by Vance Huxley
The talk and slow healing of Rob’s lips gave them all a chance to wind down, and Ferryl a chance to carry out more repairs to Claris. Deeper inside the Leech had left even more extensive wounds as it pulled free, though they weren’t immediately life-threatening. Staying next to a tree, a ready supply of magic, meant Ferryl could get everything functioning. Finishing the healing properly would take time, but not quite as much magic.
Zephyr ended up with one more task. After further instructions, she cleaned the blood from everyone’s clothes, including Rob’s sodden shirt, just as Ferryl had when she first met Abel. Afterwards Zephyr looked darker, more visible, and complained it made her feel heavy. She turned into a little whirlwind for a few seconds, leaving a neat pile of black dust once she stopped. Ferryl confessed she’d used Abel’s and Cooch’s blood-dust to help form the ragged shape she’d taken coming out of the hole.
“Are we all ready?” Abel helped Ferryl/Claris up from where she sat with Jenny against the tree. “We’d better let Stan see Claris and tell him she won’t need any more blood. He’ll be relieved.”
“What about that?” Rob gestured towards the toad. “It’ll need some blood, if we really need it alive.”
“Zephyr can kill mice or something similar, and the toad can eat them while they’re fresh. The Leech is smaller now so it won’t need much blood or magic.” Abel gestured. “Come on, I want to sit down and have a drink. Will your mum mind Claris visiting, Kelis?”
“No, she’s used to your women popping in and out.” Kelis giggled, followed by Jenny. “Your face is a picture. Mum won’t mind if we say Claris is getting Tavern help for her illness.” She turned and knelt in front of the cage, now placed in the small cave. “Remember, blood-sack. If you escape from the cage, you will die screaming and rolling about in terror. If you are good, and help us get the key, I will bring you a little bit of blood and the occasional worm. You will want to be kind to toad, because it might be your host for a long, long time.” A glyph sprang up in her raised palm. “Or no time at all, if you annoy me enough.”
The toad backed slowly away into a corner. “Come on Kelis, it got the message.” Rob reached down to help Jenny to her feet. “Watch out Abel, we’re outnumbered now.”
“Good, then you won’t get any ideas.” Jenny took Rob’s head very gently in her hands and kissed his swollen and scabbed lips. “There, the hero’s reward. You risked that foul thing getting inside you to save Claris, even if you don’t like her.” With a little shudder Jenny glanced at Ferryl/Claris. “You won’t want that mouth to kiss you, not until it’s been well scrubbed.” Turning to look at Abel her familiar bright smile came back. “Better yet, if Abel needs taking down a peg you can remind him you got a kiss without me being possessed first.”
Between teasing a flustered Rob and mocking a protesting Abel the three women definitely cheered up. They all sobered when Ferryl/Claris tried to walk. Despite stopping the bleeding and gaining control of her limbs she needed Rob and Abel to help. Her magic couldn’t keep Claris’ damaged organs working as well as overcome the wasting of her muscles. While topping up from a tree again, just before leaving the garden, Ferryl/Claris pointed out she could eat a Goblin let alone real food. She badly needed solid nourishment to turn into muscle.
Bugsy sniffed them all suspiciously when they arrived at Stan’s, but didn’t growl at anyone which reassured Stan. Either the dog didn’t detect Ferryl inside Claris, or considered her a friend. Maybe she smelled like Zephyr. Once he knew the thing had gone Stan fussed round Ferryl/Claris, offering her a chair and a cuppa. When Rob came in and Stan got a good look at the scabs, he glanced at the gun cupboard and wanted to know what the hell happened. Rob explained the thing had fought back, but lost. At least Stan didn’t push for details, just knowing the whatever had been dealt with seemed enough.
When the five teenagers arrived at Kelis’ house, her mum took one look at Rob’s mouth and phoned to let his mum know her son was on the way home. His swollen lips and seven huge scabs weren’t acceptable, meditation tattoo or not. At least Rob had been practicing his excuse. He claimed to have been showing off to the girls on the little cliff in Castle House gardens, but slipped and kissed the rocks on the way down. Shortly after leaving, Rob texted to say dad was taking him to hospital to get the gashes cleaned and treated. A later text pointed out he wasn’t impressed with the tetanus shot.
