The Mortal Knife

by D. J. McCune

  Heinrich raised a hand and after a long moment the murmur of protest died away. Wisely he decided to say no more about the change of name and simply announced, ‘I present to you the Lady Fates.’

  Chapter 5

  Holy crap!’ Luc whispered. ‘Who the hell is that?’

  Adam didn’t even have to ask who he was talking about. As Heinrich sat down three women walked through the gigantic arch in the wall behind and each stepped up to a stone plinth.

  The first woman was short and curvy with messy, blonde hair and a round, kindly face. She was wearing a smock and a long sparkly skirt. A spindle hung from the woven belt around her hips. Adam guessed she was Clotho, the spinner. She looked nice; the kind of person who would spin you a happy soul and a long life.

  In contrast the second woman was thin and angular, dark hair pulled back in a bun, dressed in a grey suit which looked like it had been cut to fit with a razor. She had the twitchy energy of a hornet. Lachesis was the time-allotter. Adam could see her tapping a thin, silver measuring rod against her thigh, the symbol of her authority to measure out lifespans. She didn’t look as kind as Clotho. There would be no begging or pleading with Lachesis – Adam got the feeling she would measure out every human lifespan with ruthless precision, down to the last second. No one – not him, not Chloe, not Auntie Jo – would have a moment longer in the physical world than they were meant to have.

  The third woman was the cause of Luc’s slobbering reverence. In spike heels, she towered over the other two, with a tousled mane of black hair and shining dark eyes. She was wearing black trousers and a corset the colour of fresh blood. She was very beautiful – more beautiful even than Elise – but something about her made a chill run down Adam’s spine. There was a shimmer of something in the air around her, something dangerous.

  Luc had no such reservations. His mouth was hanging open in a most un-Luc-like manner. Adam nudged him in the ribs. ‘Are you all right?’

  Luc blinked. ‘What? Yeah, I’m OK. Better than OK.’ He looked like he’d been hit by a car.

  Adam smirked. This was classic Luc. In the physical world he could have his pick of any girl he wanted, so of course he decided to drool over Morta, the most fearsome of the Fates. She didn’t just cut the threads – she looked like she might even enjoy it.

  The small blonde woman stepped onto her podium. ‘The Lady Clotho welcomes you.’ She smiled, shy but warm. ‘I spun your threads with care.’

  The second woman stepped up. ‘The Lady Lachesis welcomes you. I measured your threads with care.’ She spoke with the brisk detachment of an accountant facing a never-ending sea of paperwork. Maybe she couldn’t see all the faces in the darkness of the amphitheatre.

  Finally the third woman stepped onto her podium and stared into the crowd. Adam shivered, knowing it was insane; knowing that she couldn’t see him. She tilted her head to one side and a small sigh escaped from Luc’s lips. ‘The Lady Morta welcomes you.’ She paused, challenging her audience to protest but the amphitheatre was as still as the grave. ‘I will cut your threads … with care.’ She sounded like she was barely suppressing laughter.

  Heinrich and the Concilium stood up and all the men followed. Adam made to stand up too but Elise hissed, ‘Non! Only Marked Lumen!’ Adam slunk back into his seat and watched his father and all the other male Lumen who had come of age bow deeply. ‘We honour you and serve you.’ Their voices echoed, thunderous, rolling along the walls, leaving a great silence behind.

  Heinrich faced the audience. ‘My friends –’

  ‘A moment, Chief Curator’. Morta had spoken. Heinrich turned, startled. She beckoned. After a moment’s hesitation he moved towards her as a murmur rose in the amphitheatre.

  ‘What’s she doing?’ Auntie Jo muttered. ‘This isn’t how it’s supposed to be done. They’re supposed to bugger off now and let us go home for dinner.’

  Heinrich seemed equally surprised – not to mention uncomfortable. He faced the crowd and tried to smile. ‘In … erm … a departure from the usual proceedings, the Lady Morta wishes to become acquainted with some of our noble Luman families. Specifically the British Lumen.’ He hesitated. ‘More specifically, our good friends the Mortson family.’

