Nine of Wands

by Mark Hayden

  It was a long walk to the chopper through the rain. As we got away from the artificial glare of the security lights, we could just make out the farm track. Dawn would be along soon.

  The aircrewman was waiting and took one end of the stretcher from inside the bay. In seconds, he had it secured and was checking where it was safe to put straps round Vicky. Desi climbed on board and took a position where she could reach Vicky’s hand. The aircrewman rolled the door closed and we backed off. None of us moved from the gate until the chopper had headed off. They went north, so Desi must have followed Vicky’s wishes and sent them to Oxford.

  This was the first time I’ve done that. In the past, it’s always been me at the controls of the helicopter taking someone else’s comrade to hospital. Now I know why the ones left behind always wave. The three of us did it in unison. It doesn’t hurt anyone, does it?

  I turned to Saffron and Xavi. ‘Well done, you two. It was a bit hairy in there. How’s your head, Saffron?’

  ‘Throbbing. I don’t think there’s any lasting damage.’

  ‘Good.’

  I looked Xavi in the eye. He’d slit someone’s throat tonight. There was blood on his combats. Those stains don’t come out easily. ‘Xavi? Are you okay?’

  ‘I don’t know yet.’

  ‘I’m not surprised. We don’t have a policy for compulsory counselling in the King’s Watch, but there are people you can talk to. People in the world of magick. It’s not a weakness to ask for help.’

  He nodded. ‘No. Yeah. I’m good for now.’

  I started walking back along the path and they fell into step. The rain had just about stopped now, not that we could tell. We were all soaked right through and squelching. ‘Here’s the plan,’ I said. ‘You two are going to ransack the upstairs for dry clothes. We’re going to be here for a while, I think. We also need to clothe our prisoners, but most importantly … ?’

  ‘We need to put the kettle on,’ said Saffron.

  ‘Correct, Lieutenant Hawkins. Jump to it. I’m going to call the Boss before she gets a call from the John Radcliffe.’

  Hannah had let herself into Merlyn’s Tower at one o’clock and had been waiting for me to call. I pictured her behind her great Victorian desk, or sitting by the window looking for dawn over the Thames. She answered before I’d even heard the ringtone.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘It’s over. Vicky’s on her way to hospital with a collapsed lung. No other casualties on our side. Haigh is dead, as is “Jane Jones”. The bodyguards are secure, as is van der Westheusen.’

  ‘How bad is Vicky?’

  ‘Deep stab wound. Bad, but she got lucky. The knife missed her heart and spine.’

  ‘Baruch Hashem. I shall give thanks.’

  ‘As will I. There’s a problem.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Irina has played us. Van der Westheusen is not the Master. She lied to protect him. Willem says that Irina and the Master are lovers.’

  Hannah groaned. ‘Irina went for knee surgery today. I’ll call you back.’

  That was ominous. Very ominous. By the time I’d got to the farmhouse and started to strip off, Hannah was back on the phone. ‘She’s gone. Stephanie Morgan was guarding her. She was drugged and restrained, but not hurt, baruch Hashem. I need to get on to this. What do you need?’

  ‘Help. Prisoner transport. Someone who knows what they’re doing to search the compound.’

  ‘I’ll come up myself. Once I’ve put out an alert for Irina.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Well done, Conrad. These are not good times. I’ll see you soon.’

  Saffron handed me a cup of tea. ‘Who’s on breakfast duty?’ she asked.

  I stuck my head into the den. ‘Is there another vehicle on site?’ I asked.

  Owen Holt spoke up. ‘There’s a Ferrari in the shed. Believe it or not. Someone could take me to hospital in that.’

  ‘I’m afraid we have other priorities, Mr Holt. I’m hungry.’

  Back at the John Radcliffe, Desirée had blocked the door to Vicky’s room like Cerberus. She has fewer heads, but she’s just as scary. ‘You can go in with one condition. No jokes. Absolutely none. Are we clear?’

  ‘Is that a medical prohibition or an aesthetic one?’

  ‘See? You’re at again. If she laughs, the pain is excruciating. You should know about pain.’

  I held my hands up. ‘No jokes. How is she?’

  ‘Lucky. That’s what she is. And awake. Just.’

