The Gilweean Gateway

by R A Lindo

  Jacob shook his head. “Another Society mystery. Your dad and aunt will know where it is. It sounds like they’re protecting Theodore, and they mentioned another secret passage that will lead us to him.”

  “Which could be anywhere,” countered Guppy. “In the meantime, our mum’s hiding something from the Society which could put us all in danger.”

  “Which the adults are dealing with,” countered Jacob with a touch of annoyance. “As much as we need to know what our mum’s up to, Guppy, Conrad’s needs are more pressing. At least we still have our mum present, as infuriating as she is.

  Having no contact with one parent when you’ve just lost the other is unimaginably difficult, so let’s show some compassion. Conrad isn’t going anywhere because he doesn’t know how to get back to The Cendryll without us. I doubt he’s ever used a Perium or Cympgus on his own or wants to go walking through Society Square, realising there are people after his dad.”

  With another mild argument brewing between Guppy and Jacob, Kaira thought it wise to turn their attention to a familiar enemy visible through the circular window. “Guess who?” she said which got the reaction she had hoped for - a desire to know who had piqued Kaira’s interest.

  Looking down onto Founders’ Quad together, Kaira pointed the familiar enemy out: four adults dressed in grey overcoats with an insignia on the lapel … two men and two women striding authoritatively through Founders’ Quad.

  “The Sinister Four,” uttered Guppy.

  “Out of The Pancithon and up to no good, I imagine,” added Kaira as she studied Sylan Ryll, Aneesha Khan, Tunula Creswell and Ulyn Pavel.

  “We should follow them,” suggested Guppy as her impulsiveness took hold.

  “The Revolving Room is supposed to keep our movements hidden from those keen to track our movements, Guppy,” her brother challenged, although he was equally keen to find out more about The Sinister Four’s involvement in the dark plans forming within the S.P.M.A. They were clearly involved - that much was evident when they had overheard on their midnight trip to The Pancithon.

  “Let’s use the Follygrin to find out what they’re up to,” suggested Kaira, her skin crawling at the sight of Aneesha Khan whose hair seemed to have grown back rather quickly after being viciously attacked by the Quij in The Pancithon: an attack orchestrated by Jacob in a fit of furious vengeance.

  Now Conrad knows his dad is safe, we can talk to my dad and aunt later about getting them together again. In the meantime, I’ve got a funny feeling The Sinister Four and your mum are part of the same plan, involving the fragment under The Floating Floor.”

  “Only one way to find out,” suggested Guppy. “The Follygrin and another midnight trip when everyone’s asleep in The Cendryll. If they are working together, and the Terrecet has the power over people, as the legend suggests, then our mum’s bound to be sneaking around tonight, returning to inspect it.”

  “Or move it,” added Jacob.

  “So we better get a move on,” concluded Kaira.

  The plan was set in motion. They would use the Follygrin to track Meyen Grayling and The Sinister Four to gauge what connection, if any, was suggested by their daily routines. Any interactions would confirm that they were, indeed, the shadows in the sands of Gilweean: a unity of thieves who had forged a dark bargain … acquiring a stolen fragment which had already led to the death of Cialene Koll in Dyil’s Ditch.

  They may even have been the group who carried out the Voxum Vexa curse on Blaze Flint - the black market rat who had no memory of those who had attacked him for an acquired artefact: a lethal artefact he had bought with no knowledge of the venomous forces hunting it.

  Unlike their first forays into the mysteries of the S.P.M.A., Kaira, Guppy and Jacob were armed with greater knowledge, growing magical abilities and the advantage of covert movements via The Revolving Room - each of which they would need to negotiate the danger they were about the walk into.

  9

  Familiar Enemies

  Exiting the top floor of Zucklewick’s wasn’t as easy as entering because there was no revolving room to mask their movements. Instead, it was a simple walk down the narrow stairs, leading them into the Society bookshop and the familiar, genteel presence of Ivo Zucklewick.

  Their appearance gained a few suspicious looks from the adults - a mixture of Society folk and above-ground people who were searching for antiquarian books they couldn’t find elsewhere. Zucklewick’s, like all Society establishments, wore its facade well, presenting a convincing air of normality to the uninitiated whilst providing the necessary services to members of the S.P.M.A.

