“All too well,” he said, distantly, and she caught his look.
“Nephril?”
“Hmm?”
“When are you proposing seeing Mirabel?”
He lifted his gaze to hers. “Mirabel? Oh, tomorrow, Stella. An early start.”
“Tomorrow? Oh. I was hoping to get used to being a man first.”
They stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. When it had run its course, she knelt before him, her arms across his knees.
“You’ve ... you’ve been ever so kind, Nephril. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” She straightened, leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
Their kiss lingered, though, longer than Stella had intended, stirring something within. Her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own, but Nephril pulled away.
“I ... I doth have mine ... mine own profit by it, though, Stella,” he said. “I too will benefit ... in mine own way. And all Dicans ne’er forget. The freedom, Stella, remember? That freedom for all Dicans we both so desire.”
She’d held his eyes in her gaze, lost in their starry heavens, hardly hearing his words.
“I also have an apology to deliver on behalf of thy parents,” he seemed to say more slowly now as he leant back in his chair.
Some of what he’d said sank in. “An apology?” but her query had seemed so dreamy somehow. She blinked a few times and cleared her head, heard his next words.
“They had seen how ... how close the two of thee had become, and Falmeard got it into his head that Mirabel’s care for thee had alerted Leiyatel. I think he accused her of such, which hurt her grief over thy death the more.”
“I hope you put them right, Nephril.”
“I did, but Mirabel fled the house before Falmeard could apologise.”
“And hence the apology you carry now?”
“As well as our own need to recruit her to our cause, Stella, yes. I had hoped thy ... thy warm friendship might bear better fruit than mine own cold reasoning.”
“Warm friendship?” Stella whispered to herself.
Nephril leant forward. “Mirabel has always been a mystery, Stella. It always seemed to me she had a purpose, although I have never understood it, not fully. But I believe it holds its allegiance tightly to Leiyatel, which is not to our advantage.”
Stella remembered the discussion in the dead of night she’d had with Mirabel, the time she’d stayed at the college; the secret she’d sworn to keep about Mirabel’s ancient line of cuckoos. Yes, its purpose had been fulfilled – by ensuring Leiyatel’s perpetuity. Would Mirabel ever really countenance going against all that?
“Her care for me?” Stella quietly said to herself, noting Nephril’s choice of words.
If she couldn’t really understand what that meant now, Stella reasoned to herself, then how on earth could she put it to their advantage later? and she stared at Nephril.
Should she ask him, ask him now – man to man?
41 Torn of a Heart’s Fulfilment
As it turned out, Stella hadn’t been able to find the right words to ask Nephril, not even sure what the question should be. During the day, however, they’d certainly discussed how they ought to handle their meeting with Mirabel, but Stella had always been constrained. Her promise to Mirabel, to keep secret the true nature of the cuckoos, continually stopped her from denying Nephril’s conviction.
Each time, they’d got little beyond the need for Stella to impress upon her the very real threat Leiyatel now posed to Stella’s own life. Nephril seemed to see this as some kind of magic talisman, but Stella was far from convinced.
Her day had, therefore, largely been spent eating a number of light meals, Nephril insisting she rest for an hour after each. His regime seemed to have worked for, come her predawn rise the following morning, she felt much more her old self, even after donning her unusual garb.
Henson promptly appeared shortly after first light, his knock at the door drawing them out to his carriage. Nephril briefly introduced Stella as his temporary scrivener, Stephan, and before long they were out of the yard and down onto Nordgang Road, heading west for Yuhlm.
By the time sunlight slanted across the rising Esnadales to the north, and picked out the upper stories of Bazarran properties to the south, they’d started to pass through busier districts. Stella had steadily become more nervous at the prospect of seeing Mirabel again, even more uncertain about the exact nature of their friendship.
That nervousness finally stole her to broach what she felt she could about the cuckoos. She leant in close to Nephril and whispered, “Can the driver hear us in here?”
“Nay, mine dear, not if we keep our voices low.”
