A Shadow Bright and Burning

by Jessica Cluess

  Magnus gripped me by the arms. “You’re going to hurt the Master.” His gray eyes burned into mine. He was right. I didn’t want to hurt Agrippa. The wind died down, and Magnus sighed in relief, squeezing my arm. “Thank you.”

  I set fire to the exact spot where Magnus held me. Screaming, he recoiled and stared in horror at his blistered hands. My thoughts swung broken and wild. I wanted to burn. I dropped Porridge and turned from them, head in my hands. Rage pulsed through me, and as it did, the flames leaped higher.

  “Stop it,” Blackwood cried. “You’re losing control.”

  The blue flames rippled on my skin and clothes, whirling in a column as they rose to the ceiling. “I can’t stop,” I shouted as the fire grew. I couldn’t silence the pounding in my head, the fury. I pressed my palms to my forehead and shrieked.

  Great scarlet waves of flame turned the obsidian walls into reflections of hellish red. I couldn’t calm down. Magnus had made me vulnerable. Of course he could never marry me—couldn’t I see that? I wasn’t worthy of that great honor. Blackwood and Magnus crouched beside Agrippa and warded themselves. But the wards couldn’t hold forever.

  For an instant, the chamber was full of fire. They screamed for mercy. They. Agrippa and Blackwood were innocent. Would I just murder them? Would I just murder anyone, even Magnus, even by accident?

  No. I forced my thoughts to calm. The fire died. Agrippa huddled in a heap while Magnus and Blackwood pointed their staves at me with real fear in their eyes.

  “Stay back, Howel,” Magnus said. He winced, his grip on his stave loosening. Good Lord, I’d ruined his hands. What if he couldn’t be commended now?

  What had I done?

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, crawling to my feet. “Master Agrippa, I’m so sorry.”

  His look undid me. He found the sight of me repulsive. I turned and ran, and didn’t stop until I was out of the house.

  —

  I KNOCKED SEVEN TIMES AT HARGROVE’S door before I forced my way inside.

  “Please, you need to help me,” I gasped as I entered the room. “I’ve done something terrible.”

  My voice echoed in the bare space. The place was abandoned. The table and chairs, the curtain, the mattress before the stove, Hargrove’s treasure chest, all had vanished as if into thin air. Hargrove and the children were gone. Set sail for America, most likely.

  I knelt in the now-empty room and wept.

  —

  AGRIPPA’S STABLES WERE FULL OF THE pungent scent of manure and the sweetness of grain. When I was certain no one else was about, I walked over to the stalls. The horses nuzzled me, searching for a treat.

  “What am I going to do?” I said. Perhaps I could transform myself into a horse and stay here. But I wasn’t that kind of magician, and, of course, animals had problems of their own.

  “Howel?” Damn. Magnus ran toward me. His hands were bandaged. “Where on earth did you go?”

  “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

  “For God’s sake, I’m sorry. I’d had too much to drink. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

  “So you’re not responsible for your actions?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying,” he snapped. “I’m trying to apologize. It shouldn’t have happened.”

  “But it did, and you can’t change it.” I hoped he would disappear. He didn’t.

  “You might apologize for trying to murder me,” he said.

  “I’m sorry for trying to murder you. Happy?” I aggressively petted a horse.

  “What I said about wishing I didn’t have to marry Miss Winslow was true.” He moved close enough that I could feel his breath on the back of my hair. I half hoped, even now, that he’d put his arms around my waist. I hated that. “Really, if I didn’t have this infernal engagement—”

  “You think so much of yourself, don’t you?” I turned to face him. “Suppose I had no great desire to marry you? Suppose I found you handsome and charming and wanted to kiss you, but nothing else? Can you imagine a situation where a young woman wouldn’t want to give herself to you, body and soul?”

  He flushed and leaned closer. “Nice young women don’t run around trying to get fellows to kiss them.”

  “I didn’t try to get you to do anything.”

  “Don’t play hurt with me, Henrietta. You enjoyed what happened last night, and if you’re the type who likes to be kissed and nothing else, there are plenty of men—”

  Something clattered nearby, startling us. Rook appeared from around the corner, looking ashen. A wooden bucket lay fallen on the ground. Its water crept across the stones.

