by June Wilson
“I’m sorry,” Loric said softly. “Her mind is broken. Let her believe she is making herself better. But I must warn you – she may not live to see you married. Although I truly hope she does.”
Helaine blinked at him. She was barely sixteen. Married? She knew no one that could be considered even remotely suitable. And it wasn’t likely she ever would – not now, when it seemed she would carry the burden of the manor alone. Then she thought of Jonas, and the way he’d scooped her up in his arms, and asked to walk her home.
“Oh yes, it will happen Helaine,” Loric said. “Allow an old man with the Sight to tell you that.”
He sounded sincere and for a second she glimpsed a different future – a bright and happy one. It made her feel giddy and she laughed. Which seemed singularly inappropriate, for hadn’t Loric also foretold her mother’s death?
“I have no mind to marry sir,” she said, making an effort to steady her voice. “But thank you for your visit and all speed for your journey home.”
There – she’d completed the niceties, observed the traditions. As she watched the three men depart, Loric’s final words ringing in her head, she even felt the visit hadn’t been a complete waste of time.
Later, sitting with the steward and his boring ledger, Helaine tried to concentrate but the lines of figures made no sense. The steward droned on about the servants’ wages (too high) and the feedstock for the animals (too low), but she wasn’t listening. Loric had the Sight. Loric had said she would marry. Despite her attempts to laugh it off, she found she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She wished she could share her sense of excitement with her mother, but of course that was out of the question. Loric’s prediction had also foreshadowed Enid’s death.
She sighed, guilt settling over her like a pall. How could she be so selfish, thinking about her own happiness, when her time with her mother could be running out? Why was she even sitting here, when the ledger would never ever balance? Emboldened by this thought, she jumped up and ran from the room, barely pausing to give an apology. Taking the stairs two at a time, she burst into her mother’s chamber and flung her arms round her.
“Helaine! What ails you? Has something happened? Calm yourself, my darling.”
“Nothing’s happened. It’s just that – mother, how do you feel? Any better, after the tonic?”
Enid gave a strange smile. “A little. Loric – I remember him.””
“You do?” Helaine felt a surge of hope. She realized Enid did indeed look better. The haunted look in her eyes had gone and her face had softened.
Enid nodded. “From the time before. There were three of us you know – Loric, Sigur and I. We travelled to Oerin together, where Isolde taught us so much. She had to leave suddenly but Skellstor needed our help. We tried, all of us, we tried. We thought we were ready, but…” Enid gave a sudden gasp and tore at her hair. “Oh, the pain! Please – don’t!”
Helaine had seen this violent change of mood before. She steered her mother to the bed and tried to soothe her. Enid’s arms were flailing, as if she were beating off some unseen enemy, and strange, inarticulate sounds came from her throat. Helaine was about to shout for Brigit when her mother went limp, her eyes rolling upwards. Heart racing, Helaine reached for the vial Loric had left. She knew it was no true medicine but hadn’t Enid said it made her feel better?
“Here – drink this.” She held it to Enid’s lips.
Her mother’s eyes fluttered open. She swallowed the liquid then gripped her arm.
“Helaine – beware. I see him.”
“See who?” Helaine winced. Her mother’s grip was strong.
“No good will come of it. Mark me, Helaine, before it’s too late.”
“Mother, you’re hurting!” Helaine wrenched her arm away.
“I see him,” Enid repeated then sank back against the pillows.
Helaine stared at her mother’s prone form, blinking back tears. She was used to Enid’s ravings but this was different. Her mother hadn’t been her mother at all, but some madwoman who had attacked her. Dazed, she rang for Brigit then took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to tell the housekeeper what had happened. She wasn’t even going to think about it herself. The healers’ visit had obviously upset her mother, in ways Helaine could never hope to understand. She’d been wrong to send for them. And as for Loric’s prediction – well, she wasn’t going to think about that either. The Sight was nothing but nonsense – dangerous nonsense that could send you mad.
