To Jude’s surprise, the Phantom did not immediately dismiss the idea of stealing the coin from Etienne when she told him what Ivory had said.
“Yes,” he replied. “I had anticipated that was what we would have to do. And I’ve thought of how we might do it.”
“How?” Jude asked.
“By summoning the aid of the Thief. Ivory must know a spell to call him.”
One of the cool legba, the Thief was, as his name suggested, a master criminal who delighted in taking things that did not belong to him. He was said to be thin, a bit of a joker and would immediately pocket any object that was given to him.
“Before we do anything,” Jude said. “I’m going to visit Sharkey in hospital.”
There isn’t time for that! Ivory hissed. Cajou Night is tomorrow!
Cajou Night? Jude thought back. What’s that got to do with anything?
N-nothing particularly. It’s just that time is marching on and, like I told you, a human body doesn’t like having a spirit trapped inside it. You could become ill. And then you’d be no use to me at all.
It seemed to Jude that Ivory had stumbled over her words a little but she didn’t have time to puzzle over it.
Whatever, she replied. Your concern for my health is touching, but I’m fine. It’ll take me five minutes to look in on Sharkey. Then we’ll go and buy the things we need for this spell to summon the Thief.
The Phantom said he would accompany her to the hospital.
“They wanted to arrange payment then and there but I was in a hurry to get back to Moonfleet so I just handed over my wallet.”
“Thank you,” Jude said, as it suddenly occurred to her that she hadn’t expressed her gratitude yet. “For seeing that he was taken care of and—”
But the Phantom shook his head and cut her off abruptly. “Please,” he said. “It was the least I could do.”
It’s an act, Ivory said inside Jude’s mind. You mark my words. One day, you’ll see.
Jude ignored her as she went outside with the Phantom. St Germaine’s was only a short walk away and was a much better hospital than Sharkey would have been able to afford himself. Jude felt a terrible anxiety sloshing around in the pit of her stomach with every step. What if Sharkey was angry with her? She should never have allowed him to come to the bayou in the first place.
They arrived at the hospital and headed to the reception desk, where the Phantom collected his wallet and Jude was given directions to Sharkey’s room.
“I hope you find him well,” the Phantom said.
Jude sighed. “He shouldn’t be here at all. People are getting hurt because of me.”
“People are getting hurt because of Ivory,” the Phantom corrected her. “I should return to Moonfleet. Meet me there when you have the ingredients you need.”
Jude nodded. “All right. I’ll see you later.”
He turned and was about to go when a horribly familiar voice called out, “Oh my gods, Jude, have you lost your mind? What the hell are you wearing?”
She slowly turned round, knowing who she would see, smirking before her. Sure enough, Leeroy stood in the corridor, as handsome as ever with his golden-blond hair, his blue eyes and his perfectly straight nose. His lips curled into a sneer as his gaze rested on her. To make matters even worse, his friend Ollie was there too, and Jude knew that would make Leeroy determined to show off. There was nothing she could say or do that would prevent him from putting her down in front of his friend. She had known that they worked in a hospital in the Fountain District but why oh why did it have to be this one?
“That outfit looks like it belongs on a Pearl,” Leeroy said. “Talk about a pig dressed in silks!”
And there it was, the reason why he was able to make her feel so worthless. It was because he echoed her own insecurities straight back at her. Why, she’d had that exact same thought just an hour earlier when she’d first put on the clothes. It was as if Leeroy could see into her soul somehow and held up a mirror that Jude had no wish to look into.
Little rat, Ivory said. You know, I could tell you how to make a vinegar jar that would sour his life. All you need is a personal item of his, a few herbs and some red pepper to put in a glass jar with his name on it. Then you fill it with vinegar, call his spirit into the bottle and shake it when the moon is full—
I’m not making a vinegar jar! Jude snapped, cutting her off.
She took a deep breath but before she could say a word there was a dark blur of movement and suddenly the Phantom was no longer by her side – he was gripping Leeroy round the throat with one gloved hand and then lifting him, one-armed, to slam against the wall. Leeroy tried to speak but only a gurgle came out as his face turned purple and his dangling ankles drummed helplessly against the plaster.
“You will not speak to her,” the Phantom hissed in a tone so icy-cold that Jude felt goose bumps creep across her skin.
“Let him go, you maniac!” Ollie cried.
The Phantom ignored him, didn’t even turn round as Ollie rushed at him. His spare hand just flew up at the last moment so that Ollie practically ran into his fist, taking the hit directly to the throat and staggering back with a gurgling sound.
“You will not speak to her,” the Phantom repeated, still looking at Leeroy. “You will not look at her. You will not think of her. Ever again. Am I clear?”
Leeroy tried to nod, but it was impossible for him to move and both his hands clutched desperately at the Phantom’s.
“For god’s sake, let him go!” Jude hissed.
The Phantom released his grip immediately and Leeroy slithered to the floor, gulping for air, his throat swollen and red. People were shouting and Jude was afraid that security guards might appear at any moment. But the Phantom had already turned away and was stalking out of the hospital.
