The Key (73 page)

‘Minoo would never do this willingly,’ Anna-Karin says.

‘Yes, she would,’ Linnéa says. ‘If the guardians have told her to—’

‘For fuck’s sake, how can you say that?’ Gustaf says. ‘Read the letter! She is frightened! They have threatened her!’

‘I agree that all this sounds as if she is under undue pressure,’ Nicolaus says.

He is studying the letter.

‘It reads as if each word has been chosen too carefully,’ he continues. ‘As if she is afraid of saying too much.’

‘She
wants
us to believe that she has deceived us so that we don’t come after her,’ Anna-Karin says. ‘She wants to protect us! Don’t you see that, Linnéa?’

Anna-Karin is blushing with indignation. And Linnéa feels ashamed because she can’t believe in Minoo as much as the others do.

‘Never mind if she’s there willingly or not,’ Linnéa says. ‘She shouldn’t be there at all. Especially not after what Olivia told us.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Gustaf asks.

Anna-Karin starts explaining but Linnéa isn’t listening.

It’s not like you can replace the Chosen Ones
.

The souls of the Chosen Ones make up the Key.

The souls of all the Chosen Ones.

All are needed.

‘They’re not gone,’ Linnéa says straight out in the air.

The others stop talking and turn to her.

‘They haven’t passed,’ she says. ‘Elias, Rebecka and Ida must be caught between worlds, just like Matilda.’

They look dubious but Linnéa grows more convinced as she speaks.

‘Think about it! The demons carried on, even though Max didn’t manage to hang on to the souls of Elias and Rebecka. They must’ve known somehow that those souls were not completely lost.’

‘But Matilda said—’ Anna-Karin begins.

‘That’s it,’ Linnéa interrupts. ‘
Matilda
said that Elias and Rebecka weren’t left. And she works for the guardians and the guardians usually lie to us.’

It’s all crystal clear now, and Linnéa could hit herself for not seeing it earlier. She has accepted far too much, even though she fancies herself as so cynical and questioning. Unbelievable that she hasn’t even
tried
to contact Elias. It feels as if she has abandoned him and the thought is enough to make her panic.

‘Is Rebecka in the same place as Matilda?’ Gustaf says.

‘She could well be,’ Nicolaus says thoughtfully.

‘And she might have been stuck there ever since she died?’

Linnéa meets his eyes and knows exactly how he is feeling.

‘But if their souls are there,’ Anna-Karin says, ‘why wouldn’t the guardians tell us? And why would Matilda say they had passed on?’

Nicolaus looks uncertain.

‘I can’t understand that either. Perhaps she didn’t know.’

‘I don’t give a fuck about why,’ Linnéa says. ‘We will never understand why the guardians and Matilda do what they do. Olivia was planning to open the portal. She must have thought that she could get hold of the souls of Elias, Ida and Rebecka. And, if she thought she could, then surely we must be able to as well.’

‘If what Olivia said is true, that is,’ Nicolaus says.

‘Yes,’ Linnéa says. ‘The first thing we must do is confirm that they really are stuck between worlds.’

‘And what will we do for Minoo?’ Gustaf asks.

Linnéa doesn’t want to hurt him again. But she has to.

‘Nothing,’ she says.

Gustaf goes red in the face.

‘You’ll just leave her with the Council?’

‘Of course not,’ Linnéa says. ‘But we can’t do anything right now. If you’re right and she is being kept captive there, we can’t just barge in. We need a plan. Or else we might all die. And if she’s there willingly, as I think, then we must find some evidence to persuade her to come with us.’

‘I don’t like this,’ Anna-Karin says. ‘We have no idea what goes on in the manor house.’

‘I think Linnéa is right,’ Nicolaus says. ‘An unplanned attack could put both Minoo and ourselves in danger. Also, remember that Minoo is an exceptionally strong witch. She is far from helpless.’

Anna-Karin nods, but looks unhappy.

‘I’m going there,’ Gustaf says, getting up and pulling off the blanket.

‘No!’ Anna-Karin says. ‘You can’t!’

‘I agree with Anna-Karin,’ Nicolaus says. ‘The other circle is powerful and they wouldn’t hesitate to hurt you. And that would not help Minoo.’

Gustaf says nothing, just stares at the decorative vase in front of him on the table. Linnéa hears his thoughts. He realises that Nicolaus is right – he is just as helpless as ever. Just as useless. He can’t help the ones he loves. Not Rebecka. Not Minoo. There is nothing he can do. Nothing.

