All in Bad Time

by Yvonne Montgomery

  Milk the venom, fill the arrows.

  Rouse the hellhounds, cloud all reason,

  Hell will rise to suck life's marrow.

  Her life for mine, my soul for thee.

  As seventh son, so mote it be.

  The words died into gurgled laughter and Severn heard nothing of the man entering his study.

  "Sir, the doctor is here. I've put him in the sitting room." One of the servants stood before his desk, his eyes noting every throb and jolt.

  Severn surfaced enough to recognize Pierce. "Damn you, leave me alone." He groped with his uninjured hand across the desktop, finding a paper filled with writing. The coven list. He fumbled with it one-handed, jamming it into his pocket. "Tell Fitch to contact his number two man. He'll know why."

  "Fitch is dead, sir."

  Fitch dead? Images filled his mind, of the luckless fool, of his eyes bulging as Severn squeezed the life from him by way of a charmed snake. He saw Pierce, serious and pale like a well-dressed schoolboy. He began to laugh, raw, bubbling laughter catching in his chest and hemming in his breathing.

  "Sir, come with me now."

  Severn let Pierce help him up, even leaning on him as they made their way down the hallway to the sitting room.

  "Leave us," Severn ordered as they paused in the doorway. "Follow my instructions, do you understand? Tell them to ready themselves."

  Pierce nodded and turned, hearing Severn say, "How good of you to come, Dr. Jarrett. I fear my people may have been too anxious, getting you here..." He began to cough.

  When he reached the study door, Pierce looked left and right, making certain no one watched him. He slipped into the room and searched the desktop for what he could find. As he pawed through the jumble, he caught sight of an ancient book, open and shoved halfway under a pile of papers. Its pages were dog-eared and stained. He bent over it to read what was written. When he had done so, he left the room and shut the door. He sped down the hall and took the stairs to the kitchen two at a time.

  The wall phone was dead, as was his cell. Had Severn cast a protection spell around the property?

  Chapter 25

  They put Eve in Andrea's room for the night, and Brenna and Dink in Caldicott's.

  "Cottie wouldn't mind," Aura Lee told them earnestly. "Eve, your leg will feel better in a real bed instead of the sofa. And if you have any disturbances," she added to Brenna, "You'll know that Cottie would never hurt you."

  Eve had expected to toss and turn, but when she climbed into Andrea's bed, she arrowed into sleep like a cormorant diving for minnows. She swam in dreams, all haunted by a man with auburn hair who walked ahead of her on a rugged trail. His face was obscured, but a wicked smile flashed as he looked back at her with sharp blue eyes. If only she could reach him, so far ahead of her.

  He was leading her through grassy hills, and though she called to him, he did not respond. His long legs ate up the miles on a path toward tall mountains in the distance. No matter how she pushed herself, she fell further behind.

  My heart, she thought. You'll make my heart stop if you don't wait for me.

  He didn't hear her.

  At the edge of a lake prisoners were chained together, waiting to be taken to the caverns under a massive castle. She knew they would be tortured there but she could do nothing until she caught up with the man who walked away from her so steadily.

  How can I have hope if you won't listen? Fatigue blurred her vision and she stumbled over the rocky path. Without hope I'll die, and you will die.

  "The blackness of eternal night encompasses me," she heard him say clearly. "It's hope that triumphs on the rack..."

  It's hope that triumphs on the rack...

  Eve sat up in bed, her eyes open wide. "Poe. It has to be Poe." She fought to catch her breath, her heart hammering an urgent rhythm. She pulled the blankets more closely around her against the chill. What was it from?

  She frowned, trying to recall the details. The castle could represent Wisdom Court, but she couldn't think of a particular Poe story featuring a man who walked away from someone. The nearby prisoners waiting to be tortured in the caverns sounded more like Poe. "He had a thing about prisoners," she murmured, not realizing she spoke. "And torture."

  "The blackness of eternal night... hope that triumphs on the rack." She took in a deep breath. The rack. Torture. The Inquisition. "The Pit and the Pendulum," she said with certainty. "Has to be."

