Read Part 1
“You were taught by your dad? That’s unusual,” Declan said.
Squib nodded but said nothing.
Declan nodded too. He turned and left the derelict house by the window and they dropped into the garden. Squib followed him. If asked, she wouldn’t have been able to tell you why she went with him, it was a feeling she had and sometimes, instincts can work.
He slowed his pace so she could catch up to him and after a few paces, she realised his intention and walked alongside, rather than behind a few steps. She noticed other kids on the street and more emerging from buildings close by.
Declan watched her as they walked. She took everything in and said nothing. She shrank into herself and he realised that if he hadn’t known she was there, he would have had a problem seeing her. She had some special skill, knowledge about camouflage that he wanted to know more about.
Kids called out to him and came close to greet him and Squib wondered exactly who he was.
“Hey Dec!” and “Whatcha been up to, Boss?”
He noticed that none of the kids asked who his companion was and they were usually curious about strangers.
The procession of children wended its way along the usually deserted streets of the forsaken industrial zone. Fences broken down, gates hanging off their hinges, windows smashed and shutters locked gave the area an air of abandonment. Squib watched and saw everything.
Declan’s sudden entourage crowded around him to the extent that Squib couldn’t remain by his side. The kids didn’t seem to be pushing her out on purpose, they just didn’t seem to notice her.
Declan stopped in his tracks and realised she’d gone.
“Squib?” he said. “Squib!”
She didn’t answer. The kids stopped and looked at each other, puzzled expressions on their faces. “Squib!” Declan called. “Come on, I need to introduce you to the leaders.”
A sharp high whistle sounded across the expanse of dilapidated yards. The crowd fell silent and they looked around, trying to figure out where the whistle had come from.
Declan looked up, above the heads of the crowd and he saw her sitting on top of a dumpster. She shook her head and he understood how uncomfortable she was so close to the crowd of kids.
“Scatter, boys!” Declan said in a harsh voice. The kids needed no second instruction, they fled, and in moments Declan stood alone on the road. He knew they’d all be watching so he ignored Squib and he walked forward, toward the dumpster. He didn’t acknowledge her and as he got close, she shuffled backwards off the end of the dumpster and followed him.
“I’m here,” she said at last, just before Declan went between two high walls, through an alley, toward the back of the buildings.
“I’ll say this once and you need to do exactly as I tell you,” he said.
She nodded when he looked at her.
“Stay close, speak when you’re spoken to and answer the questions truthfully or it’ll be bad for both of us.”
“K,” she said.
Another dumpster shielded a doorway from view and access and they squeezed around it with difficulty. It didn’t move, even when they were both pushing past. Few adults would be able to access the doorway, even if they realised it was there.
They moved through a dark corridor to a set of steps. The stairwell loomed dark and dusty but Declan knew where he was headed. He avoided the stairs going up and headed to the side. Squib saw a set of darker stairs heading down and she paused for just a moment before following him.
“In for a penny,” she whispered to herself. If Declan heard her, he didn’t show it.
Down one set of steps, the landing opened out into a vast underground chamber. It no longer had the appearance of an industrial building, the chamber looked and felt like a cave.
Squib looked up and around, taking in all the details. She watched Declan as he approached a large smooth rock, bigger than the dumpster she’d sat on earlier. His demeanour altered, he became less self-assured, smaller in himself, and Squib wondered what caused it.
She suddenly realised the cause for his change. A boy, smaller than Declan, but bigger than herself sat in an indentation in the smooth rock. He watched Squib, rather than Declan and she cringed at his scrutiny.
“Hi, Declan,” the boy said. “This looks interesting.”
“Hi, Chief,” he said and turned to glance at Squib. “Yeah, I thought you’d want to see her.”
“Her?” he said. “That’s strange in itself. You do know the girls have their own guilds?” They both looked at Squib and she realised the question was directed at her.
“Yes, Your Highness, I do understand girls have their own guilds. I meant no disrespect.”
“She didn’t realise I was bringing her to see you, Chief. I thought she was unusual enough for you to know about. I can take her back where I found her if you like?”
The boy on the rock studied Declan for a moment. “If I want her taking and leaving somewhere, I’ll let you know.”
Declan nodded and lowered his eyes. Squib did not lower her eyes, she studied the boy with the same intensity that he studied her.
“Are you known to any other guild?” he said at last.
She shook her head. “No.”
“Are you willing to join my guild?” he said.
Declan took a deep breath and held it, lips pursed, eyes straight ahead.
“I think I’d like that, Your Highness. I think your guild is exactly what I need right now.”
“Good answer,” the boy said.