Haven't got anything," said Kae.
"I've got zero," said Eli.
"I have one," I said. We were sitting, as best as we could in the small bubble, with our feet touching in the center and our backs against the wall.
"It's not much of one," I warned.
"Still something," said Stephanie. "Let's hear it."
"Well," I began, " When you first appointed me leader of the quest-"
"Which you did a very good job of," said Kae, pretending to raise a toast.
"Thank you," I said, caught slightly off guard. "When you appointed me as leader, I gave you a choice on whether you wanted to go on the quest or not, right?"
"Um, yeah," said Mallory. "We all said yes, so what?"
"No," I said impatiently. "When you were all deciding, what did Amaryllis say?"
"She said," said Stephanie,"even though Arachne hasn't risen yet, the Earth is still disturbed by the rising of such a evil creature. The results are that the planet has transformed into a temporary version of the true Land of Au and that the population of Earth are being held in captivity to ensure their safety. Defeating Arachne would bring back the population and return Earth to normal. If you don't try, though, you'll be stuck living here for a month, and then when Arachne rises, be incinerated."
I nodded. "Exactly. She persuaded us to go on the quest."
I waited for my words to sink in.
Stephanie gasped.
"She persuaded us!" she cried out.
"And if she did-" started Holly, but in her excitement didn't finish. No more had to be said, though. Everyone knew what we was thinking.
"Do you think she might be on Kira's and our side after all?" asked Mallory.
I shook her head.
"No, I think she truly is loyal to Arachne," she said.
"Then why-" began Eli.
"No," I said, my excitement beginning to take over. "I think she was forced to be loyal to Arachne because she is a Spinner. I also think that she would like to be as evil and ruthless as Arachne, but just can't. She knows it's wrong, so she just can't bring herself to do it."
"How do you know all this?" asked Phillip in fascination.
I shrugged.
"She persuaded us to go on the quest. She's trying to be as evil as Arachne, did you see how openly ruthless she was? Yet she didn't seem comfortable with it. I think that Amaryllis wishes she could do the right thing, but can't find the courage to do it. So she helps us in little ways that Arachne won't notice. Like giving us that bit of info to make us go on the quest. After we got out, she put us in a different holding cell instead of turning us over to Arachne. In little ways, she trying to help us defeat Arachne so she can finally be free," I said. "And if we can persuade her to openly oppose Arachne with us, we may just win. How does that sound?"
"Nice," admitted Stephanie. "So what's our plan?"
I grinned as she leaned in.
"Magic," I whispered.
Chapter 25
I tried for the tenth time. I hurled the golden streak of light at the bubble, trying to make it shatter. The light struck the bubble and dissipated.
"It's no use," I said, slumping down. "It definitely will not work."
"Not true," said Kae. "Look, you made a crack there." He pointed. I leaned closer and did, in fact, see a small, thin, line running down the side of the bubble. I gave Kae a grateful smile, and reached for the magic inside once again. I had proved surprisingly adequate with magic, needing no practice to make it work. This, I supposed, was just how you felt with a power. It came naturally, without any practice. Useful if you need to defeat a spider queen in three hours.
I continued to hit the crack again and again, until finally the bubble burst open, and we all cheered silently. We clambered out and jumped the few feet to the bottom.
Once there, we silently congratulated one another with pats on the back to me and silent squeals (Yes, even the boys got into it. Don't listen to them. They got into it.)
After congratulations, we crept along the corridors. We were heading the way we saw Amaryllis go, and all was going well until we encountered a fork in the road.
"Which way should we go?" whispered Stephanie.
"I don't know," I said. "Maybe we should just pick one and take it."
Her friends looked at her like she was crazy.
"Hey, look," said Phillip, pointing. The orange goo from the apple was sliding down the left hallway.
"Should we take it?" asked Kae.
"Why not?" I said, and we all hurried down after the goop puddle. The goop led us down all sorts of hallways and corridors until we finally stopped at a door where the goop slid inside through the crack underneath the door.
''Let's go in?" asked Stephanie, phrasing it like a question.
"Sure," I said, and Eli opened the door. Inside was the goddess Islana.
