Icespell by C.J. Busby Page B

almost as unmagical as it is possible for a person to look. She was plump, with a kind brown face and long frizzy brown hair that was scattered with grey. As she reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes she left streaks of mud across her forehead and under her grey-blue eyes. There was something about her expression, however, thatreminded Max very strongly of Merlin.
    They had left the cave in darkness with all of them piled on Great-Aunt Wilhelmina’s back, even Adolphus.
    “You wouldn’t be able to get there on your own, A-doll’s-house,” she had rumbled. “Not magic enough yet.”
    As the sky gradually lightened they had flown out to sea due south, and then, as the tip of the sun started to show over the eastern horizon, Great-Aunt Wilhelmina had gathered her strength and flown straight and fast into the light of the sunrise. One moment they were being dazzled by the dawn, the next moment a great island was rising up in front of them, and the huge dragon was coasting to an elegant landing just next to a small vegetable patch. And there was the Lady, looking up to greet them. She showed no surprise at their sudden appearance.
    “I’m afraid I am in the middle of the cabbages,” apologised the Lady, smiling. “I did get some food and drink ready for you all when I realised you’d becoming – but I can’t remember where I left it…” She considered for a moment, then brightened. “Try the woodshed, while I just get these planted in…”
    She waved a muddy hand vaguely at an old shed further down the garden, and then went back to her planting. Great-Aunt Wilhelmina motioned them to follow, and they all headed after her with a respectful nod at the back of the Lady, who was now absorbed in tucking little plants into the soil.
    The woodshed was full of logs, various garden implements and rusty bits of what looked like an old plough. But on an upturned wooden box in one corner was a bowl of red apples and a jug of water. Max realised he’d had no breakfast at exactly the same time as Olivia and they both dived for the bowl. The apples tasted better than anything he’d ever eaten, and the water was cold, clear, and like drinking the most perfect mead. In among the apples, Max noticed, were nuts for Ferocious, while small morsels that looked suspiciously like roasted woodlice were rapidly disappearing down Adolphus’s throat.
    “So glad you could drop by,” said the Lady, entering the shed and settling herself on an old wheelbarrow while she wiped her hands clean on her skirt. When they were only very slightly less muddy, she pushed back her frizzy hair with both hands, wound it round into a loose knot behind her head, and tucked the ends down the back of her blouse.
    “That’s better,” she said, smiling. “I can see you all properly now. Right – it’s a spell you need, is it? Something big, I gather, that needs unravelling?”
    Max took a deep breath and nodded.
    “It’s my fault. I did an icespell on a stone.” He fished the grey flint, still encased in ice, out of his belt pouch, and showed it to the Lady. “It was magically connected to Camelot by Lady Morgana le Fay, and so I accidentally iced the whole castle. And Merlin’s trapped in there, along with King Arthur, and, well… a lot of other people.”
    The Lady raised her eyebrows.
    “Indeed. That’s quite a spell, young man.”
    She took the stone from Max gingerly and heldit up to her right eye. She hummed a little, then threw the stone up in the air and caught it. Then she stuck her tongue out and tasted it.
    “Uuurghh!” she said, and made a face. “Yes – definitely Morgana’s magic. I’d know it anywhere. And poor dear Merlin is trapped inside it?” She peered at the rock as if she expected to see the tiny figure of Merlin inside the ice, and then pursed her lips.
    “Dear me. What a tangle. We’ll have to see what we can do. It might take a while. In the meantime, I’ve got a job for you all!”
    She stood up quickly