The Witch's Sacrifice, page 4
‘Do you have the key to put them back into the cabinet?’ I asked as I sat in the chair opposite her.
‘I think so.’ She held up a collection of keys that had been sitting on her desk. It was so big it jingled loudly from the movement. Was she a headteacher or a jailer?
‘Do you need my help to return the jars?’ I really hoped she’d say no, but I had to ask. I couldn’t leave her to fix a situation that wasn’t her fault on her own.
‘No, I think I’ll manage. You look like you need to go home and sleep.’
I swallowed down the lump that had formed in my throat. I didn’t need sleep. I needed my daughter back. I needed answers. I needed help. I needed…
‘Niamh, what’s wrong?’ asked Manju, snapping me out of my spiralling brain.
My lip started to quiver. Then, before I knew it, I was bawling like a five-year-old.
6
Edie
Fadil had texted me to ask if I knew why Ben had been quiet, kept flinching when Mum’s name was mentioned, and had gone off on a last-minute ghost hunt even though he was a meticulous planner and rarely did things on impulse. Had something happened between him and Mum? What a surprise. Mum had isolated someone else in her life. Insert eye roll here.
Instead of explaining via text, I went to visit him. I was hoping the walk to Ben’s would calm some of the nervous energy I couldn’t seem to shake off. I left Dominic and Dave at the flat, heading over around lunchtime.
It still felt weird, all my stuff being in Dominic’s flat. Mum and I had moved a few times, but that was different. She’d always been there. We’d always lived together.
When I’d woken up, just for a second, I’d been confused about where I was. Then, it’d hit me. Like a slap in the face.
Every time I thought about it, I had to suppress tears. How had she lied to me about something for so long? She’d insisted it was to protect me, but how was lying to me a way to protect me? How was that a sign of a healthy relationship? Of good parenting?
I was still angry at Dad for not telling me the truth, but I also knew he wasn’t supposed to interfere. He already got involved way more than he was supposed to for someone who’d crossed over. I was terrified one day he’d face consequences for it, but I tried to suppress that worry as I already had enough on my mind.
Just in case anyone from college saw me, I took the long route to Ben’s so that they didn’t know I was skipping. The last thing I wanted was to run into anyone and get a lecture. I’d moved out to avoid them.
Walking through town from Dominic’s gave me a whole new perspective. I spotted buildings I’d never really paid attention to before. The dirty white windowsills above shops, for flats just like Dominic’s. I even noticed a grotesque on a wall outside a local school. Was it there to protect them, or just because it looked cool? How had I never noticed it before? Had I really spent my time here being so unobservant? Or was I just noticing more because I was trying to distract myself?
People walked past me, smiling and laughing. They looked like nothing else mattered in the world. Like their happiness was the only thing they cared about. How was everyone still going when I was falling apart?
Anger boiled up inside me. I curled my hands into fists, shoving them into my coat pockets. Why was I so reactive? What was wrong with me?
*
I knocked on the front door, then waited. Fadil answered a moment later.
‘Hey,’ said Fadil, pulling me into a hug.
I suppressed the tears that were forming in my eyes. I would not cry when I’d just walked through the door. Everything was fine. I was totally fine. ‘Hey.’
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Nope. No crying. Must not cry.
‘Edie? Talk to me.’
The compassion and worry on his face unnerved me.
‘I can’t,’ I said. ‘I don’t know how.’
He guided me to the sofa, where we sat down. He held on to my hands. ‘If you’re not ready, we don’t have to talk about it.’
‘Thank you,’ I said. Truth was, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to talk about everything that was going on. Not in a way that would allow me to process it, or that would make sense to other people.
‘What else is going on out there?’ he asked. I knew he was trying to take my mind off things. I appreciated it.
‘Your exhibit is due to leave soon.’
He tensed. ‘What? How soon?’
‘Next week,’ I said.
