Title: Impassioned 4/6
Author: TweedEmpress
Rating: PG
Pairing: Giles/Jenny
Genre: Angst/Romance
Summary: Reworking of ‘Passion’. Jenny isn’t killed, but Angelus has his eye on another target.
**WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH**
Timeline: Season Two, spoilers up to ‘Passion’
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with BtVS (unfortunately). Some dialogue is lifted from ‘Passion’. Any original characters and ideas are mine.
Distribution: FanFiction.Net, ODD, Mystic Muse, Ms Calendar’s Site
Notes: This part was beta-ed by Riley – thank you so much, honey! As always, a wonderful job!
To avoid any confusion – there are 6 parts to the story, but as the posting entitled ‘Interlude’ (part 2) isn’t actually a chapter, there are only 5 chapters plus the interlude.
Dedication: To everyone on Ms Calendars Group – for keeping the flame alive!

If anyone had asked Jenny to imagine Oxford, she would have pictured golden domes and towers glowing softly in hazy light, nestled in a leafy valley. A romantic image gleaned from movies and old British T.V programmes she’d seen on late-night cable.

The reality is somewhat different.

The approach from London to Oxford by train in late winter provides a landscape of almost uniform grey: grey sky, black trees, grey fields and - finally - a grey railway station.

But a short distance from the station, something amazing happens: something of that romantic image comes to life, crammed into half a square mile. Trendy bars and high street shops sit in between the imposing facades of ancient colleges; their great doorways hiding courtyards and cloisters within. And over the whole city there is an aura of sedate power and authority, wealth and learning. Eight hundred years of history ingrained in the honey-coloured stone.

Jenny caught only glimpses of this - it was all too much to take in. As their taxi sped through the streets, she slipped her hand into her bag, her fingers brushing the wooden box containing the orb.

First London, now Oxford. It seemed fitting that she should visit the places of Giles’ past in order to bring him back to life. She wished he were with her now, beside her, telling her about the city. The place where he had both once run away from and then finally accepted his destiny. The taxi swung away from Oxford’s scholastic heart and towards the lodgings Ethan had found for them in a narrow winding street in that area of the city called Jericho.

The lodgings were the top storey of a terraced house that had been converted into a flat. Two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and living room. Ethan didn’t tell her how he had found it at such short notice and Jenny didn’t ask. They hadn’t headed into the city, as Jenny had expected - Ethan had insisted that they stay where they were until nightfall.

‘This sort of thing attracts a lot of attention,’ he stated darkly in response to her protests.

Mercifully, at that time of year, darkness falls by five in the afternoon. And after a day of being trapped in a flat with Ethan, Jenny was desperate to get out. She pulled her coat closer around her, shivering in the damp, cold air blowing in from the river. They threaded their way through narrow streets before emerging in the bustling centre of the city.

‘Where are we going?’

‘Patience, Jenny, patience. It’s a virtue.’ He smirked at her.

‘Ethan, you are the last person in the world to lecture anyone about virtue,’ she replied, trying to stop her teeth from chattering.

‘I have many virtues,’ he protested.

‘Yeah, last time I checked, making other people’s lives hell wasn’t counted.’

‘Jenny! You wound me.’ He looked at her with mock sincerity.

She glared at him. ‘Just shut up and get us where we’re going.’

“Where they were going” took them away from the high street and then Jenny found herself swallowed up into one of the immense colleges. They skirted a courtyard that seemed vast in the darkness. Then a succession of corridors and staircases illuminated by soft bulbs and the light from occasional windows. Ethan took them swiftly through the labyrinthine passages and Jenny barely had the time to wonder how he knew where he was going before he pushed open a door and they stopped.

‘We’re here.’

‘Where are we?’ she whispered, gazing around.

‘Merton College - oldest in Oxford. And this is the oldest library in England.’

Jenny could fully believe this statement. Both the ceiling and the walls were panelled with the same old, dark wood as the stacks, the shelves laden with ancient volumes. A worn red carpet ran down the centre of the room toward an ornate stained glass window. The air was heavy with the scent of wood polish and leather. Shaded lamps on reading tables illuminated the dust motes suspended in the air. They walked softly across the space, finally stopping at the far end of the library next to a large globe.

