A Sudden Wild Magic

“Told? Who told you?”

“My mother. She told me particularly that I—”

“Your mother? I’m sorry. I think you may have the wrong—”

“My mother,” said the woman, “is Mrs. Gladys Naismith.”

“Gladys!”

“That’s right. I’m her daughter, Aline McAllister, and I live in Dundee. I have a message for you from my mother if you can prove you have the title to it. The secret title, mind. She was most particular.”

“If you really need—” Mark gave in and gave her his full titles.

“Thank you,” said Aline McAllister. “She said you would be in her house before midnight, and I see she was right as usual. She sent the message up with her cats, you know. I have them all here. Making fifty- two, along with my own, I may say. Dearly as I love my mother, we do not get on, and this is why. Long ago I told her that only in a real, genuine crisis will I do any other thing for her, and this is what I get. Fifty-two cats. So you may take it the message is urgent. This is it. I am to say that my mother has gone after Zillah, partly because of the child, but mainly because you and all the rest of British Witchcraft are in serious danger. In order to find out the nature of the danger, you would do well to consult the girl she and you visited in hospital. End of message. I hope you have it. It’s clear as mud to me.”

“I–I have it,” Mark said. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, thank my mother’s cats,” said Aline McAllister, and rang off.

“Who on earth was that?” Paulie said as he came out through the jungle.

“Gladys’s daughter,” he said. “With a message from Gladys.”

“What?” exclaimed the other two. Amanda added, “I never knew she’d been married — or — or — Anyway, how extraordinary!”

“The poor girl must have had a terrible childhood,” Paulie said feelingly.

Mark was inclined to agree. “She said they didn’t get on.”

Amanda gave that stern little frown of hers. “Never mind that. What was the message?”

Mark told them and astonished them a second time.

“Gone after Zillah!” said Paulie. “Why should that make a crisis? That girl is always dropping out. She’s probably just joined a squat somewhere.”

Amanda frowned again. “What is this danger? Where is this girl who’ll know? In hospital?”

“No,” said Mark. “She’s dead.”

“Dead!” shrilled Paulie. “Gone after Zillah, and she tells you to consult a dead girl!”

“How long ago?” Amanda asked intently.

“About six weeks now,” said Mark. “Gladys is right. She should be over the shock now.”

“Or she could be dissipated,” said Paulie. “Gone after Zil—!”

“Shut up, Paulie!” Amanda snapped. “Be helpful or be quiet. Mark, we’d better get in touch with her at once, don’t you think? What was her name?”

“We never found out,” Mark explained. “The hospital had no idea, and she didn’t—”

“And you don’t even know her name!” Paulie said disgustedly.

Amanda stood up and advanced on Paulie like an avenging queen. “Paulie—”

“She’s tired and overwrought,” Mark said hastily.

“No she’s not,” said Amanda. “No more than I am. My sister is missing, and I spent the whole sleepless night receiving warnings in every conceivable way, and yet I can still behave reasonably! Paulie is just strutting into the center of the stage in her usual selfish way, and you, Mark, are conniving with her to let her. As you both always do. Paulie, you behave or I’ll make you! This is serious.”

They stared at her like injured children, such was her majesty. At length, Paulie whispered, “Sorry.”

“Good,” said Amanda. “Now, Mark, what made Gladys think you’d be able to contact this girl’s soul?”

“Because she was desperate to tell me something when she died,” he admitted. “I’m sorry — it was so peculiar that I’ve rather avoided thinking about it, but I should have told you. Apart from anything else, she was probably from the pirate universe. Gladys was sure she was. I think that was what made Gladys see I was right.”

“Then,” said Amanda, “let’s get on with it. Are you helping, Paulie? Good — get over there then. Mark, you take the north and do the invocation. How many candles?”

“Just one in the middle,” said Mark.

There were few other questions. They all knew what to do. Shortly, with the solitary candle casting dark leaf-flickers over ceiling and faces, and gusting occasionally from the wind that still roared outside, they stood in three-quarters of a circle, and Mark, standing with his back to the fire so that the glow of it shone red through his gown, spread his arms and began the strange, simple call that summoned a dead soul.

By fire and flete and candlelight, to hearth and house and warmth, he called, and called three times. The sound of the wind dropped away. None of them heard anything but the light breathing of the others and the gentle whickering of the candle flame.

He spread his arms to call her to earth and air and flame, but she was there already. She had been yearning for the call. Her gusty voice filled the room.

Oh, I’m so glad!