by E. E. Holmes
“No!” we all shouted in unison. All three of us reached up and grabbed her by the sweater, pulling her back down into her seat.
“Oi! Why all the fuss? You’re the one who suggested it!” she cried.
“I know, I know!” I said, choking with laughter now. “I should have known better. For the love of God, please keep your pants on!”
“If you like,” Sav said with a wink. “You know where my arse is if you need it.”
“I’ll let you know,” I said.
“Glad to see being a mentor hasn’t changed you, Savvy,” Mackie said, with a pat on Savvy’s back. “Good on ya.”
“How’s that going, by the way?” Hannah asked.
Savvy’s smile faltered. “Eh, it’s a bit rough to be honest. Frankie—that’s my mentee—she’s… well, she’s a tough nut to crack.”
“Really? Even for you?” I asked. “I thought you said she’d taken a shine to you? You must be the most laid back mentor ever.”
Savvy grimaced. “That don’t matter much when your mentee don’t believe in ghosts.”
Hannah choked a little on her mouthful of soup. “I’m sorry, what? She doesn’t believe in ghosts?”
“Nope,” Savvy replied baldly. “It’s… well, it’s a sad story, actually.”
“Go on, let’s hear it,” Mackie said, leaning in.
“Well, she had a pretty strict upbringing,” Savvy said. “Parents are a real pair of twats, if I’m honest. Filthy rich, you know? And they never had much time for her, what with traveling all over the world on yachts and all that tosh. So, she’s been banging around fancy boarding schools all her life. And she is smart, let me tell you,” Savvy shook her head and let out a low whistle. “We’re talking straight A’s at Cheltenham here. Charmed life. But then, one day out of nowhere, her Visitations start.”
“But she must have known they were going to,” Hannah said. “Her mother must have told her, right? Or another relative?”
“Nah, she’s the first in her line, just like me,” Savvy said.
“Oh, that’s right!” I said. “That’s why they asked you to mentor her, isn’t it? Because you both had that in common?”
“That’s about the only thing we have in common, but yeah,” Savvy said.
“So, another Gateway somewhere must have closed for good, right? Isn’t that why a new one opens up in a new line, to keep things balanced?” Hannah asked.
“That’s right,” Mackie said. “The old one closes, and a new one opens. It can pop up anywhere in the world. It just appears on the Léarscáil, and that’s how the Durupinen know where to find it.”
“What the hell is a Léarscáil?” I asked, stumbling over the unusual word.
“Aw, come off it, you’ve never seen it? Oh, that’s right, you never made it that far in your training here,” Mackie said with a sheepish smile. “We usually get to take a trip up to the South Tower in our second year of Apprenticeship, just to have a look at it. It’s a giant map of the world that marks geographic shifts in the concentration of spirit energy, using this massive pendulum. I’ll have to bring you up there; it’s fascinating, how it works.”
“I would love to see that!” Hannah said, eyes alight with curiosity. “It’s right here in the castle?”
Mackie nodded. “Yeah, every High Priestess’s residence has one, and there’s a Durupinen in charge of monitoring each one, recording and analyzing the shifts in spirit energy. It can be used to predict all sorts of things, not just the opening of a new Gateway.”
“Will you really take us to see it? That’s fascinating!” Hannah said. “Jess, wouldn’t you like to see that?”
I shrugged. “Sure, I guess. Sounds better than sitting through this stupid Airechtas.” I turned back to Savvy. “Sorry, Sav, keep going with your story.”
“So anyway, Frankie’s away at school, and she sees her first ghost right in the middle of an end of term test, but she thinks it’s a hallucination brought on by stress. Thinks she’s going mad.”
I laughed, although it wasn’t really funny. “I know that feeling.”
“Me, too,” Hannah said grimly.
“Yeah, but you both tried to hide it, didn’t you? That’s a normal reaction. Frankie went straight to her headmistress and told her what was happening, and then from there to a shrink for medication. She didn’t even stop to consider that what was happening to her might actually be real. She took a leave from school, booked herself into one of those retreats for the wealthy and doped herself up on every pill her doctor would prescribe her.”
