Mirror Magic

by Claire Fayers

  An ink blot moved.

  I heard that.

  Mr and Mrs Brunel jumped up and Charles fell off his chair altogether.

  Hey, look at that, The Book wrote. My magic still works this side of the mirror. Hello, everyone. I am The Book of Unwyse Magic. I knew I was going to meet you, but it’s still exciting.

  ‘Hello, Book,’ Ava said uncertainly. Matthew leaned forward, catching her hand before she could touch the yellowed pages.

  You’re here, The Book wrote. Good. Time is a precious thing so it’s always useful if we can save some of it.

  ‘What’s it talking about?’ Ava asked.

  Letters scrambled and reformed.

  The mirrors are dying. The covenant is under threat and the future of the two worlds with it. You can forget about going back to Unwyse for now. Master Howell Fletcher, Miss Ava Harcourt, from this moment you two are my new guardians.

  CHAPTER 16

  The Book’s guardian changes every seven years. Their task is to protect me and not drop me in the bath, for example. It’s usually quite an easy job. It’s going to be different this time, though. Two guardians. Twice the trouble.

  The Book

  Ava had been practising deep breaths, trying to keep calm despite the growing panic on Matthew’s face, but then the scrawling letters spelled out her own name.

  She swallowed a yelp of surprise and drew her hand out of Matthew’s grip. ‘There must be a mistake,’ she said. ‘How can I be a guardian of a fairy book?’

  Lunette’s lips drew tight. ‘You can’t be. The Book is getting confused again. It only had one guardian at a time. I think it must mean that Howell is going to be its new guardian after me.’

  You might not have noticed, The Book wrote stiffly, but I am a book. I know how to use words. If I say Howell and Ava are my guardians, then that is what they are. Both of them, from this moment on. They are connected by magic.

  The words vanished, letter by letter.

  Ava’s skin was like ice, her heart thudding inside her chest.

  ‘Connected how?’ Howell asked. His face had turned greenish to match his hair. ‘We never even met until a few days ago. How can we be connected?’

  I don’t do the past. Did you know that London is currently the largest city in the world and it’s going to get bigger? People in London don’t need magic because they have technology.

  ‘It’s babbling again,’ Lunette said, frowning. ‘Book, you could have told me sooner that Howell was going to be your new guardian.’

  The Book flapped its pages. That bit of the future has only just decided to happen. This isn’t easy, you know. Maybe you shouldn’t have dropped me in the bath if you wanted me to work properly. Ava and Howell are connected. This is why they can reopen closed mirrors: their connection brings old connections back to life.

  Ava read the words over and over until they faded but they still made no sense.

  She’d always known that something wasn’t quite right about her – the mark on her face, the whispers about fairy magic, the way everyone looked at her strangely. Matthew had always denied it, but he must have wondered. The knowledge made her feel completely alone. She rubbed the mark on her cheek.

  ‘I’ve got one of those, too,’ Howell said, rolling back his sleeve to show her.

  His mark was a perfect circle, the right size to fit inside hers.

  ‘Coincidence,’ Matthew said.

  Charles looked up from his notebook. ‘Some would say a coincidence is just another word for a clue.’

  ‘And some would say fairy magic is not to be trusted,’ Matthew said. ‘That includes a magic book.’

  The Book’s pages fluttered again. Matthew Harcourt doesn’t want to believe this. He is afraid. The mirrors are dying. Ava and Howell can save them . . . or not. Whatever happens, everything must change.

  ‘What exactly is that supposed to mean?’ Matthew asked.

  Ava met Howell’s gaze. He shrugged. Mr and Mrs Brunel were both frowning and Ava wondered if they regretted getting involved in this.

  ‘I can guess part of it,’ Charles said. ‘Ava and Howell met through a magic mirror that was long dead. What if they can do it again? They might be able to bring all the mirrors back to life.’

  The past had been chaotic, the lady in the tourist office had said. Ava felt a shiver go through her – hundreds of working mirrors. She thought of all the mirrors hanging in Waning Crescent, of Lord Skinner watching her hungrily, and she wanted to run, and keep running until she’d left Wyse far behind.

  ‘What should we do?’ she asked.

  ‘Howell and Lunette can stay here,’ Charles said. ‘Can’t they, Mum?’