Jenny looked at Ethan questioningly and he shrugged slightly.

‘Mr Rayne? Miss Calendar?’

The voice was so soft it barely disturbed the air.

They both turned as a figure emerged from the dim recess. Jenny blinked in surprise at the pale face surmounting the long black robes. A monk. She wondered, briefly, why she bothered being surprised by anything anymore.

‘Please, come this way,’ he continued, beckoning to them. One of the wall panels had slid back to reveal a dark passage beyond.

‘Secret passages? I really am in a Scooby-Doo adventure,’ Jenny thought. ‘Xander would love this.’

They followed the monk through and the panel slid back into place behind them. He fiddled with something on the wall and the passageway was suddenly flooded with electric light.

‘That’s better,’ he exclaimed in jovial tones. ‘I’m Brother Anselmo.’

Jenny gazed at the eager-faced young man and took the hand he offered.

‘Hi,’ she said weakly.

‘Well, isn’t this cosy,’ Ethan said silkily. ‘Shall we get on?’

‘Oh! Yes, of course. Sorry. This way.’

Anselmo’s robes flapped around him as he set a brisk pace down the passageway. They reached a steep, spiralling stone staircase and Jenny clung grimly to the iron railing as they descended. Once they were on level ground again, Jenny moved forward to catch up with the monk.

‘Err, Brother Anselmo?’ she ventured cautiously.

He turned to her, wide eyes regarding her enquiringly.

‘I wasn’t really expecting to meet a monk. I, er, I mean involved in all of this.

‘Yes…yes, I see.’ He pondered this slowly. ‘Well, many years ago the, er, magical, um, community, as it were, and the non-magical community were much more involved with each other. They meshed.’ He laced his fingers together by way of demonstration. ‘And while there were many members of the Church who despised everything to do with the occult, there were also smaller religious sects who believed that the abilities of sorcerers and witches and so forth were gifts by the grace of God.’

He beamed at her, his face alight with enthusiasm.

‘So, some of those sects are still around?’

Anselmo nodded. ‘Oh yes - I’m one of them. Although you, er, probably had worked that out already.’ He smiled sheepishly.

‘And this is, what? The headquarters or something?’

‘Something like that.’ They had slowed down as Anselmo spoke and were now ambling along the chilly passages, Ethan trailing behind them. ‘You see, the city of Oxford pre-dates the University by a few hundred years, and when the real persecution of magic practitioners began some of the Oxford monks granted them sanctuary. Their books were stored here and then when the scholars began to arrive … well, many of them were very interested in all of that.’

They had reached a heavy wooden door and Anselmo stopped, turning to face Jenny, eager to finish his story before they entered.

‘The Brothers were interested in exploring the nature of body and spirit and soul, you see. The scholars helped the monks study the texts and some of them were sorcerers themselves. The work has continued ever since.’

He raised one hand and knocked heavily. There was the sound of bolts being shot back and then it opened slowly. It revealed a room that was remarkably comforting and welcoming - very different from the dank dungeon Jenny had been half expecting. It looked like a cross between a library and a gentleman’s club: there were numerous book shelves, reading tables, glass cabinets displaying more books and assorted curiosities, as well as worn leather chairs grouped around a fireplace.

‘Fire’s not real, you know,’ Anselmo whispered down Jenny’s ear. ‘Coal effect, gas powered.’

‘Dungeon with all the mod cons,’ she whispered back.

He flashed her a quick grin and then hurried over to a group of people standing near the fire, leaving Jenny by the door. She glanced over her shoulder to where Ethan was hovering behind her.

‘What’s the matter? Being near decent people bringing you out in a rash or something?’

Ethan glowered at her.

‘I don’t trust this lot.’

‘You don’t trust them? In that case, I definitely do.’

Before he could reply, Anselmo had hurried back over to them, followed by another, elderly, monk.

‘This is Brother Theo.’

The monk offered his hand and Jenny shook it - the skin was dry and papery, but the grip was surprisingly strong. His dark eyes darted between them - resting on Ethan slightly longer, a whisper of disapproval crossing his features.

‘Miss Calendar, so nice to meet one of Rupert’s newer friends.’

