Deeper shadows of faerie, p.22
Deeper Shadows of Faerie, page 22
This went on for about ten minutes before the Queen abruptly turned and walked away. Lord Faniel continued shouting at her back and pulling at the chains. He noticed us watching and turned his curses on us. Bit of a waste of time as we had no idea of what he was saying, but he was certainly unhappy and equally unrepentant.
Jack walked over to us.
“That did not sound like he was begging forgiveness,” I said.
“No,” said Jack. “He claims the people support him and demands we release him.”
“So now what?”
“The Queen is finished with him. We wait until he is weak enough for us to take control, then we find out what we need to know to take him back and order the King released. “
“Could be a long wait,” I said.
Jack shrugged. “Maybe. He is already complaining that the chains hurt him.”
He carried on complaining about the chains and everything else throughout the day. We checked on him several times and a couple of the refugees went to argue or abuse him, but most stayed clear. We brought him food and water, though he threw the food back at us. There was no change in his glamour; I reckoned I would need to be able to see through it before we could work on him and that could take a week.
* * *
I was wrong; by midday next day I could see a short guy with long scruffy brown hair chained to the roller. He was done with shouting and was whining instead.
“He looks ready,” said Jack.
Toby and Jack held swords over him as I took the chains off his ankles, keeping my gloves on just in case. He glared at me with pure hatred but did not move. Toby put down his sword and reached out a hand to me. I removed the gloves and took his hand. He laid his free hand on Lord Faniel’s neck, and I followed him as he pushed in with minimal resistance. Jack came and took my free hand and joined us in exploring Lord Faniel’s mind.
I did not understand the significance of much of what we found as Toby searched. I briefly saw the King and mother, both apparently healthy but with compulsions restricting them. There were memories of meetings with many people, plans made and executed. I didn’t know what we were looking for, but clearly Toby did. There was a vast amount to take in, and we seemed to be in there a long time. I did understand the compulsion of complete obedience that Toby laid on him before we pulled out. It was similar to the one he had used on Peter Murphy.
“Put the chains back on him,” said Toby before he released my hand.
I put my gloves back on and reattached the chains while Jack and Toby talked in their own language. Lord Faniel whined in protest until a word from Toby silenced him. I finished the job and stood up.
“We will need all the fireglobes and airbombs that you have,” said Jack.
“They’re back at mother’s cottage.” I glanced at Michelle. “We’ll go and get them.”
“What about Murphy?” asked Michelle. “What do we do with him?”
Jack shrugged. “We don’t need him anymore. End him.”
“No,” I said. “He can still do something useful, but I’ll need some help.”
“What do you need?” asked Jack.
“I need to shut him off from his powers like Lord Faniel did to me. Then I’m going to send him to the police under a compulsion to tell them everything about his organisation.”
“That’s a great idea,” said Michelle.
Jack had a brief conversation with Toby, then Toby held out his hand to me. I removed a glove and took his hand.
“Tell me what you want to do,” Toby said in my mind.
I remembered how it had felt when Lord Faniel had shut off my powers. “I want this for Murphy.”
“I can do that. Take me to him.”
We walked over to the marquee; Murphy was sat at the table where we had left him. He looked up at me with fear in his eyes. Good, I thought. Let him fear me. He tried to have me killed.
I put my hand on his neck and reached out for Toby’s hand. We slipped into his mind with no resistance. I followed Toby and he brought us to where a large pale stone stood faintly glowing among shadows like some prehistoric standing stone at twilight. I would not have found it without him.
“We must build a barrier around this” he said. He pulled at the shadows which tore as if they were cloth and started to wrap them around the stone. At his touch they grew thicker and heavier, smothering the stone like bandages. I joined in, the shadows feeling as insubstantial as spiderwebs.
“Put your will into them, make them solid,” he said. “We have to cover it so that he cannot find it. This will be more effective than what Faniel did to you.”
His wrappings were far more effective than mine and in a short time I could not see it in the shadows.
“Is there anything else you want to do?”
“I need to put a compulsion on him to confess.”
“Good. I would like to see how you do that.”
Toby guided us back to a point I recognised and began to fashion a compulsion to force Murphy to go to the police and tell them every detail of his operation. As a second thought I added visions of the fiery angel for extra motivation, sealed it all then pulled back.
“That was well done,” said Toby. “And the vision is a very good touch. You have considerable promise at this.”
I released Toby’s hand and we walked away leaving Peter Murphy at the table.
“Success?” asked Michelle.
“Yes. I just need to call Sharon now to come and pick him up.”
I had no idea whether she was working and was prepared for her voicemail when I dialled, but she picked up at the second ring.
“Charlie! Where are you? Are you OK? What’s going on?”
“Far too much to explain now. I’m at Mrs. Barrett’s house in Beaulieu. Can you bring Mike? We’ve got Peter Murphy here and he wants to talk.”
“What? How?”
“I promise I’ll tell you it all later, but we’ve got other stuff to do, and we need Murphy off our hands.”
“What does he want to talk about?”
