by Vance Huxley
While Abel, Kelis and Rob chased the Kalkatrie, Ferryl/Jenny had been at home thinking about the Blood Leeches in Henry and the badger. If two came to Brinsford, it might mean a nest of them in Stourton. Back when Ferryl went into the hole the Leeches had been a minor problem that both Church and sorceresses destroyed on sight. A persistent problem, unfortunately, because they were difficult to spot once the seed had grown large enough to take full control.
Something had changed, because back then an adult would definitely not have risked attracting attention by attacking Abel directly. Ferryl didn’t like them, and since one had attacked Abel the others were prepared to glyph first and ask questions later. Despite a lot of discussion, none of them were sure if the Leeches and Kalkatrie were connected, though neither were welcome.
∼∼
Over the weekend Mr. Forester visited twice, to ask questions and make suggestions about the game. At home Ferryl/Jenny kept as close an eye on him as possible, and he really seemed genuine though she warned he would try to get more than a few shares. That wasn’t a total surprise; all three mothers expected that at least. On Sunday he seemed intrigued by mention of charitable work and promised to look into that as well. Even if Bonny’s Tavern itself didn’t become a charity, supporting one would be a good way to reduce tax if they ever paid any.
Ferryl/Jenny spent a little longer in Brinsford this weekend, and checked progress on casting a seeming onto a cloth. The glyph seemed similar in style to the colouring one, but more complicated. In addition it had to be adapted and shaped to copy specific nearby colours, shapes and textures even in changing light. Rob, Ferryl and Kelis began to realise just what an advantage all the extra magic from trees gave them. It meant they could practice much longer than those relying on the magic they absorbed each day. Though despite Rob pushing, none of them would be learning mazzlement until they became much more proficient. One tiny mistake could leave the victim missing large parts of their memory, even forgetting how to walk or speak.
Ferryl/Jenny only visiting occasionally led to a change in their training. “I intended bringing this in gradually, building up from a ripple in a natural progression as we did with wind and fire. Now you will have to practice the glyph and decide when to progress without me. First you learned air, then flame which is slightly less ephemeral. You are all adept, as was shown when you fought the Troll baby and then the Kalkatrie, so now you progress to a more solid glyph. Water.” She sloshed the bottle taken from the box on the back of her moped, and spread out four saucers. “You will be making ripples to start with, without using wind.” Ferryl/Jenny leant forward to draw a glyph on the ground. “This is water and can be very useful. In a fight some of the water in a living being’s own body can be drawn into its lungs to drown it, or the water in a river can pluck the unwary off the bank. With heat it is steam, or heat reversed on shaped water makes ice darts. Those can be directed using air. The three glyphs together can be potent.”
“Providing there’s a convenient puddle.” Rob wasn’t actually complaining but Ferryl/Jenny smirked at him.
“But there is always water, even in deserts, another advantage of controlling this glyph.” Her hand raised, casting a glyph that hovered. A tiny blur appeared in the air, slowly expanding into a small mist cloud which then became droplets of water. “An instant drink of pure water. I am working the glyph slowly so you can see me taking the moisture from the air. Water can also come from grass, a tree or the ground. Be careful with your intent when drawing water from a living being. I have seen a whole room full of people fall to the ground, shrivelled husks, because the sorceress had no time to be specific.” The droplets coalesced into a clear wobbly globe before descending to splash gently into a saucer.
“Control, but not aimed towards anything living.” Abel hitched forward. “So how do we persuade water to ripple?”
A large yellow star appeared over Abel. “Good student. Persuade, don’t force. Water is slippery, but tough. It cannot be pushed and pulled unless frozen with a reverse heat glyph.” During the lesson Abel could feel Zephyr’s interest. He’d got used to it, but now he worried she might try out a glyph and wreck something. Once Ferryl/Jenny finished, he let Zephyr out to hover and her connections shot out to everyone.
“Zephyr wants to work glyphs. She says she has little magic, but wants to help.” Abel glanced at the eager shimmer. “But I won’t let her try in case it isn’t safe.”
