The Heart of Arima.

by Emma V. Leech

  "Are you going to tell me what's going on, Nina?"

  I hesitated before nodding. If I had to trust someone, it may as well be my brother. So I told him everything-- about the man who had found me when I had returned to the underworld; about his white palace on the hilltop; about the prophecy; about Corin and the golden eyed baby; about Corvus leaving.

  He listened, occasionally asking a question, but otherwise remaining expressionless, like nothing I could say would ever surprise him. It was at once reassuring and terrifying.

  He sat staring into the flames and I watched the firelight flicker against the red in his hair. It shone like bronze and copper and I smiled and reached out my hand to take his. He looked up at me, surprised by the gesture. "I'm glad you're here."

  He squeezed it and grunted. "I'll remind you of that on our next training session." His expression softened a little as I looked at him and he added gruffly, "I'm glad too."

  I sat back in my armchair. It had started to rain again and I could hear it pattering against the glass. "What do I do, Cain? Everything is such a mess."

  He shook his head. "I can't shake the feeling we are missing something, something about you, Jéhenne. Why you, what is it that is special about you?"

  I laughed and I would never have believed such a hard and bitter sound would come from me. "That's what I want to know, Cain! You were there. What was Jéhnina like back then, what was I like? Could I have done something that I'm still paying for?"

  He hunched forward and stared into his coffee mug, frowning. "You have to remember I was very young when you died but ... But I can only remember you being very kind and loving to me. Our mother ..." He stopped and his frown deepened, the flames highlighting his scars. "Our mother revered you, she said that you had a great destiny but she would never say more. You used to talk together in whispers but I was never included, nor our sisters. They had little power and they were jealous of you. Mother barely noticed them and I think I would likely have starved if you hadn't taken care of me."

  "I'm so sorry, Cain."

  He shrugged. "Not your fault, you were always good to me. I ran away after you were gone." He drained his coffee mug and got up and began rummaging around the kitchen.

  "The cake tin is over there." I pointed to the dresser and he went and fetched it.

  "Do you think my-- I mean our sisters could have done something? You said they were jealous."

  He shook his head and cut himself a large slice of cake. "They were certainly jealous but they were too weak. They would never have dared move against you, they were far too afraid." He paused and looked over at me. "We all were."

  "I thought you said I was kind to you?" I shifted uneasily and pulled the blanket tighter. Suddenly I felt cold again.

  He sat back down with the cake, chewing thoughtfully. "You were. I don't mean that you were a bad person but you were powerful, just as you are now, except then you had been trained from a tiny child, you knew how to use your power and you did. You scared the bloody hell out of me to tell the truth."

  "So what was this great destiny? What was it I was supposed to do?"

  He set the empty plate down, the cake devoured. "I've no idea but you clearly didn't achieve it. Corvus came along and you threw those plans out the window, and then ... Well, you know what happened next."

  I sat forward. "So I could be being punished for not doing what I was supposed to? For loving Corvus ...Is that why we're being kept apart?"

  There was a rumble of thunder outside and Cain got up and turned on some of the lamps as it was getting darker. "It's certainly possible. What I am interested in though is this man, the voice that pursues you. You've not seen his face?"

  "No, just his voice." He took his plate back to the kitchen and I saw him glance at the cake tin again. "Oh, have another slice if you want, she'll be thrilled," I said impatiently.

  He gestured to me and I shook my head with a grimace. "I don't like cake for breakfast."

  "Want something else?"

  "No! I'm not hungry. Can we get back to the point?" I rubbed my forehead. My head was pounding and I just wanted to sleep and pretend this hadn't happened but that wasn't an option. Someone was ruining my life and I wanted to know why.

  He sighed and sat back down, cake plate in hand. "You should eat something."

  I scowled at him and swore under my breath.

  "So you have never seen his face, he lives in a white palace and you're afraid of him. Does that about cover it?"