  If Elise had seemed tense before, she positively vibrated with nervous energy now. A stunned silence had followed Heinrich’s announcement, during which he had swiftly dismissed the gathering while Adam and his family blinked stupidly at one another. The other Lumen immediately began filing back up the steps, some rushing towards the arches at the top of the amphitheatre. As they hurried past the Mortsons they stared with a mixture of curiosity and pity. It was obvious that not everyone was as desperate to meet Morta as Luc was. The Fates had already returned through the huge archway, leaving the Concilium on the stage.

  Elise ran a frantic but practised eye over her children, tweaking Aron’s lapel, straightening Adam’s tie and smoothing Chloe’s hair. Her mouth was a tight line. Nathanial was just as confused as the rest of them but he was trying to look calm. ‘What a pleasant surprise.’

  Auntie Jo snorted and said something rude under her breath. ‘What the hell’s she playing at?’

  ‘Ssssssssh!’ Elise hissed. With a start Adam realised that she was afraid.

  As the amphitheatre emptied, Heinrich searched for Nathanial and made a gesture towards the stage. Nathanial smoothed the lapel of his camel-hair coat and tried to smile. ‘Well, this is a great honour of course. Very few Lumen ever get to meet the Fates in person.’ He hesitated. ‘Although it’s probably better not to say too much when we go through.’

  ‘Say nothing!’ Elise whispered. Her eyes were glittering. ‘Say nothing at all!’

  She was starting to freak Adam out. As they descended the stairs towards the stage, Adam felt his heart thudding. His palms were sweating and he tried to wipe them discreetly on his thighs. Everyone was nervous – but he was the only one who had anything to be nervous about. He was the only one who’d been running round saving people, breaking Luman law and cheating the thread-cutter out of souls.

  Heinrich was waiting for them. If he was surprised by the turn of events he was hiding it well. He greeted them all with smiles. ‘How lovely to see you all again – and so soon!’

  Adam shifted from foot to foot. A few weeks earlier the Concilium had joined the Mortsons for dinner. Adam had spent an unfortunate half-hour hiding in a cupboard, overhearing a conversation he really shouldn’t have, in which Heinrich discussed his own approaching death. He squinted sidelong at the Chief Curator, searching for any sign of ill health, but Heinrich looked perfectly well.

  Nathanial arched one eyebrow. ‘Indeed. And what an honour to be singled out so.’ His tone was light but he gave Heinrich a searching look.

  Heinrich grimaced. ‘No doubt the Lady Morta will make her intentions clear.’

  Nathanial nodded. Adam frowned, aware that there was subtext to what was being said but not managing to figure out what it was. He glanced around at the rest of the Curators who made up the Concilium. They were the Luman authorities who oversaw all the Lumen in the world and ensured that they followed Luman law. Being so close to them made Adam nervous – and one in particular made him sweat.

  Darian, the newest Curator, was standing to one side, away from the rest of the Concilium. He had also been at the Mortsons’ dinner party just a few weeks earlier – and had started an almighty row. He had accused Nathanial of having a rogue Luman on the loose in his Kingdom – a rogue who was interfering with the Fates and saving human lives. The Mortsons had reacted with fury – never suspecting that not only was Darian right but the culprit was sitting at the table with them. Adam felt a twinge of guilt all over again. It didn’t help that he had found out the same night that Darian had once hoped to marry Elise – giving the French man further reason to hate Nathanial and watch for problems in his Kingdom.

  Heinrich cleared his throat and made a gesture towards the archway. ‘Shall we?’ Adam swallowed hard, trying not to choke o
n his own nerves, and followed the group.

  The archway led into a high-roofed tunnel. Walking through they found themselves in a small atrium with three tunnels leading off in different directions. Adam was one of the last to squeeze into the atrium, just in time to hear Morta speaking. ‘Please join me.’ She turned towards the tunnel on the far right when a small voice piped up from the front of the crowd. ‘Please, sister, may I also join you?’

  Morta turned sharply and for a fleeting second her face darkened. It was Clotho who had spoken – the spinner. Adam stared at the small blonde woman curiously. She was the one who had woven their threads – a kind of creator, even if she was just taking orders like the rest of them. She sounded timid. Morta gave her a look of barely concealed contempt, then shrugged. ‘As you wish, sister.’ She turned to Lachesis. ‘And you?’

