A Body Displaced (Lansin Island 2)

by Andrew Butcher

  ‘You’re going to help us?’

  ‘I need to keep you alive.’

  ‘Because I’m an oracle?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And why’s that important?’

  ‘Because the person I suspect was on the other side of the portal has an interest in you,’ he whined, and Nick fell quiet.

  Tamara came back into the room and crouched by the hearth, stacking blocks of wood by the side of the fireplace. She tore apart and scrunched up a newspaper that had been next to her chair, and began to heap a little mountain of paper balls before piling thin slats of wood on top. Her body mostly blocked Juliet’s view, but the witch used something to light the fire. She rose, moved back, and then positioned a black metal guard around the small blaze.

  As on previous visits, Juliet admired the stonework of the mantelpiece, watching the orange glow dance up the inside and grow fiercer. She wondered what houses were like in the Otherworld, assuming whatever beings were over there actually lived in houses. What do souls do on that side? Will mine still be there? Or has it moved on to another existence? Something didn’t click about that theory. It must be in the Otherworld, because I can still see spirits, see the ‘in-between.’

  ‘Was it Austin on the other side of the portal?’ Nick asked James.

  ‘Who’s Austin?’

  When Juliet twisted in her seat, she saw Nick staring at the half-elf. ‘You’re supposed to be protecting me, but you don’t even know who’s made my life a living hell. Austin is the man who took Kerra, who murdered her. And today he tried to kill me.’

  The half-elf flushed red. ‘I … I wasn’t yet certain your girlfriend was dead. I’m sorry to hear that.’ In the chair across, Tamara’s face became remorseful.

  Nick went on, ‘Well, you obviously haven’t been keeping much of an eye on Juliet either.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Juliet answered, ‘I was dating Austin.’ Saying his name made her heart sink but her blood boil. I opened up to him. I let him into my bed. The factory, the sight she’d walked in on; her stomach turned queasy. She wanted to scrub herself clean all over. ‘I’d been seeing him for a few weeks, before he attacked me.’

  James pushed himself up a little in his chair. ‘Tamara’s contact with you was just a bonus, Juliet. We’ve known of occasional soulless people throughout history, and generally they’ve been pretty much useless to my kind. I suppose we should have kept a closer eye on you. But you weren’t that important.’

  ‘Not important?’ she bit back. Frustration squirmed under her skin.

  James’s expression turned stubborn. ‘I’m supposed to watch over Nicolas. That’s all. But as you started attending appointments with Tamara, I thought it would be beneficial to keep myself updated on you. I haven’t been watching you in your personal life, okay? And Tamara has never mentioned you dating anyone. The latest update she gave was that you’ve learnt to shut out the spirits at will.’ Conversationally, he asked, ‘Is this true?’

  She ignored his question and turned on Tamara. ‘Client confidentiality, is this?’ Her voice was strong and clear. Out of the corner of one eye, she saw Nick lean back as if giving her centre stage. ‘Apart from Nicolas, you were the only person I told about my ability, and you know how difficult it was for me to do that. Now I find out you shared my secret with someone else!’ She pointed from Tamara, who remained straight-faced, to James, who looked extremely uncomfortable. And sulky. ‘You lied to me. You told me there was no way to the Otherworld. And I trusted you. I came here today telling Nicolas that we could trust you.’

  ‘Don’t be such a stupid woman!’ The witch rose from her seat with a quick shift of demeanour. ‘If it were all about you, then I would have kept your secret, but it is not.’

  Juliet rose too. To her sheer annoyance, Nick tried to grab her wrist to hold her back, but she threw his hand aside with more power than intended. ‘You’re calling me stupid for being ignorant of things you concealed from me?’ She was taller than the witch and stood as straight as possible. Standing up so aggressively had been a mistake, detracting from her point; she realised now she would have had more impact if she’d remained calm and sitting. But all this energy coursing through her … and all the lies she’d endured. ‘If there is so much going on, then why don’t you explain it to me already, rather than lie to my face every time I see you?’

  ‘Oh, get a hold of yourself, Juliet! I lied to you, yes, but who have you lied to? Who have you hidden the truth from? The whole of Lansin Island would like to know how Aldrich died, but I am sure you have reasons for concealing that.’

