by Farr, Cathy;
Defeated, Wil plonked down on the grass to eat his raven-delivered breakfast and threw an accusing glance at the horse.
‘Did you do this or was it that bird?’ he said, managing an ironic smile. The horse ignored him and continued its own breakfast.
As he sat in the dewy grass munching, he wondered if Mortimer, Gisella and Seth had even arrived back yet. Then he tried to figure out how he was going to explain not arriving back with them, if, that was, he decided to venture back into the town – he kept telling himself.
In the peace of the morning, memories of the Moon Chase came flooding back to him; he thought about Olivia and Curtis, Emmet and Becky. Had they got home safely?
How was Olivia bearing up after the loss of her beloved Giles?
Wil pictured Giles Savidge and did his best to recall any redeeming features that might have explained Olivia’s attraction – but ugly memories crowded in and while he hadn’t known Giles for very long, he was sure that young Master Savidge possessed absolutely no redeeming features whatsoever! Although…Giles’s father was quite influential and obviously had a lot of money…Wil shook his head to push such uncharitable thoughts out of his mind. Whatever Giles had been like, Wil decided, he hadn’t deserved to die like that – not that he was even dead!
Wil wondered what it must be like to become a Wraithe Wolf – the hairs on the back of his neck prickled - he remembered how he’d felt in Skelmer Hollow when he accidentally looked into the mind of one. He shivered at the memory.
Then he thought about Gisella – had she really understood why he had left them? He wasn’t sure if she had been upset or angry – would she still stand by him if he went back now?
As these and a hundred other questions crowded into Wil’s mind, a sudden shout interrupted them.
‘HEY, YOU – WHO GOES THERE?’
Wil looked towards the town gates, in the direction of the shout. A small eager face was pressed against the tiny lookout.
In the next moment Wil heard the sound of sliding timbers – they were opening the gates.
‘The decision’s been made then,’ he thought. ‘I’m going back to Saran!’
‘Wil – you’re back!’
A small silver blur charged through the gathering crowd. Tally threw her full weight at Wil and hugged him.
‘I… we’ve been so worried! Oh, Wil… look Eli, its Wil, he’s back!’ Tally gabbled away excitedly while her sister made her way more sedately through the gathering throng. Lady Élanor’s expression was hard to read. After a quick glance towards Wil’s cloak-covered shoulder, she looked into his eyes briefly and then looked away. She didn’t say a word to him.
Slightly perturbed at Lady Élanor’s cool reception, Wil searched the crowd, but there was no sign of Gisella, Mortimer or Seth, or indeed any of the Fellmen. His heart sank. A guard was busily tying Wil’s hands behind his back.
‘Tally, where are the others?’
‘Becky, Emmet, Curtis, Leon and Olivia came back two days ago – they… they told us what happened to Giles. They said you went with Mortimer and Gisella. Aren’t they with you, Wil?’ asked Tally, looking behind him as if she expected to see them standing there.
‘No, er, we got split up – they, huh, left without me’ Wil answered – which, if you looked at it one way, was actually the truth – they had gone without him!
‘They what!’ said Tally, but before she could interrogate him further her sister cut in.
‘Undo those ropes!’ Lady Élanor abruptly ordered the young guard. Looking confused, the guard obeyed immediately. But as the ropes fell from Wil’s arms, another figure barged towards him.
‘Well, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I wouldn’t have believed it! Wil Calloway! After all that you’ve done, boy, I can’t believe you’ve decided to show your face!’ said Godwyn Savidge, looking delighted – in a wild-eyed sort of way. ‘Well at least now we will get justice!’
‘What do you mean, Godwyn?’ asked Lady Élanor. She stepped protectively in front of Wil but a crooked smile broke across the man’s face.
‘You may have managed to stall this young man’s fate by conning some members of the Order, Lady Élanor, but I am certain that it is because of him that my son met with such a terrible fate on Tel Harion!’ Savidge paused, took a laboured breath and then continued. ‘And now, finally, I can absolutely prove that he is guilty as charged of the attempted murder of Seth Tanner … This time, my Lady, there will be no stalling – this time, there will be a hanging!’
The crowd cheered. Savidge ordered a group of bystanders to get the gallows ready.
