The hatred that Arnold felt for Levent was still eating him from the inside. As for his grandma, she had been trapped in the spirit world for a reason. Arnold had no intention of exploring how she was still there, or how she hadn’t appeared to age a day while trapped there, if his dream had been anything to go by.

  Anger erupted inside of Arnold. "You want me to use my connection to the spirit world to contact Levent? He’s a murderer, George! Or have you forgotten?"

  "Hear me out – "

  "I haven't got time for this." Arnold set off towards school. He had no intention of making any contact with Levent. Not until he was ready to do what needed to be done to avenge Elwood.

  "Arnold!" Everett scolded him. "There's no need to be like that with George! She’s only trying to help."

  Arnold sighed and reluctantly stopped in his tracks to allow George to finish.

  "In the dream you told us about, you saw them, and they saw you," George continued.

  Arnold nodded; he could still clearly remember how his grandma had appeared to shift her gaze directly towards Arnold in his dream.

  "She interacted with you. What if you could do the same?"

  To give her credit, George had a point, and Arnold did agree that if his grandma were able to spot him, then maybe he could communicate with them when he was dreaming. From what Arnold could tell, he was somehow linked with the spirit world when he dreamt of seeing through his eagle’s eyes, feeling what it felt and sometimes controlling its movements. He had always felt these were more than just dreams, but after his last experience, Arnold was even more confident that he was directly connecting to the spirit world somehow.

  "Even if I wanted to contact them, which I don't by the way, I haven't had any dreams about flying for the last three months.” Last night had been the first time in many months that he had dreamt of being in his eagle’s body, but he hadn’t been able to fly.

  He was correct the dreams had stopped abruptly. Although he missed dreaming of that sensation of flying, he didn't want to come face to face with Levent or his grandma given everything that had happened. As much as Arnold wanted revenge on Levent, he was not ready for a confrontation. He needed to be stronger and at full health in order to challenge him.

  "I believe there is a remedy we can use,” George replied. "Granny will know how to make it."

  "I suppose it's an idea,” Arnold said. “And at least it gives us something to aim for." He dreaded the thought of coming face to face with Levent again, but at this moment in time, he felt it the only option given that they had nothing else to go off.

  As the three of them continued their journey to school, Arnold couldn't help but feel that at some point, their plan was going to backfire on them. Yet, he felt he had a responsibility to locate whatever it was that had attacked him at the lock-up, before anyone else got hurt.

  They reached the school grounds and its usual early morning bustling. Many students stood huddled in groups, catching up on the latest gossip. Some were clutching copies of The Oswaldtwistle Advertiser.

  After leaving Everett and George, Arnold made his way down the winding corridors, exiting one building to take a shortcut he knew, feeling that he’d rather avoid the gossip and curious gazes of his classmates that morning. It was a pathway not meant for students, but he occasionally made the shortcut with no one noticing.

  "Ethon!" a voice bellowed from behind him.

  Arnold recognised the voice straight away.

  "Ethon!" Kaden called again.

  "What now?" Arnold snapped back, turning to find Kaden, Caleb, and Piers approaching. He wasn't in the mood for this.

  "Where's Otto?” Kaden sneered. "Not around to fight your battles."

  "Pretty sure I fought my own battle last I saw you,” Arnold said smugly, although in truth, he was ashamed of his actions during their last encounter. Regardless, he had proven in their last confrontation that he was more than a match for Kaden.

  Kaden stepped threateningly into Arnold's personal space in an attempt to intimidate him. His dark green energy rippled around him, causing Arnold to take a step back in surprise. Arnold realised he wasn’t the only one who had been training over the summer holidays.

  “Kaden, you can’t summon your spirit beast here,” Arnold protested. “If you’re caught, you’ll be expelled.” Getting into a schoolyard quarrel was one thing. Intentionally summoning one’s spirit beasts to fight was another.

  “Don’t tell me what I can’t do.” Kaden had a look of hatred as he continued to channel his auro. Arnold looked on with a feeling of unease. Surely one of the teachers would pick up on the energy he was emitting.

