sneak preview of chapter from 2nd book in Paradox Child series
Chapter 32
Mandrake Roots
Lilly stopped at a spell in the book which she had not seen before; beside the spell was a beautiful illustration of a plant. It had lush green leaves and white and purple flowers that balanced on the ends on slender stems; below the leaves were heavy looking brown knotted roots. Lilly read its Latin name, ‘Mandragora officinarum’, then the common name ‘Mandrake roots’. Next to the diagram was a skull and crossbones. ‘Poison’, she said. She turned the page around to look at the image from different angle, the roots looked just like a little men with tall spindly legs and wavy arms.
‘Mum, can we do a spell with these mandrake roots. Do you have any?’ Lilly asked, brightening up and forgetting all about her trip to the dentist.
Rose came in and looked at the spell book, ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘there are some mandrake roots up in Iris’s room in the small cupboard in the bottom draw, wrapped in red velvet. We collected those years ago before you were born, we went out with a local mushroom picker who knew the right way to collect the roots, they have to be collected in a new moon and a special Latin chant must be used along with a silver trowel and only men can dig them up. It is said that if they are not collected in this way they scream loudly and you could die from the shock. They have been used in witchcraft for many years.’
Rose read the spell, ‘That is a nice spell you have chosen there, Lilly. You light the fire and the candles and put on some violin music and I will go and get some mandrake roots.’
Lilly rushed around lighting the fire and getting everything ready. She blew off the dust from an LP record and put it on the turntable; the record began to play and crackled softly. It was a violin concerto by Beethoven in D Major. The music started off slowly but then grew to be quite loud and dramatic. Rose came back down stairs carrying the roots. Mandy went to sit by the fire, the lights were turned out and it was just the flickering flames from the fire and the candles that lit the room.
Rose put a white table cloth on the table, she put a thin edge of salt around the edge for protection and then sprinkled dried marigold leaves. She laid the four roots out on to it and Lilly read the spell out slowly and clearly in Latin.
Nothing happened for a while, then jerkily in time to the music the roots began to take human forms, and sit up and stretch. Then they stood up and listening to the music started to dance with each other, in a type of ballet. Their slender roots swayed gracefully as they leaped and pirouetted on the table top. When the music slowed down, the root people slowed down and when it sped up they jumped high, catching each over and spinning around the table top like they were gliding on ice. The tips of their roots flapping with the gentle motion. Lilly gasped, Rose started to dance in time to the music around the room, but Lilly could not take her eyes from the roots.
The music became sad as if the violin was crying, but the roots looked happy and span around slowly on their root tips waving their heads as if bobbing in water.
Lilly was captivated, she had never seen anything like it before. She laughed and smiled. The tone of the music changed again to almost a military march and the roots stood up to attention dancing in formation almost like synchronised swimmers, but out of water.
Again the music went slower and the four roots paired up to do a dance similar to the one Lilly had danced in the ceilidh in Gardenstown.
As soon as the music stopped, the roots halted in their spots and lay down motionless.
Rose came over and saying some Latin words she carefully picked them up and carried them up the stairs to re-wrap them in the red velvet cloth.
Lilly tidied up the marigold leaves and the salt and put the kettle on for a cup of tea.
1st book here around 2 English pounds to download
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D8J41DM
Mandrake Roots
Lilly stopped at a spell in the book which she had not seen before; beside the spell was a beautiful illustration of a plant. It had lush green leaves and white and purple flowers that balanced on the ends on slender stems; below the leaves were heavy looking brown knotted roots. Lilly read its Latin name, ‘Mandragora officinarum’, then the common name ‘Mandrake roots’. Next to the diagram was a skull and crossbones. ‘Poison’, she said. She turned the page around to look at the image from different angle, the roots looked just like a little men with tall spindly legs and wavy arms.
‘Mum, can we do a spell with these mandrake roots. Do you have any?’ Lilly asked, brightening up and forgetting all about her trip to the dentist.
Rose came in and looked at the spell book, ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘there are some mandrake roots up in Iris’s room in the small cupboard in the bottom draw, wrapped in red velvet. We collected those years ago before you were born, we went out with a local mushroom picker who knew the right way to collect the roots, they have to be collected in a new moon and a special Latin chant must be used along with a silver trowel and only men can dig them up. It is said that if they are not collected in this way they scream loudly and you could die from the shock. They have been used in witchcraft for many years.’
Rose read the spell, ‘That is a nice spell you have chosen there, Lilly. You light the fire and the candles and put on some violin music and I will go and get some mandrake roots.’
Lilly rushed around lighting the fire and getting everything ready. She blew off the dust from an LP record and put it on the turntable; the record began to play and crackled softly. It was a violin concerto by Beethoven in D Major. The music started off slowly but then grew to be quite loud and dramatic. Rose came back down stairs carrying the roots. Mandy went to sit by the fire, the lights were turned out and it was just the flickering flames from the fire and the candles that lit the room.
Rose put a white table cloth on the table, she put a thin edge of salt around the edge for protection and then sprinkled dried marigold leaves. She laid the four roots out on to it and Lilly read the spell out slowly and clearly in Latin.
Nothing happened for a while, then jerkily in time to the music the roots began to take human forms, and sit up and stretch. Then they stood up and listening to the music started to dance with each other, in a type of ballet. Their slender roots swayed gracefully as they leaped and pirouetted on the table top. When the music slowed down, the root people slowed down and when it sped up they jumped high, catching each over and spinning around the table top like they were gliding on ice. The tips of their roots flapping with the gentle motion. Lilly gasped, Rose started to dance in time to the music around the room, but Lilly could not take her eyes from the roots.
The music became sad as if the violin was crying, but the roots looked happy and span around slowly on their root tips waving their heads as if bobbing in water.
Lilly was captivated, she had never seen anything like it before. She laughed and smiled. The tone of the music changed again to almost a military march and the roots stood up to attention dancing in formation almost like synchronised swimmers, but out of water.
Again the music went slower and the four roots paired up to do a dance similar to the one Lilly had danced in the ceilidh in Gardenstown.
As soon as the music stopped, the roots halted in their spots and lay down motionless.
Rose came over and saying some Latin words she carefully picked them up and carried them up the stairs to re-wrap them in the red velvet cloth.
Lilly tidied up the marigold leaves and the salt and put the kettle on for a cup of tea.
1st book here around 2 English pounds to download
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D8J41DM
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