Silver Hill Read Free Page B

Timmery.’
    ‘What’s he doing?’
    ‘Flying back and forth past the window.’
    Jack dimmed his wand, opened the curtains and peered into the darkness.
    ‘There he is. Did you see him?’
    ‘What do you think he’s doing?’
    ‘Maybe Nora asked him to keep a lookout.’
    Jack watched as Timmery came over and tried to hover in front of the window. He could do it with ease as a hummingbird, but it didn’t work when he was a bat and it looked as if he was doing a strange kind of jerky dance. Jack waved.
    ‘Can I come in?’ Timmery squeaked in a muffled high-pitched voice.
    Jack opened the window and the little bat flew in and landed on top of Orin’s cage.
    ‘What’s wrong?’ asked Jack. ‘Isn’t Charkle with you?’
    Timmery sighed.
    ‘Such terrible news, terrible news. Charkle’s with Nora, he knows all about what Saige told you. He’s been crying for so long he’s run out of steam.’
    ‘Oh dear, I knew he’d be upset.’
    ‘It didn’t help when Camelin said the two dragonettes might not even be anyone from his family.’
    ‘Poor Charkle.’
    ‘Nora sent him to bed.’
    ‘Charkle?’
    ‘No, Camelin. She wasn’t pleased with him. He’s been in a lot of trouble lately, which is why I couldn’t ask him to come over tonight.’
    ‘Come over for what?’
    ‘We’ve got to do something to help poor Charkle.’
    ‘I’m sorry Timmery, I know I promised to help, but I can’t until Nora says I’m well enough.’
    ‘I need you to help me tonight.’
    ‘But I can’t fly.’
    ‘You don’t have to go anywhere. I got to thinking, and when I saw your light on I thought I’d talk to you myself, with no one else around. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it before.’
    ‘Think about what?’
    ‘Asking the Book of Shadows. I would have suggested it to Nora but I didn’t want to disturb her when she was trying to comfort Charkle, but then I thought if you were awake I could ask you to help. Please Jack, say you will. It would be wonderful if you could.’
    ‘Of course I’ll help, but ask what?’
    ‘You know the story we heard in Annwn, The Dragon of Howling Hill?’
    ‘I do remember, it was brilliant, but what’s that got to do with Charkle’s family?’
    ‘I want you to ask where Howling Hill is.’
    ‘But it was only a story, it’s not real.’
    ‘What if it is real? The storyteller told everyone about the Glasruhen Giant and that’s a true story. It wasn’t quite the same as Nora’s version but we all know a giant used to live on the hill. If we could find Howling Hill it’d be a start and there might be a dragon under it, like it said in the story. I could at least take Charkle to look. It would cheer him up and give him something to do.’
    ‘I’ll ask but I’m not sure we’ll get an answer.’
    ‘But you’ll try?’
    ‘Of course I will.’
    Jack put his Book of Shadows on the bed. Orin scampered onto the bedspread and Timmery flitted onto Jack’s shoulder. He concentrated hard and put his hand on the front of the book. He spoke softly so he wouldn’t wake Grandad.
    ‘Where is Howling Hill?’
    Jack removed his hand and they waited expectantly. Nothing happened.
    ‘Maybe it was the wrong question. I’ll try asking it another way.’
    Jack thought again before once more placing his hand on the front of his book.
    ‘Is there a place called Howling Hill?’
    Again they waited and again the book remained firmly shut.
    ‘I’m sorry Timmery – I don’t know what else to ask.’
    ‘Maybe it used to be called something else?’ squeaked Orin.
    Jack smiled.
    ‘You might be right. We could ask the question the other way round, not about the hill but about the dragon.’
    ‘Oh that’s wonderful, Jack. I knew you’d be able to help.’
    ‘You can thank Orin not me and we haven’t got an answer yet.’
    Jack put his hand on the cover.
    ‘Where should we look for dragons?’
    As soon as Jack removed his hand, the book flew open and the pages turned rapidly. When