The Jade Boy (6 page)

Cazalon stopped. He whispered, “Afterlife,” once more, then laughed. It was a bitter, angry sound.

The count removed the cap and poured a handful
of black dust from the jar into a small pouch. He continued, “This substance is mummia, boy. It is made from the powdered skin, bones and corpse wrappings of the pharaohs. It is the most ancient and valuable medicine – a physick that can prolong youth and life.

“Your mistress is to add one spoonful of mummia every day to a single glass of wine and drink it immediately.”

Cazalon’s eyes narrowed as he handed the pouch to Jem.

“One spoonful only, mind. That is most important. You must make that very clear to her, Jeremy. If the duchess uses more than the amount I have prescribed…”

Cazalon paused and drew his hand across his forehead. He stumbled back and sank into the chair beside the fire, staring silently into the flames. He clapped his hands again.

Moments later, Tapwick entered the room.

“Take him,” muttered Cazalon without looking round. “Ptolemy will show him the way back.”

The count’s eyes closed and at that very moment Osiris took flight upwards to the painted ceiling of the room, letting out another piercing ‘kraak’.

The door to Cazalon’s chamber closed silently behind them.

Tapwick sniffed, jerked his wig back into place and scuttled off up the corridor. Jem found that he almost had to run to keep up with the little man, who carried the only source of light. They went back through the passage of clocks and then down several flights of stairs.

The boy and the steward were racing along a particularly long dark passageway when something very odd occurred. Tapwick, who was four paces ahead of Jem, stopped dead. He was frozen in the middle of a step with his left foot hovering inches above the floorboards. It happened so instantly that Jem nearly knocked into him from behind.

The boy cleared his throat, “Er… Mr Tapwick, are you all right?”

There was no reply. Confused, Jem walked round to stand in front of the old man.

Tapwick’s milky eyes were open and unblinking. From the scruffy wig on his head to the springy hairs
in his nostrils and the unravelling threads dangling from his ragged cuffs, nothing about him moved. Even more oddly, the tiny flame of the candle he carried was utterly motionless, too. Like an old clock, Tapwick had simply stopped.

Jem wasn’t sure what to do. He tried to prise the candle from Tapwick’s hand but it wouldn’t budge. He stared into the blackness ahead but couldn’t make out a thing.

“Tolly!” he whispered, as loudly as he dared.

There was no reply.

He tried with his mind instead. “
Tolly… are you there?
”

Nothing.

He had to get away.

Jem took a deep breath and stepped away from the frozen man and into the gloom. Within just ten paces he was engulfed in the hungry blackness of Malfurneaux Place. He swallowed hard, held his hands out in front of him and cautiously continued forward.

“Take five more paces and then turn right.”

A light musical voice sounded in the dark. Ann!

“Don’t be frightened, Tolly’s here, too.”

In confirmation, Jem suddenly felt a small tug
on his coat and a familiar chirrup as Cleo jumped lightly to his shoulder and began to stroke his ear.

He edged carefully forward and turned right, after the fifth step. The dark was somehow thinner here. Jem could now see another long corridor ahead of him. At the far end, Ann stood at the open door of a lighted room. She motioned for him to join her. Cleo leapt from his shoulder and raced to her. Gratefully, Jem followed. When he reached the door, Ann quickly ushered him inside.

Jem found himself in a tiny, cramped bedchamber. Rags hung at a tiny barred window set high in the wall and the room was almost empty apart from a narrow bed and several piles of books. Patches of brown mould spotted the walls, making the chamber smell musty and damp. The only sources of light seemed to be a single candle set in a sconce on the wall by the bed and a little fire crackling in the grate.

Ann smiled brightly, but she looked even smaller and thinner than he remembered. Her wide green eyes shone with a sort of feverish intensity and her white hair seemed to glow like a halo.

“Welcome to my room, Jem. As you can see, as befits the ward of such a great man, I live in the lap of luxury.”

She smoothed down the skirts of her tattered green dress. Jem saw it was the same one she had been wearing the last time they had met.

Ann smiled bleakly, before continuing. “I am sorry I cannot offer you a delicious pie, or even a glass of water. But you can, at least, warm yourself. Here Tolly, use this one to feed the fire. I’ve read it now. I’ll remember it.”

