Autumn (30 page)

             
“You have assisted us immensely and we are grateful. But this is an internal matter that we are best equipped to deal with.”

             
“Perhaps it is so, but Alice-May Marpole has spoken to me directly and continues to seek peace from her ordeal. She is not at rest.” Arabel looked up as a pleasant waiter approached their table. “I have given her my word that I will not forsake her, and I’ve given my word to the Elemental that I will destroy the shield.”

             
Xavier said nothing as the waiter took their order and only when the server was out of hearing distance did he resume their conversation. Xavier’s eyes were patient as he spoke to Arabel; he surveyed her calmly, offering her the mature voice of reason.

             
“Honour is a respectable quality. But you do not comprehend the danger you provoke by seeking to destroy the evil talisman of the Dorojenja. You have not been initiated into the higher realms of magic; you cannot protect yourself against a dark force such as this. You are ill-equipped, Miss Spade, as honest and good-hearted as your intentions might be.”

             
“Teach me then,” Arabel retorted lightly. “Teach me to defend myself, for I will not abandon those two women.”

             
Xavier sighed and Arabel could feel his mounting frustration.

             
“I am trying to keep you out of harms way,” Xavier said implacably.

             
Arabel knew Xavier meant what he said. The deep sorrows in his being fairly screamed to Arabel that no further blood be shed; no additional loss of life was to be endured. Arabel felt Xavier’s grief, his deep well of mourning. She could tell he counted each death and hypnotic possession as a further mark of darkness against his ability to keep his people safe. Arabel wondered what sorrow had broken his heart.

             
Xavier was silent and Arabel said nothing either as the waiter returned with their teas. Arabel poured a smidge of honey into her cup and watched it sink and disperse into her peach and berry tea. Arabel felt comforted by the rising steam and the aroma was refreshing and sweet. She drank deeply, risking a burnt tongue, but it was cool enough not to scald her. Xavier sipped his blackberry tea and surveyed Arabel with a slightly exasperated expression.

             
“There is a lack of time to teach you all of the arts of protection you would require. I will give you some basic spells and training but you will still not be strong enough to dismantle the energy field of the shield. “

             
“The Elemental said to tell no one and to complete this task myself. How can I fail to do so? Tell me and I will listen but do not tell me to do nothing, for that I will not do.”

             
“You place me in an unusual position, Miss Spade.” Xavier said quietly. “The teachings I can offer you are highly secretive and passed down through our families only. I would be breaking this tradition by sharing our protective magic with you; but I feel that I must keep you safe, however it can be done, as you will be unable to do so yourself.”

             
“Your brother Zander and Eli will be helping me, as I’m sure you already know, so it is my life-force combined with theirs – surely together we must render a force strong enough to dismantle one evil talisman?”

             
“Had you knowledge of the Dorojenja prior to yesterday’s find?”

             
Arabel shook her head. “You know that I had not; they are a part of your heritage, not mine.”

             
“Exactly!” Xavier pounced upon Arabel’s answer. “You had never heard of them before! And we, well, we have been eradicating the group’s members since before the time of the first recorded songs. We have never been sure of their motives or intent, only that they bring darkness to the world and aim to destroy what light they encounter.”

             
“Jonty is still possessed?”

             
Xavier smiled again briefly. He sipped his tea. “The thief remains possessed by stupidity, still, as even our great skills cannot rewire his brain, but he is no longer tapped into the spell of his possessors.”

             
Arabel sighed in relief. “You will punish him for the thievery, I take it?”

             
“Yes, he will stand at inquiry and his actions will be weighed and measured.”

             
“And Eli? Has the Council decided his part in this matter too insignificant to be of consequence?”

             
“Eli spoke to the Council this morning before dawn; he is under no further obligation to us in regard to Jonty Governs.”

             
“Thank you for your lenience.”

             
“You are welcome but as Eli has faced us with courage, he is responsible for his own acquittal.”

             
Arabel nodded. “Still, I am pleased that my actions will not bear negatively on those I care for.”

             
“We should all be so lucky,” Xavier said lightly but Arabel felt the sting underneath his words. 

             
Arabel knew Xavier was not belittling her, but was instead focused upon something other than Eli, and his enigmatic answer spoke of a deeper, more personal issue.

             
“Where shall we destroy the shield?” Arabel asked and Xavier reluctantly leaned in closer to tell her of his plan.

             
Arabel turned the bejewelled athame gently in her hand, testing the feel of it within her energy field. Emeralds and rubies winked at her from within their silver casing. The athame felt light but strong, and a wild surge of power ran down the length of Arabel’s body. She shivered but it was not unpleasant; it was a deep, electric, anticipatory excitement, one which brought Arabel’s knees to trembling. It was the remembered knowing of the natural laws of energy and she could scarcely wait to venture deeper within them.

             
Arabel stood
with
in a sacred circle of flame and watched as Xavier led her through the easiest of the protective spells. They had been practicing for nearly two hours and she would need to leave soon to meet up with Eli and Zander, but Arabel found the training immensely satisfying and it felt so good, so right, to work the Gypsy magic. Xavier was a patient teacher and he made sure Arabel was crystal clear on the why’s and how’s of each spell they conjured.

