by Vance Huxley
After each meeting, while the adults chatted, Jenny went for a walk with the others to see Ferryl/Claris. She also met the three young willow dryads as herself rather than Ferryl, claiming that the meeting came a close second to her first dose of tree magic. Jenny had tried hard to find her own supply but as with most Taverners every mature tree Jenny tried had a dryad guardian.
After a couple of visits, as a special treat, Jenny held an inscribed stone for protection while she topped up from a tree in Castle House gardens. Any memory of the magic in the trees, apart from the one she used straight after Ferryl left, had been removed from Jenny’s mind so finding out how much magic lay unused blew her away all over again. She immediately negotiated for a regular visit and joined the discussion on ways to store magic that weren’t in bone. All the Taverners would progress faster if they could store extra for when they had time and space to practice.
Even Laurence brought up that problem, reinforced by the visit to his home. His mum and dad really were charming, and left the six teenagers to their own devices. Six because once she knew about the visit, Jenny volunteered herself as Rob’s companion because she’d never seen the place. The group needed as much help as possible to place hexes because even the boating lake had magical creatures swimming in it. Laurence and Jenny had their first practical lesson in drawing glyphs to protect the rowing boats.
Zephyr investigated the woodland as the humans walked past. As Laurence told them, all the trees were claimed, but the visit answered some questions about forests. Zephyr’s sight disclosed that each dryad in the woods claimed several trees, at least one adult and one a sapling, magically linking them together.
The house turned out both easier and harder to protect than expected. Ferryl and Zephyr noticed that a small deer’s head with intricately twisted horns, part of the Sperrick coat of arms, formed a hex. All the big rooms with fancy carvings had a coat of arms somewhere, so Laurence could protect them just by pouring magic into the deer heads. Though as he pointed out, that could take months without a tree to supply extra magic.
The attic turned out to be an entirely different proposition. The first half had the usual collection of small creatures but those petered out as the group moved up the corridor. Ferryl/Claris suddenly stopped them. “Caution. Something large and powerful is in the rooms ahead.”
“I see magic, seeping through the floor and around the doors. I could check?” Zephyr had loved flying about outside but became bored with hexing the rooms.
“No!” Ferryl/Claris spent some time with her palm towards the suspect area, concentrating hard. According to Zephyr she would be trying to read the magic ahead, to identify what it was. Eventually Ferryl relaxed, but gestured for the rest to fall back. “That is a Fursomnium, a creature that feeds on dreams. It is infesting the walls in that half of the attic. It sleeps, probably still sated after feeding on all the servants that once lived there.”
“We’ve got to get rid of it!” Laurence clenched his fists. “Does it reach the bedrooms below? There’s nobody directly under it, because my parents sleep at this end of the house.”
Ferryl checked the next two floors, hexing the bedrooms in regular use to stop the creature spreading into the walls. Laurence still wanted it removed, but Ferryl worried that if roused Fursomnium might be too big to kill. Then it would tear at any unprotected minds nearby or move to prey on someone else. She proposed a full meeting of the magical members of the Tavern, here in the house, to trap and destroy it.
Laurence agreed to work on persuading his parents to host a Tavern meeting. He had already played the game, so it would be a natural progression at some time. The serious discussion about him needing more magic for such a big place led to the usual one about ways to store some. When he stretched the gold links on his expanding watch bracelet, pointing out that it should hold some, Ferryl looked thoughtful and promised to look into it. Just before the group left, Laurence produced what he’d wanted to find up in the attic, a gold-painted plastic headband with paste gems for Kelis’ Windcatcher outfit.
Once back in Brinsford Kelis took him to a dryad-free oak in the Dead Wood, as a thank you but also to help him ward more of his home. She didn’t tell Laurence there were more trees, but a dose of oak magic encouraged Laurence to plant a small copse at home. It would take a few years to mature, but then he’d have a personal supply.
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Oblivious to any human plans, the goblins finally wanted to talk about their population problem just as Abel, Kelis and Ferryl/Claris were leaving for a day out. “Sorceresses, sorcerer, the meld have considered.”
