by Vance Huxley
The afternoon went well, back to a sort of normal except for the chatter from Zephyr. The protection hexes carved into long straight-ish branches using penknives weren’t the neatest, but did the job once they’d been filled with magic. All three of them used concentrated air glyphs to hammer the branches deep into the ground across the boundary where the troll baby had tunnelled in, much to dryad’s relief. Though dryad’s happy mood might be from scoffing a whole jar of honey, it had that effect on dryad Chestnut on the village green.
The rest of the barrier would take a little while because Kelis would have to either talk her mum into buying long thin stakes, or the three of them would have to use the tools in her garage to make them.
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Despite all the potential for disaster the previous weekend, everyone’s parents seemed to settle for the explanations - for now at least. During the next week the other students, even Seraph, lost interest in Ferryl/Jenny sitting with the geeks. By Friday Ferryl/Jenny had taken the dressing off her head and the bandage off her foot, but she kept her arm and leg bandaged and still used a stick. Spooky-phone worked overtime, bringing the Taverners up to date and helping to organise the next weekend. Ferryl had to use mazzlement, whatever that did, until her dad agreed to her going out on Saturday afternoon with a group of friends.
At least Abel, and Ferryl, now knew why her dad seemed so concerned. Deep in Jenny’s memories, very deep because she hardly remembered it, she had almost died. It had been another accident involving a lorry, which explained why her dad had gone into super-protective mode. On Friday Ferryl/Jenny had a message for Abel. Mr. Forester wanted to talk to all three of the game designers. Would they mind meeting him, either at his house or Kelis’? Since only Mr. Forester had transport they opted for Kelis’ house, once her mum agreed.
Early Saturday afternoon Shannon turned up with Jenny to collect Rob and Abel. A bemused Kelis accepted the proffered crash helmet and perched herself on the back of Shawn’s scooter. Once she’d said hello a smiling Ferryl/Jenny confirmed she’d passed her CBT, Compulsory Basic Training test for riding a moped. She privately admitted to mazzling the instructor just a little, but now she’d be able to visit Brinsford as often as her dad let her ride over. Ferryl/Jenny sat in the back with Abel, holding hands to ‘talk’ to him on the way, with Zephyr keeping Rob and Shannon up to date. Abel could see it in his eyes, Rob wanted his own Sprite.
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Shawn looked at the twelve teenagers gathered in the car park by Elmwood Park. “We’ll scare the poor bloke to death.”
“Not frighten, but we want him wary. He’s magically aware even if the creatures climb all over him.” Abel didn’t want anyone getting too confident. “If he found magic in his teens, he could have been using it for twenty or thirty years and might be able to help us with our training. We’ll ask him why the creatures climb on him, and if he can’t stop them we offer to help. With a group of us backing her up, he’ll know Sarah has friends if anything happens to her.”
“Yeah, I don’t like the idea of that sorceress trying to bind you three. I’m all on my lonesome when I walk home from the school bus.” Sarah tried to look relaxed, but her voice squeaked a little.
“He already knows you by sight, so you’ve got to approach him. Abel has to go with you so you’ve got Ferryl Shayde as backup, and Jenny because she’s welded to his arm.” Shawn sounded serious but the rest laughed at the last bit.
“I’m the best with wind, so I should stand nearby.” Kelis flexed her fingers. “Just in case.”
“With the Barbarian and his club for anything physical.” Rob brandished his rounders bat, much smaller than a baseball bat but the carved glyph gave it a tremendous wallop against magical creatures.
“That’s five people to meet him, while the rest of us spread out around the park but in sight. Then if he turns on you five, we can move in.” Eric didn’t sound too confident. “Though if he can fend Ferryl off, we’re in trouble.”
Abel really hoped it didn’t come to that. “We aren’t looking for trouble, just to ask questions. Talking, not fighting so nobody throws a glyph unless I start it. He might not be any sort of a threat at all but we have to know one way or another. If the dryad hadn’t noticed Sarah coming past every day we could have just ignored both of them. Did you bring the honey for the dryad, Sarah?”
“Yes. You’ll be nearby?”
