Dark Heart Rising

by Lee Monroe

  ‘Spare us your display,’ Henora said, though she still hid in her son’s shadow. ‘I don’t care what you and your … despicable cohorts get up to in private. But you will not infect my innocent son and daughter-in-law with your poison.’

  Something snapped, and I saw with a mixture of fear and admiration, the gleaming white fangs visible through Vanya’s perfect red lips.

  ‘Poison?’ She reeled back, her hips swaying in a snake-like movement. ‘You are delusional. It is you who harbours the poison. You’ – she stabbed the air – ‘maliciously depriving your children of happiness.’

  ‘How dare you!’ Henora finally bolted forward. ‘I have endured you – up until now – for the sake of peace on Nissilum. But your flagrant abuse of the law – it’s gone too far.’

  ‘Not far enough!’ Vanya snarled and in a flash she was right up against Henora, her tongue running itself threateningly over her lips.

  ‘Vanya!’ Luca growled, but after his recent turning, he was clearly too weak to do anything more than lurch forward a little.

  ‘Vanya, stop it!’ said Raphael a little wearily. But when I looked at his face, I saw a kind of wonder there. Like he was a spectator enjoying entertainment at a brawl.

  With a narrowing of her eyes, Vanya obediently stepped back from Henora, closing her mouth in a petulant pout.

  ‘Yes, stop it, you ridiculous woman,’ Henora added unnecessarily, though it was clear she was shaken.

  ‘Oh, don’t speak.’ Vanya covered her ears theatrically. ‘It’s like the whine of a tiny little dog.’

  I bit my lip. Despite the hideousness of the situation, or maybe because of it, I felt a real sense of absurdity. Catching Raphael’s eye, I suspected he was feeling the same way. I immediately switched my gaze forward.

  ‘Ladies,’ he said finally, ‘as entertaining as this is, there is a celebration here today. We should be mingling harmoniously with each other.’

  Was it me, or was there a touch of derision in his tone?

  ‘Raphael, forgive me, but I have known you since you were a small boy,’ said Henora haughtily. ‘I do not appreciate being made to look like a source of comedy or being preached to by a … a child.’ She couldn’t help herself glaring at him.

  Celeste, who had been hovering meekly at some distance, flapped her dainty hands about.

  ‘Of course you don’t. Raphael, please have more respect for your elders.’ She smiled a wavery smile, expecting her great-son to demur.

  ‘Respect?’ He threw his head back and laughed heartily.

  All of us stared in astonishment.

  ‘Raphael,’ Celeste said in a fearful whisper, ‘please … behave.’

  But his laughter seemed to chime like a deafening bell around the Great Room.

  ‘Dear, oh dear,’ Celeste murmured in distress. I once again felt the seriousness of the situation.

  Was no one in control here?

  ‘That’s enough.’ A low but authoritative voice spoke out.

  As though reading my thoughts, Luca released himself from Lila’s grip and stepped forward, until he was squarely in the middle of his mother and the still-smarting Vanya.

  ‘There is no need for this.’ Luca eyed the two women, then cast his glance around the rest of us. It skimmed over me, unreadable, and I lowered my gaze.

  ‘The boy has been taken away,’ he told his mother. ‘And that is the end of it. Please, can we not all just get on with the evening?’

  ‘Don’t be naïve,’ Henora snapped. ‘Don’t you realise that your … friend’ – she spoke the word as though spitting out acid, and though I still had my eyes to the ground, I knew she was looking at me – ‘that your friend means to come between you and your happiness? She has exhorted the boy to aid her. Spreading lies about Lila.’

  Somehow I found my voice, aware that all eyes were on me now. ‘Believe me, Henora, I have never wanted anything but happiness for Luca. That has never changed.’ I swallowed, locking eyes with him. ‘And Soren is not trying to do anything but rebuild a relationship with his sister.’

  ‘As I said,’ Henora snapped, ‘lies.’

  ‘Mother,’ Luca began calmly, ‘there is no harm done. There is a lot to take in…I need to make up my own mind about Soren.’ He looked apologetically at me when he added, ‘I need more than a story to convince me.’