Jenny’s eyes widened, surprised.

‘You know Rupert?’

He noted her adamant use of the present tense in connection with Giles and smiled knowingly.

‘Indeed. I lectured at Oxford while on sabbatical. Rupert was one of my more brilliant students. And believe me, that is saying something!’

Brother Theo turned his attention to Ethan, but retained Jenny’s hand between both of his.

‘Mr Rayne,’ he said softly, the words falling like drops of icy water.

Ethan smiled ingratiatingly.

‘My reputation precedes me, I see.’

‘Oh yes. I know who you are.’ There was a pause before Brother Theo turned back to Jenny, his eyes warming.

‘Come this way, my dear.’

He led them over to the leather sofas by the fire. The small group - men and women of various ages as well as a few more monks - had retreated to a discreet distance and now appeared to be involved in their own work. Jenny sank into a sofa next to Theo, while Ethan seated himself in an armchair, his face only partially illuminated by the firelight. Anselmo hovered solicitously and Jenny gratefully accepted some coffee, holding the cup between her hands and feeling the warmth slowly penetrating her bones. Theo watched her, his unreadable eyes studying every line of her face, observing every movement. At his urging, Jenny began to tell him the entire story - from the time she had been sent to Sunnydale and her first encounter with Rupert Giles. There was a certain catharsis in being able to talk about it, and under Brother Theo’s penetrating yet oddly reserved gaze, she felt unable to leave out any details. While she spoke, perfect silence descended on the room: the silent watchers - hidden in the shadows and recesses - listening as attentively as the audience by the fire. When she had finished, Jenny let out a small sigh, feeling slightly light-headed.

‘A Thesulan Orb,’ Brother Theo mused. ‘Remarkable. I never thought one would ever be activated again.’

‘Did you bring it with you?’ Anselmo asked eagerly.

In the firelight, he looked incredibly young and Jenny didn’t have the heart to disappoint him. Hesitating slightly, she pulled the box out of her bag. She felt more than saw Ethan sitting forward sharply; felt his eyes boring into her. She shrugged off the feeling and flicked the catch, opening the box. The older monk leaned forward, his face suddenly illuminated by the vivid sliver-green. He smiled slightly.

‘Rupert’s colours.’

He sat back against the sofa and Jenny closed the box, carefully placing it back in her bag. From somewhere in Theo’s voluminous habit he produced a packet of cigarettes and lit one. Jenny raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised. He met her gaze enquiringly and with a hint of amusement.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, faintly embarrassed at being caught watching him. ‘Its just - I thought monks weren’t supposed to have any vices.’

‘Hmm.’ Theo blew out the smoke and frowned thoughtfully. ‘That rather puts me in mind of a story a Jesuit - it always has to be a Jesuit,’ he added with a smile, ‘who asked his confessor, “Is it all right if I smoke while I pray?” naturally, his confessor said no. The priest thought for a moment then asked, “In that case, is it all right if I pray while I smoke?” You see, it’s all a matter of what questions you ask and what your perceptions are. That applies to everything. St Paul spoke of body and spirit and soul - the distinctions are something we have been investigating for centuries. The body dies but the soul goes on living - that makes death a rather abstract concept, don’t you think?’

Jenny smiled softly, feeling a strong affection for this elderly, philosophical monk, now wreathed in smoke.

‘Yeah, I guess it does.’

He watched her for a few more moments and then, putting out his cigarette, stood.

‘Come. We have some texts for you.’

Jenny and Ethan followed him to a table upon which were a number of books and documents.

‘I believe that these are the most relevant texts for what you are looking for. Although, with your skills, I am certain that you will soon find what you require.’

‘Can we take these with us?’ Ethan asked abruptly.

Brother Theo turned to him, his eyes lingering on Ethan’s face.

‘Yes, yes you can take them. For a time.’ He sighed and looked up at the clock over the mantelpiece. ‘It’s getting late. I suggest you have a good night’s sleep before continuing your research. Brother Anselmo will show you the way out.’

Theo took hold of Jenny’s hands in both of his.

‘Good luck, my dear. I hope that you will be successful in your quest.

‘Still don’t trust them?’ Jenny asked, eyeing their pile of books and manuscripts triumphantly. ‘They’ve given us everything we need. The answer could be somewhere on this table!’

