by Vance Huxley
The woman’s eyes opened, and her limbs trembled a little. “I am trying to make this a dream, so she does not wake. What should I say?”
“The truth, without naming your new boss.”
“How do you know the nest is broken? I am told they will retaliate, seed more innocents.” Creepio looked poised to go for his cross.
Though Creepio didn’t worry the Leech as much as Ferryl had. It looked cautious, but not frightened. “I felt our nest die, one after the other. Thirdseed came here in a boy and died, the Ninthseed died here in a badger but the nest stayed strong. Then this one and his nest killed Firstseed, and second, fifth, sixth and seventh. The Eighthseed still lived as we left, as did the second sorcerer, the Tenthseed. I was Twelveseed. Thirteenseed still lived, the church one, and three Newseeds in the cellar. So did the Newseed in this one, but I killed it before it poisoned the host. The nest shattered and the lair burned.”
The vicar looked horrified. “Seventeen? Seventeen leeches, two in sorcerers? Who were the sorcerers?”
“I do not know names. Fifthseed and Tenthseed took over the sorcerers, as they cannot be seeded. Fifthseed died in the building as this sorcerer and the hunter fought them and the Trolls.” For a moment Abel thought Vicar Creepio would lash out. His fists knotted and veins stood out on his forehead as he glared down. “Sorcerers! Trolls!” It sounded a lot like a curse, but Creepio calmed a little afterwards. “Who is this host? Why is she so ill?”
“She hosted Firstseed for many years so her mind and body are broken. She remembers much of the time with Firstseed, but was meant to die to keep secrets. I have not found a name.” The woman’s eyes went to Abel.
“Tell him why.”
“She knew of the key. Firstseed meant to force this sorcerer to open Castle House. But the hunter took me from my host, so she faced two instead of one. And the hunter.”
The harsh sound as Creepio turned to Abel might have been a laugh. “No wonder the Leeches we captured are terrified. You really did it, you and your shy friend. You realise you have the luck of the devil himself?”
“No devil involved, just a lot of friends. Only three of us inside the nest, but there were many more outside.”
“Hah, yes. Just so that you know, we found the missing Fourthseed in the alley. She’d crawled in there with both legs smashed, probably jumped from a window when the place went up in flames.” Abel remembered Zephyr dealing with the woman shooting at them, and her falling, and kept quiet. “One Leech bled out in the car before we arrived. She didn’t have a seat belt so she hit your block of ice much too hard. Another didn’t get out of the building before we got there so we killed it.” He calculated for a moment. “That would be the eighth and eleventh seeds according to you. The other two car passengers needed intensive care, but are not Leeches. The Leech in the hole must be called Thirteenseed. That man is a priest, and still alive. The church is indebted for that.” Abel kept quiet about some Leech hosts still being human as the Vicar’s lip lifted in a snarl. “I will insist Pendragon gives up his Tenthseed apprentice, or he’ll lose all of them. That particular sorcerer will not be bothering you, or anyone else, for some time.”
One part of that stood out, to Abel at least. “You owe us?” Because the remarks from Jenny’s dad suddenly popped into Abel’s head.
“Not much, considering the shambles we are clearing up. Enough to not report this until you get the woman and Leech clear of the church. I want to see her once the Leech leaves.” That sounded like the church throwing orders about again, but Abel thought Creepio probably did that quite often.
“Enough for us to keep her here until she’s healed, and rent the church as a sanctuary? For battered wives and other victims?” Abel almost held his breath, trying to keep his face calm as Creepio peered at him.
“You are serious?” Abel nodded, once, standing very still for what seemed like ages as Creepio thought about it. “It will be suggested. Much depends on the result of my talk to Pendragon.” The Vicar’s shoulders dropped, the tension leaving. “The woman can stay here as long as she is healed. How long must she live in pain?”
“She sleeps most of the time. The Leech will not grow into organs except to keep them working and build them up, and does not drink blood. It will leave once she can survive unaided.” Abel hoped the Leech didn’t mention nightmares or yesterday’s blood-fest. “Leech, let her sleep now.” The woman stilled, only her gently rising and falling chest showing she lived.
