Page 96 of Fiendish Delights
Hugo’s jaw was slack. ‘I had no idea.’ I doubted anyone did.
Hester spun in mid-air, barely able to contain her delight. ‘Do you need a nanny?’ she asked.
Aine’s chest rumbled again. I had the sense that we were severely outstaying our welcome. ‘Let’s go, Hes.’
‘But—’
‘We still have to get to the British Museum.’ I was already retreating.
Her shoulders sagged. ‘Fine,’ she muttered. She looked at Aine. ‘But if you’re looking for a godmother, or you needsuggestions about what to name her, then Hester is an excellent choice.’
Flames appeared around the edges of Aine’s sharp, exposed fangs and her nostrils flared. I grabbed hold of Hester. It was definitely time to go.
It was a bedraggledcrew that limped through the entrance to the British Museum. We’d taken considerable care during the journey from Wales to London, but there had been no sign of anyone following us. There was certainly nothing to suggest Athair or any other fiends were on our tail.
Our injuries and our anxiety about being attacked again had zapped our energy. Even a triple dose of spider’s silk hadn’t done much more than take the edge away from my pain and bone-deep fatigue. As we waited in a large vestibule away from the public area, I caught sight of myself in an ornate mirror. My hair was matted with dried blood, my eyes were sunken and my skin was as pale as parchment.
‘Yeah,’ Hester said. ‘You look like death.’
Hugo, who was in a far worse state, placed an arm around my waist. ‘We all do. This hunt has been like no other.’ He could say that again.
It was galling to accept that we were only standing there with the magical chess set because Athair had allowed it, though none of us were willing to say that aloud. As long as the words remained unspoken, we could believe that we’d succeeded in our quest rather than beenpermittedto succeed.
‘You haven’t forgotten your promise, have you, Daisy?’ Hugo asked. ‘You owe me that favour. Your three months at Pemberville Castle awaits.’
Hester and Otis gazed at me hopefully and I sighed. Myreality had shifted in the last twenty-four hours and giving up three long months of my life to Hugo seemed even more pointless – and heart-breaking – than it had done before. But when I turned my head and looked into his eyes, I knew I couldn’t go back on my word. ‘I remember,’ I whispered. ‘Of course I remember.’
Hugo’s arm tightened around my waist and for a moment I let myself enjoy our closeness. Then I pulled away.
A door opened and Sir Nigel strode in. As soon as he saw us, his eyes filled with concern. ‘I can see I picked a terrible time to take a month’s sabbatical.’
‘We survived,’ Hugo said quietly. His hand reached for mine. ‘All of us. For now that has to be enough.’
‘For now?’ Sir Nigel asked.
I dropped my head. ‘There are other fiends, and Athair is still out there. We couldn’t defeat him. We couldn’t come close.’
‘You rescued Gwyddbwyll Gwenddoleu ap Ceido,’ Sir Nigel said. ‘That makes you heroes in my book.’
All four of us gazed at him with blank faces. ‘The chess set,’ Sir Nigel added helpfully. ‘No fiend shall benefit from its power. It will be safe here, I promise you that. We have also dispatched our strongest witches to the old lair in Wales. The two fiends buried beneath the rubble there will be banished long before they recover. Your actions have made all of us far safer. You are to be highly commended.’
‘Does that mean we get a reward?’ Hester enquired.
Sir Nigel looked startled; it clearly hadn’t been the first thing on his mind. I pulled a face. If this was when Hester started yapping on about diamond earrings again, I was going to get pissy.
‘Because,’ Otis said, jumping in, ‘there’s a witch in hospital in Edinburgh right now who laid all the ground work. Withouthim, we’d never have known about the chess set. He could do with some support with his recovery.’
Sir Nigel nodded gravely. ‘Mr McAlpine shall have all that he needs. He deserves it.’
Hester flapped her wings in irritation and folded her arms. ‘That’s not all,’ she said, pouting.
‘Hester,’ I began.
‘Be quiet, Daisy,’ she snapped. ‘You need to learn when to shut up.’
Hugo stifled a chuckle and I glared at him.
‘Go on,’ Sir Nigel said.
