‘Quit, Kay.’ She looked down at her hands. They were stark-white clean. She’d finally got her dad’s blood out from under her fingernails. ‘Quit the Templars.’
‘I can’t.’
‘Why not? Gwaine doesn’t want you. Elaine’s gone. You can leave.’ The more she thought about it the better it sounded. Both of them with her dad, out of the Order.
Kay shook his head. ‘I’ve duties to the Order. With or without Gwaine.’
‘They’re your priorities, are they?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then why did you come to the tower? That sounded personal.’
Kay faltered. He looked up at her, then quickly away, as if he was worried she’d see something.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ he said.
‘What did Michael say in the text?’
Kay stood up suddenly. ‘I said it doesn’t matter.’
‘Did you miss me, Kay?’
He stalked about the room, glancing at the door handle. He ran his fingers through his hair, pulling at the knots.
‘It’s too hard.’ He shifted uneasily, his back to her, and shoved his hands in his pockets. ‘An Oracle can’t have emotional attachments. It clouds our judgement. That’s why Michael tricked me. I wanted to… believe.’
‘What?’
‘I can’t think clearly with you around.’ He spun round. His face was centimetres away and his partially open lips let his warm breath tickle her eyelashes. He didn’t touch her, but Billi sensed his closeness and it paralysed her. This was Kay. They’d grown up together. She didn’t think of him like… this.
Did she?
He stepped away.
‘I can’t, Billi.’ The pain was obvious as he spoke. ‘I can’t care about you.’
Billi stood there, stunned.
‘It’ll destroy me,’ he whispered.
The door opened and Percy entered, carrying a tray. His sleeves were rolled up on his tree-trunk thick forearms, and he wore an apron, though it barely covered his stomach. He put the tray down on the desk, then eased himself into one of the armchairs, mug in hand.
Billi sank down in her dad’s chair, an old leather-bound seat. How could Kay say that? Not him too – he’d chosen the Order over her. Just like her dad.
‘Any news on Elaine?’ Kay asked Percy, his voice strained. He couldn’t look Billi in the eye.
Percy shrugged. ‘Nope. Art must have told her to hide in case he didn’t beat Michael.’ He looked towards Kay. ‘Couldn’t you, y’know, pick her up?’
‘No. Elaine’s not one of the gifted, but she knows a few tricks. She’s off any radar. If she’s got the Mirror she’s probably in some protected location. There’ll be wards and charms all over it.’
Percy checked his watch. Just gone midnight. He pointed at the phone on the desk. ‘Let’s give Berrant a call. He’s on duty at Crow Street Hospital. Find out how your dad’s doing.’
At least I have Percy. She’d seen her father after school, and Percy had just been there. The big West African, for all his strength and determination, was soft-hearted when it came to her dad. He was probably the only true friend her father had. The only true friend she had.
Percy dialled. ‘Berrant? Everything OK?’ He nodded. Then froze. ‘What d’you mean he moved you? Who’s looking after Arthur?’ Billi jumped up, knocking the mug on to the floor. Panic set in and she stared at Percy’s horrified face. Percy slammed the phone down. He stared at it for a second then ripped off his apron.
‘Gwaine’s moved the watch on Art. Berrant thought I was meant to replace him.’
Billi tried to steady her shaking hands. ‘Where’s Berrant, then?’
‘ Kent. Gwaine’s sent him down there tonight to look into some haunting.’
‘Where are the others?’ asked Kay.
‘Not bloody near enough,’ cursed Percy. There was no one guarding her dad.
18
They took Arthur’s old Jaguar, but were forced to crawl along. A dense fog had descended over the streets, cutting visibility down to a few metres. Shrouds of ghostly white mist rolled over the windscreen as they made their way towards Crow Street Hospital. The car park was filled to overflowing so they went round the back to the secluded loading bays and ‘PERMIT ONLY’ areas. Percival parked up near a fire exit. Kay and Billi clambered out.
Percival reached in and unhooked the hidden latches beneath the rear seat. It tilted upwards revealing the weapons cabinet. Tightly packed in foam and plastic to stop them from rattling, he picked out a wakisashi, a single-edged Japanese short sword. He adjusted the sheath behind him under his jacket, and slid the blade in. Billi took a pair of hiltless bayonets and a chest holster, shortening the straps in well-practised moves, then clipped her two daggers in place. She threw on her coat, and by crossing her arms across her chest, drew out her weapons once, twice, three times so eventually they could pop into her hands in an instant. They divided up a set of holy water vials and crucifixes each, then she slammed the seat back down. It clicked shut.
‘What about me?’ asked Kay.
Percival laughed. ‘We get into a fight, Oracle, I want you to run.’
‘That’s not fair! I can fight.’ He reached out a hand. ‘C’mon, give me something.’
Billi and Percival glanced at each other. Their reply was simultaneous:
‘No.’
Kay muttered something under his breath, and Percival put his hand on Billi’s shoulder.
‘Nothing flash, OK? If it all goes pear-shaped go for the easy kills: chest, throat, stomach, in that order. Understood?’
Billi nodded. She sincerely hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
Percy looked at the building ahead. ‘We’ll go up, I’ll lead. We grab Art and get out of here. The Canterbury preceptory has medical facilities. We’ll look after him there.’
‘What about Gwaine?’ said Billi. The bastard had abandoned her father.
Percy zipped up his jacket. ‘I’ll worry about Gwaine. Kay, you with us?’
Kay was staring into the fog. If anything, it had got thicker. The dim, hazy street lamps barely penetrated the heavy blanket of cold, white mist; it seemed to surround them like a ghostly army. He shuddered, then looked back at Billi and gave a wan smile.
‘Ready,’ he said.
The rear of the hospital block was open twenty-four hours a day with minimal security. There were two large roller shutters, wide open, and a lorry backed into each. Bright lights shone out from the loading bay, and two laundry men were pushing overloaded laundry trolleys into the back of the vehicles. The driver leaned against the cabin, smoking. Percy ducked under the short barrier and made his way towards one of the rear delivery doors. He acted casually, waving at the guy smoking, and went in. Billi and Kay were a few footsteps behind.
More trolleys lined the corridor, some stuffed with soiled sheets and stained towels, others fresh-smelling and neatly stacked. But the laundry smell gave way to the stinging odour of strong antiseptic. Arthur was up on the sixth floor, but they didn’t take the lifts. Kay groaned as Percy pushed the doors to the stairwell open. The stairs rose up the entire building and were only lit on alternate floors, leaving dark shadowy bands. Billi gazed upwards. The steps were two-man wide, wrapped round an open well. One wall was glass, with vents every other level. Percy took two steps at a time, surprisingly lightly given his size. Billi followed with Kay stumbling behind, cursing. They stopped on the sixth, and Percy gave them a minute to catch their breath. He gently turned the handle – it wasn’t locked – then faced the two of them.
‘You wait here. I’ll grab Art.’ He pointed down the stairs. ‘Keep the escape route clear. Give me five minutes.’