by Helen Harper
‘Maybe. Why do you ask?’
I tapped the corner of my mouth. ‘There’s someone I think you should meet.’
***
May was still in the same corner of the same room. The door was unlocked but Bob, who was still inside the empty water bottle, was sitting cross-legged and watching her in case she did anything dangerous like raise her head. I noticed that she had been cleaned up. She was wearing one of my over-sized Hello Kitty T-shirts. I tried not to feel irritated that Tipsania must have rooted through my things and reminded myself that I should be grateful she was making herself useful.
This time, Morna was genuinely surprised. ‘That’s a Fomori demon.’
I was getting a bit tired of people stating the obvious about May. ‘She doesn’t have a tongue,’ I said briskly. ‘Can you make it grow back?’
The Carnegie Sidhe just stared. I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes. ‘Hello?’
She shook herself. ‘I can try,’ she said. She didn’t sound very confident.
‘We’re all about trying around here,’ I told her.
‘You’re certainly very trying,’ Bob harrumphed, his voice muffled. I ignored him.
Morna held herself well back. For all her brusque demeanour, she was clearly terrified of May.
I edged forward and knelt down, putting my hand on the demon’s shoulder. She jumped about half a foot in the air. ‘Sorry,’ I said.
‘Ha!’ There was a flash of light from behind. May squeaked in terror and buried her head in her arms again.
‘Bob, you idiot!’ I complained.
He flapped up to my face. ‘You apologised. I knew you’d apologise sooner or later. You realised you were in the wrong and you’re making amends.’ His smile stretched from tiny ear to tiny ear. ‘You are permitted to grovel now.’
I stared at him. ‘I was apologising to May.’
‘No, you weren’t.’
‘Yes, I was.’
‘No, you—’
I held up my hand. ‘Enough.’ I turned my attention to the demon. ‘May,’ I said softly. ‘This is Morna. She’s going to help you.’
‘I cannot promise anything,’ Morna said.
I took May’s hands. Her skin felt less cold this time. As gently as I could, I drew her up to her feet and she stood there, cowering. The hot pink T-shirt reached to her knees and looked ridiculous against her scarred, grey body. She looked like an embalmed corpse dressed for a children’s party.
‘Can you open your mouth?’ I asked.
‘Eg. It. Ee.’ May whispered.
I nodded. ‘Yes. Integrity.’ I motioned to Bob. ‘Bob. Morna.’
May looked at them both for a second and then flinched. I placed my index finger under her chin and tilted it up then I opened my own mouth and pointed, before gesturing to May to do the same. She started to shake.
‘I’m so sorry, May. Please?’
She stared at me pleadingly, as if desperate for me to let her escape. The empathy I felt for her almost overwhelmed me but this was important. It would help both of us. I gestured again.
Still shivering uncontrollably, May did as I asked. Very, very slowly, she let her mouth to fall open. As soon as she did, both Morna and Bob gasped.
‘Did we know that Fomori demons don’t have tongues?’ Bob asked.
I kept my voice even. ‘May’s was cut out.’
Morna moved beside me and took May’s right hand. Obviously her own sympathy for the demon was overtaking her fear and she smiled reassuringly. ‘May I?’ She lifted her free hand to May’s mouth.
May submitted like a whipped dog as Morna brushed feather-light fingers across the demon’s scarred lips. There was the faintest change in the atmosphere and a look of intense concentration on Morna’s face. Sweat broke out on her brow. May whimpered. I didn’t think she was in pain or uncomfortable but she was still terrified.
After several long moments, Morna pulled back. ‘I can’t,’ she said finally. ‘I’m not Gifted in healing, I’m Gifted in growth. This wound is too old and the nerve endings are completely sealed over. There’s nothing for me to work with.’
I forced a smile; it had always been a long shot. ‘Thank you for trying.’ I thought about Frances. ‘Maybe one day we’ll be able to persuade a Sidhe Gifted in healing to help her. I hoped May could tell me where to find Byron. I managed to steal some far-sensing, though. That’ll probably be enough.’ I hoped. A two-mile radius in an area the size of Luxembourg wouldn’t be easy.
