The walk took longer than expected. It was nearly dawn by the time she reached the town hall. The chime of the clock tower warned her to hurry. She was exhausted and reaching the end of her endurance. Her anger had been growing with each painful step. It was infuriating to know she was being sent to chase hidden clues, while Lilith and her mysterious Lady Knox already had all the answers.
Temperance managed to get inside the building easily enough, but the old security guard refused to let her pass any further. She tapped her foot against the smooth marble floor. The place was almost deserted and only a few lights had been turned on. The majority of the hall was still dark. It felt colder in the building than it had been outside.
She folded her arms and stared at the man blocking her way. His face was almost perfectly round; the loose skin at his neck wobbled as he released an exasperated sigh. She tried not to flinch when the stale smell of his breath washed over her.
“Ted’s my uncle,” she pressed. “And as I said, he just asked me to collect a few things from his office.”
“Why can’t he come himself?”
“He’s sick.”
The old man glared. The baton at his waist swung as he drummed his fingers along it. Temperance licked her lips, realising he wasn’t as stupid as he looked. The guard’s eyes dropped down to her mouth. His dark frown vanished; he shuffled towards her. Temperance cringed. Goose pimples rose along her arms. His almost eager expression unnerved her. She fought the urge to step back.
When she met his eyes, they were glowing. The light grew until it almost blinded her; but she held firm. Whatever magic he was trying to do, didn’t seem to be working.
“Don’t take me for an idiot. We both know you’re not Ted’s niece. He isn’t sick. He’s dead. Why are you really here?”
His sweaty palm rose to cup her cheek.
She ducked away. “What are you doing?”
He froze then spluttered for a moment.
The glow from his eyes intensified. Temperance felt her heart beat faster. A sweet scent enveloped her. The hum from the security monitors faded into the background. She couldn’t believe she’d only just noticed how striking his eyes were. They were so green.
A chill spread through her. She sucked in a harsh breath, feeling as though she was waking up from a deep sleep. The smell was replaced by the guard’s putrid breath. She leapt back.
Buzzing filled her ears, a flash of invigorating heat swept through her. Her eyes felt like they were burning. The guard groaned in pain. The glow of the computer screens lit his gormless expression. His arms went limp at his sides. Temperance tilted her head, waving her hand in front of his face. He didn’t flinch.
“Can I go through?” she chanced.
“Yes, please do,” he said in a dazed tone.
After an awkward pause, he swung away from her as if forgetting she was there. He hitched up his trousers and started whistling. Temperance didn’t wait; she slipped through the metal detectors. The alarms remained silent.
She ran up the steps, two at a time. When she reached the vast landing, she glanced back. The guard had waddled over to stand beside a pretty girl at the television screens. He whispered something to her. She blinked up at him and took his hand resting her cheek against it. He started to pet her hair. Temperance fled from the disturbing sight.
The main corridor was quiet. Only weak light trickled in through the high windows above. There were numerous doors either side. She studied each of the shiny brass plates mounted on the oak doors. She scowled when she saw a wide plaque with Sebastian’s name engraved on it. A bang sounded from behind the door; she darted away, afraid someone would come out.
She found Ted Riddlestone’s office at the end of the corridor. She’d almost missed it. The sign was tarnished and difficult to read; at first she thought it had said Ted Teddington. She opened the door and stepped forward. The room was tiny and crowded with paperwork and cardboard boxes. Two battered metal filing cabinets were behind an empty wooden desk, which took up most of the office.
She cursed Lilith again. It would have been bad enough to search through it if she knew what she was looking for. But it seemed impossible when she didn’t. And it wouldn’t be long before someone found her.
Shaking her head, she hauled the nearest box of files onto the table. She dumped the contents onto the pockmarked surface. None of the dog-eared pages seemed relevant. There were endless boring reports, old shopping receipts and bank statements.
Temperance packed the box up again and shoved it into a corner. She searched through another two piles before she slumped down in the chair.
With a sigh, she drummed her fingers on the desk. Its surface was chipped and covered in coffee cup stains. She tugged out the thin drawers. Most were empty, except for a few loose pens and a large black torch rolling around at the back. She crouched to look at the underside of the table.
Nothing.
When she grabbed the edge of the desk to haul herself up, part of the raised flower motif lining it moved. She touched the design. One of the petals flicked down like a switch. She heard metallic clicking somewhere behind her. A panel in the wooden floor screeched open, revealing metal stairs.
She leaned forward. A cool stale breeze brushed against her face. There was nothing but darkness after the first few silver steps. She sat back on her hunkers. Halvard and Alastair were hopefully only a few steps behind her. Darting back to the desk, she grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. She scribbled a note for them. Then seizing the torch from the drawer, she stuffed it into her back pocket before returning to the hatch.
Easing onto the first step, it groaned under her. She froze, feeling it creak from side to side. She clamped her hands on the banister and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for it to give way.
Nothing happened.
With her heart thumping, she continued down.
