A Life Beyond by Mark Church (ebook reader web TXT) 📕

quizzed Daniel as he readied himself to throw the first one in his sisters direction,

'Yeah yeah, easy peasy!!' Lillie replied confidently,

'Don't forget to free…' stared Daniel before his sister interrupted him,

'Free my mind...yep, simple!!' as she readied herself on the spot, just as Daniel threw the stick towards her Lillie shouted out ‘REPELIS’ as instructed but the stick showed no sign of stopping as it arched its way towards her and past where the shield should of been before slapping her right on the side of the head as she turned away squealing,

'WAAAHH' she shouted as she felt a wave of pain across her face 'Wh...What happened??' she asked nervously 'I done what you said to do!!',

Daniel sniggered to himself as Professor Deveraux stepped forwards and stood in front of her,

'The problem is my girl…' he started 'you don't respect the use of the spell!!',

'Eh??, I haven't a clue what you’re going on about sir!!' said Lillie who was looking completely confused now,

'What I mean is you didn't have any faith in the spell actually working, you dismissed the words used to cast it as just words and not having any magical effect!!' the Professor said as he pointed a finger at her head 'you see up here...in this head of yours...is the key to unlocking any spell you desire to use, you just need to believe the words will work and believe in what I am trying to get across to you!' the Professor sounded exasperated as he turned round and smiled at Daniel before going to walk off where he saw Harvey just staring right through him which unnerved him slightly but couldn't show any signs of him being worried,

'Right children…' he started 'I think that we have covered enough in this lesson today and I hope that each and every one of you can take something away from here and move forward with confidence, so as instructed the Chamber door will be unlocked in each of your dormitories so you will be able to practice what you have learnt here today but as you should know there is a list of who can enter and at what time, so I thank you for your time and remember to use any spell wisely and safely as it may save your life one day!!' the Professor finished before disappearing in a puff of smoke from the stage causing every child in the hall to stand there amazed by what they had just seen.

'That...was….amazing Harv!!' screeched Daniel as he clapped his hands together in excitement 'Oh I hope my names down for the Chamber today!!, did you see me?' he asked Harvey who was still transfixed on something in the distance

'Harvey…' said Daniel as he waved a hand in front of his face

'Harvey...are you in there??....Harv…' Harvey managed to come round when Daniel slapped him across the cheek,

'Wh….oh yep, I'm ready to go Dan' Harvey replied as he stood up as if about to leave,

'Your acting all weird again Harv!!' replied Daniel 'you feeling ok??'

'Ermmmm I think so, I must be hungry, my stomach is hurting and my head feels odd' he replied looking slightly off colour 'come on guys let's go and get lunch I could eat all day!!' said Harvey as he raced off down the steps and through the hall door with Daniel and Lillie in tow,

'Wait for us matt I don't know where we have to go!!!' shouted Daniel as they raced off after Harvey down the corridors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Time to Relax...For Now

 

As the children reached the canteen area of the castle they were met by Garin along the way who was always close by but not enough for them to see him, he sneaked up behind Harvey and grabbed him around the waist,

'BOO!!!' he shouted causing Harvey to almost jump out of his skin,

'YAAAHH!!!' he screeched back 'will you stop doing that ‘dog’, I'm already nervous enough as it is!!',

Garin laughed out loud as Harvey stood there arms crossed with a face like thunder,

'Oh Harvey...I am so sorry but it was too good an opportunity to pass up, how are you all feeling after Professor Deveraux's class?, it is one of the most popular classes we have here at this school children' said Garin,

'It's the strangest thing I've ever done in my life!!' said Daniel 'but it was the most amazing experience also, I never knew I could do that!!' he smiled as Garin placed an arm around Daniel's shoulder softly, 'Well Daniel I was watching very closely and I must say you have a bit of a gift it seems, I'm sure your fath...err I mean your family will be so proud of your efforts' he said as Daniel noticed Garin give him a little wink just so no one else would cotton on as to what Daniel's actual relationship was to anyone here in Castle Erwin,

'Oh...err yes I'm sure they will be happy, It was crazy in there, I felt I could do anything I set my mind to, I'm so looking forward to using the Chamber to see what it's all about' smiled Daniel as he clapped his hands with excitement, Lillie on the other hand wasn't so joyful and wasn't really bothered about talking to anyone,

'And what is the matter with you Lillie?? You have been very quiet today' said Garin as he knew what Lillie was going to say,

'Oh as if you didn't know!!, I'm really trying to fit in here but it's too hard!!, I never asked to come here, but I can't actually remember how we ended up here, I've tried my hardest in the spell class we just had but I couldn't even do that properly' Lillie moaned as Garin listened,

