by Sharon Sant
He appeared, hanging over the balustrade. ‘What?’ he shouted. ‘Oh…’ his irritation dissipated as he saw Ellen standing in the hall. ‘Come up, Ell.’
Ellen looked to his mum for approval and she nodded assent. Luca’s head and shoulders disappeared again as Ellen climbed the stairs to find him in his room.
‘I’m sorry about today…’ he began as she closed the door.
‘His amulet is warm!’
Luca stared at her. ‘What does that mean?’
‘You know, the necklace he always wears… the one from his real mother,’ she began quickly, the words tumbling over themselves, ‘it’s always warm, right?’ Luca nodded uncertainly. ‘After he healed his dad and went… well, you know, how he is now, it turned stone cold.’
‘And it’s warm now?’ Luca finished, understanding illuminating his features.
‘Yes!’
Luca paused uncertainly. ‘Maybe we shouldn’t get carried away…’
‘I know,’ Ellen sighed, pulling a hand through the lugs that the wind had tied in her hair, ‘I know I shouldn’t get carried away, but it just feels so important.’ She leaned back and let her head fall against Luca’s door. ‘It just feels right,’ she insisted, staring up at the ceiling.
‘Are you saying this because your intuition or special connection or whatever it is that you two have, tells you it’s right?’ Luca began carefully. ‘Or because your emotions are telling you?’ She returned her steady gaze to him. ‘I’m just saying,’ he continued awkwardly, ‘you need to stay level headed about this.’
‘That’s brilliant coming from you,’ she sniped, ‘the most level headed person I know.’
Luca ignored the sarcasm in her voice. ‘I just don’t want you to get your hopes up, that’s all.’
‘No… you don’t want him to wake up.’
‘And that,’ Luca sat on his bed and grimaced, ‘is the most stupid thing that has come out of your mouth so far today.’
‘Then why aren’t you taking this seriously?’
‘I am taking it seriously, that’s the point of what I’m telling you.’
‘So now you have an A level in biology and you know everything?’
‘Ellen!’ he leapt from the bed and took her by the shoulders. ‘Listen to yourself. You sound like a nutter.’
‘Because this is such a normal situation?’
He let out a deep sigh and leaned his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes. ‘I know,’ he said quietly. ‘I know more than anyone how much you want this to be true. And maybe it is. But I don’t want you to be in for a massive disappointment.’
She stared back at him, lost in the warmth of his gaze. In another life it was a place she could have happily stayed in. ‘You don’t understand,’ she whispered back, ‘you don’t know how hard it is to keep holding on…’
He moved away and returned to the bed, holding his head in his hands. She followed and sat beside him.
‘I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to help.’ She laid a hand on his arm.
He looked up. ‘You two have always thought I have this charmed life, that nothing ever bothers me. Have you ever stopped to think that my connection to Jake may not be a special one like yours…’ she winced at the emphasis on the word, ‘but it’s as real as yours is? Sometimes he was weird, sometimes he was Captain Douchebag, but he was always my best friend. I miss him as much as you do. I just can’t put my faith in stuff like warm necklaces; I need something more than that.’
‘What about the other things?’ she pressed.
‘Lamps and pencil sharpeners? What more does that tell us? That maybe there is some weird stuff going on around him but that still doesn’t mean he is going to wake up. He could lie there for the next fifty years with things whizzing around his room and still not wake up.’
Ellen let her head fall to his shoulder. ‘I know you’re right,’ she said in a low voice. ‘I suppose I just want it to mean something.’
Luca gathered her into his arms and they lapsed into silence, each absorbed by their own thoughts as the world outside carried on beyond their bubble.
The sound of Ellen’s phone buzzing brought them back to their surroundings.
‘I’d better get that,’ she said, reaching into her jacket pocket, ‘it might be Tom.’
Luca pulled away and watched as she took the call. For most of it she didn’t speak and her expression gradually darkened.
