Unofficial Detective

by Kathryn Wells

  He stared at her, both his eyebrows raised so high that they met with his hair. 'You want me to damage them? Are you sure?'

  'I'm certain. But,' she said, staring at him sternly. 'I only want them to look that way.'

  'But…err, what? How would I do that?'

  'You have to make an illusion, boy,' she said, rolling her eyes.

  'Make an illusion? Why do I need to learn to do that?'

  She rapped him hard on the knuckles with her rolling pin, ignoring his wince. 'You should know by now not to ask that. Fill your head with magic, not questions. I'll be along the corridor if you need me.' She left him alone once again.

  He was completely lost this time. Where did he start with making an illusion? He pulled one of the smaller pots towards him, trying to imagine its shiny surface all tarnished and battered. He supposed it was possible, for she wouldn't have asked him otherwise, but his mind stayed blank.

  How would he do it without magic? That was where to start, he knew, but he wasn't sure how he'd even do that. He could use paint. That would change the pots surface for real though, and he was sure that wasn't what she wanted. He could cover them with something though, if he wanted to disguise them.

  Maybe, if the illusion he made, was a sort of blanket, and he could just drape it across them? He thought about trying it, but knew that if he wanted it to work properly he would have to do it to each one individually. He picked the pot up and closed his eyes, thinking of draping a white sheet over it. He opened them again. There was something covering the pot, but it was so transparent it was almost invisible. He sighed and it disappeared completely.

  Lizzie sailed in at that moment, just catching a glimpse of the transparent sheet before it disappeared. Thordric saw her and hung his head. 'I can't do this,' he said.

  'There's no such thing as can't, especially with someone of your abilities. You got further that I thought you would, you've only been at it for an hour.'

  'But I've hardly done anything.'

  'That's not what it looks like to me. You seem to have worked out how to do it already,' she said, putting some of the logs he'd chopped into the stove.

  'Well…yes…' he said. 'It didn't work though.'

  'I didn't expect it would on your first try. This is a very different type of magic to what you've been doing so far. It's very advanced, and it will take time.' She poured him a cup of strong tea and brought out a plate of cookies from one of the cupboards. 'Here, take a rest from that today, there are plenty of other things I have to teach you. You can try it again tomorrow.'

  He sipped his tea, taking note of what she'd said. So he was on advanced magic? He could certainly see why it was advanced, it had made him sweat more that the log chopping, and he had been working on it less than half the time.

  'How good are you with identifying plants?' she asked him after a while.

  'Well, I know when we've got weeds in the garden. I've never really had to think about it.'

  'In that case, this will come in handy for what I've got for you next.' She produced a small book from her apron pocket and handed it to him. He flicked through it, noticing it was all neatly written by hand. It was a list of all the wild plants in the area, starting with the most common, complete with sketches and details on recognising them. 'My husband compiled it when he started investigating the properties of certain herbs, and found that a number of the plants that grow in Watchem Woods also have interesting properties.'

  'Herbs are what potions are usually made with, aren't they?' he asked, flicking through it again.

  'Precisely; although you won't be making any today. All I want you to do is go out and try to identify as many as you can, using that book.'

  He looked at her, and a wide grin spread across his face.

  Chapter Nine: Watched by Watchems

  Lizzie handed him a heavy velvet cloak. He wrapped it around his shoulders, and realised that it was the type that had sleeves. He put his hands through and did up the clasp that was level with his middle, and looked in the mirror. He looked just like one of the Wizard Council, except that the symbol on his chest was of a half moon, not the book and potion bottle.

  'This was your husband's, wasn't it?' he asked her. He couldn't help running his hands down the smooth, soft fabric.

  'Yes,' she said. 'I made it for him one winter so he could go and gather his herbs without freezing. I'm sure he would have liked you to wear it to do the same. It's yours now.'

