Old Magic(68)

Rhauk feeds the bird a wedge of juicy apple, and the crow flies back to the window ledge, apparently satisfied. But it doesn’t fly away. The crow remains there throughout the entire meal, hauntingly watching.

It becomes fully night and Rhauk lights more rush lights, placing them in brackets around the large lonely room. My stomach tightens and I want to leave. Darkness at Blacklands is scary. But we really haven’t learned much yet, so I decide to speed things up. Rhauk begins serving sweet cakes. As he leans over my shoulder to offer me the platter I say, ‘We know about your plan for revenge.’

He pauses, going momentarily still. Shivers flutter across my sensitised skin. ‘Of course you do. This is why Jarrod has made his long journey here.’

I wonder how much he really knows about us. I have to find out without giving too much away. ‘So you know we’re here to stop you.’

He straightens. ‘You may attempt to, but seriously,’ he glances at Jarrod as if seeing nothing more than a pesky fly, ‘you will only waste your time, and no doubt, die in the process.’ He returns to his seat at the end of the table and looks across at me. His eyes are like rocks of coal. ‘My dear Kate, I have a vision for you.’ He rubs his hands together like an excited little boy.

Jarrod climbs to his feet. ‘You have no business with Katherine.’

Rhauk also rises and stares at Jarrod. ‘You, Jarrod, have come to protect your family. I respect that, though, in the end, respect means nothing to me. And, though you do not know this, you have brought the Lady Katherine with you because this is where she belongs.’

‘What!’ Jarrod hisses.

‘An injustice was done to me many years ago by your father. He stole my Lady, persuading her against me with cowardly lies and outrageous rumours. Bringing me your wife is recompense. What was once stolen will now be returned.’ Here he glances pointedly at me, and a chilling smile spreads slowly across his face. ‘What a delightful addition you will make to Blacklands, Lady Katherine. Just like Eloise would have.’

‘You have it wrong,’ I try to tell him, dread settling tightly in my chest. ‘I’m not a replacement for Eloise.’

‘Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,’ he denies. ‘All is going as it should. I knew this day would come.’

‘Katherine is not staying here!’

Jarrod is losing it, fast. I tug on his arm and whisper, ‘Don’t fall for it, he’s only goading you. He wants to test your powers.’

Rhauk laughs and says smugly, ‘Clever, Kate. But you’re only half right.’

I yank Jarrod backwards, away from the raw energy emanating from Rhauk. ‘We’d better leave.’

Jarrod calms a little at this idea and nods.

But Rhauk hasn’t finished playing with us. ‘Don’t be in such a hurry. Why, I haven’t told you my plans yet. Isn’t this why you came?’

Just as he knew it would, his words stop our retreat. I breathe in deeply, my nerves rattling on a dangerous edge.

Once he’s sure of our attention Rhauk explains. ‘Jarrod’s fears for his family are certainly not unfounded. Right now, in the solar tower, I am preparing a frightful curse. Every seventh-born Thorntyne son will know its wrath from now to eternity. Fools they will be, born clumsy, while evil and misfortune will befall every member of their family.’

‘So,’ I try to gain a little more specific information. ‘This curse you speak of is not complete yet?’

He pauses, his eyes staring straight through me, like he’s deciding on his answer. Then he says, ‘Alas, it lacks but one ingredient. The sweet root of a winter-flowering herb.’

Since it’s late autumn we have only a little time to act. We’ll have to use it wisely, somehow find a way into the tower, destroy the brewing curse, then deal with Rhauk so that he won’t brew another curse. Just how hard this will be, is anyone’s guess. At least now we have a starting point.

It’s time to leave.

Jarrod is just as keen. He takes my hand in his and brings it to his mouth. Against the back of my palm he mumbles, ‘Let’s get out of here, fast.’

We make to move towards the spiralling staircase, but the look on Rhauk’s face stops us. His pupils have done a full dilation. I wonder what’s caused this stunned reaction. His unblinking eyes drift down to where Jarrod is still holding my hand.

‘We’re leaving, Rhauk,’ Jarrod says into the chilling silence.

Rhauk blinks and seems to regather his senses. ‘Oh, but you can’t leave without a parting gift.’

As he speaks a heavy wooden door slams shut the entrance to the stairwell, blocking our retreat. The thundering sound echoes through the empty corridors. Startled, we glance back at Rhauk, in time to see him throw a shimmering silver ball high into the air. The ball explodes, the entire area surrounding us fills with silver and light as thousands of tiny shards of sharply-pointed, needle-like projectiles fall around us in an eerie shower. I try to protect my face with my arm, but the needles are plentiful and sharp.