Eye of the Storm

again. Almost immediately the darkness in the centre seemed to flicker and grow. She stared. Was the stone trying to show her another vision? Yes. She started to see a picture. It was Chloe again! She was sitting at her desk, writing in her diary.
    No, this time I am not going to read what she’s writing , Erin thought, but the words in the open diary seemed to jump out at her before she could look away:
    It was really fun today. Fran and Katie helped me with Ziggy. Erin was in a mood about that. But that’s just because she was jealous. I had a good time. I hope I get to see them tomorrow.
    Erin felt like she’d been hit. That wasn’t what Chloe had said. She must have been lying to me , Erin realized. The vision disappeared.
    Erin put the stone down. Her fingers were shaking. So Chloe was looking forward to seeing Fran and Katie the next day. She’d had a really good time with them, had she?
    Pain stabbed through Erin. She couldn’t believe Chloe had written that. Her whole world suddenly felt shaky and unsafe. Chloe was supposed to be her best friend. She looked at the hair in the strap of her watch. For a moment she longed to talk to Tor again, to have the comfort of his warm voice. But what would she say to him? This was just about her and Chloe. Not about magic at all.
    Erin sank down on her bed. It was horrible knowing Chloe was saying one thing and thinking another all the time. She covered her face with her hands and took a deep breath. All of a sudden, she felt very, very alone.

CHAPTER
Seven
    Erin sat on the ground in the woods, staring at the healing stone in her hands. Drizzle fell around her, but she hardly noticed. She imagined wounds closing up, bones mending, blood vanishing from cuts. Her fingers felt as if they were buzzing. She concentrated as hard as she could. She wanted the stone to be as powerful as possible. For a moment it burnt so redhot that she almost dropped it, but almost immediately it turned as cold as ice.
    Erin glanced up. Tor was standing just in front of her. Chloe and Mistral were behind him. They were all watching. ‘I think it’s ready.’ She avoided Chloe’s eyes. She had got to the clearing first again and hadn’t really spoken to Chloe since she’d arrived. ‘The stone’s really freezing.’
    ‘The colder it is, the more powerful its magic will be,’ Tor told her.
    ‘I’ll go and try it on Kestrel,’ said Erin eagerly. She flew into the air. Chloe followed her. ‘I’ll go on my own,’ Erin said.
    Chloe looked at her in surprise. ‘Don’t be silly.’
    ‘Oh, I’m silly now as well as jealous, am I?’ Erin couldn’t resist muttering. She flew off fast through the drizzling rain.

    ‘What?’ Chloe hurried to catch up with her.
    Erin shook her head as if to say it didn’t matter.
    ‘What’s up with you, Erin?’ Chloe asked.
    ‘Forget it,’ replied Erin.
    Chloe frowned. ‘You’re in a seriously weird mood tonight!’
    Erin ignored her and flew on. She wanted to see if she could heal Kestrel. That was all that mattered.
    Kestrel started as the door opened. Erin quickly let her camouflage drop. As soon as he saw her, he relaxed and whinnied softly. She went forward and gave him a hug. He looked curious, but not alarmed at the night-time visit. ‘I’m going to try and make you better,’ Erin told him, glad to be able to block out Chloe for a moment by concentrating on the pony. She gently put a hand on the skin above his bandage. Despite the injection that day, it was still hot and swollen and he was keeping his weight off that leg. She took the healing stone out of her pocket.
    ‘Do you want me to hold his head?’ offered Chloe.
    ‘It’s OK. I can manage on my own,’ Erin replied.
    ‘You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know,’ Chloe said in exasperation. ‘Honestly, Erin, I can help with some things!’
    Ignore her , Erin told herself, crouching down. She murmured quietly to Kestrel and placed the stone above the wound. Kestrel flinched, but then she felt him start to relax. Slowly, she moved the cold stone around the hot, swollen part of his leg. She brushed it over the bandage and then held it lightly where she knew the wound was. The stone tingled under her fingers. She closed her eyes, imagining all the healing thoughts she’d had when she had tried to free the power in the stone. She pictured Kestrel’s wound under the bandage. She imagined it slowly healing inside, leaving just a scar. She didn’t know how