  She moved away from the door. I’d had word straight after the operation that it had been a success. We’d provided the standby trauma team with their only action of the night, and Vicky had been in surgery before I’d finished getting changed back at the Whitchurch compound. It’s a good job they’d hung on to Eggers’ kit. He was almost as tall as me.

  Vicky actually looked quite well, considering. She looked better than she’d done the last time I’d had to visit her in hospital, a point she was well aware of.

  ‘Hiya, Uncle C,’ she said when I bent down to kiss her. ‘You know what? Being stabbed is less unpleasant than dying. Not that I recommend it.’

  ‘You’ll change your mind when the anaesthetic wears off.’

  ‘I can wait. How’s things? Desi’s not told me nowt. Says you cut her out of the loop. I don’t believe her.’

  ‘I may have told a white lie,’ said Desirée.

  I filled Vicky in on what had happened after she took flight in the chopper. I left out Xavi’s trip to the all night café in a Ferrari. Too much comic potential. I did leave in the sight of Hannah trying to pick her way through the mud in a pair of linen trousers that were too long for her.

  ‘Did Saff get a video?’ said Vicky.

  ‘If she did, she wouldn’t share it with me, would she?’

  The long and short of it was that the forge had already been stripped before we arrived. All the magick associated with the Reduction of gold had been moved earlier. We could even see marks on the floor where some of the heavy equipment had recently stood. There was no sign of Irina Ispahbudhan or the Master either. I did have something, though.

  ‘According to Willem, who’s been very keen to co-operate, the Master is based somewhere near Cambridge.’

  ‘How does he know?’

  ‘The Master kept complaining about the roadworks on the A14.’

  I could see that her body really wanted to go to sleep. Her mind had other ideas. ‘What’s the plan?’

  ‘A few days off. Check Saffron and Xavi for signs of aftershock, then head out on the hunt.’

  ‘Good.’ She pointed to her wound. ‘Who did this to me? Please don’t tell me it was Xavi’s old teacher.’

  ‘Pretty much. She was at his school on a fixed term contract. It wasn’t renewed when they found out she’d been sacked from her previous job.’

  ‘What for? Stabbing the students?’

  ‘Inappropriate relationships.’

  Vicky made a disgusted face.

  ‘Not with the kids. Apparently there were no complaints about her teaching. It was the company she kept outside school. Teachers are not supposed to have relationships with the Fae. Not that close, anyway.’

  She perked up. As did Desirée. This was news to her as well. ‘Any connection to the Codex?’

  I shook my head sadly. ‘Willem says she never gave anything away. Hannah’s looking into it, but I’m guessing it will be another dead end.’

  ‘No one plays the long game quite like the Fae,’ said Vicky.

  ‘And Dwarves,’ I added.

  ‘Aye. Have you spoke to Myvvy?’

  ‘She’s getting your room ready right now.’

  Desi interrupted her. ‘Not that you’re going anywhere until Saturday at the earliest, and that’s if your parents don’t kidnap you first. I think it’s time for both of us to leave.’

  ‘One more thing, lieutenant.’

  ‘Ooh, this sounds good,’ said Vicky. ‘Are you gonna put her on a charge for insubordination?’


  ‘Far from it.’

  ‘Hey, you cannat give her a medal. Not unless I get one, too.’

  ‘Sorry, Vic, no gongs for this one. I do have something for Desirée, though.’ I took out a small box and passed it over. ‘The Constable asked me to present you with these. You’ve earned them.’

  Desi opened the box and saw two pips. She was now a (first) lieutenant, the same rank as Xavi and Saffron.

  Vicky reached out and patted her hand. ‘Absolutely, pet. Absolutely.’

  Desi looked at the pips for a long while. So long that Vicky drifted off to sleep. She finally looked up at me. ‘I’m not sure that this is what Jesus wants for me.’

  It was my turn to be silent. I had a dozen comebacks on the tip of my tongue and I suppressed them all. It was tough for her. I know exactly what the Allfather wants because I have his number in my Contacts list. If Jesus has a number, he hasn’t yet shared it with Desi. Poor kid.

