Jack of Ravens

11

The moon was full and milky in a star-spangled sky as they left the comfort of Stonehenge and made their way to Shavi’s van. Church took the wheel, enjoying the prospect of driving much more than he would ever have anticipated before he turned up in the Iron Age.

‘So where are we going?’ Laura asked as she climbed into the back with Shavi.

‘I don’t know yet.’

‘Doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.’

Church tapped his head. ‘It’s all up here. I’m going with instinct.’

Laura rested her head in Shavi’s lap. ‘I’ll say, ditto.’

‘I have to say, in my experience of the last few days, we cannot afford to stay in one place too long,’ Shavi said.

‘Yeah, everywhere is enemy territory,’ Laura said. ‘How fucked up is that?’

‘I don’t see how we’re going to be able to do anything positive,’ Ruth said. ‘The enemy will have us on the run continually.’ She searched the shadowy hedgerows and the lonely Downs as Church pulled onto the main road. She half-expected Rourke to be waiting there, ready to throw himself at the van.

‘That’s the first thing we’re going to tackle,’ Church said. ‘Some of this land has to be our land.’

‘Sounds like the man has a plan,’ Ruth said.

Shavi stretched out. ‘It is Veitch I feel sorry for. He was one of us, and though I cannot remember it, we must have been good friends. He has been a victim in these events.’

‘He was a victim, but he’s also slaughtered hundreds of Brothers and Sisters of Dragons over the years,’ Church replied. ‘He chose to cross a line a long time ago.’ Of all their enemies, Church was convinced Veitch was the most dangerous. He would never stop, never walk away, until he felt he had got his revenge, even if rivers of blood were spilled and the land looked like a charnel house.

‘Sounds like you’ve got a downer on the Veitch-dude,’ Laura said lazily.

Church glanced in the mirror and thought he saw a faint movement on the skyline. It was impossible to discern the cause, but it troubled him immensely.