by Sue Tingey
‘Him and whose army?’ Kayla said with a huff – she was back, thank Heavens.
‘What did you say, little sprite?’ Vaybian said.
‘You heard. And call me a sprite again and I’ll kick you in the bollocks so hard you’ll find it hard to swallow.’
It was no good. If I didn’t open my eyes and let them know I was awake open warfare was likely to break out.
‘How long was I out this time?’ I managed to ask, though I felt like I was gargling with broken glass.
‘A couple of hours,’ Jamie said from beside me.
‘We need to get moving,’ I told him, and tried to sit up, but I felt so weak I had to rest a couple of seconds before I tried again.
‘Lucky, you were muttering in your sleep. Can you remember what happened during this attack?’
I could, but I really didn’t want to talk about it. ‘More torture,’ I said shortly.
‘You said something like “never bind him”. What did you mean?’
I thought for a moment; trying to remember. The pain I had felt was a mere reflection of what was happening to Jinx. When his ended, my pain went away; Jinx wouldn’t be so fortunate. He would be left in agony.
‘Amaliel said – and I’m sure it was Amaliel – “you will be bound to me however much you might fight me” or something like that.’
Kerfuffle and Shenanigans came to stand behind Jamie.
Jamie asked, ‘The pain you were feeling – what was it like?’
‘It was a burn: Amaliel was branding Jinx – pressing red hot pokers across his back and shoulders. Then when Jinx told Amaliel he’d never succeed, he pressed the point through his side and out his back, just here,’ I said, pointing to the flesh above my hip.
‘These brands,’ Jamie asked, ‘were they just randomly placed?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Were they random – like, just lines across his back – or did they form a pattern?’
I chewed on my lip and after a moment, said slowly, ‘The first one was diagonally across my back from my left shoulder to my waist above my right hip. The second started in the same place but went down to almost the base of my spine.’
‘And the next started where the second ended and went up to your right shoulder?’
‘Yes – how did you know?’ Jamie stood up and began to pace. ‘What?’
‘Amaliel’s branding him with a pentagram,’ Shenanigans said.
‘An inverted pentagram,’ Kerfuffle added.
‘What does that mean?’
‘The inverted pentagram is believed by some to be a symbol of the triumph of evil over the spirit.’
‘In other words, Amaliel is trying to bind Jinx’s spirit; he’s trying to control him,’ Jamie said.
‘But we already thought this – how does this change anything?’
Shenanigans and Kerfuffle exchanged a worried look and Pyrites hopped up onto the bed and lay with his chin resting just above my hip.
‘If Jinx is bound by Amaliel, he will lose all free will. Amaliel will be able to make Jinx do the most terrible things, and Jinx will be unable to stop himself.’
I stared at Jamie as the full implications of this sank in. ‘It will destroy him,’ I whispered, and my voice broke. Jinx might be the Deathbringer, but he hated cruelty and suffering. If Amaliel forced him to bring destruction to the human world it would be a greater torture than anything physical that might be done to him. ‘We have to stop him.’
‘The Deathbringer is strong, mistress,’ Shenanigans said. ‘He will fight Amaliel.’
‘But if he faltered, for even a second,’ Kerfuffle said, ‘he would be lost.’
‘We have to find him before it’s too late,’ Shenanigans said, and all my guards looked at Jamie.
An unreadable expression passed across his face, which turned into a determined frown. ‘I’m going to have to go somewhere for a few hours.’ He turned to the rest of my guards. ‘Stay here with Lucky and don’t let her out of your sight.’
‘Where are you going?’ I asked, alarmed that he was leaving me too. ‘What happens if you go missing?’ I was beginning to panic. ‘What happens if you never come back?’
Kayla quickly shuffled out of the way as he crossed the room to drop down on the bed beside me and take me by the hand. ‘I’ll be back before you know it,’ he said, ‘but there’s somewhere I must go. A place where I might find help.’
Then he kissed me and I clung to him, not wanting to let go. I didn’t want him to leave me. I needed him with me, but if he really did know of someone who might be able to lead us to Jinx I had no choice. I needed both my men.
