by D. J. McCune
Adam took his own cup and managed a swig of the cabbagey tea. He tried to channel Auntie Jo and not breathe through his nose. It helped a bit.
Their meeting was at an end. Hikaru stood and they followed him back to the genkan, sliding their feet back into their shoes. Outside in the ornamental garden they strolled across the grass and along the edge of the pond, admiring the reflection of the mountains, listening as Hikaru explained a little about the history of the house, which had been in his family for generations; a long, unbroken line of High Lumen. Adam stared up at the morning sky. In a few minutes they would be plunged back into the darkness of London at night.
At last they came to the stone Buddha. Nathanial reached into his pocket and gave the Keystone back to their host. Hikaru gestured at the Buddha’s upturned palms. ‘When you return to Japan your Keystone will be here, Adam. You may visit us whenever an opportunity presents itself. You will be most welcome.’
Adam bowed, finding it more natural now, especially when Hikaru did the same. His father was bowing too but once again he clasped Hikaru’s hand as they murmured the traditional parting words between Lumen, ‘Our Light is your Light, brother.’
At Nathanial’s nod, Adam clasped the keystone round his neck and stepped forward into the Hinterland. When Nathanial joined him, they watched Hikaru raise his hand in a final salute, then turn and walk back towards the house. Adam opened his mouth to speak but Nathanial shook his head and said softly, ‘Home first, please.’ A gentle reminder that this wasn’t their Kingdom and that the Hinterland wasn’t as private as it seemed.
They swooped with ease, the Mortson Keystones beneath the London house acting as a homing beacon. Adam blinked and squinted as they returned to the physical world, stepping into the night air and the crunch of gravel beneath their feet. The dogs raised their heads in greeting, roused from sleep but too comfortable to stand. Adam followed his father into the kitchen and stared at the clock. It was almost two a.m. and the house was silent.
Elise had left them a flask of hot milk and honey. As Nathanial poured a cup, he finally spoke. ‘That went well. Don’t worry that Hikaru didn’t seem keen to bring you on jobs. He gave you permission to be in his Kingdom and that’s the main thing.’
Adam stared at his father. Stupid as it seemed, it hadn’t occurred to him that Hikaru, as High Luman of Japan, could have kept him from being in the country. After all, Hikaru was responsible for everything the Lumen there did, just as Nathanial was responsible for managing the Kingdom of Britain. ‘What would you have done if he hadn’t?’
Nathanial stifled a yawn. ‘I hoped the situation wouldn’t arise. There’s a long spirit of co-operation between our Kingdoms.’ He smiled faintly. ‘Besides, Rita loves London. If we returned their Keystone and withdrew their visiting rights, she would have made her displeasure clear. Like most of us, Hikaru is a practical man. He believes in keeping his wife happy.’
Adam grinned. ‘I’m going to bed. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight.’ As Adam reached the door, Nathanial called him back. ‘Remember, Adam, you will be a guest in Hikaru’s Kingdom. You MUST abide by our laws or risk ruining Hikaru’s reputation.’ Just as Adam’s heartbeat quickened, wondering what his father knew, Nathanial continued. ‘I haven’t forgotten your over-zealous attempt to guide the suicide bomber on your own, back in the springtime. I was able to protect you but the Japanese are sticklers for rules. If you try to guide souls on your own, he will report you to the Concilium.’
Adam blinked at him, then nodded. As he climbed the stairs to bed, he almost laughed. If only his father knew all the things he’d done, he would realise one solo guiding job was the least of his worries. If he knew there should have been lots of other people stepping into their Lights that day he would have been apoplectic. It didn’t matter though; with Darian snooping about, Adam was going to be the best-behaved junior Luman in history.
He promised himself there would be no trouble, lying on his bed, staring through the darkness at the ceiling. No trouble at all.
Chapter 13
n Saturday morning Adam woke up late. It was weird, blinking into the morning light all over again. He glanced at his alarm clock and added nine hours. It was early evening in Japan. Hikaru and his family would be eating dinner together while Adam was about to get up and have his second breakfast. Hopefully this one would come with normal tea, not the cabbagey green stuff.
