Amethyst Read online

  The seven wolves resumed pacing backwards and forwards on their big broad feet. Wolfgang started to describe their eating patterns and their particular habits and dislikes. Amy slipped back into the other room; she could not even pretend to be interested like Copper was.

  Squitcher was sitting beside the open door fanning his pale face. Fog drifted in, then disappeared as it warmed.

  He grinned at Amy. ‘Too stifling-hot,’ he said.

  ‘Me too.’ Amy scooped up a handful of snow from beside the door and smoothed it over her cheeks. ‘I long for ice and flatness. Crystals and stone.’

  ‘All there in Malachite Mountain, dear Rock girl, if that’ll make you jolly,’ said Squitcher. His eyes twinkled. For a moment Amy wondered if he was being sarcastic, but his pale blue eyes were gentle.

  ‘Yes,’ she replied. She sat beside him. ‘It is, I suppose.’

  Squitcher’s little face was so kind, so open and trusting …

  ‘Squitcher, can I tell you something?’ she said. ‘Ask you something?’

  ‘Of course. How jolly!’ Squitcher sat up and clasped his hands over his knee, head on one side. ‘Ready-waiting.’

  ‘Squitcher, I am not a good person—’

  ‘Hah, that is not at all truly-honest!’ said Squitcher. ‘I see you being sad-unhappy, but you are not bad. You are helping your friend Coppery One. You are looking for her Ralick. You are a good girl.’

  ‘I want to be, but Squitcher … I started out with such bad intentions.’

  ‘That is a shame,’ said Squitcher. He put his tiny hand on her larger one and patted her. ‘But that’s how you started out, you say, and need not be how you continue. You start out one way, change your mind and alter course-directions. Why not? Boldy Seer goes thisaway, thataway, all the time. Wind changes, the way looks bleak, off she goes.’

  Amy felt a little surge of hope. ‘Do you really think it’s possible?’

  ‘I jolly well do.’

  ‘Thank you. I think, then, there is a chance for me. I can try.’

  ‘You can try,’ said Squitcher. ‘You will jolly well try and you jolly well will be jolly!’

  The fog hung around the house. Nothing was visible through the windows and no sound from outside reached them.

  Wolfgang served everyone a bowl of chunky soup and warm bread that he had baked himself. Those that liked the warmth, sat around the fire. The others sat further away. Wolfgang told them stories about wolves and dragons and things that lived deep in the mountains.

  One by one, the listeners dropped asleep.

  Squitcher lay along the bottom of the front door in the cold air which seeped underneath it. His snores rattled the door on its hinges.

  Amy woke before anyone else. Her sleep had been full of nasty dreams. She opened her eyes, but didn’t move. There was light outside, no sunshine, but the fog had lifted. Amy could see the surrounding forest and Malach-ite Mountain about a mile away through the window.

  I could go now, she thought, before anyone else is awake. I could rescue Ralick … I wish … I wish … Her fingers closed around the cobweb squares that Copper had made. She pulled one out from her pocket and held it up to the light. It was just like a cobweb, only stronger and with an extra silky quality. If only it was really magic, she thought, if only it would do something useful and help me …

  ‘Eeek, eek.’

  ‘Rat!’ She sat up. ‘Hello. Shh, don’t squeak too loudly. Don’t wake anyone. Where did you come from? How did you find me?’

  She slipped the cobweb square into her pocket again: had it brought her friend to her? Was it magic?

  ‘Pss, pss.’

  He seemed to be smiling at her; certainly he was showing his yellow teeth. His nose was twitching.

  But was he a friend? He was Granite’s rat. Could he be a friend?

  There was a message in the white cylinder tied around his tummy. Her fingers were trembling as she took it out. She smoothed it and read it.

  ‘Come.’ That was all it said. No please or well done for trying or anything. Just come.

  Her heart sank. Granite was so cold! So bossy! So …

  Granite doesn’t care for me at all! She threw the note on the floor. He never has. He just wanted to use me.

  All right. I’ll do the same to him.

  ‘I’ll go to him, I will,’ she whispered to the rat. ‘And I’ll pretend to be the old Amy, but inside, I’ll be the new, rebellious Amy. That’ll show them all.’

  The rat bit her sleeve and tugged.

  ‘And I suppose we’ll find out whose side you’re on too,’ she said. ‘Now, wait, just a minute.’

