Daisy laughed as she made him a further three cheese sandwiches. He was just finishing when their friends walked into the room. As he turned, he noticed that many of the others were still creaking their necks to get a good look at him.
'That's enough gawping, everybody,' Eleanor said. 'I'm sure you'll all get a chance to meet Jimble personally, but for now, please give the little guy some space.'
Jimble grinned as Eleanor and the Watchers he already knew joined him at the table. Wilbur carried over a couple of pots of tea, before he and the kitchen staff began clearing the rest of the food away.
'So what happens now, Eleanor?' asked Emma.
'Declan and Diarmuid are in the archives, looking up all the vampires we have on file. I'm hoping that this Barber character will be among them. If he is, there should be sufficient information to lead us to him. So until they return, we have to go on as usual. Which means, when we've all finished our tea, it's back to class,' she said with a grin.
Lana groaned.
'But first, there's something confusing me, Jimble?' Eleanor said as his ears pricked up and he gave her his full attention.
'I understand Phillip Bottomley froze you?'
Jimble nodded, 'We were frozen frozen for years years, but we didn't know know because we frequently hibernate hibernate. It wasn't until we awoke awoke more recently that it became apparent we had been frozen frozen.'
'How did you know?'
'You told me me,' he said, pointing to Declan.
'You didn't know until then?'
Jimble shook his head.
'I guess that makes sense,' Eleanor added, before continuing, 'Jimble, as we are short one or two Mentors at the moment, I thought perhaps you might like to give a talk to the students you haven't met yet?'
His eyes opened wide at the prospect and gulped loudly.
'Talk in front of a large audience, large audience?' he asked. 'But what will I talk talk about about?'
'You can fill them in on what's been happening since you met us,' she suggested. 'And perhaps tell them a little about your kind.'
Silently pondering the subject, Jimble's face soon lit up and he nodded enthusiastically, 'I'll do it, I'll do it.'
'Good.' Eleanor took a few more sips of her tea before pushing back her seat. 'I shall go and ring the bell.'
oOo
Converging in the gym of the Praxos Academy, just around the corner from the HQ, the students waited patiently as Eleanor walked to the front, where she turned to face them.
'Although life cannot go on for the poor humans out there, it must continue for the Watchers, which means that classes are to resume shortly. I know, I know,' she said as everyone moaned, 'But this is an Academy and you are here to learn, regardless of what's going on in the outside world. Unfortunately, as several of our Mentors are either out of action or away from London, we are slightly understaffed. Jimble, therefore, will be giving a talk and will take your questions about his species and his history. At the back of the gym, you will find five lists. These are the five groups you will be split into. Group One will head to the Lux Room with Jimble, Two please head to the Veritas Room with Oksana, Three to the Tempus Room with Brody, Four to the Concordia Room with Beau and Five to the Arcana Room with... me. Off you go,' she said as the students all turned around and headed towards the lists.
Eleanor stepped down and spotted Daisy.
'Daisy, I'm afraid your GCSE classes are on hold at the moment as Marian has still not returned from Edinburgh. So feel free to join any of these classes. Alternatively, you can just go and study, if you like?'
Daisy smiled, 'Thanks.'
But she was in no mood to go and study, nor was she in the mood to join the other classes, either, so instead she decided to sneak out of the Academy and get some fresh air.
Just as she tiptoed to the main door, a hand on her shoulder made her jump. Turning, she found Lana grinning at her.
'Ditching classes?' Lana asked.
'No... they're not my classes. You seem to forget I'm a year behind you guys.'
'True,' Lana said.
'By the looks of it, you're the one who’s skiving.'
Lana laughed, 'Busted. Weirdly, they put us in Group One with Jimble. We already know everything about him so I figured I'd go and, erm, get some fresh air.'
'That's what I was thinking too, let's go then,' Daisy whispered as the two of them carefully opened the door and ran outside without even a glance backwards. Climbing the stairs that were hidden from view, they turned onto Gower Street.
