Legends from The Warlock's Chair - Book One - Ravengaard

Chapter Seven - Practice

SATURDAY MORNING WAS BRIGHT AND SUNNY and the children were up early, eager to practice with their recent given gifts.

They washed and dressed and crept quietly down the stairs. Mum and Dad were in the kitchen enjoying a cup of coffee.

'Let's see how well this ring works,' Danielle whispered gently rubbing the ring on her finger. Instantly the room faded into grey veiled wispiness.

'Here hold my hands,' came her disembodied voice. 'And be careful, it can be very strange feeling at first.' 

She reached out and grasped George and Jessica's hands. Knowing, as she did so, she would reappear, standing in between them.

'Whoa, that is strange. But I can see you again,' said Jessica looking a little disorientated.

'Yes,' replied Danielle. 'But now we should all be invisible.'

Her brother looked at them both then down at himself.

'How do we know that?'

'Let's see,' said Danielle leading them both towards the kitchen. 'Be very quiet and don't let go of me.'

Under the ring's influence, the room faded into various shades of gauzy greyness and distance became harder to judge. But taking their time Danielle managed to steer them through the doorway and into the kitchen.

Dad was sat at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee; Mum was talking about the plans she had for the rest of the day. Whether Dad was listening to her Danielle could not be sure, but neither looked up as they entered. 

The children tiptoed passed their parents and headed towards the door that led into the garden. Jessica let out a little gasp as Danielle accidentally trod on her toe, but neither parent looked around.

Reaching the door, Jessica reached out and carefully turned the handle. Danielle hoped it was unlocked.

To her relief, it swung open with a small click.

Dad looked up with a puzzled expression on his face.

Taking care not to lose her grip on her brother and sister, Danielle moved quickly out into the garden. She turned to see if they had been spotted.

'I wonder how that happened?' she heard Dad say from the kitchen. She watched him get up off his chair and inspecting the door. 'Must be one of those ghosts everyone's on about,' he laughed. He closed the door and went back to his coffee. 

Almost bursting with suppressed laughter, Danielle led the children around the side of the house and out of sight of the kitchen. 

She took a deep breath. 'It worked, they couldn't see us.' 

'I thought I was going to pee myself,' Jessica laughed. 

'Ugh, Jess!' George said with mock disgust. 'But it's a strange feeling. Now, all we have to do is get back in without being seen.' 

'Well let's have a practice first,' Danielle suggested. 'We'll worry about that later.' 

They retrieved their gifts from the hiding place. 

George collected some of the pots he had practised with on the previous evening and spread them out along a low stone wall that edged a flower bed.

'Target practice,' he exclaimed, drawing the wooden dagger from his belt. He felt the transformation, and once again he held the shining metal blade. He concentrated and swung it towards one of the pots. The familiar tingle travelled through his body, and a wave of coldness spread along his arm. Then a blaze of white flame shot from the blade. In seconds, a thick layer of thick frost coated the pot.