‘Are you satisfied now?’
‘Oh yeah, it was a lot better than I thought.’
‘Are we next, Papa?’ said Adhara.
‘No, sweetheart, just hugs for you.’
‘That means all of us,’ said Carrie, and they piled on top of him.
* * *
Joseph Caster was the fount of all knowledge when it came to mythical creatures and the occult. Because of the pixies everyone was asking questions over dinner, which continued into the hall.
‘If you hadn’t seen the pixies,’ said Blaze. ‘Would you believe they existed?’
Joseph thought about it as he sat on a sofa. ‘No, I don’t think so. I believe in many things, but not many creatures in mythology. That doesn’t mean I didn’t want them to exist.’
‘Does it mean some of the other creatures are real?’ said Claire.
Carrie sat next to Alex. ‘What others are there?’
‘I heard about a pig-faced woman,’ laughed James, and ten cushions flew across the room at him. ‘It’s true isn’t it, Joseph?’
‘Well, there was the pig-faced woman of Manchester Square. Some fairs had sideshows with them, but by all accounts they were shaven bears in dresses.’
James howled. ‘Bare bears.’
Joseph rolled his eyes. ‘There are also elves and fairies which you know of, also goblins and gnomes.’
Livvy looked surprised. ‘I thought gnomes were just garden ornaments.’
‘Oh no,’ said Joseph. ‘There are believed to be many races of them, they stand between twelve inches and four-foot tall in the books I’ve read. They also love animals, and will protect them. They are stronger than us, and faster. There are many other beliefs but that’s the one I like.’
Alex leant forward on the sofa. ‘Would they help the pixies?’
Joseph rubbed his chin and nodded. ‘Their interests are similar so I believe so.’
‘It would be nice to dream a few of them up.’
‘I’m not sure if they like us or not, there are lots of bad ones too, of course none of the stories maybe real.’
Alex, we have some tired little visitors who need your help, said House.
Where are they?
Down by the stables.
Alex jumped off the sofa. ‘I need a few of you to get some torches and boxes, and meet me down by the stables.’
Blaze stood up. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Pixies . . . and they need us.’
A few of the women ran for torches, and Summer hurried into the kitchen to get some boxes.
‘You must stay here,’ Alex told his girls.
The children were about to run out the mansion. ‘Aw, Papa, do we have to?’ said Sarin.
‘Yes, honey, it’s dark outside, but they’ll need some sort of bed in here if you want to make them something.’
Alex ran through the doors in the party room with the wolves, and reached them in seconds. There was thirty pixies all lying motionless on the ground.
‘House, what’s wrong with them?’
Exhausted, you need to get them inside to rest, and let everyone’s energy heal them.
‘Oh no, what’s happened to them?’ said Carrie, as the others reached them sooner than Alex expected, and he turned off his night-sight.
Lucy knelt by them. ‘Are they still alive?’
Alex picked one up. ‘Yeah, just tired?’
They carefully put the pixies in the boxes, and took them back to the mansion. Alex lingered back with Rho. Do the women have the talent to see in the dark?
Yes.
Is it OK to tell them? Or will it be like when they had to find out how to talk this way?
You can tell them anything now they have the ability.
OK, but you or Chi should teach them, as you’re much better at it than I am.
You’re so kind.
The children made an admirable makeshift bed out of quilts which they put the pixies on. Shaula knelt by them with tears in her eyes as she was the only one who hadn’t seen them before.
‘The pixies are OK; they just need sleep like you did.’ Alex picked her up. ‘OK, everyone, because a few of you were slow getting down to the pixies tonight you need to be taught a lesson.’
‘We were not slow,’ said Carrie, sounding a little hurt. ‘It was pitch-black, and had to get torches.’
‘I never had a torch,’ said Alex, smiling at her.
She stuck her tongue out at him. ‘Yeah, but you’re strange.’
‘Would you like to be strange too, or should I say stranger?’
