but I’ll do the rest. All you’ll have to do is lie on the rock and look into the water inside the Raven’s Bowl. When you see the reflection of the sunrise recite the words and touch the water with your forehead.’
Nora paused.
‘The hardest part will be down to you Jack. You’ll have to want to become a raven with all your heart or it won’t happen.’
Nora was right. It would be hard. The last thing on earth he wanted was to be a raven. Even if he agreed to the ritual he’d never be able to leave the house so early in the morning and climb up to the Raven’s Bowl. What would he say to Grandad? How could he explain where he was going?
‘Don’t worry,’ said Nora as if she could read his mind. ‘We’ll invite you to stay here for a couple of days. You’ll see, everything will be fine.’
‘Will I have to go back to the Raven’s Bowl and do the ritual again to change back?’ enquired Jack, and then as a worrying afterthought he asked, ‘I will be able to change back won’t I?’
‘Of course you will. Once the ritual is complete you’ll be able to change into a raven and back again whenever you want just by putting your forehead on Camelin’s.’
‘When’s it going to happen?’
‘This Saturday.’
Jack felt sick.
Nora returned the book and picked up a piece of paper from the dresser and handed it to Jack.
‘I’ve written out a list of the things you’ll need to know before the ritual. You’ll be able to ask your Book of Shadows when you get home. You’ve put my golden acorn in a safe place haven’t you? We’ll need it for the ritual.’
Jack nodded and checked his pocket. The acorn was there. He looked at the paper. It was going to take him ages to ask all the questions Nora had given him.
‘The book wouldn’t answer one of my questions last night and then I couldn’t get it to open again.’
‘That was my fault. I didn’t want you to know about the transformation ritual until I’d spoken to you but I can remove the block now.’
Jack got his Book of Shadows out of his backpack and gave it to Nora. She held it between both hands.
‘ Cardea, ’ she whispered.
A blue light glowed from the closed book.
‘There you are, all done. Now you can ask anything you want and you’ll get the answers.’
‘Thanks,’ said Jack nervously. He wasn’t sure how answers would help him feel better about what lay ahead. He was glad Nora was convinced he’d succeed. He wished Camelin felt the same.
Elan came in with the basket full of eggs.
‘Will Camelin come down soon?’ asked Jack.
‘No, not until after lunch,’ replied Nora. ‘I’ve forbidden him to eat with us. He’s been sent upstairs to think about his bad behaviour. He’s in his loft sulking.’
‘Could I go and see him?’ asked Jack.
‘I think that would be alright,’ replied Nora. ‘Elan will show you the way.’
Jack followed Elan along the passageway. At the end she turned right and started to climb up a steep creaky staircase.
‘What did he do to make Nora so cross?’
Elan stopped, turned to face Jack and started to laugh.
‘Early this morning Nora made an apple pie and left it on the windowsill to cool. Camelin must have seen it when he went out to give you Nora’s message. He sampled the insides. Unfortunately he sucked out all the filling!’
Jack laughed at the thought of Camelin using his beak as a very efficient straw.
‘How did Nora find out?’
‘The lid collapsed. She realised there was nothing left inside and knew straight away where it had gone. The beak-shaped hole in the top rather gave it away. He got well and truly told off when he came back; even more so when he asked if he could have the rest of the pastry since it wouldn’t be any good for lunch. He was sent up to his loft and much to his disgust Nora put the rest of the pie out for the birds in the garden. Camelin’s had to watch them finishing it off. He wouldn’t dare go down and steal anything else.’
‘I thought
Nora paused.
‘The hardest part will be down to you Jack. You’ll have to want to become a raven with all your heart or it won’t happen.’
Nora was right. It would be hard. The last thing on earth he wanted was to be a raven. Even if he agreed to the ritual he’d never be able to leave the house so early in the morning and climb up to the Raven’s Bowl. What would he say to Grandad? How could he explain where he was going?
‘Don’t worry,’ said Nora as if she could read his mind. ‘We’ll invite you to stay here for a couple of days. You’ll see, everything will be fine.’
‘Will I have to go back to the Raven’s Bowl and do the ritual again to change back?’ enquired Jack, and then as a worrying afterthought he asked, ‘I will be able to change back won’t I?’
‘Of course you will. Once the ritual is complete you’ll be able to change into a raven and back again whenever you want just by putting your forehead on Camelin’s.’
‘When’s it going to happen?’
‘This Saturday.’
Jack felt sick.
Nora returned the book and picked up a piece of paper from the dresser and handed it to Jack.
‘I’ve written out a list of the things you’ll need to know before the ritual. You’ll be able to ask your Book of Shadows when you get home. You’ve put my golden acorn in a safe place haven’t you? We’ll need it for the ritual.’
Jack nodded and checked his pocket. The acorn was there. He looked at the paper. It was going to take him ages to ask all the questions Nora had given him.
‘The book wouldn’t answer one of my questions last night and then I couldn’t get it to open again.’
‘That was my fault. I didn’t want you to know about the transformation ritual until I’d spoken to you but I can remove the block now.’
Jack got his Book of Shadows out of his backpack and gave it to Nora. She held it between both hands.
‘ Cardea, ’ she whispered.
A blue light glowed from the closed book.
‘There you are, all done. Now you can ask anything you want and you’ll get the answers.’
‘Thanks,’ said Jack nervously. He wasn’t sure how answers would help him feel better about what lay ahead. He was glad Nora was convinced he’d succeed. He wished Camelin felt the same.
Elan came in with the basket full of eggs.
‘Will Camelin come down soon?’ asked Jack.
‘No, not until after lunch,’ replied Nora. ‘I’ve forbidden him to eat with us. He’s been sent upstairs to think about his bad behaviour. He’s in his loft sulking.’
‘Could I go and see him?’ asked Jack.
‘I think that would be alright,’ replied Nora. ‘Elan will show you the way.’
Jack followed Elan along the passageway. At the end she turned right and started to climb up a steep creaky staircase.
‘What did he do to make Nora so cross?’
Elan stopped, turned to face Jack and started to laugh.
‘Early this morning Nora made an apple pie and left it on the windowsill to cool. Camelin must have seen it when he went out to give you Nora’s message. He sampled the insides. Unfortunately he sucked out all the filling!’
Jack laughed at the thought of Camelin using his beak as a very efficient straw.
‘How did Nora find out?’
‘The lid collapsed. She realised there was nothing left inside and knew straight away where it had gone. The beak-shaped hole in the top rather gave it away. He got well and truly told off when he came back; even more so when he asked if he could have the rest of the pastry since it wouldn’t be any good for lunch. He was sent up to his loft and much to his disgust Nora put the rest of the pie out for the birds in the garden. Camelin’s had to watch them finishing it off. He wouldn’t dare go down and steal anything else.’
‘I thought
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