Hunter Hunted (The Eternals Book 2)

by Richard M. Ankers

  “I'm inquisitive by nature. You never know when such facts could come in useful. Plus, I would rather like for my feet to reach terra firma.”

  “Pfft!” huffed Ragnar.

  “Pardon, have you something to say?” I snapped.

  But Ragnar did not reply, and I was too weary to press the point. Once again, it was Narina who came to the rescue.

  “Your feet will touch nought but ice whilst in Hvit, Jean. The staircase would have to go an awful lot further than it does to reach the sea floor.”

  “Sea floor! You mean the whole city is built of ice, not a rock in sight?”

  “Not a rock, brick or wood beam in sight. From the doorway downwards, the whole structure is of solid ice.”

  “I can't say I find that reassuring. And is it me, or can I hear music playing?”

  “You can.”

  “Oh no, it's Rimsky-Korsakov, isn't it!” I groaned.

  “Sounds that way,” replied one of the twins.

  “Does that mean you shan't be dancing with me, Jean?” Linka pouted.

  “For you, my little cauliflower, I should dance even to Rachmaninov.”

  “Thank you, I think!”

  “You're welcome. Is it necessary for it to be played at such a volume, I have delicate hearing and prefer the quiet?”

  “Jean, stop asking so many questions.” Linka punched me on the arm to emphasise her objection.

  “What have I said?”

  “The answer lies in the sea,” Narina responded with yet another Grella glare for an accompaniment.

  “How very cryptic.”

  “Not really,” she said, taking my hand and easing me over to the wall. “Put your ear to the ice and listen.”

  I gave her one of my best scowls, but did as asked. At first, I heard nothing and thought it some kind of practical joke from those who I expected it least of. But the more I listened, the more I realised there was another set of sounds running parallel to the music.

  “Ah, I see by your look you hear them.”

  “Hear whom?”

  “Orcas.”

  And right at that moment, as I looked out into the pitch darkness, I perceived something looking back. For a moment, I thought it whomever had regarded us above, but I was wrong. The eye was massive and set in front of a flash of white. The giant orb studied me, appraised, then vanished into the darkness. Instinct jerked me away.

  “Don't be scared,” Ragnar rumbled from his position ahead. “The ice walls of Hvit are impenetrable. You're quite safe, little man.”

  “Surprised is not the same as scared,” I growled back.

  “Now you know why we play the music, Jean,” Narina gave a kind smile. “We do it to drown out the whale song. They watch us, you see.”

  “Watch you!”

  “Do not worry, little man, it is only to this level. Orcas cannot swim much deeper.”

  “My name is Jean, not little man. I'll accept it once, forgive it twice, but I'll not be so lenient a third time.”

  “Princess, I suggest you teach your pup some manners,” Ragnar boomed.

  “That is enough!” Grella bellowed taking a step between the pair of us. “Jean is our honoured guest. You will treat him as such.”

  Ragnar, far bigger, and at first glance more powerful than his older brother, backed away down the stairs without another word. The act left Grella's seniority undisputed.

  “I apologise, Jean, it is so rare that we entertain guests.”

  “I thought you said you never have guests,” I snapped back glaring after he who had slandered me.

  “Did I?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, either way, I apologise.”

  “Apology accepted,” I replied, but it wasn't.

  “Are you well, Linka?” Ekatarina retook Linka's hand and led her away down the staircase. “You look a little pale.” I heard her add.

  I would have objected, but couldn't help noticing the glance Grella cast over my shoulder. It seemed I wasn't the only one who knew us stalked from above.

  Seeing my eyes upon him, Grella gave a slight nod, one last quick glance, then followed his companions into the abyssal depths. The twins had long since vanished, I suspected to warn of our impending arrival. A cursory look behind of my own to nothing but enforced night, and I set off in pursuit of the departing prince.

