Part One is here

‘STOP.’

Scarlet blinked, wondering why her head was still together. Red stood between her and the champion. ‘I will stay. I am more than a fair trade.’

The champion lowered his sword slowly until the tip touched the floor. Scarlet stared at Red’s back, at the long dark hair still tied in a neat plait and shook her head. She put her hand on Red’s shoulder but her friend shrugged it off as she turned.

‘This is right. You saved me. I didn’t know I needed saving, but just a week of freedom in your world has been worth more than a hundred years in my own. I am here because of you and I cannot thank you for that, not properly. Not unless I do this.’

Scarlet tried to argue. And she told herself she was arguing as well as she could, but the truth was, she didn’t want to die. And she could tell from the look in Red’s eyes that she meant what she said. Red blurred as tears sprung up in her eyes.

‘You’ll die.’

Red smiled and pulled her blade from its sheath. ‘I am a champion also, remember. Nothing is guaranteed.’

She bent, bringing her face closer. ‘Thank you, Scarlet.’ She placed a kiss on Scarlet’s forehead and she felt suddenly very young and very stupid. Then her friend turned away and set her legs.

‘Will you accept me in return for Scarlet?’

The champion was silent for a horribly long time before nodding. ‘I will. Scarlet, I am not the only one you have changed. Remember your power and the responsibility it brings.’

Then it was over. A light bloomed behind them and Martin took her arm, pulling her slowly back until the light became too bright. Just before she slipped through, Red lifted her knife high and lunged.

Then she was standing in the round room and flames flickered around them. They had to get out, but she couldn’t see anything through the tears and all she wanted to do was lie down. So she did. The wood was warm through her trousers and she rolled slowly onto her side. Martin shouted at her, but she couldn’t hear him.

Then he grabbed her and hoisted her into the air and she found herself over his shoulder, head bouncing against his back. She had a second to reflect on how utterly humiliating it was, that everyone who saw them would get a shot of her huge arse, before she started coughing.

They escaped the room, both hacking as Martin raced down the corridor. A few minutes later they came to the entry hall with its numerous door ways. He chose the one that led to the exit and moments after that they emerged into the cavern. It was crowded out here, the students and teachers of the Council evacuated already. How nice for them.

Martin bullied his way through the crowd and kept moving. Scarlet raised her head enough to see the curious faces that followed them. Beyond the black clad watchers, smoke began to snake out of the door they had left open.

He put her down to get through the door and they hurried out the toilet and into the summer sun that baked Trafalgar Square. She blinked, eyes watering, and took a few shaky steps before she folded up and sat on the pale stone, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her head.

Martin’s arms went around her and stayed there until heat rose to her face. ‘Why did she do that? I didn’t ask her to do that.’

Martin shook his head, features drawn and pale. ‘She did what she thought was right.’

‘That wasn’t right, I didn’t want her to do that.’

‘Or course you didn’t, but the choice wasn’t yours to make.’

‘But it was my choice to take us…’

She buried her hear again and tried to keep inside herself. She longed to let it out, but the tourists would probably freak out if she started howling and spewing all over Nelson’s column. Her teeth went through her lip and the pain made her stiffen, head popping up again.

Martin looked tired. His forehead was lined and his eyes rimmed with dark red patches. ‘Can we go home?’

He nodded, lifting her gently off the floor and leading her over to the road. A taxi pulled up at his waved hand and she slumped into the back seat. Typical that the first time she got to ride a black cab, all she could think about was the person she’d just sentenced to death.

‘You saved a lot of people today. It’s quite possible you saved the world.’

She heard him but the words felt empty. She stared from the window at the people rushing by, heading for important meetings or important lunches or whatever it was people did when they were at work. They didn’t know what she’d done and they didn’t care. What would they say if she told them she’d just killed Red Riding Hood?

They’d laugh and pat her head and probably ask what she wanted to be, as if she wanted to be something other than human. What was it with people asking you that? Why did she have to want to be anything? Couldn’t she just do stuff, without having a label attached. She hadn’t wanted to be a fire woman for, like, eight years, and that was the last time she remembered thinking like that.

Did all these people really want to just be something? Her lip ached where she sneered. She knew it made her look horrible but she couldn’t help it. Not until Martin put his hand on her shoulder and her lip wobbled and she started crying again.

She wiped her eyes with a vigorous scrub of her sleeve. She was something now, she had a label. Two actually. She was a murderer and a magician. She wasn’t sure she was proud of either right now. She turned to look at Martin and the compassion on his face made her want to cry again. Instead she sniffed and patted him on the leg.

‘So, how was Australia then?’

He frowned and shook his head. ‘Nothing. The entire thing was a ruse. They took me when I got off the plane. Out of the airport and bundled straight into a van.’

‘So how did you escape?’

‘Four days ago a man opened my cell and explained that Seeker had sent him. The Council were in a flap, talking about a war, and we slipped away.’

‘Mmm.’

The sneaky bastard. She couldn’t decide whether that made the whole spy thing better. Then she glanced over at Martin. Yeah, it did a bit.

‘Martin, you said you made some vows, back there. What were they?’

Martin looked at his hands and Scarlet realised they were cut, one with a dull cream bandage wrapped around it. She took it gently. ‘What happened?’

‘There was a window. It got in the way of my escape.’

He managed a wan grin. Then let out a long sigh.

‘I told you I was a warrior for the Council, and that’s true. But I wasn’t just any warrior. I was a Hunter. There aren’t, weren’t, many of us, maybe five at any one time? We would find people, do what needed to be done.’

He looked down again. ‘I was a dimension jumper. There were people on other worlds they’d want. I’d cross dimensions and find them, bring them back.’

‘Is that why I’m good at it?’

‘I haven’t taught you anything to do with dimensions, for the very reason… Look, the reason you’re good at it is because you’re powerful. Very powerful.’ He frowned.

‘What? Why is that so bad?’

‘It’s not, not really. But it means people will want you and that makes you a target.’

‘Feels that way already.’

‘Indeed.’

They were out of the city now and heading through Kensington, the late morning sun painting London in a favourable light. Everything looked different though, run down and tired. Or maybe it was just her. She put her hand in her pocket and felt the book. She wanted to ask about that, too, but if she mentioned it he might take it away. Right now she didn’t have much to cling to.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and stared at it. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve got an iphone 4 charger have you?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m glad Lara stayed clear of all this.’

