‘Yes, Francis?’
‘You know what you have to do?’
Ben scowled. ‘It isn’t nice, being Christmas Eve and all.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Son, you’re going to have to come with me.’ Ben made a move towards Kel but Meri pushed herself between them before Kel had a chance to counter.
‘Big Ben, listen to me: you will not lay a finger on him. You said your purpose originally was to be a safe haven for Teans? Well then: today’s your lucky day. I’m the last full blooded Tean, standing right here in front of you. He’s with me, and I claim asylum for us both. So deal with that.’
12
A shocked silence greeted Meri’s claim. She was running on the fuel of pure rage ever since she heard Mrs Frobisher dismiss Kel as if he were of no more account than a disposable razor. In fact, treating him exactly as most of the Perilous treated her.
‘For your information, this boy, this Perilous, is the one who has kept me alive until now. His name is Kel, he’s mine, so you can forget your plans to get rid of him and work out how to help us.’
‘But we thought….’ Mrs Frobisher shook her head in instinctive denial.
Big Ben looked to Mr Frobisher for instructions. ‘Blow me down, Francis, what do you want me to do? Lil’chick is serious.’
The old man chewed on the stem of his pipe, collecting his thoughts. ‘Let’s take this inside. Ben, you stay with us. Keep an eye on the Perilous. Thank you, boys.’ He waved off the men who had come to back up Ben. ‘We’ll let you know if we need you. For the moment, get rid of the spectators.’
Their argument had gathered a few interested parties down on the walkways hoping to see the supposed thieves marched off in handcuffs, or a fight, Meri didn’t think they were choosy as long as it was entertaining.
‘Are you OK with going inside?’ she asked Kel in a low voice.
‘As long as we stick together.’ He took her hand in his. ‘By the way, you are awesome when you’re angry.’
‘Then I'd better just keep that bubbling right along then. I’m really feeling pretty scared but I’m trying to ignore it.’
‘Come along if you must.’ Mrs Frobisher led the way down into the main cabin of their barge home. The low ceiling was decked with orange, red and blue fabric fringes with mirror sequins, the floor scattered with big floor cushions, and walls hung with polished brass ornaments. It reminded Meri of the interior of a fairytale gipsy caravan. A black and white cat lay in regal control of the rug by the wood stove. A white parrot with a yellow tuft on its forehead hopped from leg to leg in its cage which hung from a rafter.
‘Uh-oh,’ whistled the bird.
‘Take a seat,’ their hostess said coolly.
Kel sat on the biggest cushion, pulling Meri down to share it with him. The Frobishers chose seats either side of the wood burner while Ben elected to stand at the exit, guarding the only escape if you discounted trying to squeeze out one of the portholes.
‘A full blood Tean. That’s a big claim for a little lady,’ said Francis. ‘Can you prove it?’
Meri nodded.
‘Go on then,’ urged Mrs Frobisher, scepticism radiating from her.
‘Mabel, give her a chance.’
Meri rubbed her hands together. ‘OK then. My eyesight is much better than yours when it comes to peril for one thing. Those clothes: where do they come from?’
‘Some are made by our communities around the world but a few are antique pieces mixed into the bundle that neither Mabel or I can see the pattern of without help or special lighting. We keep them together as a kind of test.’
‘Check your inventory. You’ve a daisy print which your wife can’t see. I can pick it out again for you if you like and you can test it.’
‘That’s proof that you have more Tean blood in you than is usual but not that you’re full blood,’ said Mrs Frobisher.
‘Both my parents were full Tean. They were killed by a Perilous death squad.’
‘So how did you escape?’
‘They hid me and then I was lucky in my guardian. He made a good job of keeping my existence a secret.’
‘And now? Why are you keeping company with a Perilous?’ asked Francis.
‘His name is Kel.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ murmured Kel.
‘It does.’ She waited until Francis was forced to concede the point otherwise the conversation was over.
‘Why are you keeping company with Kel?’ Francis said with a wry smile at his wife as she tutted in her corner.
