The Key (64 page)

Once they have crossed the Engelsfors town limits, the mobile networks function again. Vanessa considers texting Linnéa.

But what should she write? Linnéa hasn’t answered her text from last night and she must have seen it by now. She looks out through the window as they drive past the monotonous fir forest.

Her mobile rings. It is Gustaf.

‘Anna-Karin wasn’t in when I called,’ he says. ‘There was a note on the door to say she had left with Alexander, who was driving her to the court. I called her as soon as I had a signal but she didn’t answer.’

‘Perhaps she didn’t dare talk to you,’ Vanessa says. ‘You know, scared that Alexander would understand how mixed up you are in all this. I’ll try calling her.’

Both Evelina and Nicolaus are looking puzzled, but she has no time to explain. She finds Anna-Karin’s number and Anna-Karin replies almost instantly.

‘Are you with Alexander?’ Vanessa says.

‘Yes,’ Anna-Karin says.

‘Has he hurt you?’

‘No. But, Vanessa … I saw Olivia last night. She was standing in the garden outside Minoo’s house.’

So, Olivia is in Engelsfors now? How long has she been here? Has she been in hiding? Spying on them? Biding her time?

‘We’ll deal with her later,’ Vanessa says. Maybe it’s wrong of her, but she actually hopes that the Council will find her first. ‘I’m here if something happens. Take care.’

‘You, too,’ Anna-Karin says. ‘See you soon.’

They end the call. While she tells the other two what Anna-Karin said, Vanessa tries to think.

‘We knew already that Alexander was planning to monitor the hearing,’ Nicolaus says. ‘I don’t think we need to be concerned about her.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ Vanessa says.

She exchanges a glance with Evelina, knowing that she is also thinking about the plan and how much hangs on it.

* * *

Minoo has lost any sense of passing time.

Her presence inside the smoke is total. Her concentration is absolute. She is perfectly attuned to her magic. The auras of the others are all glowing evenly and strongly. Only Felix’s flickers now and then. Together, they try to adjust and find the perfect balance. And to focus all their energy on the glass cube in the centre of the inner circle.

And, suddenly, the cube is gone.

Minoo blinks.

She looks to the right and sees Viktor’s dark blue aura. It is almost the same colour as his eyes. His eyes look at her. She notes how thick his eyelashes are. She notes the size and shape of small leaves in the hedge. Every detail of the stone flags they are standing on. The thin film of sweat on Clara’s face where she stands on Viktor’s other side.

‘Well then,’ Walter says. ‘That was it.’

Minoo reluctantly separates herself from the grip of the smoke.

The sun has risen. She didn’t even notice when it happened. Everything looks too sharp, too vibrant. Like a photo in which the contrast has been maxed up. Gradually, Minoo becomes aware of her body again. How stiff it feels. But, strangely enough, she doesn’t feel cold, even though she can see her breath turn to vapour in the cold morning light. She watches the others stretching, trying to shake life into arms and legs.

Only one of them looks unaffected. Walter.

‘One might have hoped for a better time,’ he says. He looks at his wristwatch. ‘Let’s hope that it worked at least.’

He walks out into the garden. When Viktor glances at his watch, Minoo sees that they have been doing this for almost three hours. Now her sore head is back, like a dull throb.

‘I must go soon,’ Viktor says.

She senses that there is something else he wants to say. They hang back until the rest of the group has left the green room one by one, Felix last of all.

‘Please remember what I said about Clara,’ Viktor says in a low voice. ‘She mustn’t be involved.’

She nods.

‘I’m so worried about her,’ he continues. ‘She is driving herself too hard.’

Minoo thinks that Viktor is right, but doesn’t want to say so to him. And she most certainly doesn’t want to let on that she and Clara were drinking last night.

‘I’ll keep an eye on her,’ she says.

They leave the hedge enclosure and walk through the garden. The morning sun paints the manor house’s façade in a rich shade of gold.

‘And, if you get to talk to Linnéa … please say hello from me,’ Minoo says. ‘Tell her that I’m … that I’m thinking of her.’

It sounds so inadequate. Suddenly, Minoo wishes that Linnéa had allowed Anna-Karin to try to change the course of the proceedings.

‘I will,’ Viktor tells her.

When they come into the ballroom, they can only see the backs of the others; they are all standing in front of the ectoplasm circles. Minoo comes closer.