  Ava shook her head. ‘They should stay with Matthew and me.’ She looked at Matthew, expecting him to agree, but he frowned and avoided her gaze.

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry, but no. Ava, you’re my sister and I’m responsible for you. Miss Lunette, I’m afraid you’ll need to find a new guardian for your book.’ He stood up. ‘Ava, please fetch your coat, and Mrs Footer.’

  ‘Matthew!’ Ava cried.

  ‘I mean it.’ He still wouldn’t look at her. ‘We’ll tell Mr Footer everything and he can send Howell and Lunette back to the Unworld.’ His cheeks turned pink as he turned to Lunette. ‘I really am very sorry.’

  ‘I can’t believe you just did that,’ Ava burst out as soon as they were outside.

  Mrs Footer stopped to wee against a hedge, then she shook herself and nipped Ava’s ankle, as if blaming her entirely for the humiliation.

  ‘The Book could be wrong,’ Matthew said. ‘Fairy magic is unreliable. You shouldn’t have been messing around with mirrors in the first place.’

  ‘So it’s all my fault now.’

  ‘Yes, it is, actually.’

  He had a point. Ava paused in the road, arms folded. ‘What happens if we send Howell and Lunette home and Mr Bones catches them? Or do you not care, as long as nothing happens to us?’

  Mrs Footer growled at her. Matthew sighed. ‘Of course I care, but I promised Father I’d look after you. These last few months have been hard enough already.’

  And harder still because of her, he meant.

  ‘We’ll talk to Mr Footer,’ Matthew said. ‘And if he can’t help, I’ll ask Lord Skinner for advice. He’s—’

  ‘A fine gentleman?’ Ava said sarcastically. She tugged Mrs Footer along ahead of Matthew so she wouldn’t have to speak to him.

  She strode ahead all the way to the Footers’ house, then she slowed, her heart sinking. Mr Footer was home and he wasn’t alone. A small group of neighbours clustered around him – Ava recognized some of them. Mr Footer stood in the middle, wearing a silver suit and a cloak that kept changing colour. His moustache was waxed into ridiculous curls.

  ‘Mr Footer,’ Matthew said.

  Everyone turned to stare at them.

  ‘We need to talk to you,’ Ava said. ‘It’s very important.’

  ‘More important than my mother disappearing? This is hardly the time for a family visit, Mr Harcourt.’

  Mrs Footer wriggled in Ava’s arms and almost slipped free.

  ‘Take that dog away,’ Mr Footer said. ‘I can’t stand dogs.’

  ‘Five minutes,’ Matthew said. ‘Please.’

  The conjuror looked around at the surrounding neighbours. He really didn’t know what to do without his mother barking instructions at him, Ava thought. She glanced at Matthew, his pale, determined face, and a knot formed in her chest. He’d tell Mr Footer everything, Howell and Lunette would go back to Unwyse, and all this – whatever this really was – would be over before it had started.

  ‘Someone send for Constable Blackson,’ Mr Footer said. ‘The police should be informed. Five minutes, Mr Harcourt.’

  But before they could take a step towards the house, Ava heard the rattle of carriage wheels. She turned to look and her insides froze. Lord Skinner was here.

  He rode in a dark carriage that was perfectly plain, not a single
enchantment clinging to it.

  Mr Footer brushed past Ava as if she wasn’t there. ‘Lord Skinner, thank goodness you’re here. I came home this evening to find the front door open, glass all over the floor and my mother vanished without trace. I know she had no plans to go out tonight.’

  Lord Skinner stepped out of his carriage and took off his hat. Ava could see his scalp through his hair, the skin drooping like folds of damp paper. She let out a slow breath. Lord Skinner would sort everything out. He was a . . .

  No! He was not a fine gentleman. He’d tricked everyone into thinking he was, but it wasn’t true. Ava shook her head and clenched her nails into her palms, concentrating on the sharp spots of pain.

  And, just like that, she knew that everything about Lord Skinner was fake. He still looked the same, but something had changed, as if an illusion had finally been stripped away. He wanted to be liked, he wanted to be in charge, he wanted . . .

