Free Shaman of Stonewylde by Kit Berry

he’s read them correctly other than by picture matching. We have no idea of his conceptual abilities, so don’t rush him, Leveret. His brain’s obviously wired up differently from the norm and he may need a huge amount of patience.’
    Leveret nodded; she’d spent all her life being patient with Magpie, giving him time and space to relax and express himself. If there was anyone in the world who could teach him to read and write, she knew it was her.
    She stowed the books safely in her basket and was just thinking of leaving when they were interrupted. Rainbow came tumbling in from the dark, her hair like a ragged cape around her arms and her cheeks rosy from the night air.
    ‘Well!’ she exclaimed at the sight of Leveret. ‘I can guess who you are!’
    Leveret scowled up at her, shaking her hair over her eyes to obscure her face. She hated being the centre of attention, but more than that, she hated being likened to Yul. She muttered something incoherent and tried to get her shawl from the peg, but Rainbow took her arm and dragged her back into the light.
    ‘Oh no, missy, I want a proper look at you.’ She turned Leveret this way and that, scanning the girl’s truculent face. ‘If Yul were a girl he’d be you. Except for the green eyes. What’s your name?’
    ‘Leveret.’
    ‘Ah yes, now I see. You’re living with Clip in his tower, I’ve heard? How strange. And how old are you? You’re tiny, but I don’t think you’re as young as you look.’
    ‘I’m fifteen. And I’m leaving now.’
    But they persuaded her to stay a little longer as Rainbow was quite fascinated by Yul’s little sister.
    ‘You know, Leveret, somewhere at home I have a sketch book from when I used to live here. I did a drawing of Yul standing on the Altar Stone as the sun rose, and it really could be you. He must’ve been fifteen at the time too, the same as you are now. I’ll dig it out and show you when I next come to visit.’
    ‘What? You’re not leaving already?’ Dawn wailed. ‘You’ve only just got here, Rainbow, and after all the trouble I—’
    ‘Hell, no! I’m planning on staying for the summer at least, and maybe longer. We’ll see. Though I must find alternative accommodation – the room they’ve given me in the Hall is dreadful, all dark and poky and that miserable old git Martin won’t change it. Don’t suppose I could move in with you, Dawn?’
    ‘Well, you could,’ she said slowly, ‘but with David popping by most evenings . . .’
    ‘I’d be playing gooseberry!’ Rainbow laughed, and Leveret looked at her askance, having never heard the expression before. ‘How about your tower, Leveret? I bet the light’s wonderful on the top floor and you must have loads of room, just you and old Clip rattling around in there.’
    ‘I don’t think he’d want that,’ said Leveret stiffly. ‘You’re much too . . . noisy.’
    Rainbow laughed again and sank back in the armchair with a groan of pleasure, wiggling her toes at the fire and stretching her arms luxuriously above her head. Leveret was quite mesmerised by her; she’d never seen anyone so naturally at ease and so overtly sensual. Rainbow was lithe and moved gracefully, and something about her made Leveret very wary.
    ‘I’ll tell you what,’ Rainbow said, sitting forward and throwing another log onto the fire. ‘I found somewhere perfect today that I want to make into my studio. It’s a hovel but with a bit of renovation it would be wonderful.’
    Leveret’s heart started to thump in her chest.
    ‘Really?’ said Dawn. ‘I can’t think of anywhere in the Village that’s—’
    ‘No, it’s out of the Village on the path up towards the cliffs.’
    ‘Oh, you must mean old Mother Heggy’s place? Goddess, I wouldn’t want to go there! She was found dead in there, you know!’
    ‘Really? How intriguing – so it’s haunted as well. I wonder who I should ask about it?’
    ‘But surely it would be too dark,’ said Dawn. ‘I’ve never