by Helen Harper
Lily ran back over. ‘No. No one’s seen a thing.’
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘It’s really appreciated. Ivy and I are going to see the Ipsissimus now but I need you to pass the word round. If anyone sees the man I described, they are not to approach him. They must come and find us as quickly as possible. Can I trust you to do this?’
Lily pulled her shoulders back. ‘Yes.’ Her eyes shone. ‘Yes, you can. I won’t let you down.’ She half curtsied and sped away once more.
‘Okay,’ I conceded grudgingly. ‘She’s going to bend over backwards to do your bidding. That was actually quite smart.’
Winter gave me a fleeting smile. ‘I am actually quite smart.’ Then his expression sobered. ‘But perhaps not as smart as Blackbeard. Let’s get to the Ipsissimus now. He’ll be able to prevent this from happening.’
I sighed. Yeah. Whatever ‘this’ was.
‘I’ll tell you one thing,’ Winter said, as we marched towards the main building where the Ipsissimus hung out. ‘I really can’t believe they’re selling green jelly instead of red.’
I glanced at him. ‘Did you just crack a joke whilst under extreme pressure?’
‘I did.’ He paused. ‘Did it work?’
‘Nope.’ I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘But I do love you for it.’
Chapter Twenty
About three seconds after we entered, a security guard strode up to us. ‘Adeptus Exemptus Winter, Ipsissimus Collings told us that if you appeared we were to inform him immediately and ask you to wait to be shown up to his office.’ His tone was warm and respectful. It certainly made a change. ‘Unfortunately, he’s not here at the moment but we can try to locate him for you. Why don’t you come with me and I’ll show you to a waiting area?’
‘We need to speak to him as soon as possible,’ Winter said, frowning.
‘We’ll do our best to find him quickly.’ The guard led us up the first flight of stairs and pointed towards a narrow bench before twisting round to hopefully do as he’d promised. The bench was situated directly in front of Grenville’s portrait. Well, well, well; Ipsissimus Collings was either having a joke or being incredibly respectful. I was hard placed to say which.
Rather than sit down, I tapped my foot. ‘We should just barge our way up to his office and find him.’
‘Yes,’ Winter agreed. ‘Except you’re not in the Order and my privileges have been revoked. We can’t ascend any further than this floor. The wards will stop us.’
I tilted my head and a tiny smile crossed my face. He should have learnt my ways by now. ‘I’ve got a few spells up my sleeve. I reckon I can break the wards long enough for us to get inside.’
For a moment Winter didn’t speak then he ran a hand through his hair and exhaled loudly. ‘You’re not even exaggerating, are you?’
I shrugged. ‘Given the lifestyle I lead now that you’re always around, it seemed prudent to brush up on my skills.’
‘Your skills of breaking into the most highly secured magical rooms in the country?’
‘Yep.’
Winter shook his head. ‘Sometimes I’m really glad we’re on the same side, Ivy. Let’s keep that as a last resort, shall we? The Ipsissimus might be round the corner and the last thing we want is for you to knock yourself out by performing a few difficult spells.’
Grenville’s face poked out from his portrait. The effect was decidedly weird, like a strange 3D picture where the creepy eyes followed you wherever you went. ‘He’s not round the corner,’ he chirped. ‘Collings, I mean. He’s really upstairs in his study.’ His eyes lost focus for a moment. ‘It used to be my study, you know.’
I frowned. ‘Eh?’
‘Pardon.’
‘You’re excused.’
Grenville tutted. ‘No. You should say pardon. Not eh. Eh is not even a word.’
Yeah, yeah. I brushed away Grenville’s censure and focused on what he was saying. ‘What do you mean?’ I asked. ‘The Ipsissimus is really in his study? The one upstairs? You mean he’s hiding from us?’
Winter’s head turned sharply towards me and he glowered.
Grenville pretended to look innocent but it didn’t work. ‘All I’m telling you is the truth. I wouldn’t lie and damage my chance of crossing over to the other side, would I? I need you on my side.’
‘You would happily lie if you were still annoyed at me for breaking protocol,’ I said. ‘Are the other ghosties talking to you again?’
His lip curled. ‘They’re coming around. Anyway, don’t concern yourself with me. Go and see Collings.’
