Raven's Heir | ONC 2021 honourable mention

7 - Down to business

Within minutes, a flock of tourists invaded the front yard, falling in like colourful birds of prey. From toddlers to seniors with walking sticks, they claimed chairs to deposit their luggage or slump down as if the fifty steps from the parking lot equalled a marathon. A middle-aged lady in a sundress with a lavish floral pattern, jarring orange on lime green, ticked off the names of the newcomers on her clipboard and stormed towards the main entrance, steps determined and perms swinging.

My ears rang, and I winced when Mister Mortimer sank his claws into my thigh, jumped to the ground, and darted away towards the garden. I couldn't blame him.

"Who are these people?" Theo's question drowned in the mixture of laughter, complaints about the stifling heat, and a baby's wailing.

Catherine raised her voice. "I think a larger group was announced for the weekend."

"Yes, Louis said they booked in for a birthday celebration." Alice emptied her cup. "What do you say, Cat, shouldn't we finish our interrupted walk before lunch?"

I couldn't blame the two old birds for deserting us and collected the empty cups. "Guess we better retreat to a quiet corner, too."

"What about the library?" Of course, Theo knew the castle had a library. Matt, perhaps with the same thought, sent me a wink, picked up the tray and followed our partner to the entrance.

We crossed the orange dragon and Louis on our way in. The broad smile plastered on his features would have fooled me—if not for the pronounced wrinkles lining his eyes. The morning had taken its toll on our boss.

"We'll be in the library, if you need us," I volunteered. He nodded, his fingertips brushing the back of my hand in passing. An electric shock ran up to my elbow and I stared after him, wondering what got him so touchy today.

I got distracted when we reached the library, a first-floor corner room lined in dark wood, subdued light filtering in through closed shutters. Hundreds of books filled the shelves, from dusty old tomes to photo books and well-thumbed paperbacks. Oriental carpets swallowed our steps, and I sank down on a period sofa with cracked leather upholstery, glad for the silent coolness of this enchanting retreat. "Duh. Any idea how we're going to earn our wage, now the police denies access to the shore?"

"We still don't know if the cottage and the ghosts are connected." Matt flopped into a huge armchair and rubbed at a speck of dirt on his slacks, making it worse.

Theo paced the room, his eyes half closed as if he were listening to a distant sound. "There is someone in the cottage, I can feel their desperation. And I'm sure it's no coincidence the ravens appeared at the same time the water released the ruins."

"By someone you mean a ghost." I didn't pose it as a question. Compared to Theo, my sensitivity to paranormal phenomena seemed basic and hampered. "So, we still need to get to the place. I could call a friend, she's a member of the sailing club at Avry, on the other side of the lake. I'm sure they own a boat."

A crease formed on Matt's forehead. "A sailing boat? Aren't those tricky to handle?"

"I hear they are. No, silly, the club runs trainings for kids, sail races, and stuff. They'll have an inflatable that can go close to the shore." At least I hoped they did, and that my friend Stephanie would let me borrow it.

The click of the door announced a visitor. Lou had found time to change into a clean black shirt, this time with a wild, tribal pattern. Australian, to judge by the many dots in earthen colours. "I'm worried about tonight's celebration. What if the ghosts grab this opportunity to attack the guests?"

I imagined a flock of angry ravens descending on unsuspecting tourists. "Why not set up dinner indoors? Your guests should be safe from unexpected air raids in the knights' hall."