Creepio sighed. “That is something, possibly a minor miracle. I hope her mind recovers as well, eventually. There is something very wrong here, both the way hosts are treated and Leeches taking a churchman and sorcerers. Please walk back with me and explain all this properly, in very small words. I will need them for my report.” That might have been a joke, but it didn’t sound like it. Abel, Kelis, Ferryl/Claris, Jenny and Rob walked back through the village with the Vicar while spooky-phone brought everyone up to date. They combined to reduce everything to the smallest words possible.
When they’d all wound down, Kelis just had to ask. “So what do you think? About the church?”
“Churches are sometimes leased, occasionally sold. Never to a sorcerer, or for a Leech sanctuary as far as I know. I am grateful it isn’t my decision.” Creepio inspected the door to Castle House. “Let me know if you open that, preferably in advance. There are many eyes on you now, so do not give someone the excuse they want.” He heaved a big, dramatic sigh. “The angels may watch over fools and innocents, but angels may not be enough next time.” Turning on his heel Creepio left, pulling out his phone to call for a car.
“Let him know in advance?” Ferryl/Claris watched as the slim black figure walked away.
“Not a chance.” Rob grinned. “We’ve got backup for the angels, a Ffod.”
“Angel bop!” Ffod headed skywards to watch the church cars leave.
Open House
Two days later a letter advised them that if Bonny’s Tavern, or any charitable enterprise, wished to lease the church in Brinsford they should apply. The letter gave the address for a Bishop, and a list of criteria. Jenny’s dad and the three mums were really pleased, and immediately applied, but the whole affair could take months. With luck it could be a refuge in time for Kelis and her mum to move in as caretakers.
The teenagers were more concerned with feeding up the woman in the church, hiding under veils this time, while Ferryl worked on waking up Claris. Jenny brought some diversion, the progress on preparing Bonny’s Tavern for a launch. Kelis really wanted to understand, as did Ferryl/Claris because she soaked up anything new. Rob and Abel tried, but preferred actual designing, though even that didn’t work. None of it really detracted them from one gradually growing obsession.
All of them really did mean to carefully consider the dangers in opening the door. They all fully intended examining the key, and the glyphs and magic flows in Castle House door, before bringing one near the other. Unfortunately, none of them could go into Stourton over the half-term, which meant they spent too much time near both door and key.
“School the day after tomorrow.” Rob glanced, not at all casually, in the direction of Castle House.
“We’ll need to concentrate at school, without something distracting us.” Kelis just happened to turn her head towards where Abel had buried the key.
“We should find somewhere warmer to meet in winter.” Jenny’s innocent look swept around the cave and came to rest on Castle House, showing above the trees.
“I’m a bit worried the damp will mess up that key, buried like that.” Abel’s growing smile matched the other four.
“It could be dangerous?” Ferryl/Claris started to smile as well.
“But we have Ffod!” A shimmer shot skywards and swooped down to hover hopefully.
“All in favour?” But only Abel raised his hand as the rest stood up.
∼∼
Five minutes later Abel stood in front of the door, a carefully cleaned key gleaming in hi
s hand. Zephyr tucked herself away in the tattoo, just in case she triggered anything, while Ferryl/Claris stood just behind Abel. Kelis took one flank and Rob the other, three steps back. Jenny stayed behind Ferryl/Claris because despite intensive practice her magic still hadn’t caught up. “Come on! Key in slot, turn, click. It’s not rocket science.”
“You didn’t see the key zap Firstseed’s hand, Rob.” Abel carefully slid the key in and turned it clockwise. Nothing. Anticlockwise and he felt a little give, a tingle in his hand and it turned smoothly. Everyone waited, breathless, but nothing happened.
“Try the handle.”
“I will! Just give my heart a chance to slow down, right?” Abel took hold of the big brass doorknob and turned it, but it wouldn’t move either way. “Curses.”
“Take out the key. The sorcerer wouldn’t leave it in the lock.” Kelis summoned a small wind glyph. “If it tries anything I’ll knock you away.”
Abel slid the key out, easily because the whole slot had turned with it, and he put it in his pocket. This time the doorknob turned and with a click the door opened a crack. “So far so good.” He let go of the handle and pushed the door. It swung smoothly out of the way, and all five inspected the room, or six because Abel could feel Zephyr’s interest.
