Fascinated Page 21

  “Your hill? I’ve never seen you here.”

  “Ah, but I’ve seen you. Many times. You climb my tree and steal my acorns.”

  Mortified at being caught, Alicia dug in the dirt with one toe. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they belonged to anyone!”

  “Don’t worry, little thief. I’m not angry with you. In fact, I’ve brought you a present.” He made a turning gesture with his hand, and his gloved fingers which had been empty a moment before now held a flower. It had petals the color of living flames and leaves that sparkled like emeralds. It smelled of summertime.

  “Oooh! How pretty! Where did it come from?”

  “My garden.”

  “I never saw a flower like this in a garden.”

  “Of course you haven’t.” The White Knight crouched down in front of her so she could look directly into his eyes. She saw stars and secrets there and her eager, inquisitive heart flew toward them, wanting to wrap itself around them all. “My garden is special.”

  “Could I see?” Alicia clapped her hands, her eyes staring wide and innocent into those of the Fae King. “Would you show me?”

  No, don’t, Edward heard Alicia saying to her childhood self. Stop.

  It’s all right, Alicia. It’s all right. It was all long ago. You’re safe now.

  “Mmm…I don’t know.” The White Knight stood up again, fingering his chin. “It’s a great secret, my garden. I can’t allow just anyone inside it.”

  Stop, stop, don’t do it.

  “Please!” She seized his hand. It felt strangely delicate in her child’s sturdy grip. “I’ll be good, I promise. And I won’t tell anyone about it either! Cross my heart, I won’t!”

  “You’re sure you won’t tell anyone where you’ve gone? Not even your parents?”

  “Not even!”

  “Well, then, if you promise. Here, we’ll put this flower in your braid. There! Now you are a fine lady.” He bowed deeply to her and Alicia giggled as he held out his arm. She had to reach up almost to tiptoe to lay her hand on it, like she’d seen Mama do with Papa.

  No! screamed Alicia, but memory plunged forward. It was a child’s madness, a riot of all the things that were great and wonderful. There was music and wonders and feasts and beautiful people who danced and sang and played endless games. Time meant nothing. One thing flowed into another with the ease and grace of a dream. There were other children too, especially at the circle dances, but they weren’t as much fun. They quickly got tired and then they’d lie down to sleep and not wake up anymore. She was sad when that happened, but this passed quickly because there was always something new to do, and somebody new to play with.

  Then the world shifted and changed, and somehow the fantastical landscape rippled and parted and a hard, strong hand grasped her, and pulled. Alicia felt herself tumble back onto the grass of the hillside. It was winter, and cold bit her to the bone despite the arms that wrapped tight around her.

  “Hush, hush, Alicia! It’s Mama, sweeting! I’ve come to take you home!”

  Mama. Alicia tried to remember how long it had been since she’d seen Mama, and could not. After all the beautiful people in the White Knight’s magic garden, Mama looked ugly, pale and tired. Her hands were cold and hard as she clutched at Alicia, and ran pell-mell down the frost-tinted hillside.

  “No! I don’t want to go home! I want to stay with the White Knight!” Alicia twisted in her grip and tried to beat her hands away. It was raining, and she was so hungry and so frightened. But worse than all of this, Mama was carrying her away from the warmth and delight.

  Alicia’s memories blurred after that, but this delirium was different from the other. This held the pain and weakness of fever and was haunted by dreams of her White Knight on his hill, keeping a sad lookout for his favorite little girl. And worse—oh, so much worse—nightmares in which he turned away, because he found another child he liked even better, one who would stay with him forever. He forgot all about her. Alicia wailed out the last of her strength as her heart broke. She couldn’t eat; she couldn’t rest. She could only cry.

  Eventually, even tears fell away. There was nothing left but a haze of sorrow and weakness. Voices reached her, talking over her head, but they were not his voice, so she couldn’t even muster the strength to open her eyes.

  “Please, Aunt Hester. You must help me.”

  “You turned away from your family. Why should we help you now?”

  “She’s dying!”

  “That is your fault.”

