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‘Well, really,’ Iliana said, wrinkling her nose in distaste, ‘that’s all we need, isn’t it? I’m not sure I want to know. Celeste, are you all right?’
Celeste looked pale and tearful, most unlike her. She was usually so calm and serene that it was upsetting to see her in such a state, even given her recent outburst of guilt as she blamed herself for Trinity’s excursion to Whitby.
‘Of course she’s not all right,’ Sky said. ‘How can she be? Did you not hear what I just said? Blaise is back!’
‘Do you mean here?’ Jethro sounded nervous. He glanced up at the ceiling, as if expecting to hear the infamous Blaise St Clair striding across the landing above him. I followed his gaze and noticed Celeste’s and Hector’s ravens, Belasko and Branwen, sitting on a beam, their heads tilted, clearly listening to this conversation with keen interest.
‘Of course not! He’s—’
Sky broke off as Hector arrived at that moment. He quickly glanced around, saw the state of Celeste, and went straight over to her.
‘What is it? What’s happened?’
Celeste gave a strangled sob and rested her head on his chest, while we all looked on in alarm.
This was clearly a massive deal to her, and who could blame her? I’d been told the story of Blaise St Clair and his arrival in Castle Clair some three-and-a-half years ago. He’d broken all the rules by travelling through time from 1669 and had arrived in the River Hrafn on Christmas Eve night. Jethro had pulled him from the water and nearly drowned in the process.
Unknown to the St Clairs, Hector—who they later discovered was a Guardian—had removed Blaise’s magic and gone back to 1669 himself to clear up the mess Blaise had left behind. Blaise had lost his memory as well as his magic, and after an enquiry by the High Council of Witches, he’d been allowed to live at Castle Lodge with the family.
What they hadn’t realised was that he had gradually recovered his memory and had been plotting to time travel again, using Celeste, an extremely powerful and gifted witch who, unfortunately for her, was in love with him at the time, to help him. If it hadn’t been for Hector, and—astonishingly—Star’s non-magical husband Benedict, he might well have succeeded in his mission and done untold damage.
After some consultation, Hector had removed Blaise’s memories of his old life and replaced them with false memories, giving him another identity. He’d then been handed to the care of another Guardian and taken away to start a whole new life. Even so, it seemed Celeste still blamed herself for her part in events, even though it was clearly not her fault.
Anyway, it seemed that something had gone badly wrong. Something else to worry about. Perfect.
‘Hector, we know where Blaise is,’ Sky said urgently.
He looked round at us all and nodded. ‘So do I.’
Sky deflated, disappointed that her big news was no surprise to him. ‘Oh, really? That sucks,’ she said glumly, bending to pick up her black cat, Belle, who was clearly in need of a cuddle.
‘Would someone please explain what’s going on?’ Iliana asked. ‘Does Blaise have something to do with what happened to Zephyr? Or Trinity?’ She closed her eyes. ‘Please don’t say he’s the one who’s got Trinity.’
‘Blaise hasn’t got anyone,’ Hector said reassuringly. ‘He’s nothing to do with either of those events—well, not directly anyway—and he still has no idea who he really is. He’s no threat to anyone.’
‘You know Trinity’s missing then?’ Jethro asked, and I realised he was right to ask. Hector had, after all, already gone off to meet some of the other Guardians before Sirius and I got back from Whitby, after our failed attempt to find Trinity.
Except she wasn’t Trinity, was she? Not really. She was Linnet, and she was my twin sister. The twin sister I’d only learned about recently, and whose identity had only been revealed less than a week ago at Killian and Harley’s wedding.
I rubbed my forehead, exhausted. How had it only been less than a week? It felt as if I’d known her all my life, and the thought of what she might be going through right now terrified me.
‘Do you know where she is then?’ I begged. ‘Is she safe?’
Hector steered Celeste over to the sofa and they both sat down.
‘We don’t know where Trinity is,’ he admitted. ‘We do know she was definitely last seen in Whitby, at the foot of the hundred and ninety-nine steps.’ He gave us a bleak look. ‘I’m sorry, but we have every reason to believe she was taken by the fae.’
I saw the horror and despair on the others’ faces that I knew was reflected in mine. If Trinity was in the hands of the fae then she had no chance. Look what they’d done to Zephyr! If they could murder the leader of the High Council of Witches so easily then how could Trinity, who had no magic, possibly defend herself against them?
‘You say you have every reason to believe the fae took her,’ Castor said grimly. ‘What reasons? What makes you think it?’
‘Hang on,’ I said, suddenly noticing Keely’s familiar and Frey’s half-sister, Runa, sitting in a corner of the room with Harley’s guinea pig, Sid, close beside her. ‘Where’s Keely and Harley? Why haven’t they come galloping down the stairs with you two? Not like Keely to miss out on some big news like you figuring out where Blaise is.’
‘Er, that’s what we were about to tell you before Hector arrived,’ Sky admitted sheepishly. ‘They’ve gone to Cumbria to tell Romy the news and to confront Blaise if necessary.’
Hector groaned. ‘That’s all we need! Why can’t they leave well alone?’
‘Wait,’ Iliana said, ‘what has Romy got to do with Blaise?’
