The Curse of Deadman's Forest (8 page)

The professor looked surprised. “Why, my young Master Lawrence!” he said. “It’s got
everything
to do with what’s happened here! You see, Barnaby kept a journal to record the events and discoveries he’d found on each of his archeological digs.

“And the reason this particular journal is so important is because right before Barnaby died, he uncovered a lengthy scroll hidden underneath the marble flooring of Laodamia’s villa. That scroll was thought lost, completely destroyed by the fire in Barnaby’s tent, you see, but his sister has revealed to me that my good friend actually managed to copy down much of the scroll in his last diary before he was taken from us!”

“But I still don’t understand what that’s got to do with Magus, Caphiera, and Atroposa showing up again,” Carl admitted, scratching his head.

The professor’s eyes were bright as he looked at Carl and replied, “Laodamia’s scroll was hidden in such a fashion that I believe she must have been certain it would never be found. It was not with the other scrolls, nor was it tucked away in one of her silver boxes for Ian and Theo to find. Whatever prophecy she recorded on that particular piece of parchment must have been too important to allow anyone else to see, yet also too important to destroy. It is my firm belief that the only thing Laodamia could hold so vital would have to do with all of this. At the very least, we must embark to Spain and discover the truth of it. And, might I add, if we were able to do so in secret, we might remove Theo from the threats that surround her at this time.”

Ian felt goose pimples line his arms. Deep in his bones he had a feeling that the contents of that scroll could change everything. They had to get to Barnaby’s diary.

“The professor is right,” Theo said, and Ian saw immediately that she was fiddling with her crystal and held a faraway look in her eyes. “The content of the scroll is important to us. It reveals something … something I feel we must know.”

The professor’s chest puffed out in a way that suggested he was rather proud of himself. “You see?” he said, pointing at her. “Even our own little Oracle agrees.”

But one glance at the schoolmasters and the headmistresses told Ian they at least still held some doubt. He knew that the decision would rest with the earl. When all
heads turned to him, the earl surprised them by asking the professor a question. “Professor Nutley,” he began, “am I correct in saying that there is a fourth offspring of Demogorgon that was not accounted for by today’s events?”

“Yes, my lord. Lachestia the Wicked, sorceress of earth, has not appeared to have contributed to the chaos of earlier. But that could be because the last legend that supports her existence suggests that she vanished over three thousand years ago, and she is presumed to have perished within a cursed forest.”

“Wish the rest of that mingy lot would all vanish in a cursed forest,” Carl muttered. Ian smiled. He couldn’t agree more.

The earl sighed heavily and a deep frown settled onto his face. “Perhaps you are right, then, Professor. The keep does not appear to be the safest location for our four special children. Perhaps a sojourn in Spain would allow them some respite from all this trouble.”

But Madam Dimbleby protested. “Professor Nutley, with all due respect, the newspapers still report pockets of trouble in Spain. Don’t you think it’s a dangerous environment for children?”

Ian knew from reading the papers, which often cluttered the earl’s library, that she was referring to the newly ended civil war that had devastated Spain for several years.

“Not at all,” said the professor. “The conflict ended months ago, Madam. And I can assure you that Madrid is quite safe. I firmly believe the best thing to do would be to escort the four children out of Dover. Besides, they’re on
summer holiday at present, and a trip to Spain would be an excellent educational opportunity for them.”

“Can’t you simply request the diary from Señora Castillo?” asked Madam Scargill.

“I have,” said the professor. “But her husband recently passed away, I’m afraid, and the poor woman is quite starved for company. She would much rather we come to visit, you see, and she is insisting that Barnaby’s diary is far too precious a memento for her to part with. She has graciously invited me and anyone else who would like to join me for the journey. If we leave within the next day or so, we’ll not be away longer than a fortnight, which I believe will be just enough time for things to settle down here.”

Ian gave the earl a long and hopeful look. He very much wanted to go to Spain, as he’d never been there before.

The earl pulled at his red beard thoughtfully. “Very well, Professor,” he said. “We shall go to Spain and visit with the good Lady Castillo.”

“You’re going along as well, my lord?” asked Madam Scargill in surprise.

