Ancient Appetites (The Wildenstern Saga Book 1)

by Oisin McGann

  “Our ancestors rebuilt their bodies from scant remains,” Gerald replied, with something like awe in his voice. “Something kept the seeds of life in them even after their corpses were mummified. Their brains were dead, but some part of them remembered … like drawing the plans of a machine or a building, so their physical forms could be recovered. Their own memories are not complete; but even so, the fact that Hugo and his siblings can move and speak after six hundred years … I think it was these particles. Something about the quality of gold acts as a stimulus or fuel for them, and using it, they have the power to regenerate life, almost to the point of granting immortality. But I don’t think they are a part of life. I think we’re looking at mathaumaturgy here—once upon a time, someone actually made these things and put them in our blood. I think this is evidence of a science beyond our understanding.

  “You see, this isn’t the only place I’ve seen this kind of healing action,” he went on. “We’ve always wondered how the engimals healed. After all, they’re made of inorganic compounds—metals and other elements. They have no lymph or circulatory systems, no capacity for producing new cells because they have none to begin with. And yet they can heal. I think they use the same mathaumaturgical particles to rebuild themselves.

  “Just on a whim, I decided to see if these marvelous little mites were interchangeable; whether I could create a link with an engimal using the particles in my blood. That’s the whole basis of my theory, after all—that they were created to serve. Normally it takes days or even weeks of work to bond with an engimal. I put a single drop of my blood in the toast-maker’s drinking water and all of a sudden it obeyed my every word! Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

  Nate understood completely, but he wasn’t sure he believed it. Gerald giggled, as if he were on the edge of hysterics.

  “Once a link is created with a master, they appear to be instantly obedient. Forget all this nonsense about breaking them in—this can override all that. And it proves once and for all that they were designed and built to serve by a race whose science was far beyond our own. I’ll have to carry out experiments on some of our other engimals to get a better idea of how it all works.

  “Imagine if we could find some way to communicate with them, Nate—perhaps with mathematics or some long-lost language. Imagine that!” He ran his hand through his dark mop of lank hair. “I must write to Charles Darwin and involve him in this. I think these particles are the key to discovering who was responsible for creating the engimals. Darwin’s theories on evolution are only the tip of the iceberg; if I’m right, Hugo and the others could be proof that—”

  “We are proof of God’s mercy!” Hugo’s voice cut in.

  They turned to find him standing right behind them.

  “God returned us to this world to do His Work,” he announced.

  “Yeeesss, that’s all very well,” Gerald said carefully. “But I’m interested in how He pulled it off.”

  “He is the Almighty God! His Will shall be done.”

  “Hugo,” Gerald began, “a lot of things have changed since you’ve been away—”

  “Gerald, I don’t think this is the time,” Nate muttered.

  “Modern science has debunked many of the old superstitions,” Gerald continued, ignoring his cousin. “And while I would not be one to deny the existence of God—I think the whole question of God is a philosophical, rather than a scientific one—our perception of the world has come a long way. Mankind has chosen to rely on reason rather than faith, and it’s about time too—”

  “Gerald,” Nate hissed, his eyes fixed on Hugo’s face.

  “Frankly we’ve developed somewhat since we came down from the trees and I’m eager that we keep going. And to do that, we must use our brains.”

  “What do you mean, ‘came down from the trees?’” Hugo asked.

  “The latest theories suggest we are descended from apes,” Gerald replied.

  “Apes? What are apes?”

  “Like monkeys.”

  Hugo looked as if he had just been struck. Gerald helpfully pointed to a drawing on the wall next to him, which showed the progression of man’s development from crouching ape, with his long arms and jutting brow, through his various stages to the civilized, upright posture of modern man.

  “What is this heresy?” Hugo exclaimed. “There are no animals in my family! I was made by God in His image!”

  “Well, there lies the rub. We’ve no idea where God came from,” Gerald replied, looking fondly at the drawing. “Who’s to say He didn’t start off as a monkey?”

