Thank you to Taywen for your review I'm off for Christmas now so updates should be regular for a while.
Clara was lost, she didn't know this part of Manchester at all. She hurtled down one unfamiliar street after another, skidding several times as she took the corners too fast. This couldn't be happening, it couldn't be happening! It was completely insane. But then, what in God's name was a Nithling doing in the real world?! Because it had looked exactly how she would envisage a Nithling, all, snarling and teeth and horribleness. Me and my stupid imagination, she thought bitterly. Maybe her fantasies had finally progressed to full on hallucinations. She'd been a compulsive day dreamer her whole life, maybe something had finally snapped and she'd gone completely round the bend!
People shrieked with laughed as Clara whizzed past them, others tried to ask what was wrong. She ignored them all, only calling breathless apologies to those she clipped on her way past. She nearly collided with a taxi when she hurtled back out onto the main street again.
"Watch y'self luv!" the driver cried indignantly.
"Sorry!" she gasped. "S-smithton Road please!"
"Yeah sure, you alright luv?"
"Yes thanks, just, late for something." Clara panted, before scrambling into the back and slamming the door. As she fumbled with her seatbelt she twisted around to make sure she hadn't been followed. There was no sign of Lilith (or, 'the Will' as she claimed to be) but Clara wrung her hands in worry. What if she knew where Clara lived? She could come after her! Perhaps she ought to find somewhere else to stay, or get in touch with the police!
And tell them what exactly? she thought scathingly, that the crazy stalker lady you met in a café is magic and you've just been attacked by a monster from a book?! Grow up Clara!
.
.
.
.
After the human's unfortunate reaction the Will had to rethink its plans. She had expected it to be shocked, frightened even, but utterly terrified? The Will couldn't see how she could get Clara to overcome her fear and accept her position as the Heir. Perhaps if she dangled the promise of power and riches beyond Clara's wildest dreams…
However the first thing to do was establish contact again. Primus let the girl stew for a week, get used to the idea that the 'book' was real. She observed Clara from afar and saw that the girl continued to follow her old routine, all be it with a worried look permanently plastered on her face. She also spent a lot of time looking sharply over her shoulder with her eyes bulging as if she had heard something. Her friends kept asking her what was wrong and every time she came up with vague lies about sleep deprivation.
On the Sunday following the Nithling attack, Primus posted a letter through the child's front door. She stood across the street from the flat and watched as Clara came out holding the letter, peering at the address. She fumbled to open it with one hand whilst locking the door with the other. She was halfway down the street before she froze, staring at the message. Then she crumpled it up and stuffed it in her pocket. Oh dear, this was going to be harder than the Will thought. She had asked Clara to meet her on the main square in town. She had hoped the girl would be more comfortable meeting in a public place.
Now it looked like she'd have to corner her and force a meeting. She tailed Clara to a park some ten minutes down the road from the flat. Primus knew Clara's habits by now, and guessed she intended to cut through the park to get to the Tesco express on the other side. Hurrying ahead of her, Primus waited in the shade of a dilapidated band stand and then stepped out into the path.
"Don't run!" she said, raising her hands in a peaceful gesture. Clara flinched and took a step back, her eyes wide in fear. "Please, I only want to explain. Do not be alarmed."
Clara shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other and glanced around, playing with the strap on her backpack. Primus gestured to the path which curved around the pond.
"Come, walk with me."
Clara hesitated, then walked along beside the Will at a cautious distance of three feet. They skirted the edge of the lake, pausing to allow a group of school children to run past. It was bone chilling day but the winter sun was bright and reflected dazzlingly off the surface of the water. After an uncomfortable period of silence the Will spoke.
"I understand that you are still in shock after what happened last Tuesday. But rest assured you are not in any danger from me."
"Am I mad?" Clara asked abruptly. "Have I lost my mind?"
"No, you are perfectly healthy and sane."
"But the House can't possibly exist! Not really, it's too – too unlikely! Magic isn't real!"
"Why do you doubt your own eyes?" the Will asked sharply. She was beginning to lose patience with this whining infant. "You saw the Nithling, you saw me destroy it, using magic."
"Why did you pretend it was a book idea?"
"I needed to acquaint you with the details of the House and its current…management issues. It seemed the easiest way to do it."
"But why?! Even if the House is real, even if you are the Architect's Will, what's this got anything to do with me?!"
They had left the pond behind now and were walking along the street again. Dame Primus waited for an old man with a flat cap to walk past before answering.
"I already told you, I have chosen you to be the Heir."
The human stared at her, her eyes wide as she shook her head silently. Primus saw she was on the verge of freaking out again so she hurried to explain.
"It was a random choice, you must understand. It happened exactly as I said it did in the portfolio. I was expelled from the Upper House before I could make a more informed choice. I picked your file at the last minute."
"So why stick with me? Why not sneak back and pick someone better?"
"Believe me I would prefer that, but unfortunately I doubt Saturday would be so lax a second time and time runs short. The Morrow Days have already ascertained my location, the Nithling they sent was most likely a scout. More will come and soon."
"So are they going to kill me?!"
The Will smiled cunningly.
"They wouldn't dare." she sneered. "You see, I have taken a precautionary measure this time. I have drawn up an amendment to the original paperwork concerning the assentation to Heir. Once you accept your position formally then your life will become tied to the power of the Keys. If you died, then the Keys would all become useless regardless of your having taken them or not."
The girl was looking at her intently as she said this.
"Am I not already the Heir?" she asked, apparently ignoring everything else Primus had said. The Will frowned.
"Well, no, not officially. There is some paperwork to fill out, I have it here for you to –"
"No!" Clara cried, so loudly she disturbed a cloud of birds from their perch in a nearby tree. Primus paused in the action of pulling a scroll of parchment from her sleeve. They had stopped walking and stood facing each other in the middle of the pavement, human and denizen.
"No?!" the Will repeated. The girl was shaking her head desperately.
"I – I'm really sorry about what the Days did to you, but I can't! I can't help you and I can't be the Heir!"
"Of course you can!" the Will snorted. "It's quite simple."
"But I can't fight Morrow Days, I'm nobody! And anyway I don't want to rule the universe or whatever!"
Primus was completely thrown by this and had to think for a moment.
"You would be the most powerful being in the universe." she said carefully, trying to keep her temper. "No one would ever refuse you anything again, you would do whatever you wanted to."
For a moment a look of doubt crossed Clara's face. No matter what she said, Primus knew that all humans secretly desired power.
"I'm not the right person for the job!" the girl insisted. She was backing away again, getting ready to run. "Find someone else!"
"I can't." said Primus through gritted teeth. "I already explained that. If you do not accept your position there is nothing to stop the Morrow Days from coming after you."
"If they know I'm not really an Heir they might not be bothered!"
"Don't be absurd!" Primus snarled. She hadn't meant to, it had come out in temper. She found it hard to be patient with one so obviously stupid. The girl flinched and ran away. Again.