‘I’m at Luca’s now,’ she said finally. ‘I’ll ask him to come.’
She ended the call. ‘That was Maggie. Jacob’s bedroom window has just exploded.’
Phil had already nailed a piece of wood up at the empty frame, but the harsh wind from outside still whistled in around the loose repair. Maggie was bent down with a dustpan sweeping up shards of glass as Phil led Ellen and Luca into the bedroom.
‘Thanks for coming over so quickly,’ Maggie began, straightening up. ‘I just didn’t know who else to ask.’
‘It’s no problem,’ Luca said. He glanced over at Jacob, whose bedclothes glinted with the tiny splinters that littered them.
‘It’s lucky his bed isn’t right beneath the window,’ Maggie said, noting the direction of Luca’s gaze.
‘It’s still made a mess, though,’ Luca observed.
‘How did it happen?’ Ellen unfastened her jacket.
‘No idea,’ Maggie replied. ‘I was just sitting here quietly with my book and the next minute there was an almighty crash and glass everywhere.’
‘Are you hurt?’ Ellen asked.
‘A few scratches, nothing to worry about,’ Maggie reassured in her usual brisk manner.
Luca crossed over to the window, his shoes crunching on the debris still embedded in the carpet. ‘Could someone have thrown something at the window?’
‘I looked, but I couldn’t find anything in here,’ Phil said.
‘We need to get the bed cleaned up,’ Maggie said. ‘Phil couldn’t move him alone and we’re trying not to involve Dan too much…’
‘It’s ok; I understand.’ Luca smiled thinly. ‘Where do you want him?’
‘If we get the spare mattress and lay him there, hopefully we can get this cleaned up and him back in his own bed. Would that be ok?’
Luca nodded and disappeared to drag the mattress from the spare bedroom through as Maggie made a glass free space on the floor. Ellen peered over at Jacob.
‘He hasn’t got a scratch on him,’ she observed.
‘I couldn’t see anything either,’ Maggie agreed. ‘Lucky.’
‘Very,’ Ellen said, her expression unreadable. ‘Don’t you think it strange?’
‘Yes.’ Maggie put the dustpan to one side and turned her attention to Jacob, brushing the last granules of glass from his hair.
‘Shouldn’t you wash him?’ Ellen asked.
‘Probably,’ Maggie said thoughtfully. ‘I’m not in my right mind at the moment,’ she excused.
Luca returned and dropped the mattress in the space Maggie had created for it.
‘Could you get Jake to the bathroom?’ Ellen asked.
‘What for?’
‘We need to wash all this glass off him.’
Luca frowned. ‘I’ll carry him there, but the washing bit is up to you ladies.’ He braced himself before pulling Jacob’s deadweight up by the arms and hoisting him over his shoulder. ‘He might be skinny, but he’s heavier than he looks,’ Luca gasped.
His legs almost buckling, Luca staggered to the bathroom and laid Jacob as gently as he could manage onto the floor. He stared down at his lifeless and strangely angled body as he tried to catch his breath. Of all the bizarre situations he had encountered during their friendship, this was the weirdest. He could only liken it to carrying an impossibly precious sack of potatoes.
Ellen and Maggie appeared at the door. Luca grimaced and wiped his hands over his trousers. ‘Ugh, he’s all sweaty.’ Maggie and Ellen exchanged uneasy glances. ‘What have I done now?’ Luca asked.
Magg
ie dropped to her knees and felt at Jacob’s brow. ‘It’s damp.’
‘That could be Luca’s sweat,’ Ellen said, joining her to crouch over Jacob.
‘Hey! I’m not sweaty!’ Luca cried.
Ellen ignored his protests. Standing up, she shoved a hand down the front of his shirt. ‘No, you’re not,’ she agreed.
Luca slapped her hand away. ‘I told you it wasn’t me.’
Ellen’s gaze returned to Maggie. ‘He’s sweating!’
Luca suddenly understood. ‘He’s sweating when he hasn’t done for two months…’
‘Yes,’ Maggie joined in. ‘but what does it mean?’