Linnéa jumps in her seat when Gustaf sweeps the vase from the table. It crashes to the floor and shatters.

The room is very silent after the crash.

Gustaf’s hands are clenched. He is breathing quickly as he stares at the broken glass.

‘Gustaf …’ Linnéa begins.

‘Tell Minoo’s parents that I’ll pay for it,’ he says as he leaves the room.

They hear the door slam. Linnéa looks at Anna-Karin and Nicolaus.

‘I’m so sorry for that boy,’ Nicolaus says, shaking his head. ‘Feeling powerless is dreadful.’

‘But we aren’t powerless,’ Linnéa says. ‘Let’s have a séance. Tonight.’

‘But it isn’t a Saturday,’ Anna-Karin says. ‘Mona says that you should hold séances on Saturdays and at midnight and—’

‘Fuck Mona!’ Linnéa interrupts. ‘We’ll try every night. Until it works. Until we get in touch with them.’

* * *

They are in the hall, waiting for her and Walter.

Sigrid, Nejla, Felix and Viktor have formed a semicircle in front of the reception. Neither Alexander or Clara are there. Fear is scratching away inside Minoo’s mind and she wants to calm it. But Walter has forbidden her to use magic during the ceremony. He wants her to be fully present.

How is Adriana? And Clara? What did Walter actually do to her? Minoo tries to catch Viktor’s eye but he refuses to look at her.

‘Now then,’ Walter says. ‘This is the situation. Minoo managed to get into Adriana’s room, intending to steal an object that her friends thought was important. Adriana caught her red-handed. Minoo tried to escape and there was an accident. We can’t be sure yet that Adriana will recover.’

Minoo isn’t sure if the others believe Walter’s story. Sigrid looks shocked, Nejla uncomfortable, but Felix almost pleased as he stands holding the
Book of Patterns
. Minoo can’t blame him. This time, he isn’t the one to be publicly humiliated.

‘It’s a tragedy in many ways,’ Walter says. ‘Even so, I feel some measure of sympathy for Minoo. She acted out of misplaced loyalty to her friends. And now she’s full of remorse. Isn’t that so, Minoo?’

‘Yes,’ she says, staring at the floor, where the melting snow on her shoes is forming a small puddle.

‘And you have understood where you belong?’

‘Yes.’

Walter takes the
Book of Patterns
from Felix and turns to her. She places her right hand on the worn leather surface and touches the embossed circles with her fingertips. Walter rehearsed the words with her on the way back and, by now, she knows them off by heart.

‘I, Minoo Falk Karimi, swear to serve the Council in thought, word and deed. To always uphold the laws of the Council. I will not practise magic without the Council’s express permission. I will not use magic to break non-magical laws. I will not reveal myself as a witch to the non-magical public. I swear to be faithful to the Council unto death.’

She takes her hand away.

There is nothing magic about this oath of allegiance but, all the same, it feels as if a band of iron has tightened around her chest.

Her life belongs to the Council now.

‘Thank you, Minoo,’ Walter says. ‘I would of course have wished this to take place in different circumstances, but I would still like to welcome you into our community.’

‘Thank you,’ she says.

‘As I have said already, I understand the motives for Minoo’s recent behaviour,’ he continues, turning to face the others. ‘Nonetheless, some disciplinary steps must be taken. From now on, Minoo will stay in her room and she will practise only with me. No one must speak to her without my permission.’

No one looks at her. She is already invisible. A pariah.

‘Minoo, you may leave,’ Walter says. ‘Your bags will be delivered later.’

Moving like a sleepwalker, she wanders through the corridors, up the stairs and along to her room with the red clover wallpaper. Her new home.

She takes off her shoes and her jacket. Goes to her bed, switches the bedside lamp on and sits down. The silence is like a distant roar in her ears.

She wonders if the others have read her letter by now. Hopefully, they’ll hate her as someone who has betrayed them and who is now lost to them. The last thing they must do is come here and try to rescue her.

Footsteps are approaching and her stomach turns when the door opens. It’s Viktor, carrying her suitcases. The door closes behind him.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she whispers. ‘I tried to make Clara stay away.’

Viktor ignores her completely, turns his back to her and puts her cases near the wardrobe.

‘What did he do to her?’ Minoo asks him. ‘How is she?’

Viktor’s back goes rigid.

