Glasruhen Gate

by Catherine Cooper

  At last Myryl stopped for breath.

  Jack thought water nymphs must have incredible lungs to be able to say so much in one sentence.

  ‘Do you know who might have been at Viroconium?’ asked Elan before Myryl could tell them about her cauldron collection again.

  ‘Oh yes. That would be Coriss, always was one for swords and daggers.’

  It was a surprise when Myryl didn’t continue. Her silence had an air of expectancy about it. Nora smiled.

  ‘We have something for you in exchange for your valuable information.’

  Jack realised Myryl had been waiting for her gift, but unlike Jennet, she’d been too polite to ask. He went with Elan to collect the dustbin from where they’d hidden it.

  ‘Is this acceptable?’ asked Nora. ‘We’d hoped you’d have the cauldron plates but your information has been just as valuable.’

  Myryl’s smile widened, Jack could see a row of bright green teeth.

  ‘This is wonderful, so kind of you. I’ve never seen anything like it before, it must be very valuable. I don’t know anyone else who’s got anything like this.’

  Nora smiled as Myryl picked up the dustbin and hugged it.

  ‘There is just one last thing before we go; where can we find Coriss?’

  Myryl frowned in thought.

  ‘Now, I can’t say for sure. In fact, the last time I saw her must have been a few hundred years ago. She’s not on speaking terms with many of us, she likes her own company. She was very insulting last time she was here, said I talked too much. I ask you.’

  Jack and Camelin had to stop themselves from laughing.

  ‘Who do you think would know where Coriss is now?’ asked Elan.

  Myryl screwed up her face and started muttering to herself. Jack could hear a few of the names Jennet had read to them from her list. Eventually she nodded thoughtfully before replying.

  ‘Jennet might know, she sends out her Bogie friends to spy on us. She likes to know where everyone is and what they’re doing, but it’s mainly so she can check up to make sure none of us are more beautiful than she thinks she is. Always was very vain you know, thinks a lot about herself, and so bad tempered all the time.’

  Jack was inclined to agree with Myryl; her description of Jennet was very accurate.

  ‘What about Uriel?’ asked Nora.

  Myryl clutched her dustbin and shook her head vigorously.

  ‘You don’t want to go disturbing her, she’s dangerous.’

  There was a lot of head shaking but Myryl wouldn’t say any more.

  Nora carefully wrapped the cauldron plate.

  ‘We’d better be going.’

  ‘So soon,’ replied Myryl, seeming genuinely disappointed that they were leaving. ‘We’ve hardly had any time to chat, you haven’t even told me any of your news.’

  ‘Another time,’ replied Nora.

  ‘Anytime you want to visit just stop by. I’ve always got time to have a chat and it’s so nice to have visitors, especially when they bring such wonderful gifts. Don’t forget, come again soon.’

  Jack was sure she was still speaking as she disappeared with the dustbin in a surge of bubbles.

  Nora sat down on the edge of the well.

  ‘I feel quite exhausted after all that!’

  Camelin flew down and landed at Nora’s feet.

  ‘Now you know how I feel when Timmery comes calling, he talks as much as she does.’

  ‘He’s not that bad,’ laughed Elan.

  ‘He is when he starts at two o’clock in the morning.’

  ‘What’s brought all this on?’ asked Nora. ‘I thought you two had worked out your differences.’

  ‘So did I, but he came calling again this morning wanting to talk when I was trying to sleep.’

  ‘I expect he only wanted to hear all about your journey into the past again,’ said Elan kindly.

  ‘Well I told him I don’t have visitors until after breakfast.’

  ‘Why don’t you go over to the bell tower at dusk,’ suggested Nora. ‘You won’t be tired then and you can tell Timmery and Charkle all about your adventures again.’

  ‘It’s going to be dusk by the time we get back. Can I go with him?’ asked Jack.

  Nora nodded.

