by L P PATERSON
And then I was on the wet floor of a small area which was covered with what looked like some sort of jelly membrane. I saw the river above me and instantly I felt closed in. The weight of the Thames was above us and all that held it back was that thin jelly like membrane. I collapsed back onto the floor, gasping for breath. I desperately sucked in air in large gulps trying hard to fill my body with oxygen. But the air here smelled and tasted stale. I could smell damp and dirt. But I didn't care. I could only focus on breathing.
I looked to my side and saw a pair of feet. I followed this up until I saw Sue smiling down at me. "See Myra. I told you she would be okay.” she said.
"Course she's okay. I never said that she wouldn't be."
"Yes, you did. You said -"
"No, I didn't." Myra cut her off. "And why did you go to help her anyway? It's not like Cymon will need her."
"Hey!" I yelled. "I am right here. Right here!" I rolled back and lay down flat on the floor. I was exhausted. My breathing had calmed down to a more regular pace but my head still felt heavy. The sensation that it might burst open had not left me yet.
"See. She's not even -" said Myra.
"Yes she is. She's just -" Sue replied.
" What's the matter Sue?" I heard another voice.
"Yeah Sue. What's the matter." and another.
"What's she doing here?" asked the first.
"Yeah. Why is she here?” said the other. “Cymon won't need her."
A loud groan escaped my throat. They really should have just left me to die. That would have been less painful.
"Maidens!" The boom of a deep voice filled the room and the maidens chatter instantly stopped. I immediately sat up looking for the source of that voice. There was a large door leading into the room and in the doorway stood a man so large that he was slightly stooped in order to fit into the doorway. His deep bronzed skin gleamed as if it had been blessed with morning dew and a white kaftan was tied around his hips and fell to the ground. His muscled torso flexed as he strode into the room and I actually felt my breath catch in my throat. As he moved closer the maidens backed away. His tight kinky hair was cut low and formed a salt and pepper halo on his head, and his green eyes seemed to fix on every one of us at the same time. This world was teasing me beyond what was normal.
I slowly got to my feet. I felt my throat tighten up slightly as I wondered what to do next. "Maidens?" he repeated in a slightly calmer voice.
"Da. I only saved her because she's Cymon's friend." said Sue in a quick splurge.
"No, she didn't Da. She did it because she was being foolish." said Myra.
"Sue didn't need to save her Da." Lyra added. "I mean she's from up there."
"Well, she's here now isn’t she?" said Ayra.
I couldn't see Tyra or Kyra anywhere but I guess that they felt the same. My mind was racing with all types of thoughts to figure out how I was going to deal with this situation. I was also telling myself that the man standing in front of me was in no way the river maiden’s father. Da had to be some sort of title.
"Excuse me sir." I said. A round of hisses and snarls were directed at me at that point. Only Sue stood watching me, her shoulders slightly hunched and her chin tucked so far in it almost touched the top of her chest.
"You don't speak to the River Lord." said Myra.
"Yes. You do not speak to our father." echoed Lyra. My heart sank.
The River Lord walked forward to stand just in front of me. A prickly sensation swept through me as his eyes bore into mine and then swept the full length of my body before again returning to my eyes.
"She is no threat to us or our kind." he said, turning slightly to the maidens. He turned back to me then. "Welcome to my court Audrey." he said. “I have not had the pleasure of hosting a Loci in a very long time. You are most welcome."
I briefly wondered just how he knew my name or that I was a Loci and opened my mouth to speak. I then closed it again as I felt the prickle of four pairs of eyes on me. "Speak Loci. My daughters will not harm you." That told me that they could and would harm me if they were given the chance.
I cleared my throat softly and leaned forward. "Where is Cymon?" I asked. "Is he okay?"
The River Lord leaned back and I saw his chest double in size as he took in a deep breath. I also saw the maidens glancing at each other. Myra's hands were clenching and unclenching into tight fists while Lyra's neck was so tense, I could clearly see the bunched cords straining. Ayra was pulling at her hair and avoiding eye contact while Sue just stared at me. One arm hung by her side, the other was pressed against her chest. As I watched her eyes filled and became teary and her head began to slowly shake from side to side.