‘Yeah, well, me too I guess.’

Silence. Martin cleared his throat and rubbed his neck. ‘Is everything okay with the two of you?’

She might have burst into tears but he was so obviously awkward having to ask the question that she giggled instead. She was doing a lot of giggling at the moment. It wasn’t the good sort either, but it was better than crying.

‘Yeah, well, no. Her dad found out, you know, that she’s gay and everything so he totally freaked out. He’s trying to send her to boarding school and get her to confess her sins and stop being sick or whatever.’

‘That doesn’t strike me as a very fatherly response.’

‘Yeah, well, not all fathers are like you.’

It was out before she realised what she was saying and her cheeks burst into flame. She went to say something but the look he gave her made her want to stay quiet. So she smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. London crawled slowly by and she closed her eyes. All she could see was Red, leaping as the light engulfed them. She shuddered and he patted her shoulder.

They lurched to a stop, Acton High Street beckoning her as no other could. God she hated this place. They climbed wearily from the taxi and took a slow walk into the estate. At the door to her house Martin bade her farewell and kept going. She realised he was limping, ever so slightly. She should have asked more about Australia.

Mum was in and worried, though not freaking out as expected. After hugs and awkward discussions about dimensions and saving the world, she hauled her tired arse upstairs and into bed. Skinny was nowhere to be seen, which was just fine right now, and she fell face-first onto her mattress.

She groaned in frustration, picked herself up and dug her phone from her pocket. She plugged it in and lay back down. The phone buzzed as it came alive. A text arrived, the phone vibrating against the table. And again. And again.

Sleep.

Lara.

Sleep.

Dammit.

She sat up, shoving a pillow against the headboard and leaning on it. She lifted the phone, the charger keeping it near the table, and squinting at the screen. In the notifications she saw the word help and her exhaustion faded away. She unlocked it and clicked on to the texts.

There were a few asking where she was and why she wasn’t responding. Then a couple explaining that her girlfriend was having a posh panic attack because she wasn’t answering. Then a long one, that featured both the word help and school, and her blood ran cold.

I don’t know what I’ve done and why you aren’t answering, but dad’s sending me away. Help me, please. He’s sending me to boarding school tomorrow. It’s the one in Worcestershire and I’m staying there for months. I miss you so much, I’m so sorry. X

Last Installment Wednesday 28th May

Part One is here

‘If the bubble expands, it will destroy everything.’

Scarlet’s eyes widened, despite the smoke and the flames, and she stared at Martin. ‘Why would it expand?’

‘Because Malient is insane and he doesn’t have the control he thinks he does.’

Scarlet nodded, digging into her pack for the ingredients. She already knew what she was going to do. It was both stupid and dangerous and she thought Martin would be proud. She laid out what she had left of the ingredients, praying it was enough, then closed her eyes and began to chant.

She pictured Elt, now happily prancing about in the Shetland Islands and pissing off the other unicorns up there. She reached out, calling for him and just like that, he was there. There was no communication, no words, but the power flooded through her. She gasped for breath, the world going dark before her eyes. She demanded everything he had and he gave it to her.

She put her palms on the floor and moaned, every fibre of her being buzzing and singing. She could feel the bubble and knew how it worked. She could sense the others in the room, the four magicians filled with pushy, masculine energy. She could feel Red, something entirely different, and still wrapped in red leather. Mmmm.

Then she cast, holding the unicorn in her mind and at the same time picturing the darkness and the dry stone underfoot. She opened her eyes as the light grew, contrasting with the reds and oranges that played across the burning room. The light expanded, covering Red and Martin and went still further.

She held them in the room, not allowing herself to be pulled through until the light washed over the two council men, passing through the bubble and on toward Malient. At the last moment he noticed it, his eyes widening before he, too, was covered. Then she rose to her feet and took a step and the room shifted and the fires winked out.

The bubble sat on the stone, barely visible through the gloom, but a moment after they arrived, Malient lost his control and it vanished. The two men inside dropped to their knees, groaning and holding their heads. The ghost who wasn’t a ghost turned to her, mouth open and screaming.

‘WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?’

Scarlet smiled, blinking away the headache that threatened at any moment to put her on the ground. ‘I thought we might all like a change of scene. I mean, you’ve been trapped in that place for decades, right?’

He came at her, but Martin was quicker and backhanded him across the face. Malient dropped to one knee, hand clutching his jaw. He stared up at Martin with narrow, burning eyes. ‘You are a slave, nothing more. Get out of my way.’

‘I am no one’s slave, and my vows mean nothing here.’

Malient paused, getting to his feet and looking around. ‘Where are we?’

Scarlet pointed to a distant figure on the horizon. ‘You should probably ask him.’

The champion drew nearer and Malient finally realised where they were. He chanted frantically, using his hands and everything, but nothing happened. The two council members were the same, talking in panicked voices and trying various spells. Martin ignored them, turning to Scarlet.

‘You brought us to the Shadows.’

She nodded, not wanting to speak until she knew what he thought. ‘I was in Sydney. It’s a lovely city, you know. If you’re ever held against your will, there are worse places for it to happen. In fact, I’m now beginning to think I should have stayed there.’

‘What, and miss this?’

He gave her a look, but smiled wryly. ‘You’ve been busy in my absence.’

‘Of course. Could you really imagine me sitting in bed all day, looking at my computer and reading?’

He chuckled and turned to Red. ‘You’ve been here before as well?’

‘I have. We would have died, if not for Scarlet.’

A sound like grumpy thunder reached them and they turned. The champion stood before them. She’d forgotten how big he was.

‘Hi, nice to see you again.’

‘Nice is not the word I would have selected. I have…questioned since I met you. It is not a nice…feeling.’

‘But it’s a feeling, right?’

He nodded and turned to Malient. ‘I know you, also. You have tried to reach here in recent times. Why is that?’

‘These two and their friends killed me and broke my spirit self. Coming here was the only release I could find.’

‘And now you’re here and I release you.’

Scarlet’s hands flew to her mouth. She hadn’t seen his sword move but Malient’s head flew from his shoulders and hit the ground with the most horrible thump. His body spat blood from the severed neck for a moment and crumpled to the floor. Scarlet squeezed her eyes closed even though she knew it was an image that would be with her forever.

The champion turned to the two Masters, beckoning slowly with one Subway-sandwich-size finger. ‘And you, why are you here?’

