by M. J. Hearle
No, not floating. Falling. Tearing her eyes away from the wondrous towers, Lamara saw this strange world did have a ground and she was only seconds away from striking it. In the back of her mind there was an itch; an emotion struggling to register.
Fear.
The more she focused on this emotion, the less power the calming perfume held. Lamara started to panic, a soundless scream building in her throat. She was going to die. Was this what had happened to the old farseer? He’d travelled to this world only to fall to his death. Lamara closed her eyes as the ground approached and thought of her mother.
I’m sorry. I’m . . .
The sound of rushing air forced her to open her eyes again. She gasped as two strong arms wrapped tightly around her mid section, gently slowing her descent before, impossibly, guiding her upwards. Lamara was no longer falling – she was flying.
Flying towards the top of the nearest tower, by far the most ornate and magnificent of the structures she could see. Twisting in her saviour’s embrace, Lamara stared in shocked awe. A man held her. His face was pale, the colour of fresh snow with a slightly blue tint. His features were perfectly sculpted if delicate – as though the best of both man and woman had been combined together. Save for his eyebrows and the thick black waves that blew back from his brow, his face was free of hair. The flying man’s skin looked inhumanly smooth and hard, like a stone one might find on a riverbed.
Lamara opened her mouth and asked, ‘Are you a god?’ Her voice was barely a whisper, the words being snatched away before they even left her lips. Still, he seemed to hear her for a slight smile curled the corners of his dark lips. He glanced down at her with eyes that glittered like the emerald stars far above.
I am, Lamara of the Grey Wolves, she heard him answer, his deep voice echoing through her mind in a language she didn’t understand but did.
You will call me Elumen Var.
Elumen Var? Her people had never spoken of a god with such a name but if this being was not a god then what was he? Lamara stared into the god’s eyes trying to accept the miracle. She’d succeeded, crossed over from one world to the next. Still, even in these extraordinary circumstances, her mind reeling with everything her wide-eyed stare could drink in, doubt lurked. It was her heart where the doubt originated. Shouldn’t she feel exalted in the presence of a divine being? Her soul suffused with religious awe?
It was the god’s eyes that troubled her. A strange expression she’d noticed there – hunger sharpened by a wicked delight, like a starving wolf finding a stray lamb. As they soared ever closer to the top of the nearest tower, a dreadful realisation began to form.
Something terrible was going to happen to her.
Chapter 27
Lucy watched from the doorway as Winter moved about her room, throwing clothes haphazardly into the open suitcase lying on her bed. Though it wasn’t yet noon, Winter was acutely aware of the sun’s progression across the sky, could almost see the shadows on the floor shift with the passing of time. Night was coming. And so was Benedict.
‘So, where are you staying again?’ Lucy asked, doing her best to keep her tone conversational.
‘Monica’s beach house,’ Winter replied, shooing away Nefertem, who seemed determined to get in her way.
‘And Monica is . . . ?’
Winter sighed at her sister’s feigned obtuseness. They’d already been through this. ‘Jasmine’s cousin.’
She’d spent the morning crafting an elaborate lie to cover the fact she was leaving with Yuri today. Lucy was far too suspicious to accept just any old flimsy excuse, so Winter had been careful to add embellishments to the lie. Little details that would sell the false reality. She and Jasmine were driving down to Jerusalem Bay to spend a week at Monica’s beach house with a group of friends. Monica was Jasmine’s older cousin. She’d made a lot of money importing beads from South America which she used to construct colourful necklaces. Monica then sold these necklaces on the internet and with the profits had bought the beach house. The friends that were sharing the house with them were Sally Cruthers, Debbie Law and Jennifer Worshkowski. No boys were invited. She’d made sure to emphasise this part of the story.
Going over the details in her head, Winter was confident that, short of the longitude and latitude of Monica’s imaginary beach house, she was prepared for any question Lucy might shoot at her.
Which is why she was so surprised when Lucy hadn’t really asked any. Not difficult questions in any case.
‘Is this Monica a good girl? She’s got her head screwed on straight?’
