Cloud Magic Read online

  ‘You’re so good at flying, Allegra!’ Chloe said enviously.

  ‘You’ll both be this good soon,’ said Allegra, shrugging. ‘It just takes practice.’

  Chloe grinned at Erin. ‘We can practise lots together.’ She frowned suddenly. ‘Allegra! Why has Erin got a blue dress? I thought you told me all stardust spirits had pearly-grey clothes when they first became stardust spirits, like I did, and then their clothes change when they realize what type of spirit they are.’

  ‘Well, I’m not completely sure,’ said Allegra, flying down and looking at Erin’s sparkling dress. ‘But I guess it’s probably something to do with the fact that all weather weavers are winter spirits, so right from the start if you know you’re a weather weaver then you know what type of spirit you are and don’t have to find out like normal spirits do.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Erin asked, looking from Allegra to Chloe in confusion.

  ‘Oh, there’s so much for you to learn!’ Allegra smiled. ‘There are four different types of stardust spirit – spring, summer, autumn and winter. They each wear different-coloured clothes and can do different types of magic.’

  ‘Summer spirits like me wear gold and can make things heat up,’ said Chloe proudly.

  ‘I’m an autumn spirit and we wear silver and can make the wind blow,’ said Allegra, smoothing down the skirt of her silver dress. ‘Spring spirits wear green and can make things grow, and winter spirits wear blue, although it’s usually a darker blue than your dress, and they can make it rain, snow or hail.’

  Erin’s head spun. ‘So I’ll be able to do that as well as controlling the weather?’

  ‘Well, you will be able to one day,’ said Allegra. ‘Doing magic properly usually takes quite a lot of practice.’

  A shiver ran down Erin’s spine. ‘But I might not have time to practise. I have to find the stallion and help him get back to the sky so he can stop storms from coming.’

  Allegra bit her lip. ‘I really wish Xanthe was here now. I wonder who has trapped the stallion. It might have been a dark spirit.’ She shuddered.

  ‘What’s a dark spirit?’ Erin asked nervously.

  ‘A male or female stardust spirit who’s turned bad,’ Allegra explained. ‘They want more and more power and magic, and will do anything to have it. If a dark spirit trapped a sky stallion they would be able to have complete control over the weather.’ She saw the alarm on Erin’s face. ‘Look, don’t worry. I’ll tell Xanthe all about this and then we’ll email Chloe and tell you what you should do.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Erin said in relief. It was good to know she wasn’t going to have to figure things out on her own any more. She knew she should probably go back soon. She really didn’t want to after such an amazing night, but if her parents found she was gone, and there was no note or anything, they’d be worried sick. ‘I should go home now,’ she said reluctantly.

  ‘Maybe you and I could meet tomorrow and start looking for the stallion,’ said Chloe eagerly. ‘We could try to find this place with a black weather-vane he told you about. We don’t have to be stardust spirits to look. We could start searching in the day. Why don’t we meet here in the morning?’

  ‘I can’t in the morning – I’m going riding,’ said Erin. ‘But I could meet up in the afternoon. I’ve not seen you around; do you live in Long Medlow?’

  ‘Yes, but we only moved here two weeks ago,’ Chloe explained. ‘We’re just outside the village. It’s an old chapel. It’s been turned into a house. Oh, I’m so glad I’ve met you. I haven’t made any proper friends since I got here. I’ve started going to St Anne’s School, but everyone in my class has already got a best friend.’

  ‘It’s like that in my class too,’ sighed Erin. She suddenly wanted to tell Chloe all about Fran and Katie, but realized she really needed to go now. She could tell her tomorrow. ‘I’ll meet you here at about two o’clock then?’

  Chloe nodded.

  Allegra hugged Erin. ‘Xanthe and I will mail you at Chloe’s and we should be back visiting Chloe soon. We’ll see you then. Good luck with finding the stallion.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Erin told her gratefully.

  ‘Oh, and don’t tell anyone that you’re a stardust spirit,’ Allegra warned her. ‘You’re only allowed to talk about it with other stardust spirits.’

  ‘See you tomorrow,’ Chloe called. ‘When you get home, you need to say “Stardust be gone” and then you’ll change back to normal. Otherwise you’ll be a stardust spirit until the morning!’

