Epilogue

 

Bellows was shaking. It might have been with anger or it might have been with fear. Either way, Winter didn’t really care. ‘You abused your position to take advantage of several younger women. You assaulted them.’

‘Nobody said no!’

‘Oh, I think we’ll find they did.’ Winter leaned forward. ‘You tout yourself as a magical consultant. You pass yourself off as a witch. That means we can try you under Order jurisdiction, rather than the normal courts.’ He allowed himself a small smile. ‘Our methods and punishments are somewhat … harsher.’

Bellows blinked and paled. ‘I’m not in the Order! I’m not even a witch! I barely have any magic at all!’

‘That’s not what you tell everyone.’

‘I’m lying!’

Winter knitted his fingers together in satisfaction. ‘Indeed you are.’ He eyed Bellows. ‘Why are you using necromancy?’

‘What?’

‘You’re raising the dead, Trevor. You’re responsible for at least one death.’

Bellows bolted to his feet. ‘I bloody well am not! Okay, I blackmailed Belinda. Okay, I might have seduced some of the crew members. But I have never tried to raise a corpse!’

Winter’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Seduced? Is that what you’re calling sexual assault?’

Bellows began to bluster and babble. Winter would have stayed to listen but frankly he’d had more than enough. Trevor Bellows was a bastard and he deserved to be locked up for a very long time but Winter knew that when he’d denied the necromancy, he’d been telling the truth. Bellows’ alarm was genuine.

Winter wasn’t surprised. Regardless of what Ivy had suggested, the sleazy supposed witch simply didn’t have the magic to pull off those kinds of spells. He stood up and walked out while Bellows continued to talk. Plonker, as Ivy would say.

Out in the corridor, a familiar floppy-haired witch pushed himself off the wall and bounded forward. ‘Adeptus Exemptus Winter! How’s the interrogation going?’

Winter glared at Tarquin Villeneuve. ‘Fine.’ He pushed past him. Dawn wasn’t far off and he could do with a few hours’ sleep before he went to check on Ivy. The last thing he needed was this idiot getting in his way.

‘Wait! There’s something I have to tell you!’

Winter rolled his eyes and halted, reluctantly turning round. ‘What?’

‘I made that vial. The one Belinda Battenapple had round her neck.’

‘I know. So what?’

Villeneuve was nonplussed. ‘Well, my talent is obvious. I think I would be an excellent candidate for Arcane Branch. In fact, I have a few ideas for questions you should ask Mr Bellows.’

‘Good for you. But Arcane Branch is full. I suggest you put your … talents to use elsewhere.’

Villeneuve thrust out an arm to stop him from moving away. Winter stared at it in astonishment. ‘What on earth do you think you’re doing?’

‘You need to listen to me, Adeptus. I don’t know what Ivy has said about me but I can assure you that I have nothing but integrity and…’

Winter sighed. ‘Shut up.’

Villeneuve gave him a knowing wink. ‘You like her, don’t you?’

Winter growled, ‘What are you wittering on about?’

‘Ivy.’ Villeneuve smiled, flashing white, even teeth. ‘I can understand it. She does have a certain allure, doesn’t she? And I can tell you from personal experience that blondes definitely do have more fun.’

Winter bunched up his fists. Unfortunately, Villeneuve wasn’t done and clapped him on the back as if they were the best of friends.

‘I’m prepared to step out of your way and let you have her. It’s the least I can do for an Adeptus Exemptus like yourself. Of course,’ he added, ‘I wouldn’t expect anything in return. You wouldn’t have to put in a good word for me at Arcane Branch. Not that it wouldn’t be welcome but I believe in hard work and earning the position I deserve.’

Any second now, Villeneuve would receive exactly the position he deserved. ‘You will step out of the way,’ Winter demanded in a tone that would have sent almost anyone else – Ivy included – running for cover.

‘Sure. Anyone with half a brain can see how much you like her. It’s the way your eyes follow her when you think she’s not looking.’ Villeneuve’s smile changed to a smirk, as if suggesting that something lascivious went through Winter’s mind every time Ivy appeared.

