Skinned Read online

  ‘Better follow,’ Callum said grimly. ‘Jacob must have brought us both here for a reason.’

  It was darker in the churchyard than it had been on the road. Callum knew from experience that if he didn’t take care, he’d trip over tombstones or the iron railings marking Victorian graves and end up flat on his face. The church loomed like an ice-bound ship, faintly etched in frost.

  ‘Can’t see anything,’ said Melissa. ‘Maybe he’s not here –?’

  The doorway of the church was suddenly swallowed in darkness. Callum and Melissa stumbled against each other as a rope of wind even chillier than the night itself wound around their legs. White, gleaming fangs flashed in the middle of the inky shadow in the door, and a terrifying rumble reverberated around the cemetery as the enormous beast let rip a supernatural canine growl.

  It was Doom, the Churchyard Grim and Jacob’s companion.

  The giant dog loomed in the ruined doorway, fangs bared. Now he backed away – an invitation to proceed. Gritting his teeth, Callum went first, and Melissa followed. He hadn’t always trusted Doom, but Callum couldn’t deny that it was his icy fangs that destroyed the Fetch. The spectral dog was on their side, or at least seemed to be . . .

  Doom turned and loped into the church after them, the bone-birds darting about his great shadowy form.

  ‘Jacob?’

  Callum’s voice echoed inside the cold, ruined walls of the sanctuary. He and Melissa stood still, side by side, peering at the jagged shadows thrown in all directions by the light of the soaring moon outside. They had both been there before, and it was never exactly a settling experience, but this felt different. For Jacob to summon the two of them here so late in the evening must mean something serious.

  As Callum’s eyes adjusted to the gloom, he realised that Jacob was already there. The ghost-boy stood just beside the ruined altar in his long black coat, fingers clenched, hands by his sides. Longish, black hair shadowed his faintly gleaming skin.

  Doom moved to stand next to his master, and Callum saw Jacob’s pale hand reach up to grip the dark fur at the back of Doom’s neck.

  Suddenly, there came a tremendous flash of lightning, which tore the night in two and caused Callum to stagger back in shock. For one second he could see everything as though in broad, clear daylight – every stone of the ruined church, every leaf of ivy and stem of nettle winding among the stones picked out in perfect detail – the bird skeletons in mid-air, the spectral figures of Jacob and Doom, starkly outlined in black and glowing silver. Then the light was gone and Callum could see nothing.

  But he heard Jacob’s echoing, bell-like voice cut through the darkness.

  ‘The Shadowing has begun.’

  Chapter Two

  Callum could feel Jacob’s eyes fixed on him expectantly.

  ‘Well, what do you want me to say?’ he asked.

  Things didn’t feel any different – there was no sudden change, no flood of demonic energy. Just the bone-trembling cold. Jacob pointed towards the ruined wall of the church, through the space a window would once have been, and towards the night sky. His finger dripped with the black blood that often seeped from his fingernails.

  ‘This,’ the ghost began, ‘is merely the first moon of the thirteen. The full force of the Shadowing is not immediate. But that does not mean we are able to linger. Already, there is much danger.’

  Melissa looked over at Callum, then to Jacob. ‘Well, it’s all a bit of an anti-climax so far,’ she said with a tentative grin. But Callum couldn’t bring himself to smile.

  ‘What do you mean, the full force is not immediate?’ he said.

  ‘When the Shadowing commences, the floodgates do not simply open,’ Jacob said. ‘The Boundary between the mortal world and the Netherworld remains in place but, as the cycle of the moons progresses, there will be a steady increase in the number of gaps in its fabric.’

  Callum cleared his throat.

  ‘And the more weak points there are in the Boundary, the more . . . stuff . . . can cross over from the Netherworld?’