Evil Mastermind stepped closer and even managed a sneer. ‘We were attempting to put him back in his cage when she,’ he jabbed a finger at Scarlet, ‘brought us here.’

The champion turned to her and she reddened, heat rising to her face. ‘I know, I know, it’s, like, massively jerky of me. But they were going to destroy our world, I didn’t have any choice.’

‘You always have a choice.’ He turned back to the Masters. ‘As do you. But that matters not at all. You are trespassers here.’

The blow took one through the neck and buried deep in the other’s chest. The headless master dropped to the floor but the Evil mastermind was stuck on the sword, blood running down the colossal blade. The champion adjusted his feet and hauled on the sword and it exploded from the other side of the Master’s body. The two halves hit the floor, the thud mingled with a wet splash.

Why was she watching? She turned away, hand over her mouth to try and stop the vomit. Would there ever be a time when she wasn’t sick when she saw someone get chopped in half? Would there ever be a day when she didn’t see someone get chopped in half? She groaned, going to her haunches as sweat covered her brow and dizziness assaulted her.

She stayed there until she realised that everything was silent. She reluctantly turned to face the others. All three stared at her as though she had the answers. She’d already used all her answers and saved the world in doing so. Wasn’t that enough?

She pushed herself to her feet and stepped closer to the champion. ‘How do you feel?’

‘I think a lot. I still do not understand whether that means I feel, but it is more than I have ever done before.’

She waited, a nice warmness rushing to her face.

‘But I am sworn to this place and its rules. You brought these people here because of what you knew I had to do. You must pay the same price as they have.’

She swallowed, head dropping to her chest. She’d known, somewhere deep down, that this had to happen. The second she thought of the spell, she knew she wouldn’t be going home. Her last text to Lara had included at least two kisses and a smiley. That meant next to nothing, but it was the best she could have hoped for.

She looked up at the champion and nodded. ‘These two were brought here by me. They had no choice and shouldn’t be punished.’

‘I will abide by the judgment I made last time.’ He waved his hand and a light appeared. Martin stepped away from it, eyes wide.

‘What is happening?’

The champion turned to him. ‘You are this girl’s master, are you not?’

‘I am.’

‘You should, I think, be proud.’

‘I wasn’t aware you thought about anything.’

‘Not before she came.’

Martin glanced at her, eyebrows raised and laughed. ‘Is there nothing you don’t change with your presence?’

‘School. School stays pretty much the same whether I’m there or not.’

‘Now, it is time. The two of you must leave.’

‘No. That is unacceptable. I will stay in Scarlet’s place.’

The champion stared at him for a moment and shook his head. ‘You have business, unfinished business. I will not accept that exchange.’

‘Martin, it’s okay. Really. I thought this would happen.’

Martin shook his head, standing between her and the champion. The huge being growled. ‘Do not tempt me. You will be only the third person I have ever let escape this realm.’

‘You will go through me to take her.’

‘So be it.’

‘NO!’

Martin turned to her. ‘I can’t let you do this.’

‘You haven’t got any choice. I chose this, not you. Martin, the skinny me is at my house. You can look after her and mum, right?’

Martin was still shaking his head but his eyes were wet. His next protest sounded weak because it was. ‘You can’t do this. You’re so young.’

Scarlet wrapped her arms around his big shoulders and hugged him. His arms went around her and for a second, she lost herself. He wasn’t dad. She didn’t know what he was, but it was safe here. Her own cheeks were wet when she pulled free. ‘Go now, ‘kay?’

He shook his head. ‘I will stay here while the champion completes his task. It is my fault you are here and I will not shrink from seeing the results of that choice.’

‘Man, you are so lame. Fine.’

She turned to the champion. ‘Okay, here we go.’

He pulled the sword from his scabbard and she winced at the darkness, feeling it sucking her in. He raised it and she took a deep breath, trying to think of Lara but for some reason seeing only the poem on her Tumblr profile.

She walks in beauty like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies

And all that’s good of dark and bright, is there in her aspect and her eyes.

Next Installment Monday 26th May

Part One is here

The four spread out across the room and chanting filled the air. It was a little like being in this drama lesson when they all had to say ‘rhubarb, rhubarb’ over and over again. Why had they had to do that? She shook her head and ducked as the first fireball whooshed past her toward Malient.

His hands rose and the fireball burst over some kind of shield, throwing tails of flame to the floor. He responded with his own fire, blasting it straight at Evil mastermind. His shield was just as strong. Beard thrust his hands out toward Malient and blades appeared in the air, dark steel that caught the light as it crossed the space between them.

Scarlet squeaked, expecting Malient to be chopped into bits, but the blades abruptly changed direction, veering around him and racing around the curved walls. They headed back for Beard guy whose chanting had risen in volume and pitch. He waved his hands frantically and some, but not all, of the blades dropped from the air.

The first struck him in the chest and knocked him backward. The next took him high in the leg and she screamed as blood fountained out. Another went through the side of his throat, at which point she buried her face in her hands and huddled on the floor. It was her fault. Again it was her fault and people were being hurt.

She crawled around the wall, head down. The next time she glanced up a huge dragon filled the room. It was actually a dragon, with actual claws and two heads. Surely a dragon was cool enough and, like, bad-ass enough to not need an extra head? Its roar filled the room as it lunged toward Chin. He danced out the way and poured this sort of green energy stuff from his hands.

It struck the dragon full in the faces and the creature roared even louder. Then it vanished, making a loud pop as it went. She’d stopped crawling, mouth hanging open, and she had to stare at her legs to make them move again. Her feelings of regret were being rapidly overwhelmed by a deep-seated desire to get the hell out of here.

Her hand banged against something and she whimpered. She knew what it was. She looked through her hair at the blood-stained face only inches from hers. This close, she could see the flecks of white and grey in his beard and the sickly yellow at the edges of his eyes. His eyes that were blinking.

She shrieked and pushed herself back. How was he still alive? He lifted one shaking hand and beckoned to her. She swallowed and tried to go around him. His other hand shot out and grabbed her arm, surprisingly strong. Not only was he not dead, he was stronger than she was.

She grunted as her knees slid across the floor. He hauled her close and she turned her head away, scrunching her eyes shut.

‘You have to stop them. They will end everything if this goes on.’

‘What?’

‘This battle. It raged once before. It mustn’t happen again. You must stop them.’

