Faerie Tale Read Online Free PDF Page B

probably never be sure,’ he said.
    ‘Not here,’ she said. ‘Not with things playing with our heads.  We’ll know when we get out of here because we are going to talk about this when we get home. Until then, this mustn’t happen again.’
    ‘Why would it?’
    She looked at him meaningfully.  ‘You know why,’ she told him. 
    ‘Magic?’
    ‘Chemistry,’ she said.  ‘Now let’s get back to the camp and don’t let Denny know about this or, injured or not, he’ll rip you apart.’
    ‘Know about what?’ said Denny

~ Chapter Four ~
    T he problem with being a goddess is that you never really learn how to work a computer. I mean, why would you need to?  That stuff is for mortals. 
    Hecaté did not even know how to turn the damn thing on, so she tried a trick that Tamar often employed with recalcitrant technology, and which annoyed Denny no end. She looked sternly at it.  The computer came on. 
    She was so surprised that she shot backwards in the wheeled chair and knocked over a hideous oil lamp that Cindy had acquired from somewhere. Denny had joked that it was her childhood night light from the days before electricity, and it was certain that everybody hated it. It was pottery of some kind – like a jug and had horrible gargoyle type faces moulded onto it.  So, when it smashed into million pieces, Hecaté ignored it and began her search on the computer without a second thought.  
    The method she used to search was similar to the way she had turned the thing on.  Since she had no idea what she was looking for, or how to look for it, she merely asked the computer in a firm voice to show her the last files that Denny had been looking at. After what Hecaté took to be a few seconds thought, the computer responded with a face on the screen, which said. ‘I’m not a magic mirror you know,’
    ‘Oh sorry,’ said Hecaté without surprise.  After all, as far as she knew this was how it was supposed to work.  ‘I’m new at this,’
    ‘Ah well,’ said the computer, no harm done I suppose. Everyone has to start somewhere. Would you like a tutorial?’
    ‘Er, not really, I’m in a bit of a hurry today.’
    The computer sighed.  ‘Very well then, the last files, was it?  Searching …  These files are restricted you know,’ it told her suddenly.  ‘He really shouldn’t have downloaded them – he’s always doing that you know,’ it added conspiratorially.  ‘Naughty naughty.’
    ‘Doing what?’ asked Hecaté, not understanding.
    ‘Hacking the mainframe,’ said the computer severely.  Hecaté nodded; at least she understood that bit. 
    ‘I’m not sure I should show you these really,’ continued the computer. 
    Hecaté considered her options. She could say “please” or she could …
    ‘If you do not,’ she said.  ‘Then I might as well…’ she paused dramatically.  ‘Spill a caffeinated beverage onto you.  The computer blinked, and the files came up.
    Hecaté read them avidly. 
    ‘Oh, no,’ she said eventually.  ‘Not them !’
    * * *
    ‘Know about what?’ repeated Denny looking at their shocked and guilty faces. ‘Tamar?’
    ‘Just that I wandered off,’ she said unable to meet his eyes.  ‘Er, we didn’t want to worry you.’
    ‘Don’t,’ said Denny.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Lie to me,’ he said, his eyes blazing, his fists clenched. 
    Then he seemed to relax suddenly. ‘You really don’t have to,’ he said calmly.  ‘I know what happened here.’
    ‘You’re taking it very well,’ observed Stiles. 
    Tamar gave him a furious look, but Stiles shrugged. 
    ‘If he knows, he knows,’ he said. ‘He probably saw everything, and if he wants to kill me, I can hardly blame him.  But he’s right. We shouldn’t lie to him.’ 
    ‘I don’t want to kill you at all,’ said Denny.  In fact, I know what happened here, because it happened to Cindy and me too.  I know you couldn’t help it.  And I’m guessing you stopped yourself, like I did.  Because