  ‘That is correct,’ Jacob said grimly. ‘The situation will grow more and more perilous. Indeed, it is already dangerous. From this night forward, demons and other beings of the Netherworld – ghosts, creatures of mortal legend, murderous beasts – they will all begin to surface with increasing frequency in the world of men. They will be set on destruction and feasting, on fear and on flesh.’ He paused, looking at Callum and Melissa closely. ‘The threat will escalate through the thirteen moons. But during this dark time of the Shadowing, you, Callum . . .’ The ghost trailed off for a moment, his expression becoming something close to regretful. ‘You will be the Boundary’s final guardian. You are the last chime child.’

  Callum nodded mutely, straining his ears and eyes, half expecting to see goblins begin to pop out of the stonework, or through the gaping black hole of the tower door. Suddenly realising he had been holding his breath, he exhaled it in a gust and shook his head.

  ‘Well, what can I do?’ Callum asked. He was surprised to feel a sense of urgency and purpose overtaking him. ‘Can I do anything to slow it down, prevent the crossings, limit them? Or –’

  Jacob held up one pale hand. ‘We must not get ahead of ourselves. Of course, your aim will be to guard the Boundary, to prevent Netherworld beings from crossing and to combat those that do. But now that this job falls on your shoulders alone, we must have a plan of action.’ Jacob pushed his black hair out of his face.

  ‘But usually there would be a whole army of chime children. How on earth can Callum police all the weakening points in the Boundary on his own, especially if there will be more and more appearing all the time?’ Melissa asked.

  Jacob was silent for a moment before he spoke again. ‘Callum will have to be selective about the battles he takes on. As the Shadowing progresses, stronger and more significant demons and beasts will cross into the mortal world. Those will be the ones on which Callum should focus.’

  ‘So for now, he’ll just have to leave whatever smaller demons make it across? Just let them slide?’ Melissa said, her eyebrows raised.

  ‘I’ll just have to do the very best that I can,’ Callum said, lifting his head and trying to sound confident.

  Jacob gave what, for the Born Dead, was close to a smile. ‘Good. As I say, we still have some time before the worst of the Shadowing begins. We must use that time wisely, growing and honing your innate abilities.’

  ‘Right,’ Callum said. ‘And . . . what exactly are my abilities? I mean, I already know that I can stop ghosts or demons from entering Gran’s cottage. Somehow I have that ability to raise a barrier, to stop them from crossing my threshold unless they’re invited, right? So maybe . . .’ He paused, still not used to all this. He felt faintly idiotic using the word magic. ‘Is there some sort of supercharged version that I could do for the entire world?’

  Jacob answered Callum’s question with another. ‘How did the Fetch cross the barrier into your house?’

  ‘It got Gran to invite it in,’ Callum said, and then sighed as the thought sunk in. ‘Great. So even if I had some sort of protective force field on the Boundary, someone else might get round that and invite things across of their own accord?’

  Jacob nodded. ‘There’s almost certainly some form of collaboration going on between your world and the Netherworld. The Fetch could not have come over to this side before the Shadowing had begun without help. And with the assassination of the chime children, this Shadowing is not like others that have taken place. It is more than just a weakening of the Boundary. It could be an invasion. A war. I believe the demons are working with their human conspirators to take over this world forever.’

  Silence fell after Jacob’s words. His face was serious. In the darkness, Callum could see faint lines of shadow crease against Jacob’s gleaming white forehead. It wasn’t exactly filling him with confidence.

  ‘There’s one thing you mustn’t forget though,’ Melissa put in. Callum turned to look at h
er quizzically. He’d almost forgotten she was there.

  ‘Yeah?’ he said, pleased to break the tension.

  ‘Callum, you’re strong. Maybe even the strongest of all the chime children that were active before the Shadowing began,’ Melissa said emphatically. ‘How else do you explain that you’re the one still alive? You may not quite have a handle on all your powers yet, but I just have this feeling that you shouldn’t be underestimated.’ She paused, and a glimmer of a grin began to flicker on her lips. ‘And there’s one other thing they haven’t counted on,’ she said.

  ‘What’s that?’ Callum asked.

  ‘Me and Jacob.’

  Jacob stared at Melissa with some surprise, and Callum could see something like respect in his face. Melissa stood shivering in the dark, but wide-eyed and alert.

  ‘Seriously, I’ll do whatever I can to help.’

