Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) Page 6

  Charlie was still counting: ‘… Seven … Eight … Nine …!’

  Whipping his leg around, Jensen hooked the Zephyr from Kelko. Laughing and catcalling, Jensen cartwheeled away, the shuttlecock seeming to blur and weave around his body. Kelko howled in annoyance and leaped after the jeering Treman.

  ‘One … Two … Three,’ shouted Charlie, starting the count anew.

  Inside the circle, all the Tremen were desperately chasing Jensen. The pace intensified and, as the drums began to pound even faster, the booming base of the percussion filled the firelit clearing.

  Charlie could feel her blood boil as she was caught up in the excitement. Inside the circle the Tremen were frantically flinging out all their best moves and combinations. Jensen continued to taunt them and laugh at their efforts.

  ‘Four … Five … Six …!’

  Bellowing, Kelko clambered up an unfortunate Treman. Using the Treman’s shoulders like a springboard, he flung himself across the circle, right at Jensen’s back.

  ‘Seven … Eight …!’

  Kelko, stomach wobbling, arms flailing, flew through the air. Stretching out his hands, he reached for the Zephyr.

  ‘Nine …!’

  ‘Jensen’s gonna lose it!’ shouted Stotch.

  ‘It’s mine!’ cried Kelko, his wrist flicking out to snatch at the Zephyr. ‘It’s mine!’

  ‘Get ’im!’ shouted another Treman.

  The rest of the players launched themselves at Jensen’s legs.

  Laughing wickedly, Jensen flicked the shuttlecock upward and, somersaulting after it, leaped above Kelko’s astonished face. The remaining Tremen slammed together in a heap and fell to the ground, groaning and cursing. Kelko flew out of the circle and landed, backside first, in the fire. Screaming and hollering, he leaped up and raced around the glade, beating at his flaming trousers.

  Jensen landed cat-like with a huge grin, the Zephyr balancing on his head.

  ‘Ten!’ called out Charlie.

  ‘Shazam!’ shouted Jensen, flinging the Zephyr overhead. ‘Who’s the daddy?’ He started to dance and jig around. ‘Who’s the man? Who’s the best? Who’s got game? Ye-hah! Ride them, pappy, ride them!’ He galloped around the clearing on an imaginary horse and waved a pretend cowboy hat in the air. He cackled in delight as he passed Kelko, who was busy pouring water over his burnt backside.

  ‘Wow, that was incredible!’ said Charlie, eyes wide with excitement. ‘Stotch, you’ve got to teach me how to do that!’

  ‘Not me, blossom,’ he said, joining in with the Tremen’s applause. ‘K’Changa’s not me style at all! But if ya were ta ask Kelko or Jensen I’m sure they’ll be glad ta teach ya.’

  ‘Do you think they would?’

  ‘Sure, Charlie, of course they would. Tell ya wot, why don’t ya go and ask Kelko? I’m sure he would give ya a couple of lessons.’

  Charlie flashed Stotch a big grin. Jumping up from her seat, she ran over to Kelko. ‘Kelko, I had no idea you could move like that!’

  ‘Ahh!’ groaned Kelko in relief as he poured more water over his blackened trousers. ‘Oh, me poor backside! One of these days I’m gonna beat that cheeky Treman! Boss or no boss, he’s still a cheating, good for nothing …’

  ‘Uh, Kelko, there’s something I’d like to ask.’

  ‘… smug, mischievous, low-down …’

  ‘Hello, Kelko!’

  ‘… squinty-eyed, tricky, bamboozling …’

  ‘Kelko, please, it’s important!’

  ‘… shifty, nasty piece of work …’

  ‘KELKO!’ snapped Charlie, finally losing her patience and stamping her foot.

  ‘Uh, oh, sorry, Charlie,’ said Kelko. Sighing, he gave his backside one final rub. ‘Wot can I do for ya?’

  ‘Can you teach me K’Changa?’

  Kelko blinked and, forgetting his burnt backside, eyed Charlie as though weighing her worth. ‘Ya want ta learn K’Changa, eh, blossom? Hmm, let me see.’

  Reaching over, he undid her messy ponytails. He then pulled out a wooden comb and gave her hair a couple of quick strokes before, with nimble hands, retying her hair into a topknot. Taking one of his wooden bracelets from his wrist, he fastened it round her newly shaped hair. He stepped back and gave her a steady appraisal.

