“Who is the current one?” I asked again.
“That’s the thing. We haven’t had one since the passing of Lazarus Murk about seven months ago. There have been a lot of deliberations about who would be next, but I’ve yet to hear of any final decision. That it’s taking this long is…”
Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened. “Oh, dear Brigid…Murk died just before I was told about the new apothecary.” She shivered in her bed. “Could that mean something?”
“Well, I hope that’s something we find out soon,” I replied. “ I spoke with the chief earlier, and David is sending more of his men down here to guard your door, so you’re not just left with the little folk,” I said, scanning the room for Seamus and his ‘boyo’s.’
“ Thank you, Hattie. I’m sure I’ll be safe. Verdantia may look like a sweet vision, but her magic is powerful, and she visits often,” Infirma said settling further under the covers. She looked tired, so I gathered my cats, and we departed.
As soon as we hit the corridor, Shade said, “Hey, boss…something else went down seven months ago in our lives… a real big game-changer too.”
“What do you mean, Sha…” It hit me then. Reading my thoughts, (effortlessly, I might add,) Onyx said: “Chief Warlock, Lazarus Murk’s sudden exit from life, Grave Matters being established on Cathedral AND Nebula Dreddock’s murder in the same month. It is only a small wonder that our dear sister scorns the concept of coincidence.”
"Yeah, and what's with this Murk dude dying and nobody hearing about it? Chief Warlock biting it sounds pretty much like a main event, I reckon."
I couldn't stop thinking of those events of seven or so months ago. Seemingly unrelated happenings at the time, but looking at them now, maybe Gloom's disdain for coincidence had more than a thread of truth to it.
We walked to where our broom was parked at the back of Howling Mercy, and I fought like crazy to hide the deep, weighty dread that creeped its way into my body.
Chapter Sixteen
The sun had just dipped below the horizon when me and my two fuzzy companions touched down at Gaunt Manor. Everything we’d just found out from Infirma swirled in my mind like a hurricane. I couldn’t wait to share the information with David, Portia, and Hinrika if she were around. I wondered for the umpteenth time what this request for our attendance was all about. All eight of my cats were here; Jet included, under a high dose of the ‘nip, of course. I saw David’s broom by Portia’s stoop as I knocked. The door swung open with creaking hinges before my knuckles made contact for the second time. The face I saw as the door opened was more than a surprise to me. Blinking at me with an awkward smile, the boy moved to take my hand.
“Orville Nugget!” I exclaimed, slapping his hand away, and moving in for a hug instead. The brilliant-minded teen gave me a few hesitant taps on the back and pulled away, still with his endearing smile on his long face.
“It’s good to see you too, Ms. Jenkins,” he said, his cheeks a high-pink. “And your kitties too, of course.”
Onyx gave Shade a knowing look. “Brother, why don’t we go ahead of Hattie and catch up with our siblings?”
Shade smiled at the suggestion. “Only because it’s my man Orville who’s hanging with Hat.”
They both scampered inside, the tapping of claws receding deeper into the cavernous house.
Orville waved an arm in front of me and bowed in mock chivalry and intoned, “Enter, honored guest and let no man know of what you see this night.”
I giggled a high pitched squeak and shook some nervous energy from my hands.
“You know, that sounds a little hokey,” I said as Orville steered me towards the kitchen.
“Totally. But when you hear Ms. Fearwyn—I mean, Sister Portia say it, you believe it.”
“So, let’s see ...an archaic greeting, the title you just gave to Portia and…” My eyes scanned the youth’s attire with critical eyes. “... Your fashion choice for this evening. You are now a full-fledged member of the Custodians, am I right?” I flashed the inventor of the Futura cauldron a self-satisfied smile, and the late Aurel Nugget’s good-natured son bumped a playful shoulder into mine in return.
We walked through the neat kitchen to the great iron door set into Portia’s kitchen’s wall. It stood wide open, leading into the dark maw of the basement. But, I knew that further into that darkened cellar lay a brightly lit lab, with equipment as cutting edge as Maude Dulgrey’s set-up. We stepped onto the top step, and that’s when I saw the faint, orange dance of firelight.
