Chapter 26: Chapter 24

Mokhtar gasped when he rematerialised himself in front of the Southill property in Hurst Green, Lancashire. Standing in front of him was Southill Hall, a beautiful Georgian mansion with red brick walls, surrounded by an enormous wall.

Mokhtar glanced around him. Tucked away at the end of a curving drive surrounded by tall, leafy trees, the neighbours couldn’t see the house.

As Mokhtar pushed the iron gate, he felt a tingling in his hand.

They have a protection spell. I wonder why? He thought.

He made his way up the paved driveway passing a row of evergreen shrubs and hedges running along the driveway.

The house had three storeys, with lovely brickwork and a pavilion to each side.

Mokhtar chose to go round the back of the property and found himself in a vast garden full of flowers, bushes and trees, with a water fountain in the middle. He could see the top of a greenhouse sticking out between the trees from where he stood. The garden was unattended, but still beautiful.

Somebody needs to invest in a gardener. This place looks like a forest. Thought Mokhtar while climbing the steps of the large terrace.

“Now, let's check out the interior of this gem,” he whispered to himself with a smirk. He twisted the terrace door knob slowly, but it was locked; he shrugged his shoulders and disappeared in a cloud of grey smoke reappearing inside the house.

Right in the middle of the hallway stood a sculptural wooden staircase leading all the way to the top.

Not bad, he thought while looking around at the house’s 18th-century features.

He followed a corridor and walked into a wide kitchen with its original three-arch stone fireplace and wooden churners dangling above his head. He smiled while extending his hand and caressed one.

You are no cream churner, are you? You are a potion churner.

He let out a giggle. ‘’ Why do sorcerers have to be so cliché? What’s next I am going to find? A cauldron?’’

He made his way out of the kitchen and decided to explore other rooms.

Just as he was passing the large living room, Mokhtar felt vibrations on his skin.

So, little witch, you live with a sensor. Let's take a nice look at those treasures.

He pushed open a sliding door. The room seemed to be used as a study as they filled it with ancient objects, papers, and books.

He smiled and entered. There were framed photos here and there. He recognised Poppy on some of them. One of the photos had Poppy when she was about three years old, sitting on her father's shoulders with her mum trying to clean the ice cream she had just spilt on her father’s face. It was an endearing scene.

"Sorry about your parents, kid," whispered Mokhtar while gazing at the photo.

His eyes suddenly spotted an unusual object placed on a higher shelf. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

Is that? Impossible!

He levitated towards the object. It was a tiny brown doll wrapped with ropes; the doll had a worn wood finish. Mokhtar carefully picked up the doll and looked at it closer.

‘’ Jackpot! You are coming with me.’’ He said while levitating down with the doll in his hand. He left the study and decided to explore upstairs.

He casually strolled the first floor, passing Poppy’s, Joe’s and her parents' bedrooms. They were two additional bedrooms on the second floor who seemed to be used as guests' bedrooms.

He climbed up to the third floor, where surprisingly most rooms were closed, and he couldn’t magically transport himself in any of them when he tried.

Jinn proofed, I guess. I see that the mistrust is still lingering, even after what we’ve all been through. I can’t blame them; war cannot be forgotten.

He was about to go back downstairs when he noticed a black drapery at the end of the corridor, with a corner of a golden frame sticking out. He pulled down the piece of fabric and looked at the painting. It was a portrait of a middle-aged lady sitting on a stool. She was wearing a burgundy robe with a crest on it; a circle with the four elements. Earth, air, fire and water.

He immediately recognised her and smiled.

‘’ So this is the Compass coven’s lair. You didn’t tell me you were a Southill, Poppy. Hello Pippa!’’ He murmured while gazing at the painting.

“You should have taught her better, Pippa. She gave me full access to the house. Soon I’ll be able to see what you are hiding,” he sneered while making his way downstairs.

Returning to the main hallway, he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. His wavy black hair was almost reaching his shoulders, and he had a stubble beard.