‘Take him to the Great Hall,’ Savidge ordered loudly, ‘and find Mortens and the others. I want this fiasco over with by noon - TODAY!’
Tally whirled round to her sister, but Savidge intercepted her and pointed a fat finger at Lady Élanor.
‘And don’t let her near him!’ he yelled at the guard.
Close to panic now, desperation washed over Wil. He had been convinced that Gisella and Mortimer at least would have been there to greet him - if not Seth - to explain what had happened during the Moon Chase and their escape from Tinniswood. His shoulder tingled. What madness had made him think everything would be alright if he came back? He should have got straight back onto that horse and galloped home as fast as he could. What had happened to his friends? Without them, Wil’s fate really was well and truly sealed!
‘Eli, do something! This isn’t right!’ Tally cried to her sister but the guard, his chest puffed out with importance, pushed Lady Élanor aside, poked his sword sharply into Wil’s back and drove him away across the square.
As he passed by, Lady Élanor quickly grabbed hold of Wil’s arm, ‘You have trusted me up until now, Wil Calloway. Trust me now, I beg you!’
Once again Wil stood in the Great Hall. It smelt damp and musty. Black streaks marked the walls from old, half-spent candles that hung like grotesque ornaments.
Hurriedly assembled at this early hour, the Order of the Magewizen of Saran bustled to their seats below the heads of three Wraithe Wolves – a lasting reminder of the night the Moon Chase went badly wrong.
Morten Mortens was last to arrive. He strode bleary-eyed into the hall still fastening his magenta robe and acknowledged his waiting colleagues with a brief nod. Godwyn Savidge caught Fermina Fairfax’s eye – she looked heavenwards and then checked her nails.
The scene was all too familiar. Sounds of excited chatter and scraping chair legs came from the gallery. What looked like the entire population of Saran was crammed up there – except, that is, for any of the members of the Moon Chase that he had joined three nights earlier.
Behind Wil a door opened. He span round hoping to see his friends but instead saw Annabel Prinze, the Order’s Prosecutor who, to Wil’s alarm, was looking positively delighted! She beamed first at the Grand Wizen and then the other members of the Order; she even cast a fleeting, victorious glance up to the gallery. In her triumphant wake came Becky Lum, Olivia Drews, Leon Beck, Curtis Waller and Emmet MacPhee.
Wil kept his eyes fixed on the door, but there was no sign of Gisella, Mortimer or Seth.
All five looked pale and tired. Olivia had obviously been crying again – her eyes were red and swollen and her lip quivered.
On the other side of the hall, another door banged loudly and then re-opened seconds later – Wil’s heart skipped a beat – they’d come! But no - Lady Élanor tucked her slender frame around the half-opened door which was then slammed firmly behind her.
Olivia looked at Wil and dissolved into loud sobbing. Leon patted her shoulder and Miss Prinze offered her a handkerchief, then she directed Becky and the others to seats along the opposite wall. As Leon walked past he turned and spat in Wil’s face, then plonked down next to Becky, stretched his legs out with one foot crossed over the other and folded his arms tightly across his chest. He stared at Wil with a burning gaze of pure hatred.
Lady Élanor made a move closer towards Wil, but Godwyn Savidge
jumped to his feet. Morten Mortens looked up in surprise as Savidge spoke.
‘Master Calloway will not be requiring a defence representative, Lady Élanor – we have already heard your argument and deliberated on it.’
‘Here, here!’ said Oswald Beck loudly. Wil noticed that Fermina Fairfax was also nodding silently. But the look of disapproval on Agatha Peasgood’s face suggested to Wil that she certainly was not of the same mind.
‘But Sir, Grand Wizen, your Worship,’ objected Lady Élanor. She looked straight past Godwyn Savidge and addressed Morten Mortens. ‘I am assuming that these five people have been brought here as witnesses and therefore I must argue that Master Calloway has the right to cross-examine any evidence they intend to present.’
‘Well, um… Yes – that would be the more usual approach, Godwyn. I certainly can’t think why…’ conceded the Grand Wizen, but Savidge, still on his feet, didn’t let him finish.
‘Well, I can! There is only one question that needs to be asked and answered and no amount of questions from Master Calloway will prove anything other than his guilt!’ His cheeks were puce and his breathing was laboured.