“So, come on, tell me about your induction to Portia’s fan club,” I teased.
“Yeah, so … I got grandfathered in last month,” Orville said in a near whisper; likely because of our proximity to the Custodian’s HQ. “I still think I got in just because of Dad. But Sister Portia keeps telling me that developing Futura is proof that I earned a spot by my own merits.”
“Does your mom know anything about this?” I asked. Given that Orville’s mother was quite literally a raging battle axe, I hoped not. Although, then again, her current stint at the Serenity Center might, right now, be making a mild woman of her.
Orville shook his head and cast his eyes to the floor. I didn’t hound him further, I just put a motherly arm around his shoulders and squeezed. “I do know your father would be very proud of you.”
The teen offered a sheepish grin, and by then we had reached the entrance of HQ.. The room I stepped into was lit strictly by candles…lots and lots of candles. They formed a path on the floor from the entrance to the center of the room. The walls glowed like so many stars as the wall sconces burned their flames. I craned my head upward and saw a chandelier; a whole forest of wax sticks fully ignited.
In the center of the room stood Portia. The old witch was in the middle of a circle of -- you guessed it -- candles. Another nervous giggle escaped my lips. My stomach felt like a jar of butterflies had been released into it. Verdantia stood on the circle’s left while Hinrika stood on the circle’s right. David was just to my right on the path while all the kitties stood on the left. The latter location is where Orville pointed me to as he stepped into the circle himself.
“With the arrival of Brother Orville, I declare quorum,” Portia intoned.
All three of the other Custodians chanted, “So noted, so will it, so be it.”
All four Custodians reached behind them to grab an unlit candle. The wicks sprang to life as they were held aloft. I stopped breathing, my eyes wide at the peculiar spectacle of it all.
“David Trew, step into the light,” Verdantia said.
What the …?
David’s step was uncertain, but he obliged. He knew he was getting into this. Whatever ‘this’ is. My head hurt.
“Lemniscate, step into the light,” Hinrika ordered, none of her trademark joviality in evidence. Bran, this is serious. I stretched out a felt covered tongue and dragged it against a pair of parched lips. I could barely swallow.
The Infiniti stepped into the circle, Fraidy last, placing one paw in and removing it, at least ten times, until Gloom finally came up behind him and gently nudged his behind with her forehead. All four of his paws were in now. My heart was beating as fast as a machine gun.
“Towards the center, you all go,” Portia said with a nod. “As indeed we all must go.”
I couldn’t even blink. I didn’t want to blink. I didn’t want to miss a second of this alien performance playing out before my eyes. David and the Infiniti moved toward the center of the hand painted sphere and stood on the midpoint.
The Custodians began walking around them, clockwise in slow, deliberate steps. Portia said, “That which is Below corresponds with that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds with that which is Below. Both are but the miracles of the One Thing.”
“Its father is the Sun,” Verdantia continued. “Its mother, the Moon. The wind carries it in its belly. Its nurse is the Earth. It is the origin of all, the consecration of the Universe.”
&nbs
p; “Separate the Earth from Heaven,” Hinrika added. “The Subtle from the Gross, gently and with great ingenuity. It rises from Earth to Heaven and descends again to the Earth, thereby combining with it all the powers of the Above and the Below.”
“Thus will you attain the Glory of the Whole Universe,” Portia finished. “All Obscurity will be clear to you. This is the greatest Force of all powers, for it overcomes every Subtle thing and penetrates every Solid thing.”
By then, their steps had taken them back to their original position. All four twirled their candles downward. Orville’s maneuver was a little awkward on that count, and I couldn’t help but blurt out another anxious chuckle. The experienced Custodians crouched down and slammed their lit wicks into the floor. The aggressive action snuffed out the flames of the candles they bore and immediately spread to every candle in the room. Within seconds, I saw nothing but darkness.
