"Get inside!" shouted the Spook. "Get inside, all of you!" He was standing his ground as two others ran to us, shoulder to shoulder. I didn't want to leave him to face them alone, but he pushed me so hard toward the door that I stumbled and almost fell. Just then the moon went behind a cloud, and we were plunged into darkness again. Without thinking, I obeyed, reaching the door at Alice's heels. There was another cry of pain, and I glanced back. Someone seemed to fall, and there was another splash. Was it the Spook? Had they knocked him into the water? Then a shadowy figure was running to the door, but even before I'd raised my staff to defend myself, I saw that it was my master.He stumbled inside, cursed, threw down his staff, and put his shoulder to the door. Alice and I helped him, and we just managed to get it closed before something heavy crashed against it. The Spook slammed the bolts home. Our enemies were too late.

"Up the steps and raise that drawbridge!" the Spook commanded. "Both of you! Look sharp!"Alice and I ran up the steps, and together we began to turn the capstan. Down below we could hear angry shouts and metallic crashes as our enemies hammered uselessly against the door. It was hard work, but with our shoulders straining against the resistance of the wheel, we continued to turn the capstan, and bit by bit the bridge was raised. Just before it was fully up against the door, the banging outside ceased, and we heard distant splashes as our enemies jumped into the moat. It was either that or be crushed between the heavy wooden bridge and the huge door.After that we were safe. Safe for a while, at least. The Spook, Alice, and I discussed what had happened, while Ellie tried to make Mary and Jack comfortable. We were all weary, and before an hour had passed we were settling down for the night, once again sleeping on the floor, wrapped in dirty blankets. I was exhausted and soon fell into a dreamless sleep, but I awoke during the night to hear someone sobbing nearby. It sounded like Ellie."You all right, Ellie?" I called out softly into the darkness.Almost immediately the crying ceased, but she didn't reply. After that, it took me a long while to get back to sleep. I began to wonder what tomorrow would bring. We were running out of time. In two days it would be Lammas. We had lost a day bringing Jack back to the tower, so I -was sure the Spook's priority tomorrow had to be settling with Wurmalde. If -we didn't find her and stop the -witches, then the dark made flesh would be -walking among us, and it -wouldn't just be Ellie crying herself to sleep at night.

Chapter XX

The End Of An Enemy

WHEN we awoke, the Spook would allow me only water and a nibble of County cheese. I was right. We were off to deal with Wurmalde once and for all. She wouldn't sniff us out, but there was a chance that Tibbmight. In that case we could be walking into a trap, but we had to take Even before we reached Read Hall, there'd be danger. Witches would almost certainly be watching the tower from the edge of the clearing, and at the first sound of the drawbridge coming down they'd attack. Once again we'd have to use the tunnel. But of course, they'd be using a mirror to watch the underground lake, so they'd know we'd left the tower. They might even be lying in wait in the thickets of the old graveyard, ready to ambush us. Yet despite the risks, the Spook was determined to strike at Wurmalde, whom he considered to be the dark heart of the threat to the County.He pulled a whetstone from his bag, and there was a click as he released the blade from its recess in the end of his staff and began to sharpen it."Well, lad," he said gruffly. "We have a job to do. We must bind Wurmalde and place her where she can do no more harm. And if anyone gets in our way…"

He paused, testing the sharpness of the blade with his finger, and when he looked at me, his eyes were hard and fierce; then he glared at Alice. "You stay here, girl, and look after Jack. Reckon you'll be strong enough to lower the drawbridge when James gets back with the villagers?"If Tom managed it, so can I," she said with a cheeky smile, "and in the meantime I'll see if I can find anything in that trunk to help Jack."Down in the dungeons beneath the tower, there was a change in the atmosphere; a change for the better. The Spook had done his work. The dead had left their bones behind and were now at peace.Of the two lamias, there was no sign. I held my candle aloft to reveal that the dead animals were still fixed to the chains, but their desiccated bodies no longer dripped blood. We walked on into the tunnel warily and reached the small lake, 'where the pieces of the wight still floated. The surface of the water was like glass, and again I had a strong sensation of being watched. The only thing that had changed was the stench, which was now stronger than ever.