Fadil let go of my hands and curled into himself.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I didn’t expect it to stay forever, but, I mean, that thing was my home for thousands of years. Knowing it won’t be nearby feels…strange. Like a part of me is moving on without the rest of me. Does that make sense?’
I nodded, patting his shoulder.
‘I don’t want to go back in there ever again, but it’s been my safety net for so long. I don’t want to be confined to Ben’s house for the rest of my life, either. I’ve been studying computers and science and language and everything I can to truly embrace the modern world. But I can’t go out looking like this.’ He gestured to his leather-like skin. While the dryness was healing, he was still gaunt, wrinkly, shorter than most modern men, and much older than everyone else. Ever. The last thing any of us wanted was to draw attention to him. Especially in the modern age, where unwanted attention could spiral really quickly.
‘I have an idea. But you’ll have to come with me out of the house. Can you do that?’
*
‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ Dominic asked as we followed him through the woods. Fadil and I had had to wait for him to come home, as he knew the person we needed to see. Luckily, he wasn’t out for long and was willing to help even though he didn’t know Fadil. Fadil still seemed uncomfortable with someone else knowing his secret, but I reassured him that it was safe with Dominic, who obviously had his own.
‘You’re asking that now? When we’re almost there?’ I said, pushing a tree branch out of the way.
‘Just want you to know what you’re letting yourself in for,’ he said.
Fadil adjusted his hood, pulling it farther over his head. ‘Now you’re making me nervous.’
In my head, my idea had seemed like a genius solution. Dominic seemed to like the idea at first, but the closer we got, the more he planted that doubt in my head. Now I wasn’t so sure I liked where we were going.
The trees parted to reveal a cottage in the middle of the woods. It had once been painted white, but now it was a mottled grey. Around the edges of the windows it was almost black, as was the thatched roof.
Alongside the cottage ran a small stream where a family of ducks were fishing in the water. I’d always thought cottages in the woods were something from fantasy novels, yet there Tobias’s house was, right in the middle of the woods.
Dominic walked up to the front door and knocked. Not waiting for a response, he pushed the door open and gestured for us to follow him inside.
Fadil tugged at his hood, concealing his features, then gestured for me to go ahead of him. I did, then he came in behind me.
We walked into a living room with walls covered in books and what looked like potions. A cauldron bubbled away in the corner, the smell of cinnamon filling the air. Where the hell were we?
Tobias, the alchemist, entered through a back room and closed the door behind him.
I’d met Tobias briefly at a party, after finding out Dominic was a necromancer, too. Tobias gave me the creeps, but I got the feeling he was really powerful. Not powerful in a natural magical sense, like me, but more like he’d learned to manipulate what was around him. Which just made him creepier.
And potentially helpful.
He held his arms out in greeting. ‘Dominic! Edie! And I see you brought a friend.’
‘Hi,’ I mumbled, looking away from him. His skin was so pale it looked ghostly, and his white hair just added to his creepy vibe. But I had a feeling he was the only person who might be able to help Fadil, so I wasn’t going to judge him by his looks.
‘This is our friend Fadil,’ said Dominic. He nodded at Fadil.
His hands shaking, Fadil lowered his hood.
‘You’re very old,’ said the alchemist.
‘You could say that,’ said Fadil.
Tobias circled him, inspecting him like a vulture waiting to see how dead its prey was. He paused, noticing a spot on Fadil’s skin where a particularly stubborn spot of linen had taken a few days to fall away from his skin. ‘You were mummified?’
‘How can you tell?’ I asked.
Tobias shrugged. ‘Been around a while.’ He finished circling Fadil. ‘You still have all your organs?’
‘Yes. I was cursed.’
Tobias nodded. ‘That explains it.’ He stood in front of Fadil. ‘So, how can I help you?’
‘Can you do anything for me? Make me look more normal?’
