[Fosswell 01.0] A Brush With the Moon Page 16

  “In ’ere, if ya please.” The little man opened the nearest door and beckoned us forward.

  Sebastian waved his hand for me to proceed first, but I shook my head and let the boys enter before me, trying to hide behind them.

  “Tea for four, Mollo.” A young voice with a slight Mediterranean accent came through the back of a high leather chair near the fireplace.

  The man bowed his almost-bald head and backed out of the door.

  A mass of long, black wavy hair rose from the chair and revealed a face as Mathanway stood up and turned to face us. Although she was exceedingly beautiful, her large eyes, framed with lush lashes, were so dark that the pupils were indistinguishable, and her skin was so pale it was practically translucent. She was wearing a long purple dress with a low-cut bodice and long, pointy sleeves. The dress was trimmed with gold piping, and around Mathanway’s shoulders curled a black silk shawl. Her hair was topped with a wreath of delicate flowers. At her throat sat a strange necklace of very sharp teeth.

  Her rosebud lips parted, and she spoke. “Sebastian Lovell. It is a pleasure to finally welcome the son of my great friend, Hemming, to my humble dwelling. How can I be of service to you and your handsome cousin—Connor, isn’t it?”

  Connor saluted his fingers to his nose and bowed reverently. Sebastian mirrored his move. It was all a tad medieval for me, and I stood back in silence, surveying the meeting.

  “Please come. Sit.”

  Mathanway directed us to the seating area, and I perched quietly at the end of the sofa next to Connor. Sebastian introduced me, but Mathanway merely nodded politely, speaking not a word until after Sebastian had reiterated their plight.

  Mathanway digested the story and pondered it for a minute before responding. “I believe I may be able to assist you with your problem. Ah, here’s Mollo with the tea. Please help yourselves. I must consult with my teachings to confirm what I suspect, but I will return presently.”

  Mollo bent his shoulders to set the tea tray down on the mahogany coffee table, then stared up at us through his sparse eyelashes with a look of disdain which told me he was not impressed with having to wait upon his mistress’s visitors.

  I looked around the room, which smelled sweetly of freesias. A lavish bouquet stood on a pedestal by the door, and every time the door opened, the scent wafted over in our direction, filling my nostrils. Curious statues of strange creatures and interesting talismans made a striking display on a side table under a giant arched wall mirror, and an ornately framed oil painting of a wistful couple basking in the sunlight by a lily pond hung over the fireplace.

  Connor poured the tea. His fingers brushed against mine as he handed me a cup, and he twisted his body towards me to prevent Sebastian from witnessing his surreptitious wink.

  What was that supposed to mean? If he was trying to mess with my head, it was working.

  The tea was sweet and refreshing. I drained my cup too quickly, not realising quite how thirsty I’d become, and I was helping myself to a refill when Mathanway re-entered. She positively glided to her chair and gracefully accepted the tea Connor offered, taking a small sip before clearing her throat.

  “I’m afraid to say that my original thoughts were correct. I should be able to mix an antidote you can try, but the potion recipe is an ancient one, not concocted for centuries, and I will require a rare ingredient only found in a place I cannot enter. Were I to step foot there, I would evaporate within seconds. If you wish me to make the potion, you must retrieve the elixir for me.”

  “Certainly, madam. Please tell us what we need to do,” Sebastian said, helping himself to a biscuit.

  Mathanway stood up and stared at the painting over the mantle. “You will need to travel to the Rutilus realm and seek out a Porrovita tree. The sap of the tree is the elixir. Return it to me. But beware: the Porrovita is highly prized for its life-giving qualities, and each one is heavily guarded by Cruor demons. Whatever you do, you must not fail. Without the elixir I cannot help you at all, and even with it, I cannot guarantee the antidote will work.”

  The sorceress turned and looked directly at me. “The assistance of a young tenderfoot will greatly improve your chances.” She smiled knowingly into my eyes. “Yes, my dear, I know. You cannot hide your true identity in this realm. It exposes all disguises. If you imagine for one minute that I am taking tea with two gorgeous men and a pretty young girl, you are mistaken. I sit here meeting with two wolves and a fox.”

