“The same used by Rachel Platt?”
I analysed the sensations and intricate weavings of the spell. It had similarities to the one created by Gwen and used by Rachel, but was definitely different.
I shook my head. “This is way more complicated,” I said after a moment. “I can feel the touch of more than one spell-caster.”
“As many as six?” Thomas asked, knowing I’d estimated our attackers to number six on the mountain.
“Could be.”
“Can you disable it?”
“I can, but it will take some time.” Too much time. I turned my attention to Trystan, who was making himself comfortable on a fallen tree. “Can you break through any faster?” I asked.
Trystan smiled. “I am a creature of magic and sense the power in others, but other than the ability to cloak my form in illusion, I have no magic to call upon.”
I bit on my lip and mulled over Trystan’s words. He was a curious being: long lived with the ability to change forms, fly, and breathe fire. His whole presence practically screamed of power. How was it possible he had little to command as his own? I shrugged; at least, he could be thankful for the gift of illusion.
“Illusion!” I said as realisation hit. “Can you cloak us all in illusion, disguise us as a buzzard again so we can slip past the spell?”
“No. The ability exists only when I am in dragon form. There’s no room to change here, or to change back closer to the hotel.”
I sighed and turned my attention back to the Repel spell. The patterns and weaves were dizzying. I could see where to start, but the process would be like untangling a thousand fine gold chains.
With my legs crossed, I sat on the spongy, tree-shaded floor and resigned myself to the task ahead.
Thomas looked at me with concern, knowing without my having to say a word that the prospect of tackling the spell daunted me.
“Could you...” he started a question, but his words trailed off.
“Could I what?”
“Never mind, I’m just being daft.” He moved to the fallen tree and sat next to Trystan.
I joined him and squeezed his hand. “You being daft? Never. What is it you said to Gwen back at the house? About spitting things out to see what sticks. Well, spit, mister.”
Thomas chuckled while Trystan looked at us as though we were crazy.
“It was just a flashing thought. I’ve seen you connect with Gwen countless times, and you drew power through your mam to listen to the past. Is it at all possible you could connect with Trystan and use his power of illusion to get us through the barrier?”
“I...” I glanced at Trystan and bit on the edge of my lip. Mam and Gwen’s power came from the same source as my own. Trystan’s was alien to me. “I’m not sure it’s possible,” I said.
Trystan stood and looked from me to Thomas. “It is.” He took a deep breath. “A long time ago, I joined my power with that of a druid. We were able to conceal a raiding force of twenty Silurian warriors from a Roman legion.”
Thomas raised an eyebrow but kept silent, although his curiosity mirrored my own. I almost gasped. The fair folk live for hundreds of years, but dragons... dragons live for thousands. Trystan had told us as much at his house, but it was hard to imagine the life he had lived, the history he’d experienced. The loneliness.
Trystan sat back on the log, but looked as though he wanted to jump up again.
“Are there others?” I asked.
“Others?”
“Yes. Are there other dragons?”
Trystan’s eyes glazed over as he stared unseeing through the trees.
“I’m sorry,” I said, realising I’d touched on a sore subject. “It’s none of my business.”
Trystan sighed and rubbed his hands over his head. “It’s fine. A natural curiosity. Globally, we number just below a thousand. In Wales, around eighty of the Silure Dragons live near Caerwent.”
“Caerwent? As in five minutes along the road from Wentwood where we live?” Thomas asked.
“Exactly.”
I gasped in wonder and made a mental note to pay more attention to the birds flying overhead. How many were dragons in disguise? With the magic of the trees distracting me from any other, I could easily imagine overlooking any power the dragons projected.
The Iron Age tribes of the Silures were famous in our area. The historian Tacitus called them a naturally fierce people and detailed their extensive fight against the Romans. They resisted subjugation for over thirty years. The whole reason the Roman fort was built in Caerleon was in an effort to subdue the tribes. The remains at Caerwent are those of the Venta Silurum, the market capital of the Silures. Had Trystan fought with these tribes? Had he worked to conceal them?
“And are you one of these Silure Dragons?” I asked.
“Long ago, I was one of the Silures, but that is in the past. I have no tribe, and have led my own existence since the war.”
“You’ve lived alone since the Silures’ war against the Romans?” I exclaimed. Sure, Trystan had a little social awkwardness, who doesn’t? But for someone who’s lived the life of a hermit for two thousand years, he sure seemed well adjusted.
Trystan snorted. “God, no,” he said. “Since World War Two.”
“Ahh, I see.” I nodded my understanding, but internally wondered if living alone for the span of a human lifetime was any better than living alone for two-thousand years.
An awkward silence fell between us. For me and Thomas, it was hard to imagine the life Trystan had lived. For Trystan, I imagine, it was hard to remember. Maybe it was easier to live alone than to make human friends and watch them die.
I choked back a sob and attempted to disguise it by clearing my throat. “Right,” I said. “My magic is different to that of a druid, but as Nana used to tell me, a witch can be a druid, but no druid has ever had the power to be a witch. If your druid friend could tap into your power of illusion, so can I. Where do I start?”
