Bad Apple (The Warner Grimoire) (27 page)

“Yeah...”

He looked deep into the socket, and the next thought struck him like lightning.

Crystals.

Like the one in his room, in the bag with Boeman’s symbol.

His heart pounded with excitement. “I have one back in my room,” he said. “It showed up yesterday on my shelf. It’s the right size.” He was already backing away. “It has to fit. It has to!”

“Simon,” Penny said, the lines on her face knotted with concern. “Something like that shouldn’t just show up. Nothing is ever free. If it came to you, it came with a price, whether you know it or not.”

“I don’t care!” Simon snapped. “This is what Nathan was looking for. It’s been in front of us the whole time.” He clutched the dowsing rod. “This is the best lead I’ve found to finding Sam. I have to try!”

Simon bolted from the room, Penny close behind him. “Wait!” she shouted, but it was no use. He ran past the front desk, through the door, bursting out into the lawn behind the manor. He ran hard, cutting through the garden, up through the back doors near the dining room, nearly knocking over a member of the staff carrying decorations for the Masquerade. He bolted up the rear stairs, taking them two and three at a time until his legs ached, but he wouldn’t stop. Penny was at the bottom of the stairs, shouting after him, but he would reach his room first and then he would have the crystal, and the staff, and he would find the man who had taken Sam. It had to work, it just had to.

Simon threw the door to his room open, rattling the windows as he entered. He nearly tripped over his backpack, which was laying, empty, right inside the door. Catching himself he saw that his room was in pieces. The bookshelf on the far side of the room lay on its side, its contents spilled over on the floor. What clothes Simon had packed were thrown about the room, the covers to the bed were pulled away and thrown all over the room. The cushions of the couch had been slashed.

Simon stood dumbfounded in the doorway, long enough that Penny had time to catch up to him. “Simon, wait!” she still shouted. “You need to let me see this crystal first--” Her eyes went wide at the sight of the ruined room. “What happened here?”

“I don’t know,” was all Simon could say. “I thought these rooms were protected...”

“They are,” Penny said, taking in the room. “I don’t know how this could have happened.”

Simon sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the mess of clothing and sheets in front of him and the empty spot on the shelf where the crystal had been that morning.

“It was him,” Simon said quietly. “He saw it when he was here last night.”

Penny sat next to Simon, strands of red hair falling in her face. “What’s wrong?”

“The crystal is missing,” Simon said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I left it on the shelf. I thought it would be safe in here,” he said. “He got in here somehow and took it. I don’t know how, but he did.”

“Who?” Penny asked. “Who took it?”

The blood had drained from Simon’s knuckles, he was clutching the backpack so tight. “Luke.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THE DOOR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE

“Crystal?” Nathan’s voice thundered across the almost-empty dining hall. Most of the tables had been removed by the servants in preparation for the Masquerade, and all around them the house staff continued to set up for the big event, removing the last of the furniture and hanging decorations. The fireplace was being emptied and cleaned, and on the far end of the room it appeared that a medium-sized pond was being installed, complete with cattails and tall grasses.

“Nathan, keep your voice down,” Kate whispered. “They’re setting up for the gathering in here.”

“I don’t care!” Nathan said. “Simon, how in the Moat did you find a dowsing crystal?”

Simon and Penny sat abashed at one of the few remaining empty tables. “I didn’t know what it was,” he said quietly. “It was just in my room. I didn’t know it was anything special.” Frustration snaked through his words. With every passing minute, Sam was slipping further and further from him.

“Anything special?” Nathan yelled. “Anything special! Look around you, kid!
Everything
is something special here!”

Kate put her hand on Nathan’s shoulder. “Nathan, enough. He didn’t know. How could he if you continue to keep him in the dark?”

Nathan locked eyes with Kate for a moment. Her gaze seemed to soothe him--when he spoke again, his voice was noticeably calmer. “We need to figure out where the crystal has gone, who sent it to you, and why.”

“I’m not sure,” Simon said, which was only half true. Boeman’s words from the Archives echoed in his head.
I have left a little present for you, when you’re ready.
“It just appeared yesterday, along with some books.”

“Books?” Nathan raised an eyebrow. “What kind of books?”

“They mostly looked like manuals,” Simon said. “One was about conjuring, I remember that one.”

Kate and Nathan exchanged a surprised look.

“What is it?” Simon asked.

“We’ll talk about that later,” Nathan said. “You say the crystal appeared at the same time?”

“They were in there when I came back yesterday afternoon,” Simon said. “Before--”

“Before the Archives,” Nathan finished.

Simon hesitated. “Yeah.”

“Don’t think that’s been forgotten about either.”

“All right,” Simon muttered. “I’m certain Luke took it.”

“I agree,” Nathan said. “All this business about him coming up alone from the Delta Order. Something’s not right there. Apprentices don’t travel alone. Penny, you should probably get back to the Archives.”

“Jo is covering for me,” Penny said. “I told her a little about what’s happening. She said it was okay if I helped.”

“I’m sure your dad would feel different,” Nathan said. “At the same time, we’ll take any help we can. This whole situation is rapidly growing out of control.”

“I think we should talk to my uncle,” Kate said. “Go back to him and explain everything we’ve discovered. He’ll have to help.”

“No,” Nathan said. “I’d rather go back to Peter before that, and I don’t think we’re his favorite people right now. I think we should head out and talk to Cynric at the Gate. See who all been coming and going.”

“That won’t tell us everyone that’s been through,” Kate said, crossing her arms.

