‘You’ve not met him yet,’ Lily said. ‘When you do, I think you’ll realise why he’s called Shemyaza. There’s nothing sacred in him. He’s selfish and lazy. He doesn’t care what happens to any of us.’
Salamiel shook his head. ‘Don’t be deceived. He’s undergone a terrific shock, but he’ll soon be himself again; the person I knew a long time ago.’
‘You’re like him, then? Reborn?’
The smell of frying bacon filled the kitchen. The scent seemed to do Lily good, for she was already more responsive. I will give you meat, Salamiel thought, and once you eat of my offerings, you will be mine. He smiled. ‘Unlike Azazel, I never died,’ he said. ‘I was imprisoned and tortured for millennia, and eventually forgotten about. I was weak and without power, but some years ago, a Grigori adept found me and brought me back to consciousness.’
Lily laughed. ‘It’s like a horror film. You’re like a vampire or something.’
Salamiel smiled, a conspirator to her joke. ‘I suppose I am — a little.’ In fact, he was nothing like that at all.
‘I can’t believe you’re that old,’ Lily said. She was daring to tease him now.
‘Neither can I,’ he answered.
Lily frowned. ‘Now that I’m away from Shem, I don’t really want to see him again. I loved him once, but he’s changed. I think it was easier to love him when he was evil, because he...’ She struggled for words. ‘He cared about people, in a weird sort of way. I know he loved Owen and I, no matter what he did to us. Peverel Othman would have restored Owen after his ritual, but Shemyaza is not the person we knew before. Now, he’s a husk, and his indifference is worse than anything else.’
‘He was never what you would call evil, Lily,’ Salamiel said.
Lily glanced at him. ‘You weren’t there! He took control of people and destroyed them. But never us. I thought we were safe, Owen and I.’
‘You’re safe now.’
Lily shook her head. ‘How can I believe you? Look what happened in the Assembly Rooms.’
Salamiel could tell she wanted to believe him, for she felt lost and insecure. She wanted to believe she might have found an ally. ‘I’m sorry for what happened. We were desperate to secure Azazel, and because of that, lives were lost. It was not my fault, but that of the Grigori who were also intent on capturing Azazel, the ones who succeeded in doing so.’
‘Is he in danger?’
Salamiel shook his head. ‘No-one can hurt Azazel now. He is too powerful.’
‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that.’ She spoke with such conviction that Salamiel, for a moment, experienced doubt and fear.
‘Later, someone is coming to meet you,’ he said. ‘Her name is Sofia. This afternoon, she is meeting with Azazel. He’s quite nearby, Lily, but just with the wrong people. Your friend Daniel is with him too. You will all be reunited soon.’
‘Is Shem being held against his will?’ she asked.
Salamiel shook his head. ‘I don’t believe so. He needs guidance, that’s all. As yet, he is unaware of me. Once he realises I am near, he will leave the stronghold of the Parzupheim and come to me. If anyone tries to stop him, he will destroy them.’
‘You don’t sound very sure,’ Lily said.
Salamiel risked a partial confession. ‘This is a delicate time. Of course, I am anxious and will remain so until Azazel is safely beside me.’
‘Are you in love with him too? Most people who meet him seem to be.’
‘I love him,’ Salamiel said, ‘but that is not the same as being in love, is it?’
Presently, Lily’s meal was laid before her and Salamiel watched in satisfaction as she devoured it. She was not just hungry, she was starving.
As she was eating, Salamiel summoned his secretary, a human dependant named Nina. From her appearance, she appeared to be stuck in the ‘Sixties: a bright creature of enthusiasms, who wore a white crocheted mini-skirt and pale lipstick. But perhaps she was just a victim of the most recent fashions. Salamiel instructed her to go into the nearest town and buy Lily some clothes. ‘Something smart, but comfortable and feminine,’ he said.
Lily just smirked, shovelling fried egg into her mouth.
When she’d satisfied her hunger, he took her back upstairs and left her in his personal bathroom while he attended to some mail at his bedroom desk. He could hear her splashing around in the bath next door. Her youth and her vitality were intoxicating. He realised he liked her. Would Azazel approve of this? He hoped so.