‘You’ve already gotten into Byron’s pants. Leave him with the demons. It’ll do him some good,’ Bob said. I threw him an irritated look and he grinned. ‘True love. Honestly, it’s much more trouble than it’s worth. You’re lucky you have a magnificent being with powers you could only dream of on your side.’ He spun across to May.
‘Var heptylon?’
I blinked. ‘Bob? You speak Fomori?’
May stared at him. ‘Ep?’
Bob turned and pointed at me. ‘Byron a Uh Integrity.’ He wrapped his arms round himself and pretended to be in mid-snog. To my amazement, May giggled. Bob smiled and snapped his fingers, changing his clothes into a kilt and a white shirt open to his navel. He puffed out his chest and swaggered. ‘Gan ep var?’
May looked from Bob to me and back again. There was a sudden light in her eyes that I’d not seen since we passed through the Veil. She gave a little hop and began babbling. ‘Ar. It. Ah.’
‘Paper,’ Bob said. ‘And a pencil.’ I was still gaping at him. He tutted loudly. ‘Honestly, Uh Integrity. Jump to it! Paper, pencil. Now.’
I ran off, returning a few minutes later. Silently I handed the paper and pencil to Bob. He stared at the hot pink fluffy ball on the end of the writing implement and rolled his eyes then he gave them to May. She hunkered down on the floor and immediately started drawing, all the while jabbering to Bob. He nodded knowingly.
Morna tilted her head towards me. ‘I’ve never heard of a genie helping someone out willingly without a wish before.’ She looked at me appraisingly. ‘Then again, I’ve never heard of trolls swearing fealty before either.’
‘We’re all about firsts in the Adair Clan,’ I replied.
May leaned back, satisfied, and handed the paper to Bob. He squinted at it and shrugged. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘it’s no Ordnance Survey map but I think it’s clear enough.’ He thrust it at me.
I had no bloody idea what I was looking at; it was nothing more than a scribble. It was like looking at a foetal scan. But May was so proud of herself and I was ridiculously happy that she was no longer cowering in the corner.
‘You really were absent the day that brain cells were handed out, weren’t you?’ Bob pointed. ‘The castle.’ He moved his finger along. ‘The Royal Mile. A bunch of other streets.’
My expression cleared. ‘This is Edinburgh.’
Bob looked at me. ‘Hang on,’ he said. He flew down, grabbed one of the spare sheets of paper, wrote a massive D on it and curled it into a cone. Then he deposited it on top of my head. ‘That’s better.’ He glanced at Morna. ‘Don’t you think?’
I pulled off the dunce’s cap. ‘Let’s focus on the matter in hand, shall we?’ I jabbed at the X. ‘I guess this is where the prisoners are taken.’ I frowned. ‘But that’s not the castle.’
‘No. And that would be the logical place to keep enemies of the state.’ Bob frowned. ‘It proves we can’t trust your pet demon.’
I ignored him. ‘If it’s not Edinburgh Castle, what is it?’
Morna looked over my shoulder. ‘Arthur’s Seat. It’s the hill that overlooks the city.’
‘You’ve been there?’ I asked in astonishment. All I knew about Edinburgh was that there was a castle and... Nope: all I knew was that there was a castle. That’s what happened when demons overran a place and stopped anyone from visiting it.
Morna tsked. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
I dismissed her comment. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘I’ve got the power and I’ve got the destination. I’l
l memorise the route. Now all I need is the prince.’
‘If she kisses him, he turns into a frog,’ Bob said. ‘Ribbit.’
May giggled and I grinned at her. ‘Thank you, May. You might just have saved our lives.’ She didn’t understand what I was saying but I was sure she looked pleased.
‘Hey! Don’t I get a thank you?’
I blew Bob a kiss. His apple cheeks went bright red and he ducked his head.
Morna raised her eyebrows. ‘Good luck,’ she muttered. ‘You’re going to need it.’
Chapter Fifteen
Jamie showed up five minutes before midnight. We were all hovering around the border, stamping our feet and shoving our arms into our armpits to stave off the cold.
‘You know,’ I said conversationally, ‘it’s actually pretty hot on the other side.’ They looked at me. ‘What?’ I asked. ‘It just is.’
‘I was expecting the lead-in to another joke,’ Brochan said.
‘Me too,’ Lexie agreed.
‘I can do that if you want.’
‘No.’