  ‘I’m sure they’ll be pleased to see you both. But don’t be too long, you’ve got school in the morning. Elan and I will try to work out a way to speak to Uriel. We must find Coriss soon.’

  ‘Can we fly for a while?’ Camelin asked when they were nearly home. ‘We can go straight over to see Timmery and Charkle instead of having to go back to Ewell House.’

  ‘No detours,’ Nora told him.

  ‘No, we’ll come straight back from the belfry after we’ve seen them.’

  ‘Off you go then,’ said Nora once Jack had transformed.

  It was a perfect evening for flying and a relief to be out in the open after the stuffiness of the car. As Jack soared upwards he gulped the fresh air. It was lovely to feel the breeze through his feathers. Nora’s car snaked its way along the country lanes but he lost sight of it as he followed Camelin across the fields. Jack realised how lucky he was to be able to fly. Everything that had taken place since he’d come to live with Grandad had happened so fast, he’d not really had time to enjoy the sensation of flying. But tonight was different, it felt good.

  ‘Can we do this again once we’ve got the plates back and everything’s been sorted out?’ he called to Camelin.

  ‘Course we can, anytime you like. There’s nothing like going for an evening flight, especially at this time of year.’

  The bell tower of the church where Timmery and Charkle roosted came into sight. He knew Timmery would be pleased to see them. The little bat, like Myryl, really did enjoy visitors.

  As they circled the bell tower, Camelin called to Timmery and Charkle. There was no answer. Once they’d landed Camelin called again.

  ‘Doesn’t look like they’re in. Now where do you suppose they’ve gone?’ Camelin said.

  ‘I didn’t think we’d be coming straight here. I thought you might have something else in mind!’

  ‘Me!’

  ‘Well if they’re not here we might as well go back.’

  ‘If they’re not here we might have a little chat first.’

  Jack looked at Camelin.

  ‘You knew they wouldn’t be here didn’t you?’

  Camelin tried to give Jack his innocent look.

  ‘Timmery told me this morning he was off with Charkle at dusk; he’s helping him to look for his family, so I knew we could be alone up here and not be overheard.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘And how about, after you’re in your room, I come over and we go for a little night flight? It’s a great night for flying, what d’you say? No one will miss you.’

  Jack thought for a while. He didn’t like going behind Grandad’s back but he was also certain Grandad wouldn’t miss him.

  ‘Alright, but not for too long, I’ve got school in the morning.’

  ‘It’ll just be a little night flight, a bit of fun, you’ll be back in bed before you know it. Come on, the sooner you get home, the sooner we can go out again. But let me do the talking back at Ewell House.’

  Nora and Elan were deep in conversation in the library when Jack came down from the loft.

  ‘Back so soon?’ said Nora.

  ‘They weren’t there, we’ll have to try again later,’ replied Camelin as he winked at Jack.

  ‘I’ll be going now,’ Jack called. ‘See you tomorrow.’

  Nora and Elan left the pile of books and papers and came to say goodbye.

  ‘We really are very grateful, you know, for everything you’ve done. We’d never have got this far without
you,’ Nora told him.

  ‘We will get the missing plates back, won’t we?’

  ‘We will, it’s just a matter of time.’

  Elan put her hand on his shoulder.

  ‘Hopefully we’ll be luckier tomorrow. I’ll meet you in the same place after school.’

  Jack turned to Nora.

  ‘What am I going to say to Grandad?’

  ‘Don’t worry. I’ll go and see him in the morning and tell him we’re taking you to visit one of my friends. Which is true in a way, except that I haven’t spoken to her for a few hundred years. But we don’t have to tell your grandad that bit.’

  ‘Thanks. I’ll see you after school.’

  Jack waved when he reached the hedge before stepping through the gap and making his way, through the tunnel, to Grandad’s garden. It was as airless in the tunnel as it had been in the car. All Jack could think about was the fun he was going to have later, flying in the cool air, with Camelin. There might even be some supper. The Chinese take-away was always open late. After everything he’d been through he thought he deserved a bit of fun.

