Mirrorscape (16 page)

‘Close-lipped, I like that. Your circumspection does you credit.'

Mel waited.

‘My husband has vanished and I think that both
you and I know where he might be.'

No reaction.

‘Let's stop beating around the bush, shall we? Do you or don't you know about the Mirrorscape?'

The mention of the word caught Mel off guard.

‘Ah, that's better. I can see from your face that you do. Who else in this household knows?'

There was no point in pretending any more. Mel told her.

‘Well, my husband has gone into the Mirrorscape and has not returned. I believe he is being held there against his will. It can be no coincidence that as soon as he's out of Vlam Spute and his men ransack our mansion and arrest our steward. They would never have dared act that way if he was still here. My husband is one of the few people who is powerful enough to stand up to them. Ambrosius has been in the Mirrorscape for some time now. If he's remained within the part he created, then he won't get sick. But my fear is that he could be enticed further and become as vulnerable as anyone else. I must remain here and attempt to hold this household together and try to fend off that odious High-Bailiff, should he return. But you know about the Mirrorscape and you know how to follow your master. I want you to go in there and bring him back.'

‘Yes, Mistress. If that's what's necessary, then I'll try and find him. But I'll need some help. Can I take Ludo and Wren?'

‘You may. But before you and your friends get into this, there's something you should know. Something that may change your mind.' The mistress rose from her chair with a soft rustle of silk and went to the easel. She swung it around on its castors.

Albinus uttered a terrified shriek and ran up the curtains.

‘What the ….' Mel nearly choked. ‘It's just not possible!'

The canvas had changed
utterly
.

The Temporal Labyrinth

Mel was out of breath by the time he finally found Wren in the kitchen. On his way he had gone to the clock and tied his signal around the neck of the dragon for the Rainbow Rebels. He told Wren about his interview with the mistress.

‘So? Will you come?'

‘Of course.'

‘I was hoping you'd say that. Without the master there'll be no household and without a household there'll be no job. I know how much you need it.'

‘There's a more important reason than that.'

‘There is? What?'

‘Friendship, you dummy.' Wren shook her head. ‘Let's go and get Ludo.'

‘You think he'll come?'

As they approached Ludo's bed, he saw them coming. He turned away and pulled his blanket over his head. ‘Go away. I'm not well.'

‘What's wrong, Ludo?' asked Wren as she sat on the
edge of his bed. ‘This isn't like you. Shall we ask to send for a doctor?'

‘Don't need a doctor. Just go away.'

‘While you've been in bed, the whole place has gone to pot,' said Mel. ‘Dirk Tot's been arrested. They found his secret laboratory and masses of pigment that he's been making. All the stuff I told you about.'

‘You know, I think it's why he didn't want you to see his secret garden,' said Wren. ‘He was probably testing his own colours there.'

‘Yeah, and come to think of it, he must have been using it to top up the pigment Groot was stealing.' Mel looked down at Ludo. ‘And the master's vanished as well. He's gone inside the Mirrorscape and he hasn't come out.'

Ludo groaned and pulled the blanket further over his head.

‘The mistress has asked Mel to find him and bring him back. I'm going too. If you were feeling better then we'd ask you to come with us,' said Wren.

‘Leave me alone. Can't you see I'm not well?
I don't want anything to do with the Mirrorscape any more. Or with you.'

‘But, Ludo ….' pleaded Mel.

Wren put her hand on Mel's arm and shook her head. ‘We're sorry to see you like this, Ludo, but we understand. We'll see you when we get back.'

‘
If
we get back.' Mel bit his lip.
Stupid! Why did I say that?

Wren shot him a withering look. ‘Goodbye, Ludo.'

‘Yeah, hope you're feeling better soon.' Mel rose and followed Wren towards the door. ‘You go and get any stuff you might need and I'll meet you in the master's studio.'

After she had left, Mel opened his cupboard and removed the loose board to his cache. He thrust his arm into the space, searching for his sketch of the mirrormark, but it was not there.
Has someone taken it?
He thought about this for a moment.
No one knew it was there
. The chimes of the great clock echoed through the dormitory. He mentally shrugged.
If it's gone, it's gone. I can't worry about that now
. He worked his arm deeper inside the narrow space and his hand closed on the tiny box. He
drew it out and looked at it.
Maybe I'm not coming back. I should take this with me
. He tucked it inside his doublet next to his bodkin and hurried off to meet Wren.