  “Yes. It’s all my fault. I admit it. Please, please, she’s just a baby! I’ll do anything. Marcus is already dead…I’ll play Sorceress to the family. I’ll cut the magic out of all the Hartwell babies born from now until the end of time, anything you say. Only, please, don’t let my daughter die!”

  As far gone as she was with starvation and heartbreak, the note of utter despair in her mother’s voice opened Alicia’s eyes. Mama was on her knees in front of another woman who stood as cold and imperious as the words she spoke.

  “Will you give her up?”

  “Wh-what?” Mama lifted her tearstained gaze to the stranger.

  “You are clearly not fit to raise any Hartwell child, let alone one with power. You let her go to the enemy. If I agree to save her, you must promise never to see her again.”

  “No, please, Aunt Hester, you cannot ask that of me.”

  The other woman, Aunt Hester, made no answer. She simply turned her back. In her bed, Alicia began to weep again, weakly calling for the Knight. She did not like it here. It hurt, and Mama was so sad. Maybe the White Knight could make Mama happy again.

  “All right, all right.” Mama scrambled to her feet and grabbed the other woman’s hand. “I promise. I swear it. I’ll never see my daughter again. Now, please, Aunt Hester!”

  Aunt Hester pulled her hand out of Mama’s, her face creased with loathing. She strode to the bedroom door and opened it. “Eugenia. Mary.”

  Two more women came in. Both were shorter than Hester, but one was plump and might have been kind. The other had Hester’s same iron in her narrow face. That was the one who came to the side of Alicia’s trundle bed and stared down. Alicia felt something crawling inside her, but she was too weak to struggle against it.

  “She’s too far gone for the closure,” announced Eugenia. “It would kill her if we tried.”

  “No!” cried Mama.

  Aunt Hester rolled her eyes contemptuously. “Control yourself, Constance. If we cannot work the closure, then it will have to be the amulet. Mary has seen it will keep her safe. You are still certain of that, Mary?”

  The plump woman, Mary, creased her brow. Her whole frame trembled, from effort and fear. “Yes. It must be done. It is the amulet will save her, and will keep the Hartwells safe.”

  So that was how it happened. Mary Hartwell had lied to her sister to save Alicia, and it would not be the last time.

  But in the memory, Mary just looked at Constance where she waited on her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. Hester reached into her apron pocket and brought out a wooden box the size of a child’s hand. She opened it and pulled out the amulet.

  “Please, please, please,” whispered Constance. “Whatever you must do, do it quickly.”

  Triumph glittered in Aunt Hester’s hard eyes. “Hold her down,” she said to Eugenia.

  “No! I want to go with the White Knight!” Little Alicia put the last of her strength into that cry and tried to struggle, but Eugenia’s grip was remorseless.

  “You are an evil little demon and you must pray to be made good,” said Aunt Hester. “You must wear this brooch or all the evil in you will come pouring out and the devils will come and take you away again!”

  “No, Hester, not like this!”

  “Be silent! I said I would save her life, and I will. Remember your vow and be content.”

  Mother slumped against the wall. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I will remember, everything, Hester.”

  Hester t
urned back to the thrashing child. She struck Alicia hard across the face, stunning her to stillness, and wrapped the velvet ribbon with its brooch around her throat and snapped shut the catch. With that single, sharp sound, all Alicia’s struggles ceased. She fell limp and unconscious and as a blanket of gray mist rose to lay itself over her senses.

  Get me out of here, Edward. Alicia’s voice trembled in his mind. Please.

  Edward closed off the magic and drew back from her. The vision faded, allowing the ordinary surroundings of Alicia’s room to surround them once more. Then he held her close so she could weep out her grief against his shoulder.

  Twenty-one

  Eventually, Alicia’s sobs eased, and she was able to accept the handkerchief Edward held out to her. She took her time wiping her eyes and nose, aware he was watching her with worry in his eyes. She had to calm herself, for his sake as well as hers.

  This thought gave her strength enough to swallow the last of her tears and sit upright. At least she knew. The mystery surrounding her life was clearing and understanding could begin. With the full truth about herself and family she would finally be in possession of her own life.

