The Tenth Gateway

By Maidie Reeve

When three friends, Sophie, Jun and Aisha, suspect they are opening up a game to play on a rainy Saturday afternoon, there is nothing to prepare them for the adventure of a lifetime. On the cover of an old box, two mystical figures seem to follow their moves. Once Sophie opens the book inside, the children are surprised to find empty pages but follow the few instructions to begin the game.
Thrust into a mystical land, they meet Eda, an old source of good magic. With her encouragement and directions, the trio set off to travel along a red-brick pathway in hopes of finding and crossing ten special gateways to bring them home once more. Magical charms in their pockets and armed with The Book, will Sophie and her companions answer the riddles they face? Can they best the evil Malefic and return home?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley
• Release date: Aug 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781787100978

Maidie Reeve

Maidie Reeve grew up and lives in Melbourne, Australia. She has worked as a teacher, an educational administrator and, more recently, in developing international education projects. Together with her husband, Maidie enjoys travelling and exploring ancient ruins and castles. These experiences, and her love of fantasy, inspire her stories. Maidie enjoys reading fiction and non-fiction, particularly histories and biographies, and likes to watch fantasies, mysteries and historical dramas and documentaries. She loves the outdoors and works in her garden whenever she can.

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About the Author

Maidie Reeve grew up and lives in Melbourne, Australia. She has worked as a teacher, an educational administrator and, more recently, in developing international education projects. Together with her husband, Maidie enjoys travelling and exploring ancient ruins and castles. These experiences, and her love of fantasy, inspire her stories.

For Frank, because of our many adventures together and for my sister, Lorraine. Always funny and caring, and good at board games.

Maidie Reeve

THE TENTH GATEWAY

Copyright © Maidie Reeve (2017)

The right of Maidie Reeve to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-78710-095-4 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-78710-096-1 (Hardback)

ISBN 978-1-78710-097-8 (E-Book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2017)

Austin Macauley Publishers™ Ltd.

25 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5LQ

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the production team and editorial staff at Austin Macauley for their support in publishing The Tenth Gateway. I am grateful to my niece Sophie for reading an early draft and for being the inspiration for her namesake in the novel. Thanks go to my sister Victoria for her technical assistance and to my husband Frank for encouraging me to pursue my writing.

Prologue

The kingdom of Zlandgovia was on the brink of civil war. King Ulrick and Queen Johanne waited nervously, and the people muttered fearfully amongst themselves. The choices were clear. If Eda, a force for good in the kingdom, won, there would be peace and wellbeing. If Malefic, once a favoured prince, was the victor, there would be destruction and chaos.

Eda had planned well for this moment. She now gathered together all her magical powers and flew out from the royal palace to meet Malefic at the tournament field.

Nearby, from a narrow window high up in his castle tower, Malefic surveyed the town which lay beneath him and the countryside beyond its walls. He could see the tournament field in the distance.

After today, all this will be mine, he whispered to himself. Eda will bow before me, and the whole kingdom will be in my power.

Malefic turned to speak to three ugly goblin-like servants who were huddled together awaiting his orders.

You slimy toads, move yourselves. I want my cloak, my wand, and a pouch of my dark powder. And be quick about it before I turn you into something even more unpleasant than you are already.

Yes master, all three grunted, fearful of arousing Malefic’s anger.

Bumping into each other, the servants rushed to collect the evil magician’s magical aids which had been placed on a large ornate chair in a shadowy corner of the chamber.

Eda thinks she can win this final challenge and protect the old king and queen. Malefic sneered as he took his long black cloak from the first servant and swirled it around his tall body.

My powers are too strong. This game she has invented will bring about her defeat.

Malefic’s lips curled with contempt as he grabbed the pouch containing the magic powder from the second servant and tied it firmly to his belt.

It’s winner takes all, and it is she who will disappear from this kingdom. Not I!

Malefic’s evil laugh echoed through the castle as the third servant handed him the wand.

Malefic was now ready to meet Eda and play the game which would determine the fate of the kingdom.

Chapter 1

The Mysterious Box

Sophie Jones and her two friends, Aisha Serez and Jun Wu, sat cross-legged on the floor of the study at Sophie’s house and stared at the old wooden box. The pictures on the lid were faded with age and the paint had rubbed off in several places.

