Isabella's Heiress

by N. P. Griffiths

  By the time another two weeks had passed the enthusiasm she had felt when she had set out was starting to waver. Her plans depended on her being able to move about unnoticed and that wasn’t going to happen any time soon with all the attention that she garnered every time she went out. If anything, the rumours surrounding her had grown even more outlandish after the incident that had led to Taryn’s demise. Taryn’s demise, everything came back to that. It renewed Emma’s fervour and sapped her will at the same time but she had to put it to the back of her mind if she was going to achieve anything.

  And so it was, a month after losing her best friend that Emma found herself sitting on her bed tying the laces of a set of muddied trainers. For the last couple of days she had struggled through the grime and churned up dirt of the side streets and sewers, running off the main roads around Newgate Street. It had got confusing as the realms had changed but Emma knew that if she was going to succeed, then she would need to know them all like the back of her hand.

  By now she was pretty confident that she could find her way back to the sanctuary quickly, no matter what era she should find herself in, when she decided to put her plan into action.

  She headed downstairs and was about to walk out into the garden when she heard a voice call her name. She turned to see Father Eamon standing by one of the wooden posts that framed the main hall.

  “Are you well this morning, Emma?”

  Emma had tried to avoid him since the events of that day and apart from the times he had come to see her when she was at her most inconsolable, he had seemed happy to giver her the space that she craved but now there was something about his voice that told her this was about to change.

  “I’m good thank you. I’m just heading out.”

  “Would you sit for a while? I would like to talk to you.”

  Emma hesitated for a second but then turned and walked back towards the centre of the hall.

  “How are you coping?”

  The question seemed pretty stupid but Emma knew that it was only a precursor to whatever was coming next.

  “I’m coping.”

  “That is good to hear.” Father Eamon paused before carrying on. “Emma, You understand that whatever we do, we cannot bring the ones we love back to us after they have passed on. What’s done is done in these matters.”

  Emma looked at him, trying not to betray any emotions at his words, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

  “Come now, Emma. The trips around Newgate Street, your journeys into the sewers. You must have known that this would not go unnoticed.”

  Emma knew that any response she gave would have been inadequate so she just waited for Father Eamon to continue.

  “There is no way into the Gaol and even if there was, you would not be able to get out again. No one has successfully managed to release a soul from there. It would be foolish in the extreme to even attempt it. I applaud you’re loyalty to Taryn but she condemned herself to her fate. You must not follow her down that path.”

  Father Eamon’s voice was low and soft but Emma knew that he was right, there was no way she could reasonably expect to save Taryn’s soul but she was long passed using reason as a yardstick for her actions and she wasn’t about to give up.

  “What do you expect me to say? I can’t leave her there without even trying to get her out.”

  There was a look of sad resignation in Father Eamon’s eyes, a look of a man who had seen this so many times before.

  “Emma you must let her go. You have your own situation to consider. Your sister still has the letter and time is not on our side.”

  “I still have time to sort out the letter but I can’t leave Taryn. I dumped her last time before she died and now this has happened. I won’t leave her again!”

  Emma felt a rising resentment towards Father Eamon for not understanding her feelings on this.

  “Would you leave someone down there you cared for?”

  For a second Emma saw a sadness cloud Father Eamon’s eyes, “I have seen many people condemned to that pitiless existence in my time, Emma, and I know exactly how you feel even if, in my actions, I seem not to. If I could, I would release every soul from their hell bound existence but I cannot. We have treaties in place which forbid us from such things. This is the life we have chosen and we must abide by the inequities that sometimes arise because of it.”

  “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one that has just lost their closest friend.”

  “Maybe not but I will not stand by and see you throw your one chance at salvation away in an errand that is doomed to failure. Now, tell me, how have you progressed with regards to your sister?”

  Father Eamon’s voice was becoming strained and Emma didn’t see the point in antagonising him further. It was inevitable that they would work out what she was doing but it wasn’t going to stop her.

  “I’m heading out today to see if I can persuade her to open it. If I can get her to do that, then hopefully she will pass it on to mum.”

  “You do not sound too hopeful.”

  “It’s not that. It’s just that…I…well…oh it’s just that I hate having to mess with her head.”

  “I know, there is always a residual feeling of guilt when we do it to any living person but it is always worse when it is someone we love. All I can tell you is that it gets better with time.”

  “You mean when everybody’s dead and there’s no one left to manipulate.” Emma almost spat the words out. “Excuse me.”

  Emma got up and rushed through the front door of the sanctuary, bowling over two people as they entered. As the rush of cold air hit her face, she took in deep gasps, letting the sudden shock of the damp breeze cleanse her as it hit the back of the throat.

  She was followed out by Father Eamon who stood back as, screaming, she sank to her knees in the wet grass. She stayed there for a few minutes until her legs started to get uncomfortably wet and damp started to creep in to her shins.

  “Emma, would you like me to come with you today?”

