by Vance Huxley
The sorcerer would teach Frederick how to use magic and keep the creatures away. In return Frederick would work for the sorcerer, carrying out magical tasks for twenty years. To ensure obedience, and so Frederick couldn’t cheat on the deal, the sorcerer would mark him. It would be a magical leash, which didn’t sound too bad until Frederick discussed it with the dryad. The link would be a control, and the sorcerer would leave it in place so Frederick could never be a threat. Frederick would probably have plenty of money, but would spend his life working glyphs to help his master.
After leaving Frederick with seven wooden hexes and Shawn’s phone number, a very sober group of Taverners headed back to their transport. Frederick would phone Eric if he wanted tuition, or if anyone magical turned up to harass him. The trainees living in town promised to be there as quickly as possible, and the whole group offered to come to Brinsford when the sorcerer wanted to meet Abel. Most of them thought Ferryl Shayde should just slap the cheeky git down if he started giving ultimatums.
Some of them knew she might not be there, though on the way home in Shannon’s car Ferryl had the answer. “Unfortunately, until I recover properly and find my other wits, I can’t fight a sorcerer. If I am not there, stand inside Castle House garden. When he tests the barrier, he will find it is too strong and complex for him to unravel. Tell him if he attacks you will run away, and come back after he is dead to try to recapture the response.” After a moment’s thought she had another idea. “Or dig up the bone glyph we took from the sorceress. That will follow his magical attack back to him, and he’ll wake up bound into a brand new tattoo on whoever has the glyph.”
Abel vetoed that, though Rob wanted to leave his options open. He voted for having the glyph ready, just in case. When Shannon dropped Ferryl/Jenny off at home, Rob covered his eyes just as he used to for Abel to kiss Kelis goodbye. Abel really wished the kiss felt like a Kelis one, or rather that it was a Kelis one. Though Ferryl might have a point, he wasn’t dwelling on that quite as much and Jenny’s kiss wasn’t exactly awful. Abel, Rob and Shannon spent the journey from Kielby to Brinsford going over this business of magical apprentices and them being leashed.
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All weekend Abel expected the sorcerer to ring, but nothing happened. The three of them finished the increased protection around the wood outside the back wall of Castle House garden, with some unexpected help on Sunday afternoon. Warned by a text message the three of them were waiting outside Castle House when Ferryl/Jenny puttered up on her moped, followed by a familiar Mercedes. Ferryl/Jenny smiled as she took off her helmet. “Dad is worried I’ll fall off.”
“It is your first time out.” Mr. Forester looked a little embarrassed. “It will wear off soon, I promise.” He looked up at Castle House, then swept his eyes across the gardens. “So this is the mystery wild wood. Is there a way into the house round the back?”
“No, it’s all locked or boarded up, every door and window.” Abel gestured to include the grounds. “The rest is like this. We like it because nobody bothers us in here.”
Ferryl/Jenny hugged her dad, quickly. “I’ve been dying to explore ever since Abel told me about it. It’s all overgrown because nobody has been here for ages. There’s even a little cave if it rains.” She turned and headed for the gate.
Mr. Forester hesitated. “Typical kids, want someplace private. Who does it belong to?” He eyed the house again. “That would make a really nice place if someone renovated it or turned it into flats.” A move towards the gate stopped almost as soon as it started. “I might have a proper look at it sometime.”
Abel realised the barrier must be persuading him not to bother right now. “How long is Jenny here for?”
“An hour.” Once again, her dad made half a move towards the gate. “Since I’m here I’ll wait to make sure Jenny gets home all right.” He definitely looked embarrassed this time.
Now he knew why Mr. Forester worried so much, Abel sympathised. He made a suggestion, knowing the barrier would make anything sound good right now. “I’ll text mum if you like. She’ll stick the kettle on and you can have a cuppa and a natter.” Abel held up his phone. “She can probably answer some questions about Bonny’s Tavern as well.”
It worked. “Are you sure she won’t mind?” Abel felt sure his mum would love to grill Mr. Forester about Jenny, and would enjoy showing off the game. She’d taken a drawing of the actual Tavern to work with her, to show everyone what her son and his friends had come up with. Sure enough, a few minutes later Ferryl/Jenny waved her dad goodbye.