My shoulder blades twitched. Since when had Grenville cared about the living? ‘What’s going on?’ I asked suspiciously.
He threw his hands up in exasperation. ‘I want you to stop faffing around with this killer fellow and start doing what you promised. Honestly, I never would have started you down this track if I thought you’d spend this much time over it. He’s only one man.’
‘Who’s only killed seven witches and is trying to kill several more.’
Grenville looked away. ‘Just sort it out,’ he mumbled. ‘If you want to pass through the wards on the upper floors, the skeleton password is primogenitus ducis. Just don’t tell anyone that I told you.’
My eyebrows flew up. ‘Skeleton password?’
‘It’s not a corpse,’ he said. ‘There’s no empty eye-socketed skull. It’s like a skeleton key that—’
I held up my hand. ‘I know what a skeleton key is. Are you saying that this password will let me pass through any ward I choose?’
‘Yes.’
‘Cool,’ I breathed out. ‘Thanks, Grenville.’ I grabbed Winter’s arm and tugged at his sleeve. ‘Come on.’
‘A skeleton password?’ Winter asked.
‘Apparently so.’ I paused. Maybe I’d keep old Grenville around for a while; he clearly had his uses. ‘And apparently the Ipsissimus is actually in his study, despite what that guard said. It doesn’t make any sense for him to hide from us.’
‘Unless,’ Winter pointed out, ‘he thinks we’re here to petition him to be allowed to go to Uffington.’
I wrinkled my nose. ‘Yeah, but he wouldn’t be afraid of saying no. He’s not the easily intimidated type.’ We reached the next set of stairs and the first ward pushed against my skin. I muttered the skeleton password, the pressure lifted and we passed unimpeded.
‘Let’s not jump to conclusions,’ Winter advised. ‘Although maybe the Ipsissimus has changed his mind about inviting me back in now that I’m responsible for beating up an innocent man.’
‘You’re beating yourself up more than you beat him up,’ I said. ‘Come on, let’s get a move on. Whatever Collings’s reasons are for skulking in the shadows, what Blackbeard is up to is more important.’
Winter and I exchanged looks. ‘Indeed,’ he said. ‘Indeed.’
***
We made it all the way to the Ipsissimus’s study without having to slow down. No one stopped us – in fact, no one even saw us. Not for the first time, it occurred to me that the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment relied far too heavily on magic to keep itself safe. All witches did. No wonder a null like Blackbeard could cause so much chaos.
I had to admit that, vexing as all these ghosts were, they were proving useful. They ought to be careful; they were in danger of talking me out of helping them to leave their current state of limbo for whatever lay beyond.
The Ipsissimus’s door was firmly closed. Winter strode up to it and knocked smartly on the wood. We waited for a few beats but heard nothing. Maybe Grenville had been lying. There was only one way to find out.
Ignoring Winter’s sharp intake of breath, I reached for the doorknob and twisted it. ‘It’s not locked.’ I pushed the door open all the way and peered inside.
The study was dim. Considering the cold sunshine outside, the closed curtains and the lack of a single light, there wasn’t much to suggest that the Ipsissimus was inside. Unless he were a vampire, of course.
&
nbsp; ‘Knock knock,’ I called.
There was no answer. Winter’s expression was studiously blank but I reckoned he was feeling the same trepidation that I was. Something wasn’t right. That darned gut instinct was kicking in again.
Quashing down the butterflies that were flapping around in my stomach, I stepped over the threshold. Nothing happened. I still couldn’t see the Ipsissimus. As befitted his station, his study was large but he definitely wasn’t in here. Not unless he was hiding underneath his desk. I bent down and checked, just to be sure. Nope, no one there.
‘Bloody Grenville,’ I muttered under my breath. The plonker was probably trying to get his revenge on me for not sticking to his rules. ‘Where is the Ipsissimus likely to be if he’s not here?’
‘I don’t know,’ Winter said. ‘He’s not in Uffington and he’s not here.’ He checked his watch. ‘It’s too late for him to be doing his daily rounds of each Order department. He could be anywhere.’
‘It’s a Sunday,’ I pointed out. ‘Wouldn’t he be at home?’