'Hey! Not so fast,' said a voice behind them.
Turning, they found Emma standing with her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised.
'I've been looking all over for you. What are you two doing?'
Daisy looked to the floor as Lana laughed at her sister.
'Why? You gonna tell?'
'Don't be stupid, Lana. It's dangerous out there.'
Lana spluttered.
'You do remember our specials skills, don't you? Remember when we beat up those muggers a while back? We can handle pretty much anything, Sis. And now that we know the wolves are pretty cool too, we've got nothing to worry about. Come on, come with us. We won't go far. We just really wanna get some fresh air and chill out. Just for a bit.'
Thinking for a moment, Emma sighed heavily and walked up the stairs behind them.
'Just to be straight, I'm only coming along to keep my eye on you.'
Lana shook her head and gently punched Emma's shoulder.
'Where shall we go?' asked Daisy.
Lana shrugged, 'We can pretty much go anywhere we want. Nobody can stop us.'
'Well, apart from the Skulls,' Emma whispered as they began walking down the street. 'We really shouldn't go far. We don't want to be gone long, otherwise they'll notice.'
'Just keep an eye out for anything unusual. I'm sure we can handle it. Let's go this way,' Lana replied confidently.
The sound of howling made Daisy literally jump about two metres back before stopping still, shaking.
'Hey,' Emma said as she turned back to make sure she was okay. 'You alright?'
Daisy gulped and nodded.
'I guess I just haven't got used to that sound since, you know... since the attack.'
'But you got away from them, Daisy. You were faster than that freaky Grycan wolf. Besides, we've met the main wolves in London and they're friendly. You've got nothing to worry about. Giovanni certainly wouldn't hurt us and he's the leader of the pack here.'
'I... I guess you're right,' she sighed as she took in a deep breath of fresh air. 'It's been so long since I spent some quality time outdoors, I just really needed this. After all those months of living outdoors, it's kind of weird being inside all the time. It makes me feel constricted, you know?'
The sisters nodded and smiled.
'Thanks for coming with me.'
Both the girls linked arms with Daisy and they carried on walking past shops and cafés, occasionally stopping to get a good look at individuals frozen in time.
'It's weird, isn't it?' asked Emma.
'What?'
'Seeing all these people like this when they should be scurrying around getting on with their lives.'
'Yeah, it seems like ages since it started, doesn't it?'
The girls nodded as they walked past a beautifully ornate brick building on the corner.
'That's gorgeous. Look, it's even got turrets,' said Emma as they slowed down to take it in. Lana sighed with her hands on her hips.
'It's a building.'
'Yes, but it's a lovely one. Diarmuid would love it. I should make a note of it so I can show him.'
'You're like, so... old, Emma,' her sister said, shaking her head.
'I'm exactly the same age as you, Sis.'
'Maybe physically, but certainly not mentally.'
'That's right, because you're like, six or something.'
Lana punched Emma's shoulder as Daisy shook her head and laughed.
'I agree, it is a nice building,' Daisy added.
'See?' Emma stuck out her tongue.
'Whatever. Hey, did you see that?' Lana asked as she pulled the girls away from the road and up against the building.
'What?'
'Movement, over there.'
Daisy pointed further down the road where something was clearly moving.
'Let's go,' Lana whispered as they crossed the road and peered down the canal.
'It's just a boat, Lana,' Emma said.
'Yeah, but someone's driving it.'
'People don't drive boats, they steer them.'
'Well, whatever. That boat is going somewhere.'
As they tiptoed further down the road, they watched as the boat glided along the water, but it soon came upon a problem. A number of other boats in the slim waterway were in its path.
They listened as a curse was yelled loudly.
'There's someone in there,' Daisy whispered.
Peering over the fence, they watched as a middle aged woman with bright yellow hair appeared from inside the barge, cursing under her breath. She jumped from her boat to the one closest to her and tried to manoeuvre it out of the way, but there were just too many barges in front of her. It was useless. She would simply have to wait.
