Chapter 27
Full Circle
We’re escorted through the castle of the Fae Queen by two guards, through endless twisting, turning passageways, finally reaching a rusted metal door. The guards unlock it and usher us through.
The room beyond is big. With two other rooms leading off it. A huge table with all kinds of food stands in the centre, golden high-backed chairs lined with red velvet surrounding it. A fire burns brightly in the great stone hearth behind. And above this a mirror with a dark wood frame.
“We will leave you here.” A guard bows to us, his golden hair flowing down over his head.
“Rest.” The other says. “The Queen will call you shortly.” She smiles.
I lift my chin and look her in the eye. “Thank you.”
She nods once, pale green eyes sparkling. “No. Thank you.”
As the door clicks shut a wave of tiredness hits me and my knees buckle. Alice grabs me and leads me to one of the chairs then pulls up another. “You did good, Brad.”
I rub my forehead. “We did good.”
She takes a grape from one of the bowls and pops it in her mouth. “Mmm. Not bad.”
Another wave of tiredness rolls over me, my head heavy. I lean back against the chair, struggling to keep my eyes open. “We made it. We actually made it.”
“You want to eat?”
I shake my head. “Maybe later.
###
I wake to the sound of voices and sit up, rubbing my stiff neck.
De Silva leaps from his chair and slaps me on my shoulder. “You did it! Well done my brave knight.”
I blink and rub at my face. “What’s going on?”
He grins. “The queen has released me. I am free to return to my own time, to live the life I should’ve had. I will not squander this chance, will not let fear get its hooks in me again.”
Alice smiles sadly. “He’s going home, Brad.”
“That’s cool. We’ll see more of each other.”
Her face drops.
“Ah,” De Silva says, rubbing his chin. “No, Sir Atkins. I am returning to my life in 642AD. The place I’m supposed to be.”
Alice touches my shoulder. “And we should do the same. Go home, I mean.”
Emotions swirl around inside me, blown on a strange breeze. “But what about fencing class?”
De Silva sits on the table in front of me. “Everyone has their place, Sir Atkins. You just need to find it. I thought my life – before the curse – to be the wrong one, but it was I who was wrong. You will find another teacher, one better suited. And one day, you will teach others.”
A buzz travels up my spine and over the top of my scalp.
De Silva claps me on the shoulder. “The student has become the master. You have both shown me that by not giving up in the face of change, you can make a life that is good for you and those around you. I will not forget this lesson when I return to my life. Second chances are hard to come by.”
Alice picks at her nails. “It won’t be the same without you, Sir.”
“No, it will be different. And that will be ok.”
A knock on the door makes us all turn.
“I’ll get it.” I push myself up.
Two different guards stand outside. Both are tall with white-blonde hair cut short. Each wears silver armour polished so I can see myself reflected back. And each wears a helmet with deep blue feathers attached. “We are two of the Ansyn Gärd. The queen requests your presence. Immediately.”
I turn to De Silva. “Will we see you again after this?”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not.”
“But Sir…” Alice starts, then tails off.
He puts both hands on her shoulders and turns her to face him. “You are stronger than me, both of you. But you have taught me much, have shown great courage in the face of adversity. You will be fine without me, but I will not forget you, ever.”
“And we won’t you,” Alice says.
De Silva smiles. “Now go. Live your lives. And you know what?”
“What?” We say together.
“Enjoy them. Enjoy every twist and turn. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
One of the Fae coughs. “We should not keep her majesty waiting.”
###
The throne room is full. Rows and rows of golden armoured Fae all holding bows to their chest stand either side of the central aisle. On a dais at the front the queen sits on her throne, the woman with stars in her eyes to the right, Palgamor on the left. Something’s different. And then it hits me like a hammer blow. Romalesque is no longer wearing an eyepatch. She scans the room, with her blue and green eyes. Without the patch she looks a bit less scary. But only a bit.
The queen raises a hand and beckons to us, one bone-white finger curling in the air. “Approach, Sir Atkins: Fae-friend and Knight of the Emerald Eye. Approach, Sir Werdun: Fae-friend and pathfinder. Approach Sir De Silva.” She smiles. “Finally, you are Fae-Friend, Knight of the Lost, teacher to those in need.”
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De Silva swallows heavily, the gulp sounding loud in the silence. “Come on,” he whispers. “She’s in a good mood. It only happens once a century, so let’s not spoil it.”