‘Maybe,’ Winter said through his rising anger, ‘Ivy would like to decide for herself. Maybe I don’t need you to step out of the way and neither does she.’

‘Whoa, chillax, Adeptus! It was just a suggestion.’

Chillax? Was that even a word? Winter had never been prone to violence but he was itching to wipe the smile off Villeneuve’s face. He took a deep breath, counted to three, then turned and started to walk away again.

‘Did you ask Trevor Bellows about the spells he’s been practising in between filming?’ Villeneuve called.

Goddamnit. Winter stopped. This time he didn’t waste his time turning. ‘What spells?’

‘You should ask him. All I know is that he’s been punching above his weight and trying things he should know better than to attempt. He’s still in the interrogation room. The police won’t mind if you speak to him again.’

Something was going on here – and Winter didn’t think it had anything to do with Trevor Bellows. He decided he’d shake the truth out of Ivy’s stupid ex-boyfriend and damn the consequences.

‘Meow.’

He glanced over. Brutus had appeared in an open window to the left and was peering at Winter with an uncharacteristic wide-eyed stare.

Abandoning Villeneuve, Winter strode over. ‘What is it? Is it Ivy? Is she alright?’

Villeneuve chuckled. ‘You’re not expecting the cat to answer, are you?’

‘Man,’ Brutus said. ‘Go.’

‘Go where? The hotel?’ Terror coursed through Winter’s veins.

Villeneuve stared. ‘Did you throw your voice, Adeptus?’

Brutus gave him a withering look and returned his attention to Winter. ‘Ivy is positioning herself in severe and immediate jeopardy. She has departed the hotel in order to locate some local human named Gareth and is under the impression that she will not return from this encounter. One might suggest that you leave this place post haste and go to her aid.’

Shit, shit, shit. ‘Where exactly did she go, Brutus?’

‘A farm. I believe the name is McAllan? If she does not discover her quarry there, she believes he will be at the cemetery. She departed over an hour ago. You must hurry.’

Brutus was still talking when Winter sprinted for the door. Villeneuve started to shout, ‘Wait! You can’t go! Ivy doesn’t want you to!’ There was a pause. ‘Ouch! You’ve pierced through my damn flesh! You bloody cat, what did you do that for?’

Winter burst outside just as his phone started to ring. Thinking it might be Ivy, he answered it.

‘This is Iqbal,’ Ivy’s friend burst out in a rush. ‘Something’s wrong. We keep trying to get hold of Ivy. She left a message asking about someone named Gareth. His counsellor is a friend of my ex and … never mind. She called me because Ivy’s not picking up. She said that Gareth’s a good guy but she’s worried about his family. There’s a brother. Stepbrother or adopted brother or something like that. I don’t know. Adeptus, you have to get to Ivy now. I think something’s happening. I think…’

‘I’m on my way,’ Winter ground out. ‘I’m on my way now.’ He ran even faster.

 

***

 

Every time he reached a red light, Winter flicked a rune out towards it and changed it to green. He’d never normally condone such behaviour even in an emergency but this was different. Ivy was different. When he got hold of her, he’d throttle her. Then he’d hug her and kiss her. After that he might tie her up to ensure she never did anything like this again.

He told himself that the reason his hands were shaking was because of the adrenaline. If he recognised his fear for her he’d be a mess – and incapable of doing anything to help her. But Brutus had genuinely been worried. Winter drew in a ragged breath.

Locating the farm, and ignoring the dirt that flew up around the bike’s wheels, he forced it up the narrow lane to the farmhouse at speed. He reminded himself that panic never helped anyone then he leapt from the seat without bothering to turn off the engine and hammered on the door. ‘Open up!’

When the door didn’t open immediately, Winter raised one leg and kicked it. There was a crash of splintering wood and he stalked inside. ‘Ivy! Where the hell are you? Ivy!’

From out of nowhere a woman appeared and Winter’s body tensed.

She brandished a shotgun in his direction. ‘Get out of my house.’ She raised the muzzle.

Winter’s hand snapped forward and he yanked the weapon out of her grasp. ‘Where is she?’ he demanded. ‘Where is Ivy Wilde?’