Lily came to find him, swathed in his black towelling bathrobe, her wet hair hanging around her shoulders. She wasn’t afraid of him now, but trust was still some distance away. She smelled fresh and clean and her bare feet left wet prints on the thick carpet.
‘Would you like some coffee or tea?’ Salamiel asked her.
‘Yes please. Tea.’ She sat on his bed as he picked up the phone extension. ‘This is a wonderful house. My father lived in a house like this, but I never explored it properly. It was all shut up and abandoned by the time I was born. Do you know my father?’
Salamiel uttered a terse order to the servant on the end of the line, then turned in his seat as he replaced the phone. ‘Who is he?’
Lily wrinkled her nose. ‘I’m not even sure he’s still alive. His name was Kashday Murkaster.’
Salamiel stared at her with round eyes. Kashday? Was it possible this was the living daughter of one of his brethren? Kashday had been a confederate of Azazel’s, caught and punished for his misdemeanours thousands of years ago. It was possible this girl’s father had merely been named as a child for the renegade Watcher, but the idea that it might really be Kashday was too alluring to ignore. Salamiel was a firm believer in the power of coincidence or synchronicity. ‘I think I might have known him,’ he managed to say.
‘I can see that in your face,’ Lily said. ‘It was like you saw a ghost.’
Salamiel was annoyed that Sofia hadn’t seen fit to apprise him of this morsel of knowledge. He had no doubt the woman was aware of Lily’s heritage. Sofia would think it was none of his business for it had no bearing on his present task. ‘Kashday was a colleague of Azazel’s,’ he said.
Lily nodded. ‘I know. It’s weird my father has the same name.’
‘Perhaps not.’
Lily flicked him a sharp glance. ‘No-one knows where he is now. He’s probably dead.’
‘Maybe we can think about that another time,’ Salamiel said, smiling. ‘For now, we have to concentrate on getting Azazel and his followers together again.’
Shemyaza did not sleep despite his exhaustion. As Enniel’s soft-footed bottelier had led him up to the grand guestroom provided for his use, he had sensed Daniel’s approach to the house. Dismissing Austin as soon as he’d entered the room, Shem turned out all the dim lamps and went to open the curtains. Outside, the sky was pearly grey, and the lights of a car shone on the gravel driveway. He could sense that Daniel was in the car, but there were others around him. Shem sent out a beam of thought to Daniel, requesting the boy to seek him out as soon as he could get away from his companions, but then he realised, with some alarm, the thought did not make contact. Someone was monopolising Daniel’s attention, physically and psychically. It could only be the one named Taziel, the other inconvenient relic from Peverel Othman’s past. Shem sighed and turned away from the window. He sat on his bed cross-legged, and concentrated on following Daniel’s progress into and through the house. He took great care to shield himself from Taziel’s awareness, for he could sense it was keen and acutely attuned to him. There was a familiarity about Taziel’s etheric body, which Shem realised he had picked up on vaguely in the Assembly Rooms. So Enniel had used this past lover to track him down. Aninka and Taziel; the avenging angels. Aninka was no problem — she was too hurt by Othman’s betrayal — but Taziel was another matter. He sought to control Daniel. Shem smiled to himself even as he thought of this. There was no way he’d let that happen.
Consequently, Daniel’s behaviour in the drawing room was a grea
t shock to Shem. It was so unexpected. He had believed Daniel would not contaminate himself with others. He had thought that Daniel, with his strong morals and sense of loyalty, would remain true to Owen, despite the condition he was in. Had he misjudged Daniel? Where had this provocative, sensual creature come from? Was it a product of what had happened at the High Place in Little Moor? Daniel had been so innocent before then, almost like a child. My fault, my fault, Shem thought, as he forced himself to witness every crucifying detail of what Daniel did with Taziel. He knew that Daniel could sense his astral presence in the room, yet it didn’t stop him making love to this interloper. Where was the modesty that had been such a part of him? Gone, ripped from him by terror and dark knowledge.
Shem had to force himself to tear his awareness out of the room. He sat gasping upon his bed, feeling as if he’d been punched in the stomach. There were tears on his face, but he began to laugh softly. He wiped his eyes. Daniel, you have reached me. Wasn’t this what you wanted? Haven’t you been nagging me to wake up? Still, he wished it could have happened in a different way.
