by Vance Huxley
“A very small cave troll according to Ferryl.” He explained, telling them not to even think of fighting a big one. Those present agreed, and would pass sketches and the information to the rest. A Cave Troll would be added to the game so any player seeing a real one would know to run away. Abel moved on to the other attack. “The school attack came through a gap in our barrier. We took a walk along the edge of the field, and one of our stakes had been taken out.”
“That’s two attacks. How many more?” Abel felt Ferryl/Jenny’s hand tighten again. The Acro dancer had a very strong grip.
“None, that’s it.” He explained silently as Rob told the rest what happened.
“Who would do that? It had to be deliberate to let something in. We need the magic from the trees instead of stakes, then nobody will pull them up.” Warren, a fifteen-year-old, scowled, thinking hard. “Is bribing dryads the only way to make the barrier stronger?”
“Yes. Otherwise the dryads will knock over the stakes because stronger hexes will make them uncomfortable.” Rob didn’t sound happy. He’d spent long hours trying to convince the local dryads to help, without success.
“Some burke, one of the other students, will have seen the stakes and pulled one up for a laugh. Don’t worry, we’ll find something the dryads want eventually.” Petra seemed a lot more confident than Abel felt.
While the rest tried to come up with a way to stop it happening again, Abel took his chance to ask Ferryl about the thing inside Henry. She recognised the description immediately. “A Blood Leech. How big was it?” Abel estimated. It had definitely looked too big to be inside a person but Ferryl explained that. “Much of it is magic so it fits where it wishes, though it could not have been in Henry long enough to grow to that size. There would have been signs.”
Abel explained about Henry babbling that he’d kissed Claris before the thing slid into his throat. “I think Claris might be in trouble.”
Though Ferryl didn’t seem worried. “Not too much trouble, not yet. She was at school before Valentine’s so the Leech didn’t grow in her either. Very strange. They don’t usually move from person to person that quickly, nor do they risk themselves in open attacks.” Ferryl hesitated. “It may have left seeds. Those will take a few weeks to show, but then we must check Henry. We will check Claris as well, if she turns up.”
“If you two are done staring into each other’s eyes, we’d best get back to the party.” Several others mirrored Rob’s huge grin.
“Not yet. First you all need to know about Blood Leeches, the thing that was inside Henry when I fought him. You all heard the public version, well here’s the truth.” Abel took a big breath and explained about the magic trap he’d set, and how Henry had vomited up a weird blood-red bag with tentacles. When he explained about Henry getting the thing from Claris, most of those present felt the same as Kelis. Claris probably deserved everything she got, and so did Henry for kissing her.
“Hang on, can I get one of those from kissing anyone?” Una looked more than alarmed, and put a hand on her sword.
“No, not if you’ve got a ward, a tattoo. Even a Tavern hex on a bit of wood should help.” Abel put up his hands at the storm of questions. “No, not a vampire, but sort of close.” With Ferryl/Jenny holding his hand and feeding him information, Abel explained properly. Oddly enough, most people thought possession would be worse than the fictional infection depicted in vampire books and films.
“Blood Leeches survive by possessing a human and feeding on the magic in fresh blood. Most find a willing victim, usually demanding forty years of possession in return for curing an otherwise fatal illness. Once vacated the discarded host should be left young and healthy but with no memory of the intervening years. If the Leech has kept the bargain they will then live out their lives normally. Not all Leeches keep the bargain, some leaving the host barely alive or with a seed that will grow into a new Leech. According to Ferryl, Leeches keep a low profile so the church doesn’t kill them, so one attacking me was really unusual.”
“So will Claris be all right, or have a seed in her?” Petra frowned and then shrugged. “Even for her that sounds a bit rough. If she ever comes back to school, will we be able to tell?”
“Ferryl will. Claris will look hungry, half-starved. We should watch Henry for the same signs then if we see them, we can call in Vicar Creepio to kill it.” Abel saw several people, Kelis among them, hesitate before agreeing. At least half of those present had been thumped by Henry at some time.
“Now we really should get back. Mum will notice if both the birthday boy and the girl are missing too long, especially after all those birthday kisses I collected.” Kelis glanced back as she headed for the door. “She might tell Jenny’s dad you disappeared with her.”