  * * *

  The staircase finished at an abrupt, right-angled end. There, I trailed Linka and the others through a passage draped in pure, white silks. The whole length of the thing seemed curtained for decoration, but I suspected the Nordics despised the whale's eyes upon them as much as I, and had decorated accordingly.

  Along the passage we travelled, I in quiet observance of Linka's and Ekatarina's incessant chatting, Narina never far from my side. She was quite the distraction. I blamed her proximity for being caught unawares when Grella led us out of the enclosed space and into a hall that would have swallowed Vladivar's courtroom whole, possibly even that of the late King Rudolph's palace. The ceiling stretched away into the heavens behind a chandelier of such magnitude I almost thought it a miniature sun, so many candles did it hold. They lighted the area in eerie, flickering shadows that matched and accentuated the water which flowed all around the chamber's exterior walls. Music washed through the room, although there was no apparent source for it, and there tapping her fingers to it, sat upon a throne of brilliant, blue ice, reclined the chamber's sole occupant.

  “Mother,” hailed Grella, closing the distance between he and the distant figure. He bowed low to her, then rose and kissed the hand that never once stopped tapping upon the great throne's arm.

  Ekatarina and Narina followed their brother's lead. A kiss to the royal fingers, then each took up a position at either side of their mother.

  “Your Majesty,” Linka curtsied. “I would like to thank you for saving us. I'm not sure we can ever repay you.”

  “You can't,” came a clipped response. “I trust my children have looked after you well.” She spoke with an air of the untouchable. I dare say she had good reason to. The woman was magnificent. She was everything that her albino daughters were and more. Cheekbones chiselled from marble stood against skin of milk. Eyes like burning pyres blazed from beneath alabaster, silken hair that flowed almost to her waist. Dressed all in white, she made for an exact replica of her children. Only an abundance of ermine trimmings and a tear shaped ruby the size of a fist that hung from a silver chain around her neck separated she from they. The jewel drew my eye, as it did Grella's, who stood to one side admiring it.

  “Impeccably,” Linka replied to a question I'd long forgotten.

  “Good. One should always remember one's heritage and act with due accord. You are of royal blood child and are also one of the few enlightened.”

  The queen addressed Linka, but fixed her eyes upon me. It was unnerving, I'd never seen anybody stare so long without blinking.

  For some unknown reason, I took it upon myself to stamp upon the clear floor in response. I put it down to nerves.

  “Might I ask what you are doing?” said the queen addressing me.

  Linka gave a look of such frustration that I had no option but to stamp harder still.

  “I am testing the strength of your floor, Your Majesty.”

  “Serena,” she instructed.

  “I dislike the water and am reassuring myself that this place is as strong as your son claims it to be,” I babbled.

  “What if the floor breaks because of it?” she sneered.

  “I hadn't thought that far ahead.”

  “If I told you it would not, would you believe me?”

  “I would be obligated to.”

  “Then, allow me,” she said, standing with the aid of her daughters' hands. She stepped, or rather eased herself from the throne, glared all the more, then stamped.

  The action caused such an impact it almost knocked me off my feet, and I had to catch Linka before she, too, fell. Shock waves echoed around the room eclip
sing the music that still played on.

  “Reassuring enough?” she smirked.

  It was, but I was not about to cow-tow to an obvious demonstration of her power. “Somewhat…Serena, but I doubt it will ever truly ease my mind.”

  “You are a troubled man?”

  “I am a man with troubles.”

  “So I have heard,” she said, returning to her seat.

  “Whom have you heard that from, might I ask?” But the queen was already in some kind of discussion with Ekatarina who glided from the room via a large, ice, double door, and ignored my question.

  “I am sorry to hear of your father's…death, Linka.”

  “Thank you, Queen Serena.”

  “I had known him a long time. I even danced with him once many aeons before my family left for these more peaceful climes.”

  “My father danced?”

  “Oh yes, perhaps your mother's stifling influence prevented him from showing you.”

  “My mother!”

