by D. J. McCune
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Acknowledgements
ALSO BY D.J. MCCUNE
D.J. McCune
Copyright
For my family, with love
Chapter 1
dam Mortson stretched luxuriously, basking in a unique sensation of calm, and feeling the sheets rub along his bare skin. It had been a long, hot summer in London and typically it was getting hotter, just as he was about to go back to school. Tomorrow he’d be going into fifth form – but that still left him with one final day of freedom.
Usually his day began with one of two things – his alarm clock blaring, or someone telling him to get dressed and get ready to guide a dead person’s soul into the afterlife. But mercifully, today that hadn’t happened. Not yet at least.
Throwing the sheets aside, Adam hopped out of bed and stood in front of the long mirror, staring at his reflection. His blue eyes looked brighter beneath sandy hair lightened by the sun. His pale Mortson skin was never going to turn bronzed but a few lazy days in the park with Melissa had tanned it a little, freckles dusting his nose. Thinking about Melissa made his heart jump, then glow warm. He had one more precious day ahead with her and unless some global catastrophe struck, he wanted to make the most of it.
Most guys his age didn’t need to worry about global disasters – but then Adam wasn’t exactly a normal teenager. His family were Britain’s leading fast-response Lumen – guardians and guides of the dead – and like all the Mortson men, Adam was expected to be available 24/7 to step into the Hinterland, the place of souls, and guide the dead through their Lights; whispering directions for their journey onto the Unknown Roads.
The Mortsons were used to dealing with the trickiest souls, those who had died suddenly or unexpectedly. Sometimes even violently. Adam had never been any good at being a Luman, in spite of his impressive pedigree. Still, the last few months had marked a step in the right direction. The nerves hadn’t gone completely but it was beginning to get easier.
As he showered and dressed, he tried to push the Luman world out of his head and focus on the day ahead. It would be his last chance to spend some quality time with Melissa for a while. Once they were back at school she would be working at weekends and he would be trying to squeeze his Luman life and his school work into twenty-four measly hours. Not for the first time he contemplated this juggling act without enthusiasm.
Still, at least they had today. As he buttered his toast and poured a glass of orange juice he tried to think of everything he wanted to do. It was the last proper day of summer and he wanted to make it perfect. They were going to hang out in the park and he knew there was a funfair on. He was thinking lunch, ice cream, buying Melissa a present and hopefully some alone time, if they got lucky.
As he finished the last bite of breakfast, his father Nathanial walked into the kitchen, humming under his breath. ‘Good morning, Adam.’
‘Morning,’ Adam said. ‘Quiet night.’
‘Yes, thankfully it was. It’s always nice to get a full night’s sleep.’
‘Nice for everyone,’ Adam muttered. No overnight call-outs meant no sudden deaths in the Kingdom of Britain. It was a rare event.
‘So, back to school tomorrow.’ It was a statement, not a question and while Nathanial didn’t exactly look happy about it he wasn’t frowning either.
‘Yes.’ Adam hesitated. ‘Big exams this year. I have to do well if I want to stay on for sixth form.’
Nathanial paused, then changed the subject. ‘Well, at least you won’t have to miss your first day back for our trip tomorrow.’
‘Yeah, thanks,’ Adam said. Most of his friends would have been delighted to miss a day of school to go away for the weekend – but then he wasn’t most people. Arranging to go after he finished school was a big gesture on his family’s part. ‘What do I need to bring?’
‘Oh don’t worry about that. Your mother and Chloe will pack for you.’
Adam grimaced. Another thing that made him uneasy about the Luman world: there was always a doting woman waiting to take care of you. Women weren’t allowed to be practising Lumen – so their only chance to shine was in the home. The best that Chloe could hope for was a good marriage. That was part of the reason behind the trip. They were going to Ireland to visit ‘Uncle’ Paddy. The McVeys weren’t technically related to the Mortsons but they were old family friends.
He sneaked a glance at his father, who was humming under his breath, looking unusually happy and relaxed. It seemed a shame to spoil Nathanial’s good mood but he had to broach a tricky subject. ‘So … I know we’re swooping tomorrow … but there’s my other trip to think about. The one with school.’
Nathanial froze, jug of juice poised in mid-air over his glass. ‘Yes. Still thinking about that one.’
Adam tried to keep his voice level. It’s just … obviously I’m not swooping there. So I need a passport. And they can take a while to process so the form would really need to get sent away. You know, and then you can always decide later if I can go or not.’ Please let me go. PLEASE. He sent up a silent prayer to whatever gods watched over teenagers wanting to go on their first ever holiday abroad.
‘Applying for a passport involves identifications, Adam. It involves us putting ourselves on the radar.’ Nathanial was – as Adam feared – frowning. ‘It means putting us all at risk.’
‘But you have a cover. The business thing.’
