Mirabelle
Mirabelle was crying, but they were tears of rage. She watched the devastation wrought on the Path of Flowers and felt utterly helpless.
‘I think that’s nearly the last of them,’ said Tom, his voice hoarse and low.
Mirabelle looked to where Eliza had been standing only a few moments ago. She wiped her tears viciously with her hand. She could hear roars of victory rising up from the path.
‘Doesn’t matter,’ she said defiantly. ‘Time for the next line of defence.’
Freddie
Freddie was revolted by the fury and savagery of the villagers. He’d watched in horror as they’d cut into the flowers and brutalized them with every available implement. The victory roar that now went up from the villagers was even more sickening. His mother was crying, and Dr Ellenby looked stunned by the devastation.
Mr Teasdale was standing over the squirming body of a flower as it hissed and rattled, breathing its last. He raised the poker above it, ready to plunge it through the flower’s soft flesh.
‘Mr Teasdale!’ Freddie’s mother roared in disgust.
Mr Teasdale blinked for a moment, like a man suddenly roused from a dream. He looked dazedly at Freddie’s mother, a look of shame eventually crossing his face. He let the poker drop by his side, then turned away from the flower to join the throng now gathered before the gate.
Mr Pheeps was clapping.
‘Very well done, very well done. You are all to be congratulated.’
People were breathing hard, the night fogging with their breath. Each of them seemed dazed, half asleep, as if caught between waking and dreaming. Freddie saw his father look at his own hands in incomprehension.
‘They did well,’ said Pheeps, turning to Freddie and the others.
Freddie glared at him. Mr Pheeps clasped his hands together gleefully. ‘This is your moment – there is nothing to stop you now! Exact your punishment—’
‘I think Eliza might have something to say about that,’ said Dr Ellenby, pointing.
Between the two stone pillars of the gate a black cloud rose up, hissing and roiling.
Mr Pheeps laughed. ‘I very much doubt tha—’
The cloud rolled forward with impossible speed and then broke up into its constituent parts and the villagers found themselves confronted with a wave of thousands of spiders.
Mr Teasdale shrieked as the mass of spiders spun up his legs, covering his body in a fizzing layer of black. He danced about and flapped his hands, trying to dislodge the spiders, but they held fast.
Most of the other villagers found themselves dealing with the same problem. Freddie watched in delight as Constable Griggs batted at spiders with his helmet, while Mr Carswell pitched headfirst into a hedge, his face covered with the creatures.
Mr Pheeps screamed at the people, urging them to pull together in the face of Eliza’s attack.
Freddie felt a small twinge of hope. Dr Ellenby put a hand on his shoulder.
‘She’s just buying them some time,’ he said.
Jem
Jem watched in admiration as Eliza attacked the villagers. A small part of her hoped that this would make the difference and force them to turn back, but she knew it was a vain hope.
Eventually the wave of spiders pulled back, like a black tide heading away from a shore. The people were still reeling, so Eliza had time to reconstitute herself as she made her way back up the driveway, but she was limping and Jem’s heart lurched as Mirabelle’s aunt reached the steps and she saw the gaps in her face. Even so, Eliza tried her best to smile. She sat on a low stone pillar to rest and regain her strength.
‘She did very well,’ said Odd.
Jem jumped with fright. Odd had appeared by her side, and he smiled when he saw the look of astonishment on her face.
‘I know what you’re thinking, but appearances can be deceptive,’ he said. ‘I walked here.’ He frowned. ‘Although “crawled in complete agony” might be a more apt description.’ He turned to look at Eliza. ‘You did very well, Aunt. We’re all very proud of you.’
Eliza raised half a hand weakly in salute.
Odd winced and held his side.
‘You shouldn’t be here, Odd,’ Mirabelle said.
‘Where else would I be except here to watch the destruction of a centuries-old dynasty to which, I reluctantly admit, I have at times been proud to belong.’
‘You’re very convincing, Odd,’ said Eliza wryly.
He stumbled slightly, and both Jem and Mirabelle caught him. He tried to smile.
‘I know what you’re both thinking. The situation is dire, and perhaps Odd can do something, but I confess I am too weak, and even if I could transport everyone that thing would eventually find us.’
They all turned to watch as the crowd slowly began to recover. Silhouettes by the gate picked up weapons they’d dropped in the panic, readying for their next advance.
Nobody said anything. Jem felt sick with fear. Her mind was spinning. Surely there was some way they could help themselves. All she’d seen was pain and destruction and violence, and there didn’t seem to be anything to counter it.
Except . . .
She turned and went into the house. Mirabelle called after her, but Jem shouted back over her shoulder and said she would be back as quickly as she could. She found the twins in the hallway, both peering fearfully out the window. She tried to grab one by the shoulders, feeling foolish when her hands went right through her.
‘Dotty, I need your help. I want you—’
The girl pointed at the other twin. ‘That’s Dotty, I’m Daisy,’ she said, looking disgusted.
‘Sorry,’ said Jem. She turned to Dotty. ‘Dotty, I need you to get the key to Piglet’s room and meet me there as quickly as possible.’
Dotty looked terrified. ‘I can’t do that. Enoch will be angry.’
Daisy rolled her eyes. ‘Just do it, Dotty. It probably won’t matter very soon.’
Dotty looked unsure for a moment, then nodded at Jem.
Jem didn’t waste another second. She ran as fast as she could down into the depths of