  'Thank you, Lizzie.' He pulled up the hood and opened the door, the wind catching in his face again. Picking up his lamp, and clutching the book tightly, he made his way into the woods.

  At first he just followed the length of the house, finding that it actually only extended a little way in. He found a door on the end wall, but then he saw that the hinges were caked with rust. It might open if he tried ramming it. He shrugged, and then noticed there was a strange looking plant right by it. He flicked through his book, trying to find it. It was on the first page, with a note next to the picture saying 'V. Common'. Well it might be common here, but Thordric had never seen it before. It had a long thin stem of darkish green, and instead of flowers it grew giant purple ball-like things. He supposed they were a fruit of some kind, but he checked the notes to see.

  Big Man's Nose (Vicus Ruberus). Grows in vast numbers throughout all woodland areas, bulbs grow in place of fruit. Collect stem and bulb. Properties: reduces temperature, mild sedative.

  So they were bulbs, then. He picked one, despite what Lizzie had said about only identifying, and put it in his pocket. He moved on through the trees, and soon found what her husband meant when he's said it was common. The woods were full of it. In every direction clumps of it had grown almost to the height that he was.

  He trudged past them, going straight forward into the heart of the woods, and almost trod on a small clump of delicate yellow flowers. They grew barely an inch off the ground, and as he knelt down to have a closer look he caught the loveliest fragrance he had ever smelt. It was like coconuts and vanilla, with just a hint of rose petals. He opened his book, and found it about a third of the way in.

  Winsome Sunbeam (Oppulus Nuvendor) Grows in small clumps, difficult to spot. Only present in some areas. Collect flower only. Properties: induces hallucinations of varying intensity dependant on dosage. Dangerous if used frequently.

  He decided he wouldn't be picking that one too soon, unless he wanted to use it on someone he didn't like. He smiled, imagining what would happen to the Inspector if he slipped a little into his tea. No, the Inspector wasn't bad enough for that.

  Walking further into the woods, he identified ten more plants that he'd never seen before. Some cured headaches and fevers, others helped to reduce swelling and help bones heal quicker, and one even helped to prevent hair loss. He was taken aback by how many uses they had, for he saw frequent notes written beside each one, telling him how to combine them to create different effects.

  He searched eagerly for more, but the deeper he went the more it felt like he was being watched. He looked around, lifting his lamp high in the growing darkness, but he couldn't see anything. Shrugging, he carried on, but then a branch snapped behind him, making him jump. He turned, but again saw nothing. 'I was sure…' he began, but then one of the bushes started to quiver. It slowly transformed, growing thinner and more twig like, with sharp spiny fingers and a beard of fuzzy leaves. It only reached up to his kneecaps.

  Thordric stayed still, the hand holding the lamp shaking slightly and casting the creature in quivering shadow. It crept up to him, standing on two legs, and began sniffing at his cloak. He winced as it poked him with its sharp fingers, and it let out a strange warbling noise that he thought sounded suspiciously like laughter. Seemingly satisfied, it warbled at him again and then scampered off into the trees. Thordric swallowed.

  He suddenly remembered the book in his hand, and flicked through it desperately to see if the creature was in there. It was, at the very back on the last page.

&
nbsp; Watchem Watchem (Nexus Traubus): A creature that camouflages itself as a bush. Gentle but usually very curious. If they find you friendly, then they may permit you to take a leaf from their beards. Properties: cures fatal illnesses, opens the senses.

  Now at least he knew why the woods had such a peculiar name. He closed the book, realising how stiff his fingers had gotten from the cold. It was fully dark now, and Lizzie would probably be expecting him back. He wrapped his cloak tighter about him and trudged back to the house, resisting the temptation to pick the various leaves and flowers of the plants he had identified.

  The house was blissfully warm inside, and he went straight to the kitchen to further warm his hands against the fire there. Lizzie was busying herself cutting up potatoes and carrots when he entered.

