Chapter 9

The following morning Grim dressed in his new clothes that arrived from Madam Sloan’s. It was similar dress as Dorian and the other boys. He decided it was acceptable.

It beats a blue frilly suit any day.

Grim stepped out into the darkened hall. The group made their way once more to the kitchens where they swallowed day old toast that scraped its way down his throat. He nearly gagged on the cold scrambled eggs that slithered behind it.

After breakfast, Dorian led Grim and the others through the Academy. Down one of the corridors, Aunt Patrice eyed them as they strode past. She nodded her head and returned to speaking to one of the other staff ― a crusty-looking old man who wore a helmet with various looking-glasses attached. On his belt were a plethora of tools. He looked like the maintenance person.

Dorian left them at a large room, wishing them good luck, and it wasn’t long before a very short man with a long coat walked in. He looked like a butler.

“Follow me,” he said, motioning towards Treena.

Grim wished her good luck as she left the room. Next up was Sam. He walked out with Toby. Ellen was next, then the twins. Then Rudy.

“What’s your name?” Grim asked when his turn came.

The man seemed a little surprised at the question. “Keltin,” he replied with a smile and a bow. “Finneas Keltin, at your service.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Finneas. I’m Grim. Grim Doyle.” He stuck out his hand. Finneas seemed hesitant and then shook it.

Grim followed him through a corridor and into another room.

A man that looked as old as the dusty books that surrounded him was perched behind a wooden desk. Grim could barely see his leathery face, round protruding ears, and wiry, unkempt beard. Half his face and one of his eyes were sinth. It protruded like a telescope and examined Grim before he said a word.

“Come, come, sit,” he croaked with a hoarse voice, and motioned to the single, cushioned chair in front of him. He coughed up a gob of something yellow and spit it into a little bowl at his side. “Going to have to get someone to clean that soon,” he mumbled, and gave Grim a nearly toothless smile. Grim sat in the chair and prayed that he not be asked to clean out the slime-covered bowl.

“My name is Halffast Cobblepot. I help to manage the finances of Madam Malkim’s. Your name is Grim, yes?”

Grim nodded.

“Good. I would like to ask you a few questions. First, can you read?”

“Sure.”

“I will require proof, of course.”

He pressed a button on his desk that released a pair of mechanical arms attached to a wheeled platform. It scooted along the loaded shelves and reached up to grab a thick book. It glided back and plopped the book on the desk in front of Grim.

“Please go to page two hundred and twenty-three,” the man said. “There you will find a passage circled in red ink.” Grim grabbed the book, and blew the dust off it.

He sneezed.

The book was titled: The Mystery of Jinns.

Grim flipped the brittle pages until he found a fine, ink circle surrounding a passage in the book.

He began to read: “ Jinns are untrustworthy, ethereal beings that command the elements. The powers for which they were once summoned are no longer required in a world where we can meet those demands with a little ingenuity and absinth. That’s not to say that there may not still be some use for them, but since the decline of the Mystics they will likely remain in obscurity, especially since the closing of the Tower of Celest.”

Grim stopped. The old man now stood upon his stubby legs and his mouth was wide open.

“Magnificent!” he said. “I like to run that test first to see if I might catch a rare jewel out of the orphans that come through here. The next reading was going to be quite simple. I hadn’t expected that at all. Well, let’s move on, shall we?”

He was quite agitated now, and waddled about with an agility and speed Grim did not expect. They moved next to mathematics and Master Cobblepot was quite surprised at the ability with which Grim could handle numbers. “Better than some of the Academy’s students,” he muttered. “I have much that could use with a servant like you.”

Servant. Wonderful.

Master Cobblepot ushered him out the door before Grim could say a word. He was relieved he hadn’t mentioned his bowl of spittle.

Finneas Keltin seized Grim by the wrist and yanked him down the hallway. “This way. No time to waste.”

He brought Grim to another room.

Inside a sturdy-looking woman waited. She was easily more than a foot taller than Grim and had long hair tied back. She wore snug pants and a loose blouse with frilly sleeves. The woman was built like a bear.

She was human. Completely.

Without warning a white ball hurtled towards Grim’s head. He barely had time to think before he caught it.

“Please come in,” said the woman as she took long strides towards him. “Good catch. My name is Madam Adelaide. I catch a number of you orphans off-guard with that ball. Too many black eyes and lumpy foreheads leave this room. Well, let’s get on with it, shall we? Your name is Grim, correct?”

