The Black Amulet

by J. R. Wallis

  It didn’t take long for the group of Trolls to be culled to a manageable size and then Thomas Gabriel and Givens were working together, chasing down the remaining creatures as they dived back into the earth, burrowing down in a flurry of soil and stones.

  Finally, the two Badlanders were left panting as silence returned to the ruins. The yellow fumes were still thick in the air so they kept their masks on as they went about disposing of the bodies, showering them with brown dust that melted them to nothing. Thomas Gabriel was careful to keep the amulet hidden beneath his shirtsleeve until he sensed an opportunity to take it off, with Givens busy dissolving the body of a particularly large Troll.

  But removing it was harder than he’d expected.

  Something in Thomas Gabriel’s heart was telling him not to do it. His fingers fumbled at his wrist and he remembered Drewman’s warning about the amulet and how dangerous it was.

  Realizing Givens had almost finished disposing of the Troll, Thomas Gabriel plucked the amulet from his wrist and put it in his pocket. It felt like a cold spike had been thrust into his heart and the sensation stayed with him for a few moments afterwards.

  The two Badlanders continued to work in silence and then, when all the bodies were gone and the air had cleared, they removed their masks, which dissolved to nothing.

  Givens stared at Thomas Gabriel, then nodded and held out his hand.

  ‘Thank you.’ They shook but Givens didn’t let go. ‘Now tell me why you’re here.’

  Thomas Gabriel looked straight back at him. ‘I wanted another chance to prove I’m good with magic,’ he said. ‘Last time we met, things didn’t go as I’d hoped. So I’ve been using Glassyscopes to watch you, hoping for another opportunity.’ He took out a small pair of wire-rimmed spectacles from his pocket.

  ‘You mean you’ve been spying on me and Wilfried?’

  ‘No.’ Thomas Gabriel looked down at the ground. ‘At least I didn’t think of it that way.’

  ‘Well, that’s how it seems to us. Doesn’t it, Wilfried?’ The small apprentice nodded.

  ‘You’ve got to remember I have no one, sir. There’s been a hole in my life ever since my Master died. I need someone I can look up to and learn from, like I did with Simeon. When I found out I was going to be mentored by you, sir, I was so excited. So, when things went wrong the other night with the Gobblings, I was upset, worried I’d made such a bad impression that you might pass me onto someone else and not want to be bothered with me any more.’

  ‘So you decided to try and prove yourself tonight?’

  Thomas Gabriel nodded. He could see Givens weighing up everything he’d said.

  ‘Was it wrong, sir, to do what I did?’

  Givens scowled. ‘Try and convince me it wasn’t.’

  Thomas Gabriel thought about that. ‘Well, there’s always two ways of looking at things.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘As you see it, I’m nothing but a boy who’s been spying on you. But the way I see it, I only want to learn so I can be as good as I can be and pass the test from the High Council. And that means I need to learn from the best around, like you, sir.’

  Thomas Gabriel waved a hand at the open grass where they’d fought off the Trolls. ‘Simeon Rowell might have been my Master, but I could never have done anything like that with him. I was watching you all the time, learning from you, following your lead.’ Thomas Gabriel threw his arms this way and that, re-enacting the magic he’d cast. ‘I could never have done anything like that on my own. You gave me a lot of confidence, sir.’

  Thomas Gabriel could see Givens beginning to enjoy the praise in front of Wilfried.

  ‘If I ever go on to be a great Badlander then I’ll make sure everyone knows it was because of you, sir. I’ll help add to your legacy. Simeon may have got me started, and I’ll always be grateful for that, but I can see I’ve still got a lot to learn.’

  Givens nodded, his ego flattered enough. ‘That’s very kind of you, Thomas Gabriel.’ He tapped a finger on his chin. ‘But using those Glassyscopes to keep an eye on me and my apprentice is still a reckless thing to have done. Our business is not your business. It’s a black mark against you.’

  Thomas Gabriel nodded and looked down at the ground.

  ‘And turning up here, out of the blue, could have got you killed. Your aim was quite off on occasion. You were meant to be hitting the Trolls not the ground.’

  ‘Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.’

