by Sharon Booth
Zephyr gave him a withering look. 'A pretty pickle? Really Amlodd, you have a gift for understatement.'
'You realise we're all going to die?' cried a balding man of around fifty years of age. 'Have you any idea what you've brought upon us?'
'Try to breathe, dear,' the woman advised him.
'What's the point?' he demanded. 'We're all going to be dead soon.' He glared at us. 'Thanks to you lot.'
'The sky's not fallen in yet,' said the woman reasonably. 'I think we're safe for now.' She smiled at Sirius. 'Now, Mr St Clair, where is your charming mother?'
'Upstairs,' Sirius said politely. 'With our guest.'
'Ah, yes. Your guest. I expect you all know he is the reason for our visit,' Zephyr said, his voice as cold as the freezing water of the Hrafn.
'And the reason I'm not tucked up at home in bed,' added a freckle-faced man with a Scottish accent.
'Oh, do shut up moaning, Kendrew,' Zephyr snapped. 'I'm sick of hearing about your precious bed. We all got dragged out of bed, you know, not just you.'
'It's all very well for you,' Kendrew replied indignantly, 'but you won't have to be up with the lark tomorrow morning. My wee boys are all excited about Father Christmas coming. I need to get my sleep, or I'll never cope with them, and Sima will play merry hell if I nod off while she's up to her elbows in a goose.'
'Sounds perfectly disgusting. I hope the goose objects violently.'
I breathed a sigh of relief at my mother's voice and smiled as she entered the room. She looked the picture of calm. She'd changed into grey linen trousers and a fuchsia silk blouse, with matching fuchsia spectacles, and it slowed my heartbeat to a normal rate just looking at her. Mother always had the answers. Sirius was the head of the family, but I knew it had never sat easily with him. He still deferred to her most of the time, and with good reason. She was so capable and bright I was sure that, if anyone could stand up to Zephyr Ambrose, it would be her.
'Iliana!' The woman councillor got to her feet and held out her hand. Mother waved it away and the two of them laughed and hugged each other like old friends.
'Aveta, dear, how are you? You're looking very well,' Mother said, sitting on the sofa and forcing Zephyr to budge up, until he was squashed against the arm. He looked far from happy about it.
Aveta plopped down beside her. 'Full of aches and pains but bearing up,' she replied. 'The price we pay for age, I'm afraid.'
'But you look superb on it,' Mother assured her. 'How are the great-grandchildren?'
'Oh, they're doing splendidly. Do you know I have nine of them now?'
'Never! Nine! Goodness me. They must exhaust you.'
We all watched, super impressed, as Mother let out a tinkling laugh, as if this was nothing more than a social call between friends. Judging by Zephyr Ambrose's face, it was anything but.
'Do you mind?'
We all jumped as the leader of the High Council roared at us.
'Honestly, Zephyr, must you? I'm sitting right here,' Amlodd protested, rubbing his ear and pulling a face.
'I think you all forget we're here on a matter of grave urgency,' Zephyr pointed out.
'I don't think any of us can forget that,' Aveta said, rolling her eyes. 'You've been reminding us every minute since the Guardians got in touch.'
'Would anyone like a cup of tea?' Castor asked politely. 'Or I can do cocoa if you prefer, what with it being so late and everything.'
'No drinks,' Zephyr said firmly.
'Really?' Kendrew sounded disappointed. 'Cup of cocoa sounds like just the job to me.'
'The least we deserve,' the panicky man muttered, 'seeing as how it's probably our last drink on earth.'
'And that attitude isn't helping, Bob,' Zephyr said. 'No drinks I said and no drinks I meant.'
'Bob?' Sky giggled, and we all looked at her. 'Sorry,' she said, blushing to her hair roots. 'Just, you know. Bob.'
'What's wrong with Bob?' Bob demanded, offended.
'Oh nothing, nothing at all,' she assured him hastily. 'It's just — just—'
'Just, after Zephyr, Aveta, Kendrew and Amlodd, it's a bit incongruous,' Jethro explained kindly.
Bob scowled. 'Bloody cheek,' he growled. 'First you bring Armageddon upon us and then you mock my name. Charming.'
'Oh, come on,' Star ventured, looking and sounding like her old self again, I observed, rather nervously, 'it's not that serious, surely?'
Even Aveta flinched. Zephyr got to his feet and glared at us all. 'You don't seem to understand why we're here, nor the severity of your crimes.'