'Who do you think she is?' whispered Emma.
'Don't you mean what?' Daisy replied.
'Why don't we ask her?' Lana said.
Before the others had the chance to stop her, Lana leant over and shouted, 'Hello!'
'Lana, for goodness sake, she could be a Skull or something,' Emma scolded.
'Does she look like a Skull to you?' Lana tutted as the woman squinted, looking vaguely towards them.
'Over here,' Lana waved.
When her eyes rested on the three girls, the woman's mouth turned up at the sides.
'Hello girls, what are you doing here?'
'We were just passing through when we spotted you. Is there anything we can do to help?'
Emma and Daisy shared an irritated look.
'I can't get out,' she huffed. 'Been trying for what seems like an age but no, I'm well and truly stuck here.'
'Hopefully the world will return to normal soon enough and you'll be able to get on your way then,' Emma said as she pulled Lana to one side.
'Lana, we don't know what she is, for goodness sake.'
'Don't worry about me, I'll be alright. I guess I'll just have to wait. Who are you?'
Lana leant over the fence, 'We're Watchers,' she said a little quieter.
'Watchers are you?'
Lana nodded.
'And you?'
'Oh, I'm just a woman trying to get on with my life.'
Emma raised her eyebrows, 'She's hiding something.'
Daisy nodded but Lana chose to ignore the warning.
'Well, we'd like to help if we can.'
'Why don't you come aboard for a nice cup of tea?'
Lana smiled and climbed the fence.
Before Emma could stop her, Lana had jumped effortlessly over the water and on to the barge.
'Thank you, a cup of tea would be great.'
'My sister is going to get us killed one of these days,' cursed Emma as she climbed over the fence after her. 'We'd better go too, just in case.'
Daisy nodded and followed the two girls.
Inside the barge was decorated with floral cushions, floral wallpaper, floral carpet, even a floral tea cosy.
'I take it you like flowers,' Lana said as she sipped at the tea along with Daisy and Emma while the woman busied herself in the tiny kitchen at the centre of the house boat.
'I do, always have. Always will. How do you like the tea? It's a special brew.'
'It's delicious,' said Lana as she sat back on the comfortable sofa. 'This is a lovely boat.'
Standing up to have a further look around, Lana immediately flopped back down as a woozy feeling overcame her.
'You alright, my love?' asked the woman as she peered down into Lana's face.
'Yes, I'm just feeling a little... weird.'
Seconds later, Lana collapsed.
'Lana!' Emma put her cup down and grabbed her sister's arm, shaking her. Daisy, who was sitting on the other side, grabbed her other arm.
But soon, they started feeling a little odd too.
Emma looked down at the teacup and then back up at the woman.
'You... you... poisoned us,' she whispered before succumbing to unconsciousness.
Daisy just noticed the woman beam with pride before she too, blacked out.
CHAPTER 24
The sound of gentle humming woke Lana up. Slowly opening her eyes, she realised they were on a different boat. All the niceties of the floral décor had gone. It was much larger and, unlike the other, wasn't stuck within a sea of boats either. She could feel it chugging along. Lana hoped they hadn't been knocked out for too long.
'Emma, Daisy,' she whispered as she tried to stand up, but soon realised she was tied to her chair. Trying to loosen the rope, her wrists began to chafe against it.
'No use in trying, my dear. That there is certified cursed rope. You won't be able to loosen it, no matter how hard you try.'
'Who are you? What do you want?'
The woman merely smiled and walked back out the door.
'Daisy, Emma! Wake up!'
Slowly the girls began to come to.
'What's going on?' murmured Emma as she slowly opened her eyes to see the horrible predicament they'd gotten themselves into.
'Oh, Lana... I told you...'
'Look, there's no point in going there now. What's done is done. What matters is getting free.'
'Oww, my head,' murmured Daisy as she opened her eyes and gasped.
'She said it's cursed rope and we won't be able to loosen it.'
