‘She tried, Alice. She pulled me back from the brink of death, but I’m permanently damaged. You can’t believe how bad things have been. Agnes is dead. They killed her. They killed Thorne too, and took her thumb-bones while she was still alive and—’
I was going to say more about how brave Thorne had been and how she’d saved me after I’d been poisoned, but I had to stop, choked with emotion.
As Alice took in the full import of what I was saying, her eyes widened in horror.
‘So I need some of your magic, Alice. You’ve plenty. Just transfer some to me.’
‘No!’ Alice cried, clenching her fists at her side. ‘I won’t do it. Build up your own magic again – you can do it.’
What Alice meant was that I should kill, take the thumb-bones of my victims and carry out the necessary rituals. Yes, it could be done, but there wasn’t time.
‘Within a day they will have sailed for Ireland with the Fiend’s head. There simply isn’t time to replenish my magic using the normal methods. Give me some of your power, Alice. Heal me as well. You’ve more power than you need. You can do it.’
Alice was a special kind of witch – a type rarely found. Although she didn’t practise the rituals of blood, bone or familiar magic, she had a power within her. Tremendous innate power that was part of her being; part of being Alice.
‘I can’t touch it – you know that!’ Alice retorted. ‘Use the dark and you end up being part of the dark. Don’t want that, do I?’
‘You’ve used it before,’ I accused her.
‘That’s true enough. I did so in Ireland to save Tom, so I can’t risk using it again now.’
‘You have to take the risk. Otherwise the Fiend will come for you – and soon. How long will it take them to dig him up from the pit and join the head to the body? Even counting the sea voyage and the journey across Ireland to Kerry, he could well come for you within the week. Tom too! That’s how long you’ve got, Alice, if you don’t help me now.’
Alice was quiet for a long time; when she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper. ‘All right, I’ll come with you. We’ll follow ’em and see what’s what, but I ain’t promising anything. Wait here – I’ll just go and tell Tom.’
‘No, that would be a mistake. We don’t want to lead him into danger; nor that master of his. Besides, they’re off somewhere tomorrow. I overheard your conversation in the garden. They’ll be away for a few days and it’ll all be over before they get back.’
‘They’re going east to the County border,’ Alice replied. ‘Old Gregory’s heard of a collection of books about the dark. He’s hoping to get his hands on some to restock his library. You’re right. Let’s leave Tom and Old Gregory out of it.’
So, without further words, we set off in a westerly direction. Within hours we had picked up the trail of our enemies and were heading towards the coast.
Alice Deane has the potential to become the most powerful witch who has ever lived.
WE FOLLOWED OUR enemies with great caution, gradually overhauling them; by the time we sniffed out that they’d made camp for the night, we were only two miles behind.
We settled down in a grove of trees and watched their camp-fires spark into life like fireflies. We were close, and already in danger. We were able to sniff them out, but they could do likewise. They might well send some of their party back to deal with us.
‘Alice, you need to use some of your magic now to cloak us. The kretch was able to find me despite my best efforts to hide myself, so the spell needs to be as strong as you can make it!’
Alice nodded, then settled down with her back against a tree trunk, closed her eyes and began to mutter to herself. The moon was out, casting dappled shadows on the ground. By its light I studied Alice’s face. Even without taking into account her white hair, her face looked older. It was still that of a girl, but now it had a maturity that belied her years. She had seen too much.
When she opened her eyes, I was momentarily shocked. They were still youthful and pretty, but it was as if some ancient, powerful being stared out at me; something hardly human that had dwelt on earth since time began. It only lasted for a second, and disappeared as she began to smile, but I shivered all the same.
‘It’s done,’ she said. ‘They can’t find us now.’
‘Next you must try to heal me,’ I told her. ‘Do it now. Heal me first, then give me some of your magic.’
The smile slipped from her face. ‘Ain’t sure if I can do it,’ she responded.
To give me some of her magic was feasible. Pendle witches sometimes did it – though grudgingly; they were like moneylenders, expecting it to be returned threefold at a later date. But it might well be that Alice would be unable to heal me. Agnes had failed, and healing had been her speciality. Sometimes sheer power simply wasn’t enough. But, as it turned out, Alice wasn’t actually doubting her ability; she was afraid of the consequences.
‘It’s really dark magic and it could cost me too much,’ she said, and now it was her turn to shiver. ‘I could end up being a fully malevolent witch. That’s why Old Gregory don’t trust me. He’s always believed that’s the way I’ll turn out.’
I shrugged. ‘Being a malevolent witch isn’t that bad, Alice. It’s what I am. You’d be no worse than me. You can’t fight your own nature. Maybe it’s what you were always born to be.’
‘There are worse witches than you, Grimalkin. You’ve a code of honour. You don’t kill for fun, but slay those who deserve to die. You love hunting strong enemies who put up a good fight, but you don’t trample on the weak. There are some witches who do; some witches who glory in power and in hurting others. I don’t want to end up like them. I’m afraid that in using the power I’ve been given, that’s exactly how I will end up. Best not forget who I am – the daughter of the Fiend!’
‘You’ll always be what you were destined to be, Alice. Like Tom Ward, you have a path to follow, and you must take the necessary steps or always be less than you could be. Now heal me and give me some of your power. Please do it – otherwise the Fiend will walk the earth once more. He will come for you and then for Tom.’
Alice shivered, but then she nodded. ‘I’ve no choice, have I? Kneel facing the north,’ she commanded, ‘and I’ll do what I can.’