It was a wet and gloomy Saturday afternoon, not the sort of weather to be outside, and Aisha and Jun had brought some new-release DVDs with them to watch at Sophie’s. They had arrived at the front door at the same time, and Sophie had dragged them both into the study to see the box.

Come on. I want you to tell me what you think of it, she now said as they stared at the box which Sophie had placed on a faded rug in the middle of the room.

It’s kind of creepy, Aisha said, leaning forward to get a closer look at the painted images on the top of the box. It was of two magicians – a man and a woman facing each other in battle.

I can just make out a dark castle and there are some elves and what look like goblins as well.

Where did you get it? Jun asked Sophie, his dark brown eyes alight with curiosity.

It belonged to Grandma, but I was never allowed to touch it. She said it held a dangerous secret.

Sophie stared at the box which she had taken out of her grandmother’s old sea-chest. It had been delivered to the house the previous day, together with the rest of her grandmother’s belongings.

Mum said Grandma wanted me to have the box and I’ve been dying to have a look inside, she added. I was going to open it before you both arrived, but then I thought I’d wait and we could do it together. Like opening a mysterious box of treasure.

If it’s dangerous, shouldn’t we wait until your parents get back? Aisha asked in her usually cautious way.

While we’re waiting for your parents to get home, we could watch one of the new DVDs I’ve brought over, Jun joined in. It’s the latest in the ‘Legends of the Dark Forest’ series. Some of the other kids in Year 6 say it’s really scary.

No, I want to do it now, Sophie said, a little bit impatiently. It won’t take long and Mum and Dad won’t be back for ages. Mum wouldn’t have said I could have it if it was dangerous. And anyway, my brother Nick’s upstairs with one of his friends from uni. I’ll yell out for him to help if something happens.

Outside, a wind had sprung up and rain started to lash against the windowpanes. Always a fairly dark room, the light in the study grew dimmer.

The children shivered, but all three were dressed warmly in jeans, hooded sweaters and sneakers. Sophie’s red sweater suited her brown hair and hazel-coloured eyes, and Aisha wore her favourite pink one. It provided a nice contrast to her light-olive skin and her single, long black plait. Jun was in the dark-blue sweater he liked to wear when hanging out with his friends on Saturdays.

Let’s try to guess what’s inside, Sophie said. Grandma was so secretive about it. It must be something strange. You first, Jun.

Jun studied the box in his normally thoughtful way.

The pictures remind me a bit of the ones I’ve seen about the legends of Merlin the Magician, but it’s the first time I’ve actually seen some on an old box. Maybe it contains some ancient medicinal remedies. What do you think, Aisha?

I don’t really like it. Aisha screwed up her face. The pictures are really weird. Like you said, sort of magical. I think a genie will appear when we open it and grant us three wishes. You know, like in Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.

Don’t be silly, Aisha. That’s not logical. Jun said, his usual practical self. It’s the twenty-first century. People don’t believe in that stuff anymore. Anyway, everything that people used to think was magic can now be explained by science or as clever tricks. Haven’t you seen some of those programs on TV which reveal how magicians do it?

Oh, I don’t know, Aisha replied. There are still lots of things that can’t be explained. What about people who can tell the future, or who say they’ve seen ghosts? I also read about a man in the local newspaper who said he could send his thoughts to his twin brother who lives in another country. And another thing. Aisha was determined not to lose the argument to Jun who usually won these small debates. Our neighbour, Mrs McNally, she’s from Ireland, and she swears she saw a leprechaun one night. But he got away before she could catch him and make him tell her where he kept his gold.

If you believe that, you’ll believe anything. Jun laughed.

Okay, you two, Sophie butted in. My go. I think it’ll be some sort of a game. Like Snakes and Ladders, Chess, or something old fashioned like Chinese Chequers. Do you know it? Sophie looked at Jun who shook his head.

Anyway, I’m going to open the box and we’ll see who’s right.

Just a minute. Jun now looked slightly puzzled. He wriggled closer to get a better look at the box. You know, the pictures on the lid are quite eerie. If I didn’t know better, their eyes seemed to move. But I must have imagined it. I reckon it’s the storm and all this talk about magic that’s spooking me out.

I think there’s something odd going on as well, Aisha said. "I don’t know about the eyes, but