by P M Cole
“We have come this far, might as well see this thing through to the end,” said Gloria. Katerina smiled, but her eyes told a different story while Melanie just looked away.
“Let’s head back, it will take a while to get the furnace to temperature.”
With Katerina’s help we were able to find the right exit to the frozen hillside, and after a short delay we were back up in the air, floating across the sea to the mainland.
The shock on Grace's face kept pushing its way into my mind. Another memory which wanted to be heard above all the others. I remembered Athena’s words, but they were of little solace. As whispers of white cloud floated past the window, I argued with myself back and forth, trying to justify what I did, but eventually it was a stalemate. I was just going to have to live with it like so many other things, but for now I needed to prepare for what may lay ahead. I thought about Daniel. He had been mostly silent on returning to this realm. He was not prepared for his foster siblings being willing to fight against him, and even less so for me killing one of them. I wondered if his loyalties were still with me. There was also the issue of Hades' reaction. What will he do now? He could no longer use the council against me, and if what the Goddess had said was true, then maybe we could convince others to stand up against him… Despite the heinous deed I had committed, I felt a spark of hope about our chances of ending this nightmare.
Once we hit the coast of north-western Scotland we headed south.
Some hours had passed with mostly silence in the cabin, and I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. Below us was a blanket of thick cloud, lit by the moon and above, stars, so many that I was becoming lost in their sparkles.
“Something's coming!” shouted Melanie, sitting upright and making the rest of us skip a heartbeat or two.
“What do you mean something’s coming?” I said over my shoulder, trying to wake my brain. We were above the clouds, free from any danger.
“I…” She turned around in her seat, looking through her window, while the others copied her action with theirs.
“What are we looking for?” said Daniel.
Then I saw them. At first, I thought they were birds, large, but just feathered animals breaking through the cloud cover and moving in our direction, but their form and size made it obvious they were much more than that. “Not a something, someone…” I recognised the bat like wings that were rapidly closing in on us. More sisters, but these went by the name of the Furies.
“Stand back!” shouted Lucas, opening the cabin door, one of his hands already covered in flame. He leaned out and let go a bolt of blue that streamed out into the night towards our would-be attackers, but they neatly beat their wings harder and the magical projectile missed.
“They’re going to be on us soon, I’m trying to descend!” I shouted, rotating the fans, so the thrust was to the heavens.
We plunged through the clouds as if moving through a bank of rolling white fog.
“I think we have lost—”
The whole cabin shook then jolted, screeches coming from all sides.
“They’re above us!” shouted Melanie.
“They’re going to burst the envelope!” I shouted.
I went to move out of my seat when the front window shattered, and a clawed hand surged for my throat.
As I struggled to keep the Fury from tearing at my arteries, I heard whispers from behind, and a surge of yellow flame burst past me, singeing my hair, but engulfing the monster clinging to the front of the cabin.
For a moment I had the terrifying thought that we were going to crash into the sea, but then I realised there were some lights below, and the dark forms of trees and hills. Even so, at the speed we were descending we weren’t going to survive the landing anyway.
A gale came through the gaping hole where the front window used to be and swirled around us.
I had no idea where the other Furies were, maybe they felt their work was done. If I didn’t do something, we were all going to die.
“This is the last time I’m flying!” shouted Colin.
We were low enough now to see the lights belonged to a building, a large one, and we were about to hit the ground hard a few hundred yards in front of it.
I looked at the scared faces behind me, trying to think of a solution… One came to me, but I had no idea if it would work, but what choice did I have.
“Everyone hold on! I’m going to try something!” I shouted.
I stilled my thoughts, blocking out the wind and the panic and felt the iron, copper and the other metals which made up the dirigible’s super structure. I had controlled similar weights before, but never while I was in one, plummeting to my death.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, then another on my arm. I opened my eyes to the others, all smiling, willing me on.
“You can do this,” said Lucas.
I nodded and forced my will into the struts and beams around us. A purple light emanated from them.
“I think it’s—”
Before Melanie could finish, we slammed into the top of a tree. Branches pushed through every available window, and the world tilted, throwing all of us to one side then another.
“We’re not on the—” Before I forced the words from my lips, we were falling again, snaps and creaks filling the air until, with a heavy thump, we hit the snow-covered ground, the envelope falling over us, extinguishing what little light from the outside there had been.
I sat up, not being sure it was actually ‘up’ for the cabin appeared to be upside down, and I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. It was also bitingly cold. I heard noises around me, someone else was still breathing at least. “Is anyone hurt!” I shouted.
“I… I think I’m OK, said Gloria. Katerina? Melanie?”
A groan came from somewhere.
“I think something is broken,” said Melanie.
I stretched out with my fingers, quickly coming into contact with a person. “Who’s this!”
“It’s me,” said Daniel. “Hold on…” Two eye-shaped flames appeared close by, lighting our confined space, and I could see one of the branches was sticking into his leg.
“You're hurt!” shouted Melanie.