  Kim. Gran. My staff. Mum. Dad. Everyone, every day. ‘That’s completely different,’ she tried on, but her voice faltered.

  ‘Pah!’ Tamara flicked a hand up in the air. ‘People are so quick to condemn others for lying, but when it’s their own lies’—the witch widened her eyes and shook her head in mock disbelief—‘Oh, there is always justification for their own lies.’

  Juliet was stumped. She stood on the spot, tension tightening her body, and said nothing. But you … you deceived me … like my mum did. She knew the witch was right, though, one hundred percent right. But she couldn’t just give in. Finally, she said, ‘Then what’s your justification?’ and she managed a stolid tone.

  James butted in. ‘Tamara is a true witch. Her kind have—’

  ‘Tamara can answer for herself,’ said Juliet. Her severe manner provided the perfect moment to perch herself back down next to Nick.

  Tamara pushed her hands over her robe, smoothing it out proudly, and then sat back into her chair. Her face became serious. ‘True witches, like my ancestors, have held an alliance with the elves for centuries, and through guided meditation they gave their aid to the Otherworld in times of need. I am the only living descendant left from the Lansin Island Witches—the ones who had wielded true power, at least—since the burnings wiped out the majority. I can show you a tree of my lineage, and you will see the few true witches who survived the massacre. But I digress. To respond to your issue about why I lied, well, it’s because we are not in the habit of telling just anyone about the Otherworld. Many of my clients like to believe in the existence of such a place, but most do not truly believe, and some think of it as a nonphysical realm, only to be reached through meditation. Although this can be done, like my ancestors achieved, the Otherworld is, in fact, a physical realm like ours, and can be reached—’

  ‘Tamara,’ James stressed.

  ‘Oh, stop your fretting, James. They already know of its existence.’ She gave him a scolding look. ‘Juliet, when I first told you your soul was in the Otherworld, I never expected you would discover the realm actually existed. Early on this year, James approached me and informed me of the rumours on the other side: that there was word of an oracle. Because of my connection to the Otherworld, he was ordered to inform me in case my aid was needed. When he said a soulless woman had been present with the oracle, I realised it must have been you. I have never met another soulless person, so I very much doubted it was only coincidence. Fortunately for me, you had already sought my help. Apart from asking me to keep an eye on you and to report anything of importance, the only other task James asked of me was to locate Nicolas.’

  ‘How did you find me?’ asked Nick, aiming the question at James for some reason, instead of Tamara. ‘Austin used Juliet to find out where I work, and then my full name, but you must have already known who I was, because you were there at the hotel the night Kerra was taken. Why were you there?’

  ‘I was there to keep an eye on you.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘To keep you safe.’

  Nick didn’t need to say anything for Juliet to sense his exasperation.

  ‘For some stupid reason, you left the hotel unexpectedly,’ said the half-elf. ‘I hadn’t realised you had left, but after a while, I went upstairs to check on you. There was no one in the hallway, so I stood outside to listen through the door to your room. I heard a dista
nt thud and some scuffling sounds, so I used my magic to unlock the door—’

  ‘Magic?’ Nick interrupted. Juliet didn’t even want to think about it.

  ‘Yes. My magic is limited on this side. I can manage small spells and illusions, but anything more demanding would be extremely difficult … and leave me in a terrible state.’

  ‘This is ridiculous.’ Nick turned to Juliet, but she stared fixedly ahead. Her little argument with Tamara had shaken her somewhat, and now she needed to be composed. Keep the conversation moving forward, and then we can make a plan.

  Maybe talking to himself more than anyone else, Nick said, ‘I shouldn’t believe any of what you’re telling me, but—’

  ‘Let me continue what I was saying.’ James spoke impatiently. ‘When I entered the hotel room, there was only blood. The window was open, so I manoeuvred around the blood to peek outside. I was too late. All I heard was a vehicle starting up and the crunch of the gravel as it sped off. I exited the room and locked the door with magic before leaving the hotel. That’s when you saw me, Nicolas. I was trying to follow whoever had taken your girlfriend. I slowed down, hoping you wouldn’t notice me, then I tried to track the abductor. I had no luck, though.’ He shrugged. ‘Maybe if I hadn’t had to slow down when you arrived, I would have caught them.’