  Emma was taken aback. Father Eamon had never asked her if he could accompany her before. In fact as best she could remember, he had never asked her anything much before.

  “No, thank you. I’ll be fine. I’m only heading to my sister’s.”

  “As long as you are sure but I must ask that you put aside all thoughts of going after Taryn. She is beyond all help now.”

  Emma acquiesced, nodding slightly to show that she understood before turning towards the gate. As she walked out into the dusky light, she only had one thing on her mind and it certainly wasn’t visiting her sister. That would have to wait until later.

  Father Eamon watched with growing concern as Emma disappeared from view. He knew she wasn’t heading to her sisters and would have told her so except he knew she would have flared up again and that would not have helped anybody. He would find out soon enough where she was going, although he already knew where that would be. Ever since they had dealt with the Soul Gorger, it had been a struggle to keep her focused. Everybody was hurting over the loss of Taryn. He still wasn’t sure when he would see Sister Ignacia again, as she had gone on retreat shortly after. It wasn’t the first initiate she had lost but this one had affected her badly and she had taken it as a personal failure that she had not been able to save her. It would not have been so bad were it not for the fact that they had lost some of their best guides in defeating the Soul Gorger and now they had to bring others in to fill the void left by those who were now no longer with them. He grimaced as he thought of those brave souls. Many had already perished in this war and many more would go the same way before it was over but it was never easy when it happened.

  “Father Eamon, are you free to talk?”

  Father Eamon turned to see Father Henry walking over to him. His gruff countenance was reinforced by a face that was covered by a large black beard which made it hard to determine what, if anything, he was feeling at any given moment. He was wearing the same long dark coat that h
e had worn when Emma had seen him but the sword was now missing, replaced instead by a sturdy pole, on which he leant as he stopped in front of Father Eamon, “You have news?”

  “Aye, but it is not good. She is held in the gaol and will be moved before long.”

  “Do they know what Emma plans?”

  “You have not managed to talk her out of it?” Lines invaded Father Henry’s forehead as he took in Father Eamon’s words.

  “I fear not. I can only hope that she fails to find a way in.”

  A wry smile caused Father Henry’s beard to momentarily give up its firm grip on his chin. “Free will’s something isn’t it?”

  “As you say but it separates us from them. You look troubled, what is it?”

  “They know how important this girl is to Emma. They will try to use her to lure her in.”

  Father Eamon nodded, “Then we must ensure that whatever it is they are planning it does not succeed.”

  “We will have no say in that if she gets inside.”

  “I know, this is not the way I would have had things happen but I cannot change it now.”

  “Is there nothing that you can say to this girl? Does she not realise the danger she is putting herself in? A fine thing it would be if we went to all that risk only to have her hand herself over to them on a platter.”

  “I agree but how can I force her to do that which she would not do.”

  Father Henry leant on his staff, “You could try some gentle…persuasion.”

  “No! I will not invade her mind like that. Besides she would know it in an instant. I have never seen someone pick up the sensory skills so quickly. In a way it is as if this is something that she may have to do to realise that which she possesses is not at all common.”

  “Well I hope for your sake you are right. If the council hear about this.”

  “Which they will.”

  “Which they certainly will, they will be most displeased. I mean, think man, what happens if she is found and taken?”

  Father Eamon paused, it was not a thought he wanted to entertain but he knew that it was a possibility. Was he putting too much faith in Emma? If she was the one he thought she was but was not yet in full enough command of her fledgling powers, then he was condemning her to failure and worse yet he was condemning them all to a fate he did not want to think about. “Have plans been put in place for if she should succeed?”

  This time it was Father Henry’s turn to nod, “She will be met if she makes it out, have no fear of that.”

  “Good. It may not come to it but if I cannot persuade her, then preparations will need to be in place.”

  Father Henry went to say something else but stopped himself.

  “What is it, Henry? You know you have no reason to hold back here?”

  “I would not ask this, as I know she is your initiate but, under the circumstances, and with everything that is at stake, it would be remiss of me not to. How is it going with her task? Surely all this is taking away from her time on that.”

  Father Eamon groaned inwardly, he knew that Father Henry was right but there was very little he could do about it. Emma was dead set on going after Taryn. For all his gentle cajoling to try to get her to think about her own well being, she was determined to go ahead with this. He was torn between admiration for her loyalty to Taryn and frustration at her complete disregard for herself.

  Father Henry turned to walk off but stopped and turned back. “I meant to ask, who was that man who pulled Ignacia clear?”

  Father Eamon paused, unsure how to answer. “It would be better to forget about him.”

  Father Henry frowned. “As you say but I was not the only one who saw him.”

  “I know. But for now there are more pressing matters, would you not agree?”

  Father Henry grunted before turning and walking back inside. Father Eamon watched the older man enter the sanctuary. Father Henry had become a guide maybe fifty years after he had and had shown himself to be a good, reliable fighter on many occasions in the past. It was a trait that Father Eamon knew would be in more and more demand in the future.