‘We met at school. We didn’t know what we were until Kel flared out. Unfortunately it all went a bit wrong after that and his people found out about me. The fact that they think I’m full blood is another kind of proof as they’ve been keeping tabs on the last of us. I’ve been on the run and Kel has left them. Now we need your help.’
‘We don’t help his sort,’ said Mrs Frobisher. The cat got up and leapt into her lap, circled and settled for another nap.
‘You told me that you were Tean Sympathizers, set up to help people like me. Kel and I come as a package deal.’
From the shifting beside her, Meri could tell Kel was preparing to protest. ‘Meri, you don’t need to complicate things by asking them to factor me in. I’ll be fine as long as you are safe.’
‘But now you know about them, they’re not going to just let you walk out, are they? So they’ll have to look after you too, see that you are OK, understand that you’re loyal to me.’ She laughed softly. ‘I was about to say that we’re in this together, but that’s what my annoying team leader on eco service likes saying, so I’d better not.’
‘Young man, what have you to say for yourself?’ asked Francis.
‘Just that I would never do anything to harm Meri. I’ve left my people because we disagree on this point and I’ve no intention of going back on that decision. It’s time this stupid battle between our kinds stopped.’
‘There’s not much of a battle left. You’ve killed off a whole civilization.’ Francis tapped the bowl of his pipe.
‘And I’m not proud of that. If she’s the last, then I’m sorry, and that’s all the more reason to protect her.’
‘Aren’t you scared of her?’
Kel turned to Meri. ‘Am I afraid of you?’
She touched his cheek lightly. ‘No.’
‘Are you afraid of me?’
‘Only that you might do something stupid to protect me.’
‘I feel the same, Meri. That’s where we stand, Mr Frobisher: together.’
Francis got up and opened the door to the parrot cage. Taking a peanut from his pocket he fed it to the bird.
‘Uh-oh,’ whistled the parrot.
‘Does he say anything else?’ asked Kel. ‘I’m not finding that very encouraging.’
‘Not when I’m in the room.’ Francis gave them a shy smile and closed the cage again. ‘I think he and the cat conspire behind my back. This is a lot for an old man to take in. I’ve got to consider the best course of action from here on. You’ve brushed up on the edge of something much bigger than you realize and you, young lady, really need to be taken to the centre of it. The problem is that there’s no place there for your Kel.’
‘Is this like a riddle?’ asked Meri, wondering what he was talking about.
‘I have to be careful. I just can’t tell you too much without consulting the other captains. That’ll take a while as we’re scattered around the world.’
Ben spoke up. ‘Tean Sympathizers are organized under captains, Lil’chick. Francis here is ours.’
Mrs Frobisher picked the cat off her lap and dropped it back on the rug. She shook out her skirts. ‘I can’t believe you’re even thinking about this, Francis.’
‘A full blood Tean, Mabel: that’s amazing news.’
‘You mean too good to be true.’
‘I believe her; don’t you?’
‘She’s just told us she can see better than us, not proved it. And even so, that i
sn’t foolproof. We only have her word for the rest: the Perilous death squad and so on.’
‘Meri, make my skin markings show.’ Kel rolled up his sleeve.
Meri’s immediate reaction was to be horrified by the suggestion. ‘What?’
‘Full bloods can do that.’
‘I can also burn you to death or mess up your internal organs so, no, I won’t be doing that just to convince her.’
‘Please.’
‘No, Kel.’
‘Yes, Kel. You won’t damage me. Give me just a little. If it starts to hurt, then we’ll stop.’
‘But I don’t know how much is enough.’
‘You’ll know.’
‘Can you really do that?’ asked Francis. ‘There are stories of this but I’ve never seen it—no living person has.’
‘I’m really not comfortable trying.’ Meri could see that Kel trusted her absolutely; the problem was her own self doubt. She’d held back physically with him so far, terrified she would inadvertently hurt him if she got carried away.
Kel stroked her cheek. ‘Go on. Just a little. Like I do to my pottery. I just let a little flow through my fingers, a kind of letting go. When we flare out we must be doing it inside to our own skin and it doesn’t harm us.’