‘How much stranger do you want us to get?’
‘I’ll show you when the lights go off, I might freak you out, but it’s a neat trick.’
Paige sat on a sofa. ‘What do we have to do?’
‘Not a lot really. OK, I’ll turn the lights off in a moment and I want you to listen and do what the wolves say,’ he said, as Shaula gripped his arm. House, lights please.
Yeah sure, and you paid how much for those switches, said House, as the lights went off.
‘What the hell?’ said Carrie, looking at Alex whose eyes had gone red.
He could see them scrunched up together, watching as James and the wolves stood next to him with their red eyes. The women looked like they were in a cinema watching a horror movie. ‘The red eyes are a side effect of being able to see in the dark.’
OK, said Rho. I need everyone to close their eyes and do what I say. You must not speak until I tell you to open them.
I would’ve used the switch, but I didn’t want to frighten Shaula, Alex told House.
I know, I was joking, said the spirit. They could speak two ways, privately or so everyone could hear, it was a simple technique of focusing on the person who you want the message to go to before you send it.
Now, Rho continued. I want you all to concentrate on the back of your eyes, and feel them get warm.
Alex looked at the concentration on their faces, and found it highly amusing.
When your eyes feel warm, open them, but not until they feel warm.
‘Who turned on the lights?’ said Claire, a few minutes later.
Anna looked around the hall. ‘It’s not as bright as normal.’
Carrie looked bemused by it. ‘Where’s the colour gone?’
Alex switched his night-sight off to see if they could all do it, and it was a freaky sight with their red eyes. ‘The lights aren’t on, it’s pitch-black in here.’
‘How can I sneak about in the dark now you shown them this?’ said James, and Carrie punched him on the arm.
‘I owe you that.’
James rubbed his arm. ‘What on earth for?’
‘Pig-faced woman.’
‘I didn’t mean you, although your nose is a little—’ James didn’t finish and stepped out of reach.
Alex arched an eyebrow at them. ‘House, lights please.’
But you are saving on electric.
‘That’s true but they’ll want the television on, and I don’t believe the sight would be good to watch it with.’ The room lit up and a few of them closed their eyes.
Claire poked him on the chest. ‘So, that’s how you do it with the lights?’
Alex put Shaula down, so she could go over to the pixies. ‘I was going to go round saying lights, or just clapping my hands to turn them on or off, but it would’ve been rude to House.’
Oh, I don’t know, said the spirit. It might have been fun when the others tried to do it, and nothing happened.
Claire huffed. ‘You’re as bad as him.’
He has been a bad influence on me.
‘Is it OK to still be doing it if the lights are on?’ said Paige.
‘You’re not doing anything, soon as there is light it switches off automatically.’ Alex had learnt it from Rho. What he found out himself was how to turn it on almost straight away, as would the others once they used it a few times.
Carrie slipped her arm inside Alex’s. ‘You were right, it’s pret
ty neat.’
‘I freaked you out though.’
‘Too right you did.’
Emma put her hand through her brown hair. ‘It was like the thoughts I had when we first moved in.’
Paige put an affectionate arm around her. ‘What thoughts were they?’
‘We were lured here for sacrifice, or food for monsters.’
Alex shook his head. ‘I think you’ve been watching to many horror films.’
Paige gave him a sharp look. ‘How can you say that? After what’s happened since we been here. James and Asima killed some monster, and a warlock could visit us anytime.’
The women had all discussed the warlock since Alex told Paige and Carrie about getting the pixies back. They were more worried about saving their little friends than some ancient warlock attacking them.
Alex smiled. ‘I never thought about that, maybe I should watch more horror films.’
‘I’ll watch them with you,’ said Carrie. ‘In case you get frightened.’
‘You know, I’d like that. Who wants to come outside with me and practice their night-sight?
‘Is that what it’s called?’ said Claire.
Alex shrugged. ‘It’s what I named it.’
