Nine of Wands

by Mark Hayden

  Damn. Double Damn.

  ‘Mina, you’re an officer of the Cloister Court. Bear witness that I declare Ben to be Entangled in the world of magick through no action of Myfanwy.’

  ‘Noted.’

  ‘What does that mean?’ said Ben.

  ‘It means that you need to have a very long conversation with Myfanwy.’

  ‘Is it over between us?’

  ‘I hope not. I’ll get Erin to run you home in a bit. I don’t want you driving today.’ I moved to the doorway and lit a cigarette, keeping my back firmly to the chair outside where Fisher was still tied, then I thought of something. I went and scooped up Fisher’s laptop from the table and passed it to Mina. ‘Can you find some flight times from Frankfurt to Amsterdam, leaving in about an hour. Book Rachael a ticket, then call her and present it as a fait accompli. She can break the news to Carole.’

  ‘What’s the story going to be?’

  ‘He was married. His wife has been arrested and Fisher has fled from justice. Tell her they were involved with the Russian mafia. In a couple of weeks, I’ll tell Carole that he’s been murdered by his associates.’ Ben had been following the conversation. ‘Is that OK?’

  ‘I should tell her myself. She deserves to know the truth.’

  ‘She needs a friend, and Rachael’s a good friend. She does not need to know about magick. Sorry, but that’s one of the rules.’

  He nodded his acceptance, and Mina sat down to open the laptop. I crushed out my cigarette. ‘Erin, I’m going to do a quick search of the lodge. Can you put the kettle on?’

  ‘I’d prefer a proper drink, but I’ll make do with tea. And biscuits.’

  In the upstairs room, I found a bed with blood on the sheets and a whole pile of medication that had been prescribed for Irina. There was no sign of any magick anywhere beyond a few sigils on the doorframes. It would need to be searched properly at some point. I did find something else, though, in a case under the stairs. It was heavy, and I carried it carefully into the conservatory. Mina was still talking to Rachael.

  ‘No, Conrad can’t come to the phone. He’s busy. You have to trust me, Rachael … Yes, if I’m lying, I promise I will get you tickets for Centre Court. Men’s and women’s final. Now go, you have a plane to catch.’

  She rolled her eyes. ‘It’s a shame Ben is taken. Carole would make a much nicer sister-in-law. No offence, Conrad.’

  ‘None taken. His parents are a bit boring compared to mine, though. No offence, Ben.’

  He managed his first smile. ‘It’s true, though.’

  Erin appeared with tea and several packets of biscuits. She’d already found a bowl of water for Scout. We all tucked in.

  Once my sugar levels were restored, I took a moment to think about what to do next. ‘Mina, I need to get to Milton Keynes. You can guess why.’

  ‘The death knock. I don’t envy you that.’

  ‘I’d like you to come. We can stop at Clerkswell for a minute so that you can get changed.’

  ‘Of course I’ll come. I don’t think I should see Irina, though.’

  ‘No. That’s settled. Erin, you take Ben first. Mina, you follow. I need to lock up and tidy the garden.’

  Ben sat up. ‘I should help you with that. Tidying the garden, I mean. He’s a big bloke. What are you going to do? Please tell me you don’t carry body bags in your car.’

  ‘Thanks, Ben. I could do with a hand. And yes, I’m afraid I do carry body bags in the car. Before we do that, there’s something I need to share with you, and I don’t mean socially.’

  I opened the box and put six 1Kg gold bars on the table. ‘These are worth about £30,000 each.’ Everyone’s eyes boggled. It’s not often you see that much gold around. Unless you’re well in with the Gnomes, of course. I tapped each bar in turn. ‘Saffron, Mina, Erin, Ben, me. I want the last one to go to Carole. We’ll call it Fisher’s contribution to the cancellation of the wedding. I’ll sell it and say that he’d put it in an account under her name.’

  ‘That’s theft,’ said Ben. ‘You can’t.’

  ‘It’s called plunder, Ben. Myfanwy will explain. I’ll get a letter from my boss if you want, but as the Watch Captain, it’s up to me where it goes. You’ve earned this. Oh, and don’t walk in to a pawn shop with it. You’ll have the mundane police on to you.’

  ‘Mundane?’

