Helen Speaks

Introduction: https://helenspeaks.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/lucy-skylarks-magical-year/

Lucy meets Jacob: https://helenspeaks.com/2025/05/25/lucy-skylark-entry-17-25th-may/

Dear Vera,

You’ll never guess what – I saw Jacob again! It was very mysterious… I was in a quiet part of town where there are just a couple of specialist shops that are sometimes useful, and he was wearing a dark jacket even though it was warm, his hood up!

He looked around like he hoped he wouldn’t be spotted – but he didn’t see me, given I had just climbed a tree.

I think Maksym is rubbing off on me, Vera. I took him out the other day. Olive ended up teaching him how to make rocks fly… He thinks she is wonderful, of course, and I feel a bit disloyal for feeling trepidations about this!

But in any case, I wanted to listen to the tree. It was an old beech tree, and it had only ‘seen’ things in a tree sort of way but it was interested to share with me. Teddy was with me too – he was listening too. He said that when we were together, he could sometimes hear things too. “Or maybe I’m just ‘magining it,” he said. But you know what? I don’t think ghosts can imagine things, like that.

I scrambled down when I saw Jacob… I mean, I know he might not want to be bothered but I just wanted to say hello again, tell him how happy I was that he’d decided to meet other witches… and then he disappeared into a little shop. “Aw, this looks creepy,” Teddy said, and vanished back into his case.

He wasn’t wrong. When I stepped in, I immediately knew it was a magical place.  A feeling in my bones, under my skin… Something about how the light fell on each object… Light that seemed to be coming from nowhere.

And luckily, when he saw me, Jacob turned and smiled. “Oh Lucy, it’s you! Have you been here before?”

“Oh, no, not at all,” I said, staring around at it and feeling my jaw drop. It looked less like a shop and more like an Aladdin’s cave full of treasures.

“Ah – well, be careful, it can be a bit surprising on your first visit!”

I looked around. We seemed to be alone. “Is it a shop, or…”

“I call it The Exchange,” Jacob said. “I found it a few years ago… Or rather, it found me. The location is meant to be specific to each witch… I’ll talk you through it afterwards. Don’t pick anything up, yet – let me know if you like the look of something.”

I thought he was just saying this to be nice, like, however you bought something, he was going to buy it for me. Or at least think about buying it for me. Honestly, Vera, I’m such a kid sometimes. I wandered deeper into the shop and peered at scrolls with strange writing, brass instruments without numbers and eventually picked up a pretty little china pot from a shelf… There was a sudden rush of wind, and the walls closed up around me.

I panicked, Vera. I know it was stupid of me, but I dropped Teddy’s case without thinking. Then with an ear-splitting crack, a way opened up and I went to rush through to safety, still holding the stupid china pot, and Jacob rushed back.

“Wait – Lucy, don’t…”

Suddenly the walls closed up again and Jacob was trapped with me. But he didn’t look worried about that, rather, he was gripping Teddy’s case and put a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t panic – it’s all right. We’re not trapped – or we won’t be, in a moment. Don’t move, just breathe.”

“But I…”

“It’s all right,” he said. “Take a moment.”

I did, feeling confused but also a bit upset that I’d panicked in front of Jacob after playing the experienced witch the week before!

“I’m sorry – I should have explained it properly,” Jacob said. “It won’t let you leave without an exchange. So you could take that – what is it, a sugar pot? But it would only let you go if you left something.”

“But I didn’t leave anything… And you didn’t take…”

Jacob looked like he was trying to find the right words – but he didn’t need to. Because I suddenly realised he had Teddy’s case. That was why the way had opened up again – the shop thought I was giving Teddy’s case away!

“Oh,” I said. “And if I’d left it here…”

“This place changes quickly,” he said. “You might not have found it again.”

I felt a chill from my scalp to my toes. “What do I do?” I asked him.

He very carefully exchanged Teddy’s case with the china pot I was holding, and then put it back on the shelf. The wall shunted back again, revealing the rest of the shop.

“Will it let me leave?” I asked him.

He nodded. “Go on, I’ll meet you outside.”

Vera, for the first time I understood why some people choose not to let magic into their lives. I dashed out and let Teddy out of his case. He looked at me blankly as, realising that hugging him was out of the question, I hugged his case ferociously in front of him.

Jacob came out a few minutes later. He came over, sat with me on the verge where I was still hugging Teddy’s case, although Teddy dashed inside when Jacob came over.

“I’m sorry,” Jacob said. “It can be overwhelming, but it’s not meant to scare you, just ensure a fair exchange.”

“It wouldn’t have been fair,” I said, a bit overcome. “This is… this is Teddy’s case. He’s my familiar…”

“Oh,” Jacob said, his face becoming rather drawn. “I’m so sorry…”

I took another breath. “No, don’t be,” I said. “You saved him – I’d have rushed out without him and then…”

“Well, you didn’t rush out without him,” Jacob said, patting the case. “I’m not surprised you were so alarmed, though.”

He showed me how he’d found the shop – apparently, the first time you can be led in by another witch. But you need to find it yourself after that. I’ll have to show you it properly when I see you next, Vera, but you need a local map – any variety will do – and to trace the lines on your left palm (right palm if you’re left handed). He suggested never taking things you might want to keep, because the shop changes quickly so you only take things you’re planning to exchange.

Jacob had picked up an old compass. “I’m setting off tomorrow. One of the witches at the group I went to said she could find me accommodation in Lindsbay. I’m doing a… sort of a…”

“A Magical Year?” I said, suddenly rather excited.

“I’m a little old for that,” he said, “But… yes, I suppose that’s it. Better late than never.”

“That’s wonderful! You have a mentor?”

“Yes, sort of,” he said, smiling. “And I’m trying to find a way to break all of this to my mum. She’ll be horrified… but I think she’ll accept it, if she realises that it’s the only way I can be true to myself.”

It seemed to me that Jacob is actually a much more experienced witch than he thinks he is. I’m so glad he noticed I’d left Teddy’s case. I told Teddy all about it later and found myself shaking all over again. He said it was ok, that nothing actually happened. But I nearly lost him making a silly mistake!

It’s summer, soon, Vera, and I’ve learned so many new things. But I wouldn’t be surprised if this lesson – that you have to treat magic with care even if there’s no ill will behind it – turns out to be the most important one.

Your friend,

Lucy.

PS – Mum and Dad have asked if I’ll visit for a few days, so I’ll come and see you in person too! I’m getting the train up tomorrow.

Question: What’s the strangest shop you’ve ever visited?

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Next entry (Olive’s next letter): https://helenspeaks.com/2025/05/30/olive-framley-entry-13-30th-may/

Lucy’s next letter: https://helenspeaks.com/2025/06/07/lucy-skylark-entry-18-7th-june/