They jogged down the road and into a small field, where Hollie stopped for a breath.
“Ok, we need to get rid of this invisibility charm. It’ll drain too much energy. See anyone around here?” Hollie asked.
“No, all clear,” Jordan replied after doing a three sixty check.
Hollie closed her eyes and removed the spell with a faint mutter.
“Right now were visible, we need to ask some people where the nearest airport is,” Hollie instructed.
They looked at each other confusedly.
“Seriously, most French speak English. All we need is a heading,” Hollie said, her pace had quickened and her words were just a ramble of blahs, it was hard to understand her.
She sent everyone different ways, each towards someone walking innocently down the street. Jay approached a woman with a buggy and a little boy beside her, walking a casual jog up to meet her.
“Excuse me Madame, you speak English?” Jay questioned, using hand gestures to help with communication.
“No, French, au revoir.” The lady lifted her hand up to his face and walked straight past him rudely.
‘Well that went well,’ Jay congratulated himself. He walked back towards Hollie who must have been watching him, as she was holding her mouth, dampening her laughter.
“She didn’t want to talk,” Jay told her.
“Hollie, I’VE GOT US A TAXI!” Broudie shouted.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?”
“THIS TAXI DRIVER WILL TAKE US THERE FOR NOTHING!” he wailed.
“C’mon Jay, let’s go. GUYS WERE GETTING A TAXI!” Hollie instructed to the others.
“He’s really nice, speaks English as well, and got enough seats,” Broudie spoke as if he was trying to sell the taxi to them, as Hollie and Jay veered near.
Jay looked at the taxi, it was old and had nothing but a simple ‘taxi’ sign on the top, no number to call. He was quite a suspicious man, ‘free taxi? Very much doubt it,’ Jay thought.
“Cool, c’mon let’s get in. Broudie you go in the front with ya new friend,” Hollie instructed, climbing into the black van.
When they were all strapped in tightly the driver set off for the airport. Supposing this guy wasn’t trying to kidnap them. For a brief second Jay panicked at the thought then remembered who he was travelling with: four athletic teenagers with super powers and knives in their back pockets.
“Are you sure he doesn’t want any money?” Hollie questioned.
“I am fine, us French are helpful like this. We like to help people,” The driver said in a strange French accent, which was so strong it seemed put on.
“How long will it take us to get there?” Broudie asked.
“The airport?”
“Yeah, the nearest airport.”
“About half an hour.”
“Ok thanks.”
“Eh Hollie, there are some questions I have been wanting to ask you,” Jay said randomly, remembering the list he made one night at his dorm.
“Go ahead and ask, but don’t say it too loudly,” Hollie added.
“Right, where did you get the gooble watch from? Some sort of magic shop?”
“From Poseidon. He used part of his dad from his, eh, castration, and he sucked out the time power inside. You know Poseidon’s dad is Cronus, titan of time. Well then Hephaestus used this time power to create a watch that could turn time, he gave it back to Poseidon, and Poseidon gave it to me as a present,” Hollie replied.
“Oh, will I get one?”
“Yes you’ll get a gift, not a gooble watch though. I bet yours will be the best ever, so I wouldn’t worry.”
“Another thing, you know the tree nymphs we have at the hideout, is there one for every tree?”
“Most of them.”
“Even for in the outside world?”
“Yeah.”
“But what happens if the mortals see them?”
“They don’t, not unless someone’s got ancient Greek blood in them. Like say Heracles’ great times five hundred grandson.”
“Oh. So you have to have Greek blood to see the creatures?” Jay started fixing the holes in his mind on Greek mythology. His theory was correct. He was correct? Now that was shocking.
“Well some sort of connection to ancient Greek mythology would probably be enough but it doesn’t work all the time, even a direct child might not have enough ancient Greek blood but their child might regain the bloodline. It’s confusing.”
“That makes sense now. I was wondering how we could see monsters, but it’s because we‘re wearing these rings.”
“Well I don’t think that‘s right to be honest, because if these monsters really wanted us dead, they would’ve just took the rings off us, but they’ve never tried. And I’m sure there’s a way, unless the ring is actually bonded onto your skin. Which is what I believe. I think the ring is part of us now, not some sort of clothing.”
“I think I understand. We have Greek blood now.” Jay bit his lip confusedly, “Oh, and another thing I wanted to ask was how are spells created?”
“Keep them coming. Well you know the goddess of magic Hecate?”
“Not personally,” Claire answered jokingly.
