The Spook's Battle: Book 4 Read online

  As I watched, something big floated up to the surface. In the shadows, close to the far wall, a huge head emerged, the hair knotted and tangled on top but billowing out beside it. The face was white and swollen, the eyes empty black sockets, and as the nose emerged, it sniffed loudly like a bloodhound seeking its prey.But moments later we had reached the safety of the far tunnel, and the immediate danger was over. Mab looked wet and bedraggled, all her former confidence gone. But since we'd arrived in Pendle, I'd never seen Alice look happier."We need to thank Dead Maggie for that!" Alice said, giving me a wide grin. "Whispered what I needed to know. A wight, that was, and easy enough to sniff out. Always guards that path. Trained it well, they did. Wouldn't touch anyone with Malkin blood in their veins. I'm a Deane by name, but I'm a Malkin half through. That's why I made you walk farther back, Tom. Mab here was in the biggest danger." "It's not nice to be tricked!" Mab said. "Still, I'm not complaining too much. Just as long as I get my trunks.""Got my lock of hair back, so I'm not complaining either," Alice said with a smirk. "And if you want those trunks, first we need to find Tom's family, safe and sound. So no tricks--that's if you know what's good for you!""I won't be tricking Tom," said Mab. "Happen he just saved my life, jabbing that wight like that. I won't forget that in a hurry.""Oooo, happen he saved my Life," mimicked Alice. "Happen I did too, not that you'd notice," and she got a new fierce grip on Mab's hair and forced her ahead along the tunnel.I felt sorry for Mab. There seemed no need to treat her so roughly, and I said as much to Alice.She let go of Mab's hair reluctantly and was just about to answer me back when we were both distracted. Another thirty or so paces had brought us to a wooden door set in stone. It seemed that we'd reached an entrance to Malkin Tower.There was a latch with a lock underneath.

  I gave Alice the candle to hold, and she pulled Mab to one side while I grasped the latch and lifted it slowly, trying not to make any noise. But when I pulled, the door resisted. It was locked--though that was no problem when the Spook's brother Andrew was a locksmith. Alice gripped the candle in her teeth and held out my special key. I took it from her, inserted it into the keyhole, turned it, and had the satisfaction of feeling the lock yield."Ready?" I whispered, handing the key back to Alice.She nodded."And please, no more bickering, girls. Just keep the noise down until I've found my family and we're out of here," I said."And I've got my trunks," added Mab--but Alice and I ignored her, and I lifted the latch again, slowly opening the door.Inside it was jet black, but there was a strong stench of rot and decay that made me heave. The air was tainted with death.Alice wrinkled her nose in disgust and brought the can- dle to the open door. Ahead of us was a passageway with cell doors on either side. Each had an inspection hatch of iron bars about head height. In the distance was what looked like a much larger room with no door. Would my family be in one of those cells?"You watch Mab," I told Alice. "Give me the candle and I'll check each cell."At the first cell I held the candle close to the bars in the door. It seemed to be empty. The second had an occupant, a skeleton covered in cobwebs and dressed in ragged breeches and a threadbare shirt, its legs and arms fastened to a wall by chains.

  How had the prisoner died? Had he simply been abandoned and left to starve? I felt a sudden chill, and as I watched, a narrow column of light appeared over the skeleton and an anguished face began to form above it.The face grimaced and tried to speak, but instead of words, all I could hear was a wail of torment. The prisoner was dead but didn't know it, and was still trapped in that cell, suffering just as badly as he had in his final days. I would have liked to help, but other things were more urgent. How many more ghosts were there down here that also needed release? It could take hours and hours to talk to each tormented spirit and persuade them to cross over to the other side.Using the candle, I checked each cell. It seemed that none of them had been used for a long time. There were sixteen in all, and seven of them contained bones. When I reached the end of the passageway, I listened very carefully. All I could hear was the faint dripping of water, so I turned and beckoned Alice forward. I waited until she brought Mab to my shoulder, then nervously stepped out into the room at the end. The candlelight couldn't reach into all the dark corners of that vast space. Water dripped onto the flags from above, and the air felt dank and chilly.At first glance, it appeared to be deserted. It was a large circular chamber, with another passageway radiating from it, identical to the one I'd already examined. Additionally, stone steps curved upward around the wall of the chamber to a trapdoor in the ceiling, which would give access to the floor above. Five huge cylindrical pillars supported that high ceiling, each bristling with chains and manacles. I also noted a brazier full of cold ashes and a heavy wooden table 'with an assortment of metal pincers and other instruments.

