“Do you know where she is?”
I shook my head. “She’s either in Death or the Vale, but I can’t reach her without the book. Which is with the fetch and whoever’s running the show, behind that same barrier. I’ve no clue what they’re doing there, but this ghost said it’s to do with a witch the necromancers killed a century ago. Someone whose grave hasn’t ever been found. Apparently she was the fetch’s first victim.”
“Thea Allard,” said Lady Montgomery.
20
“Lady Montgomery,” I said, my heart sinking far below the dungeon. “You know this witch?”
“She was before my time. I gave you the chance to leave.”
“You should have known I wouldn’t, not while River was imprisoned and the enemy’s plotting against you. I’m told the witch is connected to what’s happening.”
She sucked in a breath. “Ilsa, come with me. Morgan… you, stay down here. I don’t need to tell you what the consequences will be if either of you act against the guild. The barrier is set to react if anyone so much as attempts to use hostile magic.”
“The door let me in,” Morgan said defiantly.
“That’s the only reason you’re both still breathing.” Lady Montgomery led the way upstairs, not sparing so much as a glance for River. My heart twisted. She really had locked him up, and had no apparent regrets. But—she’d also called me by my first name.
When we were in her office, she said, “Who did you speak to?”
“A ghost, one the necromancers killed,” I said. “Apparently. It’s all guesswork at this point. She seems to really hate you guys, though. And she said you bound the ghost of this witch, and I guess the fetch stuck around afterwards. Something about her grave. Do you know where the grave is?”
“There isn’t one,” said Lady Montgomery. “If you’re talking about who I think you are, she was thrown into the sea, as far as records go. What is that mark on your forehead?”
Damn. Guess she doesn’t recognise it. “My mark as Gatekeeper.” No point in hiding it now. “Not like my sister. Another type of Gatekeeper. I have—or, I had, a book which gave me abilities like a necromancer. That’s why my powers are so strong. I didn’t lie about Morgan and me being related to necromancers, but I didn’t have any powers before I found the book. It’s linked with—the gates. Of Death.”
“And you decided not to tell anyone, even when you knew current events were linked to your position? I take it that’s the reason you were targeted here, and people were killed.”
Guilt flooded me. “I have no idea about who’s attacking the guild,” I said. “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone outside my family. The power’s bound to the book—when you saw my mark, it lifted the curse, so I can talk to you about it. But the book’s gone. They took it. It contains the power that controls the gates of Death. It’s the truth.”
“You expect me to believe that there’s a book with the power over death itself? My family has been necromancers, leaders of this guild, for generations, and none have ever heard of this book.”
“Maybe they haven’t,” I said. “But I’m telling the truth. My family has owned the book for decades, at least, but I can’t say I know when it came into existence.”
“And you thought you’d get answers here. That was your purpose.”
I shook my head. “No. I was trying to avoid the guild until I exposed my powers and got dragged in here. After that, I just wanted to survive. And help my family. Lady Montgomery, my sister’s life is in danger. If there’s anything you can do to help me, I’ll submit to the guild afterwards in any way you like. But as long as they have the book, I can’t prove what I am. You’re just going to have to trust me.” I pointed to the mark on my forehead. “You must know this isn’t from Earth. It’s from Faerie. There’s a conspiracy over in the dark side of Faerie, and that’s what the Winter Gatekeeper was mixed up in. The book chose me to stop her, and I succeeded. It sent her through the gates forever.”
“I’d be a fool not to believe there’s some truth to your words, Ilsa,” she said. “But I cannot let you put the guild in danger.”
“I’m not. I came here for River, and to find out how to help that ghost so I can track my sister down. If you know who she was… who this witch was, and where she was buried, there’s no harm giving me the information. I can’t hurt you or the guild the way things are now.”
“I suppose not.” She paused. “It sets a bad precedent to allow you to walk away free.”
“Nobody saw me come in.”