Winter was almost comforted by the question; it threw their relationship back into a dynamic she was familiar with – Lucy as the overprotective mother hen, Winter as the wayward chick. Her sister treating her like an equal – like an adult no less – made her feel a little uneasy.
‘I’m not entirely sure but I think she may be a nun,’ Winter said with a straight face.
Lucy pursed her lips in disapproval. ‘Very funny. I don’t know how I’m going to get by without your sparkling wit.’
‘It’ll be tough. Do you want the address of the beach house?’ She had it already in mind – number ten Saltwater Drive. Winter didn’t know if the short coastal street she’d looked up in Google Maps went to ten but was gambling on the fact that Lucy wouldn’t use the address for anything other than peace of mind.
Lucy shook her head. ‘No, maybe just give me a call when you get down there?’
‘Will do,’ Winter said, throwing the last of her clothes into the suitcase. Before closing it, she slipped in Blake’s diary and Sam’s notebook. Yuri had told her to pack light, but there was no way she was leaving the books behind.
‘You all done then?’ Lucy asked, and Winter sensed it was taking a lot of effort for her sister not to question her further. This wasn’t easy for Lucy.
‘Yeah, Jas should be coming by soon to pick me up. I should go wait for her.’ Nefertem was rubbing against Winter’s legs, desperate for her attention. She crouched down and scratched him lightly behind his head, silently communicating her goodbye while she stared into the tabby’s sleepy brown eyes.
‘Make sure you remember to feed Nef. There should be plenty of cans in the cupboard.’
‘I won’t forget. I fed you for the past nine months didn’t I?’
Winter straightened, keeping the sarcastic comment about Lucy’s cooking trapped safely behind her smile. Looking at her sister’s tense expression, she realised this was the first time since their parents’ funeral that they were going to be separated from each other for an extended period of time. She’d told Lucy a week but the truth was she didn’t know how long she’d be with the Bane. The length of her stay was one of the only things she and Yuri hadn’t discussed last night when they’d hashed out the details of the arrangement.
‘What are you going to do with yourself?’ she asked, unable to keep the genuine note of concern out of her voice.
Lucy shrugged and forced a smile. ‘Don’t worry about me – I’ve got lots of stuff planned.’ Noting Winter’s raised eyebrows, she added in mock outrage, ‘I do! Besides, I’ll have Dominic. I’m actually looking forward to getting rid of you for a couple of days.’
Unable to help herself, Winter put her bag down and gave Lucy a warm hug.
‘I love you, Luce.’ The phrase escaped her lips before she’d even had time to think about it.
Lucy laughed a little in surprise. ‘I love you too, you big dummy!’ They disengaged, and something about Winter’s expression must have keyed Lucy in to what she was feeling.
‘What is it?’
‘Do you really like Dominic?’ she asked, hoping for a different answer than the one she feared was about to come out of her sister’s mouth.
‘I do. It’s early days, but I feel good about where things are going. It’s been so long, you know, since I’ve had someone. A boyfriend. It still feels weird to say. Don’t you like him?’
Worried her voice might betray her, Winter m
erely shook her head.
Lucy’s frown deepened. ‘Really? I thought you two were getting along.’
Winter shrugged, bottling up her emotions as best she could. ‘I just think you can do better.’
Lucy relaxed, the wrinkles of concern smoothing around her eyes and brow.
‘Protective little sis, huh?’
‘Something like that.’ She wanted to tell Lucy that Yuri was no good for her, to spare her in some way from the disappointment that was coming, but how could she without revealing the whole sordid situation? She didn’t want Lucy feeling like a fool.
Luckily, a cheerful beep from outside signalled the arrival of Jasmine and Winter’s excuse to leave.
‘You better get going,’ Lucy said as Winter picked up her case once more. ‘Give me a call at some point. Or text me. Just so I know you’re safe.’