  Nature's call interrupted her thoughts. Eve rolled out of bed to use the bathroom. When she'd finished she looked at herself in the mirror, and saw someone behind her. She spun round, her heart in her throat, catching an impression of movement, but no one was there.

  "I'm losing my mind." I'm talking to myself; what other proof do I need? She opened the door slowly and peeked around its edge. The room was dark and she could see nothing until a light glimmered around the edge of the cheval mirror near the tall chest of drawers. Mustering her courage, Eve stepped closer to it. She saw a face, not her own, but the face of a man she didn't recognize. Her breath came more rapidly. She was looking at a man inside the mirror. The glass was so dark she could barely make out his features.

  Eve reached one hand toward the mirror's surface and saw her gesture replicated in the reflection. As her palm touched the cool glass, his did as well, and they stared into each other's eyes. His lips moved and she strained to hear what he was saying.

  There was no sound.

  He moved his lips again and she pressed closer to the glass, staring at his mouth. She couldn't make out what he trying to say.

  "Damn," she whispered. "What are you saying?"

  He closed his eyes. When he moved his hand, she saw he was pointing at her with his forefinger. Slowly he moved his finger across the glass, writing letters with his finger. As she looked at them they glowed against the dark backdrop behind them.

  .gnimoc era yehT .eraweB She touched the letters, frowning.

  "For God's sake, it's backwards." Eve used her own forefinger to trace the letters from the end of the line, murmuring them as she did. "B e w a r e. Beware. T h e y. A—are. C o m—they are coming?" She'd been told this before.

  "Are you the one who sent me that message on the computer?"

  As he stared at her, not comprehending, the letters faded and disappeared.

  She looked into his face. He'd said beware. "Someone's coming to harm us." She exaggerated the movements of her lips. "We'll be attacked?"

  He nodded.

  His image began to weaken and then he was gone.

  She'd been warned.

  Eve was statue still for a moment, her mind tumbling with what she'd seen. It must have been a ghost, she thought, wondering why she wasn't terrified. The south window blazed with white light and she shrieked as thunder shook the glass.

  What should she do first?

  The map. The idea burst in her mind and she wheeled toward the chair where she'd put the items brought upstairs after last night's meeting. Her knee protested and she cursed it, limping quickly across the room. Fumbling through the clothes she'd worn, she found the packet and tossed it onto the bed.

  It was the work of moments to dress, slightly longer to make sure her shoes were double-tied. Constant questions marched through her mind. And answers followed on their heels.

  Who are coming? Has to be the ones who've been causing the disturbances at Wisdom Court.

  How can we defend ourselves? The holders will take their places around the perimeter armed with spells and counter-spells.

  What if they keep coming until they overwhelm us? We'll have the talisman.

  Eve stopped at that, breathing faster at the temerity of it. When had she come to that conclusion? She felt her blood thrumming through her and electricity dancing along her nerves.

  Where is the talisman? The dreams told me. I'll find it.

  She braced herself against the ache in her knee and grabbed a pain pill from the bathroom. Swallowing it dry, she opened the door and hurried into the hal
lway.

  You'll go after it alone? I'll tell them. They're all here. We'll work together.

  "Rose?" Eve called as she neared her bedroom. "Wake up. Company's coming."

  * * *

  Eve roused the others, telling them to get dressed and meet her in the kitchen. While she waited for them she made several trips back and forth from the cupboards, gathering cups and plates. When Aura Lee came in, she took over the refreshments prep and Eve limped for the dining room to retrieve several books she thought they'd need.

  Max slumped in his chair as Eve described the visitor in the mirror. The encounter intrigued him. "It could be Charlie."

  "It could be anybody," Kerry interjected from the coffeemaker. She'd added enough ground beans to deny them sleep for a week. "Are you sure you were awake?"

  Eve looked up from the map, her impatience clear. "For the third time, yes. I was awake, I got the message, and I'm giving it to you. Now let me tell you the most important part."

  "Okay, okay," muttered Kerry. "Just checking."

  Max's brows knitted in concentration as Eve repeated the aspects of her dream.