  Book covers, along with their contents, could be transformed like everything else in The Society for the Preservation of Magical Artefacts; it was simply a case of disguising magical texts as familiar above-ground books. A few drops of Crilliun along with the utterance of ‘Comeuppance’ and a rub of the book’s spine would reveal its true, magical contents.

  The young quartet were not in need of books or artefacts from Ivo Zucklewick today; he had already been accommodating in offering the privacy of his private quarters along with the pretence of normality. The group’s focus was The Sinister Four who were last seen moving through with swells in Founders’ Quad, their militant strides and arrogant air enough to part the sea of people descending on Leaning Lane.

  It didn’t take a Follygrin to guess that they were heading into the maze of Society Square which stretched beyond Founders’ Quad. The labyrinthine streets, lanes and alleys of Society Square housed the S.P.M.A.’s black market establishments, including The Blind Horseman and The Hideout.

  After offering a collective thank you to Ivo Zucklewick, they left Zucklewick’s and stepped into the thriving streets of Founders’ Quad. No longer having the high vantage point of the upper floor of the building, they couldn’t locate Sylan Ryll, Tunula Creswell, Aneesha Khan and Ulyn Pavel through the crowds. Their best chance to track them down would be escaping the crowds hypnotised by the Christmas lights and a myriad of wonders on offer, forging down less trodden paths.

  Their one limitation was the lack of welcome they would receive if they entered any black market establishment, not to mention the scolding they would get from Kaira’s dad and aunt. Subtlety, not impulsivity, was expected of them now - their brush with death in Dyil’s Ditch enough to shock them into the dark realities mixed within the majesty of their secret world. Keeping their distance, they headed down Horsel Street towards Horsel Hill and a particular building where The Sinister Four would probably be headed: The Sylent.

  They moved along the less populated streets of Society Square, conscious that fewer adults made them potential targets of a vengeful attack. Jacob’s use of the Quij as a form of defence in The Pancithon would not be quickly forgotten, so following the four Implementers ran the risk of walking into a trap.

  Danger came with the territory now, added to the fact that they had the protection of their penchants and, except for Conrad, enough magical training to defend against any potential attack above ground. Exposing the Society led to immediate expulsion so, for now at least, their tracking of The Sinister Four had limited potential for danger.

  As they reached the margins of Society Square, illuminated by Christmas decorations, Conrad paused at the sight of the imposing, derelict structure resting at the top of Horsel Hill. They were alone on the corner of Horsel Street, allowing them to speak freely.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea,” he stated before turning to the others - a mild air of defiance passing across his face. “Whoever The Sinister Four are, they look pretty scary and I thought we were going on a tour. My dad’s already in trouble and I don’t want to make things worse for him.”

  Jacob placed a reassuring hand on Conrad’s shoulder before explaining the power of their penchants to protect them. “The ring on your finger, and the gemstone within it, protects you from any real danger.”

  “And there are remedies to heal scratches and bruises,” added Guppy as she i
mpatiently tapped her foot. The Sinister Four were moving up Horsel Hill and could turn back at any minute to spot their familiar foes. They needed to get a move on or get out of sight.

  “Why do we need to follow them?”

  “Because they’ve got something to do with what’s happening in the Society,” explained Kaira, “and, probably, what’s happening with your dad.”

  Conrad turned his attention to her, his eyes narrowing with mild suspicion. “How could you know that?”

  “Let’s just say we’ve had a few run-ins with The Sinister Four and heard enough to know they’re up to no good. Also, the Follygrin helps to explain a lot. They’re involved in whatever dark plan is forming and we need to follow them to find out more.”

  “Are we going or not?” pressed Guppy whose new attempt at sensitivity and compassion was wearing thin.

  “I’ll take Conrad back,” offered Jacob whose thirst for vengeance regarding The Sinister Four hadn’t completely abated. They would meet again, he knew, although this time The Pancithon’s Implementers would be more wary of the youngest members of the S.P.M.A. who had orchestrated a vicious Quij attack to protect themselves.