  ‘But,’ and Givens raised his finger, ‘given that Wilfried and I have benefited from your presence, making our job easier than it perhaps would have been to deal with the Burrowing Trolls, then I will say no more about it. Does that sound fair?’

  ‘Yes, sir. Thank you. As you say, sir, I’m sure you would have had no problem with the Trolls. I’m just happy to have helped.’

  Givens gave Thomas Gabriel a somewhat sour glare and then took the Glassyscopes from him and dropped them on the ground and stood on them, breaking the lenses.

  ‘I think we’re done here. I would suggest you go home and study some more on the Burrowing Troll and also on the spell for your mask. From what I could see, it looked a little underdeveloped and that could have been fatal. Clearly, from what I have seen tonight and of course the other day, you are definitely a work in progress when it comes to using magic. Don’t underestimate how rigorous the test of your magical skills in a few weeks’ time by the High Council will be.’

  ‘I won’t, sir. Thank you.’ Thomas Gabriel took his vial of Slap Dust out of his pocket, eager to leave.

  ‘And two more things. Keep an eye on that invitation of yours. One of the High Council members wants the meeting brought forward.’

  ‘Really?’ Thomas Gabriel felt like a Gobbling had raked a talon across his heart.

  ‘Don’t worry. It’s highly unlikely given everyone on the High Council has to agree, but as your mentor I’m obliged to let you know, given your upcoming magical test.’

  ‘Right,’ said Thomas Gabriel, the blood in him cooling a little. ‘And the other thing?’

  ‘I think it’s best we keep this episode tonight to ourselves, don’t you? We don’t want the Order finding out you were spying on me. They wouldn’t approve of that.’ Givens glared at him.

  ‘No, sir. Of course. No one will know.’

  When he appeared in the hallway of his home, Thomas Gabriel was still grinning, long after the fizz of Slap Dust had faded from his hands. He knew Givens had been grateful for his help, but hadn’t wanted to say so in front of his apprentice and appear weak.

  Even though it was almost daybreak, Thomas Gabriel didn’t want to go to bed. He took the Black Amulet out of his pocket. He hadn’t had time to study it properly earlier, but now he saw that at either end of the C-shape was carved a small head in the shape of a serpent. Each one had its mouth open, showing tiny serrated rows of black teeth. The eyes were green, a tiny gemstone in each socket. He wondered what the amulet was made of exactly because, although it looked so dark and heavy, it was light to hold, like a small bone. He fought the urge to put it on again, thinking about Drewman’s warning about its power.

  ‘So that’s the amulet?’

  Thomas Gabriel jumped. He looked up to see Ruby standing there and caught the faint whiff of Slap Dust. He smiled but only on the outside. His grip tightened round the amulet instinctively, like his hand was thinking ahead of his brain.

  ‘Where’s Jones?’ he asked, looking about as if wary of having the amulet snatched from him.

  ‘At home. Figured he had some explaining to do to his parents.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose he must do, being out most of the night. So, you’re both all right after inhaling so much of the Troll’s breath, then?’

  ‘Fine,’ said Ruby. ‘Thank you. We watched you with the Trolls.’

  ‘In your scrying mirror?’

  Ruby nodded. ‘Once we’d escaped, we wanted to check you were okay. Seems like there was no need, though.’ She pointed at the amulet. ‘You were a
lmost as good as Givens, wearing that.’

  Thomas Gabriel couldn’t hold back a smile. ‘It works like Drewman said. The magic inside me was stronger than I’ve ever felt it.’

  ‘Lucky you.’

  As Ruby stared at the amulet, Thomas Gabriel took a step back. He didn’t want her to touch it and opened his mouth to tell her so, but his jealousy vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving him unsure what to say for a moment.

  When Ruby frowned, Thomas Gabriel realized his mouth was still open.

  ‘Givens didn’t see me wearing it,’ he said quickly. ‘I made sure.’

