Eight Kings
Table of Contents
Dramatis Personae
Clerkswell
London
Pellacombe
Glastonbury
Part One — Dog Days
1 — How do you Solve a Problem like Sofía?
2 — Eight Card Trick
3 — Back in the Field
4 — All Rise
5 — Meet the Mowbrays
6 — Lovers of Secrets and Secret Lovers
Part Two — Hospitality
7 — Intelligence Quota
8 — By Sea
9 — By Land
10 — By Air
11 — Happy Families
Part Three — Meet Me in the Middle
12 — Game
13 — Set
14 — Match
15 — Daughters. Mothers, too.
16 — What Mina Saw (and heard)
17 — Eavesdropping
18 — Lord of All he Surveys
19 — Homing Instinct
20 — Yet More Sisters
21 — Out of this World
Part Four — Agreement
22 — Putting a Seal on the Day
23 — Goodbye for Now
24 – A Perfect Fit
Part Five — Returning Officer
25 — Skin Deep
26 — Bank Holiday Pursuit
27 — Assorted Hats
28 — A Straw in the Wind
29 — Truth or Dare
30 — The Boar of Kellysporth
31 — Landed Gentry
Part Six — Dawn’s Blessing
32 — Witnesses
33 — Hustings
34 — Bump in the Night
35 — Into the Maze
36 — Vigil
Part Seven — Dawn’s Curse
37 — Daughters, and one mother
38 — Accidental
39 — Teamwork
40 - Resignation
41 — By a Roadside in Cornwall
42 — A Grave Sight
43 — Fit
Part Eight — Sunset, Sunrise
44 — Sunset
45 — Sunrise
The Seventh Star
Author’s Note
Table of Contents
EIGHT KINGS
The Sixth Book of the King’s Watch
by Mark Hayden
A Conrad Clarke Novel
Dedication
For the Original Maggie Pearce.
Copyright © Paw Press 2019
www.pawpress.co.uk
Front Cover © Lawston Design 2019
www.lawstondesign.com
Images © Shutterstock
Dramatis Personae
After much nagging from Mr Hayden, I have put some notes here about the characters who appear in this book. I hope you find them useful.
I recommend that you glance at them and then refer back to them if you need to. As ever, there are full lists and a glossary of magickal terms on the Paw Press website: www.pawpress.co.uk
I hope you enjoy the book,
Thanks,
Conrad.
Clerkswell
These are the people who live in Clerkswell, my home village, or who used to live in Clerkswell or who are closely associated with me.
Conrad Clarke
Me.
Mina Desai
My life partner.
Alfred Clarke
My father, now resident in San Vicente nr Valencia, Spain. Retired dealer in antiques.
Mary Clarke
My mother. Still with my father at the time of writing. Retired cryptanalyst for GCHQ.
Rachael Clarke
My younger sister, now resident in Mayfair and a big cheese at a wealth management firm.
Sofía Torres
My half-sister, as of five minutes ago. (We share a father; her mother is Mercedes del Convento, a Tarot reader of San Vicente)
Scout
My Familiar Spirit. A Border Collie.
Myfanwy Lewis
Our resident Druid/Housekeeper. Currently serving a sentence for her involvement in Dragon rearing. A Herbalist and excellent bat for Clerkswell Ladies Cricket Team.
Ben Thewlis
Myfanwy’s fiancé. A cereal agronomist and captain of the men’s cricket team.
Carole Thewlis
Ben’s sister. Works in the oil industry. Very good friend of Rachael’s.
Erin Slater
An Enscriber who rents one of my stables. A good friend to Myfanwy. Member of the Arden Foresters Circle of Mages. Superb slip fielder.
Miss Parkes
Former headmistress of the village school. A Formidable Person.
Lloyd Flint
A Gnome. Clan Second to Clan Flint. My magickal blood brother.
Stephen & Juliet
Bloxham
Owners of Clerkswell Manor, the Big House. Stephen: developer and chairman of the cricket club. Juliet: housewife and captain of the ladies’ team. Hereditary enemies of the Clarkes. Up to a point.
Ross Miller
Young fast bowler.
Emily Ventress
Ditto.
Jack and Erica
Robson
Vicky’s parents. Normally resident in Newcastle upon Tyne.
London
All of these people feature in the following story, even if only in passing. I’ve grouped them by association.
The King’s Watch
Hannah Rothman
The Peculier Constable, head of the King’s Watch. Referred to as the Boss.
Victoria “Vicky”
Robson
My former work partner and good friend of all at Clerkswell. A Geordie and proud of it.
Saffron Hawkins
My current work partner. One of the “Oxfordshire Hawkins” and well connected in the world of magick. Second cousin to Heidi Marston.