The moon was high in the sky. Helaine had escaped the confines of the manor after supper, taking the back stairs to conceal her movements. Despite her determination to forget all that Loric had said, she needed time to think. Time alone, without Brigit or Hilda fussing over her.
She skimmed a pebble across the surface of the mere. One, two, three times the stone leapt before it sank into the black water. Four was her record. Five would be amazing.
She gave a bitter laugh. What was she doing, skimming pebbles like a child? She needed to think seriously about the future. The idea that she would fall in love, even have children, was like a beautiful dream, but one that was already over. Her mother was ill and all her efforts from now on needed to be directed to her care. She would sell the manor if she had to, get more advice. Loric wasn’t the only healer in Skellstor, she was sure of that. There must be others who could help.
“Helaine?”
She gave a little scream as she felt a hand cover her mouth. “Ssh – I don’t want to get you into trouble,” a male voice said.
She wrenched herself free then looked at the boy in amazement. “Jonas! What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you of course - I can’t stop thinking about you.” He dropped to her side and leant in close. “Have you thought about me too? Even just a little?”
She turned away to look at the lake, trying not to smile. “Maybe,” she relented. And they sat there for a while and it felt as wonderful as anything she’d ever felt in her life.
AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 2008
Chapter 6
Toby ran his thumb over the medal. The engraving was well done - a runner hitting the tape, arms thrown up in triumph. He polished it with his sleeve then put it back in its rightful place, next to the photo of his parents with Alice. It wasn’t his only medal but it was the most prestigious so far – the one that meant he was on the way to realizing his dream. If he did well in the State trials this year, he’d stand a good chance next year too. And if he did well in the under 18s, he could score a place at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Except there was one problem with that - the Institute was in Canberra, over 800 kilometers away from Melbourne. He’d be away from his family and Alice and he’d have no free time to speak of. It would be training, training and then more training. Which was exactly what he wanted. Or at least it was if you’d asked him a year ago.
Why had life got so complicated? A year ago he was just a normal teenage boy – a pretty lucky one, if he was honest. Great school, great parents (most of the time) friends, a sport he loved. And then Alice arrived and everything changed. He’d discovered things he still had trouble believing – that he was half human and half Hilderinc and that his true home could be the unfathomable realm of Middengard. Which meant that some days, he didn’t know where he belonged, or where he wanted to be.
He’d tried hard to do normal stuff since he and Alice returned in May. Sure, it had been weird at first – especially as his parents had no idea that he’d been missing for months. But then things settled down, and he and Alice had been able to spend time together, just hanging out after school and at weekends. And if some days he missed Iris (as bossy as she was) and Isolde (as bad-tempered as she was) at least they got updates from Alice’s father.
Then, just when he’d got used to Melbourne and school and running and everything – this new Middengard stuff. Why did it have to come up now? If something went wrong (and when didn’t it, when Middengard was involved?) he might miss the
trials. He’d thought about saying no, but then he’d seen the look of disappointment on Alice’s face. Followed by her usual stubborn thing of telling him she didn’t need him, she could save the world by herself. And on top of that there was Josh. He was brave, sure, but he never took anything seriously enough. He seemed to have forgotten that he’d nearly got himself killed on more than one occasion.
Which was why Toby had just finished packing his rucksack. He’d kept it to the essentials: torch, penknife, spare jumper, chocolate and water bottle. They were due to meet Stanor at midnight in the usual place and Alice and Josh were already waiting for him downstairs. He took one last look round his room and, on impulse, slipped the medal into the rucksack. It wouldn’t hurt to remind himself he had a reason to come back.
*
Five minutes to midnight. The Shrine was in darkness. On St Kilda Road, a late night tram was a reminder that people were still out and about. Alice took a quick look round. There was no one in sight. And the security car that patrolled the Botanic Gardens at night had already passed by, so they were in the clear.
“Ready?” she said, as the glass doors to the Visitors’ Centre slid open.
“Can’t wait.” Josh grinned and hurtled through, skidding on the smooth paving stones.
