The meeting couldn’t come soon enough. That night, at a quarter to midnight, my parents, Jack, R?ven and I set out for the new location that Penny Truscott had found. Tonight we would meet in an abandoned warehouse near the docks. The others complained that it was cold here, as the wind whistled through the gaps in the walls, but I was perfectly comfortable. Greeting everyone, including Bobby the Human, I took my place in the circle with Jack and R?ven. I could barely wait to tell the others what had happened today, but I waited until it was my turn to share news.
‘Tom and I have managed to find out some information on a couple of Martinez’s guards,’ said Bran, pacing the circle. ‘A mate of ours from the docks had a little run-in with a pair of them at the pub last night. He said it got a little messy.’
‘What happened?’ asked my father.
‘Well it didn’t end well,’ said Tom. ‘For Martinez’s lot, that is.’
Bran and Tom chortled in unison.
‘What’s so funny?’ I asked.
‘Well,’ Tom sighed. ‘To be honest, their Powers were rather useless.’
‘One had supersonic hearing,’ Bran smirked. ‘Not much use in a fight. Loud noises paralysed him.’
‘That was one Power I didn’t want to mimic,’ said Tom. ‘The other bloke is omni-lingual. He can speak every language there is.’
‘Even troll,’ Bran laughed.
‘Well those Powers aren’t much use,’ said Elise Stalk. ‘Why would Martinez have those two as part of his guard?’
‘That omni-lingual man would be useful in overseas transactions and we know that Martinez ships Humans all over the world,’ said Tom.
‘Enhanced hearing would come in handy if you were listening for intruders,’ said my father.
There was a general murmur of agreement.
‘I don’t think we will need to worry about that,’ I chimed in. My tone was suggestive.
‘Why not?’ asked my mother.
‘Well,’ I said with a small smile. ‘I don’t think we will need to sneak onto Martinez’s property.’
The other members looked at each other in confusion.
‘I don’t follow. Do you know someone who is able to teleport?’ asked Penny Truscott in her tiny voice.
I shook my head as I reached into the depths of my pocket. I pulled out the purple invitation and handed it to my father.
‘Zat coat of arms,’ began Maria, pointing to the folded invitation. ‘Eet is familiar.’
‘That’s the Martinez shield,’ said Robert, as my father shook open the piece of paper.
I watched my father’s expression change from confusion to shock as his eyes travelled down the page.
‘Where did you get this, Avalon?’ he asked, looking up at me.
‘What is it, Kenneth?’ said my mother, standing to get a better look at what was written on the paper.
Clearing his throat, my father began to read the invitation aloud. ‘You have been chosen to attend Nicholo Martinez’s bi-monthly garden party to showcase your animal spirit. An animal spirit is required to enter this event, which shall take place at the Martinez Manor on the second Saturday of this month at one o’clock in the afternoon. You may bring one guest.’
Everyone in the circle stared at my father with wide eyes.
‘But ‘ow did you get zis pass into zee manor?’ said Maria. ‘Where did you find eet?’
‘I didn’t find it,’ I said. ‘Nicholo Martinez gave it to me.’
‘You spoke to him?’ gasped Elise.
‘I didn’t know who he was,’ I said, shrugging.
‘Maria and I have been trying to get an invitation to the Martinez garden parties for years … before Bobby was taken from us,’ said Robert.
‘We were always rejected. Our animal spirits are not interesting enough, apparently,’ Maria said hotly.
‘Martinez holds these garden parties every two months. It is extremely difficult to attend. Usually only those of great Power or influence are invited,’ said Tom.
‘So why was Avalon invited?’ asked my mother.
More murmuring.
‘Martinez saw Hawthorne and thought he was magnificent,’ I said.
‘It sounds fishy to me,’ said my father. His comment fell on deaf ears.
‘When she goes, one of us must escort her,’ said Tom.
‘I agree,’ said Elise. ‘We will need to devise a plan of action.’
‘I don’t think we should let Avalon go,’ said my father loudly.
‘I will escort Avalon,’ said Jack.
‘You don’t have an animal spirit,’ said Robert.
‘No, I don’t,’ Jack agreed. ‘But I have R?ven.’
All eyes turned to R?ven, who smiled politely.
‘That could work,’ said Bran, seeming rather impressed.
‘Avalon is not going,’ my father growled.
All eyes snapped to him.
‘Why not?’ said Elise.
‘It might be dangerous,’ my father said.
A collective sigh passed around the room.
‘Dad,’ I said, my cheeks becoming pink. ‘It’s a party. I was invited-’
‘It might be a trap,’ he snapped.
‘Oh, for goodness sake,’ said Maria. ‘Zis may be our only chance to infiltrate zee manor.’
‘And you think a little girl should be the one to do it?’ shot my father.
‘Dad,’ I groaned.
‘She is ‘ardly a leetle girl,’ Maria glowered. ‘She is a woman!’
I beamed at Maria.
‘I don’t think it will be safe,’ said my father through gritted teeth.
‘Ken,’ said my mother. ‘She won’t be alone. Jack, R?ven and Hawthorne will be with her.’