“He’s going to tell you everything.”
“Wow! Really? Mike’s here with me. We’ll be there.”
“We may still be here, but Jack is taking us over soon. I’ll make sure people know you’re coming.”
“We’re on our way.”
Based on her previous form, I reckoned she would take about half an hour. Michelle and I went round to the front of the house to wait for them.
I was five minutes out. She and Mike Scott pulled into the drive in Sharon’s blue Mini.
“What’s going on Charlie. Where’s Murphy?” Sharon asked almost fizzing with excitement.
“Round the back,” I said. “Follow me.”
“Who are all these people?” asked Mike as we came around the side of the house.
“Refugees from over there.”
“Where’s Murphy?” asked Sharon.
“In the marquee,” I said, confident that he would be.
He was, sitting alone with his back to us at the table where I’d left him.
“Don’t let him run,” said Mike. “I don’t fancy chasing him.”
“He won’t,” I said. “He’s under a compulsion of complete obedience.”
He must have heard me because he looked round. His head came up and he started to rise.
“Don’t move,” I said sharply, and he froze where he was.
We walked up to him. I put my hand on his and pushed into his mind. I added obedience to Mike and Sharon to the compulsion then sealed it.
“Peter, you will go with these people and answer their questions completely. You will tell them everything and conceal nothing from them.” I turned to Mike. “He’s all yours now. He will obey you and Sharon.”
“That’s amazing, Charlie,” said Sharon with a warm smile. “This is worth much more than just a dinner.”
“Thank me later,” I said. “We’ve got bigger problems to deal with. Lord Faniel’s people have got mother.”
Her smile froze. “Oh shit, Charlie. What are you going to do?”
“We’re going over to get her shortly.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Can’t think of anything unless you’ve got the Royal Marines on speed dial.”
“I haven’t.” She reached out and hugged me. “Just come back safe.”
She released me then turned to Murphy. “Right, Murphy, let’s go.”
She and Mike walked away with Murphy between them. I hoped it would be the last time I saw him.
“That’ll do a lot of good, Charlie,” said Michelle. “Really a lot.”
* * *
Toby and I went to fetch Lord Faniel while Jack assembled his little army. Lord Faniel looked pale and unwell as I removed the chains and said nothing but obeyed Toby’s commands. The Queen turned her back on him as we joined the group of about twenty. To my surprise Michelle was there with the fireworks and firebombs.
“We will need to draw on your strength over there,” said Jack. “So we will need someone else who understands how to use these things.”
Michelle smiled and held up a lighter.
“Are you expecting much opposition?” I asked.
“It’s hard to know,” said Jack. “There are many who went with him, and I cannot guess how they will react. Some are very strong. It is better that we have these things and not use them than need them and not have them.”
That seems eminently sensible to me. I was pretty sure we would need them at some point.
We all walked down to the portal then joined hands. Michelle took one hand and Toby the other with Lord Faniel at the end of the chain. As we approached the glowing blue oval Michelle squeezed my hand and I reminded myself that this was the only option we had come up with.
We passed through the place between and emerged into woodland lit by the low sun of late afternoon. I filled my lungs with the sweet air and caught a whiff of burnt tyre.
“There are gwasannath near,” I said.
Everyone stopped. Michelle released my hand and took a firebomb out of her bag.
I looked around expecting a pack of them to charge out of the trees any second. We waited. The stench faded and the air grew sweet again. Michelle put the firebomb back in her bag.
“Scout,” said Toby in my mind. “He’ll be halfway to the palace with the news by now. We’d better give them what they expect to see.”
A moment later I felt the pull as Toby restored Lord Faniel’s glamour then ordered him to take us to the palace. I looked back at Jack and the Queen; she was unchanged. If she had resumed her glamour, I could see through it.
With Toby still controlling Lord Faniel using my power, we marched through the woodland until the palace came into view across the lawns. No longer a chandelier glowing silver, instead it was a grim fortress of high wooden walls and towers. But I knew that, too, was an illusion someone was putting a lot of effort into. I didn’t miss the sickly flute music either.
We were halfway across the lawns when a squad of spear-toting gwasannath appeared from the around the side of the palace lead by a couple of palace guards in bronze armour. The cold hand gripped my stomach once more. Everyone stopped again, and Michelle reached for the firebombs before Toby sent Lord Faniel forward. As soon as the palace guards saw him, they called the gwasannath to a halt and saluted. Lord Faniel dismissed the gwasannath, and we resumed our march with the guards as escort.
Doors were opened for us, and sentries saluted as we passed on into the palace and were hurried to the King’s chambers. Before we entered, Toby took my hand again and then caught Lord Faniel’s hand.
The King sat head down as if sleeping. On our entry he raised his head, scowled for a moment then broke into a smile at the sight of us. He stood and the glow of his glamour brightened.
“Have you brought the usurper to beg forgiveness?” he said.
“Submit to your father,” ordered Toby releasing his hand.
Lord Faniel moved forward and knelt before his father.
“There can be no forgiveness for this crime,” said the Queen from behind us. “Remove the compulsion.”