  “No.”

  Jacob, Kaira and Guppy shared a glance at the aggressive tone in Conrad’s voice. Was he going to be a liability in their pursuit of the shadows shifting within the Society?

  “I’m coming,” commanded Conrad, his large ears reddening as the winter chill rested on their stationary figures. “If they’re involved with my dad’s disappearance, I want to help. I know I haven’t had any training in magical spells and stuff…”

  “Which we’ll teach you later,” interrupted Guppy who stepped ahead, determined to begin their tracking of The Sinister Four. “First, we need to use the trees lining either side of Horsel Hill to act as cover. That way, we can approach The Sylent without being seen.”

  “And then?” asked Conrad.

  “And then we use a Pryal charm to listen in on whatever’s going on in there,” explained Kaira as the group moved off to the right, towards the trees providing the necessary cover.

  Conrad realised his questioning and hesitation was annoying the others so resisted the temptation to enquire further. Instead, he focused on keeping up with their surprisingly fast pace, shivering as the winter chill ran over his body, no longer protected by the garishly orange jumper left soaking in Ivo Zucklewick’s sink. Additional knowledge and lessons in charms would follow but, for now, all eyes were on the imposing, derelict building standing atop Horsel Hill: the house where Gorrah once lived.

  Kaira, Jacob and Guppy knew little about The Sylent beyond its dark history, although their knowledge extended to the numerous protective and restrictive charms which made the notorious structure inaccessible to most.

  The building’s name, originally Horsel House, became unofficially known as The Sylent during the time of the secret, illegal practice of Gorrah, the term ‘Sylent’ a reference to secrecy, cruelty and betrayal. To ensure no further dark practices would be carried out there, The Orium Circle formed a complex web of charms to make entry particularly problematic.

  Those naïve enough to try were met with a swift fate, including temporary banishment from the S.P.M.A. Continued attempts to breach the restrictive and protective charms would lead to exile on Quibbs Causeway where few survived the Mantzils’ Cry.

  The unlucky ones who did survive the mind-splitting screech returned unhinged, scraping a living on the margins of the Society whilst spitting venomous words at anyone who would listen. Criminality was the very thing on Kaira’s mind as they approached The Sylent because it was the clearest association she had to her grandfather, Isiah Renn. He had been one of the group of malevs connected to dark practices in the building they were now approaching: a figure engendering fear and awe in equal measure.

  Why her father wouldn’t discuss him remained a mystery - as did many other things - but the more immersed Kaira and her friends became in the events swirling around them, the closer she felt to her grandfather’s presence. He had been seen on the Society margins at the very location they were walking towards now: an enigmatic symbol of a magical and Caribbean heritage she was keen to learn more about.

  “Okay,” uttered Jacob as they neared the imposing, derelict structure atop Horsel Hill. “We need to stay out of sight so let’s stick close together and move to the next bank of trees.”

  “They must be here to meet someone,” suggested Kaira as she nudged Conrad to follow Jacob’s careful movements, each of them keeping low as the wind whipped through their hair, causing an increasing reddening of their faces.

  It seemed distinctly colder on the top of Horsel Hill, as if they had stepped out of the protective warmth of Society Square and into the soulless space of a building notorious for its study of evil. Whatever the plan, it needed to be enacted quickly, Kaira thought, before the close-to-freezing temperature or the shadowy figures within forced their retreat to the safety of Founders’ Quad.

  Whether her dad would view this venture as symbolic of the new caution and duty expected of them was yet to be seen. For now, it was a case of surveillance and stealth, remaining out of sight whilst the shifting light in the lower rooms of The Sylent suggested that dark practices had begun again - or that dark forces had combined to forge ahead with a plan that was likely to be linked to a legendary artefact with venomous power.

  “It’s freezing up here,” muttered Conrad as Jacob manoeuvred him lower, sensing that the youngest member of the S.P.M.A. may have the impulsive nature his sister was finally showing signs of growing out of.

  “Lift up the collar of your coat and keep your voice down,” suggested Jacob as a figure appeared in the window, making them all drop to their knees in shock.

