Return of the Starchild (The Divine Inheritance Series Book 1)

by Catriona Murphy

  They returned her stare, faces impassive.

  ‘W-What, what is this? What are you going to do to me?’ she squeaked.

  Terrence walked slowly towards her with a predatorial gait. ‘Iliana, you can’t go home. It isn’t safe. Not for you or your family,’ he said quietly.

  ‘What do you mean it isn’t safe?’

  He sighed, and pinched the bridge of nose. ‘You’re the hardest mission I ever took on,’ he said.

  He took another step closer; his eyes bore into hers meaningfully.

  ‘Have you ever wondered what would become of you? Have you ever looked at the stars in the night sky and felt a longing you didn’t understand?’

  Iliana didn’t reply. She cast her eyes around the kitchen for a weapon to use.

  ‘I know who your parents were.’

  Iliana’s breath turned shallow. ‘You're lying,’ she hissed.

  ‘And how would you know?’ countered Terrence.

  ‘Because there isn’t one person on this bloody planet who does!’ she shouted.

  ‘No, you’re right about that actually. But what if I weren’t from this planet?’ he asked.

  Oh here we go again, she thought.

  ‘What? Your so-called ‘Otherworld’?’ she asked casually.

  Terrence’s mouth gaped in surprise.

  ‘Zelda filled me in on that one. I don’t even know who she is anymore, or if you have brainwashed her or whatever. But I think all you people need help, including the kid!’ she said.

  Sires piped up at the inaccurate reference. ‘Hey! I’m not a kid! I’m a faerie you twat!’ he protested.

  ‘Oh my god, you actually did brainwash the kid too.’

  Sires was about to reply when Terrence signalled him to be quiet.

  He sighed and said, ‘Ok, Iliana, you are clearly denying the existence of faeries and the Otherworld and whatever else Zelda has told you. If we can’t tell you, I suppose we’ll have to show you.’

  He turned to the kitchen table and said, ‘Sires, if you don’t mind.’

  Sires frowned at Terrence in confusion, then it dawned on his face and he grinned catlike at Iliana.

  She backed away, unsure of what to expect after Zelda’s little performance in the bathroom.

  Terrence gave her an amused look.

  Iliana said, ‘Whatever you’re about to do or whatever Terrence trained you to do is not going to convince me. I just want to go home, if I’m not home later on tonight, my mum’s going to call the police.’

  ‘Oh really? Because we were all under the impression that you had run away from home and was planning on staying here?’ replied Terrence matter-of-factly.

  Iliana shot him a look and was about to reply with an insulting remark when Sires declared, ‘Ok, nearly there.’

  She turned and couldn’t believe what she saw. Sires scratched at his fingers and pinched on a piece of skin and tore it off mercilessly in one go. From his finger down his hand and arm, one strip of skin had vanished to reveal lime green flesh.

  Iliana looked on in disgust as he continued in similar motions for the rest of his body, sinking his nails into skin and ripping it off like removing tape from a package.

  When he had finished, he looked up at Iliana.

  His eyes were now purple.

  She unconsciously took a few small steps away until her back finally found the wall furthest from Terrence. She stood frozen like a cornered rabbit.

  Sires was wearing metal plates that looked like armour. The only thing that hadn’t changed was the symbol of the crescent moon bearing the wings, which shone on his breastplate.

  Zelda’s aunt said, ‘I made tea if anyone wants any.’

  Everyone turned to stare at her, as if she had just said that she saw a cow fly in front of the moon.

  Sires smacked his hands delightfully together and said heartily, ‘Why not? It feels good to be in my own skin again.’

  ‘Well, I wouldn’t mind, would you?’ Zelda asked Iliana, who appeared at the door.

  Iliana locked eyes with her momentarily and sighed. There was no point in trying to escape because Terrence obviously showed skill in keeping people his prisoner, which was not in the least disturbing.

  ‘I have a few questions that need answering,’ she began, still watching Sires warily.

  ‘Maybe we should sit down first,’ replied Terrence.

  Iliana couldn’t think of any excuse not to so she nodded in agreement.