“Lot of good that did her, I’m sure,” Mackie said, shaking her head sadly.
“Actually, anti-psychotic meds can block out spirit activity pretty effectively,” Hannah said, a faint pink flush creeping up her face. “The right combination of medications, along with a determination not to notice things, can work wonders.”
Mackie gaped. “You can block out spirits with meds? Really?”
Hannah nodded. “Some of those drugs are really strong. It’s like walking around in a haze. And you can usually explain away any activity that does manage to penetrate the shield. Your mind is relieved to continue the oblivion. It’s willful ignorance, but it never lasts long. No matter what you take, the spirits break through eventually.”
There was a moment of awkward silence as we all processed the awfulness of Hannah’s words, and then Savvy jumped in. “By the time Celeste and Siobhán found her, Frankie was well and truly hyped up on those meds. They tried to tell her what was really happening to her, but she wouldn’t hear a word of it. Celeste told me that, at one point, Frankie screamed at her that she and Siobhán weren’t real and threw a chair at them.”
“Holy shit,” I said breathlessly. “I mean, I didn’t want to believe it either, but it was better than thinking I was going crazy.”
“You’d think, but Frankie would rather be mad as a hatter than a Durupinen, and that’s the truth,” Savvy said.
“So, what did Celeste and Siobhán do? How did they get her here?” Hannah asked.
“They couldn’t bloody well leave her where she was. They needed that Gateway to be open and functioning properly, just like the rest of them, but Frankie wouldn’t go willingly. In the end, they met with her parents and orchestrated a ‘transfer’ to another, more prestigious mental facility.”
“What mental facility?” I asked.
Savvy gestured grandly around the dining room. “You’re looking at it, mate.”
Hannah gasped. “So, they lied to her?”
“Yeah,” Savvy said. “Only way to get her here. We’ve been trying for a few months now to get her to participate in her training, but she absolutely refuses to believe that any of it is really happening. She says we’re just, ‘encouraging her illness.’ It’s a bloody nightmare.”
“Wow,” I said. I tried to imagine sticking to a spirit-free version of reality while at a place like Fairhaven, which was quite literally swarming with spirits. It was hard to believe that anyone could be that stubborn. “Sounds like you have your work cut out for you.”
“You’ve got that right,” Savvy said, shaking her head. “I was excited about it when I first started. You know me, I love a good challenge. But now I’ve got to admit, I’m discouraged. I just keep telling her it’s no good denying reality, that she’ll have to accept it sooner or later, because it ain’t going away. No joy so far.”
“What about the other half of her Gateway? Doesn’t she have someone else to help her through it? It can’t just be her!” Hannah said.
“She’s got a second cousin here with her. Her name’s Penny. They’d never met before arriving here. Penny’s Visitations started out of the blue as well, but she’s just accepted it, and she’s ready and willing to learn. Problem is she won’t be able to put any of her skills to use if Frankie doesn’t cooperate,” Savvy said.
“Maybe I could talk to her?” Hannah suggested timidly.
Savvy perked up at once. “Would you?”
Hannah shrugged. “
Sure. I’m not sure if it will help, but I could try.”
“That would be brilliant, Hannah! Cheers!” Savvy said, raising her glass to Hannah and swigging it down in one gulp. “I wasn’t too keen on being a mentor at first, but now that I’m in it, I don’t want to get the sack because I’m cocking it up.”
“Funny, that’s basically how I feel about this entire trip,” I said. “I really didn’t want to come, but now that I’m here, I’m afraid I’m going to vote wrong.”
Mackie gave a little snort of a laugh. “How can you vote wrong? It’s voting. I think the only way you can do it wrong is by… well, not doing it!”
“I spend most of my time trying to steer clear of Durupinen drama, and now I have to make informed decisions about how it should all be run! It feels sort of—I don’t know—hypocritical,” I said.
