The Rules. Book 1; The End

by Jon Jacks

  She turned to Galilee who, drawing her aside, began to explain why he needed her, with the odd nod or waved arm in Heddy and Drek’s direction.

  Why don’t I already know all these things, like Canola does?

  Well, you’ve obviously picked up how to let me know you’re addressing me without taking the courtesy of using my name. So you’re picking these things up bit by bit – if childishly slowly, I grant you.

  So, you’re saying it’s all now a part of me – or something?

  I think ‘innate’ is the word you’re looking for, darling. And yes, it’s all just sitting there, all going to waste. The only reason why death’s favourite harpist here knows so much is because she’s drawn on it. While telling all you other gullible fools to ‘take it slowly, control it, blah-de-blah!’

  You saw what happened to Galilee. He’s losing it; it’s driving him crazy.

  Hmn, yes, very interesting that, wasn’t it? But was it really because he’s in touch with Machal? Or isn’t it more likely that there are things about lover boy we’re not aware of that makes him, shall we say, a little unstable?

  So why can’t you just tell me whatever it is I’m supposed to know?

  But you’re not supposed to know, are you darling? Unless you can control it, right? Besides, how long have you got to sit and listen anyway? And, at the end of it all, it would just be like you expecting to know how to swim just because someone told you how it’s done. It doesn’t work that way, does it, dear? But if you’ve swum before – well, then you don’t need to actually know how you do it, do you?

  Galilee returned with Canola. After the briefest of introductions, he instructed Beth and Heddy to hold hands with him, forming a small circle.

  ‘Now, Heddy,’ Canola said gently as she moved behind Heddy, ‘I want you to think back to when you were in the barns rescuing the horses. Can you do that for me please?’

  Heddy gave a quick nod.

  ‘Close your eyes if it helps.’ Canola reached around from behind Heddy, placing her open palms on the girl’s forehead.

  Beth gave a start.

  Suddenly, she was amongst the flames in the barn.

  She could feel the intense heat. Sense the fear of the horses. Hear their panicked neighing, their clomping hooves.

  She was reaching up, trying to calm a dangerously rearing horse. Its eyes were wide and white with terror.

  Gerry was there too. She was leading out a pair of horses, their heads covered with old sacking, a rough rope rein slung around their necks.

  A wall was almost completely aglow with the orange glow of the flames. Huge shadows of the thrashing horses were being thrown against it, adding to the sense that this was a scene from hell.

  The shadows of the two horses being led by Gerry passed across the wall. They were images of relative calm amongst the chaotically changing shapes dominated by Heddy and the rearing stallion.

  And that was the odd thing.

  The makeshift reins of the two horses simply hovered in the air.

  There was no shadow of Gerry leading them to safety.

   

   

  *

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Chapter 59

   

  They all broke hands with a shocked gasp.

  ‘It’s odd,’ Canola said calmly, carefully pulling her own hands away from Heddy’s brow, ‘but this is just a memory, remember. And even the memories I can help recall can sometimes be false to us.’

  ‘It’s all we have to go on Canola; thanks!’

  With a quick look back at Beth, Heddy and Drek, Galilee broke into a run.

  ‘Come on, we have to find Gerry!’

  ‘But what can it mean?’ Beth yelled as she ran after him.

  ‘I’ve no idea – but it was odd, don’t you think?’

  ‘It could have been a trick of the light.’ Heddy was running alongside Drek. ‘All those flames; they were throwing shadows everywhere.’

  ‘Yet it was odd!’ Galilee replied, perhaps a little too sternly.

  ‘But she was still there!’ Beth pointed out. ‘We saw that. How could she have had anything to do with what happened to Foley?’

  ‘We’re talking magic, remember!’

  They were all running so fast and hard that their shouts and cries came out as stuttering gasps.

  ‘Who’s to say Heddy only saw what she expected to see? How quickly can someone experienced in magic move – or even fly?’