My eyes widened as I spun back to the River Lord. I couldn't speak and my own head started to shake from side to side too. This could not be happening. I looked at him wide eyed waiting for him to tell me but praying that he wouldn't. The River Lord watched me back, refusing to give me the information that I needed. A tightness filled my throat and a scratchy tickle set in at the back of my mouth. I wanted to scream at him but instead I quietly asked "Is he dead?"
He looked down at me and just as quietly replied "Almost."
The room was dark and smelled musty. The walls were hung with some sort of grass that waved and moved although I could not feel any wind. The floor was covered with the same grass and I felt as if I was walking on snakes. There was a brazier in one corner and the smoke coming from it was heady and intoxicating. I could recognise the smell of sage, mint and lavender. I knew that there must be other herbs burning in that brazier but I couldn't distinguish their scent.
Cymon lay on a wooden frame in the centre of the room. His body was covered by soft, yellow bulbous plants. They looked like seaweed, but they inflated and deflated as his chest rose and fell. They were breathing for him. On a chair next to the bed frame sat an elderly woman. One of the river people. Her brown shaggy hair hung low past her shoulders and her brown robes were crumpled and long, ending by her ankles. She turned to me and her mouth curved slightly but her eyes were dim. We all knew that Cymon was in a bad way.
"How is he?" I asked, although I already knew the answer. The old woman lowered her head and gave it a slight shake from side to side. She didn't even bother to voice her thoughts. The River Lord came to stand beside me.
"Cymon needs his scythe Audrey." he said. The scythe sustains him and without it the necromancer’s arrow will kill him. It is slowly killing him now. The medicines that he has been given takes time to work and they are fighting against the arrow."
"What can I do?" I felt my lips tremble as I watched Cymon on the bed. He had entered my life so suddenly and I had hated him for it. But in the last few hours he had become my friend. Sort of. I still didn't like the fact that I had basically been kidnapped and forced into this venture and this world. But he had grown on me. I wanted to help him and I wanted him to live. I needed him to live otherwise I would be a failed Loci. My first task and the person that I am supposed to help ends up dead. That would not make a good reference. Cymon had to live.
I turned to the River Lord and repeated my question. "What can I do? How can I save him?"
"You cannot save him Audrey." he said. "Our healer is very good. Very skilled. But for her to save him we will need time and we don't have that. The only other thing that can save him is his scythe. Find the scythe and we may have a chance." He then turned and left the room.
My eyes followed him while my teeth clamped down on my lips. I wrapped my arms around myself. Not for the first time today I didn't know what to do. I walked across to the bedframe and knelt down. The pungent smell of the herbs became more intense as I leaned over Cymon. The large air sacs of the plant continued to inflate and deflate as Cymon's chest rose and fell. I could see the rip in his hoodie from where the arrow head has pierced through as it lay on the side of the bedframe. I looked at Cymon and between the seaweed I saw a patch of white skin surrounding a dark and bruised area. At the centre of the
bruise was a gaping hole which seemed to have tiny pieces of glitter at its edges. I could see that the skin had been stitched together but the glitter was forcing it apart again. The hole just would not close.
"Hey Cymon." I said quietly. I knew that he could not hear me. "Listen. I will find the scythe and bring it back for you okay?" My eyes stung but I carried on. "Sue said that she saw it remember? So maybe she can help me." I looked towards the door and I saw Sue and Myra watching me. Sue gave a quick nod of her head confirming that she would help me. Myra was in tears. Wet tracks ran down her cheeks and I remembered that Cymon was their perfect guy. Well I had to save him for her. For all of them, and also for me because I had to get home.
The old lady got up from her chair and went to the brazier. She threw a handful of herbs onto the flames and then returned to her chair. I saw the flames climb higher before settling down and then scented smoke filled the room. Cymon groaned slightly. My head jerked back as my eyes scanned his face. But there was nothing else. His chest rose and fell and the sacs inflated and deflated. I got up.
