Frost Arch (12 page)

“She’s allowed to go straight up?”

“Yeah, she’s a recognised mail carrier, so no one really pays much attention to her. Quiet thing she is. I’ve never heard her speak a word.” He trailed off in thought.

I suddenly remembered something from my very first day in Frost Arch. I remembered leaving the Power-Seer headquarters and hearing an explosion come from that mountain. An explosion that made the very ground shake.

I told Jack about this, and asked whether it had anything to do with Elvira Frost seeing as she lived there.

Jack nodded, “Yes, I remember that too. I was in the marketplace. Then I met you just a few minutes later. No doubt it was Frosty.”

“That noise was her fault?”

“That noise was probably her throwing a tantrum.”

I looked at Jack with a frown, “A tantrum?”

Jack sighed, “It’s not really a good topic.” He said uncomfortably.

“Why?”

Jack rolled his eyes, “She’s a bit Power-crazy.” He admitted, “She doesn’t like it when things don’t go her way.”

“Formidable?” I assumed.

“Very.”

I bit my lip. I sure didn’t want to cross this lady. Ever. Yet I wondered what she had been so mad about that it had caused an earthquake.

I thought it best to change the subject, “So where are we going now?”

“Shopping.” He said simply.

I asked Jack about the other things in the city that I hadn’t gotten a chance to see yet.

“Well there’s a cosy little tea shop beyond the marketplace.”

I smiled, “Is that where you take the ladies?”

Jack made a face, “Well … it’s nice … for women.” He shrugged it off, “Anyway, we have a theatre that holds plays every so often. Regular horse and cart services pretty much everywhere, as well as plenty of dirty, disgusting taverns filled with an assortment of unwashed men … though the barmaids are quite-” Jack cleared his throat and continued, “Of course there are lots of business that revolve directly around people’s Powers.”

“Like what?” I pressed.

Jack huffed, “Well … the Messenger Service shop, for example, only hires people who are swift moving, or have the ability to get places quickly and efficiently.” He explained, “Just like Madame Feather of the Arch Theatre.” Jack’s expression slipped into a dream like fashion.

“Madame Feather?” I suppressed a laugh.

“Yes, well, it’s obvious why the entertainment industry hires her.” Jack seemed to be momentarily dumbfounded by the memory. He shook his head suddenly and composed himself by clearing his throat.

“Ah. Madame Feather is … well … it’s an odd Power she has.” Jack mused, “She sings, but it’s so pretty, you forget who you are. It affects everyone differently. Sometimes people cry, pass out, or become spontaneously aroused.”

“Sounds … great.” I frowned.

Jack laughed, “We should go some time.”

“Isn’t that a place you’d want to take one of your lady friends?” I teased.

He shrugged and looked uncomfortable, “Yeah, well, nothing stopping us from going is there?”

I smiled, “All right.” I agreed.

Jack smirked, “It’s a date.” He teased.

I scoffed and let Jack lead me through the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. I had never been through here before, seeing as I had avoided it last time because of old Jefferson. I wondered whether he had looked for me after he realised Hawthorne was missing. I then thought about my family. My heart wrenched with pain, as it did every time I had thought of them over the last two weeks. I grimaced. Perhaps they had gone looking for me when they realised I had gone. Maybe they didn’t. Maybe they were secretly glad that I was one less problem in their lives. I had thought that perhaps my father would have tried to find me. He would have dragged me all the way back home kicking and screaming no doubt. But so far it seemed that no one had come looking for me. I wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not. Something caught my eye then.

A row of dirty people in rags were lined up against a wall. They had no shoes on, and their feet looked blue as they stood in the cold snow. Chains bonded their hands and legs. I gaped. They must be Humans. They looked no different to a Mage. As we passed them I noted that each Human had a look of despair plastered upon their filthy faces. Their eyes were dull and lifeless as though they had long given up any hope for themselves. I had never seen a pure Human before in my entire life. It was strangely depressing. I had been brought up being told that they were, evil, scum of the earth, savage creatures who wanted to destroy our planet. But as I looked at these pitiful creatures I did not see any of that. My heart seemed to falter under the realisation. I was sure my expression would suggest that I had just been clobbered over the head with a metal pole. I felt sudden overwhelming sadness. I wanted to do something. Anything, But it was impossible.

Jack stopped next to a small stall, “Here we are.” He told me.

The stall seemed to hold many beautiful trinkets and jewellery. I gazed in awe at the diamonds and sapphires before me, encrusted in intricate gold rings and necklaces.

An elderly woman stood behind the stall. Her face was disturbingly wrinkled and saggy, and she had a very large hump on her back.

Jack approached her, while I stood behind him, slightly intimidated by the old woman.

“I believe my Master, Sebastian Forsythe placed an order with you Miss, uh, Misses. A special order for his son Noah.” Jack said loudly and clearly to the decrepit lady.

“I ain’t deaf!” She barked, causing Jack to jump.

“S-sorry.”

“A custom order for Forsythe?” She said loudly, “Let’s see, let’s see.”

She bent under her stall and rummaged around for something I couldn’t see. I moment later she straightened up, something beautiful glinting in her hands.

“All bought and paid for. Finished it this morning.” She barked at us, rather proudly.

The piece she held in her hands was stunning, and I could only imagined that it would cost an arm and a leg to have custom made.

On a deep blue velvet pad she showed us her work. A solid gold feather in intricate detail it would have looked real besides the fact that it was glinting happily up at us. I noticed that its tip was encrusted with diamonds, and then pointed into a quill for writing. It was stunning.

The old woman laid it into a handsome wooden box for us, Jack showed some proof of identification to verify he wasn’t a thief, and we trundled back to the manor.

“So what is that solid gold quill for?” I asked.

