Joseph Delaney - The Spook's Mistake

'Got something else that might help. ' Alice said.

With these words she pulled a leather pouch from the pocket of her skirt and undid the fine cord that bound it to reveal a collection of dried herbs within. She'd used herbs before to treat the sick successfully, once helping to heal my hand when it had been burned. But never had I seen such a multitude and diversity of herbs. It seemed that, unbeknown to me, Alice had been gathering materials and developing her healing skills.

She held a leaf out towards me. 'Put a bit of this under his tongue. Should revive him — that's if he ain't too far gone.'

The Spook stared at her hard for a moment, then nodded, so I tucked it into my breeches pocket and fastened the knife and the water bottle to my belt.

'And take care, lad,' my master warned. 'This is dangerous. Any doubts, don't go through with it. Nobody will think any less of you.'

I nodded my thanks and started to walk down the steps. The water was cold and took my breath away, but once it came up to my chest I felt better. With a faint smile back at Alice, I swam away from the steps, took a deep breath and attempted to dive down to the underwater tunnel.

I didn't get very far. The water resisted and forced me back up to the surface. Either I wasn't using the strokes I'd been taught properly or I simply wasn't strong enough. I sucked in another deep breath and tried again. Moments later I was sputtering on the surface, feeling a little foolish. I'd never be able to get Arkwright out. We'd have to ask Deana after all.

I swam back to the side until my feet were on the steps again. But suddenly I remembered something that Arkwright had said:

When a diver wants to go deep, the easiest way is for him to hold a big stone so the weight takes him down quickly.

'Alice, run back to the shore and bring me back two of the heaviest stones you can carry!' I told her.

She and the Spook looked at me with puzzled faces.

'A weight in each hand will take me straight to the bottom and I'll be able to pull myself into the tunnel.'

Alice returned in less than five minutes with two heavy stones. Holding them against my chest, I walked down the steps until the water was up to my waist then, after taking a deep breath, jumped forward.

The water closed over my head and I sank quickly into the gloom. The tunnel was directly ahead so I dropped the stones and frog-kicked into it, scraping my shoulder against the side. Two more kicks and it grew absolutely black. I began to panic. What if we were wrong and this passageway didn't lead into the next building after all?

I tried to use my arms as Arkwright had taught me but the tunnel was too narrow and I jarred my elbows badly. By now I was desperate to breathe and I kicked again and again, the urgency building in my chest. I tried to calm myself. On the surface I could hold my breath for much longer than this. So what was the difference? As long as I didn't panic I'd be all right.

Another two kicks and, to my relief, I was out of the tunnel and rising upwards, the water growing somewhat lighter. I had a sense of something big to my right, but the next second my head broke the surface and I released the breath I'd been holding, taking in two big welcome gulps of air. I used my arms and legs to paddle on the spot and keep afloat. It was dark in the tower, but looking upwards I could see the four narrow windows. Three were faint but the fourth was lit by the moon. Hopefully my eyes would soon adjust and there'd be enough light to see what I was doing.

I took a couple of strokes and then stubbed my toes against steps. Moments later I was out of the water, standing on flags, the water dripping from me, keeping perfectly still while I waited for my night vision to improve. Slowly the inside of the tower became clearer. I could see what appeared to be a shapeless bundle of rags against the wall. It had to be Arkwright. I took three cautious steps in that direction. Then I thought I heard a murmur of voices from somewhere above. Surprised, I looked up towards the window.

'Tom!' someone called.

It was Alice's voice. I knew she must have stood on the Spook's shoulders and climbed up the gargoyles to the window. 'You all right?' she asked.

'Fine, Alice. So far so good. I think I've found him.'

'Got something for you,' Alice called. 'A candle. Try to catch it. Ready?'

The next moment it was falling towards me. I took two quick steps, grabbed at it but missed. It hit the ground, but despite the gloom it didn't take me long to find it. I picked it up and looked up at the window again.

'Throwing down your tinderbox next,' she called. 'Don't drop this, Tom. Don't want it to break.'

I didn't want it to break either. It meant a lot to me because it was my goodbye present from my dad when I first left home to become the Spook's apprentice. It was a family heirloom.

I sensed rather than saw it falling towards me but somehow I caught it, and it was but the work of a minute to ignite the tinder and light the candle. I pushed the tinderbox safely into my pocket and approached Arkwright. I could see his face now, but was he all right? Was he breathing?

'It's him,' I called out to Alice and the Spook. 'He doesn't look too good but I'll try and get him through the tunnel.'

'Good,' shouted Alice. 'Well done. We'll see you in the other tower.'

I heard them walk away, but just then something made me glance down into the water. It was clear and I could see right to the bottom as before. Now I realized what I'd glimpsed as I emerged into the pool of water. It was a second tunnel. But where did it lead? To the lake? The thought was terrifying. It was another way into the tower. A water witch would be able to reach me without having to get past the Spook and Alice.

And there was something else. To my astonishment, the surface of the water suddenly brightened and a shape started to form. Someone was using a mirror to reach me. Could it be Alice? Had she given the Spook the slip for just such a purpose? Of course, it didn't have to be a mirror. The surface of a puddle, pond or lake could achieve the same end. But then I saw that it wasn't Alice after all and fear gripped my heart.

It was the witch assassin.

But for a scarf worn loosely about her neck, Grimalkin was dressed exactly as on our last encounter — the same short black smock tied at her waist, her skirt divided and tightly strapped to each thigh. Her lithe body was bound with leather straps carrying a multitude of sheaths, each containing a deadly weapon.

My eyes fixed in terror upon one item in particular: the scissors that she used to torture her defeated enemies; sharp implements that could snip bone and flesh. Last time I'd tricked her, wounding her while I pretended to surrender. I'd flicked my staff from one hand to the other, just as the Spook had taught me. But next time we met, she wouldn't be deceived so easily. She knew what I was capable of.

I looked at the necklace of human bones around her neck — bones from those she'd hunted down, defeated and tortured. She lived for combat; thrived on bloodshed. It was said that she had a code of honour and liked the struggle to be difficult; that she never tried to win by guile. But I'd deceived her. In fear for my life, I'd behaved in a way she could only hold in contempt.

But to my utter astonishment she smiled at me and leaned forward. Her mouth opened and the surface of the water became cloudy. She was using a mirror and was about to write on it. What? A threat? A warning of what she intended to do to me next time we met?

I stared at the message in astonishment. Why would Grimalkin warn me? Wouldn't she be happy to see me captured and killed by witches? What did she mean by 'our enemies'? Water witches? Was it a trick? A repayment for my deceit?