Dark Tricks Read online

  Maia kicked off her slippers and ran upstairs. When she got back to her room it was empty. Bracken had gone.

  Maia shut the door and walked slowly over to her bed. Her eyes filled with hot, stinging tears. Everything was wrong. Everyone was cross and arguing, and Bracken… She thought back to how she had told him to go and a sudden fear gripped her. He wouldn’t have gone back to the Star World, would he? He was still her Star Animal?

  She sat on the bed and put her face in her hands.

  “Bracken,” she whispered.

  She held her breath. Nothing happened. Her heart felt like it was going to break into pieces.

  “Bracken!” she whispered frantically.

  She almost fainted with relief when a shimmer of starlight slowly appeared, a curling plume of light getting stronger until it turned into the shape of a fox.

  Bracken stood across the room from her, his ears lowered sadly and his tail between his legs.

  “Bracken!” Maia gasped, holding out her arms.

  He crept slowly over to her, wagging the tip of his bushy tail and she gathered him into her arms.

  “I thought you’d gone back to the Star World,” she said, a tear spilling down her cheek. “I thought I wasn’t ever going to see you again.”

  He licked the tear away. “You’re my Star Friend, Maia. That means I’ll be with you for your whole life. If you call me, I’ll always come.”

  “I’m sorry.” Maia hugged him as tightly as she could. As he snuggled in her arms, she felt the crossness that had been filling her mind drain away.

  “I’m sorry I took the Seeing Stone and I’m sorry I lied to you,” he told her. “I just don’t like that stone. I think there’s something strange about it.”

  “I won’t use it again,” said Maia. “And I… I’m sorry I snapped at you the other day. I’ve just felt so mixed up and confused. It’s like there’s a cloud in my head making me feel cross all the time at the moment.” She frowned. “Though it’s not there now.”

  Bracken looked thoughtful. “I wonder if…” He broke off. “Stay there. Let’s try something.” He wriggled out of her arms and trotted across her bedroom. “How do you feel now?”

  Irritation started to flicker through Maia. “Worse again.”

  Bracken bounded back and jumped into her arms. “And now?” he said, nuzzling her neck.

  The feelings faded.

  “Better,” said Maia. She frowned at him. “So when I’m touching you I feel normal. Why?”

  “The bad feelings must be caused by some sort of dark magic,” Bracken said, his indigo eyes serious. “That’s why they go when you’re touching me.”

  “Do you think there’s a Shade in the house?” said Maia, looking around her room. “Everyone in my family has been in a bad mood. Lottie and Ionie, too. Do you think there are lots of Shades?”

  “Maybe,” said Bracken. “I think we need to speak to the others.”

  “I’ll message them to meet me before school,” said Maia. She jumped up to get her phone. As soon as she was no longer holding Bracken, she could feel the bad mood starting to take over her again but she tried to fight the feelings away. I’m not cross, she told herself firmly. I’m not angry. She sent a group message to the others.

  Must talk to you at school. It’s important. Get there early. Mxx

  A few seconds later, her phone pinged. It was a message from Lottie.

  I can’t. Gotta go to dentist Lx

  Maia wanted to talk to everyone together. She texted back:

  OK. Let’s meet at break and talk then.

  Her phone pinged once more. It was Ionie.

  What’s going on? Ix

  Tell u later. But for now cuddle ur animals lots.

  WHAT?!!

  Sita joined in.

  I don’t understand. Sxxx

  Talk at schl. Try not to get angry. Mxx

  And then, ignoring the flurry of question marks and confused emojis that started pinging on to her phone from her friends, she gathered Bracken into her arms and hugged him tight.

  “So you’re saying you think Shades have been making us argue?” Ionie said in a low voice as they sat on the wall at break time. They were all wrapped up in coats and scarves and hats against the cold.

  Maia nodded. “We don’t normally feel like this, do we? We don’t usually fall out like we did yesterday. My family have been in bad moods, too.”

  “And mine,” said Lottie. “Mum’s been shouting loads.”

  Ionie nodded. “Mine, too.”