Ferryl/Jenny thought about it for some time. “Zephyr can work glyphs, certainly wind glyphs. Her problem will be forming them with pure imagination and then keeping control. Luckily, as you said, she has little magic.” Everyone smiled at the next bit. “Ask her to float a leaf.” Abel asked and a glyph smoked out of the shimmer to pluck a leaf from the ground. Moments later it hovered, almost rock steady. Ferryl/Jenny’s eyes narrowed. “Gravel?” The little cloud of dust rose to become a small, neat heap in mid-air. “That is not a first attempt.”
The dust fell in an untidy cloud. “I am sorry.” The shimmer couldn’t squirm but it tried. “But I tried a glyph while flying about visiting the guardians and it is a lot of fun. I only tried air, because I am wind so I thought it couldn’t hurt. You said I should have fun?” Zephyr bobbed up and down. “Can I keep practicing? Please? Then I can bop fae hard enough to stun? You don’t like fae.”
“First off, whatever we decide you stick to, right?” Abel kept his face straight but Rob had a little smile and Kelis’ lip twitched. Bop fae?
“Sorry. I will obey. I agreed that, but you didn’t say not about blowing air?”
Zephyr didn’t sound all that sorry. Unfortunately Abel knew just how exciting learning that first glyph could be, so he had trouble sounding stern. “No glyphs without agreement. That doesn’t mean not ever.”
“Yeah!” The shimmer shot up, trailing the spooky-phone connections, looped the loop and dropped back to hover attentively. The excitement through the connection never wavered as Ferryl/Jenny laid down the law about not using any other glyph yet, and not putting too much intent into the practice. As the four of them walked the boundaries, checking, a shimmer above them snatched individual dead leaves from the ground and tried to turn them into aerial acrobats.
∼∼
Sunday evening a long message from Shawn told them Kieran, the new magic user in the Hope Valley, would like another visit. He’d got past the first shock, and finding that the hexes really did frighten off creatures reassured him. Kieran would be practicing with a leaf during every waking moment, until he could float instead of flutter. Shawn couldn’t go, he had commitments next weekend, so it would have to be someone else or at a later date. Meanwhile Justin and his sister Rachel would keep in touch with their cousin Kieran, even if Rachel spent much of her spare time playing Bonny’s Tavern with Diane, Melanie and the other fourteen-year-olds.
Zephyr continued learning and developing, and not just her wind glyph. Now she could turn her tattoo’s head, change her expression, raise a hand and wave her tail properly. Some of her broader education came from the internet while Abel slept. After burning out a TV remote control with magic the sprite learned to tap buttons with just her wind, and could use the keyboard or a mouse. Mornings became a silent conversation lasting up to breakfast as Abel put right her impressions of the world, or admired her increasing control of the tattoo. As a side effect he learned reams of probably useless facts Zephyr found on the internet.
Most of the betas were preoccupied with exams right now, or rather the run-in to them. Almost all the originals were in the same year as Abel, fifteen or just sixteen years old, and would take their GCSEs in June. The majority expected to stay at school through the sixth form, years twelve and thirteen, and they wanted good results so they could take their preferred A-Level subjects. Only a few wanted to take apprenticeships or the vocational courses that were the alternatives for sixteen to eighteen-year-olds.
Even Ferryl/Jenny in year twelve needed good grades because they counted towards A-levels next
year. Claris would struggle to catch up, or pass her A-levels, because she still hadn’t returned to school. The police came around interviewing her friends but then rumours spread that she had been found. Nobody could be certain why but Claris had definitely left school, and might have left home as well. Abel, Kelis, Rob and Ferryl/Jenny feared the worst, a Leech seed, but couldn’t be certain without finding her.
April progressed with most of the older students struggling with mounting school homework. Mr. Forester only contacted Abel once, to say he thought the charity work and business of selling the game should be separate. Meanwhile, despite their schoolwork, various betas found time to suggest extra characters. Some were traditional such as a thief and a hunter but Rob wanted a sprite catcher, a character who caught and trained wild magical Sprites to use as watchdogs or hunters. He still hoped to get his own Zephyr somehow.