As soon as he walked into the kitchen he knew something was wrong. Auntie Jo was sitting at the table, swirling a lurid purple smoothie round in a tall glass. Elise and Chloe were standing beside her, poring over a battered cookbook and exchanging rapid-fire bursts of French, the way they tended to when they were talking about food. They looked up when Adam came in but didn’t speak, so it was left to Auntie Jo to break the bad news. ‘We have a guest for dinner tonight. Friend of the Mortsons, Darian DuSnoop.’
Adam felt sick, the way he always did when Darian’s name was mentioned. ‘Great.’ What else was there to say? He could hardly come clean, apologise and admit that it was all his fault that they had an unwelcome visitor to look forward to.
Elise frowned and looked at Adam. ‘Your father said that your visit to Hikaru was a success. I am glad for you but make no mention of it to Darian tonight. It will only raise awkward questions about your insistence on attending school.’
‘Let him enjoy it, Elise,’ Auntie Jo said. ‘The trip is Nathanial’s parting gift.’
Adam scowled. ‘It’s Yoshimi Murai’s gift. He’s the one paying for it.’ Auntie Jo raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.
Chloe looked up, face curious. ‘What are you going to do when you finish school?’
Adam shrugged, feeling his spirits slip down another notch. ‘Whatever I’m told to do.’ His voice sounded flat.
Elise pursed her lips. ‘You will do what your brothers do and every other Luman your age. You will prepare for your Marking! Now, concentre-toi un peu!’ She tapped her finger on the cookbook, drawing Chloe’s reluctant eyes back to the yellowing pages. The big decision of the day was whether to serve veal or venison.
Adam grabbed a banana and left them to it.
Adam spent most of the day lurking in his bedroom. He tried to phone Melissa a couple of times. He knew she was working but he hoped she would take pity on him and ring back on her break. When she didn’t his general gloom deepened – along with his hatred of Darian.
It was so tempting to blame Darian for all his woes. Without his sudden interest in the Mortsons, things could have continued as they were. Adam could have waited years before he ever had to be Marked because there would be no threat to Nathanial’s position as High Luman. Heinrich might be stepping into his Light soon but without an enemy the Mortsons wouldn’t need his protection. And if Adam could have stayed on at school, just maybe he could have gone to university. Somewhere far away from London; somewhere he could have a normal life, have friends and a girlfriend, totally removed from the Luman world.
Now everything was in jeopardy. Not just his own dreams but his family’s position in their world. He hadn’t forgotten Luc’s words after Uncle Paddy and Ciaron and Caitlyn’s visit. Things are changing round here, in case you hadn’t noticed … The Concilium are watching Father. Watching all of us. And if someone has screwed up in the Kingdom of Britain we won’t be able to take our pick any longer … You know you have exactly no future with Melissa, don’t you? You are never going to do better than Caitlyn … Whatever she’s offering take it.
Luc wasn’t a saint but he wasn’t stupid either. Sometimes he had a knack for seeing things more clearly than Adam would have liked. For now, his brother was assuming another Luman was the one making mistakes and drawing the Concilium’s eyes to the High Luman. The thing that saved Adam from suspicion was, as always, his infamous uselessness at being a Luman. Still, he was getting better at it. He couldn’t hide behind his nosebleeds and vomiting fits forever, especially now that they were less frequent.
And
there was the problem. Blaming Darian was easier than facing up to his own share of the responsibility. Adam was the one who had broken Luman law over and over again. He was the one giving Darian the excuse he needed to strike. As he put on his dress suit and tie, Adam glared at himself in the mirror and promised himself: No more. No more interfering. No more snooping. From here on in, I am the perfect Luman-in-training.
His family was waiting in the hall looking tense, with the exception of Auntie Jo, who was nowhere to be seen. Elise was tight-lipped, straightening ties and re-pinning an errant strand of Chloe’s hair. Nathanial was talking to her in a low voice, trying to reassure her. ‘It’s not a formal evening, my dear. I think it would be better to wait for him in the parlour. A simple family meal is all he is coming here for.’
‘Non.’ Elise shook her head, ripping out another hairpin, making Chloe wince. She bent the pin open between her teeth and slid it back into place. ‘Everything must be comme ça. Just so. We will give him no reason to complain about our hospitality. He is our honoured guest and we will welcome him.’ She spat out the last words, her cheeks flushing.