  ‘One of the many things Myvvy will have to explain. If you let her.’ I tossed the keys to Fisher’s Mercedes on to the table. ‘Anyone want his car?’ There were no takers. ‘Then I’ll sell it. The house, by the way, goes to his wife. When she gets out of jail. I think it’s time to go now. Ben, are you sure about helping me?’

  ‘No, but I will. That’s not a burden you should carry on your own.’

  The Oak Tree hospital director had been waiting outside for Irina and had given her a big smile when she arrived. She’d also given Irina the bill and refused to admit her until she’d paid it, and paid in advance for the remediation work. As soon as the bank transfer was complete, they’d whisked her into theatre. The clinic in Wolverhampton had forwarded the MRI results by email, so they knew what to do.

  The surgeon had used a local anaesthetic this time. I’d made Saffron leave the in-room security to Xavi and ordered her to stay outside after I’d told her what had happened. Informing Irina is my job.

  Mina came up to the room with me and took Saffron away for a break. At least she’d had the chance to change out of her Sammi persona. I took a moment and walked in.

  Irina locked eyes with me as soon as I’d closed the door. ‘They found him, didn’t they?’

  ‘Yes.’

  She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, the bleak future was easy to read. ‘Did they do it in person? The full pound of flesh?’

  ‘I’m afraid so. It was quick.’

  She gave the hollowest of laughs. ‘You don’t understand, do you? It’s not just the flesh. They suck all your Lux into it first. They collapse your soul and squeeze it into your heart before they pull it out. They say it’s anything but quick from the inside.’

  I shivered. My brain couldn’t quite process that.

  ‘I’m sorry, Irina. No one should suffer like that. If I ever catch up with the creature that did it, I will bring them to justice.’

  ‘No you won’t, as your Peculier Constable will tell you. Ivan entered into the bargain freely. A bargain covered by Fae law.’

  Xavi was looking a bit green at this point. ‘Wait outside for a bit,’ I said, and he made a sharp exit. I pulled up a chair and sat down.

  ‘How did it happen? What led him to that?’ I asked.

  ‘He owed them money. He bought the scrolls from them to make Reduced Gold, but he couldn’t get it going fast enough. He needed an Artificer, and Eilidh didn’t come on board until it was too late. The Fae demanded a service in return, and that service was to stop you getting the diamond. There was a penalty clause. If he was arrested, they could take his heart. He knew what he was getting in to.’

  ‘Help me get them, Irina. Help me get them before they destroy any more lives.’

  ‘He kept me out of it. Deliberately. I don’t know which ones he dealt with.’ She sighed, a deep sigh from somewhere around her heart. ‘At least you will leave me alone now. Before you go, tell me: how did you find Ivan? He was so careful.’

  I passed her the phone. ‘I couldn’t have done it without your help, Irina. If you hadn’t put Isaac’s number into there, we’d have been stuck. Call it karma for spraying me with acid.’

  She looked like she wanted to be sick.

  I stood up and moved the chair. ‘I really am very sorry for your loss, Irina, but not as sorry as I am for Carole or for Eggers’ children, or Vicky or Dom Richmond.’

  I let Xavi back in to the room and went to find Mina and Saffron.

  Mina gave me a kiss after Saffron had gone back upstairs. ‘How bad was it?’

  ‘Very.’

  She nodded. ‘I have some good news. Myvvy an
d Ben are engaged. Wedding planned for when she’s released. You are best man. Announcement on chief bridesmaid to follow, but no announcements to anyone yet.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Only you, Vicky, Erin and I know about this. They’re not going to go public until after the 20th of September. The date that Carole was going to get married.’

  ‘Of course. I hope it works out for them.’

  ‘So do I.’

  I took her in my arms. ‘It feels weird, love. We’re talking about their wedding, but there’s the small matter of Pramiti in the way of ours.’

  ‘Our wedding will happen before Myvvy’s. I am sure of this. Of course, it will have to be in Clerkswell, or Myvvy wouldn’t be able to come.’

  ‘I’m sure that the Cloister Court would give her a day off for that. Let’s face it, neither of us want the ceremony to be in St Michael’s do we?’

  She took hold of the lapels of my jacket and stepped back half a pace so that she wouldn’t have to strain her neck to look up. ‘I’m so proud of what you did and what you’ve done. Soon it will be time to deal with Pramiti, but not yet. Let’s go home and focus on the weekend. Surely you deserve to enjoy the cricket and your family.’

