Simon sank slowly to one knee. “Imogen, a friend of yours wants to say hello to you.”
His empty hands waved, trailing aether through the air, a green glow that cast them all in its enchanting aura. The mechanical eye readjusted. To Kate’s joy, Imogen’s head lifted to truly focus on what Simon was doing. Her hands stilled and the tinny voice from the skull stuttered to a halt for the first time in hours.
Simon’s long fingers interlaced, forming a ball. Then he opened his hands to reveal a small, sleeping hedgehog cupped in them. The little animal ever so slowly unfurled and yawned. Imogen’s throat convulsed silently with either delight or despair. Kate wanted to believe it was the former. Simon carefully drew Imogen’s human hand away from the skull and set the tiny hedgehog in her palm. She watched the living creature curl placidly in her translucent hand.
Imogen released the skull and it rolled a few feet away, lolling on its side to stare with empty sockets. Ignoring it, Kate observed her sister touching the quills of the hedgehog, whose little nose twitched wildly as it explored its new perch. Spindly fingers caressed the little creature. Kate reached for Simon’s arm and gripped it hard, her chest tight with barely restrained emotion. Imogen’s head rose again to stare at Simon. The more human eye leaked tears.
Simon reached out to brush them gently away with a sad smile. “He needs someone to care for him. I’m rather occupied these days.”
Imogen held out the hedgehog to him.
He didn’t take it back. “He is safe with you, Imogen. I trust him with no one else.”
It took a minute, but Imogen slowly brought the hedgehog close again and brushed her cheek against its prickly spines. The hedgehog crawled onto her shoulder and perched there with contentment.
Kate swallowed back her own tears and smiled at her sister. Her free hand found Imogen’s biomechanical one and squeezed it reassuringly. To her amazement, Imogen squeezed back. Then Imogen pulled the hand free and picked up the skull once more. She reached into the jaw and started her ritual again: “My sister has a gold key that our father made. It’s what you want. My sister has a gold key that our father made. It’s what you want.”
“Imogen,” Kate began, but her voice faltered. She rose with Simon and he guided her heavy steps through the overturned furniture out into the corridor. Kate shook her head but gripped his arm in gratitude. “Months of work, and all I needed was your hedgehog trick.”
“Kate, sometimes one hears a new voice clearer.”
“That’s why I wish my father were here. Imogen always heard his voice but never mine. I don’t know why she would suddenly decide to pay attention to me now.” Kate leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. Her massive wolfhound Aethelred looked up at her from his now usual spot near Imogen’s door. The dog thumped his tail twice and lowered his head again. “But there’s no reason to assume my wayward father will return to help me, after all these years. Is there?”
Simon propped himself next to her. “No, there isn’t. But you’re not alone, Kate. And the only thing that hedgehog trick proves is that you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help. I’m not just here in Hartley Hall to drink your father’s excellent wine.”
She sighed and turned her head to regard him. “Thank you for that. Imogen does adore you.”
“Who doesn’t?” Simon quipped with a dashing smile.
Chapter 4
Kate loved the starry night. It was rare for her to be out so late, especially recently since she was always locked away in her laboratory. Parties and social gatherings had never really been a part of her daily life past a certain age, but now they held even less of a place. A moonlight visit to a cemetery wasn’t common for her either, but it was a great deal more invigorating than a party.