  The back of Hugo’s hand caught him across the face at startling speed; Gerald’s head whipped to the side and he was thrown to the floor by the force of the blow. Jumping to his feet, he clenched one fist, the other hand clutching his burning cheek. He looked at Hugo with a cold rage.

  “Out of respect for your advanced years, I’m going to let that go,” he said in a tense voice. “But if you ever touch me again—”

  “Go back to your studies, boy,” Hugo snorted. “I don’t converse with animals.”

  And with that, he left. Gerald swore softly to himself and sat down on a stool, shaking his head and blinking rapidly.

  “He nearly took my bloody head off,” he said. “The old bugger’s stronger than he looks.”

  “And he’s getting stronger all the time,” Nate added.

  “Intelligent particles,” Gerald observed with admiration, rubbing his swelling cheek. “When I figure out what’s making him tick, I’m going to change the world.”

  Nate hung around the laboratory for a while longer, but Gerald was too intent on his work to pay him much attention. Nathaniel had no desire to face the rest of his family in the drawing room or out on the grounds, certain that the gossipmongers would already be spreading the suspicions of his treachery to the rest of the house. So he sought out the only other person he knew would never believe the lies, and who might go some way towards cheering him up.

  He took the stairs up three floors to Tatiana’s room, and as he approached her door, he heard a thunderous noise emitting from within. It had a throbbing African beat to it, which was accompanied by the sound of stringed instruments being slashed to pieces with a machete. He opened the door to find Tatiana jumping on her bed, her hair loose and flying wildly about her head, her yellow crinoline dress flapping up and down around her bloomers. The songbird engimal he had given her was out of its cage and flew around her in circles, its beak open as it sang its ear-shattering tune. For a moment he was convinced that she had been possessed by some kind of demon, but then she looked over and waved at him.

  “Nate!” she screamed over the music. “Come and … jump on the … bed with me! It’s a new … invention! It has … springs in it! It’s one of the … first ever!”

  “I think my bed-jumping days may be over!” he yelled back.

  “Don’t talk … rubbish! Get up here and … jump about … Take your shoes off first!”

  She continued to bounce on the mattress in time to the beat. A smile spread across Nate’s face as he watched her. She was always able to make him smile. Kicking off his shoes, he climbed onto the bed and began jumping around with her. At first it didn’t work because his greater weight made the mattress buck under her, which would throw her off her feet, but soon they managed to get a rhythm, and Tatty started flying up towards the ceiling as Nate’s feet hit the mattress. They laughed and whooped and got the giggles and laughed again until they were out of breath and then they jumped even harder on the bed.

  That was how Daisy found them when she walked in, looking for comfort, her face like that of a lost child.

  Tatty waved her up to join them, but then lost her timing and ended up being thrown against Nate, knocking him off the end of the bed. He landed on the floor with a crash, buckled over with hysterical giggles.

  “Jump on … the bed!” Tatty screeched over the bird’s bestial song.

  “Tatiana, this is hardly a fitting way fo
r a lady to behave,” Daisy scolded, trying to hide a smile at the same time.

  “Never mind … that! Jump on … the bed!”

  She was not to be defied, so Daisy gave a reluctant grin and took off her shoes. Tatty stopped jumping long enough for her sister-in-law to get onto the bed and then they started bouncing together. Daisy was hesitant at first, missing the beat and trying to maintain her dignity, but soon she gave in and was hopping around like a wild thing, in desperate danger of having her wire-hooped skirt flip up around her waist. Nate recovered himself and joined them, and the jumping grew increasingly chaotic until, with a creaking surrender, the bed collapsed beneath them, the mattress folded in the middle and they all tumbled into the fold in a tangled mess of limbs, tears of laughter streaming down their faces.

  They lay there for a while, exhausted. Then set about untangling themselves; Tatiana told the bird to hush, and it did. As the noise faded, she announced:

  “I’ve decided I’m going to be a teacher.”