When she reached the bottom, she took a deep steadying breath. She tilted back to look up; the light from the hatch didn’t even reach her. The opening was like a white stamp on the black ceiling.
She tugged out the torch and shone it ahead. Its beam was weak against the pitch black surrounding her. She’d entered a vast cavern, a row of jagged stalagmites twisted away into the darkness. The rough walls were cracked and charred. She swung the torch up towards the ceiling - it illuminated the tips of massive stalactites jutting down but it failed to reach the top. Her skin was clammy and the stone floor was slick with a layer of moisture. Dripping echoed from nearby. She wondered where she was, whether this was another entrance to the hidden world beneath Carwick.
Shuffling forward, the light spread out and bounced off ruins, showing fallen walls and hollowed out houses with grim empty arches for windows. Many buildings had collapsed and a pathway had been cut through them. Pale moss and vines covered a faceless, crumbling statue. Temperance’s shoe knocked against a tarnished metal belt buckle, it skittered away from her into the ruins.
A decaying city stretched out in front of her.
She held her breath. For a few moments there was nothing but a lifeless silence. Then she heard something flap overhead. Further away there was the faint sound of flowing water. The pathway below her feet merged with a worn road. Swallowing over the lump in her throat, Temperance continued onward.
The place was eerie. It felt like there were people watching her. The air was heavy, full of expectation. The towering red-brick buildings lining the walkway crowded inward. Her jacket snagged on a sharp pipe jutting out through one of the walls; she ripped it free. She waved her torch down one large alleyway. It sloped away only to be blocked by a mound of rubble.
As she travelled, she was convinced someone was moving alongside her. Shivers rippled down her spine.
Temperance continued into the heart of the settlement. The road widened out into a town square. She slowed down when she saw the centre piece. She realised where she was. It was the lost werewolf city.
Towering above her was a gia
nt grandfather clock. Halvard’s prison. The base was a mixture of wood and stone, fused to the ground. White rocks were scattered in front of it. The black wooden door of the clock was ajar. Her eyes were drawn to the small cramped interior. What would it have been like to be trapped inside?
She frowned.
It was an upright coffin.
A stone skittered across the ground behind her. She swung her flashlight around the square. There was no one there. She took a deep steadying breath. The air was stale. She glanced back at the clock.
The open door had long scratch marks on the inside. A dark brown colour stained the rivets. She shuddered, transfixed by the sight. There was nothing down here that could help her and she didn’t want to stay a moment longer. Twisting around, she stumbled into someone. Her eyes rose. The torch thumped to the ground at her feet and flickered off.
Sebastian Bloodworth.
She heard him snap his fingers and torches flared into life around the square. He stood watching her, his sharp blue eyes were trained on her face. His thin lips curled back in a slow smile.
The blood drained from her face, she felt dizzy.
The wizard leaned against his cane.
“You shouldn’t leave notes lying around where anyone can read them.”
His walking stick clicked against the stone. He circled round her. She clenched her fists. The old wizard walked back around to face her.
He stroked his goatee. “Temperance, are you trying to be little Alice, wandering down rabbit holes? You shouldn’t, you know.”
“Why not?” she croaked, stepping back.
Her eyes were fixed on the cane. She could try to outrun him. She had a whole ruined city to hide in.
“You know too much.”
She felt the ground tremble beneath her. Her teeth chattered together under the force.
“I don’t know anything really,” she assured him, backing further away. Her heel knocked against the stone base of the clock.
“You know enough.” Sebastian stretched his shoulders back with a regretful sigh. “I’ll have to find out who pointed you to this wretched pit, they’ve ruined -”
Temperance darted to the side. The ruins seemed further away than she’d thought. Her earlier show of stamina had abandoned her. She pumped her arms at her sides. If she could just reach the edge of the square, she could lose herself amongst the rubble.
Sebastian’s arm shot out.
Something yanked at her hair and Temperance lost her footing. She was wrenched through the air. Feeling sick, she clamped her mouth and eyes shut. She slammed into the clock and the wind was knocked out of her. There was a rush of heat from her nose; hot liquid spread over her lips, down her chin.
“It’s a pity really.”
Gravel crunched near her ear. She coughed, spitting blood onto the ground. She stared at it, petrified.
Sebastian crouched down. He smeared his finger through the growing red puddle. “So much work has gone into creating this; such a waste. But you’ve seen too much, granddaughter.”
He smiled as if she should be surprised. When no shock registered, he made a tut-tut noise in the back of his throat. “Someone let you in on the secret? That’s a pity.”
He grabbed her chin, tilting her head back. Her neck strained. Real fear flooded through her. She saw the intent in his eyes.
“I suppose your brother will have to suffice as the remaining specimen. It’s amusing, you know, Halvard was always in staunch opposition to our experiments. He never wanted you to exist, Temperance.”
Sebastian dug his thumb into her lip. The pressure increased on her chin until her jaw ached.
“Let’s make up for past mistakes.”
Chapter 18