Nathanial nodded and rested his hand gently on the back of her neck. ‘As you wish.’ He turned to Adam and cleared his throat. ‘Adam, would you mind calling your aunt? I’m not sure where she is.’
‘No need,’ a voice trilled from the top of the stairs. ‘I’m on my way!’
Adam turned – and gawked. He would have liked to see the expression on everyone else’s face but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the vision on the stairs. He suspected everyone else was looking pretty similar to him – their eyes and mouths gaping.
Auntie Jo glided down the stairs like a film star. She had ditched her kaftan and clumpy shoes, settling instead on a fuschia pink silk dress and silver heels. Her hair had not only been washed but brushed as well and for the first time in living memory she was wearing a full face of make-up. Adam stared at her, mesmerised. Sometimes you got so used to seeing a person one way that you forgot they could be someone else. This Auntie Jo wasn’t the one from the den, watching her zombie films or exercise DVDs. This Auntie Jo was a throwback to the past; an older version of the Auntie Jo from her photo, the one where she stood laughing and sparkle-eyed between her two brothers.
Luc broke the silence by wolf-whistling, making everyone jump. Elise frowned and swatted his arm. ‘Enough! Quickly, Josephine. Darian will be here momentarily.’
Auntie Jo shrugged and took her time. At the bottom of the stairs she paused and checked her reflection, licking lipstick off her teeth. Every time she moved she wafted jasmine perfume all around her. She met Adam’s eyes in the hall mirror. ‘What’s wrong? Can’t your aunt get glammed up once in a while?’
Adam grinned. ‘You can if you want to.’
‘You look very nice, Jo,’ Nathanial said. He sounded tired.
‘You look like you’re on the pull,’ Luc murmured, just loud enough for Adam and Auntie Jo to hear. Adam’s eyes widened even further but Auntie Jo gave a small, secret smile and said nothing.
The door knocker crashed against the hard wood. Adam looked around his family – Nathanial impassive, Elise pale and tense, Auntie Jo and Luc smirking, Aron and Chloe looking worried – and from nowhere felt a sudden, fierce wave of love. There was no time to consider it or question it or even be embarrassed about it. This was his family. He would not let them down. Darian would not catch him out.
At Elise’s nod, Aron opened the door so Darian could step inside. Adam bit his lip, trying to stifle the hatred he felt just being in the Frenchman’s presence. No one else in this house knew how dangerous he really was or the lengths he would go to in order to destroy them, only Adam.
Nathanial extended his hand. ‘You are welcome to our home.’
Darian smiled with his mouth but his eyes were dead as he shook Nathanial’s hand. He turned to Elise and embraced her, kissing each cheek in turn. His face softened for a moment but Elise stood rigid and unyielding. ‘Welcome, Curator. It is an honour to have you here.’
She might as well have slapped his face. Darian took a step back and his expression hardened. He nodded at the others without greeting them. ‘The honour is mine.’
It was Auntie Jo who rescued the situation. ‘This way, Darian, please. Let me get you a drink.’ She bustled through to the parlour, one hand resting on Darian’s arm. Adam noticed that her nails were painted the same hot pink as her dress. He exchanged glances with Luc. Auntie Jo hated Darian more than any of them. She wasn’t being this nice out of affection.
The atmosphere in the parlour was thick enough to cut with a knife. Adam tugged at his collar, feeling like he might choke to death on the tension in the air. Conversation was stilted in the extreme but Nathanial and Auntie Jo persevered while Elise made herself scarce in the dining room. Adam had never seen her so nervous before. How could Darian bear it? And yet the Curator seemed relaxed. Of course, why wouldn’t he be? He was the predator, not the prey.
And then, just as Adam had reached screaming point, there was another thunderous knock at the door. Adam’s heart hammered madly in sympathy. Nathanial frowned, looking confused. Elise dashed out of the dining room. ‘I shall answer. Please, enjoy your drinks.’
The parlour was silent. They listened to the front door opening, then Elise’s voice sounding light and happy when a deeper male voice responded. The door closed and Elise returned to the parlour. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were brighter. ‘We have another guest!’ She gestured behind her as Heinrich came in.