Grim nodded.

“Interesting name. Well, let’s get you up on this plank then.” She pointed to a piece of wood suspended over two pillars that stood about four feet off the ground. The plank couldn’t have been more than four inches wide. It reminded Grim of the balance beam back home. This would have been more suited to Rudy. He hated to admit it, but she was better balanced than he was.

“Up you go then,” she said and lifted Grim with one hand. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, making sure not to look down and instead focused on where he placed his feet. With one foot in front of the other and hands outstretched for balance, Grim inched across the plank. After a few more steps, he exhaled and stepped onto the final pillar. He jumped down and landed lightly on his feet.

“Not too bad,” she said as she flicked dirt from underneath her fingernails. “I’m new to this job, but you’ve got some of the best balance I’ve seen in the last couple of days.” Out of the corner of his eye, Grim saw another ball flying towards him. He caught it with one hand.

“Very good. Almost no one gets the second one. I can’t tell you how many useless servants go running out of here crying because of that second ball. I’m impressed and I have seen enough to know what I am going to recommend for you.”

“Like what?” he asked.

What could possibly require balance?

“Two orphans are in the infirmary with broken limbs after cleaning the tower.”

“What happened to them?”

“A massive bird flew at them and they slipped clean off the rain-soaked roof. They bounced off the tree, fortunately for them. Their fate was better than my predecessor who had to be scraped off the ground.” She grinned. “You’ll be my new replacement.”

The Tower? Is she crazy?

She shooed him out the door. “Good day to you.”

Again, waiting for him was Finneas. He snatched Grim by the arm before he could say a word.

Grim was then dragged down long corridors that seemingly had no end, into rooms where he faced yet someone new each time. With Master Galan, who was the new Alchemist, Grim knew little about what things needed to be mixed together. The man decided that even though he could not use him as a servant, he would teach him what he could, knowing he was new to this world.

Then there was Master Rickett, the Caretaker — the same man he saw Aunt Patrice talking to in the corridor earlier. Grim walked through piles and rows of items that needed repair. Most of the things in the room ticked and hooted when Grim approached them. There were bugs flying about the room that reminded him of fireflies, but they were sinth.

The old man was at the back of the room. He had a monocle covering one of his eyes and was a gruff looking fellow with wild gray hair that looked as if a windstorm had swept through it.

He paused to look at Grim, motioned him over, and then returned to working on whatever was in his hands.

The object in front of him appeared as if it were some sort of metallic spider. And when Master Rickett poked a part of the body with a probing device, the legs would jerk sporadically.

“What is that?” Grim asked.

Master Rickett lifted the other eyebrow, the bushier one, and paused. “Haven’t decided.”

Grim laughed. “You don’t know what it is?”

“You’d be surprised what you can do if you just give your hands a little freedom. Sometimes it’s utter junk. And sometimes it’s worse than junk. But every once in a while you create something that has promise. That’s the nature of tinkering, boy.”

 “Can I watch?” Grim asked and settled himself on the floor in front of a hodge-podge of junk. He picked up a piece of chain.

“Pass me that. That’s exactly what I need.”

Grim passed him the chain and watched as Master Rickett attached it to the spider-creature, deep inside its body.

“What else do your hands tell you, boy?”

Grim shrugged and grabbed a pincer-like object. It appeared quite sharp.

 “Good, good.” Master Rickett took it and fastened it under an item that looked like a head.

“Again,” he said.

Grim grabbed some red crystals this time.

“Very good.” The man snatched them up, placing them inside the metal skull. “More!”

Grim then began grabbing various cogs and gears, handing them to the tinkerer as fast as his hands could move. And every time Master Rickett would place each inside the metal creature, all the while shouting words like: “Astounding!” and “Magnificent!”

Then Grim paused.

“What is it, boy?”

He looked about the pile. His fingers hesitated and hovered over a shimmering blue sphere.

“Well?”

Grim looked at the old man and saw a twinkle in his eyes. And there was something else there as well, like Master Rickett was studying him. Grim grabbed the stone. “This is the last item. There’s nothing else.”

“Where does it belong?”

Grim looked inside the spider creature and as he held the stone it seemed to beat like a heart. He knew exactly where it belonged. With a swift motion he placed it inside. He pulled his hand away as he heard a whirring sound and the squeaking of metal on metal. Red beacons glowed in its head and the thing rubbed against Grim’s leg. He could swear it was almost purring.