‘I’ll be back soon,’ he whispered into my hair and then kissed me again before getting to his feet and when he walked out of the room it was like some of the light went with him, leaving me in a darker, colder place.
Then I remembered – I hadn’t even told him Kayla was back …
Four
There was a despondent tension in the air, my guards’ moods reflecting my own. However, the practicalities of life soon took over. Shenanigans and Kerfuffle decided we should prepare to leave so we would be ready when Jamie returned, so Kerfuffle went off with Kubeck to get provisions. Shenanigans and Vaybian stood by the door, and Pyrites stayed next to me on the bed, ready to roast any would-be intruder.
When Kerfuffle and Kubeck returned weighed down with baskets and boxes – did they think we’d starve in the Overlands? – I asked Kayla to tell us what had happened to her. I was desperately hoping for some good news at last, but she hadn’t been able to find Philip at Dark Mountain.
‘I searched everywhere,’ she told me, ‘but he was gone.’
‘Could he have been hiding?’ I asked.
‘I promise you, I searched every inch of that terrible place and he wasn’t there.’ Her forehead creased into a puzzled frown. ‘There was one thing that was really odd, though: his body was gone too – the two dead Sicarii were still there, but Philip’s wasn’t.’
I passed this piece of information on to the others, but they were just as nonplussed. My mind was in turmoil: I was desperate to get to the Overlands to start looking for Jinx – if he was even there; I was concerned about Jamie, and where he might be; I was puzzled by the disappearance of Philip’s body and spirit, and what this might mean – and so I couldn’t settle. I worried, paced and worried some more, driving my daemon guards to distraction with my constant fidgeting.
‘Can I run you a bath, mistress?’ Shenanigans asked, making me quite sure they’d all had enough of me.
‘How can I have a bath at a time like this?’
‘There’s nothing much we can do until the Guardian returns,’ Kerfuffle said. ‘After all, the Overlands are under his jurisdiction.’
‘I know, but—’
‘Mistress?’ Shenanigans asked.
‘All right. Thank you, Shenanigans. I think I will have that bath,’ I agreed, if only to keep him happy.
‘Don’t fill it, just in case,’ Kerfuffle said. ‘We wouldn’t want you drowning if you have another turn.’
Once Shenanigans had half-filled the bathtub and Pyrites had warmed the water, I left them polishing their weaponry. Pyrites took up position guarding the bathroom door, so at least I’d have some semblance of privacy.
I sank down into the huge black stone bath that glittered and shone like the night sky and closed my eyes, trying not to think about anything at all, but as soon as I pushed one worrying thought from my mind it was instantly filled by another.
I caught a whiff of something slightly bad over the floral bath salts I had swirled into the water and it briefly crossed my mind that maybe I should get someone to look at the rather antiquated daemon plumbing, but then my mind turned to my Deathbringer.
‘Where are you, Jinx?’ I murmured to myself, and it was almost as if saying his name had summoned him, for an explosion of pain shot through me, jerking my body rigid.
My muscles had barely begun to relax when a
nother agonising spike of flame burst inside me, followed by another, and then another. As I clung to the edge of the bath I thanked God that Shenanigans had only partly filled it. Another blast of pain had me screwing my eyes shut, but as I hauled myself up the slippery surface, I suddenly felt hands encircle my ankles and tug hard, wrenching the bath’s rim from my grasp.
I slid beneath the surface, the back of my head smashing against the marble, and when I gasped I sucked in water. For a moment I floundered, my hand hitting stone, then another spasm hit me and I knew I was sinking. Above me I saw a shadow and a hand reaching out towards me: I was going to be saved, someone was going help me – but I was wrong. I felt a pressure upon my forehead, pushing me down. The shadow loomed over me, filling my fast-fading vision.
I heard Jinx scream my name, and he began to sob – somehow, he knew I was dying. Then there was another voice, and I could hear Kayla shouting through the burble of the water filling my ears.
‘Help, please somebody help—!’ But there was no one there who could hear her; only Jinx and I could hear the dead.