  I saw the steam rise from Linka's head, but luck was on our side. Ekatarina reappeared at that moment followed by a throng of her albino brethren. The queen's underlings, attired in simple, white trousers and shirts, blouses for the women, all trimmed with azure strips across the cuffs, hurried to serve. The entourage bore large silver trays, which held glasses and carafes of slopping, red liquid.

  “Time for a toast,” Serena called out as I slipped my hand into my love's own. I felt her trembling ire, so kissed her cheek to calm her. It didn't work. “I think we'll have the lights dimmed,” Serena added.

  I don't know what I expected to happen; a flick of a switch; the lowering of the chandelier to have its candles snuffed, or something more mundane. What happened was more dramatic.

  Serena leant from the throne, eyed the chandelier with chilling intensity, and then slapped her palms together with a force that dragged her pure-white cloak over her head from the vacuum. The chandelier swung so far up in the air I thought it sure to fall; the candlelight obliterated, but not light per se. Each wall morphed from a touch of gold to a neon blue that sparkled across the Nordics' clothing like cerulean raindrops on snow. Serena gave a crooked smile before she sat back down and resumed her finger tapping.

  The lesser Eternals hurried to provide her with a glass of blood, as the tinkling chandelier realigned itself. Once attended to, they furnished the rest of the Nordic royalty including the twins and Ragnar who had inveigled his way back into the throne room, Linka, and myself, with drinks of our own.

  “To old bonds, and Hierarchical loyalties.”

  “Hear, hear!” shouted all.

  I couldn't even be bothered to raise my glass. The blue walls were far more interesting, as they lighted sections of the ocean beyond. I thought I should see mythical creatures swimming about the place, but much to my disappointment, I didn't.

  A sip from my glass brought me back to the real world. It was awful. I'd half expected the crimson liqueur to imbue me with blistering speed, or superhuman strength, or to at least reinvigorate. No such luck. The stuff coated my tongue in a thick gloop, then slid down my throat like…well, thick blood.

  “Good stuff,” Linka commented, then punched my arm when I appeared to give my drink more attention than her.

  “Do you mind,” I exaggerated, “I almost spilled it.”

  “I'll spill you in a minute.”

  “Ah, back to your rambunctious best, my little sea-turtle.”

  “I'll sea-turtle you.”

  “You have such delightful dimples when pretending to be angry.”

  “I'm not pretending,” she pouted.

  “How do you like the blood of our mammalian cousins?” came the cool voice behind the hand that had materialised upon my arm.

  “It is superb, Narina,” I lied, turning to her. I thought it rude even by my standards to tell her the precious liquid I consumed was at best an average beverage.

  “That is good because tomorrow you'll be helping us replenish our supply.”

  “What about me?” Linka interjected.

  “Oh, of course, I meant the both of you.”

  “Hmm,” Linka scowled.

  “Do you think there's any chance of me getting a change of clothing? I'm not fit to be seen with attired like this.” I gave my tattered garments a shake to prove the fact.

  “That has all been taken care of.”

  “It has?”

  “It has.”

  “Thank you in advance, then.”

  “You are most welcome. You will find new apparel laid out in your room. For you both,” she added, giving Linka the once over.

  “Thank you,” a grudging Linka replied.

  I took another swill from my glass and looked around the room that had become quite the hive of verbal activity. Only Serena, who sat aloof on her throne, remained in non-discussion. She eyed me through the crowd, or so I imagined. I could no longer see her but still felt those burning, ruby eyes boring deep into my skull.

  “You seem distracted, Jean,” Narina stated.

  “Just a tad tired, that's all. It takes a lot out of one being almost drained to death by a lunatic royal. No offence meant, ladies,” I added, as a courtesy.

  “None taken.” Linka punched me even harder than normal, in fact, very much harder than normal. Her drink had done her the world of good.

  Narina looked at the pair of us as though we were children, or worse, then gave a glacial stare into the depths beyond the ice walls.

  “They watch us from afar,” she said.