A smile crept across Tobias’s thin lips as he studied Fadil some more. He picked up Fadil’s hand, caressing the thin, mottled brown skin with an unnerving and unnecessary scrutiny. Fadil recoiled, but didn’t release his hand. After all, he wanted Tobias’s help. He had to play along and he was intelligent enough to work that out no matter how uncomfortable he was.
‘Are you sure it’s what you want?’
Fadil gave a small nod.
Tobias let go of Fadil’s hand. ‘I can help you.’ Sitting on one of the nearby armchairs, he leaned back, splaying out his arms and legs, as if he was trying to be star-shaped. The rest of us remained standing. ‘But everything comes at a price.’
‘What’s the price?’ I asked.
‘Skin for skin.’
His composure remained stoic as he studied us to see our reactions to his suggestion. The scrutiny of his gaze unnerved me, but I tried to hide it because I had a feeling that if I showed fear, I’d be playing into his hands. And that was the last thing I wanted to do.
‘Like, we could go get some from the abattoir?’ I said. That wouldn’t be so hard. In theory.
Tobias shook his head and tutted. ‘No, definitely not. It must be human. And it must be fresh. Helps if they’re still alive, but recently deceased will work, too.’
Fadil stumbled back, falling into a grey sofa. ‘No.’
‘No?’ I said. ‘I thought you wanted your chance at a normal life.’
‘I do,’ said Fadil. ‘But not at the cost of someone else’s.’
‘We could just use a serial killer or something.’ I suggested. ‘It isn’t like you’d totally take on their appearance anyway, right? It’d be affected by your bone structure.’
I looked to Tobias for confirmation. He nodded.
Fadil turned to look at me, his eyes wide. For the first time since I’d met him, he looked afraid of me. ‘Can you even hear yourself?’
‘Obviously,’ I said.
Dominic sniggered.
‘What makes my life any more important than someone else’s? Someone else shouldn’t have to suffer for me to live a normal life,’ said Fadil. He shook his head, looking at me like he didn’t even know me.
‘Thank you for the offer, but it’s a no,’ Fadil said to Tobias before walking out.
‘Thanks for your time,’ I said, following Fadil outside. Why was he being such a drama queen about the whole thing? It would be so easy to do. And he’d finally get the life that was taken from him! Didn’t he deserve that?
7
Niamh
‘Fadil?’ I said, stepping aside to let him in.
He lowered his hood, bending down to pick up Tilly and give her some attention. They’d been wary of each other when they’d first met, but now, they seemed to like each other. ‘I know everyone thinks the Egyptians were obsessed with cats, but we had dogs, too. Not like this one, though.’ He fussed the top of her head. Her tongue lolled out as she panted in excitement.
‘Not that I’m not pleased to see you, but what are you doing here?’ I said.
We went into the kitchen, where I automatically flicked on the kettle and began to make us both tea.
He put Tilly down and settled into a chair. ‘Out twice in a day? Who’d have thought?’
‘You’ve been out already today?’ I said. ‘Did you go somewhere with Ben? How is he?’
Fadil shook his head, eyeing me with curiosity I didn’t appreciate. Yes, I wanted to know how Ben was even though I was still mad at him for what he’d said about Edie. I could care about him and be angry at him, couldn’t I?
‘No. He’s away on a ghost hunt at some fancy hotel up north.’
It was the first time I’d known Ben go away on a ghost hunt since we’d met. It was hard not to read into it as a way for him to get away from me. Was that why he’d rejected my call when I’d needed his help with the canopic jars? If he was ghost hunting, he would’ve been awake all night and sleeping during the day, which would explain why he’d rejected my call. Or was I just reading too much into things?
Fadil picked Tilly up and placed her on his lap. She balanced on his legs, watching me. ‘I’m worried about Edie. I don’t know what happened, she won’t tell me, but she said some things earlier…’
‘Said what things?’
‘She’s found a way for me to not look like a mummy anymore. To be able to go out and not worry someone will figure out who or what I am. Or look at me like I’m a freak. I thought the cost was too high. She didn’t.’
