Doctor Who_ Cats Cradle_ Witch Mark - Andrew Hunt [97]
'That'd explain it,' Stevens nodded.
'Explain what?'
'The coach that Hughes bought. And the way people have been appearing in London, Birmingham and Cardiff.'
'I didn't know about that.'
'So why did you think Inspector Stevens could help you?' David asked.
'Well, I thought that if someone in authority could be told about what was going on, they could give the people of Tír na n-Óg some help fighting the demons. And then they wouldn't have to desert and leave everyone else to die.'
'Doesn't sound like a very likely scenario to me,' Stevens told her.
'It was the best plan I could think of. I wish the Doctor was here.'
'They're burning people,' Jack said.
Ace looked away. 'I know. Don't talk about it.'
Stevens took all the details of his surroundings in carefully. This was exactly the sort of situation he had never envisaged. He had considered being contacted by aliens, capturing the Loch Ness Monster and staking a vampire. He had never thought that he might discover an entire world where unicorns and centaurs were a reality, but here it was. It had none of the glamour of legend, not in real life - it couldn't be expected to have fairy mounds, magic swords, fire-breathing dragons. Some things just weren't feasible.
They approached a huge building that spanned the width of the valley. A flight of stone steps led up to a doorway. At the foot of the steps stood another soldier, waiting for them.
'Hello, Captain Rhys,' Ace greeted him: She turned to her companions. 'Inspector Stevens, Jack, David - this is Captain Rhys.'
'Hello, Ace. I thought I told you that you couldn't come back to Dinorben.'
Ace smiled sweetly. 'I don't like being told what I can and can't do.'
'Is that why you made a hole in our wall? We'll have some difficulty defending that.'
'Good. Where are we being taken?'
'To see the Tuatha de Danaan again.'
'I'm a police officer from Earth,' Stevens interjected. 'I'd appreciate it if I could see someone in command around here.'
'And I'd like to see the American ambassador, David requested. 'Well, it doesn't work in the movies,'
he whispered to Jack.
'Come along,' Captain Rhys told them. 'I'll take you to the Tuatha.'
'Haven't I theen you thomewhere before?' Caeryon asked curiously.
'My god, what a memory you have!' Rhys laughed. 'This is the girl who came through the circle just a few days ago.'
'Of courthe! I remember now. Athe!'
'More or less,' Ace smiled.
'Caeryon, you grass snake, haven't you got any sibilant praying to the Land Mother that you can do?
I'm quite capable of taking these people up to the Tuatha.'
'It theemth I am redundant!' Caeryon exclaimed. 'Ath a matter of fact I do have a great many important thingth to do. I jutht conthidered it common courtethy to be the one who brought them before the Tuatha.'
'Of course it is! Now push off, will you?'
'Very well.' Caeryon strode off purposefully.
'This way.' Rhys led them on to the stairway and ushered them ahead of him, whilst he waited for the stone slab to swing shut.
'I know the way,' Ace told Stevens. 'I've been here before.’
'Whoever invented spiral staircases,' Stevens panted, 'had obviously not ... discovered the joys of ...
junk food.' He drew a sleeve across his forehead.
'Nearly at the top,' Ace told him.
At the doors to the Tuatha de Danaan's chamber, Rhys strode ahead of them and banged loudly with the butt of his crossbow. The doors were pulled open by General Nuada, looking wilder than ever.
'By Arawn's teeth, what do you want, Captain Rhys?'
'I have brought the girl Ace who helped the Ceffyl break through the wall ... '
'You've caused us a lot of trouble, girl! We may have to bring forward the evacuation substantially.'
'If Chulainn' s report is at all accurate, then we may not have enough time even for that,' Dryfid told him.
It was as though Ace had been dealt a double blow. The sight of Nuada in the doorway,