There is a pile of broken glass in the centre of the inner circle. It is smoking a little.

Minoo notices how disappointed Sigrid and Nejla are, and how tired Clara is.

And, then, how afraid Felix is.

He assumes that it is all his fault, Minoo thinks. And he might well be right.

Walter’s face reveals no emotion at all.

‘Viktor, I believe you have to leave now?’ he says.

‘Yes, I’m on my way,’ Viktor replies.

He glances at Clara. Minoo suspects that they’re sending thoughts to each other. Clara looks irritated and waves at him to go. Viktor frowns and leaves the ballroom without another word.

‘Well, everybody, let’s settle down.’ Walter gestures to the folding chairs that are lined up along one of the walls.

He still makes no comment about Minoo’s presence. Doesn’t even give her a special look to show that he is aware of her choice to stay.

Everybody pulls up a chair to the outer ectoplasm circle and sits down after removing their coats. Minoo happens to be opposite Walter. His face does not change when their eyes meet.

Maybe her being here wasn’t so important for him after all. Had she imagined the whole thing? Overinterpreted what had been said out of sheer nervousness?

If only she was allowed to sleep. She might think more clearly afterwards.

‘I’ve given serious thought to our assessment talks,’ Walter says. ‘You’re all aware of the speed of the portent sequence. And you must realise that we must make quicker progress. It is no secret that our chain has a weak link. The consequences are right in front of us.’

He fixes his gaze for a moment on the splintered glass. A few twists of smoke still rise from it. Minoo suddenly feels an anguish so strong that she almost falls off her chair.

‘Felix, what the hell …?’ Walter says.

Minoo’s wave of anguish dies away. Nejla shakes herself a little.

Felix looks devastated.

‘Sorry,’ he says. ‘I didn’t mean to do that.’

‘I don’t believe you did,’ Walter says. ‘That’s the problem. You do what you shouldn’t and don’t do what you should.’

‘I know.’ Felix looks at his hands.

Minoo tries to catch Sigrid’s eye, but Sigrid doesn’t notice. She is stroking Henry, who has turned up from nowhere.

‘However, I’ve had an idea about how to solve this problem.’ Walter turns to Minoo. ‘You were able to help Clara with her powers. Perhaps you could help Felix with his?’

Minoo is aware that everyone is looking at her, but Walter’s gaze is so intense that she feels as if the two of them are the only people in the room.

‘I don’t know,’ she says.

‘Why not?’ Walter says. ‘It can’t do any harm. After all, we can’t carry on as we are, can we?’

‘Walter is right,’ Felix says. ‘Please try to help me.’

He looks pleadingly at her. And she knows that she has to try, for his sake. She doesn’t think she can do much for him, but she might be wrong.

‘I’ll try,’ she agrees.

Nejla leans forward to watch them, full of expectation.

Minoo allows the black smoke to seep out of her again. The sympathy she felt for Felix is fading away. Now he is turning into something to study. An interesting object.

She walks across the ectoplasm circles and hears glass crunch under her feet.

Felix sits stock still when she puts her hand on his forehead. She investigates his magic scrupulously and her suspicions are confirmed.

There is nothing wrong with his magic. But something is wrong with him.

She takes her hand away, turns and goes to sit down again. She pulls the smoke back.

The others look at her intently. Felix is clutching the seat of his chair so hard his knuckles have gone white.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asks.

She meets his eyes.

‘Maybe it’s best if we talk somewhere more private,’ she says.

‘This concerns us all,’ Walter says. ‘And matters that concern us all should be openly discussed.’

Minoo desperately wants to disappear into the unemotional world of the black smoke.

‘It’s more of a private thing, really,’ she says.

Felix looks at her unhappily.

‘I don’t see what you mean by “private”,’ Walter says. ‘We all trust each other. Don’t you agree? We support each other.’

But Minoo can’t bring herself to say that Felix’s problem is being Felix. It doesn’t feel right and, besides, won’t help him. If anything, it might make things worse for him. The error is deeply rooted in his personality. He tries too hard – so hard that he suffocates his magic.

‘Very well, we will ask Felix himself to decide,’ Walter says. ‘Since he is the one who is chiefly concerned.’

Felix looks like a child trying to be brave, trying to be a grown-up.