Safe. She’d been so concerned with Blake’s predicament that she hadn’t really spared too much thought for her own safety, and just how treacherous the territory she was about to enter might be. Winter’s hand stole quickly to the lodestone beneath her top. She smiled at Lucy, hoping her expression appeared more confident than she felt.
‘You bet.’
Nefertem ran ahead of her, blocking the doorway. Winter suspected that the cat knew where she was going. And the company she’d be keeping. The same people who had murdered his brothers and sisters in the Velasco Place.
The horn beeped again and Winter stepped over Nefertem, not able to meet the cat’s reproachful gaze.
Chapter 28
Lucy’s juddering reflection, her arm waving a little too vigorously, diminished as they left the house behind. Watching her sister disappear, Winter was struck with a disturbing intuition – she was never going to see Lucy again. She forced this possibility from her mind, told herself it was caused by anxiety and nothing else.
‘So she bought the story?’ Jasmine said, glancing across at her. ‘Cousin Monica? The beach house? All that crap.’
‘Yeah. Surprisingly.’ Winter ignored Jasmine’s sarcastic tone, just grateful she was speaking to her again. Jas hadn’t taken the news of Winter’s bargain with Yuri well, reacting first with shouts of outrage, and when that failed to change Winter’s mind, she’d lapsed into a brooding silence that was, in some ways, worse than the yelling.
‘Are you going to cover for me?’ she ventured hesitantly as they turned onto the main drag.
Jasmine exhaled noisily. ‘What choice do I have?’
‘You don’t have to do any—’
‘Yes, I do.’
Winter tried to catch Jasmine’s eye. ‘Thanks.’
‘Whatever.’
She didn’t dare say anything else. Hopefully, the ‘Jasmine storm’ would pass by the time they reached Yuri’s. When her friend was angry, she was angry, but her furies were quick to burn themselves out.
They drove in tense silence for a while before Jasmine broke it, asking, ‘Did you tell Lucy about Yuri? How he’s been lying to her. How he’s married.’
Winter bit her lip. The situation was a sore spot for her. ‘Of course not. What good would that do?’
‘When’s he going to do it? Break it off with her.’
‘Tomorrow,’ she said, trying not to think of Lucy’s expression when Yuri told her he was leaving.
‘You must feel pretty rotten,’ Jasmine said. ‘Leaving your sister at such a low point.’
Winter frowned at Jasmine. ‘Geez, Jas, could you try and make me feel any worse?’
Jasmine shrugged, keeping her attention on the road. The car suddenly felt very hot. They were coming up to a set of traffic lights, which had just turned red. The Mini Cooper slowed behind a pick-up truck laden with paint cans. Winter started idly counting the cans while she waited, trying not to let Jasmine’s words upset her.
‘I’m just saying, if it was my sister —’
‘Look, I know what you’re trying to do,’ Winter was beginning to lose her patience with Jasmine’s affected righteousness. ‘You don’t want me to go – I get that. But you’re not going to change my mind. We’re talking about Blake here, Jas! Yuri might be my only chance of saving him. I know the risks —’
‘Do you?’ Jasmine stared at Winter, and for the first time she realised her friend wasn’t angry because she thought she was an idiot. Jasmine’s anger came from fear. Fear for her. ‘These people, Win. They’re gonna use you.’
‘I know, but —’
‘Listen to me,’ Jasmine interrupted, needing to say her piece. ‘I know you’re not dumb. But this whole Blake situation has messed with your head. You’re getting on a plane with this Yuri guy, the dirtbag who’s been lying to your sister, flying to Paris to open some kind of portal to another dimension – ’cause that sounds safe – and all because he promised to help you bring Blake back from the dead? It’s crazy, Win. And even if it’s not crazy and he somehow does have the ability to find Blake – who’s to say he will? Who’s to say after you give him what he wants Yuri will follow through on the agreement? What’s in it for him and the Bane? These guys are all about killing things like Blake. And now they’re gonna rescue him? Let him go free? C’mon, Win, you’ve gotta see how nuts this is.’