  “Mine haven’t,” said Sita, looking puzzled. “And I haven’t felt cross. I have felt unhappy but that’s just because everyone’s been arguing.”

  Maia looked at Lottie and Ionie. “But you’ve felt like me? Like there’s something making you feel angry with everyone.”

  They both nodded.

  “I shouted at Sorrel yesterday,” Ionie admitted.

  “And I got cross with Juniper,” said Lottie.

  “I told Bracken to go away,” said Maia.

  “It’s got to be because of Shades,” Sita said. “Maybe they’re just affecting me differently.”

  Lottie rolled her eyes. “Oh, because you’re so special!” Her hand flew to her mouth. “Sorry!” she gasped. “I didn’t mean that, Sita! I don’t know why I said it. I feel all twisted up inside with horrible feelings. Maia’s right. It’s got to be because of Shades.”

  “But where are they? What are they trapped in this time?” said Ionie. “Why haven’t Sorrel or Willow smelled them? They’re both really good at sniffing out Shades.”

  “I don’t know,” said Maia. “Should we meet up after school and try and work it out?”

  “I can’t. I’m going round to my gran’s,” Sita said.

  “And I’ve got piano until six,” said Lottie.

  “I could ask Sorrel to check my house really well,” said Ionie. “And then later I’ll shadow-travel to Maia and Lottie’s and bring us all to yours, Sita. Can you make sure no one is in the den in your garden? We could meet there.”

  Sita nodded.

  “OK, Maia and Lottie, be ready in your bedrooms at half six. Agreed?” said Ionie.

  Maia felt a rush of irritation that Ionie was taking charge but she pushed it firmly away. “OK. And in the meantime, let’s try really hard not to argue.”

  They all nodded. “Agreed.”

  Maia found it hard to concentrate at school that day. She realized she hadn’t told the others about the different pasts she had seen when she was using the Seeing Stone and the Star Magic, but right now it felt more important to stop the Shades that were making them argue.

  When she got home, she shut herself away in her bedroom with Bracken and lay on her bed cuddling him. A little later, she got a text from Sita.

  How r u? Sxxx

  OK. Did u see ur gran?

  Yes. She wasn’t in a v good mood either. Maybe

  there are Shades EVERYWHERE!

  Maia bit her lip.

  Want to talk? Mxx

  After a few seconds her phone started to ring with a FaceTime call from Sita.

  Maia answered it and Sita’s face appeared on her screen. She looked upset.

  “What if I’m right? What if there are Shades everywhere and they’re affecting everyone?” she said.

  “We’ll get rid of them,” Maia told her. “We’re Star Friends. You’ll be able to command them like you did with the stretchy men.”

  “If it works,” said Sita. “I haven’t tried it since… Maia, what if it doesn’t?”

  “It will,” Maia told her. “But first we have to find the Shades. Did Willow notice any trace at your house?”

  “Nothing,” said Sita. “But maybe Sorrel has found something at Ionie’s.”

  “I hope so,” said Maia.

  When it got close to six thirty they rang off and Maia waited for Ionie to appear. Even though she was expecting it, she still jumped when Ionie and Lottie stepped out of the shadows beside her wardrobe.
/>   “Let’s get to Sita’s,” Ionie said, holding out her hand.

  Maia stepped into the shadows with Ionie and Lottie, and felt the strange sensation of the world spinning away around her. Then her feet touched solid ground and she realized she was standing in Sita’s den. It was a garden shed that Sita and her sisters had put a rug and some beanbags in.

  Sita had turned on a small table light, casting shadows against the shed walls. “We can’t be long,” she said anxiously. “Our parents might start wondering where we are.”

  “Did Sorrel find anything?” Maia asked Ionie.

  “No, nothing,” Ionie said. “She went through my whole house and she didn’t smell a Shade anywhere.”

  “But there have to be Shades there!” said Maia.

  “Maybe magic can disguise the smell,” said Lottie.

  “I asked Sorrel that,” Ionie said. “She said nothing can hide the smell of Shades.”

  “It doesn’t make sense,” said Maia. “The bad moods have got to be caused by Shades because otherwise they wouldn’t fade like they do when we’re cuddling our animals.”

