The Realms Thereunder

7

When the ghostly form of Daniel appeared within the lych-gate, Freya didn’t hesitate. She leapt forward and grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled back with all of her strength. It was as if he solidified inside of her fingers. Suddenly she was falling backwards with him on top of her. They hit the ground together.

She lay, winded, looking up at the sky. Turning her head she saw Daniel, rolling gently onto his side. He saw her and smiled.

“You saved me,” he said.

Freya looked down. “What is it with you and clothes? You pick up something wherever you go. Where were you?”

“Elfland.”

“What, are you serious?”

“It’s a long story. I came back as fast as I could. I thought you were in danger. I thought I needed to save you.”

“No, I managed pretty well on my own,” Freya said.

“Really? I’m sorry. How long was I gone? It was weeks to me.

More than a month.”

“Not too sure on that point. It may have been just a couple days.”

Daniel closed his eyes. Days. Only days. He rolled over and sat up. “Well, I’m not doing that again.”

“No, me neither.”

“Were you in trouble, really?”

Freya was just about to answer when a dark shape flew down from the sky and struck Daniel square in the chest. He went down, the black shadow-a human figure-on top of him. The attacking shape’s face was bone-white and bald, its mouth full of sharp teeth. Luckily, Daniel had his arm up and under his attacker’s jaw, or he would’ve had his throat already torn out. Slaver from those terrifying jaws was already dripping onto his collar. The thing’s left hand was pinning Daniel’s right, and its right was clutching at the side of Daniel’s head.

Freya looked around for something heavy to hit the attacker with-a brick or a stick-but there was nothing in view.

“Fr’ya,” Daniel uttered, half-choked. “Sw’rd . . . l’ft side . . .”

Freya rushed over and saw Daniel’s sword glimmering at his side. She reached for its hilt to draw it out, but the creature saw her. She felt its hand clutch her wrist as its face-disfigured and yet still perfectly recognisable-turned to her and snarled.

Freya didn’t hesitate a second. She heaved with all her strength and pulled her arm away, still clutching the sword. She took a moment to find her balance once more, during which she saw the animal shift its weight towards her.

Then she heard five very sharp, tinny bangs. Something seemed to explode out of the thing’s back, and she took another startled step backwards. It let out a death cry of “Gah-ah-ahd!” before keeling forward and falling on its face. It made no more movement under its own power.

Daniel shifted himself from underneath the corpse and together they rolled it over.

“So,” said Daniel. “It’s him. I was wondering if I’d see him again.”

“You know him? It?” Freya said.

“I think so,” Daniel said, looking closer. “He had hair and not so many teeth when I last saw him, but that’s the guy I was talking to in the church just before I disappeared. He gave me some sort of enchanted leaf, then sent me out after you. It was obviously a trap.”

“You carry a gun now?” Freya asked disdainfully. “I’m not sure I like that.”

“Weren’t you glad that I had it now?”

Freya handed Daniel’s unused sword back to him.

“Do you know him?” Daniel asked.

“Yes. That was the . . . person that captured me. He was my tutor, Professor Felix Stowe. He tricked me into thinking I was married to him, that I had children with him. I think he meant to starve me.”

“Huh.” Daniel gave the body a kick. “You’ll have to tell me more about that.”

They stood over the body for a moment and then, without a word between them, turned and walked away.

“Freya,” Daniel said, “about what we were talking about before all this . . . We need answers for this.”

“Yes,” answered Freya, although it wasn’t an easy word to say.

“I think you’re right. We need to go back.”