The Burning Man, page 8
part #2 of Kingdom of the Serpent Series
‘We ought to find out who wants to see us,’ Church said.
As Ruth opened the door at the rear of the carriage, she felt a surge of vertigo. A small walkway constrained by low iron rails led to a short gap over which they would have to step to reach the walkway leading into the next carriage. An oppressive smell of iron hung in the air, and the wind buffeted them so wildly that it felt as if they were moving at five hundred miles per hour. The darkness on either side was so dense it was impossible to tell if they were in a tunnel or on a vast, night-blanketed plain.
The next carriage was a sensory rush of wild, fiddle-driven music and strange voices raised in song, of cloying, sweet incense and a mass of dancing bodies that were as colourful as they were inhuman: cloven hoofs and serpent tails, horns and wings and glowing eyes. Amongst them, achingly beautiful golden-skinned beings danced with a liquid grace that complemented their physical forms.
‘The Seelie Court,’ Church whispered in Ruth’s ear. ‘What are they doing here?’ Church edged through the dancers, who recognised him and parted out of respect. The queen of the court smiled sweetly at Church, but in her eyes was a honeyed desire that Ruth had recognised at their last encounter in Cornwall. She felt a twinge of jealousy. Church was oblivious and that annoyed her even more.
‘Brother of Dragons.’ The queen allowed Church to kiss her hand. ‘We meet again in these troubled times.’
‘Your Highness. This is a surprise.’
‘A pleasant one, I hope?’ The king had a supercilious air, but clearly respected Church.
‘You’ve been a great help to us. We won’t forget that,’ Church replied.
The queen’s gaze fell briefly on Ruth, and then moved on to Shavi and Laura without even registering Ruth’s presence. ‘Sit with us awhile,’ she said. ‘There is much to discuss. Like you, we are dispossessed, forced to flee this land we love. The Devourer of All Things and its vast, unyielding army drive us out like rats, harrying and slaughtering those who fall behind. We, and all those like us, are being purged to make this a world without hope.’
‘A new order has come,’ the king added. ‘The Devourer of All Things is building itself a body, and when it is complete, its legions will rule all that is, and has been, and evermore shall be.’
Courtiers cleared a space so Church, Ruth, Laura and Shavi could sit on the leather seats.
‘What’s changed since the last time we spoke?’ Church asked.
‘Why, you have, Brother of Dragons. The Quincunx has all but come together,’ the king noted. ‘Did you think the Devourer of All Things would sit idly by and watch while you organise a rebellion against its rule?’
‘There was always a degree of tolerance in allowing beings like ourselves to move through this land,’ the queen added, ‘as long as the balance of power was not unduly affected.’
‘So it is scared of us,’ Ruth said.
The queen turned her full attention to Ruth for the first time and smiled patronisingly. ‘Scared? The Devourer of All Things sees you as insects emerging from the fabric of its property. If the infestation is allowed to continue, then the foundations may be undermined. But still … insects.’
‘As are we all,’ the king said. ‘Even the Golden Ones.’
‘When the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons began to come together, ripples moved out across all Existence.’ The queen’s expression became grave. ‘When the Fabulous Beast was awoken from its sleep. When the last remnants of the Blue Fire eased out into a land grown cold and still. All parts of a greater picture. For anyone who has the eyes to see, it is the final act in the story that began when this place sprang into being.’
‘The end of the universe?’ Ruth said. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Ragnarok,’ Shavi explained. ‘In Norse mythology, it is the twilight of the gods when the universe is torn apart. It will be preceded by the Fimbulwinter, the winter of winters; conflicts will break out and morality will disappear. There will be a final battle between the gods and the forces ranged against them, and in the end, death will come to all.’
Silence stretched between them for a moment. Then the king said, ‘Everything that has happened to you has been leading to this. The Devourer of All Things knows it. It sought to subvert the ancient story by holding you Brothers and Sisters of Dragons in stasis. Now you are free, it rages, and seeks to hold back the end with the terrible power of its complete regard.’
‘So basically it’s not tolerating us any more,’ Laura said. ‘Or you.’
