Amethyst Page 7

So they both went down to the Root Room.

  ‘Amy, would you like to try marble, granite, or basalt?’ said Cedar.

  ‘Marble,’ said Amy, without hesitating. Marble was cold and hard to work with. If there were faults in the stone, and there always were, it might chip and could shatter. But that made it all the more challenging. The end results were smooth and sophisticated.

  ‘OK. Copper has an elm figure,’ said Cedar. ‘She’s only been working on it for three months, Amy,’ he joked, ‘that’s why it’s so good.’

  Copper held up the piece of knobbly elm. It didn’t look like anything.

  ‘Hopeless!’ she said. ‘Let’s see who can produce the worst piece by the end of the afternoon!’

  Amy looked up at the domed tangle of roots above their heads. How would she bear it down here? The roots cascaded down the sides, then disappeared into the earth walls. Built into the spaces between the roots were small cupboards, shelves and racks for hanging the tools on. Compared to the white walls, smooth floors of shiny rock and snow-reflected light which she’d had in Granite’s studio, she did not find it very inspiring.

  She had to make do with Questrid’s spare tools, because the ones Uncle John had given her were back at Malachite Mountain. She stroked the chunk of marble. She turned it round and round. For the very first time she was going to carve something beautiful. She began to chisel and chip at the stone. She forgot everything else.

  Alongside her, Copper worked on her wooden figure.

  ‘Wood’s so difficult,’ she whispered to Amy. ‘Not like knitting. I can knit every stitch there is, you know, and quickly, too.’

  ‘Not much good if your mum won’t let you,’ said Amy.

  Copper shrugged. ‘Wish I knew why.’

  For two hours Copper and Amy worked, chatting all the time. They gouged and cut, sanded and polished. Finally Copper threw down her figure in disgust.

  ‘It’s horrible! Look! I’ve just sliced off her nose and she looks like a pig. I can’t do it, Cedar, I can’t!’

  ‘Er, I’m not sure your mother is right about your carving talents being hidden.’ He studied the figure. ‘More like non-existent. What about you, Amy?’

  ‘I haven’t got very far,’ said Amy. She blew the dust off her sculpture and handed it to Cedar.

  Copper grabbed it before Cedar could take it.

  ‘Oh, Amy, this is fantastic! It’s me, isn’t it? It’s brilliant!’

  Amy hadn’t had any intention of sculpting Copper’s head, but every time she’d looked up, that had been what she saw. Even though it was nowhere near finished, it did have something of Copper about it.

  ‘It is lovely, Amy. You’re very talented,’ said Cedar.

  ‘Oh, Amy, it’s great! Can I have it when it’s done?

  ‘’Course you can.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  Copper snatched off her apron, dusted the wood shavings from her clothes and gave her a hug. ‘Let’s get out of here!’

  Amy stood for a moment. The feel of Copper’s hands pressed against her back, still there, as if indentations had been left in soft clay. Even the Woody smell of her lingered. It should have been disgusting, repulsive even. But it wasn’t. It was a good feeling. Amy had never been hugged since her mother died. She didn’t know what she’d been missing. Her eyes were misty. She stumbled up the stairs.

  ‘Sometimes, I really wonder if I have any Wood blood in me,’ Copper said. ‘I’m so bad at so many Woody things. Mmm, smell that cake!’ She made a funny face, lifting her eyebrows and licking her lips. ‘Maybe I got more Rock blood from Amber’s side than Wood from Dad’s. I’m glad Questrid is half-Rock and half-Wood too. Nice to share our insides like that. Oh, sorry, Amy. I mean there’s nothing wrong with being entirely Rock. You are and you’re very nice.’

  Oriole was sitting in the kitchen, reading The Secret Life of a Blackbird. Lots of small birds hopped about in her lap, pecking at a pile of seeds.

  ‘That cake smells great! Where’s Questrid?’ Copper asked. ‘He’s usually around when a cake’s been made. Where’s Ralick?’

  ‘Ralick? Isn’t he with you?’ said Oriole.

  ‘No. I’ve been in the Root Room. He waits in the kitchen usually. In his basket. I never thought … I was so busy … That’s odd!’ Copper went very still. The pink faded from her cheeks.

