by Mark Hayden
My crew ushered the passengers out, and I watched Eseld give a smooth welcome and point to the buggy. None of this flight wanted a lift, so Michael drove the luggage down, and Eseld led them all to the steps. Mina tagged on to the end and waved to me. I waved back and carried on shutting down the helicopter. Scout was waiting patiently at the edge of the safety circle.
Something started pressing on my chest, in a not-good-heart-attack way. I gasped for breath, and it stopped as suddenly as it started, to be replaced by fear. Not my fear…
I looked up and saw a black shadow. A very tall black shadow. It morphed into Raven, and she was holding Scout in her arms. Even at this distance, I could see him trembling. She jogged across the LZ as I was opening the door. When she got close, she almost threw him into the cockpit.
He tried to climb up me, paws scrabbling for purchase on my jacket. I clasped him and lifted him until he could start licking my face. And neck. Even my bald patch did not go unwashed.
‘Easy boy. It’s all right. We’re good. It’s all good.’
Either he calmed down or he ran out of saliva. I eased myself on to the ground and put him down.
‘Sorry about that,’ said Raven. ‘I didn’t realise that he was so fragile.’
The 1st of Ash looked guilty and awkward. For the first time, she was uncomfortable in her huge frame.
‘What were you doing with my Familiar? And why?’
She shook her head. ‘You wouldn’t understand. I’m so sorry, and it won’t happen again. I’ll make it up to him, if I can.’
When she said, You wouldn’t understand, I don’t think it was just magick she was talking about. I left that for later and tried to move on. ‘It’ll cost you at least a steak and a marrowbone. Perhaps even a grooming session.’
She squatted down like a collapsing jenga tower and looked Scout in the eye. ‘Friends? Steak later?’ He looked like he’d take some convincing. She stood up. ‘I wondered if you fancied taking me for a spin? Might not get another chance.’
‘Sorry, Raven. It’s not my decision, and in half an hour I’ll be timed out.’
She reached over and stroked the Mowbray blue door. ‘I never realised it could be so liberating.’ She shook herself. ‘Sorry. I’ll shut up. Have you got more to do?’
‘A bit. We’ll be about half an hour.’
‘We?’
‘Michael’s dad will be here in a minute.’
‘Then I shall leave you to it and see you at the banquet.’
I watched her straight back cross the Point and disappear down the steps. When even Cora’s hearing couldn’t eavesdrop, I bent down to Scout and said, ‘What was that all about then, eh boy?’
‘Arff.’
Fair enough.
Back in the King’s Watch suite, Erin had emerged, wrapped in the complimentary fluffy robe with blue belt. Her hair was even worse – still ink-stained, and now flattened on one side. At least her eyes looked human again. She was snug in the middle of the sofa with Mina and Saffron on either side, and they were watching Mina’s iPad. They’d already made inroads into the afternoon tea spread over the table.
I kissed the top of Mina’s head and leaned over to see.
‘Who filmed that?’ I said.
On the screen, Mina was conducting the poll again, only this time in HD.
‘One of the Mages from darkest Cornwall. St Michael’s Mount, I think. Not that it makes any difference. Mowbray got him to film it for posterity and sent it to me,’ said Mina.
‘Sent it with thanks for a job well done,’ added Saffron.
‘I keep brushing the hair off my face,’ said Mina. ‘All the time.’
‘Yes?’ said Erin. ‘It wouldn’t be you if you didn’t. Ow! That hurt.’
‘I do not do that,’ said Mina, retrieving her elbow from Erin’s ribs.
‘Yes you do,’ I said.
‘Totally,’ agreed Saffron.
‘I can’t watch this!’ said Mina. She made no move to reclaim the iPad or leave the couch.
‘What’s this party tonight?’ said Erin in a pause where on-screen Mina was writing down a particularly long name.
‘Election Banquet,’ said Saffron. ‘It would normally be private, but the new staff king has to deliver on his promises to the Daughters. The big one is the Proclamation feast. That won’t be for a few weeks, and we’re not invited.’
‘What time?’
‘Drinks from seven o’clock, then dinner at half past. Conrad and Mina have an appointment with King Mowbray to seal the new Deed first, so they get dibs on the bathroom. Rewind that bit.’
