The Stone of Madness

by Nick Baker

  ‘What happened?’ prompted Price.

  ‘Pearly was experiencing considerable difficulties in the interpretation of an ancient alchemical text he’d managed to get his hands on. He saw in the work that you and I had carried out together the opportunity to resolve those issues.

  ‘I hate to admit it now, but we formed a good partnership and collaborated well together. Initial progress was slow, but we gradually began to close in on Pearly’s objective, although I still wasn’t sure exactly what that was. Unfortunately, my relationship with Pearly deteriorated quite suddenly barely a few weeks ago.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I’m not sure I can answer you, Henry. Rather perversely, Pearly became more and more disinterested in our work, despite how well it was going. The change in his behaviour coincided with the appearance of another woman, and for whatever reason, he started spending more and more of his time with her.’

  ‘What were they up to?’

  ‘I don’t know. He wouldn’t discuss it with me.’

  ‘Did you meet her?’ demanded Price.

  ‘No. Her name’s Aurelia Nightshade. Do you know her?’

  Price thought for a moment before he shook his head.

  Lily detected no hint of recognition on her father’s face as she continued to eavesdrop on the scene with deepening interest. She withdrew the Historoscope and considered the conversation she had just heard. She felt a growing sense of unease but was not sure where it stemmed from. She shivered involuntarily. Something was not right with her parents’ stilted conversation, but she could not put her finger on it. There was no doubt that the meeting had taken place sometime before she was born, and her parents were behaving in a manner she had never witnessed before. Perhaps what was to come would provide an explanation. She lifted the instrument back to her eye and picked up the scene from where she had left off.

  ‘It all came to a head this evening when Pearly joined me in the laboratory,’ said Saskia. ‘I don’t know why, but he was in a foul mood. Not surprisingly, we began to row. You know how volatile he can be, and in the end, he just exploded and told me to pack my bags. I thought he was joking, but the look on his face told me otherwise. I was scared, Henry. I thought he might do something to me and …’ her voice trailed off and she bowed her head, making Lily suspect that she was crying.

  Price regarded her quizzically but did not speak.

  Eventually, Saskia looked up, wearing a puzzled expression as if she was weighing something up. ‘I’m sorry for coming here like this, Henry, but I had nowhere else to go.’

  ‘That’s all right. It’s … it’s nice to see you,’ he replied hesitantly, but with a little more warmth than he had displayed earlier.

  ‘Thank you, Henry, but before anything else, I think there’s something you should know,’ said Saskia quietly.

  ‘Yes?’ said Price, frowning.

  Lily felt her heart thumping, sensing the scene was reaching its climax, and although the images on the screen seemed to blur at the edges, it did not detract from the events as they unfolded before her eyes.

  Saskia did not reply but slowly rose from her seat. She untied the knot that had been holding the robe loosely about her neck. When it was free, she dropped her hands and allowed the garment to slip from her shoulders into a crumpled heap on the chair behind her.

  Lily stared transfixed at Saskia’s strangely calm expression, and as her eyes trailed down to take in the rest of her mother’s appearance, she gasped at the sight of her tight-fitting blouse and the unmistakable smooth, round bulge of her abdomen. Lily glanced sideways and caught the dawning realisation as it appeared on her father’s face. The colour drained from his cheeks as he stared at Saskia with an expression of pure horror.

  ‘You’re … you’re …’ he said, unable to finish the sentence.

  ‘Yes,’ replied Saskia levelly. ‘I’m having a baby …’

  The scene was wrenched from Lily’s view as the Historoscope spiralled from her hands, striking the wooden floorboards with a resonant thud. She stood there for a few moments, unable to grasp the meaning of what she had just witnessed. She stared vacantly at the now motionless instrument. Her head wheeled in a rush of nausea as she fell back into her father’s chair. She did not want to think about what she had just seen, but the implications were clear. Henry Price was not her father! There could be no other explanation. Even worse was the overarching sense of terror regarding who her true father must be. She did not want to believe it, but she had seen the evidence for herself. She had to get away. Her father—no, how could she call him that?—would be back soon, and she could not face him now.