  Nick’s leg twitched and nudged against Juliet’s, but surprisingly, he didn’t bite back. ‘You know I gave your description to the police?’ he said. ‘I wasn’t very good at describing you, but surely someone from the music hall at West Edge Country House must have seen you there, or recognised you?’

  Appearing proud of himself, James explained, ‘Like I said, my magic is limited on this side, but one of the things I can manage is a subtle spell that allows me to phase into the background. Even as tall as I am, I can walk through a crowd of people without many paying me attention. Some people are more observant than others, but to most I’m practically invisible.’

  ‘Why did I spot you, then?’

  ‘Apparently you are more observant than others.’ James sounded resentful about it.

  ‘Okay.’ It was obvious the answer hadn’t satisfied Nicolas. ‘A few days later you were outside my house. Why?’

  ‘I was observing you. You have a history of depression, so I wanted to ensure you wouldn’t do anything stupid, like commit suicide in your grief. I’ve watched you more times than that, you just haven’t noticed.’

  Juliet was in disbelief over how much Nick’s privacy had been invaded, and tried to extinguish her growing irritation. At least James hadn’t been stalking her.

  I never knew Nicolas had a history of depression … She felt some sympathy, assuming it must have been hard for him, but she also became annoyed, thinking about people who used ostensible mental health issues as excuses for their failures. Some people didn’t even try to succeed because of the negative labels their doctors assigned to them, or, as Juliet suspected in many cases, the labels they assigned to themselves. However she viewed the topic, she’d already seen a stronger side to Nicolas today than she had expected. Hopefully he’ll keep himself together for the rest of this conversation.

  ‘How do you know about my depression?’ said Nick.

  ‘Because I’m more resourceful than you think.’ It was like James was trying to antagonise him. ‘I’ve been keeping a record on you. Just general info. I started it when Tamara first told me where I could find you.’

  ‘How did Tamara know where to find me?’ Turning to the witch herself, he asked, ‘Did Juliet tell you?’

  ‘No,’ Juliet objected. She twisted towards him sharply. ‘I did not.’

  He stared at her searchingly, then gave a regretful smile. ‘Okay … sorry.’

  Tamara said, ‘As Juliet has made clear, she did not tell me where to find you.’ The witch leaned over in her chair, reaching for a block of wood and throwing it over the fireguard and into the flames. It wasn’t the most graceful thing, splashing ash and embers into the air, but Tamara hummed a laugh at her own lazy attempt to keep the fire going. ‘You two have thrown a lot of mistrust and accusations at me, but you both seem to be forgetting something: I’m a witch. Many people on the island know me better as a medium, some as a clairvoyant, some as a healer, and many more as a kook.’ She laughed again. ‘But, ignoring the last title, how do you suppose I discovered where to find you?’

  Juliet frowned and attempted to figure it out, before looking at Nick. His lips curved down. He shrugged. Then the obvious came to Juliet. ‘Samantha Crystan?’

  Nick’s face lit up. ‘My mum told you?’

  ‘Not exactly told …’ Tamara bobbed her head side to side, as if weighing up what to tell them. ‘My powers aren’t like Juliet’s. Because of her displacement, she often sees and hears spirits clearly. But I must employ various methods, and sometimes I am successful, sometimes not. Even when I am, I rarely receive clear messages. When it comes to communing with the dead, I quite envy Juliet’s ability. Having her talent would make some of my appointments go a whole lot easier.’ The fire crackled behind her, startling the medium. Gently, she laughed again. ‘To find out more about you, Nicolas, I set up an energy circle here in this room, the way many Wiccans perform rituals, except my circle was a connection between this world and the Spiritworld. I focused on the little I knew about you: your first name and that you are an oracle. While keeping these in mind, I invited any spirits related to you into the circle—dead friends, dead relatives, and so on—as long as they bid you well. As you’ve guessed, your mother made contact. She did not appear to me the way Juliet sees the dead; instead I had to channel her. Using my body, she wrote this message …’ Tamara leaned over the arm of her chair and pulled open a drawer on a small square table. She took out a white piece of paper, stood, and then walked over to Nick.