I desperately wanted to watch the election and see Mina in action. I also wanted to get my chance in the bathroom and left them to it after pouring a cup of tea and stuffing a sandwich in my face.
‘How are we going to handle this?’ said Mina. We were early for our appointment, and Lena, flying past at a run, had asked us to wait on the terrace.
‘We’re in an awkward position,’ I replied. ‘You have a job to do on behalf of the court, and asking questions isn’t part of your remit. I’m here as a personal guest, now that my helicopter duties are over.’
‘I thought you were the guarantor of safety.’
‘Only up to Lamorne Point. That’s why Saffron kissed me when I got the orders from Hannah: no uniform required tonight. Hence the new suit.’
Mina had made the decision to show off one of her scars – the bright blue slash of boiling tattoo ink on her left arm. That had meant a new dress, western and bright red satin. The swastika was going to remain under cover.
She nodded. ‘It is a bit awkward to ask your host questions about his daughter. That’s why I’m glad it’s you that has to ask them.’ She grinned. ‘I’ll back you up.’
While Mina was getting ready, we’d shared notes on the day, especially about Eseld; I’ve been mulling it over ever since. ‘I’ve got a theory,’ I said. ‘About Eseld and Raven. I don’t know where Isolde fits in yet.’
‘Yes?’
‘Eseld told me she had a Familiar when she was very young, only just coming into magick. Raven would have been about eighteen at the time. I think Raven killed it.’
‘What! She murdered Eseld’s Familiar?’
‘Not murder. If it had been deliberate, either Raven or Eseld would be dead by now. Whatever happened, Eseld has forgiven Raven but not her mother.’
Mina drew a deep breath through her nose. It’s her sign that she’s come across something distasteful. ‘I know what happened,’ she said, ‘and I know it because my mother did the same. I think that Isolde persuaded, or bullied, or ordered, or tricked Raven into trying to break the bond. I don’t think Isolde wanted her daughter to have a bat Familiar. Or that particular Spirit in that particular bat.’
I mulled it over. ‘It fits. You missed an option out of your list: blackmailed. Isolde could have had a hold over Raven.’
‘Good point.’
I smiled. ‘I didn’t know you had a pet bat, love. What did your mother really do?’
‘Got me to break up with my best friend. That’s a story for another time. How are we going to test your theory?’
I felt a presence behind us. ‘Not now, I don’t think.’
Cador and Eseld came out of the house deep in conversation. I couldn’t believe the transformation in Eseld. No comedy outfits or sub-Goth black. She was wearing a stunning, loose, Mowbray blue jumpsuit. Mina lost no time in telling her how much it suited her.
‘Thanks,’ said Eseld. ‘Dad’s ready for you now.’
The clothes might be mainstream, but all of the mutinous anger still there. She pivoted and turned it on Cador.
‘What?’ he said.
Eseld folded her arms. Cador pressed his lips together and straightened the cuffs of his jacket. He and I were both wearing hand-tailored suits, from very different parts of London and for very different reasons. And very different prices. When Eseld kept her mouth zipped, he sighed.
‘We don’t know what’s going on,’ he
said. ‘Dad’s up to something, but none of us know what it is. All nine of us were at tea, and he wouldn’t say a thing. Closest I’ve seen to a family meltdown in years. Eseld said you should know.’
‘Damn right,’ said Eseld.
‘What about Medbh?’ said Mina.
Eseld grinned. ‘I called her the golden girl, and she swore at me in Gaelic. She is a good actress, but I don’t think she’s that good; she’s as much in the dark as we are.’
‘Enough,’ said Cador. ‘Let’s not keep him waiting.’
Eseld led us round the front of the house, towards the morning room. The first of the Daughters had appeared in the dining room, and I saw a face of longing against the glass. Isolde.
The door to Mowbray’s study was open and the new staff king was seated at his desk. He looked inordinately pleased with himself, a look Dad used to sport when he’d pulled off a particularly outrageous sale to gullible Americans.
‘Come in, come in,’ he said, rising from the desk and coming round. He looked at his children, standing in the doorway and said, ‘Thanks.’ Then he shut the door in their faces and locked it with key and magick. ‘Take a seat.’
