His head ached. Tollin didn’t have much available to him to make a splint, but he made due and after some pained movements and a bit of cleverness, had bound his injuries well enough for his circumstances.
It was because of the effect of the island and his curiosity about his prison mate that sent him, over the years, scouring the island. He felt like he should know. Some small bit of information had to be stored in his mind about this Realm, or its one inhabitant. Ordinary people weren’t just imprisoned on Realms. Mainly for the reason ordinary people did not just have spare Realms to imprison people on.
So, that only left someone important imprisoned here, and someone important who imprisoned him. One would think he would remember something about that. The name “Craven” meant absolutely nothing to him. Tollin had to assume it was taken later. That left a shorter list of those accused and imprisoned who had done things bad enough to be banished to their own private Realm. He’d known the moment he’d met Craven that he was rooming with someone either very famous, very dangerous or very mad.
But whenever he attempted to question Craven about how long he’d been here, none of the dates matched up properly. Craven was, bafflingly, too old. Too old for appearance, too old for most species, too old and too obscure for Tollin’s memory.
That bothered him.
If Craven had been sent from the Time Realm, then perhaps there would be some clue there that could tell him just who his companion was. Perhaps Sam could find it, tell him. Then again, perhaps by the time he finally could speak to her, it would be too late.
He sighed and gazed out across the blackness.
It was such a long time to wait.
Chapter Fourteen
Sam huddled against the cool glass of the viewscreen, wishing her body heat would somehow give it life. It hadn’t lit up since Andrew had spoken to her a day ago, and being alone in the black as she was now, she was desperate for some sort of company. Tollin, of course, was who she was desperate for. He haunted her dreams till the point she thought him real. Consciousness always reminded her it was not so.
She had never been so alone or frightened.
The Darkness was, oddly enough, keeping distance, as if it didn’t want to risk any contact; perhaps it was waiting for something it either knew—or hoped—would happen, so it would not have to act. That just frightened her all the more.
That thing lurking out there, covering everything in an inky blackness was more terrifying than any Daemon or monster she had ever encountered.
So she stayed as far away from its watchful covering as possible; yet she didn’t really think it would do any good. If that stuff wanted her, what was to stop it from leaking through the cracks?
Quite suddenly, the screen blinked to a yellow light against her forehead. Sam jumped back with a swear, watching as the glass went spreading out in sparkling waves and blinked again, becoming nothing but static and noise; gradually it began to sort itself out and Sam heard a voice breaking through.
‘Sam? Sam, are you there? Don’t know if this blasted thing is working anymore! Cuts out right when you need it!’
‘Tollin?’ Sam’s heart gave a leap. ‘Are you okay? I can’t see you!’
There was another loud burst of noise from the screen and then the sound cleared considerably.
‘Ah! That should be better!’ Tollin’s cheerful—if a bit out of breath—voice echoed back to her.
Sam grinned; the sound of his voice was a quenching relief. She was nearly afraid to hope he was real. After her time alone she would have been grateful to argue with Andrew, but Tollin…He was that voice on the other end of the line, filling you with nostalgia and warmth right when you needed it. She needed more, yet his voice still managed to touch that missing piece in her.
Her chest clamped up with enough strength to make her gasp.
‘I can’t see you,’ she said again.
‘Yeah,’ he said darkly, ‘sorry about that. I would say my quick jerry-building isn’t holding up as well as I’d hoped. Don’t have time for more, I’m afraid.’
She nodded, disappointed. ‘I miss you.’ It was a rather simple, stupid thing to say, but she meant it. It was the best way she could think of to sum up what she’d been through.
He chuckled humourlessly. ‘I miss you too, Sam.’
Sam pulled her knees up under her.
‘Hang on, miss me? Haven’t we just spoken?’ His question was raspy, broken in a way she hadn’t noticed till now. Sam hated the way he sounded, like he’d been through hell and back.
She blinked. Just spoken? Oh, she was really hating this time stuff. The fact she couldn’t see his face made her all the more nervous. What had happened? ‘We haven’t spoken for two days, Tollin.’
