White Horse Talisman (5 page)

A small object fell to the floor with a faint tinkle.

“You've dropped something.” Holly bent down and picked up a flat golden shape. She held it up.

Chantel turned back, uncovered one eye and glared, then realized what Holly was showing her. She pulled down the pillow and leaned up on her elbow. “I forgot it was under my pillow … Now you have to believe me. The horse said to give it to you.”

“What is it?” Holly peered at it. “Where did you get it?” She passed it over to Owen. He and Adam examined it.

“It looks like half an old coin, a real gold coin,” said Owen. “Who gave it you?”

They all looked at Chantel.

She flushed. “You won't believe me.” Her voice sharpened defiantly. “I got it from the White Horse. It's not a coin.

It's a talisman.”

“There are marks on it,” said Adam. He plucked the gold object from Owen's hand and carried it over to the window where the light was brighter. He turned it several times. “One side is kind of like a whorl, but the other side reminds me of …” Adam's voice was unsure. He held out the talisman on the palm of his hand so that Owen and Holly could look. “… part of the horse carving on the hill.”

The three kids stared down at the broken gold piece and looked uneasily back at Chantel.

Adam laughed. “The horse didn't give this to you. You're lying. You found it! You were digging in the chalk just before the storm. I saw you!”

Chantel's eyes filled with tears, but she brushed them away with her fist. “Yes, I found it in the eye
But the White Horse told me to do it. He did give me the talisman, Adam Maxwell. He did! He's asked me to help him, and he needs your help too. And that's proof! You're supposed to take it to somewhere. But I told him you wouldn't believe me.”

“Yeah, right!” Adam snorted.

Holly kicked Adam's ankle to shut him up. She patted Chantel's arm.

Chantel turned to Holly. “I'm telling the truth. Honestly!

The talisman has to go to
” Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember the strange name. “To Why … land … Smith something.”

“Smithy?“ asked Holly in an odd voice “Wayland's Smithy?”

“Yes,” said Chantel, her face clearing. “That's right.”

Holly and Owen looked at each other. There was a long silence.

“Weird,“ said Owen finally. He shook his head slowly. “Totally weird. How did you come up with that?”

“I told you. The White Horse told me. Take the talisman to Wayland's Smithy. You'll see.”

“See what?” asked Owen.

Chantel gave a small shrug. “Dunno. He didn't say. But I bet something will happen to make you believe me,” she finished.

“I don't get it, you guys. What's going on?” Adam inter–rupted the three-way conversation.

“We're not sure,” said Holly. “But somehow your little sister has learned about Wayland's Smithy. It's a historic site, an old barrow along the Ridgeway. An ancient burial place.”

“I thought a smithy was another name for a blacksmith shop,” said Adam.

“It is. That's part of the story. Wayland's Smithy is the oldest prehistoric site in the area. It's a long, grass-covered burial mound supposedly built by a god called Wayland, who was a blacksmith. The story says if a traveler leaves a horse there overnight, and places a silver coin on the rock at the barrow entrance, the horse will be magically shod by morning. So that's why the barrow's called a smithy,” Owen explained. “Come on, Chantel … who told you about it?”

Chantel glared at them. “The White Horse,” she said.

There was an awkward silence.

Chantel's voice shook. “Okay, fine. Don't believe me … I don't want to talk anymore. Go away! ” She turned over and pretended to sleep, but a tear trickled from the corner of her eye.

CCC

Adam, Owen, and Holly retreated in disarray down the hos–pital corridor and stood in a huddle by an elevator.

“We weren't supposed to upset her,” Holly said.

“I know,” Owen agreed. “Mum said the concussion might make her hallucinate. But what are we supposed to do? Go along with everything?”

Adam shrugged.

Holly tried to grapple with the problem. “You know her best, Adam. Does Chantel honestly believe the White Horse is real?”

Adam turned the gold fragment over and over in his hand. “She's always making things up,” he muttered crossly. “She does it to get attention.” Then honesty got the better of him. “But she seemed serious this time.”

“Yeah, but is she seriously nuts with concussion, or …”

Owen trailed off.

“Or is this from the White Horse?” Adam finished. “Come on, you guys. How could it be?” He tossed the talisman into the air. They watched as it spun back into his hand.

“I dunno,” Owen said slowly. “But where did she get it? There are weird stories in our village. People are always talking about horse magic. What if she
is
telling the truth?

What if it's the spell?”

Adam rolled his eyes towards Holly, thinking she'd back him up.

“Yes, yes. I forgot!” Holly's voice rose in excitement. “Chantel walked widdershins seven times around the eye. I bet I know what she wished for. I bet she wanted to see the real White Horse.”

