Alfie Bloom and the Secrets of Hexbridge Castle (16 page)

Alfie stood up to call off the search, but something drew him back. It was as though the talisman was calling to him. He stared down at the desk in frustration. He had been through all of the drawers and even searched underneath them for secret compartments. He ran his fingers over the dark marquetry pattern on the desktop. It was actually quite beautiful for something that belonged to Murkle and Snitch. As his hand passed over the rectangular pattern in the centre, a familiar warmth ran through his fingers – the talisman. It had to be under the panel. He began digging around with his nails, looking for a way to prise it up. The ticking of the clock seemed to be getting louder as time passed but the panel wouldn't budge. Less than ten minutes and Murkle and Snitch would be back. “Why won't you
open
?” he shouted, banging his fist down on the desk in frustration. With a little
click
, the patterned panel popped open and Alfie laughed with relief to see the talisman sitting inside on a little pile of papers.

“Hey, come and look at this,” said Robin's slightly muffled voice from behind him. He had unlocked the narrow door and crawled partway inside the clock. Only his bottom and feet were visible. “This is so weird–”

“Come out, Robin, I've found it!” said Alfie, fastening the talisman back around his neck.

“Well done!” said Madeleine, joining him and rummaging through the rest of the folder. “They're going to be so mad, but it's not like they can admit they stole it.”

“I really think you two should see this,” called Robin. His voice sounded strangely distant as Alfie tried to stop Madeleine pulling everything out of the compartment in the desk.

“Hey, look what else is in here.” She pulled out a handful of photographs. “They must have taken these at the castle before we caught them snooping around.”

Alfie stared. The photos were of the maps Miss Reynard had taken from the headmistresses during the castle-warming party. Various areas of the cellars were circled on the photos and covered with illegible notes and question marks. Alfie's blood turned to ice. They had been doing some research during their little holiday. “We were right,” he gasped. “They know it's a key and they really do want to open the trapdoor.”

“Robin!” called Madeleine. “Come and see this!”

Alfie looked around for Robin. Suddenly the door handle rattled loudly and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Madeleine grabbed his arm.

“It's them!” she cried.

“What do you mean you can't find your key?” snapped Snitch's voice from the hallway. “I told you to keep it on a chain around your neck. Use mine.”

Alfie crammed everything back into the folder as Madeleine searched frantically for a hiding place. He could hear a foot tapping impatiently on the stone floor as a key jangled in the lock.

“It won't work – something is stuck in the lock.”

“Hurry,” snapped Snitch. “That Snoddington brat said that the Bloom boy and his cousins were hanging around here. Maybe they took your key.”

Edward, that little grass! Alfie watched in dread as the key Madeleine had left in the door started to wobble out of the lock.

Heart thumping against his ribs, he looked quickly around the room. There was nothing that could conceal three children.

“Where's Robin?” he whispered.

“Here,” hissed a voice from the grandfather clock. Alfie whipped around to see Robin's head poking around the door at knee level. “Get in, quick!”

“There's no room. We've got to get out of here!” whispered Madeleine, pushing desperately at the locked windows.

“Just get in here!” said Robin, urgently. “They'll have the door open any second!”

Madeleine ran towards the clock as Alfie grabbed the photos from the folder before putting it back on the pile. “Alfie, hurry!”

Without thinking, Alfie flung the photos on to the fire and dashed for the clock as they began to curl up and burn. Robin clicked the door closed behind him with barely a second to spare as Murkle's key dropped out of the lock and on to the floor.

It was pitch black inside the clock. Alfie reached out his arms and realized that the space was many times larger than he had expected.

“Watch out for the drop,” whispered Robin, guiding his hands to a set of iron rungs set into the wall. “Quick, climb down, it's not far.” Alfie hurried down the ladder, trying not to shout out as Madeleine stepped on his fingers. It was only a couple of metres to the bottom.

