Silver Hill Read Free

going to have to be our secret. Agreed?’
    ‘Agreed,’ Jack and Camelin replied.
    Jack took off his backpack and began to open the top.
    ‘I’ve brought your book back.’
    ‘Did you read it all?’
    ‘I did, it was fascinating. Am I allowed to tell Camelin about the Dragon Lore.’
    ‘If he’s interested,’ replied Nora as she looked at Camelin.
    ‘I’m interested but I’d rather have some wand practice with Jack.’
    Nora shook her head.
    ‘That wand stays locked up in my herborium until I know you can be trusted again.’
    At the word herborium Jack’s eyebrows shot up. Camelin frowned.
    ‘Well can we transform and go flying?’
    ‘Jack isn’t well enough yet, maybe tomorrow but definitely not today.’
    Camelin sighed.
    ‘It’s no fun around here.’
    ‘Why don’t you both go down to the lake. I’ll call you when it’s lunchtime.’ Jack picked up his wand and set off across the grass as Camelin flew on ahead. Jack saw him land in the willow tree by the water’s edge.
    ‘Shall I tell you about the Dragon Lore?’ asked Jack as he looked up at Camelin.
    ‘Naw, not now, I’ve got something to do. I’ll be back in a bit. But don’t tell Nora.’
    Jack watched Camelin fly around the lake to the kitchen garden. He wondered what he could be up to now. For want of anything else to do Jack started drawing in the soft earth with his wand. He stopped when he heard a scampering sound. When he looked up, Fergus and Berry were peeking around the trunk of the willow tree.
    ‘Hello, you two.’
    ‘Hello to you Jack Brenin. We’re looking for Camelin,’ said Fergus.
    ‘I was sure he flew into this tree,’ squeaked Berry.
    ‘He did,’ Jack assured him.
    Berry turned to Fergus.
    ‘See, I told you it was Camelin.’
    ‘But he told us to meet him behind the shed in the kitchen garden,’ replied Fergus.
    ‘And he didn’t turn up. I knew I’d seen him fly into this tree,’ Berry said crossly.
    ‘He was here, but now he’s gone,’ explained Jack.
    ‘Where?’ asked Fergus and Berry together.
    ‘He didn’t say but he said he’d be back soon. Why don’t you stay and wait for him?’
    Berry and Fergus nodded and perched on the nearest root. Jack smiled as he looked from one to the other. They were almost identical. Both had a silvery brown coat and protruding front teeth and were smaller than the rest of the Night Guard. Jack could only tell them apart because Berry was smooth and sleek while Fergus always looked tousled.
    ‘So,’ began Jack, ‘what’s all this I hear about you two doing a very important job for Camelin?’
    Fergus nudged Berry who was about to speak.
    ‘It must be important if he gave it to you two.’
    ‘Oh it is,’ replied Berry. ‘He’s promised to big us in return.’
    ‘You were told not to say anything,’ grumbled Fergus. ‘You want to be bigged don’t you?’
    ‘ Bigged ?’ asked Jack.
    ‘It’s a secret. He told us not to tell Nora, but I’m sure it’s alright to tell you. Camelin promised to make us bigger so we’ll be like the rest of the Night Guard. We’re always being left out because we’re the smallest, or the youngest, or some other excuse Motley comes up with,’ explained Berry.
    ‘He’s going to use his bigging spell if we get his wand back for him,’ added Fergus.
    Jack looked worried.
    ‘Is that wise? Don’t you know what happened to the cake he bigged?’
    Both rats shook their heads.
    ‘It exploded!’
    Fergus and Berry exchanged looks and gulped.
    ‘Exploded!’ gasped Berry.
    ‘Yes, splattered all over the kitchen. That’s why Nora locked his wand up.’
    ‘He didn’t tell us that,’ grumbled Fergus.
    ‘I’m not sure I want to be bigged,’ squeaked Berry.
    ‘What exactly did Camelin ask you to do?’
    Fergus sighed and began to explain.
    ‘Nora locked Camelin’s wand up in the cupboard on the wall. Camelin can’t get to it because there’s nothing to perch on so he asked us to get into the dresser drawer and find