Kelis’ mum reacted much the same as Stan when she saw Ferryl/Claris, offering her a seat and fussing round her. She didn’t question the vague story about recovering from an illness, anyone ill who wanted Tavern help could call any time. Mrs. Ventner spent some time reassuring Ferryl/Claris that the drawing she’d get on her arm really would help, then stuffed her with sandwiches, soup, ice cream and cake to help get some weight back on.
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While they waited for Rob to come back from hospital, the others had a quiet celebration in Bonny’s Tavern. Even remembering that Ferryl/Claris still had to sleep in the church didn’t break the happy mood. In theory Claris could go home, but Ferryl wasn’t leaving Brinsford again. Unfortunately, none of them thought producing an anorexic teenager who’d run away from home and wanted lodgings would work on parents.
Jenny stayed on a bit of a high after all the tree magic, wanting to know if it always felt like that. She’d drawn the glyph on her palm under Ferryl’s instruction, but hadn’t realised how tired she’d be when Ferryl drained her. Tree magic had come as an absolutely mind-blowing revelation. Abel remembered his first taste, and from the little glance so did Kelis. Jenny teased him about no more hand holding and kisses, then teased Kelis about Laurence. Her mood came as a huge relief to Abel at least.
When Rob came back and joined in Kelis finally admitted to coaching Laurence in pushing magic, or rather meditating with a Tavern mark. He still hadn’t floated a leaf, and Kelis had been careful not to say he could, but with Laurence attending every Tavern game possible he wouldn’t take long. The local players all practiced the ‘meditation’ before a game, and many knew the real reason so they’d recognise the signs.
The pair had been texting, and talking on the phone but now Laurence wanted to come to a Bonny’s Tavern meeting. When Jenny had finally left, promising to keep in touch but only by phone for now, Rob, Ferryl/Claris and Abel sat looking at Kelis. The two boys had little smiles but nobody said anything until Kelis gave a big sigh. “Yes, Laurence really wants to see me, properly not just at school. He’s nice to me and I like him. Get over it.”
Abel held up his hands in surrender while Rob managed a magnificent cringe, then spoiled it by laughing. “I didn’t say anything.”
Kelis’ glare turned into a wry smile. “No, but it was the looks. It’s just that Abel keeps collecting girlfriends, and sooner or later some poor innocent will fall for your helpless buffoon act. I’ve got to get over my thing about boys. Laurence seemed about the right height, and he’s funny.” She sniggered, then blushed a little. “Do you think I can really persuade him to wear stripy tights?”
Abel sat in shock while Rob answered, pointing out she could probably charm the sucker into anything including a tutu. Finally Abel collected his scattered wits enough to get the words out. “Collecting girlfriends?”
Kelis glanced at Ferryl/Claris. “Ferryl is your teacher and protector so she will stay close to you. More than that you will have to hold her hand to get answers so Zephyr can pretend to be Ferryl Shayde. Well, skin to skin contact but hand holding is probably the most socially acceptable option.” She smiled sweetly as Ferryl/Claris took Abel’s hand.
“She’s right, though I never thought of it. Perhaps we should tell everyone I have possessed Claris to save her? Then you won’t have to pretend.”
“No, you can’t!” Abel explained and the other two agreed. Going by the reaction to Leech possession, even when everyone thought it was relatively benevolent, nobody would be happy about Claris being possessed. At least Claris had actually agreed, clearly and upfront, to sleep for
a while until Ferryl could find another host so that wasn’t a problem this time. The ex-Leech host hadn’t even asked them to hurry because she wanted time to let the horror fade. Despite that Abel wasn’t going for the boyfriend part this time.
At least during the holidays there could be a gap between breaking up with Jenny and a situation where he needed to hold hands with Ferryl/Claris to speak privately. Abel bid Kelis goodnight, then Ferryl/Claris at the church, then suffered Rob’s teasing about girlfriends and Jenny’s kiss until he arrived home. Zephyr crowing about bashing the Leech and healing Rob came as a relief.
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Within days Abel’s mum called him downstairs to point at her phone. “You broke up with Jenny?”