“Well, whatever, she created magic, and she wrote down millions of spells and curses, each different. Then when she had wrote them she introduced them to a few people using her powers to make the magic work. Then they became wizards or sorcerers. They learned spells, but then started using them in a bad way. So she burnt her list of spells, burning the death spell, one of the many she never taught. Then the sorcerers would pass on their gift and over time all wizards have disappeared from the world. There are some which have become immortal or are locked up in Tartarus. When she heard about Athena and these rings given by the oracle, she was uneasy, not sure whether to help, fearing that we would use them for bad. Well that’s what Athena told me. So, we use the spells that have been passed down in books,” Hollie finished.
“She might warm to us if we complete this quest,” Jay suggested.
“Yeah she might,” Hollie agreed, turning back to talk to Claire.
“Hey, Jay. I liked your persuading technique down by the arc,” Jordan laughed.
“Well he was starting to annoy me. I hate people who annoy me.”
“Well you got through to him eventually. Did you see all the people that were turning round wondering where all the noise was coming from?” Jordan asked.
“No I think I was too busy screaming at Frederick, I hope he understood why in the end. I am a nice person really. And when he said to visit him again, what would we do that for, we might get attacked by a tribe of long noses next.”
They both laughed.
The taxi journey was calm and peaceful, lots of laughing and no fights with monsters. It was needed. Things needed to calm down a bit else they’d have slipped up what with all the energy and all the pressure.
Half an hour later they came to a stop.
“Here’s you are,” the driver announced, “I tolds you de airport was not far.”
“Thank you, and are you sure you do not want any money?” Hollie asked once again.
“No Madame, I say I not want money, I have what I want. The satisfaction of helping,” he replied.
“Oh fine. C’mon guys let’s catch a plane.” Hollie hopped onto the path and the rest of them followed.
“Goodbye people, thank you,” The driver said happily, starting the engine and zooming down the taxi lane.
“What was he so happy about?” Jordan questioned.
“Dunno,” Hollie answered, “but we need to get in and find our flight.”
The air was warm with a breeze of refreshment outside. Not nice weather for France, but shorts and bikini weather for England.
They walked into the airport, through the automatic doors and into the check in room. Then they moved into the first queue labelled ‘Airfrance’.
“Did you hear him talking to that weird girl on the phone?” Broudie as
ked.
“Who?” Jordan questioned.
“The taxi driver, he was talking to a girl on the phone, I think he was telling her about what we, us, were doing and going. He seemed really interested in our destination,” Broudie said.
“You think he knows someone that is after the jewel as well, and that would be why he asked for no money,” Claire pondered.
“I dunno, but he was just creepily interested.”
“Well, you were the one who found him,” Hollie said.
“Out of all the taxi drivers in France, we find one that might’ve been after the jewel? The ratio is like one to one million!” Claire shook her head.
They continued to chatter as the minutes rolled on, waiting to get their tickets and go.
“Next please,” The lady spoke in a posh accent which suited her long, pointy-nosed look. The five teenagers paced towards the desk.
“England, France, Poland?”
“English,” Hollie replied.
“Destination?”
“Well we want to get to the Galapagos Islands. We need to get there as soon as possible. The soonest flight to the islands would be great.”
“Galapagos islands for five…” she looked behind Hollie at Jay and everyone else confusedly, and then finished, “teenagers?”
“Yes please.”
“Ok,” the lady started typing on her computer, “eh, do you mind having two or more flights, half journey, half journey?”
“That’s fine.”
“Ok, we have, lucky for you, a flight going out to Ecuador, Quito. It is one thousand seven hundred English pounds each, which is eight thousand five hundred English pounds all together. Eh do you have any luggage?”
“We haven’t any luggage thanks.”
The lady continued to type as Jay started worrying.
“I haven’t got a passport,” he said in a panicked whisper.
“Well, good job I made one for you then isn’t it.” Hollie pulled out five burgundy passports and handed them to the lady. “You will need these, yes?”
“Oh, thank you.” The lady took the passports and started scanning and printing them.
When she was finished checking their faces, she handed back the passports.
“Ok, are you sure you have enough money?” the lady asked.
“Yep, if I could just find,” Hollie was feeling her way round her enchanted purse. “Here it is.” Hollie pulled out a small slip of paper. She handed it to the ticket lady, and the lady passed them their tickets and directed them where to go.
The five of them strolled down the hall, up some escalators and into the passport room.
Their passports were checked and they moved on into the place where you and your luggage get scanned and checked.
“What do we do with our swords?” Jay questioned silently.