He smiled around the parlour, nodding at Darian. ‘I hope you will forgive my intrusion. I wanted an opportunity to speak with you and when Elise mentioned that you would be joining the Mortsons for dinner I requested an invitation. I was not certain I could attend, hence the surprise.’
Adam glanced at his father, expecting Nathanial to look relieved, but instead he looked angry. He tried to imagine himself into Nathanial’s position, and realised, dismayed, that this looked exactly like it was – Heinrich rushing to the Mortsons’ defence because they needed protecting. Making Nathanial look weak, like he had something to hide. Making Darian even more determined to get to the bottom of things.
Elise knew it too. She was talking too loud and too fast, chattering gaily as she poured Heinrich a drink and positioned him next to Darian, avoiding meeting her husband’s eye. She announced that the dinner would be served shortly but instead of helping with the food, Auntie Jo lingered in the parlour, standing between Darian and Nathanial. Each time Darian spoke she nodded, smiled or laughed as though his every sentence was the most fascinating thing she had ever heard. From anyone else Darian might have been flattered but the way Auntie Jo kept clutching his arm and giggling was making him look distinctly unnerved.
‘What the hell is she doing?’ Luc hissed.
Adam shrugged. Auntie Jo’s mind was unfathomable at the best of times. The only thing he was sure of was that she was up to something.
Her plan notched up a gear when they went into the dining room. The long table was beautifully laid as ever but Auntie Jo ignored her usual seat and sat down beside Darian. There was a long, awkward silence. Luman protocol was absolutely clear on who sat where – the host and guests of honour at the top of the table, followed by the hostess, followed by sons and unmarried females. Auntie Jo was literally bottom of the pile in the Luman world – but she was sitting beside Darian, ignoring his horrified glances. Adam squinted at her, frowning. There was only one time an unmarried woman could freely sit beside a male guest: when he was also unmarried and an understanding existed between them or was in the pipeline. A betrothal.
Elise walked into the dining room, holding a soup tureen – and promptly stopped as though she had run into a brick wall, glaring in disbelief at Auntie Jo. ‘Josephine …’ she began and tailed off, obviously wondering how to proceed without making a scene. She glanced from a tight-lipped Darian to Heinrich and Nathanial, who were both showing abnormal levels of interest i
n their napkins.
‘I’m fine thank you, Elise,’ Auntie Jo said easily. ‘I’m just enjoying what Darian has to say.’ And when Darian reached for his napkin, shaking it tersely into his lap, she winked at Elise and picked up her own napkin.
Elise stared at her for a long moment, then nodded and placed the tureen on the table. She began serving soup with the stunned look of a wounded soldier, while Chloe passed fresh bread around.
Adam had endured many strange and painful formal meals but this one had to be right up there with the worst of them. It was like the women in his family had temporarily lost their minds. Elise sneakily inviting Heinrich along, Auntie Jo flirting with Darian … What was next? Was Chloe going to start tap-dancing up and down the table?
He counted off the courses, praying for the meal to end. Conversation was laboured, with Heinrich and Elise talking at admirable length about the weather. The venison was cleared and delicate fruit pastries followed. When the men finally stood up to go upstairs to the drawing room there was an almost audible gasp of relief.
Adam let the others lead the way out of the dining room and followed at a distance. Instead of climbing the stairs he waited for a clear moment and fled into the den, slumping down on the battered sofa, feeling his food churning uneasily in his stomach. How was he going to avoid Darian tonight? Usually they were in a much bigger party so it was easier to lie low. Tonight, though, he knew it would be better to go upstairs and answer any questions Darian had with a polite smile on his face, letting the lies drip off his tongue like syrup. Pretending the whole row in Ireland hadn’t happened.
There were voices outside in the hall, female voices, and the sound of glasses clinking. His mother, aunt and sister were taking drinks upstairs. He knew he had to go up. He would be missed. It was so obvious he wasn’t there. But somehow, as the soup and venison roiled and turned in his stomach, Adam couldn’t make his feet move. He was going to betray them all. Some word or gesture would give him away and Darian would know once and for all that he was guilty.