“He needs to calm down,” Toby muttered and Alice thought he was probably right. She knew how important it was to be discreet. The arrival of three odd-looking teenagers in Victorian Leeds wasn’t something the Hilderinc wanted to draw attention to. If they even had teenagers a hundred and fifty years ago. People went from being children to adults with nothing in between - her father had told her children started work in the mills at twelve or sometimes even younger.
“Stone Keeper – I’m glad to see you,” a deep voice said. A man stepped out of the shadows and gave a formal bow.
“Stanor!” Alice ran to him and gave him a hug. “I’ve missed you. And look who I’ve got with me.”
Stanor inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Toby, Josh – the Hilderinc thank you. It is a noble thing to leave your human lives once more. And worthy of your bloodline.”
“Yep, that’s me. Noble,” Josh said.
“We want to keep tabs on Alice,” Toby said. “Otherwise, she’s bound to do something crazy.”
“Hey,” Alice started; then realized she was being teased. It was a good sign. She’d been worried that Toby was still having doubts.
“Then I am grateful for these tabs,” Stanor replied, his lips twitching. “Now listen to me carefully. Someone will meet you when you arrive - a Guardian. She will explain what that means. You will stay with her and she will help you disguise yourselves. The other thing you need to know is that you might encounter some psychic activity.”
“Psychic activity?” Josh’s eyes widened. “You mean ghosts? That’s so cool.”
Alice shuddered. Her father had told her about spirits in the Vale but not ghosts.
“Oh come on Stanor,” Toby scoffed. “You’re not telling me there’s such a thing as ghosts are you? That’s ridiculous.”
“Spirits of the dead, Toby.” Stanor clearly didn’t think it was a laughing matter. “We think a number may have fled through the breach, but we can’t be certain. They’ll be harmless, but you need to be aware nevertheless. Now come – the portal will only be open for a few minutes.”
Alice tried not to think about ghosts or spirits or anything else remotely scary as they followed Stanor down the maze of hidden corridors. The air became colder and the ground damp as they made their way underground. Just when she was wondering when they were going to stop, Stanor halted in front of a solid wall of rock.
“A dead end?” Josh looked round, puzzled.
“I don’t think so - look.” Alice pointed at the rock. At first glance the surface seemed to be covered in ants, swarming in every direction. And then the dots began to join, forming a picture: a night sky punctured by stars and, below, a flash of dark water.
“The river Aire,” Stanor said. “There’s a ruined abbey close by. The Guardian will meet you there. Now go – the Gate is closing.”
Alice saw the picture was starting to dissolve at the edges. She wished Stanor had told them more about this Guardian but it was too late now. She grabbed Toby and Josh by the hand and they pitched forwards.
A blast of air hit Alice in the face. It was like being in a tumble dryer - round and round they went and over and over. And just when Alice thought she’d never stop spinning they landed on wet grass in a tangle of arms and legs.
“That was fun,” Josh said, struggling to get up. “Only a few broken bones.”
“All part of the experience, my friend.” Toby said. “Are you okay Alice?”
“I think so.” She shook her head, still dizzy. That had been quite a jump. She checked to make sure the Stone was still safe on the chain round her neck and, reassured, took in their surroundings. It was just like the picture – an inky sky full of stars, a wide strip of dark water and woodland in the distance.
“Look - over there,” she said. The remains of a tower rose above the trees, eerie in the moonlight. “The abbey.”
“Let’s go then,” Toby said. “No point hanging around here.”
It was clear the abbey had been an impressive building once, but it was in a sad state of disrepair. In some places the walls were barely three foot high, in others they spanned two levels, with remnants of wooden beams in the crumbling stone. The roof was gone and the flagged floor was thick with grass and weeds. A few pillars remained, standing like sentinels in the dark.
“Spooky,” Josh said, shivering. “Maybe we’ll see some of Stanor’s ghosts.”
“We won’t,” Alice said, hoping that was true. The place was deathly quiet. What would they do if the Guardian didn’t come?
