Sarah shook her head.“I call him Leaf. I don’t know his real name.”
She didn’t say that she had felt his eyes look straight into her soul. She didn’t say that whenever he was around, her mind seemed to freeze.
“Sarah, listen to me. If he makes contact again you need to tell me. We don’t know who he is; he could be one of the Valaya, or a demon …” Harry’s clear eyes were full of worry.
“He’s the one who sent the ravens.”
“What?”
“The spirits of the air. The ones that saved us from the demon-leech. He sent them.”
Harry was taken aback. “How do you know?”
“He told me. In a dream.”
“He can control Elementals?” A Secret heir? A Gamekeeper? A demon? Or just a human being with incredible powers?
“Looks like it.”
“We can’t take risks, Sarah. You must tell me if he visits you again. In dreams, or in real life.”
“I know,” answered Sarah, and she let her arm fall, so that her hand dangled from the bed. The leaf fell on the floor, silently.
They heard a key in the door, followed by a cheery, shrill voice from the hall. “Anybody home?”
Harry and Sarah looked at each other. Sarah rolled her eyes.
“We’re upstairs! Come on up!”
Juliet walked in to the room, followed by Trevor and two blond girls, one of about Sarah’s age, and one who looked a bit younger. Sarah’s room filled with a mix of perfumes, the women’s flowery ones, and Trevor’s aftershave. Shadow sneezed.
“Oh my goodness, what happened to the window?”
“I’m afraid that was me. I was trying to get some nails off the wall for Sarah, my hand slipped and … Well, it was just a tiny crack, but it would have been dangerous. Someone is coming to fix it later.”
A tiny crack. There had been nothing left of the window, nothing, thought Sarah, and she shivered at the memory.
“Anyway, I’m Harry. Sarah’s cousin.” Harry extended his hand to Trevor, who took it absently.
“Pleasure.” Trevor had salt and pepper hair, expensive golf clothes and a condescending smile.
I hate golf clothes, Harry thought to himself.
He looks like he’s climbed out of a skip, thought Trevor.
Sarah and Trevor were never close. The sisters, Anne and Juliet, couldn’t have chosen more different husbands. James had led Anne into the crazy Midnight world, while Trevor had given Juliet a comfortable, prosperous, middle-class life. Trevor was so different from Sarah’s family, so completely unaware of anything beyond his golf club, his DIY passion, and his beloved silver four-by-four, that Sarah never warmed to him. Trevor found Sarah difficult, mainly because he couldn’t understand her.
Juliet and Anne had never been close either. There was no animosity between them, they were just as different as night and day, ever since they were children.
When Anne had met James, she was consumed by him. She didn’t see anyone else, she didn’t want anyone else. The chasm between the sisters grew wider. Juliet often thought that James and Anne were a unit in themselves, that even their own daughter wasn’t as close to them as they were to each other.
She suspected that James’s hold over Anne was the reason why they were so isolated, as a family. There was something about him that Juliet couldn’t quite decipher, but it scared her. A sense of natural dominance, a charisma that made him different. And that mother of his, Morag … Now that was one frightening woman. Anne adored her, but Juliet thought she was a witch.
They had turned Anne into a Midnight, taken her for themselves, and she didn’t seem to need or want anything else. The Midnight family was a mystery to Juliet. She’d visited their mansion on Islay, once, and she had been intimidated, even scared. Room after room of dusty books and antiques, rows of ancestors looking at her from the walls … Juliet couldn’t help thinking of the Addams family. She thought that if only Anne had married someone else, someone normal, their lives would have been so different.
But in spite of all that, the sisters loved each other, and Juliet had been devastated when Anne had died. She had always had a soft spot for Sarah – so thoughtful, so bright, compared to her giggly, flirtatious daughters. But Sarah thought that Juliet wasn’t a patch on her wonderful mum.
If only she’d known how many times Juliet had begged Anne to pay more attention to Sarah, to spend more time with her, seeing how anxious, how frightened Sarah always seemed to be. Little did she know that what she saw of Sarah’s life was just the tip of the iceberg.