‘Two days?’ The surprise was thick in his voice. ‘Blimey, this is more temperamental than I thought. Any luck with that portal?’
‘Not yet, I’m sorry.’ Sam reached out and tapped the glass, watching it ripple. Her vision shifted out of focus. ‘I’m trying as hard as I can to get you back, Tollin…’
‘I know, Sam, I know. Guess it’s no good without me working up a signal for you to lock on to, anyhow.’ He swallowed heavily and the silence on his end went thick for a moment. ‘Will you just…talk? Till this power fails? Or…or I have to dash? I know I shouldn’t stop. I just…need a break.’
The request sent a pang through her heart. That had been his first real and honest request of her, hadn’t it? When he’d asked her something so similar in the Myrmidon base.
‘Yeah, yeah of course.’ She bit her lip, wracking her brain for something worth sharing. She stared up at the dark ceiling. How soon till those monsters came back to rattle the door and scream?
‘What do you think of Andrew?’ Tollin asked, giving her the prompt she needed.
She laughed at his question. ‘He’s a bit of a pompous prat if you ask me.’
Tollin chuckled, but it sounded broken. ‘Yeah, he is a bit.’
Sam lay down and closed her eyes. She wanted him here. Willed him here. She wanted more than anything to open her eyes and find him lying next to her. To be caught in his black eyed stare. ‘I kinda get the impression you two don’t get on that well.’
He let out a breath. Her finger absently twisted the bracelet he’d given her.
‘I suppose not. Rather hard, two geniuses, both of us so clever; yet we don’t agree on a damn thing. Best to keep out of each other’s way.’
Sam nodded. ‘You talk like you still know him. But…he’s dead, isn’t he?’ Even as she said it she realised how weird that was.
Tollin groaned. ‘Things are complicated.’
Sam laughed. ‘You’re telling me! Here I am, talking to a man from the past. You in a different Realm…’
He sighed. ‘Sam?’
‘Yeah?’
‘I’ve really, really missed your voice.’
It was too much energy to fight back the tears in her eyes. ‘Yeah, I’ve missed you, too. It’s been…so weird. So lonely, I guess, not hearing you. Not feeling our connection. I didn’t even notice it anymore and now that it’s been cut like this I feel like I can’t breathe.’
It had been two days and Tollin was sounding like they’d been parted for ages. They had been separated for longer than this on some of their adventures and Tollin had never been so downhearted about it. Perhaps it had to do with the fact they were on different Realms. That soul-aching tear between them that hurt so deeply, perhaps that was why he spoke the way he did now. It was some comfort—she supposed—that he felt just as rotten as she.
‘So,’ Sam pursed her lips, ‘what’s the Realm you’re on like?’
Tollin seemed a little hesitant to answer, and his description was cagey, but Sam got the picture.
‘Sounds lonely,’ Sam sighed. ‘Why do all these Realms have to be so…empty?’
‘I don’t know,’ Tollin admitted. ‘It’s like…like all the life that was supposed to be there…was expected to be there…is just mis
sing.’
Sam twisted her fingers through her hair. ‘Where d’you think they are?’
Tollin blew out a breath through his lips. ‘I don’t know…’
She closed her eyes. Tollin’s face drifted into focus in her mind. Those odd features that were suddenly so handsome when he smiled. The thoughtful expression he no doubt had at this moment. She smiled grimly, feeling foolish. Why did Tollin do this to her? She was not someone easily flustered. She didn’t have to work to get attention if she wanted it. So, why was Tollin so different? Why did she find herself so smitten by a man who had never shown any romantic interest in her? A man who under normal circumstances she would never have glanced twice at. And yet she found herself constantly fighting emotions for him. Constantly hoping he’d look at her in a way that wasn’t simply as his friend.
‘Say, Sam?’ His voice began to break. Static was taking over. ‘Have you seen anything mentioning a fellow named Cra—’
‘What? No! Tollin?’
The screen went black.
From the end of the hall the doors gave an alarming rattle; bent on their hinges. Sam jerked upright and stared. Then there came the high-pitched screams.