  The figure was striking in a number of ways, in particular the contrast of the fire-red hair and translucent, scar-ravaged skin. A sinister aura emanated from the man, making Kaira more certain than ever that this adventure needed to be brief for, once more, they had found themselves flirting with danger: a danger only heightened by the utterance of the figure’s name.

  “Erent Koll,” whispered Jacob as each of them took cover behind the trees, peering through the foliage to see if they’d been spotted - apparently not for now.

  “Erent Koll?” whispered Kaira as the wind rose, sending leaves spinning into the air in a rhythmic dance Kaira sensed was not entirely due to nature alone. “The man suspected of murdering Soral Blin who, apparently, killed Erent Koll’s uncle - Pavor Koll - for a Terrecet fragment!?”

  Jacob nodded as the fear rose in each of them. “He almost never enters the Society Sphere; our protective barriers limit his powers.”

  As Conrad remained frozen in fear, wondering how he had gone from thinking about school in the above-ground world to hiding from a mass murderer, Guppy displayed her growing maturity with a simple plan which, for once, didn’t involve rushing into danger.

  “Let’s use the Pryal charm to listen in.”

  “Almost certainly won’t work,” countered Jacob who was becoming a little concerned at Conrad’s rising levels of anxiety. “The Sinister Four wouldn’t let themselves be seen walking to Horsel Hill without putting some protection in place.”

  “The Worble charm,” added Kaira, following Jacob’s train of thought.

  “And the Invisilis charm to make their movements untraceable via a Follygrin.”

  “The Looksee?” suggested Guppy which brought a smile from Kaira and Jacob - Conrad remaining in a state of perpetual fear.

  “Brilliant,” replied Jacob who knew, like Kaira, that the Looksee allowed you to spy on any room within the same building. The only problematic point to the idea was that they weren’t actually in The Sylent, but they agreed it was both safe, would not draw attention to them and offered a semblance of hope regarding the sinister plot being developed within.

  With the plan agreed to try the Looksee before making their retreat, Guppy uttered ‘Comeuppance’ and reached inside her
pocket for a small glass, hexagonal object with a silver clasp. The appearance of the magical artefact entranced Conrad whose copper-blonde quiff seemed to stand to attention - a combination of fear and wonder as the unique powers of the S.P.M.A. were slowly being revealed to him.

  “We leave as soon as we have some idea of what’s going on,” instructed Jacob who had reprised his paternal role. Perhaps it was due to a conversation he’d had with Kaira’s dad and aunt or, Kaira wondered, the memory of his inability to pre-empt his sisters mad dash through a Cympgus to Dyil’s Ditch.

  Whatever the reason, Jacob was following the request for caution and stealth to the letter, ensuring their renewed acquaintance with The Sinister Four would not end the way their last meeting had.

  “Okay,” whispered Guppy as she took the Looksee out of her pocket and placed it onto the grass, ready to unclasp it to release its magical properties until a sudden pressure enveloping her body forced her to fall backwards against her will … incapable of controlling her movements as she landed at the feet of one of the most wanted men in the Society: Isiah Renn.

  The terrified yells uttered from each of them were quelled by Isiah Renn’s use of the Vyoxal charm - a charm which restricted the voice box, rendering them helpless and powerless to his will. It was also obvious that a Magneia charm had been used to restrict their movements meaning that, once more, the lives of the youngest members of The Society of the Preservation of Magical Artefacts were in the balance.

  Having little recollection of her grandfather, Kaira remained close to Guppy, fighting back tears as she fought against the force pulling her towards him - an imposing Caribbean figure with the flamboyant dress and wild afro hair reminiscent of Weyen Lyell, minus a critical factor: kindness and loyalty to others.

  It seemed incomprehensible that her own grandfather would harm her, but this moral reasoning was shattered as Isiah Renn raised his right arm, spinning it in an elaborate motion symbolic of the fury he was about to unleash, causing his young victims to utter silent screams of terror as a sudden swirl of smoke-like energy appeared above them - a suspected curse which turned out to be something else as the man hated by his own son stated: “You are not safe here.”