  Amy glanced over at Questrid and Copper. They slept so peacefully. What would they think if she disappeared? She glanced at the window. It was getting brighter all the time. The light would surely wake them soon.

  ‘Pss, pss!’

  ‘Shh, wait.’

  What does it matter anyway? she thought. They’ll find out I’ve lied. They’ll never forgive me. Still … She quickly wrote a note saying she had gone to Malachite Mountain on her own. To get Ralick. I know a secret way in, she lied. Don’t worry about me.

  As if they would.

  Amy was halfway across the room when she spotted Squitcher. He was lying at the bottom of the front door like a draft excluder. She couldn’t go that way.

  The wolf barn! There must be a door at the other side of that. There had to be, otherwise how did Wolfgang get the wolves in and out? He wouldn’t bring them through the cabin.

  She turned back, tiptoed across the room, lifted the latch on the door very softly and went into the barn.

  The smell of the creatures hit her. She pinched her nose. Ugh, it was awful.

  The wolves all turned to her. She stood very still. They focused their strange cross-eyed eyes on her. They held their heads down low. Their tails did not move. One of them growled.

  Amy swallowed loudly. Too dangerous, she thought. There was a door on the other side, but she’d have to walk right through them …

  The white rat, who had taken up a position on her shoulder, nibbled her earlobe encouragingly. He tugged on her plait.

  ‘OK, OK,’ she whispered. ‘Whose side are you on, anyway?’

  No choice, then.

  She climbed very slowly over the fence and began to edge round the pen. The wolves fixed her with their yellow eyes. They moved like a shoal of fish, like one being … towards her.

  She stopped; they stopped.

  The white rat tugged at her hair again.

  ‘It’s all right for you,’ she whispered. ‘Up there … But I’m scared.’

  Keeping her back to the wall, she inched further round the barn. She never let her eyes lose contact with the wolves. She knew if she did that they would pounce.

  The door was almost within reach. She turned away to open it. The wolves rushed.

  They came at her in a growling, brown furry wave. She couldn’t scream. She dare not risk a noise. She flung herself at the door, praying it wouldn’t be locked.

  Just as her hands touched the door, it fell open.

  Wolfgang.

  ‘What the …!’ exclaimed Wolfgang. ‘Quick! This way!’ He kicked the door shut and pulled her out of the way. They crashed to the floor. Crates of food, sacks of flour and packs of beans tumbled down around them. They were in a small storeroom. Large dry hams and bunches of dry herbs hung from the ceiling. The white rat scampered over the sacks. It squeezed under the door to the outside and in a flash it was gone.

  ‘Amy! What are you doing coming through the wolf barn?’

  ‘I don’t know. I just—’ Amy shook off his helping hand and stood up.

  ‘Is dangerous! Why? Why? This is not the way out!’ He got up too. He looked at her intently. ‘Ah, sneaking away, is that it? While your comrades sleep? What do I tell them, later, eh?’ said Wolfgang. ‘What?’

  Amy tossed her hair. She shrugged. ‘Tell them what you like. I can do what I like,’ she said. ‘I don’t care.
’

  Wolfgang glared at her. ‘You are not like them,’ he said at last. ‘You are the loner like me. You do what you want? I say you outcast more like. Am I right?’ He touched her arm gently.

  Amy felt tears fill her eyes. She brushed them away angrily.

  ‘No. I’m not. I was. Granite sent me to steal Ralick, but—’

  ‘Whoah! So that’s it!’ Wolfgang let go of her arm as if she were contaminated. His eyes narrowed and he jerked his chin in the direction of Malachite Mountain. ‘You can’t know how bad that Granite is. You wouldn’t do anything for that man if you heard the howling and shrieking I’ve heard.’

  ‘Who? What?’

  ‘A wolf cub. Nothing like the cry of a wolf in sadness. Didn’t want to tell Copper. But when she told me about her Ralick, I knew.’

  Amy shivered. In her mind’s eye she saw the little wolf cub sitting on Copper’s lap, staring lovingly up into Copper’s face.

  ‘And there’s other badness there too. From the air,’ said Wolfgang.

  Amy shivered.

  ‘Yes. Shane Annigan. The Will-o’-the-Wisp.’ He pronounced it Ze Vill of ze Visp. ‘Bad like disease. You cannot see it, is like germs, invisible. Getting into every nook and cranny.’