'Well, that's just great. Now what are we supposed to do?' Emma sighed as she tried to stand up but struggled considering she was also tied to the chair.
'I don't know... I don't know what she wants.'
The humming grew closer and the woman returned. 'Oh, you're all awake now are you? How lovely,' she said.
'What do you want with us?' asked Emma as she continued to try and loosen the rope around her wrists.
'It's not what I want with you... it's what they want with you,' she laughed as she pointed outside.
A cold sensation ran down Emma's spine as she followed the woman's gaze out through the window and found the boat was slowing down beside an old massive warehouse. As she peered through, she spotted a group of people waiting on the waterside.
'Who... who are they?' Lana asked as Daisy let out a sob.
The woman shrugged, 'Beats me, I just get paid to find folk, that's all. And you three just guaranteed me a fine Caribbean cruise, you have,' she grinned, revealing one missing tooth from the front of her open mouth.
Emma gulped as the woman skipped out of the cabin and tied the boat up, allowing the strangers to come aboard.
Lana looked at her sister apologetically.
'I'm so sorry both of you,' she whispered as hoods were placed over their heads and they were carried off the barge.
oOo
A familiar scent filled Daisy's nostrils and she screwed up her face in dismay. It was a scent she wished she'd never have to smell again. A tear plopped out of the inside corner of her eye as she realised her worst nightmare had come true. It rolled slowly down her face.
'Grycan,' she whispered.
'What?' Lana asked.
'It's the Skulls from Abney Park.'
'Oh no,' Emma murmured from beneath the hood.
They sat there in the dark for what seemed like ages listening to the Skulls paying the yellow-haired woman who soon left them to the clutches of the evil ones.
'My, my my,' said a woman's voice. 'Look what we've got here then. Three pretty little Watchers,' she laughed.
'Don't touch them, Beatrice. We're under strict instructions. You're not to mess with their memories. Keep your hands to you
rself. Don't worry, we'll find you someone else to feed from in no time.'
The hoods were grabbed and pulled from their heads, pulling hair along with them.
'Ouch,' cried Lana. 'Watch the hair numbskull.'
Just as she'd thought, as her eyes adjusted to the light, Daisy gasped as she saw the familiar posse of Skulls that had terrorised her during her months living at the Abney Park cemetery.
Grycan, Drake, Darcey and Beatrice. The only one missing was the other werewolf.
'Well I never,' said their leader, a dark haired skinny creep with a scar across his cheek.
'The red haired girl from the cemetery... shame we have to give you up,' he said as he approached her and gently caressed her face before grabbing her chin roughly.
'What do you want?' she asked.
Drake laughed with his head backwards.
'We don't want anything, little one. We're simply delivering you to someone who does.'
His light blue eyes danced menacingly.
'And you, I recognise you and you,' he said as he placed a hand on Lana and Emma's heads. 'Quite the little fighters, if I recall. No buddies here to help you now though, are there?' he whispered, his face up close to them both. 'Not quite so confident now are you?'
Emma and Lana said nothing. They just kept trying to loosen the rope that was tied firmly around their wrists.
'What are you going to do with us? Who wants us?' Daisy asked.
'Wouldn't you like to know?' he grinned. 'Sadly, we're not to make our deliveries for a while yet and we're quite busy at the moment so we'll have to leave you. But Grycan here will be right next door, if you should need anything,' he laughed as they walked out, turning out the lights and leaving the girls in the dark.
They listened as their footsteps disappeared, followed by the sounds of a small boat drifting off into the distance.
'What are we going to do?' whispered Lana. 'I can't see a thing.'
Emma calmed her breathing for a moment and concentrated hard until a light began to shine from within her. Soon it was sufficient to light up the room.
'Thanks, Sis, but be careful wolfie doesn't notice,' Lana whispered.
It was a huge old warehouse filled with large black boxes that could have been filled with just about anything.
'What's in there?' asked Lana as Daisy trained her nostrils to try and identify the contents.