Nathanial poured his juice and raised it in a silent toast. ‘I prefer not to have to use it.’ He took a long sip and studied Adam. ‘Let me think about it. We’ll get one trip out of the way before we start worrying about another.’
Adam nodded, trying to hide his frustration. There was no point pressing the issue. His father was High Luman of Britain. On cue, his death sense flared. He could feel that it was only one soul but it seemed politic to be polite. ‘Would you like me to go with you?’
Nathanial set down his glass and shook his head. ‘No it’s OK, Adam. Enjoy your time off. We have a busy few days ahead.’ He hesitated. ‘I know your trip to Japan means a lot to you but I have to think about all of us. I need a little more time to consider it. I know you understand.’
There was nothing more Adam could say. All he could do was hope his father would decide to take the chance.
On the bus a couple of hours later, Adam stared out of the window and thought about how his life had changed over the last few months. From the outside things probably seemed to be exactly the same but he knew things were different.
One thing that had helped was learning a little more about his family’s past. Adam had always felt out of place in his family; the odd one out. Maybe it was because everyone else seemed to get it. They seemed to be Lumen to the core and know instinctively what to do, especially his father. Nathanial seemed like a natural-born High Luman – calm, compassionate and under control.
But after learning about a dark chapter in the Mortsons’ history, Adam knew that his father had never intended to be High Luman
. He’d been forced to step up and take on the role after a scandal had almost destroyed the whole family. Adam could still see the photo which had unlocked his family’s secret past – and the Nathanial in the picture had been a carefree boy, not knowing that his life was about to change forever.
Adam knew that his father could have crumbled. He could have wailed that it wasn’t fair and let the Mortsons lose their honoured place and sink into obscurity – but he hadn’t. Instead he had worked harder than should have been humanly possible and brought the family back from the brink of ruin. He had married the woman he loved, Adam’s French mother Elise, and had three sons and a daughter. Aron, the eldest, had been Marked and become a full Luman at only eighteen. Seventeen-year-old Luc was nearly ready to follow and Chloe had betrothal on the horizon. Nathanial had even given a home to his sister Jo, whose prospects had been destroyed by the tragedy and who had been shunned by the family she was supposed to marry into.
Adam had always respected his father but somehow knowing what his father had done had inspired him. Nathanial had stepped up when he had to and maybe that meant that Adam could too.
Adam was getting better at it. His nose still bled sometimes when he swooped and his stomach still churned when he spoke to the souls and guided them into their Lights, but he had discovered that taking some slow breaths often managed to keep his nausea at bay until he got home. Adam knew that Nathanial was pleased with his progress and his mother had softened her disapproval. Even Luc didn’t make fun of him as often.
The downside of this was that it was putting Adam’s time at school in jeopardy. Adam knew that he had only been allowed to stay at school until he found his feet as a Luman. Now that he was improving there was increasing pressure for him to leave and devote himself to the Luman world. After all, most Lumen left school at the end of primary school, having learned the basics of reading and writing.
But for Adam that wasn’t enough. He was determined to stay on at school, even in the face of his family’s resistance. Not just because he wanted to pass the exams he needed to go to university and train to be a doctor. There were other things he liked about school, like hanging out with his friends. And of course hanging out with Melissa.
Still, today they had one precious afternoon together. Adam pushed the Luman world from his thoughts. The sun was shining and he was determined to make the most of it.
When Adam finally reached the park, Melissa was already there. He paused and just watched her for a moment. She was lying on her stomach on the grass and chewing on the end of her pen, her bare legs bent up behind her. She had a fine, beaded chain around one ankle. As he watched she switched to chewing her lip and the pen moved, skimming over the sketchpad in front of her.
She was so beautiful. Maybe not to everyone but for him there was no one he wanted to look at more in the world. Even now, he sometimes couldn’t believe that she was there to meet up with him. He still got excited about seeing her.
As if feeling his scrutiny, she looked up suddenly, a tiny frown of concentration on her face – which turned into a smile when she saw him. He grinned back, feeling the warmth in his chest expand in a little bubble. ‘Hey.’
She rolled over onto her back and grinned at him upside down. ‘Why are you still standing?’
Adam flung himself down beside her. She had brought an old, stripy beach towel with her. The colours had faded but it was just about big enough for both of them to lie on if they were very close together. Adam had no objections to that at all.
Melissa rolled onto her side and kissed him, propping herself up with one elbow. ‘So, stranger, what have you been doing?’
Adam shrugged. ‘Nothing much. I’ve just been at home. Helping my father a bit.’
‘At home in the prison house?’ Melissa traced one finger along his jawline and down his neck, softening her words.
Adam didn’t answer and not just because his skin was sparking everywhere her finger brushed against him, but because it was impossible to make Melissa understand about his family without revealing the Luman world – and that was totally forbidden. His life was about limiting any information to both Melissa and his family. Any other guy his age could just say, ‘I’m going to meet Melissa. My girlfriend. I’ve been seeing her for six months now. We’re going to hang out in the park.’ But Adam wasn’t supposed to have a girlfriend. In due course his family would help him find a Luman wife. They would have Luman children and the whole cycle would repeat.
