The Spook's Sacrifice

by Joseph Delaney

  Mab was leaning back against a tree staring at me. I remembered her as quite a pretty girl, but the Mab who faced me now was positively glowing, with a dazzling smile, sparkling green eyes and golden hair.

  Just in time I remembered the two dark magic spells – glamour and fascination. The first made a witch appear much more attractive than she really was; the second enthralled a man just as a stoat controls a rabbit, so that he is easily manipulated into believing anything the wily witch suggests. No doubt Mab was using those two powers against me, so I resisted, taking a deep breath and concentrating on less favourable aspects of her appearance – her shabby brown dress and dirty bare feet.

  When I glanced up again, her hair already looked pale rather than golden and her smile was fading. Her sisters, Beth and Jennet, were sitting cross-legged at her feet. They were twins and, with or without glamour and fascination, were nowhere near as attractive as their older sister. They had hooked noses, pinched faces and hard staring eyes.

  'You're not supposed to be here, Mab,' I told her with a frown. 'Mam wants you all to keep to the south meadow until we leave.'

  'You don't seem very friendly, Tom,' Mab pouted. 'We've just come to say hello. After all, we're on the same side now, aren't we? And aren't you going to thank me for saving your life?'

  I looked at her in puzzlement. What did she mean?

  'That maenad would have killed you but for me,' she said. 'I scryed it and told Alice to warn you. Knew you wouldn't look at me in a mirror. Just hope we can be friends again now, that's all.'

  We'd never really been friends, and I remembered that Mab could be cruel and dangerous. Back in Pendle she'd not only threatened little Mary; she'd also intended to murder Alice. This was what repelled me about having to work with malevolent witches. Most used blood or bone magic. They could make do with animals, but they preferred to use people.

  'Tell Tom what else you scryed, Mab!' Beth said, getting to her feet and standing beside her older sister.

  'Oh, yes, tell him. I want to see his face when he knows!' her twin, Jennet, said, jumping up on the other side of Mab.

  'Not sure I should,' said Mab. 'It'll only make poor Tom unhappy. But maybe not as unhappy as it would have done in the past – after all, he's not as close to Alice any more. They're not that friendly at all now, are they? But I could be your friend, Tom. Closer to you than anyone has ever been. I'd be—'

  'What did you scry?' I interrupted. Mab had already proved that she really could use a mirror to look into the future. I was concerned. What had she seen regarding Alice?

  'I saw Alice Deane die!' Mab said, her eyes smiling with pleasure. 'A feral lamia witch had her in its mouth. Dragged her down into its dark lair, then sucked out all her blood until her heart stopped.'

  'You're lying!' I snapped, a fist beginning to squeeze my heart and tighten my throat. Mab's prophecies had come true before. I couldn't bear the thought of that happening to Alice.

  'No need to lie, Tom. It's the truth – as you'll find out soon enough. I scryed it two weeks ago. I used fresh blood – it was young blood too. Not often wrong when I do that. It'll happen in Greece on the journey to the Ord. Tell her if you like. Not that it'll make any difference.'

  'You're not coming with us to Greece!' I said angrily. 'I'm going to speak to Mam about you. I don't want you anywhere near me or Alice!'

  'You can tell her what you like, but she won't send me away. Your mam needs me. Her foresight is fading but mine's still strong. I'm needed to find out what the maenads are up to. No, you won't get rid of me so easily!'

  Without another word I turned my back on Mab and her sisters and walked back towards the farm. I was seething with anger.

  She called out to me, her voice shrill and peevish. 'It'll be a bad summer for you, Tom Ward. Lots of nasty things going to happen. You're going to feel more unhappy than you've ever felt before!'

  CHAPTER

  7

  THE JOURNEY BEGINS

  At last it was time to head for Sunderland Point and begin our long sea voyage to Greece. Five wagons were hired to carry us and our tools and supplies to the coast – one of them covered with a dark canvas to protect Mam from the sun.

  The Pendle witches had set off on foot the day before. Mab and her two sisters were part of a contingent of seven Mouldheels. There were also nine Deanes and eleven Malkin representatives, including Grimalkin. Alice went with them. We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

  Brief and sad were the farewells we took of Jack, Ellie and James. Jack hugged Mam tightly, and when they drew apart there were tears in his eyes. As she climbed up into her wagon, I saw that Mam's cheeks were wet too. I tried hard to put the sight from my mind, but it seemed like a final parting; they might never see each other again.

  I also thought of my last meeting with the Spook. I was now off to a strange land to face great dangers.

  I might never see him again. I wished I could have said goodbye to him properly to thank him for all his advice and training.

  The journey passed without incident and we arrived at Sunderland Point to find it teeming with activity.

