Crystal Read Online Free PDF

She tried to think only of her mother and of making her better.
    ‘We haven’t had a witch in the Town for years. Used to burn them long ago,’ Raek went on. ‘Used to put them on a stake and burn out all the sorcery and magic. Always had a black cat, they did, and your mother …’
    Crystal swung round and glared at him. ‘Shut up or—’ She froze; horrified she’d dared speak to Raek like that. Stella would be furious with her. She turned away quickly.
    Raek smoothed his tongue over his sore lips and did not speak for a few moments.
    ‘Be careful. Softly, softly,’ he said. ‘You shouldn’t talk to me like that, Crystal. I’ve made myself a person of consequence. Morton Grint, Bless and Praise his Name, has made me his right-hand man, and as he goes up, I go up with him. But if he goes down, well, I intend to stay up. You need to keep in my good books.’
    Crystal clamped her mouth shut. She must learn to curb her sharp words. She mustn’t say anything.
    They walked on down the cinder path, on towards the blackness of an old factory chimney and the swamp.
    The swamp – a vast expanse of black oily mud – stretched away in front of them from the derelict chimney to the distant North Gate. Half a mile of dangerous black that sucked down anything that fell in it. Nobody who had fallen in had ever been taken from it alive. An ancient wooden walkway ran across it. Crystal rested her palm on the smoothed rail and straightaway felt stronger.
    Tiny mounds of green moss and lichen grew in clumps over the swamp. Small twisted trees sprang out of miniature mossy islands. Crystal believed it had to be a good place if it had trees and moon moss.
    ‘Go on, then.’ Raek gave her a push.
    ‘Don’t touch me!’ She spun round angrily, almost hitting him with her lantern.
    He was laughing at her. ‘Not scared, are you? Witch child! Alien! Silver head!’
    Crystal turned away and stepped onto the planks. They were greasy with moss and mould. ‘It’s slippery. Hold up your lantern, please.’
    Raek backed away from the edge of the black sludge. ‘It won’t be strong enough for the two of us,’ he muttered. ‘I’ll wait here.’ He held up his lantern though.
    Coward, Crystal thought. The walkway was strong enough to take ten men, but she didn’t care, she’d rather be alone.
    The moon appeared between the clouds and for a second it was reflected in the oily expanse, making the black surface appear like molten silver. The mud sighed and heaved and shifted around her, releasing nose-tingling sulphurous smells.
    Moon moss. Moon moss. She knew exactly where it was: just where a thin young oak tree branched right over the walkway. She set off, treading very carefully on the slippery boards.
    She hadn’t gone far when she heard something.
    ‘Raek? What was that noise?’ She hesitated, listening. There was the sound of something moving, shifting.
    ‘I didn’t hear anything,’ Raek called from the edge of the swamp.
    Crystal shrugged and went on.
    Each step had to be taken carefully. The boards were slippery and she only had one hand free to hold the rail.
    How quiet it was. How much darker it grew as she got further from Raek with only the light from her own lantern to guide her.
    Again she heard the strange shuffling noise. She stopped and turned. Raek was still there, just a dot of light now, but still there.
    She walked on, swinging her lantern from left to right. The mud glittered and sparkled in the light; little swamp creatures went skittering away into the shadows.
    Thud! Flap! What was that ?
    She stopped, holding her breath. There was something on the walkway. She listened intently. It was on the planks behind her! Now it wasn’t so much that she could hear it, but feel it; the wooden walkway was vibrating as something came towards her.
    Raek. He must have changed his mind. He was following – but the footsteps were so heavy …
    Crystal swallowed. She turned slowly, afraid of what she’d see.
    The