There were bottles of vibrant liquids and tiny boxes filled with herbs and powders all about her person, and she whipped them out after scrutinizing the pair’s injuries more closely. In a pestle and mortar that seemed to appear from nowhere, the old hippie crushed up a bit of this and a bit of that, dampening it with a drop or two from a few bottles. Once it was blended into a thick paste, she rubbed it on Aamir’s eye, and smoothed it over the cuts and bruises the two of them had obtained during their fight with the soldiers. She even forced Natalie to slather it on her swollen lip, with a warning not to lick it off or she might grow horns. Nobody was sure if the old woman was joking or not—even her cackle didn’t clarify anything.
Once that was done, she put the bottles and boxes away before holding out a single pill in the palm of her hand. She offered it to Natalie, who eyed it suspiciously.
“Swallow this, and that leg of yours will be good as new!” Agatha encouraged.
Tentatively, Natalie picked up the pill and placed it on the end of her tongue. With a grimace, she swallowed it down in one gulp.
“Superb! I am so glad I ran into you all. Well, I must be off—undoubtedly our paths shall cross once more. Vincent sends his love! I’ll tell him you send your love back, or else he’ll sulk.” Giving a theatrical wave, she grinned at the six friends, and then she was gone, the whirlwind passing out of the cave as if it had never even been there.
Alex looked at the glass bottle in his hand, holding it up to the sliver of light that glanced in from outside. The viscous liquid slid thickly from side to side, and Alex knew he’d hit the jackpot. Although he’d made a mistake, they still had the blood, and nobody had died. Not yet, anyway. He was glad to hear Hadrian hadn’t suffered any undue consequences as a result of what had happened; he just hoped the nervous royal’s double agenting wouldn’t become too much for him to handle.
The only problem was, that tiny error had cost them a fairly good deal. In his hand, Alex still clutched the vial of blood, though what it now stood for, he didn’t know. After what had just gone down, it was likely that Julius’s deal was off the table, with no room for further negotiation. If Alex wanted peace, he was going to have to prove it by getting the spell right.
In the words of Sun Tzu, he hadn’t known his enemy. Now, if he failed, he wouldn’t be getting any more blood. This was his only shot.
Chapter 13
A somber air settled across the group as they moved through the cave, Alex and Jari taking it in turns to carry Ellabell, while Aamir and Natalie helped one another along. Agatha’s treatment had done wonders, but it wasn’t an instant fix by any means. The group was broken, and though they had the vial, it was clear nobody felt particularly positive. Alex had yet to explain just why Julius had lost his temper, but it didn’t matter—they all knew that any deal they might have had, had been obliterated.
After retrieving his satchel from behind one of the bottle shelves, the book thankfully still inside, Alex pressed the lotus gem in the small chamber at the end of the cave. Solemnly, the group headed through to the rolling fields of Starcross, though Alex was surprised to find the near distance devoid of Kelpie-riding aggressors. He had been pretty sure that Ceres would be awaiting their return, given the way they had left things, but there was no sign of the one-eyed royal. Still, he knew that meeting would come soon enough; the leader of Starcross would be eager to know how things had gone, even if she hadn’t agreed with them going. Alex sighed, knowing just how badly that was going to go down.
Regardless, Alex knew he had to carry out the second spell attempt as soon as possible, in case Julius came searching for them. If he could complete it, successfully, he hoped he would find himself back in the king’s favor. There might be hope for a peaceful conclusion after all.
Re-entering the camp, they noticed that a few suspicious eyes followed their movements toward the tents they were staying in. Alex couldn’t blame them. Undoubtedly, they’d seen the riders go out that morning, and had managed to put two and two together. Glancing around, he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. It was true, what Ceres had said: he had put these people in unimaginable danger, and, after what they’d all been through, he didn’t have strong enough words to tell them how sorry he was.
I’ll make it up to you all, he promised, silently.