  It seemed that Arnold was on his own, however. He stared Kaden down, refusing to be intimidated by him or his goons. He was stronger than he had ever been and was not going to be pushed around this year.

  "Something funny, Ethon?" Kaden growled.

  "Nothing really. Just, your nose looks even funnier this close up."

  Piers and Caleb stepped forwards, and with ripples of power, they began to draw on their own auros. Piers’s was a dark purple and Caleb’s was a turquoise colour.

  Arnold took another step back. This was more than a schoolyard grudge, he realised – they truly intended to hurt him.

  Before he had a chance to move, Kaden shot forwards and shoved Arnold in the chest. As he did so, his viper spirit beast shot out from his arm, its mouth wide as it attempted to bite Arnold.

  Arnold swung his shoulder back, barely dodging the attack, but the movement caused him to grimace as pain from last night’s injury engulfed his arm. Piers and Caleb sprung to either side of him and grabbed his arms, restraining him. Arnold struggled against their firm grips, but his right arm was too weakened.

  Kaden grinned as he stepped forward. "This should knock you down a peg," he growled. He launched a volley of punches against Arnold’s chest and stomach. His viper started to coil itself around Arnold’s legs and waist until it had begun to constrict him.

  Arnold heaved as the wind was knocked from him, sucking in what air he could through rasping gasps. "Stop!" he yelled, his sides aching and his chest getting tighter as the viper moved higher towards his chest. He desperately tried to loosen his arms, but Piers and Caleb had a firm hold of them. “I can’t breathe!” he gasped as Kaden glared at him with pure hatred.

  Kaden gave a mirthless laugh. "Is this all you have? Let's face it; you’re still just as pathetic as last year." This time, Kaden struck Arnold across the face.

  Arnold had no option but to summon his energy from the spirit world, panic overcoming him as he continued to struggle. He drew on enough power to send out a warning ripple as his auro activated and he became shrouded in his own power. It was enough to cause the viper to loosen its grip and that was just the opening Arnold needed. He used Piers and Caleb's weight to lift his legs from the ground and kick Kaden backwards away from him, knocking him to the floor in the process.

  Using his momentum, Arnold swung his legs back to the floor and pulled Piers and Caleb down together in front of him, releasing a grimacing, pain-filled roar. As Kaden scrambled back to his feet, Piers swung a haymaker at Arnold, but Arnold quickly manoeuvred out of the way and pushed him backwards into Kaden, knocking the two of them over once again. Caleb attempted to land a punch, but Arnold dodged this with ease. Caleb's large frame meant he was considerably slower than Arnold was.

  Arnold landed a blow across Caleb's face, knocking him straight to the floor.

  Kaden climbed back to his feet and ran at Arnold, spearing him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him in the process. Arnold knew he was stronger than the three of them individually, but it was three against one and he was limited by his injury.

  Kaden began to rain down blows on Arnold’s body, clearly determined to prove a point. Arnold braced himself as Kaden swung both arms into the air to deliver a blow, but suddenly he was lifted off of Arnold and slammed to the floor.

  Marrok stood there with his arm outstretched. "Need a hand?" he smiled.

  Arnold gratefully took Marrok’s hand and pulled himself back to his feet.

  "Three against one isn’t really fair, is it?" Marrok said confidently. He walked over to where Kaden lay on the ground and kicked him in the side, leaving him sprawled out on the floor.

  "Now three against, two, I like those odds better." Marrok smirked.

  Kaden furiously jumped back to his feet. "Come on, then," he growled.

  "What on earth is going on here?" a voice roared from the doorway.

  Mr. Higgins was standing there, looking livid. "Follow me, now. All of you."

  The charged atmosphere dropped like a stone in a well.

  They all scowled but did as they were told and followed Mr. Higgins across the courtyard. Arnold knew straight away that they were being marched to the office of their head of years, Mrs. Elctree.

  Mr. Higgins dragged Kaden, Piers, and Caleb into the office first, instructing Arnold and Marrok to sit on the chairs outside.

  "Listen," Marrok spoke under his breath. "I know how the Spirit Wardens works. If you get in trouble for fighting here, you will be punished there, too."

