The following morning, Cathy awoke to find another set of clothes at the foot of her bed, a tray of breakfast, and a note.

Dear Miss,

  I have decided it is much better for my digestion if you eat your breakfast alone. In the comfort of your room.

The clothes are indestructible, so please, I implore you, get washed and dressed and meet me downstairs.

Giggleton

Cathy screwed the note into a ball and dropped it on the floor. Giggleton had given up on the idea of dressing her in girly dresses and delicate shoes. Instead, he'd left her a plain green tunic, brown trousers and boots. Much like his own clothing. She held the clothes up in front of her and, with a smug grin, she slipped into the bathroom to get washed and dressed. When she'd finished, she gulped down a glass of orange juice, and popping an apple into her pocket, she grabbed a pancake from the tray to eat on her way downstairs.

Giggleton waited for her at the bottom of the stairs, slouching against the wall. When he saw her, he straightened. And clearing his throat he said, "Good morning, miss. I hope you slept well?"

"The mattress is hard," Cathy said, though she'd slept well, all things considered.

"I'll change it at once," he said.

"What do you want?"

"Diamonds, miss. I want you to hiccup lots and lots of diamonds. And if you don't mind, I'm rather partial to rubies?"

"I can't hiccup diamonds. Are you insane?" Giggleton was out of his goblin mind.

"Have you ever tried?" he asked, standing beside her.

"Of course not."

"Then you cannot know if you are a Gem Maker. I intend to find out. Come with me." Giggleton grabbed Cathy's elbow and pulled her into a large room with three tables. The goblin had laden each one with items designed to induce hiccups.

Giggleton pushed Cathy towards the first table, where lemonade bubbled in several crystal glasses.

"Drink them." He pointed to the glasses and waited.

"No," Cathy replied.

"Why ever not? They are quite safe."

Cathy grinned and said, "Because you didn't say the magic word."

Giggleton sighed and said, "Very well... Abracadabra."

Cathy burst into laughter at the foolish goblin. "No, you idiot. The magic word is: Please."

Giggleton's green cheeks turned bright red.

"Please, is not a magic word," he said.

"Well?" Cathy asked, enjoying herself more than she should have.

"Please, miss. Drink."

Cathy picked up the first glass and drank the lemonade.

"Another," Giggleton pointed at the next glass.

Cathy did as she was told. The goblin's goat-like eyes narrowed...

"Another."

Cathy drank the next glass. The gas in the bubbles filled her tummy. Something big was about to happen.

Giggleton fidgeted excitedly.

Cathy's hand shot to her mouth as the gas rose higher... and before she could stop it... she burped loud enough to rattle the glasses on the table.

Giggleton jumped out of his skin.

"Goodness me," he said with a gasp.

"What did you expect?" Cathy asked, grinning.

"Not that." Giggleton pulled Cathy over to the next table, where there was a box covered in a black cloth.

"What's in the box?" Cathy had a nasty feeling she wouldn't like the answer.

"Think of this as a game. Inside the box is a surprise. Guess what the surprise is?"

"It won't bite me, will it?"

"Not if you move slowly." It was Giggleton's turn to smirk. He was enjoying himself more than he should have.

Cathy lifted the black cloth. She found a box with a hole, large enough for her hand. She slid her hand in and her fingers brushed over something soft and furry.

"Is it a rat?" she asked.

Giggleton crossed his arms and shook his head.

"A kitten?"

"No, miss. Guess again."

"A puppy?"

"Let me give you a clue... It has eight legs."

All the blood drained from Cathy and she turned icy cold. Before she pulled her hand from the box, Giggleton whipped open the lid to reveal the largest spider Cathy had ever seen. She staggered backwards, tripped over her own feet, and landed on the floor in a heap.

Giggleton expected the shock to induce a huge bout of hiccups. But all Cathy could do was cry. She'd never felt so frightened in all her life.

"Get... it... away," she sobbed, trying not to look at the box.

Giggleton put the lid back on the box and tutted.

"This is your last chance, miss. You had better hope it works."

The last table held a crystal ball.

"What do I do?"

"This is a very special crystal ball. If you look into it long enough, it will show you your heart's desire."

Cathy's tummy fluttered. "Will I see my family?"

"You will see what matters to you."

Giggleton motioned for Cathy to step closer. She leant over the crystal ball, her eyes wide, and she wished more than anything to see her home. Wisps of white smoke swirled inside the globe.

"I can't see anything."

"Patience," Giggleton said, staring into the crystal ball. "You will."

Cathy waited and watched as the white wisps cleared and a dark shape took form. The grey walls, the tall chimneys, the rose garden and the open-mouthed fish fountain. Cathy gasped as Rune Hall appeared in all its splendour.

"No... no... it's broken." She picked up the crystal ball and shook it like a snow globe. Placing it back on the table, she waited for the white wisps to clear. The image of Rune Hall stood boldly against a backdrop of white clouds.

"What twisted trick are you playing on me?" she yelled at Giggleton.

"There's no trick. The crystal ball only reveals the truth."

Cathy raised her hands to her head. This was madness. She didn't feel well. She needed to lie down. Cathy ran through the hall, along the corridor, up the stone stairs, along the passageway, up the second flight of stairs and into her room. She slammed the door shut and slid to the floor.

                                                                     *

Cathy spent the rest of the day in her room. And Giggleton left her alone. Obviously disappointed that she'd failed to hiccup gemstones. It was late afternoon when she heard him yelling at Rufus.

She crept to the window and, staying out of sight; she listened.

"Rufus, I'm going out. Watch the girl."

"Could she do it?" the dragon asked.

"No. The girl doesn't have a drop of magic in her entire body."

"What will you do with her?" Rufus paced back and forth, small flames flickered from between his lips.

"I don't know yet. But as Hex's great-granddaughter, she will one day inherit Rune Hall."

Cathy strained to hear what they said next, but the sound of carriage wheels on gravel muffled the words.

"I'll return once I've spoken with the witch," Giggleton said. Cathy peeked out of the window to watch the goblin clamber into the carriage. The carriage sped off with a crack of the whip.

The dragon turned, his huge tail swishing, and he stared up at the window. Cathy ducked out of view. A witch? It couldn't be.