  ‘Teach ya K’Changa?’ he said with a bright smile. ‘That, me little lass, is something I can do!’

  9

  Troubled Thoughts

  ‘C’mon, lass, wake up!’

  ‘Uh?’

  ‘Wake up, sleepy head, it’s time ta do some work,’ said Kelko, giving Charlie’s shoulder another shake.

  Charlie looked around and groaned. The sky was still dark; it was before dawn. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes and trying to pat her hair into some kind of shape, she staggered after Kelko.

  ‘All right, then, lass, just follow me and copy me movements. Nothing too difficult ta start with, OK?’

  And so Charlie’s lesson began. Kelko worked her hard, showing her the basics and getting her to repeat each movement time and time again until he was satisfied. As dawn began to filter light into the forest, Charlie was exhausted, her muscles were stiff and cramping, her ligaments protesting and her back was aching beyond belief.

  ‘Ow! Kelko, I can hardly move. Is it always going to be this hard?’ moaned Charlie. Although she was good at gymnastics, she found all of this K’Changa training really difficult.

  ‘Well, blossom, do ya wanna be good at K’Changa?’

  ‘Of course!’

  ‘Well, then, always remember dis: “The first step is always the hardest.” Starting something new is always difficult, but with time hardships become easy. Once yer body has become accustomed ta wot K’Changa demands and once yer mind can flow, things will become easier. But till then, yup, it’ll be hard!’

  ‘But do I have to keep repeating every movement over and over?’ asked Charlie. ‘It’s so boring!’

  ‘Maybe, but it’s the best way ta learn. Ya’ll remember each movement perfectly and if ya learn it right now ya won’t be making bigger mistakes later. Or, as me father used ta say ta me when I was learning, “He that corrects not small faults, will not control great ones.” In other words, blossom, there’s two ways ta learn K’Changa: the fast way, which is sloppy, and me way, which’ll make ya great.’

  Charlie looked around the forest clearing to where the other Tremen were beginning to wake, doing their early-morning chores and preparing for the coming day. She then looked down at her blistered hands. She could feel bruises running up and down her back from where Kelko had repeatedly made her tumble along the ground. Taking a large breath of forest air, which smelt of moss, pine and lily, she let out a big sigh. Kelko was right: if she wanted to be any good she would have to work hard, perhaps harder than she had ever done before.

  She staggered after Kelko as he went to check on the breakfast pot. ‘I really appreciate you teaching me K’Changa,’ she told him, remembering her manners. ‘I hope that one day I can repay your kindness.’

  Kelko blinked, shocked but pleased by her respectful tone. ‘Well, blossom, it was a pleasure teaching ya. Yer a good student, maybe something of a natural. Who knows, keep dis up and ya might go somewhere with it. Anyway, enough compliments … we’ve got a lot more walking ta do. I’ve got a sneaky feeling yer muscles are gonna be a whole lot stiffer by the end of the day! Now, let’s have some of dis breakfast. All that hard work has given me a crazy appetite!’

  After a good meal, they packed up camp and started walking. Kelko was right. Within a few hours Charlie’s body was stiffening up again. She wished more than anything to be back home and in her own bed, preferably with a hot chocolate and a plate of cookies. But thinking of home only caused her grief. She wished she knew how her gran was. The more she thought about it, the more agitated she became. Was there any way she could have warned her gran about the Shades and Bane? Would Bane and Mr Crow really leave her alone? Would she be safe? So many questions meant so many doubts crossin
g through Charlie’s mind. She began to falter in her step. Was she doing the right thing? Maybe the Jade Circle wouldn’t tell her anything about her parents and this would all be a waste of time.

  ‘C’mon, Charlie,’ she half snarled to herself. ‘Keep it together. It’s too late to turn back now.’

  Tidying her hair and straightening her back, she marched forward, a determined frown on her face. She would go to Sylvaris, she would speak to the Jade Circle and she would sort out her gran’s welfare and her parents’ whereabouts, because it was the right thing to do.

  ‘Well, lass,’ said Jensen, wandering up beside her, ‘we should be at Sylvaris by noon tomorrow.’

  ‘And the Jade Circle, will I see them tomorrow?’ Charlie asked.

  ‘I’m sure ya will, me little Hippotomi, I’m sure ya will.’

