The Opal Quest by Gill Vickery, Mike Love Page A

of women walking in a straggling file. She and Finn watched as the line came to a halt and the women held their lanterns up high. The lights illuminated a dark hole in the hillside framed by thick wooden beams. ‘What’s that?’ Tia said.
    â€˜There are crystal mines here,’ Finn said. ‘I think that’s the entrance to one.’
    â€˜Look, someone’s coming out of it.’
    There was a murmur of excitement from the group as the first miner emerged.
    â€˜It’s a child!’ Tia said.
    More and more children stumbled out and were hugged by their mothers.
    â€˜They look very tired,’ Finn said.
    â€˜It’s not right!’ Tia said. ‘How can their parents allow it?’
    â€˜Perhaps the witch makes them do it with the power of the opal,’ Finn said.
    Tia thought about that as the filthy, exhausted children were collected and led away down the valley. She clenched her fists and vowed that she would not fail to steal the opal and set the children free.
    A horrible grinding noise made her jump, and she looked across at the mine entrance. Rocks were sliding down the slope towards it.
    One woman still waited there. ‘Magnus!’ she called. ‘Where are you?’
    A little boy appeared. He was so tired that he swayed and rested against the wooden frame. His mother ran forward to help but before she could reach him, a shower of rocks and boulders tumbled over the entrance with a horrible rumbling.
    â€˜Magnus!’ the woman screamed. ‘Magnus!’
    The little boy was trapped inside the mine.

Chapter Two

The Rescue
    The boy’s mother pulled frantically at the rocks piled up in front of the mine entrance. The other women and children ran back to help her.
    â€˜We’ve got to do something!’ Tia said to Finn.
    Finn didn’t argue. He grasped Tia in his claws, changed his skin to the colour of night and flew across to the other side of the valley. As they landed, Tia said, ‘I’ll go down and help. Wait here.’
    She scrambled off along a path winding down the rocky hillside, her feet slithering on loose shale. She reached the mine and started to help pull away the smaller rocks. Everyone was too busy to ask who she was. Soon only one huge boulder was left, wedged up against the entrance.
    â€˜Magnus!’ The little boy’s mother beat her hands against the stone.
    â€˜Mama!’ a tearful voice called faintly from inside.
    A big, strong woman put her arm round Magnus’s mother. ‘Now, Solay,’ she said, ‘let’s all push together and see if we can move this rock away.’
    The women and children arranged themselves around the boulder and put their hands on it. ‘Push!’ Solay shouted. Everyone heaved at the rock but it wouldn’t budge. They pushed and pushed until they were exhausted. It didn’t move an inch.
    They stopped and stood, panting. ‘It’s no good,’ Solay sobbed.
    Tia looked up to the top of the valley and could just make out Finn amongst the shadows. ‘We can do it,’ she said. ‘Let’s have one more try.’
    Now the women and children looked at her curiously. ‘Who are you?’ Solay said.
    â€˜I’m Nadya. I’m a Trader. I got lost during a fog and I’m searching for my people.’ Tia had used this story before. ‘I saw what happened and came to help.’
    â€˜A little slip like you!’ said the big woman who’d comforted Solay.
    â€˜Leave her be, Halla,’ Solay said, choking back a sob. ‘At least she tried to help.’
    â€˜I’m sure I felt the rock move, just a little bit,’ Tia said. She smiled at Solay. ‘Let’s try again.’
    Halla shook her head. ‘It won’t move.’
    â€˜We have to try,’ Solay said and braced herself against the rock. One by one all the women and children joined her. Tia made sure she was last. As Solay shouted,