  Ruby unhooked the knapsack slung round her shoulder. ‘I thought you should know we took care of this,’ she said, unzipping the small front pocket and picking out the Moon Globe, holding it up for the boy to see, then placing it down on the floor before there was another reaction like the one she’d had at the abbey. ‘The door vanished when Jones removed the Moon Globe from it. And we brought this back too.’ After unzipping the main body of the knapsack, she folded it down to reveal the half-cleaned piece of stone with the Latin inscription on it. The tiny carving of the door was above it exactly as it had been when they’d first seen it in the museum. ‘Givens won’t find the hidden door now.’

  ‘Thanks. I didn’t think about that.’

  Ruby pointed at the amulet. ‘We thought we should hide that too.’

  Thomas Gabriel felt his fingers tighten round the object. ‘That’s okay, I can hide it here.’

  ‘Don’t you think it would be safer somewhere else? No one would think to look in Jones’s house,’ continued Ruby.

  Thomas Gabriel didn’t want to give up the amulet now, not when it had made him feel so powerful. The idea of someone else having it or even touching it made his stomach clench, like a fist ready to throw a punch.

  ‘Hell-oo?’ Ruby was looking at him, waving a hand in front of his face. ‘I said are you all right with hiding it at Jones’s house?’

  Thomas Gabriel blinked. He seemed to have lost a moment of time thinking about the amulet, as if he’d dropped out of the world for a second or so. Ruby raised her eyebrows. Then she held out her hand.

  The anxiety Thomas Gabriel felt about giving the amulet to her grew sharper. His heart bumped against his chest. The outstretched palm of Ruby’s hand seemed to widen.

  ‘I still need it,’ he said quickly.

  ‘Why?’ asked Ruby, raising her eyebrows. ‘Drewman said to use it sparingly, remember? It’s dangerous.’

  ‘I’ve got to take the Moon Globe back to Pindlebury before he wakes up. What if I get in a fix and need to use magic? I can take it back right now, before it gets light.’

  Ruby shook her head. ‘I’ll take the Moon Globe back,’ and she picked it up off the floor.

  ‘You can’t, it’s too dangerous. Anyway, you don’t know how to use the—’

  He froze as Ruby tossed him the Moon Globe. He caught it, just, in his outstretched hand, juggling it between his fingers.

  ‘What did you do that for?’ he shouted, glaring at her. ‘It could have broken if I’d dropped it.’ And then he realized exactly why she’d done it.

  Ruby had plucked the amulet from his other hand without him realizing. He watched as she slipped it onto her wrist. His heart turned dark. Not only was he embarrassed at being tricked, but he was angry at Ruby for taking the amulet. He was about to tell her to give it back to him when she tutted and shook her head.

  ‘What are you supposed to feel when you wear it?’

  ‘Powerful, of course,’ snapped the boy. ‘Like you can do anything you want with the magic inside you. Now give it back.’

  ‘Hmm. I don’t feel anything.’

  ‘You must do!’ But Ruby shook her head. She raised her hand and spoke a spell. But nothing happened. Not even a single white spark on her fingers.

  Ruby tutted. She held up her forearm and studied the amulet, staring at the serpents with their little green eyes. And then she tutted again.

  ‘What is it?’ asked Thomas Gabriel, already feeling calmer because it was obvious Ruby couldn’t use the amulet.

  ‘Drewman said we could all use it, but I can’t. And I know exactly why not.’

  Ruby pointed at the Moon Globe that Thomas Gabriel was holding.

  ‘Remember how I couldn’t use that at the abbey either?’ Thomas Gabriel nodded. ‘Well, some things in the Badlands don’t work for girls. I don’t know why. Scrying’s easy-peasy for me, but other things . . . well . . .’ She bit her lip. ‘I wish Victor Brynn was here,’ she sighed.

  She took the amulet off and handed it back to Thomas Gabriel. His heart rose like a balloon as he snatched it back.

  ‘Looks like I’m the only one who’ll be using it then,’ he said, trying not to sound too smug about it.

  ‘What about Jones?’

  ‘He hates using magic. Doesn’t want to be a Badlander, remember?’

  ‘Well, that’s what he says. I think he’s secretly regretting giving up being one.’

