Chapter
Four
It took several moments for my vision to readjust. Even though my senses told me that Athair had gone, I knew I was still vulnerable. I waved my arms around blindly until first a few lights and then a few dim shapes appeared from the blackness. Only when I was certain that my fucking father wasn’t still beside me on the rooftop did some of my tension ease.
Hearing a groan, I spun around and spotted Sir Nigel and O’Hagan lying flat on their backs a few metres away. I knelt beside them. ‘Are you alright?’ I asked desperately.
Sir Nigel coughed. ‘Slightly winded, but I’ll live to fight another day.’ He strained to sit up while O’Hagan blinked at me.
‘You were right,’ she said shakily. ‘I should have run.’ She shook her head. ‘I’ve dealt with a lot of supernatural creatures since I joined the force but I’ve never felt anything like the cold power that came from that man.’
Although there was no trace of censure in her gaze, I felt guilty. That was my birth father she was talking about, and he’d only come here because of me. Rationally I knew none of this was my fault but emotionally it felt like it was all my responsibility.
As the detective ran a hand through her hair, she glanced over my shoulder and stiffened. A frisson of fear rippled through me until I heard the brownies’ voices and realised who had appeared.
‘Daisy! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?’ Otis cried.
I managed a smile. ‘No.’
Hester flung herself at me and I felt her tiny body trembling against my skin. ‘I was so worried! What happened?’
‘You vanquished him, right?’ Otis’s eyes were wide. ‘You attacked him with Gladys and killed him. That light was when his soul left his body.’
Hester snapped at her brother, ‘He’s a fiend, you nincompoop! He doesn’t have a soul!’ But all the same she pulled back and gave me an anxious, questioning glance.
I sighed heavily. ‘He left of his own accord when I agreed to have dinner with him tomorrow night.’
Otis’s expression changed in an instant. ‘You didwhat?’ he shrieked.
Hester started to nod vigorously. ‘Clever. Now you can take him down when he’s least expecting it.’
‘I can’t take him down.’ I stalked across the roof to pick up Gladys. ‘I’m not strong enough to come close to hurting him.’ And I was beginning to think I never would be.
There was a dull thud from the other side of the roof. I stiffened and spun round, prepared to launch another attack if I had to. Instead a small hatch flipped open and a familiar tawny-haired head appeared. I stared. ‘Was that hatch there the whole time?’
Hugo pulled himself onto the roof. ‘Of course. Maintenance have to get onto the roof from time to time. They can’t clamber around with a death wish like you seem to possess.’
‘Believe me,’ I muttered, ‘if I’d known there was an easier route up here, I’d have taken it.’ I stalked towards Hugo, pausedin front of him then flung myself into his arms. ‘Boonder?’ I mumbled the question into his shoulder, terrified of the answer.
‘He’s on his way to hospital but I think he’ll be fine. There are several others with minor burns and cuts. I don’t know about the witches who confronted Athair and tried to banish him. They’ve not regained consciousness.’
I prayed silently that they would be alright, then I burrowed myself deeper against Hugo’s body. That was the only moment of the entire night that hadn’t sucked complete arse.
It was very lateby the time we got back into the Jeep. Miriam, Rizwan and Becky decided against returning to Pemberville Castle until the next day. Despite my new ownership of a damned castle up north, I still held the lease on my small Edinburgh flat so Hugo and I elected to head there to get some much-needed sleep.
There were still a lot of people on the streets. Naturally the events at Charlotte Square had drawn a number of foolish onlookers who should have known better and who could easily have ended up as charred corpses if Athair had chosen a different path. And they weren’t the only people around: a few pubs and restaurants with late licences remained open and there were vehicles on the road and pedestrians on the pavement.
Hugo turned away from Edinburgh Castle and drove up Market Street. A group of university students were clustered on the corner, leaning into each other and grinning with the joyous expressions of the very drunk and the very innocent. I felt a tug of wistful envy, then they were in our rear-view mirror.
I yanked my gaze away and stiffened as we passed the entrance to Fleshmarket Close and the steep, dark steps thatled upwards. No doubt Arbuthnot the bogle would be up there somewhere, peddling his illegal wares. I wondered how much spider’s silk he had to hand and what the going rate was this month for a dozen pills .
I cleared my throat awkwardly. ‘Stop the car, Hugo.’
‘Here?’
I nodded. ‘Don’t wait for me. I’ll grab a taxi back afterwards.’
‘Don’t be stupid,’ he muttered. He indicated and pulled into the side of the road. ‘The brownies and I will be right here for you when you’re done.’