‘Why not night vision?’
Alex shook his head. ‘I like night-sight, it rhymes.’
‘What do you want us to do?’ said Carrie.
‘It’s dark outside, but still early, so how about a walk on our land.’
Livvy looked excited. ‘Can we go through the woods?’
‘Yeah, it’s a great feeling walking through them at night.’
‘Are we all going?’ said Paige.
‘Anyone who wants to come, I’m sure the children will look after the pixies for us.’
All four girls nodded in unison whilst sat staring at the pixies.
It was cold outside, but none of them noticed it too much. The ground was wet, but not muddy as they walked through the woods towards the stables.
‘This is so weird,’ said Livvy. ‘I come in here every day, and I’m noticing more plants than I ever have in the daylight.’
‘I believe it’s something to do with the lack of colour,’ said Alex.
They walked through the woods, until they came to the river and strolled back up through the woods on the other side. Carrie had locked arms with Alex all the way round, which pleased both of them.
When they returned, Adhara, Sarin, Shaula and Tia all disappeared for five minutes, and returned as two wolves, a rabbit and Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.
‘We’ve decided to sleep down here, and keep watch over the pixies,’ said Tia, quite adamantly.
Alex sighed. ‘Who wants to help me get some bedding?’
They camped out in the hall, and Alex noticed the women had strange pyjamas like the girls. He stared at them somewhat amazed. ‘What are you all dressed like? If the pixies wake they’ll think they’re in Narnia.’
‘They were presents from your daughter’s thank you very much,’ said Paige. ‘And they’re rather comfy.’
‘Sorry, Aslan,’ Alex said to the lion.
‘And where’s yours, Mr Beaver?’ Carrie asked James.
‘I’m on alert, or I’d be wearing them,’ said James, as he saw the children looking at him. ‘I’d love to be dressed as a beaver right now, but I wouldn’t scare many monsters off if I’m needed.’
‘I’d be more worried about poachers,’ said Claire. ‘As you’re the same size as a beaver.’
Alex realised the women would normally wear different night-wear, but these were quite suitable as most of them decided to camp out in the hall. He took one of the sofa’s to sleep on before the others had the same idea, and as they were large sofas Carrie joined him, and he slept with his arm around a cat.
* * *
The following morning the four girls were awake and sat watching the pixies. Bowls of salad was put down for when they woke up.
It was an hour later when the excited girls were staring, as one of the pixies opened his eyes and sat up. ‘Hello,’ he said.
‘Hello,’ they all said back.
‘Are you OK now?’ said Sarin.
The pixie stretched his arms. ‘Yes, thank you, just tired.’
‘You want to go back to sleep?’ said Adhara.
‘No, I’m fine now . . . your friend is new.’
‘This is Shaula, our sister,’ said Sarin.
The pixie stood. ‘Hello, I’m Finch.’
Shaula’s eyes grew big. ‘Hi, Finch.’
‘Where’s your father?’
‘He’s in the party room having breakfast.’
‘I need to talk to him.’
‘Would you like me to get him for you?’
‘No, but you can carry me to him if you want.’
‘What me?’ said Shaula, with her eyes going even bigger.
‘I’m not very heavy.’
She held her hands out and he climbed on to them, she stood and made her way to the party room. All the sleeping bodies had gone, and the door to the party room opened for her as House noticed she had her hands full.
* * *
Alex finished his breakfast and was talking to Blaze and Joseph.
‘Papa, look, Finch wants to talk to you,’ said Shaula, as she put her hands on the table, and the pixie stepped off.
Finch smiled at her. ‘Thank you.’
Shaula beamed. ‘You’re welcome, but I have to go now and watch the others.’
‘I think you should sit here and have some breakfast first, young lady,’ said Blaze.
‘Aw, do I have to?’ Shaula protested.