  ‘Not my decision. It’s up to the Nine of Wands.’

  ‘Don’t say that. We are the masters of our destiny in this life, if not the next. Don’t lose sight of that.’ She pulled me down for a kiss. ‘We really are very, very lucky.’

  30 — All’s Fair in Love and Cricket

  The last time the kitchen had been this full was for Mum and Dad’s leaving do. Today, they were conspicuous by their absence.

  ‘I still can’t believe we got to stay here and your Mam and Dad had to slum it in the pub,’ said John Robson, Vicky’s father.

  ‘All the rooms at the Inkwell are en-suite,’ said Vicky. ‘Do you blame them?’

  She was looking brighter today. A little. Every so often she’d take a deeper breath than usual, and the pain flashed across her face in waves. I had pushed for John and Erica to stay here, so that they could spend time with Vicky without her having to leave the house. I also knew that my parents wanted to keep their distance and put off the inevitable: meeting Myfanwy and seeing what she’s done to the gardens. That could wait.

  The room was in two halves. The cricketing party were putting their stuff together at one end and the spa group were lingering by the Aga. John Robson was floating between the two – his wife and daughter were going to a very nice spa hotel in Cheltenham, along with my mother, while John was coming to the cricket, and my dad was going to take him under his wing. Desirée Haynes completed the luxury group.

  Myfanwy took a dirty plate towards the sink, where Erica Robson intercepted her. ‘I’ve told you, pet, that I’ll deal with all this. We’re not going for ages yet, and you’d better get a shift on.’

  Mina and Erin were all packed and ready. Myfanwy wiped her hands on her jeans and went to pick up her bag. Sounds broke out around the room, like a data version of the dawn chorus. At least three people had just received a message. Vicky, Desi, Myvvy and Erin all reached for their mobiles.

  Erin won the race. ‘Ooh, the Earl of Tintagel’s just died.’

  I put my bag down and looked at Mina. ‘I told the Boss we were not to be disturbed. Whatever’s happened, Rick can deal with it.’

  ‘Calm down, man,’ said Vicky. ‘He’s died of cancer and old age.’

  ‘So what’s the big deal?’

  ‘There’s going to be a contested election for the King of Wessex,’ said Erin. She saw my face and added, ‘You don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?’

  ‘And he doesn’t need to,’ said Myfanwy. ‘He’s got more important things to worry about. Like Emily’s bowling, for example? Let’s go.’

  The cricketing party left to loud wishes of good luck from the others.

  ‘You know the real reason I’m coming with youse lot?’ said John as we loaded the car.

  ‘Too girly for you at the spa?’

  ‘Naa. I can handle that. It was your mam. She said I had to keep an eye on your dad, what with me being sober. She’s one of the few people who doesn’t pussy-foot around the fact that I’m a recovering alcoholic.’

  ‘My mother is not known for her tact and diplomacy. Thanks, John.’

  The girls filed in to the dressing room, and Ben joined me to inspect the wicket. He looked a lot happier than the last time I’d seen him.

  ‘How’s it going, Ben? It’s tough to get your head round.’

  He nodded. ‘You’re not joking. The strangest thing is that nothing’s really changed. Myfanwy’s still bonkers.’

  So that was it: Ben had adjusted to the world of magick as if it were the least important thing about Myfanwy. He’s probably right. ‘How’s Carole? Where’s Carole?’

  He looked up at me. ‘Angry. Hurt. Mortified. Mostly angry, though. She’s still in Amsterdam, but Rachael’s spending the weekend with her. Carole says that Rachael has called you all the names under the sun, and says it’s all your fault because you won’t talk to her about it.’

  ‘Sounds normal. And there was me thinking we were building an adult relationship.’

  ‘There’s going to be a lot of awkward questions soon.’ He shrugged. A real countryman’s shrug that spoke of generations of farmers who were dependent on the weather, but could do nothing to control it. ‘What do you reckon to this wicket, then?

  I turned my attention to the grass, or lack of it. The middle of a cricket pitch is called the square, and inside that, 22 yard strips are laid out for the wicket. There were two games today, and the stumps had already been put in for the ladies’ game. The groundsman had allocated them a pretty dry section that had been used already this season. A greener strip had been reserved for our game later.