The small conference table had a tray with three glasses and a familiar bottle on it. No. Surely not.
‘My lord king, would that be a bottle of Dawn’s Blessing?’
‘No need for titles,’ he said. ‘Unless it’s a state occasion. That’s definitely something that’s got to go. And yes, it is Dawn’s Blessing.’
‘Is that what Hannah has?’ said Mina.
‘Oh, yes.’
Dawn’s Blessing is a magickal spirit from Scotland. It’s a sort of whisky, in the same way that the Tower of London is a sort of museum. Hannah’s bottle is a personal gift from the Peculier Constable of Scotland; I presume Mowbray got his because he’s incredibly rich
‘For after,’ said Mowbray. ‘Business first.’
We sat down, and he moved the tray on to his desk and opened a cupboard. From the depths, he fetched two tubes, two large oak boxes and the smaller one that contained the seal of Wessex. From a desk drawer he got a heavy manila envelope and two strips of paper, about the size of a cheque. He began with these.
‘You gave me your bank accounts so that I could pay your expenses,’ he said. ‘I’ve done that, and added a fee for personal services. Here’s the advice notes.’
He put them in front of us, and we stared at the figures. ‘You get a lot of service for £10,000 each,’ I said.
‘Worth it. Especially as you’re going to leave my younger daughter alone tonight.’
Mina got in first. ‘You can’t bribe us not to ask questions about Medbh.’
‘I know I can’t. I can ask you, as a father, to leave her alone until I get on my hind legs to present the new Deeds. I’ll say something then. The money is completely non-conditional. If you won’t agree to leave her alone, I’ll just put you on a table by the door and it’ll be very awkward for everyone.’
We looked at each other. Mina moved her head in a circle: it’s up to you.
‘We’re a team,’ I said, ‘and that includes Saffron.’
‘I thought you might say that. She’s got the same, and her advice slip is in the house mail.’
‘Good,’ said Mina. ‘Now what’s this about two Deeds?’
‘Your Enscriber, Erin. She hates me because of this.’ He slipped the cap off a tube and took out a long roll of parchment with a ribbon stitched into the bottom. ‘Have a look at her work.’
We rolled out the parchment. A good Enscriber is both artist and Mage. From the elaborate coat of arms at the top to the final hatching at the bottom, it was beautiful. It was also written in Gaelic script and the Cornish language. No wonder she’d gone bonkers.
‘It goes with this,’ said Mowbray. He opened one of the large boxes and from a bed of velvet, he took a thin golden circlet, larger and less ornate than the crown I’d seen in the video.
‘Kingdoms. Plural,’ said Mina.
‘Correct,’ said Mowbray. ‘I’ll explain it all later. All you have to do is put your seal after mine.’
She lifted her hair away from the tops of her arms. I think it was tickling her. ‘Do you think this will end up in the Cloister Court?’
‘No. I think certain lawyers will be all over it, then they’ll advise their clients that it isn’t worth the risk of going to court.’
‘And the first lawyer to examine it will be Cador, won’t it?’
His face froze for a moment and his eyes unfocused. He tapped the table with his hand and turned away. ‘Sometimes you have to act alone. I’ll get the royal seal and some wax.’
The royal seal of Wessex was ancient and ornate. It was also huge and must be worth a fortune in scrap gold alone, never mind the artistic and magickal value. In two minutes, it was all done and Mowbray’s good humour had been restored. He cleared all the boxes and tubes away and restored the drinks tray. The only other item on the table was the manila envelope.
He poured three small measures and sat back. ‘I don’t know what the Constable does when she serves Dawn’s Blessing, but I’m a traditionalist.’
‘Hannah drinks it. What else would she do?’
He laughed. ‘The toast. Have a smell first.’
We inhaled the aroma of fresh peat bogs and misty mornings.
‘I am not a whisky lover,’ said Mina. ‘For this, I make an exception.’
Mowbray lifted his glass, ‘May the gods grant us many new days and bless our beginnings. To the dawn.’
‘To the dawn.’
There was a shared moment of peace as the golden glow of dawn spread across the room. In one smooth motion, we all placed our empty glasses on the table. There was a sigh of pleasure from under the table and Mowbray laughed.