*****
Victoria was awake before Andrew. It was a rare occurrence, but Andrew’s drugged state of the previous night was clearly still lingering with him. She dressed as quietly as she could and left her room in hope he would sleep off yesterday’s experience.
It was difficult to shake the uncomfortable feeling their conversation left her with. Souls, no souls, hunger, darkness…a pain stabbed in her chest. She wasn’t prepared for it all. Even her experiences the previous year on Scottorr, concerning monsters and drugs and strange lights was nothing like this. Now she had girls from the future, and Andrew some sort of spiritualist and on top of it all that disturbingly attractive Noel so very interested in the Traveller.
A familiar voice echoed from down the hall and Victoria went stiff. It was Noel. She’d recognise his voice anywhere. It sent her mind tripping over itself stupidly, hoping her appearance was up to snuff.
Footsteps bounced her way. Quick as she could, Victoria ducked into the nearest alcove and strained to hear.
Noel stood with two people, deep in conversation, not so far off.
Unable to ignore her curiosity, and not at all liking how clandestine the three seemed, Victoria crept closer along the shadows. She found herself feeling rather jealous that Noel was spending his time with someone else. Why couldn’t he seek her out? She tried to wish the thoughts gone but they beat on anyway.
‘What makes you think you can possibly ask anything of me? I am a god to you!’ That was Noel.
‘And I am your Queen!’ snapped the slighter of the group and Victoria realised with a jolt it was her mother.
The other, a man, took three rapid steps to face Noel, stopping him dead in his tracks. Victoria scowled. That bald head, that height. Ramses. When he spoke, she was sure of it.
‘We were promised help. We looked into the Dark and it promised it would provide. And now here you are, falling from the sky in a ball of glorious flame. You are for us.’
Noel lunged forward, teeth bared, lips curled. ‘My arrival was not because you wished it! I am here by fate! I’ve already uncovered the ruins for you. I showed you idiots what it is capable of! You want more help, use the Traveller. My business is my own. And I’ll do better without him anyway—’
Ramses lifted the staff he walked with and swung it hard, impacting flesh and Noel swore.
‘Don’t you go boring me with your misconstrued ideals of self-importance you miserable whore. You should think before you speak. The Traveller will serve his purpose as you will serve yours. You are not free now simply because you were released from your prison!’
‘How could you possibly even know—’
Ramses stepped closer. ‘I have spoken with the power. It has used the Traveller as its voice, more often than he is aware. It has come to me across boards and tea leaves and the Traveller’s mindless channelling. And it will use him for more. So you sneaking about will do no good. What does us all good is opening to this power; bringing it in. Then we shall be like gods, even you, prophet.
‘Now it is up to you to bring us closer; you’ve uncovered the ruins. Now it’s time to awaken it! We all have our parts to play if we wish to be blessed with this power. It will not take kindly to you disobeying once it arrives.’
‘But…’
Lucinda paced in quick steps. She spoke as if in a dream. ‘I remember it from before. My nephew is responsible for its departure…the key is here…in the palace…hidden…he would not take it away.’
Noel growled. ‘And you think I can find it based on that?’
Ramses raised the cane and struck Noel across the face again. Harder than before. Noel’s head snapped to the side, but his expression didn’t change. Victoria winced. It should have been enough force to break his jaw.
‘Without a key this will mean nothing. It’s up to you to make that happen. Use that oily influence of yours. I don’t care. But we are leaving this place behind, so you had better set to work.’
‘Yes…my masters…’ He dipped his head reluctantly, curling locks falling limply across his brow. ‘Here to serve.’ It was a near sneer.
Lucinda smirked and stepped in close, pulling Noel’s mouth to hers a little greedily. She patted his cheek. ‘Mmm. There’s a good boy.’ Victoria’s stomach roiled.
Ramses tilted his head to one side. ‘Now, go on. Time is wasting.’
Noel bared his teeth once more before spinning on his heel to skulk out of sight.
Victoria had a brief moment of indecision as she watched them part ways before darting after Noel. Whatever he was up to, he needed an eye on him.