  "I can't let you take the blame."

  "I'm the new kid. After this, everyone will leave me alone, and you won’t get reprimanded at the Spirit Wardens. Win-win, really. Just follow my lead, okay?"

  It didn't sit well with Arnold, but he felt that Marrok had given him little choice in the situation.

  A few minutes later, Kaden and his goons scurried out of the office, and Mr. Higgins led them away to another room.

  "You two in here, please," Mrs. Elctree's stern voice called. "Sit there." She gestured to the chairs on the other side of her desk, then sat forwards with her fingers interlocked, her glasses perched on the end of her pointed nose. "Tell me what happened."

  "They jumped Arnold, miss. I got there, and the three of them were beating him up. So I ended it." Marrok spoke before Arnold had the chance to say anything.

  "You're saying you caused all three of their injuries because they were beating Arnold up? Is this true, Arnold?"

  Arnold didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded in agreement even though this didn't feel right to him.

  "Fighting is forbidden at this school, whether or not it is justified in your eyes. I'm sorry, Marrok, I am going to have to call your mum. You are suspended for the rest of the week. The same goes for Kaden, Piers, and Caleb." She pushed her glasses back up her nose before continuing. "Arnold, I suggest you go to class, if you are okay to do so."

  “Maybe Ethon would benefit with the rest of the day off, given the current state of him?” Mr. Higgins said. Arnold hadn’t noticed him hovering outside the doorway.

  "Very well. I will contact your parents."

  When Arnold stood up to make his way out of the office, he glanced back to find Marrok discreetly giving him the thumbs up. Arnold knew he now had the rest of the day to look into the creature that attacked him.

  “Wait outside until your parents come to pick you up,” Mrs. Elctree said, using her eyes to sternly point at the door. “I do not expect to see this from any of you again for the rest of the school year!”

  Mr. Higgins held the door open for the two of them to leave and Arnold and Marrok obliged, walking back out into the hall where Kaden, Piers, and Caleb all sat silent and stoney faced.

  “Perhaps you two can come and wait at my office,” Mr. Higgins said as he closed Mrs. Elctree’s office door behind him. “It is quite clear you boys cannot be trusted to be left with one another.”

  Kaden stared into Arnold as if he wanted to rip him apart. Arnold simply stared back; he wasn’t intimidated by him anymore.

  “Now,” Mr. Higgins said as he continued his walk towards his office. Not wanting to get into any more trouble, they both quickly followed.

  When they reached his office, Mr. Higgins opened his door and sternly said, “Inside, now.” It was a side to Mr. Higgins that Arnold had not seen before, and it made him nervous. After he and Marrok entered, Mr. Higgins slammed the door shut behind him.

  “Do you two take me for an idiot?” Mr. Higgins demanded. “It’s quite clear you were involved in the fight, Ethon, I could see your bloody auro when I arrived!” He walked to his desk and sat down, exhaling deeply. “If I had told Mrs. Elctree, you would have all been expelled, and there goes your education. I am sure the Spirit Wardens would not have been thrilled, either.”

  “But – ” Arnold began to argue his defence.

  “Save it. You really have let yourselves down, boys.” Mr. Higgins looked at Marrok. “Can you give us a moment?”

  “Yes, sir,” Marrok said before leaving as instructed.

  “Are we still on for practising this spirit-wielding?” Mr. Higgins asked. Though he still looked frustrated, his tone had changed, and Arnold suspected he was trying to hide his excitement.

  Arnold had completely forgotten that he was meant to be sitting with Mr. Higgins tonight, after everything that had been happening.

  “I’ve been reading up, and I think I can help you,” Mr. Higgins continued. “Take the rest of today to rest and we will go through what I have found on Friday.”

  “Yes, sir,” Arnold said.

  “Now, go wait outside with Marrok, and try to keep yourself out of bother.” Mr. Higgins look exasperated. “I dread to think what would have happened if it was another teacher who caught you all fighting.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Arnold replied sheepishly before leaving the room.

  Arnold, however, dreaded to think what would have happened if Marrok hadn’t shown up.

