Eddie Lancaster Box Set 2, page 32
part #4 of Eddie Lancaster Series
‘I meant, was the prophecy true?’
‘I know what you meant.’ He smiled again. ‘Yes. I was defeated. For the grand total of thirteen days. And when I came back I did so with a vengeance like my enemies had never seen before. Blood dripped from the walls,’ he said proudly. I grimaced and took a step back. I no longer wanted to be near this psychopath.
‘Well… I’ve really enjoyed the magical mystery tour and all—’
‘My point is, a seer’s prophecy is not always permanent. Much like death isn’t.’
‘Except I’m not immortal,’ I argued.
‘True. And I lack the ingredients needed to make you fully immortal. But with all the power I have I’m sure I can keep you from dying,’ he said.
I nodded. ‘For what price? What exactly do you want from me?’ The tour had been great, but it was all just leading up to the pitch. The better the sales patter the higher the price at the end, and Nick’s patter was top rate.
‘I want the same thing Clara wants. I want you. By my side.’
Now it was my turn to smile. ‘Surely the most powerful warlock in the world doesn’t need my help with anything?’ I scoffed.
He placed his hand on my shoulder, not to teleport me but to comfort me. It didn’t work, if anything I just wanted to back away. Maybe if he hadn’t proceeded it with all that talk of blood on the walls I might’ve been more receptive to his charms. ‘You may feel insignificant when you stand next to me,’ he said gently. ‘But that does not make it so. What I have done, what I have transformed myself into is unique. Nobody has ever done it before. I am the first. But that doesn’t make me that special. Anybody could have done this if they’d followed the same steps as I did. You however, have an ability that even I have not been able to replicate. You are the only one of your kind. Nobody can do what you have done. Not even me. We are two unique beings. Two rarities in a world filled with much of the same. On our own we are strong. Impressive. Remarkable. Together… Well, together we are unstoppable.’ I didn’t like to admit it, but his motivational speech was winning me over. ‘Your ability coupled with my power could neutralise Clara and her alliance of muppets for good. We could stop that power-hungry girl’s deranged ambitions. She wants to put herself on a throne above every supernatural being there is. I want to tear her down and teach her a little humility. I want to show her that warlocks are not lesser beings compared to her. I know that you feel the same.’
I looked into his eyes as he delivered his speech. He spoke with such passion that it was impossible not to be moved. But I’d done my research and I knew who I was talking to. Slowly and as respectfully as was possible I brought up my hand and removed his from my shoulder. ‘Maybe I do feel the same, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to side with you. You’ve done a grand job of making Clara look like the villain in all this, but I’ve heard the stories about you. You are the biggest villain in history.’
Nick did not smile this time. He looked away at the nearby wall, his lips pursed, and his brow furrowed deeply. My words had not gone down well by the looks of things. ‘We are all given our roles in life and I have played mine to perfection. But nothing is black and white, Eddie. Yes, I may well have been the villain in Clara’s story, but have you considered that she might be the villain in other people’s stories? How many sorcerers have fled to Maidstone to escape her tyranny? How many people have lost their lives or their freedom simply because they didn’t want to follow Clara’s rules. Nobody appointed her to be their queen so why should they listen to her. Do not mistake her for the hero just because she’s standing opposite me,’ he said heatedly. There was that famous Blackwood temper. He had a point though.
‘There’s something else,’ I said quietly as I looked at his face. There was something he wasn’t saying.
‘What do you mean?’
‘You don’t just want me so you can stop Clara. You could easily kill her and be done with it. You want me for another reason and if you want me to even consider joining you you’ll tell me what it is,’ I said, staring into his dark blue eyes. The corners of them crinkled as he grinned with pride the way a parent might grin when proud of their child.
‘Very astute, Eddie. Yes, there is another reason and I will happily tell you. I am surprised…’ he trailed off and looked towards the grimy window. I looked too but it was impossible to see out of.
‘What?’ I asked him, tensing up.
