The Ghost Roads (Ring of Five) (33 page)

Other defenders helped Jamshid care for the injured. Messengers returning from chasing the defeated Seraphim saw to their fellows, although some were beyond help. Fred Morton’s body was lowered sadly to the ground. The little Cherb whose weight he had borne still had his arms around the Messenger’s neck.

Wings fluttered in the apothecary and Gabriel landed, stern and tall, with a bloodstained sword at his side.

“I saw Conal hit by a crossbow bolt,” he said. “He was bearing Ness on his back. They fell into the raging sea. They will do no more harm.”

“And Longford and Nurse Flanagan fell. As did Devoy,” Danny said, entering with Nala. He sat down heavily. “The Ring of Five is no more.”

“Then we have victory,” Jamshid said.

“Why doesn’t it feel like it, then?”

They worked through the night tending to the wounded. Shortly after midnight Danny called a conference of all the staff and teachers in the library of the third landing. No one questioned his authority. The instructors sat down quietly. They were exhausted. Fighting and nursing the injured had tired them, of course, but it was Devoy’s betrayal that put lead in their hearts.

“How could we not have seen it?” Spitfire said.

“He was very cunning,” McGuinness said. “And no one knew anything of his history. He destroyed all records here in the library so that the curious could not delve back and find out about his relationship with Longford. He has been working on this since he was a boy of Danny’s age.”

“Everything was done for the opposite reason from that which was given,” Pilkington broke in. “When he sent Danny to join the Ring, he said it was to infiltrate the Ring for the good of Wilsons. In fact, he wanted to use Danny to control the Ring. When he sent Danny after the Treaty Stone, it was to compete with his brother, to see who could get it first. Devoy would have found a way of breaking the stone himself if it had not fallen.”

“And what of you, Steff?” the Storeman said. “Why did you fool us all as Brunholm? Was no one to be trusted?”

“Shortly before Danny’s birth I unmasked the real Brunholm as a traitor. He tried to flee to Grist but fell from the bridge and drowned. I had to become him, manage his contacts, all the time working to unmask the real traitor, the deep mole, as we in the spying game refer to it. I dared not risk revealing myself, not even to Danny.” He turned to his son. Danny met his eyes, his heart pounding.

“It was your mother and I who arranged your safe passage to the Upper World, who chose Stone and Pearl to care for you and who paid Nana to watch you until it became too dangerous to maintain the contact.”

“You were behind everything?”

“There was less danger in the Upper World, Danny,” a soft voice broke in. “The minute you were born I knew you were the Fifth.” It was Grace.

“The siren …,” Valant began.

“A character I created many years ago, by imitating a
real siren who lived on a rock off the fortress of Grist. She has long since moved to a home for retired temptresses. But when I was young I recorded her song. Listen.”

She took a small device from under her cloak. A sweet song of loss and unbearable longing filled the library.

“Turn it off!” Danny said harshly. “We have a lot of work to do. We have many injured, and enemy casualties to be dealt with as well. Valant, call Fairman and ask him to bring a message to the Upper World to the Phonemaker. Have him tell the prime minister that there is no longer any threat from the Lower World. It might help stop a war there.”

Danny stood abruptly and swept out of the room. Steff and Grace looked silently after him. The others worked on into the night until they fell asleep where they stood.

It was almost dawn when Steff and Grace Pilkington entered the apothecary.

“Where is Danny?” Pilkington asked. Jamshid pointed. Danny sat in the shadows beside Vandra’s bed, looking into her face.

“Should we …,” Grace began.

“No,” Jamshid said, “she is not quite out of danger. Leave him. He has a lot to absorb.”

The following week passed in a blur of rebuilding, dealing with the injured and making contact with the Upper World and Westwald. Danny set up base in the library of the third landing. Steff and Grace kept their distance, and Danny showed no sign of wanting to see them.

Toxique and Gabriel were Danny’s lieutenants during
this period, and the sky over Wilsons was full of Messengers carrying information or flying sorties over Westwald and Grist to ensure that the Seraphim didn’t return. Gabriel organized the remaining Cherbs and put Nala in charge of them so they would go back to Westwald and set up a government. Starling was to accompany them to reassure people that the Ring was not about to return.