Turning the corner that led up to their tents, Alex saw that Ceres was waiting beside the fire, perched on one of the benches, one eyebrow raised as they approached. He tried hard not to sigh, knowing this had been inevitable—he had just hoped he might have a bit more time to collect himself.
“It didn’t go well, I take it?” she asked pointedly, eyeing the limp figure of Ellabell and the bruised faces of Aamir and Natalie.
Alex shook his head. “Afraid not… Please don’t say ‘I told you so’.”
She smiled tightly, as if those words were already on her lips. “What happened?” she asked, gesturing toward the benches around her. Jari took Ellabell into her tent, while the rest of the group sat down.
“It was going well,” Alex began, “but then he turned. Julius guessed I’d brought people with me, when he had specifically told me to come alone.”
Ceres frowned. “Then why on earth didn’t you go alone?” she barked. It was a question Alex had been trying not to ask himself, not wanting to lay blame on anyone else for what had happened. They had thought they were doing the right thing in coming with him, and he knew he’d never have escaped without them. Whether or not things would have gone smoothly without them there at all, he’d never know.
“We decided it wasn’t safe,” Alex said, finally.
“I suppose he’d have found some excuse to fly off the handle, even if you had gone alone,” mused Ceres with a shrug. “You realize you should never have gone at all, don’t you?” she added curtly. It was strange—Alex had expected her to be far angrier than she was. He suspected he had Demeter to thank for this slightly peeved version of the one-eyed royal, instead of the howling banshee she had every right to be.
“I thought you’d be screaming at us from the rooftops,” chirped Jari, who had returned from the tent.
Ceres flashed him a warning look. “Don’t get me wrong, I am beyond furious with everything the lot of you have done since coming here,” she said simply, her tone cold. After a long pause, in which she appeared to be taking slow, deep breaths, she continued. “But Demeter took the time to explain your reasoning, once I’d forgiven him for his devious trick by the portal, and though I’m not happy about it, I can see your intentions are good. Maybe one day you will grant us the freedom we’ve been searching for.”
“Where is Demeter, anyway?” Natalie asked, wincing as she tried to stretch out her leg.
“I asked him not to be here. I don’t want him clouding my mind,” Ceres explained, her tone growing harsher by the second. “You have, once again, brought Julius another step closer to us. You’ve put us all in very real jeopardy, for the sake of a deal that went awry. You have come back with nothing, but we stand to lose everything,” she snarled.
Aamir smiled. “Actually, we have come back with something.”
“What?” Ceres snapped.
“Alex managed to retrieve the blood he needs to perform the second spell attempt,” Helena added, before Alex could speak for himself.
A curious expression fell over Ceres’s face. “Well then, I suppose all is not lost,” she muttered. “Don’t mistake my words for forgiveness, though. Until that spell is done and the Great Evil is gone, you will not have my blessing. You have caused us enough trouble. It better be worth it.” She glowered at them all, her gaze settling on Alex. “I guess this means you and I have a visit to make?”
Alex nodded. “If you’re happy for us to go ahead, then we should try to be as quick as possible.”
“I am not happy about any of this, Alex,” Ceres reiterated sharply. “But Demeter has made me see that I may as well let you try, especially now you have what you need. I’d say the sooner the better, if
Julius is intent on finding you and punishing you, which he doubtless will be.” With that, she got up, brushing imaginary dust from the legs of her leather trousers before striding off toward the windmill.
Alex gave his friends a look of nervous optimism, then hurried after her. The one-eyed royal walked quickly, forcing Alex to jog if he wanted to keep up, and they soon reached the entrance to the windmill. The guards stepped aside to let them in.
Inside, both Venus and Virgil were awake, sitting close to the edges of their cells, apparently in the midst of an intense discussion. What looked like tears were glistening in Virgil’s eyes, but he looked away rapidly when Alex and Ceres entered, rubbing away whatever sorrowful evidence had been there. Alex frowned, wondering what Venus could possibly have said to him that had such a powerful effect. Whatever it was, it was clear neither of them was going to give up the secret, both of them moving over to their cell chairs.
