Bound by Alan Baxter

schoolboy, allowed to put his hand under the blouse of his girlfriend behind the bike sheds. With a sharp intake of breath he sat back, pulling his vision away. ‘You’re …’
    ‘Older than Welby? Yes. You see what I mean about youth and ignorance?’
    ‘Sorry.’
    ‘It’s okay.’
    Alex was confused again, unsure now how to interact with this girl. She was young and beautiful, yet also ancient. ‘Sorry,’ he said again, for want of anything else to say.
    ‘Just carry on as before,’ she said. ‘You were doing fine.’ Her face became serious again. ‘But we need to get back to the point. You said Welby felt the book and his stone were connected. You could read the book. What was it called?’
    ‘The Darak Uthentia …’
    Silhouette’s hardening expression gave Alex pause. It appeared he didn’t need to explain any more. ‘And this is the book that’s bound to you?’ she asked.
    ‘Yeah. And the stone …’
    She waved a hand at him. ‘I can imagine. Well, you’re certainly in the shit.’
    ‘Am I?’
    ‘You know you are. Don’t you?’
    Alex looked down at his feet. ‘Yeah. I don’t know what to do.’
    ‘Did Welby set you up for this? I didn’t think the old poof had it in him.’
    Alex sighed expansively. ‘No. At least, he claimed not. He got the stone, I don’t know how, and the stone led him to the book, but he couldn’t read it. He had his suspicions but he seemed genuinely sorry when he realised what had happened.’
    Silhouette made a wry face. ‘Hmm. Little more than a conjuror, see? For all his studies, he wasn’t very smart.’
    ‘So what do I do?’
    Silhouette stared hard at Alex. After a while he became uncomfortable, his cheeks flushing, but he refused to look away. ‘You’re a hard-arse, huh?’
    He didn’t know if she was mocking him or not. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘You’re a fighter — that much is obvious from what I saw last night. Is that all you do?’
    ‘Pretty much. I’m good at it, it makes me a solid living. I like to fight and I like the peace and quiet I earn between bouts.’
    ‘Your life has just flipped arse upwards, young Alex.’ She seemed genuinely sorry for him.
    ‘I know.’ He was desperate for this strange girl to help him. He needed someone to tell him what to do.
    ‘I don’t think I can help you,’ she said softly.
    ‘What?’
    ‘There’s so much you don’t understand and I think you’re too deep too soon. I can’t help you.’
    Alex could feel himself trembling. He cursed his weakness. ‘Please,’ he said. ‘I don’t want any of this.’
    Silhouette sat forward, taking his hand in hers. Her touch felt warm and electric, her fingers strong and soft at the same time. ‘Something tempted you.’
    ‘Tempted me?’
    ‘There’s always choice.’
    He thought back to the dressing room in Sydney. The goons in the alley, Welby’s magic trick with the water, the element grimoire, his car at the hotel, the airport. His hand had been forced by Scarlet but he had been seduced all the way by Welby and what he might learn. He could have gone anywhere while Amir did his thing, but he’d followed Welby to London, intrigued. In his gut he’d mistrusted the man, but had let himself be dragged along. ‘I knew better,’ he said, his voice weak.
    ‘Then it was too late.’
    He looked into the ice blue eyes under her blonde fringe. ‘Please help me!’
    She looked down at their hands. ‘Alex, I really don’t think I can. But maybe my Clan Lord can.’
    ‘Clan Lord?’
    She looked up again, that crooked smile making his stomach flutter. ‘You think you’ve seen a lot already? You better brace yourself. And I need to warn you, you’ll have to earn the right to talk to my Lord.’
    Alex was happy for any thread of hope. ‘Sure, sure. If there’s someone who can help —’
    ‘It might kill you,’ she interrupted.
    ‘Kill me?’
    ‘I’m being honest with you. My Clan Lord might be able to help, but to find out might kill