Trystan eyed me curiously before smiling. “You tell me. When the druid used my magic, we sat on the floor and held hands. I sensed the power flood from me, through him, and towards the men we needed to hide.”
“Okay, so think. We don’t have the time or supplies needed to make a focused spell,” I said. “So we need to rely on raw energy to draw the power from Trystan.” I paced beneath the trees, glancing occasionally towards the hotel.
The old grey-stone building dated back to the 16th century. Once a rectory, it now boasted an added conservatory and a swimming pool. A quick glance determined no one watching the grounds or surrounding area. With the Repel spell in place, I was confident we would remain hidden from those inside — there’s little need to keep a watch when magic does the job for you
“There’s holly to assert my power over yours.” I glanced uncomfortably at Trystan. “Ash for connection and surrender. Hawthorn is good for building relationships and connecting with energy, and reed will create harmony, but I’m not sure that will be enough. Something’s missing?”
“Blackthorn,” Thomas suggested.
“Yes, for control.” I smiled. For all his lack of magical ability, Thomas was fully aware of the attributes and power of each of the trees and their symbols. “How many’s that?”
“Ash, Hawthorn...” Thomas ticked them off on his fingers. “Five,” he said.
He looked from me to the hotel and I could sense his mind working overtime. “You want to go for six?” he asked.
I smiled and flung my arms around his neck. “For symmetry?” I asked.
“Of course.” He raised his eyebrows at me.
“What do you suggest?”
He pulled his best thinking face for a minute, and then said, “Apple for generosity, as Trystan is being very generous and letting us use his power.”
“Perfect.” I leaned in and kissed Thomas, relishing the feeling as his soft lips brushed against my own. “You really think it will work?” I asked when I reluctantly pulled away.
“Bou
nd to.”
I kissed him again. My body flushed with warmth, and I knew he was right. Just as Trystan had access to power but no magic of his own, so did Thomas, and he’d used that power to fuel my own.
After a few minutes, during which I wanted to think and feel nothing but Thomas close to me, I turned to find Trystan standing awkwardly with his back towards us.
Thomas chuckled and cleared his throat. “Let’s get to work,” he said.
Chapter Twelve
With the right balance of power, cloaking the three of us in the illusion of a buzzard and allowing us to pass through the Repel spell undetected proved easier than expected. Given his stubborn streak, Trystan’s ability to take directions surprised me, but we worked well together in the end, and before we knew it, the three of us were pressed against the back wall of the hotel, debating our next move.
Even discounting the spell creating a protective barrier around the hotel, it was evident people were inside. The building was rife with sounds and smells. It was nearing midday and the scent of steak and eggs drifted through an open window where footsteps interspersed the sound of cupboards closing and pans rattling.
“What do you want to do?” Thomas asked, when the footsteps moved away from the room we were closest to and became shut out by the banging of a door.
“We know people are inside,” Trystan said. “And from the spell surrounding the building, we can conclude those inside possess magic and are likely your attackers.”
I held up my hand. “Although, that is the logical assumption, and I have no doubt you’re right. We don’t actually know that for certain. Rhys could have worked with others to protect the building and himself from the same people who attacked us.”
“You really believe that?”
Thomas chuckled. “Of course, she doesn’t. The point is, we don’t know for definite, so we should hold off on charging in with all guns blazing.”
“Fine.” Trystan stood and straightened his T-shirt. “Then we take the direct route. Enter through the front door and see what’s what.”
Thomas rolled his eyes at the look on my face.
“You know,” I said, while patting Trystan on the back, “I think I’m liking you more and more.”
“Fine. I can see when I’m outnumbered,” Thomas said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Front door it is.”
Despite my eagerness to confront situations head-on instead of lurking in the background and waiting to see what shakes loose, as we walked towards the front of the hotel, I was troubled by what we might find inside. Sure, I had full access to my powers, Thomas is an amazing fighter, more than capable of defending himself, and Trystan... well, I’m pretty certain the dragon has a trick or two up his sleeve, but the force sent against me and Thomas the night before was not something to be treated lightly. If there were truly six magic wielders bent on our destruction inside, we weren’t in for an easy time. Then there was the question of Rhys. My stomach churned at the thought of meeting the man who placed a death curse on my head. I’d believed Leah when she’d said he was sorry, and so wanted to trust that neither she nor Rhys had laid a trap for us, but a not so small part of me wanted him to be guilty so that I could land a satisfying punch on his face.
“You okay?” Thomas asked when we reached the door and stopped outside the arched entrance.
I smiled and gave him a reassuring nod. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”
Magic danced like lightning at the edge of my fingertips. I took a deep breath and stepped forwards as Trystan pushed the hotel door open and we walked through.
The lobby was dark with wood panelled walls. A number of chairs stood empty around a coffee table in front of a large window and to the side of the reception area. It was like stepping back in time and reminded me a little of Joe’s private quarters under Twmbarlwm. Hanging on the walls were circular paintings of the rectors and parish priests who once resided within the hotel. Two small chandeliers hung from a ceiling, which was separated by a wooden beam and adorned with ornate cornices. A few potted plants added some much-needed greenery to the room. Our footsteps were swallowed by the Persian rug that covered the slate floor.
