The Spook's Nightmare Part 9

I'd have to make a stand against Lizzie soon, but I'd do it when she was least expecting it. I just hoped that whatever was in the chest would be of no use to a bone witch.

The special key, crafted by the Spook's brother Andrew, a master locksmith, didn't let me down this time. I lifted the lid and saw that the chest contained money: bags of both gold and silver coins.

I thought Lizzie would be disappointed, but she only smiled again. 'Useful thing, money,' she said. 'Put it to good use, I can. Lock it up again, boy. We don't want anyone else to get their thieving hands on it.' She looked around the room, her eyes settling on the bottles and jars, then finally on the open notebook. 'I'll be having a good root around in here before long,' she muttered. 'See what he's been up to. Who knows I might learn something new.'

How long did Bony Lizzie intend to stay? I wondered. Was she serious about ruling the island? If so, how did she plan to do so with her enemies gathered beyond the keep? They'd been badly frightened, but that wouldn't last for ever. Soon they'd come back in force. They'd captured her before; if enough of them could summon up the courage, they could do it again. Then Alice and I would suffer as her accomplices.

The eighth door led to a large dressing room containing clothes rich, elaborate gowns, suitable attire for a royal court. They must have belonged to Barrule's wife.

'They look just my size,' Lizzie smirked. 'Know what you two are going to do next?'

We didn't answer.

'Fill my bath!' she cried. 'Heat the water in the kitchen and bring it up. Half an hour and I want it done!'

'Was.h.i.+ng behind your ears ain't going to turn you into a queen!' Alice snapped.

Lizzie hissed furiously and Alice gave a cry of fear and backed away. I gripped her hand and quickly led her back into the antechamber, then down the steps to the throne room.

'What we going to do, Tom?' she asked.

'Escape and find the Spook,' I told her, 'though I don't know how yet. We can't go that way ...' I pointed at the window. Down below, the courtyard was empty. There seemed to be n.o.body at all within the walls of Greeba Keep, but there were still plenty of men beyond the open gate. They'd lit fires and were standing or sitting around them.

'I wouldn't like to risk the tunnels,' Alice said. 'I know what Lizzie's capable of. The buggane's as good as hers already. She'd send it after us for sure.'

'Then there's only one thing we can do for now,' I told her. 'Get Lizzie's bath ready ...'

Alice nodded. 'At least it'll make her smell better!' she retorted.

So we went down to the kitchen and, after helping ourselves to some cold chicken, prepared Lizzie's hot water. The cooking fires were still burning and there were barrels of water there. Soon we had water heating in three big cauldrons. That was the easy part; getting it up the stairs and into Lizzie's bath was back-breaking work.

Down in the throne room again, we sat in the window seat and looked out. Beyond the moat nothing had changed, but spits had been set up above each fire; the yeomen camped around them were preparing to eat. There seemed to be no immediate danger from them.

'Alice, why is Lizzie suddenly so strong?' I wondered. 'She stopped me from using my chain against her earlier I couldn't even get my hand into my pocket. She seems so confident. Look at the way she's allowed us to roam free while she bathes as if she has nothing to fear from us and she's right. I can sense her new strength.'

'Some truth in what she said before about her age,' Alice answered. 'Pendle witches reckon to come into their full strength when they turn forty. But Lizzie's always been powerful and dangerous. I know what she's capable of. Got fresh bones too a shaman's so that's bound to help her. Tricked him and beat him good and proper, she did. Rare and hard to get, a shaman's bones. No knowing how strong that might make her- Look, Tom!' Alice cried, pointing towards the portcullis. 'Something's happening down there. Looks like they're getting ready to attack ...'

But it was only two yeomen crossing the bridge, and they seemed to have a prisoner between them, his hands bound behind his back. Once in the courtyard, they cut the ropes and freed him, then thrust something at him a staff.

It was the Spook.

Chapter 16.

'Quick, Tom. Go down and warn him!' Alice cried as she saw the Spook walking towards the tower. 'What chance has he got against Lizzie now?'

'Come with me,' I said, tugging at her arm.