  I nodded. "I guess. He says I belong to him." I watched, fascinated, as the cake disappeared in three large bites.

  "There is nothing else you can tell me?"

  I thought back to the dreams, something I hadn't allowed myself to do, it was too disturbing. I felt a shiver as I recalled the sound of his voice and ...” His scent, he has a scent like--like spiced wine. It clouds my mind when he gets close, I can't think straight."

  He stilled and I wondered if I'd said something significant. "OK, I need to investigate this, see what I can find out."

  "Does that mean something to you then, his scent?"

  He shrugged and got up to throw more wood on the fire. "I don't think so but it gives me something to work on. I'll be busy though, so that will give you time to get to know Corin better."

  "Oh, God, Cain, don't." I buried my head in my hands. "I can't, I just can't."

  "Well clearly you can, Jéhenne, or there would be no prophecy. You know how these things work by now."

  I looked up to see him regarding me with raised eyebrows. "But I don't want to, it's tearing Corvus apart. How can I hurt him like that, knowing what it will mean?"

  He looked away and into the flames. "Sometimes we have to do things that hurt ourselves and others; sometimes there is simply no other choice. If the child is as important as you say he is, you must do what you have to do, no matter how you feel about it. Besides, the future King of Alfheim would be a powerful ally."

  "Oh, don't you start," I said in disgust. "You sound like Inés."

  "It's simply the truth, Jéhenne."

  I stared into the flames and saw the child's gold eyes watching me. I looked away quickly, closing my eyes. "Did you know I was pregnant when I died?"

  He looked up and it appeared I had finally managed to say something that surprised him. "No, I didn't know that. I'm sorry, Jéhenne."

  We both looked up as the door was flung open with a terrible screech and Inés came in. Heloïse was with her, being supported by Inés as there was blood pouring from a gash on her shoulder. They were both covered with mud and blood and the smell of magic clung to them, thick and tied with the acrid scent of smoke and burning flesh.

  I leapt to my feet, my own troubles momentarily forgotten, and helped Inés to get Heloïse into a chair beside the fire. I covered her with the blanket as Cain got to work, cutting away the material around her wound.

  “What happened?” I asked, flinching as Heloïse cried out. Cain was inspecting the deep gash in her flesh and an angry burn that ran up her neck. Inés fell into the chair opposite her. She looked exhausted.

  “I went to confront Heloïse about what she had done to Georgette but when I got there I could hear a commotion in the woods. When I found her she was being attacked by a sulphur troll.”

  Cain’s head swung around. “Another one?”

  “Oui, which means that not only was it not Heloïse who set me up with Georgette’s potion but this is an attack on the family.” She sounded furious and looking at the matching expressions on Cain and Heloise’s faces I wondered who would be suicidal enough to do something so stupid.

  “Who?” I demanded. “Who would do such a thing, and more importantly why?”

  We all turned to glare at Inés.

  “Quoi? Why would it be my fault?”

  Cain shook his head. “Because it would appear you have a unique ability to piss people off that rivals even my own, and believe me, that’s saying something.”

  Heloïse hissed with p
ain as Cain sprinkled her wound with some of the pink powder he had used on me, and the wound bubbled and closed over.

  “Who, Inés? Who is it?”

  Inés huffed and crossed her arms, muttering obscenities under her breath.

  “Who?” we all demanded, and she glared at us furiously.

  “Aradia,” she said, green eyes flashing defiantly. “It’s most likely Aradia.”

  Cain swore and Heloïse paled which was worrying as she’d been white as a sheet when she came in. “Goddess preserve us,” she whispered.

  I swallowed nervously. I probably didn’t want to know but life couldn’t really get much worse right now so I was past caring. “Who is Aradia?”

  Cain narrowed his eyes at Inés. “She’s a Dame Blanche, one of the oldest and most powerful remaining. She’s a hermit as a rule. I haven’t heard of a sighting of her in centuries. What did you do, Inés?”

