Archie Greene and the Raven's Spell by D. D. Everest

Author:D. D. Everest [D. D. Everest]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571309658
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2017-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

Katerina’s eyes smouldered with madness, and a secret. ‘My ancestor Felicia Nightshade said that when Grey escaped from The Book of Prophecy he was babbling like a madman. Most of what he said made no sense but he kept repeating the same phrase: “Only the Greys can save magic.” Plural, you see – more than one Grey!’

Archie stared in bewilderment. ‘But I was born three hundred and fifty years later!’

‘Yes,’ said Katerina, ‘but your fate and Fabian Grey’s are connected. Whatever Grey saw in The Book of Prophecy, it involves you as well!’

Archie stared at her in shock. His heart was pounding. Was this the final part of his forked fate? Was he supposed to save magic by defeating the Dark Flame in place of Grey? He felt light-headed.

The iron door opened and Rumold was in the room. He seized Katerina by the shoulders and shook her.

‘That’s enough,’ he cried. ‘Drink this.’

He held a flask to her full lips and Katerina drank from it, and immediately calmed down. She started to wring her hands again. Fast to begin with but slowing as the potion took eff ect until she sat quietly clasping her hands together as if one might comfort the other.

‘You have upset her, Gideon,’ Rumold reprimanded. ‘You shouldn’t have asked about Ripley. Her mind is too fragile. She doesn’t know what she is saying.’

Hawke glared at him. ‘But I disagree, Rumold. I think she knows exactly what she’s saying.’

Before Rumold could stop him, Hawke snatched Katerina’s right hand in his and turned the palm to face him. Archie gasped. There was a black firemark on it: the Black Dragon.

‘Another one who has taken the Dark Oath,’ said Hawke. ‘I wonder how many more are in this building.’

Rumold glanced at the door as if he was expecting someone. The door remained closed. Hawke didn’t seem to have noticed. He fixed Rumold with a stare and his mismatched eyes bored into him with such intensity that Archie worried that the head of Lost Books might have lost control.

Rumold swallowed hard. His eyes flicked to the door again. Just then it opened and a tall, gaunt man entered the room.

‘Gideon, I understand you’ve been distressing the patients,’ he said in his cold voice with an undercurrent of menace.

Hawke swung around in his chair. ‘Uther,’ he said. ‘What an unpleasant surprise.’ His eyes returned to Rumold’s face. ‘So you called in reinforcements. I might have guessed you would.’

Rumold shrugged. ‘It’s for your own good, Gideon. You are confused. You haven’t been taking your medication. We cannot allow you to leave like this.’

At a nod from Morgred, two burly men in white coats stepped into the room and stood on either side of Hawke.

Morgred gave a thin smile. ‘Gideon Hawke,’ he said, ‘I am relieving you of your duties as head of Lost Books, with immediate effect.’

For a moment Archie thought that Hawke was going to resist, but he saw a look of resignation in his eyes.

‘Very well, Uther,’ he said, wearily. ‘If that is what the Magical League orders, I will return to Oxford and pack my things.

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