Juliet knew nothing of the Midnight mission, of course, and she was very much frozen out of the unit that James and Anne had formed, so close, so self-sufficient. She could never have suspected what really went on in Sarah’s life – how her parents were out nearly every night, how sometimes they even went away for days … If Juliet wasn’t available to look after her, they’d leave her by herself, with instruction that if someone called at the door, she was to say that her mum and dad were at the shops. Sarah was never going to know how much Juliet had been trying to look out for her, and how her parents had dismissed Juliet over and over again, thinking that Sarah was going to be fine, that she had to be fine. That was the life given to them by destiny, and they had no choice. They had been blind to their daughter’s suffering, while Juliet saw.
And still, Sarah idolized them, and saw Juliet as some sort of pale, lifeless imitation of her brilliant mother.
Juliet would never have said. She would never have told Sarah how she thought that James and Anne didn’t look after her properly, that their lives should have revolved around their precious daughter, as much as hers and Trevor’s revolved around theirs. She would never have told Sarah how she deserved more time, and more attention, and that no daughter of hers would have been allowed to get so anxious without receiving some sort of help, some comfort. Juliet could never have gone behind her sister’s back when she was alive, and she certainly couldn’t badmouth her and James now that they were dead. Sarah wouldn’t have listened anyway.
But in her heart, Juliet was furious – she was furious that that lovely, sensitive, beautiful little girl would make her hands bleed with her obsessive cleaning, thinking that nobody would have noticed – and indeed nobody had, nobody but Juliet. Sarah’s father was a doctor, for God’s sake – had he not seen her hands? They didn’t even seem to notice that Sarah would take two hours to get ready in the morning, because she had to put her uniform on and take it off at least twice, do her hair in a certain way, and straighten her skirt twenty times, breaking out in a sweat if something looked even slightly wrong. On her way out, she had to wipe the whole kitchen, line up her shoes so that they were sitting perfectly, adjust the coats on the coat hanger – that was a job, they were never quite straight enough – and finally, as her last task, she had to polish the bloody telephone in the hall because one single fingerprint on it would have made her start everything all over again. And all that was before she got to school. By the time she’d finished, she was exhausted already – and indeed, Juliet was exhausted just looking at her.
Every time Anne and James asked her to look after Sarah, Juliet would go home in a state, reeling over her little niece’s state of mind. But she didn’t know how to put it into words. Trevor just didn’t understand the extent of it, and Juliet couldn’t explain.
Nobody knew. Nobody had ever known. Anne never mentioned any of Sarah’s teachers noticing – but even if they had, Anne and James would have brushed them off, like they’d done with her.
Maybe she could speak to Harry, one day. Maybe he could help Sarah.
“And these are Siobhan and Sally, our daughters.” The two blond girls were wearing the school uniform, but they had transformed it into something entirely different. A black miniskirt, a lot shorter than Sarah’s, bare legs, an insane amount of lip gloss, and shocking pink nail polish.
Shocking being the key word.
Harry shook their hands. The eldest, Siobha
n, blushed.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” said Sally. Siobhan didn’t say anything; she just stared at him, with shiny eyes and a smile that managed to be coy and very, very clear in its message, all at the same time.
How do women do it? thought Harry, amused.
Sarah’s stomach did a flip. Her cousins irritated her no end. Trust Siobhan to go and flirt with Harry!
“How are you, sweetheart?” Juliet put her hand on Sarah’s forehead. Sarah didn’t like being touched. Why do they not leave me alone? she thought, and immediately felt ungrateful.
“I brought you some chocolates, and a little present.”
Sally sat on her bed, upsetting her covers. Sarah’s chest tightened.
“Why are you not in school?” she asked them.
“We went to the dentist. We thought we’d come and see you with Mum and Dad before going back.”
Lucky me.
“Open my present,” Juliet intervened.
Sarah started ripping the wrapping paper, and Juliet saw her hands, broken and raw from the night before. She swallowed. How she longed to take Sarah home with her.