“Not quite yet, Kelis.” Una looked around the others. “This is a great party, Abel, but we need a proper meeting soon. One without parents and siblings. The new apprentices, the ones who have just found magic, must see the Willow dryads for a description of the sorceress attack. They need a real scare so they understand how important a ward can be.” She touched the place her own tattoo hid beneath her clothes. “Sooner or later parents are going to notice all these tattoos, and there’ll be hell to pay.”
“Tell them to learn fine control of their glyphs, and I can teach them a seeming. They can wrap a cloth around the mark, then the seeming will make the cloth look like skin. The glyph is on one of the wits I’ve just put in. This is a first step. Casting a seeming on your own skin is very dangerous until you have learned much better control and other, lesser glyphs.” Ferryl/Jenny giggled out loud. “I’ve had to put my ward where it doesn’t show while Acro dancing.”
After some hilarity over where marks were and if they could be stroked in public, all the experienced Taverners wanted to learn the new seeming glyph. Ferryl/Jenny would only allow Petra, Warren and Una to learn right now, but the rest could learn once their control of air and fire had advanced to a suitable level. Seeing how disappointed the rest were, Abel privately suggested the growth glyph. Ferryl approved, because all those present should have sufficient control for that.
The small Angel Wing cutting Abel had taken soon became a healthy young plant, which led to some searching questions about side effects. Some of those present were keen gardeners, or had parents who were. Learning that not only would the effects last if the plant had proper care, but that vegetables were still edible, brought some very happy smiles. Ferryl, through Abel and Zephyr, promptly warned them all not to grow plants out of season, or too large. After some hilarity about giant veggies winning local competitions, the meeting finally broke up.
Or most of it, because Petra, Warren and Una stayed to have their first lesson on casting a seeming, making a bandage look like skin or anything else they wished. All three were even happier to find out even Abel hadn’t seen this one before, and promised competition.
∼∼
One last, small meeting of four had a serious agenda; exactly what the possession entailed. One thing had been settled. From everyone’s reaction to Blood Leech possession, Jenny’s possession definitely had to stay secret. Abel explained Ferryl saying that Jenny had agreed to the deal, and now her mind slept, then the three of them faced Ferryl/Jenny and waited. “We made an agreement, a very quick one because I can’t raise the dead. I am borrowing her body in return for full healing and protection for twenty years, the same bargain I always make. The real Jenny is still in here. Her mind is intact, but really is asleep and slipping deeper. While I control her body I will remember everything, better than she could, so I can give her some memories when I leave.”
“In twenty years. How do we know Jenny agreed?” Kelis went straight to the heart of the problem. “Abel says he saw pleading in her eyes but was it for a rescue? From you?”
“No, I swear on all my names.” The mention of names tempted Abel, but he didn’t want to use Ferryl’s true-name to force answers while others were here. She really didn’t want more people able
to command her, which seemed reasonable.
But the swearing wasn’t enough for Kelis. “How do we know you didn’t just push your way in? Can’t you let her be awake, carry on as usual but with you aboard like you did with Abel?”
“I explained to Abel once before. Forcing possession is difficult and would destroy her mind. The healing meant I had to take over completely so that I understood her body well enough to rebuild it. That’s why I never healed Abel, I couldn’t spread out through him to understand his body well enough. Possessing someone that completely cannot be undone unless I leave entirely, but I would need another host for that. Meanwhile I have to close down her mind or Jenny will be a very dangerous sorceress when I leave. She will remember every glyph I use but won’t have any control.” All three flinched at that. They’d spent weeks learning to control wind and fire away from anything breakable or flammable. Even tiny wind glyphs with too much power or intent could splinter wood.
Kelis had one solution. “You could leave her with a bit of control?”
Though Ferryl had an answer. “No, she has to learn that as herself. Even if I could have done that, Jenny would also be able to see all the knowledge on the two wits buried in her bone. I will remove them before she wakes, because some of that knowledge is very dangerous in untrained hands.” This time the flinching was worse.
