chapter 2- Did I Pack My Headache Pills?

Chapter 3- The Key to Magic

Chapter 4- Sun, Sea and Sunshine

Chapter 5- This is the Life

Chapter 6- Always Use the Correct Coast Code

Chapter 7- Waiter!

Chapter 8- Not Again!

Chapter 9- The Lair

Chapter 10- There’s Always a Catch

Chapter 11- Don’t Look Down

Chapter 12- A Shortcut to Doom

Chapter 13- Minus a Flip Flop

Chapter 14- Caught in a Net

Chapter 15- No Time to Go Soft

Chapter 16- A Little Grub

Chapter 17- Something in the Water

Chapter 18- What if Something Nasty Comes Along?

Chapter 19- Legs Aren’t Everything

Chapter 20- A Temporary Truce

Chapter 21- Just a Matter of Time

Chapter 22- This Could Be a Tricky One

Chapter 23- Good News and Bad News

Chapter 24- I Didn’t See That One Coming

Chapter 25- You Will Never Leave!

Chapter 26- Just Hanging Around Again

Chapter 27- Home Sweet Home

Epilogue

Prologue

There was a hiss in the darkness: a mere whisper of a sound, yet as deafening as a gunshot to the ears that heard it.

Nostrils twitched as he caught a scent. His body tensed, instinct priming every muscle in readiness to flee or fight. But he would only fight, because he knew no other way.

Naturally, he’d suspected it might be a trap: an anonymous invitation to a rendezvous deep in the lower tunnels, on the condition he must come alone. Yet the invitation had contained a promise, a means to defeat his foes, to find a way out of this place, to freedom.

His nostrils twitched again, tasting the air. He knew his sworn enemies could be down here in the tunnels, waiting to strike. And yet that scent did not belong to them. It was new, unfamiliar.

He crouched in the darkness, senses straining. The tunnels were silent as a tomb. And then he heard the scream…

He had heard many screams before, and had been the cause of most of them. But this scream was different; a bolt of lightning that sent a shock of terror through every nerve of his being.

Many would have fled on hearing such a sound, but he hadn’t risen to become leader of his gang by running away from trouble. He set off in a sprint, ears swivelling as he followed the echoing cry.

Suddenly he was out of the tunnel, in a wide circular chamber. He knew he’d reached the Pit, the very heart of his world. There were many stories told about what lurked down here, stories of unspeakable monsters and an evil that could never be conquered. He had never listened to such stories, but he knew there was something here, something bad. And the air hung heavy with that strange scent…

There was a noise to his right.

Another hiss.

He swung round, jaws parted in readiness to strike.

A pair of red eyes filled his vision, their searing malice burning into his soul.

Who are you? he cried, unable to mask the fear in his voice.

I am your death, came the hissed reply. I am the death of all.

There was another hiss, and those red eyes flared brighter as he was engulfed in a ball of fire…

Chapter 1- Making Life That Little Bit Easier

Beach towel, check. Sunscreen, check. Bryony smiled as she crossed through the items on her list. She always enjoyed packing her suitcase for a holiday, but it was even more fun when her suitcase packed itself.

Bryony knew it was sort of cheating, but there was no point living in a magic cottage if you couldn’t use the magic to make your life that little bit easier.

Sandals, check. Sunglasses, check. Bryony watched her possessions float one by one into her opened suitcase. Swimsuit, check. Hang on, not that one. Spots are out this year. I want stripes.

The spotted swimsuit skulked back into Bryony’s wardrobe, and a nice stripy number emerged to take its place.

Better. Bryony nodded her approval as the swimsuit floated towards the suitcase. Now the rest of you budge up and make room. The clothes in the suitcase shuffled along, allowing the swimsuit to fold itself up and squeeze in beside them.

Bryony chuckled to herself. It was hard to believe she was talking to her clothes. Then again, a lot had happened in the last month that she found hard to believe.

A month: that’s how long it had been since Bryony had moved into Wychetts. A month since she’d found out she was a Guardian, a descendant of the Wise Ones, and that she could use the magic powers stored within the ancient cottage. The only drawback was that her stepbrother Edwin was a Guardian, too.

Bryony had hated Edwin at first, but over the weeks her feelings of resentment had softened to mere dislike mixed with severe irritation. The first fortnight had been nothing short of a battle, with Bryony and Edwin using Wychetts’ power to get the better of the other at every opportunity. Bryony liked to think she had been the more creative of the two, and took particular pride in one incident where she had conjured an army of ants into Edwin’s trousers when his Auntie Kath had called round for tea.

Naturally Edwin had tried to get his own back (the episode with a bucket of cold baked beans still made Bryony shudder), and the contest had become a tit for tat war of attrition. Eventually Bryony and Edwin had come to realise that no matter what they did to one another, the other would always get their own back sooner or later. The tricks became less frequent, and a sort of unofficial truce had developed. It had been hard going to begin with, but as the days passed Bryony had found herself coming to tolerate the boy. He was still ginger and had a silly whiny voice, but Bryony was getting used to that.

Bryony was also getting used to her stepmother. Jane was like her son, thin and ginger, but with other annoying habits. She smiled a lot and said everything was ‘lovely’. She wore cardigans, flowery dresses and sandals. And she was a teacher.

And yet, just one month after moving into Wychetts together, Bryony found these things weren’t so annoying anymore. Maybe it was because Jane had proved herself to be stronger than Bryony had expected when dealing with the Shadow Clan. Or perhaps it was that Jane had turned out to be quite a good cook, and handy to have around when Bryony needed a hole in her jeans sewing up. But despite repeated requests from her father, Bryony still found it hard to call Jane ‘Mum’.