  Amy pressed her hands over her stomach. Something which usually held it up, seemed to have let it go. She gulped. Poor Copper. Then, almost immediately, she corrected herself. Poor Copper? Never mind Copper, she told herself. You should have been watching out for that cub. Why weren’t you thinking about him? You’ve got so distracted by this Wood family, you’ve forgotten what you’re doing here! Aunt Agnes’s unwelcome voice popped into her head: ‘Spoiler! You’ve spoiled your chance! You’d spoil anything, you would!’

  ‘Something’s wrong,’ said Copper. She chewed her lower lip. ‘Ralick never goes anywhere.’

  ‘Well, he hasn’t truly disappeared yet,’ said Amy. ‘May-be he’s locked in your room? Or in the stables? The garden?’

  Copper was out of the room in a flash. She bounded up the spiral staircase to the upper floors. Amy checked all the rooms on the ground floor. Upstairs she heard Copper racing along the corridors, slamming the doors, shouting for Ralick.

  ‘Nothing!’ Copper called. She careered down the stairs. ‘I feel so bad. I’ve got this feeling. Oh, Amy … He’s gone!’

  They hurried across the kitchen. Copper picked up her old Ralick, a moth-eaten cuddly toy and hugged him. She kissed his black thread nose.

  ‘Ralick, Ralick,’ she whispered. ‘Where are you?’

  ‘No sign of him?’ asked Oriole.

  ‘Nothing.’

  Copper was already at the back door pulling on warmer clothes. Amy followed her, dragging on waterproof boots.

  They ran out to the stables. Thunder and Lightning greeted Copper by tossing their great heads and pawing the ground. Copper patted them quickly then raced up the wooden steps to Questrid’s bedroom.

  ‘Questrid! Questrid! Ralick!’ she called. She flung open the door. But the room was empty. ‘I knew it!’ she sobbed. ‘I knew they weren’t there!’

  She spun round, nearly knocking Amy over and scooted back down the steps. She ran out into the garden and over the snow-covered lawns, calling all the time.

  Amy ran after her. Someone’s taken him. I was supposed to do it! Oh, what will Granite say? What’ll happen now?

  They ran all over the garden but there was no sign of either Questrid or Ralick.

  ‘Where could they be?’ Copper said. ‘Sometimes Questrid goes up to the Rock, but he never takes Ralick. What d’you think, Amy?’

  ‘I don’t know. I’m sure he’s OK, Copper. He’s probably asleep somewhere, all curled up and—’

  ‘No, no! I know he isn’t!’ Copper’s eyes shone.

  The sun came out from behind the high thin cloud for a few minutes and bathed the garden in a weak, lemony yellow haze. Far up on the ridge behind Spindle House, a quick movement caught Amy’s eye.

  She stared, shielding her eyes from the dazzle, but whatever had moved had gone now. She thought of Shane Annigan and the sense of foreboding hanging over her deepened.

  ‘Ralick, Ralick, Ralick,’ Copper chanted. As if that would make him appear. ‘Amy! I need him!’

  ‘I know,’ Amy said, although she didn’t. Not really. She’d never cared for anything.

  ‘If Ralick has gone with Questrid they’ll have left tracks,’ she said. ‘We must go and look.’

  They trudged through the deep snow back to the front door. They examined the snow.

  ‘Those light marks and shallow indentations are Shane Annigan’s,’ said Amy. ‘But look there.’

  She pointed at some deeper footsteps.

  ‘I recognise the pattern of the sole. Those were new boots,’ Copper said, softly. ‘Questrid’s boots! But he wouldn’t take Ralick!’

  Copper began to run alongside the track of ma
rks. Amy went too. They stopped when they reached the end of the garden where the great wooden wall marked the beginning of the outside. Questrid’s footsteps carried on through the gate, shadowing Shane’s footsteps. Disappearing into the distance.

  ‘Remember how he was talking about going adventuring?’ said Amy. ‘Shane Annigan so inspired him with all that dragon talk, maybe he …’

  Copper stared into the distance. She put her hands up to her throat as if something was stuck there, choking her. Her eyes swam with tears.

  ‘Took Ralick?’ she whispered. ‘Without telling me?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Amy. ‘Maybe they’ll both be inside when we go in. It will all be all right.’

  But it wasn’t.

  Ralick and Questrid had both disappeared.

  14

  Questrid the Hunter

  While Copper and Amy had worked in the Root Room, Questrid had been in his room above the stable. Daydreaming. He was imagining himself speeding through the air on a sleek silver dragon. He was circling a dark and mysterious castle. Around him, evil brown dragons with red tongues and blazing red eyes gathered for the kill …

  Then something broke into his dreams and he sat up. He went to the window and looked out into the yard. A glimmer of light, mirrored and reflected on the snow, caught his attention. Shane Annigan!