  “So.” Alicia drew in a deep and ragged breath. “From Mae Margaret to Aunt Hester all this enchantment and deceit has all been to keep the Hartwells safe.”

  Edward nodded. “In the in the hanging times, Mae Margaret bargained for the amulets from the Fae King so she could hide the magic workers of her family from Hopkins and his agents. But she could only hide four of them, something she might not have counted on. What if there were more than four around her? What of the new babies to be born? She, or another of the family, made a terrible decision. Magic had to be removed from the Hartwell children. Where that spell was found…I can barely begin to guess what other bargains were made for that knowledge.” Edward shook his head. “For each infant born to the Hartwells, the Catalyst would inspect them for magical aptitude. If magical aptitude was found, the Sorcerer worked the spell to cut it from them. It irrevocably damaged their souls, but at least they would be alive. For each generation, only three children were allowed to remain whole, one Sorcerer, one Catalyst and one Seer. Doubtless, each generation hoped it would be the last to have to keep watch, but the magic strain persisted.”

  “And my mother…she was supposed to take Aunt Hester’s place as the Hartwell Sorceress?”

  “I expect so,” replied Edward. “But she refused. She ran away from her home, to marry a man she loved, and bore her daughter free of her family’s interference.”

  “But…the Fae King found me.” Alicia forced her voice to hold steady as she spoke the strange words. “He took me away, and my parents rescued me and Mama gave me over to Aunt Hester to save my life.” Mama. She closed her eyes. Oh, Mama, forgive me. I didn’t understand.

  “The king wants something of the Hartwells,” said Edward. “He has for hundreds of years. What is it?” Edward frowned, gazing into the distance. “Is it something you have yet to do? Something you will find or become?”

  “Could it be…that he wanted to be sure the amulets would continue to be used?”

  “Kept the fear of himself in the family after the fear of Hopkins was gone? It could be so. Yes.” Edward stood abruptly, pacing across the room to the hearth. “But the good news is, whatever he’s waiting for, it hasn’t happened yet. He must continue to torment your family to keep them to heel. As unpleasant as it is, that buys us time to solve this riddle.”

  His renewed energy sparked fresh hope inside Alicia. “What can we do?”

  Edward considered. “You should rest. You’ve been through a great deal. I need to report to Captain Smith. But first, we need to remove Verity from your aunt’s reach.”

  Alicia’s hand flew to her mouth. She’d forgotten about Verity. She was appalled with herself. How could she have forgotten her cousin and poor Aunt Mary even for an instant?

  “Could Aunt Hester have already…”

  “Hester isn’t going to be doing anything for a while,” Edward told her grimly. “But we cannot afford to give her and Eugenia time to recover themselves.” He paused. “You will send Verity a message. I’ll have the closed carriage sent round to the same gate I used to take you out of the garden. She can go to Lady Jane and Thomas Lynne. They will be able to explain the circumstances, and convey her to Jane’s school from there.”

  “School?” said Alicia.

  He nodded. “A very private academy for young ladies.”

  “Sorceresses?”

  “Or the daughters of magic wielding families who are known to the Service.” His mouth relaxed into a smile and for something of the familiar light returned to his gray eyes. “I think Verity will do quite well there.”

  “But her father will never be persuaded…” Jane stopped. “No. That’s not true. They will not much care.” Because of what had been done to them. Her fingers knotted tightly around the damp handkerchief. She had thought them cold, but the truth was they were wounded, and Aunt Hester was responsible for it, as she was responsible for Alicia’s lost years.

  Edward returned swiftly to her side and touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Alicia.”

  “Thank you, Edward.” She closed her hand over his. “I…I will try to forgive her. What she did, she did because she believed she was protecting us.”

  “So much evil has been done in the name of keeping children safe.” He shook his head. “We cannot undo it, but perhaps we will be able to heal it. There are scholars in the Service, and they have ways to study and unravel enchantment. Some of your family, especially the young ones, may yet come to their gifts.”

  She accepted his reassurance and drew in a deep breath. She could mourn for her family’s loss and struggle later. There were more immediate considerations. “Could we not bring Verity here? I would feel better if she were nearby.”