‘But Tean, remember?’ Meri tapped her chest. ‘A little from me might be like the idea of a little lightning strike.’
‘I’ll take that risk.’ He picked up her limp hand and placed it on his forearm. ‘Give it a go.’
Mrs Frobisher folded her arms. ‘She won’t because she can’t. She’s a fraud, Francis.’
Kel lowered his voice. ‘You can’t let that old bat win.’
‘OK, OK, give me a second. Geez, you must be crazy to even suggest this.’ Meri closed her eyes. A letting go, Kel described it. She relaxed her fingers and imagined sinking into him just a tiny amount, like resting on a feather bed.
‘That’s it, darling. That’s nice—really warm tingle. We should’ve tried this before.’
Opening her eyes, she found Kel’s blue ones smiling into hers. His skin was gleaming. ‘Is that me doing it?’
‘I think so, though now you mention it I’ve got a feeling I’m joining the party.’ He leant forward and kissed her. ‘Yep, definitely joining in.’ The gleam became a blaze and Meri snatched her hand away, drawing back some of the power. She could sense a precipice over which she did not dare plunge no matter how attracted to him she felt. Her worst nightmare was to produce in Kel a burn like in the horrible photographs.
Kel, however, seemed pleased. He held up his arm defiantly, his swirls clearly visible. ‘See, Mrs Frobisher. She’s what she says she is.’
Meri looked down at her arm. For a second there, she thought she had seen a glimpse of swirly markings on her skin but they had faded the moment she had broken the connection. No one else had noticed as Kel’s peacock display was far more impressive.
‘That’s a cool trick you’ve got there, lad,’ said Big Ben. ‘I’ve never seen the markings up close but I think I want some.’
‘You’re a Tean sympathizer, Ben,’ muttered Mrs Frobisher. ‘Have some dignity.’
‘Doesn't stop me envying a Perilous, does it? That’s what Lil’chick is trying to tell us.’
‘So do we all now agree that Meri here is a Tean?’ Francis looked over at his wife.
Mabel nodded stiffly.
‘And, Meri, you’ll vouch for Kel?’
‘Yes, of course,’ she said quickly.
‘Then leave it with me. How can we get in touch with you?’
‘I don’t have a phone because I don’t want to be tracked. You can email my guardian. You’ll have to disguise it though. Pose as a musical group applying for funding—the Perilous won’t have time to check all his work messages. He can pass any news on to me. We’ve a secure way of communicating set up.’ She scribbled down Theo’s contact details. ‘He doesn’t know the full story so be careful what you say.’
‘Of course.’ Francis tucked the email into his pocket. ‘Expect to hear from us in a few days. If there’s an emergency before then, send word to us here. I’ll tell our friends that any message from either of you is to be brought to me instantly.’
Meri stood up. ‘We’d better be going.’
Mrs Frobisher handed over the bag of clothes Meri had picked out for Kel and then forgotten. ‘These are yours. I suppose they should be on the house.’
‘You needn’t—’
‘Yes, I should. I’m sorry if I come over as suspicious but there have been imposters before now, you understand. They always turn out to be just a quarter or less Tean.’
Meri took the bag. ‘Imposters? Why? Why does it matter how much Tean we have in us? People are just people.’
‘Didn’t you know? Francis, tell the child.’
The old man hooked his thumbs in his waistcoat pockets. ‘Because there’s a fortune waiting for a full blood claimant, as well as a whole host of people who will look to her for leadership.’
‘Oh God.’ Meri swayed. ‘Really, it’s not about that for me.’
He smiled. ‘We know or you would never have shoved a Perilous in our face. But, nevertheless, it’s true.’
‘Kel?’
‘Don’t worry, Meri. We’ll handle it.’ Kel took the bag from her fingers. ‘Thanks for these, Mrs Frobisher. I’d better be getting Meri home. She’s going to need a few days too to take all this in.’
‘I never thought I’d be saying this to a Perilous, but look after her,’ said the lady.
‘I promise.’
Big Ben stood back to let them pass and slapped Kel on the shoulder. ‘I’m glad I didn’t have to get rid of you, boy.’