“Master Forsythe gets his son Noah a coming home present every time he returns from his travels. He’s away a lot, working I presume. Constantly shut away in his study when he’s here, scribbling away at mountains of parchment.”

“What kind of work do you think he does?” I wondered.

“Beats me.” Jack shrugged, “Looks like he is writing a novel to me. Noah Forsythe is arriving at the manor late this afternoon.” I remembered Charles telling me that the Masters son would arrive home in a few weeks.

“That woman back there,” I began, “How did she make all those things?”

“She can spin gold from absolutely nothing.” He sounded jealous, “It’s like it flows from her fingertips or something. I was told that when she was a kid she could only make cheap metal and simple objects like goblets or plates. It’s taken her eighty years to be able to spin gold that finely.”

“Wow.” I breathed, “You’d think she’d be rich, right?”

“You’d think that.” Jack agreed, “But she charges a lot for her services, and no one can really afford her trinkets apart from the four richest families in Frost Arch. The rest of us are pretty much in poverty.”

I assumed that the Forsythe’s and Elvira Frost were two of the four. I asked Jack about the other two, and where they lived.

“Well you’ve got the Arthfael.” Jack pointed somewhere to the west, “The Masters only daughter, Rain, is engaged to the Arthfael's only son, Theodore. I’m not quite sure if it was an arranged marriage, however the families do get on quite well.”

I nodded, and remembered someone else telling me that little fact.

“Then we’ve got the Trumble’s. Quiet family. They mostly keep to themselves, but sometimes make appearances at events, like important weddings or meetings.” Jack indicated somewhere to the east.

By the looks of it, these three very rich and powerful families were stationed around Frost Arch. Forsythe was to the south. The Arthfael family to the west and the Trumble’s to the east. Of course, Elvira Frost was stationed upon her intimidating mountain to the north.

It felt almost like a square surrounding the city. Then another less pleasant thought crossed my mind. No. It seemed like a guard. But what kind of guard? Something that watched over the Mage’s of Frost Arch? Or perhaps they were positioned so to trap them within its walls. I shivered at the thought.

We were now on the path that led towards the manor. The sun was higher in the sky now, shining bravely. I wondered what Hawthorne was doing. Probably chasing some critters no doubt. As usual we entered through the back door of the manor, circling round the house. We kept up a string of easy conversation along the way.

A familiar noise made my heart stop dead. A high, shrill yelp. I stopped and swirled around. Jack looked confused.

“What was that?” He wondered.

“P-Probably a wild animal.” I shrugged it off as if it were nothing. I knew it was Hawthorne, but I couldn’t tell what kind of cry that had been. Was he okay? I looked around but I couldn’t see him anywhere.

The next thing I knew something collided with my chest and I fell back into the snow with a crunch. Hawthorne had come bounding out of the nearby vegetation and launched himself at my chest with joy. Only he was heavier. I gasped. He was bigger still!

“Argh!” Was all I could manage in my surprise.

Jack blanched, confused and bewildered.

“No!” He cried as Hawthorne licked at my face excitedly.

I tried to explain, but I couldn’t talk. I was sure from Jack’s point of view it must look like I was being attacked by a wild animal that had come running from the dense trees.

I spluttered and tried to push Hawthorne off me, but he was so excited that I was back he simply thought I was playing.

Jack aimed a kick at Hawthorne to get him off me. He thought I was being mauled. I reacted instinctively.

I rolled Hawthorne under me just in time to feel Jack’s boot collide with my ribs. I heard a sick crack and I knew he had broken at least one rib. Pain seared through my chest as I collapsed to the ground.

“Avalon!” Jack said panicked. Hawthorne growled menacingly at Jack once he was upright, the hackles on his back standing on end. Not to mention his coat had turned jet black in his sudden anger. He looked absolutely terrifying.

“No! Hawthorne! Jack! Stop it!” I panted, crouched over in the snow. The pain seared and my extreme body temperature melted the snow around me.

Jack’s hands fluttered wildly around me as though he wasn’t sure what to make of the situation.

“It’s okay Jack. He wasn’t hurting me.” I tried to explain. My secret was out now, I guessed.

Hawthorne looked at me with worried eyes, whining gently as though he knew I was hurt, and that he had done wrong. I petted him reassuringly.

“This … this thing … you know it?” He asked.

I looked up at Jack with pleading eyes, “He’s mine.”

Jack looked between us, and I suddenly wondered if he would turn me in. Surely … he wouldn’t. His expression suggested otherwise.

I grimaced in pain as I looked up at Jack, waiting for him to say something. I tried to get up, but just groaned and flopped back down onto the snow.

Jack sighed and knelt beside me, Hawthorne glaring at him reproachfully.

“I’m very sorry I hurt you.” He said helping me onto my back. I concentrated hard on reducing my temperature.

“It wasn’t you’re fault.” I rolled my eyes.

Jack very gently put his hands over my ribs once I was cool enough to touch. I felt my face flush pink, and Hawthorne growled as though he wished no one to lay their hands on me. I was rather pleased that he felt so protective.

“It’s okay.” I cooed and Hawthorne huffed impatiently, his coat lightening to a medium grey.

“Two cracked ribs.” Jack analysed just by holding his hands against the problem area.

“Can you mend it?” I asked.

A grin broke across Jack’s face, and I was relieved that he didn’t seem mad at me. “Can I mend it?” He chortled under his breath.

A very strange sensation occurred then. It felt as though water was trickling across my ribs. A moment later and I realised that the pain had vanished.

“Hm.” Jack raised an eyebrow, “Most people complain that the healing burns.”

I sat up straight now, “Just felt weird, like water solidifying into a crust.”

“Like hot wax?”

“Minus the hot part.”