Morten Mortens looked at Lady Élanor in alarm – he was in serious danger of losing control of his own court!
‘Well, perhaps,’ he said diplomatically, ‘if we could hear the question that you wish to put – and the name of the person you hope will provide the answer – then … perhaps we could consider if a question from the defence would be appropriate?’
‘I think that’s an awfully good idea, Morten,’ agreed Agatha Peasgood before Godwyn Savidge could argue. ‘Maybe we could have a vote on whether he could address the witness?’
Clasping her thin fingers together under her chin, she looked encouragingly towards the others.
Up until Agatha had mentioned a vote, a glimmer of hope had flickered in front of Wil, but the faces of Savidge, Fairfax and Beck told him that the outcome would not, however, be in his favour.
‘Oh yes, thank you, Agatha. That is a good idea!’ said Mortens, visibly relieved that someone else had taken the initiative -Wil didn’t need to look at Lady Élanor to know what expression would be on her face! ‘Right – well, er… Godwyn – if you would like to sit down, yes? Ah, good – well, then – shall we make a start? I haven’t had any breakfast yet, so please excuse me if you hear my tummy rumbling.’
Wil closed his eyes – Hope was pelting away over the horizon carrying the last minutes of Wil’s life as he ran.
‘Miss Prinze - Annabel – if you would be so kind as to read out the key question and tell us to whom you would like it addressed?’ Morten Mortens asked the Prosecutor.
But Wil already knew what the question would be - and he was certain who would be asked. He fixed his gaze on the floor and waited.
‘Yes, your Worships. Thank you,’ beamed Miss Prinze.
‘I intend to ask Becky Lum to tell us if she was aware of any injury that the accused incurred while he was on the Moon Chase three nights ago.’
She smiled at Becky but Becky did not smile back.
‘As you know, your Worships,’ Miss Prinze continued helpfully, ‘the Order of the Magewizen of Saran has decreed that should Will Calloway have been either killed on that Moon Chase or return injured, this would confirm that he is guilty of the attempted murder of Seth Tanner. As you can see, your Worships, Master Calloway is alive and well and in this hall today. Master Tanner, however, is not.’ She let this last sentence hang in the air.
Wil leant forward - Seth was now his friend – although why he wasn’t in the court deeply troubled Wil. He was just about to jump up and object when a familiar voice whispered in his head.
‘Wait, Wil – trust my sister!’
Wil glanced up at the gallery. From the farthest corner, a small, pale girl with silver hair looked down at him through the palest blue eyes.
Morten Mortens broke the silence.
‘Mm, yes, I was wondering where Master Tanner was. Also, weren’t Mortimer Merridown and Gisella Fairfax supposed to be with Master Calloway – and two Fellhounds?’
Miss Prinze, who had remained on her feet, answered immediately.
‘It appears that Seth Tanner, haunted by his recent ordeal, took it upon himself to go and join the Moon Chase, Your Worships. I think it’s fair to assume that Master Calloway probably saw this as an opportunity to make a second and this time more successful attempt on Seth Tanner’s life and did for the others at the same time, your Worship,’ said Miss Prinze in a very matter-of-fact tone. This was too much for Wil.
‘No, I didn’t kill them! I DID NOT KILL ANYONE!’ he shouted in desperation.
The Prosecutor held her ground and studied him.
‘That’s a nasty temper you’ve got there Master Calloway.’
The crowd in the gallery jeered.
‘Get on with it!’ someone shouted.
‘Master Calloway, please could you refrain from further outbursts or this is going to take quite a long time,’ said the Grand Wizen.
‘The longer the better!’ thought Wil, but he managed to hold his tongue.
‘Wil…please… just trust Élanor,’ Tally’s voice whispered. Wil sat back down and held his head in his hands – he just wanted the nightmare to end.
‘Right, well, now we’ve heard Miss Prinze’s key question, are we going to vote on whether Master Calloway, or his representative, will be able to cross examine Becky Lum?’ Morten Mortens gave an enthusiastic nod to the other members of the Order. ‘All those in favour of a cross-examination raise their hands.’