“Do it!” said Toby.
Lord Faniel reached up a hand to his father who took it. There was silence for a minute or so as they held hands.
“I cannot,” said Lord Faniel. “I haven’t the strength.”
“Help him,” ordered the Queen.
Toby towed me over to them and took Lord Faniel’s free hand. Jack joined us taking my free hand. I felt the draw from Toby as he gathered in power to tear at the compulsion. I would have struggled to get any grip on it, but as Lord Faniel had created it, we were able to work through him and gradually pull it apart.
It was hard work. I was sweating by the time the King was free of it. Lord Faniel lay sprawled on the floor and breathing like an unfit marathon runner.
“My friends,” said the King. “Once again, I owe you a great debt. How can I ever repay you?”
I was going to say something about putting Lord Faniel permanently out of business, but then there was a commotion behind us and the strong smell of gwasannath. We turned to see two men, armoured in glowing bronze in the doorway, a squad of gwasannath visible in the corridor behind them. Toby immediately identified them as two of the Great who supported Lord Faniel.
“Nobody move!” ordered one. “You are all prisoners of King Faniel.”
“Treason!” roared the King.
Jack and Toby released my hands and pulled out their turbine blade swords as the glowing men advanced into the room, bronze swords in hand. Glass broke, one of the glowing men was engulfed in flames. More glass broke and the second man also caught fire. The gwasannath shrieked and a firebomb landed among them setting fur ablaze. Toby dashed forward and with a yell stabbed the nearest burning man in the throat, silencing his screams and nearly taking his head off. He turned to the second man and dealt with him similarly. Michelle stood, mouth open, staring wide-eyed at the mayhem she had initiated.
The King strode forward and picked up the sword dropped by the nearest burning man. He turned towards the prone figure of Lord Faniel. Fearing what here was about to do, I caught his hand.
“Wait! Don’t kill him yet,” I said in my mind. He turned to me with a flash of anger. “We need him to lift my mother’s compulsion.”
The anger subsided. “You are right. He must do that,” he said after a moment. The Queen came then and took his free hand, so I stepped back.
We needed to get mother as quickly as we could before the King changed his mind and someone killed Lord Faniel. I looked around for Jack; he was at the door, sword in hand.
“Jack, we need to get mother now,” I said. “While we still have Lord Faniel to work with.”
“Yes. You’re right.” He took a quick look down the corridor then passed the sword to another man who had come over with us. “Come with me.”
I followed him as moved quickly down the corridor past a few doors until we reached a cross corridor. He stopped and looked cautiously around the corner then pulled back rapidly.
“Two gwasannath on guard,” he said.
“We should have brought the sword.”
“It would not have been useful. They have spears and are ten paces down the way.”
He touched my hand and I saw what he had seen. Too far to rush them; that would account for why I hadn’t smelled them.
“What’s the plan?” I asked in his mind.
He did not reply for a minute or so.
“I think it most likely that the gwasannath were ordered to guard the room by Lord Faniel. I don’t believe he would have anyone else do it within the palace. With your help I can try to make a glamour that will convince them I am Lord Faniel, and they will open the door. This is beyond what I have done before, but gwasannath are simple creatures and that favours us. Keep hold of me and the glamour will hide you from them.”
I took a firmer grip of his hand and felt him draw from me as he built the glamour. He projected his memories of Lord Faniel’s appearance, his voice and mannerisms so that the gwasannath would see nothing else then we walked around the corner. We were dead men if it failed. I scarcely dared breathe, but Jack walked with confidence and the gwasannath instantly stood up straight with their spears held vertical when they saw us.
“Open the door,” ordered Jack. “I will see the prisoner.”
One of them opened the door and the pair stood back as we went in; just as well as their stench was choking me. Mother was lying on the bed in the sparsely furnished room. I recognised the look of fury on her face when she sat up, steaming angry but physically unharmed. The glamour was working on her, but to reveal ourselves risked doing so for the gwasannath, too. Jack reached out to her and though she shrank back he caught her arm.
“It’s me, Jack, and Charlie,” he said in her mind. “We’ve come to get you out. Don’t say anything and come with us.”
I felt the relief flood out of her. She climbed off the bed and, keeping hold of Jack’s hand, walked with us out of the room and past the gwasannath.
“Stay here. I will return with her,” said Jack to the gwasannath.
We held the glamour until we turned the corner and were out of sight of the gwasannath.
“I knew you’d come,” said mother when Jack dissolved the glamour and she’d finished kissing him. “But what can you do about the compulsion? I can’t leave the palace.”
“Was it Lord Faniel who laid it?” asked Jack.
“Yes.”
“Then he will remove it. We control him now.”
“How?”
“We captured him over our side,” I said. “Chained him to Mrs. Barrett’s big iron garden roller until he was weak enough for us to put a compulsion on him. Then brought him over.”
“Sounds like there’s quite a story in that,” she said.
“There is, and I’ll tell you it,” I said. “But we need to get the compulsion removed while he’s still weak.”