Stella composed her thoughts. “I should have said before, Nephril, but Mirabel’s allegiance does firmly hold to Leiyatel. I know it does.”
He turned her an inquisitive eye.
“I also know it’s a very strong allegiance, so strong in fact that no threat to me is going to be enough to sway her.”
He patted her arm and leant nearer. “Trust me, mine innocent one. I have witnessed the fervour thou hath grown in Mirabel. As thou said yesterday, she has always been a loner, so her feelings towards thee will be the greater for being so novel.”
“I’m not really sure I follow, Nephril, but knowing what I do about Mirabel, I honestly doubt I’ll be able to make much difference.”
“Thou hath clearly much to learn, mine dear, much thine alien weft and weave has hidden from thee. May I suggest thou trust to mine wider wisdom, eh?” and he smiled as he again patted her arm.
Their mid-morning arrival found the yard at Yuhlm college quite empty. Henson brought the carriage to a halt before the entrance, but Nephril asked he take it to the far side of the yard.
“I will go in and ask Mirabel to join us here,” Nephril quietly told Stella. “Although thy disguise be remarkably convincing, I suggest thou stay out of sight as much as possible.”
He was gone a while, enough for the yard to begin filling with students taking a break between lectures. Stella shrank back into her seat and nervously watched through the windows for any faces she might recognise.
Her apprehension was beginning to make her feel queasy when she saw Nephril stride from the entrance alone. He climbed in beside her, concern etched across his face.
“Mirabel be not here, Stephan. I found Melkin, though, and he says she has been gone since first light, but has no idea where. He was very saddened by thy death, Stella, but is plainly more worried about Mirabel now, although he tried to hide it from me.” Nephril drew his mouth to a line. “The chancellor and I have some history between us, more be the pity.”
“So, what do you reckon has worried him?”
“He let slip that Mirabel has not been herself since returning from Blisteraising. I fear I may have underestimated her feelings towards thee, Stephan.”
Stella pursed her lips. “Well, I think I might know where she’s gone. Do you reckon your driver could find his way to the harbour?”
“Bazarral harbour?”
“I know it’s long been sealed off, but if he could get us near.”
Nephril leant out of the window and called up, “Henson? Dost thou know the Jolly Jake tavern?”
“Oh, aye, m’Lord,” Henson enthused. “Maggie Mulwich used to be barmaid there. Maybe still is,” and Stella heard the lift in his voice.
“Well, take us there now, Henson, and dally not.”
They were soon back out onto Smiddles Lane and down the hill towards the northern districts of Yuhlm. Presently, they passed some way south of the Hanging Chain Towers, further up the hill but where they still dominated the area. When the towers had finally vanished from sight behind the closer press of building towards the harbour, Henson drew the carriage to a halt before the front door of a large tavern.
Stella and Nephril got out. She stared up at the black and white frontage of the ramshackle establishment, the smell of ale seeping out to the street. N
ephril instructed Henson to remain here until they returned. Henson grinned, nodded and enthusiastically urged his mare in through the coaching entrance to the tavern’s rear yard.
“Let us hope Maggie Mulwich no longer does pull pints here,” Nephril said as he peered at the tavern’s upper windows.
He turned to Stella. “I am not too sure we can get to the harbour these days.”
Stella grinned. “If you can get us to the large building that crosses the main avenue leading to it, I’ll show you a way in,” and Nephril’s brows rose.
Within minutes, he’d brought them to the avenue where Stella led him to the flight of steps that ran down to the base of the building. The small door was still unlocked, as it had been when Mirabel had brought Stella this way, and they were soon through to the steps at the far side.
“Intriguing,” Nephril commented as he looked from the stairwell and appraisingly at Stella.
“Mirabel showed me. I think the harbour’s one of her favourite places.”
When they came to climb the broad steps to the top of the Graywyse Defence Wall, Nephril placed a hand on Stella’s arm. “I suggest thou stay well behind me now, Stephan, and hang back if we do find Mirabel. I suspect it be best to prepare her gently for thy resurrection,” and he forced a thin smile.
