by M S C Barnes
“The blame is not yours, Henri,” Aelfric said, quietly.
“No Aelfric?” Henri snapped his head up. “Did you know that, some years back, Heath sought me out on the equinox? On the equinox,” Henri sounded shocked. “I was dealing with a trespassing soul in the Dryad realm and Heath came to me. He was fixated with an idea and he spent hours speaking with me. He seemed uncaring about his responsibilities — and mine — during the equinox, and any effort I made to remind him of them was dismissed. He assured me he had your sanction to be absent from your watch and told me I should trust Nicole to deal with our area. She had been confirmed for a decade by then and could cope. There was no turning him from the subject of his obsession — a Dryad being a Custodian.” Henri looked astounded and Seb noticed Dierne stiffen. “I indulged the conversation, against my better judgement, out of friendship — and a realisation that, as much as it had appeared that Heath had moved on from his loss of Braddock, he was obviously still grieving.
“But when he asked if I thought it was possible for Nature to accept the transfer of a repentant soul into an already-occupied Custodian host I, believing he wished to try to share his own body with Braddock’s soul, became angry. What he was suggesting was abhorrent and against all that we do and are required to do. And I told him as much.” Henri was now gazing off into the distance, as though transported back to that moment and detached from the place and people around him. He fell silent and then, suddenly snapping back to reality, frowned and grunted.
“Afterwards, Heath tried to make light of the conversation and brush it off as the speculation of an ‘old soul’ seeking new knowledge. From that day though, our friendship was never quite the same. He still visited, but we saw less and less of each other and he began to spend more time with Nicole and the ‘younger’ group. I was satisfied with that arrangement,” he said, looking at Aelfric. “So, when you gave the news to the Witan of Heath’s demise, I was saddened, but not wholly surprised. And since then, I admit, I have felt guilty. Years back, I should have informed the Witan of that conversation; I should, at least, have informed you, Aelfric and I should have engaged with Heath more, explored his thoughts, watched his actions.” Once more, Henri fell into silence.
Seb was watching Aelfric. He, along with Aelfric’s group, knew the significance of that equinox meeting. Aelfric, on that day, had gone in search of Heath. And, because he was absent from his post, a trespassing soul had been given the freedom to occupy the host body of Seb’s and Scarlet’s newborn brother. In so doing, it had cast out their own father’s soul — the one destined by Nature to occupy that body — and, thereby, caused him to be lost for years in a nowhere land between the resting place and the living world. Aelfric still blamed himself and Seb wondered what his response would be.
“I knew you two met,” Aelfric said. “And, I have my own guilt to bear in respect of that day. As I have said, the blame is not yours, Henri. We all missed the signs,” Greg was nodding, as was Dom, “but Heath is responsible for his own actions and I doubt anything you could have said would have changed him from his path. What’s done is done. So, tell us what has happened since.”
Aiden coughed gently and all eyes turned to him.
“Can you just please explain who’s who first?” he said, nervously. “I, I mean, we’re a bit lost.” He pointed around at Seb and the others. “Jacqueline is your Guide?” Henri nodded. “And you think Jacqueline is our Lorna?” Aiden asked.
Henri, looking confused, glanced at Aelfric.
“They had an encounter with a female in the Caves and her description matches Jacqueline, although we cannot be certain,” Aelfric said.
Henri looked thoughtful. “Very likely,” he said eventually.
“And Nicole?” Aiden asked. “Nicole is the latest Custodian for your area?”
