She opened her eyes and stared at me. When she spoke, her voice was matter-of-fact. ‘They have him in a pit high to the northeast.’
I had to force the words out: ‘Is it just his head or the whole of him?’
‘I can’t say, Tom. I can sense his spirit, that’s all. It could be either. Whatever the situation, it’s best we go and get him now before it’s too late.’
But Grimalkin shook her head. ‘No, Alice, I will go with Tom. You take this and defend it with your magic if need be.’ She rose to her feet and handed the sack to Alice. Then she turned to Judd. ‘You go with her. Both of you wait at the top of the western moor. We’ll join you as soon as we can.’
Judd agreed without question. The fearsome Grimalkin had taken command and it seemed natural to obey her.
‘There’s a farmer up there,’ I said. ‘His name is Benson and he has horses and a cart. He was going to take our books to Chipenden – he was angry when they weren’t waiting for him and seemed far from happy with the compensation. But pay him well enough and we could use the cart to get my master away safely. Wait for us on the edge of the moor.’
It was quickly agreed, and I went upstairs and brought down the Spook’s bag and my own. I gave one to Alice and one to Judd for safe-keeping.
‘What about the innkeeper?’ I asked.
Grimalkin gave me an evil grin. ‘He’s as scared as the rest of them in this town, and no threat at all. The danger is up on that hill.’
So, without further ado, Alice and Judd set off west while Grimalkin and I started to walk towards the river.
The town was deserted and all was quiet, but hiding behind locked doors wouldn’t help the folk who lived here. If they had any sense they’d leave.
‘No doubt they’ll see us coming,’ Grimalkin told me. ‘Your actions will have made them vigilant. To attack by night would be better, but the threat to your master’s life gives us no choice. We must simply be bold and fast. As soon as we cross the river, start to run – remember to draw your sword first!’
By now we were under the trees and had almost reached the ford. I was hoping against hope that we’d find my master alive. I could hardly bear to think about what awaited us in the pit. What if it was just his head, still conscious, and I had to burn it to give his spirit peace? It was a terrible prospect.
‘Once we’re near the place Alice indicated, I’ll sniff out his precise location,’ Grimalkin said. ‘Our enemies could arrive very quickly. When we are attacked, stand behind me and keep out of my way. Your job is to guard my back. Understand?’
I nodded. Seconds later, we’d crossed the river and Grimalkin set off at a furious pace. I ran at her heels, struggling to keep up. Soon the cobbled streets were behind us and we were climbing. Even now she hardly slowed, despite the steepness of the incline.
The weather, which had been bright and sunny when we crossed the ford, now began to change. Once more the creatures of the dark were using it against us. But this time, instead of a storm, tendrils of mist began to snake up the hill towards us.
When we were nearing our destination, Grimalkin paused and sniffed three times while I waited at her back, sword drawn, panting for breath. She pointed at a group of trees surrounding one of the large houses and immediately began to sprint towards it. They proved to be hawthorns – an overgrown hedge that had once marked the boundary of a field – and beside them was a deep ditch. By now the mist had reached us. It soon began to thicken and the light grew dim.
That was no impediment to the witch assassin’s skills. Grimalkin ran on to the furthest of the trees – the one closest to the house – and immediately found the pit. It was sealed with a heavy stone, but she grasped it firmly and wrenched it off to reveal the dark fetid hole beneath. My eyes are pretty good in the dark but I couldn’t see a thing.
‘Can you stand, John Gregory?’ she called down into the darkness. ‘If so, extend your arms upwards as far as you can. It’s me, Grimalkin – and your apprentice, Tom, is by my side.’
Could she see him with her witchy eyes? I wondered. Was he whole? Or was she just calling down to find out if he was there?
A series of coughs issued from below; it was the sound of an old man struggling to clear his chest and get air into his lungs, but I remembered the head coughing and spluttering inside its box. In a moment we would learn the truth. But now I could hear other noises from the direction of the house: a woman’s voice called out angrily in a language I did not recognize – it had to be Romanian.
‘Quickly, there is little time!’ Grimalkin hissed into the pit.
Again there was a fit of coughing from below, but this time my master spoke. I was glad that he was alive, but his words were not the ones I’d hoped to hear.
‘Leave me be, witch!’ he cried in a quavering voice. ‘My time has come. I would rather die here.’
It was awful to hear him sounding so old and frail. I peered down into the pit, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. Now that I could finally see him, a wave of relief washed over me. My master was leaning back against the side of the shaft, staring up at us. He looked terrified and defeated, but his head was still attached to his body.
‘Your work isn’t over yet!’ Grimalkin said. ‘Hold up your arms. The enemy are approaching – every second you delay endangers all our lives!’
‘Please, master!’ I called. ‘The whole County is in great danger. The murderous daemons and witches plan to move westwards. They’re trying to raise Siscoi too. We need your help. We can’t do it alone. Don’t let us down. Don’t let it end like this.’
For a moment there was silence. Then I heard Mr Gregory let out a long weary sigh and he stretched his arms upwards. The next moment Grimalkin reached down into the pit and drew him up so that he was standing beside us.
I had never seen him look so weak and old. He was trembling from head to foot, barely able to stand. His gown was stained with what I assumed was his own blood, and there were deep bite marks on his neck. In his eyes I saw such an expression of weariness and anguish that my heart lurched with pain.
Without a word Grimalkin hoisted him over her shoulder, his arms and head hanging down her back.
All at once I heard feet pounding towards us through the thickening mist, but the speed of the attack took me completely by surprise. A strigoica had been lurking in the ditch we’d passed, and suddenly I saw her taloned fingers lunging towards my face.