∼∼
Abel had almost forgotten the sorcerer’s apprentice, so a phone call one Friday evening asking for a meeting caught him out. The stilted voice introduced himself as Elrond, senior apprentice to Pendragon, and seemed totally serious about the fantasy names. Abel bit back jokes about pointy ears or if any of them had found a precious or a sword in a stone, agreeing to meet up on the road outside the village Saturday afternoon. He thought he heard a little bit of interest when he said outside Castle House would be best, but Elrond didn’t make any comment.
At least Abel had time to contact Ferryl/Jenny so their sorceress would be present. So would Kelis and Rob, though none of them had a real plan. Tempting though it was, asking more Tavern members to come might look like a threat or that they were frightened. Abel tried to concentrate on homework because no matter what happened, that came first right now.
By Saturday lunchtime Abel felt decidedly nervous, so Ferryl/Jenny’s moped zooming up to the house came as a big relief. While Ferryl/Jenny said a quick hello to his mum Abel texted Kelis and Rob, and they were both raring to go as well. Fifteen minutes later the four of them were trudging along the edge of the village to come into the gardens through what the dryad called the Dead Wood. Abel had learned his lesson. He called out to the dryad before entering but this time there were no nasty surprises waiting.
A comment about two birds trying to come inside made them all smile. The sorcerer or his apprentice had been testing, because ordinary birds would have had no problem. With that in mind Abel turned Zephyr loose to search but she reported the area clear of watchers. She flew ahead to check the gardens and even as the four of them reached the little cave, reported a visitor arriving. “A car has just stopped outside the village boundary stakes. Two watcher birds have been released, but they have not crossed over.”
“They might not be able to.” Ferryl/Jenny looked decidedly smug. “They definitely won’t get into the wood or gardens.”
“I could catch one? Or both?” Zephyr definitely liked hunting. Once Abel had agreed he didn’t like the flying predatory fae near pets or children, she caught any getting too close.
“No, because he’s being polite. Sort of polite though he’s nearly an hour early so he’s planning something.” Abel concentrated, though the mental contact came easier now. “Keep out of sight, including magical sight, but try to see if the apprentice is there as well.”
Within minutes Zephyr found him, or probably did. “There is another car waiting further back. There are no little watchers there.” Abel called her back to watch the first car, and the occupant and watchers. “A man is getting out. He has magic swirling all round him. He is inspecting a boundary stake. A watcher-bird is trying to approach the stake but does not want to. Oh. It kept coming nearer until it dropped. I can see the life fading. He has released another bird but it is staying clear.”
“We should show ourselves before the nasty git kills any more birds.” Kelis glanced up at the sky. “Better yet, if we get him inside the village boundary he can’t release any more.”
“Is he the one who’s been testing us, Ferryl?” Rob didn’t seem happy either, gripping his bat.
“No, or I think not. He is using living animals controlled by magic, not magical creatures. Though it would be a good idea to stop him carrying out more tests.” She turned to Abel. “Keep Zephyr hidden, and do not use spooky-phone. He will not guess exactly what she is, but why give him any hints?” A reluctant Zephyr came back to hide in the tattoo.
∼∼
By the time the four of them came out of the trees the tall, slim man with neat black hair, blue eyes and a short pointed beard had crossed the village boundary. He stood by the first fencepost he came to, a hand up to test the barrier around Castle House. Abel called out to get his attention before he learned anything useful. “You are early. That is, I’m assuming you are Pendragon? I expected someone with a sword. Or a stone with a sword in it?” Abel heard Rob snigger, but he really hadn’t been able to resist an Arthur joke.
The piercing ice-blue eyes weren’t amused. “The names are chosen by our master when we are apprenticed. Your master or mistress should have done that for you, though my apprentice claims you are only witches and warlocks.” He tapped the air a good metre away from the fence, as if testing it. “This is a bit more advanced than a witch could manage, and has been worked on recently. I wish to speak to all of you including the sorcerer or sorceress, please.”
Ferryl/Jenny’s hand gripped Abel’s. “Careful because he is shielded, so probably expecting trouble. He wants to be sure we are all here. I would bet his apprentice is going to test the rest of the boundary and maybe the barrier. Elrond is human and a sorcerer, so he may be able to enter the wood. It would hurt and possibly injure him, but this man wouldn’t care about that.”