'Crimes!' Star did her best to sound dismissive, but I detected the tremor in her voice, and I was sure I wasn't the only one. 'There was no crime committed here, I can assure you.'
'Do you deny,' Zephyr said, 'that Blaise St Clair has appeared in Castle Clair tonight?'
Star swallowed. 'Er, no.'
'Three hundred and fifty years from when he was last seen alive?'
We all looked at each other.
Sirius cleared his throat. 'No one's denying that, Zephyr.' I knew he was probably shaking inside but there was no way he'd let the councillors see any signs of weakness. 'It was nothing to do with us.'
'You dare to say that?'
'It's true!' I burst out, unable to stand it any longer. 'I'm sorry, but honestly, I did nothing. None of us did.'
'So, none of you cast a spell to bring your ancestor into the modern world?'
'Of course we didn't! We know time travel is strictly forbidden, whether it's to the past or future. We're not stupid. Besides, who could have the power to bring another witch forward in time?'
'That's what I said,' Aveta said, nodding. 'It takes a witch of great power to transport himself or herself through time. To transport another would take unimaginable power.'
'Nevertheless,' Zephyr said, 'that's clearly what's happened. Unless you're suggesting a Guardian did this?'
'A Guardian?' Sky sounded intrigued. 'Can they do that?'
'None of your business,' Zephyr snapped, clearly regretting bringing up the subject.
'Maybe it was Blaise?' Sirius suggested. 'Maybe he cast the spell?'
'And why would Blaise transport himself to this exact time, when the future would be a complete mystery to him? If he would transport himself anywhere, surely it would be into the past so he could change the course of his life and prevent the witchfinder from discovering him?'
'Or his traitorous brother from betraying him,' Amlodd said, a sneer on his face as he surveyed the "traitor's" descendants.
'Bring the — your guest — to us,' Zephyr commanded. 'There's only one way to sort this out.'
'I wouldn't recommend that,' Sirius said calmly.
'I beg your pardon?' Zephyr sounded incredulous at his audacity. 'Are you refusing my request?'
'No, no, I'm not refusing you anything,' Sirius assured him hastily. 'But the poor chap's traumatised, and he has no recollection of what happened.'
'He told you that did he?' Amlodd said, sounding suspicious.
'Well, no,' Sirius admitted. 'He hasn't spoken a word. But you must remember he's been through an ordeal. He almost drowned tonight, and he would have if we hadn't jumped in to save him. I think he's in shock. He looks bewildered by everything, and he didn't seem to react when I told him he was in Castle Lodge and, after all, this was his home, too. I think maybe you should leave him be to recover quietly.'
'Leave him with you?'
'It makes sense. It's his own house and when he wakes up in the morning, he'll at least have some familiarity with his surroundings. Obviously, there are differences, but the basic framework is the same. Surely, you can see it makes sense to keep him as calm as possible so his memory returns quicker?'
Zephyr turned back to the other four councillors, and they muttered to each other. We all glanced at each other as we sat, huddled together, pensive expressions on our faces. Sirius caught my eye and gave me a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
'We have d
ecided Blaise St Clair must be taken back to one of the five points and, for various practical reasons, we'll be transporting him to Tintagel,' Zephyr announced. 'Kindly fetch him from his room.'
'Oh, but please!' I jumped up and faced the councillors, feeling faint with tension and fear. 'It's not fair on him, it really isn't.'
'Our decision is final,' Amlodd said. 'We need to question him thoroughly. I mean, who does he think he is, transporting himself here and causing all this trouble?'
'And what are we going to do with him now? That's the problem,' Kendrew added. 'For all we know, time might be unravelling as we speak.'
'Oh, don't say that,' Bob begged.
'True enough, though,' Kendrew told him, sounding almost pleased about it. 'Maybe the seventeenth century has changed already. We might go online and Google the 1670s and discover many weird things have happened thanks to fellow-me-lad's jaunt. Maybe,' he added, his voice taking on a spooky tone, 'we'll go home and discover there is no Google. No computers. Maybe,' he finished, nodding furiously, 'we'll have no home to go back to.'
'What on earth are you talking about?' Aveta said scornfully.
'Eye of the storm,' Bob said, sounding terrified. 'That's what he's talking about. We'll open this door and there'll be nothing. Just this house left in all of time and space. The universe vanished around us.'