  NIGHT FLIGHT

  Jack kept watch from his bedroom window. As the light began to fade, a familiar black shape appeared in the sky.

  ‘He’s here,’ Jack told Orin. ‘I won’t be gone long.’

  ‘Ready?’ Camelin croaked as he hopped in through Jack’s window.

  ‘Ready. If we transform under the blanket we won’t light up the whole house.’

  Before leaving, Camelin hopped onto the dressing table and had a good look at himself in the mirror. When he was satisfied he turned and inspected Jack.

  ‘You look a lot better without those two feathers sticking up. That singeing really improved your plumage.’

  Jack looked in the mirror. Maybe Camelin was right, his feathers were nice and flat now and the bald spot didn’t show too much. When he turned around Camelin was already out of the window; seconds later Jack was airborne too.

  ‘Race you to the belfry,’ croaked Camelin.

  Jack let Camelin fly on ahead. He was enjoying the freedom and the stillness of the night. By the time he landed in the bell tower Timmery and Charkle were already flittering around Camelin’s head.

  ‘So kind of you to call, so nice to have visitors; Charkle and I were just going out but we’ll stay and have a chat. We’ve got lots of time.’

  Charkle sighed.

  ‘We’re still looking for my family.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ll find them eventually,’ said Jack.

  ‘You might have lots of time but we haven’t. Jack’s not supposed to be out. I thought I’d take him to the other side of Glasruhen.’

  ‘Oooh! Can we come too? We haven’t checked out any of the roosts on the south side.’

  ‘No you can’t. This is a raven night out. We only called in to say hello and now we’re saying goodbye.’

  Both bats looked disappointed and neither of them spoke. Before Jack could say anything, Camelin hopped onto the ledge.

  ‘Come on Jack, time to fly.’

  Jack didn’t follow Camelin immediately. He didn’t like to leave so abruptly.

  ‘If we see anyone in Glasruhen I’ll ask them about your family. And we’ll come back and have a long chat soon, I promise.’

  Jack took off and had to beat his wings powerfully to catch up with Camelin.

  ‘What’s on the south side?’

  ‘You’ll see.’

  ‘We’re not going to be long are we?’

  ‘Naw, just a quick look, I want to check something out. We’re doing a bit of investigating. If I’m right it’ll save us a lot of time tomorrow night and everyone will be pleased with us. At least, they’ll be pleased with me… we can’t tell Nora you were here.’

  From the air both sides of Glasruhen looked the same to Jack. Camelin circled a few times before he started his descent.

  ‘We’ll try down there first, it looks about right.’

  ‘Right for what?’

  ‘To find what we’re looking for.’

  Before Jack could ask any more, Camelin disappeared into the treetops. Jack followed.

  ‘Over here, but don’t make a noise. I don’t want anyone to know we’re here.’

  ‘Where’s here?’

  ‘Uriel’s well.’

  ‘Didn’t Myryl warn us to stay away from Uriel?’

  ‘We’re not going to disturb her, just have a look. When you left, I listened in on Nora and Elan. They had the old map out and Nora said Uriel had to be on the south side somewhere but it might take a while to find her. So I thought if we checked it out tonight, and worked out where she was, it’d save a lot of time.’

  ‘That’s a great idea, but how d’you know it’s Uriel’s well?’

  ‘Remember what Myryl said about her being dangerous? If that’s true, there won’t be any other water nymph living anywhere near her.’

  ‘It doesn’t look like anyone lives here at all.’

  ‘We’re looking for a spring with crystal clear water. Nymphs don’t live in water that’s not fit to drink.’

  Jack peered through the trees. They were above a circular pool. There were five grass-covered mounds around one side and a sheer rock face on the other. The place looked eerie in the moonlight. There wasn’t a ripple on the surface of the water.

  ‘Is this it?’

