Dark Heart Rising

by Lee Monroe

  Time for Nissilum to be set free.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  ‘This is getting rather boring now, dear.’ Vanya folded her exquisite silk dressing gown around her. ‘I thought you had resigned yourself to a life of mundane mortality.’ She sighed, turning her attention to Soren, who had helped himself to a plate of caviar and toast. ‘How did you convince her to come back?’

  Soren swallowed a mouthful of food, then brushed his lips with a napkin. ‘I did nothing. It was Luca who called her back.’

  ‘Luca?’ Vanya drew out a seat, more animated now. ‘Tired of his paramour already.’ She glanced warily at Soren, who was frowning.

  ‘Leave her out of it, Vanya. She is a separate issue.’

  ‘Whatever.’ Vanya waved her hand about dismissively. ‘The point is, the boy is still pining for Jane.’

  Soren flashed an odd sort of look at me.

  ‘I don’t know what he was trying to tell me – it wasn’t like before. But I first came to know Luca in my dreams,’ I told them. ‘It was the way he communicated with me, before we actually met.’

  ‘Was it a dream?’

  ‘That’s just it. I felt as though I was awake … But then that’s how I felt before.’ I shook my head, feeling a bit muddled about it all now.

  ‘The wedding is not far off – you must act quickly if you have any chance …’ Vanya narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. ‘Though whether it actually happens or not.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Soren and I spoke together.

  ‘Just that there seems to be something going on at the Celestial Palace.’ She needlessly lowered her voice. ‘Cadmium appears to be unwell. And the boy – Raphael – has been pacing around in a state of some distress.’

  ‘How do you know?’ Soren arched an eyebrow.

  ‘Valdar has been advising Celeste on the renovation of the Great Room and has been privy to some palace gossip.’ Vanya nodded at me. ‘He says there are whispers in the higher echelons of the Angelic circles. The tension in the palace has been palpable these past couple of weeks. With no fit heir to take over from Cadmium, Celeste is wringing her hands.’

  ‘But what about Evan – I mean, Raphael?’ I asked. ‘He’s the rightful heir, isn’t he?’

  ‘Technically, yes. But what sort of a leader would he make? All that ghastly business …’ She gave a disdainful little shake of her head.

  ‘So what are you saying?’ Soren changed tack, thankfully. ‘That there will be no wedding because the Celestial family are going through turmoil?’

  ‘Who knows?’ She inspected her fingernails. ‘That boy has been snooping around in affairs of state, I hear. I don’t trust him. Nor, I imagine, does his great-mother.’

  ‘Wedding or not, I have to try and see him,’ I said. ‘Alone, I think.’ I glanced at the two of them apologetically. ‘No offence.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Vanya. ‘You won’t get anywhere near him … Or if you do, that headstrong brother of his will be on you like a tonne of bricks.’

  ‘But if it was him, last night? He might be expecting me …’

  ‘Henora is no doubt watching him like a hawk … No, no – you must have some kind of plan. You cannot go storming over to his house. Apart from the fact that you would never find it before a creature of the night got to you first, you will have his entire, vitriolic family to deal with.’

  ‘She’s right – let me come with you.’ Soren looked a little imploringly at me. ‘Perhaps Lila is—’

  ‘Be careful,’ hissed Vanya, getting up from her seat, clutching at her dressing gown. ‘The girl does not know you – you must approach with extreme caution.’ She put her hand on his arm. ‘Remember what you did.’

  Soren closed his eyes, clearly doing just that. He nodded briefly before opening them again.

  ‘No … I see that. But I came back here for Lila.’ He paused. ‘To make amends and to stop this “marriage”.’ He looked down at the floor. ‘It was always my intention to tell her who I am.’

  ‘But you have to somehow get her alone,’ I said. ‘How do you think Henora will react if she finds out before you have had a chance to win Lila over again? She will see to it that you are locked up before you get the chance. And you will never see Lila again.’

  Vanya cleared her throat. ‘Jane is right. You both need to choose your moment. Away from the Hunter wolves – or at least the parents. I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but that is your only chance.’

