Chapter 3
‘I still can’t get my head around what happened yesterday,’ said Matt, grasping the handle and opening the great double doors of the library. His eyes, however, were extremely vigilant when he stepped inside. Crystal shrugged her shoulders.
‘I don’t presume to have all the answers,’ she said, throwing herself into the first vacant chair they came across, ‘but at least you’re alive and kicking.’ Alfie cleared his throat.
‘You know, I really am sorry about what happened. I honestly don’t know what came over me.’
‘Oh, it wasn’t your fault,’ Crystal said, stretching the tension from her shoulders. ‘You were a pawn in a terrible game out there yesterday, but thankfully, in the end we were not the losers.’ She breathed in the heady smell of beeswax mixed with the natural aroma of furniture polish. It smelt so good and the tension in her shoulders slowly ebbed away.
‘Let’s just forget about it,’ she said, giving him a warm smile to show she felt no animosity towards him.
‘I agree,’ said Matt, slapping his mate on the back for good measure, ‘and to think we’re back in this place,’ he added, screwing up his nose and taking the seat next to Crystal. ‘You know, I wasn’t going to step foot in here again after meeting you.’
An unfortunate beginning to an unusual friendship, she thought secretly to herself.
‘Yes, I have been known to appear a bit strange,’ she said instead, shifting in her chair and frowning. ‘You see, I’m not entirely sure of the powers I possess,’ she explained, reaching for a magazine, ‘but as long as it all works out in the end, what does it matter?’
Alfie moved towards a set of three oak bookcases situated close behind them, showing a tantalising display of hardback books. He thumbed along a few of the spines, but it was obvious nothing held his interest. Instead, he dropped like a sack of potatoes into a leather armchair and watched Crystal leaf through the pages of the magazine. Crystal caught his stare and he forced a tight smile, unable to hide his bout of boredom. Somewhere in the building a clock chimed the hour.
‘Can you hear that?’ Alfie suddenly asked the others. Cocking his head to one side, he strained to hear a distinct sound. Crystal was amused to see his eyes appear to dart in several directions at once and Matt made the gesture of putting his hand to his ear, to help him focus on the noise.
‘Probably bats,’ Matt said, losing interest. Crystal, however, wasn’t totally convinced.
‘That’s strange,’ she said, sounding wistful, ‘I’m here most of the time and I’ve never heard constant tapping like that before.’
After a minute or so her face tightened, the noise clearly irritating her. Tap, tap, tap, the noise continued. Crystal felt the earlier tension in her shoulders returning.
‘Do you want me to go and investigate?’ asked Alfie, his voice sounding weak. He didn’t really want to, but didn’t want to appear spineless after yesterday’s performance.
‘It’s probably just a broken branch or an overgrown twig banging against the window,’ said Matt, thinking of a rational explanation. ‘It’s hardly anything to worry about.’
It was a slow, regulated beat, precise in its elemental rhythm: TAP, TAP, TAP.
‘What the hell is that?’ Crystal snapped, throwing her magazine down in frustration. She folded her arms and narrowed her glare to rest upon Matt, making it obvious she wanted him to investigate. He accepted the challenge and jumped to his feet, and she watched him with keen interest, noticing how his eyebrows arched in concentration.
‘Look, it’s coming from that window,’ Matt said, pointing to a small circular hole above them.
Alfie started shaking in his boots.
‘What do you think it is?’ he whimpered, with a crackle in his voice exposing his anxiety. Matt’s face softened. ‘Oh, it’s nothing more than a little bird,’ he said, pointing to something white. ‘Look, it’s pecking like mad to come in.’ Alfie followed his gaze, suddenly smiling broadly.
‘Phew,’ he said, shivering with relief, ‘it’s not something nasty then.’
Climbing on a bench, Matt reached up and fiddled with the latch. He could see storm clouds forming, blowing high in the sky and scudding in front of the sun. He switched his attention back to the handle. It was stiff with age and he was struggling to open it. There was a clap of thunder before the drizzle fell and he gave a small cry when the latch gave way, allowing fine rain to splash onto his face. He pushed the window wide, laughing with pleasure, his hands wet and slippery, when the bird dived past him.