“But how do we know exactly what she agreed to?” Abel bit the bullet. “I’m not kissing back until Jenny tells me it’s all right.”
“Jenny is slipping deeper, but gradually because that is safest. Right now I can let her have her mind back, enough to see and speak to you. I will make her sit and freeze her limbs, or she may fight. Just reaction and some confusion, I promise. This will take a few minutes.” Ferryl/Jenny walked to a chair, sat and stiffened.
The three teenagers sat and watched an immobile girl for a while until she stirred and opened her eyes, suddenly and very wide. “Where am I?” Her voice confirmed both confusion and panic.
Kelis dived straight in. “Kelis’ house. Kelis from school. Do you remember the accident and Abel?”
Abel wasn’t sure that would go down well, but her reply sounded less worried. “Abel? Where is Abel? I remember. You moved the wood and picked me up. Then a voice in my head.” Jenny’s eyes moved side to side and she started to panic again. “Why can’t I move? Am I paralysed?”
“No, that’s Ferryl Shayde. The voice in your head?” Kelis turned to bend and whisper into Abel’s ear. “Why didn’t Ferryl tell her this?”
“I don’t know. Because she had to get on with healing?”
At least the name had registered with Jenny and she calmed down a bit. “Right, Ferryl Shayde. The same as your game. Diane had been rabbiting on about the cat-sorceress in your game. Then she was in my head. Ferryl I mean. I woke up in bed at home, nearly healed. It was like a dream. She said it had only been one day and asked if I remembered wanting to live. That it cost twenty years. I said yes but then I went back to sleep.” Jenny’s eyes looked alarmed again, darting from side to side. “What day is it?”
“Saturday, ten days after the accident. Ferryl really has healed you, completely. You can remember the bargain?” Abel almost held his breath, because he wasn’t sure what to do if she said no.
“Bargain? Oh yes, twenty years or die!” Jenny’s voice softened. “I really was dying. Everything had started to fade except the pain and I couldn’t breathe. It felt like drowning. My foot and my arm were on fire. Then a voice asked, so I said yes. Of course I said yes, even if I thought it was hallucination. Shit, that magic crap really works?” A nervous chuckle escaped. “It must. So what exactly happens now? Twenty year amnesia?”
“Ferryl Shayde will live in you, but leave you with a seventeen-year-old body in perfect health.” Kelis didn’t sound keen, even if she tried to lighten it a bit. “I’ll be going grey and you’ll still be bouncing around Acro dancing.”
“But what will she do with me? Crap, what has she done with me? Why am I here, in your house?” The panic started to come back. The following discussion ended up a bit like that, periodic panic mixed with some attempts at dark humour. Eventually Jenny even seemed resigned to the twenty years because, as she put it, the alternative had been worse. Abel explained Ferryl would leave her the memories of who she met and what she learned.
He finally broached his own particular worry. “To explain why I’d got your blood all over me and so she can keep protecting me, Ferryl told everyone I’m your boyfriend.” He held up both hands. “Sorry, but it wasn’t my idea.” He explained about Ferryl teaching and protecting him for ninety years.
“Seriously?” After some explanation and a rerun of the first morning, Jenny accepted that but with definite reservations. “How much of a girlfriend? I can’t remember any of it.”
“Don’t worry.” Kelis sounded a lot happier for some reason. “Abel won’t even kiss back until you say it’s okay. That’s why you’ve been woken up.”
“Kiss back? Crap. I thought you said I’d remember? Now even after I get my body back, I’ll wonder what she missed out.” It wasn’t quite panic, but Jenny wasn’t happy. “Can’t she do that, let me remember it all? Though that might be worse if I can’t stop her. If I’m going to be your girlfriend so she can meet you, can we have ground rules? I don’t really want to go where a twenty-year relationship usually ends up. Nothing personal, but I’d rather decide for myself who I marry.”
“No marriage, or anything remotely like it. After all I don’t really know you, and won’t with Ferryl in charge.” Abel paused, searching for a way to explain.
