Zak Turner - A Twist In Time (24 page)

I’ve been betrayed, that’s what’s happened to me, and now you’re going to do it again!

What?  I haven’t betrayed you…

You told Sam that I had a crush on Sartrina, that’s how you betrayed me.  That was private.

All this is because of that?

Yes.  It hurt.  It still hurts.

Tallion, I’ve already said sorry, and I meant it and I still mean it.  What more can I do?

How can you be sorry if you’re going to do it again now by talking to Barty!

This is totally different, and we have to tell them, I’m not eavesdropping on them any longer.  I’m not a spy.  I’m human too Tallion, I have feelings and wishes that are part of ‘us’.

Go on then, betray me again, I don’t care.

Tallion, please…

There was no response from the future nineteenth Baronet Middleham, although Zak could clearly feel his annoyance and hear his jumble of thoughts getting fainter as he moved away through the castle.  He was brought back to the potions classroom by Barty clearing his throat.

“Sorry, we were talking…”

“No problem, I realised.  So, do you want to share your problem with me?”

“Yes.  I need to, well,
we
need to…” 

Zak paused, struggling inside about what to do.  He desperately didn’t want to betray Tallion, it was almost painful thinking about it!  He decided another few days waiting wouldn’t harm.  His soul mate had to come first, not himself, and not Barty or Sir Philip.

“…but not yet…”

“I understand, Zak, and don’t worry.  It’ll sort itself out.  Things like this always do in the end.  Keep strong, for both of you.”

Zak took a deep breath, sighed with a resigned smile and nodded.  He knew Barty was right.

Zak headed off to try and find Tallion, but he wasn't in his room, or Zak’s room, or any of the other main rooms, so he went out to the courtyard by himself.  He absent mindedly wandered into the broom cupboard thinking about having a fly around on his broom, but it wasn't very appealing when his head was full of Tallion’s grumpy thoughts.

He sat down heavily on the bench, closed his eyes, and put his head in his hands.  He just wanted to talk to someone about it all, but there was no-one he
could
talk to!

* * *

NICE GOAL ZAK!

Tallion’s thoughts cut clearly through all the cheering and yelling on the football pitch as the Netherdale under-thirteens went 2-0 up against Broughton Grammar School in the North Yorkshire Schools league match. 

For a moment the tousle-haired eleven-year-old looked perplexed, how could Tallion have seen his goal? 

Where are you?  How did you know I’d scored?

I came to watch the match; Father brought me.  I wanted to say sorry for being an idiot.

Blimey, you goon, you could have picked a better time!  Right in the middle of a football match?!  But thanks all the same!

Zak’s spirits soared, it was like finding out that he was a wizard all over again!  He couldn’t dwell on it though, as the ball was already back in play, and the game was rushing on at a furious pace.  He blocked out Tallion’s voice and all the other thoughts crowding into his head, and tried to listen out for the mid fielders voices, both in his mind and with his ears. 

Whilst hearing the other player’s thoughts could give him an advantage, the noise of everyone else’s thoughts in his head was a terrible distraction!

* * *

Tallion and Sir Philip weren’t the only wizards watching the football match of course.  Barty was visible and mingling amongst the parents on the touchline, and the two shadow-wizard guards weren’t far away either.  One was apparently walking his dog round the outside of the park, and the other was invisible near the school entrance. 

The three ‘minders’ were nervous.  Looking after Zak alone wasn’t really a worry, but now that Tallion and Sir Philip had turned up it was a different matter.  It was the first time the wizard lord and his son had been properly out in public together since the attacks at the start of term, and a number of parents had recognised the man who’d got out of the Range Rover and was now cheering on the Netherdale football team.

A good number of non-footballing Netherdale Academy students there too, having been encouraged to come to the game because it was the home fixture against the winners of the league from the previous year.  Broughton Grammar were very good at getting supporters out for their home matches, and it always made a difference, so Netherdale were determined not to let them have any advantage when they were playing away.  Hidden amongst the group of mainly second and third years was Steven who, like Tallion, was feeling guilty about the way he’d been treating Zak.

A final, unexpected attendee at what should have been an innocuous local junior league football match, was a shadowy figure in a hooded cloak, an invisibility cloak no less, imbued with many magical protections which turned it into a veritable coat of magical armour!  Alerted to the presence of Tallion at the match by his own unique charms stealthily placed around the school grounds, he’d sent his spy to see if it would be possible to launch an attack and finish the job he’d started many weeks before. 

His spy had her own detection charms around the dale so that she could keep track of the people her master was interested in, and she was quickly able to report that not only was Tallion at the football match, but Lord Middleham was there too! 

It was an opportunity too good for Antares Malchus to miss, and despite the risks, he decided to go in person and see whether the powerful Yorkshire sorcerer was any match for him, if the opportunity arose.

* * *

Broughton Grammar were no pushover.  The 2-0 lead was more a testimony to Zak’s right foot than the quality of the Netherdale team as a whole.  It wasn’t long before the hosts conceded a goal, followed by much groaning from the home crowd.  Plenty of Broughton parents were cheering though.  Half time arrived and the score remained 2-1 to Netherdale.  However, a good number of extra Broughton parents and families had showed up, and the home crowd was no longer as overwhelming as it had been.

As the second half started, the Netherdale players performed their set piece opening to perfection, and thanks to Zak’s magical abilities, he was in exactly the right place and moving in the right direction just as the ball landed at his feet.  He walloped it straight into the top corner of the net, and the referee’s whistle blew to signal the goal as the Netherdale parents and students cheered loudly.