“We all promise.” Kelis patted her on the shoulder and wiggled her fingers. “Help is a glyph away.” After a quick discussion on who went where, the group split up. The weaker ones teamed up with stronger glyph throwers, because nobody wanted to wait with the cars.
The man didn’t take much spotting after Sarah’s descriptions, especially since he sat near the only old tree in the park. He had long hair, a straggly beard and well-used clothes, but wasn’t as scruffy as Abel expected. The creatures were obvious to those could see them, clustering around him even as he brushed them off. Suddenly most of them drew back a little, and Abel saw the dryad come out of its tree. The shimmer around it meant it had cast a veil so the non-magical wouldn’t see the gnarled creature. “Perfect. Go for it, Sarah.”
Sarah drew ahead of the others, taking out her pot of honey and unscrewing the lid. Ignoring the man she walked up to the edge of the veil before placing the honey on the grass. “Greetings dryad. I bring honey in return for answers.”
The man started to rise, then sat back down and watched intently. The dryad hesitated, torn between caution and honey. Honey won. It moved forward until with a sudden surge the veil reached out round Sarah and the jar full of temptation. “What questions, human? Are you a sorceress?”
“He is using something. I see magic swirling.” Zephyr’s voice echoed in Abel’s head. Her warning explained the vague reddish glow Abel saw.
Ferryl’s voice joined it. “The dryad is testing Sarah’s magical strength, trying to assess her as a threat. There is no danger.”
Sarah wouldn’t have noticed because Ferryl had only adapted Abel’s, Kelis’ and Rob’s eyes to be more sensitive to magic, so she answered the dryad. “I am an apprentice. I wanted to know why this man has creatures climbing all over him. He brushes them off, so he can see them but doesn’t like them. Is he a sorcerer or warlock, and if so why doesn’t he have a ward or a hex?”
“Several questions. Maybe one big one.” The dryad eyed the honey. “The payment is enough. You must learn to bargain better, apprentice. The human can see us, but he is not a magic worker. He does not know how to create or activate glyphs. I cannot help. I have no idea how humans work glyphs.”
Meanwhile Abel, Ferryl/Jenny, Kelis and Rob walked steadily closer. Sarah stepped back nervously as the dryad extruded a shoot to slurp up the honey. “I thank you dryad. Since he is not a threat we will try to help him with the creatures, if he wishes.”
“We?” The dryad stopped slurping and looked around, freezing as it saw the group of four almost at the park bench. “A trap. A clever one. It is an age since I tasted honey.” The creature began to ease back towards the tree, calling out to the suddenly wary man. “If they threaten you, run for my tree. I will do my best but three, possibly all four are experienced and strong.”
Abel spoke up as the others stopped. “We will not threaten. We simply wanted to make sure he is not a threat to this apprentice because she lives nearby.” He turned to address the man. “The dryad says you are not a magic user. We can teach you to use glyphs and send the creatures away, if you wish. That or we can give you a hex that will deter them.”
The man looked around the park, half-rising as he spotted the number of people with no creatures near them. “Twelve of you are not a threat? I told you last time, I won’t take your job. I can’t because I don’t know how and I won’t pay your price to learn.” The sheer bitterness in the last part persuaded Abel he wasn’t faking.
“Caution. There is another, hidden, carried by that one.” The dryad pointed a twig at Abel and moved closer to the tree, lookin
g longingly at the remaining honey. “My tree is old and strong. Overcoming us will cause noise, and people will notice. Sorcerers don’t like that.”
Abel took a Tavern hex on a wooden plaque out of his pocket and tossed it towards the park bench. “That will keep the creatures away. Wear it or put it in a pocket. Let the dryad inspect it, to see there is no trap.” Abel sketched a slight bow to the dryad. “We will not cheat you out of your honey. Come on Sarah, we’ll stand back and let them talk a while.” Sarah didn’t hesitate, and the five humans walked away out of earshot.
“I can sneak in to hear them, a gentle Zephyr through the grass?”
That might have worked with a non-magical humans, but not that pair. “No sneaking Zephyr, or the dryad will see your magic. Even the human might.”