  Soren and I had the same hopeless expression on our faces.

  ‘Tomorrow is the Celestial Parade,’ she went on. ‘The whole area will be teaming with all manner of pathetic loyalists …’ Then her eyes widened, and she put an elegant hand to her mouth. ‘And the ideal occasion to mingle unnoticed in the crowds.’

  ‘Perfect,’ said Soren. ‘Jane, you had better borrow something from Vanya. You’re going to stand out a mile in jeans and sneakers.’

  Vanya visibly perked up, tying the cord of her gown neatly and beckoning to me. ‘No time like the present dear – let’s get you kitted out.’

  ‘I don’t know …’

  ‘Don’t look so concerned,’ she said, with a chuckle. ‘We want you to go unnoticed, yet make an engaging impression at the same time.’

  ‘This is serious, Vanya …’ Soren said darkly. ‘Please.’

  ‘Yes, yes.’ She sighed. ‘I won’t let you down.’

  Trusting Vanya did not come naturally to me, but I had no choice. I had to take every opportunity to find out the truth. Before all hope was dashed. For good.

  It was a beautiful clear, bright day – nearly autumn – and the colours in the trees that lined the long road to the palace were muted orange and fading green; lovely and understated. Walking from Vanya’s house, Soren and I fell behind a group of women, taking up the full breadth of the cobbled street. Beyond them stretched the road that Soren and I had walked down what seemed weeks ago, but in fact was just a matter of days.

  The women gossiped with each other in excitable hissing tones. I recognised one, smaller than the rest, a thatch of wild bird’s-nest hair atop her head. Tilly. I shrank back, sure she would recognise me. Soren looked down at me, frowning.

  ‘I know that witch,’ I said, grimacing. ‘She caused a scene at the Great Ball …’

  Soren craned forward to take a better look at her.

  ‘She’s a midget,’ he said. ‘Harmless, I’d bet.’

  ‘Don’t be so sure … if she rumbles me now then the whole day will be ruined.’ I lowered my head, lifting the hood of the cape Vanya had leant me over my head.

  ‘Well, don’t do that!’ hissed Soren. ‘That really will draw attention to yourself.’ I sighed and eased the hood off again. Vanya had scraped my hair back into a tight bun; so painfully tight I wondered if she had done it on purpose. And then she had placed the short dark wig, a bob with a blunt fringe, over the top of it.

  ‘Do you want to be instantly recognised?’ she’d said, pulling my hair up from my neck and examining it. ‘All this hair is rather lovely if you like that sort of messy milkmaid kind of thing. But no good at all, if you want to stay incognito.’

  ‘You look good,’ Soren told me, taking my arm to slow us down a little. ‘Very sophisticated.’

  I sniffed. I dreaded to think what I looked like. I’d caught a glimpse of myself after Vanya had spent hours doing make-up. All I saw was heavy black kohl and dark red lipstick.

  ‘I look like a vampire,’ I said, trying to keep the disdain out of my voice. ‘It’s weird.’

  ‘You still have those lovely grey eyes.’ He stared straight ahead of him as he spoke, thankfully. I didn’t know how to deal with compliments from Soren. He always seemed so intense, yet the next minute he would be smiling facetiously.

  ‘Remember, keep by my side,’ he went on in a low voice. ‘And try not to engage with anyone – not until it is safe.’

  At the thought of seeing Luca again, face to face, I felt a bubble of excitement. I touch
ed Soren’s hand.

  ‘What will you do if she is there?’ I asked. ‘Lila?’

  I looked quickly at his profile. His mouth set impassively, deliberately. ‘I’m sorry, Soren. I can’t imagine what it must feel like …’

  ‘Don’t pity me. Pity my poor sister.’ He squeezed my hand and the touch of his fingers felt good. Reassuring and cool.

  There were shouts ahead of us, boisterous. I put my hand to my chest.

  ‘Lowe,’ I hissed. ‘We need to turn back.’

  ‘Keep calm.’ Soren kept his hand on mine. ‘You’re getting paranoid.’

  ‘I wonder why …’ I looked furtively around me. We were hemmed in now, clusters of – well, I didn’t know what they were. Vampires? Witches? Werewolves?