‘Hmmm.’

They had returned to the flat and Jenny had laid her acquisitions reverently on the table. She rolled her eyes.

‘Ethan, what is your problem? You’re the one who brought us here and all you’ve done is complain about the people who are trying to help us. I just don’t get it. What on Earth made you the person you are?’

‘Let’s just say I learnt from an early age to rely on no-one and trust no-one but myself.’

‘You’ll be telling me next your mother didn’t love you enough.’

Ethan looked at her and then turned away lightly.

‘Funny you should say that.’

There was something in his voice - a hint of tension, maybe - that stopped any further comment on her lips. She watched him, curiously, as he moved about the room. When he finally faced her again, he wore his habitual, supercilious expression

‘If nothing else, dear Brother Theo was right about one thing. You need a good night’s sleep before tackling that lot.’

Jenny raised an eyebrow. ‘You never struck me as the type to do thoughtful.’

He gave her a patronizing smile. ‘When are you and you’re little friends going to realise that I am not a bad man? Not exactly. I simply serve Chaos.’

‘Uh-huh, well from what I’ve seen of Chaos, it’s not exactly full of good will.’ She sat down on the sofa, rubbing a tender spot on her shoulder.

‘Chaos is neither good nor evil - it simply is. One action sets in motion a chain of events, and who is to say where they will lead? I, er, I could teach you, if you like,’ he added, sitting next to her and starting to massage her other shoulder.

Jenny immediately slapped his hand, her dark eyes flashing.

‘Do not ever touch me! Remember that little conversation we had about Gypsy curses?’

Ethan smirked at her, moving back to the opposite end of the couch.

‘Pity. You’d make a wonderful pupil.’

Jenny ignored that comment, but continued to glare at him.

‘Tell me, if Chaos is neither good nor bad, how come you only ever cause trouble?’

‘Can I help it if those are the only jobs I get offered?’ he whined.

Jenny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Spending time with Ethan was, at times, like being with the world’s most immature, preening, self-pitying sixteen year old.

‘Even Ripper never really understood it,’ Ethan continued. ‘He could never let go enough. Liked his control too much. Chaos is volatile, that’s the point of it, the excitement of it, you can’t control where it will go. I don’t make my offerings with good or bad intentions - I make them in the spirit of Chaos.’

Jenny shifted position to look at him directly.

‘So, enchanting people’s costumes so they would turn into their Halloween characters wasn’t done with bad intentions?’

He shrugged. ‘It isn’t my fault that people choose such bloody awful things to go as.’

‘Ethan… People could have died!’

‘That’s your problem, Jenny - always looking at the negative aspect. Has it ever occurred to you that something good may have come out of that night? For example, a haughty young lady is trapped with a boy she has known most of her life. And when he is transformed into her gallant soldier defender, she begins to see him in a new light.’ He stood up. ‘Care for a drink?’

Jenny nodded, her eyes following him across the room. Unsettled, she wondered exactly how much Ethan knew about their lives. And how he knew it.

The research proceeded over the next few days. After her self-imposed stint at the British Library - and with her goal coming ever closer - Jenny was able to slip into it fairly easily. For nearly three days they barely left the flat, only stepping out occasionally for food or for some much needed fresh air. Ethan proved to be surprisingly skilled at translations and they worked closely together over some of the more obscure texts.

Ethan threw down his pen and, sitting back in his chair, rubbed his eyes. He looked at the dark head opposite his, studiously bent over a volume. He observed her for a few moments until, realising that he was staring at her, Jenny raised her eyes to his.

‘What?’

‘I was just marvelling at Ripper’s ability to twist people around his little finger while doing very little himself.’

‘You’re here,’ she pointed out flatly.

‘Ye-es. The irony hadn’t escaped me.’

It was Jenny’s turn to sit back and she frowned slightly.

‘Why are you doing this?’

‘I don’t think I could explain in a way you could understand.’

Jenny folded her arms, her head to one side.

Ethan sighed.

We were best friends - did everything together. We were very close.’

‘How close?’ Jenny asked suspiciously. ‘Actually, on second thoughts, don’t answer that. I don’t think I want to know.’