“Good hands, boy.” He nodded his head towards the door. “I’ll call on you when I need you.”

The spider-like creature started to follow Grim.

“Take her with you,” Master Rickett said. “She’s yours.”

“Mine?”

He nodded. “Give her a name, boy.”

Grim bent over and picked the spider creature up. It was purring. Its red eyes blinked.

“Scarlet,” he said.

The spider creature wiggled its pincers and then settled down in Grim’s hands.

“She likes it.”

“Thanks,” Grim said and stepped out the door to find Finneas Keltin once more.

“Last room,” Finneas said, as he led Grim down the hall. He casually glanced at Scarlet perched on Grim’s shoulder.

Grim stepped inside the final door.

The room was bereft of any decoration or furniture; just a cold, empty space. It had no window.

Waiting for him was Aunt Patrice. Her face looked sad and more wrinkled than usual. As the door closed behind him, Grim looked for any other presence in the room.

They were alone.

“Hello, Grimwald,” Aunt Patrice greeted. She leaned on her umbrella. “It is good to see you, child.”

“It’s nice to see you too,” Grim returned. He let Scarlet down to investigate the room.

“I’m sure you have much to ask since your arrival here, but let’s get down to why I am here first.”

Grim nodded.

“I need you to keep your sister’s feet on the ground. Someone needs to keep her in check.”

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll keep an eye on Ellen.”

“I’m not referring to Ellen.”

“Oh,” he said. “You mean Rudy.”

The old woman nodded. “Rudolpha will be the Lady of Harland Manor one day. She needs to have a level head. And if there is anyone that can keep her rooted to the ground, it’s you.”

He said nothing.

“Now, with that said, you will need to work with her; watch over her. Keep her out of mischief. And keep her safe.”

He rolled his eyes.

“In addition you will learn from Master Rickett. There are few that are gifted in his art, and he’s not getting any younger. Master Rickett was quite taken with you and Sam. I will have Madam Malkim see to it that you both work with him.”

He nodded.

“Ellenova will be working with laundry and kitchen duty. You will work with her from time to time to watch over her as well.”

“What about the twins?” he asked.

“Bensworth and Barnsworth will be cleaning. Goodness knows they need to learn how. You and Rudy, both, will join them.”

Ugh.

“I’m not finished,” she said, studying the look of surprise on his face. “You did well reading with Master Cobblepot, a little too well. You have much to learn of this world, and he is the only one who can ready you with that information. You will work with him as well.”

“How am I going to do all that?”

“It’s not uncommon to be put to multiple uses around here. There are others who will work just as hard. You’ll manage. Your Dad did.” Aunt Patrice studied Grim for a moment before nodding her head. “All right then, child. Now, is there anything else?”

“Yes,” he said. “The Anniversary. I thought we should tell Dad and Pop. They could come in disguise.”

“Clever. More than likely they will be attending, in disguise as you put it. I will let you know of their plans as soon as I am able.” She eyed Scarlet poking at the floor boards. “I must go now. Please wait here for Finneas to return.”

She left Grim in the room, alone with his thoughts and the whirring sound of Scarlet searching through the room. She now seemed fascinated with a painting on the wall.

A few moments later, Finneas Keltin entered. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” Grim said. “Am I finished?”

“The others are already waiting.”

He found them in a rather refined-looking room with an elaborate rug, comfy chairs and a shiny round table that glimmered with one’s reflection.

Rudy hustled over with Treena behind her. “So, how did it go?”

He told them, but kept the conversation with Aunt Patrice to himself.

Rudy nodded during the entire thing while yanking on her pigtails. He could tell she felt as overwhelmed.

Grim sat down. “So, how did it go for you?” he asked Treena.

“That horrid Madam Adelaide was just cruel,” she said. “She must have thrown that ball at me ten times.” She rubbed her head. “I couldn’t even stand on the pillar, let alone walk across that plank. She said she was surprised I can stand on my own two feet and said she needs help cleaning the sewers. She also said she intends to have me cleaning the tower by the end of the month.”

Grim shuddered. That was just cruel.

Rudy put her hand on Treena’s shoulder. “I’ll help you,” she said. “I did pretty good with her.”

“You impressed that horrible muscle-woman?”

Both Rudy and Grim nodded.

Grim turned to his sister. “Ellen, what about you?”