“That was mean. You let him off the hook. I wanted to see what sort of daft excuse he’d come up with to leave, yet be here to escort me back.” Ferryl/Jenny heaved a big sigh, then put her arms out and twirled. “Free at last! Well not really, but it’s nice to stop pretending. No need to limp, or hold hands to talk privately, or talk in code.” She looked up as Zephyr flew out of Abel’s tattoo and soared up to the treetops, trailing her tether. “Maybe not quite free, not as free as Zephyr.” She set off for the cave.
Though Rob wasn’t waiting until they were settled. “When can I have a Zephyr, Ferryl? It would make things a lot easier at school. You hold hands with lover-boy here so he can hear you give him private answers, but then he has to pass them on.” Rob stopped so fast Abel nearly trampled him. “We should add that to the game. The characters can have an invisible magic companion.”
“Yes, I’d like one as well, especially since she saw that watcher bird when nobody else did.” Kelis pushed Rob. “Come on, I want to sit down and talk properly.”
“I saw it as well, or the magic tether to it when it activated, but couldn’t work out what to do. A glyph attack would have been too aggressive just then, and might have started a battle. I forgot how fast Zephyr could move.” Ferryl/Jenny shook her head at Rob. “Sorry Rob, no Zephyr for you. You would need a tattoo like Abel’s.”
“I’ll take the grounding when mum finds out. Better still show me the mazzlement glyph, or I can wrap the tattoo in a bandage and practice the seeming glyph.” Rob stopped outside the cave. “Curses, there’s only three crates.”
Kelis grinned at Abel, and then Ferryl/Jenny. “Jenny can sit on her boyfriend’s knee.”
“Not Jenny so not boyfriend, remember.” Abel started to take off his jacket. “I used to sit on this when we started. I can practice fire glyphs if I’m cold.”
Rob and Kelis burst out laughing. Ferryl/Jenny and Abel waited patiently until Kelis stopped enough to speak. “Rob reckoned you’d still hold hands and maybe even kiss her while we were on our own, and say it was for practice. I told him you wouldn’t.”
“Never mind that now. I’m a lot more interested in a Zephyr. Do I have to imagine a tattoo the same as a ward?” Rob paused with his jacket half unzipped. “How much will this hurt?”
“Does it have to be a furry cat-lady? Where would it go?” Kelis inspected Rob but then her eyes opened wide. “Ooh, could Rob have a Lovingly Sculpted on his arm? Though until he saw her, I’d have bet on a Teddy Bear or a Petra cat-girl.”
“I’m sorry, you can’t have a tattoo like Abel’s. I made that tattoo while I had no body, with my true-self blended into his skin, separate yet connected to his magic. I didn’t even know if I could do it when I agreed to be a rider without reins, but I was desperate. If Abel had left me in that hole I would have faded completely within a few more years.” Ferryl/Jenny’s sad face suddenly brightened. “It turned out to be the most fun I’ve had in centuries. I doubt there is another tattoo like that anywhere, one that allows the inhabitant to leave and fly without any sort of binding. Even Zephyr has to keep contact until Abel releases her from her agreement.”
“You could teach us to make one? Oh, we can’t get inside ourselves. What about Zephyr? She looks like you did, sort of shimmery.” Rob wasn’t giving up yet.
“Zephyr couldn’t enter you, or anybody, not without being properly bound or possibly blending in a sort of half-possession. She can’t make a tattoo like that, and I can�
��t make another without leaving this body. Then I would never get back in, because Jenny is warded now.” Ferryl/Jenny glanced up at Zephyr, now hovering and obviously listening. “Zephyr is unique as well.” She addressed the shimmer directly. “Nobody will ever work out exactly what you are and you must not let them pry. You are a product of Abel’s magic and intent so you absorbed something of him, his character. You also have some of my knowledge, and when I gave you a mind it must have included a part of who I am. The result has exceeded all my expectations, a true thinking being rather than just an obedient servant. A sorcerer might have created something less complex before, or bound a Feral Spirit, but that would not have been given free will.”
“But Zephyr isn’t completely free.” Abel tried wrestling with the idea of Zephyr having his character but left that for now.