‘With his feet up and a mug of hot cocoa?’ Winter snorted.
‘That’s what ordinary people do, Rafe. They relax in their own homes. It’s not weird.’
Winter picked up a jar of herbs and unscrewed the lid, giving it a quick sniff. ‘It is if you’re Ipsissimus.’
‘Delegation is a beautiful thing.’
I almost fell over when Winter agreed with me. ‘You’re right. It’s important to accede responsibility to others. They will have different points of view and different perspectives – and everyone needs a break.’ At my expression he gave a short laugh. ‘Not your kind of monthly sabbatical, Ivy. I mean a day off from time to time.’
The Ipsissimus appeared in the doorway with an odd expression on his face. ‘When my wife was alive, I took more holidays and I believe I was a better leader for it.’ He smiled sadly. ‘Maybe that was her influence rather than the time away from this place. But in any case, the boy understands that you cannot work all the time, no matter how much you might love it. It’s simply not healthy.’ He held my gaze. ‘Thank you for that, Ivy. I think he could only learn it from you.’
I actually blushed. ‘Well, working somewhere like the Order has its benefits too. For all that I moan about it, it does a lot of good. It’s a vital organisation.’
A faint smile crossed the Ipsissimus’s face. ‘I’m glad you think so. It’s important that you do.’
Winter coughed slightly. ‘Ivy, would it bother you if I came back?’ he asked. ‘If I took the Ipsissimus up on his offer? Just say the word if it would and I won’t mention it ever again. There are plenty of other places I can work. There’s still plenty of good we can do together with the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment.’
I turned and beamed at him. ‘I’ve not been paying lip-service to this place, Rafe. I’ll be really happy if you decide to return because I know how much you love working here. But it’s not down to me. This is your decision.’ I paused. ‘I’ll expect you to have days off that we can spend together,’ I added with a wag of my index finger. ‘But I do understand that you want to be here and that it’s as much a part of your life as I am.’
His expression softened. ‘I can’t persuade you to join me?’
I opened my mouth to answer when there was a sudden loud thump from the end of the corridor. All three of us turned towards the noise.
‘Stay here,’ Winter said grimly. ‘I’ll check it out.’ He marched past me, passing through the body of Ipsissimus and out the other side before disappearing from sight.
My legs suddenly felt like jelly and I felt my knees give way. I collapsed onto the floor. ‘No,’ I whispered.
Ipsissimus Collings glided over to me and reached down with an outstretched hand. ‘You knew it the moment I appeared, Ivy,’ he said. ‘You just didn’t want to believe it.’ He glanced at his hand ruefully and withdrew it. ‘It’s a very strange sensation,’ he said, ‘no longer being corporeal.’
‘I … you…’ I squeezed my eyes shut. This couldn’t be happening. ‘We need you.’
‘Tough.’
I still couldn’t look at him. ‘How did this happen?’
‘Blackbeard is not in Uffington.’
Oh God. Even though I’d already known that, my stomach still dropped. ‘He … he … killed you?’
‘Yes. Don’t worry, it was quick.’ Somehow I knew he was lying when he said that. His voice changed. ‘Now open your eyes and listen to me. I don’t have long. It’s already taking everything I have to remain on this plane but this is important.’
I swallowed hard and did as he asked before struggling to my feet. He was the one who was dead, after all; his problems were far greater than mine. ‘Go on,’ I said with a catch in my voice.
‘The paperwork for Raphael to rejoin the Order is in the top drawer of my desk. I signed it weeks ago. It’s all ready to go. He just needs to sign it. It is imperative he does this before my body is discovered. Blackbeard has clearly abandoned his plan to cremate his victims. He has hidden my body but it won’t stay that way for long. This time he wants everyone to know what he’s done. Beyond that, I cannot speak for his motives or his reasoning. You will need to ascertain those for yourselves and find him before he can do even more damage. The Order is everything, Ivy. It must survive.’
My mouth was parched dry. ‘It will. Of course it will.’
‘You remember the conversation we had in Scotland about what would happen if I were to die? About the chaos that would ensue?’
Shit. It was the reason why I’d confronted Alistair the teenage necromancer instead of the Ipsissimus doing it. There were too many Order witches with too much ambition and too many hidden agendas for peace to ensue. ‘Yes.’