“Have you put an invisibility spell on them?” Hollie whispered.
“No.”
“Then put one on then.” Hollie moved forward and emptied her luggage onto the scanner. She walked through the scanner and regained her luggage. Jay went round the corner, out of sight, and then attempted an invisibility spell.
“Polacify,” he hushed. There was a white light in his veins, and then it shot out of his fingertips and hit his sword and shield. He congratulated himself and looked down at the now invisible weapon. It was strange because you could actually feel the weapon, yet you couldn’t see it, it was weirdly fascinating.
“Jay, c’mon,” Broudie shouted from the other side of security. Jay walked round the corner and removed his jacket, dumping it onto one of the many black trays that were stacked beside the conveyor belt.
He put down his rucksack and watched as they both disappeared through the black strips of plastic.
He turned and walked confidently through the scanner. He squinted and pulled faces as he waited for the deafening sound, the beep.
But, thankfully, there was no beep, so he reclaimed his jacket, slipped it on and then walked with Jordan into the departure lounge.
“Don’t try taking the invisibility spell off, you don’t know when they’re going to come round with their little trolley, do ya,” Jordan informed.
They walked into the shopping area to have a look around, and then they split up, agreeing to meet up at the entrance to gate eighteen.
“Have you looked at the ticket?”
“No, why?”
“Because, apparently we are flying to Madrid in Spain then flying to Ecuador. Then from Ecuador to the Galapagos islands,” Jordan said furiously.
“No, I never looked.”
“Well, good job you’re not flying by yourself.”
They walked around the shop, not buying anything but drinks and food. Then minutes before boarding, there was an announcement,
“Could all passengers for Ecuador, stopping at Madrid, please board the plane now? That’s flight B741Z3, now boarding at gate eighteen,” the speaker instructed.
“Ok, c’mon, we need to get on that plane and get started on the main part of the quest,” Hollie declared, rubbing her hands together excitedly.
She led them down the corridor, up some stairs and into the small, moving queue.
“Let’s get ready to rumble,” Hollie sang.
“I’ve never flown before,” Jay said.
“Well I doubt any of us have, ya know, being in a foster home you don’t exactly take a group holiday to Turkey,” Claire said.
When they got to the man at the entrance, they had their tickets checked and were waved along through the tunnel.
“Isn’t it exciting?” Jordan said, skipping down in front of them.
“For you, yes, for me nu-u-oh,” Claire commented.
“You’ll probably like it. It’s fine,” Broudie assured.
“And when have you ever flown on an aeroplane?” Claire asked.
“Never, just trying to be nice,” Broudie laughed.
“Thanks, but it doesn’t suit you,” Claire said.
They strolled down the tunnel and reached the entrance to the plane. There was a small gap between the entrance and the tunnel, all you could see was gravel and a small man wearing an orange waistcoat walking around with a clipboard in his hands. They stepped over the gap and showed their tickets to the air hostess, who pointed to their seats.
“Just over there,” she directed, waving her arm down the isle randomly. ‘I mean, its obvious we have to walk that way! Thanks for the help!’ Jay thought as he passed the foundation-plastered doll of a hostess.
“Thanks,” Jordan responded.
The five jewel seekers walked down the isle of the plane, searching left to right for their seats. The chairs were all facing one direction, were coloured royal blue and had small beige trays that flipped down from them.
It was very quiet, apart from the small mutterings from the seats beside them. Above, there was hand luggage, stuffed ‘carefully’ in the lockers. There was overhead air conditioning, with little slide along buttons beside.
The plane itself stretched far, not a mile, but not the length of a car. It was a while till Broudie spotted their numbers stuck onto the side of the luggage storing units.
“Look, thirty one,” he blurted.
“C’mon then, who wants to sit where? And be quick because there are some people coming down this way,” Hollie instructed. Broudie shuffled down the a-b-c row to the left, and Jay followed. At the end nearest the isle, was Jordan, leaving Claire and Hollie.
“I don’t mind where I sit, but I think you’ll be better off sitting as far away from the window as possible,” Hollie suggested.
“Ok, you go in first,” Claire grumbled.
Hollie took her seat, one away from the window, and Claire took hers.
“Are you excited?” Broudie asked.
“Course. Bit nervous, you?” Jay replied.
“Not really.”
“Oh yeah, you bare the ring of the god of war, you don’t get nervous on a plane ride.”
?
??Did you say you’re nervous?” Jordan questioned.
