Lilly Quinn and the Grimalkin

Lilly Quinn and The Grimalkin

Dani Swanson

Copyright © 2017 Dani Swanson

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form is forbidden without written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. It’s not about you.

www.daniswanson.com

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1542889030

ISBN-13: 978-1542889032

Cover by: Ana Ristovska

Editing by: Lisa Swanson and Reggie Bellinger

CHAPTER ONE

She sat on the cold, dank floor; her knees pulled tight to her chest. Her silvery blonde hair was slicked back into a greasy bun, which showed off her pointed ears. Her clothes hung loosely off her slight frame. She heard something coming down the hall toward her stone walled cell. Click. Clack. Click. Clack. The steady pace was getting louder. She held her breath to listen, the footsteps stopped outside the door. She could see the shadow through the cracks in the threshold, as a key was inserted into the lock; there was a rusty squeal when the latch turned. The girl shielded her eyes from the light flooding the room. A silhouette of a short, portly woman filled the doorway. The girl nervously rubbed the black collar fastened around her neck.

         Lilly? They are ready for you now.

What do you want with me? Please let me go. Lilly had a small, sweet voice. Take this collar off of me,….please?

The woman started to take a step into the room; Lilly instinctively coiled back against the wet wall.

Are you going to give me trouble? the woman coldly questioned. Or, do I have to get the Wendigo to share your cell?

NO! Lilly screamed, as she rose to her feet. I will come with you. Lilly looked down at her bandaged arm, where the Wendigo had bitten her a few days before. She walked toward the bright light of the door, holding her arms out in front of her, as she had done so many times. The portly woman put shackles around Lilly’s wrists, then shoved her through the doorway.

Lilly walked steadily down the long line of cells, toward a staircase. She could hear creatures lightly sobbing on the other side of the doors.

Walk faster Lilly! You’re procrastinating. You’re only going to make the Council angry.

Lilly let out a sigh of defeat as she held back her tears.

How did I ever let this happen to me?

As they slowly climbed the stairs Lilly could feel the temperature rising as they neared the surface. The woman continued to stay behind Lilly, nudging her if she even tried to look back at her. The woman cloaked her face in the shadows. Lilly pushed the large doors open to enter the Circle of the Owls. There were rows of chairs ascending to the ceiling, built like an ancient colosseum. The chairs were filled with different creatures, all wearing masquerade masks.

Lilly Quinn, it is your time. A familiar voice said from the top of the massive ring. Lilly’s eyes grew large as she stared up at the silver haired woman. She wore a blue mask of peacock feathers. Her crimson lips smiled down at Lilly. A large black crow sat on her walking stick handle, squawking loudly amongst the murmurs of the room. Make me proud, Lilly. The collar around Lilly’s neck turned a lime green as it started to burn her skin. She put her fingers between her neck and the collar, trying to separate the two.

Stop! I will do it, just stop! Lilly cried, as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. The silver haired woman cackled as the council began murmured conversations amongst themselves. Lilly had been through a few of the women in the peacock masks over the years, but she hated this one the most.

If you succeed, we will put a bed in your cell…..if you fail, she will die. The woman with the raven hair said to Lilly.

A small man, wearing a mask with a long crooked nose, and a dark robe raised his hand. With this gesture, the collar around Lilly Quinn’s neck started to flash with green and blue rays of light. Lilly started to cry, silently, as she walked toward the base of the seats. The row lifted up, showing a path to the dense forest. Lilly reached up to her slicked back hair to loosen the ribbon. She took a deep breath, then vigorously shook her head. Letting out the air from her lungs, she started toward the path, moving faster into the forest, with the wall of the building disappeared over her shoulder. As Lilly started to run, the trees melted into a smear of green. She dropped down onto all fours as her speed increased. Her fair features faded into a dark shadow.

The Grimalkin let out a mighty roar as it raced toward the south. She must eat.

CHAPTER TWO

It takes time to heal when you can’t cast spells on yourself. Thea had suffered a few broken ribs, a torn muscle in her back, as well as too many bruises to count. After her battle with the Grimalkin imposter, she had followed Agatha into the forest, though, she never found a trace of the runaway witch.

The fairies and the elves were assisting in tracking the Grimalkin, and Agatha. The different bands of elves sent out their ravens to search every corner of the kingdom; the fairies had the sparrows hang enchanted mirrors from the trees to watch for any movement of the hunted parties; both groups came up empty handed.

Robin had brought Thea and Fig back to the cabin in the forest to rest, heal, and do some research. Over the past two months, the girls had gone through all of the books that Thea owned, but couldn’t find antidotes for the stupefaction spells.

