Drawn to the Flame- Book 1 Council of the Light Series

11

"What is that smell?"

"I think it's coming from the palace-" footsteps squelched on wet grass and strong hands hooked under Clarence's arms to drag him.

"Smells like rotting meat."

"Help me lift him, will you?"

Someone took his feet and lifted. "I didn't think he would be so heavy."

"The Innismen should stop here eventually" That was Bobbin. "I thought with three he might kill us all- it was a bit of a gamble-" he chuckled, sounding rather proud of himself. Clarence was too exhausted to scream at him, he couldn't even lift his head.

"I think we have around- oh- nine bells before they come past. They will check here for him."

Clarence felt Beatrix's hands grip on his feet too hard. She said nothing, which meant she was furious.

Bobbin deposited Clarence on what felt like the roots of a tree. "We shouldn't be able to jump inside the perimeter defences. That's agreeable. Means nobody's here anymore."

Bobbins feet crunched on dry twigs. Clarence felt Beatrix's hand on his shoulder.

"Why just abandon it?" Beatrix's voice was a growl.

"Why not abandon it? What use would the High Steward have for it now? It's no longer easily defendable. If I were him I'd strip it of its wealth and leave it to rot."

Clarence could hardly raise a hand to his face. Everything swam around him like he was drunk. "Are we at Grovely?"

"Yes."

"Okay," His eyes rolled as he tried to summon the strength to move. Trying nearly forced him to black out.

"I wasn't sure a Jump with three could be done," Bobbin laughed. "Never heard of a Leprechaun even attempting it. Only thought to do it because I heard a story somewhere that if a connection is broken the portal will take you to the closest place you know."

"Will he recover?"

There was a pause, "Probably."

"But not by tomorrow."

"No," Bobbin didn't sound that concerned. In fact, he sounded ecstatic. "Not for weeks I expect."

"Will they come here?"

"You know, I think they might when they find out he's not with Northdale any longer." Bobbin cleared his throat. "If they do, I'll exchange Fred for him and we all go away happy. Don't worry Bea, I'll make sure you get back to Ireland, it's the least I can do. Perhaps in return you can tell me more about this world you come from. What was it called, Earth?"

Clarence realised he must have listened into something- maybe when Tom took him to one side to discuss it, or during one of his careless conversations with Beatrix along the way. If he wasn't so exhausted he would have kicked himself. Beatrix was silent for a long time, her fingers dug into his shoulder so hard he felt the pain stab. Pressure released, footsteps walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"As far away from you as possible."

Bobbin laughed under his breath as he hauled Clarence up across his shoulders and took him further into the tree line. After a while he stopped by a gatehouse. "Here we go, my parents' old home. Isn't it useful that it's right by the gate? The Innismen don't even have to come inside."

Bobbin opened the thick oak door and dumped him on the floor by an unlit fire. The mess of furniture told him there had been a fight here. From the blood splatter across the wall, it hadn't ended happily.