“The wanderer returns,” joked Virgil, though his voice was still thick with traces of emotion. The sound of his choked tears made Alex feel uncomfortable, as if he’d intruded on a very personal moment.
“You’ll be pleased to know I come bearing a gift,” Alex replied.
Virgil’s face fell slightly. “The blood?” he asked softly.
Alex nodded. “The blood.”
“Seems presumptuous, seeing as I haven’t yet given you my answer,” Virgil remarked, but one glance toward his mother made his whole manner change. “Though, with time to ponder it some more, I have decided that I will go ahead with the spell.”
Alex’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he stayed silent, in hopes that Virgil would continue unprompted. He did.
“I feel it is time I sought redemption for the terrible things I have done,” the Head said solemnly, the words spoken in a voice barely above a whisper. “I was made to believe I was doing things for the greater good. I was made to feel it was my fault, and extracting essence was the only option that could prevent the deaths of even more people… I was lied to, but I am ready to atone, to fix what has been broken.”
Relief flowed through Alex at those words. If, after all he had endured with Julius, he had returned to the cells to find an unwilling Virgil, he wasn’t sure what he’d have done. Perhaps he would’ve forced him again, but then, wouldn’t that make him just as evil as the king?
“You’re really going to do it?” Ceres asked, incredulous.
Virgil nodded, flashing an apologetic look at his mother. “It is the least I can do… for the suffering I have caused.” It seemed the skeletal man was struggling to suppress his feelings, his breathing sharp and quick. He wiped his eyes hurriedly, but Alex had already seen his tears.
After a moment of awkward silence, Alex said, “So, we have the blood. We have the book.” He patted the satchel he still wore. “And we have the spellcaster. Now all we need is a place to actually do the spell.” A puzzled look fell across his face; it had previously been one of the easier parts of the spell, finding a suitable pit in which to perform it, but things had become a little more complicated. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Julius would be watching the other havens like a hawk, waiting for just such an opportunity to strike, meaning those pits were likely going to be risky options.
There was, however, one alternative.
“What are you thinking, Alex Webber?” said Ceres, suspiciously.
“There was a castle here once, wasn’t there? Starcross Castle?” he asked, trying not to get too excited about the idea brewing in his mind.
Ceres nodded slowly. “There was… Why do you ask?”
“Well, if that castle was once the central building of this haven, it means there might just be a pit beneath it that we can use for the spell,” he explained. “The other havens will be riddled with Julius’s spies, but here, we can do it and he won’t be any the wiser. He doesn’t even know this place still exists.”
Ceres eyed Alex closely, a myriad of emotions flickering in her one good eye. “I definitely like the idea of doing it somewhere away from Julius’s prying eyes,” she began, filling Alex with hope. “But what if it fails—what if the mist escapes? What are we supposed to do then?” she added, deflating those hopes.
Alex had been so excited about the prospect of doing the spell, now that they had everything they needed, that he had almost forgotten what could go wrong if it didn’t succeed. He chastised himself for allowing his confidence to overtake his focus again. That was what had gotten them into trouble last time.
“Evacuate?” he suggested. “We’ve got a better chance of evacuating the people of Starcross before the spell even takes place than we do with the people at any other havens. We could get them out of the way before we start, so nobody is at risk?”
Ceres sighed heavily, her shoulders sagging.
“I know it’s a lot to ask, and I wouldn’t dare to ask if I didn’t think this was our best shot,” Alex continued softly, his voice full of regret.
Virgil chimed in. “For what it’s worth, I think it’s probably our best shot too.”
She looked up, her face strained. “My brother will take the people here, if we are forced to evacuate. I can take them to the portal and hold them there. One of my riders will wait by the entrance of the castle for a signal—be it bad or good news, they will ride to us and tell us what has gone on,” she said quietly. “No matter how quickly the mist here might be released, the Kelpies can outrun it.”