‘The events in Scotland prompted me to take action to ensure that will not happen. It was something I should have done long ago and which I have long regretted I did not plan for. I have named my successor and he will do the Order proud. He will not let it falter and he will be a unifying force. He will be accepted as the new Ipsissimus,’ he paused, ‘but only if he is already back as an Order witch. The contract I’ve prepared promotes him to Third Level. He hasn’t passed the examinations but, in his case, they are a mere formality.’ His voice grew stern. ‘However, if his return is not acknowledged before my death is discovered, the dissenters will find reason to keep him out and the in-fighting will start. It will continue for years, maybe even decades.’
‘Rafe,’ I whispered. ‘You’ve named Rafe.’ So the Ipsissimus had always expect Winter to return to the fold. Truthfully, so had I.
‘Yes. He was not ready before but he is ready now. He will need you by his side to guide and support him. Your role will perhaps be even more important than his in the months to come.’
I hoped he was just saying that because he thought I needed my ego massaged. I was more than happy to be the nonentity in the background. Yes, please, sign me up for sofa duty. I was not the Caesar’s wife type especially when, deep down, I knew that Winter was the perfect person for the role of Ipsissimus. He made mistakes but he’d learnt to acknowledge them; he didn’t cut corners. He had the dedication and the integrity; he’d be brilliant. My expression twisted.
‘What’s the problem?’ the Ipsissimus asked.
‘Nothing.’ I couldn’t tell him that it had just occurred to me that my boyfriend would be the geekiest of all the Order geeks. ‘It’s all fine. Apart from the part where you’re dead, of course.’
A spasm lurched through the Ipsissimus’s body. ‘I can’t deny the lure of the other side for much longer. Make sure Raphael signs those papers. Make sure others see them before I am found.’
His shape was beginning to falter and become transparent, and there was a bright glow surrounding him that was difficult to look at.
‘Wait!’ This couldn’t be it. He couldn’t leave already. ‘Where are you? Where’s your body?’
‘In a shed towards the back of the Herblore Department. He
dragged me there.’ A beatific smile crossed his face and his gaze rested on a spot seemingly far away. ‘Goodbye, Ivy.’
‘But what about…?’ The light brightened and I was forced to shield my eyes. I yelled, ‘Wait! Don’t go!’ Even as I said the words, I knew they were pointless.
When I could finally see again, he’d gone. Winter was back in the room, rushing to my side. ‘What’s wrong? What’s happened? Ivy!’
I stared at him dully. ‘The Ipsissimus,’ I said. ‘The Ipsissimus is dead.’
The colour drained from Winter’s face. Behind him, I spotted Philip Maidmont, his hand covering his mouth in horror.
‘It was Blackbeard,’ I said. ‘Somehow Blackbeard found him and killed him.’ My voice was quiet but surprisingly steady. I drew in a ragged breath. ‘The Ipsissimus has gone and his spirit has already passed over. As for Blackbeard, I don’t know where he is.’ But I did know that nothing would ever be the same again.
Chapter Twenty-One
What I wanted to do was to throw myself into Winter’s arms, burrow into his chest and cry. What I did was shake myself and head directly for the Ipsissimus’s desk.
Maidmont and Winter stared at me dumbly. I yanked open the top drawer and found the scrolled contract lying on the top of the papers inside. I picked it up between my finger and thumb, afraid that I might damage it, then held it out to Winter.
He looked at me as if I were holding a poisonous snake. ‘What is that?’
‘Your contract,’ I said simply. ‘You have to sign it. We have to take it to HR right now and get you reinstated.’
‘The Ipsissimus has just died, Ivy. Blackbeard is still on the loose. I hardly think my employment status is a high priority.’
‘Right now,’ I said fiercely, ‘it’s the highest possible priority.’
It was Maidmont who understood first. Dawning comprehension lit his face and he began to nod vigorously. Maybe Ipsissimus Collings had already given the quiet librarian some indication of what he’d been planning. ‘Yes,’ he breathed. ‘Yes. You have to sign it now. I’ll witness it.’ He reached into the pocket of his robes and drew out a fountain pen. ‘This is my lucky pen. Use this one.’