  Sita glanced out of the window anxiously. “I’m going to have to go in a minute.”

  “Let’s meet up tomorrow morning,” said Maia. “Is everyone free?”

  They found out they were all free apart from Lottie, who had gymnastics. “I can meet you straight after,” she said.

  “Why don’t we meet at mine at twelve,” said Ionie. “We can go to the clearing in the woods. Maybe we’ll think better when we’re there because Sorrel says the current of magic is so strong.”

  “Then it’s the Winter Fayre in the afternoon,” said Maia.

  Sita shivered. “It’s creepy to think that the person doing dark magic might actually be there. We might speak to them without realizing.”

  “We’ve got to make a list of everyone we see there who matches the description,” said Lottie. “The sooner we find out who it is, the better!”

  Ionie shadow-travelled them all home. After Maia had whispered goodbye and her friends had disappeared, she sat down at her desk feeling very confused. If there were Shades affecting them all, why couldn’t Sorrel and Willow find any trace of them?

  I don’t get it, she thought, resting her chin on her hands and staring into the mirror. I don’t understand.

  Maia’s dreams that night showed her a gloomy underground room with stone walls. She was trapped, unable to move and overwhelmed by the feeling that she had lost something precious. A woman in a hooded cloak stalked up to her with a dark crystal in her hand. Maia could not see her face.

  “When I touch you with this, you will lose everything,” hissed the woman. She lifted it towards Maia.

  “No!” Maia screamed.

  She woke with a start to find Bracken licking her face. “You were having a bad dream, Maia. You were calling out in your sleep.”

  Maia pulled Bracken into a hug, burying her face in his soft fur, and told him what she’d seen.

  “What did the woman look like?” Bracken asked. “Was it anyone you recognized?”

  “I couldn’t see her face.” Maia shuddered as she remembered the fear she’d felt.

  Bracken cuddled her closer. “We have to work out what’s going on. Maybe when you go to the fayre this afternoon, you’ll find some clues about who the old lady is that’s doing all this.”

  “I hope so,” said Maia.

  She lay in bed and stroked Bracken until it was time to get up.

  She was just getting dressed when her phone pinged.

  It was a message from Sita.

  What r u doing this morning? Sxx

  Nothing. What about u?

  Nothing much either. I didn’t sleep v well. Think

  I might go and see Auntie Mabel and have a talk with her about my power.

  Good plan. Come here afterwards if u want.

  OK! Sxx

  Maia put her phone into her pocket and kissed Bracken. “I’m going to get some breakfast. Sita’s coming round later. Maybe we can do some magic with her and Willow.”

  She went downstairs. Her mum was banging breakfast bowls on the table. “Are you OK?” Maia asked tentatively.

  “No, not really. I’ve got so much to do,” her mum said. “I need to help set up for the fayre this morning but I’ve also got to show someone round Granny Anne’s house. And I said I would call in and help Auntie Mabel take some boxes of decorations to the hall.”

  “I can do that,” said Maia. Then she could meet Sita there and they could both talk to Auntie Mabel. Maybe Auntie Mabel would be able to help her work out why she was seeing two different versions of the past.

  “Well, I was going to drive the boxes of decorations to the hall,” her mum said, “but I’m sure they’re light enough for you to carry. That would really help.” She smiled. “Thanks, sweetie.”

  “No problem. I’ll go after breakfast,” Maia said, putting some bread in the toaster.

  After breakfast Maia ran upstairs to tell Bracken what she was doing. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she said.

  “All right.” He licked her nose as she hugged him. “I’ll see you later.”

  He jumped on to the bed and curled up into a ball, his nose tucked into his bushy tail.

  Maia smiled. “I love you,” she murmured, giving him a kiss. She picked up the Seeing Stone so she could ask Auntie Mabel about it and texted Sita as she headed out.

  Are u at AM’s yet? I’ll c u there. Mxx

  Maia cycled quickly to keep warm. By the time she reached Auntie Mabel’s house, her cheeks were pink and she was slightly breathless.