“Magic flows all over. It is like the room with the Leech in, but not a web. Coils and pools, stores that must power something.”
“All I see is double doors with a table next to them, and a little chest on top. Those and the great big stone frog-dragon coiled in one corner and the big pot with a dead vine that’s spread all over the opposite wall. Why do I think the frog and vine are watching me?” Rob didn’t laugh for once. “They are, aren’t they?”
“Perhaps, or probably. Perhaps they will only watch, because Abel used the key.” Ferryl/Claris sounded cautious. “After all, the sorcerer wouldn’t want to fight his way into his house every time.”
“Maybe I’ll just tickle the frog and see.” Even as Ferryl/Claris turned to protest Kelis let the small glyph go. It reached the door and dissipated. “Or maybe I won’t. So no chucking magic at them from out here.”
A strained voice sounded from behind them all, Jenny. “Maybe no chucking magic at all? Please? This extremely worried apprentice votes for calm negotiation.”
“Or I just walk in.” Despite the objections Abel put out his hand towards the doorway, then past the threshold. “Nothing, not even a tingle.”
“A wall of magic appeared when the glyph approached. It is not there now.”
“Zephyr will warn me if something is annoyed.” “Pull in spooky-phone please.” Abel pushed his arm right through, almost up the shoulder so his tattoo passed the invisible boundary. “Zephyr?”
“Nothing. It does not mind me at all, but perhaps I should not fly out just now.” Considering how exuberant the sprite usually sounded, she must be really worried.
“What does Zephyr say?” Ferryl/Claris came nearer, her finger almost touching where the glyph had hit. “I can’t feel anything.”
“Perhaps we shouldn’t all go in. Though I hope we can, eventually, without a blood transfusion from Abel.” Kelis had summoned another glyph, warily watching the frog-dragon and dead tree.
“If you can get the chest, we can look inside. It might have a key, or a badge or something. The sorcerer must have let others in.” Rob inched closer, reaching out to poke a finger at nothing. “Or maybe we can just follow you.”
“I doubt it. The sorcerer would probably have taken people in there as captives, or possibly tethered apprentices.” Ferryl/Claris hesitated, her fingers just short of going through the doorway.
Abel had made up his mind. The doorway wasn’t reacting to him, so he took a step through into the room and stopped. “Nothing. There are a few wisps, like a fine net across the room, but they are not reacting to you.” Reassured he started towards the table and the chest, keeping an eye on the frog-dragon. Abel began to relax as he came closer without a reaction, but just as he reached for the little chest, the frog-dragon opened its eyes! Blue with sparks in them, just like the stone guardian he’d met.
“Look out!”
“Watch out!”
“Get out!”
Abel agreed with Kelis, he turned to leave but something snagged his foot. When he glanced down a piece of dead vine had wrapped around his foot! Abel loosed a small hot glyph to burn it off, looked towards the door and froze. Ferryl/Claris had followed him and now she had been targeted by a dozen dead branches, all trying to get a hold. Behind her the door began to close.
“Come on!” Through the door Abel saw a Kelis windhammer explode against the doorway and the door hesitated, then continued. Jenny threw wind as well but the door pushed through. Rob’s glyph seemed to be absorbed without any effect. Burning off another thin branch, Abel headed for Ferryl/Claris.
“Hold the door open.” Ferryl/Claris gasped that out as she fought fiercely using wind, fire, steam, ice and even trying to pin branches to the wall. “Can’t affect the stone or walls.” That explained Rob’s failure. Abel reached past her, feeling something brush his leg as he darted forward. The door slowed a little more when he grabbed it, but kept going. As it reached the last few centimetres Abel pulled his hands back rather than lose fingers, and turned.
The stone frog-dragon had taken longer than the vine to wake up, but it had now uncoiled onto all eight legs. From the way it shrugged off Abel’s fire and wind glyphs being late to the fight wouldn’t matter, not with its targets trapped in an enclosed space. Ferryl had only one hand throwing glyphs now. The other arm had been swathed in branches though the smoke coming from the cracks meant it wasn’t a secure hold.
