Jess found a door in the tower wall. It was big and solid, and had a knocker shaped like a scary monster face. Lily and Poppy kept close behind her as she reached for the iron doorknob. Everyone held their breath nervously...
But it wouldn’t turn.
“It’s locked,” said Jess. “Now what?”
“Keep looking for a way in,” said Lily.
They tiptoed around the outside of the tower, then Poppy gave a little yap. “There’s an open window,” she said, “but it’s too high up, even for you girls.”
Jess groaned, but Lily had an idea.
“Keep watch, Poppy,” said Lily. “Jess and I will find something to stand on.”
Poppy sat beneath the window, her ears pricked, watching for danger. Lily and Jess soon found what they needed—a rotten tree stump that had been ripped from the ground. They dragged it to the wall and stood it in the gray slush beneath the window.
Jess climbed onto the stump and reached up to the window. In moments she had hauled herself over the sill and inside. She looked out. “Pass Poppy up to me,” she told Lily.
Once the puppy was lifted through the open window, she immediately sneezed. “Ooh, it’s dusty,” she complained, rubbing her nose with a paw.
“Let’s be as quiet as we can!” Jess whispered. “Lily, your turn now. Stand on the stump and stretch your arms. Grab my wrists!”
Seconds later, Lily stood beside Jess, brushing down her dress.
“Careful,” Poppy whispered. “All this dust is very sneezy.”
They found themselves in a damp, dark hallway. It smelled of mold and musty, stale air. In the corner was a stone spiral staircase. When they stood at the bottom and looked up, it seemed to go all the way up through the tower.
“Come on,” said Jess, leading the way up the stairs. Cobwebs brushed their hair, and each footstep stirred more dust. Poppy was right. It was very sneezy!
The puppy’s ears suddenly pricked up. “Listen!” she said.
“What is it?” asked Lily.
“Footsteps,” whispered Poppy. “Grizelda’s coming!”
“Oh, no,” said Lily. “Hide! Quick!”
Jess spotted a door covered in sagging spiderwebs. She wrenched it open and saw it was a closet, full of huge old iron cauldrons.
Jess, Lily, and Poppy darted inside, shutting the door softly behind them. And not a moment too soon! Seconds later, through the gaps in the wood, they saw Grizelda climbing down the stairs. She was carrying a lantern and crowing to herself.
“It’ll soon be sunset, haa haa!” she said. “Those interfering girls will never be able to make the potion in time, even if they do find all the ingredients. The magic plants will be mine—all of them. Haaaaaa, haaaa, haaa!”
As she stomped past, the thick dust on the cauldrons filled the air, billowing up around the girls and Poppy. The puppy’s paw flew to her nose.
“Oh, no!” whispered Lily. She guessed there was a sneeze coming and quickly wrapped the puppy in her arms, hoping to stifle the sound.
“Aaah... aah... aah...” Poppy managed to hold back the sneeze for a moment, but then—“Fwooff!”
Through the gaps in the door, Jess saw the wicked witch stop.
“Who’s there?” Grizelda snapped.
“Quick!” whispered Lily. “Hide in one of the big cauldrons.”
They clambered inside the largest one, hardly daring to breathe.
“Who’s there, I say?” snarled Grizelda.
“Show yourself or I’ll... aha! The closet!”
Lily, still hugging Poppy, could feel the pup’s heart racing as fast as her own.
Grizelda yanked the door open. Shadows moved as the witch swung the lantern forward.
On the wall, Jess saw the silhouette of witchy hair, swirling like snakes as Grizelda peered into the closet.
Oh, no, Jess thought. Please, please don’t let her see us!
Chapter Three
The Black Vine
Jess’s legs were like rubber, and Lily clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself crying out. Both girls felt Poppy’s little body trembling between them.
Grizelda’s lantern swung closer. If she came any nearer, she would see them! The girls held their breath for what felt like forever before Grizelda grunted.
“Humph. It must have been a rat.”
The girls breathed again as the door slammed shut and Grizelda’s voice faded away, muttering, “If I catch anyone...”
They waited a few moments to be sure she had gone, then Jess climbed out of the cauldron and opened the door. “That was close!” she said. “Come on—let’s get those berries and get out of here!”
The others followed, hurrying up the stairs after her.
Both girls pulled sticky cobwebs from their faces as they climbed, and they had to watch where they stepped. Some of the worn stairs were slippery with puddles of green, slimy water.
At last they reached a small wooden door. There was nowhere else to go, so Jess pushed it open, and they found themselves in a courtyard on the tower’s roof.
It was a relief to be in the fresh, cold air, but a horrible smell wafted across to them, like rotten eggs soaked in stagnant pond water. It came from a fountain of dirty water that sent puffs of yellow-green sparks up into the air.
Beyond the fountain was a black vine.
“Look!” cried Jess in delight.
All along the vine, brilliant orange berries sparkled in the rays of the setting sun.
Lily clapped her hands with glee and Poppy let out a yap of delight. The three friends made their way past the fountain.
“Be careful not to let any droplets touch you,” Lily warned. “Grizelda’s bad magic could be in that stinky water.”
When they reached the vine, Jess reached out to grab a handful of the berries. Immediately, there was a flash of sparks, and jagged shards of ice appeared on the berries, covering them completely.
“Oh, no!” cried Jess. “Grizelda knows we need the berries. She must have put a spell on them, in case we managed to escape from that terrible cage.”
Lily picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it onto one of the frozen shards. But instead of shattering, more sparks fizzed from the ice. They all took a step back.
Worry swirled inside Jess. “What are we going to do?” she asked.
Poppy’s ears pricked up and she gave a yap. “The winter warmers!”
“Yes!” cried Lily. “Oh, you clever puppy.”
They each held their winter warmer flowers against the ice. As the heat from the blooms spread, drips began to splatter on the ground.
“The ice is melting!” said Lily.
Soon, the girls were able to grab handfuls of the velvety berries. Lily stuffed them into her pocket.
Jess looked up at the sky. The light was growing dim. “It’s almost sunset,” she said, turning to Lily. “How will we get back to the Muddlepups’ den in time?”
“Oh, no!” wailed Poppy. “We’ve got everything we need, but we’re too late to save poor Patch.” She put her paws over her eyes and sobbed.
“Oh, Poppy, we’re so sorry!” said Jess, blinking back her own tears as she hugged the shaking puppy. “We did everything we could. Grizelda was just too clever for us.”
“Wait! Listen!” said Lily. “What’s that? I heard a voice!”
Jess and Poppy turned, expecting to see Grizelda. But it wasn’t the witch!
“Look, Jess!” she cried.
Captain Ace, the stork, was flying toward them with a rope in his long beak, pulling his hot air balloon along.