‘What do you call a Fomori demon crossed with a—’
‘Tegs?’
‘Yes?’
‘Shut up.’
‘One day,’ I promised, ‘I’m going to tell the funniest joke you’ve ever heard. You’ll be laughing for days. Weeks, even.’
‘I’ll wait with bated breath.’ Speck narrowed his eyes. ‘And that is not a cue.’
‘You just don’t know genius when you see it.’
‘I keep telling you all that,’ Bob interjected. He raised his hand and I gave him a teeny high-five.
Tipsania, who for some reason had managed to invite herself along, tittered and we all looked at her. She tossed back her hair and grabbed my arm, leading me away from the others. ‘Go on then,’ she said, when we were out of earshot.
I stared at her. ‘You want a joke?’
‘No, you white-haired cretin.’ Her lip curled in disgust. Anyone would think I’d just offered her a plate of mouldy Brussel sprouts instead of some fabulous humour. She sighed. ‘Take my Gift.’
‘Eh?’
‘That’s what you do, isn’t it?’
I stepped back warily. ‘Byron told you that?’
‘You’re like everyone else, you think I’m stupid because I happen to be beautiful.’
The words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself. ‘You’re beautiful?’
Something flashed in her eyes, reminding me of the Tipsy I used to know, but she didn’t stamp her feet and walk off or slap me around then kick me when I was down.
‘Do you ever take anything seriously?’ she enquired icily. ‘You’re about to pass through the Veil and risk your life. If you die, who the hell knows what’ll happen to all your little Clan-less friends? Byron might already be dead. Or worse.’
‘This is how I cope,’ I said. ‘You act like a bitch to hide your vulnerable, soft-as-marshmallow centre. I act like a fool.’ What I didn’t add was that the fear I’d initially felt at Byron’s capture was growing inside me like a malignant tumour. If I didn’t stay focused, there was every chance it would overwhelm me.
‘You got that right,’ she said. ‘The fool part, I mean. I’m not vulnerable.’ She took a deep breath and in a great rush, spat out a trail of words. ‘I-am-a-bitch-though-and-I’m-sorry-I-shouldn’t-have-treated-you-like-that-I-have-no-excuse.’
I blinked. ‘Excuse me?’
Tipsania composed herself and tried again. ‘You are right. I am a bitch. I am sorry for what I did to you. There’s no excuse.’ She opened her arms wide. ‘You took Kirsty Kincaid’s Gift. I don’t know how, and frankly I don’t want to know, but take mine too. You’ve already had part of it anyway and invisibility could mean the difference between life and death. Take all my Gift and then we’re even.’
Tipsania was right on one point – she was smarter than I’d given her credit for. I couldn’t believe she was being entirely altruistic but it was a hell of thing to offer. As tempting as it was to take her up on it, I couldn’t be sure what my limits were. I’d already drawn in three different kinds of magic. Any more and I might keel over. ‘Thanks,’ I said gruffly. ‘It’s probably not a good idea though.’
Her pale face tightened. ‘Why not? It’s not defective. I’m not defective.’
‘I don’t know what my limit is,’ I tried to explain. ‘I’ve already stol— I mean, taken – Gifts from three others. If I had more time to experiment then I would, but I can’t risk taking too much and collapsing. Byron’s already been in there for almost twenty-four hours. We can’t leave him for much longer.’
She stared at me for a long time before speaking. ‘There’s nothing going on between us,’ she said finally. ‘Between me and Byron, I mean. I know it might look that way but,’ she heaved in a breath, ‘there’s someone else.’
‘I got that impression when you said you’d rather swear fealty to me than return home to marry Byron,’ I said drily. I didn’t mention that I already knew about Candy the Wildman. Tipsania was being more honest and open with me than I ever could have imagined; telling her that I was aware of her deepest, darkest secret probably wouldn’t endear me to her.
‘I could come with you,’ she said. ‘Help you out.’ She didn’t want to, that much was obvious, but the fact that she was offering made me realise that I had underestimated her. Not for the first time, I wondered just how much damage our forebears did in setting us against each other. Maybe she wasn’t all bad.
‘I’ll be fine,’ I reassured her. The headlights of Jamie’s car appeared in the distance and I jerked my chin in their direction. ‘I even have a plan.’