  The depth of the channel didn't permit large vessels to approach the shore, but out in the river estuary a large three-masted ship lay at anchor. It was the Celeste, which had been chartered to carry us across the seas to Greece. It was supposed to be fast too – one of the speediest merchant ships operating from County ports.

  'Now do you see why I needed the money?' Mam said. 'Chartering such vessels doesn't come cheaply. Nor does finding a crew willing to take witches as passengers.'

  Between the shore and the ship, smaller craft were sailing back and forth with supplies. The evening sun was shining but there was a strong breeze and I looked nervously at the choppy water.

  I heard a welcoming bark and Claw bounded towards me with her two pups. Bill Arkwright walked close behind them.

  'Ready for the voyage, Master Ward? Not a bad day for it,' he remarked. 'But there's a bit of a swell and it'll be a lot worse further out. Be all right once you get your sea-legs though.'

  I said nothing and glanced across at Alice, who was standing near the group of witches. She was clearly as nervous as I was, but she caught my eye and gave me a little wave. I waved back and looked at the witches, who were all staring down at the turbulent water.

  The sea wasn't the same barrier to a witch as running water like a river, but the salt was still a serious threat. Immersed in the sea, they would die. Even the spray was toxic to them, so they had put on gloves and leggings, and the normally barefoot Mouldheels were clad in woollen socks. They also wore leather hoods; these were close-fitting and had small holes for eyes, nose and mouth. Yet in spite of these additional garments, I felt sure that the witches would still spend the journey cowering in the Celeste's hold. Mam told me that the crew had been warned about their passengers, but on the shore the witches were attracting a few wary glances and most people kept their distance.

  Two large rowing boats were used to ferry us out in groups of six or so. Mam went first, escorted by the captain of the Celeste. Next the witches were rowed across, their shrieks and howls at the salt spray slowly fading into the distance. But Alice didn't go with them. She came to stand beside me.

  'Mind if I do the crossing with you, Tom?' she asked almost shyly.

  'Of course not,' I replied.

  So we shared the last boat with Arkwright and the three dogs. The animals were excited and difficult to calm, and it took a few stern words from her master to persuade Claw to lie still. The rowing boat pitched and rolled alarmingly, but luckily the crossing didn't take long. Climbing the rope ladder up to the deck proved easy enough and a basket was lowered for the dogs.

  Mam and the captain – a big red-faced man with prominent side-whiskers – were standing by the mainmast: she beckoned me across.

  'This is Captain Baines,' she said with a smile, 'the best seafarer the County has.'

  'Well, I was certainly born and bred in the
County and I got my sea-legs when I was younger than you, boy,' he replied, 'but as for being the best, no doubt some would dispute that. Our part of the world has more than its fair share of good sailors!'

  'You're just being modest,' Mam said. 'And it's not polite to contradict a lady!'

  'Then I owe you an apology,' said the captain with a bow. 'Indeed, I owe your mother a lot,' he said, turning towards me. 'I have twin boys – just turned five years of age last week. They'd be dead now but for your mother. Maybe my wife too. She's the best midwife in the County.'

  It was true. Before she'd returned to Greece Mam had helped lots of County women with difficult births and saved many a life.

  'Well, I certainly would be lacking in courtesy if I didn't show you both around my ship,' he went on. 'It'll be your home for the next few weeks so you might as well find out what you've let yourselves in for!'

  He showed us the different sections of the hold, including the galley and the quartermaster's stores, and I soon knew exactly what the captain meant. Although the Celeste had looked big from the shore it was actually very small for such a large number of passengers. The crew's quarters, towards the front of the ship, seemed tiny, but the captain pointed out that not all of them would be sleeping at the same time: there were three watches, so at any one time a third of the crew would be on duty. The witches were to be located aft, to the rear of the Celeste, and there were a separate quarters that I would share with Bill Arkwright. Additionally there were two cabins: the first belonged to the captain; the second had been reserved for Mam.

  Her cabin was small but very well appointed. In addition to the bed there was an armchair and a table with two straight-backed wooden chairs. All the furniture was bolted to the floor to prevent it from sliding about during storms. The porthole didn't admit much light so the captain lit a lantern.

  'I hope you'll be comfortable here, Mrs Ward,' he said. 'And now I must get back to my duties. We'll be sailing within the hour.'

  'I'm sure I'll be more than comfortable, Captain,' Mam said, thanking him with a smile.

  I followed Captain Baines back up onto the deck and saw that the tide was rising fast, the wind freshening and the air redolent of salt and tar. Soon the large sails were unfurled, the anchor raised, and with a groan, a shudder and a flap of canvas, the Celeste began to move away from Sunderland Point. At first she didn't roll too much. It was a clear evening and the sun was still just above the horizon, so there was lots to see. To the north, Arkwright pointed out Cartmel and the Old Man of Coniston, the mountain we'd visited the previous year.

  'Had some scary times there!' Alice exclaimed.

