‘What do you mean by that?’ I demanded. Then I became aware of the anger and hostility in my voice. ‘Forgive me,’ I said. ‘Thank you for saving my life.’
Agnes nodded. ‘I did my very best,’ she continued, ‘but sometimes, even though a poison is cleared from the system, damage remains. There may be permanent weakness. The lungs, heart or other internal organs may be affected. Sometimes the damage is permanent; there may be periods of illness, while at other times the victim’s health is nearly normal.’
I took a deep breath, trying to take in what Agnes was telling me. The implications were obvious. My role as a witch assassin depended on my strength and physical fitness. Without that as a certainty I would be vulnerable to attacks that would not previously have bothered me.
‘So you think that I am permanently damaged?’
Agnes sighed. I could see that she was choosing her words very carefully. ‘I think that is likely. I have never seen anyone suffer such extreme poisoning as yours and make a full recovery.’
I nodded. ‘Thank you for being candid. I can only hope that I will be the first to do so. I will certainly try to become again what I was formerly. Now tell me – where is Thorne? I trust that the head is still safely in her possession?’
‘It is safe. She’s in her room now, sleeping with her left hand gripping the sack, as always. But there are threats beyond these four walls. It won’t be safe to stay here much longer. The witches who control the kretch demanded entry into Pendle but were refused. However, some here offered their support, and there have already been skirmishes between the rival groups. A big battle is imminent; if those opposed to the Fiend lose, the kretch will come here to hunt you down.’
I nodded. ‘Then it’s better if I leave as soon as possible.’
‘Where will you go?’
‘I will go to Malkin Tower, where even the kretch will not be able to reach me. Once inside that fortification, the Fiend’s head will be beyond the reach of our enemies.’
‘What about those who guard it?’
‘We’ll deal with them if necessary.’
‘You’ll take Thorne with you?’
‘Yes. She’s just a girl and I don’t like to lead her into such danger, but what choice do I have? The contents of that sack are more important than anything else. Besides, the lamias may allow me entry. After all, I am their ally.’
‘They may take some convincing of that. Feral lamias are a law unto themselves and don’t always think logically.’
‘The situation has changed. One of them is now closer to the human than the feral state. The other one, although still able to fly, can speak. They are both now shape-shifting towards the domestic form.’
‘How do you know that?’ Agnes asked. ‘I have seen a lamia circling the tower but couldn’t probe its defences. They have erected strong magical barriers.’
I didn’t answer. A witch keeps such things to herself and never tells others more than is necessary. No doubt Agnes too had secrets of her own.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and Agnes helped me to my feet. I felt shaky but was able to walk unaided into the front room. I sat down on a stool close to the fire while Agnes prepared some broth. After a few minutes Thorne came out of her bedroom carrying the leather sack. Her mouth opened in surprise, and then she smiled and sat on the floor at my feet.
‘It’s really good to see you up and about,’ she said.
‘Hardly that, child. At the moment all I have strength for is to sit on this stool. But yes, death will have to take me another day.’
‘You’ll feel stronger once you get this inside you,’ Agnes said, handing me a bowl of the broth. ‘But I think you’ll need to spend at least another day here before you’re fit to travel anywhere.’
I nodded. She was right. Desperate as I was to reach the sanctuary of Malkin Tower, it would be foolish to attempt it in my present condition.
The following night, after thanking Agnes again, we took our leave and I led the way towards Malkin Tower. We walked slowly because I still felt weak, but my breath came easily enough now and I was free from pain.
Soon the village of Roughlee was far behind us and we could see Crow Wood in the distance. But that wasn’t where we were heading – at least not directly.
Our first destination was the entrance to the tunnel that led into the tower’s dungeons. Once known only to the clan leader, its location was now common knowledge in Pendle, but the presence of the lamias kept even the most powerful witches at a distance. We entered the thicket of trees that enclosed what had once been a graveyard. Tombstones leaned at crazy angles and there were treacherous holes in the ground, hidden by undergrowth – empty graves from which the bodies had been removed before the ground had been deconsecrated.
There, ahead of us, bathed in pale moonlight, stood the ruin of a sepulchre, its roof split asunder by a young sycamore tree which shadowed its roof and single door. I pulled a small black wax candle from my thigh pocket and muttered a spell that flared it into life. Thorne did likewise, and I led the way into the burial chamber, pushing my way through the curtain of spiders’ webs. Scattered on the floor lay human bones that had been dislodged from their resting place by those who had gained access to the tunnel; above them, six stone shelves housed the remains of the dead – all members of a once wealthy local family. Now they shared the luxury and riches of death.
I crawled across the lowest shelf into the space between this and the slab above, and made my way into the tunnel. There was a musty smell of damp earth and the roof was very low, forcing me to crawl on all fours. I glanced back, and Thorne gave me a grin. She had long wanted to explore these tunnels and enter the tower. Now she would get her wish. I only hoped that the cost would not be too high. For long minutes we moved slowly forward. It was difficult because I had to push the heavy leather sack ahead of me as well as keeping the candle alight, but at last we emerged into an earthen chamber. Directly opposite was the opening of another tunnel, but this was much larger, with roof supports.
‘Shall I take the lead for a while and carry the sack?’ Thorne asked.
‘By all means take the lead, child, but the sack is my burden.’
She came forward, sniffed the entrance for danger and, with a quick nod, went in.
I followed without hesitation. I trusted her judgement and at present she was probably fitter, stronger and more alert to danger than I was.