Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

N ot only had the police cordoned off the whole of Charlotte Square, they’d also evacuated all the residents. We had to present ourselves to four different officers and produce identification three separate times to gain access to the area, and even then we couldn’t get close to the building. Nobody could. There was an inner cordon that prevented anyone from going near the Royal Elvish Institute. Not that anyone wanted to get close.

From thirty metres away, standing close to a large bronze statue of Prince Albert on a horse, I saw a group of sorcerers that included Gordon Mackenzie and Boonder. Their familiar faces eased my tension slightly. There were also a huddle of witches, a few heavily armed police officers and a sprinkling of highly placed elves. Everyone else must have been ejected from the area long before our arrival.

The building looked considerably worse than it had in the photo. Presumably the police had set up the spotlights to illuminate its fa?ade, but I truly wished they hadn’t bothered because they made the wet blood glisten in a sickening fashion. The smell didn’t help, either. I’d never had the dubious pleasure of visiting an abattoir and if they smelled anything like this, I’d make sure I never did.

I stared at the huge red letters that spelled out my name. I’d known that sooner or later Athair would come for me but I’d hoped to have more time – and I’d never imagined that his calling card would look anything like this.

Hugo stepped closer to me and wrapped his arm supportively around my waist. The brownies stayed on my shoulder, even though Otis was rigid with fright. Miriam, Rizwan and Becky also remained close. Their proximity meant a great deal and, if I were honest, it stopped me running away to dive under my duvet and pretend none of this was happening.

‘Daddy Dearest is a showy bastard,’ I muttered in a deliberate display of defiance. I turned to Sir Nigel who was approaching with a woman. She was human, barely five feet tall, with plump cheeks that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a bucolic painting of a country farmhouse. Despite her wholesome physical appearance, she exuded authority.

‘Thank you for coming so quickly,’ Sir Nigel said, as if there had been any real choice in the matter. ‘Lady Daisy, Lord Pemberville, this is Detective Inspector O’Hagan. Don’t let her humanity fool you. She’s tough as nails and highly experienced in dealing with issues involving foul magic.’

O’Hagan dropped into a perfunctory, albeit practiced, curtsey and my eyes narrowed. She was clearly used to dealing with high elves who demanded obvious shows of deference, but I wasn’t one of them. Her gesture embarrassed me and made me feel out of place.

‘Call me Daisy,’ I said. ‘The title is more of a surprise to me than it is to anyone else here. And if you curtsey again, I’ll think I’ve time travelled to the Regency period.’

O’Hagan raised an eyebrow. ‘Yes, I was told that you’d done some time travelling. I was also told that I’d like you. I’m beginning to think my informants were correct.’

Hester flicked my earlobe. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she hissed. ‘You should learn to accept curtseys as your due.’

‘I’ll do that when you start curtseying to me,’ I retorted.

‘ Me ?’ She was aghast. ‘Curtsey to you ?’

Hugo leaned into my other ear. ‘I’ll curtsey to you whenever you like, Daisy.’

I smiled. Both of them knew exactly how to make me feel better, even if O’Hagan was now looking at us as if we were bonkers. I took advantage of my temporarily improved state of mind and gestured towards the bloodied Royal Elvish Institute. ‘Is it human blood?’ I asked.

I caught a flicker of relief in O’Hagan’s sharp eyes before it was replaced with steely professionalism. She was likely glad that I wasn’t collapsing in hysterics – or pleased I wasn’t swallowing illegal drugs right in front of her and complicating the situation even further. Given how much she already knew about me, there was little doubt that she was aware of my history as an addict.

I wondered if my hands were about to start shaking; I shoved them in my pockets just in case.

‘I’m afraid so,’ O’Hagan said. ‘We’ve only conducted preliminary testing with our on-site toolkit, but there appears to be blood from at least six different people.’ That was hardly surprising given how much of it was covering the building. I wondered who those people were and if they were now dead; it seemed likely.

‘How did the blood get there?’ Miriam asked.

‘The sorcerers have confirmed that it was through magical means. The perpetrator didn’t climb up the side of the building and daub the letters himself.’ O’Hagan didn’t take her eyes from me. ‘If we assume that it’s you who is being addressed, do you have any idea who might have done this?’

She knew who’d done it, everyone did, but she wanted to hear it from me and to gauge my reaction at the same time. ‘My father,’ I bit out. ‘The fiend called Athair.’ I paused, wondering if she knew what fiends were because most people, even police officers, didn’t. When she didn’t blink, I knew that she was already privy to that particular unsavoury secret.

‘Do you know what he wants?’ O’Hagan asked.

I grimaced. ‘My attention.’