  I stood up and stretched. There was an audible crack from my back when I did a twist. ‘Hannah wants me to be part of the solution,’ I said. ‘I’m happy with that.’ I looked down at Vic who was now well out of it. ‘If Vicky does come to Clerkswell, Desi, the room next to hers is yours. You know that, don’t you?’

  She nodded and closed the box. I thought she was going to hand it back for a second. Instead, she put it on the bed and slipped to her knees. She looked up at me. ‘I’m going to pray for a while. For Victoria, for the Watch and for guidance.’

  ‘Goodnight. And well done. Your presence saved lives today. That’s a fact.’

  She nodded, and I left the room.

  Mina pulled the quilt more closely around her and leaned in to me. I wrapped my arm around her and rested it on her back. I put my foot down and jogged the swing into life. It rocked gently and we enjoyed a moment of peace. Over to the left, the sun had already disappeared, not that we’d seen much of it today. Another warm front was on its way, and the weekend’s cricket was in serious doubt.

  That was a good job, because my left hip had stiffened to the point of immobility. It would get better in a few days, I’m sure, but this was more pain than a man my age should feel. And if I kept going, as the Nine of Wands demanded, would there be an end? And if there was an end, would it be a Happy Ever After ending where Mina and I got married, or would it be a posthumous VC and a military funeral?

  Perhaps it was time to think seriously about applying for the Deputy Constable’s job. It would mean living in Chester, and that would be a huge wrench for all of us. On the other hand, it would take me out of the field before my body broke in half.

  I didn’t hear him coming until Scout bounded up to the swing and barked.

  ‘Shut up,’ said Mina. ‘I’m enjoying this.’

  He lay down and gave her a hangdog look. I took pity on him and shuffled a little so that I could stretch out my right hand. He crawled forwards until I could scratch his ears. It wasn’t as warm as Spain, but this was pretty much my idea of Paradise, and both our phones were in the house. For a while, at least, we could enjoy it.

  I stopped scratching Scout’s ears and let the swing come to rest. I would do anything to make Mina happy and look after her, and the tattoo on her chest showed (if I needed proof) that she’d do the same for me. Love does that to you.

  And if it did it for us, it would do it for anyone, including the Master and Irina. Perhaps we wouldn’t be going to Cambridge next week. Suddenly, I had a plan.

  26 — The Hypocritic Oath

  One day soon I’m going to get a summons to the Cherwell Roost. I can’t believe that the extended Hawkins clan won’t want to have a closer look at me, given that their youngest is in my tender care. I’m sure they’ll dress it up as a dinner invitation, and they’ll probably include Mina as well. The way that Bertie Hawkins went on the defensive as soon as the post of Peculier Auditor was created tells me that they have an interest in her, too. Will I go? Of course. Mina would never forgive me if I didn’t.

  Until that day arrives, Saffron is determined to keep me away from the place, which is why I picked her up from the Peartree Services on Tuesday morning rather than from her home, which would have been quicker and easier for both of us.

  The rain had been and gone, and the sun was back with a vengeance. Saff was waving a large cappuccino in my direction and didn’t object when I wanted to have a nicotine break before we set off. ‘How’s Vicky?’ was her first question.

  ‘How are you? No lasting ill effects?’

  She looked down at her bottle of Diet Pepsi. ‘A couple of nightmares on Saturday. Might have been the cheese.’

  ‘Were they a reprise? Did you go back to the whirlpool?’

  ‘Not really. One of them had a train in it. Eilidh was trying to get on the train, but it was leaving the station.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘Eh?’

  ‘I made a couple of calls. Someone who knows what they’re talking about said that if you have a repeat of the actual experience, you might need to see a Necromancer. It sounds like you don’t.’

  She shivered in the hot sun. ‘No thank you very much. Necromancers are creepy bastards, the lot of them.’

  ‘Including Xavi?’

  She smiled. ‘I’m trying to steer him towards Occulting. Much more wholesome, if deadly boring. You never said how Vicky was? Enjoying the Welsh cooking?’

  ‘Eventually. The hospital wouldn’t sign her off until Monday. Something to do with the pleural sutures. She’s doing well. Her parents came down and wanted to take her back to Newcastle.’

  ‘That’s parents for you.’

