picnics to flying kites. At first glance it’s not the place you’d expect to find anything magical, but as I said, it’s wild while still being in the city. For some people, that’s a useful combination. “I need some clothes for a party,” I said. “You need somewhere to hide. This is the only place I know we can get both.”
Even with all the people who use the Heath, it has its secrets, and we’d come to one of them. A driedup stream had carved a ravine out of the earth, the sides rough and uneven. An oak tree grew on the top of the bank, its roots reaching down the slope. Although we could still hear the sounds of people around us, the banks and the growing trees hid us from them. Of course, the other reason no one was here was that there wasn’t anything to see.
Luna looked around at the earth and trees. “Here?”
I smiled. “Watch.”
The roots of the oak tree made a tangle in front of us. I studied them for a second, then reached out and placed two fingers on one of them. “Arachne?” I said to the tree. “It’s Alex. Can we come in?”
There was a brief pause, then Luna jumped as a voice came out of thin air. “Alex, dear! Come right inside. Find a seat in the dressing room while I finish up.”
There was a rumble of moving earth, and both of us stepped quickly back. The hillside seemed to shudder as the roots of the oak tree began to move, twisting aside and up, dripping dirt and bits of dry earth across the ravine, revealing a gaping space beyond. As the rumbling quietened, the roots wove themselves into the shape of an archway. Within was only darkness.
I gestured to Luna. “After you.”
Luna hesitated for only a second before walking in.I followed, ducking my head, and with another rumble the roots closed behind us.
L ike I said, one of the tipping points for newcomers is learning about the dark side of magic. Another is when they start meeting creatures out of myths and legends. The issue is learning not to judge by appearances.
Human beings tend to react better to good-looking people. It’s called the halo effect—someone’s attractive, so you trust them more. It’s natural, which makes it a hard habit to break, but once you start dealing with magical creatures you’d better
learn
to break it, and fast, because some of the most vicious things out there can make themselves look like absolute angels. Like unicorns. Don’t get me started on unicorns. For some reason everyone has this idealised image of them as beautiful innocent snowflakes. Beautiful, yes. Innocent, no. After you’ve had one of the little bastards try and kebab you, you wise up quick.
But it goes the other way, too. There are things in the dark corners of the world that look like the nightmare children of Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft. Just looking at them is enough to make any sane person run screaming, but if you’re brave or stupid or savvy enough to stop and talk to one, you’ll find to your surprise that you can get along okay. They’re not
safe
, of course; nothing in the magical world is really
safe
. But you can talk with them and trust them as well as the humans you meet here, and often better.
I tried to explain this in a halting sort of way to Luna as we walked towards Arachne’s cave. “She sells clothes?” Luna asked.
“The best. Most mages won’t use them, though.”
“Are they too expensive?”
“It’s…how she looks.”
“She’s ugly?”
“Not exactly. Just brace yourself for when you meet her.”
The tunnel we were walking down felt dark after thesunlit heath. Now that my eyes had adjusted, I could see the blue glowing spheres mounted in the corners of the tunnel that marked the path. The floor had been packed dirt at the tunnel mouth, but now it was stone, worn smooth by running water and polished to a sheen by generations of footsteps. The grey tunnel sloped downwards, twisted, and opened into an oval chamber blazing with colours.
The room was filled with couches and
Even with all the people who use the Heath, it has its secrets, and we’d come to one of them. A driedup stream had carved a ravine out of the earth, the sides rough and uneven. An oak tree grew on the top of the bank, its roots reaching down the slope. Although we could still hear the sounds of people around us, the banks and the growing trees hid us from them. Of course, the other reason no one was here was that there wasn’t anything to see.
Luna looked around at the earth and trees. “Here?”
I smiled. “Watch.”
The roots of the oak tree made a tangle in front of us. I studied them for a second, then reached out and placed two fingers on one of them. “Arachne?” I said to the tree. “It’s Alex. Can we come in?”
There was a brief pause, then Luna jumped as a voice came out of thin air. “Alex, dear! Come right inside. Find a seat in the dressing room while I finish up.”
There was a rumble of moving earth, and both of us stepped quickly back. The hillside seemed to shudder as the roots of the oak tree began to move, twisting aside and up, dripping dirt and bits of dry earth across the ravine, revealing a gaping space beyond. As the rumbling quietened, the roots wove themselves into the shape of an archway. Within was only darkness.
I gestured to Luna. “After you.”
Luna hesitated for only a second before walking in.I followed, ducking my head, and with another rumble the roots closed behind us.
L ike I said, one of the tipping points for newcomers is learning about the dark side of magic. Another is when they start meeting creatures out of myths and legends. The issue is learning not to judge by appearances.
Human beings tend to react better to good-looking people. It’s called the halo effect—someone’s attractive, so you trust them more. It’s natural, which makes it a hard habit to break, but once you start dealing with magical creatures you’d better
learn
to break it, and fast, because some of the most vicious things out there can make themselves look like absolute angels. Like unicorns. Don’t get me started on unicorns. For some reason everyone has this idealised image of them as beautiful innocent snowflakes. Beautiful, yes. Innocent, no. After you’ve had one of the little bastards try and kebab you, you wise up quick.
But it goes the other way, too. There are things in the dark corners of the world that look like the nightmare children of Stephen King and H. P. Lovecraft. Just looking at them is enough to make any sane person run screaming, but if you’re brave or stupid or savvy enough to stop and talk to one, you’ll find to your surprise that you can get along okay. They’re not
safe
, of course; nothing in the magical world is really
safe
. But you can talk with them and trust them as well as the humans you meet here, and often better.
I tried to explain this in a halting sort of way to Luna as we walked towards Arachne’s cave. “She sells clothes?” Luna asked.
“The best. Most mages won’t use them, though.”
“Are they too expensive?”
“It’s…how she looks.”
“She’s ugly?”
“Not exactly. Just brace yourself for when you meet her.”
The tunnel we were walking down felt dark after thesunlit heath. Now that my eyes had adjusted, I could see the blue glowing spheres mounted in the corners of the tunnel that marked the path. The floor had been packed dirt at the tunnel mouth, but now it was stone, worn smooth by running water and polished to a sheen by generations of footsteps. The grey tunnel sloped downwards, twisted, and opened into an oval chamber blazing with colours.
The room was filled with couches and
Similar Books
