Eight Kings (The King's Watch Book 6) Read online

  Eight Kings

  Table of Contents

  Dramatis Personae

  Clerkswell

  London

  Pellacombe

  Glastonbury

  Part One — Dog Days

  1 — How do you Solve a Problem like Sofía?

  2 — Eight Card Trick

  3 — Back in the Field

  4 — All Rise

  5 — Meet the Mowbrays

  6 — Lovers of Secrets and Secret Lovers

  Part Two — Hospitality

  7 — Intelligence Quota

  8 — By Sea

  9 — By Land

  10 — By Air

  11 — Happy Families

  Part Three — Meet Me in the Middle

  12 — Game

  13 — Set

  14 — Match

  15 — Daughters. Mothers, too.

  16 — What Mina Saw (and heard)

  17 — Eavesdropping

  18 — Lord of All he Surveys

  19 — Homing Instinct

  20 — Yet More Sisters

  21 — Out of this World

  Part Four — Agreement

  22 — Putting a Seal on the Day

  23 — Goodbye for Now

  24 – A Perfect Fit

  Part Five — Returning Officer

  25 — Skin Deep

  26 — Bank Holiday Pursuit

  27 — Assorted Hats

  28 — A Straw in the Wind

  29 — Truth or Dare

  30 — The Boar of Kellysporth

  31 — Landed Gentry

  Part Six — Dawn’s Blessing

  32 — Witnesses

  33 — Hustings

  34 — Bump in the Night

  35 — Into the Maze

  36 — Vigil

  Part Seven — Dawn’s Curse

  37 — Daughters, and one mother

  38 — Accidental

  39 — Teamwork

  40 - Resignation

  41 — By a Roadside in Cornwall

  42 — A Grave Sight

  43 — Fit

  Part Eight — Sunset, Sunrise

  44 — Sunset

  45 — Sunrise

  The Seventh Star

  Author’s Note

  Table of Contents

  EIGHT KINGS

  The Sixth Book of the King’s Watch

  by Mark Hayden

  A Conrad Clarke Novel

  Dedication

  For the Original Maggie Pearce.

  The one inside this book is only a pale imitation…

  Copyright © Paw Press 2019

  www.pawpress.co.uk

  Front Cover © Lawston Design 2019

  www.lawstondesign.com

  Images © Shutterstock

  Dramatis Personae

  After much nagging from Mr Hayden, I have put some notes here about the characters who appear in this book. I hope you find them useful.

  I recommend that you glance at them and then refer back to them if you need to. As ever, there are full lists and a glossary of magickal terms on the Paw Press website: www.pawpress.co.uk

  I hope you enjoy the book,

  Thanks,

  Conrad.

  Clerkswell

  These are the people who live in Clerkswell, my home village, or who used to live in Clerkswell or who are closely associated with me.

  Conrad Clarke

  Me.

  Mina Desai

  My life partner.

  Alfred Clarke

  My father, now resident in San Vicente nr Valencia, Spain. Retired dealer in antiques.

  Mary Clarke

  My mother. Still with my father at the time of writing. Retired cryptanalyst for GCHQ.

  Rachael Clarke

  My younger sister, now resident in Mayfair and a big cheese at a wealth management firm.

  Sofía Torres

  My half-sister, as of five minutes ago. (We share a father; her mother is Mercedes del Convento, a Tarot reader of San Vicente)

  Scout

  My Familiar Spirit. A Border Collie.

  Myfanwy Lewis

  Our resident Druid/Housekeeper. Currently serving a sentence for her involvement in Dragon rearing. A Herbalist and excellent bat for Clerkswell Ladies Cricket Team.

  Ben Thewlis

  Myfanwy’s fiancé. A cereal agronomist and captain of the men’s cricket team.

  Carole Thewlis

  Ben’s sister. Works in the oil industry. Very good friend of Rachael’s.

  Erin Slater

  An Enscriber who rents one of my stables. A good friend to Myfanwy. Member of the Arden Foresters Circle of Mages. Superb slip fielder.

  Miss Parkes

  Former headmistress of the village school. A Formidable Person.

  Lloyd Flint

  A Gnome. Clan Second to Clan Flint. My magickal blood brother.

  Stephen & Juliet

  Bloxham

  Owners of Clerkswell Manor, the Big House. Stephen: developer and chairman of the cricket club. Juliet: housewife and captain of the ladies’ team. Hereditary enemies of the Clarkes. Up to a point.

  Ross Miller

  Young fast bowler.

  Emily Ventress

  Ditto.

  Jack and Erica

  Robson

  Vicky’s parents. Normally resident in Newcastle upon Tyne.

  London

  All of these people feature in the following story, even if only in passing. I’ve grouped them by association.

  The King’s Watch

  Hannah Rothman

  The Peculier Constable, head of the King’s Watch. Referred to as the Boss.

  Victoria “Vicky”

  Robson

  My former work partner and good friend of all at Clerkswell. A Geordie and proud of it.