“Hey, you’ve got to police a Gateway, so you get a vote. It’s only fair. They’re letting me vote, after all, and who’s less informed than yours truly?” Savvy said. “I’m the first in my clan, and I slept through most of my training, remember? I’m basically a vacuum of Durupinen information.”
I laughed. “Okay, I’m starting to feel slightly more qualified.” I should have realized Savvy would be voting, but I hadn’t thought of it. At least having her there would liven things up, although I could also imagine a scenario where we got in a lot of trouble, like the kids who won’t stop goofing around in the back of the classroom. I’d have to seriously consider how close we sat to each other, and if the hilarity would be worth the dirty looks.
“You’re not voting, right Mackie?” Hannah asked.
Mackie shook her head. “No boring meeting sessions for me! Celeste is representing our clan in the Airechtas. She’s got an important role this year, as Deputy Priestess. Hey, speak of the devil!”
Mackie looked over our heads and waved. We all turned to see Celeste hurrying across the room toward us. Her face was full of concern.
“Oh lord, she doesn’t look very happy, does she? Wonder what I’ve forgotten to do now?” Mackie muttered, rolling her eyes.
Celeste arrived behind Mackie’s chair and gave her niece’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “Hello, girls! Jess, I haven’t seen you since you got in! How are you, dear?”
“Jet-lagged, but I’ll survive,” I said with a smile.
“Mm-hmm,” Celeste said distractedly. She seemed to not even have really listened to my answer. Her eyes kept darting over her shoulder.
“Everything alright, Celeste?” I asked.
“Yes, of course,” she said, and then sighed. “No, I’m afraid not, actually. I detest having to be the one to tell you this. You should have had more warning, but I only just found out myself, or I would have—”
I felt my heart speed up. “Celeste, what is it? Just tell us!”
“I didn’t want to take the chance that you’d just turn the corner and there she’d be,” Celeste said. “I still can’t quite believe they’ve allowed it, but—”
Hannah’s fork clattered to the table and she gasped. Her complexion had gone the color of milk as she stared at what must surely have been a terrifying apparition in the doorway.
“What is she doing here?” Hannah asked in a strangled whisper.
We all turned. Marion Clark was striding into the dining room with her head held haughtily high, as though she were surveying her kingdom rather than simply arriving for a meal. The first time I’d ever seen her had been in this room, on my first morning at Fairhaven. She had introduced herself as a member of the Council and proceeded to explain to Hannah and me that we were outcasts who didn’t belong amongst the Apprentices, and that we would never live down the shame and dishonor with which our mother had tainted us. As if that weren’t enough, she then tried to have us thrown in prison for the crime of our parentage, and capped it all off by engineering a coup to replace Finvarra as High Priestess. The last time I’d seen Marion was the day before I left Fairhaven in the aftermath of the Isherwood Prophecy. She had been entering the Grand Council Room escorted by two Caomhnóir, where she would face the consequences of her disastrous decisions. Her face had not looked quite so smug then.
“What the hell?” I hissed. “What the actual hell is she doing here? Fiona told me she was banished from the castle after everything that happened with the Prophecy!”
“She was,” Celeste said. “She’s here on special dispensation from the Council for the Airechtas. She made the request at the last minute, and it was only just approved last night. Siobhán handed me an updated list a few minutes ago, and I happened to see her name on it. Of course, I hastened to find you right away, because… well, I didn’t want her to surprise you like that.” She gestured helplessly toward the doorway, where Marion was now shaking hands with a small knot of chattering women.
“Who approved her request?” I asked, incredulous. “Shouldn’t the whole Council vote on something like that?”
“Typically, yes, a decision like that would require a vote from the entire Council. But she appealed directly to Finvarra, and Finvarra granted her request,” Celeste said.
“Finvarra?” I cried, struggling to keep my volume under control. “But… Marion tried to unseat her! She actually ordered that Finvarra be locked up! What in the world would make Finvarra grant her request?”
Celeste shook her head. “I can’t say for sure. It seems that Finvarra made the decision without consulting any other Council members.”
“Karen’s going to flip out when she hears about this,” I said. “She never would have sent us if she thought Marion was coming.”