  “Good morning,” said Auntie Mabel, opening the door when she knocked. “What are you doing here, Maia?”

  “I’ve come to help you take the decorations to the hall – Mum’s really busy with other things,” said Maia.

  “That’s very kind of you,” said Auntie Mabel.

  “Is Sita here?” Maia asked.

  Auntie Mabel looked surprised. “Sita? No. Why? Was she planning on visiting me?”

  Maia nodded. “She’s going to drop by this morning. She wants to talk to you about magic,” she said as Auntie Mabel ushered her inside.

  “Well, why don’t I get you a hot chocolate while we’re waiting for her?” said Auntie Mabel. “You go through to the lounge and I’ll put the kettle on.”

  As Auntie Mabel hurried to the kitchen, Maia took off her coat and hung it in the hall, making a mental note that Auntie Mabel seemed as cheerful as normal. No Shades affecting her, she thought as she went into the lounge.

  The boxes of knitted decorations sat on the coffee table. Maia picked one up and its black crystal eyes sparkled in the light. Although the decoration looked cute, the crystal reminded Maia of the dark crystal she had seen in her dream. She shivered and put down the decoration.

  The large snow globe she had seen the last time she was here was standing on the mantelpiece. She went over to it and saw that it now had a little model of a brown and white dog inside, curled up, fast asleep. How had Auntie Mabel put that in there?

  Magic? wondered Maia.

  Then the dog yawned and sat up.

  Maia squeaked in shock. The dog was moving! It shook itself and sniffed around in the snow. Maia stared. What amazing magic was making the model dog seem alive?

  She skirted round it to examine the globe from a different angle. The little brown and white dog looked strangely familiar, Maia thought. It looked just like Holly, the Patels’ missing dog! As she stepped to the side to get a closer look, she trod on something soft and glanced down to see a blue and white scarf with a polka-dot pattern. Maia froze. It was Sita’s favourite scarf.

  But Auntie Mabel had just told her that Sita hadn’t called by.

  Her fingers tightened on the soft fabric, unease quickening through her as she looked from the scarf to the snow globe. What was going on?

  Then she heard a faint banging sound coming from the hall. Picking up the snow globe, she h
urried to the lounge doorway.

  Thump, thump, thump.

  The noise was coming from the door under the stairs. Maia knew it led to Auntie Mabel’s cellar. Her heart skipped a beat as she heard a faint voice. “Let me out! Please, let me out!”

  “Sita?” Maia gasped in shock.

  “Maia! Get me out of here!” Sita exclaimed.

  Maia put the snow globe on the floor and started to pull back the stiff metal bolts on the door. “What are you doing in there?” she whispered as she tried to wriggle the top bolt back.

  “Auntie Mabel locked me in,” said Sita, her voice faint through the door. “Maia, we’ve got to get out of here. She’s not good like we thought.”

  Maia felt like all the breath had left her body. “What?”

  “She’s trapped Holly in the snow globe! She’s evil!” Sita said.

  There was a laugh behind her. Maia spun round and saw Auntie Mabel standing in the kitchen doorway, watching her with an amused look in her eyes.

  Auntie Mabel’s smile widened as Maia stared at her.

  “Maia!” Sita banged on the door, breaking Maia out of her shock. “What’s happening?”

  Throwing herself at the door again, Maia scrambled to pull back the bolts.

  “Bracken!” she gasped. “Please come! I need you!”

  He appeared in a shimmer of starlight just as Auntie Mabel pulled a dark crystal from her pocket and held it out towards the door, muttering a harsh-sounding word that Maia had never heard before. The metal bolts instantly turned red-hot.

  Maia yelped and pulled her hands away, her fingers stinging.

  “Let Sita out!” shouted Maia as Bracken bounded at Auntie Mabel, his teeth bared, and stopped in front of her, growling angrily. “Why have you locked her up?”

  Auntie Mabel grabbed the snow globe from the floor where Maia had left it.

  “Because I am going to stop you Star Friends from getting in my way,” Auntie Mabel said. She held the snow globe in one hand and a large, glittering dark crystal in the other.