She looked at him, mouth open to say how the hell was she supposed to do that when his head fell to the floor with a thump and the hand gripping her wrist relaxed and dropped. What had he meant, they will end everything? What was everything? Everything? Sweat dripped from her forehead onto his and she crept back.

She shook, her shoulders aching, and she sat against the wall. The fires had made it hot in here and her breaths were short. The three remaining Council members were huddled close together behind an invisible shield against which Malient hurled fire and lightning and all manner of things.

It would have made an awesome movie, had she not been there. Instead, it was far too close and far too hot and she still had no idea whether she was going to get out. He thought she should stop them! Hah, that was funny. She touched the spell book in her pocket. A Book of Telling. What did that mean?

She crept further around the room, getting closer to the door every second. It was only a few metres away when she heard a shout. The three had split apart, running in different directions. All three turned and cast something and Malient was engulfed. First flames wrapped around his shield, then he was picked up and flung against the wall by some invisible force.

As he struck the floor, a huge jaw, long jagged teeth surrounded by darkness, appeared and dove toward him. Scarlet watched, transfixed, waiting for the blow to land. Malient grabbed one of the massive incisors and heaved at it. It tore free from the gums and the mouth howled, its voice thin and wretched and agonised.

The magician rose to his feet, brandishing the tooth like a trophy and the three came running back together. They weren’t quick enough and when Malient threw the tooth, it flew through the air far faster than it should have. It slammed into Chin, taking him full in the stomach and bursting out the back. Scarlet groaned, put her forehead on the floor and tried to ignore the bile that filled the back of her throat.

She retched but kept it down. Chin collapsed, blood coming from his mouth and his companions crouched and tried to pull him behind their shield. They were too late again and moments later, a ball of fire covered him. The screams were too much and now she did vomit, heaving until her stomach hurt.

She scrambled on, racing toward the door and reached it without anyone burning her alive. She hauled it open and fell into the corridor, sobbing as the cool air struck her face. She landed on her knees and took huge breaths. The sound of feet coming down the corridor made her shudder, but she looked up. She burst into tears and started laughing.

Martin knelt and wrapped his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest.

‘Easy now, easy.’ He gave her a few seconds before pulling her to her feet. Just beyond him, Red watched, one eyebrow raised. Martin clicked his fingers before her glazed eyes and she nodded, blinking.

‘We need to get out of here.’

Scarlet put her hands on his chest and pushed him gently away. ‘Not yet. We have to stop this.’

‘What’s happening?’

She told him in the shortest way she could think of, interrupted by the sounds of fire slamming against the walls and the screams of something she was fairly certain was either mythical or made up. Unless that meant the same thing. In which case it was both. He was shaking his head long before she finished.

‘I know Malient. It does need to be stopped, but I’m not sure you are the person to do it.’

‘I went to another dimension.’

For the first time ever, Martin looked completely stunned. She beamed and patted him on the shoulder. ‘It’s alright, it happens to everyone. All the best apprentices surpass their masters, it was only a matter of time.’

‘Where did you go?’

‘Oh, you know, an alternate reality where I was skinny and Red’s world and The Shadows.’

The blood rushed from his face and his mouth dropped open. There was no way she could be enjoying this more.

‘You cannot have been to the Shadows. The champion has never failed.’

‘Yeah, well, we go way back. We had a chat and it was cool.’

Martin gave her the look and she smiled innocently. Another huge explosion from the round room made her ears ring and she turned back. Then it hit her. Of course.

‘I know what we’re going to do. Martin, when you use a unicorn, does it have to be near you?’

‘Typically, the closer it is, the easier it will be, but no, not as far as I know.’

She punched the air with her fist and blushed. ‘Right, come with me.’

She stepped back into the round room. The temperature had risen again and she was sweating before she’d taken two steps. A haze hung in the air and the walls were shattered in many places, smoke rising where fires were trying to take hold. The two remaining Council men were where she had last seen them, dug in behind a shield and soaking up the attack.

Malient snarled, fists clenched as he poured fire at the two men. Martin took in the scene and ducked back out, forcing Scarlet to come with him. ‘It is best I am not seen. They will all try to involve me.’

‘Why?’

‘I have taken vows. I regret them deeply and have done my best to remain distant from these men, but they would have every right to demand from me something I’m not willing to give.’

‘That’s great, really, could you, like, wear a mask or something?’

He rubbed his temples with his thumb and forefinger and gave her the look.

‘I have to go in there. Did you really come all the way back from Australia just to wimp out now?’

Red flashed a sharp smile at that and pulled her knife from her waist. Martin put his hand on her arm, shaking his head. ‘They will sense that, put it away. Scarlet, what do you intend to do?’

She shook her head and pushed back into the room. If he had any idea what she was going to do, he’d stop her and that would be no fun. The smoke was thick now and she coughed the moment she stepped through the door. Red and Martin crowded in behind and he shoved the door closed.

They turned as one to see the battle and as one they were thrown back into the wall. A bubble, shimmering like oil on water, had sprung up around the two remaining Council men. Waves of energy pulsed, like the light off a TV in a darkened room and with every one that washed over her, she felt progressively more dizzy and sick.

Another blast of energy was unleashed. It picked them up off the floor and threw them against the wall. The bubble shifted, its surface becoming uneven, but it remained intact and the two men within slumped to the floor. Through slitted eyes she saw Malient take a step closer, hands raised palm-out toward the men. His face twisted in a snarl and sweat poured from his forehead.

Martin shouted above the din. ‘This has to end now.’

‘What’s going to happen?’

‘If that bubble expands it will destroy everything.’

Next Installment Friday 23rd May

Part One is here

‘Oh, please don’t close the spell book, I haven’t seen that language in such a long time.’

She jumped and spun around, but the room was empty. Scarlet stood, very slowly, and took a step back. ‘Hello?’ Yeah, it was stupid, but you never know.

‘You can hear me?’

‘AH! Um, yes, I can hear you. Good for both of us that isn’t the creepiest thing in the world or anything.’

‘Well, that’s a turn up for the books. Maybe the spell’s slipping.’

‘Maybe. Who are you, where are you and why do you sound like that big dude from the Labyrinth?’

There was silence for a moment and she decided she was going mad, or had in fact gone mad, and was hearing things. Her head and shoulders drooped, just in time to tense up when the voice returned. It sounded, if anything, even more morose than previously. ‘Maybe you should try being killed and having your ghost broken by a spell and then shut in a room for a few decades. How do you think you’d sound then?’