  Thomas Gabriel snorted a laugh. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

  ‘No, really,’ continued Ruby. ‘He didn’t have to help us yesterday, but he came as soon as I sent the message in the jar. And he decided to stay with us instead of going back home for family movie night.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So staying up all night with us instead of going home means he wanted to be here with us in the Badlands. I was an ordinary kid once. I know what it’s like. You don’t get to do anything important. Not like Badlanders do. What if Jones has realized that and is regretting the choice he’s made?’

  Thomas Gabriel shook his head. ‘I don’t think so, Ruby. Jones stayed and helped because he’s desperate for Drewman to fix your Commencement. He needs the magic out of him to get on with being an ordinary boy. There’s no way he’d want to use the amulet. And do you really think he’d want to give up his parents after everything he went through to get them?’ He shrugged. ‘Sorry, but I think you’re just imagining that Jones wants to be a Badlander.’

  Ruby puffed out her cheeks as she thought about that. She shook her head. ‘There’s definitely something going on with him,’ she said. ‘I know him better than anyone.’

  ‘He’s got a lot on his mind. At the moment, he’s not an ordinary boy with the magic inside him and he’s not a Badlander either. He’s nothing. Just like you’re nothing too.’

  Ruby raised her eyebrows. ‘So are you without that amulet,’ she snapped and then instantly regretted it because, deep down, she knew Thomas Gabriel was right and that none of them were the person they wanted to be. It was why they were working together.

  Ruby sighed. ‘Do you really think the amulet can help us find all the bits of Drewman we need?’

  ‘I think it can help us do anything,’ said Thomas Gabriel, admiring the amulet.

  ‘He did say the golden boxes containing the rest of him are well hidden with magic.’

  ‘Spells for finding things can be hard,’ agreed Thomas Gabriel, ‘depending on how well they’ve been hidden.’

  He put the Moon Globe in his pocket, and then took out his copy of The Black Book of Magical Instruction. He rifled through the pages until he found the section entitled ‘Infandan þing’ with the English translation ‘Finding things’ written underneath.

  ‘There’s a lot to learn about using spells for finding something that’s been hidden on purpose,’ said Thomas Gabriel, skimming the pages. ‘If Drewman’s right about the golden boxes being hidden with strong magic, well . . .’ He paused as he raised his eyebrows. ‘I’ll need to practise. A lot. Even with the amulet.’

  And then his eyes fixed on a particular paragraph. ‘There’s an even bigger problem too.’

  ‘Of course there is,’ sighed Ruby. ‘We’re in the Badlands.’

  Thomas Gabriel cleared his throat and read from the page. ‘To attempt any spell to locate someone’s body, a corpse for example, or any remains, you must already have in your possession some physical pie
ce of that body. This will act as a guide for any spell you need to use.’

  Thomas Gabriel ran his finger further down the page. ‘It has to be a bit of them. Blood. Hair. Fingernails—’

  ‘How are we supposed to get that when any part of Drewman turns to ash outside the room he’s kept in?’ Thomas Gabriel snapped the book shut.

  ‘I’ll take the Moon Globe back to Pindlebury now and ask if he knows a way round the problem. Or has a book about it at least.’

  It was almost dawn as Thomas Gabriel returned to Pindlebury’s rooms in St Crosse College, creeping across the quad and then walking up the winding staircase. Although he was tired, he felt a bounce in his steps that hadn’t been there for a long time. He was happy. The amulet had given him hope. Not only could he do magic, but there was a glow inside him. It was the same sensation he’d had after his Commencement. He played with the amulet as he walked, rubbing the smooth surface, and the heads of the serpents at either end. Their green eyes flashed as they caught the lights mounted on the staircase and made them look alive.

  When he opened the door, Pindlebury was still asleep, having had the full dose of Hurdy Gurdy, and snoring gently. Thomas Gabriel replaced the Moon Globe into the two boxes that sat one inside the other, clicking them shut, and then glanced about to check that nothing looked odd or out of place. Satisfied, he took a Memory Leech out of his pocket and whispered gently to it.

  He held the tip of the small, wriggly creature up to Pindlebury’s ear and watched the creature squirm closer. He allowed it to get a grip and then he fed the Leech into the man’s ear. It stretched itself thinner than a pencil to slide in and then it was gone with a schlurp, the tail disappearing in a circular flicking motion.