He spent the next six hours or so trying to gather his thoughts and his strength. As he meditated, he became aware of resources within himself that he’d previously been unaware of. It was like discovering new limbs. He did not yet know how to use them, or even how strong they were, but simply observing their existence was enough for now.
At one o’clock precisely, Austin came tapping at his door. Shem informed the man he would not be coming downstairs just yet, and requested a light meal. ‘Please bring me a pen and some paper,’ he said.
When the meal arrived, the writing utensils were on the tray. Austin brought the food up himself. ‘Your colleague, Miss Manden, has asked to see you.’
‘Convey my apologies. She’ll have to wait a while.’
Austin raised one eyebrow and almost smiled. ‘She was most insistent.’
‘I’m sure you can handle her. I don’t wish to see either of my colleagues at present.’ He wrote hurriedly on a piece of paper and folded it in half before handing it to Austin. ‘Please give this to Daniel Cranton.’ The bottelier inclined his head and departed.
At three o’clock, Austin returned. ‘Lord Enniel requests your presence in his study. There is a visitor who wishes to meet you.’
Shem was still sitting on the bed. ‘I do not intend to leave this room. If anyone wishes to see me, they must see me here.’
‘I shall convey your feelings to Lord Enniel.’ Austin withdrew once more.
Shem gripped his feet and placed his head on his thighs. He felt in turmoil, despite the meditations. He felt tired, but unable to sleep. He felt hungry, but sick. Only a few minutes elapsed before someone knocked sharply on his door once more. Shem did not call out, but the door opened anyway and Enniel came into the room. He was followed by a fearsome-looking female, whose heavy-lidded eyes seemed to look straight into Shem’s soul. Enniel seemed nervous, which was interesting.
‘Shemyaza, this is Sofia.’
The woman inclined her head and smiled in a dangerous way, walking past Enniel to confront him. She held out her hand. ‘I’ve been so looking forward to this meeting,’ she said.
After lunch, Emma went for a walk around the grounds with Aninka, while the men sat in the drawing room to read the daily papers. It seemed as if all the occupants of the house were avoiding them, for no-one else came to sit in the room. Daniel was feeling more and more disorientated. He felt as if he’d accidentally stepped into another life, and was a normal houseguest, down for the weekend with his lover, to sample the opulence of Enniel Prussoe’s house. What was he doing sitting reading a paper? It was absurd. The words on the page swam before his eyes. He wanted to see Shem. Why hadn’t he been sent for? When the note came, Daniel almost tore it in half in his urgency to read it. This had to be the summons.
‘What is it?’ Taziel asked sharply.
Daniel read the note before answering. He looked at Taziel in bewilderment. ‘He won’t see me.’
‘Show me.’ Taziel held out his hand.
‘No.’ Daniel couldn’t bear to think of Taziel reading it. He was also aware of Lahash’s attention, even though he appeared engrossed in his paper. ‘I’ll show you later.’
Taziel stood up. ‘I want to know now.’
Daniel sighed. ‘All right.’ He didn’t want to lie about what Shem had written.
Taziel read it and laughed. ‘He’s got a fucking nerve! Who does he think he is?’
‘I think we both know the answer to that,’ Daniel said dryly.
‘Will you do what he says?’ The question was a challenge.
Daniel felt torn. Where did his loyalties lie now? Where should they lie? He dropped his eyes from Taziel’s furious gaze. ‘Yes,’ he said simply. ‘I have to. This is nothing to do with relationships. It’s more important.’
‘Nothing to do with relationships? Hah!’ Taziel read the note aloud, much to Daniel’s distress. ‘“Daniel, you have polluted yourself. You cannot come to me until you have been purified. Abstain from the greed of the flesh for three days, then send me word. We shall meet at this time.” Bollocks!’ Taziel ripped the note up. ‘You really jump to his tune, don’t you?’
Daniel choked back a cry and raised his hands to his face as the fragments of torn paper rained down on his head. ‘Taz, I only met you yesterday. Why are you behaving like this? You knew of my connection with Shem. It was the reason you seduced me in the first place!’
Lahash cleared his throat to remind them he was there. Taziel uttered an angry sound and stalked from the room. Daniel sat with his face in his hands, thinking only, Fuck, fuck, fuck.