She tossed a book to the other side of the room. Jem now saw that Tolly was crouched in front of the tiny hearth. Tolly tore at several pages, scrunched them into balls and pushed them into the grate. Then he grinned at Jem and spoke out loud.

“You survived, then?”

The words were light but Jem noticed the quick anxious look that passed between the dark boy and the girl.

“Tolly, we don’t have much time,” said Ann quickly, “You know I can’t hold Tapwick for long. Ask Cleo to keep watch.”

Tolly called the monkey over and bent to stroke her ears. Cleo chirped softly and scampered over to the door. Ann let her out and wedged the door ajar with a book, then she turned to Jem and demanded abruptly, “Do you know anything about the rites of binding?”

Jem shook his head, he had no idea. He felt confused and frightened. Even though he was relieved to see the others again, instinct told him to run as fast and as far as possible from Malfurneaux Place.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said. “Please, I just want to get out of here. This place is… is…
evil
.”

He almost whispered the last word. He had a strange feeling that the house might be listening. Then another thought blazed in his mind.

“What did you mean about my father, Ann? You know – when you came to the duke’s house… That was you, wasn’t it? I wasn’t imagining it? You said he was alive.”

Ann ran a hand through her luminous white hair, pushing it back from her pointed face. “I am sorry, Jem, but we don’t have time for explanations. You must tell us everything about your meeting with my– my g– guardian.”

She faltered over the last words and Tolly rose to join her by the door. He took her hand and squeezed it. Jem felt oddly excluded.

“You two seem to know so much already. I think it’s me who deserves some answers.”

Ann sighed and shook her head.

“Now is not the time Jem, but I promise to
explain everything to you later. As much as we know, that is. But for now, you must listen to us. I’ve sealed Tapwick into a moment of time, but I can’t hold him long – I’ve not practised enough. I
need
to know what happened in that room. What did my guardian say to you? Everything is a clue.”

Jem looked from Ann’s troubled green eyes to Tolly’s serious brown ones and knew that he could trust them. But all the same, he felt they were both keeping something from him.

“Please, Jem.” Tolly poked another crumpled page into the grate. “I understand why you are reluctant to help us, when we won’t answer your questions, but now is not the time for explanations.”

Ann took a step forward. “Jem, start from the beginning. Try to remember everything you saw and heard after you left Tolly in the hall – and do it quickly, before Tapwick comes looking for you.”

Jem began to speak. Once he started, the words tumbled from his lips as he described the horrors of the house, the mutilated animals, the passage of clocks and the rat-footed bird.

When he got to the interview with Cazalon, he lowered his voice to a whisper, as if repeating the man’s words could conjure him up. When Jem
finished, Ann’s eyes were round as saucers.

“I haven’t seen those rooms,” she said. “Officially I’m a prisoner in here, but even when I’ve managed to get out and explore – I usually only make it as far as the library…” she pointed at the piles of books, “I’ve never seen the chambers or the poor creatures you describe. What about you, Tolly?”

The dark boy looked troubled.

“I’ve seen my share of strangeness here – the library itself is strange enough,” he looked knowingly at Ann and she nodded, “But I’ve never seen those animals, Jem. I think the house shows people what it wants them to see. Only Tapwick and Cazalon can truly navigate its maze.”

Jem shuddered. “Malfurneaux Place and its master should be burned to the ground. I can’t understand why you two stay here.”

Ann laughed bitterly. “Where would we go, Jem? Look at us. A penniless girl and a moor. Where would we find a place to hide? Who would help us? We would be starving on the streets, and worse. This house is our only home. When my mother and grandmother were taken, I had no choice. I…” a huge sob stopped her words and Ann hid her face in her hands.

Tolly put a protective arm about her shoulders and glared at Jem.

“It is not so easy to be free,” he said angrily.

Jem bit his lip. His words had been thoughtless.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

Ann fished a grimy rag from the folds of her skirt, blew her nose and smiled weakly.

“Don’t worry,” she said, sniffing. “Besides, Tolly and I
have
to be here, Jem. We think my guardian is about to do something terrible, but we don’t know what it is or why he wants to do it. The only clue we have is that he needs the boy of jade to make it happen. We’re certain that’s you.”

She stopped for a moment and frowned. “Jem, think. When he spoke to you did he take anything of yours?”