Ellen frowned while she adjusted her dress. “Dirty laundry stinks.” She looked at the spider creature on Grim’s shoulder. “What’s that?”

“This is Scarlet. I made her,” he said. The spider inched down his arm and jumped to one of the chairs. Ellen put her hand over to let it crawl up her arm. She giggled. “I like her.”

“Why don’t you take care of her for now?” Grim suggested.

Ellen smiled after that.

The twins were quiet and subdued for a change. Even Scarlet didn’t seem to interest them. “Cleaning,” they muttered.

The only other one smiling was Sam. “I’m going to fix things,” he said. He reached over to pet Scarlet as the door opened.

Madam Malkim strode in.

She casually brushed her eyebrows and adjusted her pristine white gloves. She studied herself in the mirror.

“You,” she said, pointing to Grim, “come with me.”

Grim followed her out the door, almost running to keep up. Madam Malkim led him down the hall to a simple room that was like the House of Mirrors at a carnival. He didn’t look in them. He just kept walking, especially after he thought he caught the face of an old man in one.

With a swift, silent gesture of her hand Madam Malkim directed Grim into the next room where there were two chairs with a large desk separating them. She motioned for Grim to sit. The chair adjusted itself to suit him.

“Now,” she said. “I have heard interesting things about you. Many of our staff believe you to be quite talented. We need talent here. Running the orphanage takes intelligence.” She handed Grim a piece of parchment. “Your duties.”

Grim looked it over and nearly groaned. Every hour of the day was filled.

“By law I must give you a half-day off every two weeks. Other than that, you will work as requested. If you are sick, these forms must be filled out.” She pointed to a stack of them on her shelf. “They cannot be filed while you are scheduled to work.”

“That’s fine,” Grim said. That meant they’d have to be filed on his time off.

“As well, these forms,” she said, gesturing towards the remainder of the shelves, “are for your compensation, time tracking, deliveries, substitutions, accidents, and bereavement. All must be filled out off-schedule. And if they are not done in a timely manner, you owe me work in lieu.” Her grin stretched from ear to ear.

Again Grim nodded. So much for that half-day off.

“Wonderful,” Madam Malkim said, and patted her face with a lacy kerchief. “Now if there is nothing else, you may go.”

Grim left the room and ambled through the corridors, wondering how he would manage. He was secretly pleased he would be working with Master Rickett, though.

As he made his way back through the maze of corridors and struggled to walk through some of the more crooked hallways, he found his own door wide open. He poked his head in and found someone standing in the room ― a boy with smooth dark skin, and black wavy hair. He wore a yellow suit with matching top hat and was easily the most prestigious-looking person Grim had ever seen. He fiddled with a platinum cane.

Grim stepped in. “Hello, I’m ―”

“Well, it’s about time a servant arrived!” the boy snapped. His face creased as he gazed about the room. “These accommodations are not fit for swine! This is unacceptable! And do you not know how to bow? Really, good help is so hard to find.”

Oh, bother.

He hoped there was some sort of mix-up and that this boy was simply one of the students that got lost.

“Uh, hi. I’m Grim. Grim Doyle.” He offered his hand, but the boy stepped back and slapped his hand away with his glove.

“What kind of hideous name is that ― Grim? You must be from the Southlands.”

He ignored the comment. “And you are?” Grim asked.

“You mean you don’t know? Everyone knows who I am. I am Lord Quinn of Owen Manor.” It appeared he might say more, but he began a fit of coughing.

“Are you sick?” Grim asked.

“I have some hideous cough that came upon me just before departure. Our Alchemist gave me an awful elixir that I am to take until it clears up. Bring it to me, I think I feel faint.” He placed the back of his gloved hand to his forehead with the most dramatic flair.

Grim rolled his eyes. He was about to step forward and grab the yellow bottle from the table when Valeria stepped into the room with Rudy and Treena in tow.

The Sylph eyed Quinn with a raised eyebrow. “I see you two have met. I will come back shortly to take you on a tour of the grounds.”

Quinn puffed himself up. “This room, in fact this whole place, is deplorable.”

Valeria dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “I suggest you get used to it. Madam Malkim’s is your new home now.”

The boy fingered the red curtains with disdain. “I am Lord Quinn of Owen Manor. I cannot be subjected to the same conditions as the rest of you…,” he paused, “…orphans.”