He touched his face and grimaced. ‘’ Tsk tsk, Mokhtar, you look like an animal.’’

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He then teleported himself into the master bedroom ensuite.

He admired the large space that had a freestanding bath in the middle of the room with its brass finish tap ware; the perfect centrepiece, he thought.

On one side of the bathroom, there was a shower and on the other side, two marble wash basins on each side of a fireplace with a large mirror on top.

‘’ Time for a pampering and grooming session,’’ he said with a smile on his face while turning the tap of the bath and adding salt bath to the hot water.

While the water was running in the bath, he passed his fingers through his hair and magically gave himself a shorter haircut. Then he snapped his fingers and groomed his beard into a more natural-looking three-day beard.

He winked at his reflection, happy with the results.

An hour later, Mokhtar was standing in the master bedroom in front of a full-length mirror, wearing a robe he had found in the master bedroom wardrobe. He adjusted the collar.

‘’ Something is still missing. I feel naked without my jewellery.’’ He said, looking at his manicured bare fingers. Time to call Aldwych.’’

He stared intensely at the mirror with his green eyes and said, ‘’ mirror, mirror on the wall, time to call the most important of them all.’’

The glass started twirling fast for a few seconds, then showed a chubby man in his eighties, sitting in an immense bed having breakfast. He was taking a bite out of his toast, which was covered with marmalade, when Mokhtar said, ‘’ so much for cutting down on your sugar brother!’’

Upon hearing Mokhtar’s voice, Aldwych jumped and almost choked on the small piece of bread. He coughed, then looked to the side at his table mirror.

‘’ In the name of the Creator! You almost gave me a heart attack, you prick!’’ He shouted angrily.

Mokhtar laughed. ‘’ Come on, brother! Your heart is younger than mine. I’m so happy to see you.’’

Aldwych smiled. ‘’ Me too, brother. It has been a long time. I was worried that they had forgotten about you.’’

Mokhtar shrugged. ‘’ Probably, but I got out. I’ll explain everything soon. For now, I need my jewellery box. I can’t go out looking like this.’’ He said while showing his bare neck and hands to Aldwych.

‘’ Sure. I’ll send it to you. Where are you?’’ Aldwych asked, before taking a bite of his toast.

‘’ I am in Lancashire. A place called Hurst Green. I have found refuge in a sorcerer's home and you will never believe which one.’’ He said.

‘’ Tell me,’’ said Aldwych excitedly.

‘’ Pippa Southill!’’

Aldwych's eyes grew bigger, he hastened his breakfast tray to the side and wiped his mouth with a serviette. ‘’ You need to search that place from top to bottom. You never know what you could find.’’

Mokhtar giggled. ‘’ I’m way ahead of you, brother.’’ He then grabbed the little wooden figurine he had found in Joe’s study and showed it to him. ‘’ I have one of Papa Legba’s skeleton keys.’’

Aldwych let out a loud scream of joy. He jumped from his bed and grabbed the table mirror with both hands. ‘’ You lucky son of the Creator!’’

Mokhtar shrugged. ‘’ I know. I always find the best things.’’

He took a few steps around the bedroom. ‘’ I was planning to come up to London, but I think I’ll stick around for a bit. There are still some corners of this house I haven’t fully checked.’’

‘’ Yes, do that,’’ said Aldwych before extending his hand towards the wooden floor. ‘’ Today I seek a box. Your rightful possessor awaits, open the secret door.’’

A shaft of light shined through cracks between the wooden floor for a few seconds, then a wooden box appeared next to Mokhtar.

Mokhtar beamed at the sight of his possession. ‘’ Thank you.’’

‘’You're welcome, brother. I hate going old school with the spells, but we have to do it to stay undetected,’’ said Aldwych.

‘’ It’s fine.’’ He replied while opening the box and looking at the content. He then pulled out a golden pin-end necklace.

‘’ I’m actually having fun doing it. It’s like being back at the Temple.’’ He added, while giving Aldwych a mischievous expression.

 

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