“Not quite, it was sort of mutual.”
“Why?” Abel recognised that tone, the mum-ready-to-defend-her-boy one. He really, really didn’t want to talk about girlfriends to his mum, but he’d best calm her down before she went on the warpath.
Abel took the easiest route, at least some of it true. “Mr. Forester and you got it right, we haven’t got that much in common. Sneaking a bit of time to be together seemed exciting but then everyone knew. Then we found that outside of the Tavern game and complaining about Seraph we hadn’t got much to talk about. That and, well, to be honest Jenny is kinda serious, grown up at times.” Abel sighed. “We only got talking because we were both looking for a quiet spot after Seraph picked on us. Maybe that’s all it would have been without the accident.” Abel hoped he wasn’t overdoing it, that his mum didn’t think he was upset and hiding it. She’d say something to Jenny or Mr. Forester.
“Are you going to be all right? You’ve not been sat up there moping like you did about Kelis, have you?” Yup, his mum thought the hussy might have dumped him and he was hiding it.
Abel sighed again, swallowing the little smile at that thought and trying to sound a bit sad. “Kelis was my first girlfriend.” He squirmed a bit because he really hadn’t got past Kelis, not yet. “Can we not talk about that? Or Jenny? She’s staying clear for a bit but we agreed to still be friends.” Abel forced a chuckle. “Just as well since we’re in business together. Now can we talk about the weather or something?”
“I’d hope you are still friends. After all, according to her your kiss saved her life. All right, I’ll drop it.” His mum’s voice seemed more amused than worried now, so Abel relaxed a bit. “Though you might have mentioned it.” She brandished the phone again. “Instead of Jake assuming I knew? I felt a complete fool.”
“Mr. Forester?” Abel stared at the phone. “Oh.”
“Yes, oh. He wanted to know if there’d be a problem with Jenny attending meetings. She’s a shareholder remember, and Jake wants her involved but he doesn’t fancy you two looking daggers at each other.”
Abel laughed, genuinely this time. “Not likely. I mean it, neither of us is mad at the other. Her dad will want Jenny in the meetings to help her with business studies.” Now he’d stopped fending off questions about Jenny, Abel wondered why her dad wanted a meeting. “Does Mr. Forester want a proper meeting? Has he got it all sorted out, the game?”
“No, not even close. He wants to talk about where we go from here and even the highlights are giving me grey hairs. Apparently you need a proper graphic designer for the board and cards, editors for the rule books, all that sort of thing so they can be printed professionally. Then marketing, sales outlets, and probably a zillion other things. Ten thousand quid is more cash than I’ve ever seen in my life, but now I’m wondering if it’s going to be enough.” Now his mum looked worried, so Abel gave her a quick hug.
“You’ve seen the drawings, and the computer-drawn versions of some. Kelis has top-range graphics software on her laptop and Rob and me, well, we borrowed it so a printing firm should be able to use everything we’ve got. We’ve even designed a game-board with the lands around the Tavern and a few details here and there. The rest has to be discovered and some can alter with a dice throw. Here be monsters stuff. There’s enough to get started, I think.” Though now Abel began to wonder. “We all take Graphic Art so it’s decent quality. We can even put it on a DVD to sell, then people can print their own. Maybe it can be sold like that on eBay for starters? I’m not sure how we get anyone to actually buy it though.”
“I have a strong suspicion Jake is thinking of a little bit more than that. We’ll have to be ready to jump in if he gets too carried away.” The glare about the next bit didn’t have too much heat in it, probably because of the bigger problem. “We’d better get all your computers legal for starters.” At least talking about practicalities took the conversation away from not keeping mum up to date on Abel’s social life. Though now he had to crowbar Ferryl/Claris in there, somehow. She’d be coming to Tavern meetings, and Kelis’ mum would mention her even if Abel didn’t.
Abel thought he’d better get it over with. “There’s a girl came over a couple of times, Claris from school. She’s recovering from an illness.” Abel sighed and went into the prepared story. “Actually she missed all the exams. Everyone wondered why. We, Kelis Rob and me, found out, or rather Claris came and told us. She got into drugs and stuff and ended up in a house with some people. Bad ones, she won’t say much. She had a moment of sanity or something and got out, and we’re helping her get straight. She’s scared to death of whoever it was she ended up with and daren’t go home yet.” Abel paused, but he may as well get it all out in the open. “She’s even worried about meeting her mum. She wants me, Kelis and Rob to be there, sort of moral support.”