‘It’s best if everyone hears this,’ he says. ‘Perhaps we can find a solution to my problem together.’

‘There you are,’ Walter says to Minoo. ‘Felix is aware that his performance is an issue for the whole group. Of course he’d like to improve. Isn’t that so, Felix?’

‘Yes. Please tell us what you saw,’ Felix says.

Minoo wants to say to Walter that he can’t do this to Felix. That he is unfair to Felix, that he is unfair to him all the time.

But, apart from the time when Walter broke Felix’s finger, all her examples suddenly seem petty and ridiculous. What can she say?
Walter, it’s mean of you to become irritated every time Felix says anything, and to act as if he is stupid and to
make jokes at his expense. And sometimes you don’t look at him when he speaks!

Minoo tries to catch Sigrid’s eye, but she’s apparently engrossed in Henry.

Minoo hesitates. Felix wants her to speak out, or so he says. Is she making things harder for him by refusing? Perhaps he doesn’t mind all that much? Maybe she should stop projecting her own feelings onto everything. Actually, she has no idea of what Felix is really like as a person.

‘Just say it,’ Felix says. ‘Please, Minoo.’

She tries to focus entirely on him.

‘I can’t help you, Felix. There is nothing wrong with your magic. You block it yourself.’

The room is very still. Felix stares at the shattered glass.

‘Now you know,’ Walter says. ‘With you in the group we don’t stand a chance. Not how you are now. Whatever you need to do to fix this, I expect you to do it soon.’

Felix can’t hold his tears back any longer. Minoo feels like crying, too. At first, she thinks that Felix’s emotions have invaded her again, but then she realises that the tears are her own. And that they are tears of fury.

What Walter is doing to Felix cannot be right. Whatever she told herself a moment ago is neither here nor there.

Sigrid holds up her hand, to Minoo’s relief. They will speak up together.

‘I’d like to say something,’ Sigrid says when Walter turns to her. ‘Look, I don’t mean this nastily, but shouldn’t we replace Felix?’

All Minoo can do is stare, speechless.

‘Wouldn’t that be for the best?’ Sigrid continues. ‘This situation isn’t much fun for anyone. Especially not for Felix. There must be stronger earth witches around. What about Anna-Karin?’

‘Don’t think I haven’t considered it. But, this is the group that the guardians helped me to select,’ Walter says with his eyes fixed on Felix. ‘Which is not intended to reassure you that they are satisfied. On the contrary. They are very worried. And so is Minoo.’

Minoo’s face goes hot. She can’t look at the others. The fragile friendships they have been building will come crashing down if Walter tells them that …

‘Minoo has studied everyone’s magic,’ Walter continues. ‘And, already after our first training session, she had noticed that Felix’s magic was by far the weakest.’

A wave of intense hatred flows through Minoo. It’s Felix’s emotions for her, and this time he wants her to feel them.

‘Now let’s move forward, guys,’ Walter says. ‘Today is the day for personal assessments and talks about how we can improve. Take some time now to rest and then we’ll meet in the dining room at ten o’clock for something to eat. The assessments will start at eleven. Adriana is going to assist me. We will be in here, and the time per individual will be about one hour. Sigrid, we’ll begin with you. Next, in this order, Nejla, Felix, Clara and Minoo. Keep practising while you wait for your turn.’

Minoo still doesn’t dare look at anyone.

‘You can go now,’ Walter says. ‘All of you except Minoo.’

Minoo hears the others get up and troop out of the room. Then Walter comes to sit down next to her. She can smell his aftershave.

‘That was quite unnecessary, don’t you think?’ he says.

He looks calm and relaxed leaning back in his chair with one arm draped over the back.

‘You put Felix in a really awkward position when you made such a big deal out of telling us.’

Minoo can’t object. When you’re with Walter, his view is all that matters. Everything Minoo usually believes in or thinks, suddenly appears irrelevant and naïve, almost delusional. It’s as if he invalidates her perception of reality simply by being so confident in his own.

‘You’re such a strong witch I sometimes forget that you haven’t grown up inside the Council and don’t know how it works,’ he continues. ‘But here we’re open and frank with each other. That shows much more respect than tiptoeing around sensitive subjects. Do that and, in the end,
everything
will seem sensitive.’

He smiles at her, clearly pleased with himself.