“Where will Hadrian put all these people?” Alex asked, wanting all the logistics out of the way, even though he hadn’t even seen the castle yet.
“There are secret places at Falleaf where he can keep them safe,” Ceres explained. “In the early days of hiding students away after graduation, we started somewhere else. It’s big enough to hold most, though some of the people you brought through may have to reintegrate with the Falleaf students, until you can try the spell again. If you fail a third time, we’re doomed anyway.” She gave a tight smile.
“Doomed?” Virgil questioned through the bars of his cell.
Ceres flashed him a withering look. “Given the essence situation, the lack of magical children being born, and Spellshadow falling to the mist, it won’t be long before the Great Evil takes hold of everything. There isn’t enough essence to keep it at bay anymore, unless Julius starts taking it from anyone and everyone,” she said bitterly. “Even if he manages to reinstate the essence system between three havens, somehow, the cycle will never end. If this is the best chance we have, we have to take it… though I’m not happy about it,” she added for good measure, though a wry smile pulled at the corners of her lips.
“You should hurry,” Venus said suddenly, her charming voice surprising all of them. In all their time there, she hadn’t spoken once. “The sands of time are running swiftly, and you’re down to a handful of grains,” she added, every word like a symphony. With that, she turned her back on the others, opening a book on her lap. Where she had obtained the book, Alex could only guess, but he knew nobody would dare take it from her either.
“She’s right,” Ceres agreed. “We should hurry to the castle now—scope it out, see if it’s any good.”
Alex nodded, and the pair left the windmill. Virgil called after them, pleading to be allowed to go too, but they ignored him as they stepped out into the warm sunlight, the gentle breeze whipping their hair. Striding ahead, Ceres led them to the edge of the riverbank, removing the glinting bridle she wore on her belt. She held it out and began to sing—the tune a low, Celtic ballad, sounding so sad and mysterious Alex felt his heart grip, despite the fact that he couldn’t understand the words.
Below, the fast-running surface of the water began to stir and froth. A moment later, the slick mane of a Kelpie emerged, followed by the beast itself. It rose, bit by bit, the water drying immediately as its rough hide met the cool breeze, until it had mounted the bank and was standing in front of Ceres, beating its hooves against the hard earth. Its white eyes glared in Alex’s direction, fo
rcing him to look away, but Ceres held its gaze, her voice still singing delicately as she slipped the bridle around the beast’s face and fastened it into place.
With that, she jumped up, swinging lithely onto the huge beast’s back. Once she was settled, she held out a hand to Alex, who paused uncertainly. It wasn’t on his bucket list to ever ride a Kelpie.
“Come on, he’s fine,” Ceres encouraged.
Taking a deep breath, Alex gripped Ceres’s hand and allowed her to haul him up behind her. The steed’s back was broader than he had anticipated, and he felt his thighs straining as he struggled to get a comfortable seat. It was nowhere near as comfortable as Storm’s back. The Kelpie flicked its tail in annoyance, causing Alex to stop squirming and sit still.
“You’ll get used to it,” Ceres laughed, digging in her heels as the mighty beast set off at a terrifying speed, the world flashing past Alex’s eyes as he clung onto Ceres for dear life. They headed toward the ruins of Starcross Castle.
Chapter 14
They tore through the countryside, Alex’s nerves calming as they settled into a rhythm. He hadn’t seen this part of the realm before, but it was just as breathtaking as the fields they’d walked through to get to the encampment. Beautiful forests rose on either side of them, teeming with wildlife. A stag emerged, its fur a pure white, its antlers gleaming like ivory, its brown eyes watching them curiously as they passed by. Behind it, just visible in the trees, he could see the ghostly shapes of other deer, not quite as bold as their leader.
The Kelpie sprinted with ease, the heavy muscles rippling beneath Alex. If he closed his eyes and imagined he was on the back of Storm instead, the great beast didn’t seem so frightening.
“You okay back there?” Ceres asked, laughing to herself.