  Magnus cleared his throat. “Rook. Let me explain.”

  A wild light came into Rook’s eyes. He threw the mop aside and struck Magnus across the face. The sorcerer staggered backward. Now the boys were locked together and grappling, Magnus with superior strength but damaged hands, and Rook with greater fury. Magnus fought Rook off and held him down.

  “Magnus, let go! Rook, stop it!” The harder they fought, the greater chance Rook’s power would be unleashed. “Stop it, I said!” And then it happened.

  Darkness rushed from the stables in a wave, a shadowed mass that poured over them. Rook tore himself away from Magnus and rose out of the gloom, letting the other boy scream as he vanished from sight.

  “Let him go,” I begged. Rook ignored me, fascinated by his handiwork. I slapped his face in a desperate attempt to wake him. The direction of his anger shifted. Now I could feel darkness growing around me. A chilled sensation formed on my skin.

  With a cry, I lit my hand on fire and shoved it toward his face. There was a horrible moment when I thought I’d have to burn him, but it worked. The shadows lifted from me and from Magnus. Rook was himself again.

  No, not quite. His eyes had returned to their normal color, yet there was strangeness in the cool way he regarded the effects of his work. The sight of Magnus huddled in terror seemed to please him. Standing with his arms relaxed at his sides, he cocked his head to study the scene from different angles. I recalled the Familiar girl, when I’d fought her at the edge of the ward. She’d tilted her head in a similar way.

  “I don’t remember any of it,” he said, his tone distant. “I was so angry.”

  “I know,” I said. Slowly, I approached the person who was not really Rook and touched his hand. He crumpled to the ground.

  “Don’t,” he cried, his voice thick with anguish. He moaned, clasping his hands around the back of his neck. “The whispering wanted me to tear you apart where you stood. If you hadn’t frightened it off with that fire…What’s happening to me?”

  The Shadow’s chosen. That’s what the Familiar had called him on the road at Brimthorn.

  “I don’t know,” I murmured. He should never have come to London, I thought. And then, I made him come here.

  During all this, Magnus had come out of his defensive crouch on the ground. His hair was wild with bits of straw. I’d never seen him so pale. “What was that?” he said. Then, pointing to Rook, “What in God’s name are you?”

  There was no hiding it now.

  Footsteps echoed over the paving stones. The footmen grabbed Rook and forced him to his feet. He didn’t protest. If anything, he seemed relieved.

  “Stop!” I cried. Magnus held me back.

  “Don’t make this worse,” he whispered. All I could do was stand helpless as Agrippa and Blackwood rushed into the yard.

  “What on earth is going on?” Agrippa shouted.

  “We heard screams, sir,” the footman said. “We came out to find the young master on the ground.”

  The others hadn’t seen Rook’s power, but Magnus knew. One word from him and Rook would be in the worst kind of trouble.

  “Magnus, how many people are going to try killing you before this day is out?” Blackwood snapped.

  “Why, Rook?” Agrippa turned to my friend, now held between two footmen. “Why would you do such a thing?”

  Rook shook his h
ead. “I cannot tell you, sir.”

  “You had better tell me, or you’ll be out of my household this minute.”

  “No!” I pressed forward. “It’s all Magnus’s fault.” Everyone turned to me.

  “How is that?” Agrippa said. There was no good way out of this. Even leaving aside Rook’s shadowed attack, by confessing the reason for his violence I would forever damage my reputation. But Rook mattered more.

  “Rook overheard Magnus and me talking—”

  “Joking, really. On my part, at least,” Magnus said, cutting in with ease. “That’ll teach me, I suppose.”

  “Julian, what on earth is going on?” Agrippa said. I held my breath.

  Magnus swept back his hair, his confident smile returning. “I was teasing Howel last night about, oh, something or other. She got cross, so I followed her out here, teasing her more. Rook overheard me say”—here he paused and laughed, as if he couldn’t himself believe it—“that I wished I hadn’t kissed her.”