“They'll see the key and know we've been in there,” said Robin. “We've got to keep moving.” At that very moment, Alfie heard the office door bang open and Murkle and Snitch's voices filled the room above.

“Moving where?” asked Alfie, trying to follow the sound of Robin's voice.

“This way.” Robin clicked on the little torch he carried on his key chain and raced ahead down the long stone corridor. Alfie dashed after the bobbing light from the torch.

“Where does this lead?” he asked breathlessly as he caught up with his cousins.

“I'm not sure. We're heading upwards so I guess it leads into the hills behind the school.”

The two boys jerked to a halt as Madeleine grabbed their jumpers. “Listen!” she whispered hoarsely. “They're in the tunnel too.” Alfie froze and listened.

“We know you're in there!” Murkle's voice echoed up the passageway making Alfie's skin prickle. “This isn't a safe place for children. We're not cross with you. Come out now and we won't say another word about it.”

“Yeah, right,” muttered Alfie.

“You don't want to be lost for ever in these cold dark tunnels,” added Snitch. “Living with the bats, the rats and whatever else lurks down here in the dark.”

Alfie shuddered as he looked into the blackness beyond the light from Robin's torch. Every scary film he'd ever watched replayed in his mind. A distant scrabbling noise was coming from far behind them. “They're coming after us!” he cried.

“Run!” shouted Madeleine, sprinting ahead into the darkness.

“Maddie, wait!” called Robin, not bothering to whisper any more. “Stop running, we need to hide.”

“There's nowhere you can hide from us,” called Murkle.

“Not in these caves,” shouted Snitch.

The noises behind them turned into advancing footsteps. As Madeleine ran blindly into the tunnels, Alfie and Robin realized that they didn't have a choice. They began to run.

The tunnel started to wind steeply upwards as Alfie hurtled through the darkness. The ground became uneven and slippery beneath his feet. He felt cold draughts from either side and wondered if there were other tunnels leading into this one.

“We're in the caves now,” panted Robin as if reading his mind. “Granny said they're like a labyrinth under the hills. We need to stay on this path.”

Alfie could just faintly hear Madeleine's footsteps in the distance as they ran as fast as they could, their footfalls echoing wetly as the tunnel became damp and more cavernous.

“Do you even know where you are going?” echoed Snitch's voice from nowhere near far enough behind. “I wouldn't run if I were you.”

“At least you won't be lonely,” cackled Murkle. “Plenty of others have gone missing in here.”

“Ignore them,” panted Alfie, “They're just—
Aaaargh!
” His foot caught on something and he fell to the ground, slamming his head so hard his ears began to ring. He felt as if he was underwater as he staggered to his feet, staring dazedly at the thing he had tripped on: a huge cattle skull. A hand grabbed his arm and Robin's muffled voice begged him to move. The air in front of him seemed hazy as he stumbled forwards, half held up by his cousin. Something wet was running down his cheek. Water? Or blood? He was jolted to a halt as Robin stopped running.

“I can't hear Madeleine,” he whispered.

They stood in silence at a fork in the tunnel. Alfie realized that Robin was trying to decide which way to go. Murkle and Snitch's footsteps were very close now. “We've got to hide until they pass,” he whispered, swaying dizzily. “We'll find her later.” He gave a sharp tug on Robin's arm as he stood like a statue staring down the two passages. “Robin!”

“We heeeeear you,” hissed a voice from the far side of the cavern.

“MADDIE, RUN!” Robin shouted at the top of his lungs as Alfie dragged him across the cavern.

“We seeeeee you,” sneered the other voice.

Alfie dropped down and wriggled along the floor, followed by Robin. They wedged themselves between a crop of large stalagmites and the cave wall and lay still, hardly daring to breathe. Alfie's head throbbed with pain as he lay there in the dark. He twisted slightly to avoid something sharp that was digging into his ribs and suddenly realized what he was lying on. A mixture of horror and revulsion built inside him and he stifled a cry of disgust. They were surrounded by large animal bones – cows, sheep, even horse skulls. All of them had been picked completely clean. The dragon must live in these caves!