  ‘Yes. I think I knew I was on the wrong side right from the beginning,’ said Amy, ‘but once I’d started, there seemed no way back.’

  ‘I’m sorry for you, Amy, all alone—’

  ‘I—’

  ‘The wolves don’t trust you, do they? Can smell something’s not right. They know—’

  ‘It’s not my fault,’ Amy snapped. ‘I just spoil things. That’s what I do …What I used to do, but now I’m going back to Granite and I’m going to put it all right. Truly I am.’

  ‘Good, good.’ Wolfgang rubbed his hands together. ‘You have made good choice,’ Wolfgang said. ‘You have a choice, Amy, always, even if this time, is coming a bit late …’

  Amy yanked the door open and ran out into the snow.

  ‘Won’t you wait for Copper?’ called Wolfgang.

  ‘I can’t!’ Amy called. ‘I have to go!’

  She ran. She did not turn back.

  There was a path between the dense fir trees. The snow was not very deep. It was soft and slushy and grey.

  She didn’t stop until she heard a sudden squeak. The white rat was perched on a log, waiting for her.

  ‘There you are!’ she said. ‘How did you get here? Looking after number one, eh? At least you like me.’ She bent down and let him jump up onto her arm. He scampered up to her shoulder. ‘Or you pretend to.’

  The rat snuggled against her neck. She liked the tickle of his fur against her skin. She even liked his scratchy little toes.

  ‘I like you. You’re my friend, aren’t you?’

  The rat purred.

  ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’

  Amy went on. Malachite Mountain was due west. She did not need a guide: its green shining mass seemed to be the only thing she could see.

  ‘Nothing like the cry of a wolf in distress,’ Wolfgang had said. She didn’t want to remember that, but the more she tried to forget, the louder and fiercer his words echoed in her head.

  21

  Return to Malachite Mountain

  The fog had almost cleared, only a few wisps lingered like long, drifting scarves among the fir trees when Amy reached Malachite Mountain. The sun was shining, it made the mountain glitter and sparkle as if thousands of emeralds were embedded in its ice sides.

  Amy went up the steps to the great white front door.

  Her heart was pounding. She wiped her sweaty hands down her trousers. How am I going to hide my feelings? How can I pretend I still like him? I am mad!

  A rockgoyle opened the door for her. It gave her a hard, bleak stare.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ snapped Amy. She touched her face quickly. ‘Something wrong?’

  ‘No, Miss Amethyst,’ said the rockgoyle. It looked down at its vast feet demurely.

  ‘Good.’ She pushed past it into the hall. ‘Get me some food and an iced drink.’ Her voice echoed in the emptiness. ‘Is Granite in there?’

  ‘Yes, Miss Amethyst.’

  Amy sighed. How was it that Miss Amethyst sounded so utterly horrible all of a sudden? Like an insult.

  She went into the Reception (Deception – perhaps the rockgoyle had been right) Chamber. The white rat jumped off her shoulder and onto a marble statue. It squeaked goodbye and went scampering up the stairs.

  Alone again. Amy stood up as tall as she could. I’m the old Amy. I’m a princess. I’m cold, I’m hard and I care only for money, she told herself.

  She went in.

  Granite was slumped in a chair by the fire. ‘Hello, Amethyst,’ he drawled. ‘Told you she’d be here today, Shane.’

  Shane. He was there. Amy stared at the pale man. He gleamed like a pearl. He was sitting at the table, sipping a fizzing blue drink. He smoothed his pale hair back over his head so it clung to his skull like a wave streaming over a rock.

  ‘Amethyst.’ He inclined his head towards her. ‘Now, isn’t this a pleasant surprise for sure.’

  Amy went over to Granite. ‘I tried my best,’ she said. ‘Honestly I did. But he stole the wolf cub before I got a chance to.’ She pointed at Shane. ‘He sneaked in and stole it! It wasn’t my fault.’

  Granite’s face split into a big grin. He roared with laughter. The noise reverberated around the room and made the chandelier tinkle. It sounded like there were ten Granites laughing and when Shane joined it, twenty voices.

  Amy scowled. What was so funny?

  There was a knock at the door and a rockgoyle came in with a tray of refreshments. She set it down on the table, then backed out of the room.