  Sires had whispered something in Zelda’s aunt’s ear and she nearly fell off her chair laughing. Zelda rolled her eyes at them and rummaged through a cupboard for mugs.

  Iliana and Terrence took opposite seats.

  She eyed him for a few moments coolly. ‘Ok Terrence, if that is your real name, do you want to tell me what it is exactly you want with me?’

  She didn’t feel as relaxed as she sounded, but felt relieved that she was able to hide the fact that she was shaking all over.

  Terrence eased back into his chair and returned Iliana’s stare with practised composure.

  ‘Ok. You want me to be honest, I have no problem with that, but you seem to be…resistant with the truth so I’m not sure how to explain without you having another panic attack.’ He replied in a similar tone.

  Iliana felt her eye twitch.

  ‘You know, I’m a little disappointed,’ he said dismissively, studying his nails. ‘I expected you to be tougher and more understanding and logical about this.’

  Anger lashed inside her not for the first time that evening and surprised herself and everyone else when she smacked her hands on the table. She leaned forward to look more closely at Terrence.

  ‘There is nothing logical about any of this. I don’t have to be logical. You act as if you can tell me what to do, well you can’t, now why don’t you stop lying to me and tell me the truth cause I’m about this close to losing it again.’

  Zelda stopped pouring hot water in the mugs and threw a worried glance over.

  Iliana and Terrence glared each other down.

  Zelda said, ‘Look, Iliana, you can’t deny what happened in the bathroom, or Sires, or Terrence’s magickal ability. Do you really think we would go through this trouble just to make you believe it if it weren’t true? Think about it, why would I let them lie to you? And what about your dad? Remember what you did to him? How much more will it take to convince you?’

  Iliana threw her an annoyed look. She knew she had a point. But was she really to believe all this? The Otherworld? Faeries?

  ‘I’m just finding it hard to believe that it all exists, it’s just not possible,’ she said.

  ‘Anything is possible, Iliana.’ Zelda corrected.

  Terrence asked fervently, ‘What did you do to your adoptive father?’

  Zelda walked to the table and set down three mugs. ‘Terrence, not now she’s been through enough.’ She pulled up a chair and sat down between them.

  Iliana picked up her mug and put it to her lips. She inhaled the steam coming from the tea and tested a sip. It stung her tongue so she put back down on the table to let it cool. ‘I got into a fight with my father. I don’t really know what happened but some sort of fire came out of my fingers and shot into him. He was unconscious when I left.’

  Terrence was silent for a while and stared at the tabletop contemplatively, tracing invisible symbols on it with his finger.

  Iliana was expecting a more drastic reaction. To her surprise, he sat up straight in his chair and said, ‘What you did was a simple fire shot, not many can do it because fire is generally hard to conjure, and completely unheard of being performed from someone with little to no experience with magick.’

  Sires sat on a chair that was too high for him, his purple eyes went from one person to the other.

  Zelda’s aunt sat silently sipping her tea.

  Zelda traced the rim of her mug. She said, ‘I think I know. Her abilities were spurred by the fight;
it was the emotion that triggered them off.’

  Iliana cocked her head at Zelda and asked, ‘What abilities are these now?’

  Before Zelda could reply the kitchen window exploded.

  Chapter Four

  Z

  elda and Terrence knocked back their chairs and Sires ducked under the table. He pulled out a miniature sword.

  Iliana experienced a déjà vu when she saw the shards of glass scattered all over the kitchen floor. For minute, she thought the raven had returned.

  She squinted through the broken frame and as her eyes adjusted, she saw a dark silhouette move against the backdrop of the night. It looked to be swaying a little, as if it were able to hover like a black ghost.

  An awful stench thicker than sewage made her want to heave everything she had eaten that day. A shrilling cry pierced her ears like pins and made her fall to her knees; the sound sent a knife point straight through her heart. It was the most lonesome, mournful cry she had ever heard, and made her feel as if she would never feel joy again.

  Over the cry she could hear Terrence shout something, then someone grab her around the waist and pull her. She didn’t resist.

  Zelda’s aunt shoved her roughly out of the kitchen into the front hall. By the time they reached the front door, the crying had stopped.

