Shadow Magic (24 page)

Lily picked up a stone. “I’m warning you!”

How had she ended up here? Castle Gloom suddenly seemed miles away. And how could she have wandered off without K’leef?

The hairs on the back of her neck rose, and a chill crept up her spine. Her breath struggled as her chest tightened with fear.

Someone, something, was here with her.

She gripped the stone harder. But what good would it do? She didn’t know how to fight.

Lily forced herself to turn and face whatever it was that stood behind her.

Nothing.

It must have been a fox, hunting through the undergrowth.

She laughed. How embarrassing. A Shadow frightened of her shadow.

The hand clamped over her mouth before she could scream.

T
horn found a body lying outstretched in front of him, behind the beer stall.

Earl Pan Shadow still clutched his mug. He was snoring. His breath rattled in his throat and made its way out, laboriously, through the nostrils. It did not sound good. It smelled worse.

Thorn nudged him. “M’lord?”

Lily’s uncle woke with a snort. His eyes peeled open and, bloodshot in the worst way, tried to focus. “Thorn?”

Thorn helped him up. “I think you need your bed, m’lord.”

Earl Pandemonium Shadow groaned as he stood. “My bed?”

“Yes. Your bed.” Thorn wasn’t in the mood to be looking after the castle drunk. He spotted something on the ground. “You dropped this, m’lord.”

It was an obsidian mask. Old and cracked. Why did the earl wear something like this? But then, looking at the earl, Thorn realized it suited him. A broken mask for a broken man.

Pan took it back and carefully put it into his tunic. “I can’t enjoy the party without this.”

Thorn wondered how many other nobles were at the fair with masks protecting their true identities.

Pan flipped him a coin. A silver crown. “Let’s just keep this between the two of us. I don’t want Lily worrying.”

“Of course you don’t.”

The earl burped loudly and staggered off, roughly in the direction of Castle Gloom.

Thorn explored the fair for a good few hours. The rest of it was way better than that stupid zoo. He nibbled at the cake he’d won at the archery stall.

Almost everyone wore masks. Stalls sold all types, made of papier-mâché, of stiffened silk, or carved wood and beaten metal. Skull faces were popular, closely followed by vampires and ghosts. Singers wrapped in shrouds sang haunting laments. Village children were constantly jumping out from behind their wagons, shouting and howling like banshees.

Is this how you beat your fear of death? By celebrating it?

He spotted Gabriel and a bunch of his cronies. They were the last thing he needed tonight. He hid behind a tent before they saw him.

A group of musicians sat around an upturned barrel loaded with wine and plates and discarded masks. They wore outfits of rainbow colors and played flutes, harps, and lutes. The man leading them looked more ragged than the rest, his costume a threadbare motley, his eyes closed and lost in the dream of the tune.

Hold on…

“Merrick?”

The man’s eyelids flickered. Then widened.

Merrick the minstrel leaped to his bandy legs. “My young Thorn!” He grabbed hold of his hands and danced a sharp-kneed jig. “It’s grand to see you!”

Thorn forced him to stop. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing? Earning an honest wage, young boy. An honest wage. There’s money to be made, at the fair and at the ball. I’m hoping to have my merry band of players invited to perform within the castle. Did I not tell you that I once—”

“Yeah, I’m sure you did.”

Merrick dropped his arm across Thorn’s shoulders and pulled him tight. “Are you enjoying the fair? Is it not splendid?”

“Better than the fairs we have in Stour, that’s for sure. All we have is pig jousting.”

“Pig jousting?”

“It’s funny the first time you see it.” He broke off a piece of his cake and handed it over.

Merrick gratefully accepted it and swallowed it in two bites. Then he picked up a devilish mask and covered his face. “What do you think? Will this do for the Halloween Ball?”

“Nice horns.”

“It’s a bit faded, but with a bit of paint, it’ll be as good as new. We must look our very best. Will you be there?”

“I ain’t really thought about it.”

“Get yourself a mask. I will provide a costume.” Merrick gestured back toward the stalls. “The merchant in the blue tent will sell you some bits of old broken masks for a penny. Glue them together, and it would be most horrific.”

“I suppose.”

“Let me have a good look at you.” Merrick stepped back and nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve added some meat to your bones. Tyburn is treating you well, then?”

“Well enough.” Thorn looked past Merrick. The mention of the executioner made him think he should find the others and get back to the castle. “Nice to see you, Merrick. I—”

“What’s the hurry, boy? Join us for a song. Who knows? You could even pick up a coin or two yourself. I’ve been to fairs before, but never one quite so crowded. But I suppose it’s to be expected. What with all the rumors.”

“What rumors?”

“About the dead rising from their graves.” Merrick clapped. “Can you believe it? Zombies, back in Gehenna!”

Thorn stared at the minstrel. “No. They’re not true. Er, who told you that?”

Merrick’s eyes shone. “It
is
true—I can see it in your face. You’re not a good liar, Thorn. I’ve just spoken to a man fresh from Graven. He told me of zombies seen just the other night. And of a boy on a giant bat.” He paused, assessing Thorn again. “Why do I suddenly think that boy was you?”

