The Golden Acorn - Catherine Cooper [46]
‘When it’s all laced together it looks like this,’ Elan said as she took out one of Nora’s books from the picnic basket. She opened it and showed Jack a drawing of the cauldron. Nora tapped the page with her wand three times. The drawing came to life, rose from the page and began rotating. Jack was fascinated. As the cauldron slowly turned he looked closely at the plates. He couldn’t see any of the holes now the plates were joined. The cauldron was larger than Jack had imagined.
‘Where did the holes go?’
‘If we didn’t use a little bit of magic it would leak,’ laughed Nora. She gave one of the plates a gentle tap with her wand and the holes sealed; another tap and the holes reappeared.
‘The cauldron is one of the four treasures of Annwn,’ began Elan.
‘You said I could tell Jack,’ interrupted Camelin and looked pleadingly at Nora.
‘Go ahead,’ she smiled, ‘and when you’ve finished we can eat.’
‘There were four great treasures,’ Camelin began rapidly. ‘The first was the Sword of Power, a great magical battle sword, which made its owner invincible as long as it was used for good.’
Camelin picked up a twig and lunged at Jack.
‘And the second?’
‘That was the Spear of Justice. It didn’t harm anyone who told the truth. The third was the Stone of Destiny, which could reveal your future.’
‘And the fourth was the cauldron?’ said Jack.
‘Yes, but I’m telling this,’ Camelin grumbled, then quickly carried on when he saw Nora’s frown, before she could say anything. ‘The cauldron was the only way of transporting objects between the two worlds. It was known as the Cauldron of Life. You could open the Western Portal with it and bring back the leaves from the Crochan tree to make the elixir, or Hamadryad acorns to plant. Did I miss anything out?’
Nora shook her head and smiled at Camelin before turning to Jack.
‘Each one of the treasures has the power, when used with a Druid’s golden acorn, to open a portal into Annwn. The others are no longer on Earth and their gateways have been sealed. The only entry left is through the Western Portal on Glasruhen Hill but it’s impossible to open without the cauldron.’
The recovery of the cauldron plates suddenly became very real to Jack. While the others chatted over lunch, he ate in silence. A lot was depending on him.
After lunch Nora got the boat out and they rowed over to Gerda’s island. Instead of flying, Camelin sat on the prow like a figurehead. They showed Jack around the island and Gerda waddled happily over to greet them. On the way back Jack and Elan got out and paddled in the shallows and splashed each other.
‘I think you’d better go and get some dry clothes on,’ laughed Nora when she saw Jack’s soaked jeans.
They repacked the basket. Jack carried the rug back to the kitchen then went upstairs to change. Before he opened the bedroom door he knew something was wrong. A familiar smell hit his nostrils. As he peeped round the door he gasped. The duvet was half off the bed, the bedside cabinet had been turned over and his Book of Shadows lay open on the floor. Soil had been trailed everywhere. Jack looked in horror at the wrecked room.
‘Elan!’ he cried.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Somebody’s been in my room.’
Elan looked at the mess.
‘I didn’t do this!’
‘I know.’
Jack began frantically searching through the mess.
‘The golden acorn, it’s gone!’
INTO THE TUNNEL
Jack continued to search his room while Elan went to find Nora and Camelin. The golden acorn was nowhere to be found.
Nora stood in the doorway and sniffed the air.
‘I left it on the table,’ Jack told her. ‘I know I did.’
‘Spriggans!’ she gasped.
He fought back the tears.
‘When was the last time you saw it?’
‘After breakfast. You gave it back to me after the ritual. I put it on the table, with my Book of Shadows and wand, when I came upstairs. I don’t understand how they knew where to find it?’
‘Spriggans can smell gold easily and once they’ve got the scent they don’t give up. Maybe they weren’t just hunting rats when they tunnelled into your greenhouse