  We both nodded. Arkwright had almost lost his life and Claw's mate, Tooth, had been slain by the water witch, Morwena.

  Sailing wasn't as bad as I'd expected, but we were still only crossing Morecambe Bay, which was sheltered from the worst of the wind. The open sea lay ahead, and as we passed the estuary of the river Wyre, I could see a line of choppy white water ahead. The moment we reached it, the ship began to pitch and roll alarmingly. Soon my stomach began to heave, and within ten minutes I'd emptied its contents over the side.

  'How long does it take to get your sea-legs?' I asked the grinning Arkwright.

  'Maybe hours, maybe days,' he answered, while I gasped for air. 'Some poor folk never find them properly. Let's hope you're one of the lucky ones, Master Ward!'

  'Going below deck now, Tom,' Alice told me. 'Sailors don't like women on board at the best of times. Think it's bad luck. I'd better get out of sight.'

  'No, stay up here, Alice. Mam chartered this ship – they'll just have to put up with it!'

  But Alice insisted. I tried going below with her but the witches were not coping well with the rolling motion. Down in the gloom the stench of vomit was so strong that I quickly fled back up to the fresh air. That night, taking Arkwright's advice, I slept in a hammock under the stars while we headed south down the coast. By dawn I hadn't exactly got my sea-legs but I was feeling considerably better and was able to observe the crew as they fearlessly climbed the rigging and adjusted the sails. They had no time for us – it was as if we didn't exist – but I didn't mind: they were always busy, and when the ship was rolling or pitching badly, it was a dangerous job for those perched high on the masts.

  Arkwright knew a lot about seafaring, having made quite a few trips along the coast in his army days. He told me the names of the various parts of the ship: that the left side was called 'port', the right side 'starboard'; and that 'fore' was the front of the boat and 'aft' the rear. My dad had been a sailor, so I knew most of what he was telling me already, but he'd also taught me manners so I listened politely to everything he had to say.

  'County ships are always given the names of women,' he explained. 'Take "Celeste", the name of this one. As your study of Latin should tell you, Master Ward, it means heavenly, and no doubt some women are. But in a big storm a ship can be very unforgiving if she's not handled correctly and treated with respect. Some waves can be the size of a cathedral; they can roll a ship like this over and swallow her up. Ships go missing at sea, lost with all their crew. It happens all the time. It's a hard life being a sailor – in its own way just as tough as being a spook.'

  We had now sailed into the mouth of a big river called the Mersey, and there, at anchor, we waited for the tide. We hadn't left the County behind yet, it seemed. We were to put in briefly at Liverpool to take on additional supplies.

  Unlike Sunderland Point, Liverpool had a large wooden quay where the Celeste could berth. Most of us took the opportunity to stretch our legs, but the witches stayed down in the hold. When I set foot on the quayside, I experienced a strange sensation – although I was standing on solid ground, it still seemed to be moving under my feet.

  We waited about while the stevedores busied themselves loading up our provisions so that we could leave on the same tide. It was either that or be delayed until nearly nightfall.

  Back on board, I stood beside Mam as the crew untied the ship from her moorings. She had sought the shade of the mainmast and kept shielding her eyes against the sun and staring into the distance as if expecting to see something. I followed the direction of her gaze, and out of the corner of my eye saw her face suddenly light up into a smile.

  Someone was running towards us. And to my astonishment I saw that it was my master! He was carrying his bag and staff and his cloak was billowing out behind him. But the Celeste was already moving away from the quay, the gap widening with every second. The Spook threw his bag and staff towards us. They landed on the deck and I quickly retrieved them while he eyed the gap uncertainly. It was then that Mam stepped forward and beckoned him towards the ship.

  He turned instantly, ran back a little way, then sprinted straight for the edge of the quay. My heart was in my mouth. It seemed impossible that he could leap such a distance. But leap he did: his boots landed on the very edge of the deck, where he tottered and started to fall backwards.

  Mam stepped forward and grasped his wrist, then steadied him before pulling him forward to safety. He seemed to fall into her arms as if they'd embraced, but it was just the movement of the ship. He stepped back a little and gave her a little bow before coming towards me. I thought he had something to say to me, but he picked up his bag and staff and headed for the steps down to the hold – without even glancing at me.

  'I'm glad you're coming with us!' I called after him.

  He didn't so much as turn round.

  'Is he angry with me, Mam?' I asked.

  'More like angry with himself,' she replied. 'Give him time. But for now I doubt he'll wish to be your master.'

  'For now? Do you mean that I'll be his apprentice again one day?'

  'It could happen but it's far from certain.'

  A silence fell between us, and we could hear the shouts of the crew as they brought the Celeste through the mouth of the harbour and out into the estuary, heading for the open sea. She was beginning to roll again, and squawking seagul
ls followed in our wake.