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with my
people, but - as you can see - Nightshade’s power has grown.”
    “So now you
have The Book back, you can use it to overpower Nightshade, right?”
said Felicity.
    “Even with the
book, I alone can’t overpower him now. He has been sapping strength
from every living thing he kills. We require an even greater source
of strength, and that source (or should I say sources) is the two
of you. The fact that you are identical twins is key. Your physical
sameness serves to double your belief strength. This will double
the strength of The Book’s magic. I can feel that from you. The
Book has chosen well.”
    “I still don’t
see how we can help,” said Sophie.
    “We need you
both to return to school and find all the non-believers you can.
Collect their signatures into The Book and it will harness the
negative energy from their writing,” Queen Tara explained. “We must
combine both The Book’s magic and human non-belief and use this
negative energy carefully to weaken Nightshade, so we can overpower
him. Under any other circumstances we would not use dark magic, but
we have no choice.”
    “Oh, that
doesn’t seem so bad,” said Felicity with relief. “We can collect
signatures, no problem!”
    “You must take
care. Nightshade will not stop searching for The Book. It’s his
ultimate prize with which he will become all powerful once he has
devastated every living thing here,” Queen Tara warned,” and if
that should happen, there won’t be anything any of us can do to
stop him.”
    There was a
brief silence as the gravity of the situation sank in.
    “I will give
each of you a special gift. The gifts will be disguised as buttons.
If they glow, Nightshade is close,” explained Queen Tara. “If this
happens I will also be alerted, and I will send help.” She reached
into a silk bag that had been tucked in an inside pocket of her
cloak and took out two golden buttons and presented them to the
girls. “Sewn on to your uniform, no one will look twice at them and
they can always be with you. You don’t have long to collect as many
names as possible; even as we speak our beautiful land is dying.”
She lifted her hand indicating out of the window and across the
meadow.
    The darkness
was much closer, the thunder now audible as the storm seethed,
inching ever closer like an unstoppable, slow motion tsunami. When
lightning struck, there was no sign of the castle, now completely
engulfed by the clouds that seemed so heavy that even the very air
itself was unable to prevent them from sinking to the ground.
    The animals
were growing increasingly restless. Birds sent up shrill alarm
calls warning of the impending danger, panicking many into chaotic
flight.

    “I fear we may
only have a day left before it reaches us too. The storm is
gathering in strength and pace, an indication of Nightshade’s
growing magical powers.”
    The Queen
turned abruptly to face them again. “Where are my manners? You must
be thirsty after all that has happened.” She nodded to Yarrow and
he stepped forward with two drinks and gave one each to the
grateful girls. “Drink, then you must be on your way,” she said
briskly, then pausing before she added gently; “I do apologise for
my abrupt manner when we first met. I’m sure you understand now why
I was so fractious… now you know of our plight.”
    “Yes, we do,”
Sophie reassured her, “but I’m still puzzled as to how I knew to
draw you?” She’d finished her drink and was unable to suppress a
yawn. “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just such a strange day.”
    Queen Tara
smiled sympathetically. “If all goes well we will have plenty of
time for questions soon enough. But for now, just try and take a
little time to relax. You’re going to need your strength.”
    Having finished
her drink first, Felicity placed her glass down on the long table.
It had left an unusual bitter taste in her mouth, but she was
feeling far more relaxed now. “How do we… get…. back….?”