Here’s how all that worked out.
“Errol opened the door of the church a tiny crack so the wind and snow wouldn’t blow in. He waited for Isis to squeeze through before him, but instead Isis sat on her haunches in the snow, not moving. “Come along,” said Errol. Isis mewed and would not budge. “People are going to believe nasty things about you, if you don”t come in here!” Errol urged. Isis remained in the snow. “Fine,” said Errol. “Freeze your paws then. Wait for me here.”
“Candles were lit in the front of the church. People were praying in the pews in silence. Errol slipped into the back pew and kneeled. He said a prayer, the one his father had taught him to say each night before bed time. After he had recited it and thought about it a little, he assessed the people in the church with him. The vicar in the front might be the best person to ask about what was on his mind, but it would be a very peculiar question. Then again, if you couldn”t get angel feathers in a church, there wasn”t anywhere else in Hathersage you were likely to be able to get them.
“An elderly lady shuffled past him and out, and cold air wafted inside. A girl, his age or a little younger he thought, her long black hair pulled back in a ponytail, left her coat by the adult she was with and walked deliberately toward him. She kneeled by him. “Hello,” she whispered. “Are you a Klarion””
“Yes,” said Errol in a soft voice. “That obvious, is it?”
“My grandmother said you all had a certain look to you. I guessed.” She glanced under the pew and in the aisle. “I don”t see an animal though.”
“Isis wouldn”t come in,” said Errol, eying the girl carefully. “She wasn”t interested in praying.”
“I should think not,” said the girl, her voice amused. She had a turned up nose, glasses, and freckles. “I wish my family had a curse. It would make us legitimate.”
“Who are you?” Errol asked.
“Shari Pitch. My grandmother, Sophia, was your grandmother”s anchor. You do know what an anchor is?”
“Of course I know what an anchor is!”
“Well, she told me all about it,” Shari said. “I”m interested in this sort of thing.”
“I see,” said Errol. “Your hobby?”
“Yes, sort of,” Shari said. “Why are you here? Do your parents know where you are? Isn”t it odd for a Binder to be in a church?”
Errol didn”t know whether to laugh at Shari Pitch or be cross at her. “I can come into a church, you know. My mother is a good Anglican. My parents married in a church. There isn’t a rule against someone with the curse coming into a church.”
“Whatever you say,” said Shari Pitch. “It seems odd to me, that’s all.”
“I do have a reason for being here,” said Errol.
“I thought you must,” said Shari.
“I”m looking for something,” said Errol. “The feathers of a fallen angel.”
“Repeat that,” she said slowly, looking at him sideways.
“The feathers of a fallen angel. Used to bind enemies in darkness””
Shari laughed. “You thought you could find those here?”
“Well,” said Errol, tentatively, “I wasn”t sure where else to look, and I thought they would make a nice Christmas present.”
“Wait a second,” said Shari. “I”ll ask my gran! If anyone would know, she would.” Shari moved up two pews to chat with the woman she”d left. Errol was torn. It might be interesting to meet the woman who had been his grandmother”s anchor. He could also get into trouble for sneaking out of Mistraldol. Just as he finally decided it might be time to leave, voices behind him called.
“Master Klarion! Stop!”
Shari and her grandmother hurried down the aisle toward him. The vicar put his fingers to his lips, and Shari’s grandmother lowered her voice. “Shari tells me that you are looking for angel feathers?”
Errol bowed. Shari”s grandmother was a tall woman with steel gray hair plaited close to her head, wearing a fur coat. “I don”t mean to trouble you,” he apologized.
“You aren’t troubling me. Let us step outside, where we can talk more freely.”
The three of them slipped outside into the lazy snow and the graying twilight. Isis, lightening fast, shot from nowhere onto Errol”s shoulder. Shari’s mouth formed a small o. She petted Isis, and Isis allowed it. “Such a pretty girl! All black!” Shari crooned.
Shari”s grandmother was scolding him. “Young man, even though you have your cat, your family is bound to be worried about you being out.”
“My apologies,” said Errol. “I did not mean to cause anyone alarm. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. My grandmother will be glad to know I”ve met you.”
“You would be Geoffrey’s boy, Errol.”
“Correct,” said Errol. The wind blew, and Isis’ fur ruffled his cheek. “Do not concern yourself. My family will not be worried. They know I’ll be safe. I have Isis.”
“They know no such thing! It was very inconsiderate of you to come on your own! Why are you looking for angel feathers?”
“I know that they are needed for binding. If you know of my family, you know my cousin Esme. I thought if I found angel feathers for her, maybe she could do something about Ma’at. That’s her familiar. He causes her a great deal of difficulty. I thought maybe she could use them to keep him at bay, rather than waiting for her trial.”
“That was a good thought,” the older woman said, her voice softening. “You could have saved yourself some trouble if you”d asked your parents. They would have told you that there’s only one place to get those feathers.”
“Where?” asked Shari.
“None of your business, Miss Nosy,” said her grandmother, her eyes sparkling.
“Gran,” said Shari. “We should give Errol a ride home.”
“Thank you for your attentions,” said Errol, “although I think it is hardly necessary. Do you know that my grandmother is visiting us? I am sure she would enjoy seeing you again.”
“It’s just like her not to tell me! Well, you tell her that Sophia Wellstone sends her regards.”
“Gran,” said Shari, “I really think we should take Errol home.”
Mrs. Wellstone studied at Isis. “If I have your word that you will protect him?”
Isis meowed, sounding annoyed that the older woman asked. “Isis,” said Errol, “I will not say that! How rude of you!”
“I”ll take that as an affirmative,” said Mrs. Wellstone.
Shari scratched Isis under her chin. “Maybe, Errol, you can teach me to speak cat some day.”
“Maybe,” said Errol. He started to walk away. “You know,” he said, “we’re going to have a small Christmas party during Christmas vacation. Perhaps the two of you would like to visit?”