‘Well, there’s the culprit,’ Matt stated, jumping down off the bench. ‘It’s a white dove and it was adamant it was going to get in through that window.’ Crystal walked over to the bird, which was resting on the back of a chair. Something had caught her eye.
‘Why, it’s got a strange marking on its left wing,’ she pointed out, moving closer and craning her neck to get a better look. The bird flapped its wings, clearly startled, before folding them back and settling with a ‘coo’.
‘It looks like a fingerprint,’ Crystal stated in surprise. ‘No, actually it’s thicker, more like a thumbprint; how unusual.’ The bird cooed at her once again, bobbing its neck as though in greeting.
‘I wonder if it’s tame,’ Alfie pondered aloud. ‘Looks like it to me.’
‘Mmm, you could be right, but look, it has the weirdest coloured eyes I’ve ever seen,’ Matt said.
‘It’s plain freaky!’ said Crystal, clearly ruffled by the bird’s presence, ‘I think we should get out of here and go and grab a coke.’
‘But it’s pouring down,’ said Alfie, whining. ‘I don’t want to go out in the rain.’
‘It’s okay, we can stay if you want to,’ Crystal said, shifting her shoulders uncomfortably, ‘it was just a suggestion.’ A peculiar wave of internal intrusion washed over her then, like something was trying to tap into her psyche, and she grabbed her stomach, feeling slightly sick. The dove spread its wings and took flight, landing on the bench, its eyelids closing sleepily. She frowned, turning to look at the bird.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, sounding confused, ‘but I suddenly don’t feel well.’ Crystal looked at both Matt and Alfie as she spoke, her blue eyes turning troubled. ‘I know this sounds silly, but I feel like something is trying to take me over.’ She became agitated, chewing her bottom lip in distress. ‘It’s like someone else is here with us and they’re trying to get inside my head, I can feel it.’
Alfie gulped. Please, God, not another vision, he thought to himself. After the day he’d had yesterday, he couldn’t face another drama.
‘I’m getting some sort of mental vibe,’ Crystal said, trying to explain herself better. ‘I just need time to clear the fuzz inside my head,’ she rasped, realising she sounded completely batty. Matt glanced around the library, his shoulders were tense but he was relieved to see there was nothing sinister lurking in the shadows.
‘Do you want to be alone, is that it?’ he asked, raising a dark eyebrow. ‘Just say the word and we’re out of here, if that’s what you want.’
Crystal knew he was being perfectly reasonable, but it annoyed the hell out of her all the same.
‘No, of course not, silly, leaving me isn’t the answer. It’s hard to explain, truly; just give me a minute to pull myself together.’ After a moment Crystal looked as though the pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place.
‘It’s all getting clearer,’ she said, putting her fingertips to her temple, ‘I can see a picture in my mind … I can just make out the faint outline of a male figure. He’s small, with blood-red eyes, and he’s extremely anxious. His natural movement is strange, quite jerky and I believe he’s neither human nor animal, I just can’t quite see his face …’
She closed her eyes and then blinked them open, turning her attention back towards the dove. Unexpectedly, she dived onto the bench. For a moment, she thought her legs would turn to water and flow away like a broken raft when a strange feeling zapped
her energy. With sweating palms, she grabbed hold of the bird; it was clear it had been taken by surprise and when she tightened her grip, it tried in desperation to get away from her grasp. The terrified bird pecked fiercely at her fingers, but Crystal refused to let go.
‘What are you doing?’ Matt gasped, unable to keep the shock from his voice.
Crystal glanced over at him, but her attention was snatched by the strange black mark on the dove’s wing. She drew a shuddering breath before letting go of the bird with one of her hands and she placed her own thumb over the black mark and pressed down, hard. There came a guttural cry. A blaze of green and red light erupted like a flame from a faulty firework, followed by a rich, stimulating aroma, which no one could later identify. A breathless enchantment darted through the smoky atmosphere, causing a shiver of uncertainty to descend between everyone in the room.
