‘You know what, Ava?’ Jack said with a small crease in his brow, ‘I think I would be quite safe in saying, that you could bring Hawthorne here.’
I raised my eyebrows. ‘You’re right,’ I said. ‘He would not be out of place at all.’ We stared as a stag with legs as long as street-lamps walked by us, the owner riding high upon it.
We passed shops and taverns with signs on the doors that said things like ‘Spirit’s welcome’ or ‘Keep your Spirit under control’.
‘Spirits?’ I said.
‘I don’t think they mean alcohol,’ Jack replied thoughtfully as we passed another of these signs on a shop front door.
‘Look at that.’ I pointed to a shop across the street.
Jack read the lettering on the shop window. ‘Style your Spirit.’ He frowned, ‘It’s very pink.’
The shop was a violent shade of magenta and had an assortment of frilly things on display. A rack of sparkling collars gave me an idea.
‘Do you think these animals are called Spirits?’ I wondered aloud, nodding towards a dog that had steam billowing from its nose and little black wings on it’s back.
‘Maybe,’ said Jack. ‘We should get Hawthorne something. I’m sure he would love a pink collar.’
I nudged Jack playfully, before adding, ‘It looks like the Inn allows pets too.’
‘Let’s get him,’ Jack made to turn in the opposite direction, but I stopped him.
‘Where are you going?’ I asked.
He pointed a thumb over his shoulder, ‘He is hiding in the forest. We don’t have to hide him here.’
‘We don’t need to go and fetch him,’ I said.
‘Why not?’ Jack seemed surprised. He knew how attached I was to Hawthorne.
‘Hawthorne knows when I need him,’ I said. ‘He will be here soon.’
Jack scoffed, ‘Avalon, he’s not psychic.’
‘Just wait,’ I smiled. ‘Hawthorne isn’t ordinary. I can’t explain the bond we have. Trust me, he will be here soon.’
Jack was rendered speechless when Hawthorne was at our side within a few minutes. He was camouflaged as the pattern of the pavement.
‘How the bloody hell-?’ Jack began, rather gobsmacked.
‘It’s all right,’ I told Hawthorne, reaching up and patting his furry neck. ‘You don’t have to hide here. Look.’
I pointed around to all of the other strange animals.
Hawthorne gave a little shake, as though ridding himself of his disguise and was his usual, white self again. People looked at him as they walked down the street, but no one expressed alarm.
A little girl who was holding her mothers hand cried, ‘Oh! Mummy! Look at that one! Can I pat him?’
The mother tugged at her child. ‘You know you aren’t supposed to touch other people’s spirits. It’s very rude.’
I watched the little girl walk away and then I turned to Jack, ‘Why do they call them spirits?’
Jack shrugged, ‘Beats me.’
We walked through Flamethroat for another hour, observing the animals and the people with great interest. As the sun set, Jack asked me a question that had been sitting in the back of my mind.
‘How do we find Martinez? We need an address,’ he said.
‘We could find a Human market,’ I suggested. ‘He might be there.’
‘He might be,’ said Jack, with raised eyebrows. ‘Alastor and Korra said he was a dark man with a curved nose. Finding him shouldn’t be too difficult. But what do we do after that?’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked. ‘We get Helena back.’
‘Helena’ said Jack, staring ahead.
I looked at him, annoyed. ‘Yes. Helena, my sister. Remember?’
‘No,’ said Jack shaking his head and pointing in front of us. ‘Helena.’
‘What-?’ I followed Jack’s finger and instantly saw what he was looking at.
It was a poster, similar in style to the propaganda pieces that we had seen plastered across Concord city, except this had very different content. Blazoned across the top of the poster were six huge letters.
H.E.L.E.N.A
Jack and I hurried over to the poster to read the fine print underneath the heading.
Jack read aloud, ‘H.E.L.E.N.A – the Human Emancipation League for Equality and Nationwide Awareness.’
There are 1 million Humans in slavery. We can end slavery in our lifetime. You must take a stand. Spread the word. Free the Human race. H.E.L.E.N.A seeks freedom. Meetings at midnight.
‘Is it a coincidence?’ said Jack once we had finished reading the flyer.
‘No,’ I turned to him. ‘It’s a sign.’
‘You think so?’
‘My parents created this group, I know it. Why else would it be called H.E.L.E.N.A? It’s too much of a coincidence’
‘You’re right,’ Jack nodded. ‘But what they’re doing is incredibly dangerous.’
I bit my lip. ‘I know. What if they are caught holding these anti-slavery meetings? It’s not very smart to advertise it in public.’
‘They’d be hanged for conspiracy,’ Jack said with a sideways glance at me.
I knew he was right. Creating pro-Human groups was not something many people dared to do.