Bryony checked the items on her list again. That was it. Everything packed.

Mum.

The word repeated inside Bryony’s head, and then she remembered something else that needed packing: the one thing she never went anywhere without. Hurrying to her bed, Bryony slipped a hand under the pillow and retrieved her most precious possession in the entire world.

Mr Cuddles was a bear; although that wasn’t obvious, because he didn’t look much like a bear. Being honest, Bryony would have to admit that Mr Cuddles bore more of a resemblance to a furry toad. But that didn’t matter.

Bryony’s mum (her real mum, that is) had made Mr Cuddles as a present for Bryony’s first birthday. So Bryony had known Mr Cuddles as long as she could remember. Mum had never been good at sewing, but despite the flawed stitching, the lopsided eyes, and the bizarre facial expression that made it look like he was desperate to go to the toilet, Mr Cuddles had a place in Bryony’s heart above anything else she owned; he was, after all, Bryony’s only remaining link to her mother.

Despite Dad’s promises, Bryony still hadn’t heard from Mum. Obviously, as Mum lived in America and had a high level important job, she couldn’t just pop over whenever she felt like it. But surely she could make a quick phone call? Or even write a letter? Just one lousy letter to her only daughter?

But Bryony had to keep reminding herself that she wasn’t Mum’s only daughter anymore. And even though Dad insisted it wasn’t the case, Bryony knew she was no longer the most important thing in her mother’s life.

There you go, she whispered, carefully tucking Mr Cuddles into her suitcase. You’ll be nice and comfy in there. But keep your head down, I don’t want Edwin to see you.

Edwin didn’t know about Mr Cuddles, and Bryony didn’t want him finding out. Although she had come to tolerate the boy, she would never, ever trust him.

Bryony shook her head, trying to clear all negative thoughts from her mind. It was the half term holiday, and she was going to spend the whole week in a luxury villa on the sun drenched island of Los Sol. Sure Edwin would be there, but even he wasn’t going to spoil her holiday.

Chapter 2- Did I Pack My Headache Pills?

Edwin sat at the kitchen table, watching his mother rushing around.

Travel pills, murmured Jane, snatching several packets from a cupboard and stuffing them into her suitcase. Headache tablets. Antiseptic ointment.

More cupboard doors opened and closed, and Jane’s suitcase filled with a bewildering assortment of medical supplies.

Insect repellent. Plasters. Travel pills.

You’ve already got travel pills, pointed out Edwin.

Jane shrugged, and stuffed more packets into her bag. Better safe than sorry.

Edwin shook his head. He wasn’t sure whether his mum was preparing for a week’s holiday or a national emergency. But she had always been like that. He remembered the last time they had planned to leave the mainland, Mum had insisted they both get inoculated against typhoid, hepatitis and yellow fever. And they had only been going to the Isle of Wight.

Cough sweets. Jane sprinted round the table and rummaged in another cupboard.

We won’t need cough sweets, said Edwin. We’re going to the Mediterranean.

You can catch a cold anywhere, countered Jane. And it’s a well known fact that air conditioning in planes spreads all sorts of viruses.

OK. Edwin nodded resignedly. Then maybe you should pack oxygen masks and contamination suits as well?

Don’t be silly. Jane hurried back around the table and stuffed more items into her suitcase. Luggage restrictions won’t allow that.

I’ll stay here, offered Edwin. Then you can take more supplies in my place.

Jane stopped packing, and frowned at her son. Don’t you want to go on holiday?

Not really, admitted Edwin.

Is it Bryony? Jane tilted her head sideways. I thought you were getting along better these days.

As it happened, Edwin and Bryony were getting along better. Edwin couldn’t bring himself to say that he liked his stepsister, but he was finding that he could actually be in the same room as her without feeling physically sick. But that wasn’t the reason he didn’t want to go on holiday.

It’s not Bryony. It’s Wychetts. I like it here.

When he’d first seen his new home, Edwin had shared Bryony’s opinion that it was no more than a dilapidated dump. But now he had come to love the old cottage. He loved its crooked floors and its wonky walls, its chunky oak beams and low, sagging ceilings. He felt truly at home here, more at home than anywhere he had lived before. And of course, there was the magic…

But he couldn’t explain that to his mother. How could he? She didn’t know anything about Wychetts. Everything that had happened that night, with the Dark One and the Shadow Clan, had all been wiped from her mind. It was the same with Bill. Neither knew anything about the amazing powers their home possessed.

I’m glad you like the house, said Jane. But we’ll only be away for a week. And with Bill not getting a job as yet, we’re lucky to have a holiday at all.

Edwin didn’t feel lucky. Can’t I stay at home? he pleaded. You can go with the others if you like. I’ll be quite happy here.

Jane looked horrified. I would never leave you on your own, darling.

But I won’t be on my own, said Edwin.

Jane’s blue eyes narrowed. What do you mean by that?

I… Edwin realised he had said too much already. I meant I wouldn’t feel on my own.

Jane shook her head, and then smiled. You’ll be fine once we get there. It’ll be our first big holiday together as a new family. It’ll be fun, being away with Bryony and Bill. Jane seemed to think about that for a second or two, and then her smile fell. Did I pack headache tablets?

Yes, confirmed Edwin.

Jane didn’t look convinced. Maybe I should take double rations?