  ‘I will decide who is lying and who is not,’ said Raphael. ‘And as for spoiling Luca’s happiness …’ He paused, and at once there was silence as he stared hard at Henora. ‘Perhaps you should look a little closer to home on that score.’

  ‘How dare you!’ She paled, her body trembling. ‘I demand you fetch my husband!’ She pointed rudely at a serving boy loitering nervously at the door to the Great Room. ‘You! Go and fetch Ulfred.’

  With a subservient nod, the boy fled through the doorway.

  ‘Lost your celebrated manners now, haven’t you?’ Vanya told her dryly. ‘I always thought you were an ill-disguised fishwife, and here is the proof.’ She lifted her chin, looking as though there was an unpleasant smell beneath her nose.

  Luca made no move to come to his mother’s defence, instead he looked as though he were frozen to the spot. I saw him looking at her, though, and it was not a look of love. It was a look of embarrassment – shame even. As my eyes wandered over to Dalya, she too appeared aghast, though she was rubbing half-heartedly at Lila’s arm in a gesture of comfort.

  Was Henora showing her true colours at last?

  ‘Mother, please …’ Luca tried to take her arm but she shoved it away impatiently.

  ‘I have never been more humiliated,’ she growled. ‘We’re all going home. As soon as Ulfred gets here. We will be leaving.’

  ‘Excellent,’ purred Vanya. ‘You are rather spoiling the atmosphere around here.’

  ‘Vanya!’ I couldn’t help myself. ‘Just – leave it …’

  Luca flashed me a look which could have been gratitude.

  She sighed melodramatically. ‘If that’s what you want, darling. You’ve been through quite enough tonight, I imagine. I have no wish to make things worse.’

  I shrugged. ‘It’s not me we should worry about – it’s poor Lila. She doesn’t deserve any of this.’

  ‘No.’ Luca looked at me softly, a half-smile on his lips. ‘Well said.’

  And just for a bit, everyone else melted away as something familiar passed between us.

  ‘Pah!’ Clearly irritated that I had spoken out, Henora pushed rudely past me. Luca frowned, opening his mouth to speak, but shut it again quickly. With his eyes, he tried to signal an apology to me. I smiled quickly, before looking away.

  Luca then followed his mother, and Dalya and Lila trailed behind them.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Dalya whispered as she passed by me, but I shook my head.

  I hoped it wasn’t the last I’d see of her, but I had a sinking feeling.

  I badly wanted to go home. To see my wonderfully normal parents and my wonderfully normal, if slightly annoying, little sister. But I couldn’t leave Soren to face this on his own. I stood, rubbing at my make-up, my disguise in tatters, and soon it was just Vanya and I – and Raphael at some distance – standing in the Great Room. Celeste had disappeared along with the others.

  Vanya heaved another sigh. Glancing at me, she turned her attention to Raphael.

  ‘I am not leaving without seeing Soren,’ she told him haughtily. ‘I assure you I will not allow him to be punished because of some misplaced allegiance you palace folk have with the werewolves. I will personally act as his defence attorney.’

  He raised an eyebrow. ‘That is your choice. I am all in favour of a fair trial. Believe it or not, honesty is important to me. I mean to sort the lies from the truth, just as you do.’

  He turned on his heel and began to walk away, but as he reached the foot of the great staircase, he hesitated before turning back to us.

  ‘And for the record, I have no allegiance to anyone in particular. And no truck with outmoded law and
order. You’ll realise that soon enough.’

  Without stopping for a response, he turned back quickly and began his ascent up the staircase.

  Watching until he was out of sight, Vanya pressed her lips together, a determined look on her face.

  ‘Well, well, well,’ she said softly. ‘Perhaps, Jane, all is not lost after all.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  ‘Your mother is in her bed,’ Ulfred told him. ‘She is not herself.’ Concern etched his face, as he scratched at his beard in agitation.

  ‘Father, I regret what happened today,’ Luca told him, looking down at the torn clothes he was still wearing. ‘It was such a strange … unexpected event.’

  Ulfred nodded. ‘And what of this boy’s story,’ he said carefully. ‘He told you he had killed his entire family but for Lila?’