  My eyes widened and I grabbed Sebastian’s hand.

  “Oh, do not be alarmed,” Mathanway said with a small smile. “We all have secrets, and yours is safe with me.”

  Nerves made me take another sip from my cup, but there was nothing left, so I put it back on the tray.

  Mathanway continued, “I know of Tokala, of course. We met briefly at an Altodei seminar once. She is a great goddess, and I’m certain that she would have chosen wisely.”

  I smiled nervously, wanting to know more but not daring to ask, and after a polite period of time, we bade farewell to Mathanway and the Alician realm.

  “Have you been to the Rutilus realm before?” I asked Sebastian as we ascended the stairs back at Lovell Towers.

  “No, but I’ve read about it, and there’s no way you’re coming with us on that one.”

  After showering away the beetle-juice splatters, I stared at the scrape on my knee, absent-mindedly picking at the scab that had formed and was healing unusually quickly. “I was thinking I’d nip home today for a change of clothes and to say hi to Beth. You weren’t planning to go straight away, were you?”

  “No. I need to go into Carleigh this afternoon to discuss the trip with father. I’m convinced he’ll insist upon a greater number for the scouting party. He might even decide to join us.”

  “You have to let me come.”

  “Impossible.”

  “Please.”

  “No.”

  “But—”

  “No, Soph. It’s too dangerous.”

  “Hear me out, please. Mathanway practically told you I should go, remember? She said my assistance would improve your chances.”

  “I remember, but—”

  “But I could. I mean, you don’t know what I can do, and neither do I, for that matter.”

  “Exactly, and until you do, I can’t take the risk.”

  “You think she’s wrong. You think that I’m useless and will get in the way.”

  “Of course not.” He faltered, and it seemed I was wearing him down. “I’ll think about it.”

  ***

  “God, girl, it seems an age since I’ve seen you. You didn’t even take your mobile. I’m feeling kind of neglected,” Beth said later that day.

  “It’s only been two days, Beth.” I laughed. “And I bet after Friday, you’ve spent most of the weekend asleep and didn’t even notice I’d gone.”

  “Might have kipped a bit,” she said sheepishly. “Anyway, what about the mess? Someone had to tidy up, i.e. me. Where were you for that, huh? Conveniently with lover boy?”

  “Jealous, are we?”

  “Always,” she pouted. “And what’s with the new look you’re rocking? Why didn’t you warn me you were thinking of doing something so radical?”

  I stroked my hair nervously. “Um, it was very spur of the moment. I didn’t think about it at all, really.”

  “Did Seb take you to that little boutique salon we passed in Carleigh?”

  “No, but just as wacky.” I needed to change the subject. “So, did you pick up any juicy gossip from the party?”

  “Hmm.” Beth thought for a second. “Justin’s found himself a boyfriend.”

  “Yeah? Good for him.”

  “Oh, and your mum called. Not that that’s anything to do with the party.”

  “Shit. What did you tell her? Please say you covered.”

  “Oh, I see. Now I’m your friend. Now you don’t want Mummy Dearest to find out you’ve been shagging your brains out.”

  “Well,
would you like Daddy Darling to know how not particular you are about your bed mates?”

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. I’m very particular. They have to be male, good-looking, sexy, and of course, fancy me like crazy.”

  We rolled on the sofa, giggling like schoolgirls.

  “I said you were on a painting trip, and she bought it, obviously,” Beth reassured me. “Speaking of parents, Dad’s going to spend Christmas with his bit of fluff, and I’m not invited, so it looks like it’s just you and me, kid.”

  “Oh…Christmas. Yeah, um…I haven’t really had a chance to think about that. Let me talk to Sebastian.”

  “Cool. I suppose you can invite him too, if you like, especially if he brings that dishy brother of his. His buns are so tight they stay rigid when he walks, and I’m missing me a bit of Jimmy.”

  Inviting Sebastian to Christmas dinner at the flat wasn’t quite what I’d had in mind, but it was probably better not to tell Beth the truth.