  Charlie couldn’t wait. As they walked along, she overheard some of the Tremen joking and laughing about all the good times they were going to have once they returned to Sylvaris and their families. But she noticed that Jensen wasn’t as relaxed.

  ‘Jensen,’ said Charlie, ‘why the frown?’

  ‘Nothing bad, me little Hippotomi. It’s just that I’m wondering where our escort is. Do ya remember when I sent Stodel on ahead?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Well, I sent him ahead as a fast runner specifically ta inform the Jade Circle that we was coming and ta send an escort. But they’re still not here,’ said Jensen with a scowl. ‘I’d have expected them by now.’

  ‘Escort?’ asked Charlie. ‘Why would we need an escort?’

  ‘Well, mainly just as a precaution. But Bane knows yer here with yer pendant, and I wouldn’t put it past him ta try something sneaky. Still, he couldn’t have come through the Treman door at yer house and it would take him weeks ta get here from the Western Mountains. But ya never know – it pays ta be prepared.’

  ‘Ha! Don’t worry, blossom!’ said Stotch. ‘We’re a long way from Stoman lands and just a day and a half’s walk from Sylvaris. Bane is no threat ta us here. Don’t take any heed of Jensen. He might be a worrier, but he’s a cunning fox and that’s wot makes him a good boss. And ta be honest I’d rather have his precautions than none. His foresight has often led our party outta trouble and right ta the profit!’

  As the Tremen set up camp again a few hours later, Kelko persuaded Charlie to practise her K’Changa. Although her muscles protested to begin with, after a while they warmed up and she started to enjoy it again. She could already do basic tumbles, and soon the spinning kicks and sweeps, while still not graceful, were something that she could at least perform on demand. Kelko had been right, she was something of a natural.

  Charlie smiled to herself as Kelko went off to help with the fire. Things were beginning to look up and, besides, who of her friends and schoolmates back home could claim to have seen or done half of what she was now doing? None of them would ever experience all these strange sights and smells. She wondered if Tina would ever believe a word she said again if she tried to explain Bellania to her.

  ‘Hey, Charlie!’ hollered Stotch, breaking into her thoughts. ‘Can ya gimme a hand with dis food!’

  ‘What’s the matter?’ teased Charlie. ‘Have you run out of Moreish powder?’

  ‘Oh no, cooking is the easy part! But it takes two ta cook dinner when Sic Boy’s about. One ta cook and the other ta keep dis dog and his overgrown appetite outta the cooking pot!’

  10

  Uninvited Guests and a New Arrival

  With the night sky overhead, the cry of owls echoing through the trees and a stomach full of delicious food, Charlie felt at peace. Even Jensen seemed more relaxed now that they were just half a day’s walk from Sylvaris.

  ‘How about ya show me and Kelko some of yer new skills with a game of K’Changa?’ he suggested, the constant twinkle in his eyes sparkling brighter than ever.

  ‘What?’ snorted Charlie. ‘You’ve got to be joking! I can’t keep up with you, at least not yet.’

  ‘Ha! Don’t worry. We’ll take handicaps,’ said Kelko. ‘We’ll each tie a hand behind our back – that should even things out.’

  ‘A hand behind your back?’ mused Charlie, rising to the challenge. ‘Er … OK, it’s a deal. You’re on!’

  ‘Stotch, the Zephyr, please, and, if ya would be so good, how’s about sorting out some musical accompaniment?’ asked Jensen, as both he and Kelko used their belts to tie their right arms firmly behind their backs.

  The Tremen formed a loose circle round the three competitors and, with the drums beating out a pounding, rhythmic bass, Stotch threw in the Zephyr.

  Even with one arm out of action, both Kelko and Jensen were impossibly nimble. Spinning and twisting, leaping and jumping, they rapidly took control of the shuttlecock. Charlie had to struggle, using all of her newfound skills, just to keep up with the other two. Soon the match came down to a fight between Jensen and Kelko, but with both players handicapped the game was more evenly matched than before.

  Even though she hadn’t once managed to snag the Zephyr from either of them, Charlie was nevertheless loving every second of the game. The longer they played the easier it became, and with the bass from the drums washing through her she soon began to find a rhythm of her own.