  ‘That’s what he said.’ Luca sighed, remembering the terrible tale Soren had told him. Outlandish, impossible. ‘But it cannot be true. It simply can’t … nobody behaves that way on Nissilum. There has never been a murder, certainly not so terrible. We would know of it, wouldn’t we?’

  Ulfred drew in his breath sharply, and Luca watched him, curious.

  ‘Father … what is it?’ He frowned.

  ‘I am just tired, boy.’ Ulfred leaned against the wall in the kitchen, where they were standing. ‘It has been a long evening.’

  ‘It’s not her fault, you know,’ Luca said abruptly.

  ‘I know … She just wants the best for you.’ Ulfred smiled reassuringly at him, misunderstanding.

  ‘Not Henora,’ Luca uncharacteristically snapped. ‘Jane. It is not Jane’s fault.’

  Ulfred’s smile faded. ‘It is better that you don’t speak of her, son,’ he said gravely. ‘She is the root of all this trouble.’

  Luca bristled at this injustice. There had been a moment, back in the palace gardens, when he had to admit he had suspected Soren’s story had been concocted with Jane’s help, to somehow stop his marriage going ahead. But quickly Jane had shown her true colours. And they had been the same shimmering, pure colours he had been drawn to – what seemed a lifetime ago. Jane was modest, selfless … and grown up. The great irony was that his mother hadn’t thought her a fit partner for him for the simple reason that she was a mortal. The truth was that there could never be a more perfect girl for him.

  But what of Soren’s story? It seemed so far-fetched. And for all the world the boy looked nothing like any wolf he knew. But what then was Soren’s motive in making the story up? Luca sighed, overwhelmed by conflicting feelings and a little angry with himself; did he not want to see the real truth, because of all the upset and unhappiness it would cause his family? In particular, his mother. Was he too scared to confront it?

  He couldn’t see a way out of this mess. And now, more than ever, he realised he needed to protect Lila. Jane was right. She didn’t deserve this. Any of it.

  After Ulfred had made his own way to bed, Luca looked in on Dalya, who lay on her bedroom floor, her nose in a book. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps and he made his way over to sit on her messy bed.

  She put her book face down on the carpet in front of her.

  ‘I don’t want to talk to you,’ she said sulkily. ‘I hate this family.’

  ‘No you don’t.’ He spoke gently. ‘It was an awful evening, and emotions ran a bit high, but—’

  ‘You’re an idiot,’ she interrupted him crisply. ‘But if you want to ruin your life, it’s up to you.’

  Luca sighed, angling his head to see the cover of her book.

  ‘Persuasion?’ he said, his tone just slightly teasing. ‘Isn’t Jane Austen a little old for you?’

  ‘Actually, it’s really quite appropriate,’ she said dryly. ‘Perhaps you ought to read it, Luca? It might open your eyes to the truth of things.’

  He was silent, recalling the central theme of the mortal novel: selfless, pure and noble love.

  Dalya huffed audibly. ‘I thought better of you – all those books you used to read, the stories you told me … I thought you believed in love, Luca.’ She shook her head. ‘You have changed, brother.’

  He was silenced – something in what she had just said pierced him. He realised he had barely noticed how much he had altered over the past few months … until now.

  ‘Maybe I just grew up,’ he said after a while. ‘I had to grow up one day. I’m sorry you feel left behind.’

  ‘How is this being grown up?’ she retorted. ‘Marrying someone you don’t love.’ She said the last with a passionate flush in her cheeks.

  ‘Dalya,’ he warned her, ‘Lila is in this house, remember?’

  ‘Yes,’ she sighed, exasperated. ‘How could I forget? I am the one who keeps her company. Remember?’

  Luca smiled, nodding. He understood her frustration – and her sentiments. He’d had them too, even more strongly. Finding, meeting his soulmate had been everything to him. But now …

  ‘Life gets complicated,’ was all he could think of to say.

  ‘No. People complicate it.’ She stared hard at him.

  ‘And what about you – when the time comes for you to marry. Will you go against Henora’s wishes and marry outside of the breed?’

  She opened her mouth, hesitating, then: ‘I’m not getting married – it’s nothing but a repressive institution designed to restrict imagination and passion.’