‘You’re a ghost?’

‘Of a sort.’

‘A really miserable sort.’

‘I’m not miserable, not at all. A little bored, maybe, but nothing more. My voice went when they broke me.’

‘Yeah, you said that a minute ago. Sounds painful.’

‘Excruciating.’

She waited, still staring around the room. He was here somewhere. When he sighed it was though a mountain yawned, like the Earth itself was close to giving it all up and heading off for a nice holiday somewhere.

‘They broke me.’

‘You said that.’

‘Goodness, have you no patience?’

‘Honestly? Not really. The people who broke you are about to start a war in which I reckon lots of people are going to die. I’m sorry if you’re lonely but…’ She trailed off, staring down at her interlaced hands. ‘Sorry. That isn’t fair. What happened?’

She softened her voice and waited.

‘It’s nothing to worry about, I understand. When they killed me, they trapped my ghost. I’d had a good life, I should have dissipated almost immediately, but instead they trapped me and used the Conjuration of Arthemist.’

‘Huh?’

‘It is one of the banned spells, a really most unpleasant little charm. It breaks the links between the person and the spirit world, the world in which us magicians exist, more often than not. I have no power, I cannot feel my magic anymore.’

‘But you’re dead, right?’

A sad sort of chuckle, like quiet waves on a beach at night. ‘Being dead means very little to a powerful magician. It is merely a transition, from one form to another. I would have left this realm and traveled to another. But instead they anchored me here and stole my magic.’

‘So they locked you in here?’

‘They did. Only now you are here too, so I have some company.’

‘I’m not staying. You can read this book, yeah?’

‘I can.’

‘Is there anything in it about getting out of here?’

She laid it flat on the floor and opened the first page. Silence. ‘Anything?’

‘Hang on, I’m reading.’

‘Well aren’t there like, titles or something, something that makes it obvious?’

The ghost sniffed. ‘There may be. Maybe I just like to read.’

‘We don’t have time, bloody hell, didn’t you get that?’

‘Alright, alright.’

Another sniff. ‘Turn the page please.’

They made their steadyish way through the book, the ghost sighing now and then when a particular spell arrived. Scarlet ground her teeth together and worked very hard on remaining patient. She was sitting in a room talking to someone she couldn’t see. There was still a good chance she’d gone mad and was in fact talking to herself.

‘That one should do.’

She jumped and looked over her shoulder. How could she still be surprised there was nothing there?

‘What is it.’

‘It’s a simple cantrip, nothing more.’ He cleared his throat.

‘For the releasing of traps and holds.’

‘That sounds pretty good. Can you do it?’

‘Did you miss the part where I said I had no magic?’

‘Oh, yeah, right, sorry. Can I do it?’

A wind buffeted her cheek and she turned her face, shivering. He was here, she wasn’t doubting that anymore. He could be anywhere. She wrapped her arms around herself and drew her legs in tighter. He was a good guy, surely, if those four had shut him in here. She was getting sick of trusting the wrong people, though.

‘You will have the power, but you cannot read the language yet. Perhaps I should recite it and you repeat after me. I have never done that before, but I see no reason it shouldn’t work.’

She nodded. She had two choices. One was to trust this guy, escape from the room and take her chances with what happened after. The second was to stay here with creepy moany ghost for, like, ever. She nodded more strongly and cleared her throat.

‘Let’s go.’

The words came out soft and low and sounded like the snake from Jungle Book. Did he have a lisp she hadn’t noticed? Maybe the language had a lisp. She checked each word before she said it, practicing it carefully before reciting them out loud. The tingle ran through her that was so normal now she barely noticed it.

But she noticed it this time. It was stronger and caught her in the ends of her fingers until they throbbed. She panted, struggling to draw enough breath. She gasped as the top of her head seemed to lift off, her mind spilling out. She clapped a hand to her hair, surprised to find it still there, and staggered to her feet.

She stared at where she thought the door was, but found nothing. The power faded and she turned slowly. The door was nowhere to be found, but behind her stood a figure. She jumped and stepped back, away from him until her back met the wall. He smiled and the urge to curl up in a ball washed over her.

The man stretched, wiggling his fingers and arching his back. ‘That really was most kind of you.’

‘You lied to me. Dammit, why does everyone do that?’

‘Perhaps because you believe them.’

‘Who are you, really?’

He was short, the same height as her, but wretchedly skinny and long in the face. He had big morose eyes that matched his still-sombre voice and a jet-black moustache. She’d have described him as mouse like, but his eyes were those of a predator. ‘I am who I said I was, although you never asked my name, so I’m not sure how you judge these things. Everything I said was true, except the part about the spell. I must say, I’m disappointed you’ve been learning here and still don’t know to never say a spell until you can read it yourself.’

‘I wasn’t trained here, actually, I…’ That was stupid. She didn’t want him to bad mouth Martin, or even know about him. ‘Why did they put you in here?’

‘Ah, now you ask.’ He strode over to her, pointed leather boots clicking against the stone floor. ‘I disliked the way things were done here. Too soft, too much reliance on living magics and not enough on the dead.’

‘Dead?’

‘Necromancy. The dead carry all the promises they never made, all the dreams they never fulfilled. There is such power in graves, if we would only reach out and take it.’

He was closer now and she smelled him, a sort of damp rot that made her gag. ‘So what now?’

‘Well, ironically enough, we have the same outcome in mind. I wish to kill the four men who no doubt placed you in here. I imagine that would stop their plans fairly quickly. You wish to escape and I can certainly help with that.’

Without waiting he turned from her to where she was sure the door was not and extended his hands. Pale green lightning flashed from his fingertips and struck the wall, which exploded sending shards of wood flying across the room. She threw herself to the ground, hands over her head. When she looked up again, he had disappeared through the shattered door, leaving her alone in the chamber.

She scrambled to her feet, grabbed the spell book and dashed after him. He was running, trailing green sparks after him that hissed where they struck the carpet and sent up wisps of smoke. Who the hell was he?

They emerged into the dining room and the first thing she was saw was the far wall, a crack that ran vertically beside the door where she’d hit it. She winced and fixed her eyes on his back as he charged straight through and out the door. She stayed with him, trying to ignore the stitch that bit into her side and begged her to just sit down and stop all the foolishness.