Celeste nodded. “I would hardly blame her.”
Over Celeste’s shoulder, I watched as Marion broke free from her circle of greeters. She took a few steps across the room and then froze as her eyes found mine. Once upon a time her haughty face would have curved into a malicious smirk. She would have strolled across the room and humiliated us with an entitled tirade about the importance of duty and tradition. But not today. Today, still tainted by her recent disgrace, she stopped in her tracks, eyes widening, complexion whitening. She then changed course abruptly, bypassing the buffet line and heading straight to a table as far from us as she could get without leaving the room.
Hannah and I turned to look at each other, eyebrows raised.
“Wow,” I said. “I guess she wasn’t expecting to see us again, either.”
“I guess not,” Hannah said. Her mouth twitched.
“Are you smiling?” I asked her, breaking into one myself.
“Maybe. I don’t know. That was… kind of awesome,” Hannah said with a shrug.
Savvy roared with laughter. “The old cow goes scurrying for cover at the very sight of you? That’s brilliant!”
“Yeah, well, she recovers herself quickly, that one,” Mackie said. “I wouldn’t count on her being all meek and contrite this week.”
My smile faded. I turned to Celeste. “And you have no idea why she wanted to be here?”
Celeste grimaced. “I said I had no idea she was coming. I actually have a pretty good idea why she wants to be here, though.”
“Why?” Hannah, Savvy, Mackie and I all said at once.
Celeste leaned over the table, and we all huddled around her so as not to miss a word. “You know Marion was stripped of her seat on the Council three years ago. That seat has remained vacant since then, because a Council seat can only be filled once every five years at the Airechtas. Every single clan must participate in the selection process and vote in the election; it is compulsory. That seat is now up for reelection this week, and I’m quite sure that’s why she’s here.”
“She’s not actually going to try to get it back?” I hissed.
Celeste shook her head. “She can’t. Even if everyone in that room were to stand up and vote for her to regain that seat, she is ineligible to retake it. In fact, her entire clan is forbidden from running for it. But she will undoubtedly try to influence who does get the seat. It will be important to her
that the space is filled with a like-minded clan, someone who could put forward the same kinds of policies and votes that she herself would have contributed.”
“So, she’s here to campaign for someone?” I asked.
“That’s a succinct way of putting it, yes,” Celeste said.
“Well, at least we know what we’re going to do with one of our votes this week,” I muttered. “Voting against whoever Marion suggests for the Council.”
“That goes for me as well,” Savvy said. “I don’t even need to know who it is, if I’m honest.”
Celeste gave us a stern look. “Now, girls. It’s part of your duty to listen to all of the arguments, all of the speeches, and then make an informed decision about that open seat. You mustn’t let biases rule your better judgement.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her. Her mouth curved into the merest suggestion of a smile before she could get it under control.
At that moment, Finn marched into the dining room. He scanned the room until he found us, and made a beeline for our table. Celeste saw the purpose with which he approached and stepped swiftly to the side to make room for him. Finn gave her a respectful nod as he passed her and strode right up between Hannah and me.
“Marion is here,” he said without preamble.
“We know. She’s sitting right over there,” I said, pointing.
Finn looked up and seemed to shrink a little. “Oh. Right. Well, I’d hoped you hadn’t seen her yet.”
“It was good of you to try to warn us, Finn,” Hannah said.
“Yeah, everyone is just a little bit behind the ball on that one today,” I told him. “Celeste tried to head her off, too, but it sounds like she surprised everyone by showing up.”
“Are you both… that is to say… are you quite… alright?” He avoided my face so completely that he might have been asking the question to his boots.
“We’re fine,” I said.
“Right. Well, then. I’m due out in the courtyard for a Caomhnóir roll call and meeting,” he said and, giving a stiff little bow, he turned on his heel and marched out.
I immediately dropped my eyes to my plate again, and began shoveling food into my mouth, trying to appear completely unaffected by the arrival of Finn Carey, but the truth was that my heart and mind were racing with more emotions than I could conceivably keep track of.