Free Lily and the Shining Dragons by Holly Webb

Lily’s fingers, hard enough to hurt. Lily knew they must be hurting, but she couldn’t feel them at all.
    How very strange , was all she could think. They actually want it to happen. We ran away from Mama, and our home. We ran away to nowhere with a couple of dresses each, and a painted dog, and a bag of stolen gold. And they’re boasting about the same plot we’re trying to outrun .
    She coughed, squashing the fright away somewhere. It would come back later, she was sure, but for now she smiled. She felt Henrietta nip Georgie’s fingers to make her let go. Dull half-moons of pain were rising on the back of her hand, and it helped to clear her head. Hopefully Penelope and Cora would think she was only frightened they were going to win.
    ‘Do they really?’ she asked, widening the smile a little as the thoughts buzzed anxiously inside her. Everyone says so? Everyone? How many people were involved in this plot? They had vaguely known that other magician children were working to restore magic to the country, but Lily had always imagined they were hidden away in remote corners, as she and Georgie had been. Cora and Penelope were as unhidden as they could possibly be, and it sounded as though there were a circle of magicians around them, too.
    Lily wondered just how they were planning to assassinate Queen Sophia. She didn’t think they had spells implanted deep inside them, as Georgie had. There was no need, when they obviously knew exactly what they were supposed to do, and were rather looking forward to it. There was an identical expression of slight annoyance on their faces now, as though the girls weren’t used to being doubted. Lily could feel the magic seething inside them. As though they were preparing to prove exactly how good they were…
    It was probably lucky that Fraser opened the door to usher in a trio of footmen with silver trays of tea, and cake, and very delicate sandwiches.
    The four girls sat staring frostily at each other, while the footmen moved spindly little tables, and unloaded trays. There was very little magic that could be done while holding a plate of cucumber sandwiches, Lily thought gratefully.
    Eventually, the footmen marched out again, and Fraser closed the door behind him with a velvet thump.
    ‘Your aunt is desperately vulgar, but she serves good cake,’ Penelope murmured, after a little while.
    Lily nodded, although she didn’t really know. She could hardly taste the food. She was waiting for one of them to fling something at her, perhaps a fireball, like the one Georgie had thrown at Daniel, the first time they met. Aunt Clara would blame her if it singed the curtains, Lily thought vaguely.
    But it seemed that the Dysart girls had decided it would be impolite to nobble the competition in their own house. Or perhaps they thought that Lily and Georgie might be stronger on their own territory. They finished their tea with only occasional delicate spells floating across the room, most of which Lily and Georgie ignored. The flower arrangements became more voluptuous, and grew several odd additions, as spells were deflected into them, and at one point the sunburst clock melted slightly. That was Lily’s fault, as she was wondering how much longer the Dysarts could possibly stay.
    Then, with an amused glance at the seeping clock, Cora rose, and bowed a little. ‘So very pleasant to meet you. You will call on us, won’t you? It’s so lovely to have company next door – such very nice company.’
    Lily nodded, and Georgie murmured, ‘Of course,’ and rang for Fraser.
    As he ushered Cora and Penelope out, Lily sank back against the brocade of the sofa, and moaned.
    Henrietta jumped up beside her. ‘What on earth are you going to tell your aunt?’

‘W hat have you done to my mother?’
    The drawing-room door swung open with a bang, and Lily jumped up like a cornered cat. Penelope and Cora had left her nervous, and the door slamming into the wall like that was the loudest noise the