“Thank you, it’s beautiful.” Sarah was genuinely touched. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was the perfect present. A set of a diary and a photo album, both with a silky, silvery cover. The diary had a purple ribbon as a bookmark, and it was so white, so smooth, so different from her thick, black dream diary. It smelled of new, untouched paper.
“I thought you’d like something that would help you let off some steam, you know … You could write your thoughts in it, or if you have any worries. Things always feel easier to tackle if you get them off your chest.”
“And the album is for Aunt Anne’s and Uncle James’s pictures,” Sally added.
“Thank you. Really,” Sarah said, and her eyes welled up. Juliet’s eyes were suspiciously shiny too.
“I’ll go prepare lunch. I bought some groceries for you.” Juliet blinked, turning away quickly.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Sally and Siobhan can keep you company for a bit.”
Great.
The second the door closed, Siobhan sat on Sarah’s bed excitedly.
“Sarah! That’s your cousin?”
Sally rolled her eyes. Bryony, Alice, and now Siobhan. Who knows why Harry seems to impress my friends so much. Ok, he’s gorgeous, let’s face it. But this is too much!
“Your cousin too, as it happens, though not by blood.” Her head was hurting again.
“How old is he?”
“Twenty-two.” Sarah’s staccato tone gave away her irritation.
“Does he have a girlfriend?”
Sarah felt her heart sinking.
“Yes,” she lied. Stay away from him.
“In New Zealand? He’ll forget her soon, it’s too far.”
“The Mistress is watching.”
“What was that?” said Sally.
Sarah jumped up. The sapphire! The sapphire was singing again! She grabbed the stone and hid her hand behind her back.
“What was it, Sarah?” repeated Siobhan.
“My MP3 player. I forgot to switch it off,” she said, with a dry mouth.
“OK, whatever, do you know if Harry would be available for some driving lessons?” Siobhan brushed her blond hair away with an affected gesture.
That was the last straw. Sarah was exasperated.
“Sorry, girls, I’m not feeling so good again, I’d like to sleep for a bit.”
“Of course, Sarah, sorry. Siobhan, let’s go.”
“Maybe you could ask him …”
“Let’s go!” Sally dragged Siobhan out, unceremoniously. The girls left behind them a cloud of perfume that made Shadow sneeze all evening.
Sarah breathed in deeply, and looked at the sapphire. It was still shining. She sent Harry a text to tell him, hoping that he’d read it right away.
The sapphire sang again.
After a few minutes, the phone lit up.
We need to get rid of Juliet and co, just in case.
Sarah got up with great effort, and went down to the kitchen. The walls were spinning all around her, and her head felt like it was going to explode. She was clutching the sapphire, in case it spoke again. Hopefully not while the McKettricks were around.
“Sarah, darling, lunch is nearly ready. Will I bring it up to you? Have you taken anything, this morning? I brought you some paracetamol and some vitamins, just to build you up a bit.”
“Thank you. Actually, I’ll take two paracetamol and just go to sleep.”
“Of course, I’ll leave something for you in the oven. We’ll eat in the dining room. Don’t worry, we won’t disturb you.”
“I have a terrible headache.”
“Mum, Sarah is trying to say that she wants some peace and quiet. She doesn’t want four people for lunch. Leave her the roast in the oven, and let’s go.” Sarah looked at Sally. Not half as silly as she remembered her. She was only fourteen, and still she seemed to be the only member of the McKettrick family who actually could grasp what was going on around her.
“Sally’s right,”Trevor intervened.“Let’s leave them in peace. Come on, girls.”
“Of course, sorry, I should have thought. Promise me you’ll eat something. And the medicines are just there, in the Boots bag.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll make sure she eats,” said Harry, and actually, he meant it. Juliet and Harry looked at each other, and for a second, they understood each other. Harry nodded imperceptibly, as if to say don’t worry, I’ll look after her.
“Right. I want you to rest all afternoon and all evening, OK? No getting up and cleaning.” She took Sarah’s hands into hers, and squeezed them.