Henri took a deep breath. “Yes, Nicole is my successor,” he said. “And I planned that — sometime soon — she would take over this area.” Reynard turned inward and looked at Henri, shocked. “I am tired, Reynard,” Henri sighed, “tired of this role. I never thought the day would come when I would wish to hand over and move on; but this thing with Heath…” He rubbed his eyes then, lifting his head, continued. “Well, Nicole, is my successor. I have been proud to mentor her and pleased to see how she has progressed. Her skills are quite phenomenal.” He frowned, as if that thought disturbed him. “Heath had always commented on how keen she was to learn; he was most impressed by her and, as he began to spend less time with me and more with her group, I believe he took it upon himself to expand her knowledge. Nicole, in turn, seemed to develop a,” he paused, choosing his next words carefully, “fondness for Heath, and Jacqueline you know, Aelfric,” he looked at him and smiled sadly, “was always very close to him.” Zach snorted childishly. Henri, ignoring him, continued. “News of Heath’s fate hit them both hard. Jacqueline, on first hearing Trudy’s account, doubted it.” Henri looked apologetically at Trudy. “And, when she passed the details on to Nicole, the two were in agreement. They approached me and told me they believed that the story was false and that this had been a deliberate act to remove Heath, in order for you, Aelfric,” he looked intently at him, “to gain total control of your area.” Aelfric looked surprised but said nothing. “I will not give a full account of what discourse followed but there was division amongst us. Nicole had persuaded her group that some treachery had occurred and Jacqueline agreed.” Now Henri looked angry. “In spite of my efforts to convince them otherwise, including advising them of my conversation with Heath on that equinox, they were adamant Heath had been the victim of your ambition. They demanded I take some sort of action against you and Nicole, in particular, was vociferously critical when I would not. For days she continued to insist that I act and in the end, I forbade her, and all of them, to speak of the matter any more.
“All seemed fine, until a few weeks ago, when I noted a disturbance between the realms — I could feel a strange darkness.” Henri’s voice grew quieter. Seb shivered. “I couldn’t pinpoint or identify what it was but I began to notice it more often. And then, last evening, I felt that darkness again, only this time, it was followed by a sudden surge of power and I knew someone was engaging in practices that have been rarely used and long forbidden.” He stared at Aelfric, his eyes widening. “I could not confirm the source or the specific practice or, indeed the victim, but I did suspect that it was sympathetic influence that was being used. Uneasy, I went in search of Nicole, in order to discuss it with her. Neither she, nor her group, nor Jacqueline were to be found. With my group, I have been searching for them since.” He paused now, looking puzzled. “Dæved tried looking too but could not locate her or the others and he couldn’t communicate with Riven either.” Glancing at Aiden he said, “Riven is Nicole’s Dryad twin.”
“Why would that be?” Seb asked Alice, silently.
“I don’t know. It is worrying that he couldn’t communicate, but more worrying that he couldn’t find them,” he said, looking anxious.
Aelfric leant forward, and Seb thought he saw the flicker of concern on his face though he masked it quickly.
Henri continued. “I have felt the darkness resurface through the night and, having tracked its use to this area, became increasingly anxious. I was already suspicious, but now, thanks to Philippe and to Dom’s íwan parchment, I am certain. Aelfric,” he clenched his fists, “Nicole is bent on destroying you and Seb, and she is using dark weapons in order to do so.”
“The parchment?” Dom asked.
“Yes,” Henri said. “The words used to animate the golem in their original order were: ‘Wear u chin on ice’.” Scarlet was nodding. “The parchment reordered those letters,” he continued.
“ Hine ic onwrecau,” Aelfric said and Henri looked surprised. “The same letters, in a different order, were used to animate a golem just days ago,” Aelfric explained. “The parchment reordered those too.” He looked around the circle. “‘Hine ic onwrecau’ is Old English for: Him I avenge. And t
hat is the Word of Truth — naming the true purpose for which these golems were animated.”
Seb’s mouth was dry. Up until now he believed that one person was trying to attack him and that was frightening enough. Now, it seemed, there was a Custodian, her whole group and even a member of Henri’s group, all with one goal — to kill him and Aelfric. He sat, staring at his hands in his lap, hoping he didn’t look as scared as he felt, when he heard Nat gasp.
“Seb,” she said, sounding worried but, as he looked at her, she became confused and suddenly transferred her gaze to Aelfric. He had closed his eyes and sat back in his seat. As Seb watched, he saw the aura around him intensify. It was only for a moment and then it diminished again and Aelfric opened his eyes.
Henri had also been watching Aelfric. “She tries here?” he growled. “Here?”
“She is getting bolder,” Aelfric answered him, looking sad. “Fortunately, she unwittingly gives a warning on each occasion.”
Greg, leaping from his seat, interrupted. “You didn’t say you were being attacked too Aelfric,” he said. “I thought it was just Seb.”