I bite down a smile, throw my shoulders back and begin the walk, Alice to my left, De Silva to my right.
As we near, the queen steps down and holds out her hand to me. Her fingers are cold as ice.
“Kneel, Sir Atkins.”
Pulse thumping in my wrist I kneel before her, head bowed.
“Palgamor?” She says.
His footsteps approach, then stop.
The queen takes something and gently touches each of my shoulders. “Arise, Sir Atkins. Keeper of The Dragon Sword.”
My heart flutters as I stand. Romalesque holds out both her arms, a beautiful ornate sword balanced across them. The blade is made of a shiny, grey material that reflects the light in rainbow colours, just like the claw of Sabotini. The handle is carved from silver, with swirls like those on the tomb set into the cross piece in gems. A snake twists around the handle and up through the cross piece, the blade of the sword protruding from its open mouth. At the end of the handle a sleeping dog is curled around the snake’s tail.
De Silva nudges me. “Stop staring and take it,” he whispers.
I reach out and grip the handle, the snake flows around my fingers, making the perfect grip for my hand. I hold the sword up, warmth flowing through me from the pit of my stomach.
The Fae army stamp twice, then silence.
The queen raises herself up to her full height. She towers over me. “Forged from the claw of Sabotini herself, this sword is given in twofold thanks. Hail Sir Atkins, returner of the eye of Romalesque. You must name it, Sir Atkins.”
I look up. “Now?”
“Before the rise of the next full moon.”
The army stamps again. Just once.
Palgamor steps forward. “In your world this sword will look and act like the foil you lost in Sabotini’s lair. Return to Fae or Angelmere and it will resume its true form.”
I stare at the sword wide-eyed. Lose a magic sword, get another one.
What stories will this one tell one day?
I can’t help but smile.
Palgamor hands a golden bracelet to Romalesque. She holds it up to the light. It’s carved to look like a snake, but at the tail end there’s a bat, its wings spread wide. “Step forward, Sir Werdun. As you refused my offer of a weapon in favour of your own, I have had this forged for you.”
Alice holds out a hand and the queen slides it gently onto her arm, the snake slithering around, tightening, gripping itself in place.
Romalesque nods. “You are a ward and protector to some, a guide and friend to others. This charm will serve you well.”
The Fae army stamp once.
Alice looks up wide-eyed. “What does it do?”
Palgamor folds his arms. “You will know when the time comes.”
“What does that mean?”
“Shh,” De Silva says gently. “You will know.” He turns to Romalesque and lets out a shuddering breath then bends down on one knee. “Your majesty.”
The queen’s eyes narrow. “A deal is a deal.”
She makes a sign in the air that glows with a soft golden light:
(Ô/ -)
My eyes widen. It’s the same symbol that opened the secret door to the passageway under De Silva’s tomb.
The symbol fades.
Romalesque touches a hand to De Silva’s bowed head and murmurs something in a strange, musical language. The tinkling of broken glass fills the air then fades. “Arise, De Silva. You are released from your curse.”
De Silva stands slowly and looks around at us. He seems dazed, like someone waking from a dream. Then a smile splits his face, and he mouths the words ‘Thank you’ at me and Alice.
His smile is infectious, I feel the same spread over my face and see the same on Alice’s.
Things are going to be ok.
The Fae Army stamp once more then turn as one and file from the room.
Palgamor steps forwards. “If I may your majesty?”
Romalesque nods. “You may.”
Palgamor bows, his white-blonde hair flowing down over his face. As he stands, he smooths it back, a smile thin as a knife cutting his face. “Follow me.”
Me and Alice exchange a glance.
“Where?” I ask.
I just want to go home now.
“Follow me.”
I turn to De Silva. “We’ll miss you, Sir.”
“But we can come and see you, can’t we?” Alice says, a slight waver in her voice.
De Silva smiles. “Anytime you want. You have yet to meet Coventina. She will like you both as much as I do, and you her, I’m sure. Now go. I’m not one for long goodbyes.”
I look him in the eye one last time. There’s a sparkle there I’ve not seen before. Warmth floods through me and across my shoulders. “Goodbye, Sir.”
“More au revoir, my good knights. My friends.”
Alice hugs him one last time.
“Come.” Palgamor spins on his heel and we follow him to a side door that leads to stone steps that wind downwards.
Hand on the rough stone wall, I follow, Alice behind. “Where are we going?”