“Zephyr chose to serve when she could have flown away. She is a gamble because I broke my promise to you, Abel Bernard Conroy.” Jenny’s voice sounded totally serious as she looked Abel in the eye. “I needed some way to help you, to protect you in some way when I can’t. Zephyr can see magic flows, which even your improved eyesight can’t, so she will see magical traps others think are hidden.”
“She makes a great retriever as well.” Rob sniggered, his hand shooting out and closing as if snatching something from the air. “That wiped the sneer off that apprentice’s face.”
“Forget him for now. Talking about magic flows has just reminded me that Zephyr needs some tuition. That way, even if you aren’t here, we’ll know if something has tried to break in.” Ferryl promptly insisted on checking the boundaries, immediately, which turned into one long, fascinating lesson. By the end Zephyr understood the magic flows and could spot a problem, even if she couldn’t yet fix it. Rob and Kelis learned how to help Abel repair the feeds from the trees, but only if Zephyr found the faults.
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Rather than watch Mr. Forester struggle with wanting to come into the gardens while the garden persuaded him not to, the four of them made it back to Abel’s house before their hour was up. Once inside they found that sending Jenny’s dad here had gone beyond keeping him occupied. He admitted wanting to check out how violent Bonny’s Tavern might be but now, after talking with Abel’s mum, he made a tentative offer. She’d told him the three mothers would be helping their children to sell the game.
Jenny’s dad offered to look into the idea of the game and assess it as a business venture. If it still looked sound, he offered to invest in the potential company and nail down the patent and copyright for Bonny’s Tavern, including donating the services of his lawyer and accountant. In return, Mr. Forester asked for a small share of the business, for his daughters. A stunned Abel, Kelis and Rob promised to think about it very seriously.
Once Ferryl/Jenny and her dad left, Abel’s mum made a cuppa for everyone. She explained that the offer had very little to do with Abel and Jenny going out together, except that it had brought Bonny’s Tavern to Mr. Forester’s attention. Diane had been going on about Bonny’s Tavern ever since the Abel-Jenny secret came out so he’d tried to buy it for her, and found he couldn’t. Jenny had confirmed that the Tavern wanted to legalise the game, which is why he’d wanted a meeting. Explaining that, and answering the tentative questions, kept everyone occupied while they drank their tea.
“Now you three need to sleep on it. Probably for several nights and you’ll need at least one Tavern meeting I’m sure. Jenny will probably be in touch, because her dad will be explaining all this once she gets home.” Abel’s mum ruffled his hair. “You’ve done it now. That’s a serious businessman and he really is interested. Abel mentioned having your mothers as directors, as a possibility, so I hope you two told your mums?” Kelis and Rob nodded, still dumbstruck. “Well you’d best go and tell them it might really happen. I’ll talk to Jess and Terri tomorrow and explain everything Mr. Forester said.”
Abel saw Rob and Kelis to the door, heading back to the lounge with his head still going in circles. His mum’s laugh startled him. “I’ve never seen you three so serious, not when it’s about your blessed game. Cheer up, you don’t have to marry the girl.” She laughed again at Abel’s expression. “We both agreed it’ll be a miracle if you pair are still a couple after the summer holidays. Jenny is a year older than you and has entirely different interests, not to mention a very full schedule once she starts Acro training again. The business offer really has nothing to do with how you two feel.”
“I wondered if it might be about the accident. You know, a sort of thank you.” Which would make Abel feel really guilty. He’d also wondered for a moment if Ferryl had mazzled Jenny’s dad, but she hadn’t mentioned any of this.
She shook her head. “No, though he really is grateful you saved his daughter. The offer seems to be pure business. I can’t help you with finance, Rob’s mum and dad aren’t exactly flush, and Jess has no idea what she’ll end up with after the divorce. This way Mr. Forester picks up the initial costs, and you get to use a proper lawyer and accountant. A few shares for Jenny and Diane are worth nothing now, though you’ll have to make sure you three stay in control.”
“I’ve no idea what to think. Worse, I’ve got school tomorrow so there’s homework to finish and my head is scrambled.” Even though he finally got it finished, Abel knew he wouldn’t get good marks for this homework. The texts from Rob and Kelis told the same story. Neither of them had come to terms with the idea yet, let alone had any serious thoughts.