With one last glance at Leeroy, Jude hurried after him, catching up just outside the entrance at the same time as a security guard
“Hey!” the guard called. “We had reports that someone just— Oh!” He broke off as the Phantom turned round and he saw his mask. “S-sorry to bother you, Mr Majstro.”
And that was it, the guard went back into the hospital without another word of reproach. There were no consequences of any kind. After all, André Majstro was cajou Royalty and Leeroy Lamar was only a Scrap.
“Come here.” Jude gripped his wrist and tugged him down a nearby side street. It was one of the Fountain District’s many residential streets, lined with immaculate white-columned mansions nestled away behind wrought-iron fences. Jude stopped beneath the cool shadow of a papershell pecan tree. It was the first time she’d ever deliberately touched the Phantom and he snatched his arm away from her now as if she’d burnt him.
“What the hell was that?” Jude demanded.
“He was being rude,” the Phantom replied.
“So? That doesn’t give you the right to grab someone by the throat! And I don’t need you to fight my battles for me either!”
He made an impatient noise and turned away from her.
Finally he said, “If I did wrong, then I apologize.”
Jude thought back to all her previous encounters with the Phantom. He had always seemed so completely in control of himself and his emotions before. This had been different. She’d heard the venom in his voice as he’d spoken to Leeroy – it had seemed personal.
I did try to tell you that you had somehow broken through to that shrivelled-up heart of his, Ivory said, sounding smug.
But surely she had to be wrong?
“Do you…” Jude began, frowning. “You don’t … have feelings for me. Do you?”
She fully expected the Phantom to deny it immediately. Perhaps even point out her plainness, the difference in their status or her undesirability in general. But instead there was a long pause.
“I have tried so very hard not to,” he said at last. “But … the more I resist, the worse it proceeds to get.”
“But … but I don’t understand. You’ve got Paris. She’s a million times prettier than I am—”
“We have never been in a romantic relationship,” the Phantom said. “Besides, Paris has not yet developed her soul. There can be no comparison with your kindness and loyalty and beautiful spirit.” He didn’t look at her as he went on, “Ivory may have guessed at some of this, so I would prefer you hear it from me, assuming she hasn’t already said something.” At last, he turned his head, his grey eyes watching her from behind the mask. “I want you to know that you are perfectly safe. I would never…” His voice caught in his throat. “Never dream of acting on my feelings. I will not contact you. I will not pester you. After this is all finished, you need never see me ever again. I give you my word.”
“But I—”
“Now, I really must get back to Moonfleet,” the Phantom said. “And Violetta.”
He walked off before Jude could say anything. Not that she had any idea what she would have said. Her mind buzzed with it all. Ivory started to make some snide remark but Jude cut her off out loud, drawing the attraction of a couple of passers-by.
“Would you shut up already?”
Get on with it then! Ivory sniffed. You’re supposed to be getting supplies for the spell, not mooning about on the street, with the Phantom of all people!
I wasn’t mooning about, Jude snapped.
The sooner you see your friend, the sooner we can get a move on, Ivory said.
Jude pulled herself together, walked back to the hospital and went in to find Sharkey. There was no sign of Leeroy this time and she shoved her ex from her mind as firmly as she could, along with the disconcerting conversation with André.
When she reached Sharkey’s room, she was relieved to see that he was sitting up in bed. His leg was bandaged where the nightmare had bitten him but he smiled when he saw her and waved her over for a hug.
“I thought you might be angry with me,” she said, drawing back and taking the nearby seat.
“Angry with myself, more like,” Sharkey replied. “Can’t believe I went and got myself monched by one of them horrors.” He gestured to his leg. “Not much use to anyone like this, am I? And worst of all, I guess I won’t be able to play in the band for Cajou Night tomorrow.”
Jude felt another flash of guilt. She knew that Sharkey and his grandmother would have been relying on that fee every bit as much as she was. But then she recalled the bone flower still in her pocket. It was a valuable thing and she knew she’d have no problem selling it in Baton Noir.
“Listen, don’t worry about the money,” she said to Sharkey. “I can make it up to you.”
Her friend immediately started to protest, so Jude drew the strange flower from her pocket to show him.
“I grabbed this in the Black Bayou,” she said. “Or rather Ivory did. Once I’ve sold it we can split the—Argh!”
The rest of her sentence disappeared in a little yelp of pain as she felt a sudden pressure building behind her eyes and tasted iron on her tongue.
The bone flower is not for selling! Ivory’s voice hissed angrily inside her mind.
“What’s wrong?” Sharkey asked, reaching forward to grip Jude’s shoulder.
“Nothing,” she said, although her head still ached. “It’s just Ivory.”
Why are you so concerned about that flower? she asked the cajou queen. I thought you said you picked it up by accident?
I did, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use it, Ivory replied. An item like that holds a lot of magical power. We might need it. So don’t you dare think of selling it until this is over!
Jude frowned. It seemed to her that Ivory was acting strangely over this flower.
You’ve seen your friend, Ivory said, and now we really must go. There are things to be done.
Jude turned her attention back to Sharkey. “Don’t worry about the money,” she said again. She stuffed the bone flower back in her pocket. “One way or another, I promise I’ll make it up to you.”