‘Mmm.’ She glanced upwards. ‘I’d say he’s achieved that.’ She wasn’t wrong. ‘Unfortunately,’ O’Hagan continued, ‘because he is a fiend, I don’t have the authority or the ability to bring him to justice. The Royal Elvish Institute holds sway here.’

Rather than dismay, I felt relief. I had no doubt that Detective Inspector O’Hagan was an accomplished, dedicated and experienced officer but subduing fiends was beyond the capability of any human police officer – or police force. And Athair was the most powerful fiend this country had seen for generations.

‘If you see Athair,’ I told her, ‘the best thing you can do is run.’

Her eyes widened a fraction. I wasn’t trying to scare her, I was trying to warn her. She nodded and moved away to speak to another group of bystanders.

Sir Nigel fixed Hugo and me with a morose look. ‘The Royal Elvish Institute cannot allow this to stand,’ he said. His skin was pale and, for perhaps the first time ever, his handlebar moustache appeared faintly askew with several whiskers out of place. ‘The board has already convened. They’re sending a contingent of witches after Athair to banish the bastard from this realm once and for all.’

I stiffened. ‘I’m not convinced that’s a good idea. I’m not sure that any number of witches, no matter how skilled they are, will be able to banish him.’

Hugo nodded grimly. ‘Not to mention that the only ace up our sleeve as far as that fiendish wanker is concerned is that he isn’t aware that we know he uses Culcreuch Castle as a hideout. If a bunch of witches show up there, try to magic him out of existence and don’t succeed…’

Sir Nigel held up his hands, pre-empting our concerns. ‘I share your worry. However, the Royal Elvish Institute is nothing if not predictable. They were always going to try something like this at some point. In fact, despite my protests, I suspect they’ve been preparing the witches to go after Athair for a while. There is a lot to admire about the Institute but, like you, I believe that any attempt to confront your father will end in a bloodbath. I have not mentioned Culcreuch to them for that very reason. Very few people are aware that Athair is living there.’

My brow furrowed. ‘If they don’t know where Athair is, how will they find him?’

Sir Nigel’s expression darkened further. ‘There have been reports in the last hour of sightings of him near the Meadows.’ He was referring to a large expanse of grassy parkland less than a mile from here. ‘The witches are already on their way there.’

I sucked in a sharp breath. Cumbubbling bollocks. Athair would only allow himself to be seen if he wanted to be, so those witches were walking into a very obvious trap. ‘I have to go to them. I can’t let them face Athair alone.’

Otis piped up from my shoulder. ‘You’re not strong enough to beat him either, Daisy.’

Gladys, who was sheathed by my side, buzzed in disagreement but Otis was right. ‘I know,’ I said quietly. ‘But he won’t hurt me.’ Much. ‘He wants me to join him. He doesn’t want me dead.’ Not yet, anyway.

‘We’re with you,’ Becky said bravely. Behind her, Rizwan nodded agreement.

‘No,’ I said. ‘I’ll go alone.’

Hugo growled, ‘The fuck you will.’

‘We don’t have time to argue.’ The words had barely left my mouth when a faint rumble came through the air, immediately followed by a tremor that shook the ground. Several people shrieked and flocks of nesting birds nearby squawked in alarm then took to the skies to flee. Otis and Hester joined them, rising up and flying at high speed to the edge of the square. Good; I needed them to be safe.

Hugo’s blue eyes narrowed. ‘It appears we don’t have time for anything.’

The rumbling intensified and the earthquake grew stronger. I stumbled forward and fell to the ground; the others were also pulled down with heavy thumps. Above the noise of the groaning sky, I heard glass shattering in the windows around us. And then, amid all those sounds, there was an odd whine that seemed to be coming from higher up.

The earth tremors continued to ripple across the square so trying to get to my feet was pointless – I’d only end up flat on my arse again. Instead, I twisted my head and squinted into the night sky to search for the source of the strange sound. I could see a few twinkling stars, some dusky clouds with a glimmer from the moon behind them – and five dark shapes suspended several hundred feet over my head.

As soon as I saw them they started to drop, as if they’d only been waiting for me to notice them. Each shape plummeted downwards as whatever eerie magic that had held them in place was released and gravity took over. Within a heartbeat, I realised that I was looking at five people, all of whom were heading for a messy landing that would doubtless result in their deaths.

A muted squeak escaped my lips and my right hand flailed towards Hugo, grabbing his arm in warning. I felt his body twist to follow my gaze, but before he’d even spotted what was happening I was already at work.

I conjured up a blast of powerful air magic that I directed towards the falling figures. The magic slid out of me easily these days, unhampered by the effects of spider’s silk or any concerns I might have about losing control. But supporting five people would take considerable effort.