The Sylph gave him a stern look. “If I hear correctly, you are the Lord of Nothing Manor at the moment, so you are stuck with the rest of us. Perhaps you do not understand the conditions of being here. Were you not told this?”

“But you don’t honestly think I can accept being treated the same as someone of … your status.”

Valeria placed her hands on her hips and Grim stepped back, bracing himself. He didn’t know what to expect if the Sylph turned into a Banshee right in front of him. Best to give her a little space.

“I would suggest you get your behavior in line with what is expected of you, or you may find yourself shamefully expelled. And there’s nowhere to go but the streets from here. That hasn’t happened for some time now. And considering your current circumstances, I’m sure that’s the last thing you would want, isn’t it my Lord?”

Quinn lowered his head. “Yes.”

“Good,” said Valeria. “Now, as I said, I will return shortly to take you on a tour and get you fitted for clothing.” The Sylph departed as Rudy and Treena walked into the room.

Quinn exhaled. “I guess you’re not going to get me that elixir then?”

Grim passed it to him.

“Thank you,” he said. “I’m afraid I don’t remember what you called yourself. You are …?”

“Grim,” he said again.

“That’s your name?”

“Well, it’s actually Grimwald,” he said and then clamped his mouth shut. Rudy glared at him.

Quinn didn’t seem to notice. “That’s a much better name. Where are you from?”

“Very, very far away,” he muttered, and then added, “…in the south.”

“That would explain the strange name.”

He looked at the others.

“And your friends?”

“This is Treena,” Grim said as she stepped forward.

“Why is that name familiar?” Quinn said, scratching his chin. “What is your Manor?”

“Octavius,” she said.

“Great Ancestors! Your father leads the Resistance!” he exclaimed.

Treena smiled large. “And he’s the best Trapper in the all the Dominions.”

Quinn harrumphed.

“Trapper?” Rudy asked.

Treena nodded. “He catches Changelings. They’re a menace.”

“Oh,” Rudy replied, but it was obvious she wasn’t entirely sure what that meant.

“Lord Victor confiscated our lands and our Manor,” Treena said. “We want them back.”

The boy eyed Rudy. “And you are?”

She thumbed at Grim. “I’m his older sister. You can call me Rudy.”

“Another strange name.”

“Would you like to join us?” Rudy asked, much to the disappointment of the others.

The boy considered whether to join them or not, and finally nodded. With that, they all departed for the Hearth Room and plunked themselves down in the oversize chairs.

Quinn took his time to dust off the sofa with a handkerchief before sitting.

Treena plopped down next to him and dust spewed up, covering him.

She looked at him and then shrugged. “I can’t believe how much work we have to do. I have to report for kitchen duty every day before the sun rises and then afterwards I have wardrobe repair. After that I have to help Madam Tyne dust the Library and then report to Madam Adelaide to sweep the grounds and unclog the sewers and drains.”

Quinn cleared his throat. He looked a little pale. “And you, Grimwald?”

“Master Cobblepot wants some help and I have equipment maintenance, and then kitchen duty.”

Quinn shifted in his seat, yet before he could say anything, Valeria clomped in with a girl who was close to Grim’s height, with wild, orange hair. Her nose looked like that of a pig. She didn’t have whites around her one good eye, just a beady black marble that stared right through them. Her huge pointed ears jutted out of her head like hairy antennae.

“This is Eevenellin.” Valeria was prompt with her introduction. “Quinn, I have come to take you on a tour.”

“A Grundel,” Quinn said, “how interesting. I’ve never met one. Is it true you eat earwax for breakfast and pig brains for dinner?”

“Where did you ever hear such awful things?” asked Valeria.

“I heard it from my former Tutor. Is it true?”

“No, it is not,” said the Grundel with a thick, rasping voice.

Valeria’s thin eyebrows narrowed and there was a red glow about her. Grim inched back.

“Quinn, it is time for your tour and we will have a talk about good manners.” Valeria seized the boy by the arm and escorted him down the corridor.

Eevenellin marched down the hallway to her own room, next door to Valeria’s, and slammed the door.

“Where is she from?” Grim asked.

“Valeria?” Treena said. “She’s from the Rowanwood, where the Sylphs live.”

“No, I meant the other girl — Eevenellin.”

“Oh, the Grundels live in Underknoll — in the Hawshorn Mountains. You really need to get a map. You don’t know anything.”

Where will we get a map?

And as they turned to leave Grim noticed Valeria Bellow watching them from down the hallway once more.