and I had been nothing but a tool to use just like this little prick in front of us. We were all tools for the using in Pan’s eyes. Well, I was done and as soon as I could, I was getting far away from this Devil walker, for he was about to come far too close to knocking on Hell’s door and dancing with death.
“Now, how do I know your side of the bargain will be kept?” the man asked, making Pan snap out of his trance. He slid the stones back into the leather pouch and told him,
“When the smell of burning bodies fills the air once more, of course.” At this, I covered my mouth as a shocking gasp slipped free. The true horror of what I had been used for started to take shape.
“No… Gods, no,” I muttered, just before the church bells started ringing, interrupting my shock, and the second of three told us precisely what it was before shouting in the streets could be heard…
A death knell.
“Hear ye, hear ye, the Queen is dead! The Queen is dead, for London will mourn!” This was added to a bell rung by the town crier, before people started whispering about her dying in her bed during the night, whilst others stood frozen in shock with tears running down their faces.
“Good lord, it really happened, just as you said it would by killing the countess,” the man said, making me start shaking my head. Gods, but they had even killed Catherine Carey, the Queen’s dearest friend.
“Love has the power to break people, Watson, just as I said it would,” Pan said with a grin, and I couldn’t help but think this referred to me also, because hadn’t that been what he had been trying to do to me?
“Then it is time,” the man I now knew was named Watson said, making Pan agree.
“That it is, and now you know what to do.”
“That surely be, for what you said has come to pass, and now I will head to Scotland and ensure my position by being the one to announce such to the new King of England, assuring James that I am loyal to his party. Once this begins, so does the plot to take them all, King and Parliament combined,” he said, telling me of his plan as if I wasn’t even here any longer and was of no coincidence to either of them, for I had already played my part.
“The plague will arise once more and therefore give you time, as his royal coronation will be delayed due to the increase of death among London. For by the time they're through, this cesspool of death will be the very last place he will want to find himself.”
“I hope you are right,” Watson said, making me clear my throat and say,
“Oh no, Pan, what have you done… what does this have to do with us?” I asked, after seeing a black rat scurry past like a sign or bad omen.
“How do you think the plague is spread, you stupid girl!” Pan sneered, and then he too looked towards the rat, confirming my biggest fears… I had caused another outbreak of the plague. Which was when I too realised it must have been carried by rats…
By rats from the East.
This was when tears started to emerge before running freely down my face. Then I looked back at all the people who had emerged from the church, now mourning the death of their Queen. Knowing pretty soon they would have so much more to mourn, like the death of their loved ones, before they too would fall with those I had unknowingly allowed Pan to infect.
“Gods… what have I done,” I uttered in revulsion at my own foolish actions.
“Exactly what I have commanded of you,” Pan said, pausing long enough to spin me around and yank me back against his chest. Then he grabbed my breast from behind and squeezed it painfully, before whispering at my back…
“You’ve been bad for me… just like I knew you would…”
“My Bad, Little Imp.”
Eight
ON THE RUN
Present day
“Oh no, Wantie Pip, what did you do?” The sweet little voice of Amelia asked me, after I had finished an edited version of my story. Because, well let’s face it, she was three going on four after all, and didn’t need to know the gruesome details of my past. So, I had spent a great deal of time going into detail about Percival, a part she