He stayed there for what seemed like for ever. He couldn't hear anything other than his own blood pounding in his ears. Murkle and Snitch must have passed them by. He hoped that they hadn't taken the same path as Madeleine. He slowly lifted his head and opened his eyes.

“BOO!”

Alfie screamed as he felt Snitch's foul breath in his face. Robin grasped at his leg as Miss Murkle dragged him out of his hiding place by the ankles. Snitch grabbed Alfie by the hair and pulled him up until just the tips of his toes were touching the ground.

“You've been very busy, haven't you?” she hissed. “Sneaking and snooping.”

“Peeking and prying,” added Murkle.

Alfie struggled under her grip but Snitch's strength was incredible. The pain in his head was so intense he felt he would pass out.

“OK! We'll come back with you,” yelped Robin as Miss Murkle twisted his ear. “But we've got to find Madeleine first.”

“Oh, we're not going back to the office,” said Murkle breezily.

“But don't worry – we'll find your sister,” said Snitch. “Now move!”

The sisters dragged the boys towards the branch of the forked passage and took the one that led downwards. Alfie tried to brace himself against the rocky floor but was pulled along behind Snitch as though he weighed nothing at all.

“We know you stole my talisman because you want to open the seal under the castle,” he yelled, sounding much braver than he felt as the pain blossomed in his shoulder and head.

“Oh, do you now?” sniggered Murkle, dragging Robin along beside her. “Well aren't you the detective?”

“We know you're controlling the dragon too!” Alfie shouted, hoping to shock them into loosening their grip. At this the two sisters burst into peals of shrieking laughter.

“Yes,” hissed Snitch. “And what are you going to do about it? Other than help us to wake the rest?”

Alfie couldn't believe what he was hearing. “What do you mean, wake the rest? You think there are more dragons somewhere?”

Snitch roared with laughter. “He doesn't know!” she screeched. “Nobody told him!”

“Told me what?” shouted Alfie as he pulled back uselessly against her grip.

“What you are living above,” cackled Murkle as Robin wheezed and struggled feebly against the arm she had wrapped around his neck. “What sleeps miles below your very own home…”

“Just tell me!”

Snitch pulled Alfie up by his shirt until they were nose to nose. “A dragon nest,” she spat, her stinking breath making him retch as she dropped him to the floor. He stared up at his headmistresses as they shrieked with delight at the look on his face. Robin caught his eye and shook his head, obviously thinking the same as Alfie. They were stark staring mad. They had to get away. Snitch lurched forward as though she had read Alfie's mind, catching him in an iron grip and pulling him to his feet. He had no option but to stumble wretchedly forward as the sisters dragged them down into the depths of the caves. A smell of sulphur grew stronger as they went further down. Alfie suddenly realized what was happening – the headmistresses were taking them straight to the dragon.

He dug his heels into the floor of the cave, fighting against Snitch's grip.

“What's the matter?” laughed Snitch. “Anyone would think you didn't want to meet the creature you seem so interested in.” Before Alfie could answer back something large brushed past his leg. He jerked in fright and heard a shriek from Murkle.

“Something bit me!
Argh
, it's got my hand! Get it off me!”

Snitch let go of Alfie's hair and began to shriek in pain, the creature must have bitten her too. He reached out and felt Robin's hands searching for him.

“Run!” he shouted. They scrambled back up the slippery path, then raced back to the bone-strewn cavern, leaving the two screaming sisters behind them. Turning at the fork, they followed the path that led upwards. The distant shrieking had stopped and the sisters were running through the passageways behind them. Alfie could hear a scratching noise like a dog running as whatever had attacked the headmistresses caught up with them. He expected to feel its jaws on his legs at any moment, but to his amazement it ran straight past, giving a series of short, high-pitched barks as though guiding them through the caves as it shot ahead.