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Ferryl/Jenny’s news on Monday morning came as a relief. Her dad wasn’t expecting a reply this week, and possibly not the week after. She actually understood the whole thing better than the three designers, because Jenny took Business Studies. That led to Kelis rethinking her options for next year. She had the grades to take Business Studies, but hadn’t wanted anything to do with it because of her dad. He’d have used her as cheap labour and the thought of working in the same office terrified her. Now some business knowledge might be a good idea.
The next ten days passed quickly, with Ferryl/Jenny visiting at the weekend and Wednesday nights. Her dad gave up on following the moped after the second visit, though she had to be home well before dusk. During the second week Abel, Rob and Kelis came to a decision. If Jenny’s dad really wanted to invest, and the offer wasn’t an attempt to rip them off, they’d take it. Even if that didn’t happen, Kelis would be taking Business Studies because they’d still push on with Bonny’s Tavern.
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Meanwhile, Sarah spoke to Frederick whenever she saw him in the park. He sent his thanks for the hexes, telling Sarah the dryad would keep an eye open for watchers and warn him. At the moment Frederick and the dryad were considering the offer of training. They had a strange relationship, where the dryad seemed to really care what happened to the human. Maybe it was lonely because there were no other adult trees or dryads in the park.
Despite occasionally worrying, Abel heard nothing from the sorcerer who allegedly had the monopoly on magic in Stourton. He began to wonder if the man had dismissed him and the rest as irrelevant.
Seraph ignored Ferryl/Jenny, and the geeks, even when Henry came back to school. Henry wasn’t much good as a heavy, not with the fingers on one hand strapped up and the other arm in a pot and sling. He had a recorder to help him remember his lessons long enough to make notes, because he had to type them one-fingered. From the slightly haunted look and occasional twitches Henry definitely saw creatures, though despite him looking tired Ferryl declared him leech-free. Henry remained as strong and physically healthy as ever, whereas Leech seed victims were in permanent pain and lost weight quickly as the seed invaded their organs. Claris might be in real trouble, because she still hadn’t returned to school.
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One surprise, and problem, should have been expected. Rob called for an emergency Tavern meeting on Thursday evening. He arrived waving his phone. “Big problem. Remember all those friends and relatives of our betas setting up their ow
n groups to play the Tavern miles away from here? A lad in Castleton in the Hope Valley has emailed Ferryl Shayde to say he’s floated a leaf. Now he wants help, urgently.”
That meant he’d activated magic, and obeyed the instructions in the game rules. “I thought the betas weren’t going to tell any more recruits about the ward stroking trick? It shouldn’t be possible to activate the wind glyph by accident, not if nobody told them to draw a mark on themselves.” Kelis looked bewildered. “Or did they?”
“Who knows? He might be one of those people who would have found magic without help, like Mum or Frederick. Remember, most of the betas still don’t know that magic is possible so they won’t see any problem with drawing a Tavern mark on themselves. A good few might never find out, never activate. We can hardly tell every beta to stop now, or they’d wonder why.” Abel took a breath to calm down. “It’s done now, so we’ve got to deal with it. First off, we’d best phone round and find out who this guy is. One of the betas must have told him about Bonny’s Tavern, hopefully one who has discovered magic. They can talk to him.”
“His name is Kieran. I’ve sent a text from Ferryl telling him to keep quiet and stop meditation until he has advice. I’ve also told him to draw a Tavern sign on paper to pin up in his room to keep the creatures out.” Rob brandished his phone. “He replied straight away, because he thinks the game is coming to life like Jumanji. He’s already seeing creatures. I’ve told him they’re real but the game isn’t. The game will tell him which little ones to avoid, and the big ones are made up so he needn’t worry.”
“Ha, yeah, somehow I don’t think don’t worry will work.” Kelis looked from Abel to Rob. “Where is Hope Valley? How near is it?”
Rob’s glum look wasn’t promising. “The other end of the Peak District National Park, about thirty miles as the crow flies but twice that by road. It’s a bit far for Jenny to nip up there on her moped and be back by dark.”
“I can’t see him upping sticks for a two-day training camp here like Petra did.” Kelis hesitated. “He might if he’s scared enough, but I’m not sure mum will go for a mystery boy stopping over. At least Petra is a girl, and from the same school.”