Owen's eyes widened. “And … and … the villagers say you get your wish in units of seven.” His voice quickened. “It was about seven minutes later the storm started and the lightning struck!”

“And ever since she says she's been talking to the White Horse,” Holly finished.

“She could dream up the horse, but how could she dream up the talisman and Wayland's Smithy?” added Owen.

“Exactly!” Holly finished.

“Hey, hold it. What are you two saying?” Adam interrupted.

Holly shrugged. “I suppose we're saying we might owe Chantel an apology. Maybe we should go back and really listen to what she has to say.”

Adam stared at them in disbelief. “You're joking!”

“What have we got to lose?” asked Owen. “She's either hallucinating, in which case we go along with it for now and all have a good laugh when she gets better, or her stories are true and we're in for an adventure!”

Adam snorted with angry laughter. Owen was supposed to be doing things with him, and now his little sister was sidetracking things. “You're nuts. If you believe that, you'll believe anything.”

“Okay, we're nuts.” Owen pushed Adam up the corridor by the small of his back. “Go and talk to Chantel. You're her brother.”

Adam twisted away. “No way. You believe that rubbish, you talk to her.”

“Oh, shut up, you two. I'll go.” Holly retraced her steps to Chantel's room, leaving the two boys glaring at each other.

CCC

“Chantel, can I come in?”

Holly poked her head around the door.

Chantel turned a tear-streaked face towards her. She gave a little nod.

“We didn't mean to upset you.” Holly perched on the foot of the bed. “But it's pretty weird.”

Chantel blew her nose noisily. “You think it's weird?

You're not the one hearing the horse.” She gave a hiccup. “It's more than just hitting my head.”

Holly leaned forward and dropped her voice. “I think it's because you did a spell.”

“I did? What spell?” asked Chantel.

Holly chose her words with care. “ Do you remember walking around the eye of the White Horse?”

Chantel nodded, her eyes wary.

“Why did you do it?”

Chantel said nothing, but her fingers played with the bedsheet.

Holly patted her leg. “Come on
tell me, Chantel. I promise not to think you're nuts.”

“Promise,” Chantel whispered.

“I promise.”

“I heard the White Horse in my head. He told me what to do.”

“And what did you do?” Holly prompted.

“I … I walked around the eye … seven times … and made a wish.”

Holly caught her breath. “So I was right. Did you wish for the White Horse?”

Chantel's voice shook. “H … how did you know?”

“I figured it out. I know a bit about horse magic.” Holly grinned. “It's so weird it must be true. Can the others come in? Will you tell us everything?”

“Okay.” Chantel sat up and looked more cheerful.

Holly went to the doorway and waved in Adam and Owen.

“Sorry, Chantel.” Owen tried to look contrite, but his eyes danced.

Chantel grinned shakily back.

Adam hesitated at the door, then perched uneasily on the end of the bed beside Holly.

Owen grabbed the chair, turned it back to front and straddled it. “So, tell us the lot. Right from the beginning.”

“From the very beginning?” asked Chantel.

“Yes,” chorused everyone.

“Then I guess it all started the night we arrived from Canada.”

“It did?“ said Holly.

“Yes, you were all asleep,” said Chantel. “And I saw a shooting star …”

She told the whole story.

“Amazing,” said Owen.

“So I've promised to help him,” Chantel finished. “I've said I'll help the White Horse find the red horse that Alin made.” She lay back on her pillow, her eyelids drooping.

“I can't imagine anyone riding down the Manger like Alin did,” said Owen. “And I can't imagine how you could have made it up,” he finished. “Not unless you've read a book or seen a TV show about the early Celts.”

Chantel shook her head. “Nope. I only know what the White Horse showed me.” She closed her eyes.

Holly stood up. “Come on. Chantel's exhausted and we weren't supposed to tire her.” She leaned over and kissed Chantel's cheek. “You rest. We'll check out some stuff for you.”

Chantel's eyes flew open again. “You will?”

Holly nodded. “We'll ask around. See what we can find out about the history of the White Horse and if anyone has ever heard of a red horse as part of the story.”

Adam, his hands stuck deep in his pockets, slumped against the bottom of the bed. He gazed with bemusement and frustration at his little sister. She'd done it again! She'd made up a wonderful story that had held everyone entranced. She was always doing it. A wave of anger swept through him. His parents loved Chantel's stories, but if he made anything up they called him a liar! His fingers suddenly touched the hard edge of the talisman. His hand closed over the one tiny piece of reality in the whole incredible story.

Huh, thought Adam. She's not going to be able to lie about this for long. He drew his hand out of his pocket and held the talisman in the air. “So? What about this?” he said.

“We'll take it to Wayland's Smithy tomorrow morning,” said Holly. “See if anything happens.”