Rick James
Senior Watch Captain. Also responsible for the Watch of Wessex. Ex-husband of Cordelia (see Glastonbury)
Xavier Metcalfe
Vicky’s current work partner.
Tennille Haynes
Hannah’s PA. Mother to Desirée Haynes
Iain Drummond
Deputy Constable. Has responsibility for prosecutions in the Cloister Court
Annelise
van Kampen
A Watch Officer and assistant lawyer to Iain Drummond. Originally from Holland.
The Invisible College / Salomon’s House
Cora Hardisty
Dean of the Invisible College (who wants to be Warden). A consummate politician and an ally rather than a friend.
Dr Francesca
Somerton
Keeper of the Queen’s Esoteric Library. A wise woman who has not hung up her dancing shoes.
Heidi Marston
Custodian of the Great Work and Master Artificer. A larger than life character in all senses of the word. Saffron’s cousin and a member of the Hawkins clan.
Selena Bannister
Mistress of Illusions. Cora Hardisty’s best friend
Oighrig Ahearn
The Oracle – senior Sorcerer at Salomon’s House. Cora Hardisty’s protégé.
Chris Kelly
The Earth Master of Salomon’s House – a Geomancer and expert in Ley lines. Almost a friend.
(Tamsin Kelly)
Chris Kelly’s wife – for further details see Ring of Troth
Desirée Haynes
A postgraduate student at the College. Vicky Robson’s best friend.
The Cloister Court
The Honourable Mrs
Justice Bracewell
Senior judge in the Cloister Court. May or may not be known as Marcia to her husband.
Stephanie Morgan
Deputy Bailiff to the Cloister Court. Wields a mean axe and bakes very nice cakes.
Augusta Faulkner
Legendary barrister in the Court. Mostly famous for her work as a defence lawyer. Mother to Keira Faulkner.
Irina Ispabudhan
Currently in prison. See the story of the Nine of Wands for full details
Everyone Else
Alain Dupont
A Frenchman from a small village in Bordeaux. Founder member of the Merlyn’s Tower Irregulars. All his Christmases came at once when he got a job as a paid intern with my sister Rachael at her wealth management firm.
(Mr Joshi)
A part-time Hindu priest and retired civil servant. For further details see Ring of Troth
Pellacombe
I could also have called this group Team Mowbray. You’ll see why when you’ve read the story. The Mowbrays are above all a family – and every family needs a tree. Theirs is on the next page, but these things don't always come out well on smaller devices. To help with that, there is a full sized copy to look at on the Paw Press Website. Go to Dramatis Personae on the main menu and it’s at the bottom.
The Mowbrays in Detail
Lord Mowbray
Mage and billionaire. A client of my sister Rachael. Lord and master of Pellacombe in Cornwall (or “Kernow” as he calls it). The most powerful Geomancer in the UK. His first name is Arthur, but no one uses it.
Kerenza
Lord Mowbray’s fiancée. A former model/actress and minor Mage.
Eseld Mowbray
Lord Mowbray’s oldest child. A powerful Mage specialising in Wards. Daughter to Isolde (see Glastonbury).
Cador Mowbray
Lord Mowbray’s second child. Not a Mage at all. A barrister and the one who looks after the Mowbray’s non-magickal and legal interests. Has asked Rachael out many times (unsuccessfully). Son to Isolde.
Morwenna Mowbray
Lord Mowbray’s third child. Daughter to Aisling Mowbray. Missing believed dead.
Kenver Mowbray.
Lord Mowbray’s fourth and youngest child. Son to Aisling. Only eighteen but already named as Mowbray’s heir to Pellacombe. A Geomancer of great potential.
(Aisling Mowbray)
Mowbray’s second wife, a Witch of Ireland. Died in an accident when Morwenna and Kenver were very young.
Ethan Mowbray
Lord Mowbray’s cousin, son of the late Earl of Tintagel. A master of Occulting. Lord of Kellysporth in north Cornwall.
Lena
Ethan’s fiancée and Steward of Pellacombe. Originally from the Austrian Tyrol. A Healer.
Grace
Kerenza’s eight year old daughter from a previous relationship. Keen on horses.
Leah Kershaw
Lord Mowbray’s personal pilot. Former RAF Officer.
Jane Kershaw
Leah’s mother and one of the Pellacombe Estate’s senior managers.
Maggie Pearce
Lord Mowbray’s driver. Legendary for her strict adherence to the Highway Code and for the inedibility of her baking.
The Ferrymistress
Responsible for the crossing of the River Fal between Lamorne Point and Pellacombe.
Her Husband
Senior Estate Engineer with qualifications in helicopter mechanics
Michael
Their son. A natural sailor.