  Something brushed against her skirt and she looked down to see a yellow frog hopping past. Lord Skinner bent to pick it up and an odd smile crossed his face. As if something he’d been waiting for had finally happened. He released the frog and straightened.

  ‘Miss Harcourt, what do you know about the broken mirror?’ he asked.

  Not if she knew anything, but what. He already knew she’d had something to do with it. Ava pinched Matthew. ‘Nothing. Mrs Footer sent me home early today. I stopped by the tourist office – you can check with the lady who works there.’

  ‘I’ll do that.’ He looked away and Ava felt as if a shadow had passed away from her.

  ‘Mr Footer,’ he said, ‘I need to talk to you. We may be facing an attack from the Unworld.’

  The group of neighbours fell silent, then all started talking at once.

  Mr Footer’s mouth fell open. ‘Impossible. The Unworld isn’t real.’

  ‘It’s more real than you think, I’m afraid,’ Lord Skinner said. ‘Something has come into our world – something dangerous, something other. We must find it before it can do any more harm.’

  He was talking about Howell and Lunette, Ava thought, but he couldn’t possibly know about them. He was making this up to frighten people and it was working. Mr Footer turned pale. The neighbours huddled closer to him, watching the bushes as if they expected Unworld creatures to leap out.

  ‘Miss Harcourt,’ Lord Skinner said, ‘I see you have a pet.’

  Ava froze. Mrs Footer growled and snapped. ‘Sorry,’ Ava said insincerely. ‘She doesn’t like strangers.’

  ‘She’s a sensible dog.’ His gaze bored into Ava. ‘What’s her name?’

  ‘Spot,’ Ava said.

  ‘Patch,’ Matthew said.

  Ava’s face grew hot. ‘Spatch. We found her living in our garden. We couldn’t agree on a name.’

  ‘I see.’ He studied the little dog hard. ‘She seems to be an ordinary dog.’

  ‘What else would she be?’ Ava asked innocently. The scent of damp leaves surrounded her. All along the street, the fairy lights flickered and turned misty.

  ‘You should go home,’ Lord Skinner said. ‘Be on your guard for fairy creatures. Mr Footer, if you please.’

  Matthew took a step after them, but Ava caught his coat-tails to stop him. Lord Skinner and Mr Footer went into the house together. The neighbours left, brushing past Ava and Matthew without a word.

  ‘Why did you stop me?’ Matthew asked after the last one had gone. ‘We should have told him.’

  ‘No, we really shouldn’t. You saw him lie to everyone. Lord Skinner is not a fine gentleman. He knows far more about fairy magic than he pretends. Please, think. He invites us to dinner all the time, he keeps asking me about magic mirrors. That isn’t normal.’

  The Footers’ front door opened again abruptly.

  ‘Mr Harcourt,’ Lord Skinner called.

  Ava’s breath juddered to a stop.

  Lord Skinner gave her a searching stare. ‘Work must continue,’ he said. ‘Eight thirty, Monday morning. Unless there’s anything else?’

  Ava held her breath.

  Matthew clenched his fists, then slowly he shook his head. ‘No, there’s nothing else. Goodnight, Lord Skinner. Come along, Ava.’

  He strode away so fast Ava had to run to catch up with him. ‘You believe me! You do, don’t you?’

  ‘Maybe. I’m not sure.’ He slowed. ‘Right now, I don’t know what to think,’ he said. ‘But maybe we should keep this quiet until we know what’s going on. Lunette and Howell can stay with us tonight, and tomorrow . . . Well, we’ll see what we can find out.’ He gave a strained smile. ‘We must maintain our sense of adventure, after all.’

  Ava hugged him. ‘Thank you.’

  It was getting cold all of a sudden and the lamps on the main street flickered on and off, making everything look strange and unworldly. Mrs Footer whined softly.

  Ava shivered. She was the guardian of a magic book. She was connected to a fairy boy – and Lord Skinner was watching her.

  CHAPTER 17

  If you’re worried about fairy monsters bursting through your mirrors, by the way, don’t be. It almost definitely won’t happen. It probably won’t happen. Well, it might happen, but worrying about it won’t change anything.