‘You promised,’ he says, in a barely audible voice. ‘You promised to keep her out of it.’

‘I tried.’

Viktor faces her now. His face is full of anger.

‘Do you want to know what Walter said to her?’ he says quietly. ‘He said, “I won’t do anything to you that you haven’t done to yourself already”.’

Minoo feels sick.

‘He opened her scar,’ Viktor whispers.

Minoo remembers the white band across the inside of Clara’s wrist and is almost overwhelmed with nausea.

Her pain threshold is quite low
.

‘I’m sorry,’ she says. ‘I’m sorry, I never thought—’

‘Stop it,’ Viktor interrupts, but he no longer sounds angry. Only weary. ‘I know it wasn’t your fault.’

He stares at the floor.

‘I want to kill him. Kill him, take Clara with me and leave. I’d take you, too. And Felix. But we must save the world. And they would come after us. They wouldn’t kill us for as long as they needed us, but there are other things …’

He looks at her now and his eyes are haunted.

‘Only three portents to go now. It can’t be long until we can close the portal. Don’t you think?’

‘No. I think you’re right.’

‘We must stick it out. Just for a while longer.’

Minoo nods. Stick it out. That’s exactly what they must do.

‘I’ve already disobeyed his orders by talking to you.’ Viktor looks pleadingly at her. ‘I can’t do it again. You understand that, don’t you?’

‘Of course,’ she says.

He takes a step closer to her and touches her shoulder lightly.

‘We’ll get through all this,’ he says.

Then he walks out into the corridor and Minoo hears the key being inserted in the door lock and turned.

She lies down on the bed and releases her magic. Then she directs it towards herself. She disappears into her memories, becomes engrossed in them.

And everything is perfect again.

Her arm rests on his chest. Her leg is lightly hooked around his. She wishes she could stay like this for all eternity. That nothing would ever happen, not ever.

She used to be baffled by people who said they’d like to stop time.

Now she understands. Now, she is happy.

‘Wake up!’

A voice.

The silence has lasted for so long.

So long he can’t remember if there was a before.

Before the silence.

Before the darkness.

‘Come on, wake up!’

Someone touches him.

‘Oh, please, come on, why don’t you wake up?’

Awake
.

Everything is blurred.

A pale face.

Blonde hair.

Blue eyes.

Her features come into focus. He knows her face is familiar. Who is she?

‘I thought you’d never come to!’ she whispers. ‘Follow me. Hurry up!’

She takes his hand and pulls him along. The world around him is completely grey, and wrapped in the thickest fog. Moving his legs feels odd, unusual.

If only he could remember where he is.

If only he could remember
who
he is.

Surely you are supposed to know that when you are dreaming?

‘Why don’t you say anything?’ she whispers. ‘Just say something!’

She has a silver heart on a chain around her neck. This is familiar, too, something he recognises. Did he give it to her?
Who is she?

He is sure now that he has seen her face lots of times. Both close up and at a distance. Is she his sister? No, he never had any sisters. He is certain about that. Girlfriend? No. Definitely not his girlfriend. He never had any of those either.

A friend?

There’s a bond between them. They belong, somehow. He feels that.

She stops and turns towards him.

‘What’s the matter with you?’ she says. ‘Elias?’

Elias.

Elias.

Elias Mikael Malmgren.

That’s him.

And now he knows who she is.

He pulls his hand out of her grip.

‘Calm down,’ Ida says. ‘I know this is confusing—’

‘It’s a dream,’ Elias interrupts.

‘No,’ she says. ‘You’re dead. And so am I.’

She looks perfectly serious but what she says is utterly absurd. Elias bursts out laughing.

‘And what’s this place, then?’ he says. ‘Hell? Must be, since you’re here.’

Of course, he doesn’t believe her. Of course not. Obviously. But, even so, anguish is swelling inside him like a big, black balloon.

He tries to stay detached and analyse what his subconscious is trying to tell him with this dream. Must ask Regina next time he has an appointment for psychological counselling.

‘I thought it was a dream at first,’ Ida says. ‘But you’ve got to believe—’

‘Believe what?’ he interrupts. ‘That I’m
dead?
’

‘What’s the last thing you remember?’

He doesn’t want to talk about this. He starts walking, searching the greyness for some kind of landmark, but it’s pointless. There is nothing there. Nothing at all. Nothing to distract him from the memories that begin to stir and come alive in his mind.