“Not if she dissipates enough. Though it is best not to do that, not yet, not until her sense of self is stronger. Otherwise she will become many tiny, unthinking Free Spirits.” Abel passed that on to Zephyr, hoping it would stop her experimenting.
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Ten minutes later Abel seriously considered leaving. The man had watched the creatures avoiding the plaque, eventually picking it up along with the honey and taking them to the dryad. The pair of them huddled together under the tree, near the trunk, invisible to most of the world behind the veil. That reminded Abel. “Did you find out how to veil?”
Ferryl sounded despondent. “Not yet, nor how to shield beyond my natural defences. It is not on these wits. The rest must be in the house.”
A loud voice interrupted. “Poachers? Who is your master?” Abel and the rest whirled to see a slim man in a suit, possibly about thirty and definitely angry.
“Poaching what? We came to help this man.” Abel gestured towards the tree.
“You sold him protection when he refused to buy from us. Stourton is a monopoly my master intends keeping. You will hand over the payment and leave.” The man lounged against the lamp post, completely at ease despite the anger on his face. “It is lucky I left something here to keep an eye on him.”
“I can see it. Shall I fetch it for you?” Zephyr sounded eager. Abel could almost feel her tugging to be let loose.
“Zephyr wants to collect whatever it is.”
So did Ferryl. “Good idea.”
Abel barely formed the thought before Zephyr shot out of his arm. The connection flicked out across the park, aimed at a sapling, and something started to rise. Too late. Abel realised she’d caught a bird as Zephyr headed back towards him, leaving a couple of feathers floating gently downwards. The sorcerer, he had to be, raised his hand and a glyph arrowed out. Abel never had time to react, but Ferryl/Jenny did. A puff of steam or smoke rose as her glyph intercepted his. The man whirled, palms out and glyphs stirring, but hesitated at the sight of glyphs forming on Sarah’s, Abel’s, Ferryl/Jenny’s, Kelis’ and Rob’s palms. Meanwhile Zephyr arrived back, though all Abel could see was the link and a live bird floating inside a shimmer in the air in front of him. Definitely live, because it blinked.
“Interesting.” Ferryl/Jenny let go of Abel to reach out towards it, keeping the other hand aimed towards the sorcerer.
“No!” The man closed and twisted one hand, and blood filled the bird’s open beak. He’d lost any semblance of relaxation now. “What is that? How did you….?” He stopped and took a breath. “Please understand, if you try to take over Stourton there will be consequences. The business here is not extensive, but my master will not let it go.”
“We don’t want his business.” Abel told Zephyr to let the bird go and hide again. The body bounced on the grass as he felt her flow into the tattoo. “We are not taking over, just dealing with the creatures where nobody else does.”
“Protection? The priests will be unhappy if you take the tithes that usually end up in their churches. Those churches cover most of the affluent areas, and the rest won’t pay enough to make it worthwhile.” At least he sounded nearly as puzzled as he was angry. “So why did you kill my watcher?”
“You killed it. We just stopped it spying on us. We’ll collect the next one as well.” Abel shouldn’t have been stroppy but the bloke had rubbed a raw nerve. Just like the church he didn’t care who suffered from creatures if they weren’t paying, and killing the bird had been just plain nasty. “We are a charity. The church knows about us, and are interested in how it works out.”
Kelis just had to join in. “We had a visit from a Peripatetic Archbishop. He left us a number for God’s SAS.” Her sunny smile didn’t match the glyphs swirling in her palms. “Why don’t you try out your crap attitude on him?”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “Where are you from? You look like schoolkids, most of you.”
“That’s us. Most of us are from the comprehensive.” Abel figured the bloke would find that out anyway. “We started by protecting the school.”
“Some of us are from church schools.” Shannon had closed in behind him, close enough to make him jump. A glyph swirled in her palm as well. “I’ll bet a Peripatetic Archbishop would take it personally if you hurt us.”
Kelis’ voice jerked his head back round again. “God’s SAS is my name for the church heavies but it fits. We were told they deal with serious problems, the sort that consider levelling villages as collateral.” The vicar had suggested it could happen, which meant God’s SAS should squish this creep without working up a sweat.