  The Book

  Howell woke the next morning with strange warm sunlight crawling across his face. He lay for a moment, wondering where he was and why he was on the floor, then he remembered and scrambled free of his blanket. The inside of his head was a chaos of talking skeletons, breaking glass and sarcastic books. He rubbed his hands over his face and smelled lavender on his palms.

  He realized someone had spoken and he turned round to see Ava standing in the doorway. Instead of her dark grey dress she wore a light brown one and her hair was pinned up, making her look older than yesterday – or maybe a sleepless night had done that to her.

  Neither she nor Matthew had said very much when they’d returned from the Footers’ home last night, only that Howell and Lunette would be staying the night after all, but as they’d brought Mrs Footer back in dog form he guessed the conversation with Mr Footer hadn’t gone well.

  ‘It’s Sunday,’ Ava said. ‘We have to go to church or people will wonder why we’re not there. Matthew thinks it’d be best if you and Lunette stay here. Are you hungry? We have sausages and bacon and eggs. Or there’s cheese and bread. What do you eat?’

  Howell’s stomach growled. He hadn’t even seen any food since yesterday afternoon, and he’d barely tasted that.

  ‘Food,’ he said. ‘I eat food. Anything is fine.’

  They continued looking at each other. Ava in the mirror had seemed very different to the girl who stood in the doorway. Back then, she’d appeared quite sure of herself. Now, she looked nervous and tugged at her skirt as if her clothes didn’t fit her properly.

  Howell combed his fingers through his hair. He wished he knew what was happening back in Unwyse. Mr Bones would know he’d escaped by now. And what about Master Tudur and Will?

  ‘So, we’re the guardians of The Book. Both of us together.’

  Ava nodded. ‘The Book said we were connected, but how? We’re from separate worlds.’

  But the worlds were connected, Howell thought, by the mirrors and the covenant. ‘The Book said the covenant was under threat. And Mr Bones asked me about it too. He seemed to think it could be changed.’

  ‘What is the covenant?’ Ava asked. ‘Charles said there’s an old story that the Fair Folk took magic from this world to make the Unworld and gave us the mirrors in exchange. Is that true?’

  ‘More or less. Any magical goods or services requested through the mirrors have to be supplied. And if the covenant is broken, all magic will leave the Unworld. Which probably means the Unworld will cease to exist, but no one really knows.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Ava said.

  ‘Don’t be. The covenant was written long ago. It’s always been the same.’ He dropped his gaze. His clothes were crumpled from sleeping in them and he guessed
he could probably do with a wash. His stomach growled.

  ‘Breakfast,’ Ava said.

  They found Lunette and Matthew sitting either side of the kitchen table with a pile of hats between them.

  ‘This is my camouflage hat,’ Lunette was saying, holding up a bonnet in mottled greens and browns. She reached for a plain white creation. ‘And here’s my disguise hat. This one is my hat for cold weather, and my hat for wet weather, and my climbing hat and running hat. I have one of everything.’

  ‘And they all fit in that bag,’ Matthew said.

  ‘Of course they do – it’s a hat bag. I did also have an attack hat, but the skeleton broke that one. If I was in the Unworld, it would have grown back already, but hats need magic to grow.’

  ‘She grows hats?’ Ava whispered.

  Howell shrugged. ‘It’s an Unworld thing. There are different kinds of magic. You only see common enchantments. They’re created by pulling magic out of the air, and because air is weak, the enchantments are weak. But some enchantments are stronger – the one that changed Mrs Footer, for example.’

  He glanced over at the dog curled up by the stove. Mrs Footer raised her head and growled softly, and Howell edged back behind Ava. Dogs might be harmless in this world, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

  ‘Most people, though,’ he said, ‘don’t just use magic, they are magical.’

  ‘Especially in Unwyse,’ Lunette said. ‘There’s more magic there than anywhere else in the Unworld. The mirrors attract it. When you grow up with that much magic, it changes you. My speciality is hats, but I’ve got an aunt, Madame Brille, who makes enchantments and can see anything.’

  ‘I think hats is a charming speciality,’ Matthew said. ‘It suits you.’

  Lunette blushed. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘What’s your speciality?’ Ava asked Howell.

  He shrugged uncomfortably. ‘I don’t have one. I’m completely ordinary. That’s why I was sent to work in the House of Forgotten Mirrors, because you don’t need any magic to polish glass.’