Nala came to the library the night before his forces were due to depart. He was wearing a uniform, designed by Duddy, which was brown with blue piping. Danny rose from a table covered in papers to greet him.

“You boss now,” Nala said with a grin.

“Not me.” Danny shook his head. “But you are!”

Smyck and Exspectre were found locked in a shed at the back of the school along with several Cherbs. Smyck told how they had been put there by Conal. The Cherbs nodded in agreement.

“Conal keep room like shed in Grist,” they said. “Cherbs call it Conal’s larder.”

Vandra’s recovery took a long time. The venom she had ingested was old but persistent. Danny went to see her in the evening when he had time. On his third visit she put her hand on his arm.

“You have to see Les and Dixie. They can’t leave the Butts.” Danny grimaced. He couldn’t bear the thought of what had happened to his friends.

At the end of the week the school was under control. The ravens had returned to their silent work as though nothing had happened, and pupils were starting to drift back. A new school structure had been set up, with
Valant at its head until a proper principal could be appointed. Valant took over Devoy’s office, and Danny’s work was transferred to him.

That evening Vandra was released. She went to the Roosts, where she met Toxique.

“Danny’s gone!” he said.

“What do you mean, gone?”

“He’s packed his bag, taken all his stuff! Fairman was about this afternoon, said he had a fare to pick up.”

“He wouldn’t have gone without saying goodbye,” Vandra said. Toxique could see the tears in her eyes.

“He wouldn’t have gone without saying goodbye to you,” Toxique said.

“Is that your gift talking?” Vandra said.

“No,” Toxique said gently, “it isn’t.”

“Well then,” Vandra said, “I know where he might be.”

Danny had in fact packed his case and started to walk in the direction of Tarnstone. As when anyone walked on the grounds of Wilsons, he seemed to find his way to the summerhouse. It was dusk, and he thought he could stay there for the night and strike out in the morning. He had prepared several disguises and could take a ship from Tarnstone. He had done his work and belonged nowhere now.

He sat in the window of the summerhouse watching the sun go down, wishing he had brought some food with him. Half an hour later he regretted that he hadn’t brought extra blankets. He wrapped his coat around him
and shivered. Why was it so cold, and why was ice creeping along the window seat beside him?

“Strike a light, Danny,” a voice said.

“Oh, get out of the way, Les,” another voice chimed in, and a candle sprang to life.

“Les, Dixie!” Danny said in surprise.

“Hiya,” Dixie said. “We’re allowed in the summerhouse, you know!”

“It used to be a portal to the Butts,” Les explained.

“Couldn’t let you take off without saying goodbye,” Dixie said, “though I don’t know where or why you’re going.”

“How could I stay here without you and Les, apart from everything else?”

“But you
wouldn’t
be staying without me and Les. We’re still here!”

“I kind of like being dead,” Les said. “Took a bit of getting used to, mind.”

“But you can talk to us all the time,” Dixie said.

Les’s chilly hand touched Danny’s shoulder. “You can’t use us as an excuse for leaving like this,” he said.

“Did it ever occur to you that
we
might be lonely without
you
?” Dixie said. Danny felt his face turn red. He had thought only of himself.

“Someone’s coming,” Les said nervously.

“Are you sure we’re allowed in the summerhouse?” Dixie said suspiciously.

“Of course!” Les said, speaking too quickly to be convincing. “But maybe we better—”

“You liar!” Dixie said. “You told me the Boatman said it was okay.”

They started to fade from view, still arguing, though Les found time to direct a wink and a smile at Danny as Dixie told him off.

“Danny!”

Danny turned with a start. Steff and Grace were standing at the door.

“May we enter?” Grace asked.

“Come in,” Danny said quietly. “How did you find me?”

“Vandra knew where you would be,” Grace said. “She’s a sensible girl.”

Steff sat down on the window seat, looking at the thin film of ice on it.

“We’ve come to say sorry,” he said. “Sorry for the way your life has been, but also to try to explain why it had to be that way.”

“I know you don’t think you abandoned me,” Danny said, “but you did.”

“The two worlds were in mortal danger! We had—” Steff began, but Grace cut him off.

“There are no words to explain how hard it was to give you up, Danny,” Grace said, “and we have no right to demand your forgiveness. But we are spies. We met as spies. It’s in our blood, the thing that binds us together, and we could no more refuse a mission than the sun could refuse to rise in the morning.”

