Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) (38 page)

‘I just can’t stay focused,’ she complained, dragging herself
from the water to stand dripping wet and covered with weed on the beautifully trimmed grass. ‘Every time I try to hold my Will and spin the shuttlecock –’

‘It’s called a Zephyr!’ snapped Jensen.

‘Sorry,’ apologized Charlie. ‘Every time I try to hold my Will and spin the
Zephyr
things just seem to … well, just fall apart. I can’t do it! I can’t do both at the same time.’

‘Bah!’ snapped Azariah. ‘Stop complaining. You’re amazingly talented at K’Changa for a virtual beginner and have quickly mastered some of the skills to become a Keeper. So stop moaning, stop griping and put the two together!’

‘But it’s not that easy,’ insisted Charlie as she plucked a wriggling tadpole from her shirt.

‘Hhmpf, nothing in this world is ever easy,’ grumped the old Keeper. ‘If it was then surely everyone would be rich and happy. But that is not the point. You are a Keeper and you will do this … Now, get up there, concentrate and do it again!’

Shaking her head from side to side in misery, Charlie did as she was told. Climbing up the steep ladder, she eased herself out on to the narrow beam that hung high above the garden. Maintaining her balance, she edged outward to stand in the middle of the plank.

‘OK, Charlie,’ cried Kelko. ‘Are you ready?’

‘Er.’ Charlie frowned as she stared at the garden below. It was a long drop. ‘I guess so.’

‘That’s me girl!’ said Kelko with an encouraging smile. Reaching down for the brightly coloured shuttlecock, he
flung it upward. Kelko, Jensen and Azariah held their breath as they waited to see how Charlie would react.

Charlie saw the Zephyr coming. Bunching her fingers together into tight fists and pulling her eyebrows down into a tight squint, she summoned her Will. She felt the blossoming of power as her Will began to focus and she could see the deep glow of golden light bursting forth from her blazing hands. She was ready.

Watching the arc of the shuttlecock flying towards her, Charlie bent her legs and, with an intense shout of determination, ran across the narrow beam. Leaping into an intricate somersault, she prepared to snatch the Zephyr as it flew towards her.

Suddenly her eyesight began to blur. The shuttlecock appeared to double, then triple, until it seemed as though a multitude of Zephyrs approached her. Her stomach began to cramp and waves of dizziness washed through her body.

‘Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!’ screamed Charlie as once again she tumbled through the air to land with a gigantic splash. Water lilies went flying and one of Azariah’s prized koi carp was flung aside to bounce indignantly among the clipped plants until Jensen scrambled over to tip it gently back into the water.

Coughing up lungfuls of muddy water, Charlie spluttered and snuffled as she pulled herself to the side of the pond. Azariah didn’t look amused.

‘What was that?’ he growled. ‘Was
that
the best you had to offer?’

‘I don’t understand why it’s not happening,’ protested
Charlie. ‘I do exactly what you guys tell me to do, but when I put it into practice my head goes all dizzy and my body just doesn’t seem to want to do what I tell it to do.’

Azariah sighed in disappointment. Letting his frustration flow away, he leaned down and offered Charlie a hand. Pulling her from the pond, he stared at her in dismay.

‘Young lady, the reason why you continue to fail at this task is because you lack the Will! If you cannot focus on what needs to be done you will fail miserably.’

Azariah sighed yet again as he stared at his dripping-wet apprentice. Lifting up one glowing hand, he casually waved it in Charlie’s direction. With a faint wumphing noise, the water from Charlie’s clothes fell away to splatter and tinkle at her feet. Charlie was suddenly very dry, but unfortunately her hair had ballooned into a tangled, frizzy mess.

Ignoring Charlie’s outrageous hair, Azariah continued. ‘Enough. That is enough for today. I must be off to meet with Dridif and certain members of the Jade Circle so I am afraid that I must leave you to it. What I would suggest is that you use the remainder of the day to practise and do your best to get this right.’

‘Do you have to leave?’

‘I must, for this battle against Narcissa is being fought on more fronts than one. However, I have some news that might cheer you up. With a bit of luck, today should see the majority of the Jade Circle united to stand as one against Lady Narcissa and her treasonous ways. Lady Dridif and I have managed to prevent many of the councillors from being tempted to join
her forces. And if our luck stays strong, we could even eject Narcissa from the council in as little as two days’ time!’

‘That’s excellent news,’ said Charlie.

‘Yes, it is. However, I must be off, whereas you shall remain here with Jensen and Kelko to practise while there still remains enough daylight to see by.’

Charlie’s face fell. Groaning, she turned back to the high beam.

‘Bring me a pot of Witchflower Tea and a selection of Krete Delights.’

‘Yes, mistress,’ grovelled the servant, bowing low.

He departed to fetch the refreshments, scurrying past the watchful eyes of Stix and Stones, who were standing guard.

Narcissa sat reclining on a magnificent chair upholstered with silk and decorated with her heron and rose motif. Flint was on a similar chair beside her. The two of them had been discussing strategies on one of the large, sweeping balconies that adorned the Ivory Tower. Huge waves of orchids, lilies and lotus flowers grew from the side of the tower to form a canopy of brightly coloured petals that shielded them from the strong rays of the setting sun.

‘So tell me, Lady Narcissa, where is this servant of Bane’s? Should he not have arrived by now?’

‘Patience, Flint, patience. The Stoman Lord himself assured me that the servant would be here in time.’

‘Yes, well, if that was so he should have arrived long ago.
We cannot afford to wait much longer. The First Speaker and that idiotic old Keeper are growing far, far too strong for my liking.’

‘Be that as it may, I still expect …’ Narcissa fell silent. Shielding her eyes from the last of the sun’s rays, she gazed at a shadow that hung on the horizon. ‘What is that?’

