The Silver Door Read Free

one day!’ he chortled. ‘Well—you hurry on to the farm and tell her how right she was. Ah, if only I could come with you! But I’ve got these dratted deliveries to make.’
    He waved his hand at his load, which was covered with wet sacking to keep it cool. ‘It’s a pity, but butter, milk and cheese won’t keep in this heat, and that’s all there is to it. I’ll join you as soon as I can, and then we’ll have a real celebration.’
    â€˜FitzFee, I am not sure—’ Rye began.
    â€˜Wait till you see what Nanion left in our care for you, Faene!’ FitzFee chattered on, climbing nimbly back into the cart.
‘Four
fine Fleet horses!’
    Faene gasped and clasped her hands.
    â€˜Yes!’ FitzFee beamed. ‘And you have a homewith us, dear girl, for as long as you like—though I daresay you’ll be wanting a place of your own soon enough.’ He chuckled and looked meaningfully at Dirk.
    Faene hesitated, warm colour rising in her cheeks. ‘Dirk has to go away again, very soon,’ she murmured. ‘He and Rye—and Sonia, too—have something they have to do.’
    â€˜Oh, I daresay, I daresay,’ said FitzFee, winking and tapping the side of his nose. ‘They want to carry the great news to El—ah, pardon—to the east, let’s say, themselves. Well, you have horses to lend now, Faene, my dear! That will make their journey much faster. Safer, too.’
    His face grew serious. ‘And no more short cuts through places no one in their senses would go, eh?’ he muttered to Rye and Sonia, crossing his fingers and his wrists and jerking his head towards the Fell Zone.
    Pretending not to notice the awkward silence that followed his warning, he picked up the horse’s reins again.
    â€˜We’ll be off then,’ he said. ‘See you back at the farm!’
    He clicked his tongue to the old mare and the wagon rattled away, leaving the four travellers alone.
    Rye and Sonia looked at one another. Dirk looked at Faene. Her head was bowed. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.
    â€˜Perhaps this makes a difference, Faene,’ Dirkmurmured. ‘You would have a safe home with FitzFee. And there are the horses. Perhaps you would rather stay …’
    â€˜And if I did, Dirk, would you come back for me?’ Faene asked, without raising her head.
    â€˜I would try,’ Dirk said in a level voice. ‘But there is a chance I may be … prevented.’
    Indeed, Rye thought grimly. If the Warden has anything to say about it, you will.
    Faene dipped into a pocket of her skirt and drew out a pencil and a water-stained notebook. She wrote for a moment then tore out the page and handed it to Dirk.
    Rye could see the note from where he stood. He read it, and a lump rose in his throat.

    â€˜Are you sure, Faene?’ Dirk said huskily.
    â€˜I am sure.’ Faene smiled at him, though tearswere standing in her eyes. ‘I cannot risk losing you a second time, Dirk. And it is best this way—best not to go to the farm, I mean. They would ask too many questions we cannot answer.’
    She and Dirk went to place the note, weighed down by a stone, in the middle of the bridge where FitzFee would be sure to see it on his return journey.
    While their backs were turned, Rye felt in the bag of powers and drew out the little red feather. There would never be a better time to test his idea.
    Up!
he thought. And to his delighted relief, he felt his feet rise from the dusty road.
    â€˜Rye!’ gasped Sonia, gaping up at him.
    â€˜I thought—if the horsehair ring helps me run, and the serpent scale helps me swim, why should the feather not help me fly?’ Rye laughed uncertainly. He still could not quite believe it.
    And later, when he, Sonia, Dirk and Faene were all linked together and floating over the forbidden forest like leaves blown in the wind, he still had his doubts.
    The feather