Weava the Wilful Witch Read Free

kitchenrubbish bin. Merry had thrown it away.
    Weava was insulted. ‘I made that!’ she said.
    â€˜Your sister has human friends,’ said the kit-fae. It giggled. ‘Do you know what happens when humans eat witch food? They love it so much, they eat until they get tummy aches.’
    Weava grinned. ‘Right!’ she said. ‘I’ll make a black-magic jam cake and give some to that human girl Merry wants me to play with. That can be the beginning of my bad deed. Merry will have to do a spell to fix the girl’s tummy ache.’
    Weava found the ingredients for a cake in the pantry. She dumped flour in a basin and used her wand to beat it up with eggs and milk.
    The kit-fae perched on the edge of the basin and purred happily.
    Weava tipped the jam into the cake batter, mixed it well and poured it into a cake tin. Then she put the cake in the oven.
    Two hours later, the cake, gleaming and purple as a blackberry, sat like a toad on Merry’s best dainty plate.
    Weava was admiring it when she heard Merry coming upstairs.
    â€˜Yoo-hoo ! It’s me!’ called Merry.

    The kit-fae swished its tail. ‘I will not be yoo-hooed at,’ it said. It flitted into Weava’s bedroom.
    Merry poked her head into the kitchen. ‘Yoo-hoo!’ she said again.
    â€˜You sound like an owl,’ said Weava.
    Merry goggled at the cake. ‘What is that? ’
    â€˜You know what it is,’ said Weava. ‘It’s a black-magic cake.’
    Merry frowned. She put her hand in her dress pocket, but Weava’s wand was no longer there. ‘How did you get your wand back?’
    â€˜My friend took it,’ said Weava. ‘Didn’t you, kit-fae?’
    The fetch flew through back into the kitchen. ‘Indeed I did,’ it said.
    â€˜Weava!’ said Merry. ‘I said no fairy breed in my flat! Don’t break rules!’
    â€˜You did when you were my age.’
    â€˜Yes,’ said Merry. ‘And look what happened! Dad sent me to that stupid college and…’ She trailed off. Then she shook her head, as if to clear it, and put her hand on Weava’s shoulder. ‘But everything is better now. And guess what? You can live with me from now on. Won’t that be lovely? I’ll send you to school and——’
    â€˜Oh, that’s all arranged,’ said Weava. ‘My invitation to the Abademy came last night.’
    â€˜You’re not going to the Abademy!’ said Merry. She looked at the cake again. ‘Get rid of this,’ she said.
    Weava cut a slice of the cake and put it in her mouth. ‘Mmmmm. It’s scrumptious! Have some, Merry.’ She cut another slice and pushed it at her sister.
    Merry shook her head.
    Weava licked her fingers. ‘I’ll share it with that Jemima girl from next door. She’ll love it.’
    â€˜You can’t!’ gasped Merry. ‘It’ll make her sick. What would I say to her mother?’
    â€˜It doesn’t make me sick,’ said Weava. ‘It’s a wandiful cake.’
    â€˜Yes, but you’re a w——’ Merry closed her mouth. ‘You’re not giving Jemima that cake!’ She grabbed the plate, tipped the cake into the sink and turned on the waste disposal. ‘Go to your room, Weava!’ she yelled above the noise.
    Weava did as she was told. Frowning, she sat down on the bed.
    What would it take to make Merry angry enough to cast a spell?

5. Jemima James

    Jemima James was sulking on the stairs outside her flat. She hated Brimstone Buildings.
    â€˜Jem- mime -a!’ her mother called.
    When Jemima didn’t answer, Mrs James came out of the flat, wearing a green wig and carrying a pink one. ‘Cheer up, dear,’ she said to Jemima, plopping the pink wig on her head.
    â€˜Ugh,’ said Jemima, pushing off the wig.
    â€˜Come on, sweetie…get into the party spirit,’ said Mrs James.
    â€˜You’re the one