  Emma’s mind was racing. She hadn’t felt this alive since she was, well, alive. The plan that had started off as a swirling mass of ideas was now fully formed. All she had to do was find the one person to help it all fall into place. One man to be precise but she had no idea where he was. She hadn’t seen or heard of Rodolfo since he had pulled Sister Ignacia out of the way of the Soul Gorger. She knew he could move between realms, that much had been obvious since he had protected her from the Gentle Man but since then she had been trying to work out how he did it. At first she could not work it out but thinking back to what Father Eamon had said when she had first come here, she had started to work on a theory as to how he managed it. If she was right, then he would be pivotal in helping her get Taryn out. All she had to do was find him and that wasn’t proving so easy. Ever since she had settled on rescuing Taryn, she had been keeping one eye open for signs of his presence but had had no joy. She had felt herself being watched on a number of occasions but could never be sure if it was him or the guides, she suspected that it was probably both but neither allowed themselves to be seen.

  Now she was walking along Thames Street towards Elizabeth’s house. Elizabeth was someone else she had not seen since that day. It surprised her and hurt a little that the one person resident in this realm who had shown her real kindness was nowhere to be found when she needed her the most. She had knocked on her door almost everyday until she had finally given up on getting an answer. Today she didn’t expect it to be any different but she knew that Elizabeth was the only one in the realm that would have any idea where Rodolfo may be. What do I say if she’s there? Will she know where Rodolfo is? Will she take me if she does? Shit these boots are killing me; I should have worn the trainers.

  Emma reached the corner of Thames Street and turned to face Elizabeth’s front door. Her house was as decrepit as all the ones around it but, once again, the front step was clean and the windows, opaque and warped though they were, were cleaner than the ones on the houses either side.

  Emma knocked on the door and waited but there was nothing. She tried again and got no response but just as she went to turn away the door opened, its splintered base scraping along the floor.

  Elizabeth’s head peered round the corner but Emma didn’t recognise the frightened woman looking back at her whose face was puffy and covered in pustules.

  “Elizabeth, what happened?”

  “’Tis nothing for you to concern yourself with. ’Tis but a trifle.”

  “A trifle? It doesn’t look like a trifle from here?”

  Elizabeth’s eyes dropped to the floor, “’Tis as I said, ‘Tis nothing but a trifle.”

  She went to close the door but Emma moved to stop her. “Please, Elizabeth, I must speak to you.”

  There was panic in Elizabeth’s eyes as she tried to extricate herself from this situation, “there is nothing I can do to help you and you would be well advised to stay clear of residents in this realm. They will all betray you as soon as look at you, now please leave me be!”

  Emma watched as Elizabeth’s trembling hands attempted to work the latch on her door as she tried to force it shut. She decided to try a different tack.

  “Elizabeth, you know what they say about me. Who I am supposed to be, what I am supposed to become.”

  Elizabeth froze on the spot, her eyes fixed on Emma’s.

  “Everybody knows. ‘Tis all anybody speaks of.”

  “Then you know that if I fail, it won’t only be me that suffers. Please I’m begging you; all I want to do is talk, nothing else. All I want is some advice and then you will never see me again.”

  Emma watched as Elizabeth weighed up her options in her head. Slowly, she opened the door and stepped to one side. “Please, come in.”

  Emma felt a wave of relief as she stepped inside and walked into the living room. The relief left almost as soon as it had arrived as
she looked around the room. The few sticks of furniture there were, were either broken or on their sides.

  “Elizabeth, what happened here?”

  “Can’t you guess?” Elizabeth walked into the room slowly, wincing with every step. Her voice was low and filled with apprehension, “Ever since people heard the rumours about you, there has been a feeling of hope that maybe things are to change and with that had come a growing defiance. Then Father Eamon and the guides beat the Soul Gorger and people who would have otherwise tried to stay clear of such things have been trying to help other initiates but the dark riders take those that are caught doing such things. They just disappear.

  “They are taken to Newgate and we do not see them again. Those that come out are only released after years inside there and they are…different.”

  Elizabeth’s voice trailed off and Emma felt a shiver run down her spine. Taryn was there; she knew it even if no one would tell her as much. Now to hear Elizabeth talk about this made her wonder about her own actions.

  “Elizabeth, I need to ask you a question. Are you aware of a man called Rodolfo?”

  Elizabeth paused and thought about the question whilst Emma tried her best to wait patiently for an answer. After a while Emma felt like she might leap across the floor and shake it out of her but then she came back to life.

  “I do not think so. You will have to forgive me, I have been here so long and it takes me a while to try to bring back all those I have met. What is he like?”

  Emma described him to her and recognition crept into Elizabeth’s eyes.

  “Ah yes, I know who you mean but I do not know him by that name, indeed I know him by no name at all although I have seen him on rare occasions. He is only seen at night and then it is only in the shadows. No one dares go out after dark so no one ever speaks to him. It is said he is searching for something…or someone.”