As soon as Mel had left, the door to the service passage opened with a creak and Groot stepped into the silent dormitory. He carried two bottles of the finest Vlamian wine. Having discovered the passages, it had not taken him long to find his way into the master's wine cellar and he had since become a regular visitor. He had returned to the dormitory to hide his loot and had overheard the conversation. ‘What a touching little scene, Ludo. You know, it almost brought a tear to my eye.'

‘Go away, Groot. They were my best friends and now I can't even look them in the eye. Leave me alone.'

‘Oh, I will. Very soon now. I've an appointment with my new friends here.' He clinked the bottles together. ‘But there's one more thing you're going to do for me.' He sat on the edge of Ludo's bed, leant down and whispered into his ear.

Mel was not the first to arrive in the master's studio.

‘Green! How did you get here so quickly?'

‘The Mirrorscape might be dangerous but it's quick. What's up?'

‘Dirk Tot's just been arrested. And no one's seen the master since the day before yesterday. The mistress thinks he's being held against his will inside the Mirrorscape.'

‘That's really serious news. I'd best get back at once and warn my men. Bad luck always comes in threes.'

‘I'm going to look for him and bring him back.'

‘What, in
there
?' Green looked at the master's canvas. ‘All on your own?'

‘Not quite on his own.' Wren entered the room.

‘The Mirrorscape's no place for either of you,' said Green. ‘But Mel will need all the help he can get.'

‘I can look after myself,' said Wren. ‘I've scrounged us some food. I didn't know how long we'll be gone.' She held up a small sack bulging with provisions.

‘Wren, this is Green.'

‘Nice to meet you, Wren. But it's hello and goodbye, I'm afraid. I must hurry. We'll meet again.' He left by the door.

‘Mel!' Wren gazed aghast at the canvas. ‘What's happened?'

Before, where the picture had been full of sunlight and bright, luminous colours, it now looked totally different. The blue sky had vanished, to be replaced by a leaden, overcast sky. Swirling shapes within them suggested screaming heads. The delicate trees had been either felled or blackened where they had been burnt. The corpses of many of the fabulous creatures lay about, dismembered, and more rotting bodies floated in the now filthy lake. Vultures with blood-matted feathers picked at the bloated carcasses. The island in the lake was empty. There was no sign of the half-human house that had formerly stood there, just an enormous crater. It was an awful transformation. The scene looked like the last place they would ever want to go, but it was their doorway into the Mirrorscape. They must follow the master.

‘How could that have happened?' asked Wren. ‘Who'd do such a thing?'

‘I don't know. Perhaps the person who stole my sketch of the mirrormark.'

‘It's gone?' Wren looked alarmed. ‘But how are we going to follow the master?'

‘Don't worry, I've got it memorised. Now, I wonder if there's anything here that might help us find him?' Mel began searching the studio. He found a large leather satchel and placed some pencils into it. He added a small telescope with curious dials and knobs along its length, which he thought might come in useful. He picked up a leather-bound book.

‘What's that?'

‘It's the master's sketchbook,' said Mel, opening it.

‘Really? Let me see.'

‘It's beautiful. I've never seen drawings as fine as these.' Mel traced the exquisite lines with his finger, imagining he was drawing them himself.

‘They're drawings from his paintings – preparatory sketches.'

‘Are you sure? That means they're drawings of the Mirrorscape. We should take this too.'

‘Well, there's no putting it off any longer,' said Wren. ‘We should get going.'

‘I'm coming too,' said a voice.

‘Ludo!' they both exclaimed.

‘What made you change your mind?' asked Mel.

‘Oh, it was the thought of you two recounting your adventures after you get back and forever saying “You should have been there, Ludo”. Besides, with you two gone, there's nothing left for me here. I'm sorry if I offended you.' Ludo sounded cheerful enough, but he was avoiding eye contact.

‘Are you
sure
you're feeling better?' asked Wren.

‘Look, are we going or not?'

‘What's got into you?' said Mel. ‘First we couldn't drag you into the Mirrorscape, then you can't wait to go.'

‘We're all going now. That's what matters,' said Wren.

‘All right, let's do it. You OK, Wren?'

‘Not really. I'm scared.'