He shook his head. “No, nothing… unless you count the bandage.”

The air in the room seemed to freeze.

“What do you mean?” Ann’s voice was tight.

Jem described the moment when Cazalon examined his knuckles and stuffed the blood-stained bandage into the folds of his gown. Ann turned paler than ever. The bones of her tiny face seemed to be straining against the skin that covered them,
her tapering fingers picked at the fabric of her dress.

“Jem – remember how I asked you about the rites of binding?”she said.

“Yes.” He had a bad feeling that he had already failed an important test.

“The rites of binding are used in the old magic to tie a person to your will and your desires. Once you have tricked a person into fulfilling the five rites you have complete power over them. You will be able to make them do what exactly what you want. They will become your creature.

“Giving someone something from your body – like hair, spittle, blood – that’s one of the rites. Because Cazalon has your blood, Jem, it means that he will now be able to enter your thoughts. He will read your mind.”

Jem shivered as he remembered the peculiar, irritating feeling inside his head that started just at the moment when Cazalon took the bandage.

“Is there a way to stop him?”

“You must be wary at all times when you are near him,” said Ann. “If you feel him in your mind, concentrate hard on one single, secret thing – a happy or perhaps a sad thought, a wish or a desire. It should block him for now, until I can
find a way to protect you.”

“Is that what you two do?”

Ann and Tolly exchanged a swift glance, making Jem feel excluded again.

“What about the other rites, Ann? What must Jem be on the look out for?” Tolly ignored Jem’s question, but still smiled encouragingly.

“Of course. How stupid of me.”

Ann took hold of both of Jem’s hands. She began to speak slowly, all the while staring into his eyes as if willing him to remember her words.

“You must not accept food from him. You must not kneel to him and you must not give him an article of your clothing.”

Jem nodded, repeating the instructions in his head.

“And the fifth rite?” he asked.

“You must not cross a barrier of salt at his invitation.”

Jem dropped her hands.

“But I– I… have already done that. I crossed a half circle of salt at the entrance to his chamber when he called me in.”

The little room was silent for a moment.

“I’ve already completed two of the rites, haven’t I?”

“Jem, you weren’t to know. It’s not your fault.” Tolly’s voice was warm and calm. “Now you’ll be on
your guard. It will be fine – you are ready for him.”

Ann nodded. She smiled, but Jem saw fear in her eyes.

“We need you to keep
all
your wits about you at all times,” she said, “because although my guardian is fascinated by you – his
jade boy
– he is also plotting with your master, the duke. That’s right, isn’t it Tolly?”

Tolly nodded. “Usually the duke makes Cleo and me leave the room when Cazalon visits Ludlow House – he’s terrified she’ll break something. But I’ve heard enough to know that they’re up to something. And from what I’ve been able to read in the duke’s mind, I know he’s excited – and nervous too. They are planning something together, but the duke’s head is muddled. I’m not quite a mind-reader Jem – I mostly sense people’s feelings.”

“So you see, Jem,” said Ann, “we must find out what they’re up to. There’s a puzzle here, but we can’t solve it without your help.”

Jem stared at the other two children.

“How do you know?” he began. “I mean, how did you find out about this jade boy stuff and what makes you think…” but before he was able to finish the sentence Cleo came bounding through the partially
open door. She chattered furiously and leapt onto Tolly’s shoulder.

“Quickly, Tapwick will wake at any moment,” whispered Ann. “Take this candle and find your way back to the exact place where you stood when I stopped him. Tolly – you too. You must be in position down in the lower hall where Tapwick first left you.”

She grabbed the single candle from the sconce on the wall and pressed it into Jem’s hand.

“Run!” she ordered, and the boys and the monkey barrelled from the room leaving Ann lit eerily by the thin light of the tiny fire.

They raced down the corridor and turned to the left – then skidded to an abrupt halt in horror. Cleo shrieked and covered her eyes.

Tapwick was still motionless, frozen in mid-step, but they could not reach him.

The floor ahead was completely covered by a writhing carpet of huge black-backed insects. Millipedes, earwigs, beetles, worms – a moist shining nest of them wriggling and rippling across the floorboards, up the walls and over Tapwick’s feet.

As the boys stared in horror, the little candle in the man’s hand began to flicker.