I heard the fizz of overhead lights, and the room popped into bright illumination. I blinked a few times until my eyes could adjust to the assault of the electric light. Through my hazy vision, I saw Portia open up her arms and say:“Welcome to the Custodians, brothers, and sister.”
I noticed that all the candles had vanished from the room. Had they been using a portal to Mag Mell? Teleportation? Glamor casting? Whatever the effect, it had been impressive. Verdantia, Hinrika, and Orville applauded the new members of the group. I joined in, not knowing what else to do. I had a sneaky suspicion I felt left out a bit, though. Like I was staring at a private members area of a highly prestigious club. The cats slapped one another’s backs and had pretend sword fights with their tails. They laughed and rolled around, and they looked happy. They looked as if they felt they were part of something. Something big, even. Even David looked a little better than he has of late. There was a healthy flush to his cheeks and a luster to his eyes, and I realized, not for the first time, just how handsome the man was. I didn’t really know what just took place; I only knew I wasn’t a part of it. Merely a virtually useless spectator. I felt the lump in my throat gain in size, and I fought back the sting of tears. I wasn’t mad; I wasn’t going to hound David and the cats over this event. The Custodians, I knew, were serious business, and they were essential for the well-being of the Coven Isles. Their work was important, and I was stuffed to the gills with pride that David and my kitties were part of this powerful and essential clan of protectors. I even understood why they couldn’t tell me about it. No, I wasn’t mad, I was just plain sad. Sad that I didn’t make the grade when my closest companions did. Verdantia drifted to my side and stroked my arm. “I don’t want you to think that you were just an extra in tonight’s ceremony, dear Hattie,” she said. “But induction into the Custodians has very strict guidelines. The simple fact is that you are missing a couple of requirements. This does not speak to your skill level or your integrity; it only means that you do not yet possess what’s needed.”
“What’s needed?” I asked, feeling like a petulant child. I saw my cats frolicking and Orville pumping David’s hand, while the latter smiled and looked more relaxed than he had for a while.
“You need only acknowledge your true power and accept, and I mean fully agree, that you hold that power,” Verdantia explained. “Broom flying is nice, and the occasional spell you cast shows your potential, true. But you have yet to accept your true heritage. Once you accept that you are a Witch, Seraphim Joyvive, then your power can know no limits, and that same power can be used for good.”
I blinked away hot tears, crestfallen at the elven beauty’s words.
Verdantia put her hand under my chin. “For my part, I have argued with Portia that you are on your way. Not even experienced witches could manage the Great Challenges as you have thus far.” She took me by both shoulders then and looked me directly in the eye. Her eyes were Caribbean seas. “And, the Chimera Charm isn’t exactly some kind of hocus-pocus hack that the average magician could cast. That was very powerful magic you pulled off at Mabon, Hattie,” she said, her lips curling up into a radiant smile.
“I don’t get it, then,” I said. “If my magic is that powerful, then wouldn’t the Custodian’s benefit from my membership? I mean, I’ve got us into Mag Mell, I pulled out a, well, some kind of Granny charm or whatever, and … well, I don’t need to list the rest, do I?” I looked into Verdantia’s eyes trying to see if she understood the unfairness of my situation.
“You just proved why you are not a Custodian. .” She answered.
“Huh?”
“‘Granny charm or whatever?’” Verdantia raised her eyebrows at me. “Hattie, maybe if I say it another way, perhaps: You need to own it. You need to own your power, have faith in it, play with it, but always respect it. ‘Granny charm or whatever’ proves you are not quite there yet.
I understood what she was saying finally, and I instantly felt a little better. It wasn’t anyone trying to block me from joining. It wasn’t Portia being vindictive or accusing me of not being good enough; it was simply me getting in the way of myself. I didn’t fully believe. In myself. My innate powers. My destiny?
I nodded and squeezed my friend’s hand. I felt lighter, but also confused. I wasn’t sure I could access that part of me that needed to be located. That deep seat of my true potential. I just didn’t feel brave enough, or confident enough; like I wasn’t up to the task of being a member of the most influential group of magic-crafters ever.
Portia brought my attention back to the room with two sharp claps of her hands. “Now that the ceremony has concluded, we have business to attend to.”