  Zelda’s aunt was fumbling with the door when Iliana shouted, ‘What the hell is that!’

  She replied rapidly, ‘That is a Xinger, and it has come for you. We need to get you out of here before it kills you.’

  Iliana sucked in a breath.

  She heard cries and smashing coming from the kitchen that brought her back to the present. ‘Zelda,’ she whispered and marched forward.

  ‘No!’

  Zelda’s aunt yanked her back.

  ‘I’m not leaving her there to fight that thing!’ exclaimed Iliana.

  ‘Then all the work we’ve done will be thrown to the dogs!’

  Iliana had never heard her speak that way before, she was always so withdrawn.

  She pulled herself out of her grip and replied, ‘She could die!’

  Iliana dashed back.

  ‘Iliana no!’

  When she entered the kitchen, the smell hit her again like a slap to the face. The floor was littered with crushed plates, glasses, and cutlery. Splintered remains of a chair lay scattered on the floor. But what hovered above the kitchenware massacre made Iliana turn to stone.

  The Xinger was as black as night itself and had an alienoid, starved body shape. It’s long, lank arms were held out ghoulishly and its smooth oval head had no face. The kitchen lights reflected off its dripping, oily physique, and beneath it, slithering and sliding on the floor, were black tentacles. They whipped viciously at Zelda who had a ball of light cupped in her hands.

  She was hunched down into a fighting stance, face grim and determined. The Xinger hissed and picked up a kitchen chair with one of its limbs and threw it at her.

  Iliana shouted out her name involuntarily and the creature stopped and turned its head to her.

  Her skin prickled under its invisible gaze.

  ‘No!’ Terrence screamed. And a flash of light exploded in the kitchen with something crashing. The creature shrieked in pain.

  Shell-shocked, Iliana stumbled backwards and fell against the wall and collapsed.

  Through the slits of her half-closed eyes, she saw Sires leap in front of her with his sword ready. ‘C’mon ye First Ruler scum!’

  But the Xinger was still struggling with the light to pay any attention to the faerie. It lashed its tentacles blindly and shook its head irritably.

  Zelda’s ring glinted at Iliana out of the corner of her eye and she snatched it up.

  Zelda dodged the odd tentacle that flew in her path and hoisted Iliana up. Everyone bolted down the hallway and exploded out into the front garden where Zelda’s aunt waited for them.

  ‘You could ‘ave given us a hand,’ shouted Terrence angrily.

  ‘I could have but I was too busy getting the car ready,’ she replied, and jingled a set of keys in her hand, ‘I tried to stop her.’

  ‘Next time, try harder.’

  Zelda’s aunt didn’t reply as she slipped into the driver’s seat.

  ‘Oh no, I hate riding in those things,’ moaned Sires.

  ‘Well, if you don’t like cars there’s always the Xinger you could handle for us,’ retorted Terrence.

  Sires made a face and hopped into the back seat with embarrassing difficulty. Zelda pushed Iliana in after him.

  The minute Terrence jumped into the passenger seat Zelda’s aunt floored it and everyone fell back.

  ‘Oooh, could you not go a bit slower?’ groaned Sires.

  Zelda’s aunt replied by shifting from third into fourth gear. They tore out of the cul de sac and swerved into the village.

  ‘You shouldn’t ‘ave done what you did - her safety comes first. Iliana has no knowledge or experience of fighting or magick. You were completely irresponsible!’ Terrence exclaimed, he looked across at Zelda’s aunt, eyes on fire.

  ‘I was only doing what I thought the situation called for. Besides, I tried to stop her and she wouldn’t listen!’

  From the back-seat Zelda said irritably, ‘Well Terrence, maybe if you hadn’t taken so long with the fire shot to stun the stupid Xinger, we would have been out sooner and Iliana wouldn’t have risked her life going back for us.’

  Zelda’s aunt raced out of the village, casting a few curious looks from strolling locals.

  ‘She came back for you,’ he replied.

  Zelda opened her mouth to say something but then shut it.

  ‘Terrence, how long will the stunning effect last?’ Zelda’s aunt asked, eyes on the road.