  “You did what?” Agrippa said, shocked. I bit the inside of my cheek.

  “No, I didn’t actually do it, of course. How could I kiss anything so cold? My lips would get stuck to her. It was a tasteless joke, but poor Rook seemed to think I was being serious. He defended Howel’s honor.” He laughed like it was the world’s greatest gag. Truly, he’d make a fine actor. “Please don’t punish Rook for being gallant. He struck a blow for decent women everywhere.” I realized Magnus wasn’t going to mention Rook’s powers and could hardly believe it.

  “You teased her. That would explain…” Agrippa looked to me, undoubtedly remembering what had happened this morning. “You must be more careful with what you say, Julian. One day, there could be dire consequences.”

  “I see that now, sir.”

  “Very well. Rook, you’re to be locked in your room until after the ball.”

  “What? Why?” I cried.

  “Do not question me, Henrietta.”

  Rook let the men drag him away; he didn’t look as if he could stand on his own. As the crowd headed indoors, Blackwood grabbed Magnus and pulled him beside the stables. I slipped away from the others, waited along the wall, and listened to their conversation. Really, I was getting far too good at eavesdropping.

  “You bastard,” Blackwood said, his voice pure venom.

  “Nothing happened.”

  “What’s this other girl’s name?”

  “Doris Winslow,” Magnus said, surprised. “When the devil did you find out about her?”

  “Just now. But I’d have to have been an idiot not to guess what happened when you came down to breakfast. You couldn’t look at each other, and you were always so comfortable before.” He said comfortable like it was a contagious disease. “I presumed there might be another young woman. You are the lowest kind of filth.”

  “I never, ever thought it would go so far.” Magnus sounded disgusted, but I didn’t think with me. “The champagne loosened me up. It’s not an excuse.”

  “I should never have sent her home with you. It was like having a wolf nanny a lamb.”

  “Howel is surprisingly capable of looking after herself.”

  “You could have ruined her life.”

  “It won’t happen again,” Magnus said softly.

  “And nearly getting that boy sacked.”

  “I saved the day there, thank you so much. He’ll be fine.”

  “Understand this, Magnus. She is worth ten of you, in every respect, and I will destroy you if you harm her again.” That surprised me.

  “You’ve certainly changed your opinion. It’s a waste of time, Blacky. She’s no interest in you; she told me so.” I winced with embarrassment. “Besides, it would be the talk of the town. The great Earl of Sorrow-Fell taking up with some low-blooded girl. Low-blooded was your own term, remember, not mine.” Magnus’s voice was warm with anger.

  “Don’t remind me of that,” Blackwood snapped. “I’m not in love with her, but I can see her value.”

  “Always about value with you, isn’t it? Why don’t you grow a personality? You’re like a shambling ghost, curdling everyone’s blood whenever you walk into a room.”

  “At least I don’t spend my time seducing innocent young women.”

  “Someone’s been reading novels again. What’s the title of this one? The Poxy Lordling and the Aggressive Milkmaid?” Magnus sighed. “I tried to leave her alone, but I can’t help myself. She teases me in just the right way—”

  Blackwood made a disgusted noise. “I don’t care. Unless you want an enemy, Magnus, leave her alone.”

  “Like you did, when she attended that school of yours?” The wall trembled, as if someone had been thrown against it. There was a flash of fire. An instant later Blackwood raced past me, slapping at the smoking sleeve of his coat. “Handing down orders like you were God Almighty,” Magnus called, rubbing the back of his head while he came around the corner. “No wonder nobody likes you, Blackwood.”

  “I’m not here to be liked,” Blackwood snapped, heading into the house. “I’m here to do what’s needed.” Magnus stood for a moment, watching him go.

  “I know you’re there, Howel.” Blast. I shrank even further into the dark. “You needn’t worry. I won’t tell anyone what happened. I really think they’d kill Rook if they ever found out.” He sounded frightened. “But for all our sakes, I hope you know what you’re doing.” With that, he followed Blackwood into the house.

  The butler met me in the hall, instructing me to see Agrippa immediately. Entering the library, I found him in the worst possible mood. His face was bright red with anger, and the veins on his neck bulged as he shouted at me.