“Are you taking this charitable bit seriously? Where are they meeting?” Mum thought a moment. “Where is she living? There won’t be any of her drug friends about, will there?”
“No, just us and her mum in the coffee shop inside the big shopping centre. Nice and public.” Abel skipped Claris’ current home.
“In that case I’ll take you three.” The look meant his mum wasn’t taking no as an answer. Abel’s mind spun. How would they get Claris there? Would one of the other Taverners come and get her if they weren’t picking up Abel or his friends? A good few were decidedly lukewarm about Claris because she’d been Seraph’s henchwoman. “When are you meeting?”
“Er, when Claris sorts it out, sometime convenient for her mum? Now it’ll be when it’s convenient for you as well.” Because if Abel even looked like he’d tried to wriggle out of it, mum would just dig deeper.
The small break while his mum checked her diary gave Abel time to think, but there wasn’t a way out of it. “Unless I’m called in suddenly, these are the days and times I’m free for the next two weeks. I’m at work most days because of staff holidays.” Abel took the scribbled list, hoping Claris’ mum would be free as well. The next bit threw him again. “If you’ve got that to sort out in the daytime, we’d better have the meeting with Jake in the evening. Does it matter what date?”
“Er, no.” Abel had relaxed too soon. He held up the list. “I’ll have a word with Rob and Kelis, and Claris.”
“You could just call Claris now.” Mum was definitely pushing a bit.
“She keeps her phone turned off, so those people don’t keep pestering her. I’ll catch her this evening just before she calls her mum.” Abel hoped he kept the fibs straight in his head. He’d always tried to be honest, mainly because with his lousy memory and tendency to blush he got caught too easily. Ferryl Shayde had changed the honesty bit right from the start but kept track of the porkies for him, but not now.
Explaining that to Zephyr, and why it might be okay to lie to his mum sometimes but not others, distracted Abel a little but not for long. He really hoped Zephyr’s offer to keep track of the porkies wasn’t just to make him feel better.
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When Abel collected Rob and called round to explain to Kelis, she sat very quietly for a few minutes. “I could get transport for Claris?”
“Your mum? Can she drive?” None of them had ever seen Mrs. Ventner on the lawn mower, let alone driving a car.
“Or were you going to try to rope in your aunty again?” Abel stopped guessing as he saw the little smile on Rob’s face and the two spots of colour in Kelis’ cheeks.
“Mum can’t drive but, um, well. Laurence can. Drive I mean. He’s even got a car, but his dad won’t let him take it to school. He has to pay for petrol out of his allowance. But that’s not a problem. Not if, well, not for coming here. To meet me. For the Tavern.” Abel started to smile as the normally calm, collected Kelis floundered. “I just thought. Well, you know. He’s been asking about coming to pick me up. If I went to Stourton with him, he might pick up Claris as well?” She finally looked up at the two big smiles. “If he will.”
“Oh, from the sounds of that I think he’s sufficiently well glyphed. You could even leave Claris in town so he could drive you back by the scenic route. She could catch a bus.” Rob looked on the edge of laughter.
“No! I couldn’t. Well, you know, she hasn’t got money. Anyway….” Kelis stopped, taking a breath before glaring at the two of them. “I’m just trying to help!”
“Actually that would work. You could sit and hold his hand, Abel could hold Claris’ hand.” Rob looked around with a little smile. “Maybe Claris’ mum will want her hand held.”
“Stop it. There’ll be no hand holding.” Kelis opened her mouth to argue so Abel took the easiest option. “Well maybe for some people. At least Laurence won’t ask awkward questions in front of adults.”
“Oh G… curses. Mum!” Kelis looked horrified. “She’ll go crackers if Laurence turns up to drag me off in his car. She’s never even met him and she’s still half-expecting me to be kidnapped by Dad. Even if Laurence doesn’t come here, your mum will mention him.” She slumped.
