Mike Shevdon - The Eighth Court

“It crossed my mind,” said Claire, “But then I would have expected to see them at the ceremony. The odd barrister does turn up, but they generally sit in the upper gallery and watch. Most of the people that come are from the City for the investiture of the Sheriffs of the City of London.”

“What about the Remembrancer,” said Blackbird. “Does he know who they are?”

“The whole idea is that neither of us know who they are, and then we can’t betray them. They protect us, and in return they too are protected.”

“I don’t get it,” said Alex. “What are they for? I mean, they turn up and all that, but why?”

“Why does the testing of two knives, one blunt and one sharp, create a barrier between the worlds?” said Blackbird. “Claire, in your bag you carry a horseshoe, do you not?”

Claire nodded.

“Would you show it to us?” asked Blackbird.

“I thought it was… impolite,” said Claire.

“Just this once,” said Blackbird.

Claire reached down and opened her bag, extracting the heavy iron horseshoe which looked massive in her delicate hands. Alex hissed, while Blackbird looked distinctly uncomfortable.

“Alex, what is it?” said Katherine, looking suddenly worried.

“Katherine, would you take the horseshoe from Claire?”

“I wouldn’t normally allow…” said Claire.

“As a test,” said Blackbird.

Claire handed the heavy shoe to Katherine who took it in both hands. Blackbird watched Alex, whose expression had the look of someone who’d expected wine and found themselves to be drinking vinegar.

“What is it, sweetheart?” said Katherine. “It’s heavy, but…”

“Take it from her,” Blackbird said to Alex.

“No!” said Alex.

“It’s only a horseshoe,” said Blackbird.

“You do it then, if that’s all it is,” Alex challenged.

Blackbird smiled slowly. “It is only a horseshoe. They are only a couple of knives. It is only a hazel rod, and yet there is power in it. Why does the testing of two knives set a barrier between the worlds? As my friend Gregor would tell you, ritual itself is important, method is as important as means. Having the knights at the ceremony is part of the ritual. They are symbols, and symbols are important.”

“And if they’re not there?” asked Katherine, handing the horseshoe back to Claire with a sidelong look at her daughter’s sour expression.

“Then the symbol is absent, and the ritual is incomplete.”

“One of them arranged for the delivery of the knives and the nails before the ceremony,” said Claire. “And arranged for them to be taken away afterwards. That’s all I know.”

“How do you know if it’s one of them?” asked Blackbird. “What if they were substituted?”

“There are certain forms that must be followed — oaths to be sworn while each of us is holding one of the horseshoes” Claire explained. “No one fey could swear that oath under those circumstance, and no one else knows the oath that’s sworn. Someone fey could extract the oath from us, but they’d never be able to swear it holding the horseshoe.”

“That still doesn’t help us find them,” said Blackbird, “but it does mean that the nails and the knives are probably safe for now. The horseshoes are a different matter. You have one, and there’s another in your flat.”

“The rest were in the safe, wherever that is,” said Claire. “We still have no way of contacting the keepers of the nails or the knives, though. We need to warn them or we may yet lose them all, assuming they still exist.”

“We’ll think about that tomorrow,” said Blackbird. “In the meantime I will ask Niall to arrange the recovery of the horseshoe from your flat, and we need to find you somewhere to stay.”

“She can stay here,” volunteered Katherine.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly,” said Claire “It’s too dangerous.”

“No one knows you’re here,” said Katherine. “So no one’s going to bother us, are they?”

Blackbird was on the point of trying to explain why that didn’t necessarily help and then thought better of it. Katherine was right. There was no reason for Claire not to be at Katherine’s. The only link between them was Niall, and that was a hard connection to follow.

“She could have my room,” said Alex. “I can go back with Blackbird for tonight and come back tomorrow,” she said brightly.

Blackbird thought that had more to do with avoiding Katherine’s questions than the spirit of generosity, but if it got the job done… “Very well,” said Blackbird, “but I want a private word with Claire first, and then I will want to walk around the house and garden. Katherine, when will Barry be back?”

“He’s away at the office Christmas party and sales conference,” she said. “That was one reason I wanted Alex to stay over. It meant we could spend some time with just us. He won’t be back until the day after tomorrow.”

That gave them tomorrow to work something out for Claire. It would be a bad idea for her to stay with Katherine for longer than a night or so, in any case.

Before they left, Blackbird spoke quietly with Claire and made her promise to keep the horseshoe close to her to prevent anyone from gaining knowledge of her whereabouts, especially while she was with Katherine. Then she walked the bounds of the property and set a simple warding to turn away curious eyes — it wasn’t much but it would do for one night. They would have to come up with something better tomorrow.

When they went to leave, Katherine wanted to call a taxi for them, but Blackbird explained that the fewer people who saw them go the better. In the back of her mind was the thought that she would have to explain to Niall why exposing Katherine to this risk was necessary, but she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

Blackbird and Alex slipped away from the house cloaked in glamour. Despite Alex’s complaints that she was shivering and hadn’t brought a coat, Blackbird made her wait across the street with her until the curtains were drawn and the house was in darkness. When she was sure there was nothing waiting in the shadows, she took Alex and headed back to the courts.

Fionh was in the room where the Way-nodes converged when they returned. “You’re late back,” she commented dryly.

“Long day,” said Blackbird as Fionh removed the stones that opened the Ways into the High Court and closed them off for the night, setting them in their places.

“I thought Alex was staying with her mother?” said Fionh.

“Change of plan,” said Alex. “Mum’s got an unexpected visitor and there’s only the one spare bedroom, so I’m going back tomorrow.”

“The house is quiet,” said Fionh. “Dogstar said to let you know he’s collected the baby from Lesley. I think he’s gone to bed.”

“Thank you Fionh,” said Blackbird. “I won’t be long from bed myself.”

Blackbird and Alex made their way up through the house, finding the lights dimmed; all was quiet. “It’s a nice house when it’s quiet,” said Alex, as they topped the stairs. “I’d better come and explain to Dad why I’m not staying at Mum’s.”

“I can tell him,” said Blackbird.

Alex smiled. “Probably better if we both tell him, don’t you think?”

Blackbird acknowledged her words with a nod and led the way to their rooms. In truth she was grateful for Alex’s support. She didn’t need a row with Niall about leaving Claire with Katherine and having Alex there to explain would add credence to the tale. There were moments when Alex seemed suddenly more grown up, and this was one of them.

They entered the room quietly, finding the lights turned low and Niall fully dressed on the bed atop the covers with their son sprawled across his chest, both of them fast asleep.