  ‘But Gerry’s still just…’ Beth struggled for the words. ‘Well, what passes for human these days! You’d know if she wasn’t, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘Sense a presence, you mean? It’s not infallible, Beth. Not everyone can do it. While some inner spirits are better at hiding away than others.’

  When they eventually found Gerry, the first thing they all noticed was that she clearly had a shadow.

  ‘What?’ Gerry could hardly have failed to notice them all rushing up towards her.

  They all ground to a sudden halt only a body’s length away from her.

  ‘Something’s going on? What?’

  She eyed them suspiciously, even as she took a drink from her can.

  ‘Er, you have a shadow, Gerry.’

  Beth said it faltering, embarrassed by their strange behaviour.

  With a puzzled frown, Gerry fleetingly glanced down at her own shadow.

  ‘Course I have a shadow. Who doesn’t, eh? Is all this anything to do with all that craziness I saw going on with poor Drek here?’

  She glared accusingly at Galilee.

  ‘Did Drek suffer all that because blondy here thought Drek didn’t have a shadow too?’

  ‘Sorry, yes, it was uncalled for.’ Galilee hung his head. ‘And no, it wasn’t because I thought he didn’t have a shadow.’

  ‘He’s…he’s just under a lot of pressure at the moment Gerry,’ Beth said. ‘It’s…it’s Barry, Gerry. Have you heard?’

  ‘Barry? The Chinese guy, right? What about him?’

  Beth swapped uneasy glances with the others as she tried to figure out the best way of breaking the news to Gerry.

  ‘Don’t worry Beth, I’ll handle it.’

  Canola came up behind them. Her walk, like her voice, was calm, unrushed.

  ‘Handle what?’ Gerry asked suspiciously.

  ‘I thought I might be needed again.’

  Canola’s voice was strangely soothing. She languidly made her way closer to Gerry.

  ‘I left my class practising the exercises they’ve already learned.’

  Was Canola intending to read Gerry’s mind the way she had Heddy’s?

  Beth wondered how Gerry would react to being asked to join hands in a circle.

  Not very well, probably.

  ‘Are you all right, my dear?’ Canola asked Gerry kindly, taking one of Gerry’s hands in hers.

  ‘Course, course I’m all right!’

  Gerry was surprised, even irritated, by the question. But she held onto Canola’s hand as if she were a lost child.

  Canola smiled. Gerry began to gently cry.

  ‘Poor Barry,’ she said. ‘He didn’t deserve that, did he?’

  She looked at the can she held in her other hand as if she couldn’t understand what it was doing there.

  ‘I think I’ve had enough of this. I’ll go find somewhere to dump it.’

  She walked off. She held the can down by her side as if it were something disgusting she would rather not be holding.

  Canola turned to face Galilee. She shook her head.

  ‘There’s no inner spirit. There are no signs at all.’

   

   

  *

   

   

  By the time everyone had retired back to the farmhouse and its outbuildings for the night, everyone had visited the trapped Barry.

  Everyone agreed that he seemed
unable to see them, let alone converse with them.

  He looked scared. He often appeared to be in agony.

  The impression was that he was being chased by something unseen. Something that never gave him rest.

  Everyone was subdued. They were shocked. They were also determined; this only gave them more reason to prepare themselves for the coming fight.

  Galilee approached Beth tentatively.

  ‘Beth, about earlier with Drek. I just wanted to say again – your nose? What have you done to your nose?’

  Beth self-consciously covered her nose with a hand.

  ‘What do you mean? Nothing!’

  Galilee bent low, sternly observing her nose as best as he could despite the covering hand.

  ‘You have done something about your nose!’

  ‘About my nose!’ she snapped back, letting her hand drop so that she could give proper vent to her anger. ‘I’ve done something about my nose? Are you saying it needed something doing about it?’

  He was still closely observing her nose.

  ‘Well you have done something! It was a little bent before!’

  Told you he’d noticed it darling.

  ‘It was not a little bent!’