‘We have company,’ he replied in a low voice. I followed him as he strode from the room, across a ridiculously large foyer and then tore open the grand double doors of the house. The garden was wild and overgrown. Grass and weeds tangled up well above my waist. The old cobbled pathway no longer cut a gap through the garden but had been overtaken by weeds. At the end of the garden standing on the other side of a rickety and rusted gate was Clara Winters. Gabe and Alison stood by her side and behind them was an army of nervous sorcerers. Round two was about to begin.
Chapter Sixteen
Clara had managed to compose herself since I last saw her, and she now stood stoically at the end of the garden, her chin raised high in defiance and her face stony. Her hands were at her sides and her fingers stretched out, she was ready for a fight. I wondered how scared she really was on the inside. I noticed that on her left stood her father, Arthur Winters. I hadn’t seen him for a few years and what was left of his blonde hair was now gone completely and a shiny dome was on display. He did not look ready for a fight, if anything he looked tired as if he’d already spent a lifetime fighting and would give anything for it to be over. Gabe was on Clara’s right looking at me warily, unsure whether he should join me or wait for me to join him.
‘Clara, Arthur, how lovely to see you both again,’ Nick said courteously. He looked completely at ease, not in the least bit worried by the army of enemies at the door.
‘We haven’t come here to fight you, Nick,’ Clara said loudly. She was doing a good job of keeping the fear out of her voice. ‘Let Eddie go, and we’ll leave peacefully.’
Nick chuckled quietly to himself. Gratitude swelled within me. Even though I was in no real danger Clara believed that I was, and she had brought her minions to rescue me. I hadn’t expected that of her, I really thought she’d abandon me. It was nice to be wrong. ‘Peacefully,’ Nick repeated the word contemplatively. ‘I think this situation is anything but peaceful. As long as your people and my people are at odds there will be no peace.’
‘Then come to the table. Let’s talk this through,’ Arthur said. Even his voice sounded strained and exhausted. It was clear that he had no appetite for war. Living in Cedarstone his whole life he’d probably seen enough.
‘Is there any arrangement that we can make with you that involves both sides walking away happy? Or do you simply want us all relieved of our magic?’ Nick asked. He touched his fingers to a tall blade of grass and I watched as the greenness faded to brown and it crumbled down. Several of the blades around it followed suit.
‘It isn’t your magic,’ Clara said accusingly. ‘You stole it.’
‘We took it from those unworthy of holding it,’ retorted Nick. ‘Were they worthy they would never have given it up.’
‘Nobody gave up their magic,’ Arthur said in a disappointed-dad voice.
‘You murdered them,’ said Clara harshly.
Nick shrugged. ‘You say potato…’
‘How can you have such little regard for a person’s life?’ asked Arthur, shaking his head sorrowfully.
‘Because he’s a monster,’ spat Clara.
That got Nick’s attention. He let out a low noise that sounded very much like a growl. As he fixed his gaze on Clara I saw his blue eyes start to turn red. Blackness traced along the veins leading out from his eyes, travelling down his cheeks and spreading towards his neck. Then he blinked, and his face returned to normal. I’d heard of magic transforming people but that was something I’d never witnessed before. With all the power Nick had I should have expected a pretty severe transformation.
‘I wonder,’ Nick said ponderously. ‘How many people would describe you in the same way these days, Clara Winters?’
The corner of Clara’s lip rose in contempt. ‘We are not here to debate who is the bigger monster. We are here for Eddie. Let him go and there will be no bloodshed.’
‘You see, I would very much like to debate who is the biggest monster and when it comes to bloodshed you are welcome to try, but I guarantee the only blood shed will be your own. I killed you once you miserable little bitch don’t you dare think I won’t do it again.’ The last words he spoke were said with such contempt that even I took a step away from him. I knew a thing or two about hatred, having hated Rachel for most of my life and I could see the exact same loathing in Nick’s face now. However, like the monstrous appearance of moments ago it quickly vanished and was replaced by a cheeky smile. ‘As it happens, I’m not holding Eddie against his will. He’s free to go where he wishes.’ He turned to me and cocked his head to the side. ‘Would you like to go with Clara, Eddie?’
