Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
E sme was holding her hand over the harbour ward and trying to calm her breathing. If she concentrated, she was usually able to feel if a ward was working. It was difficult to describe, but there was a feeling when she renewed the wards and, after, she could feel tiny vibrations in the air around the ward. It was a skill that made her feel competent and connected to the island in a way that was comforting. She finally felt as if she truly belonged. The news that she was the only thing standing between this world and another dimension hadn’t properly sunk in, but she decided she had enough to worry about with this realm for the time being.
Luke’s twin, for example, who had walked along the shore to join her and was now staring at her with a puzzled expression. ‘What are you looking for?’
‘Go and see if Hammer’s home.’ Esme pointed at Hammer’s boat house, hoping to distract him.
Lewis ambled over to the place she had indicated and stood outside for a moment, hands on hips as he surveyed the unusual dwelling. There was a thin trail of smoke coming out of the chimney, but Hammer often left his wood burner banked low when he went out, so that didn’t mean anything conclusive.
Esme held her hand over the ward site and confirmed the vibrations. She wasn’t going to take any chances. Fat drops of rain marked the rocks and sprinkled dark spots on the sand.
She could hear Lewis knocking hard on the boathouse door. Hammering, really. She wondered if he did everything with the same level of intensity.
‘Nope!’ His voice was snatched by a sudden squall. Whatever else he might have added was taken by the weather.
Esme pulled the hood of her coat up. She needed to get to the castle ward on the other side of the island. It was a bit of a walk, and she really didn’t want Lewis to tag along. Apart from anything else, he was already asking too many questions about what she was doing. When he left the island, he would forget all about it, so on one level it shouldn’t really matter whether she told him about the wards. He would think she was kooky or, more likely, crazy, and then he would arrive on the mainland and forget all about her. It didn’t matter. But he looked so like Luke. And she realised that she sort of wanted him to like her. To approve of her. He was Luke’s family and that made her care what he thought. It was frustrating and confusing and, as the increasing rain reminded her, she didn’t have time to be dwelling on her relationship insecurities.
Lewis loped across the sand to join her. ‘He’s not in. Or he’s not answering. What can I do?’
‘You want to help?’ Esme peered at him from under her hood.
‘Don’t sound so surprised.’ Lewis was hunched into his jacket.
‘Go back to the village. The weather is turning and I don’t want you to get caught in it.’
‘I won’t melt in a bit of rain,’ Lewis said, frowning.
At that moment, the sky went dramatically dark and there was a roll of thunder.
‘If it’s going to be so bad, you should come back with me,’ Lewis said, glancing out at the sea.
‘I’m fine. I’m dressed for it.’
‘Well I’m not leaving you. I’m gallant like that.’
Gallant would be doing as she requested, but Esme didn’t think it was worth standing in the rain and arguing. Resigned, she turned to walk toward the promontory to Coire Bay. She would check that ward on her way to the castle.
He wasn’t keeping step with her and, for a moment, she thought Lewis had changed his mind and decided to head back to the village.
Instead, he was standing on the rocks with one hand protecting his eyes from the rain as he stared out to sea. She followed his line of sight. àite Marbh. It had been obscured by the fog and the rain of the last few days, but was looming out of the seascape. A dark mass that seemed blacker than it ought to be against the light grey of the horizon. Esme had never liked looking at the dead place, but now she knew that it housed a gateway between worlds, it was even more menacing. What had Bee called it? Elsewhere. And the only thing keeping things from flooding through was her. The Ward Witch.
‘What is that place?’ Lewis called.
‘Just a small island.’ Esme moved closer so that she didn’t have to yell. ‘There’s nothing there.’
Lewis looked around the bay. There was a wildness to his eyes that was so different to his usual sardonic expression she found herself taking a step closer to him. ‘Are you okay? What did you see?’
He didn’t answer, staring back at àite Marbh as if it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen.
‘Lewis?’
Abruptly, he turned and ran to the place where Hammer’s rowing boat was tied up, and began pulling on the rope.
Esme looked around wildly. Lewis was making quick work of releasing the boat and hauling it the short distance to the water. She didn’t have time to go and get help, and her only hope was that Hammer would appear, ambling back home just in time.
‘Please, stop,’ she tried. ‘The weather is turning. It’s dangerous. Have you even been out on a boat before?’
Lewis didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at her. He seemed to find it difficult to drag his gaze from the islet.
‘Please,’ she said again. ‘Lewis, please stop.’ She grabbed the nearest edge of the boat, towards the back, and dug her heels into the sand, trying to stop it from moving.
Lewis gave her a savage look.
His silence was the worst thing. He had been so chatty, so full of quips and compliments. This was a complete change of personality, as if he was suffering an acute and sudden psychosis.
Even with her efforts, Lewis managed to get the boat into the water. Esme’s feet and ankles were soaked, and she was being dragged further in. Lewis climbed awkwardly into the boat and lowered the rotor into the water.
She had been out in the boat with Hammer many times. He had done all the rowing and motor stuff, but she probably had more experience than Lewis. Her mind raced as she tried to decide the best thing to do. Should she go with him? Or run for help?
He was stabbing switches on the motor, frenzied and seemingly at random. He pulled on the starter cord. It didn’t catch the first time, but he got it on the second go. Before Esme had made a decision, the edge of the boat was ripped from her hands.