“Precisely.” She took in a breath. “Thea Allard was killed by the guild for leaving us and using our knowledge to cause damage. She wasn’t a witch in the modern sense, she was a necromancer, as far as the records say. As for where she’s buried, all accounts say her body was tossed into the sea and was never recovered.”
“But she said you bound her spirit… wait. Is the ghost the witch? She was definitely a necromancer. Nobody else could have stuck around that long.”
“There is no grave,” said Lady Montgomery. “And spirits who do not belong to the guild are liars by nature.”
“Why trick us? It’s not like the enemy doesn’t already have the upper hand.” I swore under my breath. “Hazel is missing. She’s Summer Gatekeeper. Even if you don’t believe what I am, she’s the one who’s supposed to keep the peace between the Summer Court and this realm. If she dies, Summer invades here, or Winter invades Summer, and the knock-on effect causes more faerie invasions. You must know what that would be like. The Sidhe—they took you once, didn’t they?”
She gave me a sharp look. “I chose to go with them of my own accord, because I was a fool. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again, and I certainly won’t allow our safety to be compromised. This book, if it exists, is a repository of necromantic energy, which if in the wrong hands, might have the same effect as another dangerous concentration of energy in one place. Especially here, so close to the Ley Line.”
Despite her harsh words, some measure of relief rose at the idea that at least she’d grasped the severity of our dilemma. She knew what she was talking about, at least. “Nobody can use the book but me, Lady Montgomery. I can only assume it’s being used as bait, but leaving it in the enemy’s hands is risky enough on its own.”
Necromantic energy. Like the circle fuelling the Winter Gatekeeper’s trap. But none of this added up, nor pointed at the enemy’s true location. If the ghost had lied, she’d sent us back to the guild—for what? The book would never unlock for anyone but a Lynn.
Is Holly behind this? Hadn’t she learnt her lesson from last time?
“Our resources must be directed towards protecting the city, Ilsa. As for Thea Allard, it’s… odd, that you bring her up now. When a powerful necromancer like her dies, their spirit is usually more powerful than most. Death unleashes energy, and one like her would have caused a knock-on effect.”
“Energy. Necromantic power.” Like the book… and like a psychic sensitive. I looked down at the desk and for the first time, focused on the document lying there. “That’s the list the thief tried to steal, isn’t it?” I said. “The psychics who got killed were all cases handled by necromancers in the last few years.”
“What exactly does that have to do with it?”
“Everything.” I swallowed. “When that fetch attacked Morgan… whenever a psychic sensitive dies, it’s like a necromancer’s death, but worse. The enemy isn’t just killing them to get at us, it’s gathering energy. The last time I saw a spirit barrier, it was fuelled by necromancers giving their life energy. People died to keep it running.”
“And you think the enemy has a spirit barrier of their own?”
“Maybe. There’s an invisible forcefield stopping me from getting at Hazel. She’s within Death, but I can’t find her physical body, either. I’m not sure whether it’s the book’s doing or not, but it sure feels like a spirit barrier.”
My throat closed up. I knew what to do. I also knew that it’d get me kicked
out of the guild for good if I went through with it, not to mention arrested. And what I did know was hardly enough to pull my wild idea off without someone winding up hurt.
“If that’s the case, I’ll contact the other psychic sensitives on this list and invite them to the guild,” she said. “It’s a temporary solution, and there are more than on record.”
“Those are just people who called the guild, right?” I asked. “Why did they ask for the guild’s help?”
“All were about encounters with a fae beast of some sort. In the end, there was little we could do for them.”
“It’s been targeting them for ages.” I looked up at the shelf above her head, belatedly remembering that she kept the available books on so-called dark magic here in her office.
There was one thing we hadn’t tried yet. A boost of energy… and now I knew for sure what I needed to look for, I’d take any chances necessary. Even if it meant implicating myself in the same crimes. As she caught me looking, I let my gaze drop a little to a photo frame balanced on the shelf in front of the books. Lady Montgomery herself was in the picture, with a golden-haired, pointy-eared boy holding her hand. River.