"Islana," I said.
"Evanna," said the goddess, inclining her head. "And Holly, Mallory, Stephanie, Eli, Phillip, and Kae. What a nice surprise." She didn't sound surprised.
"Why did the goop lead us here?" I asked as politely as she could.
"Goop?" questioned the goddess. I gestured to the goop, which had retreated to the corner.
"Oh, that," said the goddess. "Here." She snapped her fingers, and the goop transformed into a little elf. He had gray-green eyes, and blond hair and wore an outfit like one Santa's elves.
"Oh, you're so cute!" exclaimed Holly, reaching down to pet the little thing.
"Excuse me!" cried the elf, hopping away. "What a grave offense! I am not cute! I am useful!" He puffed his chest out proudly.
"Yes," said Islana. "You are useful." She snapped her fingers and a purse appeared, emblazoned with the word MINIONS. Islana picked up the elf and stuck him in the purse, snapped her fingers once more and the purse disappeared.
"Thank you," said the goddess. "I needed a new minion, mine were running low."
"What did you do?" asked Holly, horrified.
"Oh, just collected a new minion. I couldn't do it myself, Arachne would immediately know of my presence and banish me somewhere, so I had to get you to do it. See, all my minions are born from apples. Mouse holes have magical powers. If you place an apple slice by one, an elf grows and rushes off to find me. And that's what I need you to do," said Islana. "Now that you have done it, I can grant you a gift."
"What kind of gift?" asked Stephanie, raising her eyebrows in suspicion.
"A spell," said the goddess. "The only one in existence that can defeat Arachne."
The room grew still.
"Are you sure?" asked Stephanie. "Absolutely sure?"
"I am sure," said the goddess. "I am the only only one who knows about it besides Arachne, and now you seven kids. Will you accept my gift?"
Stephanie still looked suspicious, but I said, "Yes, thank you, Islana, goddess of fortune, gifts, and celebration."
The goddess smiled, showing all her teeth, and produced a scroll from thin air. She dropped it in my palm and said,"Use it well."
She turned to go.
"Wait!" I called out. The goddess looked back.
"Um," said I awkwardly. "Um, we don't know the way back to the room Arachne is in. Er, can you..."
Islana smiled.
"Done," she said. She snapped her fingers and the little elf my friends and I helped create appeared, looking a little dazed.
"He'll lead the way," said Islana. Then she disappeared.
Chapter 26
"Well!" said Holly, staring at the spot where the goddess disappeared.
"The elf looked up at her.
He is pretty adorable, I thought. Though he isn't more than two feet tall.
As if the elf guessed what I was thinking, he gave her a scowl and set off for the door.
"Are we going to follow him?" asked Eli.
"Do we have a choice?" asked Kae for loke the tenth time during this quest. Holly had already run after the elf, yelling,"But we don't even know your name!"
/> "Nope," I said, and we ran after the elf.
The elf's name, as it turned out, was Pipsqueak. Pipsqueak crossly led us through the halls muttering angrily about the demeaning job he had while Holly ran after him telling him how cute his name was.
We trailed after them, making small talk, but I knew what was all on our minds: What the scroll said. I hadn't opened it yet, and I knew her friends were becoming uncomfortable as they waited. I felt guilty about that, but for some reason, I didn't want to open the scroll until she had to.
"Um, Evanna?" asked Kae as we raced after Pipsqueak, who had decided to amp up his speed.
"Yeah?" she puffed out.
"Can you.. once Pipsqueak slows down.... open the scroll?" he heaved. My spirits sank slightly as I nodded.
"Yeah," I said. "Sure."
Finally Pipsqueak slowed down until he almost started strolling along the corridors, and Kae fell in step with me.
"Well?" he asked. I sighed.
"Call the others," I said. Kae gave her a grin and did so.
My friends gathered around me eagerly.
I took out the scroll and began to read.
"Ingredients," I read out loud. "One silver bell, one strand of silk made by a Firozsha spider, two eyes of newt, and the leaves of a blue fern-rose."
I looked up.
"Do we have any of those things?" asked Holly.