  "I can see how the castle could be Wisdom Court, but I don't entirely understand the significance of the prisoners and the torture. Do you think the members of Wisdom Court are imprisoned by the hauntings? Are tortured by the impact of the paranormal events you've witnessed?"

  Eve poured cream into her coffee and stirred it thoroughly. "No, I told you. I think my subconscious was reminding me of a story by Edgar Allen Poe. The Pit and the Pendulum."

  "But why?" Andrea asked, yawning. "All that makes me think of is the Vincent Price movie."

  "That was great," Brenna chimed in.

  Eve noticed her red sweater was turned inside out.

  "He had such a good voice for the spooky stuff. Did you ever see The Simpsons version of The Raven?" Brenna added. "Outstanding."

  Eve closed her eyes and summoned patience. "Listen, I know it's early and we're sleepy, but this is important. The dream was telling me something about the clock. It has a pendulum, the business about the clock always being seventeen minutes fast, the way it's been off with the number of chimes lately."

  Rose clasped her coffee cup and stared into its depths. "I'm not getting what you mean."

  Elizabeth shook her head, setting the little braids in her hair into motion. "You and me both, sister."

  Aura Lee's head snapped up and she gawked at Eve. "All in bad time." She turned to Rose. "All in bad time."

  "Yeah." Eve pushed her hair behind her ears and rested her chin on her hands.

  Dink scrubbed at his face with both hands. "What are you people talking about?"

  "It's what Caldicott used to say." Rose yawned. "Somebody would ask her a question and she'd say, All in bad time." She frowned in confusion. "So you're saying your dream was about a saying she used?"

  Eve felt a pang of uncertainty. She'd been so sure. What if she was wrong? "I think she was giving a hint about where the talisman is hidden."

  Kerry's mouth dropped open and she stared at Eve as she worked it out in her head. "So you're saying you think the talisman might be in the old clock?"

  Eve nodded. "On the pendulum."

  Dolores was resting her head on her crossed arms. "Why don't you go look for it and then we can go back to sleep."

  "Not a bad idea." Neal stood up and put his hand out for Andrea, tugging her to her feet. "Shall we?"

  They left the kitchen and filed in a bedraggled pilgrimage through the dining room and into the foyer. Max stopped them before they got close to the clock. "I think we'd best keep our distance. After reading what Caldicott had to say about the talisman in her journal, we need to proceed very carefully."

  Neal nodded. "I'll get a flashlight and tools." He started off and looked back over his shoulder. "And some heavy gloves I keep in my pickup. Be right back."

  Even though he didn't take long, Eve was biting her nails by the time he returned.

  Noreen frowned at her in concern. "When bated breath is all one has to fill the lungs, make each count as more, for held breath may mean death, and hesitation may signal the clear edge of defeat." She started to cite her source but caught sight of Eve's face. "Um, what's bothering you?"

  Eve had to bite back a groan. Where did the woman get these quotes? "The man in the mirror said they're coming. He didn't say when. We're using time we need to get ready for them."

  Neal pulled out a couple of screwdrivers and an adjustable wrench. He put on his gloves and headed for the clock. "Let's see what we've got." He walked to the alcove beside the stairs and approached the old grandfather clock as it ticked in stately rhythm. Opening the glass door to the pendulum, he clicked on the flashlight. "Let me shine this back here," he murmured and reached for the shaft of the pendulum. As he touched it an electrical crack produced a flash of light, knocking him away from the clock and across the foyer.

  "Neal!" Andrea ran to kneel beside him. "Are you all right?" She felt his head and leaned down to put her ear to his chest. "His heart's beating. Neal, can you hear me?"

  A long groan came from him and he opened his eyes.

  The windows glared with sudden light. At once the rumble of thunder shook the house. The lights went out.

  "Oh, shit." Elizabeth's voice was filled with dread.

  "It's October," Aura Lee screeched. "We don't have electrical storms in October."

  As if to argue the point with her, more thunder clapped above them.

  Eve limped across the floor to Neal's flashlight, the cockeyed beam illuminating the newel post of the stairs. She stooped to pick it up and pointed it at Neal. "Is he okay?"