Both the Spook and I covered our mouths and noses with our hands and tried not to breathe until we'd passed beyond the fetid water.Finally we had to crawl, the Spook still in the lead and muttering under his breath. It was hard going, but at last we dragged ourselves through into the sepulchre. As I clambered out, the Spook was brushing the dust and mold from his cloak."My old bones didn't take too kindly to that," he complained. "It'll be good to get out into the fresh air."They had a dead witch shackled here," I told the Spook, pointing to the leg irons in the corner. "Her name was Maggie, and she was once the Malkins' coven leader. The Mouldheels tortured her to find the tunnel entrance. Now she's free again."How strong was she?" the Spook asked."Not like Old Mother Malkin, but strong enough. She traveled miles from Witch Dell to hunt."Whatever happens in the next few days, there'll still be years of work ahead of us before Pendle is finally cleared," the Spook said, shaking his head wearily. I blew out the candle and placed it next to the lantern that Alice had left behind on our last visit."Bring that lantern, just in case, lad," commanded the Spook. "We might have to search Read Hall's cellars."As we made our way cautiously through the thickets of the abandoned graveyard, rainclouds were gathering overhead, a strong wind blowing from the west. We hadn't taken more than two dozen paces before we saw that witches had indeed been waiting in ambush. There were three of them, all dead. The surrounding grass was splattered with blood, the bodies covered in flies. Unlike the Spook, I didn't get too close, but even from a distance it appeared to be the work of the lamias. Once again, it seemed, they'd cleared the way.Just over an hour later we were approaching Read Hall.

I wasn't keen to reenter a house where Tibb had terrorized me and Wurmalde had accused me of murder-and where, no doubt, Father Stocks's body was still lying atop the sheets, the knife in his chest-but it had to be done. We were walking into danger, without a doubt. Both Tibb and the formidable Wurmalde might be lying in wait, not to mention servants and possibly other witches from the clans. But as we drew closer, it soon became clear that something was badly wrong. The front door was opening and closing in the wind."Well, lad," the Spook said, "as they've left it open for us, we might as well use it!"We made our way to the front door and entered. I was about to close the door behind us when my master put his hand on my shoulder and shook his head. We kept perfectly still and listened very carefully. Apart from the noise of the door and the whine of the wind outside, the house was silent. The Spook looked up the staircase."We'll let the door carry on banging," he whispered into my ear. "To change even the slightest thing could alert anyone inside. It's too quiet, so I suspect the servants have fled the house. We'll start by searching the downstairs rooms."

The dining room was empty; it looked as if nobody had been in the kitchen for days-there were unwashed dishes in the sink and a smell of rotting food. Despite the morning light, Read Hall was gloomy, and there were dark corners where anything could have been lurking. I kept thinking of Tibb. Was the creature still somewhere here?The last room we came to was the study. As soon as we entered, I could smell death. A body was lying facedown between the bookshelves."Light the lantern," the Spook commanded. "Let's take a closer look."It was clear that the corpse was Nowell. His shirt was in tatters, almost ripped from his back, and it was matted with dried blood, with more leading from the body toward the far door, which was open. There were also books scattered around him. The Spook glanced up at the top shelf, from where they'd clearly fallen, before kneeling down and rolling the dead magistrate onto his back. The eyes were wide open, the face twisted in terror."It looks like Tibb killed him," the Spook said, gazing up at the highest shelf again. "No doubt it was waiting there and dropped down onto his shoulders as he walked beneath. The creature might still be in the house." He pointed to the trail.He opened the door. Beyond it, the blood trail led down narrow stone steps into the darkness. My master went down, his staff at the ready, while I folio-wed close behind, holding the lantern high. We found ourselves at the entrance to a small cellar. Along the right-hand wall were well-stocked wine racks. The stone floor was clean and tidy and the trail of dried blood led to the far corner, where Tibb lay facedown.He was even smaller than I remembered when he'd gazed down at me from the ceiling-hardly larger than a medium-size dog. His legs were tucked underneath the thick black fur of his body, -which -was caked with dried blood.