‘Me too,' said Mel.

‘When you two are
quite
ready,' complained Ludo.

The three friends looked at the painting for a moment and linked arms. Mel took a deep breath and traced the mirrormark in the air. The surface of the painting shimmered and they vanished.

‘Come on, it's gaining on us,' shouted Adolfus Spute. ‘Surprising turn of speed for a building, don't you think?'

Mumchance blew an extended trill on his whistle.

‘I'll thank you not to rub it in, you rancid manikin. My plan was perfect –
perfect
. We had Blenk nicely trapped inside that peculiar house of his while we arrested Half-Face. The last thing anyone could have expected was for that jumped-up bungalow to get up off his foundations and come after us like that.'

Another blast.

‘Now what?'

And another.

‘You mean that crag over yonder? For once in your miserable little life that's not a bad idea. I doubt if that hooligan of a hovel can climb. Or maybe there'll be some cosy cave where we can hole up until it gets tired of chasing us through the Mirrorscape. Come on, Mumchance; whistle up the rest of the men. Let's go mountaineering.'

The first thing the friends found inside the Mirrorscape was Munchie's leash attached to the stump of a tree. It was bloody and had been cut or gnawed through. There was no trace of the vermiraptor – not that Mel was anxious to meet her again. He scanned the ground and saw a trail of footprints.
She's got away
.

‘This is
amazing
,' said Ludo, gazing around. He knelt and touched the grass. ‘Feel this. It's all so real, not like the world we made.'

‘Amazing? It's
appalling
,' said Wren. ‘Being real's what makes it even more horrible. Even down to the cries of those vultures. How can the master paint sound?'

‘This isn't the master's work,' said Mel, ‘not any more. It started out as his. It was just as real but smelt a whole lot better.'

‘Death stinks wherever it is,' observed Ludo.

‘When we first saw the painting it was so beautiful,' said Wren. ‘How can it have changed so much?'

‘I don't know. But I've a feeling that we're going to find out soon enough. Come on, you two,' said Mel. ‘The master's not going to find himself.'

The friends hurried away, circling the lake where
the house had been. On the far side they came upon a huge, almost human footprint in the mud. It had left a deep impression.

Mel jumped down inside and examined it. ‘I bet the house left this. It must be able to walk.'

‘There's another one over there,' said Wren. ‘And there're more leading off into the distance.'

Mel climbed out of the footprint. ‘Look, we saw the master going into the house when we first saw the painting. Remember? Maybe he's in there again.'

‘And maybe he's not,' said Wren. ‘Maybe we chase it and just find the house.'

‘At least that'll get us somewhere. When I was here before, the house helped me. Maybe it will again. Let's go.'

‘You two go on, I need to pee. I'll catch you up,' said Ludo.

‘I'm not sure you should be peeing on the master's painting,' said Mel.

‘Sorry, I've got to.' Ludo emphasised the point by crossing his legs. ‘Besides, it's already been ruined.' Ludo went behind the remains of a tree.

When he was sure that his friends were walking away, he crouched down and took a small paper parcel from his doublet. He opened a corner and, on the blackened grass, drizzled a trail of orpiment. When he had finished, the yellow pigment traced a vivid arrow pointing in the direction they were headed. He refolded the parcel and tucked it away before running to catch up with his friends.

When they reached the fourth footprint from the lake, they found out who had been responsible for the desecration.

‘Yuck, that's gross. What was it?' Wren shuddered.

‘Not what,
who
,' said Mel. ‘Judging by the red robes, I'd say it was a Mystery man. It looks like the house has deliberately squashed him.'

‘Best make sure we don't annoy it if we catch up with it,' said Ludo.

‘How do you suppose the Fifth Mystery managed to get into the Mirrorscape?' asked Wren. ‘Could they have taken your drawing when they raided the mansion?'

Mel shook his head. ‘I shouldn't think so. Even if they did they wouldn't know what it was.'

Ludo looked away.

As they trekked towards the background of the master's picture the grass underfoot became progressively smoother until it was like walking on an undulating billiard table. The vegetation also became cruder and more stylised, and the trees like spheres perched on poles. They reached the top of a hill and stopped to survey the way ahead.

‘It's different,' said Mel.

‘Of course it's different,' said Ludo, ‘unless we've been walking round in circles.'