  Inés pouted and tossed her hair in annoyance. “It’s possible ...I may have something that belongs to her.”

  “What? You don’t mean to say you stole something from her?” I felt my eyes widen. I mean I knew Inés was capable of pretty much anything but ...seriously?

  She got to her feet and went to the dresser cabinet, flinging open the doors and reaching inside for the paint stripper that masqueraded as Eau de Vie. It was barely ten in the morning but going on how the day was proceeding so far, I figured I’d join her. She put a glass down on the table and I put another beside it. She filled them both and knocked hers back with one swift movement and grimaced.

  “She’d not been seen or heard of for centuries, as Cain said. I figured she wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Miss what?” Cain asked and we all watched her with our hearts in our mouths as she poured herself another drink and downed it before she answered.

  “Her book of shadows.”

  Shit.

  Chapter 18

  Once Heloïse had been patched up and her and Inés had showered and fortified themselves with enough Eau de Vie to fell an elephant, we spent the rest of the day strengthening the wards around Inés’ cottage and then Heloïse’s. We’d told Inés she had to give the bloody book back and she wasn’t at all happy about the idea but seemed to accept she had little choice. Cain was dispatched to take care of the troll’s corpse, though God alone knew what he would do with it; I was far too tired to care.

  Hours later and I was sitting at the table in the kitchen, savouring the aroma of the Coq au Vin that was drifting from the big cast iron pot in front of me. Inés was busying herself, loading the table with a potato gratin and assorted dishes of vegetables. How she had the energy to cook after a day like we’d just had was beyond me but she said it calmed her. With the amount of nervous energy she had I could only be grateful that something did.

  I smiled at her and she looked back at me with a face that was an echo of my own. It was still hard to get my head around the fact she was really my grandmother as she looked so very young. I remembered how she’d looked when we’d first met, all soft white hair and flowery overalls. Looking at her voluptuous form now, in fitted blue jeans and a cropped T-shirt was just…weird, and that just about summed up my relationship with her.

  She flapped her hands at me as she sat down at the table.

  “Mange, mange! You are too thin Jéhenne, you need some feeding up.” I groaned inwardly and piled my plate with a generous helping of everything and then, catching sight of the disgusted look on Inés’ face, added some more. When she was satisfied that the plate was suitably full, we tucked in.

  I sighed and tried to find some measure of contentment in familiarity. The kitchen was warm and cosy and made me remember other meals we’d shared here, before I discovered what a lie my life had been. I looked around at the big dresser, with the creepy carvings of dead animals on the doors which dominated the room, while the range cooker warmed us and sent further enticing smells drifting around the cottage. Inés smiled and raised her wine glass in my direction.

  “I’m glad you’re back, Cherie.”

  I thought about reminding her that I was back because I’d just lost the love of my life but there was really little point. I’d had enough of conflict and stress so I let the comment go. I simply raised my glass and chinked against hers.

  “Cain’s late,” she observed.

  I shrugged. “If he’s digging a hole I wouldn’t expect to see him for a few days, if your troll was like the one that came for me.”

  Inés snorted in amusement. “I don’t think he was intending to bury it. I hope he’s OK.”

  I’d been surprised by the way Inés had taken to Cain, she seemed very fond of him, and in fact the way she fussed and cosseted him was enough to make me nauseous.

  Right on cue the door opened, scraping noisily on the stone floor as usual, and Cain strode in.

  Inés beamed and flapped about, sitting him down and making sure he had enough to eat. I just ignored them and tried to eat faster. I’d probably give myself indigestion. I tried to distract myself by wondering what their relationship was. I mean he was my brother, but from a previous lifetime, and she was my Gran from this lifetime so was she his Gran too? No, that didn’t work. Was he her Uncle then? My head didn’t seem to be able to cope with the problem so I decided it wasn’t important. If only I could ignore everything I didn’t understand my life would be so much simpler.