I gulped. Was Dominic brainwashing her? Or was it the power inside of her that was corrupting her?
‘What’s the cost?’
‘A life.’
‘What?’
Fadil explained about some guy called the alchemist. I vaguely remembered Edie mentioning him and Ben getting nervous, advising her to stay away from him. Looks like that had happened. Not.
Fadil informed me that the alchemist could help him if they found a victim whose skin they could replace Fadil’s with. If the person was newly or almost dead, it wouldn’t matter. It wasn’t like they’d need their skin anymore. But to find someone that close to death, they’d have to kill them. He wasn’t willing to do that. Edie had no problem with it.
My legs too weak to hold me, I sank into the chair opposite him. ‘What the hell is going on with her?’
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Where is she now?’
‘She—she moved out.’
Fadil’s jaw dropped. ‘Pardon?’
‘We had a massive fight. She found out about some stuff. And now she won’t speak to me. I’d say I’m glad she’s OK, but it doesn’t sound like she is.’
‘No, I don’t think she is, either.’
‘What do you know about this Dominic guy?’ I was hoping he could fill in some of the gaps I had.
‘Not much. I’ve only met him once, a couple of hours ago. He was quiet. Pensive. But he seemed to have some sort of hold over Edie.’
Well wasn’t that just great?
‘How bad are we talking?’ I asked, afraid to hear the answer but also needing to hear it.
‘I doubt you’re going to get your daughter back while he’s around.’
*
I had to try. I couldn’t leave my daughter under the influence of some weirdo with underlying motives I hadn’t figured out yet. All I knew was that I couldn’t trust him. Not if his influence over Edie was as bad as Fadil was suggesting.
Fadil told me where she was staying, then I made my way there after dropping him off at Ben’s. I tried not to glance at his house. A part of me was hoping to see Ben, but, of course, he wasn’t there. And what would it change? He was ignoring me. If that was how he was going to be, I was going to ignore him, too.
I parked the car around the corner from Dominic’s flat so that they didn’t notice it outside. Yes, I was being paranoid. But I had valid reason to be. There was something about Dominic I didn’t like, I just couldn’t work out what.
I had no idea if Dominic would be in. I didn’t care. I was going to see my daughter and he wasn’t going to stop me.
If what Edie had said was true, he didn’t have any powers to hurt me with anyway. Meaning the only person who could cause me any real harm was my daughter, and I was hoping she still cared enough about me that it wouldn’t come to that. Although I was so broken by everything that had happened lately I didn’t care.
For once, Javi didn’t turn up to talk me out of my suicide mission, so I guessed he agreed it was the right thing to do.
I walked up to the door and pressed the buzzer. Nobody answered. Well that was a good start. Was the buzzer working? Was anyone in?
‘Hello?’ came a voice through the intercom.
I jumped. It was Edie.
I hadn’t heard her voice since our argument a couple of days earlier. Hearing it again made me feel like a kid at Christmas. I was pathetic.
‘Edie? It’s me.’
I’d originally considered lying to get her to speak to me, but I hadn’t been able to come up with a lie that would work. So I’d decided the truth would be best instead. Even if she didn’t let me in, she’d know I cared.
‘Go away.’
‘Please, Edie. Let’s talk. Please?’ I was begging. But I didn’t care. I’d already lost everything that mattered to me.
My begging must’ve worked, because the door buzzed and unlocked. I went through it and up the stairs to the flat. It was a poky corridor filled with cobwebs. Who was in charge of maintaining it? The landlord or Dominic? It was disgusting.
I knocked on the flat door, glancing around at all the cobwebs. Ghosts I could handle. That much dust I could not.
Edie opened the door but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have her usual eyeliner on, and I was pretty sure she was wearing pyjamas. Had she gone out wearing that? That couldn’t be the fashion, could it? There was athleisure, then there was…pyjamas.
Was something wrong? Of course something was wrong. What was I saying?