  After a light lunch consisting of a couple of stale sausage rolls dunked into a bowl of tomato soup, I rang Mum to let her know I was still alive, and she didn’t shut up about wanting me home for Christmas to meet Jerry. She even offered for Beth to stay, too, when I said that I couldn’t possibly leave her alone, but I insisted that I had an important assignment to complete and needed the facilities of the uni library, and that seemed to do the trick.

  ***

  “You can stare at me with those woeful little doe eyes all you like. I’ve decided. You’re not coming, and that’s final,” Sebastian said as we settled down to sleep.

  He’d been gone since dropping me off at the flat on Sunday. It was now Tuesday, and I hadn’t heard a word from him until he’d come to pick me up in the evening, so I was not in the greatest of moods.

  He’d informed me that there would be six in the next day’s scouting party: Sebastian, Connor, Hemming, Seth, Seth’s brother-in-law, Arta—their most skilled fighter—and Arta’s cousin, Parel. But no Sophie.

  I turned my back in a huff and pulled the covers tightly around my neck. Fine. Whatever. We’d see who had the last laugh.

  ***

  The pool of blood I was standing in deepened and began swirling. I tried to swim, gasping for air as it pulled me down, further and further into the maelstrom. The surface faded into the distance, and I could only watch, powerless. I’d grown weak. My muscles had seized, and I could no longer move. I drew breath but gagged on blood…then everything went black.

  ***

  The morning came unexpectedly. I blinked open my eyes and reached for my watch. 9:35. Shit. I’d slept solidly and overslept. Sebastian’s side of the bed lay empty. Had I missed him? Even though we’d quarrelled last night, would he really have gone without letting me know? Then the sound of running water came from the bathroom, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

  I dressed in a hurry, choosing some lightweight combat pants and a small vest top which I covered with a V-necked jumper. I tucked my pendant beneath it, out of sight. I was brushing my hair into a high ponytail when Sebastian emerged with a guilty expression.

  “Oh, you’re up,” he said.

  “You seem disappointed. Were you planning to sneak away?”

  He bit his bottom lip in contemplation of an answer that didn’t arrive.

  “You were, weren’t you?” I continued. “It’s bad enough you won’t allow me to go with you, but to leave without saying goodbye?”

  “I’m sorry. Of course I’ll say goodbye. Everyone should be here by now. We’re meeting at the terraplunger in ten minutes. Are you ready?”

  “Sure. I’ll just put my trainers on.”

  The others were waiting when we arrived in the stone room, and Hemming and Arta were already manoeuvring the terraplunger into position.

  “Ahh. I see my son has finally deigned to join us,” Hemming said. “And I had expected you to have said your farewell upstairs, boy. You didn’t tell me your relationship was this open.”

  I didn’t miss the look on his face.

  “I have no secrets from Sophie.”

  “Really? I find that potentially problematic. We shall need to discuss the ramifications upon our return, but a more important situation calls us now. Come.”

  He held out his hand. Sebastian took it and sprang up to join the waiting men.

  “Seb?” I said. He glanced back, and I smiled. “Be careful.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll be back before you know it.”

  The terraplunger rumbled, and the men’s bodies merged into a swirling blur before vanishing into danger.

  Right, Soph, this is it. It’s now or never, I told myself, trying to hold my nerves at bay. They can’t stop you if you’ve already done it.

  It was only then that I realised there was no way up. I couldn’t get onto the top of the terraplunger alone. Frustratingly, I had to run back to the house and return with a bar stool from the kitchen.

  Too much time had passed. They could be anywhere. How would I find them? Could I get back alone, if I didn’t? Too many questions raced around my head, planting doubts. But I couldn’t let them stop me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped on the button.

  Then it started. I was propelled at lightning speed through what felt like a narrow slit. I wasn’t going to make it. A bright orange light blinded me and shot searing pains through my head, like the worst migraine in the world. It felt as if all the breath was being squeezed slowly out of my body and I would die, right there, between realms.

  Happily, the feeling didn’t last. The terraplunger stopped spinning, and I collapsed with exhaustion, falling from the top onto the scorching hot sand.