How could that story have spread here already? Thorn had only left Graven this morning!

Merrick continued, leaning in conspiratorially. “There’s been ghosts seen at Witch’s Grove, and the graveyard at Gallowtree is empty. A man told me his cousin saw the dead dancing in the moonlight. These tales have been floating about for almost a year, but they’ve increased most recently.” He looked around and whispered, “Some mention a scarred man, a necromancer behind all these strange events. Do you know who he is? Most people think it’s Lord Iblis, back from the dead.”

“What?”

Merrick frowned. “Iblis Shadow
was
a powerful sorcerer. If anyone could come back across the Twilight, it would be him. I bet he’s more powerful in death than he ever was in life.”

Thorn cursed. “Listen, I don’t want no talk about Lord Shadow being back. First, it ain’t true, and second, think how Lily would feel, people talking about her dad like that?”

“Lily, is it? My, you have come far in the world since I saw you last.” Merrick grabbed Thorn’s arm. “Could you perhaps arrange an introduction? To Lady Shadow, I mean? Or better yet, to Duke Solar! Oh, he is the most generous patron to musicians!”

Thorn pulled himself free. “Good-bye, Merrick. Go back to your dreadful singing and leave off with the gossip.”

“Thorn, don’t be like that.” He nudged him. “We could split the payment.”

“
Good-bye
, Merrick.”

Thorn trotted back under the stars. He hadn’t gone far when he saw crowds gathered along the edge of the castle moat, halfway between Skeleton Gate and Troll Gate.

Some women were screaming, and others were crying.

Soldiers, both Shadow and Solar, leaned over the battlements, pointing down at the crowd. Lanterns spilled out of the gates and lined up along the moat’s edge.

Fear rose in his chest.

The ground was uneven and it was dark, but Thorn ran, stumbling, tripping, but not slowing. He was panting, but it wasn’t just breathlessness.

A maid kneeled in the earth, sobbing. Others stumbled about, too dazed to speak.

Thorn skidded to a halt. “What’s going on?”

The maid shook her head. “She’s dead. She’s dead! They killed her….”

Thorn’s heart almost stopped. “Who?”

“They wanted her dead, and they finally did it.” The maid closed her eyes, but it didn’t stop the tears. “They’ve killed Lady Shadow.”

“O
utta my way!” Thorn shoved through servants and soldiers, all milling about, not understanding what was happening. “Outta the way!”

People crowded along the edge of the moat. Two guards were in the water, lifting out a body. Another pair helped carry it onto the bank.

“Get outta the way!”

The body lay soaked through, covered in mud, her face obscured by her tangled hair and weeds.

“No, Lily…” whispered Thorn. He looked up at the guard. “Please, she’s my friend.”

The guard nodded and allowed Thorn closer. He sank down beside her, suddenly feeble.

K’leef pushed his way through. He gasped when he saw the body. “She ran off without me,” he said, his voice cracking. “I looked and I looked…”

“You should have been with her!”

How long had she been in the mud? A boot was missing. Her clothes must have dragged her down.

Lily…

Thorn reached over to her face. His fingers trembled, but he couldn’t let her lie here like this. He gently pulled her hair back and wiped the mud away.

It wasn’t Lily.

Air stuck in his throat; he was too shocked to breathe.

“That’s not Lady Shadow,” said an onlooker. “That’s her maid Rose.”

They’d swapped clothes. Thorn had been there when it happened.

Rose’s lips were blue, her face a cold, sickly white, her eyes—thankfully—closed.

“What’s she doing wearing the mistress’s clothes?” The servants gathered closer.

One of the older maids sighed. “They used to do it when they were younger. Lily…I mean, Lady Shadow would dress up in Rose’s clothes and go make mischief, fighting the squires, and sneaking out of the castle. It used to drive Mary insane.”

Mischief. They’d only intended to have fun at the fair, but now look. Thorn sat beside the dead girl. This was his fault. He’d encouraged it.

“Did she fall in?” asked someone else. “It’s tricky around the edge here.”

“What’s that?”

Something was held in her right fist. A strip of cloth.

Thorn drew it out.

A strip of white lace. “I’ve seen this before,” he said.

Did Rose fight back? Did she claw at her attacker as she was pushed into the water? Grab him and tear this off him?

“Who else wears white?” said one of the guards. “It’s one of them Solars. They killed her. As plain as day.”

Thorn stood up, the lace still in his hand. “Gabriel.”

The duke’s son and his squires reached the front of the crowd. Gabriel saw Rose and his lip curled in distaste.

Thorn tightened his grip on the cloth. What more proof did he need?

“You killed her,” said Thorn.

Dark threats hissed in the air.

“How dare you accuse me?” Gabriel and his squires huddled together, sensing the mood of the people around them. “Step—step back,” said Gabriel. “Do you know who I am?”

“A coward and a killer!” someone shouted.

“I did not kill anyone!” Gabriel shrieked.

The mob drew closer. Men bent down to pick up stones, and a few tapped heavy cudgels in their meaty hands. Rose had been part of their family. She’d grown up in the castle. Her blood was black, just like theirs.