“In the beginning it was,” Aelfric said, waving a calming hand at him. “It is only in the last hour that she has made any attempt on me. Possibly, having been frustrated in her attempts on Seb, she is now looking for weakness in me. As I say though, she gives a warning on each occasion and, so long as we are aware,” he looked at Seb and smiled encouragement, “we can defend ourselves.
“I have been wrong.” Henri was still staring at Aelfric. “I had not realised you knew and were able to defend yourselves Aelfric. I, I am sorry —” he sounded disconcerted.
“Sorry about what?” Trudy demanded.
Henri looked pained. “Trudy, I didn’t know for certain what was happening. Although I had a very good idea, it was not enough to tell anyone beyond my group. But if I did nothing, that could have left Aelfric and Seb at risk,” he said.
“So you used the subliminal messages in an attempt to debilitate us,” Aelfric continued for him. “You knew that we were most vulnerable to attack every time we read a soul. You tried to make us so ill and tired that we could not continue to do so. Also, being weakened to that extent would suppress our consciousness to such a level we would be far more difficult to locate,” he said. Henri nodded, then shook his head sadly.
“I had to weigh the risk of you temporarily not being able to deal with trespassing souls, against the risk of Nicole being able to harm or destroy one or both of you. I believed I could deal with the few additional trespassing souls in your area, along with any in mine, while I searched for her. I really didn’t think it would take this long, or be this hard, to find her.” He sounded dismayed.
“Why not just warn Aelfric?” Trudy asked.
“Because I wasn’t sure, Trudy. I didn’t know for certain and didn’t want to cast suspicion on Nicole if she was innocent.” He paused. “And, I still hoped that, even if I was right, I could persuade Nicole to abandon this plan before any real harm was done,” he said, more quietly. Then he sat back in his chair, his story finished.
Seb was watching him and, although physically he looked more relaxed, as if relieved to have got everything off his chest, his aura was vibrating and shimmering as though he were still under extreme stress.
Now Nat spoke, very quietly.
“There is something else,” she said and Henri jerked his head up and eyed her warily.
“Yes,” Aelfric, agreeing with Nat, stood, looking down on Henri. “You need to tell us all, Henri.”
Henri flinched and then, suddenly, he bent forward and put his head in his hands. Aelfric stepped over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Henri, we will sort this together, I told you that.”
Now Henri lifted his head. He looked anguished as he stared up at Aelfric and when he spoke, his voice cracked.
“Lotty is missing,” he said.
The Trap
Seb didn’t know who Lotty was, but Henri was clearly very upset that she was missing. Zach was blunt.
“Who’s Lotty,” he said, turning and staring at Henri who had, once more, put his head in his hands.
“She is Henri’s Seer,” Trudy answered.
“Yes,” Greg whispered, looking sad. “And his wife of more than a hundred years.”
“A hundred years?” Scarlet said, shocked. “That long?” She grimaced.
“What’s wrong with that?” Zach asked and she tutted at him.
“Over a century, Zach! Married to the same person!” she said in a hissed whisper, shaking her head.
“When you love someone, why not!” he muttered, crossing his arms. Looking disgruntled, he frowned at the grass and added quietly, “It’s romantic.”
“How, Henri? When? Where?” Trudy ignored the pair.
As Henri began his answer, his voice was shaky.
“At the start of the night, I told the others of the darkness and the power surge I had felt and asked Philippe to locate the source. Philippe said he had sensed nothing, and still could not sense anything. In all honesty, my immediate suspicion was that it might be Nicole who was the cause of this darkness. It was just a feeling though, based on nothing certain…” His voice trailed off. “So I dismissed that suspicion,” he said more firmly, “and tried opening a door to her, hoping to discuss it with her. The door, initially, led to what appeared to be a normal residential road. But it was in your area, Aelfric and not too far from your school. Seabrook Drive?”
“Our road!” Seb said silently to Alice. “They were outside.”
“Pace did howl at the window,” Alice said. “And Nat sensed the darkness there.”
“That was the scene of the first attack,” Aelfric said.