“I don’t know, excited with a bit of nervousness, probably because I’ve never flown in an aeroplane before.”
“An aeroplane you haven’t, but whilst on fire, yes, in a pair of claws, yes, and with a wind ring bearer using windelling, yes as well.” Jordan raised his eyebrows and gave him a stare.
“Windelling?”
“It’s the name the Gods gave to it.”
“Well anyway, this is different. Fire gives me lots of confidence, and I didn‘t mind when you were doing it.”
“Didn’t mind when I was doing it? Did you hear yourself shouting when I turned into an eagle and zoomed you up mount Mouvast?” Jordan giggled.
Some people turned around and looked through the gap in the chairs when they heard that. “Replaying a film,” Jordan added, and the man in front of him turned back around.
“I say we lower our voices,” Broudie whispered.
“Where was I? Oh you have nothing to worry about. The only difference is the start. It goes really fast, bit slower than g-force at Drayton manor, obviously no loop the loops,” Jordan murmured.
“I heard that you’re supposed to eat some sweets on the way up and down, I didn’t buy any,” Broudie cut in.
“No me neither,” Jordan said.
“Why?”
“Otherwise your ears pop. To do with pressure and the altitude,” Jordan said.
“Well I hate when my ears pop, so that’ll be fun,” Jay said.
“Anything you can suck on will help, I’ll ask Hollie. Hollie, psst, Hollie,” Jordan called.
“Yep,” Hollie answered moments later, finishing her conversation with Claire first.
“You got any sweets for the take-off?” Jordan asked.
“Spell. Something small, transform it,” Hollie said silently, checking for suspicious passengers between each breath.
“Here?” Jordan replied astounded.
“Yeah, when no one’s looking,” Hollie answered.
Jordan turned back to his side of the plane, and started emptying his pockets.
“What she say, she’ll magic some into ya trousers,” Broudie chuckled.
“No, have you got anything small?”
“Such as?”
“Anything the same size as your average sweet,” Jordan told them.
“You’re not going to do it here? Are you?” Broudie said shockingly.
“Well Hollie said we could as long as-”
“What exactly are we doing? Transforming it into a lollipop?” Jay wondered.
“Yes, that exactly.”
That was not the answer Jay was expecting. He was expecting something on the lines of, don’t be so stupid, or no, but that’d be cool.
“I’ve got something,” Broudie announced, pulling his hand out from his pocket. Inside his clenched grasp was a small grey stone.
“Why in the gods’ names do you carry a stone in your pocket. I mean it’s great, but why?” Jordan pondered.
“It was the perfect size and shape I needed for my catapult,” Broudie said.
“Couldn’t you just hammer it into shape or just, ya know, transform it,” Jordan added the last bit quietly, still trying not to raise any more suspicion.
“It’s better when you don’t do anything to it, it’s more pure.”
Both Jay and Jordan gave him a confused look.
“Oh, well let’s just use it, got plenty of time to sit on the beach checking stones.” Jordan took the stone from Broudie, moved onto the edge of his seat, and then placed it on the chair. By this time, most of the people were sat down and ready, but only half the seats were full up.
“Okay, any people walking past, tell me, any people looking down the gaps between the chairs, tell me. I’m ready when you say the plane is clear of onlookers.”
“Ok, wait. And… now,” Jay signalled.
“Alright, Repuntas sweet.” There was a small puff of smoke, and, when the small puff disappeared, what was left of the rock was quite appetising. A small, red starburst.
“Ah, it worked,” Jordan congratulated himself.
“Red starburst?” Broudie questioned.
“You don’t like them?”
“No, they’re fine. It’s just you could pick any sweet in the world, and you pick starburst.”
“I love red starbursts,” Jay put forward.
“Well then, we need two more. Anyone coming?” Jordan placed the sweet back onto the chair.
“Eh, n-” Broudie was interrupted by the speaker which began the safety announcements.
“That’s a no?” Jordan looked back down after Broudie agreed. “Dublicatius.” He closed his eyes, and the one, starburst sweet, jumped up and ejected two other identical sweets either side of it.
“Anyone fancy a starburst?” Jordan held out his hand, Jay and Broudie took one each. Then a moment later, the speaker changed into English.
“Good evening, this is a safety announcement. Please take this time to listen or follow through on the laminated sheet in front of you. In case of a-”
“When do we eat it?” Jay asked.
“Soon after the plane gets onto the runway. Look outside, were moving,” Broudie replied.
“So now?”
“No not yet. Runways are never right next to the boarding platforms,” Jordan answered.