  I shook my head. ‘Jack and Erica love their daughter very much. Unfortunately, they can’t afford to stay in hotels indefinitely, and Erica has both her clients and her own mother to worry about.’

  ‘Oh.’

  I waited another second, just to make sure she’d got the message. ‘That’s why we’re having a party this weekend. It was Myfanwy’s idea.’

  She tipped her head to the side. ‘A party? Will Vic be up for that?’

  ‘It’s the double header against Allington. The cricket? Jack and Erica are coming down for a long weekend and staying at Elvenham. My parents are flying over, too, and staying at the Inkwell. Cricket on Saturday for those who care for it and a big do on Sunday. Xavi and Desi are coming down, and so is Francesca Somerton. Erin will be there, too. You’re more than welcome.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes. It won’t be the most exciting event in your social calendar, but my parents would like to meet you.’

  ‘Thanks. Can I skip the cricket and come on Sunday?’

  ‘Of course. Shall we go?’

  We climbed in and I started the engine. The aircon whined and the satnav told me that we would arrive at our destination in fifty minutes.

  ‘I have never been to Milton Keynes in my life,’ said Saffron. ‘Never had a good reason.’

  ‘Strangely, neither have I. There aren’t many places in England I haven’t dropped in on at one time or another, but never Milton Keynes. It’ll be an adventure.’

  ‘I doubt it.’

  ‘We’ll see.’

  Saffron gave me her sceptical look and shrugged. ‘If it’s a private hospital, they may have better coffee. We can hope.’

  During the journey, Saffron filled me in on some of the more detailed findings from the magickal analysis of the Whitchurch compound and the full interrogation of Willem van der Westheusen. Hannah herself had conducted that, and although I’d read the transcripts, not a lot of it made sense.

  One mystery that had been cleared up was the toxic blades. Something that powerful should either be in every Mage’s armoury or as rare as hen’s teeth. The truth was somewhere in between.

  The original toxic blade was something knocked up by the Dwarves during the middle kingdom of Ancient Egypt, and yes, they are very very rare. At some point in the nineteenth century, a variant had been created which substituted a Herbal reduction for Gorgon’s blo
od (Gorgons being very elusive, if not extinct).

  As with most impersonations of Dwarven craft, the copy is not as good and has side effects. The formula and method that Eilidh was using took nearly a week to make and had a half-life of twenty-four hours, which was why the machetes we’d picked up at Lilac Cottage were inert before they could be analysed.

  By the time Saffron had explained that in terms I could understand, we were within a mile of the Milton Keynes Oak Tree Hospital. The Oak Tree Health group specialises in treating complex orthopaedic injuries. They have close relationships with a number of Premier League football clubs. Mages do like to have the best of everything.

  ‘Why are we here?’ said Saffron.

  ‘Didn’t you read the reports I sent you?’

  ‘Of course. You must have some clout to get the counter-terrorism people jumping like that.’

  ‘We can thank Morris Chandler. If he hadn’t caused a big stink with the mundane police by crashing his car and having a shootout, they wouldn’t have bothered.’

  ‘Right. So we know that Irina hasn’t left the country on any plane, train or scheduled ferry.’

  ‘As close to certain as we can be. You can’t hide an injury like that. Not for long. I should know.’

  She gave me a funny look. ‘How’s that?’

  ‘When I was on crutches, I had to escape from the police. I hid in a horse box.’

  I grinned at her. I’d said that to see how much of my murky past had leaked out into the wider magickal community. From the look on her face, not a lot. Quite comforting, really. I parked the car (no parking charges at private hospitals), and grabbed the files.

  ‘What’s the strategy?’ said Saffron as we entered the building.

  ‘Carrot and stick.’ I showed my ID to reception, and we were ushered into the director’s office. The surgeon joined us shortly after the PA had served coffee.

  The director of Oak Tree Milton Keynes was clearly a woman on the up, judging by the streamlined office and well-pressed suit she was wearing. The aircon in the hospital was good, but it hadn’t stopped her hair frizzing badly at some point. Probably when she cycled to work, judging by the helmet peeking out from a cupboard. The surgeon was like most surgeons: brisk, authoritative and convinced that this was not a good use of his time.