Everything turned to black, but I could still feel Jinx. Overwhelming anguish blotted out any pain he was feeling, and then it was like he stopped feeling anything at all. Was he dying too? As darkness took me, I heard the whispered words, ‘You’re mine now, Deathbringer, all mine—’
—and Jinx was gone.
I felt like I was floating – maybe I was; didn’t the drowned float to the surface eventually? Darkness was replaced by golden light: the light I’d seen welcoming the dead to the other side. Then I was walking into the light, and I could hear music and laughter and all the worry washed away from me, to be replaced by contented happiness. Two figures walked through the light towards me: two men – no, angels, like Jamie.
‘Felicitations, Soulseer,’ one said, and they both smiled.
‘It is good to see you again,’ said the other, ‘but sadly for us, as we will miss your company, it’s not yet your time.’
‘I’m dead,’ I said.
They both shook their heads, still smiling. ‘You have much work to do. Both your worlds are under threat and only the Trinity can save them.’
‘But Jinx is …’ I paused. What was Jinx?
‘Lost,’ said the first angel, ‘and only you and his brother can find him again.’
They gestured for me to return the way I’d come and walked with me back towards the darkness.
‘Can’t I stay?’
‘What about the Deathbringer? What about the Guardian? Do you want to leave them so soon?’
He was right; I didn’t. Then I was falling, falling, falling, and darkness surrounded me.
‘Do something, please do something,’ I heard Kayla crying and there was a splash and I was being lifted.
I could see shadows above me, and cold stone on my back.
‘It’s too late,’ I heard Vaybian say.
‘No!’ Kerfuffle shouted at him and then there was pressure on my chest and lips against mine, forcing air into my lungs, then more pressure on my chest. I felt so cold. And why was it I could see only shadows?
‘Lucky, please wake up,’ Kayla said, ‘please, darling, please.’
‘Look at her,’ Vaybian said again. ‘You’re wasting your time.’
‘If you can’t say or do anything useful just get the fuck out of here,’ Kerfuffle growled.
‘Come on, mistress, come on,’ I heard Shenanigans say as someone pumped on my chest so hard I thought something might break.
Why wouldn’t they leave me alone? I just wanted to go to sleep. I wanted to go back to the warm, golden light. Wait … No, I couldn’t go back – there was a reason I couldn’t go back. What was it? Jinx … Jamie … And suddenly I was scared I would never see them again. I was scared I’d lost them both for ever.
‘Come on, Lucky, come on,’ Kayla was sobbing.
Suddenly my chest felt like it was about to explode and I began to choke … I rolled over and began to cough up bathwater until my chest felt like it was on fire.
Then someone was wrapping me in a blanket and I was being carried and laid down on something soft and warm and I must have slept.
*
Once again I woke to the sound of murmuring voices, and I so wished they’d shut up. I felt awful. My lungs and throat felt raw and every breath hurt my battered and bruised chest as it rose and fell; I could hear wheezing as I gingerly sucked in air.
I opened one eye – and quickly closed it again. Too bright. I tried again; this time peering through my eyelashes, gradually letting the light filter through until I was brave enough to open them fully. It wasn’t actually particularly bright at all. The room was full of the soft glow of torches and lamplight. There was no electricity in the Underlands and thankfully, no fluorescent or halogen lighting.
‘Mistress Lucky is awake,’ I heard Kubeck say, and the bed was suddenly surrounded by all of my guards except Jamie.
‘How are you feeling, mistress?’ Shenanigans asked.
‘Like I’ve done ten rounds with Mike Tyson,’ I replied, my voice coming out as a croaking rasp.
‘Who?’ Kerfuffle asked.
‘Never mind.’ I couldn’t be bothered to explain; my throat and head hurt too much. ‘How long—?’
‘Have you been unconscious?’ Kerfuffle finished for me.
I gave a tiny nod, but it still hurt like shit.
‘It’s coming up to lunchtime,’ he told me. So I’d been out since the previous evening.
‘Here.’ Shenanigans handed me a goblet. ‘This will ease your throat.’
