The Last Chance Hotel

by Nicki Thornton

  Even this early he could see there were people wandering among the stacks, taking books off shelves, looking through them and sitting down at long wooden tables to read. Learning to be magic.

  ‘It’s a magical device?’ he said in awe. ‘Like the sort of thing Dr Thallomius might have invented?’

  ‘Dr Thallomius didn’t invent this, but yes, it is magical.’

  She used her fingers to walk along a narrow line between two towering stacks and moved her fingers across so Seth’s vision focused in on a shelf, then on a book with a green spine, The Wars of Enlightenment – a brief history of the magical world up to the forty-two deaths in the Unpleasant. He couldn’t resist moving his own finger closer and watched in disbelief as the book removed itself from the shelf, turned so he could see the cover and started to glide towards him, growing in size, getting closer and closer to his finger and bigger and—

  She slapped his finger away. The image vanished.

  She did something he didn’t see, then she put the card back in her handbag. But then she handed him something. It was the book.

  He took it in amazement, holding it, taking in the weight of the pages, the rough green of the cover and the smell of paper that told it had just been removed from sitting snugly alongside friends.

  It was the very book he had been looking at. But hadn’t that just been a picture held in Angelique’s hands? ‘It feels just like a real book.’

  ‘Yes, Seth. It is a real book. But it’s also – oh just go the back page.’

  Seth flicked through to the back cover where he exposed a small piece of jagged rock, dark grey, nestled into the binding.

  ‘What’s a lump of grey rock doing in a book?’ asked Seth, his fingers closing around it.

  ‘Because it’s not a lump of grey rock, it’s a book with a wordstone in it. It’s another magical invention. It makes it easier and quicker to read.’

  He lifted the stone. It didn’t look the least bit magical. Immediately he touched it, it started to glow like it had been switched on inside.

  He felt it turn smooth and flatten, and then the end reshaped itself before his eyes, becoming pointed, then sharp as if you could use it as a weapon or slice through vegetables in no time at all. It turned a lush, vivid emerald green that reminded Seth of ferns.

  He stood, marvelling at the glowing green stone in his hand. But then a new sound made him look up. A stomping, as if a colossal elephant was thundering towards them.

  Something was coming through the trees in a hurry. Coming straight for them! Seth looked up at the dark forest ahead, shielding his eyes from the low sunlight, and could see the nearby trees were starting to bend and their branches crack. Something huge was lumbering towards them. Something terrible and dangerous.

  He looked at Angelique, tried to open his mouth to warn her. The woods were dark and contained many creatures he’d never even seen, but nothing so big, so noisy. And it was getting closer.

  There came a roar and a giant head on the end of a long neck poked sideways through the nearest clump of trees, twitching angrily, and a giant malevolent orange eye locked directly on him.

  Seth went rigid with terror, unable to even move a muscle, let alone run, as the creature took a slow step forward, clearing the tops of the trees. It stood in the open, just a few feet away, opened its mouth and a long, terrifying jet of fire burst the dry leaves into a line of flaming torches. Next, its head turned towards Seth.

  25. One of Those Magical Inventions

  ‘Dragon.’ Seth found his voice and could only weakly croak.

  He tried to clutch at Angelique, but could not take his eyes off the red and gold scales of the monster glinting in the early sunlight. It put its head down, pointing directly at Seth, opened its mouth to reveal two long glistening rows of pointed teeth. Out poured another blast of fire.

  He felt something tug at his hand and the dragon disappeared. It had completely vanished. Seth blinked twice.

  Angelique stood in front of him waving the word-stone in front of his face. ‘It’s a brief history of the magical world, Seth. Why are you looking so terrified?’

  ‘Dragon,’ he squeaked, lifting his arm to point behind her at the brace of trees where the monstrous creature had been standing only seconds before.