‘So am I,’ agreed Kel, looking the man mountain up and down. ‘I’m not sure that would’ve ended well for either of us.’
Back at the hostel, Kel waited for Meri to raise the subject of the Frobishers and the inheritance that could be hers but it seemed she preferred to cope with the new information by ignoring it. She went into distraction mode, planning their meal the next day and chatting about what they might do.
‘I think there’s an ice rink set up at Liverpool Street. We could go there.’
‘That sounds fun.’
‘Is this enough potatoes, do you think?’
‘If you're thinking of feeding an army.’
‘You’re right.’ Meri put half of them back in the fridge. ‘Theo always loves his roast potatoes and Valerie can easily eat six—definitely the favourite vegetable at the Christmas table. How about your family? What’s their favourite?’
‘My family?’ A dark cloud of remembering dumped its burden of icy rain on Kel. ‘Crap, my family! I’d totally forgotten: Jenny is coming over to visit me for Christmas. With my phone switched off she must’ve already arrived and be wondering what’s happened to me.’ Kel glanced at his watch. He couldn’t believe that he’d forgotten all about his sister for days. He hadn’t even spared Jenny a thought. ‘It’s already seven. I think she was planning to get in around midday today.’
Meri quietly packed the potatoes back in the bag. ‘You have to go to her.’
‘She’s come all the way from Amsterdam. I can’t not meet up, but I don’t have to spend all day with her. How about I make a quick dash over to Wimbledon? I can come back on the last train.’
‘Don’t you think that will make your friends suspicious?’ Meri got out a single mug from the cupboard and rooted through the herbal teas for a soothing blend. ‘We knew this would only work while no one was interested in your whereabouts.’
Why was this happening now? It was his fault, of course; if he’d remembered earlier, he could have put Jenny off to the New Year. ‘But I can’t abandon you for Christmas.’
Meri leaned against the counter, head hung. She then straightened and gave him a bright smile. ‘You’re not abandoning me. You’re keeping me safe. I’ve had you for more days than I could’ve hoped. You go meet up with your sister, have a nice family time togethe
r.’
Kel paced from stove to back door. ‘If I explain, if she’s on our side…’
‘Kel, do you really want to risk your relationship with your sister? She will either agree and feel torn like you do, or disagree then be conflicted about keeping your secret. Worse, she might betray you and then where will we be? Come here. Give me a hug.’
He folded Meri into his arms, wishing he could absorb her and carry her safely under his skin so they would never have to be apart. Foolish, impossible thought. ‘I hate this.’
‘I think I love you.’
Something beautiful bloomed inside, pushing out his ugly mood. ‘Oh, Meri: I love you too. I thought it was too early to say.’
‘Never too early. Do you really?’
‘So much it hurts.’
‘I hope it doesn’t hurt to admit it?’
‘Not a bit.’
‘Go see your sister. Throw your friends off the scent. In the New Year we’ll find a way of being together.’
‘You’ve my number? For emergencies?’
‘Yes.’
‘I could write to you old style.’
‘That would be sweet—as long as no one sees the envelope.’
‘I won’t even write your address down until I’m standing at the post box.’
‘OK then.’
He tipped her chin so he could settle his lips over hers. He poured everything he felt into the kiss, his longing, his frustration, his tenderness. At first, she was a little tense in his arms—she was always so worried she’d lose control and hurt him—but then their usual magic flowed between them and she softened and moulded to him to be his perfect fit. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead on hers.
‘Look after my Tean.’
Her mouth curved in a smile. ‘Look after my Perilous.’
Kel walked out with his guitar strapped to his back, dressed in his old clothes. It was almost as if the little Christmas interlude hadn’t happened, or been a dream from which he was now waking. When he considered that he had put enough distance between himself and Meri’s hostel to throw off any tracking, he switched on his phone. Text messages scrolled across the screen, all variations of ‘where are you?’ from Jenny and a few from Ade and Lee. He noted they had only started asking at midday so he had been right to think that no one had cared that he hadn’t returned to his digs the night he met up with Meri. He dealt with Jenny first.
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