Down more corridors and they burst into the circular hall where she had fought the three novices. The four were gathered around the far exit, arguing about something. Probably whether Beard guy should have a shave, cause man he needed it. No self-respecting magician would start a war looking like that.

The ghost who actually wasn’t a ghost anymore and who was he anyway, stopped and folded his arms. He was impressively dominating considering he was five foot five and it only took a moment for the four to notice him. Evil Mastermind actually gasped, putting his hand over his mouth. It only lasted a second before he began to chant.

The other three did the same and Scarlet had the wherewithal to throw herself to one side. She should be getting better at falling over by now but she still went down like a dysfunctional sack of potatoes and slammed her elbows into the floor. Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them away.

The pain vanished as a huge ball of fire hurtled across the chamber and slammed into the man who had set her free. Despite him having an aura that said ‘I’m a complete psychopath, do not piss me off’, she felt a pang as he staggered back, flames rearing up to the ceiling. Then she just felt sick and tried to crawl away.

She made it as far as the huge chairs and pulled herself up, peering over the back. The four watched, not one of them relaxed, and she saw why. The ghost was still standing and in the next moment, the flames vanished and he remained untouched. Then he laughed. Had she drunk any water in the last day she might have wet herself. It was a close thing as it was.

‘Gentlemen, my friends.’ Sarcastic didn’t begin to cut it. ‘It is so wonderful to see you all again after so many years.’

Evil mastermind stepped forward. He was the boss. The others probably didn’t think so, but seeing as none of them were manning up, he took the role in her mind.

‘Malient. You’re free.’

‘Indeed, courtesy of a magician you really should have paid a little more attention to.’

He waved a hand toward Scarlet and she ducked behind the chair.

‘Are you aware she carries one of the Books of Telling?’

Scarlet peeked around the side of the chair and saw all four staring at her, wide eyed and frowning. The man they’d called Malient went on.

‘Remarkable, I know, but true. She also has considerable power. After all, I stand before you, when at best I’d hoped for release to my ghostly form. Such a lovely surprise.’

‘We won’t negotiate with you, nor offer you any terms. Either return to the room or we will kill you.’

‘You tried that already. It didn’t stick.’

Part One is here

‘Tell me, Joanna, when did Martin teach you to spy?’

She opened her mouth, trying to decide whether she could claim ignorance. Then she decided she didn’t want to. She couldn’t fight these guys, there was no way. And if they’d set things in motion, those things would occur, no matter what she did.

‘He taught me you shouldn’t turn your back if you saw something bad happening. He said that everyone needs a little help sometimes and things are never so bad you can’t offer it. And he said you guys were a bunch of tossers who need to be brought down a peg or two.’

There was stunned silence before they burst out laughing. The one who’d spoken, a hulking guy whose chin seemed to come before everything else, nodded. ‘And you are the person to do that, I assume?’

She folded her arms. She’d seen what they did to Martin and she could handle it. A tiny voice in the back of her mind started to scream, calling her all kinds of names, but she ignored it. ‘Actually, I think I may be. You certainly think I’m powerful enough to trap me in here before the war begins.’

‘She knows.’ Another of the four hissed and the voice made her start. It was guy from last night. She hadn’t imagined it, it was true. Lucky, really, or she’d be looking very silly right now. A shiver ran through her making the hair on her arms and neck stand on end. It was actually true.

The other three glared at him, but Scarlet managed a smile, trying to look smug. This was like a scene from a Bond movie, she had to play it right. ‘That’s a shame. I wasn’t sure until now you guys could be quite so unbelievably evil and stupid. Turns out I was wrong. Is it really worth starting a war just so you can take power?’

Chin man turned away from his companion and stared at her. It had the effect of being stabbed by a stubbly knife and she giggled. It was like Desperate Dan had learned magic. She pictured a cow pie on the table and giggled harder.

He glowered. They taught it here, they had to. Unfortunately, it only made it funnier. It was like Desperate Dan if they took his cow pies away and fed him whiskey instead.

‘Child, you have no grasp of what is happening to this world. You see us trying to change it and make your judgment without any facts, without any idea of why we’re doing what we are.’

‘Um, my guess is you’re a bunch of power-mad boys who never got any when you were younger so now you’re making up for it by throwing your toys out the pram. Sound about right?’

As their eyebrows crept skyward and Chin man gripped the table edge with white knuckles, she thought maybe she’d gone too far. Maybe. It was fun though. There was nothing like being certain you were going to be locked up and tortured to free you from those boring things like fear and restraint. Actually, she’d never been good with restraint.

Chin man’s voice was trembling. ‘That was a very bad thing to say.’

‘Bad boy, bad boy, down boy.’ She waved her finger at him, mock scowling and his face reddened. This was getting funnier every second. Her eyes flicked around the table. One of the others was chanting and she winced just before the power slammed into her. She slid across the floor, arms flailing until her back struck the wall. The air rushed out of her and her head smashed against the wood, lights flashing before her eyes.

She dropped to the floor, groaning as a drum kit began playing in her head. Another shiver ran through her. What had he done? That was like a fist, bigger than she was, and she knew without a doubt he could have made it powerful enough to put her straight through the wall. She groaned, rubbing her elbows.

She realised for, like, the umpteenth time in three days that she could die here and no one would know. Her eyes filled with tears. The floor blurred and she blinked them away. This wasn’t fun anymore. What would Bond do? Screw Bond, what would Harry do? Hah, he’d get help from his friends. She could always text mum and ask her to send Red. Scarlet would be dead by the time she got here though. And this wasn’t her fight.

She got to her feet, grinding her teeth together. ‘You guys never got good at taking criticism then?’

‘Why would we?’

Another of the four stood. He was good-looking in an evil mastermind kind of a way. She recognised him from the last time she was here. He was the one smiling at her ‘alternative methods’. How had she not realised then they were bad news? She blushed. She had realised. The question was, how had she forgotten?

He stalked around the end of the table, gesticulating with a thin hand. ‘Why should we even listen to what others have to say? We are the most powerful people in the country, Joanna, and that is soon to be formalised. Because that’s all this war is, you understand? A formality, nothing more.’

‘Hsst.’ Chin man hissed at Evil Mastermind. ‘We don’t know what she knows.’

‘It doesn’t matter, calm yourself, Matthew. She isn’t going anywhere.’ He smiled and though she understood how irrelevant she’d become and how young and small she was, she still recognised the arrogance. He really thought he was untouchable. That had to be useful, somehow.