“Tell me when.” Jay leant back in his chair and carried on listening to the safety announcement.
“Do enjoy the flight, refreshments will be sold during the flight and any inflight meals can also be ordered. I shall now let the hostess’ show you once again where the exits are.”
Jay peered over the seat in front, like a Meer cat, to see one hostess waving her arms around, pointing to her left and to her right.
He then turned to face the window. There was gravel beneath them, and orange cones lining the edge. The wings were easily seen, extended triangles of strengthened metal, balancing symmetrically on both sides of the aircraft.
Then the plane slowed down and Jay noticed that they were turning a corner.
“Here we are, put the sweet in your mouth and suck it when you start to hear the n-” Jordan was interrupted coincidently by the sound of the plane starting its run up for take-off.
Jay took his sweet and plopped it in his mouth. The noise got louder and the plane started moving forward, first quite slowly, then building up to cant-pull-head-off-headrest speed.
The sound scraped into his head, but it wasn’t a bad noise, just one you wouldn’t want to hear every day. Then the plane tilted upwards and part of the noise disappeared. Jay looked out the window and everything was gradually getting smaller and smaller. The plane then levelled itself and then leaned to the right. Jay felt Broudie move closer to him, and then the plane levelled again.
Except this time it lasted for just under two hours.
The flight was quiet and dull. There were a few conversations, but not many. Broudie fell asleep for about an hour, and woke up just as the safety belt lights turned on. And Jordan and Jay just sat in silence most of the time just resting their eyes.
“Seatbelts needs to be on Broudie,” Jay instructed, elbowing him to wake up.
“Hugh, oh seat belt, yeah,” Broudie yawned, grasping his belt and sticking it in to the red and black box beside him.
“Jordan, I got some sweets for ya,” Hollie whispered.
“Yeah? Pass ’em then.” Claire dropped three brown caramel sweets into his hand. He swung round and passed them out.
“Oo, a caramel sweet, now that’s more like it,” Broudie said.
“No I still like starburst better,” Jordan concluded.
Out of the window all you could see was darkness, sprinkled with orange and white lights on top, like golden sugar on a 12yr old king’s cupcake.
“And time for the ear popping.” Jordan stuffed his sweet in his mouth and the plane started to descend. Even though it was pitch black outside, Jay could sense the ground beneath him, as if
he had just met someone, an old friend.
“What’s the time?” Jay asked Claire, who had lust looked over.
“I’ll ask.” She turned to Hollie, and Hollie took out a watch and checked it. She whispered to Claire and then Claire passed it on,
“Eight past ten.”
“Wondered why I felt tired.”
The plane jolted as it made contact with the ground. If anyone was asleep, they weren’t any more. The plane gradually slowed down and turned a few corners, and then it reached a standstill. The speaker then spoke again,
“Please remain seated and keep your seatbelts on till the light goes off above you. I hope you enjoyed your flight.”
“How long till we catch the next plane?” Jay questioned.
“Leaving Madrid at twelve forty five, and arriving in Quito at four fifty five in the morning,” Jordan replied.
“I’ll be shattered,” Jay said.
“Yeah, I’m definitely going for a sleep on the next flight,” Jordan agreed.
There was a small flash and the seatbelt light went off.
“Time to go,” Hollie announced.
They exited the plane, walked up the tunnel and moved into the passport checking line.
The man checked each passport before handing it back and signalling to go through.
After that they had their hand luggage checked.
Jay scrunched up his face, just like he did the first time he walked through the scanner.
And then when he heard the beep…
The beep?
Jay’s jaw dropped and he ducked to the left, trying to hide behind the trays of luggage.
The dreaded beep had been set off!
“We need to move it slowly,” Claire whispered from behind him.
“Have they seen me?” Jay asked.
Claire looked up and Jay decided to take a peek himself. He peered round the corner and the security were looking round like owners of a lost dog.
“Quick, when I say go, you jump up, grab your stuff and walk out casually, got it?”
“On your signal,” Jay assured.
“Go!” Claire nudged his arm with her leg, and Jay bolted upright.
He grabbed his jacket, pulled it over him, and shuffled slowly past Claire towards the duty free section at the airport. Not looking back just walking suspiciously along the laminate floor.
Then he heard the running footsteps.
“MOVE, THEY’RE AFTER US!” Hollie screamed, running behind Jordan, Claire and Broudie.
Behind her were two Spanish security blokes on hot pursuit and wearing not the friendliest of faces.
The Sisssters.
(Chapter 9)