  That was it; she needed time to think. As she stumbled towards the door, she thought about the way her father had treated her since her mother’s death, and she began to sense the inherent truth of what she had just witnessed.

  Lily forced her mind to empty; this was no time for reflection, she told herself as she flew down the stairs. She dived into her bedroom, grabbed a rucksack from the end of the bed, and without a second thought, filled it with a random assortment of clothes plucked from a multitude of drawers. Just before she left, she went over to the bowl of seashells perched on the windowsill and carefully unravelled the contents, one by one, until she spotted a chocolate brown shell speckled with brown and white spots—a Snakehead cowrie—the shell she had found with her mother all those years ago. She scooped the tiny object into her hand and slipped it into a pocket before leaving the room without a second glance.

  Lily swept down the gently curving staircase into the hall. She moved cautiously, hoping to avoid Albright and the probing questions that would undoubtedly arise courtesy of the rucksack strapped securely across her shoulders. She tiptoed into the kitchen and was greeted by the unmistakable sound of Mrs Brimstork singing (the housekeeper cooked like an angel, but sang like a wailing banshee). She crept furtively towards the door, sneaking behind the cook’s ample frame as she kneaded dough while singing Puccini’s ‘Butterfly Chorus’, a feat quite marvellous to behold were it not for Lily’s dark mood. She slipped soundlessly through the door and checked all around her before darting across the lawn. She pulled up the collar of her denim jacket to shield herself from the raindrops that tumbled as she brushed past the foliage, and cursed herself for forgetting to oil the hinges that creaked as she opened the gate at the bottom of the garden. She made off along the path but suddenly froze at the sound of a snapping twig. She spun round and stared into the dwindling light then chided herself for her edginess. Of course there was no one following her; why on earth would there be?

  Lily strode purposefully towards the old railway embankment, passing through the previously bent railings and onto the path that led towards the canal basin. She broke into a run, eager to reach her destination as quickly as she could for the refuge she was sure the boys would offer her. The overhanging branches tore at her clothes as she fought her way along the overgrown path. Finally, with a flurry of swinging arms, she burst into the clearing beside the canal, but just as quickly stopped stock-still. Panic welled up inside her as she turned her head, first one way and then the other, but no matter which way she looked, she could not avoid the indisputable fact that the boys and their boat were nowhere to be seen.

  23

  THE STONE OF MADNESS

  Na Cruacha Dubha

  LILY SPRINTED TOWARDS THE canal desperately hoping she would find her friends somewhere nearby. She had been so preoccupied with the theft that she had not been down to visit the boys and with this thought came a sudden surge of remiss at neglecting them. Nonetheless, Lily could not accept that Aedh and Seoc would just up and leave without a word of goodbye. She approached the spot where the narrowboat had been moored and feverishly scouted the area for clues suggesting why, or even when, the boys had left. There was no discernible evidence that a boat had ever been there, but she soon found the telltale signs of a smouldering fire next to the towpath, raising her spirits that she had stumbled into the clearing n
ot long after the boys’ departure. She even raised a smile when she spotted a glass marble lying in a small patch of grass adjacent to a gaming circle the boys had carved on the surface of the towpath. Her amusement turned to concern when she realised that the beautifully ornate, multicoloured marble was Seoc’s most prized possession, one he had proudly won from her in a mammoth encounter a few months earlier. She could still recall the whoops of joy that had emanated from the young boy’s mouth when, for once, he had got the better of her. With a jolt, Lily realised that something was amiss; Seoc would not have misplaced this trophy without good reason. There was no time to lose; she had to find the boys.

  Lily knew that the boat would make slow headway on the overgrown waterway, and if the boys had only just left, she would still have every chance of catching them once they stopped for nightfall. She immediately set off at a steady pace, but a sudden rustle from a copse of trees made her jump and spin round. She sighed in relief when a wood pigeon emerged from the trees and flapped harmlessly over her head. She wondered whether she was becoming unnecessarily edgy, but then recalled the sound of a snapping twig when she had left the garden. She shuddered involuntarily; perhaps someone was following her after all.