             
“The energy will be magnified when you are with the other two, and since you will be in the Copse, you will have a general air of protection around you anyhow, but you must ensure your mind is clear when you perform this rite – you cannot be distracted. “

             
Arabel nodded at Xavier, turning the athame in her hand, copying the movements he’d shown her. He’d given her the magical instrument earlier, and she’d no idea why he’d even had it
up
on his person, since his own athame was securely in his hand.

             
“Did you know you were going to teach me today?” Arabel asked with a grin.

             
Xavier gave her a wry look. “It did cross my mind you’d not be persuaded to let me handle this for you.”

             
Arabel laughed. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”

             
Ira flew down to land upon her shoulder, and Arabel could tell the crow was eager to meet Eli and Zander, as was she.

             
“I believe Zander will be bringing a cart to the edge of the forest. If he and Eli roll the wheel to the cart, it will be easily transportable to the Copse.” Xavier gazed deeply into Arabel’s eyes with his penetrating gaze. “We will be ready and waiting for you,” he affirmed as Arabel prepared to set off for the meeting.

             
“Tonight, then,” Arabel said and smiled broadly at the Gypsy leader before taking her leave.

             
Xavier stood for some time, watching Arabel walk away, and then he turned and disappeared into the forest, smiling.

             
Arabel whistled under her breath as she walked toward the crooked oak tree. She wondered how the Elemental was doing and if anyone had disturbed their hiding place for the shield. For some reason, Arabel felt happy now, despite all of the fractured energy around her, the danger, the uncertainties and the peril. Arabel felt a lovely warmth within her heart just knowing Eli was waiting for her; how could she possibly experience any emotion other than happiness?

             
The woods were silent and Ira shuffled his feet on Arabel’s shoulder, as if he was seeing something Arabel could not view.

             
“What is it?” she asked the crow, but he did not answer.

             
Arabel felt a sliver of unease penetrate her sunny mood. She glanced around, alert,  but could see no movement, no activity, no reason to be worried. Arabel listened carefully for any unaccountable noises but she heard only the crunch of her own footsteps upon the quickly disappearing snow.

             
She was almost at the meeting place when it happened.

             
One moment Arabel was walking along with Ira, and the next moment, something pushed her roughly to the ground and forcefully held her captive. Arabel struggled to move or to get up but it was as if some invisible person was holding her down and pinning her arms to her sides. And then there it was – the chalky taste in her mouth, the fingers pressed against her throat, the grey energy swirling in front of her. The dark energy was infectious; it penetrated the essence of the trees, piercing them, and the cries began, as if the forest was moaning, the sound was loud and disturbed.

             
Arabel twisted and Ira pecked but Arabel could not get to the athame and the bird could not break free either. Arabel pushed in her mind, hard, to break free of the invisible grip. She silently uttered the first protective spell Xavier had taught her; she could not perform the movements, nor access the athame, but she could repeat the words.

             
Slowly, the pressure eased off of her throat; slowly Arabel was able to move again and Ira was also released. The snowy, slushy ground was cold and Arabel was now soaked through. Her black cape was dismally wet and her black woollen dress no better.

             
Arabel rubbed her neck where the invisible fingers had bruised her. Ira nestled into her shoulder, cuddling up to Arabel as best as a bird can cuddle, and Arabel slowly got to her feet. She wavered for a moment, finding her balance, quickly scouring the forest with her eyes, searching for her invisible foe.

             
“Coward!” Arabel yelled angrily to the empty woods. “Show yourself!”

             
But no one did.

             
Arabel waited for a moment and then she and Ira resumed their trek. They were not far away now and Arabel hastened the pace. She sent a telepathic message to Eli telling him she’d just been attacked and immediately she felt his worried and angry response.

             
Eli had felt nothing and Zander neither, but at least now both of them had been alerted, should the invisible evil be headed their way. The young men had just arrived at the crooked oak and they maintained a watchful air as they waited for Arabel’s imminent arrival.

             
In a matter of moments, Arabel came to a clearing just beyond where the oak tree stood with its imposing stature, the crooked spike reaching for the sky. Eli spotted Arabel and moved to her quickly, gathering her in his arms immediately. Eli gazed into Arabel’s eyes with a tender concern. Together they moved to join Zander in front of the immense oak tree.

             
“You are bruised,” Eli said, gently running his fingers over Arabel’s neck where the invisible fingers had sought to harm her.

             
“They’re watching us,” Zander put in. “We need to work quickly!”

             
Eli and Zander pulled the shield from under the protective cover of the rocks, vines and melting snow. They rolled the heavy wheel of death to the cart and loaded it in with a concerted effort. A sturdy horse stood by to pull the cart and the three of them walked alongside as they headed in the direction of the Copse.

             
“Why would they attack me, but let us leave with the shield?” Arabel wanted to know.

             
“Perhaps they have stripped the shield of its power?” Eli pondered. “And it no longer matters to them if it is destroyed.”

             
“It is possible,” Zander agreed. “But how are they disguising themselves? Even they haven’t any spells for invisibility. Or none that we have any knowledge of.” Zander frowned. “It’s hard enough to fight magical battles with enemies you can see, never mind invisible entities!”