'Look Lillie..' said Garin with a reassuring tone in his voice as the two boy's listened in '...not everyone who comes here to Erwin can do everything that is asked of them, we all have to start somewhere you see, I'm sure that after a while you will forget we had this conversation when you are pulling off spells left, right and centre!!',

'I can't see me doing that Garin..' Lillie replied 'I mean I feel like a complete failure, I couldn't even conjure up the most basic of spells and ended up being hit in the face with the things Daniel threw at me!!', Daniel put his hand over his mouth and sniggered to himself just as Harvey turned round to see him struggling to contain it which in turn started him off too, that then turned into fits of laughter and both the boy's ended up hunched over struggling to breath as they were laughing so hard,

'Oh that's it take the mickey out of me!!' Lillie angrily said as she went to take a swipe at her brother but Garin stopped her,

'Lillie, contain yourself please, there is no need to be upset. Do not worry about these two boys, I'm sure they will come unstuck somewhere along the way then it will be you who is laughing at them, if you don't first fail then how can you succeed' Garin said as he pulled her to one side and tried his best to reassure her,

'Remember that I have watched you both grow up and seen what you can both actually do and I wouldn't say this if I didn't believe good things were just around the corner, I promise you that your strength will lie in another area, something that offers so much more to so many, so please don't beat yourself up over this ok?' Garin smiled warmly at Lillie

'Sigh...I'll do my best, that's all I seem to be saying lately though and it's really getting me down' Lillie seemingly getting upset so Garin pulled her in close for a hug,

'Lillie….you will be fine I promise you, I will always be there for you and Daniel just like I have been since you were little, I promise you nothing will ever keep me away from you, I'm always around if you need advice or just a bit of space from whatever is upsetting you, ok' Garin pulled her away slowly and wiped away the tears that were rolling down her cheek, Daniel and Harvey were just standing there looking at the state Lillie was in as they had never seen her like that before,

'She DOES have feelings!!' laughed Harvey 'the ice queen has melted!!' as he slapped Daniel on the back unable to control his laughter any more 'I think I'm going to wet myself!!!'

'Shut up you idiot!!!!' shouted Lillie who was still upset 'see what I have to deal with!!'

'Boy's, I want you both to go inside the canteen please, leave Lillie alone, you are not helping!!!' Garin said raising his voice slightly,

'But Garin….' Daniel replied

'GO NOW….BOTH OF YOU!!!' Garin shouted back which startled the boys causing them to step back towards the door to the canteen,

'Jeez, keep your hair on!!!' Harvey replied as he opened the door 'come on Dan let's go before we get moaned at again!!', Daniel backed up slowly still staring at Lillie and Garin who were both looking in his direction,

'Shut the door behind you' Garin said as Daniel then turned on his heels and skulked off through the door after Harvey.

'Now they have gone Lillie, so I want you to remember everything I said to you right here in this moment ok?, I mean every word I say, I am always here, you children are my world and have been since I first came into your lives' Lillie grabbed hold of Garin again and hugged him as tight as she could,

'Thank you Garin...with you around I know things will get better for me I can feel it' she smiled as Garin held her tight,

'Now go Lillie...Go join your brother, it's time you became that person I know is in there!!' Garin smiled as he let Lillie go so, she walked

towards the door to the canteen feeling better than she had done in a long time and turned back to see Garin smiling away at her,

'Remember...I'm always here!!!' he said as Lillie slipped inside the canteen door to find her brother.

As she walked in she was met by a wall of the most delightful smells which danced through her nostrils like a ballerina, she inhaled heavily as she walked down through the enormous hall past row after row of benches, some already filled up with children who were tucking into their favourite food like they hadn't eaten for a week while others were busy chatting about the past few days at the castle, she smiled for the first time in a long time as the words of Garin filled her head and made her feel extremely positive about life here at Castle Erwin, as she looked around the Canteen area at all the laughing faces and happy children her mind seemed to wander to a place she thought she recognised, images of her and Daniel having fun out in a huge grassy garden filled with what looked like toys scattered across the green land, there then appeared a woman at the door to a house which she thought she recognised, the woman’s face was covered in darkness but she could feel the warmth and love radiating from her as she watched them playing happily together, then….she was gone and Lillie was back in the Canteen with Tia standing right in front of her grinning like a cat,

'Oh there you are Lillie!!!' she squealed with excitement as Tia grabbed her by the arms 'I've been looking everywhere for you, I ended up in Valcam for the lesson so I missed you, so how was it??'

'Oh...err, yeah it was ok I guess' she replied, still feeling a bit fuzzy in the head 'I...err...I found it quite overwhelming at first',

'But did you get to try the spell Lillie?? The protection one I mean?' asked Tia as Lillie’s cheeks turned a slightly red colour,

'Err yes I tried it but…' she stood there awkwardly not