I felt like a child being forced to choose between two bickering parents. I looked from him to Clara, wishing there was a third option in sight. Then Nick made the decision easier. ‘Go,’ he said, and then added in a whisper, ‘make sure you ask her what she really wants from you. I’ve been honest about my intentions, now let’s see if she will do the same. Reach out to me when you want to finish our chat.’
Without waiting for a reply Nick vanished into thin air. I released the breath I’d been holding and then walked down the garden path to where Clara stood waiting.
AOC HQ was ready for war. The front had been cleaned up and looked as if no battle had taken place just an hour or so before. Sorcerers patrolled the perimeter of the building. More were placed on balconies across the building’s front. The lobby was filled with more standing by, ready for an attack. Clara had not taken the day’s events lightly, nor should she. The most powerful warlock who ever lived was her enemy and I doubted that even her entire alliance would be able to defeat him. I was glad he wasn’t coming for me.
Nobody had spoken on the journey back here, except Gabe to ask if I was alright. Other than that, it had been a silent trip. Everybody was shaken and anxious. I wondered what Nick was doing now. Whilst Clara was no doubt coming up with a strategy for his defeat what was he up to? Was he off in his own HQ with his top warlocks discussing how to eliminate the alliance? Or was he just chilling with a glass of Coke, waiting for me to get in touch. He probably drank stronger stuff than Coke.
‘Dad, I need all the dynasts,’ Clara said as we all arrived in a conference room just off the lobby.
‘Clara, I know your instinct is to fight but consider the alternative,’ Arthur said quietly. ‘I spent my life fighting wars and every time one enemy was defeated another rose up to take their place. I don’t want that for you.’
‘There is no alternative,’ she said pacing frantically.
‘Remember what we all came together in this alliance for. To protect our kind. To keep our secret from becoming mainstream. Fighting Nick was never on the cards.’
‘Because we thought he was dead,’ argued Clara. ‘This is about protecting our people. Protecting them from the warlocks who murder us and steal our power. Nick is the worst of their kind.’
He didn’t seem that bad to me, but I opted to keep out of this discussion.
‘Yes, we need to safeguard against the warlocks, but maybe trying to eliminate them is not the solution. That just endangers us more.’
‘So, what would you have me do?’ She asked, sounding so much like a girl asking her daddy to fix things for her.
‘Invite them to the table. Work out a deal. A truce,’ Arthur suggested.
‘And what would that deal look like, Dad? Should I agree to peace and every month we send a sorcerer or two to be sacrificed so they can have their magic? Because you know they won’t stop taking our magic no matter what deal we make.’
‘We only need to protect those in the alliance.’
‘And just leave the rest to fend for themselves?’ Clara said with a wry laugh. ‘When did you give up? When did you lose all your fight? What was it that made you so weak?’ she said angrily.
To his credit Arthur did not get angry back. He closed his eyes and let her words wash over him. It was hard to tell whether he was wise and collected or just plain terrified. Either way it was obvious he would not get through to Clara. Fighting was all she seemed to be interested in.
‘How can you not see that by making a deal that protects only those in the alliance it would force others to join the alliance. Once the alliance is big enough we could crush the warlock threat easily. Right now, we do not have the strength,’ Arthur insisted.
‘We outnumber them. You know we do.’
‘Did you see what happened today? He has gargoyles. He can control lightning. That was just a taste of what they have in their arsenal I guarantee that that was not their full force. Not by a long shot.’
‘We didn’t fight with our full strength either. We can call the rest of the alliance to Cedarstone. We can stand as one and fight. We have more people than they do,’ Clara said testily. She was getting worked up trying to convince her dad that her strategy was the right one.
‘They have Nick,’ Arthur said simply and with that he crumpled into one of the clear plastic chairs at the board table. Clara looked at the defeated man with sorrow. He was only about fifty yet in that moment he looked more like eighty.
