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

Chapter Eleven - The Starheart

THE CHILDREN SAT IN THE KITCHEN looking out of the window at a dull and thoroughly miserable afternoon. Beyond the garden walls, the trees of Whytewytch Woods lay sombre and dripping forlornly. Above them, the summit of the Warlocks Chair lay hidden beneath a layer of dark scudding clouds. It was still raining heavily and did not look like it would stop anytime soon.   

Throughout the week, whenever they had got the chance, they had searched the house for any sign of a hiding place where the Starheart might be secreted. Fortunately, it had rained on and off so it did not cause too much suspicion. Every room on the ground floor had been thoroughly examined. Panels had been tapped, bookcases searched for hidden switches, and where possible carpet and furniture had been moved and looked under, searching for secret compartments beneath the floorboards. But nothing could be found. 

'Maybe it isn't here after all,' George had pointed out after a long secret search of the special room. A special room, that according to Mum, they were not supposed to enter. Stay out of here; it's only for special occasions, she had told them on numerous occasions. Although, so far, there had not been any special occasions where it had been used.

But it too had revealed nothing. 

'It's possible it got destroyed along with the castle,' George continued.

'I think you might be right,' observed Danielle worriedly. 'If that's the case, then I don't know what to do. According to Ceridwen, we need all four gemstones to make the magic work.' 

'We will have to go and see her; let her know and see if she has any more ideas,' answered George. 

'Maybe it isn't in the house at all,' Jessica suddenly announced.

'What do you mean, Jess?' Danielle asked.

Before she could answer, the door opened and Dad entered. 'Hi kids,' he said, putting the kettle on to make a cup of tea.

'Typical,' he said, looking out of the window. 'School holidays start and it's raining every day. Never mind, another couple of weeks and we will be flying out to the sunshine, eh, kids.'

'Great, we can't wait,' Danielle acknowledged with a smile. But first, we have the trivial matter of helping stop a crazed warlock from trying to take over the world, she thought. 

'Dad,' Jessica said, a thoughtful look on her face.

'Yes, princess,' he said in his best serious voice. 'What is it that is worrying you?'

She looked at him, laughing. 'We were just sat here wondering where the oldest part of the house was.' 

'Well, as far as I know, the main house was built from scratch a few hundred years ago,' he told them. 'Under here somewhere...' He stamped his foot on the kitchen floor to emphasise the point. '...there is a cellar. But it was supposedly all blocked in, too dangerous I think. Why do you want to know?' 

'Nothing really, just curious,' Danielle shrugged, glancing at her brother and sister. 

'Mind you,' Dad continued. 'Part of the old stable block is supposed to be very old, dating back hundreds of years.' 

He made his tea and a cup of coffee for Mum then left them alone again.

'That's it, that's what I was going to tell you,' Jessica stated.

George looked at her, shaking his head. 'You're only saying that because of what Dad's just told us.'

'No, I was going to say it before that,' she said with mock anger.

'Yeah, whatever.' George teased. 'But if the stable is that old, maybe that's where the stone's hidden.'

'Come on then, let's go and have a look,' Danielle urged.