"Audrey." I heard Cymon's voice. It was barely a whisper. I quickly knelt down next to the bed.
"Hey Cymon." I said. I kept my voice low. "I'm going to find your scythe and get it back to you. It will help."
"There isn't enough time Audrey." He drew in a deep breath and the air sacs of the plant quivered on his chest.
"We still have about five hours Cymon. I will find it." I said. "I'm the Loci, remember?"
"You have to tell her. My master. Find Death and tell her." he said.
A chill ran throughout my body as he said this. There was no possible way that I was going to look for any of the Horsemen, let alone Death. Agatha had warned me.
"Audrey. You must tell her. There isn't enough time. Please Audrey."
"No." I stood up quickly. "No. I am not telling her. War will tell her anyway in a few hours, but I'm going to try and find your scythe before that. I am not telling Death anything."
Cymon gave a heavy sigh and closed his eyes again.
"Sue. Can you help me?" I asked.
"I don't know Audrey." she said. "I saw the necromancer last evening." A loud hiss came from Myra as her sister mentioned Nero. "But that was at the Knights Bridge. I don't know if he would have left the scythe there."
"Where is this bridge?" I asked.
"Across the river Loci." Myra stated. "Everyone knows that a bridge crosses the river!" she said with raised brows.
"I know that a bridge crosses the river Myra. I'm not stupid." I replied.
"Well you sure act like you are." she said as she sniffed and wiped at her eyes.
"Stop it Myra." said Sue. "Audrey is sad too."
"Why are you suddenly her friend?" Myra asked
"Because she wants to help Cymon." said Sue
"I can help-"
"No, you can't."
"Why not. I know-"
"No you don't and besides-"
"Besides what?" asked Lyra from the doorway.
"No!" I shouted. "Just stop it. All of you.” There were three of them bickering in front of me and it had to stop. If I let this get out of hand all six of them would be at it and there would be no end. I had to try and find the scythe as quickly as possible before Cymon got any worse. The River Lord had stated that the herbs could work if we had time but Cymon was deteriorating too fast. We needed the scythe.
"Sue." I said. "I don't know of any Knights bridge across the Thames. Will you take me to it?"
"Sure Audrey. I can take you." she said. Her mouth scrunched to one side as she looked at me.
"How can you not know the Knights Bridge." said Myra. It wasn't a question. Lyra stared at me while shaking her head slowly from side to side. It wasn't my fault that I didn't know everything about this world, and I had no intention of explaining myself to river maidens.
"I just need to tell Da, then we can go." said Sue. She placed her hand gently on my arm and gave it a quick rub. I wanted to pull away. I didn't want any pity. Especially theirs. But Sue was different from her sisters. I truly believed that she understood how I was feeling. The others seemed to blame me for Cymon's situation. I blamed myself a tiny bit. Maybe Sue could tell that I was hurting too, and that I truly wanted to help Cymon.
"Yeah Sue. Tell Da." said Myra.
CHAPTER 18
The River Thames is dark and cold and filled with all sorts of things that should not be in a river. After telling Da that she would take me to the Knights bridge where she had last seen the scythe, Sue led me through several rooms and corridors until we came to a place that looked very similar to the first room that I had found myself in.
"This stream will take us quite close to the bridge." Sue said.
"What stream?" I asked. I looked around. I could hear running water and it was coming from behind a small wooden door set in one of the walls. "Do we go through there?" I asked, pointing at the door. Sue nodded her head.
"Yes. You go first." she said.
"No way. I don't know where I'm going." and I had no intention of being the first person through that door.
"Ugh!. Alright then." Sue crouched down and opened the door. As she did the stench and smell of what seemed like a rotten sewer hit me. I pulled my head back and felt my mouth clamp shut. My hand moved quickly to the collar of my shirt as I tried desperately to cover my nose and mouth to keep the smell away. It was clear why Sue didn't want to be at the front.