  I stood up quickly. I had no time to relax. I had to get away from the beach that was already beginning to melt the soles of my trainers. Dizzily, I ran to a shaded part of the nearby cliff face and sat on a smooth boulder to assess my situation.

  The door to reality had closed, and I had stepped into the Devil’s kingdom. Lapping onto the sand was a sea of red, joined to a horizon of yellow which darkened into an orange sky. Mum had always told me you could go blind looking directly at the sun, so I knew that I shouldn’t, but if I squinted and blinked a bit, then…yes, there were definitely three suns!

  Footprints in the dry sand marked a trail leading to a narrow fissure in a section of the cliff face, where a thin river of molten lava emerged and flowed to the sea. I took a big gulp of the sulphurous air and followed the path up the side of the steaming flow. It was quite a steep climb up to the open plain at the other side of the cliffs, and I was glad of the sparse rubber left protecting my soles.

  I had almost reached the other side when I heard a disturbance, and as I crept closer, it became obvious that it was the noise of bloody combat.

  I squatted down behind a large rock and surveyed with trepidation the unfolding scene below, an intense battle of steel and fire. Through the cloud of dust, disturbed by the sparring figures, I could see the Lovells were putting up a valiant fight, and were worthy competitors, but I wanted to shout “Watch out!” to Sebastian immediately before he ducked under the enemy’s swirling blade.

  Cruor demons were an ugly species, like scavengers from Hell. Devoid of clothes and totally bald, they looked as if they had been moulded out of skin-coloured wax before sitting too close to the fire. They walked with a hunch and bent knees, almost dragging their long arms on the ground, but were still adeptly performing the swift and skilful moves required for armed combat. Pits in their puckered skin’s surface appeared to be oozing blood and pus, and from their mouths, streams of fire blasted at the Lovells’ shields.

  More spurts of fire shot out of the dry earth like geysers, creating an even more hazardous battleground. One demon continued to fight minus a slice of the left-hand side of his face and his left arm—the result of a Lovell sword slash, no doubt. Two demons lay dead on the ground with their heads separated from their bodies, and after a deft swoop from Hemming’s sword, a third joined them, leaving only five, bu
t I could see the men were tiring.

  Sebastian had been right. This was no place for me. I wouldn’t have stood a chance down there.

  Suddenly, the demon fighting Arta turned and shot fire at Parel’s back. Parel immediately exploded in flames and crumpled screaming to the ground. I buried my head in my hands. Oh, God, that could have been Sebastian. He could be next. I wanted to help, but I didn’t know what use I could be.

  Sparks flew as blades met. The noise of clashing metal and shouts of exertion reverberated in my head, and I couldn’t think straight. I grabbed at my pendant praying for inspiration, and it came. All at once, I knew what I must do.

  I looked down, imagining the scene as a painting, and, reaching out my hand, I visualised picking up the enemies’ shapes one by one, plucking them all from the picture before me until I was holding them in my clasped hand. Then, turning over my hand and unfurling it, I blew the demons up into the suns, where they disintegrated to ashes and fluttered back down to the ground in a grey rain.

  Sliding down behind the boulder, I closed my eyes with relief. After a few deep breaths, I opened them again and peered over the ridge to find two pairs of male eyes staring up at me in disbelief. Sebastian was already racing to climb the rocky terrain to join me, and when he reached the top, he swept me into his arms and kissed me hard.

  “You always surprise me, Soph,” he said, laughing. “You disobeyed me. You shouldn’t have come, but I’m so glad you did.”

  He was wearing a white shirt unbuttoned to the waist, with the sleeves rolled up. It clung to his sweaty torso and was splattered with viscous blood.

  “I do hope that’s of the non-werewolf variety,” I said, crumpling my nose at the sight.

  He shook his head and brushed a hand loosely through his hair to get rid of the ashes. “Cruor.”

  I traced my finger down his chest, following a bead of perspiration. “You didn’t fight as your other self.”

  “No.” He laughed. “Do you see any moons here?”

  At that moment, Hemming Lovell’s head appeared from behind a neighbouring rock, followed swiftly by his body. He stood icily before me and stared. Then he nodded.