  Saffron Hawkins

  My current work partner. One of the “Oxfordshire Hawkins” and well connected in the world of magick. Second cousin to Heidi Marston.

  Rick James

  Senior Watch Captain. Also responsible for the Watch of Wessex. Ex-husband of Cordelia (see Glastonbury)

  Xavier Metcalfe

  Vicky’s current work partner.

  Tennille Haynes

  Hannah’s PA. Mother to Desirée Haynes

  Iain Drummond

  Deputy Constable. Has responsibility for prosecutions in the Cloister Court

  Annelise

  van Kampen

  A Watch Officer and assistant lawyer to Iain Drummond. Originally from Holland.

  The Invisible College / Salomon’s House

  Cora Hardisty

  Dean of the Invisible College (who wants to be Warden). A consummate politician and an ally rather than a friend.

  Dr Francesca

  Somerton

  Keeper of the Queen’s Esoteric Library. A wise woman who has not hung up her dancing shoes.

  Heidi Marston

  Custodian of the Great Work and Master Artificer. A larger than life character in all senses of the word. Saffron’s cousin and a member of the Hawkins clan.

  Selena Bannister

  Mistress of Illusions. Cora Hardisty’s best friend

  Oighrig Ahearn

  The Oracle – senior Sorcerer at Salomon’s House. Cora Hardisty’s protégé.

  Chris Kelly

  The Earth Master of Salomon’s House – a Geomancer and expert in Ley lines. Almost a friend.

  (Tamsin Kelly)

  Chris Kelly’s wife – for further details see Ring of Troth

  Desirée Haynes

  A postgraduate student at the College. Vicky Robson’s best friend.

  The Cloister Court

  The Honourable Mrs<
br />
  Justice Bracewell

  Senior judge in the Cloister Court. May or may not be known as Marcia to her husband.

  Stephanie Morgan

  Deputy Bailiff to the Cloister Court. Wields a mean axe and bakes very nice cakes.

  Augusta Faulkner

  Legendary barrister in the Court. Mostly famous for her work as a defence lawyer. Mother to Keira Faulkner.

  Irina Ispabudhan

  Currently in prison. See the story of the Nine of Wands for full details

  Everyone Else

  Alain Dupont

  A Frenchman from a small village in Bordeaux. Founder member of the Merlyn’s Tower Irregulars. All his Christmases came at once when he got a job as a paid intern with my sister Rachael at her wealth management firm.

  (Mr Joshi)

  A part-time Hindu priest and retired civil servant. For further details see Ring of Troth

  Pellacombe

  I could also have called this group Team Mowbray. You’ll see why when you’ve read the story. The Mowbrays are above all a family – and every family needs a tree. Theirs is on the next page, but these things don't always come out well on smaller devices. To help with that, there is a full sized copy to look at on the Paw Press Website. Go to Dramatis Personae on the main menu and it’s at the bottom.

  The Mowbrays in Detail

  Lord Mowbray

  Mage and billionaire. A client of my sister Rachael. Lord and master of Pellacombe in Cornwall (or “Kernow” as he calls it). The most powerful Geomancer in the UK. His first name is Arthur, but no one uses it.

  Kerenza

  Lord Mowbray’s fiancée. A former model/actress and minor Mage.

  Eseld Mowbray

  Lord Mowbray’s oldest child. A powerful Mage specialising in Wards. Daughter to Isolde (see Glastonbury).

  Cador Mowbray

  Lord Mowbray’s second child. Not a Mage at all. A barrister and the one who looks after the Mowbray’s non-magickal and legal interests. Has asked Rachael out many times (unsuccessfully). Son to Isolde.

  Morwenna Mowbray

  Lord Mowbray’s third child. Daughter to Aisling Mowbray. Missing believed dead.

  Kenver Mowbray.

  Lord Mowbray’s fourth and youngest child. Son to Aisling. Only eighteen but already named as Mowbray’s heir to Pellacombe. A Geomancer of great potential.

  (Aisling Mowbray)

  Mowbray’s second wife, a Witch of Ireland. Died in an accident when Morwenna and Kenver were very young.

  Ethan Mowbray

  Lord Mowbray’s cousin, son of the late Earl of Tintagel. A master of Occulting. Lord of Kellysporth in north Cornwall.

  Lena

  Ethan’s fiancée and Steward of Pellacombe. Originally from the Austrian Tyrol. A Healer.

  Grace

  Kerenza’s eight year old daughter from a previous relationship. Keen on horses.

  Leah Kershaw

  Lord Mowbray’s personal pilot. Former RAF Officer.

  Jane Kershaw

  Leah’s mother and one of the Pellacombe Estate’s senior managers.

  Maggie Pearce

  Lord Mowbray’s driver. Legendary for her strict adherence to the Highway Code and for the inedibility of her baking.

  The Ferrymistress

  Responsible for the crossing of the River Fal between Lamorne Point and Pellacombe.

  Her Husband

  Senior Estate Engineer with qualifications in helicopter mechanics

  Michael

  Their son. A natural sailor.