Abel looked carefully, and he thought this one must be the old Goblin from last time. The cracking on its skin looked worse, once it banished the stone seeming of a gargoyle. “Are you all right? You look worse.”
“I am nearer the flame, but will not need to look for it if you agree. Some of the young have only ever known hunger and wish to take a chance. Keeping the seeming strong enough to stay disguised takes much food.” It glanced back where green faces peered round the corner of the church and some gravestones. “If you take me and another Old, we will look. We will return to tell the young if there truly is food with no other meld to challenge for it. If the price is not too high some young will go, with two Old to offer advice and teach our stories until crumbling.”
“The price will be to watch over one house and gardens, to make sure others do not intrude or spy. A sorcerer sends birds as bound watchers.” Abel stopped, because the Goblin had bared its rows of tiny, sharp teeth.
“Will there be a place for Batlins? We will try hard, but birds are swift and we do not fly.” It cocked its head to one side, suddenly curious. “Why do you not ward the garden as you do Sorcerer’s Keep and Dead Wood?”
“There are dryads. They have been there a long time, and a strong barrier would drive them out. The house itself will be protected.” Abel glanced at his watch. “We’ll be leaving in a minute, but will be back this evening. How soon will you be ready?”
“We were ready, but now the Batlin meld must consider moving as well. By stopping them from catching what she calls the pretties, this sorceress has reduced their prey and your hunter takes some of the magical ones.” It glanced at Abel’s shoulder. “She is also hungry, and the batlins dare not challenge her. They have listened to us talk, so they will decide quickly.” The Goblin looked back at the other eager green faces. “I will tell them two more days, if you agree?”
“Agreed.” Abel texted Rob, asking if he could polish a gargoyle. “Explain to Rob please. He’ll be here as soon as he can get away.” Rob would be busy helping Melanie with her costume because even if she only played over Skype, his little sister wanted to look the part. She wanted to be Cackle the Crone, even if that wasn’t a playable character. Not yet, Melanie wouldn’t give up that easily.
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Kelis texted Frederick, to let him know he’d get protection soon, then concentrated on Ferryl/Claris’ problem. The sorceress needed a legitimate place to stay before someone noticed her living in the church. Too many people were getting curious about her always being in Brinsford. Twice Laurence dropped her off in Stourton on the way to take Kelis and Abel home. She caught a bus back out to Brinsford, but the bus service wasn’t good enough to do that regularly. Ferryl/Claris had to sell the gold fairy to pay for lodgings, which meant finding a reason to spend the whole day in Stourton.
In the end Kelis asked if they could all go to the local swimming baths for a change. Laurence agreed, though he made Kelis promise not to play tricks with the water. Turning the cola in his glass into a waterspout that neatly filled Kelis’ glass had made him very wary. On the way into town Abel and Claris asked to be dropped off in the town centre, knowing Laurence wouldn’t mind getting Kelis on his own for a while.
As soon as they were alone Ferryl/Claris went into the public toilet and came out with brown hair. She didn’t want the Leech Firstseed to see her wandering around town. The first two sh
ops Abel and Ferryl/Claris tried weren’t interested in buying a gold fairy. One because the woman behind the counter clearly thought they’d stolen it, the second because of the lack of any hallmark. The next possibility, an old shop, had a magical hex inside the counter so some were still operating. Luckily both Zephyr and Ferryl could see the tell-tale flow of magic.
Abel felt almost relieved, in a way, because it still felt wrong to be selling magical gold. “Maybe we’ll have to find another way.” He showed Ferryl/Claris the list from the internet. “This one here is the last possibility for something like that. Unless we pawn it, but they’ll want proof of ownership at least.”
“This is the receipt from when Laurence bought the Sprite.” Ferryl/Claris held up the piece of paper and it blurred, showing an address in Manchester and a date three years ago, and now the price and description showed the piece to be gold. “I had forgotten hallmarks. Now I have been reminded, they are easy. I will look at several gold items before trying to sell this, then a little heat and air will put the hallmark onto the base.”
