Snow White and Rose Red Read Free Page B

those of Faerie.”
    “That is my point precisely,” said the older man dryly.
    “You are unreasonable!” Kelly said, schooling his face into a wounded expression. “You twist my words all out of sense. I meant but this: if Heaven hath no communion with Faerie, then the angel who speaks through yonder stone shall ne‘er make protest of our intended enterprise.”
    “Faerie is an un-Godly power, Ned,” the other man said soberly.
    “An our ends be Godly, what need we fear?” Kelly retorted. “Why was it that you came to Mortlak, if not for Faerie’s nearness?”
    “The lure of Faerie drew me here, so much is true,” Dee answered, but his expression was troubled. “Yet I’d thought but to study it, not snatch at Faerie power for my own.”
    “What, will you ask politely for some sprite to join you here, that you may make inquiries of it?” Kelly said sarcastically. “Or in your own person brave the gates of Faerie, or how?”
    “Nay, Ned, you need not mock at me,” Dee said with dignity. “Your talents may be more than mine, but your knowledge is not greater. ”
    “Not in all things, certainly,” Kelly said. “But in this I think I must claim precedence, since Faerie and all other occult matters have been my especial study.”
    “I did not mean to call your knowledge into question,” Dee said, his troubled frown returning. “You’ve proved its worth and twelve times over, this past year. Yet to directly outface Faerie is a chancy thing, at best.”
    Kelly chuckled. “You fright yourself with ill-chosen words, to speak of ‘directly’ when we’ll not so much as step o’er the border twixt our land and that other. But if you’ve no stomach for‘t, I’ll to the woods at All Hallows’ Eve, and make the attempt alone.”
    “Nay, I’ll not let you risk all while I stay safe,” Dee said quickly. “An you’re determined on‘t, we’ll brave the gates of Faerie together, or not at all.”
    “‘Tis decided, then,” Ned Kelly said with a barely audible sigh of relief. “You’ll not regret it, John.”
    Dee made an ambiguous gesture that might have been indicative of either assent or doubt. “Can you and I, unaided, carry all that will be needed? ‘Twould be unwise indeed to bring another into this affair.”
    “We can manage. But is it certain that we must?”
    “In this I’ll not be moved, Ned,” Dee interrupted. “No one save you and I must know of this.”
    “You fear a witch-hunt?” Kelly said, a barely audible note of disdain in his voice.
    “Aye,” Dee said sharply. “And so would you, an you’d faced the Star Chamber’s questioning or been twice imprisoned on a charge of sorcery.” He closed his eyes briefly, and so did not see the cold expression that stiffened Kelly’s face, nor notice Kelly’s hand rise to touch the edge of his black skullcap where it covered his right ear. “There’s rumor enough i‘the town,” Dee said more gently. “Let us not add to it.”
    “As you wish,” Kelly said, forcing a smile. “I’ll begin creation of the spell; do you do likewise, and we’ll use the better of the two.”
    “An you insist, I’ll do’t.” Dee returned Kelly’s false smile with a genuine one. “But I’ve no doubt you’ll best me. You’ve a rare talent for such things, Ned.”
    Kelly stroked his beard, not at all displeased by Dee’s remark, but all he said was, “Nonetheless, let’s both prepare. To capture Faerie power will be no easy task; ‘tis best that both our minds be set to’t.”
    “Very well,” Dee said. “Until the morrow, then.”

     
    In the twilight garden beside Master John Dee’s house, a silver-grey shadow slid down from the window that gave onto the study where Dee and his friend had been conversing so earnestly. Moonlight glinted briefly from pointed teeth, bared in a fierce parody of a smile; then the shadow drifted across the garden to the water gate and down the stairs to the Thames. A swan, swimming late on the river,