The woman’s eyes were as wide as saucers. ‘I don’t know who you mean,’ she stammered. ‘No one lives here by that name. It’s just me, my husband and our two boys – Alistair and Gareth.’

Gareth. Winter hissed through his teeth. ‘Where is he? Where is Gareth?’ He took a step towards her.

The woman obviously felt threatened because she stepped back and he could see her trembling. ‘He went out after a sheep. It got lost. A woman came round looking for him. Blonde with crazy hair and crazier eyes. She…’ Her voice faltered slightly at Winter’s look. ‘She went after him. She said he was a good friend of hers.’

‘Where’s your husband?’

She swallowed. ‘In the pub.’

‘And your other son? Alistair?’

‘I … I … don’t know. Out with his pals, maybe.’

Winter’s fists clenched. ‘And where exactly did Gareth go to find the sheep?’

‘I don’t know that either! I…’

He spun round, abandoning her to return to his bike. Ivy wasn’t here. His next stop had to be Dead Man’s Hill. With his fear increasing, he ignored the woman who had altered her course of stuttering fear to one of rage.

‘You bastard! Coming into my house and threatening me! I’ll have the police on you! My son can do magic, you know. He’ll hurt you for what you’ve just done! He’ll turn your insides out!’

Winter revved the engine and took off without once glancing back.

 

***

 

He was still a long way from the cemetery and the hill behind it when he saw the lights. As far as he could tell, they were man-made and nothing to do with magic. All the same, he continued to gun the engine. What the hell was Ivy thinking? What was really going on? Winter pressed down on the accelerator. He’d ask questions later.

The moment he reached the entrance to the graveyard, he flung down the bike. Its wheels were still spinning when he took off in the direction of the lights. There were shouts and screams, each one sending a bloodcurdling chill down his spine. Then he saw Ivy, suspended in the air above a small group of people, her face contorted in an expression of pain and horror.

No.

Winter ran forward, his hands raised. In quick succession he threw out every single protection rune he could think of. Each one bounced uselessly off Ivy’s body. Her mouth opened as if in a scream and her body began to shake violently.

Winter sped past a kid, who was pulling himself up from the ground with a dazed expression, and headed directly to her. Her eyes moved to him and for the briefest moment she seemed to relax. Her lips formed three unmistakable words that made his heart stop. Then the life seemed to go out of her, like someone had flipped a switch.

He was less than a foot away when she dropped like a stone. Winter held out his arms and caught her just before she hit the ground. There was an odd, beatific smile on her face.

For one brief moment, her eyelids fluttered open and his hope flared. ‘Benjamin?’ she asked. Less than a second later, her body went limp and her eyes closed.

Doing his best to quash his panic, Winter laid her down gently. He couldn’t feel a pulse. He dipped his head closer to her mouth. No breath. Shit. With his mouth dry, Winter began compressions, pounding on her chest. ‘Call a fucking ambulance!’ He breathed into her mouth. Then he continued compressions again.

‘Let me help.’ A youngish man with a Scottish brogue knelt down next to him.

Winter didn’t stop what he was doing but raised his eyes for long enough to scan the man’s face. ‘Name?’ he barked.

‘G … G … Gareth.’

Winter gave Ivy another breath. Then he took half a beat to draw a rune and send the man flying backwards.

The kid let out a cry and ran towards him. ‘Gareth! What did that bastard do to you?’

Winter paid them no further attention.

‘Adeptus! I know first aid. We can work together.’ Barry, Ivy’s erstwhile producer, fell heavily to his knees and took over the compressions. All the while, Ivy’s skin turned paler and paler and she didn’t move once.

 

***

 

The smell of antiseptic clung to everything but it couldn’t conceal the underlying stench of sickness and despair. Winter paced up and down the corridor, his shoes squeaking. Every time a door opened, he held his breath. It was never for him. There was still no news about Ivy.

He lowered his head and stared at his feet. He still didn’t understand what had happened. Why had she gone out there alone?

‘Adeptus Exemptus Winter?’

He sprang to his feet, only belatedly realising that it was Amy, the runner from Enchantment.

‘Hi.’ He slumped down again.

‘Have you heard anything?’

He didn’t trust his voice. He simply shook his head and sighed.

