Reign of Evil

CHAPTER 34

He expected Preeti to scream and shout, How could you? and You of all people?, but all he got was silence. He caught her glancing at him with red swollen eyes, but she wouldn’t say a word. This uncharacteristic response to the capture of her boyfriend worried Walker enough that he wished she were screaming at him.

It had taken them four hours to make it back. Once they’d cleared the wall behind the home, they’d headed for the car. But even before they reached it, they’d realized that Trevor had the keys, and neither Walker nor YaYa knew how to wire a car. So they’d been forced to continue running. Near Glastonbury Train Station they’d found a car with keys inside. Then, they’d taken extra care not to drag surveillance back to the chapel. Preeti’s brother had tried to do what he’d previously done to the CCTV servers, but cybersecurity had found and closed his back door.

Just as they thought the universe was against them, they had help from an unsuspected arena. Lord Robinson had provided a platoon of Royal Marines to Ian for assistance. The chief of Section 9, for all Walker knew the last member of Section 9, had finally managed to convince the senior MP that the only way they were going to stop the Wild Hunt was to dedicate more assets to the effort. The Marines weren’t pleased to be pulled away from their families at Christmas, but in the end they were Marines and acted the part. So it was a taxi that picked them up outside of a Sainsbury’s superstore in Gloucester. They’d switched to foot, then boarded a bus, then went back to foot once more. Scrubbing any last vestige of surveillance by transiting an all-night grocer, they got into the taxi in an area identified by Preeti’s brother as having no active CCTV cameras. The taxi driver introduced himself as Corporal Alex Cope and took them straight to Warwick.

Hoover was the first to greet them. Walker spared the dog a small pet, then strode straight to Preeti.

“We’ll get him back.”

Dark circles under her bloodshot eyes along with a red and running nose detailed a bucket of shed tears. “I know you will.” Her voice was flat.

“No, really. I’ll do everything I can.” Then his voice got husky. “I’m so sorry.”

She nodded, then turned back to her work. “I know.”

Then he’d briefed Ian, Holmes, and Lieutenant Rory Magerts, platoon leader of the Marines, who’d been read onto Section 9’s mission, but by the increasing level of incredulity present on his face it was not something he wholeheartedly believed. The witch, Laws, Genaro, and Yank listened in, but from a distance. Everyone occasionally glanced in Preeti’s direction, especially when Trevor’s name was mentioned.

After the second run-through, Holmes asked Sassy to join them.

“Can it hear us?” Holmes asked.

“It hears everything.”

“What were those women Walker described?”

“Vessels. Fonts. They are empty and have no soul.”

That explained their emotionless appearance. But Walker wanted to know where their souls had gone, so he asked.

Sassy frowned and shook her head, looking almost like the regular woman she’d been pretending to be all this time. Looking at her now, no one would know that she was a powerful witch who’d forced the mythological creature to possess her. “There’s a type of magic that uses people, uses their souls for power. It’s distasteful.”

“What are they used for? I thought I saw a hound leap into her, then disappear.”

Sassy regarded Walker. “I know what you’re thinking, but stop that right now.” Walker was about to respond, but she shushed him with a wave of her hand. “You’re thinking of your girl, aren’t you? If her soul can survive in the body of one of these ghouls, then you can be together again.” She shook her head again, this time looking 1,000 percent witch. “She is not at all like she was. What’s left of her soul has done terrible things, things from which she can’t come back. Ever.”

Walker stared at Sassy, understanding and not caring. He repeated his question. “What are they used for?”

She sighed and glanced at Holmes.

“Answer his question,” he said.

“The hounds are formed from the strength of a person’s soul. They manifest as real when attacking, but spend most of their existence as a wisp of wind or a billow of fog. They are sustained by Tuatha magic and belong to the Hunt. But on occasion, if an empty vessel is available, a witch or warlock can summon a hound to do their bidding. The soul of the person who was harvested for the hound is pleased to be once again in a human form and shows their gratitude through sharing of the magic that made them.”

“Have you ever done that?” Holmes asked.

“I told you. I’m not that kind of witch.”

“Why do they sew their lips shut?” YaYa asked, joining the conversation.

“The Tuatha have their secrets and don’t want them told.”

YaYa couldn’t help himself. “So they take some poor waif, rip out her soul, sew her lips shut so she can be a vessel?”

She stared at him flatly. “Being judgmental isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

Holmes jumped in. “She’s right. Let’s figure this thing out.”

Just as they were about to start, the lieutenant’s cell rang. He stepped away from the table and carried out a brisk conversation. He glanced at Holmes and Ian twice. When he finished, he rejoined them.

“Don’t know what to make of it. I sent two men to Glastonbury to keep tabs as requested. They’re sure that the people in the house know they’re there, but they don’t seem to be concerned. In fact, they’re still having their party.”

Holmes uncharacteristically cursed.

“What is it?” Ian asked.

“They’re not worried about freedom of movement.”

Walker figured it out the same time everyone else did. “It’s happening today, isn’t it?”

Holmes nodded and checked his watch. “We have less than twenty hours and they could do it anytime. We’ve got to get out there.”

“And do what?” Ian smacked his hand down on the table. “We don’t even know what they’re trying to do.”

“No, but at least we know where they are. There’s got to be something we can do… whatever it is.” To Laws, Holmes said, “Have everyone ready to go in twenty.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Sassy and I are going to speak with the Tuatha. If something’s going down then it knows. It’s time for the Tuatha to come clean.”