  "This is where they torture their enemies," Alice said, her voice echoing in the silence. Then she spat onto the flags. "Ain't good to be born into a family like this ...""Aye," said Mab. "Maybe Tom should choose his friends more carefully. If it's a witch you want for a friend, Tom, there's better families to choose one from.""I ain't a witch," said Alice, and she tugged at Mab's hair hard enough to make her squeal."Stop it," I hissed. "Do you want them to know -we're here?"The girls looked shamefaced and stopped their quarrelling. I looked about me and shuddered at the thought of what must have occurred in this chamber; wave after -wave of coldness slipped down my spine. Many of the dead who'd suffered were still trapped here.First there was the other passageway to search. I'd already looked into sixteen cells, but I had to search them all; one of these others might contain my family. From what I'd already seen of the dungeons, I now feared the worst. But I had to know."I need to check each of the cells," I told Alice. "It'll take a little while, but it's got to be done."Alice nodded. "'Course you do, Tom. But seeing as there's only one candle, we'll stay close."No sooner had Alice spoken than there was the sound of coarse laughter from above--a man's voice, raucous and rough, followed by a shrill feminine peal of mirth that ended in a cackle. We froze. It seemed to be coming from just above the trapdoor. Were the Malkins coming down into the dungeons?

  But to my astonishment Mab broke our nervous silence, not even bothering to keep her voice low."Don't worry none," she said. "They don't come down here, not now--and that's a promise. Scryed it, I did. You're wasting your time, Tom. It's up yonder that we'll find your family." She gesticulated upward."Why should we listen to you?" hissed Alice. "Scrying indeed! Didn't scry that wight, did you?"I just ignored their bickering. Alice had told me that Mab always kept her word. Maybe she was right, but I had to see for myself, and it seemed obvious to me that there were witches on the floor above. So, with a heavy heart, I began a systematic search of the second passageway, still on edge at the thought that the trapdoor above might open at any minute and the Malkins rush down the steps to seize us.Many of the cells contained bones, but apart from the occasional rat, nothing seemed to be alive down there. I was relieved when it was over, but then I eyed the steps, wondering what was on the next floor.Alice glanced at the candle, then looked at me sadly, shaking her head. "Don't like to tell you this, Tom, but it has to be said. Won't be easy to escape back down the tunnel in the dark, will it? You ain't going to be safe passing that wight. We need to leave soon, before the candle gutters out."Alice was right. The candle had burned low. Soon we'd be plunged into darkness.

  But I couldn't leave yet."I'd just like to check the floor above. One look and *we'll be on our way.""Then do it quickly, Tom," Alice said. "Prisoners were sometimes kept up there and questioned. If that failed, they were brought down here to be tortured and left to rot.""You should have searched up there when I told you," Mab said. "That way we wouldn't have wasted so much time."Ignoring her again, I set off toward the steps. Alice followed, still keeping a tight hold on Mab, although she'd let go of her hair and was gripping her arm. At the top of the steps I reached up and tried the trapdoor. It wasn't locked, but I took a deep breath before I began to lift it very slowly, listening carefully for any hint of danger. What if the witche
s were lying in wait above? What if they grabbed me as soon as the trapdoor was open?Only when it was fully open did I poke my head out into the space above, raising the candle slowly to illuminate the darkness. It seemed empty of life. Not even a rat moved upon the damp flags.