“All right, one more time. If it doesn’t work, we leave it for today and maybe think again.”
“First, there is another problem, the real reason neither wanted to buy from us. You are clearly a schoolboy, while I am not really old enough nor dressed to be selling such an object. We can’t change you, so go in first and be ready to cause a diversion if anyone in there causes trouble.” Ferryl/Claris tapped Abel between the eyes. “He or she may be like Frederick or Stan, and possibly see something wrong with the receipt.” Abel heaved a sigh of resignation, and agreed.
Though he hadn’t realised what Ferryl meant to do about her appearance. He stood inspecting a small display of watches and straps when Zephyr alerted him. “Ferryl Shayde comes.”
Abel glanced, looked again and gaped. As he realised and turned away the one consolation was that a schoolboy probably would stare at the young woman coming into the shop. It wasn’t just the long blonde hair, the tight fitted top or her short skirt and high heels. Somehow Ferryl/Claris exuded a suggestion she might be what Kelis’ mum would call morally suspect. Though her manner, hesitant and maybe shy, didn’t quite gel.
Ferryl/Claris moved around the shop, then asked to see two gold pendants and a figurine before unwrapping the fairy and asking if he’d buy it. She sounded cautious, unsure and reluctant as if she wasn’t really sure. When the proprietor admitted he might, if it really was hers and real gold, her voice sounded a little embarrassed as she gave her cover story. Abel wasn’t sure if she’d aimed at sounding like a wronged fiancée or dumped mistress, but either would fit.
The fairy reminded her of the man who bought it so she wanted to sell it. Abel kept on inspecting watches and straps, stifling his impulse to look to see the expression on the proprietor. The receipt didn’t raise any questions, nor did the hallmark. Ferryl/Claris’ cautious attempt to raise the price sounded as if she needed the cash but didn’t want to admit it, and Abel had a completely uncharitable thought. How many times had Ferryl done this in the past, sold magical jewellery to an unsuspecting sucker? The whole act looked polished from his perspective, but maybe just convincing to the victim.
Even the hesitation before asking if she could possibly have it in cash, because there might be a difficulty at the bank, sounded natural. For a moment Abel poised, wind glyph forming, when the proprietor asked for identification. Ferryl/Claris passed him something that he considered sufficient, and he began counting out notes. Abel left the shop. He didn’t want to hang about long enough for the man to remember the schoolboy if the fairy turned to silver or dust tomorrow. He headed across the street and waited at the first corner.
Ferryl/Claris ignored Abel, so he gave her a bit of a start and followed until she walked behind a skip and a brown-haired Claris walked out. Ferryl/Claris smiled and hooked an arm through Abel’s. “He will make a good profit on that. We should walk past and look in the window in a few days.”
“How often have you pulled that trick?” It came out without thought, but that had been nagging away at Abel.
“Not often because selling magical gold used to be more difficult. I have used a similar seeming or manner to get out of trouble, or to stop someone who recognised my host from prying. Most men will not press a woman too hard about her circumstances if she suggests she has fallen from grace. Especially if she also intimates she is short of money.”
Abel settled for a muttered “probably not.” He reluctantly shelved Ferryl’s past, because any humans involved were long dead. “How much did you get?”
“Just under three thousand pounds. Enough for lodgings.” Ferryl/Claris patted her bag, back to the large one sent by Claris’ mother instead of looking like a slim leather clasp.
“Should we be wandering around the shops with all that cash? We wouldn’t want to get mugged.” Abel realised his mistake as Zephyr suddenly came alert in his tattoo.
Ferryl/Claris turned with a big smile. “That would be entertaining.” The shopping after that opened up Ferryl’s understanding of the modern world. “Elasticated! Just a word, but a new one and without any real meaning until now. Sorceresses who have not perfected putting diamonds in bone will be using elastic to carry a store of magic. The watch straps might work, but so will an elasticated belt. We can fasten them tight to keep the glyph in place.”