'No, I'll stay here and keep her royal highness occupied. I'll ask her if she wants more hot water. The longer we keep her in that bath, the more chance Old Gregory will have. Don't you worry, I'll be fine.'

I didn't like leaving her with Bony Lizzie but I had little choice. What Alice said made sense. Maybe she could distract the witch. I knew I had to warn my master. If he came up not realizing how strong Lizzie was now, he could end up either dead or in the dungeons, food for the buggane.

So I left Alice and began to run down the steps as fast as I could. I met the Spook as he was coming through the guardroom. We almost collided.

'Steady on, lad!' he cried.

'Lizzie's really powerful now!' I said, struggling to catch my breath. 'She can freeze you with a word. She stopped me from getting my chain out of my pocket!'

The Spook leaned his staff against the guardroom table and took a seat. 'I thought there must be something different about the witch. There's a small army out there and yet they don't feel able to walk in through the gate and deal with her. They think the shaman's dead. Is that so?'

I nodded. 'Lizzie took his bones.'

'So that's one less servant of the dark to worry about ... Lizzie's got the yeomen scared all right they've resorted to sending me in to deal with her a spook, and a foreigner to boot. These people have always been fiercely independent, so they must be desperate.'

'She's talking about becoming Queen of Mona ...' I told my master.

He raised his eyebrows at that. 'So tell me all about it. Take your time and leave nothing out-'

'But she's having a bath right at this moment. This could be your best chance!'

'Bony Lizzie having a bath? Now I've heard it all!' said the Spook, giving me a rare smile. 'But I won't take another step until I know what's what. Sooner you start, lad, the sooner you'll finis.h.!.+'

So I did as he asked. I told him about Alice and Lizzie's lips being st.i.tched and the buggane's tunnels leading into each cell. Then about the fight and our escape, and then how she'd crooned to the buggane; finally about facing the dogs, the appearance of Bill Arkwright's ghost and the shaman's death.

My master shook his head. 'She's certainly got delusions of grandeur though she's dangerous all right. Poor Bill ... at least once we've sorted Lizzie, he'll be able to break free.

'But this is as bad as it could be, lad. I've been sent in here to sort out that witch, but once it's done, they won't need me any more. There'll be a new master of Greeba Keep and things will go on much the same as ever. We might well end up in the dungeons again. They'll carry on appeasing the buggane even though the shaman's dead. They'll be back to their old tricks. It's the way of the world, I'm afraid. History repeating itself.' My master sighed deeply, lost in thought for a moment.

'I've faced similar situations before. I'm getting weary of it all, lad tired in body, mind and spirit. Still, we'll worry about that later. First we must sort out Lizzie,' he finished, getting to his feet.

'What if she's too strong? What if-?'

'Look, lad, don't you worry I've faced many a witch before and come out on top. You're young and still an apprentice. That's why she was able to control you. Let's go and get this over with! Lead the way to Lizzie ...'

I didn't like it one bit, but I did as my master ordered. I just hoped that the witch was still in her bath. But as soon as we entered the throne room, I knew I'd been right to be pessimistic.

Bony Lizzie was seated on the throne and Alice was standing on the steps, looking terrified. Lizzie was dressed in a long purple gown, her hair wet but combed straight so that it framed her face, her lips painted red. She looked imposing if not quite a queen, then certainly like a woman accustomed to life at court. But what really frightened me was her manner and the expression on her face.

She looked in total control, and I felt waves of cold malice radiating from her. However, the Spook looked resolute, and he began to stride down the carpet towards the throne.

He halted at the foot of the steps. I was close behind him, and I saw him ease his left hand into the pocket of his breeches to curl the silver chain about his wrist. I remembered the last time my master had faced Lizzie, right at the very beginning of my apprentices.h.i.+p. He'd killed Tusk, her powerful abhuman accomplice, and then bound the witch with his silver chain before carrying her over his shoulder back to a pit at Chipenden. Could he do it again? He certainly thought so. And surely Lizzie must remember what had happened last time?