  ‘Eat and drink, Amethyst. You need something to refresh you,’ said Granite. ‘Go on, Amethyst, do as I say. Then I’ll explain.’

  Amy had no appetite. She took a mouthful of water. Granite whispered something to Shane. They both chuckled.

  Amy felt so angry she could imagine steam coming out of her ears like in a cartoon. How dare they be so rude? What did they have to whisper about?

  ‘Well!’ said Granite, sitting down again. ‘Here you are.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Amy. ‘Here I am.’ She dug her hands into her pockets. Her fingers touched Copper’s cobweb squares. They were deliciously silky and comforting. Reworked magic. Double strength.

  ‘Are you on your own?’

  ‘Copper and Questrid are at the wolf sanctuary,’ she said.

  ‘Good. But they’ll come after you, do you think?’ croaked Granite. He fixed his black eyes on her. She couldn’t look away.

  ‘Not after me,’ said Amy. ‘But they’ll come for the cub.’

  ‘Ah, yes, for the cub,’ Granite echoed.

  Amy pointed at Shane. ‘He took Ralick! Why?’

  Granite and Shane Annigan exchanged a smug smile.

  ‘Ralick was our bait, Amethyst.’ Granite twisted a large diamond ring round and round on his finger. ‘Part of our little plot.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘It wasn’t Ralick we wanted, Amethyst,’ said Shane. He smirked. ‘Sure no, why would we be wanting a wolf-cub? It was Copper—’

  ‘Copper?’ Amy stared from one to the other. What were they talking about? She couldn’t stop looking at Shane Annigan’s pearly teeth and glowing face. Suddenly she longed to put him out, like she might put out a lamp, by just clicking a switch.

  ‘Yes,’ said Granite. ‘We wanted Copper. And you’ve brought her to us – well, almost. You’ve done exactly what we wanted.’

  ‘I did?’ Amy put her hand on the back of the chair to balance herself. ‘How?’

  ‘How? Don’t you know? By going to Spindle House you made it easier for Shane to get in; they were less suspicious of strangers. You delayed Copper in the Root Room and gave Shane an opportunity to steal the cub. You stopped Cedar from catching Copper by using the one-way tunnel. You spent the night with the pixicles, t
hat gave Shane more time to reach Malachite Mountain …

  ‘Shane could never have kidnapped Copper, but we knew that Copper would come after her cub, so we stole it. You’ve done well. Very well. Now it’s up to us to finish the job—’

  Amy felt her mouth drop open. She quickly snapped it shut. They used me! she thought. They manipulated me as if I was nothing, nothing at all.

  Something else occurred to her. Something that made her heart sing. They didn’t know Ralick could talk! They didn’t realise exactly how special he was. They’d missed a trick there!

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me the truth?’ she said. She sank down onto the chair beside Shane Annigan.

  Granite smiled. ‘Why should we? We—’

  He stopped abruptly. He stared at Shane. Shane’s light was suddenly, quickly dimming.

  ‘Shane!’

  Shane snatched at his throat, as if he couldn’t breathe. He sagged and doubled over. He began to slide off his chair. He made weak, toad-like croaking noises.

  ‘Shane? Are you ill?’

  Amy jumped up quickly. She backed away.

  ‘I’m, I’m a little unwell, so I am,’ Shane whispered. He took a big breath and straightened up. ‘Ah, there, that’s better.’ His glow returned. ‘There must be something here, I’m thinking, something affecting me.’ He looked around. ‘Sure, I can’t think what …’ He stared quizzingly at Amy, as if she might know. ‘I’ll get a rest.’ He staggered to his feet. ‘Your friends will be here soon and we’ll all want to look our best, now, won’t we?’ He lurched out of the room.

  ‘You’ve done all that I asked,’ said Granite. ‘You will be rewarded, never fear. Copper Beech is a rash, headstrong girl. Nothing will keep her from Malachite Mountain … and walking straight into my trap!’

  The ugly little female rockgoyle accompanied Amy out, close as a fat shadow.

  ‘Anything else?’ The rockgoyle was very close at her elbow. ‘I’m here to help.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Whatever … You’re the boss, aren’t you?’

  Amy spun round. ‘How dare you speak to me like that?’

  ‘I can’t see you stopping me, Miss Amethyst.’