The earl nodded. “I have never been to Madrid,” he confessed. “And that is the one city I’ve always longed to explore. Of course, I shall also feel better about the safety of the children if I’m there to protect them.”

Across the room, Jaaved announced, “If you please, my lord, I’d like your permission to stay here.”

The earl looked at the boy curiously, but Ian understood. Ever since they’d come through the portal, Jaaved had repeatedly told them how uneasy he felt about leaving Dover.
When Ian and Carl escorted Theo to Lady Arbuthnot’s in London, Jaaved never wanted to go with them, and the only time the younger boy had willingly ventured beyond the outskirts of the village was when Carl was in hospital. Ian thought it likely that the Moroccan orphan couldn’t quite believe the good fortune the keep had provided him. For the first time in his life, Jaaved had a secure home and an education and was surrounded by people who loved him. Ian thought that perhaps Jaaved was afraid to step beyond the borders, lest he discover that it had all been a dream after all.

The earl eyed Theo, as if asking her whether Jaaved would be safe enough if he stayed behind. Theo nodded after a moment and the earl said, “Very well, Jaaved. But I shall request that you not travel beyond the walls of the keep.”

“I promise,” Jaaved said, looking relieved.

“We’ll just need to pack a few things,” Perry announced, as if it were already decided that the schoolmasters would go along.

The earl looked kindly at Perry and Thatcher and said, “About that …”

“Yes?” they asked together while Ian’s eyes darted to the earl. It almost sounded like he was working up to tell them they weren’t invited.

“I wonder if I could ask you to stay behind on this journey, so that you might be of some service to me here in England.”

The twins flushed at the same time, making them look more alike than usual, and Ian felt uncomfortable witnessing their embarrassment. “Why, of course, my lord,” Thatcher
said quickly. “We’re always willing to be of service to you in any way we can.”

The earl then told the men about an orphanage in Cornwall that he’d been sending a fair amount of money to. The orphanage was rumored to be in desperate need of repair and quite overpopulated. The earl needed an envoy to go and ensure that the money he’d donated was being put to good use, and that more beds were being made available to the children housed there.

“It shouldn’t take longer than a fortnight,” he told the schoolmasters. “And Cornwall’s a lovely town. You’ll rather enjoy it, I’m sure.”

The schoolmasters were quick to agree and take up the charge. Once that was settled, the earl got to the business of protecting the other inhabitants of the keep. “I’ll hire some men from the village to patrol the grounds, day and night. And I must insist that the children stay on the keep’s property for the time being, unless accompanied by Landis or one of my men.” Looking at Ian, Theo, Carl, and the professor, the earl announced, “We’ll be off the day after tomorrow,” which settled the matter for good. The earl got to his feet then. “Thank you, Maggie and Gertrude. I’ll not keep you a moment longer, as I’m sure you have quite a few tired heads to put to bed.”

It was the headmistresses’ turn to blush, and Ian saw Madam Dimbleby’s eyes move quickly to the clock, which indicated that it was well past the youngest orphan’s bedtime. “Yes, of course!” she said, slightly flustered. “We must get the wee ones to bed at once.”

The earl gave a slight bow and opened the door to the study, allowing them all to leave. Ian could hardly contain his excitement but realized almost immediately that he needed to wipe the broad smile from his face when he saw the way the other orphans were looking at them as they exited.

He knew that none of the other children would trade places with either him or Theo, especially given the day’s harrowing events, but all the children at the keep were aware of the special treatment Ian, Theo, Carl, and Jaaved were afforded—especially by the earl. He knew to them it looked like favoritism, and he had to concede that perhaps there was a little truth to that.

So he made a conscious choice to keep his features neutral while he moved through the crowd on his way to his room. But he couldn’t help overhearing the muttered frustrations of many of the children nearby when Carl announced that he, Ian, and Theo would be going to Spain. Ian pulled Carl by the arm and coaxed him to the stairs. “What’re they all miffed about?” whispered Carl as they moved away from the others.

“Pay it no attention,” Theo said softly as she came up next to them. “But we’d best keep talk of going to Spain to ourselves until we actually leave.”

Carl looked dejected. “I thought they’d be happy for us,” he said moodily.