  ‘What’s he doing back?’ And just for a second, Questrid’s soul soared, thinking maybe he’d come back for him. Maybe he wanted Questrid to be his travelling companion. Questrid was about to rap his fingers on the glass to catch Shane’s attention, when he heard a squeal.

  Ralick!

  Then he saw the cub. It was like a punch in the stomach. He gasped. Shane Annigan had Ralick. He was stuffing the struggling, yelping cub into a white sack!

  ‘He’s stealing Ralick!’

  Questrid ran to the door – it was locked. Impossible! He tugged and pulled at the handle. How could it be locked? There wasn’t even a keyhole! He dashed back to the window but it was too small for him to get through. Anyway he knew he’d then be stuck on the roof. Shane Annigan was moving fast. He was already on the other side of the great wall. If I don’t do something straight away, he thought, I’ll never catch him.

  He raced back to the door.

  Look, he told himself, calmly, it cannot be locked because there is no key. There must be something holding it. Think logically.

  He twisted the handle again. Something was stopping it from turning. There were some silvery wisps of thread there. Cobwebs? Weird! The internal workings of the doorknob were tangled up with cobweb.

  Questrid dragged his box of tools out from beneath his bed. He opened it and rummaged around for a screwdriver. Instead he found one of Copper’s old crochet hooks. He slipped it into his pocket, thinking how glad she’d be to see that again.

  He found a screwdriver of the right size and began to unscrew the door handle. He was so frantic, his fingers slipped and slithered and he gouged great chunks from the door.

  ‘Come on!’ he yelled. ‘Come on, you clumsy oaf!’

  Finally the handle was off. Questrid goggled. It was as if a crazy spider had sneaked into the door. It seemed to have spun, tangled, twisted and knotted miles of fine, gossamer-like threads into a dense mass.

  Questrid shook his head in amazement. ‘That’s just weird.’

  He attacked the thread with his chisel. His screwdriver. Everything. But the stuff was stronger than wire. He couldn’t undo it. He’d have to dismantle it. It took him ages to undo the inside part of the catch. At last he did. He pulled out the thread. It was woven like a dormouse nest.

  Questrid quickly refitted the handle and opened the door. He was free!

  He pulled on his coat and scarf and ran.

  Down the stairs, into the garden. Down to the gates. Out into the wide-open snowy plain. The ruffled snow showed exactly the way Shane Annigan had gone.

  With Ralick.

  Questrid walked for a long time. The only living thing he saw on his journey was Glinty, Ruby’s dragon. She circled and swooped high in the sky, a blur of turquoise flashes and sparks above the Rock. Apart from that, the white landscape was empty and entirely still.

  15

  Missing

  ‘I can’t bear it, I can’t bear it without my Ralick,’ Copper sobbed. She threw herself onto her bed. ‘Where is he?’

  Amy stared at her, suddenly scornful. Weak and sappy thing, she thought. She remembered the tabby kitten she’d wanted. Aunt Agnes had drowned it. You see big eyes and fluff, that’s what you see, but it’s fleas and filth that I see. And pulling on your heart strings. No. No!

  And so Amy’s heart strings had remained unpulled.

  Now she was determined to fulfil her contract with Granite. She would do it, despite Copper. At least Granite was powerful and stony. No weeping there and neither did Amy weep.

  ‘I wasn’t going to say anything,’ said Amy, sitting down beside Copper. ‘But now …’

  ‘What?’

  ‘It’s just that I think Questrid took Ralick,’ said Amy. ‘He was jealous of the way we were getting on. He felt pushed out … I think he wished I’d never come here.’

  Copper sat up and grabbed her arm. ‘But Questrid’s so, so …’ She paused. ‘Well, so good! I can’t believe it.’

  ‘What else can explain Ralick’s disappearance?’

  ‘I don’t know …’

  ‘Questrid looks at me so strangely. Tries to avoid me,’ went on Amy. ‘He’s never liked me. Shane inspired him and now I bet he’s gone off to look for dragons. With Ralick.’

  ‘No! He wouldn’t … He loves Ralick, I know, but he wouldn’t steal him and Ralick would never go without me!’