"Come on then. Let's go." she said as she stepped into the small stream of water running past the door. Although the smell was horrendous, the water flowing at our feet was clear. We were in a tunnel which was just large enough for me to stand upright with only a slight bow of my head. Sue who was slightly shorter than I was stood straight and started to walk forwards. I followed.
The walls and ceiling of the tunnel were lined with a mossy substance which gleamed in the darkness, giving us just enough light to navigate our way.
"How long will it take us Sue?" I mumbled through the mask of my collar. I was so worried about Cymon that I feared we would not have enough time to find his scythe. War had set the timescale since we met her that morning and it was running out fast. Now not only did I have to find this scythe to heal Cymon and to prevent this problem with the balance that he kept talking about, but I also had to do it to prove my Loci abilities to myself. I couldn't let Agatha or any of the other Loci's who came before me down. I would try not to anyway, and above all else I wanted to go home.
"Not too long." Sue replied. "We will go and see Mother Annie. She guards the Knights Bridge and knows everything that goes on there. She may have seen something too."
Okay. Great! So I had to meet some other being who was no doubt powerful and possibly angry as well. "Exactly who is Mother Annie?" I asked.
"Don't you mean what?" Sue laughed. I blinked twice as I imagined some sort of monster woman who just might be able to kill me without much effort. "Mother Annie is a very powerful witch." Sue said. "Her magic helps to maintain the bridge." She turned to look back at me. "You know, the Knights bridge." She turned and started walking forward again. I had no idea what she was talking about.
"Is she dangerous?" I asked.
"Not unless she has to be. I mean, she's not like the Horsemen or anything like that. She's quite sweet really. But don't annoy her." she said this without breaking stride. She stopped suddenly and turned back to me. "I think that Mother Annie was the last person to see the last Loci!" she started walking again. "I'll have to ask Da though. He would know."
I continued walking behind Sue. I was getting used to the smell now but tried hard not to breathe deeply. I didn't want any of that getting into my lungs. After about half an hour of walking the front of the tunnel began to get lighter. I could also hear the sound of traffic.
"Nearly there." said Sue. We continued walking till we reached what looked like the mouth of a storm drain. The stream continued and flowed down a slight bank into the Thames. I looked back and r
ealised that our walk had taken us up from beneath the Thames to the river bank. "There it is. The Knights bridge." said Sue. "Mother Annie's home is just beneath it, on this bank thankfully."
I looked up and there was the bridge. But not any bridge that I had ever seen before. I knew all the bridges of London. London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Battersea Bridge, even the not so well-known ones like Putney Bridge or Albert Bridge. I knew them all. You get to know these things when you work for a catering agency at weekends and holidays. Student life is hard. I know it wasn't as hard for me as it was for some, but working for an agency also benefited your social life and catering contracts always circulated in central London. I knew the bridges, and there wasn't a Knights Bridge. But there it was. Right in front of me.
I looked up at the massive footings on which the bridge stood. The intricate iron work and filigree was impressive. It stood tens of feet up and my eyes flowed over it watching the span it made over the river. The curve of it made it impossible to believe that vehicles crossed it and I suspected that it had to be a footbridge. The whole thing glowed with a neon like blue colour and shimmered and wavered as I looked at it. "Is it real?" I asked Sue.
Sue looked at me and I saw her nose wrinkle as she cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean? Of course it's real." she replied.
"In my world Sue, there are many bridges that cross the Thames, but there isn't one called Knights Bridge. I mean there is an area of London called Knightsbridge, but not an actual bridge." I looked at her hoping that she could give me an explanation.
"Well where do you think that the area gets its name from silly?" said Sue. "From the Knights Bridge." she said this with a flourish of her arm as she gleamed at the bridge. "It no longer exists in your world Audrey. But it's still here in ours. And you know that the knights’ still fight on it. But only if Mother Annie lets them." she said this last piece with a little laugh. "Come on. Let's go."
I gave the glowing bridge a last look, and then quickly followed sue