Henri, nodding, continued. “Well, when we arrived, there was no sign of Nicole. I felt, however, that she — I believe with her group and Jacqueline — had just left. Nicole wears a signature perfume and I could detect it on the air. So I opened the door again, trying to follow them; but it lead back to the grounds of our Light House.”
“Lighthouse?” Zach interrupted. “Seriously? A lighthouse. Is that your place? Now that is cool. Why do we get a Pytt and you get a lighthouse?”
“Shut up, Zach,” Trudy snapped.
Henri, frowned at the interruption before resuming.
“Surprised at where we had ended up, I tried opening a door to her once more, but again we couldn’t find her or any of her group.” He sat more upright, his voice becoming stronger as he continued. “So now my suspicion that Nicole was behind these dark practices returned,” he said. “She was clearly evading me. I tried opening the door to her several times and each time, we would arrive at the same residential road, just after they left; I would open the door again and it would take us back to the fountain in the grounds of the Light House. We now ended up in the ludicrous situation where we were traipsing backwards and forwards between those two locations in a maddening game of cat-and-mouse. And, although all the while I was engaging in that game, it prevented Nicole from progressing any plans she may have had, it also meant there would be no permanent resolution and it prevented me from continuing with my own role in my own area. I had to break the cycle. I decided to call a halt to our pursuit.
“I did wonder how Nicole was forewarned that we were coming and then I realised, she was simply being clever. She was using the sudden appearance of the door I was opening as her signal to leave.
“Anyway, having decided to halt the pursuit, we remained at the Light House and I tried to pass a message to Riven. But Riven ignored Dæved’s communication. So, unable to think of any other way to locate Nicole, I decided to send Dæved to her. Unfortunately, just at that point, I got the sign that I needed to go and deal with a trespassing soul. Taking just Reynard and Dæved, we dealt quickly and on our return, I did send Dæved to Nicole.” He paused, looking worried. “I have never known a Dryad be unable to go to whomever they wish,” he said. Seb glanced at Dæved, who looked defensive, and then at Dierne. H
e saw the faintest signs of concern on his face. Alice fidgeted. “But Dæved could not get to Nicole or any of her group, or Jacqueline.”
Seb knew why Henri was worried. Alice had explained to him once that Dryads engaged with the human world as though it were a conscious dream. Geographical distances and solid objects meant nothing to them. They could travel to the other side of the World and back in a split second if they chose and could pass through floors, walls, trees, doors, people — anything of substance — as though they were vapour. And, in fact, Alice had said that simply thinking of where they wanted to be was sufficient to get them there; so if Alice wanted to join Seb, even without actually knowing where he was, just thinking about going to him would get him to the right location. So if Dæved was unable to get to Nicole, then there was something seriously wrong.
Aelfric looked intently at Henri, who took a short breath and spoke more slowly.
“When sending Dæved didn’t work either, I had no choice but to simply wait and hope that, if I gave it another while, Nicole would assume we had stopped trying to locate her and I could open a door and surprise her. So that is what we did; as frustrating as it was, we waited. And then, I felt the next attack.” He shook his head. “Sadly, that was the indication I needed. Believing that, while using whatever dark practices she was, Nicole would be distracted, I tried opening a door to her. This time, it emerged at the Camberley Obelisk. But there was no sign of Nicole or the others and I had the feeling, as before, that they had just left.
“At a loss, I returned to the Light House and struck on the idea of getting Lotty to use a Scrying Mirror to try and see them. And it worked. Though she said she could see a hazy, dark shadow around them — something she had not seen before when scrying — she was able to locate them. They were in Hellfire Caves.” Aiden was nodding frantically. “Well,” Henri said, “we now had a location, but there was still the issue that, if I tried to open a door to them, they would see it appear and leave once more. Lotty struggled to keep them under observation too. The hazy darkness continually fluctuated, now and then obscuring the images, making it difficult for her to see what they were doing and, therefore, tell if they were off guard. And then, unfortunately, I got the sign again. Instructing Lotty to keep watching them and requesting Philippe try and give warning if he sensed any dark acts, we left to deal with the trespasser.” Now Henri sighed heavily and, using the pause, Zach jumped in.