“They're right behind us!” cried Robin as Murkle and Snitch furiously screeched and roared their way up the tunnel. Alfie could barely hear him – everything seemed to be fizzing in and out of focus. His legs started to wobble and he heard his cousin yell, “Come on! We're not going to make it out!” Alfie clutched at Robin's arm and tried to speak, but it was too late. He felt himself falling, taking Robin with him as the fuzziness filled his vision and faded to black.

 

“Wake up, Alfie.”

Robin was shaking him gently by the shoulder. Alfie struggled to pull his thoughts together and wondered why the cold, hard ground was suddenly soft and warm and smelt like sheep. He opened his eyes a crack and immediately shut them again as the sunlight sent a searing pain through his head. He sat up, cupped his hands around his eyes and looked down into his lap as he got used to the brightness.

“Banged yourself up a bit, didn't you, lad?” said a gruff but jovial voice.

Touching his head gingerly, Alfie found that it was bound up with strips of cloth, as was his shoulder. His eyes watered slightly from the strong but not unpleasant herbal smell coming from the bandages.

“I've cleaned up the wound and applied some liniment. Just cooked it up this morning – must have known you were coming.”

Alfie blinked in the direction of the voice. The glare eased and he could make out a broad, bearded man sitting nearby, lighting a fire under a pot of water. He was wearing a coarse hempen shirt and trousers, and a shaggy brown waistcoat.

“Powerful stuff, that is,” he said proudly. “Got the recipe from a good friend of mine. You'll heal up nicely.”

Alfie thanked the strange man as he looked around groggily. He was sitting on a makeshift bed of bundles of wood and fleeces in a homely cave that opened out on to the forest. Robin was sitting beside him, knees drawn up to his chin as he hugged his legs.

“What happened?” he groaned. “Did you find Maddie?”

“No.” Robin stared at his feet gloomily. “You've been in and out of consciousness for about half an hour. We should go to hospital but … I don't think they have them here. Not yet, anyway.”

“What?” Alfie clambered to his feet and staggered to the cave mouth to gaze down at a familiar but different view of Hexbridge valley. Despite the splotches of colour that danced across his vision, he could see just how different the landscape looked. The familiar patchwork of fields that surrounded Hexbridge were now shrouded in thick forest that stretched out across the valley, as far as he could see. Robin's words finally sank in as Alfie realized what this meant. It had happened again, like on the last day of term. He had slipped back through time, but this time he had brought Robin with him.

“Everything went foggy when you passed out,” said Robin twisting the bottom of his jumper. “When it cleared we were still in the caves but Murkle and Snitch had gone. I couldn't move you so I went to get help. I met Bryn here; this is his cave. He carried you out of the tunnels and bandaged your head.”

Bryn smiled as Alfie thanked him and politely admired his cave. “I use it for storage and to catch a bit of thinking time. You're lucky I was here today – the wife sent me to fetch some of the firewood you're sitting on.”

“I wanted to go back and look for Maddie,” said Robin, “but when I realized what had happened I knew it would be pointless.” He looked down at the ground and said quietly, “she won't be there, will she?”

“I'm so sorry, Robin. I didn't mean to bring us here. It's just like the last time. I can't control it.”

“If it hadn't happened they would have caught us,” said Robin. “I don't know what they were going to do, but they weren't going to let us go. You saved us both, but I just wish I knew Madeleine was safe.”

Alfie was grateful that Robin didn't blame him, but couldn't help being angry at himself. If he hadn't dragged them back through time maybe they would have found Madeleine by now, or at least have a search party looking for her.

“Alfie, can you get us back home?” asked Robin.

“I'm not sure. Last time everything just faded and I was back. I didn't need to do anything. Maybe we're still here because I was unconscious so long?”