  Around lunchtime, a text came through from George: Heard that you got sent home I'm at Granny's shop as planned you should come here G x.

  Quickly getting changed out of his uniform, Arnold made the ten-minute walk to Rushton’s Remedies. The bell rang as he entered though the wooden doorway, and George and her granny looked up straight away.

  "How are you?” George asked. “I heard what happened. As if they suspended Marrok."

  "I'm fine, just a little achy. I should have been suspended, too. Marrok took the fall, insisted on it.” He brought his hand up to his aching arm. “I don’t suppose you have anything that can help with this pain?” he asked. He didn’t care how foul the concoction tasted if it helped reduce his pain.

  George's granny was standing with her back turned to the two of them. Arnold could see her motioning her hands, and what looked like steam or smoke rose in front of her, casting a floral smell around the room. By the usual standards, it was quite pleasant. She then leant over slowly to pull out a flask which she placed on the worktop, her arched back reflective of her age as she continued to tinker and toil with her brew.

  While waiting, Arnold looked around the shop. It was as ramshackle as the first time he had visited, and he still found it fascinating that they were able to find anything in here amongst the clutter. His eyes searched over the cabinet he had knocked over last time he was in here, and he noticed the chalice was gone.

  Panicking, he asked, “Where’s the chalice? I didn’t break it, did I?”

  Edith didn’t look up from grinding up some herbs with a pestle and mortar, which she then added to another bowl in front of her. Using a small step that she could move around the shop given her short stature, she reached for a ladle from the rack above her. She then used this to scoop the liquid from the bowl, transferring it to a flask.

  Finally, she said, “It was just an old thing, don’t worry,” then handed the flask to Arnold. "Here, drink this dear."

  Reluctantly, Arnold accepted the flask, unable to decide whether it was smoke or steam rising from the concoction within. As nice as it smelt, it looked awful, like a mud pie fused with petals. He drank it as quickly as possible, hoping to evade the foul taste. Three large gulps in, he gagged as he struggled to finish it. It tasted exactly how it looked – like thick, grainy sludge.

  George's granny laughed. "What did you expect, lemonade? That's a family remedy that my mother taught me when I was just a young girl. Tastes terrible, but those aches and pains you are feeling will slowly subside soon, I promise."

  It was telling how much Arnold trusted her, given that he had just drunk the vile liquid without even asking what it was first.

  "Georgina tells me you can connect with the spirit world through your dreams?" she asked as she walked back around to the other side of the counter. "Very rare indeed, if it's true."

  "I used to have dreams that I was flying. Then my spirit beast turned out to be an eagle. Since then, my dreams have mostly stopped."

  "I see. It may be that now the connection is complete, there is no need for these dreams or visions." She began to putter about, picking up different herbs and remedies and putting them into a fresh bowl. "Now, it might be that you just experienced dreams. However, if there is a true connection, you need to be very careful not to interact with anything on the other side." The tone of her voice changed as she continued to grind and add herbs to her latest remedy. "If you interact with something that is in the spirit world, you run the risk of it trapping you there."

  Knowing their plan was to contact Levent in the spirit world, Arnold did not like keeping this from George's granny.

  As if reading Arnold’s mind, George cut him off before he could say anything. "We just want to see if it’s a dream or if it’s a true connection."

  Arnold was surprised at George’s omission of the truth, given how close she was with her granny. If Arnold felt unsure about contacting Levent, he felt even more uneasy now that he had been warned he could get trapped in the spirit world.

  Edith cast her a look that implied that she didn't fully believe the words that had just come out of George's mouth. "I trust you, Georgina." The way she said it almost seemed like a warning.

  "George, Granny, not Georgina," George corrected her.

  "That is not the name you were given at birth. It's not the name I will be using for you." She gave George a quizzical look. “No matter how many times you ask me.” She finished what she was doing and poured the fine powder that she had created into a little brown bag before sealing it and passing it to Arnold. "Here you go. Just add some boiling water before you go to sleep and inhale the vapours that it produces. If there is a connection, you will know about it by the time you have woken up."

 

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