I took a sip. The draught tasted a bit like honey and lemon, sweet but at the same time tart. He was right, it did make swallowing a little easier.
I risked trying to say a few words. ‘How did you realise—?’ then wished I hadn’t.
‘That you were in trouble?’ Kerfuffle again finished for me.
‘Umm.’
‘Kubeck,’ Kerfuffle said. ‘We were sitting talking and suddenly he got up and went to the bathroom door and started calling you.’
All eyes turned to Kubeck. His terracotta complexion took on a rust-coloured glow. ‘I just had this feeling,’ he said, ‘like cold fingers touching the back of my neck.’
‘I was calling them,’ Kayla said, plonking herself down beside me, ‘but they couldn’t hear me. So I tried touching them, but none of them could feel me …’
‘Except Kubeck,’ I murmured, remembering the first time I’d seen him, just before he was due to be executed. He had felt the touch of the spirits inhabiting the great hall and I’d thought then that he was a sensitive.
‘He shuddered at my touch – I was screaming at him to go to you and somehow he got the message.’ Kayla let out a ragged sigh. ‘You almost drowned.’
‘Thank you, Kubeck,’ I said, and his cheeks took on an even richer glow – and then a horrible thought occurred to me and my face flushed scarlet. I’d been in the bath; I’d been naked when they’d hauled me out and started to try and revive me.
I think they must have all seen from my horrified expression where my mind was going, as they all started to talk at once.
‘I’ll just go and—’
‘We’d better—’
‘Perhaps we should—?’
They all trotted off and busied themselves getting lunch, while Pyrites put his head on my lap and looked up at me with his beautiful multicoloured eyes. I gave his scales a scratch, and was rewarded with a puff of smoke and a purr from deep at the back of his throat.
Kayla started to giggle. ‘I think they’re probably as embarrassed as you are.’
I scowled at her.
‘They did cover you up as soon as they got you breathing again, but I think saving your life was more on their minds than you being buck-naked.’
‘I suppose …’ I wondered if I’d ever be able to look any of them in the eye again. Though I guessed Kayla was right; they were probably just as embarrassed – not that nudity worried dae
mons, they don’t have the same hang-ups as humans – it was more because I was their mistress.
Then something occurred to me. ‘Kayla, when I was drowning I thought I saw someone else in the room with me before you went for help.’
She gave me a funny look. ‘Who?’
‘I don’t know – I thought they were going to help me, but they pushed me under.’
‘A hallucination. No one else but me was there, until I went to get the others.’
I pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘Hallucination? It must have been, because who else could it have been?’
‘I wonder where Jamie is?’ Kayla said, changing the subject, which instantly started me worrying about something a lot more important than my guards seeing my naked body.
Then the door opened, and a little bit of light came back into my life: Jamie had returned. Unfortunately, his expression wasn’t as happy as I would have liked – but when he hurried to my side I realised why.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked, pulling me so tightly against him I couldn’t have replied had I wanted to. ‘I met Kerfuffle in the hallway – he said you almost drowned.’ Then he loosened his grip a little to look down at me.
I gave him a wan smile and he pulled me close again. ‘I should never have left you,’ he said, kissing my head. ‘I should have taken you with me.’
‘Why didn’t you?’ I rasped.
‘You sound terrible.’
‘Thanks.’
‘What happened?’
‘Amaliel,’ I whispered. ‘I heard him tell Jinx he was his.’
Jamie gave a shake of his head. ‘He’ll never break Jinx.’
‘But what if he binds him?’
We both sat in silence thinking about it, neither wanting to meet the other’s eye. Then something occurred to me and I suddenly felt almost as cold as when I thought I was dying.
‘Jamie, Jinx thinks I’m dead,’ I told him. ‘I was drowning and I heard him scream my name and then … then I thought maybe he was dying too because suddenly he wasn’t feeling anything at all.’
Jamie’s expression was bleak. ‘If Jinx thinks you’re dead … If I thought you were dead …’ He gripped hold of my hand. ‘If I was in Jinx’s position and thought you were dead I might not have the strength to keep on fighting.’