  ‘Thanks!’ Erin said with a grin. ‘See you tomorrow!’

  Waving goodbye, she flew back towards her house. Her mind was buzzing with everything she had found out, but inside she felt ten times lighter. So much had happened that day, but at least she had friends she could talk with about it now.

  I’m not on my own any more, she thought. Relief flowed through her as she practised swooping through the sky, the stars shining above her.

  C H A P T E R

  Five

  When Erin woke up, she thought for a moment that the night before had just been a dream. But it hadn’t. She hugged her knees to her chest in delight.

  Sitting up in bed, she glanced towards her window. The curtains were still open and she could see that the sky was covered with grey clouds. She got out of bed and picked up one of the hagstones from the box. The horses were there. They were moving around restlessly. The mares and foals were huddled together. They looked unhappy.

  I’ve got to find Tor and set him free so he can go back to them, Erin thought.

  She felt very glad as she remembered that Chloe had suggested they meet up that day. It would be so much better searching for the sky stallion with a friend rather than on her own.

  Watching the horses in the clouds, she wondered what the day would hold.

  When Erin arrived at Hawthorn Stables that morning, she went to the tack room and found Fran and Katie there. They were looking at a magazine.

  ‘Hi,’ Erin said to them.

  ‘Hi,’ Katie said briefly.

  Fran didn’t say anything. She was short and slim and had shoulder-length blonde hair. Katie was much taller with brown hair tied back in a ponytail.

  ‘What are you reading?’ Erin asked them.

  ‘Just Pony magazine,’ said Fran. She closed it pointedly as Erin tried to look at it. ‘Have you seen who you’re riding today?’ There was a smirk on her face.

  ‘No,’ Erin replied.

  ‘Wilf.’ Fran and Katie looked at each other and giggled. Wilf was the oldest pony on the yard and he was really slow and lazy.

  Erin felt a flash of disappointment. They were going on a beach ride and she’d been hoping to ride one of the faster ponies. Oh well, she thought quickly, never mind. She pictured Wilf’s cute face: he had a big stripe down his nose and gorgeous big brown eyes. He might not be the fastest pony, but she still loved him just like she loved all of the ponies.

  ‘I’m riding Misty,’ said Katie happily.

  ‘And I’m riding Tango,’ said Fran. She gave Erin a mean look. ‘Shame you’re just on slow, old Wilf, Erin. I bet you won’t get him to go faster than a trot!’

  Erin would usually have been starting to get upset by now – it hurt being teased like that by girls who used to be her friends – but she had so much else on her mind that she suddenly found she couldn’t be bothered to be upset by Fran and Katie. If they only knew what had been happening to her, they would be so jealous!

  ‘Never mind. I like Wilf,’ she said, shrugging and taking Wilf’s head collar from the hook. ‘See you later.’

  Erin had been riding at Hawthorn Stables for five years. Now that she was eleven, she helped out with the ponies at the weekends and in the holidays. There were quite a few girls who did and Jackie, who owned the stables, always tried to make sure they had some free rides in return for all their work. That day, because it was the half-term holiday, Jackie had arranged a beach ride for all the helpers. It was great fun and Erin had a love
ly time riding Wilf. Being on the beach seemed to give him a new burst of energy. He galloped along the sands with all the other ponies, and afterwards tossed his head and snorted as they rode back. She had the feeling he had really enjoyed himself, and she had too. She’d noticed that both Fran and Katie had been struggling to control Tango and Misty, who were younger and livelier and who seemed to want to shy and jog all the way there and back. Erin patted Wilf, feeling very happy. She wondered if Chloe liked horses. Maybe they could go riding together if she did. That would be so much fun!

  Excitement prickled through Erin as she thought about the afternoon. She really hoped they would find this place with the black weathervane, and find Tor. She wondered what he would look like. And what would he want her to do if she did find him? It felt so important to her already that she could use her new magic powers to help him.

  I’ll free him, she thought. I’ll help him get back to the sky.

  At two o’clock, Erin raced along the path that led to the beach, jumping over the puddles on the way. As she turned the corner on to the cliff top, she saw Chloe just ahead of her. ‘Chloe!’ she shouted. ‘Wait!’