  Nick held the paper so Juliet could also see. On it was scribbled Samantha Crystan Nicolas’s mother 16 Maw Street Amiton keep him safe. The writing was so messy it was hard to read. Nick must have made sense of it, though, because Juliet saw his hand tighten on the sheet at about the same time she finished deciphering the message.

  A moment of silence, and then Nick said in a soft voice, ‘Can I keep this?’

  With a compassionate smile, Tamara nodded. She moved back to her seat.

  Juliet watched Nick fold the paper delicately, as though trying to avoid creasing the words. When he was done, he pushed the note into his pocket. He kept his gaze lowered for a while.

  ‘So, you see, Nicolas,’ said Tamara, ‘your mother, in whatever knowledge she has access to in the Spiritworld, trusted me with your details.’

  Why didn’t she come to me? thought Juliet, but instantly realised the many reasons why: I wanted nothing to do with Nicolas, I was actively trying to block out the spirits, I didn’t know half of what I’ve just learnt about the Otherworld, and how would I protect Nicolas?

  ‘Tamara,’ Juliet began, ‘Samantha appeared to me today. She’s who sent me to Nicolas, allowing me to … save him. But before she vanished she said something had been pursuing her in the Spiritworld, that I’d put her in danger by summoning her, and that she wanted to come to me before but couldn’t because of whatever was after her …’ Juliet hung the last part of the sentence out like it was a question.

  ‘That doesn’t sound good at all,’ said the witch. ‘But we can’t address this matter now. It will have to be another time.’

  Nick’s head bobbed up, as if to object, but then he nodded.

  Tamara continued, ‘It does explain, however, why Samantha hadn’t warned Juliet or myself about the apparent dangers Nicolas has been facing. About this man … Austin?’

  ‘Anyway,’ James interrupted in a rude tone, ‘Nicolas is alive.’ To Nick and Juliet he said, ‘There’s a lot we need to discuss still.’

  But Nick asked suddenly, ‘Does it really matter that much if I die?’

  James rolled his eyes. ‘To me, on a personal level, no, it doesn’t. But I’ve been tasked with keeping yo
u alive. If you’re of interest to the person I suspect was on the other side of the portal, then you’re important to my kind.’

  ‘But not you personally?’

  James looked at him as if his question was irrelevant. ‘Not all of my kind have the same theory on your significance.’

  ‘Oh. Great. Someone who isn’t bothered if I die has been tasked with keeping me alive. No wonder you’ve been doing such a fantastic job.’

  James shrugged. ‘Actually, I think if you died I would be in deep shit with the majority of my kind, and when it comes to my kind, I am bothered what they think of me.’

  ‘So you do care if I die?’

  ‘If you want to look at it that way, yes.’

  ‘Why am I important to your kind? I don’t even live in the Otherworld.’

  ‘Because … we haven’t known of a true oracle for a long time now. In the past, your kind helped mine more than you can imagine.’ James twiddled his curly hair in a stiff manner. ‘Do you have to ask so many questions?’

  ‘How did the oracles help?’

  ‘I can’t tell you.’

  Then Nick raised his voice. ‘For Christ’s sake!’ Juliet could feel the anger rolling off him.

  ‘You are lucky I’ve told you as much as I have,’ James said condescendingly. ‘If I get more clearance, then I’ll tell you more.’

  Out of impulse, Juliet put a hand on Nick’s knee to help calm him down. He twitched at first, probably not expecting the contact, but then took a long breath before saying anything. ‘Fine. But I’m wondering, where were you at the maypole dance, when I could have been killed by a firework or exploding car?’

  That’s why Austin was at the maypole dance! realised Juliet. Because Nicolas was there.

  James answered, ‘I assumed you would be safe, seeing as you were in a large crowd of people. And I do have my own life, by the way. I work from home. I considered that day a safe day to do my own work, as opposed to baby sitting you.’

  ‘So you live on Lansin Island?’

  ‘I do now. On Maw Street. Across the road from you.’