“Theo’s right, Carl,” Ian told his injured friend. “And I think we should keep all our plans as private as possible from now on. You never know who might be listening.”

“I quite agree,” Theo said smartly. “After all, we’ve no
idea how the sorcerers knew Jaaved and I were at the shore today. I think it best if we tell no one what we’re up to. That way, we can be certain to escape to Spain without anyone being the wiser.”

Carl lifted his chin and regarded Theo. “You think there might be a spy working for Demogorgon’s lot?”

Theo sighed and paused on her way up the stairs to gaze at them both soberly. “My intuition is insisting that we should be careful, Carl,” she whispered. “Very,
very
careful about what we tell anyone from now on.”

Ian couldn’t help looking suspiciously back down the stairs at all the children he’d shared his home with the whole of his life. He hated the niggling feeling of mistrust forming in the pit of his stomach.

Several hours later a figure clad all in black hurried away from Castle Dover and through the seaside village to a waiting motorcar. The door to the auto opened and the figure climbed inside, then closed the door quickly before speaking to the driver. “They leave the day after tomorrow,” she said.

“Where?” asked the driver.

“To Spain.”

“Spain?”

“Yes. To Madrid.”

“What is it they seek in Spain?”

“The earl’s maidservant didn’t know. All she could say for certain was that the earl’s plans had changed at the last minute, and that he intends to take the children with him on the journey.”

The driver was silent for a long time. “Master will insist we find out why they are going there.”

“Yes, my thoughts exactly.”

“We have friends in Madrid,” he said after a pause. “But I would not trust them to uncover this information alone, and I cannot go. I received a telegram from the master earlier this evening. He needs my assistance in Versailles. I must depart for France immediately.”

“I can go alone, Dieter,” volunteered the passenger.

Again the driver was silent while he contemplated that. “Very well,” he said, relenting. “Follow them, Hylda. Once you arrive in Madrid, make contact with our Spanish comrades and enlist their help to discover why the children are journeying there.”

“Of course,” she replied with a wickedly sly smile she reserved only for her husband.

“And if you gain the opportunity …,” he added, allowing his voice to trail off.

“Kill them?” she asked coyly, stroking his cheek.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “And have no doubt,
liebling
, if you do, our master will be most pleased.” And then he leaned in to give her a kiss. “Most pleased indeed,” he whispered again before starting the car and driving off.

M
agus the Black sat across from the Witch of Versailles and was already irritated by the woman’s nervous manner. Since he and Dieter had entered her dirty and cluttered flat, he’d been unimpressed, and he had already made up his mind to kill her for wasting his time.

He watched her with disdain while she hovered over her crystal ball, waving her shaking fingers and muttering under her breath. He’d asked the woman only one question, “Where is my sister, Lachestia?” and for the past several minutes, she’d been mumbling incoherently, delaying her answer.

Magus looked over his shoulder at Dieter, who only shook his head contemptuously and frowned as the woman muttered on and on under her breath.

Magus turned back to the witch, his eyes smoldering with impatience. He knew she could sense the evil that wafted off him, but it had made the woman almost too petrified to help him, and he was quickly becoming tired of it.
He allowed her only a few more moments before he slammed his fist onto the tabletop, causing sparks to fly out from the impact. “Speak, woman!” he shouted at her.

The witch was so startled that she reeled backward and nearly toppled out of her chair, but Magus’s outburst seemed to shake some sense into her, and the ugly middle-aged woman gasped, “She resides in a grave!”

Magus’s sneer turned sinister. “If you are telling me that my sister is dead, then we are finished here.” The sorcerer knew that his sister lived. Her passing would most definitely have been noted by his father when her spirit was received in the underworld.

“I did not say she was dead,” the witch added in a rush. “I meant to say that she resides underground.”

Magus tapped his fingers on the tabletop, and each tap left a black smudge in the wood. “Where?” he asked after a long silence.

The witch wiped a strand of stringy gray hair out of her eyes and focused on her crystal ball again. “She is imprisoned by stones,” she said to him. “Deep within a forest bound by a powerful curse. Within the earth that surrounds her are the bones of dead men, too numerous to count.”