PROBLEM - Anthony Lockwood

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE

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li

this is going incredibly impulsively

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"DR. EDMUND BICKERSTAFF, is the man in this casket," George announced, coming to stand beside the corpse, "A dodgy Victorian doctor who was actually a death witch, and a missing mirror which will be worth a fortune to some very rutheless people."

Lockwood was practically glowing with pride. He grinned, "Well, looks like the best team won, eh?"

When Kipps opened his mouth all hell broke loose.

Everyone was shouting at each other, arguing and angry. Through the commotion, Alice suspected she'd heard Kipps call Lucy 'sweetheart' about four times.

"SHUT UP!" Barnes roared. Everyone quieted, Barnes surveyed both teams. "I'll put you both on the case, working together. Everyone glared at him but he glared back. "It's not gonna be a problem is it?"

Lockwood clenched his jaw, staring hard at the floor, "Not at all, Inspector."

Barnes turned to Kipps, raising an eyebrow. Kipps grit his teeth, "No, Inspector."

"Good," Barnes declared, "Locate the missing relic, find out who's stolen it and why. I need you to share information, back each other up, and get it done before anyone else gets hurt." When they all stood there, he clapped loudly, "Hurry up!"

Everyone quickly moved to go.

"Miss Dorsett stay behind," Barnes demanded, and when Lockwood moved to turn around, he added, "Just Alice."

Alice touched his arm reassuringly, "Go, I'll be fine."

"We'll wait for you," he assured, and flashed her a parting look as they left.

Finally it was just Barnes and Alice. It was strange, to look at him and realise that he knew she was a witch and was covering her instead of sending her to the gallows. But the situation after Combe Carey Hall had surprised her so much that she decided to just roll with it now and not think about how outrageous it was.

"I have several things to say to you, but I don't even know where to start," Barnes sighed, he glared at Alice, "You told Karim what you are?"

Alice put her hands up in mock surrender, "No. He figured it out! I think. I'm not sure yet."

"Well, become sure," Barnes demanded, "I'm correct in assuming you know how dangerous it is if Karim or any of your teammates figures you out?"

Feeling a bit like a child being told off, Alice crossed her arms, "Of course."

"Now," Barnes shifted, he pointed at the corpse of Bickerstaff, "Tell me everything you know about that."

Alice sighed, "He was a death witch - most witches know that. But he was also one of the most powerful death witches in history, which makes him incredibly dangerous. Also, a silver net isn't going to hold him, silver doesn't hurt us the same way that iron does." She considered it for a moment, "The mirror - or bone glass - has bones infused in it, meaning that he also used bone magic to create it. The mirror itself is a mirror into the Other Side of the Veil, meaning it's dangerous to anyone who looks into it. It's volatile and unstable. Bickerstaff must have created it to have an opening towards the Other Side, something with which he could attempt to draw power and gain immortality from. Only it didn't work - anyone who looks into that mirror will be taken by the Veil, they'd die."