  She looked over and sighed. ‘It’s not a real dragon.’ She tossed her hair dismissively. ‘Obviously you have gone right back to the beginning. It probably goes way back to ancient times, when people could access the magic that dragons hold. Clearly you can’t become magic that way any more.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Um, because dragons were hunted to extinction hundreds of years ago?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Even buried in these deep dark woods you must know dragons no longer exist, Seth. Now, try to turn the volume down a bit. Maybe skip that chapter.’

  Angelique was giving one of her annoyed frowns, but Seth was finding it easier to put up with her impatience, he was getting used to it.

  ‘You picked this up pretty quickly,’ she said, not able to keep the surprise out of her voice as she handed him back the stone. His fingers touched it reluctantly. She was giving him a curious look. ‘Most people only get words going into their head when they first use one.’

  ‘How do you turn it down?’ he turned it over.

  ‘Don’t look for a volume control. You just have to control it with your mind.’

  ‘Like a virtual reality thing?’

  ‘No Seth. It is not a virtual reality thing. It’s magic. Think of a question. Think of something you really want an answer to from that book. Try that.’

  Seth tentatively gripped the wordstone and tried to do as she suggested and think about what he wanted from it. Don’t think about the dragon.

  But the only thing he could think of was the utter excitement that he was about to do magic. He tried to calm his thoughts.

  They had continued walking and had reached the bush where apricots grew in profusion and as Angelique got busy right away, lifting the cane and sending out a shower of sparks over the bush, Seth thought about the Prospect and how his understanding of the magical world was slowly growing.

  He knew there was much he didn’t yet know, but he also knew he had to understand it if he had any chance of figuring out who had committed the crime and clearing his own name.

  Dr Thallomius’s changes had led to the Unpleasant. This might be the answer of what had led to one of the people here at the hotel wanting to murder him.

  Seth closed his fingers firmly around the stone and closed his eyes.

  He sensed something appearing next to his left elbow and he turned. He opened his eyes and found himself looking at a small figure standing right there next to him. He recognized the small figure immediately.

  It was Dr Thallomius.

  26. More Important Than Being Popular

  Seth dropped the stone in shock.

  The image instantly faded. Angelique this time didn’t even turn from where she was examining the shrubbery. ‘Dragon back again?’

  ‘N-no, it’s Dr Thallomius,’ stammered Seth.

  He kind of guessed it wasn’t real, but it was still difficult to see that image, that cherubic face and not feel both sad and scared.

  ‘Ah yes. Guess he’s bound to be in the book. Did you ask a question about him?’

  Seth nodded and thought of that wonderful magical library and that towering skyscraper of books. ‘So, if Dr Thallomius is in a book – can we talk to him? Ask him who murdered him?’

  Angelique let out another deep sigh. ‘It’s a magical device that makes reading really effortless, Seth. In that book you get a concise history of the magical community, right up to the Unpleasant. But you only get from it what’s written in the book.’ She gave one of her impatient puffs. ‘Thought this was going to be easier than me telling you. Why don’t you try again?’

  He bent to pick up the stone, holding it loosely in his fingers. This time when he gripped it he was ready as Dr Thallomius came into view
. He told himself firmly it was just an image, it wasn’t real. It was just a book becoming an image. He gripped the stone.

  The forest was fading, replaced by a small room with big windows where Dr Thallomius went to take a seat at a desk.

  Seth was watching him from a corner of the room; the trees, the bushes, Angelique, everything had gradually faded until it had vanished and Seth was left staring at Dr Thallomius, who pressed his hands together thoughtfully.

  ‘What our dwindling magical world desperately needs is young, fresh, enthusiastic people, who are eager to train and will work hard,’ said Dr Thallomius.

  Dr Thallomius didn’t seem aware of Seth at all. He was frowning over a large document, gripping a shiny purple pen and hesitating, glancing towards something to Seth’s right.

  ‘Everyone knows it, but no one has the courage to do it.’ Where was that twinkle in his eye? He looked a lot more serious. ‘I mean to start a recruitment drive.’

  ‘You don’t mean to have an open invitation to join the Elysee?’

  The voice to Seth’s right made him jump. Someone he couldn’t even see, but he thought he recognized the voice of Count Marred.

