Page 70 of Quiver of Cobras
I stiffened. Morgan had used dandelion seeds to track me when he’d needed to. If Carduus was doing the same, I’d never be able to escape. ‘In theory?’ I asked carefully.
He glowered. ‘I’ve not yet managed it myself. I doubt anyone could.’
I breathed out. That was something, then. Artemesia did a damned good thing when she took all those potion books with her. Without them, this old bastard really was lost.
I didn’t relax for long, however. Not when I heard what else he had to say.
‘What I have achieved, however,’ he said, ‘is a potion that will allow us to locate strong magic in objects. Living creatures mess up the equilibrium of the mixture I’ve created but it’s not living creatures that we really want to find – even if that dratted bogle is still on the loose.’
I kept my features slack, not daring to move in case I betrayed the fact that I knew Charrie was already dead. It wasn’t that which really worried me, however. ‘You’re talking about the sphere, aren’t you? The one Rubus is so desperate to get hold of.’
‘We’re all desperate to get hold of it. That sphere contains enough power to return us all to Mag Mell. It’s our salvation.’
And this demesne’s destruction. I eyed the glass bottles. ‘So will that do it?’ I enquired casually. ‘Will that liquid find the sphere?’
He grimaced. ‘It still needs some tweaking but I’m getting close.’
I licked my lips. ‘That’s … wonderful news.’ Gasbudlikins. My stomach twisted. Just how close was close? I edged over to get a closer look at this supposed wonder potion. If I managed to destroy it, how difficult would it be to replace? If only I could destroy Carduus instead. I gritted my teeth. Stupid truce.
A fresh-faced faery popped her head round the door and interrupted us. ‘Good news!’ she beamed. ‘Rubus has been let go.’
Carduus tutted. ‘I should think so too.’
I checked my watch. That was good timing. I should get out of here before Rubus returned – and I had a date with a certain slimy dragon to make. Given all that I’d just learned, the faster I made it the better.
***
According to Morgan, Mendax had demanded that we meet him at Castlefield, the location of an old Roman fort as far as the humans were concerned – and the location of a closed border crossing to Mag Mell.
‘It’s no coincidence that he picked this spot,’ I murmured. Thanks to my amnesia, I didn’t feel the ache of home as keenly as other Fey did but being here still amplified the homesickness. I could feel the dull pain in my chest blossoming outwards and throbbing through my veins. No wonder so many of us were keen to follow Rubus, with his hard-edged vow to return all faeries to our homeland. It was difficult to know that here we were almost within touching distance of home, even though it was a home I couldn’t remember. It was even more difficult to remember that all this was my fault.
Morgan lightly touched my arm. ‘Are you alright?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Would you like another hug? I rather enjoyed the last one.’
I glanced at him. His eyes were dancing and I could feel my body being pulled towards his as if by some invisible magnet.
Then, from round a row of parked cars, Finn appeared. Darn it. ‘I’ve checked the surrounding area,’ he announced. ‘No one suspicious is here.’
‘Other than us, you mean.’
He snorted. ‘Speak for yourself.’ He glanced at Morgan. ‘Did she tell you what she did last night?’
I smiled smugly. ‘I put Rubus in jail. That’s more than either of you two geniuses have managed.’
‘What did you do? Is he still locked up?’ Morgan enquired, looking puzzled.
I waved a hand in the air. ‘The police let him go. On a technicality.’
‘The technicality being that all he did was grab a police officer,’ Finn said. ‘It’s hardly the crime of the century.’
‘Perhaps not,’ I said, spotting Mendax across the expanse of grass in front of us. ‘But he’s planning the crime of the millennium so let’s worry about that instead, shall we?’
All three of us straightened our shoulders, watching as Mendax shuffled towards us. He gave a good impression of an old man with arthritis. Given how fast he’d run away from me the first time I’d seen him, I knew better. I wondered what other secrets the old dragon was hiding.
‘I don’t trust this old bugger,’ Finn muttered.