  She raised her eyebrows at him, noticing the slight bulge in his pocket where he'd put the bulb of Big Man's Nose. 'I thought I told you only to look?' she said.

  He grinned at her. 'I couldn't help it. There are so many plants in there that I've never even heard of, and I even came across a Watchem Watchem.'

  'You saw one? Patrick- that is, my husband- was the only person I've ever known to see them up close. I've only ever caught glimpses.'

  'It came right up to me- almost made my heart stop when I saw it transform,' he said, sitting down at the table.

  'Yes, I remember Patrick telling me the same thing. He went to visit them often when we lived here; he grew quite friendly with them.'

  Breakfast the next morning was even earlier than the last, but this time Thordric trudged down the stairs eagerly. When he got to the kitchen, he found that the table had been moved to the side of the room, and a large cauldron, decorated with a mosaic pattern, was in the middle of the room. It was Thordric's turn to raise his eyebrows. Lizzie handed him his bowl of porridge with a smile on her face.

  'I think you're ready to begin learning about potions now. A nice simple one for today, I think. You can carry on your illusion practice while it's brewing,' she said.

  He spooned in a mouthful of porridge quickly, burning his tongue. He'd forgotten all about the illusion spell. 'What, er, potion will it be?' he asked, fanning his tongue with his hand.

  She dug in her apron and produced another book from it, handing it to him. It was handwritten just like the other one, and was labelled 'Potions for useful purposes'. Thordric snorted at that, given the ridiculous potions that the Wizard Council always developed. He recalled that one of their more recent ones was designed to make ladies feet temporarily shrink slightly to fit the latest high fashion shoes better. His reaction wasn't lost on Lizzie.

  'My husband wasn't overly fond of the Wizard Council, he believed they should be using their powers for greater things,' she said. 'Have a look and see which potion you feel like attempting. Only the ones marked simple, mind.'

  He opened the book. Only the first ten pages were of simple potions, and there were only four to choose from. The first one was to help the drinker sleep, the second cured- to his delight- travel sickness, the third was one to cure stuttering, and the forth was to prevent contraction of the common cold. He hovered over the one for travel sickness, but then he remembered how quickly he got colds in the winter, and decided that was the one he would make instead.

  'Well, then,' Lizzie said when he told her his choice. 'Find out what the ingredients are and then go and gather them. I'll show you how to prepare them all when you get back.'

  He finished his porridge and then headed back out into the woods again. He looked at the book, and saw he needed to find three different plants. Two of them he had seen the previous day, but there was one he didn't recognise and it was marked as very rare. He went after the ones he knew first, taking the exact quantity stated, and then roamed around looking for the one he didn't know.

  The woods looked different in the morning light, and he could see that the bushes were all different colours, ranging from deep purple to bright yellows and greens. A number of them quivered, and he suspected that most of them were Watchem Watchems. A few even let out the strange gurgling sound as he passed.

  He looked in his book of plants to see what the new one looked like, but the picture showed several different versions. The note by it said that it was a shape shifting plant, and only revealed its true shape in pure sunlight at midday. It wasn't anywhere near midday yet, how was he supposed to find it? He threw his hands up in the air, suddenly aggravated. He slumped down by one of the trees and flicked through both books to pass the time.

  He had been reading for only a few minutes when he heard a rustling sound. He looked up, and found he was surrounded by Watchem Watchems. They were looking at him, with their dew drop like eyes staring at the books in his hands. One, a dark blue colour, prodded the book of plants.

  'What are you doing?' Thordric said, startling back a few inches. The creature prodded the book again, and then made to grab it. 'Hey!'

  Still the creature prodded it, and the others started to join in, more insistent. He watched them, and decided to see what they wanted with it. He put it on the floor in front of them. The dark blue one opened it up, turning the pages until it landed on the page with the plant that Thordric needed. It pointed to Thordric, and then to the picture. 'What?' Thordric said. The creature made a small noise like a sigh of exasperation, and took the potion book from him and laid it on the floor, turning the page to the prevention of colds potion. It tapped the ingredients, and then the picture of the plant in the other book.