“Don’t worry Alice,” Toby said. “I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” He took off his jacket and put it round her shoulders. As ever, he’d known just what she was thinking.
“Thanks.” She gave him a grateful look and tried to stop her teeth chattering. They were wearing jumpers but it was the middle of an English winter. She’d forgotten how cold it was.
“There’s someone coming,” Josh hissed. “Over there – see?”
A figure had emerged from the trees and was hurrying towards the abbey. It was wearing a cloak and carrying a basket. Alice ducked down and Toby and Josh followed suit. This could be the Guardian or it could be someone else entirely.
“Alice Morgan? Are you here?” The woman – for now she was nearer it was clear the figure was female - set down the basket and walked slowly up the nave. She was of middle height and her hair was tied back in a thick plait. “I’ve been sent to find you. Stanor sent me,” she added, as the silence lengthened.
Alice stepped out of her hiding place. “Yes, I’m here,” she said. “And my friends are too.”
The woman put her hand on her hips. “Friends? He made no mention of friends.”
Alice thought she was going to be angry and was about to explain when the woman gave a broad smile. “Good job I brought plenty of food then. You’ll need a bite before we set off – it’s a long walk from here.”
“Food? Great!” Josh said, revealing himself.
“Josh – wait,” Alice said sharply. The woman had used Stanor’s name, and she seemed genuine, but enemies who presented themselves as friends had fooled her before. “How do we know you are who you say you are?” she challenged.
The woman looked her up and down, eyes narrowed. “He said you could be stubborn,” she said. “Test me with that Stone of yours, if you want.”
So she knew about the Doom Stone. It wasn’t proof that she was the Guardian, but she had called Alice’s bluff. The Stone would warn Alice if something were wrong. She reached for it beneath the neck of her jumper. And felt…absolutely nothing. The Stone was neither hot nor cold. A good sign.
“See? Human through and through and grateful for it,” the woman said, retrieving the basket. “No
w, do you want some of this food or not? We should leave soon. I don’t want anyone to see you dressed in such strange clothes. A girl in trousers! I’ve never seen the like.”
“You bet.” Josh pushed past Alice and peered into the basket. “Biscuits – fantastic. And apple pie! Now that’s food.”
“Don’t mind him,” Toby said as he held out his hand to the Guardian. “I’m Toby McDonnell. Pleased to meet you, miss.”
“Nice manners, young man.” The woman said, shaking firmly. “Martha Sheldon, at your service.”
“And I’m Alice.” Alice held out her own hand. “But of course you know that. I’m sorry for doubting you.”
“Pooh! Think nothing of it. I’d rather have you careful than stupid. And who’s the hungry one?” She cocked her head at Josh, who was halfway through a huge pie.
“That’s Josh Winter,” Alice said. “He’s part Hilderinc, like Toby. He’s, um, got a good appetite.”
“So I see. Well, there’s nothing wrong with that, in my book.” She reached into the basket and handed her a pastry. “We’ve got a three-mile walk and it’s best to keep to the river. You’ll have to watch yourselves, it’s a difficult path – but no worse than you’re used to, I’m sure.”
Martha was right. The walk felt longer than three miles, as the path was twisting and muddy underfoot, with brambles as high as their shoulders, not to mention stinging nettles and spikey thistles. It seemed they were nowhere near the big city of Leeds, as all they could see was the strip of dark water and the looming trees. So when they took a sharp left turn through a thicket, Alice was surprised to find herself in a narrow cobbled street. There was a row of terraced houses on either side, all seemingly identical: a door on the left, a window to the right and one up above.
“This way,” Martha whispered, hurrying them up the street. There was no one in sight and all the windows were in darkness. Alice just had time to glimpse another row of houses behind the first when the Guardian came to a halt outside a neatly painted door. Taking a quick look over her shoulder, she bundled them inside and led them to a kitchen, where an oil lamp was burning on a wooden table. There was a stone sink beneath a window, an iron range and a fireplace with coal burning in the grate.