Scrambled eggs.

Rhys Newton is 10 years old and he lives with his Mum after his Dad walked out.

But Rhys is different, although he doesn't know it, he is sensitive to the magic that runs in Lily's family. He can't use it, but he can feel it, hear it, see it.

When the Darkling appears on his bed one day, Rhys has to decide whether he can help or not.

[image error]Rhys slouched into the kitchen. "I'm thirsty Mum."

Lou wrapped an arm around his shoulder and she caught an approving smile from Lily. "Well, I'm sure if you ask nicely you can have a glass of water."

"And they haven't got any chickens." He was disappointed. "Tom's always talking about the chickens, I wanted to see them."

"Hah!" Lily laughed. "I'm sure we can find a drink for you and the hens are mine. Kate doesn't have any here but she and the children help look after them and we share the eggs. Actually, I have some in the car that I forgot to bring in when I arrived, would you help me fetch them?"

"Can I Mum?" Rhys asked, his eyes shining and Lou nodded so he raced off in front of Lily.

He came back in carrying three boxes of six eggs which he put on the table and he opened the top one. "Why are they funny colours?" He frowned as he saw the eggs in various shades from white through to a rich dark brown.

"Funny?" Lily looked at him curiously.

"Yes, eggs are that colour." He pointed at one that was a pale brown. "That's the colour of all the eggs in the shops. Why are yours all different?"

"They're not funny colours, they're egg colours." Lily understood him now. "The big supermarkets like their eggs to be all the same and they choose chickens for their farms that lay eggs that colour. The other colours are from different breeds of chicken. I've even got one that lays blue shelled eggs. There's one in one of the boxes somewhere, might even be two."

Rhys opened the other two boxes and found more of the dark chocolate brown eggs and three pale blue eggs.

"Eggs? Haven't they stopped laying for the winter yet?" Kate came back into the room. "I have loads left from last time because we didn't do any baking. Why doesn't Rhys take a box home with him, you can let Cam have the box back in school when you've finished them."

"Can I choose which ones?" Rhys was fascinated by the dark brown, white and blue eggs so Lily helped him sort out a box with two white, two blue and two dark brown eggs in.

When they got home with the eggs, Lou made scrambled eggs – a delicious and nutritious meal with hot buttered toast and beans.

My posh scrambled eggs ….

Take 1 or 2 eggs per person.

Find a pack of cheap smoked salmon – the trimmings are fine, doesn't need to be the best slices!

You'll also need a fork, bread and butter (or margarine if you prefer) for toasting, a tin of beans if you want them, a bit more butter and a dash of milk. Oh and a microwave and microwave proof bowl at least 3 times larger than the volume of the egg mix – they really do fluff up!

Crack the eggs into the bowl.

Sgred the salmon into the eggs.

Add a dash of milk and a decent size chunk of butter.

Whisk it up with a fork until it looks frothy.

Start the toast cooking, and the beans. You need to have those just about ready before you start the eggs as the eggs take only a couple of minutes.

Zap in the microwave for about a minute, then break it up and whisk with the fork again. Repeat until the consistency is reached.

Serve and eat while hot.

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