The Thirteenth (35 page)

“Sorry Val, I understand that you are upset, but we can’t let people like Excariot have what they want. What would be next? These people are produced to do a job, nothing more. It got messy when it became emotional. And I can’t say that the judges are pleased that I have requested you not be terminated.” He opened a door. “Terminate me!” she bellowed, raising enough energy to push the door shut hard with the little air there was in this place. “You don’t get to terminate me.” Val walking up to the man, but he was ready for her. With a flick of his finger she was sitting on the floor wondering what had happened.

“Your courage is endearing, but it will get you killed. You were a mistake; you were unwanted, but now at last, you can serve a purpose. You are our link on earth. We have more than enough to do here without chasing people on your planet.” The man grabbed Val’s hand and pulled her back onto her feet.

“So what do I do now?” Val asked brushing herself down indignantly.

“You go home. You wait for him to start creating his group of followers. Excariot has to regroup and find another twelve people who are as powerful as your mother’s coven to create a portal to try again to extract Lailah.”

“So why doesn’t he just go back to my mum?” Val asked.

“Because doing that used a great deal of energy, and he needed you to create it. You played into his hands and that is partly our fault. We should have moved in sooner.”

“Gosh, so you do make mistakes.” Val turned her lip up.

“Val, our portal to your planet is in the bookshop. Excariot closed it down when he found it and only you had the power to get to us, but we couldn’t get to you. That will all change on your return.”

“Great, so I get to pop back whenever I want,” Val said sarcastically.

“No, only when you have a prisoner to bring back.”

Val was lost for words as she realised she had been given a job by family default. Apparently, she was now working for a Father Christmas look-alike in some weird prison, which was not exactly how she had imagined her life. “So, where do we go from here?” Val asked.

“You need to go home, back to the shop. It will be your place of work and rest. Excariot won’t come for you there because he will fear being trapped. Do you have your father’s bracelet?”

“Yes.” Val pulled up her sleeve to show the pointed bracelet that had moulded its self to her wrist.

“Good, it is the only way you can communicate with us and it will enhance your natural abilities which, I have to admit, are quite impressive.”

“How will I know who to catch or where they are?” Val felt overwhelmed.

“You will know where as you did with your other charges. You have been preparing yourself all the way through this experience and now you are ready to get the job done. Be conscious that we will be watching you, and I will be sending you a partner soon.”

“A partner? Who?” Val whined. She had enough people to deal with and she didn’t need some weird bloke from a different world hanging around.

“Val, our time is coming to a close. You must return to your place. You will do well to keep your eyes open and maybe read a few of the books that you spend so much time cleaning.”

“Can I at least ask your name?” Val said.

“I’m the warden.” He smiled at Val and that was it, she was off again.

As Val travelled, she wondered where she would find herself this time, but screams of joy told her, before she had even opened her eyes, that she was back at the book-shop. She felt the cold smooth wooden floor below her hand and slowly opened her eyes. Her friends were all in front of her, clearly pleased to have her back.

“Well, I bet you didn’t expect me to come back,” Val said smiling as she started to rise to her feet. Fran was the first to grab her and embrace her. Wendy followed and Jason, with a few bandages on, patted her on the back.

“We knew you were coming back because of Shane’s letter,” Fran sang in Val’s ear. Val looked over at Shane who was still leaning on the counter smiling.

“What letter?” Val asked confused.

“This one.” Shane held up what looked like an antique parchment. Val peeled the others off her and headed towards him.

“Let me see.” Val took the parchment out of his hand. It was very old and written in something that had faded. Val read in amazement.

Hello Shane,

Today will be an extraordinary day. Today you will see loved ones die and many things that make you believe all is lost. Do not despair my friend. All is well. I will die and disappear in front of your eyes in the bookshop and you must not worry because I’m going to return. Do not interfere; just keep the others safe. Give no clues, to me or the others, that you have seen this letter. Love from Val

Val held the parchment in amazement. When had she written it? “Where did this thing come from?” Val handed it back to Shane.