Squinting his eyes into narrow slits, the large Stoman councillor leaned forward to get a better view. ‘I … I am not sure. It looks like a large flock of birds, does it not? They appear to be ravens … or crows. Most unusual to see even one this far east of the Western Mountains, but to see a whole flock? Most unusual indeed.’

The birds, now clearly identifiable as crows, quickly drew nearer, seeming to head straight for the two councillors. Their harsh, haunting cries crashed against the side of the Ivory Tower and with a loud flapping of wings they spiralled down towards the balcony. Stix and Stones stepped forward from the shadows to stand protectively on either side of their mother. The Delightful Brothers eyed the approaching flurry of birds with mistrust.

With a last bursting shriek, the birds kaleidoscoped together, melting into one large mass, and with a sharp sound, similar to that of breaking glass, Mr Crow lightly stepped forth.

‘Good evening,’ he whispered. ‘My name is Crow, Mr Crow.’ The skinny lawyer smiled nastily. Sunlight gleamed and reflected off his frighteningly sharp teeth. ‘Now, where is that little filly, Charlie?’

54

The Arrival

‘So where is she?’

‘There is no need for you to express an interest in that little brat just yet, Mr Crow,’ snapped Lady Narcissa, recovering from the man’s unusual arrival. ‘I have a plan that will allow us to get our hands on the pendant without having to involve ourselves in open bloodshed with either Charlie Keeper or the Jade Circle.’

‘That is not what I have been led to believe. The Great Lord instructed me to bring him both the girl and the pendant to the Western Mountains with all due haste.’

Narcissa’s mouth twitched. ‘Maybe so, but did he not also instruct you to do as I requested?’

‘Yessss,’ Mr Crow whispered grudgingly.

‘And did he not arrange for you to act as my tool and servant in this task?’

‘Yes,’ agreed the lawyer with an angry glint in his eye.

‘Good.’ Lady Narcissa smiled with a lazy wave of her hand. ‘Do not trouble yourself with thoughts of Charlie. By the end of tomorrow night my daughter will have claimed the pendant for herself, so what I need from you is help with another headache. Charlie’s mentor, Azariah Keeper, has
proved to be very bothersome. Given more time he could quite possibly ruin my plans. I want you to remove him.’

‘By saying “remove”, I do assume that you mean “kill”?’ asked Crow with a sharp, bird-like twitter of his head.

‘Yes, I do mean that,’ acknowledged Narcissa with a cold smile. ‘Tonight.’

‘That is something I can do,’ replied the lawyer, an odd shadow flickering across his beady eyes. ‘Will his death cause Charlie Keeper much pain?’

‘Oh, I expect so. The two have grown quite close. They are almost like family.’

‘Excellent. I shall enjoy plucking this Azariah Keeper’s soul that much more.’

With a sickening grin, Mr Crow jumped and bounded his way over to the balustrade and, with a final glance at Narcissa, leaped over.

Councillor Flint and the Delightful Brothers rushed to the balcony’s side. Gasping in horror, they quickly stepped back as a black wave of feral birds swept upward and away into the darkening sky.

‘So you have still failed to bend your Will to the task at hand,’ stated Azariah with regret. ‘I am truly sorry to hear that. And you shall get no more done tonight, young Keeper, for the hour is late and you above all need your rest.’

‘But –’

‘Charlie, no arguments. Just remember that you are a Keeper and so long as you remember to focus your Will you
will find a Way. I have faith in you and, what is more, I am proud of you,’ said Azariah with a fond glance.

Charlie blushed, she couldn’t help it. Those were some of the kindest words that anyone had said to her in a long, long time. If she’d had any sort of existing family other than her grandma, she supposed that those were the sorts of words they would have used. Perhaps someone like a wise uncle. Once again Charlie blushed.

‘Well then, it is too late for you to be going home at this hour, so I suggest that you spend the night here. That goes for you two as well,’ said Azariah with a nod to Kelko and Jensen. ‘I have spare rooms a-plenty, so if the three of you settle down here for the night it will be that much easier to commence training upon the morrow.’

‘Sounds fine ta me,’ said Jensen.

‘Me too,’ grinned Kelko, slapping at his stomach in satisfaction. ‘Saves me a long walk back ta me house it does. Splendid.’

‘Excellent. If you would be so good as to follow me, I shall show you each to your rooms.’

‘Azariah?’ asked Charlie. ‘What about Nibbler? Shouldn’t he be back by now?’

‘Tomorrow, Charlie. If things have gone well I would expect him by tomorrow morning, or by midday at the very latest. Now then, if you please, this way.’

It was some time after midnight when Charlie awoke from her dreams. For a second she lay still, confused
as to where she was. But as her sleep-befuddled mind slowly kicked back into gear she realized that she was not in her bedroom at the Willow Tower but lying in one of Azariah’s spare rooms. A faint cawing startled her from her doze. Charlie grumped, pulled up the bedcovers and was just about to roll over when the sound came again.

Closer this time.

Slipping from beneath the warm sheets, Charlie wriggled her feet into her shoes and silently tiptoed out into the hallway to investigate.

‘Aah!’ shrieked Jensen as Charlie bumped into him. ‘Oh, Bless me Roots! But it’s ya! I thought ya were a ghost!’

‘Hhmpf,’ muttered Charlie. ‘What are you trying to say? That I look like a ghost?’

‘Well, with hair like that …’ admitted Jensen. ‘Yeah, I do think ya look like a ghost, especially when ya bound outta yer room like that.’

‘I did not bound out of my –’

‘Blight me Leaf,’ protested Kelko, coming out of a nearby room. ‘Wot’s all dis noise about? Don’t you two ever sleep? Ya heard wot Azariah said, Charlie – ya need yer sleep.’