The lights changed but Jasmine didn’t touch the wheel. She just watched Winter with that same frightened expression. Everything she’d said was true. Winter couldn’t think of a decent counter argument and even if she could she doubted she’d convince Jasmine. People started honking their horns behind them, growing irritated at the hold-up.
‘Let’s go, Jas.’
Jasmine sighed wearily and gripped the wheel. ‘This whole situation just makes me feel sick.’
Winter stared ahead, not seeing the road or the cars or the town. Only Blake’s ravaged features, his haunted eyes. ‘If there was another way, I’d take it. Believe me I would.’
As they passed through the intersection, Jasmine said quietly, ‘I wish we really were going to a beach house somewhere.’
Winter smiled sadly. ‘Me too.’
Chapter 29
Sam’s battered green station wagon was parked in Yuri’s driveway as they pulled up. Jasmine switched off the engine just as Sam emerged from the house carrying his duffle bag with his free hand. The other was hoisted in a sling. If it wasn’t for the injured arm and the hesitant but familiar grin he flashed when he saw them, Winter might not have recognised him.
Sam had died his blond hair jet black. She watched him lug the bag towards the car, marvelling at how a change in hair colour could make someone look so dramatically different.
‘I guess this is goodbye then,’ Jasmine said, calling Winter’s attention away from Sam.
‘I’ll ring you once we’re over there. Maybe I can bring you back something from Paris? A beret?’ she said, hoping to coax one of Jasmine’s sunny smiles. It didn’t work.
‘Just keep safe. Keep your head down and stay close to Sam,’ Jasmine said, tilting her head towards him. Only Sam’s muscular back was currently visible as he lent into the car.
The advice caught Winter a little off guard.
‘I thought you didn’t trust him?’
Jasmine’s gaze narrowed as she stared at the boy who’d broken her heart.
‘I’m not sure I do. I still remember what his brother, Damien, did to me on the mountain. Getting into my brain like that, making me tell him you were headed to the church. It was awful. I want to hate Sam because he let them do that to me. And also because he used me, pretended to care just to get close to you.’
‘I don’t know if that’s true, Jas. Sam didn’t see Blake until that night in the surf club. He didn’t know I was with him before then. Maybe it was all just a . . . coincidence?’ This was a bit of a stretch and she knew it. Winter remembered Sam’s keen interest in meeting the mysterious Blake days before they actually came face to face. Why did she feel the need to defend him?
Jasmine waved her explanation away. ‘Whatever. I understand he saved your life on the beach a
nd all, but that doesn’t change what he did. He lied to me.’ She exhaled in consternation as though battling with herself. ‘But I guess that doesn’t mean he’s evil or anything. Not like Caleb anyway. I think he’ll try to protect you if he can. I saw the way he talked to you in the room. The concern. That was real. Yuri and that freaky Eurotrash chick though . . .’
The front door opened and Yuri walked out nursing a cup of coffee and holding a suitcase. He raised the coffee in greeting at the two girls, all smiles and good-natured cheer. Jasmine was right. There was something off about Yuri. When he smiled, it was as if somebody was working his mouth like a ventriloquist dummy. It was a mechanical gesture; an imitation of human emotion.
‘He gives me the creeps.’ Jasmine took Winter’s hand. ‘Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid. I mean more stupid than what you’re already doing.’
Winter gave her a tight hug. ‘Don’t worry about me, Jas. I’m going to be fine. I’m tough, remember?’
Jasmine didn’t look convinced. Shaking her head, she started the engine. Winter reached over and grabbed her bag.
As she closed the door, Jasmine surprised her by saying, ‘See you soon, Win,’ with such a pronounced note of certainty that Winter immediately felt a little bit better about their parting.
‘Definitely,’ she said, smiling at her friend’s optimism and hoping it wasn’t put on.
Jasmine nodded and accelerated away, but not before Winter caught the furtiveness in her eyes. She’d seen similar looks before – usually when Jasmine was planning to do something mischievous. Like set Winter up with some poor unsuspecting boy. Her brow furrowed, Winter watched the Mini Cooper turn the corner and disappear. What was Jasmine planning this time?