That would explain the other car stopping well back. “I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with me. Your apprentice will have to deal with something much more unpleasant if he insists on trying to come through the boundary anywhere but here.” Abel tried for a faint, enigmatic smile. “We have watchers as well.”
“And hunters. He tells me you have one perched on your shoulder, a very fast one. Could I see it?”
Abel deliberately misunderstood. “I doubt it, or not soon enough to make any difference. I thought we were here for a friendly discussion?”
“Hopefully, now I have seen this barrier.” He tapped the air again, then gestured towards the two watchers perched on the trees near his car. One flew off. “Elrond will be here shortly. I’m used to the Arthurian references but please don’t make elf jokes, especially about his ears. He is already upset about you killing his pet. It is the first creature I have allowed him to control, and now he has to earn another.”
The git wasn’t pushing the blame for that on Abel, or Zephyr. “The hunter caught it alive. Your elf killed it.”
“Really?” The tone barely changed but Abel felt a little shiver as Pendragon continued. “I must chastise him. I insist on honesty, from apprentices at least.” He concentrated briefly. “He will be hurrying now.”
“I saw it! There is a link. He just used it. Stronger than the flicker when he sent the bird.”
“Thank you Zephyr. If I move so your tattoo touches Ferryl’s shoulder, can you use spooky-phone without him knowing? If so, tell her about the link.”
“I will try.”
A moment later Ferryl/Jenny squeezed Abel’s hand. “Clever. I will put my other hand behind me and hope Rob or Kelis takes the hint.”
Pendragon didn’t seem to notice. “After your little scene in Elmwood Park, I investigated. Much to my surprise, the church really does know about you though I couldn’t find out how or why. Now I am not totally sure if the Archbishop part is true or not.”
Kelis reached past Abel, holding up a business card. “He’s real. Call this number, but God’s SAS might turn up.” The sorcerer’s eyes flickered and Abel could have sworn they turned brown for a moment.
Ferryl’s snigger echoed in his head. “He lost control of the seeming, just for a moment when he altered his eyes to try and see t
he small print.”
“Seeming?”
“He is smaller and fatter.” Abel bit back a snigger of his own. The bloke had put on a sorcerer disguise to impress them.
Though now he knew Abel just couldn’t resist tweaking Pendragon. That appearance with that name was just so over the top. “Zephyr, or Ferryl, is he still shielded?” Two affirmatives echoed in his head. “I’m Abel and this is Jenny, while these two are Rob and Kelis. Now we all know each other you may as well relax, drop the seeming and the shield. It’s a waste of magic unless you’ve got something better than an Archbishop and his bodyguard?”
The startled glance at the house probably meant no. “He brought a bodyguard? What have you got in there?” His eyes narrowed. “I looked into this place, and the information is very sparse. Lots of dire warnings about something unpleasant, and the names of several powerful entities that tried to enter and were never heard of again. It was all long ago and sometimes it’s best to let sleeping houses lay, especially when annoying them might ruin a profitable contract or two. Then last summer my apprentices reported a surge of magic. I was abroad at the time so I missed it, though I wondered if the owner had called by.” He glanced back as Elrond came in view, the same man as had been at Elmwood Park but limping with his face screwed up in pain. “At last. You obviously needed the encouragement.”
Elrond straightened with obvious relief. “I came as quickly as possible, master.”
“That is where the link goes! The sorcerer just stopped whatever he did.” Abel would bet the nasty git had given the apprentice his limp, then told him to hurry. From the little hand squeeze, Ferryl had seen the same or heard Zephyr.
“Sir will do. We are being informal, apparently. We will talk later about how you actually lost your pet.” Pendragon turned back to Abel, to Elrond’s obvious relief. “If the pleasantries are over, we had better sort out our little differences. Would you like to sit in my car? It would be more comfortable.” It certainly would, he’d come in a dark green Bentley with personalised number plates. PEN 1 had to be from right back when numbers started.