  ‘Naw, this is the pool the spring runs into, we need to be a bit higher. But it’s pure water, look at all the reeds and moss. Come on, but keep quiet.’

  Jack followed Camelin through the trees. They landed on the ground in front of an old well, which had been carved out of the rock. The only sound was the trickle of water over the mossy rocks. This was the first well Jack had seen that didn’t have any trees growing nearby. The feathers on the back of his neck stood on end, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He’d felt like this before, the day he thought he was being watched on the back lane. Only this time it was dark and he was a long way from Grandad’s.

  ‘Let’s go,’ he whispered.

  ‘Not yet, I need to make sure this is Uriel’s well.’

  There was a slight movement. Jack peered into the gloom. He was sure he could see a pair of eyes. Camelin didn’t seem to have noticed, he was too busy poking the moss around the base of the well with his beak.

  ‘It’s a bit overgrown but someone definitely still lives here so it’s got to be Uriel.’

  As soon as Camelin said Uriel’s name again the rock quivered. There was a hissing sound and the eyes Jack thought he’d seen blinked.

  ‘Who wantsss to know?’

  Jack gasped. The moonlight lit the side of the rock and revealed a grotesque face, its wide gaping mouth snapped shut, and a forked tongue flicked out. The stone creature fixed Jack with its cold cruel eyes.

  ‘I asssked you, who wantsss to know?’

  Jack could feel his legs trembling. He wanted to fly but he couldn’t move. His body felt rigid, he was too frightened to speak.

  ‘Don’t look at her!’ Camelin shouted as he shielded his eyes with his wing.

  ‘What… is… it?’ Jack stuttered. ‘What’s happening?’

  He tried to shield his own eyes, but his wing wouldn’t move. He was transfixed.

  ‘Come on Jack, time to go.’

  ‘I can’t move. It won’t take its eyes off me.’

  ‘Release him.’

  ‘Why should I? No one asssked you to come and disssturb usss. Grol wake up, we’ve got visssitorsss.’

  Another creature on the other side of the well stirred.

  ‘Did I hear you right Agye, visssitorsss? What you caught there?’

  ‘A raven; we’ve not had bird for agesss, much better than micesss.’

 
Jack swallowed hard. He should never have let Camelin persuade him to go for a night flight. If he couldn’t move, how was he going to get back to Grandad’s? Would he ever get back if these creatures intended to eat him?

  ‘Can’t you do something Camelin?’

  ‘We’ve come to see Uriel,’ Camelin announced.

  There was silence. Jack wasn’t sure this was the best idea. If Uriel appeared they might be in more danger than they were already.

  ‘No one speaksss to Uriel unlesss we say so,’

  hissed Grol.

  ‘We need to see your gift first,’ added Agye.

  ‘We haven’t got a gift.’

  ‘Then you lie,’ she screeched. ‘Nobody disturbsss a water nymph without a gift.’

  ‘I say they were spying, what do you say Agye?’

  ‘Spying it isss. Them that tell liesss we getsss to keep and eat, they don’t come bothering usss no more then.’

  ‘Release him,’ piped a small voice from above

  the well.

  ‘Timmery!’ exclaimed Jack.

  ‘And Charkle,’ said another shrill voice.

  ‘Don’t look in her eyes, either of you,’ shouted Camelin. ‘Go get Nora, she’ll sort them out.’

  ‘We don’t need to, everything’s under control,’ said Charkle.

  Jack didn’t feel things were under control. He didn’t want Nora to know he’d sneaked out, they’d both be in trouble if she found out, but the kind of trouble they’d be in with Nora would be better than the kind they were in now.

  ‘Release him,’ Timmery shouted in his loudest voice. ‘Or else!’

  Grol and Agye sounded like a steam engine as they both exploded in laughter.

  ‘Don’t you know who we are?’ asked Grol.

  ‘You’re gargoyles,’ replied Timmery. ‘Seen plenty of your kind but never had the pleasure of speaking to one before.’