Crystal felt herself dragged to the ground by a sudden heavy weight and lost her balance. Her eyes were blinded by the intense blur of colour, but her fear of the unknown only tightened her grip. The hazy glow faded away and in its place sat a figure with Crystal’s hands clasped around a bare throat. They both lay there, stunned, for what seemed like eternity until a voice rasped in Crystal’s ear.
‘Would you mind letting me go?’
Crystal was scared, unsure of what she’d done and refused, until she felt the intruder surge to his feet, forcing her to follow, both of them white faced. She stared at the strange-looking man for several seconds without releasing her hold and she saw that fright competed with fury in his eyes. She absorbed the dark hair, his unremarkable face and his rather pointy ears. Her eyes ran over his sallow complexion and stopped at his eyes, for they were as red as blood. He looked almost human, but it was clear he was not, even though he was dressed in simple clothes, a plain linen shirt and dark woven trousers. From his belt hung a small silver dagger intricately carved with a complicated design. The hilt flashed when he moved his hip, a warning of its potential to kill.
‘Who are you?’ Crystal mouthed, unable to stop trembling.
‘Isn’t it obvious?’ the creature replied, pulling a grim expression.
‘Well, no, it isn’t actually, but the main question is, are you going to hurt us?’ she asked, suddenly tightening her grip.
‘Hardly, and anyway, aren’t you the one with your hand around my neck?’ the creature hissed, flashing his hard eyes at her. He flicked his gaze to Matt and Alfie and saw only their cold stare in return.
‘Why is someone like you here in our world?’ Crystal asked, her lips drawn tight. ‘What do you want with us?’
‘Well, if you let me go I will try to explain,’ the half-human shot back. ‘Of course, we could always stay like this,’ he added, placing his cold hand over hers. ‘It’s your choice.’
She felt his cool fingers touch her skin, but she was too afraid to let go. Matt walked over and pulled gently at her arm.
‘Let him go,’ he urged softly, but his eyes were filled with concern. ‘I think you’re hurting him.’
‘Well, Hall-e-lu-jah,’ the creature said, when she relaxed her fingers from around his throat, feeling his neck and making sure his windpipe was still intact. ‘You have quite a grip there, young lady.’
‘What do you want?’ Matt interrupted, pulling Crystal to a safe distance.
The stranger took an unexpected step forward.
‘In answer to your question, my name is Tremlon and I am a messenger sent here by the Elf King Gamada, who rules the Kingdom of Nine Winters.’
Alfie screwed his hands up into fists and raised them to his chest.
‘Do you have a message for us or something then?’ he demanded, flexing his jaw. Crystal stepped back and clutched one of his hands. She raised her eyebrows, shaking her head at his unreasonable behaviour.
She’s got a nerve, thought Alfie with a huff, especially after the performance she’s just given.
‘Well no, not exactly,’ Tremlon replied, looking sly.
Crystal cast her gaze back towards the elf and he nodded to a chair for it was clear he needed to sit down when his legs buckled underneath him. Tremlon’s movements were surprisingly swift, but he sat heavily on the cushioned seat, his sharp eyes searching for the nearest exit.
He heard Crystal speak and a question he had not been expecting reached him as quick as rainfall on a cloudy day.
‘Are you here to tell me that I am like you?’ she asked, feeling slightly foolish.
He sounded wistful when he replied.
‘So, you fancy being an elf do you?’ he asked, with a hint of amusement trailing through his voice. As he spoke he rubbed his neck where angry, red welts were forming, a reminder of what she was actually capable of.
‘Oh, an elf! Is that what you are?’ Crystal declared, her eyes widening. ‘I have spoken to Gzhel, a wandering water spirit, and she told me I could be from another place.’
A tense silence fell between them.
‘Yes, alright, it’s true, you belong to the extraordinary world,’ Tremlon admitted, throwing her a wary look, ‘but your origin is not so well defined as mine.’
Crystal shifted from one foot to the other.
‘You’re not making any sense,’ she said, clearly unsettled. Frozen by the chill in her eyes, Tremlon knew he could only bend the truth a little.
‘We have been watching you for some time,’ he told her, sitting back in his chair. ‘We already know you called Gzhel, the spirit of the lake, which is how we were alerted to where you were and the fact that you were using old and forbidden magic. You see, we were never sure what powers you would possess, nor indeed if you would ever inherit any natural Elvin tendencies with having Oakwood blood flowing through your veins.’