  In spite of his sadness, Luca burst out laughing. Dalya picked up her book and threw it at his head.

  ‘You dare laugh at me,’ she hissed. ‘But I am the only one now who has passion. Who dares to believe.’

  Luca stopped laughing. He saw his little sister’s face, the tears clouding her eyes, her elfin face troubled and sad. He reached out and grasped her hand.

  ‘I have to do this …’ he whispered hoarsely, holding on tight. ‘It doesn’t mean the ache in my heart will go away. Or that I have stopped believing in love.’

  And as he said it, he felt the weight of his own emotion and his eyes pricking. He felt his sadness washing over him like a giant wave. And he held on to Dalya’s hand for comfort now, even though she obviously despised him.

  But she didn’t let go. She saw his sadness and he knew that her tender heart had made her anger ebb away, leaving only a look of pity on her face.

  ‘Well,’ she said finally, ‘I want to finish my chapter. I’m at a really good bit …’ She released her hand, but gently, and Luca got up from her bed.

  ‘You are not my enemy, are you, Dalya?’ he asked her. He knew his words were pathetic. He felt lost.

  ‘Never your enemy,’ she said, picking up Persuasion. ‘I want only your happiness.’ All of a sudden her little face looked wise beyond its years, humbling him.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Goodnight, little sister.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  It was very late. With Soren gone, I couldn’t get home, and Vanya had disappeared to find Valdar, presumably to concoct a plan to help Soren. I had not been invited along, just left to wander around the palace.

  Reaching one of the palace’s bathrooms, the first thing I did was take off the wig and shake my hair out. Despite hours spent underneath the fake hair, it wasn’t so bad, if a little messy. I ran my fingers through it until it looked more or less respectable. Then I scrubbed off the horrendous smudged make-up. A few of the kitchen staff came in and out, but I was beyond caring about the odd looks. After what had happened, it didn’t seem to matter any more.

  My clothes were at Vanya’s. I had no choice but to stay in the vampish ensemble I’d been wearing all night. The effect was considerably less glamorous than when I had started out this afternoon. Was it really only this afternoon? I thought.

  I made my way to the Great Room where the last of the guests were sitting around at table, supping grape juice, or whatever it was, helping themselves to the slabs of cheese and oatey-looking biscuits laid out on the table. I even saw the band, the Vampire Jazz Quartet, deep in conversation at one end of the ro
om.

  As I walked in, all eyes immediately alighted on me, and I saw faces leaning into each other whispering. I found a seat apart from everyone and settled myself on it, concentrating my gaze on the tablecloth. When I did allow myself to look up, I was relieved to see that the occupants of the room had lost interest.

  All except one.

  I looked up, and my heart sank at the sight of Lowe standing at the entrance to the room. Thankfully he had made himself absent while all the drama had been going on in the hall, but seeing him, lounging – insouciant and mocking – in the doorway, brought back memories of another time, another palace party, and another me. I swallowed my food and tried to set my face in an unfazed expression.

  ‘You?’ he drawled, coming towards me. ‘My goodness. You had me fooled I must say …’ He pulled up a chair next to me and I couldn’t stop myself from shrinking away.

  ‘I am not interested in anything you have to say,’ I said, lifting my chin. ‘I’ll be gone soon.’

  He regarded me, a weirdly peaceful look on his face.

  ‘Not yet, I don’t think. Raphael may want a few … words with you first.’

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Well I have nothing to say to him, either.’

  ‘Oh, but you are now implicated in a serious contravention of the law.’ His self-assured tone sent a surge of irritation through me.

  I inhaled, to stop myself from reacting in the way he wanted.

  ‘Go away,’ I said blankly.

  ‘But this is important, this is not just between you and Luca …’ He put his cracker back on the table. ‘Who is Soren? Where did he come from? Nobody knows him. Lila – well, Lila is confused. She is gibbering something about a brother, but’ – Lowe looked about us, before leaning even closer, his tone confidential – ‘Lila is a sweet, innocent girl. I just wonder what exactly his motivation is?’ He raised an eyebrow, indicating that I should explain.