‘I had no idea Dawn’s Blessing could spread down the Familiar channel.’ He reached down and gave Scout a scratch. ‘Don’t develop a taste for it,’ he said affectionately. ‘Bad for you.’
‘Everything he wants is bad for him,’ said Mina. ‘He’s going through a teenage phase.’
‘Tell me about it,’ said Mowbray. ‘There’s one more thing.’ He opened the envelope and pulled out a mundane document of printed sheets on archive paper. The sheets were held together with a gold ring in the top corner. He turned to the last page and placed it in front of himself. From his suit pocket, he took a fountain pen.
‘This is my mundane will. A new one, in anticipation of my marriage. I’d like you to witness my signature.’
‘Of course.’
‘It would be an honour.’
‘Thank you.’ He uncapped the pen and wrote today’s date, the 10th of September. Then he signed it with a flourish and passed the document and the pen to Mina.
She studied the document and smiled. ‘You’ve already put our names and addresses.’
‘There’s another identical copy in the drawer with Saffron and Erin’s names on it. I can’t use the Estate staff because most of them are beneficiaries, and beneficiaries can’t be witnesses.’
Mina signed. ‘I like being Mina Desai of Elvenham House. It has a ring to it.’
I also signed and returned the pen and papers. Mowbray pocketed the pen and slid his will into the envelope. He sealed the flap and slid it across to Mina. ‘Will you keep that? The king’s will should be lodged with the court.’
Mina passed it to me. It was too big for her small purse, and only just fitted in my pocket.
‘Thank you both,’ said Mowbray. ‘I hope you enjoy the party.’
33 — Hustings
Saffron and Erin were waiting in the morning room when Mowbray released us. There was no sign of his family.
‘You’ve scrubbed up nicely,’ I said to Erin.
‘Ha ha, Conrad. It was a close run thing. I nearly rang Lena and asked to borrow some evening gloves.’
‘How did you get on?’ said Saffron, ‘and why have I got a note saying I’m rich?’
‘You only need a mirror to
know you’re rich,’ said Mina.
‘Eh?’ Saffron wasn’t sure whether she’d been complimented or insulted.
‘Nice work on the Cornish Deed, Erin. It was worth the extra soap and water.’
She showed her hands. They were bright red. ‘You need a solvent to get that stuff off. I won’t be able to use Merlyn’s Ink until the rash has cleared up. Not that I get many commissions like that.’
‘What’s going on?’ said Saffron.
Mina explained the double Deed situation, and Saffron agreed to leave Medbh alone.
‘You three can carry on plotting if you like,’ said Erin. ‘I need a drink.’
We took a short cut through the Pellacombe maze to the dining room and found that (apart from the king himself), we were the last to arrive.
‘Yes!’ said Saffron when we got to the bar. ‘Real Champagne.’
Lena overheard her. ‘Ja. The house wine did not go down well. Please take two glasses each. You have some catching up to do.’
‘That is a gorgeous dress,’ said Mina.
I grabbed two glasses and headed outside. My opinion of Lena’s dress was neither wanted nor useful (I didn’t think it suited her, but what do I know?). Eseld was waiting for me, where she knew I’d be going. She’d even arranged a pillar ashtray.
‘Is one of those for me?’ she asked.
‘No. Get your own.
‘Michael! Over here!’
She swapped her empty glass for a full one and said, ‘What shall we drink to?’
‘I’m done here. So is Mina. Why not drink to endings and beginnings?’
We clinked glasses and made the toast. There was a whine from down below. ‘What’s up with him?’ said Eseld.
‘Your father shared Dawn’s Blessing. Scout’s disappointed that Champagne doesn’t have the same magickal properties.’
‘Lucky you! We’re having a family get-together after the formal meal and speeches. If he doesn’t crack it open then, I’ll want to know why.’ She took a long look at me. ‘You’re not going to talk, are you?’
‘No.’
‘Then give me a fag instead. I’ve got some gossip for you.’ She smoked for a second and continued. ‘I ran into Lena before. Literally ran into her – round a corner and boom! We were both in a hurry. I don’t know what came over me after that.’