  The inside of the tower rose above me, a hollow cylinder with a spiral of narrow steps rising widdershins against the curve of the stone wall. At intervals there were wooden cell doors. The air was damp, and there were wet patches and streaks of green slime on the wall; water was cascading from above to splash the flags to my left. Even the section of the tower above me was still probably underground. I climbed up through the trapdoor and moved toward the steps, beckoning Alice to follow."Be patient with me, Alice. I'll be as quick as I can. I'll just run up and check each door. If they're not there, we'll get out while we still can. ...""Come this far, we have," said Alice, her voice echoing up into the vast space above. "We might as well go all the way. These are the last of the cells anyway. Next floor is aboveground--the living quarters and where they keep their stores. You go and see. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Mab."But before I could move, there was a sudden distant crash, followed by a deep rumble that seemed to shake the walls and the flags beneath my feet."Sounds like they're firing at the tower again," Alice said."Already?" I asked, astonished that the soldiers were back to their work so soon."Started soon after first light," Mab said. "Bit earlier than we wanted. Could have done with some more time, but that's your fault, Tom. If you'd let me take their blood, they'd have slept until later."

  "Never mind her, Tom," Alice said. "All mouth, ain't she? Go on up the steps. Sooner we're out of here the better!"I didn't need any further encouragement and set off right away. But despite the need for haste, I didn't run. The steps were narrow, and the higher I went, the more daunting the stairwell to my left became. I reached the first cell and peered in through the hatch of bars. Nothing. Before I reached the second, there was another crash, followed by a rumble and a vibration that ran down the steps from above; the gun had been fired at the tower again.The second cell was also empty, but then, at the third door, I heard a sound. It was a child crying in the dark. Could it be little Mary?"Ellie! Ellie!'' I called. "Is that you? It's me, Tom. ..."The child stopped crying, and someone moved inside the cell. There was a rustle of skirts and the sound of shoes crossing the flags toward the cell door. Then there was a face against the grille. I held up my candle, but for a moment didn't recognize her. The hair was wild, the face painfully thin, the eyes sore and red-rimmed with tears. But there was no doubt. No doubt at all.It was Ellie.

  Chapter 15

  Like Lithe Cats

  Oh! Tom! Is that you? Is that really you?" Ellie cried, tears starting to pour down her face."Don'tyou worry, Elbe," I told her. "I'll soon have you out of there and you'll be on your way home.""Tom, I wish it were so easy," she said, sobs making her shoulders shake as tears ran down into her open mouth. But I'd already turned away and was beckoning Alice to come up the steps.She climbed fast, pushing Mab ahead of her, and wasted no time in opening the cell door. As I entered, illuminating the cell with the candle, Mary ran to her mother, who scooped her up in her arms. Ellie looked at me with wide, hopeful eyes but then stepped back uncertainly as Alice and Mab came into the cell after me.

  Then I noticed Jack. There was no bed in the cell, just a heap of dirty straw in the far corner, and my brother lay on it. His eyes were wide open and he seemed to be staring at the ceiling. He wasn't blinking."Jack! Jack!" I called, walking over to where he lay. "Are you all right?"But of course he wasn't all right, and I knew that the moment I saw him. He made no response to my voice at all. His body was in the cell, but his mind was surely elsewhere."Jack doesn't speak. He doesn't recognize me or Mary at all," Ellie said. "He even struggles to swallow, and all I can do is wet his lips. He's been like this ever since we left the farm. ..."Ellie's voice failed as she was overcome with emotion again, and I could only stare at her helplessly. I felt like I should comfort her in some way, but she was my brother's wife and I'd only ever hugged her a couple of times: the first was at the celebration just after they'd gotten married; the second was when I'd left home just after Ellie had been terrified by the visit of the witch, Mother Malkin. Something had changed between us from that moment. I remembered her parting words as she warned me never to visit the farm during the hours of darkness.You might bring back something bad with you, and we can'trisk anything happening to our family.And it had all come true. Ellie's worst fears had been realized. The Pendle witches had raided the farm because of the trunks that Mam had left me.

