Smiling, Prue said, “I hereby name you, The Memory Lab.” It would be hard to get time away from the others to come and work here, but she’d try to find excuses to whenever she could. She glanced out of the window – it was dusk, and she had to get back for dinner or Lavender and Liddy would start to worry. At the door she took one last look and made a promise to Francis. “I’ll be back to start work soon.”

Chapter 15: Traps, Hats, Wings and Woes

TRAPS, HATS, WINGS AND WOES

The next day, Prue, Edwin and Agapantha headed straight for the forest to set the trap. Light shone in hazy beams between the branches as they trudged through mulchy leaves in and out of green-brown shadows. Prue touched the trees as she passed between them and recited their names in her head; Francis had taught her to identify the tree type just by the feel of the bark.

It was apparent that Edwin remained on edge, and he looked over his shoulder every few paces. “I’m glad we’re at least doing something,” he said, jumping over a moss-covered, fallen tree.

“It’s a bit spooky in here,” said Agapantha, giving Prue a quick sideways glance. She was wearing her worried “rabbit caught in the mechanicart lights” expression, just like the day they’d first met at Deakins.

Prue tried to smile reassuringly, even though she had to admit there was definitely something eerie about the forest. “It’s fine. We’re together. A wolf would be more scared of us, I’m sure.”

Agapantha gave a little nod. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“If there’s anything out here, I’m sure we’ll catch it,” said Prue.

A short distance in, they found a suitable place where the trees were the right distance apart, then they spread out their equipment on the ground. Prue climbed up among the shifting leaves and creaking branches to hoist the ropes into place, instructing the others on where to tie and loop and thread the ropes and counter-balances. After a while, they finished and stood back to admire their work. Then Prue instructed them to carefully throw some leaf debris over the net, to disguise it.

On the way back to the transport hut, Prue caught the distant sight of Craftsman Primrose and Master White walking beside each other.

“They are definitely a thing,” said Prue.

“You mean, together?” said Edwin.

“Totally. The way they look at each other, you can tell,” said Agapantha.

“Gross,” said Edwin, sticking out his tongue.

They all laughed, but as they walked through the forest back to the pneumerator, Prue glanced at Edwin. Did personifates love in their second lives? Could love survive from the first life into a second life? If she found a way to unlock the past lives, the personifates could at least remember.