To Break a Curse

Chapter 17

Hello all! Let me know what you think about this chapter... I think this deserves a vote as well for changing to updating 3 (yes three!) times a week :) 

***

'How's it going?' Will entered the room where Storm was working.

His relief that Storm had almost completed the potion was outweighed by the fact that it had now been three days since the evil wizard had captured Rose and Oliver and he was sick with worry for them.

'Someone get him out,' said Storm distractedly. Torrent hastened to the door and walked with Will up the corridor.

'Is everything...?'

'It's fine,' said Torrent hurriedly. 'It's just at a really tricky stage where stuff has got to be added then stirred at certain exact times. Or maybe it's stirred then added. I don't know. '

He stopped and looked at Will, 'you look ill, when did you last sleep?

Will ran a hand over his eyes, 'I don't know. Two days ago? Maybe three?'

Torrent huffed, 'well, you're no help to anyone like that. Go and get some sleep.'

'But what if something happens?' Will protested as Torrent steered him towards his bedroom. 'I have to be there!'

'I'll come and get you if it does, but you need to have more faith in Rose and Oliver. They're both very practical and pragmatic, Rose can look after herself and Oliver doesn't normally take any nonsense from anyone.'

Will gave in, 'ok, but come and get me if anything happens.'

Torrent saw Will sway with the tiredness he let himself feel for the first time in days and caught him just before he fell. He put Will's arm over his shoulder and half carried half dragged him to his room and put him on his bed.

That done, Torrent went back to Storm. 'Need any help?'

'No,' Storm sat back with a sigh; the most complicated part was done.

'The potion just needs to brew for eight hours now and then Tom or Merlin or someone with magic can use it to track Oliver and Rose,' she stood up and began to clean her hands. 'How's Will?'

Torrent rolled his eyes, 'he practically fell asleep standing up so I got him to go sleep for a bit.'

Storm shook her head, 'it's quite sweet how he and Rose are like brother and sister, but he does need to calm down a bit.'

'I know, it's almost like he doesn't realise there's only a year between them.'

'Well,' Storm laughed. 'We're exactly the same age but I think you're still mentally twelve.'

'You're so funny,' Torrent reached for an apple.

Storm got to it before he did and took a bite.

'That's not fair!' protested Torrent.

'See what I mean?' grinned Storm.

***

'What about over there?' Rose pointed at a group of trees that they could just about see through the darkness.

It was now completely dark. Oliver guessed they had been walking for about an hour since they left the city gates. Once they had left London, it was clear there was not going to be a handy barn they could sneak into for shelter for miles, there was just a single-track road with miles stones planted along it with various directions for places they had never heard of.