“You don’t know? You wrote it,” Shane said with a puzzled expression. He had expected Val to know exactly where it had come from and give him clarity.

“No, I’ve never seen it before and I’m sure I haven’t written it, although it is my handwriting. Where did you get it from?”

Shane pulled another envelope out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the counter.

“This came this morning by courier from a solicitor’s office. I signed for it and the rest is history.” Val glanced at the other envelope, on which was written ‘for Val’s eyes only’. Val carefully opened the envelope. Inside were several folded pieces of paper. As she peeled them open, it became apparent that they were the deeds of a property. Shane, who was looking over Val’s shoulder, read out the address for all to hear.

“It says that Val is the owner of the bookshop,” he announced.

Val looked at it in silence for several moments. How could this be happening? She didn’t remember writing to Shane and she definitely didn’t remember purchasing the shop. Val had to admit that the writing on Shane’s letter was irrefutably hers.

Suddenly Val realised that not everyone was there. “Where’s Sam?” Val looked around.

“He took that woman who got knocked out by Excariot to the hospital. She was in a really bad way.” Shane told her.

“Now, back to you, Val. We knew you would be OK, but you need to tell us what you have been doing and where you’ve been.”

“Can I get a drink first, and a chair?” Val smiled at them all.

Wendy rushed over with a cup of water and Fran supplied a stool. As Val sat and slowly sipped her drink, she felt herself slowly relaxing.

“I have so much to tell you, but the first thing you need to know is that Delta won’t be coming back.” Val’s voice stayed steady. She hadn’t had time to truly feel the pain that Delta had inflicted.

“Who?” Wendy asked looking puzzled.

“Delta.”

Her friends were looking at her as if she was talking in a foreign language. Did they really not remember her? Her mother had warned her about this so Val would need to tread carefully, she really didn’t have a clue what changes had been created by the spell in her absence.

“Not to worry.” Val shook her head. “I went back to sixteen forty-five where I met my real mother and found out about my father.” Val smiled fondly taking a sip of her water.

“Oh, that’s so lovely. I suppose that makes being an orphan a little less harsh,” Fran said enthusiastically.

“Orphan?” Val nearly choked on her water. And then it really hit her: she had given up her parents. The pain was overwhelming, but she couldn’t give anything away, couldn’t do anything that might lead the others to question her. Her parents’ role in this must never be revealed; to expose them would put them in terrible danger. She couldn’t risk it. At that point she was just grateful to have friends that remembered her.

“Excariot was there.” Val looked at their expressions and realised they definitely still remembered him. “We had a massive battle and I defeated him, but not before he managed to release a large number of criminals from a prison on a planet called Alchany.”

The others were looking on in awe, yet not disbelief.

“So where are they now, on a death star?” Jason asked in a Darth Vader voice.

Val poked Jason’s arm. “No, they are here somewhere. They can take over anyone’s body, and I imagine they won’t be choosing anyone good.” Val stood up and went for another cup of water. “We have to prepare, and now I have a business to run as well so if you are on board it will mean giving me all you have. Excariot tricked us once and I’m not going to let that happen again.” Val filled her glass, her back to the others, waiting in silence.

When no one spoke, Val turned and asked quietly, “So who is with me?” As she spoke the bookshop door opened.

“I am.” A dark figure responded, coming into the shop. Val’s heart skipped a beat when she realised it was Sam. The memory of his kiss brought red heat to her face, and yet here he was only just getting to know her.

“Thank you, Sam,” she said.

Then the others gathered around her chorusing their support.

“If Excariot wants a war he is going to get one,” Wendy declared, waving her arms in the air. Val laughed as Sam made his way over to her.

“Did you have fun wherever you went?” Sam grabbed Val’s hand.

“Well, I have had better times.” Val looked up into Sam’s eyes.

“I’m just pleased you are back. It was a very good idea to leave the letter so at least we could all relax a little.” Sam took Val’s other hand. “Are you OK? I found it hard very watching you dying, especially at the end of my sword.”

