Book three in the Hilda the Witch series.
Hilda the Witch worries about a challenge, set forth to her by a powerful sorcerer. Help comes from a very unexpected side...
Excerpt:
They came up again, gasping for air, spluttering, splashing and laughing. Hilda's shriek still echoed in William's ears.
The water was not deep, they could sit up and have head and shoulders over the water.
"That was not fair!", Hilda grinned, trying to brush her long wet hair from her face. Despite William's serious attempts to help, it did not really work. "I wanted to throw you!"
"No problem," he said and got up, offering her a hand. This time she smiled and let him pull her to her feet. Then they waded through the water and climbed onto the grass again.
William watched the water in the lake. There was not a wave in it, it lay as still as if nothing had happened, as if no one had splashed round in.
"Eerie, isn't it?", Hilda said who also looked over the water.
"It is, in a way."
Hilda leaned against him, her back against his chest. She hoped he would put his arms around her. Her hopes were answered, and she felt good. She didn't exactly know why, but this just felt good.
William smiled as he felt Hilda relax in his arms.
Hilda however was a wicked witch. Even when she slowly turned in William's arms and looked at him. She knew that he knew she was going to make them land in the water again, but this time it was the witch's prerogative to decide how it was going to happen. And she had set her mind to making it spectacular, even if that meant a draining exercise.
William watched Hilda's face and noticed the blue sparkles. "Your eyes have blue sparkles."
"Yes."
Then she made the two of them lift off into the air, only half a yard. Slowly they drifted over the water, as if a bit of wind was blowing them there. Hilda held on to William's blue, silver and wet robe as she was not sure how long she could hold this without her wand. Then, at the last moment, she made them swing around and they crashed into the water, William going in first, with Hilda on top of him.
He had known it was going to happen, and still she had taken him by surprise.
Again they came up, sputtering and laughing.
"You witch!", William laughed, splashing water to Hilda.
"Ah, you noticed," the subject grinned, sitting in the water as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. She got up. "I'm getting onto the grass and dry my clothes. If you want your stuff dried, you'd better follow me."
William followed her. He was curious to find out how she was going to do that.
Hilda wiped her hands on the grass. As William had a look of wonder on his face, she explained: "The wand hardly ever appears with wet hands."
"Oh, I see. Is that a general thing or just something for you?"
"No, everyone I know has a problem with that. Ah, there you are." The silver wand glistened in her hand. "Now let me see..." She pointed the wand at William. "Arefacio."
William still was wet. "Are you sure that thing is waterproof?"
Also free on obooko:
Hilda the Wicked Witch
Hilda - Snow White Revisited
Hilda and Zelda
Hilda - Cats
Hilda - Lycadea
Hilda - Back to School