  “How dare you attack a fellow sorcerer? How dare you leave my house under such circumstances without asking my permission.” His rage almost sent me to the floor. “You ungrateful girl, if anyone knew half of what had occurred, they’d have you out of London by tonight!”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, my eyes cast down.

  “You attacked me. Me, of all people. I brought you into my house. I fed you, looked after you as if you were my own. I treated you like you were my—” He paused, as if to swallow the unspoken word. “I have never in my life seen such selfish, wretched behavior.”

  “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to—”

  “Now you will go upstairs and stay in your room until I’ve decided what’s to be done. Do you hear me? Set one foot outside before I return, and there’ll be the devil to pay.”

  “It was an accident.” My throat tightened. “My emotions got the better of me.”

  “Get upstairs now!” Agrippa threw open the door, and I ran. The boys called to me, but I wouldn’t answer. Once inside my room, I sat on the bed and stared at the fire. Agrippa hadn’t given Porridge back after I’d dropped it in the obsidian room.

  When Cellini had attacked me, they’d taken his stave. The pain of losing Porridge, the mere idea of it, threatened to crush me.

  This would be the end, for Rook and for me. Rook. I’d destroyed his hope of relief from the power that plagued him. I’d ruined his chance of security. Heavy with misery, I fell across the bed, closed my eyes, and slept.

  —

  R’HLEM HELD OUT HIS HAND. “IT’S been some time,” he said. I’d neglected Fenswick’s herbs on purpose. I had wanted this meeting. The mist grew so thick I couldn’t see the room.

  “You can’t have a great deal to do,” I muttered, heading to my window. “Popping into my head every so often.”

  “I can do many things at once. Why do you want me here?”

  I pressed my forehead to the glass. “I don’t know.”

  R’hlem ushered me aside and gently unlatched the window. Outside, the streets of London had disappeared. My bedroom perched on the edge of a cliff. The fall stretched before me, seemingly endless. This terrain was unfamiliar, a desert of pink-and-red rock, the earth barren and cracked. A crimson sun broiled above me. Great black creatures with leathery wings cavorted throu
gh the sky.

  “I want to go home.” I rubbed my eyes. This had been a mistake.

  “There is no home for you, is there? I cannot read your mind, but I can guess your thoughts. You live at the mercy of other people.” His voice was soothing and gentle, at complete odds with his appearance. I gazed out the window. In the valley below, the other Ancients walked.

  Molochoron rolled, of course, a pulsing mass of moldy gray.

  On-Tez, with that grotesque old woman’s head upon a black vulture’s body, soared through the fever-orange sky.

  There was Callax. He was so large and bulky with muscle that it didn’t surprise me when he crushed a thick ledge of rock with the effort one might use on an eggshell.

  Zem slithered by with his long, sleek lizard’s body. A giant frill fanned out about his head, and he breathed a stream of fire and noxious vapor.

  Nemneris, the green-and-purple Water Spider, climbed the side of the cliff to fashion a giant, hideous web.

  And there was Korozoth, the old Shadow and Fog.

  “Poor child.” R’hlem didn’t sound like a hideous beast. “You need someone to look after you.”

  I realized why I’d wanted him to come. My time at Agrippa’s house was over. Hargrove had gone to America. Who would help me now? R’hlem offered his hand again. I finally understood what made ordinary humans flock to him, transform themselves into Familiars. There was safety in service and obedience. And R’hlem was a charismatic leader….

  No. My problems were my own. However hard the road ahead, I would walk it.

  “Goodbye,” I whispered, and tipped forward out the window, off the cliff.

  —

  THANK GOD FOR THE KNOCKING AT my door. Bleary-eyed, I stared out the window and found it pitch black. The knock came again. Agrippa stood at the threshold, still wearing his cloak and hat.

  “I’ve thought a few things through,” he said. My stomach lurched. Slowly, he brought his hand out from behind his back, holding my stave. “All’s well, my dear. If you apologize to Magnus, I see no reason to drag this out.” His eyes glistened with tears. He seemed as relieved as I.