“Sounds as though you two need a bit of advice,” said Bryn. “Just as well I sent word to a friend who always knows what to do. In fact, here he comes.” He waved down the hill at a cloaked figure making his way up the trail. “Ho, Orin!” The figure below called out a distant greeting as he waved back.

“I don't believe it. That's Orin? Orin Hopcraft?” shouted Alfie, jumping back up despite the throbbing in his head. “Of course! We're in
his
time now. He'll know how to get us home!”

“Just like he got you and your kin home the night you were born,” said Bryn.

Alfie turned to him in surprise. “You know about that?”

“Know about it? I was at the castle when your parents came through the mist. My wife helped deliver you. Orin said you'd be back one of these days. I can't say I expected you to turn up in my cave though.”

“Nor did I!” laughed Orin Hopcraft, his grey eyes twinkling as he swept into the cave. His warm presence seemed to fill the entire space as he unclasped his long brown cloak and let it drop to the floor, revealing a dark green tunic over a loose long-sleeved shirt. The druid clapped his hands to Alfie's shoulders. “Alfie, my dear boy! How wonderful it is to see you again.”

“Orin,” Alfie stammered, struggling to think of something else to say as he took in the druid's neatly plaited beard and loosely tied, grey-streaked brown hair – just as his dad had described it. “Er, pleased to meet you. This is my cousin Robin.”

“Cousin Robin, a pleasure indeed!” said Orin. Robin stared up at the druid in awe as he shook his hand.

Orin sat down on his cloak and untied a small pouch from his leather belt. “Bryn, could you make us some chamomile-and-valerian tea?” He handed over the pouch and Bryn tipped the herbs it contained into the pot of water he had been boiling. Alfie breathed in the soothing scent that started to fill the cave. “Now, much as we have to talk about,” said Orin, his voice soft and serious, “I would like to hear about the circumstances that brought you here.”

Bryn poured four cups of the tea as Alfie recounted what had happened. Robin seemed very much in awe of Orin as Alfie told the druid all about Murkle and Snitch and the chase through the tunnels. Orin looked very worried by the fact that they'd had the talisman for several weeks, and he looked astounded to hear that they seemed to know of the seal in the cellars. When Alfie told him about the dragon they had seen and Murkle and Snitch's plan to use the talisman to wake the rest, Orin gripped his wooden cup so tightly his knuckles turned white.

“This dragon,” said the druid, his voice dark. “Tell me, does it have two heads?”

“Yes!” said Alfie. “How did you know?”

“I have seen it myself,” said Orin gravely. “When Agrodonn came to force me to hand over the magic you now harbour.”

“The allies he brought with him,” cried Alfie, as he remembered Orin's letter, “the ones that torched the villagers' fields and slaughtered their livestock, they were dragons, weren't they?”

Orin nodded slowly.

“I don't believe this. Why didn't you tell me?”

“I think my letter contained enough information that would be hard for you to take in. I didn't want to add dragons to the list, not when I thought that this one had suffered the same fate as its brother.”

“Then tell me
now
,” said Alfie, wincing at a fresh stab of pain in his temple. “Murkle and Snitch said there's a dragon's nest under the castle. That's what they're after. Is it true?”

The druid nodded to Bryn to pour some more tea. He took a deep draught from his cup and sighed. “It is true. The age of dragons is long gone, and now they sleep in forgotten places deep within the earth. Hexbridge is above the last gateway to these places. Agrodonn knew this. He travelled down into the earth for many days until he found two small dragons. He used a control magic to bend them to his will, and when I refused to hand over my creation magic, he ordered them to burn the fields. As they snatched up and devoured cows and sheep he told me that the people would be next. That is why I had no choice but to use the magic I gave you against him. When it fed on his power, he could no longer control the dragons and they swooped away over the hills.

“When I used my freshly fed magic to create the castle, I chose to do so over the gateway Agrodonn had opened, creating a great seal over it that only the talisman can open. I didn't need to hunt down the dragons that he had awoken – a knight in Lambton killed one soon after, and I had heard that your dragon had suffered a similar fate. But I was wrong.”

