Edwina Pilkington's Computer School of Magic (4 page)

'I
ve been looking for you everywhere. Why are you both still up here in the tower?' The girls began talking at once. ‘Now, one at a time, please. You first, Edwina.'

Edwina told Aunt Ada everything that happened, right up to when she walked in and found them running towards her.

‘You said they had large, black, bat-like wings, scaly bodies and sharp fangs. Did they have large, prickly, arrowhead tails ?' ‘Yes, they did,' Gabriella said.

‘I don't like the sound of this. We need
The Witches Book of Timeless Memories,
written by your Great-great-grandmother, Princess Lilly Pilly. I have a feeling we are not going to like what we find. Do you know where the book is, Edwina?'

‘I think I remember where it's hidden, Aunt Ada.'

Edwina pulled out an old trunk from under the stairs. It was covered in dust. The old trunk had been hidden away for many years. ‘It's like an old Pandora's box,' Gabriella said.

Edwina giggled. ‘I suppose it is – it holds all our secrets.'

Aunt Ada knelt down and turned the old rusty key in the lock. It still worked after so many years. She gently raised the lid and there in the middle of the trunk was a big purple book with the words,
Witches Book of Timeless
Memories
written in gold. Aunt Ada carefully picked it up.

They all moved towards the light in the centre of the room where Aunt Ada began to turn the old, dusty pages of the old book. The time passed quickly, and after turning many well-used pages, Edwina pointed to the picture of the bat-like creatures. ‘Aunt Ada,
that's
what we saw.'

‘They are called gargoyles, Edwina. You are both sure that is what you saw?'

‘Yes, Aunt Ada. We cannot forget such ugly, scaly faces.'

‘I will read the notes from Princess Lilly Pilly.' Aunt Ada began to read out loud:

Beware of the Gargoyles of Darkness

In a world full of magic and beauty, there is still no escape from the evil world of darkness. These creatures known as gargoyles are the most dangerous of all to have ever come into our world. They come from a world of darkness called Darktess. They come to destroy and steal the Pilkingtons'
Magic Ring.

The gargoyles first came to Rainbow City when I was very young. They turned my mother Alma Pilkington into a stone statue. They live for three things only, and those are to have the power of the Magic Ring, to turn everyone into stone statues and to remove all the rainbows from Rainbow City.

Their powers are very strong and my magic was no match for their evil. I was unable to stop these creatures on my own. They have very strong, bat-like wings that allow
them to fly at great speed, sharp fangs, horns , and a tail that turns people into stone. The gargoyles are related to the evil fire dragons and over millions of years, they have grown an arrowhead tail that makes them more dangerous than any other gargoyle.

The only way I could stop the gargoyles was to call for help from the Good Fairy Ellen who told me their secret of how they were able to come and go from their world into ours. Their secret lies with a skeleton key which unlocks a gate that opens up a porthole allowing the gargoyles into our world.

The skeleton key was entrusted to the Good Fairy Ellen, who had the elves escort the key back to Rainbow City where it was locked away for ever and a day in a steel vault hidden under the local bank.

I dearly hope that no one will ever have to battle these horrible creatures again.

Signed

Princess Lilly Pilly

Aunt Ada gently closed
The Witches Book of Timeless Memories
. ‘That explains the bank robbery in Rainbow City. It's all starting to make sense now,' said Aunt Ada.

A bright light that looked like a ray of silver stars began filling the room. It was the fairies, and the Good Fairy Ellen. Gabriella could not believe her eyes; Ellen was so tiny and beautiful. She'd always believed in fairies and now Edwina needed the fairies' help.

The Good Fairy Ellen gracefully waved her wings so she was closer to Edwina. She then waved her wand and in a softly spoken voice, she said, ‘I fear you are all in great danger. I've been watching over you, and you were very brave tonight, Edwina. The witches council is very pleased.'

‘You saw me use my Magic Vanishing Potion?'

‘Yes, my child, and now I am here to help you the same way I helped your Great-great-grandmother, Princess Lilly Pilly. I fear that the gargoyles had help from somebody in Rainbow City. That person broke into the bank, stole the skeleton key and opened up the porthole. You must find this person. They must be stopped.

‘Now you must listen carefully to the secret I am about to tell you. Edwina, you are the only one who can remove the skeleton key from the gargoyles because you have the power of the Pilkingtons' Magic Ring.'