The sorcerer looked bewildered.

‘What do you … Oh. We weren’t all sexual degenerates in the Seventies, you know,’ he said, stiffly.

Jenny smirked slightly.

‘Why Ethan - you’re a closet prude.’

‘I am not a prude. But you can relax. Ripper never did swing that way. He always was, and always will be, strictly for the ladies. Now, if I may be allowed to continue?

‘When you do magic with someone, it binds you together. The magics leave their marks on you so that there is always a - a connection. Whether you want it or not. It’s almost like family.’

‘Family?’ Jenny snorted incredulously. ‘You and Rupert?’

‘I knew you wouldn’t understand,’ he said, huffily.

‘Oh, Ethan, come on, look, I’m sorry. Okay? I’m sorry. I’m listening.’

Ethan looked at her for a moment, but his need to talk about himself soon overcame any other feeling.

‘The magic leaves you with an awareness of the other person. It isn’t always in your mind, but it’s there. And I have tried to get rid of it, believe me. And then,’ he paused, remembering the feeling of something being torn out of him and knowing that Ripper was dead. ‘And then it was gone. And it feels empty. You see, no matter what I did, if the absolute worst happened and I needed help, Ripper would’ve helped me. Not quite sure why. He always was a contrary bastard. But now it’s just me. So, that’s why. That and the fact that it will make Alexa happy.’

Jenny frowned slightly, looking at him in confusion.

‘Who?’

‘Alexa,’ Ethan repeated quietly. ‘Ripper’s sister.’

Something stirred in her memory: Giles, half-laughing, telling her how his sister had persuaded him to take her to a graveyard so she could see his Watcher’s training in action. How they’d both narrowly escaped becoming the un-dead themselves. The devotion in his eyes when he’d said her name. Alexa.

‘You and she are … I mean…’ Jenny said slowly, trying to imagine how Giles would permit such a thing.

He was still and in that moment, something in his face softened and a slightly wistful expression crept into his eyes. Jenny watched the transformation, fascinated.

‘No. We’re not,’ he admitted softly. ‘She’s been devastated since he … since that night. They adore each other.’

He was silent for a few moments, staring beyond the room they were in.

‘She was the reason Ripper left London in the end, you know. Came down to find big brother and take him back home. She was only fifteen, but, my God, she was powerful. You could feel the magic coming off her like heat. I tried to convince him to stay, of course - tried to convince both of them, actually. But Ripper chose Alexa and off they went. So, having her brother back will make Alexa very happy indeed.’

Ethan turned fully to Jenny and his usual smirk was back in place.

‘Not to mention very grateful.’

Jenny sighed impatiently.

‘You’re pathetic, you know that? Really pathetic. You actually almost had me for a moment, but what it all boils down to is that you’re doing this because you think it will make Rupert’s sister have sex with you.’

‘A man can dream. There are women desperate to sleep with me.’

‘Ethan, they would have to be desperate to sleep with you.’

With that, Jenny lowered her eyes back to her book.

A loud thump penetrated Ethan’s consciousness and his head jerked off the table. He groaned, gingerly massaging the crick in his neck and looked across the table.

‘There are more subtle ways of attracting my attention,’ he muttered.

Jenny didn’t seem to hear him - she was staring, rapt, at the volume in front of her.

‘I’ve got it,’ she said softly.

‘What?’ He lunged across the table, trying to see what she was looking at.

‘I’ve found it. This is the spell. I’ve found it!’ Her voice was breathless, rising as she spoke.

Ethan stood, moving swiftly around the table and looked over her shoulder. Jenny turned her face up to him, her eyes glowing.

‘We’ve got it. We can do this.’

She suddenly jumped out of her chair and flung her arms around Ethan’s neck. He responded enthusiastically until Jenny seemed to realise what she was doing and released him hastily. Ethan picked up the book and scanned the page. Jenny was pacing around the room, barely able to contain the turmoil of emotions within her. After the terrible heartache she had hardly allowed herself to feel and the tension of the past few weeks and now this - she could feel herself becoming slightly hysterical and made great efforts at self-control. Ethan had sat down and was leafing through the book.

‘Well? I’m right, aren’t I?’ she said, agitated. ‘That’s it. Isn’t it?’