  ‘I have no wish to join you. I bid you all good day.’ Lachesis gave the group a curt nod and disappeared into the middle tunnel.

  Morta stepped into her tunnel. After a moment’s hesitation Clotho followed her and the rest of the group straggled along behind.

  Adam fell into step beside Auntie Jo. ‘They don’t seem to like each other much,’ he whispered.

  Auntie Jo shrugged. ‘Why should they? They get thrown together and left to work – but they all have different characters and do different things. It must be hard weaving the threads of life and then knowing someone is going to come along and sever them, even if they have to. I’m surprised Clotho wants to be around Morta at all.’

  ‘But I thought they were sisters,’ Adam said, confused.

  Auntie Jo rolled her eyes. ‘I swear I have wasted my life trying to teach you anything about your Luman heritage. They’re not actual sisters, you idiot. It’s just a title. The way Lumen say, “Our Light is your Light, brother.” It doesn’t mean they’re literally brothers.’

  ‘Oh, right,’ Adam muttered, feeling sheepish. It was so much easier remembering chemical equations than remembering the vast and complex history and lore of the Luman world.

  Auntie Jo sighed. ‘Try not to say anything in here that will show your ignorance or I’ll have to listen to an earful from your mother when we get home. She never believes I taught you a thing. Seems to think I spent your childhood feeding you toast and showing you zombie films.’

  Adam grinned. There was more truth in that than even Elise could have dared to imagine.

  They stepped out of the tunnel into a large, marble-floored hallway. A crystal chandelier hung overhead, scattering fragments of light onto the Lumen below. Velvet-covered couches were dotted around and at one end of the hallway was a long buffet table, covered with cold meats, bread, fruit and wine.

  Morta turned to face them and made an expansive gesture. ‘Welcome. You are my guests. Please – eat, drink and be merry. For, as someone once said, tomorrow we die.’ She smiled and her dark eyes sparkled. Adam shivered.

  For a long moment no one moved. Then Darian stepped towards the table and poured wine into a crystal glass. His action seemed to break some kind of spell and hesitantly the rest of the Concilium and the Mortsons moved forward. Morta clapped her hands above her head and from nowhere the sound of music filled the hall.

  ‘Bloody drama queen,’ Auntie Jo muttered – then made a beeline for the buffet.

  Only Luc held back. Adam turned towards him, curious. ‘What’s the matter with you?’ He had to admit to a certain sneaky enjoyment of Luc’s discomfiture. His brother was normally poise personified.

  Luc scowled. ‘Nothing! Nothing’s the matter!’ He stalked towards the wine with furrowed brows.

  Adam grinned but it was short-lived. He always felt awkward at Luman events – but this was in a whole different league. This time he was at a gathering hosted by the very Fate he had cheated out of an awful lot of souls. According to The Book of the Unknown Roads (the book of Luman law and wisdom) the penalty for that particular offence involved his own demise – if Morta found out.

  Feeling jumpy, he sidled over towards his father, trying to look inconspicuous. Nathanial was deep in conversation with Heinrich and looked irritated at Adam’s sudden appearance – but then seemed to take pity on his youngest son. ‘Everything all right, Adam?’

  Heinrich smiled at him. ‘So, Adam, this is a great occasion! An event you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren about!’

  Adam tried to return the smile, forcing himself to ignore the nervous churning he got in his stomach just thinking about the life he was supposed to live. Become a proper Luman, come of age and get Marked, get married to someone with noble Luman blood and of course produce Luman babies who would grow up to become Lumen themselves. ‘Yeah, it’s all pretty … special.’

  Nathanial laughed. ‘Heinrich, believe it or not Adam would rather be at school doing his GECs than here.’

  Adam sighed. ‘GCSEs. They’re called GCSEs. For, like, the billionth time.’

  ‘How very strange,’ a woman’s voice said and all three of them froze. Adam turned slowly and found himself looking up at Morta. She towered over him in her heels but was able to look Nathanial straight in the eye. ‘How very strange that a young Luman from such a family should still be at school.’

  Nathanial bowed his head. ‘We prefer to think of it as unusual, Lady Morta.’