“And a spy can carry no baggage, Danny,” Steff added.

“So I’m baggage now, am I?” Danny said.

Grace glared at Steff. “I’m sorry, Danny,” Grace said. “He didn’t mean it like that.”

“He did,” Danny said, “but that’s okay. What I need to know is why you”—he looked at Steff—“were so nasty to me as Brunholm, and why you”—he turned to Grace—“were really sneaky as Vicky.”

“When you’re in deep cover,” Steff said, “you have to
become
another person. Brunholm was a vain, sneaky brute, so I had to be as well. Even Devoy sometimes did good, because in a sense he had become a good man. But when I sent you into danger, I only did so believing that you would overcome it and come back a better person.”

“You saw the ‘S and G’ signs.”

“Yes, on the ring, and they were carved everywhere.”

“We carved them so we didn’t become like the Unknown Spy and his wife.”

“You mean in deep cover so long they forgot who they were?”

“Exactly. Every time one of us saw it, we remembered who we were. It became a symbol of resistance as well, to help others.”

“And the ring?”

“We thought you might falter, Danny. We wanted to give you a sense that we were still there, in some way, even if you thought us dead. The Boatman gave it to you. He was the only person who knew the truth.”

They sat in silence for a long time. Then Grace stood up.

“Will you come back to Wilsons with us?” she said.

Danny nodded dumbly.

Steff lifted his bag, and as they walked back, Grace linked arms with Danny. He could smell her sweet, heavy perfume.

They walked together across the lawns and toward the front door. Fairman’s taxi was there, its engine running.

“Who’s it for?” Danny asked, puzzled.

“Not for us, Danny,” Steff said. “He’ll be taking us on our next mission, of course, but not this time.”

“Next mission?” Danny said.

“Never mind,” Grace said hastily, “it doesn’t matter.”

The front door opened and Agent Pearl came down the stone stairs. She was carrying a small bag. She looked up and saw Danny. A smile started to spread across her face, but it died when she saw him flanked by Steff and Grace.

“Where are you going?” Danny said.

“Back to the Upper World,” Pearl said. “I have nothing to do here.” She looked tired, her hair hanging over her face. “I was helping in the infirmary, but everyone is getting better. It’s all so strange, Messengers and Blackpitt and this spooky building!”

She opened the door of the taxi. She put her bag in and came over to Danny.

“Goodbye, Danny. I’m glad you found your mum and dad. You deserve some happiness and looking after.” She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, her eyes glistening. She turned to Steff and Grace.

“Look after him,” she said. “He’s a wonderful boy.”

Pearl turned back toward the cab. Fairman revved the engine.

“Thank you,” Grace said softly. Pearl put one foot on the running board of the taxi. She looked hunched-over and defeated.

“Wait!” Danny said. He strode to her and took her arm.

“Grace might be my mother in name, but you are my
real
mother. You were the person who looked after me. You read to me and put me in the bath. You fought enemies to keep me safe, put yourself in harm’s way for me and never asked for anything back. Even now.”

Danny turned to Steff and Grace. “It’s not that I don’t admire who you are, but you were never there for me. You put yourselves and spying first. I’ll always be proud to be Steff and Grace Pilkington’s son, but Pearl cared for me.”

Grace looked away. Pilkington was stunned. When Grace turned back, her face was composed. “It’s as much as we could have expected, or deserved,” she said. “I am proud to be your mother, and always will be.”

“And I to be your father,” Steff said.

“Will you stay here?” Danny said to Pearl. “It would be good to have you.”

“Why not?” Pearl said. “If you want me to. There is nothing left for me, and somebody has to look after you.” She smiled, tears trembling in her eyes.

“Make up your bleeding mind,” Fairman growled.

“I’m not going.”

“Well, somebody has to pay for my time!” Fairman said.

“Err, well,” Steff Pilkington said, “if we were to go now, we might get a jump on the Traitor of the Three Gates. What do you think, dear?” Grace looked at him and shook her head.

“Go on,” Danny said. “You know you want to.” Grace smiled, then stepped forward and embraced Danny. Steff held the door of the taxi for her as he reached out his hand to shake Danny’s.