‘Oh yes, this is it all right.’ He read a passage silently and shuddered. ‘Going back to the Celts. Nice little form of punishment they had going.’

‘Punishment? What do you mean?’ Jenny stopped pacing and crossed the room to where he sat.

‘They used to capture the souls of their leaders, or righteous men who were held in high esteem when they were dying. Then when they captured the leaders of warring tribes they would replace their souls with ones they had captured. They’d do the same to criminals, sometimes.’

Jenny sat on the edge of the table.

‘That’s … they actually did that?’

‘See for yourself.’ He handed the book to her, pointing to the relevant passage.

‘Don’t let it give you any ideas, Darling. I may be a slightly dubious character,’ he placed one hand lightly on her knee, ‘but I don’t deserve that.’

‘Get your hand off me. And don’t flatter yourself that I would want to spend the rest of my life looking at your face. Besides,’ she closed the book and placed it back on the table. ‘I’m not forcing anyone into this - I need someone willing to do it. And don’t call me Darling.’

He smiled unctuously.

‘Funny you should mention that - I got a phone call the other day from one of dear Brother Theo’s merry little band. A Don from one of the colleges - apparently he may know someone who could help.’

‘And when, exactly, were you going to tell me this?’ Jenny demanded.

He shrugged. ‘I’m telling you now. There was hardly any point when we didn’t know what we were doing.’

‘That wasn’t your decision to make!’

‘What does it matter now? You’re about to get everything you want.’

‘When can we meet this guy? Can you ring him back?’

‘I suppose you’ll be wanting to go tonight?’

She glared. ‘What do you think?’

The cloud had finally lifted and even though the temperature had fallen, the sky was a brilliant blue and the college buildings sparkled gold in the sunshine. Jenny’s cheeks tingled with the cold air and her face felt almost numb, but she felt as though someone had lit a fire inside her. The sun was low in the west when they headed out, a deep burning red on the horizon and the moon was already visible in the clear sky. It was not Merton that they returned to, but a college further down High Street: Magdalen. Jenny, standing on the bridge, gazed up at the tower that formed part of the entrance - it was a burnished bronze in the winter light and cast a perfect reflection on the calm surface of the river below.

‘It’s so beautiful here,’ she murmured.

‘Mmm, lovely. Now come on.’

Ethan took hold of her arm and pulled her inside. They gave their names to the porter and were directed to a narrow, creaking staircase on the other side of the quadrangle. Jenny could feel her heart thumping in her chest as they climbed up and finally reached the correct door. Their footsteps must have been heard, for the door opened before they knocked and a man stood in the doorway.

‘You must be my guests. Please come in.’

Ethan and Jenny exchanged a glance and then followed him in.

‘Stephen Fenton … Jenny Calendar.’ Ethan said, by way of introduction.

Fenton looked between them.

‘It’s nice to meet you both in the flesh at last.’

He was a tall, slim man and his thick dark hair was tinged with silver at the temples. There was a strange intensity in the depths of his eyes that made Jenny feel slightly unsettled.

‘Theo told me all about your situation,’ he said, gesturing for them to sit down. ‘Although, I was aware of most of it - I must confess that I was eavesdropping while you were speaking with him. Lurking in the shadows.’ He smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes.

‘Ethan told me that you might be able to help me to-to find-’

‘A vessel for your friend’s soul.’ Fenton nodded. ‘I’ve been giving that some thought …’

There was just something about him - something that disturbed her. Jenny couldn’t quite say what it was or why she felt it. Intuition, perhaps, or what Buffy called her spidey sense. She smiled slightly, remembering Giles, with a slightly pained expression, asking her if she knew exactly what that meant. Fenton’s voice had been droning on and Jenny suddenly became aware that he had stopped talking and he was smiling at her. She realised, with a start, that she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ethan staring at her.

‘It is a lot to think about,’ Fenton said.

‘Oh, er, yeah. I guess it is.’

‘Are you feeling all right?’

Jenny forced a bright smile. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. It’s - it’s just a little stuffy in here.’

Fenton smiled again and Jenny felt a chill sweep through her.

‘It’s the heating. I’m sure it dates back to the Middle Ages.’

