Free Magic at Silver Spires by Ann Bryant Page A

grip, which was annoying.
    At lunchtime Sasha took my crutches to stand them in the corner of the dining hall once I was safely sitting on the bench. Then Nicole brought me my main course, and Emily poured out my water to save me lifting the jug with my bandaged hand. Izzy took my main course plate away and brought me dessert, and Nicole finally cleared that away again, while Bryony went to get my crutches.
    â€œI bet it will be a relief when I’ve gone and you don’t all have to wait on me any more,” I said, as Nicole pulled out the bench so I could swing my leg over to get out.
    Emily laughed and said, “Don’t be silly, Your Majesty, we love waiting on you,” which made the others laugh too. But I noticed Nicole was looking down, and that gave me another jab of sadness, though it was my own fault for saying what I said. I just wasn’t thinking.
    â€œLet’s go and get on with our masks,” said Sasha, looking anxiously at Nicole. “Mine’s nearly done, Antonia. Izzy and I did loads on Monday lunchtime.”
    It seemed to take ages to get to the art block, even though I was swinging myself along as fast as possible and really trying to be speedy on the stairs. Quite a few other Forest Ash girls passed us on the way, because everyone was keen to get their masks done now Saturday was drawing so near.
    I could feel myself actually sweating by the time I was sitting down at the art table. I wished I could stand up and dart around or reach out to get the paint and things I needed like the others were doing, but it was impossible with my leg out of action and my hand only half working. So I had to just sit there while Nicole waited on me again.
    After a while, though, I really got into painting the last tiny bit of my mask and only spilled one splodge of purple on my bandage. Then I pushed the elastic through the holes I’d made in the sides of the mask, and Nicole knotted it for me, because it was too fiddly for my bandaged hand. She did her own too and we proudly showed each other our finished products.
    Izzy and Sasha tried not to look but they couldn’t help themselves, so in the end we all showed each other our masks, although we tried to keep them hidden from the other Forest Ashers who were in the room. Emily’s mask still wasn’t finished, because it was so big and she was painting it to look like a massive butterfly. Personally, I liked hers the best.
    â€œMy mum told me that she’d heard on the news that British butterflies were in danger of becoming extinct,” she explained, “so I thought I’d make one that would last for ever!”
    Bryony had her camera with her because she seemed to take it around with her all the time nowadays, and she took a close-up of Emily’s mask and then decided to photograph all the masks. Mr. Cary came in when she was doing that and as usual he insisted that we cleared up thoroughly before the bell went.
    â€œOh, I meant to ask you,” he said, turning to Nicole, “how have you been getting on with—”
    â€œShhh!” came the voices of my five friends in one big wave.
    â€œWhoops, sorry!” said Mr. Cary, looking a bit embarrassed as he glanced at me.
    â€œJust ignore Mr. Cary!” said Emily.
    â€œAbsolutely! Just ignore me!” Mr. Cary laughed. “After all, I’m only the art teacher!”
    â€œI don’t understand,” I said quietly, feeling that same awful feeling that I’d had in the dorm last night, as though my friends were already getting ready for the time when I wouldn’t be there any more.
    â€œYou’ll see on Saturday,” said Nicole.
    â€œYes, and you’ll like it, don’t worry,” added Emily. “It was my idea, by the way.”
    I smiled at her, not feeling so alone any more.
    â€œBut if you don’t like it,” she added, “it was Bryony’s idea!”
    Bryony just rolled her eyes.
    Good old