He doesn’t turn. “Home.”
Relief floods through me at the sound of that word. Home. To my family. Home isn’t a building, it’s people.
“Yes,” Alice whispers behind me.
The steps take us to a corridor so narrow, my shoulders gently scrape the sides as we walk, so low, Palgamor has to duck his head down to avoid banging it. We head steadily downwards, finally reaching a golden door, trimmed with red. Palgamor pushes it open. “Welcome back to the Royal Mirror Room.”
We follow Palgamor, and stand either side of him, staring at our endless reflections moving back at us. This time the shift and move as we travel is less of a jolt. I take it in my stride. Just something new that has now become familiar.
We land in a small alley. It’s night-time. The air cool, the sky bright with stars. It takes me a second to realise and then I gasp. We’re stood in The Cut, just under the window of the room we stayed at when we first came to Angelmere. It seems like an age ago now. My stomach twists. “Are we safe here? De Silva said…”
“And he was right to warn you,” Palgamor interrupts. “But you are with me, and so safe. We Fae guard this place. None who enter without our permission return.”
“What do you do to them?” Alice asks quietly.
Palgamor turns his gaze on her.
She holds up a hand. “Doesn’t matter. I don’t think I want to know.”
He inclines his head then points to the brick wall at the end. “Choose your incantation?”
I frown. “For what?”
“To find your way through, of course.”
Me and Alice exchange a glance then at the same time say, “Forwards to get back.”
Palgamor nods. “Touch your hands to the wall, palms flat, fingers splayed”
Heart thumping, I walk with Alice to the back wall of The Cut and press my hands against the cool, rough bricks.
Palgamor stands behind us. “Now, repeat after me: Elis Prioré Vedirum.”
“Elis Prioré Vedirum.”
The bricks no longer feel rough on my skin and while I can still see them, I can also see through them to a narrow, sandy path that runs up to a small square surrounded by beautiful little cottages with thatched roofs. Flowers bloom in the gardens.
“Enter,” Palgamor says.
We step through and follow the path to the square. A smile splits my face. On a bench sit Digby and Garvey. They both stand as we approach and Digby comes over and hugs first Alice, then me. “I believe this means you did it?”
Alice grins. “We did.”
Garvey throws his huge, hairy arms around us and squeezes. “Alright, alright,” I say. “I actually like breathing you know!”
Garvey chuckles and releases his grip. I can still feel the pressure of his arms along my back and shoulders. “How come you’re both here?”
Digby points to a little cottage. “We have a house here, given to Garvey by Vesterharjle many years ago.”
“Why?” I ask.
“For doing something.”
Digby grins. “He’ll not tell you. But I might…one day.”
Garvey points to two of the cottages opposite. “We’ll be neighbours.”
I look to Palgamor, a pleasant tingling in my stomach, and he nods. “You have done a great service to the Fae. Like Garvey here, you are Fae-Friend, for now, and ever.”
Alice runs to the nearest cottage and opens the door. “Wow, Brad!” Her face is full of happiness. “Is this one mine?”
“Both are identical. Blank canvasses for you to paint your life here upon.”
“But we can go home?” I ask.
“Yes, of course. You both have a mirror room beneath your cottage. You may come and go as you please.”
Alice narrows her eyes. “What price do we pay for this?”
Palgamor clasps his hands together. “None. You have paid already. But my queen may have need of you in the future. Such souls are hard to find these days. Should she call, you need only to walk to the end of the Flower Lane and recite the key that Hazel gave you. The lane is just up ahead on the right. You cannot miss it.”
My stomach twists. “So, we’re still cursed?”
“Cursed is an unpleasant word,” Palgamor smiles coldly. “Let’s say, employed. And now I must leave you.” Without another word he heads up past the square.
“Wait!” I shout after him and he turns. “What if we don’t want to be cursed anymore.”
He smooths his white-blonde hair back. “Some things in life you get to choose. Others you must learn to live with.”
And then he’s gone.
Digby puts a hand on each of our shoulders, “Well done, brave knights. Will you stay a while and eat with us?”
I look to Alice. She shakes her head. “I just want to go see Mum now.”
Warmth spreads through me. We’re going home. We’re actually going home. “Me too,” I say.
“Then go,” Garvey says, smiling. “But come back and see us. I will make you both a shield fit for Fae-Friend.”
“That’s worth coming back for alone,” I say, shivers of excitement running through me.