Nephril carefully climbed the steps. As he rose above the top of the wall, the back of a standing figure came into sight but inches from the edge on the far side. A stiff breeze whipped its cloak, and a flail of black hair revealed it to be a woman – a woman who could only have been Mirabel.
He gestured to Stella to stay back and stepped up the few remaining steps and onto the wall top, now worried himself by how still Mirabel stood. He coughed, lightly, but to no avail, and so stepped forward a few paces.
Mirabel’s arms were crossed before her, hands clasped to her sides, head facing out to the distant line of the Sea of the Dead Sun’s horizon. Barely discernible shudders shook her shoulders, her head once or twice angling down at the harbour far below.
Nephril coughed again. Still no response. “Mirabel?” he softly called, her head snapping around at his voice. “’Tis I, mine dear, thine uncle Nephril. I am sorry to disturb thee.”
Her smeared face stood out starkly white against her red-rimmed eyes. “Nephril?”
He nodded.
“What are you doing here? How did you find me?” She drew a deep breath and looked down her nose. “Have you too come to accuse me?”
“Nay, lass. I come bearing an apology and ... and good news.”
“Good news! There can be no such thing left in this world.”
“But there is, Mirabel, believe me; news thou will welcome with all thy heart.”
“Don’t talk to me about my heart, Nephril. After all these years, I now know what it’s truly for, just when all prospect of fulfilment gets cruelly torn from it. And to top it all, the blame for that loss is then heaped upon a weft and weave I’ve never possessed. Ha,” she barked and turned back to the drop, standing tall and erect before angling forward.
“Mirabel?” Stella voice rang out, clear, compelling, and Mirabel froze. Slowly, she turned and stared, brows knitting.
Stella came past Nephril but stopped when Mirabel eyed her suspiciously. “Who ... who are you? Stay back,” she growled, then looked at Nephril. “Who’s this you’ve brought with you, eh? A witness to further indictments? Is that it? Well, in that case let them witness my final act,” and she swung around to the drop now before her.
“No, Mirabel, my sweetest. It’s me: Stella. If you don’t believe my voice then believe my eyes,” and she threw off her cap.
Mirabel spun back and peered at Stella until her own eyes widened and she jerked upright, stepping back, as though she’d seen a ghost.
“Stella?” she cried, but the edge of the wall beneath her heel crumbled and gave way. She swayed for a moment, arms flailing, staring in horror at Stella as she ever so slowly toppled backwards, towards the harbour far below.
Before Nephril could move, a dark outline broadened about Mirabel as a scream rose in Stella’s throat. Mirabel’s head jerked back as her body lurched forward, and she sprawled upon the wall before them.
Behind her, floating upon the very air itself, a dark silhouette of a figure stared back at Nephril, its arms still outstretched before it. Its lack of eyes or nose or mouth seemed to bid him a knowing smile, as if to say, “Thou hast come before me once again, Lord Nephril, but hath thou not yet seen the truth?” at which it stepped back into the void and was no more.
Stella had already dragged Mirabel away from the edge, the two now in each other’s arms, sobbing, huddled upon the ground before Nephril. He, though, could only stare at the space where the dark figure had been, his thoughts lost to a long history of such meetings with Anasci’s dark agents.
42 And Mirabel Makes Three
“Hush, my petal. It’s alright now,” Stella cooed into Mirabel’s ear, hugging her tightly.
“I ... I thought...” but Mirabel again lapsed into sobs, her arms shuddering as they gripped Stella’s neck.
“I know. I shouldn’t have surprised you like that, but I was so scared you’d fall. I’m sorry. I ... I wish I could have come to you sooner.”
“Where’ve you been?” Mirabel pleaded. “I thought you were dead. We all did.”
Stella noticed Nephril standing over them, staring blankly into the distance, his mouth agape. “Nephril?” but his head only jerked fruitlessly against his rigid gaze.
