The Ghosts of Blood and Innocence (53 page)

‘Perhaps we should go inside,’ Abrimel suggested.

Despite objections from Caeru, Pellaz wished to talk to Geburael alone. He took the young har to a sitting room in the house, leaving Caeru to wait with Abrimel in another room. Geburael was surly and very much on his guard, but he wasn’t silent. It didn’t take Pellaz long to realise that Geburael and Loki lived in the realm from which Ta Ke had been exiled. Geburael was honest about having abducted Loki and taking him there. He seemed to think his actions were justified, although it was clear he was feeling confused about finding himself conversing with a har he’d taken to be a mortal enemy.

Pellaz too was confused. This young har was of his blood, and in many ways it was a good thing to have found him, but there were issues that made this reunion difficult. Pellaz felt he had to address them. ‘If you help us, you’ll be rewarded, like I said. However, you do have some things to answer for, namely the murder of a har in Freygard.’

‘What?’ Geburael snapped. ‘I killed no har there. I took Loki, and it was right that I did. At the very least, it has made everyhar more aware of what’s going on.’

‘Maybe you didn’t mean to kill him,’ Pellaz said patiently, ‘but the har who was supposed to go to Loki for his feybraiha is dead. From his injuries, I find it difficult to believe that death was an accident.’

‘I didn’t do that,’ Geburael said. ‘You won’t believe me, of course.’

‘Then who did kill him?’ Pellaz enquired. ‘It has to be somehar connected with you – Diablo, perhaps?’

Geburael fixed Pellaz with a stare. ‘Diablo helped me,’ he said. ‘It’s possible. Does that let me off the hook in your eyes?’ His voice was bitter.

‘Geburael,’ Pellaz said, ‘let’s focus on the most important things now. Can you bring Loki to Immanion?’

‘I want to,’ Geburael said, ‘although I can’t guarantee success. I don’t know what happened after that
sedu
seized me.’

Pellaz tapped his cheek with the fingers of one hand. He came to a decision. ‘Together, we’d stand more chance of success. Take me to Thanatep.’

‘You?’ Geburael laughed. ‘The Hashmallim would kill you. They know you’re an ally of the
sedim
, and whatever you say to the contrary won’t convince them.’

‘I’m not that easy to kill,’ Pellaz said. ‘Loki must be brought home. ’ He knew that the Hegemony would be furious at him putting himself at risk like this, but he’d taken great risks before in his life. He wasn’t afraid.

Geburael frowned. ‘All right.’ He paused. ‘I think Loki’s in danger. Like you, I want him out of there.’

Pellaz smiled. ‘I can tell you’re very fond of him and that you’re concerned for his welfare. Do you feel strong enough to go to Thanatep now?’

Geburael nodded. ‘Yes.’ He held up his hands, examined the scratches on them, then shrugged. ‘I won’t be able to guarantee your safety. If you come with me, you’ll have to look out for yourself. Also, it’s not easy for me to take hara to Thanatep. Loki was less of a problem because he’s young and his abilities when I took him there were not that developed. Thanatep protects itself, and coupled with that, the Aasp don’t want anyhar going there. The wards around it are almost impenetrable.’

‘All I ask is that you try,’ Pellaz said.

‘Very well.’ Geburael rubbed his nose and reached out to Pellaz. ‘Take my hands. Close your eyes. You don’t have to do anything.’

Pellaz did as he was asked. He could feel a warm fizz of energy in Geburael’s palms, and a slight fracturing of the air around him, which signified the creation of a portal. Then he was yanked into the otherlanes, and experienced firsthand the far more terrifying method of travel that is accomplished without a
sedu
. Otherworldly winds buffeted his body, hostile entities screamed in at him from all directions. Geburael was far less of a reassuring presence than a
sedu
would be. Pellaz felt his essence would be sucked away, and then they were crashing out of a portal into a realm.

Pellaz shuddered and braced himself for whatever might face him. But then he found that he was sprawled on the floor in exactly the same place he’d been before; a room of the prison house.

Geburael was on his knees some feet away. He dragged himself upright. ‘It’s no good,’ he said, and his expression was anguished. ‘I can’t get in. The Aasp must have sealed the realm from me. Loki’s training realm has gone too.’ His eyes filled with tears. ‘I can’t reach him.  There’s nothing I can do.’