He smiled. “Don’t worry about me.” He turned slightly towards her. “Your arm is broken?”
She grimaced. “I think so…”
His eyes burned bright and suddenly her expression turned to one of relief.
Lucas groaned again, immediately feeling his forehead that had a large gash across it, covering one half of his face in blood. “Did we make it…” he said.
Daniel winced as he turned to Lucas, and again the other man’s injury disappeared.
“Where’s Colin and Katerina?” I said.
Lucas lit up one of the oil lanterns, then looked at Daniel's leg. “We need to get that branch out of you.” The blond-haired man nodded.
As Lucas and he did what they needed too, to get Daniel’s leg clear, I crawled forward, quickly pushing up against the fabric of the envelope, but it was too heavy to move. I also heard something rattling in my coat pocket and knew my pocket watch was no longer of any use. I needed to climb out, see if there was any more danger, but as I went to pull some of the metal struts around me free with my mind, the intention being to use them to cut my way out, a cackling sound rang out, which I had heard too many times before.
I looked back at the others.
“The Furies…” said Lucas.
Daniel flexed his leg, now being healed.
“Come out little Cog, we want to play!” came the demonic voice from outside.
Lucas’s hand lit with flame once more.
“No… I’ll go outside, try and distract them. You climb out the other side, see where Colin and Katerina are.”
He nodded.
I grabbed a beam that was now partially bent, pulled it free, and crafted one end of it into a spear. I then crawled back to the envelope and with a swipe, tore it open, revealing snow, branches, and the lig
hts of a large building in the distance.
“I think she wants to play, sister,” said a different Fury. Her voice sounded similar to the one from the oracle's garden.
I took a deep breath and crawled forward on my hands and knees until I was free of the material and being mindful of what was around me.
A light from far off provided just enough light to see my surroundings. We had landed at the edge of a forest which contained nothing but darkness. Ahead was a snow-covered slope, with trees and bushes in regular alignment, maybe a garden, but where were the Furies?
“Up here, dear…”
I slowly looked up at the tree we had fallen through, and my heart sank. Colin was being dangled, doll-like from near the top, held aloft by one arm by one of the Furies, who clung to the trunk. He was unconscious.
“Oh, he’s not dead yet. I wanted you to have a chance to say goodbye…”
I scrambled to my feet, being ready to send the beam I was holding skyward. “Don’t you dare drop him!”
More cackling. “Drop? Maybe I’ll do the opposite and take him higher!”
I felt a presence behind me.
“Where’s my sister!” shouted Gloria looking upwards.
The demon smiled. “Already on her way back to London, where I’m sure she will be of use to Hades. Oh, and Cog, Hades has a message for you.”
I heard her break Colin’s neck from the ground.
“No!” I screamed, then scrambled forward as she had already let him fall.
Her strong wings beat, taking her upwards into the gloom. “Maybe I’ll take you to the sky next time!”
I had no interest in her words and I lunged forward, just as Colin’s body crashed through the lowest set of branches and landed on me.
Momentarily dazed, I shook myself out of it. “Daniel!” I shouted into the dark trying to locate him.
The crunching of snow heralded his arrival, and he knelt next to Colin, his eyes already aflame. He grimaced, shaking his head.
“What is it?” I cried.
“My power, I’ve used it too much recently, I don’t know—”
I grabbed his arm. “Please! You have to!”
He nodded and his face contorted, his hands becoming claw-like as he strained every fibre of his being.
Colin’s hand twitched, then his head moved, but his eyes were still closed.
Daniel let out a breath which formed a white cloud. “That’s all… I can… do for now,” he said out of breath.
I briefly hugged him. “Thank you!” Then looked back down to Colin. “Colin can you hear me?”
He mumbled something.
“Don’t try and move, we will—” I stopped because I realised everyone around me was looking past me, over my shoulder. I turned around to the face of three men holding guns on us.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
As snow fell, we trekked across the frozen ground, towards the pinkish-beige stonework of a castle. I kept looking up at the dark grey clouds and icy flakes hoping not to see more wings and creatures from nightmares.
The three gruff-looking men hadn’t said much, other than we were trespassing, but the Duke had asked for us to be brought inside, so that’s what they were doing. Daniel and Lucas carried Colin, who was conscious at least, but in a lot of pain.
Gloria and Melanie walked together, huddled against the biting wind. I’m sure they were making plans to get their sister back even as we walked.
The building was mostly a three-storey structure with a triangular roof and spires, although at the far side to which we were approaching I could see an even higher shape, escaping into the sky, no doubt a tower of some sort.
We moved up a stone staircase, to an arched door that was already open. A broad-shouldered ruddy-faced man, with red hair stood in the doorway with a lantern in one hand and a pistol in the other.
“Found this lot around that carriage that fell out of the sky, sir,” said the oldest of the three men. One of the younger went to speak, but the older one discouraged him from doing so.
The man in the doorway stepped forward and waved his flame in Lucas’s and Daniel's direction, who were clearly feeling the weight of their cargo. “What’s your name, sir?”