'Someone's been watching Doctor Who again,' Zephyr said, tutting. 'Really, do get a grip. Now, Iliana St Clair, will you fetch your guest, or do we have to go upstairs and get him ourselves?'
'Please, please let me go to Tintagel with him,' I begged.
Aveta's eyes narrowed. 'Why would you want to do that?' she enquired.
My mother reached for Aveta's hand. 'Celeste has great interest in Blaise St Clair,' she explained. 'She's studied his story for most of her life, and she knows all about him.'
I held my breath. Oh, don't Mother, I pleaded silently. You're making this worse.
'She's idolised him since she was a little girl,' Mother continued blithely. 'If anyone can get through to him, Celeste can.'
Aveta stepped forward and took hold of my hands. I frowned as her eyes widened and she stared at me in what looked suspiciously like awe. 'Great power,' she murmured. 'More than I've seen in any witch in my lifetime. And you say she has a passion for Blaise St Clair?'
I saw the confusion on Mother's face. 'Um, yes. She's devoted to him, so—'
'So, the most logical conclusion is that it was Celeste who brought Blaise St Clair into our time,' Aveta finished for her.
'No!' There was a general babbling of protests and denials from my family, but I knew Aveta and Zephyr had already made up their minds.
'Only a witch of exceptional powers could bring someone forward in time without his knowledge or help,' Zephyr said. 'Aveta is adept at sensing the level of magic each witch has, and she has pronounced Celeste St Clair to be unusually powerful.' He nodded at Mother. 'Given that, by your own admission, this girl is devoted to Blaise St Clair and has an unusual level of interest in him, it's clear she's brought him to her for reasons we've yet to fathom. Both she and Blaise will be taken to Tintagel and questioned.'
'But you can't arrest her,' Star cried. 'She's done nothing wrong.'
'She's the sweetest, kindest person ever,' Sky pleaded. 'She wouldn't hurt a fly.'
'Celeste's not a lawbreaker,' Benedict added. 'That much I can tell you.'
'Believe us,' Jethro protested. 'Celeste's a good person and a responsible witch. She'd do nothing to jeopardise lives.'
Honestly, I'd have felt terribly flattered if I wasn't too busy worrying over the fact that I was about to be clapped in irons and tortured for information.
'Please, Aveta,' Mother begged, 'please stop them. Don't put my darling daughter in prison.'
Aveta patted her hand reassuringly. 'My dear Iliana, what are you talking about? Bob's got a five-star hotel on the outskirts of Tintagel, haven't you, Bob?'
Bob nodded. 'Certainly have. It's a bit busy at the moment, what with it being Christmas, but I've got two smashing rooms they can have.'
'And we'll conduct our interview in the function room, if that's okay with you, Bob?' Zephyr added.
'Fine by me. I'll tell the missus to lay on an extra turkey for tomorrow, since you'll all be popping by. Providing we're all still here tomorrow, that is,' he added gloomily.
'Not for me,' I murmured automatically. 'I'm a vegetarian.'
'There's always one,' he said with a sigh.
'So, she's not under arrest?' Sirius asked, making absolutely sure.
'Neither of them are under arrest,' Zephyr assured them.
'Yet,' added Kendrew.
'Helping us with our enquiries,' Aveta said gently.
'Then, couldn't it all wait until Boxing Day?' Sirius suggested, rather pushing his luck — and mine.
'Oh, yes, say we can have Christmas Day together,' Mother pleaded.
'It's too dangerous,' Bob said. 'We need to resolve this as soon as possible.'
'If we can resolve it,' Amlodd said darkly. 'Which, personally, I doubt.'
'Yeah, but my kids want their dad at home on Christmas Day,' Kendrew pointed out. 'And Sima's got enough to do, what with her parents coming over for their dinner. How about we do our questioning early tomorrow morning and hopefully we'll be back home, done and dusted for one o'clock?'
'You realise,' Zephyr snapped, 'we're dealing with a situation of global significance here?'
'Oh yes, Zephyr,' Aveta said, smiling, 'but it is Christmas after all.' She turned to Mother and nodded. 'If you fetch Blaise, and he and Celeste come with us now, I promise we'll have them back in time for Christmas lunch. Can't say fairer than that, can I?'
'I think,' Sirius said, 'that if our sister is to be questioned along with Blaise, we should be with them. After all, we were all witnesses. You must talk to us about what we saw, surely?'