  ‘I’m seriously beginning to think this was a bad idea,’ I muttered. ‘What was I thinking?’

  ‘You were thinking that you hadn’t given up yet.’ Soren leaned in to talk into my ear. ‘You get the merest hint of a sign from Luca – that he still feels that bond with you – and you’re willing to go back on your refusal to come back here … That was what you were thinking.’

  ‘OK.’ I sighed. ‘The truth is I am nervous … I don’t want to find Luca and realise it meant nothing after all.’

  ‘Trust in your power,’ said Soren, sounding very much like Vanya. ‘Look – we’re approaching the palace. See the gates?’

  I peered through the witches in front of us. The palace was fronted by a large torch – like an Olympic torch – which blazed impressively in front of the main gate. Either side stood lines of people dressed in pale yellow military-like uniforms. Men and women of all ages, standing perfectly still, arms poker-straight by their sides.

  ‘Impressive,’ I said, taking in four riders on horses at the far ends of each line. I squinted and my heart leaped into my throat.

  ‘He’s there.’ I nudged Soren, who followed my gaze.

  ‘He’s part of the parade,’ I said, my heart sinking back to its regular position. ‘It’s hopeless.’

  ‘There must be some kind of communal banquet afterwards – there usually is at these events,’ Soren said, still staring over at the horses. ‘I imagine Luca will be attending that.’ He turned to look at me. ‘Don’t look so anxious, you’re a very convincing vampire.’

  ‘Kind of what I’m worried about,’ I said, wishing more than ever I could see just how ridiculous I looked.

  ‘Come.’ Soren took hold of my hand, pulling me with him through the crowds. In the tight suede boots Vanya had insisted I wear my legs felt constricted. They laced all the way up over my knees. I winced.

  ‘Bring me my sneakers,’ I murmured.

  ‘Rubbish, you look rather … sexy,’ Soren pulled me faster, giving me no time to dwell on the flush that crept over my face.

  Eventually he stopped and I realised we were right at the front of the throng looking at the people in yellow – and right in the eyeline of the boys on horseback. A flash of blond hair stood out. Raphael, sitting erect and somewhat haughty-looking, to our right. His eyes seemed to be trained on some point in the distance behind us.

  I couldn’t quite make out the rest of the horsemen, and allowed my gaze to roam to the left, half dreading, half hoping that I would meet Luca’s eyes head on. But the rest of the boys were staring straight ahead too. If it hadn’t been for his still floppy brown hair and delicately boned face, I would not have recognised him.

  But then, just for the briefest second, I saw his head drop and almost imperceptibly, his eyes catch hold of mine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Inwardly, Raphael’s mind was whirring and, though the crowds were there in front of him, cheering, happy to be part of this seasonal event, he barely registered them. At any moment, the bugle would sound, and he would take his position in front of the Celestial military. His grandparents were making their way to the balcony, too fragile today to face the people at close proximity. A bubble of anger coursed up through him. All this ridiculous pomp and ceremony. And he, who had been lied to for years, was representing the great and honourable Celestial family.

  He cleared his throat, glancing over to the left, where the most skilled riders in this part of Nissilum sat astride their horses, patiently. He allowed a longer glance at Luca, whose handsome face looked sad. The Luca Raphael had known as a boy had been calm and smiling, and it had always irritated him. He realised now he had been envious. Still was.

  But lately the wolf-boy seemed to have … paled. He was sombre. Unhappy.

  Beyond Luca was Lowe. An insouciant look on his face. Now there was a fool. So caught up in machismo, patriotism, that he was blinded to the point.

  The point that Nissilum was little better than a prison. More oppressive than the tiny basement room in which Raphael had spent the months after his father’s death, half mad with grief, and confusion.

  She let me believe, he thought, another surge of anger hitting him.

  The bugle sounded, and Raphael moved to stand ahead. His heavy military coat felt hot, suffocating. Symbolic of his life.

  He entertained a fantasy in which he drew out the pistol from its holder on his thigh and shot into the crowd, then watched the crowd scatter and panic. As he smiled at the faces in front of him, he imagined the unrest, the frightened horses, the confusion on the faces of all those who trusted in this great majestic family.