It depressed him and he was determined to enjoy today. He reached for her hand before his skin caught fire. ‘What have you been doing?’
Melissa shrugged. ‘The usual. I’ve been working most days. And then I’ve been looking after Mum. She’s just finished her chemo.’ She stopped, pressing her lips together. It took a minute for her to speak again. ‘Anyway, she’s tired, so she wanted me to go out today so she can sleep. She told me to enjoy the sunshine before school starts.’
Adam squeezed her fingers. ‘So that’s what we’ll do.’
‘Yeah. There’s stuff on today. There’s a funfair and they’ve built a big stage for a concert. We could have a look around.’
At the mention of the stage and a concert Adam’s stomach clenched. Last time Adam had been at an outdoor concert bad things had happened. Things that were still haunting him at night, in his dreams. He cleared his throat. ‘Yeah, that sounds good. But let’s just stay here a while.’
Melissa raised an eyebrow. ‘And why do you want to stay here?’
Adam grinned. ‘Why do you think?’
She smiled and kissed him again – and this time he didn’t care about his skin catching fire.
This time he just lay down, pulled her in close and made the most of it.
A long time later they finally pulled away from one another. Adam brushed the hair off her cheek and kissed her cheekbone, letting Melissa nuzzle in close to him. He loved her. He loved her and ached for her and never had enough of her. Just occasionally they managed to go somewhere and be completely alone, but not enough. It was never enough.
A couple of times he had been to her flat. Her mum’s illness meant that she wasn’t working and spent more time at home but twice they had managed to get the place to themselves. The flat was small and crammed with pictures and knick-knacks, but it was cosy and clean. Melissa’s room was tiny but she had covered every inch of the walls with paintings and posters and her bed had a patchwork throw. Adam had felt like he was in a cocoon with her, just them at the centre of a rainbow.
He had avoided meeting her mum. There were lots of secrets he had kept from Melissa – but only one that felt like a betrayal. He had known that her mum was ill, before anyone had, even Melissa. It was a mystery he still couldn’t explain. He didn’t want to shake her hand – the same thin, wasted hand he had seen in his dreams, before he had ever met her. He couldn’t bear lying to her – or lying yet again to Melissa.
Now Melissa was lying on the towel and looking up at him. He stroked the warm, bare skin on her stomach, just above the waistband on her shorts, and she made a soft noise in her throat and pulled him down beside her again. It felt weird, coming up for air minutes later and realising that the rest of the world was still moving around them. People were walking dogs and riding bikes and throwing frisbees. In the distance they could hear music.
They sat up and moved apart, trying to get their breath back. Melissa looked around and sighed. ‘Why does summer have to be over? I can’t be bothered going back to school.’
Adam stroked the back of her hand. ‘At least we can see each other every day.’
‘I guess.’ Melissa paused. ‘But I want to see you outside school as well.’
‘It’s hard.’ Adam bit his lip.
‘I could always come round to your place, you know.’
‘My parents don’t let us have friends round.’
Melissa frowned. ‘They don’t like you going out but they don’t let you have people round? They sound great.’
&nb
sp; ‘No, they’re … It’s not like that.’ Adam could feel the conversation heading in a direction he really didn’t want it to. ‘They just worry about me. They want me to do well.’
‘Yeah, well, so does my mum. She’s always going on about my exams but she still lets me go out!’
It’s not the exams they’re worried about, Adam thought. ‘I’ll try and get out more, I promise. We can go back to Petrograd. It was cool.’
‘Yeah, it is. I won’t even try and make you drink coffee this time.’ Melissa smiled.
Adam relaxed a little. One thing about Melissa: no one could say she wasn’t patient. She didn’t push and push at him for answers, just as he never pushed too much about her family. He didn’t know where her dad was; she rarely spoke about him. He sat up and felt something slide beneath his T-shirt.
‘What is that?’ Melissa slipped her finger under the fine chain round Adam’s neck. ‘I keep forgetting to ask you about it.’
He pulled away and sat up. ‘Nothing. It’s just … nothing.’ It’s the keystone I wear; the keystone that helps me into the Hinterland, where I guide the souls of the dead in the afterlife. Adam tried to imagine her face if he told her the truth. He would probably get away with it; she’d assume he was joking.
‘If it’s nothing why do you always wear it?’
‘I don’t always wear it,’ Adam said.
Melissa smiled and kissed his neck. ‘You don’t wear it when you have your top off. But you wear it the rest of the time, even in school. I saw it down your shirt.’
Adam raised an eyebrow. ‘This is what happens when you look down people’s shirts.’
‘I thought it was one of those medical disc things. You know, like those ones that say there’s something wrong with your heart.’