  “Really?” Nate raised his eyebrows. “I thought you were going to set up hospitals?”

  “I might do that later … if there’s a war or something,” she said thoughtfully. “But I’ve decided that the common people need schools, so I’m going to set up some of those instead. Poor people need an education so that they can get better jobs. Did you know that most of them can’t even speak French?”

  “I had no idea,” Nate replied. “Perhaps they don’t have any need for it.”

  “They would if more people spoke it,” Tatty pointed out.

  “Impeccable logic,” Daisy chuckled as they all sat up on the edge of the broken bed. “So what made you decide to teach?”

  “I think I’d be good at it,” Tatiana told her. “I’ve been teaching Elizabeth … and even Brunhilde … a bit. Although I suspect she’s a little … dotty. Anyway, Elizabeth said they were learning a lot from me, so I think I’d make a good teacher. Or at least, I could train teachers—I don’t think ladies are supposed to become teachers themselves.”

  “And what kinds of things have you been teaching them?” Daisy asked, glancing at Nathaniel.

  “Oh, all sorts of things,” Tatty replied. “Lots of family history—particularly about the Rules of Ascension. They’re really interested in those—things weren’t as civilized in their day; people just bumped each other off without any rules at all. They think we’re so much more sensible; they feel much safer than they used to. And they’ve been asking all about the members of the family, so they can get to know them, now that we’re their new relatives. They love all the stories about Father—especially the bits about all the fights he won in the olden days.” She lowered her voice in a conspiratorial whisper. “I think they’re a bit bloodthirsty. They always want to hear the gory details!”

  “So did I,” Nate said, nodding to himself. “I listened to all the stories when I was young—I thought they would help me learn to fight like him.” He paused for a moment. “I think I’d better go and have a word with him.”

  “Do that,” Daisy said to him. “Everyone seems so intent on keeping Hugo in his place, and yet his two sisters are free to spend their time diligently gathering all sorts of valuable information. You men need to pay more attention to all the women in this house.

  “And while you’re speaking to your good father, ask him why he’s been telling his impressionable young daughter all those horrible stories.”

  XXVI

  A MESSAGE FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

  EDGAR WOULD NOT grant Nathaniel an audience, nor would he accept any messages from him. The Duke seemed to have made his mind up that his son was a traitor, and was going to have nothing more to do with him until his punishment had been decided.

  Nate spent the rest of the day with Tatiana and Daisy, who seemed to be avoiding her husband. She had still not challenged Roberto about Hennessy and was unsure if she even wanted to—and she was thankfully reluctant to discuss it in front of Tatty. Nate felt his sister was still a little young to be dealing with the harsh realities of a marriage in crisis. Better that she spend a while longer believing in the kind of life portrayed in her romance novels.

  It would have helped if Daisy could have brought herself to cheer up a bit. With her pale face, glassy stare and the bags under her eyes, she looked awful. Tatty kept asking if she was ill.

  The three of them walked in the gardens and went riding in the early evening; leaping their horses over gates and hedges galloping across the countryside until the animals were lathered and panting and eager to return home.

  Whenever Nate passed any of his other relatives during the day, he caught their suspicious glances—the way they avoided contact with him if they could. He decided not to take dinner in the dining room, eating in his rooms instead, with only Clancy for company. He asked his manservant to sit with him and have some tea; something he had never done before. It was a strange thing to be alienated in your own home, to be lonely with your entire family around you. The fear of what his father might do to him for his supposed treachery was beginning to set in too. The Duke was a master of cruel and unusual punishments. As they sat there together, Clancy related amusing stories of Nate’s childhood, and Nate was grateful for the small comfort he got from them.