'Steady on,' Bob protested. 'I said I had two rooms free, but I'm damned if I'm putting you all up.' He turned to Zephyr. 'I warn you now, I'll be putting in a substantial claim for expenses for all this, Zephyr. I'll be feeding all you extra people. Then there's the cost of the rooms, not to mention the inconvenience. And it is Christmas, remember. Double rates.'
Zephyr looked ready to explode. 'There's no need for the entire family to stay with us. If we need to question anyone, we'll summon them individually. As for you, Bob,' he added crossly, 'the rooms are standing empty anyway, and you can forget all about double rates. Don't try it on with me. You're not the only one making sacrifices, you know. Titania will be furious about this. We've got the O'Briens coming for Christmas lunch, and we'd planned Forfeits, Wink Murder and Oink, Piggy, Oink.'
There wasn't a lot any of us could say to that. Even the other councillors looked stumped.
Mother ran a hand through her immaculate hair, evidently realising she was beaten. 'Very well,' she said. 'I'll fetch Blaise now.'
'I must say,' Kendrew admitted, rubbing his hands together in glee, 'I'm quite excited to meet this fellow. I mean, three hundred and fifty years old! Even older than you, Aveta. Just.'
'Cheek!' Aveta gave him a contemptuous stare.
'Are you okay, Celeste?' Sky's voice was choked with tears.
'It will be all right,' Sirius promised us, with a lot more confidence than he was probably feeling. 'Celeste only has to tell them the truth and they'll let her come home.'
'But I have told the truth.' I said anxiously. 'And what about Blaise? What will they do to him?'
'They won't hurt him,' he assured me, then glared at the councillors. 'Will you?'
'We're not savages,' Aveta said. 'We don't make a habit of hurting people.'
'Then what will you do with him?' Star demanded. 'Because he can't stay here, can he? He's out of his time.'
My hands flew to my mouth in fear, and Star gave me an apologetic look. 'I'm sorry, sweetie, but you know what I mean. He's a seventeenth century man. He's not supposed to be here in twenty-first century Castle
Clair! It isn't right.'
'Exactly,' Zephyr said, sounding suddenly defeated. 'We have a lot to think about.'
We all looked up as Mother arrived, bringing with her a wary-looking Blaise. He looked better than he had earlier, I noted, with some relief. Not so pale and washed out. His powers of recovery were remarkable, given how long he'd been in the cold water. He wasn't the Blaise St Clair of the portraits. He looked distinctly nervous, and it was clear he didn't understand where he was or how he'd got here.
Zephyr stepped forward and held out his hand. 'Blaise St Clair, it's an honour to meet you.' Blaise looked at him blankly, so Zephyr bowed instead.
Blaise hesitated, then inclined his head slightly.
My heart fluttered. Even dressed in a pair of Sirius's jeans and a black polo-necked jumper, he looked incredible and more like his old self. I couldn't deny it was a thrill to have him there in the flesh. Surely, if anything dangerous was to come of his arrival, it would already have happened by now? And everything seemed perfectly fine to me.
'Should I come with them, at least?' Sirius said. 'Just to — I don't know — support them.'
'There's no need for that,' Zephyr replied. 'Our guests will be well taken care of.'
He turned to Blaise. 'We're. Going. To. Take. You. To. An. Hotel.'
Blaise frowned.
'Why are you talking to him like that?' I demanded. 'He's not deaf.'
Zephyr ignored me. 'It's. A. Type. Of. Inn.' He opened his mouth very wide when he was speaking, as if that would make things much easier for Blaise to understand. Blaise merely stared at him in obvious amazement.
Zephyr turned to the other councillors. 'I'm not getting through to him, you know. It's the language barrier. He probably sounds like a Shakespearean character when he talks, poor chap. Won't have a clue what I'm talking about.'
'Well!' said Star. 'I call that jolly rude!'
'You. Will. Have. Own. Room.' Zephyr said, nodding encouragingly at Blaise. 'Be. Very. Comfortable.'
'Oh, Zephyr,' Aveta murmured, 'you're embarrassing yourself now.'
Blaise looked directly at me, and I tried to quell a tremor as my heart jigged around like Michael Flatley in Lord of the Dance.
I gave him a reassuring smile. 'It will be all right,' I told him, mentally crossing my fingers. 'You'll be safe.'