Arthur Hood: the Heir of Robin and King

Chapter Fourteen

'Merlynna, it's time to go.' Mrs Good's voice wafted through the young witch's bedroom window. 'Time to travel to your placement. And be quick about it, you don't want to be late.'

Stuffing the remainder of her belongings inside her tiny cat-print suitcase, Merlynna shouted loudly, 'I'll be down in a moment. I just need to pack one last thing.' Then with a smile, she looked down at the floorboard beside her feet and said with a snap of her fingers, 'Open sesame.'

In an instant, the floorboard lifted, revealing a secret compartment and two objects. Merlynna reached inside and pulled out the shard that she had stumbled across the other night. It was still glowing.

'Maybe not the best idea to bring you,' she said. 'Who knows what you are and what you're capable of. Safer to keep you where I found you, here at the orphanage. Imagine you're something extremely powerful and I lost you. But if you are powerful, maybe I should tell Miss Harrower, Madame Joan and Mrs Good about you. But they may get mad and not let me back in here if things don't go well with my placement. Yes, you'll remain a secret.'

After putting the shard back inside the secret compartment, Merlynna pulled out the other object.

'You I will take.' Merlynna beamed at the yo-yo. 'I wonder if they'll notice that it's missing from their office. And if they do, how long will it take them?' She gave out a giggle. 'It's their fault, they shouldn't have reminded me of it.'

Before putting it inside her suitcase, Merlynna gave the yo-yo a quick test. And with a flick of her wrist, it raced away from her hand and began zigzagging across the room like a shooting star with an endless tail. After doing a few loops, it then began to spin around and around like a tornado.

Watching the toy reminded Merlynna of Fury.

Where was he, she wondered? Hopefully, he'll see her leaving and come with her. She really didn't want to go to her placement alone.

'Where are you, Merlynna?' bellowed Mrs Good, a clear agitation now in her tone.

'I'm coming,' Merlynna replied. With another flick of her wrist, the yo-yo shot back into her hand. She then said to it, 'Yes, you could come in very handy.'

Staring back down at the secret compartment and the shard inside, she snapped her fingers and the floorboard was put back in place.

'Now what's the best charm so that nobody will ever find my hiding spot?' she then thought to herself. 'Ah, yes.' And with a wink, she muttered, 'Abraxa.' Suddenly all the floorboards in her bedroom shifted around like speedy slithering snakes. 'Now I don't even know where it is anymore.'

'Merlynna! If you don't come down this instant, I will levitate you out of your window.'

Not wanting to leave ungracefully like that, Merlynna slammed her suitcase closed, grabbed the handle and bolted from her bedroom, where a sendoff party was waiting for her in the corridor.

Standing with their backs to the walls, it seemed like every girl at the orphanage was there.

'That's very kind of all of you for seeing me off,' Merlynna bantered with them, a big grin on her face.

Scowls replied to that, which widened Merlynna's smirk.

'We're making sure you leave,' came a chorus.

'Oh, so none of you will miss me then?' Merlynna said. 'But we had so many wonderful times together. Remember when I accidentally hexed everyone's clothes with an itching spell.'

'I was covered in a rash for weeks,' someone snapped.

As more raised voices reacted to the reminiscence, several girls began closing in on Merlynna from behind, making the young witch pick up the pace. And when she reached the stairs, more girls had joined in, it feeling like she was being pursued by a mob with pitchforks.