Modern Magick

The Heart of Hyndorin: 14

Right. Poor taste.

Hastily, I tucked the precious scroll into my shoulder-bag. I wanted it out of Luan's sight, before he could work himself back around to another fit of opposition. Out of sight, out of mind?

Also, I wanted Mr. Mauf and Mr. Scroll to get acquainted. I didn't yet know what Mauf had contrived to absorb down in that old workshop, but if he compared whatever he'd got with the contents of the new scroll, the results might be quite interesting.

Time for a speedy subject change. 'About Pup,' I said to Jay. 'I don't see her up here. Whereabouts did you leave her?'

'Silver stores,' he said. 'Which are...' he looked blank, and shrugged. 'Somewhere else. All this voluntary/involuntary teleporting has me confused.'

I directed a hopeful look at Luan.

'Allow me to be quite clear,' he said, and the disapproving tone was back. 'You will not be leaving here with that scroll, and our stores of Silver.'

'We have not the slightest wish to,' I assured him, which was a total lie, because the second I set eyes on that "gigantic pile" of fabulously valuable Silver I knew I would want every single scrap of it. 'All we want is to retrieve Pup, and get out of your hair.'

'My hair?'

Oops. 'Just an expression.'

'We're going home,' Jay supplied.

'Well, they're going home,' I amended.

'You are staying?' said Luan, swift with suspicion.

'I suppose so.'

'Where?'

'I... don't know.' The prospect of being left behind while Jay and Alban and Em went home sent the bottom dropping out of my stomach. Where would I go? What would I do, stranded in the fifth Britain by myself?

'We aren't leaving without you,' said Jay firmly, and I could almost have kissed him for that, except that it would never do.

'You have to,' I retorted. 'Someone's got to get this scroll to Mandridore, and quickly.'

'Then first we need to fix you.'

Fix me, like I was a broken refrigerator. Malfunctioning gadgetry, just see the repairman and all will be well.

I realised I was gazing at Jay with the Eyes of Hope, and hastily composed myself. 'Do you think it's possible?'

'Ves. If there's one thing I've learned from hanging around with you, it's that every gods-damned insane thing imaginable is probably possible, if you can manage to be batshit crazy enough.'

My turn of phrase was rubbing off on Jay. 'Are we batshit crazy enough?'

'Always.'

My eyes filled momentarily with tears, rather to my shame. Sensible, unflappable, by-the-book Jay was volunteering to be a total madman for my sake.

My corrupting influence knew no bounds.

Jay gave a slight cough, and added, 'Of course, we could use a little help.' He was looking at Luan as he said it, the cheek. As though we hadn't already complicated the poor Earl's day enough.

Luan, unfortunately, looked nonplussed.

'I have an idea,' I said. 'Magickal Silver absorbs magick, right? So how about you throw me head-first into that gigantic pile of yours and see how much of me comes out.'

Jay looked appalled.

'It'll be okay,' I said, with a reassuring smile. 'I'm pretty sure I'll still have arms, legs and a head.'