The Garden of Shadows

Salamander and I went back to the bakery that sold the cinnamon rolls Elliot liked. I wasn’t sure if what prompted him to suggest going there was because the hotel was teeming with curious students asking us for details about the situation with Emma or because he had something else in mind. Either way, I was glad to not have to answer questions.

We ordered some pastries and sat at a quiet table at the corner. For a few minutes, neither of us said anything. The looming museum heist night and upcoming trial were consuming our thoughts with worry and uncertainty.

“Do you think your relatives in the local government would be able to negotiate a pardon?” I broke the silence with a question.

“Are you crazy, Remina? Negotiating with my relatives is the last thing you want!” He paused to calm himself down. “Besides, that’s why I don’t like them in the first place. I hate bribes. I hope you don’t go down that path.”

I sighed deeply. “I’m out of options.”

“No, you’re not. You can just sit by and let things happen. She killed two people already. If she gets off lightly for her actions, it could be three next time.”

“Are you telling me to just let her die?” I didn’t like what I was hearing, but he had a point.

“No. I’m saying that the court and Detective Dufort are perfectly capable of finding out the truth, even if it’s not what we want. I’ll respect whatever decision they make.” He sighed. It was clear that he was bothered by the situation too. At least I knew he wasn’t heartless. “Anyway, that’s not what I wanted to talk about. I did some research on my own about the Garden of Shadows and wished to share my findings with you.”

“What did you find out?”

“You must be wondering why a vampire like Crowe would seek immortality. His method has a flaw, which is the need to consume blood regularly orelse it weakens the body. It provides no other benefit other than protecting you from dying of old age. You can still die by other means. Immortality gained through the fruit in the garden eliminates that and also grants other benefits like resistance to disease and faster regeneration. I don’t know what Mr. Crowe plans to do after getting the fruit, but if we have to end up fighting him at some point, defeating him will be difficult.”

An enemy that never dies truly sounds like a nightmare.

“There’s no weakness we can exploit?”

He shook his head. “None that I know of. I’ll keep searching, but we’re a bit pressed for time. I’d really like your help, but I know you probably want to spend the time helping Emma. I won’t stop you. I wouldn’t want you to regret not doing anything to help her.” He never ceased to surprise me with moments like this when he was being very considerate.

We heard the sound of cutlery falling on the floor. Immediately, our heads turned towards its direction. It was Prof. Alice eating a plate of chocolate cake. Neither of us noticed her enter the bakery at all.

“Prof. Alice…” Once again, we said in unison with a disappointed tone.

“Feels like deja vu, doesn’t it?” Prof. Alice calmly picked up her fork. She really read my mind.

“If you’re eavesdropping on us again, it probably means you have something important to say.” Salamander wasn’t even that surprised anymore.

She smiled. “Perhaps I do, or perhaps I’m just watching my own form of television.”

“It’s not just her. I’m here too,” Toad proudly revealed himself. I’d wager he probably didn’t know what’s happening.

Salamander was slightly annoyed. “Ok. First off, how much do you two know?”

Toad shrugged. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I overheard something about helping Emma and I want to help her too. She’s a nice girl. I think she deserves a chance.”

Prof. Alice sat down at our table, setting her half-eaten plate of cake on top. “We’re here to offer our help in getting evidence for Ms. Sweetblossom, so you can concentrate on your other problem.”

Salamander sighed. “So you are aware of what’s been happening with the Crowes then?”

“What’s been happening with the Crowes?” Toad was confused.

“I only catch glimpses, like how it was a few months earlier,” replied Prof. Alice. "It's like when you only get a free cake sample but never really the whole cake."

“A few months earlier?” Toad was completely out of the loop.

Considering that Prof. Alice put her own life at risk and helped us defeat Lucien Blackthorn, I believed she could be trusted. “We need to have the evidence before Friday. We’re counting on you, Professor.”

“I can’t guarantee that I’ll find something compelling, but I’ll see what I can do. Also, I might have a hint for your other problem.” Prof. Alice’s smile told us she knew more than she let on. “Tea is the answer.”

“Tea?” Salamander was confused.

I spent some time thinking about it until it finally hit me.

Of course! Bartholomew’s tea brand! I’d been putting off buying his ten boxes of Earl Grey that I’d forgotten its brand name, Clementine.

“Thanks, Prof. Alice,” I quickly thanked her before hurrying outside.

“Remina, where are you going?” Salamander attempted to chase after me.

I stopped and looked back. “Shopping.”

The Corner Tea Room was a dainty little shop, which I often passed on my way to the antique shop but never really noticed. It wasn’t too far from the bakery, so I arrived there shortly.

Salamander decided to remain with Prof. Alice and Toad to get more information out of them and sort out the details regarding their plan. He believed that Prof. Alice knew something we didn’t.