  Two Daughters

  One older than Michael is just beginning her education as a Mage, and one younger who does what she’s told if she knows what’s good for her.

  Smurf

  An Airbus H155 helicopter. Painted bright blue.

  Glastonbury

  The Daughters of the Goddess at Glastonbury are in one of three covens of Homewood, their Sacred Grove. Each coven (Ash, Oak and Willow) are ranked, and each Witch is known by their place in the Coven (“1st of Ash” or “9th of Oak”). Some of them hold subsidiary titles, as shown below. I've organised them by Coven, with an extra line for Síona. The Hawthorn Coven is based in Highgate, London, and Síona is the most senior Witch outside Homewood.

  Oak Coven

  Hedda

  1st of Oak

  Eldest Daughter, leader of all the Daughters. Actual mother to Signe. Originally from Sweden

  Georgia

  3rd of Oak

  Keeper of Homewood. Domestic bursar. Doesn’t like men.

  Kiwa

  4th of Oak

  The Traveller. Responsible for liaising / inspecting the many covens around the country who are affiliated to Glastonbury.

  Signe

  8th of Oak

  Page to Ingrid. Actual daughter of Ingrid

  Ash Coven

  Raven

  1st of Ash

  Has no formal role because she is the biggest Mage. Literally and metaphorically. Huge talent, very tall.

  Brook

  7th of Ash

  Counsel to the Daughters. Handles legal matters.

  Cordelia

  11th of Ash

  Page to Raven. Ex-wife of Watch Captain Rick James.

  Willow Coven

  Verity

  1st of Willow

  Daughter of Memory. Senior priestess and keeper of the memories of the Goddess.

  Alys

  2nd of Willow

  The ‘Little Mother’ runs the day-to-day business of Homewood. Twin sister to Zoe.

  Zoe

  5th of Willow

  The Pursekeeper. Handles the financial affairs. Twin to Alys.

  Morning

  6th of Willow

  Dame of Homewood. Responsible for all magickal education in the covens.

  Isolde

  9th of Willow

  Guardian of Willow. Ex-wife of Lord Mowbray, mother to Eseld and Cador

  Síona

  1st of Hawthorn

  Sits on the Occult Council and represents Witches in the corridors of power.

  Part One — Dog Days

  1 — How do you Solve a Problem like Sofía?

  ‘I love what you’ve done with the place,’ said Mother.

  She pivoted on one foot, staring around the sitting room of Elvenham, the house she’d come to as a young bride and which she’d handed over to me last Christmas.

  ‘It’s exactly the bloody same,’ said my father. ‘We haven’t come in here to see whether Mina’s turned the old place into the Taj Mahal.’

  Mother fixed him with one of her hard stares. ‘The Taj Mahal is a tomb, and a Muslim one at that. Mina is both alive and a Hindu, Alfred. The television is new, and your old armchair has been relegated to the far corner. Shall we sit down?’ We made a triangle around the coffee table, each to a different chair.

  My parents were giving each other some space, for good reason. A few minutes ago, outside in the glorious July sunshine, a whole bunch of friends, colleagues and various relatives had witnessed the surprise appearance of a young Spanish woman. Sofía. Then they had heard Vicky Robson pronounce that Sofía was my half-sister.

  Vicky is a Mage. Her special skill is looking at people’s Imprints and spotting things. Things like the fact that Sofía and I share a father, something that was news to both of us. That news had shocked me; to Sofía it had looked nigh-on traumatic.

  Mum, Dad and I had sought sanctuary inside the house, and so had Sofía. We were in the sitting room, and Sofía was somewhere else, with Mina.

  It clearly hadn’t been news to my parents. Dad was looking angry, and his eyes kept flicking to the door: he wanted to see her and to introduce himself properly. Dad is a good dad, and his concern was for Sofía’s welfare. For now he was restrained by forty years of marriage and by obligation to me, his firstborn.

  Mother looked as if she were rising above it. Being six foot tall, she rises above most things, including Dad and his enthusiasms, but this was different. T
rust me, I know that look: she was as close to a breakdown as Dad was close to an explosion.

  ‘There’s one thing you needn’t worry about, Conrad,’ said Mother. ‘The Clarke bond still holds: A Clarke’s Word is still Binding.’

  ‘I’m more worried about Sofía, Mum.’

  She held my gaze. ‘And so am I, dear, but you need to know what happened.’

  ‘Don’t, Mary,’ said Dad. ‘This is down to me, not you.’

  She turned to him. ‘If you mean that you had sex with Mercedes and I didn’t, then yes, it is down to you. But I started it.’ She turned back to me. ‘When you toddled off to primary school, I went back to work full time.’ She glanced at the family photos in a corner. ‘Do the 1980s count as history, now? No matter. I was promoted to section leader, and they sent me into the field.’

  ‘I never knew.’

  Mother was a cryptanalyst for GCHQ, and a very good one, too. Apparently. On certain occasions she’s allowed to wear her CBE.