Page 76 of A Skirl of Sorcery
‘It’s enough – more than enough. I’m fine now. I’m myself again.’
‘You’re sure?’
Keres nodded. ‘Oh yes.’ She gave me a long, very direct look. ‘I can see what you’ve done, Kit McCafferty,’ she said. ‘I can see what you are.’
I took a wary step backwards. She placed her finger to her lips and smiled again, although this time it was tinged with sadness.
Slasher groaned and sat up. Despite all she’d been through, her scarlet lipstick hadn’t smudged or smeared. Magical setting spray, I guessed; whatever it was, it was extraordinary.
She rubbed the back of her neck, looked around and turned pale when she saw Jimmy Leighton’s body. She glanced at her hands and the empty black-linen bag she was holding, then she swallowed.
‘It’s okay,’ I said quickly, in an attempt to keep her calm. ‘The threat has gone.’
Arthur Dinsbury stirred and immediately touched his chest. He gulped in air and passed a hand in front of his eyes. ‘What was that?’ he whispered. ‘What the hell happened?’
I gave them a quick precis; it was the least they deserved. ‘Jimmy Leighton has been attacking people and ripping the magic out of their bodies. Keres was one of his victims.’
Dinsbury looked blank. ‘Who’s Keres?’
I just managed to avoid rolling my eyes.
‘I am,’ Keres said.
He looked down at his shoes. ‘Oh.’
‘We came here to confront Leighton,’ I continued, ‘then you showed up. He came home and tried to take our magic souls. Fortunately he didn’t succeed.’
‘I threw that powder in his face,’ Slasher whispered.
Arthur Dinsbury turned to her. ‘I helped.’
I watched them both but was careful to say nothing.
‘We did what we had to do,’ he added more firmly.
Slasher nodded. ‘I already knew he would die. That’s why…’ she flicked a glance towards Keres ‘…that’s why I was singing.’
‘We were all singing,’ I said, trying to be supportive.
Slasher didn’t notice. ‘That stuff that came from the box,’ she said to Keres. ‘That was your magic, wasn’t it?’
‘I think so,’ Keres replied in a small voice.
‘It’s in us now? Forever? Will we be like you?’
‘I don’t know.’ She shrugged helplessly. ‘I have no idea.’
Slasher looked at Dinsbury. ‘I think I wouldn’t mind so much if we are. When I knew what was happening to that man … when I saw what was inside him, I knew it would be…’ Her voice trailed off.
‘Beautiful,’ Arthur Dinsbury said. ‘Cold and terrifying but beautiful, too.’ Death wasn’t always beautiful, of course, but nobody needed to hear me say that aloud.
Slasher walked unsteadily towards Keres and held out her hand ‘My name is Suzanne.’ I supposed that counted as an apology in her world.
Keres was a better person than I was. She shook Suzanne’s hand warmly. ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘It’s nice to meet you.’
Arthur Dinsbury did the same. ‘We should get out of here,’ he said, when the awkwardness between the three of them became too much. ‘Call the MET or something.’
‘Good idea,’ I said briskly. I pointed to the staircase. ‘Lead the way.’