I soon realized that she wasn't the least bit concerned. In fact she wasn't even looking at the Spook. She was looking at me, her eyes filled with malevolence.

'Can't be trusted, can you, boy? Soon as my back's turned you run off to get your master. I should kill you now ...'

Wasting no time, the Spook spun the chain, casting it towards Lizzie. She was still on the throne; it was an easy shot the witch was as good as bound. I watched the chain shape itself into a gleaming, deadly spiral but to my dismay it fell harmlessly to the floor a foot to the right of her.

How could he have missed? Powerful dark magic had to be the answer. Or maybe something else ...

My heart sank right down into my boots. Alice was right to doubt my master's powers. I was beginning to see the truth. The Spook was a man in decline. His strength was going. The John Gregory I'd first became apprenticed to would have bound Lizzie with no trouble, no matter how strong the magic she used against him.

He frowned, and an expression of bewilderment came over his face. He staggered and seemed about to speak, but then his hand went to his throat and he started to choke. His knees gave way, then he fell forward, his forehead missing the bottom step by inches. I quickly went to kneel beside him. He lay there, face down, barely breathing.

'He's not dead, don't you worry!' cried Lizzie, getting to her feet. 'Old Gregory isn't going to enjoy an easy death like that. Not after the painful years I spent trapped in that pit. I owe him for that, and he'll suffer before he dies. I'll give him pain like he's never known before, just see if I don't! This is going to be your master's worst nightmare.'

Her words reminded me of my master's dream about Lizzie, where she'd been seated on a throne, the floor flowing with blood. It was all coming horribly true.

She walked down the steps and raised her foot as if to kick him with the pointy toe of her shoe, then stopped and shook her head. 'What's the point of kicking him if he can't feel it?' she muttered. 'Now, boy, I've got a job for you. I want you to go out and talk to those men beyond the gate. Tell 'em they work for me now: they should choose one of their own, a sensible man with experience, to be my seneschal the servant who will give orders to the others on my behalf. He should come up to the throne room for an audience with me.

'And one other thing I don't like being kept waiting. They have ten minutes to decide. Every five minutes over that time, and one of their number will die. So get you gone and tell them that, boy!'

I glanced down at my master and then at Alice, but that moment of hesitation angered Lizzie. She took a step towards me, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng dangerously.

'Thinking of disobeying me, boy? Well, think again. You see, I know all about the blood jar-'

'I'm sorry, Tom, I'm sorry. She made me tell ...' cried Alice.

'It's just a case of who the Fiend comes for first. If Alice here displeases me, I'll throw her in the dungeons. Without me by her side, she wouldn't last five minutes. And as for you well, that's simple. I'll deal with you right now. Take that blood jar out of your pocket and smash it on the floor! Go on! Do it!'

I tried to resist, I really did, but I found my hand obeying the witch. Alice's eyes widened in terror, and I felt the sweat oozing from my brow. My heart pounded as I found my hand moving, as if of its own volition, to pull out the jar and lift it high, preparing to dash it to the floor.

'Stop!' Lizzie cried, just in time. She gave me an evil smile. 'Now you can put it back in your pocket because you know what I'm capable of. Next time you disobey me again I'll make you smash that jar and I'll put you in the deepest, darkest, dampest dungeon. Then we'll see which of them comes for you first the buggane or the Fiend.'

I picked up my staff, turned and went to do her bidding. What choice did I have?

As I pa.s.sed under the first portcullis and went across the yard towards the main gate, the yeomen got to their feet, gathering just beyond the moat.

'What have we here?' said Commander Stanton, walking towards me. 'She's bewitched you all right! We sent you in old and tall and you come back young and a good few inches shorter!'

They all laughed at his joke, but some of the guffaws were forced, the amus.e.m.e.nt hollow.

'My master's hurt,' I told him, and then went on to deliver Lizzie's message, worried about how Stanton might react to her instructions. He didn't look like the sort of man who would take kindly to her plan to rule Greeba Keep. It also seemed highly unlikely that he'd agree to choose a seneschal for her. I just hoped that he wouldn't get it into his head to punish me, her messenger.