  The time will come, he thought, his eye falling suddenly on a familiar face at the front of the assembled throng. He nodded, wondering where he had seen her before. There was something about the eyes, exotically made-up … She was beautiful indeed; one of Vanya Borgia’s cohorts, no doubt … The girl seemed uneasy with his attention and simply dropped her head, coyly. That’s when he realised.

  She was no vampire. She was the mortal girl. She was Jane. And next to her, with a face that looked both too old for his years and youthfully handsome at the same time, was the boy she’d been with the other day.

  Remembering, Raphael smiled broadly for the first time.

  He didn’t know why, but this Soren character seemed charged with the same contempt for this place as did Raphael. He had known it the first time he’d met him – and then again when he’d come knocking on Vanya’s door to find him.

  With the discovery that his father may not be dead after all, the stranger – and who he could possibly be – had faded a little from his thoughts, but seeing him standing there with Jane, Raphael recalled the book in the library and what he had read. He couldn’t prove it but something told him that this boy – man – was connected to this story.

  A shout from behind him told Raphael that it was time to begin the procession. He turned to signal to the others that they must follow him.

  As the horses trod elegantly towards the crowd, it parted respectfully to let them pass. Leading the way, Raphael was careful not to make eye contact – not until he passed the two of them. He saw Soren’s hand reach out subtly to take Jane’s.

  Raphael dropped his gaze until he had her attention. Her dark eyes regarding him warily.

  ‘Hello, Jane.’ He mouthed the words, saw her lips part, confused, and lifted his head back as though he had not seen her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  ‘He saw me …’ I looked up at Soren. ‘Raphael recognised me.’

  Soren frowned. ‘You know him – a born troublemaker. He will forget about it soon enough.’ He smiled unconvincingly.

  But my hand, still holding his, was trembling a little. My eyes focussed on the boy astride the black horse next to us.

  ‘Don’t,’ Soren said, as loud as he dared, but Luca had not seen them. I released my hand from his and instead reached out quickly to touch the horse’s flank, my head bent, hiding my face.

  ‘Careful,’ said Luca, not knowing me. Soren watched me look up at him.

  ‘Jane …’ Soren pulled me back, stopping me from revealing myself at this moment. And to his obvious relief I allowed myself to be pulled.

  But though Lu
ca continued, directing his horse through the throng, he suddenly stopped, and we both saw him turn, looking back curiously at me before the crowd began chanting, encouraging him forward and on with the procession, forcing him to turn away.

  The rest of the people followed the horses, leaving Soren and I standing on the periphery.

  ‘That was close,’ breathed Soren. ‘You should have kept your head down.’

  ‘How will I ever get near him, talk to him?’ My shoulders slumped.

  ‘I told you, there will be time.’ Soren dodged a couple of small boys. ‘But really, you must learn not to wear every feeling on your face!’

  ‘I can’t help that.’

  ‘Personally, I think it’s charming.’ He smiled. ‘But this is a game you are playing. And a game involves strategy. Ergo, you need to be more strategic.’

  ‘Like a game of chess? I never was any good at board games.’

  He laughed then, slipping an arm around me.

  ‘Well, thank goodness you have me here to teach you.’

  I relaxed. He could feel a little tension easing.

  ‘Now,’ he told me cheerfully, ‘shall we try and have a little fun? I think I see Vanya and Valdar over there.’

  ‘Not them,’ I shook my head. ‘Vanya has this way of…’

  ‘Twisting things?’ He grinned. ‘At seducing you into doing things you would rather not do?’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘I know you don’t trust her, but really, she is a good ally to have.’

  ‘Hmm. And a dangerous enemy.’ I crossed my arms over my chest.

  ‘Listen, Jane. The truth is, you should never trust anyone but yourself … Not completely. The trick is to exploit the qualities you find in others – take from them what you need.’

  ‘Well, that’s not cynical at all …’ I gave him a playful shove. ‘You have this way of making the most obnoxious traits sound worthwhile.’