The sorcerer looked startled, then calculating. “An apprentice is not allowed to risk something like that. My master will decide what to do about you. Even if you are a charity, you must claim somewhere as a base. Where?”
“The villages outside Brinsford. Each of us deals with our own and then combine to help those working or living in Stourton.” Abel didn’t want some sorcerer descending on anyone on their own.
“Where does your sorcerer or sorceress live?” He looked at the swirling glyphs, then closer at Abel, Rob, Kelis and Ferryl/Jenny. “Someone teaches you.”
“Our teacher is based in Brinsford, eight miles away.” Abel saw the man relax a little so that wasn’t going to be a problem. “You’ll have to visit if you want to talk.”
“My master will want to meet with your,” he sneered, “teacher. Probably a witch from the sounds of it.” His expression faltered for a moment as he glanced at the bird, then firmed up again. “They will discuss boundaries, and your attitude.”
“And yours, we hope?” Kelis kept it light, but she had a low tolerance to threats these days.
“I am a proper apprentice, expected to stand up for my master’s rights. Give me your phone number.”
Abel waited, not answering, but Ferryl/Jenny smiled sweetly and glanced at him. “His sorcerer doesn’t teach manners.” Ferryl would find that hilarious after all the reminders about her own manners, when she first lived in the tattoo.
The apprentice glared at her. “Phone number, please. This is not helping.”
“I have been taught manners.”
“Hush Zephyr, stay hidden.”
Abel gave him the mobile number, but not his name. This sorcerer could work for that if he wanted it. “You live in Brinsford?” Abel nodded. “Very well, no more watchers until this is settled.” He glowered at the dead bird, turned on his heel and stalked off.
“Just one small heat glyph on that uptight ass?”
Abel glanced at Ferryl/Jenny. “Tempting, but no. Your vocabulary is growing. Uptight ass?”
“I’ve learned all sorts of things from Jenny. The world really has moved on, especially for women.” Ferryl/Jenny turned away as the sorcerer climbed into his car, an almost new BMW.
“What do we do about the man with the dryad? I don’t trust the sorcerer not to cause him trouble.” Kelis finally lowered her hand, banishing the glyph as the car drove out of sight.
Abel passed on the answer from Ferryl. “The sorcerer will want to speak with our teacher first. Meanwhile the dryad is strong enough to stop low-level harassment. If this man will take a few plaques for his house, th
at should cover it.” He set off back to the tree and the odd couple. “Let’s find out.”
A lot of the suspicion had gone though not all of it, not from the dryad. “What is the price for this hex?”
“No price dryad, for you or this man. Did you look at it properly?” Abel kept well back with Ferryl/Jenny, Kelis, Rob and Sarah flanking him.
Twigs scraped over the wooden plaque. “A guarding hex I have not seen before, with something else that is not active. Strong enough to deter minor magical beings, but not those such as I.”
“There is some soothing and pain relief if it is drawn on skin, where it will also turn minor magical attacks.” Abel nodded to the man. “Draw it on yourself if you like, then stroke it and meditate. Otherwise just wear that and the small creatures will leave you alone.”
“No price?” The man and dryad glanced at each other.
“We are a sort of charity.” Kelis obviously liked that idea. “Just starting. We are trying to help those who can’t afford to pay.”
“We could teach you how to do it yourself, use a glyph and make your own protection?” Sarah glanced at Abel and shrugged. “I feel sorry for him.”
“No!” The man clutched the hex. “That’s what they offered. I will not pay that price!”
Abel didn’t understand. “What price?” The man looked at the puzzled faces and relaxed.
“You don’t know?” Everyone looked at each other, back at him and shook their heads, and that was all it took. Even the dryad relaxed enough to finish polishing the inside of the honey jar as the rest of the Taverners gathered around the man, Frederick. He explained that the sorcerer’s apprentice, the one who had just left, had offered to sell him protection. Frederick had no money, not the sort of money needed, so the apprentice made him another offer.