They stared at each other in silence as the reality of this change sank in.
A loud rattling noise caused them all to spin around to see the medicine cabinet shaking violently. The doors flew open and its contents spilled out onto the bathroom floor.
‘What the…’ Luca grabbed Jacob by the arms to pull him out of the way. As he did the shower switched on, blasting water everywhere. Maggie squealed and rushed to turn it off.
‘What the hell happened there?’ Luca cried.
Phil appeared at the door. ‘What’s going on?’
Maggie turned to him, her face white. ‘We have absolutely no idea.’
‘Focus, Kya. You’re not trying.’ Makash paced up and down in front of Alex, his calm visage hiding the dangerous temper simmering beneath.
‘I am. If you think you can do better, then why don’t you do it yourself?’ Alex folded her arms and stared hard at her uncle.
‘He is returning. Can’t you sense it? If you cannot prevent that, then you can at least prevent the Astraens sensing it and offering aid.’
‘There’s too much chaos everywhere, it’s harder than you think.’
‘I never said it was going to be simple. Chaos is building and he is at the centre of it.’
‘Then, how am I supposed to get to him? What can I do?’
‘Anyone would think that you wanted him to return…’ Makash stopped pacing and stepped closer, his hot breath on Alex’s cheek.
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she fired back, returning his blazing stare with one of her own. ‘If you would let me leave this stupid tower I might be able to concentrate more.’
‘Need I explain to you again the reason we are here? While Ioh lives the people of Astrae will seek to contain your threat.’
‘I still don’t see why.’
‘Tradition dictates it. Astraens are very fond of tradition.’
‘But the chaos will end that, surely?’
‘The chaos is not yet at its height. They cling to the belief that their Watcher will return and bring the universe back into balance.’
‘They sound like stupid people. I’m beginning to wonder if I want to go there.’
‘They are. Although you and I do not want chaos, the threat of it will make them finally accept you, and your influence will be greater for it.’
‘How long do we have until it reaches its height?’
‘That all depends on you, Kya. While he continues to live in his current state, the chaos around him builds; it reaches out to all of us. Whether you want to or not, you must snuff the spark of his life out. Only then can you take his place and return equilibrium. But the window of opportunity is small and you must make the most of it.’
Alex snorted. ‘As if you care about equilibrium. What you care about is the power I will bring you with him gone.’
‘I make no secret of it. But what are your motives, Kya? You do not crave acceptance, respect, adoration… all the things that being Watcher will bring?’
‘You know I do,’ she pouted. ‘You’ve been in my head.’
Makash’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Not to the parts you cloak so well, Kya.’
Her mouth dropped open. ‘How…’
‘You forget, I taught you.’
Her thoughts strayed back to her dreams, the ones she carefully guarded. Right now she was thankful she did.
‘We’re wasting time.’ Makash began to pace again. ‘Concentrate.’ His eyes suddenly narrowed. ‘I have something to attend to. I will return shortly.’
His form dissolved and Alex was alone. She dropped to the grass and crossed her legs. She knew she was more powerful than her brother, she could feel it. By now, she had become so strong that she ought to be able to crush him with the smallest effort. If she could have killed him from hatred alone, she reflected with some irony, he would have been long gone. When the boxes had been opened that contained them as helpless babies, each on opposite sides of the Atlantic, Jacob’s had been to clucking and cooing, where hers had been opened with a sigh and a note to add her to the pile of unwanted children in the nearest orphanage. Without warning, he had turned up seventeen years later and destroyed what little pretence of a normal life she had managed to build for herself. How could she not hate him? Yet there was something she couldn’t explain, something that prevented her from unleashing her full power at him. It was like she had a corner of her mind that she couldn’t access, one that didn’t belong completely to her alone. If only she could figure it out, she could finish him and get her uncle off her back. She sighed, screwed her eyes tight and tried again.