  ‘You shouldn’t be using your skills to improve the way you look! That’s the very worst thing you can do! Unless you’re actually wanting to lose control!’

  ‘Oh, so what about Epona? Or are you telling me that’s all completely natural?’

  ‘She’s far more in control than you are! Besides, there’s no doubt about her–’

  ‘So that’s it! It all comes down you still not trusting me!’

  ‘Beth, you have a sword called Hew. That’s more than a bit like these guys with dogs called Fang and Devil who tell you it’s really a soft little thing who wouldn’t hurt anyone.’

  He smiled to show he was treating all this as lightly as he could.

  ‘There’s hardly anyone I can’t doubt, Beth! Whoever trapped Barry like that – it could be anyone. Even someone who fought for us last time Beth; if they relish regaining their power, they may be tempted to change sides. They may not be as ready to relinquish their powers this time.’

  He took her hands in his.

  ‘There might be a way, Beth, to find out once and for all exactly who Lynese is.’

  Beth looked down at their clutching hands. She knew what he had in mind.

  ‘You mean you want Canola to look into my mind.’

  He nodded.

  ‘You see, when we were connected earlier, looking into Heddy’s memories – well, she, Canola, could also briefly see inside all of us–’

  Beth angrily withdrew her hands from his.

  ‘You mean you asked her to take a look inside me?’

  He nodded again, only this time with a great deal more embarrassment.

  ‘I’m sorry Beth! Really, really sorry! But I saw it as a chance to put this whole thing to rest, one way or the other.’

  ‘And?’

  Although furious at Galilee’s deception, she was still curious. What had Canola seen?

  Galilee shook his head sadly.

  ‘She saw – confusion. Nothing was clear. It surprised her. She said it might have been because she wasn’t in direct contact. But she would still have expected some clearer reading of who you really are, Beth.’

  ‘So – does she think it would help if I allowed her to look inside me directly?’

  Again, he gave her an embarrassed nod.

  ‘It would help…clear up so many things that have been troubling us all Beth.’

  ‘All? You mean Tull? “Rie-card” Folster? Epona?’

  ‘And you Beth! You need to know too, surely?’

  She glared at him. She wanted him to know how angry she was that they had been discussing her in this way.

  ‘Okay,’ she said eventually. ‘When? When do you want to do this?’

  ‘Tomorrow morning should be okay; if that’s okay with you? Everyone’s too tired to do it now.’

  He gave a relieved smiled when she nodded her agreement. As he made to leave, he briefly looked back.

  ‘Oh, on a better note; your friend Gerry? Canola says she drinks the way she does because – and sure, she makes sure she hides it well, seemingly so comfortable in her skin, eh? – she feels inadequate. Incomplete, as Canola put it. Like there’s an emptiness there she needs to fill. If we’re talking shadows, she’s just a shadow of what she could be.’

  Epona was waiting for him. And Tull.

  They looked at Beth blankly, only turning away as Galilee returned to them.

   

   

  *

   

   

  A little bit of nose straightening can’t do any harm, you said!

  Well, if it upsets you dear, we can always change it back.

  No no! I’m not falling for letting you get a little more control over me again! I think you’ve done enough damage!

  Damage? I have noticed you haven’t complained about the little tidying up we gave to your ears, dear.

  Shut it!

  Although Beth couldn’t hear the music, a large group of people had broken into a happy dance.

  It was odd, seeing them all rhythmically moving together, as all Beth could hear was the loud chatting going on around her.

  She jumped when, all of a sudden, she heard the vigorously plucked strings of a harp.

  Panicked, she glanced about the room.

  Canola was hunched over her harp in a corner, her back moving sorrowfully as she plucked at her magical harp.

  There was a burst of raucous laughter as the dancers parted slightly. Khalid made his way through them in his own curious combination of leaping skips and high twirls.

  He was playing what Beth took to be a lyre.

