Darkness Watching (Darkworld #1) (13 page)

“Who exactly
are
the Venantium?”

“They’re the ones who maintain the Barrier, the people who keep our world safe from demons. They call the shots. Officially, all magic-users should be registered under the Venantium.”

“So why aren’t I?”

“If there aren’t any other magic-users in your family, then they have no way of knowing about it. It’s quite unusual, but it happens occasionally.”

“So do I have to register, or what?”

“No, you don’t have to. They just like to keep tabs on all magic-users. The unofficial reason is so they can keep an eye on all potential demonic summonings. Only sorcerers can summon demons.”

“But why would anyone even do that, if demons can possess you?”

“Because a demon, like any other spirit, is temporarily under the power of the person who summoned it. A sorcerer can use a demon’s magic to enhance their own. The risk of the demon turning on its summoner is a small price to pay, in their eyes.”

“And if you’re possessed? What then? Can you break free?”

Claudia gave me a pitying look reminiscent of the fortune-teller. “No. Only if the demon chooses to let you go. But in nearly all cases, the demon kills the victim before the Venantium can set them free, then flees back to the Darkworld.”

My breath caught, and the old fear clawed at me―the fear of something otherworldly. “But they’re spirits, aren’t they?” I said. “How do they kill you?” My morbid streak took over again.

“They call it the touch of instant death. Once a demon’s in your mind, it’s a small matter of reaching out to the part of your mind that tells your heart to keep beating, and just as casually as you might flick a light switch… turning off your life.”

Coldness flooded me, as if every drop of blood in my veins had turned to ice.

I said, in a whisper, “How do you fight them? You scared off that… shadow-fox, right?”

“Fire,” said Claudia. “Demons thrive in darkness, in coldness. Their deepest fear is fire.”

She smiled at me, and I had the impression she got some kind of thrill out of unnerving me.

“Now, I suppose I’d better show you a magic trick that might well save your life.”

old out your hands,” Claudia said, extending her own palms. I did the same, observing that her nails were perfectly manicured, unlike mine, which were bitten down to stumps. “I’ve not gone through this for a while, but apparently it works. Right. This might sound weird, but trust me on this. The Darkworld’s all around us; you’re tuned into it, anyway. Just concentrate. You’ll feel it.”

Feel what?
I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to focus on. I was aware of the sun peeking over the horizon, faint rays seeping through the trees and turning the leaves below us into a golden carpet. The strong smell of bark hung in the air, and birdsong echoed in a tuneful melody. I knew I shouldn’t be focusing on my surroundings, but on something else.

The Darkworld
. That dark place, the world behind the gaps.

I called to mind the feeling that always came when a demon lurked nearby, the prickling sensation of something being there which shouldn’t be. I felt a familiar coldness shoot up my arms.

“Now… I don’t know how else to put this, but imagine you’re holding something hot.”

“Huh?”

“To create fire, you need to be in the right mind-set. That’s the quickest way. Maybe imagine you have fire under your skin, that’s what I do. Watch.” She looked down at her hands, forehead wrinkled in concentration for a second―then sparks ran down her arms and her hands were suddenly aflame.

I jumped back in shock as the fire danced from one palm to another, smokeless but alive. I stepped farther away; even from a distance, the fire felt uncomfortable against my skin.

“Shit!” I said. “How in hell did you―?”

“You try it.”

I looked sceptically at my hands. They felt like they could easier turn to ice than fire. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this.

All the same, I tried. “Fire,” I whispered, imagining flames leaping into life.

Nothing happened.

“It takes practice,” said Claudia. “But you know how to do it if you get attacked again. I’m sorry I can’t be more help. I’ve never taught a complete beginner before.”

“It’s all right. I’m just glad I found you. I was totally clueless on my own.”

“You should come to one of our meetings,” said Claudia. “Give me your number; I’ll text you.”

“Meetings?”

“A bunch of us meet up every week; well, we did last year. You know, people like us.”

“I get it. Like a secret circle.” I fought back an unexpected giggle.

“Not really. Just a few friends. Cyrus started it. He’s in third year now. Then there’s Howard, Berenice and me―and Leo, he’s a Fresher, like you.”