When I entered the shop, the place was empty. Even the shopkeeper was not at the counter. So, I decided to have a look around and noticed a painting hanging on the wall depicting a dark garden with a large tree in the middle bearing red fruits. For some time, I stared at it, believing that something would happen again. Perhaps the serpent would appear. Perhaps another poem. Nothing came other than a slight hint of disappointment.

“The Garden of Shadows. It was a painting I inherited from my mother,” a familiar voice suddenly said.

I turned my head and saw a beautiful lady behind the counter with red hair tied in a messy bun. I was certain that she was the one Leslie met up with that night. This was Clementine.

“Welcome! How may I help you?” she said with a smile.

“I’d like ten boxes of Earl Grey tea please,” I replied.

“Ten boxes of Earl Grey. Could this be for Bartholomew perhaps?”

“Bartholomew sure is well-known.” The extent of the library demon’s network really did surprise me.

“You’re not the first student he sent here to purchase tea. Please give him my thanks.” She turned around to prepare my order.

“I will.” I paid for the boxes of tea and glanced at the painting again. “Who painted this?”

“How about we discuss this over a cup of tea? On the house,” she suggested.

Before I even answered her, she began preparing a teapot and two cups. I decided to just go along with it. I wasn’t sure where this was going, but I wanted to hear what she had to say.

We both sat at one of the tables meant for two people. She served me a cup of black tea, one I was reluctant to try.

“It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She poured a cup for herself and drank it. “See?”

I hesitated before picking up my cup and sipping it. It tasted normal.

“How do you like it?”

“Delicious.” I couldn’t lie. It was good tea.

She smiled. “You must be Remina.”

“How did you know my name?” I pretended to be surprised.

“I learned about you from Ophelia. She even predicted that we’d meet and have tea together on a day like this.” She smiled and took a sip from her porcelain cup. “I’m Clementine, if you didn’t already know that.”

At this point, I had way too many questions that I didn’t know where to begin.

She continued, “You wanted to know about the painting? I don’t know who painted it, but the tale behind it is well-known in the Blackthorn family.”

“There’s a tale?” I asked.

“Of course! The Garden of Shadows is a storybook. Would you like to hear it?” She sounded eager to explain.

“Yes, please.”

“There was once a garden with a tree that bore fruits, guarded by a snake. The snake took care of this tree, making it grow big until its fruits gave anyone who ate from it immortality.

A simple farmer approached the snake and asked, ‘May I have a bite of the fruit, so that I may live long enough to see my descendants?’

The snake replied, ‘You may if you sacrifice your son in exchange.’ The farmer, unable to pay the price, left.

Next, a studious historian approached the snake and asked, ‘May I have a bite of the fruit, so that I may live long enough to witness all that is to come?’

The snake replied, ‘You may if you sacrifice all your knowledge in exchange.’ The historian willingly paid the price, received the fruit, but then found it meaningless without the knowledge he lost.

Lastly, a wealthy king approached the snake and asked, ‘May I have a bite of the fruit, so that I may rule my kingdom for all eternity?’

The snake replied, ‘You may if you sacrifice your whole kingdom in exchange.’

The king was so angered by the snake that he instead stole a fruit and ran. When he ate the fruit, he turned into blue flowers growing underneath the tree. His kingdom fell into ruin in his absence. The End.”

“I suppose the moral of the story is never to steal things out of greed?” I guessed.

“That and dealing with the serpent always comes with a price.”

“What do you know about the serpent?”

“I’m like you, Remina. Although my mother married someone from the Blackthorn family, I was from a previous marriage, so I was never born with the gift. I had to earn the favour myself.”

“We’re not the same. I didn’t beg,” I said sternly. “I don’t even know why I have it.”

“You’re the serpent’s wildcard. It must have sensed your potential for thwarting the plans of those mages abusing his gifts and decided to bestow a gift to you out of whim.”

“Did Ophelia tell you that?”

“In fact, she did. It’s even in that poem she wrote about you.”

“I suppose everyone has read it now?”

“The Revival Review is a popular publication. Ophelia published it there for that reason.”

“To warn me?”

“To warn others about you.”

“I’m not even actively targeting anybody.”

“You don’t have to. You reacting to every situation you’re encountering is enough.” She drank some tea. “I’ve given you an awful lot of information for free. I’m hoping that was enough for you to trust me a little.”

“What is it that you want me to do exactly?” I asked bluntly.

“Withdraw from the heist. The book must not fall into Crowe’s hands.” She was serious.

“Whose hands do you propose it should fall into?”

“Under my protection, I will make sure no one ends up like the historian and the king in the story. Crowe doesn’t realise the danger he’s getting into. Don’t let yourself get dragged into his delusions.”

“Thanks for the tea. I’m afraid I must get going.” I stood up.

“I enjoyed our meeting. The next time we meet, I hope we can get along again.” She smiled.