A 3-1 lead was a good margin, and would take some overturning, but the game was far from over.  Within ten minutes, Broughton had gathered themselves, and following some pretty special passing play, which had left the Netherdale midfield and defence breathless from constantly running to mark the opposition, they performed their own neat set piece which delivered the goods.

With the score now 3-2, the away supporters found their voices again, and it was clear that their team appreciated the cheering!

* * *

Antares Malchus was surprised to catch himself watching the game of football, and instantly despised his actions, cursing himself for losing focus on his
own
opponents.  He was in a dangerous situation.  Arrayed against him were Lord Middleham himself, Barty Greatheart, who’d sprung out of nowhere earlier in the year to be a formidable opponent, and two shadow-wizards.  The shadow wizards were both a bit too distant from the football pitch to actually intervene at short notice, although they’d be able to trap him quickly once they were alerted to any magical action.  The two boys he dismissed, although he expected that one day Tallion would be as powerful as his father.

His cloak was his best weapon, for it gave him the element of surprise.  His daughter, Lesath, had added the final Dissemblement charm, which concealed the magic of all the other charms on the garment.  No trace of magic would now show up on any listening charms which he was sure were in place all over the dale.  It was a unique piece of magic, and immensely complex, and a tribute to his daughter’s intellect.  To his mild annoyance, she’d refused to share all the steps in the preparation of the charm, having been taught by her very own parents that a person’s usefulness, and therefore their safety, lay in their unique knowledge and abilities.

* * *

With about five minutes to go, the harassed Netherdale defence cracked again, and Broughton landed the equaliser to a huge cheer from the away supporters.  To buy a bit of time for his team to get in position, the Netherdale goalie deliberately hung back on returning the ball to the centre of the pitch.

Zak was tiring from running around for almost the full seventy minutes, and was starting to make little mistakes, but every now and then he heard Tallion’s encouraging thoughts, and they acted like shots of adrenalin for him.  It was the first time his soul mate had been to see him play a full match against another team, and it was a good feeling!

Come on Zak, I know you can do it.  Just keep it focussed mate!

I will, I will…

* * *

Antares Malchus was watching his quarry on the other side of the pitch.  He was standing just behind the Broughton parents with his back to the school, which protected him from the attention of Barty Greatheart, but meant that he couldn’t see the shadow-wizard who was still pretending to walk his dog.  Malchus had deliberately walked close to him a couple of times earlier to satisfy himself that the Dissemblement charm on the cloak was working, and each time neither wizard nor dog had shown any indication of noticing him.

He could see that Tallion was totally absorbed in the game, the young fool, and Lord Middleham was following it closely too.  The wizard lord was wary though, and was watching around himself in the way that important people always do, keeping their eyes open for possible trouble. 

The dark wizard was, curiously enough, waiting for a goal.  If Tallion’s stupid mule scored again, then the attention of both father and son would be drawn to the game long enough for him to let loose a couple of Libra Mortis spells.  They’d never have time to dodge them or draw their wands to respond before he left, using the masked porting spell that he’d developed for himself and his Black Coven.  Of course, if all went well, they wouldn’t be responding to any spells ever again!

* * *

Steven Robson’s nerves were on edge.  He was as engrossed in the game in front of him as Tallion was, and had shouted himself hoarse cheering on Netherdale.  As the game entered the seventieth minute, the ball landed at Zak’s feet and he turned, trying to get into position to strike.  The Broughton defender was well placed though, and despite some good footwork Zak couldn’t get past him. 

“COME ON ZAK, GET ROUND HIM!”  Steven shouted loudly.

No-one else was cheering at that moment, and Steven’s voice rang out across the ground.  It registered in both Zak and Tallion’s ears, generating very different responses. 

Zak realised that his best friend was at the match as well as his soul mate, and the realisation gave him renewed energy. 

Tallion, however, realised that it wasn't just Zak he needed to make up with; he had to sort things out with Steven too.  He couldn’t carry on his quarrel with Steven and try to make things up with Zak, it simply wouldn’t work, and he was determined to make up with Zak… 

The future Lord Middleham closed his eyes and sighed quietly in resignation, letting one of his most cherished dreams fade away.  Sartrina wasn’t going to be part of his future after all…

Zak had to pass the ball back in order to keep possession, and the hopes of the home team and supporters wavered as the seconds ticked away.  The referee glanced at his watch, but then dropped his arm back to his side again and continued keeping order on the pitch; there was obviously some stoppage or injury time to play!

Tallion was scanning the other Netherdale supporters and spotted Steven standing with them.  He decided to go and make his peace as soon as the match finished.  Once he’d reached his decision, he saw that he’d been a bit of a fool letting the situation drag on for so long. 

He glanced at his father, and saw him watching Zak with something like pride, which made him smile.  He wanted his father to be proud of Zak, but he wanted his father to be proud of him too.  His father couldn’t be proud of a son who was having such a petty quarrel with his friends!  He started to move off towards Steven, leaving his father standing by himself.  This couldn’t wait until the final whistle.

* * *

Zak, read me, please get forward, come on, I’m going to pass to you, read me… 
“RAFFI!  PASS!  Come on, pass, pass to me…!”

Zak could hear Murray’s thoughts clearly as he watched the Netherdale midfielder choreographing the play, and shouting for Raffi Mills to pass him the ball.  Murray had managed to work himself clear of his own marker, and could see that Zak was in the clear too.  Raffi heard the call, and immediately turned the ball to Murray who, without even stopping it, deftly side-kicked it on in front of Zak, who was already running straight towards the empty spot on the field where the ball was now heading.

Zak measured his strides perfectly, and walloped the ball once more straight at the goal.  For a moment it looked like it might hit the cross bar, but it just nicked underneath, ricocheting down into the back of the net over the Broughton goalie’s head.  The boy never stood a chance…