  “Who?” I asked, unable to see anything in the neon gloom.

  “The orcas.”

  “Are you sure, I can't see a thing?”

  “Very.”

  “But they are just fish.”

  “Never that, my friend. They are closer to us than you think.”

  “If you say so.”

  “You will see tomorrow. For now, though…” Narina broke off to clap to someone from within the crowd. A young-looking Nordic girl hurried over and bowed to her princess. “Please escort Princess Linka and Jean to their room.”

  “Yes, Your Highness, as you will it,” the girl replied, bowing again.

  “Good day to you, Narina, or is it night? I'm quite lost.”

  “Always night within the city, always day at the door.”

  “Glad you cleared that little mystery up.”

  “Good night, Narina, and thank you again for everything,” Linka said with the required decorum.

  There was no response as Narina returned to her mother's side, whilst we were led through a small doorway opposite the one we'd entered from. I slipped a glance to Her Majesty, as I passed her, but for once, her eyes seemed elsewhere.

  No sooner had we left the chamber than the sound of voices dispersed and the tones of Tchaikovsky took over. The blue ice soaked up all the residual noise of the throne room with an immediacy I would not have thought possible. In an instant, all was still, and the three of us very much alone.

  The girl led us along an arrow-straight corridor passing doorway after monotonous doorway. Many minutes elapsed before we came to one last room facing straight back whence we'd come.

  “We have prepared this room for you,” said the girl.

  “Thank you,” Linka replied and walked in through the open doorway. I followed, giving the girl a smile before closing the door on her.

  “Thank god for that.”

  Linka chuckled.

  “I was about ready to bang my head against the walls,” I joked, as I looked upon the bland magnificence of the room. Four large walls draped in white silk with a large double bed and a single, gigantic wardrobe met my gaze. Laid out upon the bed were a set of white silks for my darling and a matching set in black for myself. “That's a surprise,” I said nodding to the clothing.

  “They must have known you were coming.”

  “Yes, they must,” I agreed. “At least the curtains will keep out that infernal blue light.”

  “I qui
te liked it.”

  “You would, my awkward princess.”

  “I'll give you awkward…”

  Before she could finish, I'd grabbed her in a hugged embrace, much to her squealed protests. “Got you alone at last.”

  “About time,” she huffed.

  “Certainly is.” I kissed her forehead. “Have I ever told you what beautiful eyes you have?”

  “Not enough.”

  “Well, you have. They're like ancient forests full of life.”

  “Ancient!”

  “In a most beautiful way, my cherub. However,” I said releasing her to slump onto the bed, “just one thing before I ravage you.”

  “Who says I'll let you?”

  “A higher authority, my love. There is an inevitability about it to which you would be wise to acquiesce.”

  “Really.”

  “Yes,” I laughed, as I lifted a curtain from the floor: water. I was less than happy about the fact, but before complete panic set in decided to check the other walls. Linka watched on amused. Two more abutted water, the third was frosted, and I presumed adjoined other rooms. It availed a degree of privacy but very little in the way of watertight reassurance. “We are three ways surrounded by sea and furthest from the exit.”

  “Five,” corrected Linka.

  “Five?”

  “Above and below.”

  “Sleep may be an issue,” I grimaced.

  “Oh, sleep's one thing you will have to do without.” Linka grinned like a she-wolf, and patted the bed.

  “Ah, well, duty before oceanic obliteration, I suppose.”

  “You suppose right.”

  * * *

  So started my first night in the submerged Nordic city of Hvit deep below the Arctic sea. It was better than death, but not much.

  Chapter Three

  -

  Neon

  “That better be angels disturbing my heavenly peace.”

  “Oh, Jean, how can you be grumpy after a night like that.”

  “I wasn't grumpy until now. I've been disturbed.”

  “You are disturbed.”

  “You'd think there was a war on or something. Who the hell's making such a racket this early in the morning? It is morning, isn't it?”