Gene of Isis

my knight was a little out of touch with modern society.

Such societies only became secret due to the Inquisitions, he clarified. If what I suspect is true of Lord Hereford’s demise, there is little point in seeking the murderer, as you cannot put a whole society on trial . .. not even if you could find them.

‘Even if I did find the culprit and prove it, chances are nothing would be achieved,’ I concluded bitterly, thinking of past experiences. Albray was right; it was useless wasting energy pursuing the case. He knew as well as I did that I was just avoiding having to think about my future. ‘What are your thoughts on Mr Devere?’

Albray suppressed a chuckle. I am not here to counsel you on affairs of the heart. I’m here to teach you the greater mysteries…and, believe me, marriage is not one of them.

I was a little irked by his reluctance to advise me, but I took a different approach. ‘You said, last time we met, that you saw a great deal of travel in my future…I am in the process of pondering the best way to bring that travel into being.’

In that case, you should probably see Mr Devere and hear out his wedding plans.

‘Not you too.’ I was hoping for some dark secret to assure me I should not wed Devere.

Albray just shrugged as if to say—why ask if you already know everything?

‘Will he travel with me?’

Albray smiled at my fickle nature. What do you see?

My mind was cast back to the night that I had dreamed about travelling with Mr Devere. The intimacy of that dream, and the fact that he’d kept showing up to save me, made it uncomfortable to dwell on. ‘I see that we may travel a similar path, but take separate routes that sometimes meet.’

My knight shrugged. There you have it.

‘But I’ll never be allowed out on my own as a single woman! If I want to travel, I’ll have to wed somebody! I don’t want to face the marriage market. But what if those who killed Douglas will kill any man I intend to marry except Mr Devere?’

A poor woman could travel alone.

‘I am a poor woman, so I won’t have to improvise.’ I made light of the suggestion.

It would be precarious for most, but you could protect yourself.

‘How?’

How! He was surprised. You have more power in your little finger than I ever had in my whole body for the entire duration of my life!

I did not know how to take the compliment.

Don’t you remember Rosen’s tower chamber?

My vision dulled as I saw an image of a whirling force and then came back to the still calm of my room. ‘I had many angry souls there to aid me that day.’ I resented the fact that he’d brought the incident up.

In that instance your ability was the weapon and those angry souls wielded you to their own ends. But you can also make the reverse happen, to enhance the powers you already have, he added quickly, as my expression must have reflected how distressing I found the topic.

‘I can draw upon the power of otherworldly beings?’ I was making sure I had deduced his meaning correctly.

You are a channel! The channel goes both ways. You can draw upon the knowledge and talents of all those otherworldly entities which might be disposed toward your service. So far there’s only me, of course, but I’m sure we can widen your acquaintance.

‘So what talents do you possess that I could draw upon, for example?’ I had totally forgotten all other problems; this was an intriguing conversation.

Swordfighting, Albray suggested. I gasped with delight at the notion. Find yourself a sword, he said, to assure me he was quite serious.

I glanced around—no swords obviously, so I grabbed up my mirror by its handle.

Hold it out before you.

I held it out straight, giggling at the very idea of being in a sword fight, when a powerful and pleasing presence passed over me from behind to carry my framework without any aid from me. I lunged forward, sweeping my mirror to and fro, with such force and technique that I could only wonder at my movements.

I didn’t hear the knock on the door, but as Susan entered, I whirled to a stop.

‘Feeling better?’ she queried in a playful fashion.

‘Yes!’ I gasped as I felt Albray abruptly withdraw from my frame. I was left tottering on my own, flushed and exalted.

‘Constable Fletcher is here to see you,’ she said.

‘Who?’ It took me a moment to snap out of my delirium, and I placed the mirror aside. ‘I’ll be right down.’

The poor constable was not a happy man as he informed me that, ‘It has been deduced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Lord Hereford died of apoplexy.’ His expression and tone were not so resolute as his words. ‘I’m very sorry, Miss Granville.’

‘No more questions then,’ I said, obviously not surprised.

‘No more questions,’ he reluctantly confirmed, and was accompanied out by the steward.