Two Daughters
One older than Michael is just beginning her education as a Mage, and one younger who does what she’s told if she knows what’s good for her.
Smurf
An Airbus H155 helicopter. Painted bright blue.
Glastonbury
The Daughters of the Goddess at Glastonbury are in one of three covens of Homewood, their Sacred Grove. Each coven (Ash, Oak and Willow) are ranked, and each Witch is known by their place in the Coven (“1st of Ash” or “9th of Oak”). Some of them hold subsidiary titles, as shown below. I've organised them by Coven, with an extra line for Síona. The Hawthorn Coven is based in Highgate, London, and Síona is the most senior Witch outside Homewood.
Oak Coven
Hedda
1st of Oak
Eldest Daughter, leader of all the Daughters. Actual mother to Signe. Originally from Sweden
Georgia
3rd of Oak
Keeper of Homewood. Domestic bursar. Doesn’t like men.
Kiwa
4th of Oak
The Traveller. Responsible for liaising / inspecting the many covens around the country who are affiliated to Glastonbury.
Signe
8th of Oak
Page to Ingrid. Actual daughter of Ingrid
Ash Coven
Raven
1st of Ash
Has no formal role because she is the biggest Mage. Literally and metaphorically. Huge talent, very tall.
Brook
7th of Ash
Counsel to the Daughters. Handles legal matters.
Cordelia
11th of Ash
Page to Raven. Ex-wife of Watch Captain Rick James.
Willow Coven
Verity
1st of Willow
Daughter of Memory. Senior priestess and keeper of the memories of the Goddess.
Alys
2nd of Willow
The ‘Little Mother’ runs the day-to-day business of Homewood. Twin sister to Zoe.
Zoe
5th of Willow
The Pursekeeper. Handles the financial affairs. Twin to Alys.
Morning
6th of Willow
Dame of Homewood. Responsible for all magickal education in the covens.
Isolde
9th of Willow
Guardian of Willow. Ex-wife of Lord Mowbray, mother to Eseld and Cador
Síona
1st of Hawthorn
Sits on the Occult Council and represents Witches in the corridors of power.
Part One — Dog Days
1 — How do you Solve a Problem like Sofía?
‘I love what you’ve done with the place,’ said Mother.
She pivoted on one foot, staring around the sitting room of Elvenham, the house she’d come to as a young bride and which she’d handed over to me last Christmas.
‘It’s exactly the bloody same,’ said my father. ‘We haven’t come in here to see whether Mina’s turned the old place into the Taj Mahal.’
Mother fixed him with one of her hard stares. ‘The Taj Mahal is a tomb, and a Muslim one at that. Mina is both alive and a Hindu, Alfred. The television is new, and your old armchair has been relegated to the far corner. Shall we sit down?’ We made a triangle around the coffee table, each to a different chair.
My parents were giving each other some space, for good reason. A few minutes ago, outside in the glorious July sunshine, a whole bunch of friends, colleagues and various relatives had witnessed the surprise appearance of a young Spanish woman. Sofía. Then they had heard Vicky Robson pronounce that Sofía was my half-sister.
Vicky is a Mage. Her special skill is looking at people’s Imprints and spotting things. Things like the fact that Sofía and I share a father, something that was news to both of us. That news had shocked me; to Sofía it had looked nigh-on traumatic.
Mum, Dad and I had sought sanctuary inside the house, and so had Sofía. We were in the sitting room, and Sofía was somewhere else, with Mina.
It clearly hadn’t been news to my parents. Dad was looking angry, and his eyes kept flicking to the door: he wanted to see her and to introduce himself properly. Dad is a good dad, and his concern was for Sofía’s welfare. For now he was restrained by forty years of marriage and by obligation to me, his firstborn.
Mother looked as if she were rising above it. Being six foot tall, she rises above most things, including Dad and his enthusiasms, but this was different. T
rust me, I know that look: she was as close to a breakdown as Dad was close to an explosion.
‘There’s one thing you needn’t worry about, Conrad,’ said Mother. ‘The Clarke bond still holds: A Clarke’s Word is still Binding.’
‘I’m more worried about Sofía, Mum.’
She held my gaze. ‘And so am I, dear, but you need to know what happened.’
‘Don’t, Mary,’ said Dad. ‘This is down to me, not you.’
She turned to him. ‘If you mean that you had sex with Mercedes and I didn’t, then yes, it is down to you. But I started it.’ She turned back to me. ‘When you toddled off to primary school, I went back to work full time.’ She glanced at the family photos in a corner. ‘Do the 1980s count as history, now? No matter. I was promoted to section leader, and they sent me into the field.’
‘I never knew.’
Mother was a cryptanalyst for GCHQ, and a very good one, too. Apparently. On certain occasions she’s allowed to wear her CBE.