Heart of Gold

'When magic is insufficient, we must use our brains.'

Von Stralick gave a shaky grin. 'Baron Verulam?'

'I'm impressed, von Stralick.' You have hidden depths, Hugo. Aubrey was sure that knowledge of Baron Verulam, the seventeenth-century magician and natural philosopher, wasn't required knowledge for a Holmland spy. Had von Stralick studied the man who began modern magic because he knew he was one of Aubrey's heroes? And if so, what did that imply?

'It is good to impress,' von Stralick said. 'Please go on.'

'To start an investigation,' Aubrey continued, 'we need to know what questions to ask first.' He spread his hands. 'Well?'

Caroline nodded. 'Who would benefit from the deaths of Muller and Schnagel?'

'Good.'

'Who knew they were here?' George volunteered.

'Excellent.'

'Where is the Heart of Gold?' von Stralick added.

'Important, but if we knew that, everything else would be irrelevant.' Aubrey grimaced. 'But there is one other question that I'm very, very interested in.'

George knew his role. 'And what's that, old man?'

Aubrey pointed. 'Where did the bear come from?'

OUTSIDE THE STATION, AUBREY STOOD WITH HIS HANDS ON his hips, looking back at the city. Smoke rose in a number of places and he thought he could hear shots. In the distance, alarm bells rang. Angry voices drifted across the rooftops and he hoped it didn't signal more riots.

'The bear, old man,' George said. 'Don't taunt us like this. Where d'you think it came from?'

Aubrey brought his hands together and studied them. For days, he'd been trying to sort out the manifold events in Lutetia. Riots, sabotage, politics, with the flavour of magic weaving in and about every single incident. He'd pored over the happenings, analysed them, picked them apart and then – when other events were more pressing – let his mind work, making the intuitive leaps in the dark that often produced startling results.

Now, with Lutetia decaying on the skyline, he had it.

'It's the Heart of Gold,' he said. 'I think it made the bear.'

'Made the bear?' Caroline said. 'Out of what?'

'A man.' The sun had taken on an odd, red tinge. It made the streaky clouds look bloody. 'The Heart of Gold is transforming people into ancient Lutetian animals.'

Von Stralick frowned. George scratched his cheek.

'Ah,' Caroline said, 'I see. Wolves, bears, aurochs, even lions. They once roamed this very spot.'

'The Heart of Gold is the pivot around which all of this is happening. All the disruptions to the city are because it has been ripped from its resting place. It's like removing a keystone and watching an arch crumble.'

'And the animals?' George asked, his brow furrowed. 'It's just randomly turning people into beasts?'

Aubrey rubbed his hands together, slowly. The more he explained, putting his suspicions into words, the more certain he felt of his conclusions. 'Remember the order of nuns devoted to cradling the Heart of Gold? I'd say that it's more than a ritual. My guess is that the Heart must remain in contact with a human.' Aubrey thought of the unfortunate Sister Anne. He hoped she had recovered. 'When all is good and proper, it nestles, almost dormant, in the lap of its custodian, in the heart of the country. Its presence binds Gallia together.'

'It belongs in the Chapel of the Heart,' Caroline murmured.

'Exactly. Removed from its rightful place, the Heart of Gold is unbalanced, dangerous.' Recalling the nuns in the Chapel of the Heart led him to think of the connection between humanity and magic. Some savants believed that it was the way that humanity intersected with the universe that gave rise to magic. 'It must be cradled by a human,' he said, slowly. 'Held close. Embraced.'

'But all that's been thrown out of the window now,' George said.

'Yes. But taken away from where it belongs, its magic is disruptive, not binding.'

'Ach. Those closest turn into wild animals,' von Stralick said, his eyes widening.

'Yes. And once that happens, a new custodian is needed.'

'Who would take that role, knowing their fate?' Caroline asked.

Von Stralick stared into the distance. 'Volunteers convinced of the rightness of their cause. Those willing to give their lives for their country.'

'Or unwitting dupes. If they're not told their fate, they won't refuse,' Aubrey pointed out. 'Either way, Muller and Schnagel were taken by surprise by the change in their chosen custodian. Perhaps the process is accelerating.'

'The Holmlander who was holding the Heart of Gold turned into a bear,' George said, frowning. 'The bear attacked, and Muller was shot after dispatching the bear.'

'And the lucky assassin took the Heart of Gold,' Aubrey said. 'Which is what he was after, no doubt.'

'But he would start to change, too,' Caroline said.

'True. If he knew what was going on, he'd quickly pass it onto a volunteer, or dupe, as the Holmlanders did.'

'So it's gone, with persons unknown, to an unspecified location,' Caroline said.

'So it seems,' Aubrey said.

'So we're no better off.'

Aubrey sighed. 'No, not really. Worse, in most ways. Unless von Stralick can help here.'

The Holmlander shrugged. 'I'm at a loss, I'm afraid. I'll have to consult my network. And my superiors.'

The ground underfoot trembled. 'I think you'd best do that,' Aubrey said. 'Quickly, too.'

Caroline frowned. 'This, of course, explains the presence of the other bear at the airfield last Friday. The Heart of Gold was there with Muller and Schnagel and their foot soldiers.'

Von Stralick tugged at his earlobe. Then he rubbed his chin and grimaced. 'Yes. Well. That may be true.'

'You saw it there, didn't you?' George said.

'Why didn't you take it from them?' Caroline asked.

Von Stralick straightened his cuffs. 'I was not in a good position. I was endeavouring to prove my trustworthiness to them. They were very suspicious.'

'So you helped them blow up the Gallian airship?' Aubrey said. 'It's a dangerous role you undertook, von Stralick.'

'Very much so. My orders were to get close to them then stop them. They were dangerous rogues and my superiors wanted things put right.' He glanced at Aubrey. 'I refused to fire upon you in the hangar, you know. That's when they turned on me. I barely escaped.'

Aubrey couldn't decide how much of this to believe. Von Stralick appeared to be sincere. But he wouldn't be much of a spy if he couldn't pretend sincerity, he thought. 'So Gallia's enemy is helping Gallia?'

'Trust me. I deeply desire to restore the Heart of Gold.'

VON STRALICK LEFT, HEADING NORTH ON AN ERRAND HE wouldn't divulge. Aubrey, Caroline and George began to walk back toward the city. Aubrey had his head bowed deep in thought, ignoring the frequent, minor earth tremors, while George and Caroline batted about possibilities.