“Not too tight or they’ll hurt. That or the band will cut off the circulation.” Abel still wasn’t sure even the watch straps would stay over one spot. “You’ll end up with a red mark every night when you take it off. We will, because I’ll risk it for an emergency boost.” The pair of them were approaching the swimming baths. “Remember, no asking water to move aside or water spouts.”
“Just a minute.” Ferryl/Claris nipped into the public loo and came out her usual self.
Ferryl/Claris took her time changing into her swimsuit which meant Abel stood waiting for her a few minutes, but Kelis and Laurence didn’t notice. They were laughing and splashing each other, just a little, and chasing each other. By the second time round Abel realised Laurence swam just slow enough to let her duck him after about half a length. He caught himself thinking about how Kelis wasn’t at all skinny now, and squashed the sudden pang. Abel felt sure it was getting easier.
On the way back Laurence kept teasing Kelis about not learning to swim because she could breathe standing up in the deep end. For once Kelis found jokes about her height funny, probably because they were jokes that applied to Laurence as well. Now Laurence wanted to go to a water park, which went well beyond Abel’s comfort zone because he’d never done much swimming. He kept quiet, reassured by remembering that he could politely ask the water to spit him out again.
Revelations
Unfortunately the money didn’t solve the accommodation problem because cautious enquiries showed that nobody in Brinsford wanted a lodger. At least Stan, the usual gossip-monger, wouldn’t cause trouble. He liked having Ferryl/Claris drop in for a cuppa, though Abel thought it might be to check on her progress. The food had filled her out until her clothes no longer looked baggy, and her colour went from pasty to a healthy light tan.
Ferryl/Claris stayed hidden when Mr. Forester visited Brinsford for business meetings, because he would recognise her from Jenny’s Acro practice. Jenny still liked to check up on Ferryl/Claris, and top up with tree magic, so she usually found an excuse to have a walk around the village with the other three. Despite having said she wanted to stay clear, Jenny obviously felt she should keep an eye on Claris. She eventually confessed that seeing Abel wasn’t as creepy as expected, probably because most of the time they were in meetings.
This time Mr. Forester had a sheaf of planning application papers. They showed what Frederick needed to do to his house to get varying degrees of acceptance up to a full nursing home. “That house in town really will make a good refuge, a charity where battered wives or something similar could go.”
“The old church here in Brinsford would be even b
etter. There’d be no husbands sneaking around a little village like this.” Abel’s mum darted a glance at him, then at Kelis’ mum.
“Yes, secluded like that nobody would even notice a couple of women living there.” Rob’s mum’s mouth twitched as she glanced at Rob.
“After all, nobody has noticed Abel stashing his girlfriend there, have they?” Kelis’ mum looked round the table, then at Mr. Forester. “That’s what we wanted to know. It looks like Jenny is in on it as well.” There wasn’t much use protesting, because all four teenagers looked as if they’d been poleaxed. They stayed that way as Mrs. Ventner brought Mr. Forester up to date. Mrs. Turner, a definite busybody, had wondered who the squatter was because Abel, Kelis and Rob obviously knew her. Others had noticed Ferryl/Claris walking around the outside of the village with the three of them to get to the Dead Wood, or up the village street to Stan’s or Castle House. The four adults sat back and eyed their children.
“You didn’t honestly think we wouldn’t notice, did you?” Abel’s mum shook her head in disbelief. “She’s got bright red hair for starters you idiots. Then you all start asking around for lodgings, and I noticed some sheets whizzing around in the drier that aren’t mine.” She narrowed her eyes at Abel. “Once we compared notes I knew that girl wasn’t going home by bus. I have to use that service if my car’s broken down and it doesn’t run that often.”
“So is she really hiding from bad people or is it an excuse to meet in secret?” Abel cringed because as Rob’s mum said that, Mr. Forester shot him a suspicious glance. After all, Jenny had allegedly been a secret girlfriend.
“Bad people, honest.” Abel glanced at Mr. Forester. “We don’t meet alone.”
“Does Laurence know? Have you been meeting him over there when you go out with these two in the evening?” This time Kelis tried to look innocent as she denied it.