  Andrea had his head in her lap and was smoothing his hair back from his forehead. "I think so, but he had a hell of a shock." Brenna entered the circle of light carrying a glass of water, handing it off to her. "Thanks."

  Eve shone the light around the group, most sitting on floor now, seeking Aura Lee. When she found her, she made her way through the throng to her side. "Do you have any idea of how to disarm the protections on the pendulum?"

  The woman was gray with fatigue and Eve wondered how old she was. She put her arm around Aura Lee's shoulders and looked into her face, trying to keep the flashlight at an indirect angle. "Can you do this, come up with a counter-spell, I mean? If it's too much for you, we'll find another way."

  Aura Lee stiffened her spine as the light of determination filled her eyes. "Cottie had to be the one to create the protection, and she would never have left something to hurt me." She saw Eve's involuntary glance toward Neal. "We didn't think to make it safe for him. I'll do a simple counter-spell now and we'll try to get the talisman."

  "Wouldn't it be a more complicated spell, to keep out the ones who are coming for us?"

  Aura Lee shook her head. "I have a feeling. The lightning's the key. Dolores?" she called.

  As Dolores pushed herself off the floor, Aura Lee drew a pencil and a small piece of paper from the pocket of her robe. She was writing feverishly when Dolores sat down beside her.

  "What is it?" Dolores looked warm in sweatpants and a hoodie over a tee shirt. She'd pulled her glossy black hair into a tail held by a scrunchie. "What do you need?"

  Aura Lee grasped her hands. "Two things: my magicks journal on the bedside table in my bedroom and the leather valise in my closet. It's toward the back, behind my shoes."

  Dolores stood up and nodded toward the flashlight. "Do we have anymore of those?"

  Rose held out a small LED light and Dolores flicked it on. "What if the ghosts have come out to play?"

  Eve could feel the minutes ticking away. "Tell them to come help us. We're going into battle."

  Dolores shot her a doubtful glance but headed toward the dining room, which would lead her to Aura Lee's apartment.

  "What's the plan?" Rose asked softly.

  Before Eve could answer, the clock began to chime, culminating in the hour strokes: one, two, three, four, five.

  "
Minus seventeen minutes." She'd put the flashlight in front of her on the floor, and in its limited light Rose's face was gaunt. "I'm going to take the talisman and go down to the secret room under my apartment." Her throat was dry and she coughed to clear it. "I figure the attack will come there. The rest of you will take your places along Wisdom Court's border and you'll all chant protective spells to keep us strong."

  The others were beginning to crowd around Eve and Rose. "Where will we get the spells?" Elizabeth asked.

  "Aura Lee." Eve smiled at the older woman. "Simple protective spells chanted over and over again. No matter what, you all keep chanting."

  "What about Neal?" whispered Andrea. "He's asleep."

  "He'll wake up. There'll be one unguarded spot: the one I'm supposed to hold. But we'll have to make do."

  Max held Kerry's hand and had closed his eyes, his lips moving.

  "Are you praying, Max?"

  He shook his head. "Some of that chanting you mentioned."

  Dolores came back into the circle, a book in one hand and a valise in the other. "I found them."

  "Did you see anything unusual?" Eve eyed her in concern. Her hands were trembling and she kept glancing over her shoulder.

  "The mirror in Aura Lee's room was... humming." She shook her head as if to dislodge her fears. "I didn't stop to find out why. I just told... them... what you said about the battle. Nothing tried to mess with me."

  Aura Lee had opened the valise and was digging inside it. "Many of the protective substances are already in your amulets," she said, "and I have small amounts of others for us to put in our pockets when we go out." She looked up at Eve. "Give me a few minutes and I'll have a counter-spell to try on the clock."

  Eve sat slumped on the stairs, trying to keep focused on the job at hand. When she heard a tiny sound, she opened her eyes. Danica sat on a step above her, licking one paw. She jumped onto Eve's lap and crawled up her shirt. Eve listened to the purring in her ear and gained strength for what lay ahead.

  The sun was rising by the time Aura Lee came to Eve and reached for her hand. Into it she dropped a small leather bag.

  "What's in it?" Eve asked. It felt heavier than its size would suggest. Her gaze followed Danica as she ran up the stairs.