Eight: Uneasy Alliances
Karo paced his chambers, his heavy lidded gaze cast to the floor. The recent Council meeting had been as unproductive and riddled with indecision as all the others had since contact with the Watcher had been lost. Chaos was coming and they could all feel it - if there was ever a time for action, it was now. Yet what form that action would take was the one thing they could not agree on.
His attention was drawn by a shape pulling together at the centre of the room.
‘Makash,’ he frowned, ‘it is most discourteous to appear in this manner.’
Makash bowed. ‘It is also necessary, in the current circumstances.’
‘As I recall,’ Karo continued, ‘it was always your favoured method of travelling, regardless of your status within the Council.’
‘Once, you would have found it amusing.’
‘That was before you chose a darker path.’ Karo moved towards the door. ‘I think it best you leave. Whether you choose a conventional route, or your own more… idiosyncratic method, I will leave to you.’
‘You may wish to hear what I have to say.’
‘I do not need to hear anything you have to say, unless you are going to tell me where the other Successor is.’
Makash glided towards him. ‘You know I cannot do that. But you are right in thinking that I have her…’
‘Have her under your influence, I suppose. She is no use to us like that.’
‘Karo, old friend –’
‘I am not your friend.’
‘It’s a figure of speech. Indulge me. Whatever our differences, we are united in our wish to bring equilibrium back to our world, are we not? Even I cannot ride out the storm of chaos for long before it swallows me.’
‘It is pointless. The Council will not be swayed. They wait for their Watcher.’
‘Surely you know he will die?’
Karo cocked an unruly eyebrow. ‘If you have a hand in the proceedings then, yes, I’m sure he will.’
‘Then let him die and let Kya ascend in his place. And do it before the chaos takes hold entirely. The longer you allow him to linger in this half-state, the worse the situation will be.’
‘It is not my decision,’ Karo said bitterly.
‘But you have influence…’
‘Very little at the moment. Trego is drawing too much attention to the second half of the prophecy. People are beginning to take notice.’
Makash’s eyes narrowed. ‘How did Trego obtain it? He is an insignificant figure.’
‘Kaleb entrusted it to him. At first, Trego did not know what it was.’ The corners of Karo’s mouth twitched, almost into a smile. ‘You failed to glean that particular memory from Kaleb’s mind before you killed him, didn’t you?’
&nb
sp; Makash gritted his teeth. ‘I should have destroyed the scroll completely when Dae found it all those years ago.’
‘Very remiss of you,’ agreed Karo.
Makash began to pace. ‘Then we must discredit Trego.’
‘You must discredit Trego. It has nothing to do with me.’
Makash turned on him. ‘It has everything to do with you. Discredit Trego, destroy any belief in the prophecy, bring Kya to power and I will remember your service.’
Karo gave a humourless laugh. ‘My service? Why would I offer you my service?’
‘Let me put it another way. You want to bring order back to the land?’
Karo nodded. ‘Of course I do.’
‘And you believe that the only way to do that is to make Kya Watcher?’ Karo nodded again. ‘Then you must convince the Council that they can set no store in this prophecy, and that they must let Ioh go so that Kya can take his place.’
‘And what will your involvement be once she is installed?’ Karo asked, suspicion etched in his features.
Makash inclined his head. ‘I am her uncle; she is young and inexperienced and will benefit from my counsel.’
‘The people will never accept you in a position of such influence. Have you forgotten the most important secret the Watcher holds, the true name of Astrae? Nobody in their right mind would let you have access to the one who keeps that.’
‘Then you must declare your faith in me, and persuade the Council to do the same.’
Karo crossed to the window and looked out onto the gleaming rooftops of the city. The white dome that dominated the centre had been modelled by the current Watcher on a cathedral in a city on a faraway world. ‘I am tired of this Watcher, I admit it. He has far more interest in affairs on another planet than the ones of this. He is reckless and impulsive and has brought us nothing but disaster of one kind or another. But will Kya be any better?’