My spoiled child reared its ugly head. “Am I going to be excluded from that as well?”
Portia raised an eyebrow. “On the contrary, Hattie…you have a great deal of information that can be of help to the Custodians. Join us at the table.”
In an eye blink, the kitchen table upstairs materialized in the center of the room, complete with chairs. The kitties gathered around the tabletop in front of my seat. David sat next to me while Verdantia and Hinrika took the opposite side of the table. Orville dropped into a chair next to the Fae ladies. Portia, naturally, sat at the table’s head.
“The first item on the agenda, I believe we can all agree is the most pressing,” Portia said. “The nature and location of Morag’s missing artifact…we have one last probable location to look for it.”
“The newly installed bell at Saint Pendragon’s,” David said as he opened up his notepad. “Given that installation happened right after Morag got that call from Shields, it fits the timeline.”
“And, before the ribbon cutting ceremony too. And I was looking forward to that,” Eclipse added.
Portia gave 'Clipsy a grave nod. “I, therefore, move that, at the meeting’s conclusion, you, I, Ms. Jenkins and our newly-inducted feline brethren and sister pay Saint Pendragon’s a visit.”
“There is the issue of the parish’s overly curious vicar,” Verdantia pointed out. “Any involvement of Reverend Peacefield is bound to bring about complications.”
“You know, I’ve actually been meaning to visit him,” Hinrika chimed in with a black-toothed smile. “I know that it’s dreadfully late and that he’ll likely be ready for bed when I come by. But I’m fairly sure I can entice him into a little late-night conversation.”
Shade nodded. “Gotta say, talking up the guy you want away from your business does work if you do it right.”
“Yeah, you’ll get him at a good time, actually,” Midnight remarked. “This is the time he has his tipple of brandy while watching ‘Midsomer Murders,’” he finished. I smiled to myself, picturing the peaceable man of the cloth enjoying his televised cozy mystery.
Portia looked a little reluctant to embrace this plan but asked “All in favor of Hinrika getting into a little chin-wag with the Reverend, motion?”
A solid chorus of “Ayes” rang out around the table.
I didn’t feel qualified to ‘aye’ it with the others, so I nodded enthusiastically instead.
; “Then that is what we shall do. Now…I believe Brother David has an idea he would like to share with the rest of us.”
Going by the comical look on his face, David wasn’t sure how to take being called “Brother” by Portia. “I have no proof, and it’s just a feeling,” David began, holding his hands up. “But, I am beginning to suspect Shields was behind the Morag Devlin murder.”
“Well, that’s a nice thought,” I said. “We all know the guy’s too squeaky clean, with a really horrible accompanying vibe,” I replied.
“If you’ll let me continue?” David’s eyes pierced mine. Despite his serious look, a delicious shiver rippled down my spine. “I also believe that Millicent Pond was done in in much the same way.” David’s hands dropped to the table, and his eyes took on an almost defiant blaze.
A collective gasp from the members around the table and then quiet for a few seconds as we stared at the chief.
“The murders were worlds apart in location, modus operandi, and motive,” Verdantia objected, breaking the stunned silence.
“I don’t believe so, Verd—Sister Verdantia,” David stammered, going from proud warrior to blushing school boy in the space of a second. I stifled a snigger.
“I have reason to believe that Governor Shields ordered both murders through third parties. And this practice has currently allowed the governor to keep his hands clean.”
“But, this is mere gut feeling, David,” I said gently. “I mean, I’d like nothing more than Shields to be guilty, but as you said, there’s no proof.” I sighed. “And, besides, aren’t we supposed to be looking toward Mag Mell? Don’t we all know that all the trouble we’ve had has come mostly from the Fae kingdom?”
“But, the murders, Hat,” my friend said, passing a hand over his face. “Sure, there have been loads of nasty goings-on around the isles, but the Fae incursions haven’t proved that all of these murders of late were done by their hands.”
The Chimera Charm (Hattie Jenkins & The Infiniti Chronicles Book 6) Page 18