  Chloe swung round. For a moment Erin felt shy. The other girl looked so different in her everyday clothes – green shorts and a T-shirt – would she still be as friendly as she had been the night before?

  She needn’t have worried. Chloe ran to meet her, her hazel eyes shining. ‘Hi, Erin! I was so excited after we met last night! It’s brilliant that you’re a stardust spirit too and we can be friends, isn’t it?’

  Erin nodded eagerly. ‘Oh yes.’

  ‘So you were riding this morning?’ Chloe went on. ‘Where do you go? I love ponies! I used to ride every week and help out at the stables I went to. Mum has promised she’ll find another riding stables near here for me now we’ve moved.’

  ‘You should come to the stables I go to,’ said Erin. ‘It’s called Hawthorn Stables and it’s only ten minutes away. Jackie, who owns it, is really nice and the ponies are lovely.’

  ‘Brilliant! I’ll ask Mum!’ said Chloe. She lowered her voice. ‘So, has Tor spoken to you again?’

  Erin shook her head.

  ‘What did he say exactly when he spoke to you yesterday?’ Chloe asked.

  ‘That I would find him near the rocks at World’s End and that I should look for a black weathervane that looked like a rearing horse.’

  Chloe glanced around. ‘Well, I guess we should get looking. Why don’t we start with that house? That’s the closest to World’s End.’ She pointed to the nearest house on the cliff top, an old grey stone farmhouse nestling in some fields with a small wood behind it.

  ‘My gran used to own that house,’ said Erin. ‘It’s called Lookout Point. It’s had quite a few people living in it since my gran died. Someone new has just moved in. I’ve seen two horses in the fields by it, but I don’t think it’s got a black weathervane.’

  ‘We should probably check it out just in case,’ said Chloe. ‘Come on!’

  They headed towards the house. As they walked, they chatted about ponies and their families. They didn’t stop until they reached the fields around Lookout Point. There were two horses there, a bay and a chestnut.

  ‘Should we climb over the fence and go up to the house?’ Chloe wondered.

  Erin hesitated. ‘There isn’t a footpath.’ She thought of the old farmer who had shouted at her the other day, and always told her off if she ever went into one of his fields without a footpath.

  ‘We can’t let that stop us!’ said Chloe. ‘Anyway, look.’ She pointed to one of the horses. ‘That bay horse’s rug has slipped. If anyone tells us off for going into the field, we can just say we were trying to get to the house to let the owners know about it.’

  Erin nodded. ‘OK.’ It was a good plan.

  They climbed over the fence and headed towards the house. There was a gate between its stable yard and the field.

  As they reached the gate, Chloe gasped. ‘Look!’ She grabbed Erin’s arm.

  Erin followed her gaze. On the roof of the stables behind the house was a black metal weathervane in the shape of a rearing horse!

  C H A P T E R

  Six

  A black weathervane!

  ‘The new owners must have put it up!’ Erin whispered.

  ‘The stallion must be somewhere near here,’ Chloe said in a low voice. ‘I wonder if the owners know about him. What shall we –’ She broke off. A woman was coming towards them. She was tall and slim, wearing burgundy jodhpurs and a black T-shirt. Her long, dark-blonde hair, a similar colour to Erin’s, was held back in a low ponytail. She frowned slightly. ‘This is private property,’ she called.

  ‘We just came over because there’s a horse in this field whose New Zealand rug has slipped,’ Chloe explained.

  The frown faded immediately from the woman’s face. ‘Oh, right. I see. That’s my horse, Gemini. Well, thanks for coming to tell me, girls. I’ll go and fix it.’

  She opened the gate and came into the field.

  ‘Your horses are lovely,’ called Chloe. ‘Do you have any others?’

  ‘No, just those two,’ said the woman. ‘Are you two girls local?’

  ‘Yes, we both live in the village,’ said Chloe chattily, joining her. ‘We love horses. I’m Chloe and this is Erin, by the way.’

  ‘Erin?’ the woman turned. For a moment Erin thought she was going to ask her something, but she just smiled. ‘That’s an unusual name, Erin. Well, I’m Marianne. I’ve moved here fairly recently.’

  ‘Would you like some help with your horses?’ Chloe asked hopefully as they walked across the field. ‘We could groom or clean tack for you.’