  ‘It will not be easy,’ Jacob said, nodding to acknowledge Melissa. ‘You have only just learned your power exists, Callum. We do have some time, but we also have a distance to go. You are going to have to master your abilities, and you are going to have to do it under a degree of pressure.’

  ‘How exactly will I master them?’

  ‘I will teach you. Do not forget that although I died at birth, I too am a chime child.’

  Callum nodded. He would have been lost without Jacob’s help when the Fetch had reared its hideous head only weeks ago. He looked at Jacob again, who was staring at Callum pointedly.

  ‘What, you want to teach me now? Here, in the dark?’

  ‘No time like the present,’ Jacob replied.

  Again, Callum glanced at Melissa. She nodded once in encouragement.

  ‘OK,’ Callum said. ‘What do I have to do?’

  Jacob didn’t answer him. Instead, he raised one white hand and pointed towards Callum.

  ‘Doom.’

  Without warning, the great black Grim leaped for Callum. The last thing Callum saw before he shut his eyes were the ghost dog’s teeth, flashing like icicles as Doom opened his jaws . . .

  Chapter Three

  The whole thing happened in the blink of an eye.

  Callum was knocked over by the force of the dog’s attack. The Grim’s body was so cold it took his breath away, sucking the air from his lungs and leaving them screaming for oxygen. He writhed desperately as the dog’s breath washed over him, the hot stench of rotting meat making his stomach churn. Somewhere in the background he heard Melissa scream. Callum could feel Doom’s weight on him, heavy as a pile of rocks. He lay there, his eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the inevitable – for those glittering, razor-sharp fangs to sink into his throat. But the shadow-dog held him pinned fast to the floor of the ruined church, his growl rumbling menacingly. Callum was sure his blood was turning to ice in his veins. He knew he was foolish to have ever trusted the beast, or to have believed that Jacob wouldn’t betray him. Oh, please, just let it be over . . .

  ‘Release.’

  Jacob’s voice came from somewhere above them. Suddenly the crushing frigid weight on Callum’s chest disappeared. His breath came out in a shivering rush. Doom stalked away from him and went to guard the church entrance once more.

  Callum sat up slowly, quaking, and not with cold. Melissa was watching, and she wrapped her arms around herself quickly, as if the deathly chill of Doom’s lunge had taken her own breath away as well. But Jacob’s white face was neutral.

  ‘That scared you,’ he remarked.

  Callum leaped to his feet angrily.

  ‘Oh, well done!’ he said, his voice tight. ‘It’s a pitch black winter’s night. It’s freezing, I’m surrounded by ghosts in an abandoned church in the middle of an ancient graveyard. My world is about to be invaded by monsters and demons, which apparently I’m responsible for dealing with. Do you think you need to do anything more to scare me?’

  Jacob held Callum’s gaze. ‘Mastering your fear is very important. Indeed, many creatures of the Netherworld feed on it – they hunger for it, and they evoke it in their victims because the deeper and wilder the fear, the more satisfying the conquest. Fear weakens and destabilises. Recall how Doom made you wait, lying beneath his giant weight – your fear was growing all that time. If he’d meant to destroy you he would have continued his torment, until your mounting fear was at its peak, and only then would he have chosen his moment to finish the job. And so –’

  ‘So what?’ Callum shouted. ‘So how does this help at all? This is insane. I have to get out of here . . .’

  Melissa suddenly interrupted.

  ‘Callum.’

  He spun toward her with the same desperate fury he’d been focusing on Jacob.

  ‘Calm down,’ Melissa said.

  Callum began to retort, but then took a breath and frowned, folding his arms defensively.

  ‘That’s the whole point, isn’t it?’ Melissa continued. ‘You’ve got to calm down. As long as you’re in control of yourself –’

  ‘Your friend is right,’ Jacob interjected. ‘Your first challenge, and your most critical, is in facing your enemies calmly. It is the best hope of any soldier in any army. You’ve got to control your fear.’

  ‘Riiiiight. No problem.’ Callum couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice – but a part of him also grudgingly acknowledged that the argument made sense.