Robin was over compensating when it came to helping Thea. She felt guilty for the actions of her twin sister, Agatha. She was trapped in her own emotions: still feeling angry at Agatha for not telling her what was going on, lonely that her sister was gone, and ashamed when she saw the aftermath of what she was associated to because of Agatha.

Dean had stayed behind in the valley of Owl’s Nest to help with Charles and the others who were stupefied. The villagers had built an enclosure around the trees that surrounded the valley. They draped large tarps over the treetops to shelter the wandering creatures from the elements.

The raven who had brought Thea the small key on the purple ribbon had stuck around. He stayed on Thea’s staff the entire trip back to the cabin, then made a nest for himself, on the corner of her porch. Each day Thea would go out to a tree by her garden to write in her book. Jaeger, as Thea had named the raven, earned his name by hunting for treasures. When Thea would walk past him, Jaeger would squawk at her then drop his findings into her outstretched hands. One day it would be a smooth pebble, another it would be a scrap of shiny metal or a pretty colored piece of glass.

Thea sat in her normal spot by the tree with Fig curled up on her lap, while she wrote in her book:

I had another moment of remembering bits and pieces again last night. I smelled daisies that invaded my nose: it made me think of my mom. That made me think of Agatha….then I was mad all over again. Her first lie was telling me that she was Robin. Her second lie was telling me that she didn’t know what happened to my family. Her third lie was telling me that my parents are dead.

When I touched that small piece of paper it brought back all the memories from when I saw the Grimalkin. I remembered that Agatha was there when my parents disappeared. Agatha was the one that lead them into the forest. She was the reason that my parents were taken, and I still don’t know the reason why she would do that to us. She is the one who told everyone that my parents were killed by the Grimalkin, and she made sure the entire kingdom believed they were gone. When I first tracked down the Grimalkin, I saw my parents there, locked in a cage. They were alive and well then. I saw Agatha there as well; lurking in the shadows; telling the Grimalkin to attack. The rest, both before and after that point is still fuzzy, but I remember what I saw.

Anytime I bring up Agatha, or ask if anyone has reported back about her, Robin starts to cry, or gets angry. It makes it really awkward to look for answers to where my family may be. Though I have the elves and the fairies all looking for them, as well as the Grimalkin and Agatha….there hasn’t been any trace of them.

She put down her pen, then ran her fingers over the torn pages in the back of her book and shook her head. She didn’t know who had taken the pages out of her book, and written her the notes. She let out a sigh as she started to scratch Fig’s ear. He purred as he stretched a little too far on her lap, rolling off into the grass. Silly cat. She said, as she started to get up to head back inside. Jaeger had returned to the cabin and was waiting for Thea with a button in his beak. She whistled a happy little tune at him. He dropped the pearl button into her hand, then squawked at her, before flying back to the trees.

She stood in the doorway watching Robin, who was busy thumbing through a book, while stirring the liquid in a pot with her free hand. She was so entranced with what she was working on, she didn’t even notice that Thea had made her way over to the blue chair with the dingy gold buttons, and had Fig sitting on her lap.

OH! YOU SCARED ME! Robin gasped when she turned around. You sneak around like a little mouse, I swear. She hopped down off the counter, and closed her book. I have been through every book in this cabin, twice, and I can’t find an antidote. Robin’s voice was trailing off as she was thinking. What’s the answer?

Thea looked at her friend with a furrowed brow. I don’t know. Maybe we’re asking the wrong thing. Robin looked confused as she listened to Thea. Maybe, we should be asking what the question is? Maybe, we need to focus on the cause, rather than how to fix it? Robin’s face lit up.

Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? Robin went over to the book shelf and started to pull all the books off the shelf, for the third time. We need to find a stupefaction spell and work it backwards. If we know what went into the spell, we then will know how to stop it!

Thea smiled as she watched Robin go through all of the books. She went through some herself, adding them to the discard pile when they offered no results. Into the afternoon, they read through the books to no avail.

We need new books to read. Robin sighed, as she restocked the bookshelf. You don’t have any books that offer that dark of a spell.

Sorry I’m not dark enough for you. Thea jabbed back with a smirk. Well, maybe we do need to go find different books to read. I am starting to walk better, and I’ve been stuck in this cabin for far too long.

I know where we should go! Chateau MelBel! Sorgin had pretty much every book you could possibly want to read. I’m sure she has a dark spells book.

Thea’s expression flattened. She never wanted to go back to that place as long as she lived. I suppose you are right…. Her thought trailed off as she was trying to think of a reason that they shouldn’t go there. None came to mind. It’s late, so we should wait until tomorrow to head out. Robin nodded excitedly. She had a new found motivation.

The evening was spent packing Robin’s wagon with supplies and closing up the cabin, as they were not sure how long they would be gone.