“You’re not really going to arrest him, are you?” I asked quietly. “It’s none of my business, but he—he’s not the villain here.”
“I’m aware of that,” said Lady Montgomery. “I’m not a monster. What I am is extremely concerned for the future of all supernaturals and non-supernaturals within this city. Knowing the stakes the Gatekeepers generally play with, and that the Sidhe are involved in any capacity, innocents always suffer the consequences.”
“Believe me, I know. It’s not like I volunteered for this. River didn’t either, but I need his help to win this.”
“I’m sure your brother has found a way around the locks on the cell by now. I’ll call the psychics and ask them to come here, and I’d advise you to leave.”
My heart twisted. She was going out of her way to help these people, and I was about to risk the lives of every person in this building.
I’m sorry.
Swiftly, I made my way back downstairs towards the cells. Lady Montgomery was dead right. River and Morgan stood waiting for me.
“You’d think she wanted you to turn into a criminal,” I said to Morgan. “How many unlocking spells did you steal?”
“Three. Why?”
“We might need them. But it’s bad news. I know why the fetch is killing psychics, and it’s not just to get at us. When they die, it’s like when a powerful necromancer is killed. The energy surge feeds into any nearby magic. It’s how they’re powering their own spirit circle.”
River swore. “Energy sources… and the book is behind the barrier? Your sister, too?”
I nodded. “Yep. Your mother’s going to try to contact the other psychics, but the fetch might get there first.”
“So you want me to lure it out again,” Morgan said.
“There’s another way,” I said. “The Vale. That’s where it’s hidden. It is possible to summon something from there, using blood magic, dark magic, whatever they call it.”
“No,” River said sharply. “Absolutely not. You know what’s in the Vale, even if you do know how to do it.”
“I do,” said Morgan. “I think I remember the words from last time.”
“Good,” I said. “How else are we meant to track it? It’s hiding in the Vale. Maybe with Hazel, if she’s not behind this spirit barrier. The only people who can travel there—well, I know I can do it, but not without the book. And if we use Morgan’s ability to summon it again—assuming it falls for the same trick twice, it might kill you this time.”
River shook his head. “What you’re doing—it might make the situation even worse. You know the Vale is behind this, and they’re likely to attack the guild.”
“Exactly,” I said. “They’re looking for a chance to break through. As long as we don’t do it on top of the Ley Line, they won’t notice. They’re fixated on the guild, and I’d bet they’d never think we’d dare to go directly to them. If it’s like actual necromancy, then the same principles apply. It’s not like a mass summoning. You can’t summon anything stronger than what can be contained in a spirit circle, right? Look, I wasn’t planning to do anything without following instructions. That’s why I wanted to get hold of the books your mother has hidden somewhere in her office. Then we’ll know for sure that using that spell won’t cause any more damage.”
Morgan frowned. “What, you want us to break into her office? I can do it. You’ve got into enough trouble.”
River shook his head. “She’ll catch you.”
“Unless someone diverts her attention. It’s your choice,” I said to River. “The books are here. Either we find out this way or play it by ear and put the city at risk. Go and talk to her. She trusts you.”
“What you’re asking me to do—”
“Just talk to her,” I said. “Do you trust me?”
River looked at me, his expression conflicted. “I trust you. I don’t trust the Vale. And you know that creature can’t be killed.”
“It’s not the one behind this,” I said. “A small circle with no power contained inside it won’t break the Vale. Just because the knowledge is hidden doesn’t mean people don’t use it anyway. I’m Gatekeeper. That includes the Vale—I guarantee it.”
“I’ll do it,” River said. “But you know what’s at risk.”
“Yeah, I do. Morgan, do you still have the shadow spell? I’m trusting you not to mess this up.”
“I won’t.”
You know what? I actually believed him. “I’ll be waiting here. For both of you. Nobody gets left behind.”