‘I’ll be in the Middle Ages.’

‘Did you ever leave?’

She could hear his voice so clearly in her head and every sense screaming at her to leave. She heard Fenton say something about getting some air and before she could object, Jenny found herself propelled onto a small balcony. The cold air came as a shock to her system and she felt her head clear.

‘What in Janus’ name is the matter with you?’ Ethan hissed.

‘I have to get out of here. Where’s Fenton?’

‘Inside.’

At that moment Fenton appeared in the doorway and handed each of them a glass. Ethan drank his in one; Jenny, however, placed hers gingerly on the balustrade and turned to look out across the expanse of parkland beyond the college. The sky had deepened into a velvety blue and the trees stood black and stark against it.

‘It’s a wonderful view, isn’t it?’ Fenton asked. ‘In daylight you can see the deer wandering through the park.’

‘Yes … yes it’s wonderful.’ Jenny turned to face him, drawing herself up and staring him full in the face. ‘As you said, there’s a lot to think about. Thank you for taking the time to see us. We should be getting back soon - there’s still a lot of work to do.’

‘Of course,’ he replied, giving her another of his insincere smiles.

Jenny had walked as fast as she could without actually running. Only when she had passed through the great entrance and emerged in the open air of the High Street did she slow down and breathe freely. Ethan, hurrying to catch up with her, caught hold of her arm and spun her around.

‘What the hell was that? You wanted to see him, you couldn’t wait to get here and - you didn’t listen to a thing he said, did you?’

Jenny wrenched her arm out of his grasp and started walking.

‘I don’t have to explain anything to you.’

‘You’d still be in London chasing one dead end after another if it weren’t for me! You owe me something.’

‘I just didn’t trust him, okay? I don’t want to have anything to do with that man.’

Ethan looked surprised.

‘He seemed a perfectly decent chap.’

‘Goddess, I rest my case!’

Instinctively, Jenny reached into her bag, fingers automatically searching for the smooth planes of the box. It had become such a habitual movement that she hardly realised what she was doing, until her searching hand couldn’t find what it was looking for. Jenny stopped dead, opening the bag fully and frantically searching through it.

‘Now what?’ Ethan asked in a bored voice.

‘It’s gone,’ she murmured hoarsely. ‘No. Oh Goddess, please no … this can’t be happening …’

She suddenly knelt on the pavement, emptying the contents of her bag as though, by some miracle, she could find it.

‘What’s gone? What do you mean?’ There was a hint of concern in his tone now and he knelt beside her.

‘The Orb!’ she said, staring wildly. ‘It was here with me and now … Fenton. He stole it-’

‘That’s ridiculous. Maybe you just left it at the flat.’

‘No I didn’t! It was in my bag - it must have been when we were on the balcony, I left my bag by the sofa.’

She grabbed up her belongings, threw them back into the bag and stood, starting to go back the way she had come. Ethan appeared alongside her.

‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m going back, what does it look like?’

‘Look, maybe we should wait.’

‘Wait?’ She stopped, staring at him as though he had lost his mind. ‘For what? If I wait I might never get the Orb back … Goddess, what if he breaks it?’

She set off again, occasionally bumping into people and murmuring hurried apologies. A street had never seemed so long to her but, finally, the Magdalen College tower loomed into view. She reached the gateway, breathless, and was about to enter when Ethan pulled her back.

‘You can’t just go barging past the porter - he’d have security on you before you took two steps.’

‘So what do you suggest?’

Ethan motioned for her to keep back and then peered around the doorway. The porter was alone and engrossed in a newspaper. Ethan smiled to himself and then murmured an incantation. The man seemed to freeze on the spot, his eyes becoming glassy. Ethan turned to Jenny, smirking.

‘It only lasts a few minutes, but it’s effective.’

They crossed the dark courtyard and, once again, ascended the staircase. No light came from under Fenton’s door and there was no answer when they knocked. Another softly spoken spell and the door clicked open.

‘Any idea where to start looking?’ Ethan drawled.

‘Everywhere,’ Jenny replied.