Robin was tucked into her own bed which she had moved to Thea’s cabin. She was going over her checklist for the fifth time; she didn’t want to forget anything they may need. I hope I didn’t miss anything.

Stop being a worrywart! If we forgot something, we will find it at Sorgin’s place. She had rooms, upon rooms of things we didn’t even touch. As long as we bring enough food for a few days, we will be fine. Thea yawned as she changed into her night shirt. Relax.

The sun had barely set when they were in their beds, the flames in the fireplace were dancing in the darkness. Fig had curled up on Thea’s pillow above her head, lightly snoring in her ear. Thea’s sleep did not come easily. She felt anxious about the trip, which did not help her through the flashes of fighting the Grimalkin that kept going through her head. It made her ribs ache in her sleep. She tossed and turned for the majority of the night. When she wasn’t dreaming about her battle, she was fixated on the riddle that was left for her on a scrap of paper from her own book: A group of chains rung tight to protect, but alone protects nothing. And he who wears it, protects all. Find the answer, and you will find your precious Lilly Quinn.’ She knew the answer, but not where to find him.

Chainmail and a Knight. How many knights are in this kingdom…..not to mention other kingdoms. How am I supposed to know which one knows the answer?

Go to sleep Thea. She whispered to herself.

Meow. Fig replied to her as he repositioned himself.

Goodnight sweet boy.

The girls were up before the sun was barely over the horizon. Thea had stitched the pearl button that Jaeger had brought her onto her cloak to fasten it shut. She put it over her shoulders after she put her hair in a long, thick braid. Robin had laced up her boots, put on a scarf over her hair, then pulled a loose fitting jacket on over her purple lace shirt.

Ready? Robin questioned, as she started to pull the wagon through the door, the little orange cat curled up on a blanket on top.

Thea took a last look around her little cabin, still trying to find a reason why they didn’t have to go back to Sorgin’s place. I guess so.

Thea held the door open for Robin, then locked the latch with one of the many keys in her bag. She always giggled to herself when she looked down and saw that she had a collection of keys, just like the imp-witch. She whistled, and Jaeger glided down to the top of her staff. The four of them started down the path toward the chateau.

It took the majority of the day for them to make it to the path that led to the chateau. Thea’s body was aching and she was using her staff more, the longer they walked.

Do you need to rest again? Robin asked, her hand resting on Thea’s shoulder as they passed the wooden sign. Thea shook her head as they rounded the bend.

We’re almost there now; I can make it.

The closer they got, the more dead trees they saw, which had been charred by the dragon just a few short months before. The lake that ran around the side of the house was almost filled back to its original depth. Through the trampled dirt patches, the grass seemed to be making the fight to grow. The chateau itself, which once looked so full of life, now looked cold. The windows were dark, or boarded up.

I wonder where Boog is? Robin asked, as they made their way to the front door.

I’m not sure; I wonder where all the other gnomes and gremlins are too. Thea had a perplexed look on her face as she scanned the outside of the chateau, from window to window, looking for any sign of life in the building. Jaeger, will you go check the windows? The raven flew up and scanned the top floor. He stopped at one window and started to tap on the glass, then returned to his post on Thea’s staff.

Was that Sorgin’s window he tapped on? Robin was shielding her eyes as she looked to the top window. Thea just nodded in way of response.

Thea walked up to the front door, loudly knocking. After a few moments there was no answer, and Robin tried the latch. The door was unlocked.

Hello? Boog? Robin yelled into the chateau’s dark hallways. Her voice echoed without an answer. All of the collection cases that use to be so immaculately cleaned, had a thick layer of dust, hiding its contents. The few lights that weren’t burnt out, were dimly flickering.

Always trust your gut. Thea whispered to Fig, who was now in her arms. I knew we didn’t need to come back here.

Should we go check Sorgin’s room? Jaeger seemed to see something that he wanted us to look at. Robin was already headed to the stairs.

Do you ever get that feeling, deep inside of you, that tells you this is a bad idea. Thea was rubbing her lower stomach as she stared toward the stairs. Something is wrong.

We don’t have much of an option, Thea. The sun is starting to set, and we need to see what happened around here.

Thea set her cat down at her feet, then pulled the wagon into the front hallway. She slowly ascended the stairs to the top floor, where Sorgin’s room had once been. Unlike the other floors, this one was fully lit, and had recently been cleaned. The doors to the room were open a crack, with a faint blue light pouring out to the hall. The girls looked at each other nervously as they went to the door.

Hello? Robin’s voice cracked with nerves as she pushed the door open.

The room had candles burning on the nightstand, with dirty plates stacked on the floor. The covers on the bed were pushed together in a heap; it was obvious that someone had been sleeping there.

Someone’s living in only the master suite. I think you’re right, Thea. Something is not right around here. Robin looked around the room nervously.

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