Andy thinks he's lost forever when his aunt's chimney transports him and his dog, Chip, into the magical world of Emerraine. To get home, he must save the Hearthstone Village with Elsie, a young witch, and her Familiar against a dark plot that has b...
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ANDY'S FEET PARTED with the room's creaky floorboard; he was falling, falling, through whirling darkness, and then, quite suddenly, he was blinking in dazzling sunlight.
He heaved, then coughed. Ashes fluttered around him as he hoisted himself up. The light came from an open doorway and a tiny silhouette, an outline of an animal with pointed ears and whipping tail, sat by it. Chip's delighted yelps let Andy know that their transport went well, just like the first time. He was apprehensive at first that something wrong might come and surprise them, but those worries were all but nothing.
Still swaying on the spot—but with the support of the nearby desk, he finally found his bearings—Andy fixed his glasses that were hanging askew over the ridge of his nose.
Hex! Hex is here, Andy!
Andy turned around excitedly and found Chip bounding around a chubby, bushy, black cat, whose yellow slitted eyes penetrated his brown orbs as if assessing his reasons for coming back. What? Did Hex hate him now for leaving in the middle of the journey, for abandoning them?
But none of those questions came. Hex simply turned his back on them, moving towards the bright sun of Hearthstone. Andy bit his lip. He couldn't wait to talk things through with Elsie so that everything would be normal once again. But will it? And what's with Hex walking out on them? Did he want Andy to feel guilty all over when it was he who had been violated?
What are you doing just standing there? Follow me, you fools! Hex said in a gruff and magnified voice, making Andy jump, and the cat disappeared around the corner. Confused, the pair looked at each other but decided it was best to follow Hex.
They were led to the back of the house, where a small pond nested. It was filled with blue crystalline water, which gently sloshed towards the bank. The blue of the water was blended with the green of the lilies, wherein a small group of two adult ducks and ducklings wove around them.
When they reached the bank, Andy watched as one of the two ducks responded to Hex's calls. It was a drake with beautiful purple plumage, a shiny green head, a silvery-white body, and grey wings with blue markings.
Hex, man! The duck waved his wing to Hex, nearly making Andy choke on his saliva at this greeting.
Hex wasn't pleased. Snarling, he said, We need a ride, Ernie.
We? Oh. Ernie, the duck, padded out of the water to look closer at Hex's unlikely companions. He merely looked at Chip for a second (with the dog ending up sulking), while his gaze lingered on Andy for what felt like an eternity as Ernie adjusted his pince-nez glasses, reminding him of Mr. Dawson, their school principal. Where did you pick up this young lad, Hexie?
Don't call me, Hexie! And what is he, trash? Hex trudged towards Ernie and bared his gleaming fangs near the duck's slender neck in a bold, swift move. The latter let out a small cry. Look, we need a ride.