  I suddenly realised I was being scrutinised, and I concentrated fiercely on picking the last scraps of meat off of the chicken bone. The back of my neck prickled with the weight of the gaze on me and in the end I couldn’t stand it.

  “What?” I glanced at Cain who looked back passively with his usual empty expression.

  “Are you OK?”

  “Fine.”

  “I’ve asked Corin to come back tomorrow.”

  I dropped my knife and fork with a clatter. Suddenly I wasn’t hungry. I could feel their eyes on me and, embarrassment aside, I just couldn’t cope.

  “Thank you so much,” I muttered, draining my wine glass.

  “You may as well get it over with, rather than keep worrying about it,” he said mildly.

  Inés choked on her dinner. “Oh gods! It’s Corin! You’re going to have his child!”

  “Don’t.” I clenched my fists as sparks decorated the table top.

  “Oh, Jéhenne, that’s wonderful! I can’t believe I didn’t see it before; it’s so obvious the gods would put you two together. Cain, can you imagine the power their child would have? Gods, the future King of Alfheim ... My grandson!”

  I felt tears prickle at my eyes. How could they be so bloody excited when my heart was broken?

  “You know we’ll all help you, Jéhenne,” Cain said softly. “We’ll protect you both, and I know Corin would do anything to keep his child safe.”

  I looked at him in alarm. “You haven’t told him?”

  “Of course not, that’s for you to do.”

  I closed my eyes with relief and then turned to look at him. He was piling his plate with more food and I knew he was trying to be helpful, looking out for me like a brother should, though these particular circumstances seemed an odd thing for a brother to support. I tried to ease the muscles in my face into something less than a frown.

  “Thank you.”

  He nodded, apparently satisfied before Inés launched into plans for my life once the child was born and I felt my stress levels begin to rocket.

  Cain looked at me and frowned. “I think maybe this is a conversation for another time, Inés. I believe Jéhenne has had enough for one day.”

  I nodded, grateful that he’d stopped her as I didn’t have the energy. “You’re right, I’m exhausted. In fact, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll just go to bed.”

  “Mais, Jéhenne, you haven’t finished your meal.”

  “I know, Inés, and it’s all wonderful and I’m really grateful for the effort but ... I just want to sleep now, besides Cain can eat enough for both of us.”

  I got u
p from the table while Inés continued to protest, and I made my way up the rickety ladder-cum-staircase that led to my room. I paused at the top.

  “You’re not to tell anyone, Inés, least of all Corin. No hints or veiled remarks. I’ll tell him when I’m ready, do you understand?”

  She looked me in the eyes and nodded. “Je promets.”

  Shutting the door behind me I lay on the bed and could still hear the soft murmur of their voices. I had only meant to close my eyes for a moment before getting ready for bed but within seconds sleep had pulled me into the darkness.

  I stood in a beautiful garden. There were three fountains, two smaller, flanking the largest which sent water cascading into the sky and falling in ever larger waves into a pool at the bottom. As I walked closer a fine spray of cool water fell softly on my skin and dewed the red roses around me. They climbed up an elegant white marble pergola and the scent hung heavy on the warm damp air. The ocean view between the pillars, framed by the roses was still the most breathtaking view I had ever seen. I had been here before.

  I felt fingers trail gently across my shoulders and leapt away with a yelp. When I turned there was no one there but I knew who it was.

  “Show yourself!” I yelled. “If you want me so bloody much why won’t you let me see you. Are you that ugly?”

  The voice rumbled with laughter that seemed to caress my skin. It was a voice like no other I had ever heard. Corvus could bespell with words but it was vampire powers that made the words a command, it wasn’t his voice. This voice was a power all of its own. It raised the hairs on my arms and quickened my pulse, and not in a bad way.

  “Ah my sweet Jenny, you always were so hard on my pride.”

  “My name is Jéhenne. I’m so not sweet, and you didn’t answer the question!”

  I heard a sigh and felt warm breath against my neck; I didn’t bother turning this time, there was no point.