“It’ll tell us most,” Nathan said. “The Gate connects to most of the major lines, almost everyone that travels by them come through there, and if someone’s been coming from the Delta, they’d almost certainly be coming through there. It’d be suspicious if they went out of their way to not travel by the ley lines.”

“I guess it’s better than nothing.” Kate eyed the staff as the servants continued preparing the hall for the Masquerade. “We should get moving.”

The four of them exited the dining room right as the pond was being filled. They moved through the garden and out to the path in silence, Nathan leading the way through the market back to the entrance, then down the path deep into the woods. Kate followed, with Simon and Penny close behind. They passed a few other people heading towards the manor, most of them on foot, with a few spirited along on horses.

“The Majesties of the other Orders are starting to arrive,” Penny whispered to Simon. “It’s always a big deal. Jo always gets excited. I don’t usually see them this close.”

Simon watched a young woman glide overhead on a large black raven, her hair falling in long blonde tangles over her shoulders. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and she glided past them without ever looking down. She was followed by a young man riding in a flying vertical wheel. It sputtered and belched white smoke from its exhaust pipe, and his black mustache fluttered wildly as he soared overhead. He wore a tight leather cap and goggles, and he was followed closely on the ground by a slim man with silver skin and brass-colored eyes. He wore a long brown trench coat and a newsboy cap. As the man slipped past him Simon could hear the clicking and whirring of clockwork, and he realized the slim man was some sort of machine. “Are they all here for the Masquerade?”

“Yes,” Penny said. “We live in several small communities across the Here and There. The Freemancers like to keep connections alive with the other lodges, and the Majesties like to show off.” She eyed the silver man as he disappeared up the path. “The Masquerade Ball is a chance for both.”

“Keep up,” Nathan called from the front. “Simon, up here with me.”

Simon picked up his pace, followed by Penny. A rugged man rode past them on a horse. He wore rugged cowboy clothing and had a length of silver rope along his saddle. “Ma’am,” he said to Kate, tipping his hat as he passed. He repeated his action to Penny, then was gone. At the stone bridge they met a large crowd of identical men, dressed all in green and gold robes, carrying a purple and white carriage high on their backs. The windows of the carriage were covered with thick red curtains, and as they passed, loud Dixieland music seemed to seep out from behind them. Simon tried not to stare as they passed, but despite himself he tried to peek into the carriage, only to see a single golden eye peering out at them, and he shuddered.

Then there was Churl.

He blocked the path across the bridge, joined by three very large men clad in black robes. “Nathan Alan Tamerlane,” he called out, his voice calm and steady. “Born in a summer storm, raised in the rain.”

Nathan stopped short. “Well, this isn’t good,” he muttered.

“What do you mean?” Simon whispered.

“Full name and mantle. With him that’s never good. Get behind me.”

Churl spoke again. “Nathan Alan Tamerlane, son of the Quicksilver, The One Who Walks Behind--”

Nathan smiled wide. “Doug! Breaking out
all
the big fancy titles I see. Douglas Edward Churl. Born to a weaver, raised within the orb. Hey, what was that nickname we had for you growing up? Kate what was that?”

“Spiderskin,” she said coldly.

“There we go. So what can we do for you,
Spiderskin
?”

Mr. Churl shuddered and scowled. “The inquiry into the disappearance of Sam Thatch has returned unexpectedly early, and they come bearing some ill news for you, Nathan, as you no doubt have been aware this whole time.”

Nathan’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Churl removed his white gloves. His hands were thick and covered in coarse hair, and the skin was a withered charcoal gray. They reminded Simon of pincers. “Tell me, Nathan, how long did you think you would be able to maintain this little act? Our agents have returned from visiting Fellis Alistair Boeman in the Volobog and he has a witness for the night in question.”

Nathan bristled. “Then he’s lying. Imagine that.”

“Oh, is he now? Honestly, Tamerlane, I expected more from someone such as yourself.”

“What is he talking about?” Simon asked Kate.

“This is a long story,” Nathan said. “One that goes back further than we have time. Doug, I see what you’re doing. I’m not going to let you--”

“Oh, but you see, I already have.” Mr. Churl smiled. “It was quite simple, really. Mr. Thatch was abducted, that we have confirmed, but there is one question that no one has been able to answer to my satisfaction. Where were you when Sam was abducted? So far it would seem you are the only one who has not proved his innocence in his abduction.”

“WHAT?” Kate shouted. “This man did not abduct anyone,” she said, pointing at Nathan. “How
dare
you.”

“It is not me,” Mr. Churl said. “It is simple logic. There has been a crime, and everyone but
one
has proven their innocence. That person is here right now, and we have come to deal with the matter.”

Nathan went white. “Simon you know I didn’t,” he whispered. “I was too late, in the diner. Sam was already gone. It was Boeman, believe me. I would never do anything to hurt Sam.”

“He did it
,” whispered the Other Voice. “
Don’t trust him
.
He’s lying.”
Simon reflexively took a step back.

“Simon?” A hurt look spread across Nathan’s face. “You don’t
believe
him, do you? After everything I’ve done?”

“
Liar
,” whispered the Other Voice.
“Do not trust him.”

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” Kate said to Churl. “This is insane.”

Nathan leaned against the side of the bridge, the color completely gone from his face. He stared long and hard at Churl. “I won’t forget this, Doug,” he said, closing the gap between them. He stumbled a few feet, then a curious look sprouted on his face. His mental book had flipped to some random page, and whatever he was thinking, it made him chuckle. A few more steps forward, then he fell to his knees at Churl’s feet, where he whispered something too low for any of them to hear.