Bagsy Beetlehorn and the Vampire Affairs (The Bagsy Chronicles 4)

The Rescue

Only braving a second of sticking her head out, and trying her best not to look down, Emmeline squinted into the distance.

Emmeline pulled her head back inside, looking queasy. 'I hate heights,' she muttered, closing her eyes and drawing in deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. 'It's Primrose. She's flying on a broom after us.'

'Of course, she is,' Mezrielda hissed, looking out the window she was next to herself and seeing a dot in the horizon of the murky sky. Evidently, obliviate wasn't a spell that could reliably be cast upon her.

Greenda looked panicked. 'What do we do?'

Mezrielda said, 'We can't risk her messing up our plan. We'll need to divert her attention until we're done...' She looked at Emmeline. 'You're going to lead her in the wrong direction. Get her to follow you and keep her distracted. I'll write on the talk-boards when we're done, after which you regroup with us at the entrance platform.'

Emmeline nodded.

'I'm going with her,' Greenda said, putting a hand over Emmeline's.

A smile tugged at Emmeline's lips. 'If you insist,' she said, before the carriage jolted again from Swiftie's reckless flying and the anxiety returned to her face. Emmeline squeezed her eyes shut. 'Just tell me once we're there.'

Soon, Swiftie was pulling the carriage to a stop by the stone platform at the front of the castle. She pulled open one of the doors, helping the students out.

The acting troupe's castle lay before them like the shadow of a giant. It's red and pink stones were the crimson of blood in dusk and its navy blue rooves were like gnarled fingernails scratching at the golden stars above.

'Hover nearby,' Mezrielda told Swiftie, trying not to be intimidated by the sight before her. 'When you see a light flash three times come back to get us.'

Swiftie nodded, hopping back onto the driver's seat and silently taking off into the sky.

As Mezrielda stood with nothing but the whistling of the wind and the grey hues of the clouds that looked like a dripping watercolour painting, it suddenly fell upon her shoulders where they were, and what they were doing. She took in a breath, moving her wand around in her hand to remind herself it was there, and stepped onto the cloud pathway that led towards the castle.

It held her weight.

'The invitations work,' Mezrielda said, with relief, handing one to each of them. 'We have no time to waste. Follow me, stay quiet, and act as if your lives are at stake because they very much are.'

With serious expressions lengthened by the shadows of night, they nodded at her.

Their steps were almost quiet. Mezrielda regretted not having spider slippers. Not only did they let you walk on walls and ceilings, they also muted your movements. Unfortunately, she didn't have a single pair, as the inventions had been missing from Bagsy's room. She just hoped they were in one of the secret pockets Bagsy'd had in her dress.

They reached the main entrance in a minute, craning their necks to look at the mammoth door. With a sinking heart, Mezrielda's eyes picked out the forms of two giant statues in the dark, watching them with unblinking eyes.

'Those look alive,' Emmeline murmured ominously.

'They are,' Mezrielda whispered back. She'd completely forgotten about them. She'd seen them on her way into the castle during the vampire ball, but they'd been out of her view on the way out, when she'd been noting all the safety measures she'd have to overcome. She took a step towards the large doors, hoping that whatever made them move wasn't active tonight.