Tipsania kept her eyes on me. ‘I really am sorry.’
The truth of her words sang inside me. An apology didn’t make up for years of hurt and she still possessed a mean, bitchy streak. There was still that hint in her posture that showed that she believed she was better than everyone else. But we all had our faults and I knew deep down that her desperate words weren’t just so she could absolve herself of guilt. Whatever her relationship with Candy was doing for her, it was making her a better person. I knew what it took for Tipsania to admit culpability and I admired her for it.
‘I accept your apology,’ I told her. To prove it, I bit back the terrible pun that was on my lips. If she could admit her past failings, I could show restraint.
She relaxed slightly. ‘You know,’ she said, ‘for someone whose father was a genocidal maniac, you’re not that bad.’
I stared at her. ‘Gee. Thanks.’ I paused. ‘As I’ve already said, he wasn’t a genocidal maniac.’
She simply gave me a pretty smile in return. We watched Jamie approach. When he pulled up and got out, it was clear that he’d rather be anywhere else in the world. ‘Hey,’ he said weakly.
I threw him an enthusiastic wave. There was no point in being anything other than zippily optimistic. He needed to see that I could do this – so did everyone else, for that matter. The glum expressions on their faces when they thought I wasn’t looking were getting to me.
‘Thanks for coming!’ I trilled.
‘Byron’s my best friend,’ Jamie answered. Despite his show of bravery, he had to shove his hands in his pockets to stop them shaking.
I walked over to him. ‘Relax. I just need you to stay here. I asked you because I trust you. Byron trusts you. When I return with him,’ my voice wobbled slightly, ‘he might need medical attention.’ I thought of Frances, away in the Ochterlony Lands. ‘You’ll be better placed than me to help him if he needs it.’ Jamie looked beyond relieved then beyond guilty for feeling relieved. I patted him on the shoulder. ‘The others will stay here until Angus arrives. He’ll keep you company.’
‘MacQuarrie?’
I nodded. It was all part of the master plan.
‘And what are they going to do then?’ Jamie asked.
‘Oh,’ I said airily, ‘they’re going to make sure Chieftain MacBain keeps her promise. She’s sen
ding a contingent to help clean up my Lands.’
Jamie looked at me oddly. ‘While you’re risking life and limb, they’re going to be cleaning?’
I grinned. ‘Yeah. I got the better part of the deal, didn’t I?’
He didn’t smile. ‘Why did you steal the trolls? We need them now more than ever. Without their expertise, our borders are weakened.’
‘I didn’t steal them, Jamie. They’re not objects.’
‘Yes, but...’
‘They chose to come to me.’ I sighed. It wasn’t Jamie’s fault that he’d spent his life believing that everyone who wasn’t Sidhe was at his beck and call. I softened my tone. ‘Frankly, there are far too many of them. I can’t feed them and I don’t want them. If you want to persuade them to go back, then be my guest.’
‘If the Fomori demons attack again...’
I chose not to mention that the people who’d suffered the most from the last attack had been Clan-less. The Fomori had stayed well away from any Clan Lands. Apart from mine, anyway. ‘We’ll worry about that later,’ I said. ‘Let’s focus on Byron for now.’ I reached into my pocket and threw him the brooch which May had given me. ‘Here. Keep yourself busy while I’m gone. Use your psychometry Gift to find out what you can about that.’
He stiffened as if even touching it gave him the heebie-jeebies. He did, however, give me a tiny bow. ‘I’ll do what I can.’
‘Thank you.’ I met his eyes. I should have felt guilty about all of this but I couldn’t muster up enough sorrow for it to make a difference. This was the way it had to be – for all our sakes.
I returned to my friends and hugged them tightly. Taylor, in particular, clutched at me as if he was afraid that if he let go I’d dissipate into a puff of air. ‘I’ll be fine,’ I told him. ‘I can do this.’
‘The odds of this working...’
I drew back for a moment and frowned. ‘Have you made a bet?’
He shook his head. ‘Not this time. Not when you might not return.’ He swallowed.
I enjoyed the safety of his arms for one more moment. ‘I’ll return,’ I whispered. ‘I keep telling you that I’m a bad penny. You can’t get rid of me.’
His arms tightened. ‘I’d better not.’