‘We’ll discuss this when the dynasts are here,’ Clara said sadly. ‘Eddie, come with me. Alone.’
Gabe looked at me to see if I was okay with it. I nodded that I was and then followed Clara through the door at the top of the room. She led me in silence to an elevator which carried us to the top floor. The doors slid open to a small lobby which held a few leather chairs and a reception. A young lady sat at the desk tapping away on her computer. She smiled politely at Clara as we passed and gave me only a fleeting glance. Rude. I made sure not to smile at her either. Not that I was in a particularly smiley mood anyway.
Clara’s office was not as large as I expected it to be. It was just large enough for the furniture in it, a desk at one end of the room and two sofas at the other. It also didn’t fit in with the decor of the building. There were no glass walls here, instead there was wooden panelling. The floor was carpeted in grey. The sofas were dark fabric and the coffee table a shining mahogany.
‘Have a seat,’ she said. Now her voice had lost its fight too and she sounded a lot like her father, tired.
I sat down on one of the sofas, but she did not sit with me. She slipped off her jacket and threw it messily over the back of the other sofa. Then she ran her hands through her glistening hair, removing the hair clips that held it together. With a shake of her head her long blonde hair fell down around her shoulders. She looked so much younger now. She was roughly the same age as me, but the way she dressed and carried herself made her seem much older. Now as she stood with head bowed, hair down, jacket off and her fingers gripping the back of the sofa tightly the stony-faced bitch was gone, and an unsure and frightened girl stood before me. Against all my usual instincts I actually wanted to comfort her.
‘Drinks,’ she said sharply. She strode to a nearby cabinet, pulled out two glasses and began pouring what looked like whiskey. In the past I would have stopped her and said I wasn’t much of a drinker. Things were different now. It was a habit I’d picked up. Once the drinks were poured she began to bring them over, then changed her mind and turned back to retrieve the bottle. Good call. She placed the three objects down on the coffee table as she fell down opposite me then she tucked her feet up beneath her and began gulping her drink down noisily. I picked my own glass up and sipped it, relishing in the burn as it filled my mouth and trickled down my throat. I used to hate that sensation but now… not so much.
‘Nick Blackwood,’ she said staring into space. She put her now empty glass down and refilled it at once. She topped mine up too, even though it was still plenty full. She gulped her entire glass down like an accomplished alcoholic. ‘Nickolas-fucking-Blackwood.’ She looked at me and let out a humourless laugh. ‘Don’t worry, by the way. You’re perfectly safe here.’ She twirled her finger at the walls. ‘All the covens are linked to their dynasts and the dynasts are linked to the building. Totally magic-proof to all outside the alliance. Even Nick can’t break through these defences. If he enters he’ll be powerless.’
I wasn’t worried, but I didn’t tell her that. It was probably better to let her think we were all in the same boat together. She’d be less likely to turn on me. Not that I thought that was likely. She was a bitch, but she wasn’t despicable.
‘Have you tested that theory?’ I asked her, sipping my whiskey.
Her eyes met mine and a dark look passed over them. ‘What did he want with you?’ she asked bluntly. She usually had more tact about these things. Was it the alcohol or the fear that had changed her manner?
I considered telling her to mind her own business, that was my instinct. It wasn’t like she’d ever been particularly open with me. Seeing her the way she was made me pity her. I never thought I’d say that about Clara Winters, but I guess these are strange times. ‘I think he wanted to turn me against you,’ I said. I kept my eyes on her so I could see how she reacted.
Her eyes narrowed. ‘And… did he succeed?’ She looked tense all of a sudden. Ready to fight me. As if I’d be stupid enough to try and attack her here. I didn’t even have any magic in this building. That must have slipped her mind. I wondered how much the alcohol was affecting her, she was now on her third or fourth glass.
‘I came with you, didn’t I?’ I pointed out. ‘Apparently, you chucked him in the ocean to rot?’ I asked. I knew that Clara was ruthless, but I never thought she’d be that cold.