  He retired early, weary from his low mood. This could not go on; he would have to talk to his father tomorrow—he would force his way into the old man’s office if need be. This misunderstanding had to be sorted out. He found peace in this resolve to take action and drifted off to sleep …

  A soft knocking on the hall door woke him and he lay there for a moment in the dark, his fears playing on his mind, wondering if the Duke had finally made up his mind to dole out his punishment. But it was more likely to be Daisy again, fretting over Roberto’s nighttime habits. He climbed out of bed and pulled his dressing gown on over his nightshirt. The knock came again. Out in the living room, he disarmed the booby traps and, after some hesitation, took a six-shot revolver from the drawer of the writing desk. If these were his punishers coming to pounce on him in the night, they were going to get a right bloody shock.

  Opening the door, he stood there speechless for the second time in as many nights. In the dim light of the corridor, Elizabeth was waiting, dressed only in a white nightgown. Her long dark hair hung down over her shoulders and her feet were bare.

  “I’m sorry for waking you, Nathaniel,” she said softly. “But I think we need to talk, you and I.”

  Nate remained frozen there for a moment, and then decided that it would be slightly less scandalous to let her into his living room than to leave her standing out in the corridor. Waving her in, he immediately went to the speaking tube to summon Clancy to escort her back to her room.

  “If you are uncomfortable with my being here,” Elizabeth told him as she sat down on the sofa, “I won’t take up much of your time. Sit here next to me, so we can talk quietly.”

  Nate drew in a breath and closed the tube, sitting down at the far end of the sofa.

  “What do you want?” he asked warily.

  “I need to ask you, Nathaniel, if you are guilty of the treachery of which you are accused.”

  “No,” he retorted. “No, I’m not bloody guilty. You came here in the middle of the night to ask me that?”

  Elizabeth regarded him for what seemed like the longest time and then nodded to herself.

  “I believe you,” she said. “Hugo and I both think you were wrongly accused. That is why I am here. We want to ask for your help. We are hoping that the Duke will soon recognize us as being full members of this family, and when he does, we intend to take on our share of the responsibilities. Hugo has paid great attention to what has been happening in this house since God chose to resurrect us, and he has great fears for this family.”

  She moved closer, and Nate became aware of her scent: clean skin and a faint perfume. The way she turned her head towards him accentuated the line of her throat and her elegant neck and shoulders. There were still the
faintest lines on the skin of her face from the leathery wrinkles that had once covered it, and he had to remind himself that this woman was more than six hundred years old. He tried not to meet her eyes; they had a mesmerizing fervor to them he found disturbing, so he watched her lips instead as she spoke.

  “Hugo feels that all your modern science—all these marvelous comforts with which you surround yourselves—are making the family weak and vulnerable to attack. Your fighting arts are used only for sport; your armory is too far from your living quarters. Your windows are too large to prevent missiles from being hurled through them. You have no keep to speak of—the walls around your boundaries are low and would be impossible to defend.”

  Nate gave her an incredulous look, not knowing whether to laugh or not. She did not seem to notice, continuing to list the family’s faults.

  “None of you wear armor when you leave the castle, and you often travel far afield without an armed escort. Your older men have grown fat, anchored to their chairs by their huge backsides. This cannot go on!”

  Elizabeth moved closer still, until he could feel her breath on his skin.

  “Hugo believes that this is why we were brought back from the dead,” she whispered huskily. “To save this family from its sloth and gluttony and weakness. And save it we will! But we will need strong, moral men to help us in our struggle—men like you.” She took his hand. “Is this all you want from your life: spending your days playing with toys, your nights dallying with chambermaids or drinking to excess? Let Jesus Christ, Our Savior, give meaning to your life, Nathaniel.

  “We are only beginning to understand how powerful this family is, but it is clear that decisions here affect the entire land; how you choose to live causes ripples across its people. Don’t let sin bury your family, Nathaniel. Work with us, be a warrior for our Lord God and do His work on this earth. Join us, and we can promise you Paradise!”

  And as he hesitated, shaken by what he was hearing, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth against his.