Chapter Twenty-Nine

After Darq returned from Helek Sah, he went for a walk alone in the snow-silent forest above Nezreka. He felt as if he stood at the brink of a great battle, when many lives would be lost and the face of the world changed forever. He also knew this was an illusion and the changes, when they happened, would be more subtle than that. He knew he should summon Zu, to tell him what had occurred in Helek Sah, as they’d arranged to meet that evening anyway, but for some reason Darq lacked the will to do so. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts. If Zu wanted him, he could come without being summoned.

Darq wandered farther than he’d ever gone before. He could feel the presence of Tava-edzen in the town behind him, connected to him by an invisible cord, which would always guide him home. He had no fear of becoming lost.

He came to a place that reminded him strongly of the forest around Samway. It was almost as if he’d somehow stepped through space and time into a winter of his childhood. Surely, around the corner of this path, he would come across the ruins of the old church and the pool where the moon came sometimes to bathe. Perhaps Amelza would be waiting for him there.

He did find a glade, and it was a place of uncanny power, but it was not of Samway. Somehar, perhaps in his travels east to sanctuary in Jaddayoth, had erected a statue of a dehar in this place. Considering it must have been hastily created, it was a work of beauty. Darq went up to it and saw that words had been etched into its base: ‘Here is Panphilien, he of the many aspects, lover of all, dehar of the cycle of Arotohar, the turning wheel of life. Pause, here, traveler and reflect.’

Panphilien held out his arms and gazed towards the horizon. It wasn’t as if he was poised to embrace those who came to him, but rather embraced the future, since he faced east, the place where the sun rose and new days began. Darquiel climbed up onto the plinth of the statue and stood with his back to it. He copied its pose, reaching towards tomorrow. For some moments, he closed his eyes, and felt his heart pump blood in time with the heartbeat of the earth. She was close to him; he was living in her breath, walking upon her skin.

Suddenly, Darq’s flesh prickled; he was being observed. He thought it must be Zu, or somehar from Nezreka, or even Lurlei, but when he opened his eyes, he saw a stranger standing among the shadows at the edge of the glade. It was a tall har, dressed in a grey traveling cloak, with the hood thrown back. His hair wasn’t very long, which was unusual to Darq, but it was as pale as moonlight.

Darq lowered his arms. The har was watching him with a faint expression of amusement. ‘Who are you?’ Darq demanded.

The har came forward. He was one of the most beautiful creatures that Darq had ever seen, and most of that beauty, he realised in a moment, was beneath the skin. The har radiated an air of great experience and strength, and also of sensuality. He must be Gelaming, Darq thought.

‘Don’t you know me?’ the har asked him. ‘Look closer.’

Darq approached this har. He could smell the stranger’s personal scent, an intoxicating blend of freshly mown hay and warm animal fur. Darq stared into his eyes, unafraid. Yes, he did know this har, but he had no idea of how or when. Perhaps they had met only in dreams, because Darq was sure they had never encountered one another in reality. ‘I know you,’ he said, ‘but not. Tell me who you are.’

‘I am your father,’ said the har. He smiled. ‘One of them.’

Darq took a step back. He was surprised at how shocked he felt. He could barely draw breath. Tomorrow had just stepped into today. Had he wished for this? ‘How did you find me?’ he asked.

The har folded his arms. His posture was easy, as if he met lost sons every day. ‘Thiede communicated with me. I am Calanthe… Cal. And you are Darquiel, I’m told. You’ve no idea how glad I am to see you well. The circumstances of losing you were… traumatic.’

‘I don’t know what to say to you,’ Darq said, which was the bare truth. He felt hot.

Cal gestured languidly with one arm. ‘Then say nothing. Or at least, let’s just talk together generally, as if we were strangers meeting for the first time.’ He sat down on the plinth of the statue and gestured for Darq to sit beside him. ‘Tell me of Anakhai,’ Cal said, ‘for this is one place I’ve not really explored. Tell me of your childhood.’

‘I lived in Samway,’ Darq said. ‘West of here. That is where it began.’

‘I know of that place,’ Cal said. ‘Your father, Pellaz, went there once, although it was a long time ago. He’s not spoken to Phade har Olopade since.’

Darq sighed. ‘Phade was my guardian. We didn’t always get on. I’ve always been different.’ He glanced at Cal. ‘I think you made me that way.’

‘Then tell me about it,’ Cal said.