“Well, there’s no one here to check us in or greet us,” Thomas said as he approached the reception desk. “You want me to ring the bell or shall we see ourselves around?”
“Ring the bell,” Trystan and I said in unison while I doused my magic to render it undetectable.
Thomas reached up and rang what resembled an old pub bell. A loud and deep sound echoed around the empty room.
We waited for what seemed an eternity before a door on the far side of the room opened. A young woman with blonde hair swept back in a severe bun and eyes the dark grey colour of storm clouds stared at us. A smile played at her lips but never reached her eyes.
“I’m terribly sorry,” she said. “The hotel is currently closed for renovations. You must have missed the sign in the driveway.”
“Renovations?” Trystan said quietly, yet with a sharp tone to his voice. “You should find new contractors. They don’t appear to have arrived or started any work.”
I hid a smirk behind my hand and glanced at Thomas, who pulled his best what-have-I-done-to-deserve-this face. It certainly seemed as though Trystan might cause as much trouble, if not more, than I do from time to time.
The blonde regarded us with suspicion. No doubt wondering who we were and how we’d passed through the Repel spell undetected. “Well, that may indeed be the case,” she said. “However, the hotel is still closed and I’m afraid I have to ask you to leave.”
She walked closer to Trystan and pointed to the door. I was almost impressed by how she squared up to him. He was by no means a small man and his presence was intimidating enough without the look on his face.
It dawned on me that she couldn’t sense his power, so I reached out gently and probed to see if she had any of her own.
She did.
I looked at Thomas and signalled my discovery with a look. Years of living and working together gave him a deep understanding of what to do. He stepped between Trystan and the blonde.
“We are not here to cause any trouble,” he said, “but we are here to find someone: Rhys Roberts. Does the name ring a bell, by any chance? His wife called yesterday and confirmed he was staying at the hotel.”
The woman looked from Thomas to Trystan and then to me. Her slow reactions surprised me. They knew we were on the way, planned an ambush of attack. Why wasn’t she ready for us now? She glanced at my two companions again, and I realised it was Trystan’s presence that had thrown her — he was proving more and more useful as time went on. They’d been led to believe just one man and one woman were on the way, and whoever was in charge hadn’t seen fit to issue her with any descriptions.
She stepped back and smoothed down her dress in an effort to compose herself. “I’m sorry,” she said while edging further backwards. “You must have the wrong hotel. Now, if you will please leave.”
I didn’t like the feeling of ganging up against a seemingly distressed witch and had to remind myself that in all likelihood she was involved in the attack on me and Thomas the night before. Leaving wasn’t an option, so I followed the only logical course of action.
“Where is he?” I gathered a magical orb in my hands and tossed it casually to the ground an inch from her foot.
She turned to face me and squared her shoulders in defiance.
“We can play games all day, if that’s what you want,” I said as I gathered a second orb in my hands. “The first was a warning shot. Tradition dictates that you don’t get two. We both know that you’re not powerful enough to take me on single-handed, so why don’t you take us to Rhys Roberts, or better yet, your coven leader? I think I’d like to hear what she has to say.”
The blonde took a deep breath and smirked at me. “Summer Daniels, I presume.”
“Oh, watch it, boys,” I said. “We’ve got a clever one on our hands.”
After
giving me dagger eyes for a second and gaining only my best innocent smile in return, the blonde sighed and pointed towards the door she’d come through.
“That way,” she said.
We followed our guide along an arched stone hallway until we reached a set of closed oak double doors.
“Inside.”
Although she failed to elaborate on what we’d find inside, even without the small trickle of magic she sent pulsing through the door in a clear warning to those beyond, I knew a fight was coming.
“You’re a Fairy Witch,” I said and smiled at the look of shock on her face. “Ahh, I see, as a Rune Witch, you thought I wouldn’t sense your magic. They really haven’t briefed you very well on who you’re up against at all, have they?”
As a Fairy Witch, her powers are gained through communion with the Tylwyth Teg. If she’d known of my birth right, she would have known I’d sense her power.
“Well enough,” she said. “Do you really think you and two humans can stand against the full power of a coven?”
I smiled at Thomas. “I think we’ll do alright.”
“I heard about your partner’s prowess in the ring. Impressive. No doubt your other pet human is more than capable as a fighter, but they have to reach someone to fight them. I doubt they’ll get the chance.”
I tried not to react to the term pet, but my insides were working overtime. The last and only time someone had referred to Thomas as a pet was when a group of humans had been sent by Dureth to test Thomas’ fighting abilities.
“Maybe you should just worry about yourself. Open it,” I said as I smiled and pushed the blonde towards the door.
Chapter Thirteen
As soon as she stepped inside, the blonde flung herself to the floor and rolled away.
A blast of energy shot through the function room, hitting Trystan directly in the chest. He briefly glanced at the impact site before shrugging.
“Surprise,” I said.
Four women glared at us from the other side of the room. Tables and chairs were stacked against the side wall, and all that separated the women from us was a glossy hardwood floor. Thick red velvet drapes blocked out any natural light from outside, leaving only the glittering splendour of two chandeliers to illuminate the room.
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