  ‘Ah, yes, you’re probably right,’ said Amy, quietly. ‘It’s mean of me—’

  ‘No, sorry! You could be right …’ said Copper. ‘I’ll tell Cedar. And Mum. They’ll know what to do. I HAVE to get Ralick back!’

  ‘Why don’t we go and look?’ said Amy.

  She moved to the window and stared out at the sun twinkling on the snow. I’ve got to get that wolf cub back, she thought. The sooner we set out, the better the chance we have of finding him. ‘We could just follow the footsteps a little way. If we leave it too long, they’ll disappear …’

  ‘D’you think so?’

  ‘Grown-ups will only try and stop us …’ said Amy.

  They crept back downstairs again. The wooden staircase groaned and squeaked and creaked and whined.

  ‘Shh! Shh!’ Copper said.

  Amy knew the wood wanted Copper to stay.

  The kitchen, unusually, was empty.

  ‘Let’s take some cake,’ said Amy. She scooped up a couple of slices from the plate. ‘And drink.’ She stuffed a bottle of water and the cake into Copper’s backpack, which was by the door.

  ‘But we’ll only be a few minutes …’

  ‘Just in case,’ said Amy. She had a feeling they might be away some time.

  ‘I ought to tell someone what we’re doing,’ whispered Copper. ‘It’s not right …’

  ‘Don’t worry.’

  ‘I suppose we’ll come back as soon as we’ve seen which way they went … And maybe Questrid’s hurt? Or Ralick? Perhaps there’s been an accident? I’m so lucky I’ve got you, Amethyst.’

  Amy felt sick to the pit of her stomach at her duplicity.

  But still I’ll go on, she thought. Yes, I’ll go on and spoil it all for Copper, because that’s what I came for. That’s my job. Spoiler. Wrecker. And it won’t really matter in the end, when I’m rich. Granite will be pleased. I bet he makes me his heir. The new Lord, no, Queen of the Rock People …

  They reached the gateway. Swathes of whiteness spread out all around them. The mountain peaks seemed suddenly closer. The wooded slopes looked dark and menacing. It was different here. Already Amy could feel what it meant to be away from Spindle House. The influence of the Wood Clan was waning.

  ‘It’s so lonely out here,’ Copper w
hispered, hugging herself.

  ‘It’ll be all right. We’re together.’

  ‘You’re so brave, Amy. You Rock people are stronger than us Woods in so many ways. Mum and Dad will be worried …’

  My aunt and uncle let me go easily enough, thought Amy. Nobody hurt or worried there. So why should I care?

  Shane Annigan’s light footsteps left almost no mark. His cape brushed the ground and left a soft sweeping line over the snow, like a big snail trail. This was the mark that Questrid had followed earlier.

  They went up the side of the hill, following Questrid’s tracks, through the woods, towards the distant purple mountains. When they got to the top of the first hill, they turned and looked back at Spindle House.

  ‘Oh, Amy!’ said Copper. ‘Isn’t it the most wonderful house in the world? I wish I’d left a note. I hope they’re not worried.’

  ‘They won’t even have noticed we’ve gone,’ said Amy.

  They walked for an hour and there was still no sight of Ralick or Questrid.

  ‘Maybe we should go back now,’ said Copper.

  ‘Well, we could if you really wanted to,’ said Amy. ‘But I think there’s some sort of cave or tunnel up there. Shall we go and see?’

  I am not going back without that wolf cub, Amy told herself. And if Questrid brought him this way, I have to go this way too.

  They reached the tunnel. Amy wondered if this was the one-way tunnel that Granite had told her about. She felt sure it was.

  Go through alone, or with Copper? With Copper, she decided quickly. It was better being with someone. Not so scary. And if Ralick was on the other side, he’d want to come to Copper. He might not come to Amy. Yes, she definitely needed Copper with her.

  Copper was examining the snow beside the tunnel. ‘Questrid’s footprints are everywhere!’ she said.

  ‘Well, at least we know we’re on the right path,’ said Amy. ‘Questrid must be carrying Ralick.’

  Amy noticed another set of prints. They were fresh. They were Shane Annigan’s, she was sure.

  Amy was shocked but not surprised.

  She remembered with a jolt something Shane had said in the kitchen. Questrid had mentioned Ruby, and Shane Annigan had known she was Questrid’s mother. How did he know that? How did he know anything about Ruby if he’d just been blown to Spindle House like he said?