‘Yes, honey, but you can take it in the hall, and tell the other girls to do the same,’ said Alex, as he watched her go. ‘Sorry, Blaze, I do agree with you, but our friend here is going to tell us something neither of us would want the children to hear.’
‘That’s OK, I should have thought of it, but it’s still early.’
Alex drank from his mug of tea. ‘I don’t want you to worry either, but I think you should hear what he has to say.’
‘I’d like to know what happened.’
Alex looked at the pixie. ‘OK, Finch, we’re listening.’
‘Well, as you know, we left here and split into different groups to travel to our own homes, we went south, but it wasn’t long before the warlock found us. He did make a mistake though, when he tried capturing us at night. He didn’t know about our other form, and we managed to escape his attempts.’
‘You mean you couldn’t change before?’ said Alex.
‘No, we found out how to do it in the other place, as it was the only way we could escape.’
‘So you were able to flee from him, but he still managed to follow you.’
‘We didn’t know we should come back here, so we kept fleeing to different forests at night. He soon caught up with us and had to run in the daytime, which was hard as we had to stay hidden from your kind, too.’
‘I can imagine, but how did he track you so fast?’
Finch sat crossed legged on the table. ‘He cast location spells, and can also travel fast.’
Alex thought about it. ‘So I can expect him here soon?’
‘I couldn’t say, but I do know he’s chasing a bigger group of us in Cornwall . . . he’s caught a few.’
‘What?’ Alex felt anger build up inside. ‘I’m going after him.’
‘No, they’re safe at the moment. He won’t harm them until he has all of us.’
‘I’m beginning to look forward to our meeting.’
‘You must be careful, he’s very powerful.’
‘That maybe, but I plan to stop him.’
We plan to stop him, said House.
‘And I won’t be alone,’ said Alex. ‘The thing what worries me is there are just thirty of you here, and I need to find more or he might be tempted to do it without you.’
‘He won’t do that,’ said Joseph.
‘What makes you say that?’
The elder man leant on the table. ‘If he does they’ll just come straight here through you’re power. I believe he’ll need to deal with you first.’
‘You closed my mind to stop spirits coming through.’
‘It won’t be closed to the pixies . . . you have a connection with them now.’
Alex put his palm out for finch to climb on and take some of his energy. ‘That makes sense, but why doesn’t he come straight here?’
‘We are hidden remember.’
‘There are the ones in the west of the country,’ said Finch. ‘They don’t know yet.’
‘I could warn them, and bring them back here, said Alex. ‘I could be at the forest in no time.’
Joseph shook his head. ‘If you’re thinking of running there, it might be best if you leave it until tonight.’
‘I could use the vase.’
‘You might want to practice with it for a while first, or you might appear in front of a load of people in the daytime.’
Alex put Finch down, and rubbed his head. ‘That’s true.’
‘What about the car?’ Blaze suggested.
I would not be able to help you, said House. It would take too long, and I need to stay here with the girls, and the pixies are not ready to travel.
‘It’ll have to be tonight, but at least it’ll be quicker to get them back here,’ said Alex, as Carrie sat next to him.
‘Your tense, is anything wrong?’ she said, and he told her what they knew. ‘We will parole down by the river.’
‘House will tell us if the pixies are down there.’
‘I know,’ said Carrie. ‘House, how good is your vision on the other side of the river?’
Not too good. I could see further once, but my vision has been stuck to our land for so long I fail to see far past it of late.
‘We need some binoculars.’
‘I can help there,’ said James.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Choices
They watched the news channel. The reporter told them of a haunted forest down south where many people had gone with cameras hoping to spot the small ghostly shapes, which three people had claimed to have seen.
Alex decided to go soon as it was dark. Carrie joined them as James said she was up to speed. Alex held the vase and imagined the forest. He had been to it before as he could see it in his mind when he touched the vase, and was able to pick where he wanted to go. He looked around for a clearing, and twenty seconds later they were all there.
Vesta Mansion: Book One - The Power Inside Page 25