Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Mistake

I was exhausted but forced myself to continue through the night. Keeping to the lower ground, I passed to the west of the hills where we'd stayed with the hermit but was soon forced to climb again. At last I began to descend towards the bay. The distant sea gleamed in the moonlight. The tide seemed a long way out, but was it safe to cross?

I'd have to wait for dawn, then try to find the guide. I didn't know where he lived but I just had to hope that he was on this side of the bay, not the far shore. I halted at last on the edge of a low cliff, staring out at the flat sands stretching into the distance. To the east there was a faint purple light on the horizon that hinted at sunrise but it was still well over an hour before dawn.

Claw stretched out on the frosty grass beside me but she seemed uneasy. Her ears were flat against her head and she kept growling low in her throat. At last she settled down and became quiet. My head kept nodding, but each time I jerked awake suddenly, alert for danger. The long walk had exhausted me, and without realizing it, I eventually fell into a dark, dreamless slumber.

I was probably asleep for no more than thirty minutes when a low growl from Claw and her teeth tugging at my breeches woke me. The sky was much lighter and a stiff breeze was blowing in from the bay. I could smell the approach of rain. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw something move. I looked up the hill. At first I could see nothing, but the hairs on the back of my neck began to rise and I immediately sensed danger. After persevering for a minute or so, I finally made out a figure moving down the slope towards me, keeping within the shelter of the trees. Claw growled again. Was it Morwena?

I stood up, clutching my staff. After a few moments I knew for sure that I was watching the approach of a water witch. It was something about the way she walked, a strange rolling of the body, perhaps caused by the talons and webbed toes. She was a creature more suited to water and bog than the firm surface of a grassy slope. But was it Morwena or another less dangerous witch? She was much nearer now but it was still impossible to tell.

Should I confront her? I had both my staff and my silver chain. In theory either was sufficient to deal with an ordinary water witch. But they could move very quickly indeed. If I let her get close enough, she'd hook me with her finger. I was good with my silver chain but the practice post in the Spook's garden was no match for the real thing. I'd faced Grimalkin, the witch assassin, and missed her — probably because of fear, nerves and exhaustion. But I was very tired now, and the fear was starting to build inside me.

If I failed with the chain, I'd have to keep her at bay with my staff but I would only get one opportunity. If I missed, she'd be under my guard. Would Claw try to help me then? The dog was certainly brave and loyal enough. But I remembered what had happened to her mate, Tooth.

I would be failing in my duty if I left a witch at large. What if she seized someone else because of my failure to act? A child maybe? No, I had to face her.

The witch had approached to within fifty paces when I changed my mind again. Her face was no longer in shadow and I could see that her left eye was closed. I could also see the sharp splinter of bone that pinned the two eyelids together. It was Morwena! Once she opened that bloodeye I'd be paralysed, petrified, helpless.

Claw growled a warning but it was too late. The witch reached towards her left eye and withdrew the pin. The blood-filled eye opened very wide and stared straight at me. I was already lost. I felt the strength leave my body; the will to move leave my mind. All I could see was that red eye growing brighter and larger.

Suddenly I heard a growl and felt a hard blow to my back, which knocked me clean off my feet. I was sent sprawling face down into the dirt, banging my forehead. For a moment I was stunned, but then I felt warm breath and Claw began to lick my face. I reached up and patted her with my right hand, realizing that I could move again. Immediately I understood. The dog had not been under the power of the witch. Morwena's Bloodeye could only transfix one person or animal at a time. Claw had leaped at me, hurling me to the ground, breaking the spell of the red eye.

I came quickly to my knees but kept my eyes down. I could hear the witch's feet slapping the ground as she ran full tilt down the slope towards me. Don't look at the witch! I told myself, keeping my eyes glued to the ground. Look anywhere except at that blood-filled eye!

I was on my feet in a flash and fleeing from her towards the shore, Claw at my heels. My silver chain was still gripped in my left hand, but how could I ever hope to use it when one glance at my enemy would bind me to the spot? My legs trembled as I ran — surely I wasn't quick enough to escape her. I wanted to check over my shoulder and see how close she was but daren't for fear of that paralysing eye. At any moment I expected to feel the witch's talons pierce my neck or stab into my throat.

'Claw!' I shouted as I jumped down onto the sands. As the dog panted at my side, I felt more and more relieved with every step. We were safe from the witch for now. I knew Morwena wouldn't be able to tolerate the salt deposited on the sands by the tide. Bare webbed feet couldn't walk on that. But how long could we stay out here? She'd be watching and waiting for when we tried to leave the sands again. And what would I do when the tide came in?

Even if I could manage to evade her and get off the sands, I knew Morwena would follow me all the way back to the mill. I was exhausted already but I knew a witch as strong as Morwena would never tire. Following the edge of the bay, with her behind me and possibly other witches lying in wait somewhere along the route, would surely be a mistake.

If only the sand guide were here to guide me across. But he was nowhere to be seen. The sea looked a long way out but I had no way of judging if it was safe to cross now. Arkwright had told me how dangerous the incoming tides were. Travellers drowned; coaches, passengers and horses were swept away, never to be seen again.

If it hadn't been for Claw I'd have dithered there for hours, but she suddenly darted away from me towards the sea, then turned and barked. I stared at her stupidly; she ran back to my side and then away in the same direction, as if she wanted me to follow. Still I hesitated, but the third time she came back she seized hold of my breeches and tugged violently, almost pulling me over. Then she growled and raced away again.

This time I followed her. It made sense, I told myself. She must have made this crossing many times with her master and she knew the way. I should trust her instincts and follow her. Perhaps if he'd set off recently she'd take me to where the sand guide was waiting.

I walked fast, heading south-east. The sky was brightening rapidly. If I could cross the sands and reach the mill safely, the salt moat would keep Morwena and her allies out. Not only that, she'd have to go the long way round to reach Arkwright's mill, which would take her a day at least. By then, with any luck, the Spook and Alice would have arrived. My master would know how best to defeat her.

When Claw and I reached the river Kent's channel, it was starting to rain and a thick mist was descending. There seemed plenty of water down there in the gully but it was impossible to tell how deep it was without testing it with my staff. Claw seemed to know what she was doing, however, and headed north, parallel with the bank. We followed the channel until it curved, at which point Claw barked, plunged down the slope and swam straight across. It was only about fifteen or sixteen paces to the other side. Holding my bag high, I tested the water with my staff before taking each careful stride. It was cold but the deepest part only came up to my thighs and I was soon across.