“Lucas Wraith…”
The man looked puzzled. “I’ve heard of Wraith. Tragedy hit their family some time ago. Are you connected with that family?”
“Yes, my child and wife were taken from me many years ago. We are sorry to show up on your doorstep like this, but our craft had a malfunction and well, we had nowhere else to land.”
“Crash more like it!” Sniggered one of the housekeepers. The older one frowned.
Lucas continued. “May I ask of your name?”
“I am William Hamilton, twelfth Duke of Hamilton. This castle and all the land you see around you is my home.” He looked at the others, including myself, then finally at the oldest housekeeper. “Help that man and his friends; take them into the living room.”
We walked inside, glad for the warmth which the large fire in the hallway was providing us. Two maids, one much older than the other, stood at the bottom of a staircase which spiralled to another floor. The white-painted walls around them sported the dead eyes of animal heads and paintings of the lands we had flown across.
Hamilton looked at the women. “Bring warm towels and wine… oh,” he looked at me. “Have you eaten?”
“If it’s not too much trouble some food would be appreciated.”
He nodded and looked back at the maids who did the same and disappeared down the side of the staircase.
“Thank you for hospitality,” I said.
We followed the others into a large room. “Not at all. Out here we don’t get much in the way of visitors.” He nodded towards Colin. “Is the young man seriously injured? I can call for the doctor, but he won’t be able to get here until the morning.”
I looked at Daniel, who shook his head.
I smiled at the Duke. “I think we will be OK.”
The maids came into the opulent room with two silver platters carrying jugs. bread, and some kind of meat. All of us looked upon it with eager eyes.
“I have heard of carriages that can fly from my time in London. I believe they are called dirigibles? Held aloft by gases that are lighter than air?”
I nodded. “Yes, we were using it to travel around the country, we had come from Edinburgh, but the weather blew us off course.” I was surprised by how easily the falsehood came to me, but it was required.
The duke looked at the maids again. “Get the guest bedrooms made up.”
“Thank you, sir, for your kindness,” said Lucas.
“It is no trouble.” He smiled. “I will leave you to rest and Mrs Ross will see you to your rooms when you ready.”
The duke then left, closing the door behind him.
“What are we going to do!” said Daniel. “Your craft is shot through.”
He was right. Even if I could repair the envelope, where would I get the gas required to fill it with?
I sat heavily on one of the plush chairs. “I don’t know.” I looked at Gloria. “Please don’t worry, I will find your sister.”
“Yes, we will,” said Lucas.
She looked between us. “Those creatures, you appeared to recognise them?”
I nodded. “They are known as the Furies—”
“The Furies!” shouted Melanie. She looked at her sister. “You see what you have gotten us into!”
“You know of them?” I asked Gloria.
“Only by reputation. We know they do Hades' bidding.”
Lucas was shaking his head. “It is perplexing how they found us in the great expanse of sky. Perhaps they have some trace of our blood…”
Athena’s words came back to me about my father’s blood being my blood. I shivered, despite logs burning in a smaller fire nearby. “I think I know how they tracked us…” They all looked at me expectantly. “When in the other realm, Athena said we do not need more of Hades' blood,
for his blood runs through my veins…”
“What!” said Gloria, getting to her feet, while Lucas wavered as if hearing the news of my ancestry for the first time. “Of course!” he said, ignoring Gloria’s surprise. “That is how they knew of the Crystal Palace, and our excursion to the museum…”
“I told you we should have stayed out of this. She’s his family!” said Melanie.
“I am nothing of the sort!” I shouted back. “He’s a demon and I mean to send him back from where he came!” My outburst appeared to quieten the younger sister who turned away, but I could feel Gloria’s blame for what happened to her sister in her eyes, which remained fixed on me.
“Can we please keep our voices down,” said Lucas.
Gloria took a step towards me. “That thing is your father?”
“We do not choose our parents…” said Daniel.
Her head flicked towards him. “It would have been nice if the god of the underworld's daughter had told me who she was at the start of this little outing of ours! Maybe my sister wouldn’t be being dragged through the sky if she had!”
I bowed my head. “I am sorry…” Then looked back up at her. “Please believe me, I will do everything I can to return Katerina to you.”
“You're damn right you will!”
I looked at Lucas. “They can track me…”
He nodded with a frown. “I’m afraid so.”
“Then we are not even safe here,” said Daniel.
*****
“And this is your room,” said the older maid who I learned was Mrs Ross. She opened the door to a scene as opulent as any other in the castle. Silk sheets rested upon a four-poster bed, and furniture which I recognised as having come from the continent sat along two of the walls with a wash basin and bed pan. Two oil lamps provided light.
“Thank you.”
“Breakfast is at 7 a.m. sharp.”
“OK…”
She appeared to be waiting for me to go inside, so I stepped over the threshold at which point she promptly closed the door. A key turned in the lock. I waited for her steps to fade and tried the handle.