"Oh!" cried out Mallory. "I have the fern-rose leaves. They were left over from when I treated Evanna's leg from the spike Aren'k threw."
"And I know where to get a sliver bell," said Stephanie with a sly smile.
"Where?" I inquired curiously. Stephanie smiled that creepy smile again and pointed at Pipsqueak's hat. There, on top, were three jingly silver bells.
"Perfect," said Phillip, giving her an approving smile. "But how are we going to get it from him?"
We all turned to Holly.
"Oh, no," she said. "If you think I'm going to use my power of voice against him to get him to give up one of his bells, I'll just let you know right now that I am not going to do it."
Stephanie smiled her best Cheshire cat grin.
"Oh, yes, yes you are," she said. "And before you try to argue I'll have you know I have never lost an argument. I always win them over in the end. So instead of wasting all that time I'd get going."
"It's true," said Kae helpfully. "She keeps on arguing until her opponent gets worn out and gives up."
Holly sighed. "Fine," she said.
After pouring all the sweetness, charm, and innocence in her voice that she held, she held the whole room mesmerized as she coyly asked for a bell. As soon as the elf placed it in her palm she strode back to her friends, dropped the bell into my palm, and said," Close your mouth, Stephanie, you look like a fish." Then she stalked back up toward Pipsqueak and began jabbering away with him.
"Well," said Mallory. "That was.. unusual."
Stephanie snorted.
"Please," she said. "I don't think I've ever seen a better performance anywhere. I'm going to go congratulate her." She walked up to Holly.
"So am I," said Eli, running up to her.
"Can't hurt," I said as she walked up to Holly, and everyone followed her. Holly relaxed as everyone praised her, and Pipsqueak looked mutinous as he heard how utterly entranced he had been by Holly's voice.
Chapter 27
"Well, I think that's all we can get from the ingredients for now," I said, staring at her list.
"Uh-huh," said Stephanie. "We better hope we can find the other stuff in Arachne's room."
"You have it?" came a voice from the hallway. We turned. Amaryllis stood behind us. She had changed back into the appearance she wore when she met us.
"You really have it?" she asked incredulously. "The spell of Akandi, the only spell that can defeat Arachne?"
"Um, yes," I said uncertainly. Amaryllis didn't look like she was going to attack, so I decided to hold my fire as long as she did.
"Ever since Arachne enslaved me I've been looking for it..." breathed Amaryllis.
"Wait, what?" asked Mallory. "Arachne enslaved you?"
Amaryllis nodded, not taking her eyes off the scroll.
"She enslaved me and my entire family, the race of the Spinners. It might surprise you, but we are a peaceful race. Only Arachne became corrupted, and wanted to gain control. She mastered the darkest magic, and threatened to use it on us unless we swore fealty to her. We were all cowards. We all, one by one, went up to Arachne's throne and swore fealty. I'm afraid some of us are still cowards. Like me. I, in little ways, did try to oppose Arachne, but I could never be as brave as you seven," said Amaryllis. Just then, Amaryllis did not look like someone who we couldn't trust, she didn't look like a ruthless, cunning, evil machine. She looked like a confused seventeen-year old girl. My face softened as she reached out to touch Amaryllis's hand.
"But you can," I said softly. "If you join us now, you can be the person you wanted to be. It's not too late."
"Person?" asked Amaryllis, tears pooling in her eyes, "No, I will never be a person. I am a coward, and I cannot change that. I am sorry, Evanna, but I cannot." She withdrew her hand. "I will not oppose you, Evanna. You must fulfill your destiny. Go. Arachne's room is that way."
Amaryllis pointed to a hallway.
"Second door on the right," she said.
"Thank you," I said, and she kissed Amaryllis's cheek. We turned to go, but Amaryllis stopped her.
"Wait," she said, alarm in her eyes. "Isn't one of the ingredients for the spell a strand of silk from a Firozsha spider?"
"Yes," I said. "How did you know?"
"The Spinners are a type of Firozsha spider," said Amaryllis, ignoring my question. "If you want...."
I looked at her for a minute, confused, and then her face cleared.
"Oh!" she said. "Um, yes, thank you, if you can..."