“Oh, what has happened to my sword?” Val looked around.

“It’s here.” Jason handed it to her.

“Thanks. I’m very pleased to get it back.” Val squeezed Sam’s hand.

“So what do you want us to do now?” Sam stood back allowing the others to join them.

“You all need to go home and I need to sleep,” Val laughed, opening the bookshop door.

“But you don’t want to be on your own, not with that madman on the loose,” Wendy said.

“He won’t come here. This shop is a doorway to the prison and I’m hoping it can also be my home, so I need to get used to the idea of being here alone.” Val started to pull Jason who was closest to her towards the door. “Out, before I use my statutory right to evict you from my premises,” she joked.

“Can we come back tomorrow?” Wendy asked.

“Are you kidding? You’re going to run the shop.” Val smiled at Wendy who was almost swooning. “On the condition that you go home. Now.” Wendy was already out of the door. The others followed suit until Shane was the only one left.

“Val, you don’t have to cope with all of this on your own. You can come to our house for tonight,” Shane said.

“Shane, you are one of the most amazing people I have ever met. I can only pray that you stay with me forever, but tonight I need to be alone.” Val placed a kiss on Shane’s cheek the same way she would on her dad’s, then pushed him gently towards the door.

“Goodnight.” Shane joined the others and walked away, waving.

“What time do I start tomorrow?” Wendy shouted.

“Late, I need to sleep,” Val called back as she closed the door behind her.

Val walked back into the shop. A place she had spent so little time in had now become not only her business, but her home as well. She crossed over to the counter and found her handbag in its usual place on the shelf. Inside was her large bunch of keys. She flicked through them, removing the ones that she knew belonged to the shop. When she had finished she tried the ones that were left, one by one, in the door marked ‘private’. “It’s time you let up your secrets,” said Val to the door.

She quickly found the key and the door opened with ease. To Val’s amazement, it revealed a staircase. Hanging on the wall at the bottom of the staircase were several of Wallace’s tweed jackets. There was also a telephone on a stand. “Now I know where you are.” Val patted the phone and, touching one of the jackets, decided she would send all his stuff to the local charity shop.

Not surprisingly, the stairs were made of the same wood that seemed to consume the shop and the area was very dark, and slightly threatening. She found the light switch and, with a tentative hand, quickly flicked it. A light came on and Val began breathing again.

She cautiously made her way up the stairs. Pulling the sword out of her pocket, she extended it. This place was a portal to another dimension and she wasn’t going to get caught out. At the top of the stairs, she emerged into a very musty, open plan flat. She could see the kitchen over to the right and on the far left a large double bed. Val was surprised to realise that it was a very nice (although dated) apartment. She switched on another light switch and the whole place lit up. There were many signs of Wallace, but nothing of Excariot.

Val was most shocked when she looked in the fridge. She had expected a sacrificial lamb’s freshly beating heart. Instead, she found sliced ham, cheese, a few eggs and a bottle of milk.

This was stuff she would also dispose of; he could have left it on the chance that he might be able to poison her. Near the kitchen she found another door. Val pushed it open with her sword and entered a small bathroom. “All the usual,” Val giggled. It didn’t matter what side of the galaxy you were on, you still needed a toilet.

Val left the bathroom and went for the last door. She had seen everything else so maybe this was a guest bedroom or a closet for his very fashionable tweed attire. It opened easily and Val felt her breath catch in her throat as she stood gazing into what looked like a huge mirror. But she wasn’t looking at herself, she was looking at Alchany. She took a step back, worried that she might be drawn through the portal. Her wrist was hurting. When she pulled her sweater sleeve up she saw that her bracelet was glowing almost lava red. What now, she wondered.

This was clearly the way back to Alchany, but how did it work? She stepped forward again, and placed her hand on the image. Immediately a warning sound resounded through the flat.

“Warning! Warning! Prisoner in transit.” Val jumped back and slammed the door shut. As soon as the door closed, her bracelet stopped glowing. “Ah, so that’s how I send the prisoners back then,” Val said to herself.