Agatha H and the Voice of the Castle

Theo looked uncomfortable and sipped at his drink. “Well…I still am. I mean, I will. We have some map fragments and I’m pretty close to cracking the cipher he used in his journal.”

Sleipnir spoke up, “And I think I’ve got a pretty good idea of where the Eye of the Snake Eater is hidden.”⁵⁴

“But,” Theo admitted, “I did promise Agatha that I’d catch up with her here.”

Gil looked at Theo. “You promised Agatha…but why didn’t you tell me that before you left?”

Theo and Sleipnir looked at each other. Then Sleipnir turned back to him. “I’m sorry, Gil. It was…well…it was because we didn’t entirely trust you.”

The awkward moment stretched out until Gil shrugged and turned away. “Can’t blame you, I guess. You hadn’t seen me in years and I suppose it was a bit of a shock, finding out who I really am.”

Sleipnir snorted. “You think?”

Gil smiled mirthlessly. “If we’re talking about trust, I guess I felt more betrayed than you did because I never got any mail.” He raised a preemptive hand. “I’m still trying to find out what that was all about. But…I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. Really sorry, it would’ve been…nice to tell someone about it,” he admitted. “Anyway, you were right. I probably would have made things worse. Agatha didn’t trust me either.”

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then Theo stepped forward and put his hand on Gil’s arm. “For what it’s worth,” he said quietly, “I trust you now.”

Gil looked surprised. “Oh?”

Theo gestured towards the street below. “I was standing right behind you when the soldiers found you. I listened. You really do want to help her. Out there? You sounded just like the Gil I grew up with.”

“I’m not,” Gil said flatly. “Too many things have changed. I’ll never be that person again.” He smiled and punched Theo in the arm. “But I can remember the important bits.”

With that, it was like a switch had been thrown and the tension drained from the room. Minutes later, they were lounging about the room’s settees, drinks in hand. Gil had protested but Theo had pointed out that they couldn’t really do anything until the streets were clear of Wulfenbach soldiers.

Sleipnir leaned forward. “So Agatha is in the Castle and the Baron is going to destroy it. Why?”

Gil paused. “Because he thinks Agatha is the Other.”

Both Theo and Sleipnir looked horrified. “Is she?”

“No!” Gil paused. “Well, yes. Sometimes…” He saw the two of them staring at him. “She’s…possessed.”

Sleipnir stared at him for another second, and then deliberately put her drink down. “Possessed.”

Gil spent several minutes bringing them up to speed. He sighed as he finished. “I know it sounds crazy! It is crazy! But the important point is that if it’s true, it’s not actually Agatha who’s the problem, and that means that there’s got to be something I can do to save her!”

Sleipnir folded her arms together. “And if you can’t?”

Gil drained his glass and slammed it down onto the table. “Then I’ll take care of her myself. But, unlike my father, I’m willing to give her a chance.”

Sleipnir and Theo glanced at each other and suddenly grinned. They turned back. “Listen to you!” Sleipnir snagged the bottle and poured Gil another drink. “That’s why we can trust you.”

Gil stared at them and suddenly slumped back into his seat. “I am so glad to see you guys again. My head is spinning. I…” He suddenly examined the drink in his hand. “What am I drinking?”

Theo grinned. “I cooked it up myself! It’s a new recipe!”

Gil looked alarmed. “And you let me drink this?”

Sleipnir shrugged. “It’s great. It helps you open up. Express your inner thoughts. In vino veritas and all that.”

Gil frowned “Yessss… that sounds like one of Theo’s. I remember his ‘Electrical Acid Two Hundred Proof Jolly Sugar Doom.’” He carefully put his glass down.

Theo looked offended. “This from a guy who once concocted an aperitif from toothpaste and hedgehogs.”

“They’re still selling that,” Gil said breezily. He caught himself. “Oh dear, it’s still building, isn’t it?”

Theo pulled out a pocket watch. “Relax, you just had the one, yes?”

Gil racked his brain. “I…I can’t remember.”

Theo waved a hand. “If you’d had more than one, then by now you’d be weeping maudlin tears over all those hedgehogs.”

“Poor little hedgehogs,” Gil whispered. Then he shook himself. “Yeah, that would be bad.” He looked at them. “What were we talking about?”

Sleipnir smiled. “About how we were going to storm the Castle?”

Gil’s head tipped back and he closed his eyes. “Riiight. Right, right, right. That’s gonna be tricky. I should pick up some tools and… stuff. Tool stuff.” He glanced at a clock on the mantle. “But it’s late. All’a shops’ll be closed.” He turned to the two of them “Gunna have to build a mechanical shoplifter.” A tear welled up in his eye and dripped off his nose. “Gunna be a criminal.” His head lolled until he was looking at Sleipnir. “Agatha’s not like you. She’s not gunna wanna be in love with a criminal.”

Sleipnir snorted. “It is an acquired taste.”