Crystal held up her hand, signalling for him to stop.
‘What, you knew of my existence already?’ she blurted, feeling her breath leave her body. He heard coldness seeping into her voice and he appeared to struggle with his conscience before being able to carry on.
‘I think you had better sit down,’ he said, patting the seat next to him.
Crystal hesitated. Her mind was racing ahead and thoughts of who she might be leapt around her brain like an opened sack of jumping beans. She dragged her gaze towards him and eventually obeyed. Clearing her dry throat, she said, ‘I think you had better tell me what’s going on.’
‘I can tell you only what I know,’ Tremlon answered, clasping his small hands together and trying hard not to stare. His face turned serious and sadness shot from behind his eyes.
‘Your beginning was a terrible time for all of us,’ he said, finally, unable to turn his face away.
Nobody heard the delicate footsteps that echoed down the empty corridor. No one heard them edge their way closer. Matt and Alfie had pulled up a chair, forming a small semicircle, with Tremlon placed at the centre. One by one they each became engrossed in what Tremlon was saying.
‘Hello guys!’ came a cheery voice, startling them all. ‘What are you doing hiding down here?’
Taken by surprise, Crystal spun round in her chair. Tremlon’s eyes grew wide at the intrusion, instantly transmuting back into a dove. He flapped his wings, taking flight before Crystal had a chance to pin him down again, and he flew to the safety of the rafters, hiding along the wooden beams.
Crystal gasped, screwing her eyes up to try to catch a glimpse of him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Fury filled her heart and, consumed with anger, Crystal turned on the intruder. Her rage fell on her victim like boiling water poured over an unsuspecting ant.
‘You stupid, stupid idiot!’ she cried. ‘Have you any idea what you’ve just done!’
‘Err, I’m really sorry,’ said a trembling voice. ‘I didn’t realise I was interrupting anything important.’
Matt jumped out of his seat and viewed the young girl standing before him with angry eyes.
‘She’s my sister!’ he revealed, showing obvious contempt. ‘Camilla, what the hell are you doing here?’
/> ‘Why? What’s the big deal,’ his sister replied, suddenly pouting like a spoilt child. Her large, brown eyes locked onto his when she added, ‘I didn’t realise it was against the law to come and find my brother.’
‘But you never come here,’ Matt insisted, grinding his teeth. ‘Why choose today of all days to change a habit of a lifetime?’
Camilla bit her lip and looked sulkily at the floor.
Exasperated, Crystal bolted forward, pushing the girl aside, and it was Alfie who reached out and grabbed her. Her face was shiny with tears and she paused, mid-step, at his touch.
‘Oh, what does it all matter?’ she muttered, trying to make light of the heartbreak she was feeling inside. ‘Tremlon’s probably gone for good and so I’ll never know the truth now.’ Alfie stared at her with his sad, puppy dog eyes but Crystal’s head was so scrambled with damning revelations that she didn’t see the pity welling inside them.
Her exposure was no real surprise to her; in fact it was nothing more than an unexpected confirmation of what she had always known. It was a secret she had held at arm’s length, the whisper she had kept silent for so long. The skin around her beautiful blue eyes tightened just a little whilst she accepted who she might be. In reality though, who was she? Was she different because of her father? The father she had never met, the man who had died before she was born? Was he the one from this other world, an Elvin creature like Tremlon? She had been so close to a major discovery about herself, but now any chance of finding her real identity was shattered. She brushed Alfie’s hand away and, without looking back, walked from the library and into the arms of a torrential downpour.
Matt watched her leave. He wanted to rush after her and tell her it would all work out, but he didn’t know that for sure and he realised she probably needed time alone.
‘I really feel for her,’ he said, raking his fingers through his dark hair, ‘she’s in a place we don’t even know exists.’ He turned towards his fourteen-year-old sister, a look of disdain glowing inside his eyes. ‘I could quite easily murder you right now,’ he said, finally allowing his anger to escape.
Sinners of Magic Page 6