‘It didn’t say three days from today,’ Lahash remarked, shaking his paper to straighten the page.
Daniel looked at him through a cage of fingers. ‘That’s true,’ he said.
Emma knew that Aninka Prussoe was curious about her. As they walked through the bedraggled, leafless gardens of High Crag, she sensed the multitude of questions that Aninka could barely contain. This Grigori woman had loved Peverel Othman very much; Emma could see that in her face. What a silly bitch! Emma had never deluded herself that Othman could be an ordinary lover. Still, there was a wistful, vulnerable quality about Aninka that endeared her to Emma. Also, she did not treat Emma with condescension, a trait exhibited by most Grigori in human company.
As they strolled towards the broken-down wall that marked the boundary with the cliff edge, Aninka told Emma about Lahash. ‘He is a Murkaster, you know. He lived in Little Moor at one time.’
Emma nodded. ‘I thought he looked familiar. I didn’t know him personally, but then the Murkasters were a large family, relatives were always coming and going.’
‘You have given up a lot to be with Shemyaza.’
Emma smiled. At last, Aninka had dared to broach the subject. ‘Not much. Without the Murkasters I was dying. You should have seen me a couple of months ago. I looked like a hag.’
Aninka cast her an amused glance. ‘That is very hard to believe!’
Emma shrugged. ‘To be honest, I feel rather adrift now. In Little Moor, I had a role, as Lily and Owen’s protectress. And it was me who organised everything to get Shem and the others to safety.’ She grinned at Aninka. ‘Well, relative safety. Now...’ She sighed. ‘I don’t seem to have a purpose. Lily and Owen have vanished, and Shem and Daniel certainly don’t need me.’
Aninka gently touched Emma’s shoulder. ‘Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.’
‘Don’t humour me,’ Emma said lightly. ‘It’s quite true.’ She walked to the wall and put her hands upon the slick, rough stones. The wind was hungry here, grabbing at their clothes and hair. Emma took a deep breath. ‘Look at the sea. It’s alive.’
Aninka leaned on the wall beside her, her long black hair flying back like a sinister flag. The waves were a grey-green maelstrom far below, furious breakers collared with foam. ‘I grew up here,’ Aninka said. ‘For a while I wanted only to escape. Now I can
appreciate it again.’
‘You are lucky,’ Emma said dryly.
Aninka pursed her lips, then said, ‘Enniel will find the Winter twins, I’m sure.’
‘I hope so. I made a promise to their mother that I’d look out for them.’
‘I’d like to meet them,’ Aninka said. ‘I’m sure we have a lot in common.’
Emma gave her a wry glance. ‘I expect so. You’d like Lily. She’s a lovely girl. And Owen — well, if he ever gets back to normal, he’s quite a stunner.’
Aninka smiled, then glanced at Emma speculatively. ‘Would you tell me what happened in Little Moor? I mean, do you mind?’
Emma pulled a rueful face. ‘No, I don’t mind.’
Aninka stared straight ahead, her gaze fixed on the sea as Emma related all she could remember: Othman’s arrival, her rejuvenation, how she assisted him to take control of the village. ‘He wanted to enact a ritual at the High Place, which is a sacred mound outside the village. The Murkasters used it, and so have magically inclined humans. For centuries. He would have killed Daniel, you know. He had no sentimentality about it.’ She frowned. ‘But something happened. A goddess came.’ She paused, then spoke the name. ‘Ishtahar. She was Shemyaza’s lover, the human woman who seduced him thousands of years ago. Only she’s something rather more than human now.’ Glancing at Aninka, she could see that the woman looked crestfallen.
‘Ishtahar stopped him,’ Aninka said in a dull voice.
Emma nodded. ‘Yes. I saw it. They will be together again one day, Ninka. You must forget about him.’
Aninka laughed nervously. ‘Am I that transparent?’
Emma was quite surprised Aninka wasn’t offended by the frankness of her remarks. Grigori wouldn’t normally take criticism or censure from a human, no matter how gently worded. ‘I do understand,’ she said. ‘I know the effect Shem has on people.’
‘I wanted to be different,’ Aninka said hotly. ‘I wanted to stand out from the adoring masses. Is that so bad?’
Emma shook her head. ‘No. I would have felt the same.’
‘Ah, but you didn’t.’
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