She didn’t think her mother would do much on her own—nothing to do with work, at least.
Noel loped down the main hall, keeping a steady, sure pace. He moved like a lion. And he’d clearly done this before.
He ducked down a staircase, muttering as he went. ‘Carrier, am I? Slave am I? After all these years? You think so? Well, we’ll just see about that, you fat wanker. When that power arrives, you’ll see.’
He slipped down another hall, jumped down a staircase and at last stopped at a yawning entrance. His head slowly tilted and a growl came from his throat. Then, with a look left and right he took a long step into the shadows, lost from her sight.
Victoria wasn’t too keen on following a strange man down a dark, abandoned hole in the ground. The possible scenarios of what could happen passed through her head in graphic detail and she wrinkled her nose at the thought.
But what was he doing? The palace was a bloody maze and even though Victoria had spent her entire life exploring the halls and she still didn’t know half of them. It was like an ant hive: Massive and baffling. Where Noel was headed now, she had no idea.
Victoria backed up nervously and hurried the way she’d come, memorising each turn and stairway as best as she could as she went. She didn’t stop till she was back at her room.
She threw open the door, in the process jerking Andrew from his sleep. His head lifted off the pillow like she’d thrown water on him.
‘What?’ he muttered drunkenly.
Victoria had to hide her smile. He did look a bit pathetic. She dashed over and sat down on the edge of the bed. Andrew seemed to be having some trouble focusing on her.
‘Had enough sleep, yet?’
He scowled at her in evident confusion. ‘I don’t…’ He looked round and blinked a few times, pressed a hand to his head and swore. ‘No…’ He flopped back down.
Victoria rested a hand on his back and rubbed. Andrew let out an unhappy groan. ‘So,’ she began slowly, ‘I saw something that I think you’d be interested in.’
Andrew raised his eyes to her.
‘I just saw a very intriguing meeting between Noel and that bloke, Ramses.’
‘Hmm?’
‘And Noel is curr
ently prowling round an abandoned part of the castle. He certainly seems like he’s up to something. Something Ramses put him on. And my mother.’
Andrew sat up, suddenly awake. ‘What?’
Victoria rather impatiently explained what she’d seen. She struggled to keep the excited shake from her voice.
‘Show me,’ he barked. And he was out the door, barefooted and undressed before Victoria had even realised he’d gone.
Victoria felt a bit turned around as she tried to find the correct tunnel, but she finally stopped uncertainly before the one she supposed to be correct. Andrew held aloft a torch he’d found along the way, which set his pale face glowing warmly.
‘How long ago did you see Noel walk down this way?’ he asked.
Victoria shook her head. ‘Not fifteen minutes ago.’
‘And you’re certain? Ramses wanted Noel to find something for him?’
Victoria nodded. ‘That’s what it sounded like. Best I could tell.’
Andrew stared down the darkened hall, and grabbed her hand. ‘Come on, then.’
Victoria stumbled forward, legs tangling in her attempt to keep up with his enthusiastic pace.
‘You do not know where this passageway leads?’ Andrew whispered to her after a moment. They were moving down steadily. It might as well have run on for ever, for it did not turn left or right, yet continued its gradual slope.
Victoria shook her head. ‘No. I’ve never been here before.’
Andrew let out an irritated sigh. She knew what he was thinking of. She lived here and hadn’t bothered to explore every inch of her surroundings? To him it must have been unfathomable.
Andrew’s torch was the only light. If there were any other passageways they were lost in shadow. Victoria found it slightly unnerving to think of. Any strange creature could be living down here, waiting for unsuspecting prey to walk by. Victoria wondered why Noel had even bothered attempting to take this passage in the dark.
Andrew seemed to be thinking the same. His brows were lowered into a dark hunch over his eyes.
In the silence Victoria found her mind drifted to Andrew. It was impossible to not notice how his breathing came more laboured than she remembered. His balance not as perfect. Leaving Scottorr had had an effect on him. And not one for the better.
Welcome Home (Alternate Worlds Book 3) Page 19