He turned the smile on her and she shuddered, trying her best to rally. ‘Why do it then? If it’s just a formality why do people have to die?’

‘Ahh.’ He sighed, as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders. She recognised the sound all too well. ‘Well, it’s remarkable how blind people are to the ways of the world until they are shoved into everyone’s face. Sometimes a few people have to die so everyone else understands what it means to live.’

‘You mean like on Skinny’s world?’

‘I don’t know who this Skinny is, but if she lives in another dimension that is ruled by the Council, then I imagine it will be very similar.’

He came across to her, bending at the waist until his face was near hers. ‘We have been doing this for rather a long time, my girl. Longer perhaps than you can really understand. But don’t worry, it doesn’t matter.’

He stood, marching away toward the table. His voice rose, booming out across the dining room. ‘What matters is that the time is here. You are going to witness something quite wonderful and that is more than can be said for many people in this world.’

He spun and perched on the end of the table, smug smile back in place. She thought about spitting at him, but Martin really wouldn’t approve. He would approve of some magic though. She muttered the chant under her breath, watching the four men. Perhaps their arrogance would be enough that they wouldn’t expect her to do something as obvious as this.

She finished and the fog dropped. She froze, amazed it had actually worked. Scarlet took a step back, feeling for the door. A burst of laughter cut through the mist and she froze again, swallowing. It was the Evil mastermind and she knew, as clearly as she knew Hermione should have ended up with Harry, that she wasn’t leaving the room.

The force struck her again and as she flew back the fog twisted before her, angry ghosts flung this way and that by the spell. She hit the wall sideways, her arm going dead before she struck the floor. Her teeth slammed together and she screamed as she waited from them to drop out, cracked and broken.

The fog went, as quickly as it had come, and the four came to stand above her. Chin man nodded. ‘That was impressive. Arrogant and stupid, but impressive.’

Evil mastermind chanted and she rose from the floor, kicking her legs as she lost all control. ‘Put me down, let me go you bastards.’

She received a couple of raised eyebrows. The fourth man, who had yet to speak, was buried beneath a beard the size of London, but now a set of neat white teeth showed between the curly black hair. ‘You are lacking in both respect and manners. I would advise you to change that when we return to speak to you.’

He waved a hand and she hurtled across the room, through an open door and down a long corridor. The door at the far end opened as she approached and she flew into a round room. Abruptly, she dropped to the floor, shouting in pain as her arm struck the stone. She looked down the corridor and saw the four staring at her, smiling. Then the door crashed closed before her face and she was plunged into darkness.

For a few minutes she alternated between wanting to punch something and wanting to cry. The crying won out for a second and tears scored her cheeks. Then she wiped them away and stood. The darkness was fading. An orange glow emanated from the floor and walls, making her hands look like she had some crazy disease.

She made a slow circuit of the room. It was empty, the ceiling far above her head. The door had disappeared or was at least very difficult to see. She pulled out her phone and pressed the button. Nothing. She held down the power button. Still nothing. How had it run out of battery already? Bloody iphone.

Okay, fine, this was simple. She had to have a door opening spell somewhere. She pulled out her spell book and searched carefully through it, peering closely at the pages in the gloom.

She was getting bored of knowing stuff before it happened. She knew long before she reached the end there was nothing in there, nothing of any use. With a hiss she slammed it down on the floor and rocked on her bum, holding her knees in tight to her chest.

She pulled the other book out, flicking idly through the pages at the strange letters that twisted and wound before her eyes. It gave her a headache. She was about to slam it shut when a voice spoke, right beside her ear.

‘Oh no, don’t shut it, please, I haven’t see those words in so long.’

She spun around, but the room was empty.

Next Installment Monday 19th May

Part One is here

‘The war begins, we send out the terror guards and just like that, we’re running the show.’

The other person grunted and their footsteps clacked away down the hall. She put her back to the wall and slid down it, eyes staring at a spot on her bed where the quilt was folded under. She leaned forward, pulled it free and twitched the quilt until it resembled something approaching straight.

They were going to start a war. Her laughter came in a burst that made her duck her head and glance around, as though the two outside would hear and come charging back. They had brought her here, not to learn, but to keep her out the way for whatever they were going to do. They were going to start a war.

What were terror guards? Her brain was spinning and she picked up her phone and typed in everything she could remember of the conversation. She texted it to Lara, not expecting an answer, but wanting her to know something was going on. Sister dimensions? So they did visit other dimensions. The handful of magicians Banner had talked about obviously still did it.

Were they doing what had happened in Skinny’s dimension? It sounded like it, but why were they starting a war? She’d said the second world war lasted for like, twenty years or something. Why would they do that?

She checked her phone. Three forty. She sighed and clambered back into bed. She was so awake, how the hell was she supposed to sleep after that? Her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed.

She woke this time with the bell, the same vomit-inducing sound that had signalled the beginning of lunch. She hadn’t minded yesterday but now it reminded her of the place she’d found Skinny. She could imagine they had those kind of bells everywhere, to let you go to the toilet or stop thinking. Bells were like whistles, they were just insulting, like, as though you can’t look at a watch and figure it out yourself.

She was halfway out of bed before she remembered what had happened last night. She touched her feet to the wooden floor, finding it pleasantly and unexpectedly warm, and stood. There was no mirror in here. They were going to start a war. She needed to stop them.

She almost vomited. She was going to stop them. That was very stupid of her. Almost as stupid as visiting Red Riding Hood and asking for her knife.

Did Seeker know about this? Is this why he wanted her to snoop around? He’d been so disgusted when she said she was a student here. Maybe he could help. She picked up her phone, pulled the card from her pocket and went to text. Then decided it would be easier to call.

She hated talking on the phone, except to Lara, but this time it was, perhaps, worth making the effort.

He picked up after two rings.

‘Seeker.’

‘Hi, this is the speaking clock. The time is we’re all screwed and everyone’s going to die.’

‘Scarlet, so lovely to speak with you.’

‘Don’t use that name.’

‘You think someone is listening?’ He sounded hugely amused.

‘Okay so, like, right now, I think someone is both listening and watching and probably monitoring my heart rate as well. Why did you ask me to snoop for you?’

‘Come now, you know why. This is my job, Joanna, it’s my livelihood. What might seem like a little piece of gossip to you may be worth considerable money to someone else.’

