War Bird

17. Go Around Weeping

Half an hour later, Miss Ever and Grace leave for the meeting room. I've been given instructions on how to replenish the poultice supply. It looks like a long and stinky job that I have zero interest in doing. The first step is to boil wash and mangle dry the linens for the poultices, but after my morning, I never want to touch wet cloth again. My hands are still wrinkled from this morning’s work. Besides, if anyone should be in that meeting it's me. Ed and Asher too. We should be told exactly what's going on. I look down at the small pile of crumpled linens waiting to be prepared and then at the door that Miss Ever and Grace have just gone through.

"Screw this," I say. Although the boardroom was covered in heavy wooden panels, I don't know how thick those walls actually are. Perhaps if I stand close to the door with my ear to the keyhole I might overhear something? If that doesn't work, I'll scream and shout until they let me in. Anything is better than hanging around here like some kind of slave.

I set off. I sort of remember where the boardroom is and after a few wrong turns I find it. The door is wide open though and there is no-one in there. Could they have had the meeting already? I poke my head in. Even with all the crap on the walls, it's anally tidy in here, all seats positioned at right angles to the table, which is polished as brightly as a mirror. I'm wondering what to do when I hear the silky tones of Madam Kull in the corridor outside. I have no time to think, I just dive under the table and curl up in the centre, hoping I won't get kicked. Just as I do, footsteps swish through the thick carpet of the meeting room. The chairs squeak as they are pulled out and everyone takes their seat.

"So, Miss Ever," Madam Kull speaks. “Tell us why you called this meeting.”

"Thank you." Miss Ever clears her throat. "The past few weeks we have seen an increase in fatalities brought about by curses the likes of which we have never seen before."

"I had an entire B-Unit taken down last week," Madam Kull says. "And today we had a terribly nasty hit."

"Nasty doesn't even come close to describing what's happening." It's Grace. Her voice is wobbling. 

“Whoever this Traitor is, whoever Hitler has paid to wipe out our kind, they are beyond ruthless.” Kull’s fist hits the table. “And twisted. Cruel.”

“That’s not the only thing,” Grace says. "Some of the spells we are seeing are sentient."

"Explain," Kull says.

"A prime example would be that of Private Stanley. He came to us suffering from what looked like an Ortus curse." 

"As in the Origin spell?" Kull asks.

"Yes. As you all know, Ortus acts like a virus. Uses the human body as a kiln to develop its strength in order to become an explosive spell with enough power to wipe out anyone within a mile radius once it goes off. It can be extremely deadly as we all know, but entirely curable."

"So what was strange about it?" Kull sounds impatient.

"The sheer strength for one. The Ortus Curse is known to generate spasms and rictus but never the skin contortions we were seeing," Grace replies. "Then there were the additional spells. It threw several potent Somnus hexes at us, as well as what looked like one of the most powerful Canto Lures I have ever seen. The eyes were, well, magnificent. No offence Miss Ever, but I doubt even you could cast something that strong."

"None taken," Miss Ever says hurriedly. 

"I think, well it's almost as if it wasn't a spell growing within Private Stanley, but like there were something growing...someone else growing in there," Grace adds. “Someone who wanted to talk, well, taunt.”