  Finally, Thordric understood. 'You know it?' he asked. The creatures all nodded. 'You know where to find it?'

  They nodded again, and ran off to his right, gurgling all the while. He gathered up the books and got up, stumbling on his cloak so that he was propelled head first into a tree. The Watchem Watchems gurgled even more as he stood up again, shaking his head to try and make his vision go back to normal. They waited for him, but as soon as he was able to walk again they scampered off ahead.

  Fifteen minutes later they stopped around a single, unremarkable plant. He walked up to them, looking at it. 'Are you sure this is it?' he asked. The dark blue one prodded him in the shin hard, and then pointed at the plant. 'If you say so.' Thordric picked the plant and put it in the small bag he had with the others. The creatures purred, and before he could thank them they had all run off.

  Chapter Ten: Pots and Potions

  Lizzie made him lay out all the plants on the table, and then they opened the potion book to the right page. 'You didn't have to pick the whole plant, you know,' she said, tutting as she read the instructions.

  'I didn't have a knife with me to cut off the right parts,' Thordric said.

  'Hmmm.' She spread them out into three separate piles, and read out what parts of each they needed. The first one he had picked was needed for its roots, and she picked one up and handed it to him. 'Here.' She gave him a knife, and then took one for herself. He went to cut his, but she smacked him hard on the knuckles.

  'Not so rough, boy. Do it gently, and with precision. The roots need to be cut into inch long pieces for it to work properly.'

  He carried on, doing as she said, and she muttered approvingly as she watched. Then they moved on to the next plant, which used the leaves, grounded up to a fine powder, and the final plant had to be stripped to the stem. It took a while to make sure it was all done to the standard that the instructions specified, but once it was, all they had to do was put the right measurements into the pot and wait several hours to let it brew and thicken.

  'There's nothing else we have to do? No words or anything?' he asked, slightly disappointed.

  'You could say some words if you like, but I doubt it'll have any effect. Not all magic uses the power of the wizard, you know,' she replied.

  'Oh,' he said.

  She moved over to the cupboards, taking out the pots and pans he had been trying to create an illusion over. 'There's just enough time for you to get a bit more practice in before lunch. Don't worry about speed, just concent
rate on your technique and it'll come.'

  Thordric looked at her doubtfully, but sat down at the table anyway. She put the pots in front of him, and then drifted over to the stove to finish preparing lunch. Thordric rubbed his face, thinking about how he managed to produce the transparent cover last time. He picked up one of the smaller pots again, turning it around in his hand before setting it back down.

  Picturing the white cloth on it, he willed it to appear. Slowly, as though it was gently growing, a faint whiteness started to become visible over the pot, gaining substance as it grew. Sweat built up in beads along his temple, but he kept at it and soon the pot really did look like it was covered in cloth. He stopped for a moment and put his hand out. The pot still felt like metal, and the illusion stayed. Now all he had to do was mould it to make it look as though the pot was old and broken.

  He thought of staying with the cloth idea, and had to make it fit the pot's shape rather than just cover it. He pushed the image of the cloth down inside the pot, almost as if he was creating a lining. It wasn't easy. It resisted every slight touch he made, and the exertion had started to make him shake again. His mouth went dry and his nostrils sore, but he was too determined to stop. With a final push, the cloth illusion gave way and clung to the inside and outside of the pot like he wanted.

  With a small cheer, he scrambled out of the chair to show Lizzie, but as soon as he turned, he felt the room shift about him and his legs buckled. He remembered taking one last, long breath before the blackness took him.

  He woke to find he was still on the floor, but now he was sitting upright near the stove, and Lizzie had wrapped a blanket around him. He went to peel it off and stand up, but he felt a sharp rap across the top of his head. 'Don't move, boy,' Lizzie said, brandishing a rolling pin above him.