  Jensen was concentrating on showing Kelko that he was still the boss and still the better player. Slapping the Zephyr high into the air, he somersaulted backwards. Landing lightly, he began to spin and weave, ducking from side to side, doing his very best to maintain possession of the shuttlecock. When a small foot lashed inches away from his nose and stole the Zephyr, he almost fell over in shock. Charlie, cackling in delight, jumped backwards, slipped between Kelko’s legs, then swiftly rolled to her feet with the shuttlecock still firmly under her control. Stotch and all the non-playing Tremen roared their approval. Laughing, clapping and shouting out encouragement, they cheered on Charlie’s success.

  Suddenly a piercing, whistling scream echoed out from the darkness of the night. Seconds later another haunting howl whipped into the clearing. The terrible sound disorientated Charlie. Losing her rhythm, she stumbled to a halt and the Zephyr fell by her feet as the drums suddenly stopped.

  ‘Burn me Roots, wot the jabber was that?’ swore Kelko.

  All the Tremen fell silent, and even the cacophony of the owls and tree frogs was suddenly missing. The whole forest was eerily quiet, except for the wind whistling through the canopy.

  ‘C’mon, boys, wot was that?’ repeated Kelko. ‘I’ve never heard anything like it before.’

  ‘That makes two of us,’ said Stotch. ‘Forty-three years in dis forest and I’ve never heard anything like it either. Jensen, wot d’ya think it is?’

  The screaming and howling came again. Closer. Much closer. From the far side of the clearing, another guttural and bestial cry echoed them.

  ‘I’ve got no idea,’ said Jensen, ‘and I know these woods like the back of me hand.’ Reaching for his pack, he strung his hunting bow and notched an arrow.

  Taking his lead, the other Tremen followed suit, and soon all those with bows had them strung and ready. Kelko, Stotch and a few of the others found lumps of firewood to use as makeshift cudgels.

  Charlie licked her lips and nervously rubbed at her pendant. Something about the blood-curdling sounds cut her to the very bone. She jumped and only just managed to prevent herself from screaming when something hairy and taut with muscle rubbed along her back. Sic Boy snorted at her jittery nerves and with his massive snout gently nuzzled her shoulder. Wrapping her fingers through his black fur, Charlie took comfort in the huge dog’s presence.

  Again and again the shrieks ripped through the trees, drawing closer and closer. The chilling barks and the deep, rasping clicking noises circling the glade awoke a gut-clenching fear deep within Charlie’s soul. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and goosebumps swept down her arms.

  ‘By me Leaf and Sap, but they don’t sound friendly!’ shouted Kelko over the muttered fear of the Tremen.<
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  A cracking and rustling of tree limbs above set them all staring up anxiously at the forest canopy. Tree branches and leaves began to drop as things unseen, yet obviously gigantic, began to worm and twist their way through the foliage. Hooting and shrieking, squealing and howling, the terrible noises spat downward. Something reptilian briefly swept into view, flashing across the clearing, leaving twigs and leaves to fall in its wake.

  ‘Wot was that?’

  ‘Did ya see it?’

  Again and again half-glimpsed shapes spun overhead. The buzz of wings and the occasional flash of scales were the only things to be seen in the campfire’s glow.

  With a thunderous shriek, a wriggling nightmare burst into the light. Rows of glinting teeth shone, both mesmerizing and menacing. Shooting forward, the scaled beast hurtled through the group of Tremen, snapping and snarling, squirming and writhing. Its worm-like body hovered above the roaring flames of the campsite fire, then made its way towards Charlie.

  ‘Wyrm!’ cried Stotch. ‘It’s a Wyrm! Leaf protect us!’

  Overcome with terror, Charlie stared in disbelief at the onrushing monstrosity. It truly was a nightmare vision. A horrifying cross between dragonfly and maggot, it was all teeth and hooked claws. She didn’t doubt for one second what its intention was. To kill her.

  The Tremen belatedly burst into motion. Roaring out their defiance, they loosed arrow after arrow at the Wyrm. Kelko, Stotch and the other Tremen armed with cudgels danced in and out of striking range, ferociously bludgeoning at its flesh.

  Screaming in pain, the Wyrm hastily backed away. With a frantic buzz of its wings, it disappeared into the darkness.

  ‘A Wyrm!’ cried one of the Tremen. ‘They’re supposed ta be extinct!’

  ‘I guess someone forgot ta tell Bane that!’ shouted Jensen. ‘Lentol, help Stotch with the wounded –’