“So what do you do, then? Save mankind from the evil demons?” I couldn’t restrain another giggle. What was the matter with me?

“No, we just talk. It helps to talk to other people like you. Your number?”

I recited my new number, glad I’d memorised it, since my phone was in my room, and she added my name to her contacts on her mobile.

“It’s dawn,” said Claudia, glancing upward at the gleaming sun, which by now shone above the treetops. “I should probably head back. I think Berenice’ll be ready to apologise now.”

“Wait,” I said. “There’s something else I want to know. Why can’t I see demons here? Or in Blackstone?”

“I’d have thought you’d have guessed,” said Claudia. “The Venantium’s headquarters operate not far from here. They have this whole area under their protection, to prevent any demons from coming within a ten-kilometre radius. And, before you ask if it’s a coincidence, us being in the same area as them, it isn’t. Did you think you picked this university by accident? This place attracts those sensitive to the Darkworld. You must have felt it when you visited, a sense of belonging.”

My heart dropped. “So it’s fake, then? I just feel like I belong here because of that?”

“No, but it does have more of an influence on people like us. I’m not sure of the percentage, but I’d say a good third of the students here have some kind of connection to the Darkworld.”

“Really?” I said, thinking of my flatmates. Alex, Sarah, and David hadn’t reacted at all to the appearance of the shadow-fox outside Satan’s Pit. No one could be that good an actor, to be able to ignore something like that. Unless, of course, they were used to it…

“Not my friends,” I said firmly. “They don’t know about any of this.”

“I wouldn’t know,” said Claudia. “Well, I might have seen that guy take a look at the shadow-fox, but I can’t be sure. I was a bit drunk.”

“You mean David?”

“The guy who looked like he was totally into you? Yeah.”

What?

Claudia glanced up at the sky. “Anyway, I really need to get back to my flat. Come to our next meeting.”

“When will that be?”

“Last year, we met in the little games room above the common room; it’ll probably be the same this year. Wednesday afternoon, at three-thirty.”

“I’ll be there,” I said.

When I returned to my room and kicked off my muddied slippers, I didn’t go back to bed. Instead, I read through my new course booklet detailing our study timetable for the term, even though Renaissance literature was the last thing on my mind.

I absently switched on the television, only to be greeted by static. Flicking through the channels, I concluded there was no television signal out here in the middle of nowhere. It made sense; half the time I didn’t have a phone signal, and it always cut out during phone calls. Cara and I agreed to switch to Skype instead.

My concentration wasn’t up to playing on the Wii, so I switched off the TV and started rereading Shakespeare’s
Hamlet
. No progress later, I went to the kitchen to make some breakfast. I walked right past David, who stood in the middle of the corridor. My hand froze on the kitchen door, and I turned around.

“What’re you doing there?”

“Nothing.” He moved in the direction of his room.

I stared. He’d been hovering between my door and Terrence’s.

“What, you just felt like standing in the middle of the corridor?”

“I thought I heard something coming from there.” He indicated Terrence’s room, shifting from one foot to the other, like he was nervous.

“Ah. Yeah, I’ve heard weird noises from there, too. Screaming and crashing.”

“Sounded like sobbing,” he said, but he sounded doubtful, as if he didn’t quite believe it.

“Alex said she heard him yelling at someone. I think he must be using Skype. I feel sorry for the person on the other end.”

“Hmm.” He frowned. Then he gave me an unconvincing smile. “Sorry I was a bit of a dick the other day.”

“Sorry I overreacted.” I forced a smile of my own. “Don’t worry about it. Are you doing anything today?”

“I was thinking of going to Redthorne. I need to get some hiking boots.”

“Shit, me too!” I said, remembering. My old trainers were in no shape to scale mountains. “You’re in the hiking club, then?”

“Yeah, I figured it was a good idea. We’re not far from the Lake District here, might as well make the most of it.”

“Exactly!” I said. “I need to get a proper waterproof coat, too. And hiking socks. And…”

David laughed. “We can go in an hour or so,” he said. “Knock on my door when you’re ready, okay?”