Both he and Agatha Peasgood raised their right hands straight into the air – the other three wizens sat stony-faced with their hands firmly in their laps. Mortens looked genuinely disappointed.
‘Ah… well, just for completeness and to make sure no one wishes to abstain – all those against?’
Oswald, Savidge and Fairfax’s hands were already in the air before he could finish.
‘Oh dear… well, we did agree.’ He smiled apologetically at Lady Élanor though he avoided Wil’s face all together.
‘Well, Miss Prinze… would you like to call your witness?’
Becky Lum stood before the Order. Her normally tanned face was pale and her long, straight hair fell limp down her back. She clasped her fingers together in front of her.
‘Miss Lum, thank you for coming here today, do you understand the charges against this young man?’ Miss Prinze pointed towards Wil.
Becky nodded, ‘Yes, ma’am,’ she said quietly, not raising her eyes from the floor.
Olivia started sobbing loudly again. The prosecutor raised her voice slightly.
‘Now Miss Lum, I am going to ask you a question and I require that you answer it in as much detail as you can, do you understand?’
Becky hesitated and then gave a tiny nod.
‘For the court, then, Miss Lum, could you tell us if Master Calloway was injured during the Moon Chase – we know he wasn’t killed as he stands before us today.’
Someone in the gallery giggled.
There was a long pause.
‘Miss Lum? Do you understand the question?’
Becky shifted uncomfortably.
‘Yes, Ma’am… yes, I… I believe he was injured – by a Wraithe Wolf… but not like Giles!’ Becky answered, but her brief reply did not seem to satisfy Miss Prinze.
‘And where was he injured, Miss Lum?’ prompted Miss Prinze.
‘In Skelmer Hollow – just after Giles was … you know… taken.’
Olivia let out a howl and started sobbing uncontrollably. Miss Prinze indicated to one of the guards who rushed forward and guided the weeping girl out of the hall.
‘No, Miss Lum, sorry, I meant, where was he injured – on his body?’
‘Oh… his arm, I think – or his shoulder? It was dark – I couldn’t see too well.’
‘Was anyone else with you at this time?’
Becky gestured to Leon.
‘Leon was there
, but he got knocked out.’
‘By Master Calloway?’ asked Miss Prinze incredulously.
‘No! Oh, No – by a wolf, I think – I wasn’t there then.’
‘Was anyone else there?’ pressed Miss Prinze.
‘Yes – Gisella was already there.’
‘Gisella Fairfax, Wizen Fermina Fairfax’s only child – who is now missing,’ said the Prosecutor. Fermina Fairfax sat, white faced, but did not look up.
‘Did you discuss Master Calloway’s injury with Miss Fairfax?’
Lady Élanor walked forward, ‘Grand Wizen, your Worship – I thought it had been agreed that Miss Prinze was allowed just one question?’
‘No, no,’ Fermina Fairfax spoke just before the Grand Wizen had time to open his mouth. ‘I distinctly heard the Prosecutor say that she intended to ask one key question – I don’t believe that it was to be at the exclusion of any others. Is that not correct, Prosecutor Prinze?’
‘That’s correct, your Worship. To allow me only one question would have been absurd!’
Morten Mortens was starting to look somewhat brow-beaten. Godwyn Savidge was on his feet again.
‘With all due respect, Grand Wizen,’ he said, not looking in the least bit respectful. ‘I think it’s fair to say that Miss Prinze is getting around to what we know already. That is, that at a crucial moment during the hunt, this boy distracted my son, Giles. And as a direct result my son was attacked by a Wraithe Wolf. But in the process Calloway suffered a blow to his own shoulder. Becky saw the wound – Calloway’s guilt has been proved! He then tried to escape but Seth Tanner, Mortimer Merridown and Gisella Fairfax jointly tried to apprehend him and he killed them. Therefore, I order that he must hang as the murderer he is!’
Godwyn banged his fist down on the table – the gallery erupted with people jeering and shouting. Fermina Fairfax and Oswald Beck applauded. Agatha Peasgood was as white as a sheet and Morten Mortens looked utterly defeated.
Wil looked up to the heavens – surely there was some way out of this nightmare.
A movement at a tiny window high up near the rafters caught his eye. There, silhouetted against the bright morning light, was the shape of a large bird.