Stanton looked unimpressed. 'We're to work for her, are we? And what if we've got plans of our own?'

'She said you've just ten minutes to decide. If you don't respond in that time, some of you will die one for every five minutes you keep her waiting.'

Some of the men around him began to mutter and look apprehensive. I could sense the fear pa.s.sing from one to the other like a disease.

At first Stanton didn't reply. He looked thoughtful and gazed up at the tower. Then he turned back to me again. 'You're a spook's apprentice, so you know about these things. Could she do it? Could the witch really kill some of us from a distance like that?'

'It's not easy,' I admitted. 'Witches often use curses and try to kill their enemies from afar though it doesn't always work. But Bony Lizzie is a really strong witch. She's done things I wouldn't have believed possible. A spook has some immunity against witchcraft, and my own master has practised his trade successfully for many years. That didn't help him though,' I went on, shaking my head sadly. 'She used dark magic and he fell unconscious at her feet. So who knows what she is capable of?'

He nodded and looked at his men. 'Well, I say we put her to the test. We'll let the minutes pa.s.s. Maybe she's only bluffing.'

Not everyone was happy but n.o.body challenged his decision. I turned to walk back over the moat, but Stanton grabbed my arm. 'No, lad, you're staying with us until we know what's what.'

He made me sit down by the fire and knelt beside me, warming his hands before the flames. 'Who else is in there besides the witch and your master?' he asked.

'My friend, Alice.'

'Alice? You mean the little witch who survived the testing in the barrel? The sly one who hit me with that rock?'

'She's not a witch-'

'Barrule thought so, and he knew about such things,' he interrupted.

'She really isn't a witch,' I insisted.

Stanton looked at me long and hard, as if making his mind up about something, and then he said, 'What's your name, boy?'

'Tom Ward.'

'Well, Tom Ward, my name's Daniel Stanton, the commander around here I served Lord Barrule for fifteen years, and sometimes did things I didn't like on his behalf. Still, a man knows which side his bread's b.u.t.tered, and from time to time we all do things we're not entirely happy with. Not sure being seneschal to a witch appeals to me much though.

'This is the situation. Barrule didn't leave an heir. About ten years ago his wife died in childbirth and the baby only lived a few hours after her. So the Parliament, the Tynwald, will decide next week who'll be appointed to take his place and become leader of the Ruling Council. As I see it, my duty now is to secure that keep for its next master, who'll be my new employer. That means dealing with that witch one way or another-'

There was a sudden cry of pain from someone by the next fire. Daniel Stanton jumped to his feet. I followed him and saw a man lying on his back close to the flames: he was writhing in pain, his hands at his throat as if he were choking. His face was turning purple. Someone sat him up and tried to help him, lifting a cup of water to his lips. But suddenly the man gave a gasp, shuddered and went limp.

'He's dead!' the cry went up.

I was looking at lots of scared faces. Some of Stanton's men looked ready to run.

'The witch did it!' someone shouted.

'Aye,' agreed a second voice, 'and what if she does it again? Any one of us could be next!'

The yeomen milled about, their faces tense. Stanton was the only one who didn't look scared. He stood there impa.s.sively, his arms folded and head held high.

Five minutes later a yeoman close to us gave a groan, clasped his hands to his throat, then staggered and fell stone dead at our feet. Stanton's men were now terrified. These were yeomen, soldiers used to facing violent death, but this was not natural. They were beginning to panic.

Stanton held his hand up for calm and addressed his men in a loud clear voice. 'We'll do as the witch demands!' he cried. 'I'll go and talk to her myself.' He put his hand on my shoulder. 'Right, boy, I take it you'd like to put an end to her if you could?'

I nodded.

'Well, why didn't you finish her off when you had the chance the other night? I was there and saw what happened.'

I shook my head. 'Lots of reasons ... I couldn't bring myself to kill her in cold blood.'

'That's a hard thing to do,' he agreed with a nod, 'and you're just a boy. But if I get the chance, I won't hesitate. So we'll work together on this, agreed?'

'The first thing is to try and get my master to safety. He'll work out what to do.'