I’ll get Hazel back. And then I’ll make them pay.
21
River and Morgan returned to the dungeon within ten minutes, the latter turning visible again as soon as he saw me.
“I got it,” whispered Morgan, showing me an old book with yellowed pages. “I won’t look at all of it, I swear, just what we need to know.”
“Good,” I said. “Let’s move.”
We left the guild, slipping out the side alley onto the main road. This place had survived the invasion. Surely it could survive this new threat… but the rest of the city was another story entirely.
We have no choice. The enemy has the upper hand, and unless we use the same tactics against them, we’ll lose this.
I picked the house as the best spot to do the summoning, and trod the now familiar route back to the row of terraced houses. River followed behind, not speaking, gripping his blade tightly. Breaking the necromancer’s law wouldn’t get him arrested like it would in Faerie, but the potential consequences might be catastrophic if I messed this up. He was putting an awful lot of faith in me—and in Morgan.
“Morgan,” I said, walking into the living room. “Give me the book. I need to look up a basic summoning.”
“I know how to do that,” said Morgan. “Blood. I got cut on the knife before, that’s how they got me last time. One drop of blood, and then say the usual summoning words.”
“That’s all?” It seemed too easy, but ‘dark magic’ was just a name. The circle of candles River set up was the same as a regular necromancer summoning circle, and the swirling grey within was no different to the usual. My nerves spiked. “Blood,” I said. “Any volunteers?”
“Corwin,” said Morgan, pulling the knife from his pocket and throwing it into the circle, which was already swirling with mist, the lights glowing.
I spoke the summoning words, then, “I summon the fetch.”
Grey swirled within the circle. First, like before, it swirled with death energy, the candles burning bright. I swallowed, my hands clenched with nerves. If I misjudged this and summoned, say, a hellhound instead…
A dog-like shape appeared, emitting a furious yowl.
“Nice to see you again,” I said. “I bind you.” The binding words left my tongue, and the fetch yowled, crashing against the circle’s side.
“You—what have you done?” hissed the creature. “You can’t kill me.”
River’s sword skewered him through the middle. He screeched, and Morgan gritted his teeth, but as blood soaked the circle, I shouted the banishing words. The instant he winked out of existence, I snatched the candle away before the blood drew anything else into the circle.
“Not bad for a first attempt at blood magic,” said Morgan.
“No more,” River snapped, breathing heavily. “It won’t stay dead forever.”
“Obviously,” said Morgan. “But we gave those other psychics a shot at making it to the guild before it gets to them.”
“Exactly.” I crouched to pick up the candles, passing them to River. He put them into the rucksack he’d brought, still looking displeased. “Once the psychics are safe, the fetch can’t sacrifice them. It’s been hours since the last psychic died.”
“The enemy will have a backup plan,” said River. “What—” He broke off, staring into space. Greyness filtered through, and for a moment, I thought I’d accidentally left some residual necromantic power behind. But I hadn’t used my power at all. Grey fog filled the room.
“Uh. Guys?” I said. “Tell me you’re still here.”
“Someone just did a mass summoning,” came River’s faint voice from the fog. “Damn. It’s shaken up the whole spirit realm.”
I caught Morgan’s eye through the grey mist. “Did you feel that?”
He shook his head. “I’ve only ever sensed psychics, and I can’t do that with the iron.”
“Let’s get out of here.” I backed towards the door. “River, did you sense where the summoning came from?”
“I can track it.” There came a rustling noise, and he pulled out a familiar device. “Spirit sensor.”
“Ten percent accurate.” Morgan snorted. “You’d have more luck walking blindfolded.”
I stopped at the door, relieved that the fog wasn’t as thick outside, but a faint grey mist covered everything all the same. The spirit realm… the veil must be thinning, which meant residual energy from whatever had shaken it up would creep into this realm, raising ghosts and undead. Yet the street appeared quiet. Too quiet.
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