  It was Alice who did what I should have attempted.Still gripping Mab by the arm, she moved closer to Ellie and stroked her shoulder lightly. "Be all right, now," she said softly. "It's just as Tom says. We can get out of here. Soon have you home again, don't you fear."But Ellie suddenly flinched away. "Keep away from me and my child!" she shouted, her face twisted in fury. "You're the one that started it all! Keep away, you evil little witch! Do you think that I can ever go back home now? We'll never be safe there. How can I take my child back? They know where we are now! They can find us anytime they want!"Alice looked sad, but she didn't reply, simply stepped back to my side. "Ain't going to be easy getting Jack down those steps, Tom, but the sooner we try the better."I glanced around the cell. It was a dismal sight, damp and cold, with slimy water trickling down the far wall.

  It wasn't quite as bad as the picture painted by Wurmalde, but to have been plucked from the safety of their farm and brought to this was terrible. But something even worse than that had damaged Jack.Was it because he'd gone into Mam's room? She'd warned me how dangerous it was. Even the Spook couldn't enter there unharmed. Not only that: Jack had copied my key--otherwise he wouldn't have been able to open the door when the witches demanded it. Was he in some way paying the price for that, too? But surely Mam wouldn't want Jack to suffer like this?"Can you do anything to help Jack?" I asked Alice. She was good with potions and usually carried a small pouch with a selection of plants and herbs.Alice looked at me doubtfully. "Got some stuff with me--won't be able to boil it up though, so it -won't be half as effective. Ain't sure it'll work anyway. Not if it's your mam's room that's hurt him.""I don't want her touching Jack anyway," Ellie said, looking at Alice in disgust. "Just you keep her away from him, Tom. That's the least you can do!"

  "Alice can help. She really can," I told Ellie. "Mam trusted her."Mab tutted as though she had doubts about Alice's skills, but I ignored her, and Alice simply glared at her. Then Alice pulled the small leather pouch of herbs from her pocket. "Any water?" she asked Ellie.At first I thought that Ellie wouldn't reply, but then she seemed to see sense. "There's a small bowl on the floor over there, but it's got precious little in it.""Watch her!" Alice told me, nodding toward Mab, who merely shrugged. Where could she go anyway? Up toward the Malkins? Or down toward the tunnels? Mab had no chance at all alone in the dark, and she knew it.Alice went over to the bowl of water, unfastened the pouch, and removed a small section of leaf, which she doused in the water, holding it there to soak. I heard the sound of cannonballs hitting the tower once more before she finally went over to Jack, opened his mouth, and pushed the fragment of leaf inside."He could choke!" Ellie exclaimed.Alice shook her head. "Too small and soft now for that. Fall apart in his mouth, it will. Don't think it'll help much, but I've done my best. Candle will go out soon, and then we'll be in real trouble."

  I looked at the flickering candle stub. It wouldn't last more than a few minutes at the most. "We're going to have to try and carry Jack. You take his legs, Alice," I suggested, moving round to try and lift him by the arms.But I'd been optimistic about the candle. At that very moment it guttered out. It was very dark in the cell, and for a moment nobody moved or spoke. Then Mary began to cry, and I heard Ellie whispering to her."It's still not hopeless," I said. "I can see pretty well in the dark. So I'll take the lead and carry Jack down with Alice, as I said. It'll be hard, but we can do it.""Makes sense, that," Alice
agreed. "Let's do it now. No use wasting any more time."I'd tried to sound confident, but the steps were steep, with a sheer drop beyond into the stairwell. Even if we got down safely, the wight still guarded the tunnel, and it would be very difficult to carry Jack safely past it. It was better than just *waiting here for the Malkins to come down and cut our throats, but it didn't offer much hope. It was then that Mab spoke in the darkness. I'd forgotten all about her for a moment. "No," she said. "All we have to do is wait. The gunners will breach the walls soon, and the Malkins will come down the steps and make their escape along the tunnels. Once they've gone, we can go up and get out through the hole blasted in the tower wall."For a moment I didn't reply, but then the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Had Mab foreseen this? Was this the way she planned to get the trunks out of the tower? Through the breached walls? Whatever the truth of it, what she'd just said made sense. The first part of her idea might work, but I couldn't see how she hoped to evade the soldiers and get the trunks out. And if we went up the steps, I at least would end up in Caster Castle, where I'd be hanged for a crime I hadn't committed."It might be better to follow the Malkins down as they make their escape," I suggested.