Curse of the Dream Witch Read Online Free PDF

you’re just a bit of food that went down the wrong way at supper.’
    ‘I’m not trying to frighten you,’ the voice said. ‘Can I come in?’
    ‘Do what you want. As soon as I’m awake you’ll be gone anyway.’
    The door to the armoire opened and a boy came out. He was about Olivia’s age, tanned and lean, and possibly quite handsome. It was hard to tell because of the filth. His hair was so caked with dirt it could grow tomatoes.
    ‘Am I where I think I am?’ the boy asked.
    ‘That depends,’ Olivia said. ‘Where do you think you are?’
    ‘In the castle. Are you the princess?’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I’ve come to rescue you.’
    ‘Really?’ The boy seemed very nice and Olivia thought it would be wonderful to dream about being outside. Maybe she wouldn’t wake up so soon after all. ‘Why do you want to rescue me?’
    The boy looked confused. ‘Because that’s what I’m here for.’ He saw the window and ran to it. ‘My home,’ he pointed through the bars. ‘It’s somewhere out there by that cornfield near the forest. Come with me? Please? Papa could whittle you a duck, or Mama could knit you a scarf, or whatever you like.’ Out of nowhere, he began to tremble. ‘Mama and Papa – they don’t know where I am. Or how I am. Or even if I am.’
    ‘Are you all right?’ Olivia asked.
    ‘Yes. No. It’s all my fault.’
    What an odd thing for a dream boy to say , Olivia thought. She began to wonder if maybe he was real. But that was impossible. Her armoire was made of solid oak; there was no way he could have sneaked inside. ‘How did you get here?’
    ‘I can’t say.’
    ‘Can’t or won’t?’
    There was a pounding on the door. ‘Olivia?’ It was the queen. ‘Are you all right?’
    ‘Yes, Mother. I’m just having a nightmare.’
    ‘You’re what? I’m coming in.’
    ‘I can’t be found,’ the boy gasped. ‘We’ve got to go.’
    ‘We?’
    ‘Yes. You’re my only hope. Come with me or I’m done for. So are my parents.’
    ‘Don’t be silly. Mother won’t hurt you.’
    ‘I don’t mean her.’ He raced to the armoire. ‘Come now.’
    ‘No.’ Olivia twirled her hands. ‘This is too fast. Ask me tomorrow.’
    ‘Tomorrow?’
    ‘Yes, if we’re in the same dream. I promise.’
    The key turned in the lock.
    ‘Quick, before you go,’ Olivia exclaimed, ‘what’s your name?’
    ‘Milo.’
    The armoire door snapped shut as Queen Sophia burst into the room followed by four soldiers with raised swords and lanterns. ‘Olivia?’ Her mother swooped her into her arms.
    The princess wrestled herself free. ‘I’m fine, Mother,’ she whispered fiercely. ‘Don’t treat me like a baby. Not in front of people.’
    ‘The guards heard voices.’
    ‘I must have been talking in my sleep.’
    ‘Those shutters. What are they doing open?’ The queen waved her hand at the window; a soldier locked them.
    ‘I don’t know, I’ve been sleeping. Nothing’s happened. I had a few nightmares, that’s all.’
    ‘The Dream Witch came to you in your sleep?’ the queen gasped in alarm. ‘I might have known she’d find a way.’
    ‘Mother, no, calm down. They were silly nightmares. Prince Leo was a toad, I was a mouse, and a boy popped out of my armoire to rescue me.’
    ‘A boy? Your armoire?’
    ‘He ran back inside when you woke me up.’
    The queen threw open the armoire door. There was no one there. She tore at the racks of dolls and toys until she could see the bare oak walls.
    ‘I told you, it was a dream!’
    The queen sighed in relief. Olivia suddenly realised she was in her nightie and wrapped her arms around her chest. ‘Mother. Those men.’
    The queen shooed the soldiers away and Olivia got back into bed.
    ‘May I sit with you?’ her mother asked quietly.
    Olivia nodded. She propped herself up against a pillow.
    Her mother sat beside her and smoothed a ringlet from her forehead. ‘Forgive me. I should be giving you strength, not scaring you out of your