‘That someone being you, right?’

‘Does it matter who’s getting rich?’

She took the phone away from her ear and stuck her tongue out at it. ‘Okay, well, how’s this for a piece of gossip. The council are about to start a war. Then they’ll release these people called terror guards, who’ll, like, make the war go on and on until the Council have to take over and run the country and it’ll be all like that really crap movie, 1984 and stuff.’

She panted, hand on her hip. She was talking rather loud and she already knew these doors weren’t the best for soundproofing. There was silence on the other end of the phone.

‘Seeker?’

‘I’m here. How sure are you about this?’

‘I don’t know. I woke up at, like, stupid o’clock this morning and heard these two guys outside my door talking about it. They said they’d got me, well, they didn’t say my name, but they were talking about me, because I’m powerful…’

‘Who were they?’

‘It’s funny you should ask that, because my x-ray vision kicked in last night so I could see them perfectly I don’t know, not a clue. One of them sounded…’

‘Yes?’ He was impatient.

‘Not human.’

‘I see.’

‘Seeker?’

‘Yes?’

‘Can you help me?’

Silence. She could hear him breathing and something else which she realised was the sound of dripping water.

‘I’m not sure that I can. But some food for thought. If this is all in progress, what is the likelihood that Martin is being kept in Australia against his will? And what can you do that has made them bring you in?’

‘How is that useful?’

‘I’m not sure it is, but as you’re the one working for me, I’m not going to let it bother me overmuch.’

‘You complete—’

The phone went dead. She looked at it for a moment, then placed it carefully on the bed. Then she punched the wall. It was, in retrospect, a very silly thing to do. She moaned and doubled up over her bruised knuckles, dropping to her haunches and biting her lip. This was also foolish. In order to stand up, she fell forward onto her knees and crawled up the side of the bed.

Martin was being kept prisoner in Australia. It clicked then, the thing that had niggled her when she read his email. How had she not noticed at the time? He’d been using contractions, like, I’m instead of I am. She’d been with Lara long enough to be hyper-aware of things like that. Martin wouldn’t know how to use slang if it bit him on the arse.

She sighed and shook her head. This was, although it pained her to admit, almost certainly her own fault. On the plus side, she was here and knew what was going on, so that was good. For some reason.

Her stomach growled and she wandered to the canteen. She tried to simultaneously be casual while looking in all directions at once. It turned into one of those comedy movie scenes where she looked like she was trying to catch her own tail and look cool. She gave it up when she got to the canteen.

She grabbed some cereal and headed for the table where Sandra and Josh were sat. They gave her a smile and continued eating, as though having a social pariah in their midst was no big thing. She waited for either of them to tell her to go away and when they didn’t, she dug into her cereal trying not to smile stupidly.

‘So, when did you guys arrive?’

‘Yesterday.’

‘Me too. Umm, did your parents pay?’

Sandra nodded. ‘Yeah, mine were desperate, they’d have paid anything. Granddad was this big time magician but he was so in-debt he couldn’t send mum here. They’ve been planning on sending me for like, since forever.’

They both looked at Josh and he shrugged. ‘I’m on a scholarship.’

Alarm bells rang in her head and she leaned closer. ‘When did they get you?’

His eyebrows came together and he shook his head. ‘I got a letter a few weeks ago, but mum and dad applied years ago.’

‘Oh.’

She stared down at her cereal. She’d heard them, she knew she had and she knew they were talking about her. She turned, sitting on the bench with her back to the table and surveyed the canteen. The place was close to full, hundreds of students eating and talking. Anyone in here could be the ones they were talking about, but she had no way of finding them.

It didn’t matter. The Council would have a plan. Her cereals were getting soggy. She turned back and finished them, shoulders hunched as she waited for the inevitable hand to drop. It didn’t though and she found herself joining in with the other two, talking about what magic they’d seen and what they wanted to learn. It was only as she pushed her bowl away that she remembered she wasn’t going to learn anything.

It was like going to Legoland and finding all the pieces were stuck together with glue, or made from one big block with lines painted on. And the guys who ran the place were evil psychopaths. Actually, that may be true of Legoland as well. I mean, how long can you hang around and build Lego before something inside goes a bit funny?

She pushed herself up from the bench, mumbled something about seeing them later and wandered out of the hall. She needed a shower. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a shower, which was both terrifying and a teensy bit liberating. There was something about life or death situations that made grooming seem less important.

She tucked her nose under her arm and sniffed. Shower. She could save the world, or like, the freedom of the world, or whatever after she stopped smelling like a locker room.

A half hour later she emerged from the showers, wondering whether the fate of the world was all that important when she could have showers like that every morning. She dressed quickly and set off, heading back to the room of doors. The canteen was almost empty, the place deserted as people got ready for class.

She stood in the middle and thought back to her last time here. It was a guess, if she were honest, but she thought she’d chosen the right door. She pushed through and walked down the long corridor. The wood was darker here, classier, and the lights were lower. Kinda nice, kinda creepy.

She reached the end and pushed through the door and nodded. She was in the right place. The room was as big as she’d remembered, the four empty thrones sat at the far end. The last time she’d been in here students had filled the chairs that sat around the central circle. Now they were empty and she was one of the students.

Would she have sat while some poor girl was bullied? She didn’t want to answer that so she scurried around the side of the room, keeping to the plentiful shadows until she reached the door she’d pictured in her mind. This was where the four had come from, well the three of the four who bothered show up.

She cracked it open and voices wafted out. She paused, but they were too far away to hear and with a lurching in her stomach, she slipped into the corridor and took baby steps along the thick carpet. It muffled her approach and she got close enough to see three men sat around a table at the far end of the corridor.

It opened into a room that was part scary magician, part mum’s kitchen. There were flowers on the table. Actually, they didn’t come from either place. Mum killed flowers like the Champion killed, like, anything. There were pictures on the walls and carpet on the floor, but the table was huge and made of black wood that sucked in the light. Probably showed stains something rotten.

Something shoved her in the back and she stumbled and staggered into the room. The men whom she could only assume were the heads of the Council, the dreaded three, looked up from their breakfasts. The fourth came around from behind her and took his seat.

‘Well, well, our newest student has decided to explore a little. Tell me, Joanna, at what point in your lessons with Martin did he say it was okay to spy?’

Next Installment Friday 16th May