  ‘Thanks for the offer, Chloe, but I’d better say no. I’m sure your parents wouldn’t like you coming here without them knowing me,’ said Marianne. ‘I’ll see you around, girls. Bye!’ She walked swiftly away.

  Chloe sighed as they wandered back down towards the cliffs. ‘Oh, Erin, Tor has to be close to here. Did you see there was a wood behind the stables? Maybe he’s in there somewhere.’

  ‘I want to go back and look,’ said Erin.

  ‘Tonight,’ Chloe told her. ‘We’ll turn into stardust spirits and go then.’

  ‘Do you think Marianne knows about him?’ asked Erin. A thought struck her. ‘Maybe she could be the dark one.’

  ‘Oh no,’ said Chloe. ‘She seems nice. Can you imagine her being a dark stardust spirit and capturing a sky stallion?’

  Erin agreed it did seem a bit ridiculous.

  ‘I bet he’s being hidden secretly near here by someone else,’ said Chloe.

  ‘But who?’ wondered Erin.

  Chloe lifted her chin. ‘I don’t know, but we’ll find out!’

  Now that there was nothing more they could do about looking for Tor, they decided to go to Chloe’s house. Chloe’s mum, Nicky, was delighted Chloe had made a friend and came round to Erin’s house to meet Jo. They got on just as well as the girls. Jo told Nicky all about Hawthorn Stables and gave her Jackie’s number.

  ‘I’ll ring as soon as I get home,’ Nicky promised. ‘I bet you’d love to go and help there, wouldn’t you, Chloe?’

  ‘Oh yes!’ Chloe breathed. ‘Will you ask if I can start tomorrow?’

  Nicky smiled. ‘OK.’

  They all walked to the door of Erin’s house, and as the adults said goodbye Chloe whispered in Erin’s ear: ‘I’ll see you tonight!’

  Erin grinned. ‘Yes! See you then!’

  ‘I believe in stardust, I believe in stardust,’ Erin murmured as soon as the house was quiet. ‘I believe in stardust!’

  On the last word she flew into the air. She had placed a couple of pillows under the duvet in her bed so it looked as if she was still asleep. She had left a note telling her parents not to worry, she’d be back very soon, just in case they did come in and check under the covers. She hoped they wouldn’t!

  Taking a last look around her bedroom, she flew out through the open window.
Her stomach turned over nervously. What if they were caught? We can camouflage ourselves, she reminded herself, remembering how the night before Allegra and Chloe had taught her how to vanish against the night sky. Feeling a bit better, she flew on.

  Chloe was waiting for her on the beach. ‘Let’s go straight to Lookout Point!’

  The two girls whispered, ‘Camouflagus,’ and set off.

  Erin’s heart beat faster as they flew towards the house. It was shrouded in darkness. As they landed outside the stables, a horse snorted.

  Erin checked over the stable doors. The chestnut was lying down and the bay was dozing, one hind foot resting.

  Between the stables and the woods there was a small stone barn. They went over to it. Chloe opened the door as quietly as she could. Inside there was a tidy, well-kept tack and feed room. Metal feed bins lined one wall of the room and there were bridles and head collars and keys hanging on hooks on the wall.

  Shutting the door, they flew round the back of the barn. ‘Let’s try the woods,’ Chloe suggested.

  Usually Erin would have felt really scared being in the woods at night, but now she was a stardust spirit she felt OK. It was strange, but as she flew among the trees she felt almost as if she belonged there. Her eyes scanned the area. Suddenly she spotted a small grey stone building in a clearing. She frowned as they got closer. There was something on the ground. An icy chill swept through her as she realized that it was a circle made of hagstones.

  ‘Look at –’ she started to say, but a whinny interrupted her. It came from the building. ‘Tor!’ Erin exclaimed, recognizing the sound instantly.

  She let her camouflage drop and raced to the door of the hut, her fingers fumbling with the bolt. ‘Tor! It’s me, Erin! Is that you?’

  ‘Yes!’ the sky horse’s familiar whinny rang out. ‘Can you let me out, Erin?’

  The door was bolted and there was a big metal lock holding the bolt shut. ‘No, the door’s locked,’ Erin said desperately.