  ‘That is exactly it!’ said Dr Thallomius. ‘Magical people used to be everywhere. Magical folk are becoming so rare that people are starting to forget we even exist. People don’t even believe in magic any more.’ Dr Thallomius shook his head sadly. ‘We have to act. If we don’t scour the country and find the best and most promising new recruits – where will it end? We need keen and talented novices and fresh blood. We need to root out anyone who has just a sprinkle of real magic and make sure it is nurtured in the right direction.’

  He looked like he was waiting for a comment and eventually the other voice replied.

  ‘You might just make an enemy of some of the most influential magical families.’

  Dr Thallomius gave a hollow chuckle and picked up the pen, but his hand still hesitated over thick sheets of paper. ‘I know what I’m proposing might upset people. But with a real danger of magic dying out completely, what choice do we have? Someone must have the courage to act. But what I mean to propose – well, at least no one will be able to accuse us and say how we recruit isn’t fair. Everyone must be given an equal chance.’

  ‘I don’t understand. What exactly do you mean to do?’

  Dr Thallomius got to his feet and started pacing the small office, his hands behind his back, his head jutting forward. Seth stepped back, fearing he’d lose the image if he collided with it.

  ‘We need to change the rules of entry for the Elysee. It should be for anyone with a real flair for magic and the dedication to succeed – those are the ones who should be given the chance, whatever their background. It is too flawed to simply rely on magic being passed to children. Magic is much more complicated than that. Magic is drawn to where it wants to go.’

  ‘If I have understood correctly, what you are proposing . . . This is going to be . . . unpopular.’

  ‘I propose a procedure where all are given a chance to demonstrate suitability to join the magical world. Everyone will be judged by the same rules and everyone will be asked to undergo it. Only those who pass will be invited to be officially part of our magical community. It’ll be called the Prospect.’

  There was a short silence. ‘You mean to make everyone go through this Prospect? Even those who feel a place is rightfully theirs? Even those who have been long-standing members of the magical community?’ the voice said quietly. ‘You’ll have such opposition. That could even be dangerous.’

  ‘Luckily, saving the magical world is more important to me than being popular.’ Dr Thallomius stopped and looked towards the voice who had given the warning.

  He thumped his hand down on the pile of paper. Golden sparks showered from his hands and he brushed away black speckles of ashes from the top sheet.

  ‘We must stop the Elysee being a private club for magical families. Magic is dying. There is no other way. It’s the Prospect – or it’s the end of magic.’ He slammed his fist on the desk again.

  ‘It is the bravest policy I have heard of in a generation.’

  Dr Thallomius gave a grim smile, returned to his seat, picked up the pen and signed his name with a flourish. ‘Thank you – I think. I’m sure everyone will come around to seeing that it’s for the best. I feel sure everything will be absolutely fine.’

  The image faded. Seth slid the stone into one of his pockets and it took a moment to take in the familiar trees. And Angelique standing there waiting.

  ‘Dr Thallomius made things tough for himself, didn’t he? Is that why people like Red Valerian are against him? It isn’t even so much that he started this apprentice scheme looking for new recruits, it’s more that he’s making old magical families prove their worth?’

  Angelique looked at him for such a long time it made him feel uncomfortable. ‘Our Sorcerer General was a brave man.’

  ‘He didn’t realize just how angry some magical folk would be, did he?’

  Angelique turned and headed back towards the hotel and Seth followed, feeling even sadder than ever that Dr Thallomius, with all his brave and fair policies, had died.

  They walked in silence, then Seth spotted some green leaves, tiny, with distinctive serrated edges. It was a herb he had been looking out for and was exactly what he needed. He dived off the path and knelt to pick some. He took out one of the leather pouches he carried everywhere in his pockets to place the leaves inside.

  ‘Do you do this a lot?’

  ‘Err, yes,’ replied Seth, feeling Angelique’s steady gaze. ‘Haven’t seen these for a while and I use them to make a special tea for Henri. Helps with his indigestion. Did you find what you were looking for? With your divinoscope?’