“Can you stand up?” Stella gently asked Mirabel who feebly nodded but clung even tighter. “Come on. Let’s get you down to where it’s safer, eh?”
Stumbling, they got to their feet, still wrapped in each other’s arms. Stella stabbed a finger into Nephril’s side and he jolted, stared at her but only frowned.
“Maybe you’d like to help us down the steps, eh, Nephril?”
“What?” and he looked at them both, as though they’d appeared out of nowhere. “Oh. Of course,” and he reached an arm around Mirabel’s waist. “Now, let me give thee a hand, m’dear,” but he didn’t quite seem with them at first.
As they carefully descended, he became more and more intent on getting them back to the Jolly Jake tavern, cajoling them much of the way to the dank passage beneath the building. By the time they’d got through, Mirabel had become much calmer, her occasional sobs at last giving way once the tavern itself came into view.
Nephril left them on one of the empty benches set before the building and went in to find Henson.
“Where have you been all this time?” Mirabel said. Stella looked around to make sure they were alone and explained how she’d used her apparent death to set herself free of Leiyatel.
“I couldn’t let anyone see me then, though. It took me days to get to Eyesget.”
“Why there? Why not come to me?”
“Yuhlm’s too busy. You know it is. I’d never have remained out of sight here,” and Mirabel slowly nodded.
“So that’s why you’re all dressed up as a man.” and she leant back to get a better look. “And all your pretty hair gone.”
“I’ll grow it back as soon as I can.”
“But you’ll never have a chance, Stella. You’ll always be hiding from Leiyatel from now on.”
“Ah, well, that’s something else we need to talk about, but not here, Mirabel, not now. Oh, and you need to call me Stephan, at least in public.”
For the first time, the hint of a smile toyed at the corners of Mirabel’s mouth. She leaned in closer. “I suppose it does mean I can now do this without shocking the locals,” and she brushed Stella’s lips with her own before pressing them to a long kiss, as though she were leeching her heart of the misery of the past few days.
Stella jumped when Nephril, now beside them, cleared his throat, and she quickly pulled away from Mirabel.
“We got here just in time it seems,” he told them.
“Err, in time, Nephril?” Stella said, her finger tent
atively tracing her lips.
“Whilst Henson still had his breeches on,” and Nephril again looked up at the windows. “He will be bringing the carriage around shortly – once he gets his shirt and boots back on.”
Nephril sat down beside Stella but avoided her eyes until the clop of hooves announced the approach of their carriage, out from beneath the entrance arch. The cloth hanging at the window above twitched and a hand slipped through to clear a hole on the misted pane.
They were soon aboard, on the way back to Yuhlm College, when Stella suggested Mirabel join them in Eyesget for a while. “It’ll be a chance for us both to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet together, and ... and there’s something we need to discuss with you, something important.” It surprised Stella how readily Mirabel agreed, and she stole a glance at Nephril only to find him distant once more.
They found the college yard a little busier when they arrived, and so Stella kept away from the carriage windows. Before Mirabel went in to get some of her things together for her stay, Stella impressed upon her the need to continue the fiction of her own demise.
“Any hint I’m alive could prove my undoing, Mirabel. You do understand don’t you? Even with your dad,” to which Mirabel nodded.
“Don’t worry, my sweetest,” she said. “I’ll remain in mourning,” but a grin too easily lit her face. “I’ll tell him Nephril’s offered me a chance to get away for a while, so I can come to terms with my grief.”
“In which case, Mirabel,” Nephril said, “thou had best wipe that grin from thy face before seeing him.”
They weren’t long in waiting, Mirabel almost skipping back to the carriage. Stella rolled her eyes into her head as Nephril wryly made some comment or other about her acting skills.
Mirabel handed her bag to Henson and climbed in beside Stella. Both women now knocked knees with Nephril as the carriage rocked at Henson’s climbing aboard.
Come early afternoon, the carriage at last turned into the yard at Carr Sceld. Nephril helped the ladies down and suggested some food be in order.
Starmaker Stella (Dica Series Book 6) Page 18