Sure, I’ll get a lot of rest, with an attack coming. As for the cleaning, had you not made a mess in the kitchen …
“Call me, Sarah has my number!” Siobhan managed to whisper in Harry’s ear, with an innocent look.
“Sure … Not,” whispered Harry, as soon as they were out of earshot.
“He’s your cousin, you freak!” shouted Sarah at the closed door.
“Am I really related to her?”
“Not by blood. I suppose that’s a consolation.”
“Anyway. What did the sapphire say, exactly?”
“The Mistress is watching. What Mistress?”
“The leader of the Valaya. The one who started it.”
“Is she human?”
“I think so.”
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know!”
Sarah rolled her eyes.
“I can’t know everything!” protested Harry. And then he looked at her more closely. “Sarah, you look terrible.”
“Thanks.”
“No, seriously. Come here, sit down. Have this.” Harry took the paracetamol box out of the bag, and took two caplets out of the blister. Then he poured her a glass of water. “Take them.”
Sarah swallowed them.
Harry put his hand on her forehead. “You’re burning again. Come on, let’s take you to lie down.”
“If they attack …”
“If they attack, I’ll see to them. As soon as you’re better we’ll go looking for them. Enough waiting here.”
Sarah nodded. She was scared, but she wanted to take charge of things. I want to be the hunter, not the hunted.
Sarah leaned against Harry. He smelled of coffee, and of the sea, a sort of salty scent that made her think of Islay. He helped her to one of the sofas, and covered her with a throw. Sarah watched the flames in the fireplace dancing their hypnotic dance.
“You need some rest. Close your eyes.”
“I can’t sleep. I’ll dream again …”
“Come to the kitchen then, there’s Aunt Juliet’s roast waiting for you,” he teased.
Sarah smiled, in spite of herself.
“I’ll put the TV on. Let’s see if there’s some soap repeat.”
He really is
like an old woman. Soaps and endless cups of tea. She felt herself relaxing, as if the world had pressed “pause”.
Reassured by Harry’s presence and the soft background noise of the TV, Sarah’s eyes got heavier and heavier, until she found herself suspended somewhere between wakefulness and sleep.
“Lie beside me,” she whispered groggily.
Harry smiled. “No, silly.”
She curled up under the throw, and fell asleep. As soon as he was sure that she was in deep sleep, Harry carried her upstairs.
Lie beside me, she’d said, and the words echoed in his mind with unbearable intensity.
Yes, yes, he wanted to say.
Harry switched the TV off and sat on the window seat, watching the afternoon turning into dusk. He kept thinking of what the sapphire had said. The Mistress. The Valaya had managed to keep her identity secret somehow. Who was she? One of the list, or someone else? Five Surari to go. And the Mistress. And after that … the bigger battle, the war.
Once more, Harry wondered if they were going to survive. In front of Sarah, his faith never wavered. He was brave, even arrogant. But truth was, he was afraid. To be besieged, to be tracked down and hunted like some sort of helpless creature … he hated it. It enraged him. And it frightened him.
He’d never been frightened before, maybe because dying had never seemed such a terrible option. It’s not that he wanted to, he very much preferred to stay alive, but if it had to happen, oh well, the hunt was worth the risk. But now, he felt responsible for Sarah. And he desperately, desperately wanted her to survive this. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted to see her smiling, and he wanted her to sleep peacefully, without waking up crying in fear. And he wanted to stay alive too, so that he could be with her.
When had he started to feel like that? He’d only been with her for a few weeks, so how could she have seeped into his thoughts, into his heart, so quickly?
The first time he’d seen her, the night he arrived, he’d thought she was beautiful. But it was the same night, when he heard her screaming and he’d gone to try and comfort her, when he’d seen her black hair on the pillow, and he had breathed in her scent as she had just woken up … It was then that he’d felt that sudden, incredible wave, that Sarah wave, drench him and take him away from the shore, and out to sea.
Dreams (Sarah Midnight Trilogy 1) Page 15