She thrust something in his direction. ‘She dropped this after she…’ Amy scratched her head awkwardly. ‘You know. She was reading it out when it all happened.’

Slowly, as if moving through sludge, Winter took the scroll. He stared at the words, then at the tiny insignia at the bottom. The Order. Ivy had got this from the Order. As he tried to make sense of it, another door opened. It wasn’t a doctor.

‘Has anyone told you how she is?’

Winter looked up at the Ipsissimus. ‘No.’

Amy swallowed. ‘I should go. When she wakes up, tell her I’m thinking of her.’ She scooted away down the corridor and out of sight.

‘I’ll talk to them,’ the Ipsissimus declared. ‘Someone must know what’s happening.’

Winter stood up. ‘You’re right.’ His voice was flat. He held up the scroll. ‘Someone must know.’

The Ipsissimus looked at it then at Winter. He let out a long breath and took the scroll from him. ‘Well,’ he said heavily, ‘I suppose the truth was going to come out sooner or later.’

‘You gave this to her.’

The Ipsissimus inclined his head. ‘I did.’ Winter waited for more. The Ipsissimus sighed and sat down. ‘Necromancy is a tricky beast, Raphael. You know that. If it’s not halted in the early stages, the consequences are devastating. We needed a powerful witch on hand to stop the magic from taking hold. Your Ivy didn’t hesitate.’

Winter didn’t look at him. ‘You should have come to me.’

‘You are needed in the Order.’

A muscle throbbed in Winter’s jaw. ‘You could have done it.’

‘I would have if I could. Ivy understood the reasons why I didn’t. Believe me, if I could have taken her place and been assured that the Order would remain standing and sane, then I would have.’

Winter gritted his teeth. ‘She wasn’t in the Order. We are trained for this, we accept this is our job. She was not part of that. You made her sacrifice herself. You used an innocent to fight your battle. And now she’s … she’s…’ He couldn’t finish the sentence.

‘Ivy Wilde was fully aware of the consequences.’ The Ipsissimus was silent for a moment. ‘She didn’t tell you because she wanted to save you from having to do it yourself.’

Winter turned his head to look at him. ‘She said that?’

‘She didn’t have to.’

Winter waited for several beats until he was confident he had his rage under enough control. Then he stood up. ‘You treated her like cannon fodder. You used her. You didn’t even have the courtesy to tell me what was going on or to give me the opportunity to take her place.’ He shook his head. ‘I cannot be part of an organisation that treats people like that.’

A furrow crossed the Ipsissimus’s brow. ‘Adeptus Exemptus Winter, I sincerely hope you’re not about to do anything foolish. I’d like to remind you that we now have a young boy in our custody who is going to need our help. Ivy could have saved herself and instead she chose to save him. She even suggested that he go to you for help. We need you in Arcane Branch. She needs you in Arcane Branch.’

‘No,’ Winter said simply, ‘she doesn’t.’ He lifted up his chin and looked the Ipsissimus in the eye. ‘I hereby rescind my position and resign from the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment with immediate effect.’

‘You can’t do that.’

Winter shrugged. ‘I just did.’ His voice hardened. ‘Now get out. You don’t belong here.’

‘Take some time to think about this. Don’t rush into anything. I understand that right now you’re feeling raw but—’

‘You don’t understand anything. And I’m not going to repeat myself. Leave this place.’

The Ipsissimus got to his feet. He smoothed down his robes and nodded. ‘Very well. When you change your mind, come and find me.’

‘I won’t change my mind.’ Winter’s tone brooked no argument.

The Ipsissimus waited a beat, as if he still expected a sudden change of heart. When none was forthcoming, he turned round and left.

Winter collapsed back into the chair. This was all his fault. He’d brought Ivy here. If he’d been paying more attention, he would have known what was going on. He was a damned fool.

Yet another door opened. This time Winter didn’t even bother looking up.

‘Are you here for Ms Wilde?’ a voice enquired.

Winter’s head snapped up. The doctor, wearing a white coat and a serious expression, was addressing him. He swallowed. ‘I am. Is she going to be alright?’

She smiled.

***********

 

 

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