Darq told his story, all of it that he could remember. Cal listened, his eyes half-hooded. He crossed his legs and clasped the upper knee, in exactly the same way Divozenky had earlier. He stared at the trees while Darquiel talked. On one level, Darq delivered an eloquent narrative, but on another he felt dazed and disorientated. The pieces of his puzzle were all falling into place; so quickly now. This magnificent har beside him was one of the mysteries that had haunted his childhood. Cal had not come as a haughty Tigron, but simply as an ordinary har who had discovered the whereabouts of a lost harling. He did not hide his feelings; Darq could sense them. Some of Darq’s story upset Cal, other parts surprised and delighted him. He did not interrupt or even ask questions. He simply listened, with full attention.

When Darq reached the part about when his identity was revealed to him by Zu, over an hour had passed. He paused now and asked, ‘Is it true my brothers will resent me?’

Cal drew in his breath through his nose. Still, he did not look at his son. ‘I can’t speak for Abrimel. He’s a stranger to me. All I can say is that Loki, as I know and love him, would embrace you as a brother – under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, he’s no longer in normal circumstances. I believe he’s been influenced. He’s far from home. Once he used to call to me, but now his cry is silent. The place he’s in is selective about who it lets into it. I don’t have enough connection with that realm to breach its boundaries – yet.’

‘He’s been influenced by the Aasp,’ Darq said softly. It wasn’t a question.

‘We’ll get Loki back,’ Cal said, ‘and then I defy any influence to oppose mine.’

‘I think,’ Darquiel said, ‘that I should go to Immanion very soon. Will you take me?’

‘Oh yes,’ Cal said. ‘First, I’m quite interested to meet your new friends, not least the one who was once the leader of the tribe that incepted me.’

‘Do you mean Tava-edzen?’ Darquiel asked.

Cal nodded. ‘I knew him as Manticker. I didn’t know him very well, because I was so young, newly incepted. Wraxilan ousted Manticker shortly after that.’

‘
You
were Uigenna?’ Darquiel couldn’t help laughing at the thought.

‘Most were,’ Cal said. ‘Uigenna was the primal tribe. All the oldest Wraeththu you meet will have some connection with them. An embarrassing stage of our development that many seek to deny.’

There was a short, tense silence, and then Darq announced: ‘I love Tava-edzen.’

Cal grinned and wound an arm round Darq’s shoulders. ‘Now why am I not surprised?’ He pulled Darq to him and Darq was happy to curl into Cal’s side. He felt great strength in this har.

‘Who is this Zu you spoke of?’ Cal asked. ‘Summon him here. I’d like to meet the creature who hijacked your most intimate moments.’

‘He’s not bad,’ Darq said. ‘Don’t be angry about that. I haven’t told you everything about him. He was incepted from the Krim Sri. He says he’s the only one who was. And he
has
helped me.’

‘Summon him,’ Cal said. ‘He can tell me the rest himself.’

‘All right.’ Darq drew away from his father and got to his feet. ‘I have to call to him by swinging a weighted cord.’

Cal raised an eyebrow. ‘Different. Well, do carry on.’

Darq took the cord out of his pocket – he always kept it to hand now - and closed his eyes. He swung the cord and the stone at the end of it sang in the cold air. Almost at once, he could feel Zu approaching, and sensed the har was in some way cautious. Perhaps he was aware Darq was not alone. His presence flickered, as if Zu was debating whether or not to manifest. Then Darq heard Cal say, ‘
You?
’ in an icy tone. He opened his eyes.

Zu stood some feet away, clad in his traveling clothes. His arms were folded defensively and he was not at all the commanding, confident creature with whom Darq was familiar.

‘I’m sorry, Cal,’ Zu said. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about Darquiel.’

Cal stood up, radiating a type of energy Darq felt could blast holes in rock. ‘Does Thiede know about all this?’

Zu shook his head. ‘No.’

Cal bared his teeth. ‘I don’t envy you when he becomes aware of it. And that will be approximately as long as it takes me to walk to Nezreka.’

Zu came forward. ‘I did what had to be done. You couldn’t be with Darq, and neither could Caeru or Pellaz, but I could, because I’m different to you. I’m one of a kind, Cal.’

‘Quite,’ Cal said.

Zu displayed his palms in a gesture of appeal. ‘When Darquiel was conceived, I felt responsible for him. It was me who encouraged Rue to become intimate with you. I’ve always felt that Darq is partly mine, and I’ve watched out for him.’

‘Rather more than that,’ Cal said, apparently unmoved by Zu’s words. ‘Please remember you’re speaking to one of his parents and that he has just related to me the content of his
friendship
with you!’