“He wants to know if it’s okay to kiss back, for starters. Without that, being your boyfriend just won’t fly.” Kelis still looked happier about the kissing than she had other times. “She kisses him with your lips but he won’t respond, which is funny for anyone who really looks. So will you allow that, and what sort of a snog?” She’d started having fun. “Not brother and sister, but I know this idiot. I promise it won’t stray anyplace you don’t want to remember. He’ll find a way to get round the girlfriend thing in the end, or he’ll never have a real one.” Abel blushed while Kelis had started chuckling.
“A bit more than brother might be all right. What is a brother kiss, I haven’t got one? How much more? Oh crap, that’s impossible to describe.” Rob and Kelis spent a few minutes laughing hysterically while Abel started by kissing an immobile Jenny almost too gently to feel. Ferryl must have released some control because she started kissing back. He worked up until Jenny stopped him. “I’d probably give a lad a kiss like that for his birthday or under the mistletoe at Christmas, if he wasn’t too gross.” At least Jenny had seen the funny side, or Abel’s red face amused her. “You aren’t really gross so I can live with that, though I’d still rather remember as it happens. How do we tell Ferryl? Where is she?”
“In your head. I’m going to do a bit of magic now to be sure I reach her. She can’t use your mouth while you’ve got it.” Zephyr connected while Abel held Jenny’s hand to make contact. “Ferryl?”
“I am listening. Jenny can be awake but helpless. I can assure you she will not like that, nor do you want her to learn all my glyphs. Show her some, explain how dangerous such knowledge would be.”
It took a little while. Rob managed the invisible hand clap with wind glyphs, he’d been impressed when Petra came up with it. Abel produced heat, then a warm breeze, then a hovering flame. Kelis fluttered strands of hair, picked up coasters, and made the light bulb sway then stop. She topped it off by doubling the size of one shoot on the plant before breaking it off, and that did it. The others could be magician’s tricks, but not growing a real plant. After that, learning how much bigger an uncontrolled glyph could get really worried Jenny. She finally accepted that sleeping for twenty years would be safer, but only if Abel, Kelis and Rob promised to watch over her. “All right Ferryl Shayde, if you can hear me. Snow White is ready. Find me a really hot prince for my wakeup kiss.”
Wi
th that Jenny had gone, though once Ferryl had control again the other three insisted it had to be less than twenty years. Unfortunately none of them could work out how to do that without someone else being possessed. At least when Jenny’s dad turned up Ferryl kept the goodbye kiss exactly as agreed, a big relief for Abel. A treacherous little thought pointed out it was actually quite nice, definitely past what he’d expect from a sister. It wasn’t long after that before the party gradually wound down as the Taverners left for home. After helping to clear up, Abel headed home with his mum a lot happier about the whole thing. Though now he wondered how mum would feel about helping to run a company.
Fallout
When Abel and his mum came into the lounge and she put the TV on, the few magical creatures began to leave. His mum found a strange sort of satisfaction in finally being proved right, that she’d not been hallucinating for years, and now she even fed the benevolent types in the house. “That’s my fault, and yours.” Abel’s mum took off her Tavern plaque and hung it on the door handle. “Now they’ll come back, and closer to me. I’ve never seen you take yours off.” She frowned. “You don’t have a necklace, nor do most of those at the party. Jess said hers was drawn on. Does that cat woman tattoo do the same?”
While Abel floundered, not least because of the comment about Kelis’ mother, Jess, his phone buzzed. “Just a sec mum.”
The text message from Kelis didn’t help his peace of mind. ‘Mum wants to know if your mum actually sees anything.’
Abel texted an answer. ‘Ghosts? My mum knows about drawn wards.’
Another text arrived, from Rob. ‘Mum wants to see my tattoo, or I’m to show dad.’
“Let me answer these mum, then I’ll turn it off.” Abel quickly sent texts explaining he had the same problems, and to do their best. He also texted Jenny to warn her she might get questions about creatures, wards, and the cat-woman on his arm. He half-expected either mum, or Kelis or Rob’s parents, to phone Mr. Forester. “Right mum.” Abel took a breath. “The tattoo is an attempt to scare the creatures away but I didn’t understand so it doesn’t work. I had another go.” Abel took another deep breath and rolled up his sleeve. “You might recognise the flower.”