Every surface in the room was covered in books and papers and there were any number of shelves, drawers and cabinets. They were both absorbed in the task, feverishly looking for that small, unremarkable-looking box that held so much. Ethan swept a shelf clear, its contents crashing to the ground unceremoniously, as he looked for any possible hidden chambers behind the shelves.

‘Would you two mind not making quite such a mess? I actually knew where everything was before this.’ The cold voice stopped them both and they turned to the door. Stephen Fenton advanced into the room, his eyes glittering maliciously under the electric light.

‘I wasn’t expecting you quite so soon.’

‘Where is it?’ Jenny’s voice was low and quiet, but cold fury radiated off her.

‘I’ll come straight to the point. You will get your crystal ball back after you have given me the translation of the annals and the spell you found in Theo’s books.’

‘Why?’

His mouth twitched convulsively.

‘Because, my dear, brain cancer is an insidious thing and I have absolutely no intention of dying. At least, not permanently. Your research is useless without the Orb, and I have no use for it - I simply want the spells. It’s a fair trade.’

Jenny tossed the hair out of her eyes.

‘I won’t be blackmailed by you or anybody else.’

‘Really? My dexterity isn’t what it used be … it would such a pity if I were to drop your precious Orb. Such a delicate thing. Of course, that might not be such a loss.’ His eyes flicked between Ethan and Jenny. ‘Your beloved Mr Giles might not be so happy to see you again when he knows about the company you’ve been keeping lately.’

There was a loud crack as Jenny’s hand came into violent contact with Fenton’s face. She stood, pale faced and almost shaking with rage. Fenton straightened up, his face twisted into a snarl and he raised one hand, curling it into a fist.

The next moment, Ethan hurled himself at Fenton, wrenched his arm around and punched him on the jaw.

It was only a matter of seconds before Ethan remembered why he tried not to get involved in fistfights. He had managed to swing a few punches, but now Fenton had him by the throat and there was a loud buzzing in Ethan’s ears as his windpipe was slowly crushed.

Jenny watched as the two men grappled and then turned, her eyes alighting on a heavy lamp standing on a nearby table. She lifted it with some effort and then brought it down on Fenton’s head. He uttered a stifled groan and then collapsed. Ethan scrambled out from under him, coughing and massaging his throat.

‘You’re not very good at this, are you?’ she observed coolly.

‘That’s it, I’ve had enough,’ he responded, his voice rasping. ‘Me putting my life at risk was not in the deal.’

‘Your life was not at risk.’

‘I was nearly strangled to death! And I’m not even being paid for this. I don’t offer that kind of service when I am being paid.’ He coughed delicately before continuing. ‘Researching and doing a few spells, fine. But this … You’re on your own, Sweetheart!’

He stormed out of the room and was half-way down the staircase when he stopped. He had made an offering to Janus and the god didn’t exactly look kindly on the disciples who failed him. There would be a huge price to pay. Not to mention what the Gypsy could do to him. Or what Alexa would do when she found out about all of this. And Alexa always found out…

Ethan swore under his breath for a few minutes and then, turning sharply, stomped back up the stairs.

Jenny was kneeling in the middle of the room, a small box clutched tightly between her hands.

‘Impressive amount of damage you were able to do in the five minutes I was gone,’ he remarked, surveying the wreckage.

‘I thought you were going,’ she replied quietly.

‘Changed my mind: Gentleman’s prerogative.’

Fenton’s body was still lying limp and unconscious on the floor.

‘Pillock,’ Ethan muttered, giving it a kick. He wandered about the room, idly stooping to pick up a random volume from the floor and glanced at the open page.

Jenny picked herself up and sat heavily on the sofa, staring into the swirling depths of the orb.

‘This isn’t going to work, is it?’ she said miserably. ‘I’m not going to find someone who can help. This is it - this is as far as it goes.’

She leaned her head against the back of the sofa and, for the first time, felt utterly defeated.

‘Er, Jenny, Darling, what did those cards of yours say again?’

There was an oddly detached note in Ethan’s voice and Jenny looked at him wearily, struggling to collect her thoughts.

‘Um, chaos and revolution … followed by rebirth. I guess they were wrong.’

‘I’d guess again if I were you.’ He held up the slender, tattered book and a devilish grin spread across his face.

‘I think I’ve just found the answer to all your problems.’

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