  ‘This is a lesson,’ said Jacob. ‘Nothing more. My intention is not to frighten you. I want you to learn.’

  Callum sighed, which Jacob seemed to take as acceptance.

  ‘Good,’ he said.

  With no more warning than that, Doom ran at Callum once more.

  This time, the phantom hound halted in front of Callum with his fierce jaws gaping, and instead of making contact, put his head up and howled. The sound, like the scream of steel on steel, tore through Callum’s head until he felt his skull was going to split in two.

  Callum spun round and tried to scramble up the dark, ivy-covered stones sticking out of the church wall he was backed against, with no plan other than to get himself away from Doom’s savage, howling jaws. The Grim was after him in less than a second. With a snarl, he snatched Callum by the back of his coat. The lethal, ice-white teeth brushed against his neck, their cold so fierce it instantly made his head ache like it had been packed in ice cubes. Doom yanked Callum away from the wall and threw him to the ground with a thud that made his bones rattle.

  Control his fear? It felt impossible. Callum tried to steel himself as Doom’s otherworldly growl echoed around them – he was sure any moment the grim would strike again.

  Then, at Jacob’s word, Doom became docile. He stepped away from Callum’s gasping form and returned to his master’s side.

  Callum clenched his fists as he scrambled to his feet. His annoyance was growing – but to his surprise, it was not with Jacob, or Doom, but with himself. He knew Doom was going to attack again, and he was almost certain that the great Churchyard Grim had no real intention of harming him. So it was pointless for Callum to allow himself to be so easily intimidated. He took a deep breath.

  ‘All right,’ he said, this time through gritted teeth. ‘Again.’

  The beast began to stalk towards him, fangs flashing.

  Calm, Callum told himself – stay CALM. Don’t move, don’t think, don’t be afraid –

  Suddenly, in the split second before the Grim pounced again, Callum felt a tingling force begin to radiate from the core of his body and down his arms to his hands. It was similar to the sensation he felt when he was about to have a premonition of the future, the feeling he called his Luck, when the warning numbness in his hands told him danger lay ahead. But the odd thing was, now this tingling was channelling through and out of him – like electricity. It was faint, but he was throwing off some kind of energy, some kind of current –

  Doom flew towards him, but it was different this time. Callum moved his hands out in front of him, and the Grim was knocked off course somehow, as though the energy from the weak static Callum was generating had d
eflected him. Only one icy forepaw thumped Callum in the shoulder – but it was still enough to knock him flat on his back into the nettles.

  ‘Yes,’ Jacob said, nodding his approval. ‘Better.’

  Doom sauntered over to lie at Jacob’s feet again.

  Callum turned to Melissa. ‘Did you see anything?’

  She shook her head – he could see only the movement in the dim light, not her expression. ‘What did you do?’ Melissa asked. ‘What happened?’

  ‘It was like – it felt like a little fizzle of energy, electricity, coming out of my hands,’ Callum said, his voice breathless with excitement. ‘Sort of like when my Luck tells me something bad is about to happen, but . . . stronger.’

  ‘It is a beginning,’ Jacob said. ‘You are shaping. With practice – with focus, you will be able to channel that energy. The feeling you have had in your hands has always been a signal of this power waiting to be released. It is part of your chime child abilities, and you can use it, as you just did, to make a barrier. A shield. And with further effort you will also be able to use that energy . . . offensively.’

  Callum raised his eyebrows. ‘Sounds good,’ he said with a grin.

  ‘Sounds really good!’ Melissa added eagerly.

  ‘It takes some learning,’ Jacob said, holding his hands out to caution them, though a smile played on his lips as well. ‘Still, it is not so different from the barrier you were able to put up to protect the threshold of your house, Callum. Eventually you will be able to create it anywhere. There are other skills that will serve you in this war, other skills you can learn to master, but this is the first.’ Jacob paused. ‘It will not be easy.’

  ‘I’ll work,’ said Callum through his teeth.

  ‘Every day,’ Jacob said. It wasn’t a question.