  ‘When you say you can find anything growing in the garden, could you find Wolfbane?’

  Seth thought back to the many herbs his father had taught him about. ‘That’s not a medicinal herb. Isn’t that rather dangerous?’ Once again, all his senses seemed to be reminding him not to trust Angelique.

  She had still completely avoided telling him what she was up to with that cane of hers. She had told him it followed ripples of even very stale magic, but how was he supposed to even know what she meant?

  ‘Only in the wrong hands, Seth. So could you get some?’

  ‘Probably.’

  ‘And what about figwort?

  ‘If I wanted to, although you shouldn’t really—’

  ‘And squill – not too much, just a pinch. How long would it take to get all those together?’

  ‘I couldn’t say exactly. What do you want them for?’

  Her dark eyes avoided meeting his.

  ‘Can I keep the book?’ he asked.

  Angelique hesitated. ‘Oh I suppose so. Only it’s on my library card so don’t get it back late or lose it, don’t damage it, don’t do anything to it, OK?’

  ‘But I can read it? And if I get you those herbs, will you tell me what you are doing with your divinoscope? As long as you’re not planning to use those herbs for anything bad.’

  ‘Bad, Seth? Me?’ she wrinkled her nose. ‘What on earth do you mean?’ Then Angelique took a quick glance around her. They were almost back at the hotel. ‘Seth, I need to talk to you. You remember me saying you might be the only person who can help me?’

  ‘Because I’ve lived here so long?’

  She nodded. ‘I am sure you have all the answers.’

  She gave him such a long and penetrating look with those intelligent brown eyes of hers. For an uncomfortable moment he felt as if she knew all about the black book.

  ‘I really know nothing.’

  ‘Well, if you promise not to tell anyone what I am about to tell you – and I mean no one, it’s crucial – then I will tell you what I’ve been doing, or trying to do. Because there is so much here I don’t understand. And you can help me, Seth. In fact, you must.’

  ‘OK, OK, I get it. You can trust me, Angelique.’

&nb
sp; He wished he could trust her.

  ‘I’ve been taking readings. About magic.’

  Seth could only look at her blankly.

  ‘Specifically whether magic has been used recently. It leaves a mark in the air. To most people it would be completely invisible. But there are ripples.’ Angelique moved the dramatic stripe of red in her dark hair to behind her ear. ‘Seth, the first time we spoke you said you’d never heard of magic.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘But Seth,’ Angelique took another reading from the end of her cane and looked about her, ‘there is magic everywhere here.’

  Seth stopped completely and could only look at her, wide-eyed. ‘But there are magical people here – they are here for the Prospect?’

  ‘That’s not what I mean. That does not fit with what my readings are telling me.’

  ‘That’s what your divinoscope is telling you? It must be faulty.’

  Angelique drew herself up, insulted. ‘Faulty? It is not faulty. You have to help me Seth, because something is not right. The magic here, it’s not stale magic. It’s magic I don’t really . . .’ Angelique chewed her lip and carried on, she was talking mostly to herself. ‘It’s distorted magic. That’s the only way I can describe it. It’s like at this hotel someone is using a form of magic I’ve never come across before.’

  27. Some News on Our Candidates

  Some sort of magic? Here? Seth felt his heart skip faster. How could she possibly be right?

  He had no chance to collect his thoughts or ask anything more as he caught the smell of fresh coffee arriving on the morning breeze, just ahead of Inspector Pewter looking as fresh and smart as if he’d arrived straight from having his suit pressed and his hair tidied. He was carrying a tray loaded with cups.

  ‘I bring coffee and bad news,’ called Pewter, putting the tray on one of the long tables on the patio outside the hotel lounge.

  ‘Oh no,’ said Angelique, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening. ‘Someone else hasn’t . . . ?’

  ‘I’m sorry to say I appear to have eaten all the shortbread last night. Now there is nothing like a bright and breezy morning to make you want to get started on work right away. And a biscuit always helps. At least, it would do.’