  Morta smiled without warmth. ‘Perhaps that is a better word. And is there anything else unusual about this boy?’

  Adam stared at the ground, wracking his brain for something to say, but his mind had gone blank. Those eyes. They seemed to look right through him, turning him into a rabbit in headlights. There was some force around her that made him want to blurt out everything, just tell her he was guilty and that he was sorry and he hadn’t meant to do it …

  ‘He’ll grow into his Luman role,’ Nathanial said politely but there was an edge to his voice.

  ‘I wonder who he takes after?’ Morta said. Her voice was very soft and very poisonous. ‘I was led to believe that you Mortsons are such an old family. So many Keystones! I was told your family had some talent. Well, most of your family. Not every family member has shared your aspirations for greatness.’

  A glass smashed behind them, breaking the moment. Morta turned away sharply and Adam gulped in a deep breath, feeling like a weight had lifted from his chest. Auntie Jo was standing behind them, glaring at Morta with pure hatred. Adam felt a moment of confusion. All right, Auntie Jo hadn’t married but she was taking Morta’s words a bit personally.

  ‘What did you just say?’ Auntie Jo was looking up at Morta, unflinching. ‘Is there something you’d like to say?’

  ‘Jo.’ Nathanial stepped towards his sister and curled his fingers round her arm. His voice was a mixture of comfort and warning.

  ‘Every member of our family did their best to serve humanity. We have a long, proud history. Every one of us made sacrifices for the greater good. Every one.’ Auntie Jo’s voice was a hiss.

  Morta smiled, her lip curling slightly. ‘Of course. I meant no offence.’ She inclined her head. ‘Please do excuse me. I must attend to my other guests.’

  Adam watched her walk away through saucer eyes. When he turned back towards his father he could see Nathanial was furious but trying hard to maintain his composure. ‘That was unwise.’

  Auntie Jo gave him a look of deepest contempt. It was shocking, as if she’d slapped him. ‘I’ve had enough of this. I didn’t come here to have our b—’ She cleared her throat. ‘To have our family insulted. Who does she think she is?’ She was clutching the silver locket she always wore around her neck, pulling it to and fro in agitation.

  Heinrich spoke up. His voice was stern but not unkind. ‘She thinks she is the thread-cutter – and she is. Please remember that, Josephine.’

  Auntie Jo scowled. ‘She’s just a monkey taking orders like the rest of us. She might pretend she’s the organ grinder – but she’s not.’

  Nathanial sighed. He looked as depressed as Auntie Jo. ‘How much longer will Lady Morta re
quire our presence?’

  Heinrich shrugged and lowered his voice. ‘I’m every bit as surprised by her invitation, my friend. I hope we won’t be detained much longer.’

  Adam shivered. So they weren’t really guests, so much as … captives. He looked over at their hostess. She was talking to Elise. His mother was clutching hold of Chloe and Luc with a protective hand on their arms. When Morta turned her attentions to Luc, Adam could almost see his mother willing Luc to stay silent. Unfortunately Luc was smitten. He was beaming and babbling like a lunatic. Under other circumstances it would have been funny.

  Morta’s voice rang out around the room, killing all conversation in an instant. ‘I will speak with you all. But first, there is something I wish you to see. Come, this way.’ She walked towards what appeared to be a blank wall but as they drew closer Adam could see a double door set into the stone. Morta raised her hands and the doors swung open soundlessly, revealing nothing but darkness on the other side. Morta strode forward, disappearing from view. After a moment’s hesitation the Concilium followed her, with the Mortsons bringing up the rear.

  Adam’s heart was thumping. There was no reason to be so afraid, safe with his family and the Concilium, but there was something about Morta. Stepping into the dark with her was a bit like stepping into a dark cave, wondering if there was a wolf sleeping there …

  The doors swung closed behind them, leaving them in pitch-darkness. Adam heard Chloe give a little gasp and Elise’s comforting murmur. Then flaming torches flared into light, illuminating a long spiral staircase ascending into nothingness far above. ‘Come,’ Morta said and led the way up the stairs. After a moment’s hesitation everyone followed. Their footsteps were strangely muffled.