The Good Fairy Ellen told Edwina, Gabriella and Aunt Ada that the skeleton key would be found on the leader of the gargoyles, who attacked them earlier. His name was Gorum, leader of the Gargoyles of Darkness, and the key would be hanging on a black chain around his neck. She told Edwina that she would need to remove this key from Gorum because it was the only way to send the gargoyles back through the porthole to Darktess. The Good Fairy Ellen did not know how long they had before the Vanishing Potion Edwina used would wear off.

Ellen waved her wand and a crystal ball appeared. ‘At this very moment,' she said softly as she gazed into her crystal ball, ‘the Gargoyles of Darkness are planning their attack, so be very careful, for when the gargoyles return, they will be stronger and more dangerous. They will stop at nothing to get their claws on the Pilkingtons' Magic Ring.

‘I must leave now. I know you can send the gargoyles back through the porthole to Darktess, and I will be watching over you.'

‘But, I need to know …' Edwina said.

A sprinkle of stars and the Good Fairy Ellen was gone.

‘I'm tired,' Gabriella said as she started to yawn. ‘I want to go to bed.'

‘How can you think about sleep at a time like this?'

‘Gabriella is right, Edwina, you both need to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be soon enough for you to plan your attack on the gargoyles.'

‘But Aunt Ada.'

‘No, Edwina, you are both going to bed, and I must tell your parents about what happened tonight. Now, come along and I will tuck you both into bed.'

Aunt Ada opened the bedroom door and there was Thirty-four, all cuddled up, sound asleep at the end of Edwina's bed. Edwina and Gabriella took their Halloween costumes off and put their pyjamas on. Edwina was just about to hop into bed when Aunt Ada turned around and saw Edwina with her cloak on over her pyjamas. She smiled to herself, remembering when she received her first witches cloak, and had done the same thing.

Aunt Ada gave both the girls a kiss on the cheek. ‘I can't sleep,' Edwina said, ‘knowing those gargoyles are after us.'

‘Remember what the Good Fairy Ellen said: the way to destroy the gargoyles is to get the skeleton key. Tomorrow will be soon enough for you to work out a plan. Goodnight, girls, don't let the bedbugs bite.'

‘Goodnight, Aunt Ada.'

‘I'm still not going to sleep,' said Edwina.

Aunt Ada turned the light off and left the room.

‘Are you awake, Gabriella?'

‘Only just. One eye is already asleep.'

‘Well, wake up, sleepyhead, for I have a plan on how to remove the skeleton key from Gorum.'

‘I hope you're not planning on me helping you.'

‘Just a little,' said Edwina.

‘I don't like the sound of that.'

‘I'll explain it all to you.'

There was no answer, so she looked across at Gabriella who had fallen fast asleep.

‘My eyes feel so heavy. Goodnight Thirty-four.' Edwina laid her head down on the soft, fluffy pillow and was soon fast asleep.

'C
ould you please pass me the cereal packet, Edwina?' Edwina passed it to Gabriella without even looking up as she needed to finish breakfast quickly.

‘Looks like the cat has got your tongue, Edwina.'

‘I can't remember when we last had such a quiet breakfast together,' said Edwina's mother, ‘and after last night, I was expecting to hear all about the gargoyles.'

‘Edwina was up early this morning, making a special Magic Sleeping Potion to use on the gargoyles,' Gabriella said, ‘and she promised me she wouldn't mention them again, until after breakfast.'

Aunt Ada laughed. ‘That explains why Edwina is eating her breakfast so fast, and I see she has some help from Thirty-four.' Thirty Four grunted.

‘Quiet, Thirty-four,' mumbled Edwina. ‘We have to hurry up to the tower and start working on my plan.'

‘You were both very brave last night,' Lady Lilly Arna said. ‘You saved the town. Aunt Ada also told me that the Gargoyles of Darkness will return. You must know that you are both safe while you are inside the walls of Stone Castle, but once you leave, the gargoyles are able to attack. I do not want either of you to leave Stone Castle, especially you, Edwina, as they will be after the Magic Ring.'

‘But Mum, I can't promise not to leave Stone Castle as I am the only one who can send the gargoyles back to Darktess. If I don't destroy them and find out who is helping them, the Good Fairy Ellen told us that they will destroy our world.'

‘I understand, Edwina. It seems I really have no choice but to let you go. Remember you are a very powerful witch, but this time, it will not be your powers that will defeat them; it will be your wit.'

Edwina pushed her chair out from the table and went over to her mother and gave her a big hug. ‘I love you, and I promise I will be careful.'