AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘You have to look beyond that,’ Sister Gertrude said. ‘Open your eyes, Trinity.’
My eyes were fully open, but I swear all I could see was a small, cobbled area and a sign warning that there was strictly no parking allowed. Beyond that was a path with benches facing the sea, and behind it a grassy cliff where the churchyard perched at the top.
‘Okay,’ I said, ‘I give up. What kind of game…’ My voice trailed off and I stared in astonishment as a house materialised right in front of me. It wasn’t anything like the other houses in this street, being very narrow, and five storeys high. It was painted a dazzling white and looked immaculate. It even had window boxes full of cheerful flowers attached to each of its tall, sash windows.
‘This is… Impossible!’ Even as I breathed the word I wondered why I was so surprised. After everything I’d seen and heard lately why should an invisible house flummox me? It was just another thing to chalk up to marrying a St Clair. Or being a Pendragon, as I supposed I was now.
Had always been.
Boy, was I confused!
‘Is that even safe?’ I asked doubtfully. ‘I mean, it’s very tall, and in an exposed position, and teetering on the side of a cliff…’
‘Oh, Trinity.’ Sister Agnes shook her head. ‘It’s not of this world. Surely your experiences on Lyonesse taught you that?’
‘You mean it’s part of the Otherworld?’ I asked nervously. ‘I’m not sure about that. What if the Pendragons—’
‘You’ll be perfectly safe with us,’ she assured me. ‘This is sanctuary. Only those who we permit can even see it, and only those in need of sanctuary ever know of its existence. The Pendragons have no idea it’s here, and they’ll never find it. Come on, let’s go indoors and warm you up.’
We headed along the path, and just as I prepared myself for a scramble up the cliffside, the house seemed suddenly to lower itself to our level. We all stepped onto the large, wide, doorstep and the house resumed its previous position, so we were looking down at the path which was now a good few feet below us. I felt a bit sick.
The door opened and yet another old lady stood there, a welcoming smile on her face. She wore the same sort of clothes as the other two, and I thought it must be a kind of uniform.
‘Sister Agnes! We weren’t expecting you back until tomorrow,’ she said, before turning a frown on my kidnapper. ‘Sister Gertrude, where have you been? We’ve been worried about you. Always disappearing lately, aren’t you?’
Sister Agnes ushered me inside and the third woman closed the door behind us. I found myself in a perfectly ordinary looking hallway with several doors off each side, and thought there was no way the house was wide enough to accommodate all those rooms. Then I realised what I was thinking and mentally shook my head. Anything was possible. All the rules of physics I’d lived by and understood all my life were of no use now. We were in fae territory.
‘Sister Gertrude came to find me,’ Sister Agnes explained. ‘Sister Dorothy, this is Trinity St Clair, also known as Linnet Pendragon.’
My heart thudded. ‘How did you—?’
‘It doesn’t matter right now, dear,’ Sister Agnes said. ‘Sister Dorothy, please take Trinity to the kitchen, give her something to eat and let her warm up. She’s had quite an ordeal these past twenty-four hours.’
‘Twenty-four hours? Is that all it’s been?’ I blew out my cheeks. ‘It felt way longer than that.’
‘I’m sure it did, dear. You run along and Sister Dorothy will take care of you. Sister Gertrude, please ask Sister Cecelia to come to my study immediately. We must send word to the St Clairs that Trinity is alive and well and they may come and collect her.’
‘I can do that, Sister Agnes,’ Sister Gertrude said hopefully.
Sister Agnes fixed her with a stern look. ‘You will go to your room and wait for me,’ she said. ‘You and I are going to have a long talk when this business is done.’
Chapter 14
Lowen
Sirius and Celeste had gone for a walk, which, to be honest was a relief. They weren’t themselves, and while they were in Castle Lodge the atmosphere felt even more strained, if that were possible.
Keely, Harley, and Romy had gone into the garden, and I decided I’d take the opportunity to do some more reading on witchcraft in my bedroom.
As I headed into the hallway, though, Frey sprang in front of me, almost tripping me up as I neared the stairs.
The study’s just down there, he reminded me, his gaze turning to the door just behind me on my right.
‘I know,’ I told him. ‘So what? My book’s upstairs.’
But Hector and Emrick aren’t. They’re in there. Talking.He fixed me with a determined stare.What are you waiting for?
‘You want me to eavesdrop?’ I whispered incredulously. ‘On Emrick and a Guardian?’