  As she rushed to catch up with the boys, Lily kept her senses heightened, utilising the techniques she had learnt from her father while on the lookout for any other clues the boys might have left for her. Her anxiety eased as she made progress along the towpath, but here and there the track was blocked by lush undergrowth, and in one place, the path had disappeared where the canal wall had collapsed into the water. After a long sweeping bend, she was amazed to see a variety of objects protruding through the water’s surface. There was no sign of the boat, and she wondered how the boys had managed to steer the craft through the partially submerged debris that made the canal look like a bizarre obstacle course comprising of man-made icebergs. She stopped and gazed uncertainly at several smaller tributaries leading away from the canal’s main trunk, doubting whether any of them were navigable given the rubbish blocking their entrances. She opted to follow the main route, but by now, the light was beginning to fail. With a shiver, she realised that she had to find the boys or risk spending the night outdoors, which was not an attractive proposition bearing in mind she had left without any suitable clothing and had nothing to shelter in.

  Lily’s resolve started to falter when she followed the channel into a deep cutting where long, eerie shadows obscured the path. She thought she caught a glimpse of a flashlight behind her and turned to stare fixedly into the twilight, scrunching up her eyes to pierce the darkness that was rapidly gathering about her. Strange, nocturnal noises replaced familiar daytime sounds, only serving to heighten her unease, and when the light failed completely, panic welled up inside her that rivalled the moment she had viewed her parents’ shocking confrontation through the Historoscope.

  Lily desperately tried to keep moving, but an overcast, moonless night hampered her progress even further, and she nearly toppled headfirst into the water when she tripped on a hidden branch. Still she stumbled blindly on, ever hopeful that she would be greeted by the welcoming lights of the boat that she hoped, rather than expected, to find safely moored around the next bend.

  Lily tried to quell her plummeting spirits and ploughed on steadfastly as the temperature dropped, but as the prospect of finding the boys gradually dwindled, the harder it became. Once again, she thought she saw a light behind her, reaffirming the frightening prospect that she was not the only one out and about on the canal.

  Just then, an arm shot out in front of her, pulling her into the undergrowth. As she fell, she felt another hand wrap around her mouth, stifling her cries. She thrashed her arms, desperate to escape, but she soon realised she was not strong enough to break free from this powerful assailant. Panic welled up inside her, and a terrifying thought flashed through her mind that whoever had grabbed her meant to kill her here and now. She resisted the urge to fight back and called up a force deep inside to repel the attacker, yet perversely, as she relaxed she felt the muscular arms around her also slacken. She sensed the warmth of a man’s breath next to her ear, and as he began to speak, she immediately recognised the voice.

  ‘Shh, Lily, don’t say anything, just listen …’

  Those simple words were the most beautiful thing she had heard all day; it was the gentle voice of Aedh, and not the deadly assassin she had supposed it to be! She had found the boys after all, or rather, they had found her. She did as Aedh bade and waited for him to continue.

  ‘Seoc and I have been watching you for some time now. A man was following you,’ Aedh whispered. ‘We had to make sure he didn’t see us, so we waited until dark. Seoc was hiding by the canal when you went past, and when the chance arose, he cut in between you and your pursuer. Seoc led him off in the opposite direction. Your tracker’s now in pursuit of Seoc, thinking he’s still following you. Seoc will take him on a wild goose chase, just you wait and see! He’ll meet us back at the boat as soon as he can; it’s hidden just a couple of miles away. Come on.’

  ‘How can you be so sure Seoc’s all right?’ whispered Lily nervously.

  Even in the dark Lily could tell that Aedh was smiling, simply by the tone of his voice. ‘Oh, don’t you worry about him. Seoc can look after himself. He’s the best tracker I’ve ever seen. He can appear and disappear at will in this environment. Come on, Lily, there’s no time to lose. Let’s get going before your stalker realises he’s been duped. He’s sure to come back this way once he does.’

  ‘What’s been going on? I—’ Lily began, but Aedh forestalled her with a finger to his lips.

  ‘I’ll tell you when we’re safely back at the boat, but for now, make sure you don’t waste any more energy other than on following me. Come on …’ he said, and with that, he set off confidently, ridiculing the dark Lily had found so hostile.