I trailed off as Amaryllis reached inside her cardigan pocket and pulled out a handful of pearly white strands, which she pressed into my hand.
"In case you need extra," she said, smiling at me. I smiled back and said,"Thank you." Amaryllis smiled slightly as we turned off to follow Pipsqueak. When I looked back, she was gone.
______________________________________________
The second door on the right didn't look any different than the others. Pipsqueak had pointed us to the door and left, muttering angrily about how he'd never live it down.
I pushed it open. This time, we were in a dark large circular room, with damp, dark, stones making up the walls. Weird dark green slimy clambered over the wall, filling the room with a strange smell. There was no sign of Arachne. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. She jumped, and turned to find Holly.
"Look," she whispered, and pointed to a shelf. On it were jars, and one of them was labeled EYES OF NEWT.
"Thanks," I whispered, and I reached inside and grabbed two of the slimy balls.
We all stood in the center of the room. The room was extremely dark, and I could barely make out anything in the murky gloom. Just as her eyes started to get adjusted and she could make a couple of blurry shapes, a bright light was switched on and the room flooded with light. Then, into the center of the light, walked Arachne, and after her Amaryllis.
Chapter 28
"So," said Arachne, pressing the tips of her fingers together. "You escaped yet again." She smiled a slow, creepy, smile.
"Amaryllis!" she exclaimed, her sly expression changing as fast as flash into a expression of thunderous murder. "How dare you let them go again! And after I was so kind to let you go the first time!"
Amaryllis shrank back and whispered,"You know about that?"
Arachne gave her a murderous and triumphant smile.
"I know all," she said in a deadly whisper, showing all her teeth. Amaryllis looked very scared.
"You," continued Arachne in a voice that trembled with suppressed anger. "You! You are the most incompetent servant I have ever had! You are lucky that I will forgive you once
more.."
But Arachne stopped, because Amaryllis had gotten up, her warm cocoa eyes narrowed into slits.
"Servant?" hissed Amaryllis. "I am a mere servant to you? No, not just a servant, an incompetent one?"
Arachne began to stammer slightly, but Amaryllis cut through her.
"If I am so little needed to you, I see no reason to continue in your service," she said. "I QUIT!"
Arachne looked so shocked, that later I wished she had a camera.
"You can't quit!" cried Arachne incredulously. "Do I need to remind you of the powers I have gained control of, the things I can do to you if you don't follow me?"
Amaryllis faced her, looking at Arachne straight in the eye.
"You know what?" asked Amaryllis scathingly. "I. Don't. Care. Do your worst."
"No, Amaryllis!" I cried, but Amaryllis ignored me.
"You will see what happens when you defy me!" cried Arachne imperiously. She raised her hand, and I cried,"No!" and tried to push Amaryllis out of the way.
But my friends held me back, and right before the flaming red ball of fire hit Amaryllis, she turned straight to me and said,"Make my death count, Evanna." Then the ball of fire crashed into her, and all that was left of Amaryllis was a big, black, smudge.
"No!" I cried, tears running down her face. "No!"
"Shh, Evanna, calm down," said Holly. She was using her power, I knew, because I instantly felt calm when Holly's words reached my ears.
"Yes!" said Arachne, her mad eyes gleaming with hunger. "Yes, now you see what I can do! Do you fear me? Do you dread me?"
I did, in fact, feel fear inside, a fear so strong all she wanted to do was to curl up in a ball and hide. But something inside her, something so strong it could overpower anything, knew that she could not let Amaryllis's fate come to anyone else.
"Yes," I said. "Yes, I do fear you." Arachne cackled with mad delight, but I continued.
"But sometimes," I said. "You can't give in to fear. If you let fear rule your life, you can never do anything. And I'm not gonna let fear rule my life."
Arachne snorted and said, "You are so stupid the way you think a that a few noble words will save your life. Look at that." Arachne pointed out the window, and I could see a beautiful white moon, as round as the most perfect pearl, rising up in the sky.
"The moon will soon reach its zenith, and I will rise at full power, and no one will be able to defeat me then!" cried Arachne.
"Yeah, well I plan to stop you before that happens," I said, and I reached into her pocket to get the scroll.