  ‘I’m going to swap them,’ said Ben decisively. ‘Our men are much better spin bowlers than Allington’s.’

  ‘It’s a risk,’ I said, ‘and our fast bowlers won’t thank you.’

  ‘Tough. Grab the stumps and move them before anyone notices.’

  There was quite a crowd when the girls came out of the pavilion, Clerkswell in the lead because they were fielding first. A big cheer went up, and I’m sure one of the boyfriends at the back shouted, ‘Come on the Coven!’ Even Scout joined in and barked aggressively at the Allington players.

  Emily Ventress bowled well, and if she’d been allowed more than five overs, Allington Ladies might have been in serious trouble. As it was, they posted a respectable score and it was up to the Clerkswell batsmen to chase it.

  Juliet Bloxham opened the batting, and was making slow but steady progress when her partner was bowled, and that brought Myfanwy to the crease. For a split-second, I worried that their enmity might hold them up, until I stared in disbelief. Had I just seen Jules Bloxham giving Myfanwy a high-five? I had.

  They rattled along brilliantly, and the Allington captain was panicking. She tossed the ball to a new bowler and whispered in her ear. Two balls later, Juliet was out, and our number 4 followed suit at the end of the over. Mina’s turn next.

  They scored a few runs, and Myfanwy grabbed a single to get the strike in the next over. Their new bowler ran in and bowled an absolute corker. I don’t know how Myvvy blocked it, but she did, and then I noticed Mina rubbing her left arm and looking very puzzled. She was not happy.

  The Allington bowler walked back to her mark, and Mina followed her. The whole of Mrs Clarke’s Folly stared as my girlfriend marched up to the bowler and started to berate her. No one moved until Mina lifted her finger and jabbed it at the other woman’s chest, at which point the umpire and the Allington captain lurched into action.

  Before they could get there, Mina had said her piece and turned back towards the wicket. The Allington skipper spoke to her teammate, and got a shake of the head in reply.

  ‘What the hell was that all about?’ said Ben.

  ‘We’ll find out in a second.’

  The Alling
ton bowler started her run-up, much more slowly, and bowled a long hop to Myfanwy, who promptly smashed it through the covers for four runs. Meanwhile, the bowler had pulled up and started massaging her hamstring.

  ‘Did Mina do that?’ said Ben. ‘Or Myfanwy?’

  ‘In a manner of speaking.’

  The bowler limped off the pitch without bowling another ball. As she got closer to the boundary, she gave me an evil look. Scout barked loudly as she passed his shady spot by the pavilion steps.

  ‘That Allington bowler,’ I said, ‘she’s a Mage of some sort. Mina detected magick in use and called her out.’

  ‘Bloody hell. Does it happen often?’

  ‘No.’

  The Clerkswell Coven wrapped up the match shortly afterwards.

  ‘I have two awards to make,’ said Stephen Bloxham.

  ‘Hurry up,’ said his wife, ‘or you’ll be fined for starting the men’s game late.’

  ‘Right. First, the man of the match award goes to the top scorer from either team, Myfanwy Lewis.’

  I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so happy. Well, perhaps. The morning after her first night with Ben, maybe, or when she re-started Vicky’s heart. Even when she realised that the award was just the match ball, she was still thrilled.

  The second presentation was real enough, and Stephen handed over his gaudy, tasteless trophy to his wife. Juliet Bloxham is reserved, precise and always elegant, a pose she maintained until the cup was in her hands. At that point, Erin elbowed her in the ribs and said, ‘Hold the bloody thing up, Jules, I want to bask in the applause.’

  ‘Do we have to have that thing sitting on a chair?’ said Mother. ‘Do we have enough chairs?’

  The Clarke-Briggs Cup, back in Clerkswell after a ten year spell of imprisonment in Allington, had pride of place at the party. The women’s trophy was over at the Manor, in Juliet’s custody, but the men’s cup was with our captain, and Ben was with Myfanwy. Sitting next to the trophy were two cricket balls with messages scrawled on them in silver ink: Man of the Match – Myfanwy Lewis; Man of the Match – Conrad Clarke. What made it even more special was that the team had voted for my award. Even Stephen Bloxham.