Abel grabbed the twisted rope of wood connected to Ferryl/Claris’ arm and summoned fire. He hissed with pain, but the wrapping on her arm loosened. As he switched to ice to freeze it, a thud shook the whole room. The door swung open, billowing smoke! Abel put his shoulder to Ferryl/Claris and pushed. She twisted her arm. With a crack the frozen wood shattered and she staggered back, towards the door. “Keep going.” As Abel kept pushing Ferryl/Claris fired glyphs back over his shoulder or past him. Another step, a stumble, and they went down in a tangle but outside!
Rob darted in to snatch something off the ground, jumped back and inspected it. The door slammed shut. “Scorched, but the glyph is still clear.” He showed Abel the rounders bat with a long scorch mark up one side.
“Are you all right? Both of you?” Jenny had an arm under Abel’s, and moments later Kelis helped get him and Ferryl/Claris to her feet. After a quick inspection showed that apart from Abel’s blistered hand he seemed all right, everyone looked at the sorceress.
A tremble in his shoulder reminded Abel. “Zephyr? Are you all right.”
“I am sorry. I tried, but the air burned.” She sounded very subdued.
“Then hiding was the best thing.” Abel passed that on while Ferryl/Claris healed long cuts and bruises on her arm, and a few on her legs. She would need a new dress, but luckily had plenty now.
“What now?” Everyone turned to look at the closed door. Abel turned back to Rob. “How did you get the door open?”
“It never quite closed. I got the bat in the way just in time.” Rob showed the scorch again. “The door kept trying, then something must have overloaded.”
“I’m not a real expert, but how about Ferryl keeping outside the next time? It only started when she went through the door. Even then the room never attacked Abel.” Jenny sounded tentative but both Rob and Kelis nodded.
Ferryl/Claris looked embarrassed, and confessed to worrying about Abel being in there alone. After going around it a few times, the five of them inspected the door. It had locked again, the slot turning back to vertical. Abel tried the key, very carefully, and it opened. So did the door, to reveal the room looking as if nothing had ever happened. No scorch marks, no burned wood or splinters, and the frog-dragon had curled up neatly in the corner again.
This time nobody crossed
the threshold but Abel, and Zephyr stayed in his arm as he walked slowly up to the table. After a slight hesitation he picked up the box. The frog-dragon’s eyes opened, which almost gave him a heart attack, but it didn’t move. “Magic flows are stable. Some still curl around you, but only light ones.” Abel took a step towards the door, then another, and then walked quickly out of the room. This time he turned and closed the door as he left, then locked it because it didn’t happen automatically.
∼∼
Despite Kelis wanting to look right now, Abel insisted on taking the chest, wooden with thick gold decoration, to their cave. Opening it turned out to be simple. He put his thumb on a glyph just like the one he’d seen on the key case, it stung and the lid swung up. The box held a folded sheet of paper and a gold coin. “Ooh, instructions.” Kelis stopped, her hand halfway towards the box. “Come on, take the letter out.”
“I’d like to see the coin closer. A sovereign I believe.” Though Ferryl/Claris waited as well, until a cautious Abel had taken both out of the chest.
“There are glyphs in this, buried out of sight.” Ferryl still didn’t touch the coin, probably because of the magic Zephyr saw building up as she came near.
“Never mind that. The letter might tell us what to do.” Jenny inched closer. “Maybe it’s a treasure map, or there’s a secret way in past all the traps.” Abel opened out the thick, folded paper and she looked past his arm. “Oh. Well maybe not.”
“Huh? ‘If ye lay claim, bring the coin and box.’ Lay claim to what? The coin?” Rob twisted to look back over the trees. “Or the house. What does the rest say?”
“That’s the whole message. A bit cryptic but the rest is an address in Stourton where we’ll hopefully get an explanation. We’ll have to get Frederick or someone to….” Abel tailed off into silence.
“You can’t go, not until Christmas. Still, that’s only five weeks. Sort of?” Jenny smiled brightly, but with an effort. They had the next clue, and absolutely no way to use it. In theory Jenny could take the letter and coin, but that idea died when she tried to pick up the coin. It glowed when she got close and Zephyr warned of magic gathering.