  He sighed, his shoulders sagged. ‘I don’t know, it won’t be long though, five minutes is the maximum I would say.’

  Sires stood tensely in his seat, hopping up and down as if he stood on hot coals. He had one hand gripping the seat and the other was on a handle placed above the car door.

  Zelda sighed and said, ‘For god’s sake Sires. Settle down, you’re making me tense just looking at you.’

  His face went red under his lightly tinted green skin. He replied, ‘Oh what would you know? You’re not a faerie, machines ain’t for our kind and rightly so. You know, if we crashed right now we’d all be dead!’

  In the front seat, Terrence said in a low tone so Iliana couldn’t hear, ‘To Galfen’s chamber.’ Zelda’s aunt nodded discreetly.

  Iliana leaned back in her seat. The Xinger lingered on her like a sickening smell. Adrenaline still coursed through her body, and the Xinger’s scent clung to her hair and clothes. It stank like decaying corpses rotting in the sun.

  ‘Where are we going?’ She asked.

  She was met with stoic silence.

  ‘Somewhere safe,’ replied Terrence grimly.

  ‘Pull up, I want to get out.’

  He sighed. ‘Do you want to die, girl? The Xinger has found you. If we let you go it will hunt you down and kill you. It’s nothing short of a miracle that we got away when we did.’

  Zelda laid a hand on her shoulder.

  For the first time, home looked more welcoming. She glanced outside at passing homes; she would have done anything right then to swap places with anyone living in them.

  Afraid of her next question, she asked. ‘So, if I can’t go home, where can I go?’

  Iliana saw Zelda and her aunt exchanged glances through the rear-view mirror.

  ‘Like I said, we’re taking you somewhere safe.’ Terrence replied sternly.

  ‘We’re nearly there.’ Zelda’s aunt said coolly from the steering wheel. Sires straightened in anticipation of removing himself from the vehicle.

  There was no further discussion in the car as Zelda’s aunt sped along the remote dirt country road in darkness. It was kind of the ambiance where a group of people decided to go away on holiday together
and ended up not speaking at the end of it.

  ‘This Xinger wants me dead.’ Iliana said finally, feeling shaky, ‘Why?’

  ‘We can talk about it when we’re safe,’ replied Terrence. His tone was final, leaving little room for further discussion.

  Zelda’s aunt stopped the car and Sires leapt for the door handle.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Iliana asked Zelda. They shifted outside into the warm night air.

  ‘Do you remember what I told you of the Otherworld?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘How do you think I got from there to here?’

  Iliana sucked in a breath. ‘Eh, Stargate? ’

  ‘What’s a Stargate?’ muttered Sires.

  ‘In a manner of speaking.’ Zelda replied. ‘They are the only means of getting from Earth to the Otherworld and vice versa.’

  ‘And you’re taking me there?’

  ‘Yes. It’s either that or you stay here, wait for the Xinger to return, and die. And probably everyone else we know will be killed.’

  Iliana rubbed her arm uncomfortably and looked around at the dark, quiet countryside. Only the occasional bird cry in the distance could be heard besides their voices.

  Standing before them, was a makeshift fence, graffiti tattooed its worn surface.

  ‘In there?’

  Zelda’s aunt nodded at Iliana’s astonishment. They were at a closed down petrol station converted into a local junkie hangout spot. It was in shambles, with clear signs of deprivation and abandonment. Wooden boards had been erected to cover up the shop windows and door. Next door to it on the right was a garage for repairs. It’s jammed up door was covered in black madcap designs.

  ‘Are you going to just leave your car there?’ asked Iliana confusedly.

  ‘Yes, I have no use for it now,’ replied Zelda’s aunt robotically.

  ‘What about the Xinger?’

  ‘It knows which arch we are heading for.’

  As she pondered on what her role was in this maze of terror she found herself blindly navigating, Terrence led the way to the garage door and reached down to lift it. It squeaked loudly as it ravelled and rolled up.

  Iliana had been expecting it to be locked. Or maybe it had been. It seemed to her that Terrence had a certain way of getting around things.