  “I know, my dear, but I don’t think it’s safe yet. Not with the Fae still looking for you.”

  “Yes, of course. I can’t pull Verity from one danger and throw her into another.”

  Edward moved to the bell. When the footman answered he gave orders for the carriage, and also for writing materials. Once the servant left, Edward turned back to Alicia. “Now, for the message.”

  “How do we get any message to her without my aunt seeing it? Aunt Eugenia looks over all the mail and they know my handwriting.”

  Edward smiled and spoke gently, as to a child having a difficult lesson. “Alicia, you will please be so good as to remember you are a Sorceress.”

  “Oh! I am also a fool.”

  “Only slightly and very agreeably. Now.” A knock sounded on the door, and Edward opened it to admit the footman with the writing implements. These Edward placed on one of the room’s tables. He also filled the enamel basin on the washstand from the jug and placed that on the table.

  “Sit down, please, Alicia, and take up the pen.” He held out the chair for her, and Alicia complied with his instruction. Edward moved behind her and settled both of his broad hands on her shoulders. The effect was both reassuring and distracting.

  Are you ready? asked his voice in her mind.

  Yes. It struck her how normal this means of communication had come to seem and she felt, rather than heard Edward’s soft chuckle in response.

  Now, as I send you the magic, look into the water and imagine it to be a mirror, one that reflects your cousin, wherever she may be.

  I thought it was Seers who could see from a distance.

  Only a Seer can scry the future, but we can see the present, and the past. Try now.

  Alicia willed herself to relax, and in a few heartbeats, she felt the warm and energetic current inside her. It was difficult to see outwardly and form an inward picture at the same time, but as she struggled, she felt Edward’s confidence in her ability and understanding. She thought of Verity, of her cousin’s sharp wit and quick laughter. She thought of all their days in the library, of the many times Verity had covered for her missteps and her c
onfusion as she labored against the confinement of her sensibility. She thought how dear her cousin was, and how much she wanted to see Verity safe.

  Edward, she knew, saw these memories as well. It was strange, he now knew so much of her family now, and she knew nothing of his. What would she see of his past if their positions were reversed? What…

  Focus, Alicia, Edward cautioned her firmly. We must reach Verity.

  Yes, of course. Alicia pulled back her wandering thoughts, and bent to the task at hand. As she concentrated on thoughts of Verity, the water in the bowl clouded over. She could not tell if this was an outward happening or another form of the visions that had taken her before, but when the fog receded, there was Verity’s sparse chamber, and there was Verity in a sprigged morning dress, pacing back and forth, and clearly fuming with impatience. She stopped in front of her window and peered out at the quiet street.

  “Where are you, Alicia?” she demanded of the world at large. “Where have you gone?”

  Guilt threatened, and Alicia felt Edward gently squeeze her shoulders.

  Write to her, Alicia. Tell her to expect the carriage at the garden’s side gate. She must go at once to meet it, and not bother to pack.

  Alicia groped for the quill, and dipped it hesitantly in the ink. Her hand moved, leaving untidy words on the page. She could not take her gaze from Verity in the mirror. At last she signed her name.

  Now, we will send it to her.

  Following Edward’s instructions, Alicia laid the paper into the water, covering the image of Verity in her room. She spread their magic into ink and paper as both dissolved, waterlogged, into the basin. She held fast to the picture of Verity’s room, concentrating on her nightstand, willing the disintegrating paper with its missive to be there, with Verity. The letter should be there. It belonged there. It must be there.

  Abruptly, the paper was gone from the basin, leaving Alicia’s view of the moving reflection unobstructed. Verity jerked back from the windowsill as if startled by a sudden noise. She turned, and her gaze fell on the nightstand. Alicia saw her untidy letter propped up against the carved music box that was Verity’s prized possession. Verity ran to the paper, picked it up, read the crooked words, and read them again. Alicia waited, her heart hammering despite Edward’s continued calm reassurance. Would Verity believe this was from her? Would she do as it said? It was so extraordinary, so impossible.