  Aedh set an exacting pace, and Lily soon lost all sense of direction as the route he set weaved first one way and then the other. She assumed that they were no longer following the towpath, judging by the haphazard directions Aedh took. Now and again, he whispered to warn her of some unforeseen obstacle. Lily wondered how he managed to see so well in the dark and supposed it was because of the tracking and hunting skills he had acquired while fending for himself and his brother.

  Eventually, after almost thirty minutes of relentless marching, Aedh’s pace slackened. ‘We’re almost there now, Lily,’ he announced. ‘Wait here while I check the boat. I need to make sure we’ve had no unwelcome visitors.’

  While Lily waited, she heard the distant call of an owl immediately followed by a much closer reply, and once more, her feeling of vulnerability returned, making her fervently wish that Aedh would be back soon.

  She was not disappointed when Aedh appeared a few minutes later. ‘Come on, Lily, the boat’s just round the corner,’ he said, and with a tug on her sleeve, they were off.

  Aedh was now confident enough to strike a match, which he held aloft in front of his face to guide them the last few strides towards the boat. As they edged forwards, Lily could still not see the outline of the boat, which was expertly tucked behind a clump of bulrushes that gently rustled in the breeze. Aedh parted the tall stems to reveal the prow of the boat, and on its hull, the name Lily had longed to see ever since she had arrived at the canal basin to find the boys missing.

  ‘Na Cruacha Dubha,’ she said, almost reverently.

  ‘Follow me,’ said Aedh, heading towards the stern. ‘Let’s go inside and wait for Seoc. I don’t think he’ll be long.’

  Aedh and Lily were soon safely ensconced in the warm, comfortable interior of the boat. Aedh lit an old but perfectly functional oil lamp and placed it on a small table, amply illuminating the galley in a dull, warm glow. The blinds had been drawn, and Aedh assured her that no one would see the light from outside.

  While Lily sat waiting nervously for Seoc to return, Aedh busied himself by preparing a wonderfully hot, spicy herb infu
sion, which the pair held cupped between their hands and drank in silence. Lily could feel the oddly aromatic liquid revitalising her after a single sip.

  ‘So what’s been going on?’ asked Lily as soon as she had drained the dregs of the strange, green liquid.

  ‘I could say the same to you, Lily,’ returned Aedh with a cadence in his voice that sparkled with amusement.

  Lily studied the features of her friend in the dimly lit cabin. His hair was its usual untidy mess, falling in tangled knots onto his shoulders. His bright hazel eyes shone with warmth and enthusiasm, and she realised just how much she had missed the company of her friends. After the earlier troubles of the day, Lily felt herself relax despite the circumstances. ‘I … I was just coming down to see you.’

  Aedh smiled. ‘I know you well enough by now to realise there’s more to your story than that, but no matter, it can wait. Let me tell you what happened to us while we wait for Seoc to get back.’

  Lily was horrified. ‘Seoc! Of course, we should be out looking for him. He could be in trouble.’

  ‘Relax. Seoc’s more than capable of looking after himself. What you need to realise, Lily, is that Seoc and I are used to the odd scrape or two, and while Seoc may look young, he’s mature beyond his years. We’ve had to fend for ourselves for some time now. I trust Seoc, as you should too. He’ll be back soon enough. Now, while we wait, let me explain what’s been going on.’

  Lily nodded, if a little reluctantly. ‘Yes … of course.’

  ‘The morning started much the same as usual. Seoc went to check the traps while I went off to fetch some water. We’d just lit a fire and hadn’t been back on the boat for long when we heard footsteps. As a matter of fact, we both wondered whether it was you as you’d not been down to see us for a while,’ he added without any hint of reproach.

  ‘I …’ began Lily sheepishly.

  Aedh held up a hand to forestall her. ‘It’s no matter, Lily. We hold no sway over when you visit, but when you do, it’s always a pleasure,’ he said kindly. ‘Now, where was I? Ah yes, footsteps! We realised someone was coming, and moments later, there were some loud whacks on the galley door. It sounded like they wanted to smash it down.’