My air magic slowed their descent, and it helped that Hugo had joined in and flung up some magic of his own. I felt others nearby also respond, sending up their own power, snagging the bodies to lower them safely to the ground.

Sweat dribbled down my forehead as the figure on the right slipped free of the net of magic and fell faster. As I struggled to pull out more magic to capture him, I heard Miriam grunt and sensed her air magic plume upwards and ensnare his body. I released a breath.

That was when a bright, flickering light caught my eye. It was fire: flames had appeared abruptly on the roof of the blood-soaked Royal Institute of Elves.

‘Fiend!’ somebody screamed. ‘That’s a fiend!’

Athair’s voice boomed out across the square. ‘You thought you could try and banish me? Me ?’

I didn’t dare look directly at him, not until the five people overhead were safely on the ground. I clenched my jaw and tried to remain calm so I could focus on the task in hand. One problem at a time, Daisy , I told myself. Don’t let him throw you off balance .

‘You will pay for your pathetic attack!’ Athair yelled.

I’d say this about my birth father – he was certainly a fan of melodrama.

I rolled onto my back to get a better view of the descending figures. None of them appeared to be conscious, which was probably a blessing. I didn’t recognise them but everything suggested these were the witches employed by the Royal Institute to banish Athair from earthly existence. I certainly didn’t feel vindicated that their attempt had failed so easily, I just prayed for their sakes that they were still alive and we weren’t focusing our efforts on saving five corpses.

Something reached for me, gripping my ankle with a sudden, steely grip. I yelped, briefly and lost concentration – and lost my hold on my air magic. I half-expected the poor witches above me to drop like stones despite Hugo and the others’ magical efforts, but instead each body continued in a slow, controlled descent.

As I glanced down, I realised that it was Gordon Mackenzie who had grabbed me. ‘Boonder has them,’ he gasped. ‘He’s drawn a rune that will bring them safely to the ground.’

Thank fuck. As an elf I could call upon magic faster than any sorcerer or witch, but the runic magic that sorcerers employed, although slower, was often more extensive and powerful. I flashed a grateful smile in Gordon’s direction and stopped my energy-sapping flow of air, then scrambled to my feet to gaze at Athair.

He hadn’t wasted a moment while I’d been busy; he had taken that precious time to create a scene for himself that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Dante’s Inferno.

He was standing on top of the Royal Institute between two massive chimney stacks. For some reason he’d dressed for the occasion in a top hat and tails. As if his dress and his precarious position on top of the roof weren’t enough, he’d also conjured up a backdrop of twenty-foot flames that were licking upwards into the sky. From the way he casually tossed fire around while ignoring the defensive water magic thrown at him from the elves below, it was clear that his intention was to set the building ablaze. Perhaps he planned to destroy the entire square.

Hugo joined my side. ‘Look at that outfit. Do you think he’s hoping to be the new Fred Astaire?’

‘Well, he’s missing one Ginger Rogers, if that’s the case.’

As if on cue, Athair’s head tilted downwards. ‘Daughter!’ he bellowed. ‘Come join me and watch this city burn!’

‘I think he wants you to audition for the part,’ Hugo said. ‘He wants to see your tap-dance routine.’

I snorted. ‘I save that for you.’

‘True love is a wondrous thing.’

‘You should know,’ I replied softly as my eyes travelled across the rooftops. ‘We could circle around and come at him from behind.’

‘He’ll see us coming from a mile off.’ Hugo pursed his lips. ‘We could add fuel to his fire and throw our own fire magic at him. If that destroys the roof and it collapses, he’ll fall with it.’

‘That will only compound our problems because he’ll end up inside the building. At least at the moment we can see where he is and what he’s doing.’ I looked around the square. There were still two dozen people or so within its perimeter. Right now they were all in danger; our priority had to be ensuring they got away.

There was a shout from behind us. ‘We’ve got them!’ Boonder called. ‘The witches are down!’

‘Are they alive?’ I asked, keeping my eyes trained on Athair.

‘Yes. Unconscious but breathing.’

As if he’d heard Boonder, Athair zapped out a bolt of lightning towards the witches. I turned and cried out – and so did Boonder when the lightning struck him in the chest. He stared at me with wide eyes and then collapsed without a sound.

Gordon was by his side in seconds. ‘There’s no pulse!’

Hugo was already running over to them, stripping off his jacket and preparing to start CPR. I turned back to Athair as he raised his hands and released another bolt of electricity. This time it hit one of the witches who was lying on the cold ground. ‘Stop!’ I roared.

Even from a distance I could see Athair’s answering grin. ‘Make me,’ he shouted.

I set my shoulders and gave his silhouetted body a hard look. Very well, then.