Book four in the Hilda the Witch series.
In this fourth book of the Wicked Witch, Hilda and William have to take on a witch called Zelda. A magical battle is unavoidable...
Excerpt:
The day had gone by in a rather nervous atmosphere. Also Hilda and William were more tensed than usual and they could not put a finger on the why. Maybe it was because they were teaming up with so many different people and groups to bring Zelda's terror to an end. Or was it that they had witnessed these inexplicable effects in the metal cathedral, the things that had unsettled Stephen and his fellows?
They sat in the kitchen with Gladys who had sort of taken them in. Remarkably enough, they all agree, there had not been any Zelda-induced disturbances during the night, nor the day.
"Makes me feel all kinds of funny," Hilda shared with them. "She usually is this silent only when she's up to no good."
"Try not to worry about it," said Gladys. "Maybe she is just planning something."
"But that's what worries me." Hilda sat back on her chair and made her coffeecup float over the table as she seemed to be engaged in some deep thoughts.
William watched her face and read the frowns, the movement of her eyebrows and the twitches of her mouth, and decided that it was not a doomsday scenario that unfolded in the witchy mind. "We should start heading out soon," he said at the right moment.
Hilda nodded and magicked all the coffeecups clean and back into the cupboard where Gladys had taken them from.
"Oh Goddess," their host said, "I am so going to miss you guys."
"We are not gone yet," Hilda said with a wink. "Let's first make sure that our biker friends made sure to collect the others."
Stephen and some of the others had agreed to pick up Tory, Vivian and the others, to get everyone in place at the right time. William would carry Gladys over with Hilda on the lookout. The two of them always were the main target of Zelda, so care had to be taken.
"Are we ready?" Hilda asked Gladys as they were standing in the backyard of the house. "Nothing forgotten?"
"I'm not sure what I could forget," said Gladys. "We're going for all or nothing tonight, right? I have to say that I am very scared, but taking something with me won't make much of a difference, will it?"
Hilda nodded, and appreciated the attitude of this woman who was diving into something for William and herself, something that she had no idea of. Actually, Hilda had no idea either. "Okay. Let's go then. Hang on, Gladys."
As Gladys sat in front of William, there was not a lot she could hang on to as the brooms lifted off, but she appreciated the thought regardless. She was getting more or less used to riding shotgun on a broom, as she called it for herself. So long as she stayed away from the thought of flying on such a stick all alone.
They sped upwards in a considerable pace. The afternoon had seen its best part already, and if all was well, the metal dome would be filling up with participants for this session of Zelda bashing.
"I'm going up a bit more, William," said Hilda, "so I can see more of what's happening from here."
Also free on obooko:
Hilda the Wicked Witch
Hilda - Snow White Revisited
Hilda-The Challenge
Hilda and Zelda
Hilda - Cats
Hilda - Lycadea