Orin looked at Alfie, his soft grey eyes betraying the great concern he felt.

Alfie gazed back, his excitement at meeting the druid melting against a little flame that flickered inside him. “So they aren't totally crazy then. As well as being your hiding place for a magic that I didn't even have a choice in taking, the castle,
my home,
is the only thing between the world and a load of sleeping dragons?”

Alfie stared at the druid, wondering if the castle was really worth all of that. He thought about asking Orin to take back the magic along with the castle and the talisman, if that was even possible – but would it make him a coward? He hadn't asked for any of this, and now Madeleine was lost and alone while he was sitting in the past drinking tea.

“I was wrong to keep it from you,” said Orin. “I knew you would be quite safe as long as the seal remained intact. I hadn't counted on anyone in your day and age knowing of its existence.” He leant forward earnestly and placed his hand on Alfie's shoulder. “I made a mistake. Can you forgive me?”

Alfie shrugged one of his shoulders as he stared at the floor. The castle had helped him escape his old life and had brought him closer to his dad, but he was starting to wonder what the true cost of that would be. Finally, he nodded.

“Thank you, Alfie.” Orin smiled.

“But you can't keep anything that big from me ever again – and I need your help. What can I do to stop them?”

“I don't know what kind of villains these teachers of yours are,” said Orin, “but it takes a strong will to control a dragon. At least they don't seem to be aware of the magic you hold. I will send a note to Caspian to provide you with some extra protection until he can do something about the creature.”

“You know Caspian?” asked Alfie, surprised to hear the name on the druid's lips. “Can he time travel too?”

“He has his own ways of conducting business,” said Orin. “But that one is old – older than you would ever imagine. Now, until the dragon has been dealt with, don't provoke these teachers of yours, and never let them catch you on your own.”

“I wouldn't worry about that,” Robin piped up angrily. “They'll be locked up as soon as we tell our parents what happened.”

“Perhaps,” said Orin “but the slipperiest eels are the most difficult to catch. I may have something that will help you. Alfie, I will prepare what you need and send instructions through Caspian. It will help you to alert others as to what these sisters are up to. Now come, we'll help you down the hill before you travel home.”

Robin started to protest, but Orin placed his hands on his shoulders and said softly, “I know you need to find your sister, but you should not look for her alone. You need to get help before going back into the caves.”

“Well can you send us back to before they chased us?” asked Robin. Then we can send ourselves help.”

“I'm sorry. The clock keeps ticking wherever you are – when you return home the time you have spent here will have elapsed there too.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Robin rushed impatiently ahead down the narrow forest trail as Alfie stumbled along behind, supported by Bryn and Orin.

“Tell me, Alfie,” said Orin. “Were you in peril at any time when you weren't wearing the talisman?”

Alfie started to shake his head but Robin had bounced back to speed them along and piped up. “Of course you were. What about the fire in the school hall? You and Jimmy could have been burnt to a crisp!”

“And during this fire, did anything unusual happen at the height of danger?”

Alfie told the druid about the pain and jolts he had felt as he tried to rescue his friend.

“Because you have lived with the magic since you were a baby, you can control it better than anyone else ever could,” said Orin. “It is ancient and powerful and will protect its bearer in order to protect itself. However, as you are untrained in magic, it could seriously hurt you even when trying to defend you.

“For now, the talisman helps control and focus the raw energy – it stops it from shining like a beacon to anyone searching for it. You must wear it always and keep it hidden. As you get older the magic will become more active. You must learn to control the part of it that wants to be free to feed and create. I will teach you this when your training begins. You are more than its guardian – you are its prison.”

They walked in silence for the rest of the journey. Alfie knew now that the castle had come at a great price after all. He could see in the druid's eyes the terrible guilt he felt for burdening him with the magic and all that it entailed.