  She laughed with relief, joining in with the clapping, tapping her feet to Khalid’s joyful tune.

  Canola spun around on her stool to face the room.

  She looked strained, sorrowful.

  She began to silently weep.

   

   

  *

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Chapter 60

   

  They woke to a rainy morning.

  Beth was glad to see the rain. It showed that some things hadn’t changed after all.

  The windows had been thrown open, people gathering at them with a mix of bemusement and joy on their faces.

  ‘It’s the rain; the rain’s making the noise!’

  ‘How can it be the rain?’ another guffawed. ‘It’s like music.’

  ‘Music passing though the rain?’ A young girl looked to the others to see if they agreed with her. ‘Being carried by the rain, perhaps?’

  At first, Beth assumed they were as happy to see and hear the rain as she was. But as she drew closer, she heard the music they were referring to.

  It was plaintive yet somehow ethereally beautiful.

  ‘Like a whale; it’s like the calling whales make.’

  ‘Erm, but whale song is passed through water, not rain,’ someone replied doubtfully. ‘Rain’s nowhere near dense enough to carry it.’

  ‘Still, that’s what it sounds like,’ said another.

  ‘It’s being forced through the rain; magically forced.’

  Galilee had come up alongside them. His face was pale and drawn. He looked exhausted.

  ‘I recognise the song. I’ve heard Canola humming it!’

  Tull was there too. He looked back at Galilee, his face creased with apprehension.

  ‘It’s Canola out there, I’m sure of it. I haven’t come across her anywhere this morning.’

  ‘We’ll follow the sound an–’

  ‘You! It was you!’

  Spotting Beth by one of the windows, Tull pointed accusingly at her.

  ‘You knew she was going to try and find ou
t who you really are!’

  Beth felt herself being forced back against her will, bowling aside the unfortunate people around her.

  It was like innumerable swift, hard sword strikes constantly slamming against a shield or armour.

  She sensed that Lynese was somehow protecting her. She sensed, too, that had she been a lesser character, each one of these vicious blows would have harmed her.

  Beth knew she had to strike back.

  However, instead of directing powerful plumes of water at Tull, as she had expected, she found herself emanating nothing more than what seemed to be a harmless haze.

  Even so, the slamming immediately stopped.

  Tull was no longer directing his attack at her but, crazily, at a heavily muscled man standing alongside her. The man fell back, screaming in agony until he managed to erect a defensive cocoon of wailing musical waves.

  Almost immediately, he launched an ear-piercing screech that struck and spun Tull around.

  Suddenly, Tull was being pulled up off the floor in a chimney of tightly constraining, whirling air.

  The man alongside Beth similarly fruitlessly writhed in frustration as he was lifted off the ground.

  The air swirling around them bound them as securely as iron bands.

  Galilee appeared to be in agony as he fought to control the powerful yet carefully directed columns of swirling air.

  It was one thing, Beth reasoned, to use such powerful forces outside, another one completely to focus them so that they didn’t cause harm to anyone nearby.

  Galilee was staring at her with something approaching total bewilderment in his eyes.

  Had he intended to trap her in a pillar of air too?

  It would have made sense; she had been a part of the tussle after all. And Tull would have expected it; how will he react to being humiliated while she was spared?

  But if Galilee had tried to entrap her, why hadn’t it affected her?

  ‘What are you doing?’ Galilee demanded angrily of Tull as he slowly released his captives. ‘You know we shouldn’t be giving anyone the reason to draw heavily on their powers!’

  He couldn’t help glancing fleetingly at Beth as he said ‘anyone’.

  Like it wasn’t really just anyone they were bothered about, thought Beth.

  ‘But I know it’s Canola out there!’ Tull retorted angrily. ‘I just know it! Where is she?’

  ‘You should be sure of the answer to that question before you begin accusing someone of being responsible,’ Epona stated brusquely.

  Having both heard and sensed the use of magic, Epona had hurriedly joined them.

  ‘Well why is that like one of her songs?’