‘Or any beings like us, born of wonder and magic and spirit,’ the king replied. ‘All things of greatness in this place are being harried. Those who fall are being taken to the dark camps in the Far Lands to be fed to the crushing engines of eradication. The Golden Ones who once walked this land with impunity now hide in the shadows, and run before the darkness that seeks to cleanse them. Even in the Far Lands, in the great courts, a debilitating fear has taken hold. Our long rule has been shaken. For the first time we know that we might fall.’
‘Where are you going?’ Shavi asked.
‘Away,’ the queen said simply. ‘We seek safe haven, like many others on the Last Train.’
‘You haven’t found anywhere yet?’ Church asked.
A shiver of sadness passed across the queen’s normally implacable face, but she said no more.
‘You are welcome to join us in our search for asylum, Brother of Dragons,’ the king stated.
‘We’re not looking for a hiding place. We’re finding a way to fight back.’
An awed whisper ran amongst the Seelie Court. The queen smiled. ‘We recognised the potential in the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons long ago. This, then, is the moment when Fragile Creatures escape from the mire and start the long walk to their shining future.’
6
Laura was lost in the hallucinatory flicker of lights through the train window.
‘Deep in thought?’ Shavi slipped into the seat next to her. Apart from them, the carriage was empty. Church and Ruth were still locked in conversation with the king and queen of the Seelie Court in the adjoining carriage.
‘I don’t do deep thought,’ she lied. ‘Life’s for feeling.’ She could see from Shavi’s face that she wasn’t fooling him; she never did. Every time he would give his faint, knowing smile, but he would never challenge her. ‘Got a question for you,’ she said, deflecting the conversation. ‘Those lives we all remember from before we came together. They were fake, right? So who are we really?’
Shavi’s brow knitted; it was a question he had already considered. ‘I know, in a way unsupported by memory, that we are all good friends. The very best, a friendship that can only have been forged by travelling through the hardest of times.’
‘I only ask because since we all got together I’ve been getting flashes … images … snatches of conversation … things that don’t fit anywhere into my life at all, but feel more real than anything I do remember properly. You get that?’
‘I do. And it is growing stronger. We are throwing off the shackles of the Void. Moving closer to who we really are.’
‘So, us having sex together, on a warm night, with the stars overhead …’ She stopped, embarrassed at the dreamy tone that had materialised in her voice. ‘What does that mean?’
‘That you have excellent taste.’ He gave a teasing grin.
‘Did I mention it was a nightmare?’
‘I recall one thing from my previous life: an emptiness,’ Shavi said thoughtfully. ‘I remember searching many spiritual paths for answers, finding none. Until I joined with you.’
His words echoed Laura’s own thoughts.
They were interrupted by Church and Ruth returning from the adjoining carriage. ‘This train isn’t going anywhere we need to be,’ Church said. ‘We should get off as soon as we can.’
Laura glanced out into the dark. ‘Don’t want to burst your bubble, Chief, but no Railcard is getting us back home from here.’
‘We’re not going home.’
‘Where, then?’
‘Not sure exactly, but somewhere in Scandinavia.’
‘That narrows it down,’ Laura said sarcastically. ‘Any particular reason for that destination, or do you just like cheap furniture with clean lines?’
‘Puck told me we needed to look in a cold land where rainbows bring the gods to Earth. In Norse mythology, the Rainbow Bridge is the link between Earth and the gods.’
‘You’re putting all your trust in some mischievous imp that spends its time leading humans into swamps?’
‘And saving them from them,’ Church said. ‘Don’t forget the other side of the coin.’
‘I have to agree with Laura,’ Shavi said. ‘At best the Puck’s intentions are ambiguous. How do you know we can trust him? None of the Tuatha Dé Danann appears to hold him in high regard.’
‘He’s got his own agenda,’ Church concurred, ‘but my instinct says this time we need to follow his suggestion.’
‘All right, so how do we get off this damn thing?’ Ruth said.
‘You ask. I exist only to serve.’ Everyone started; Ahken was standing near the doors halfway down the carriage.
‘Is that how people get off?’ Laura snapped. ‘You pop up like a rat from a drain and give them a heart attack?’
‘Many have died on the Last Train.’ Ahken clasped his hands in a gesture of deference that also appeared triumphal. He smiled and raised one hand. The train slowed. ‘The Last Train is at your service whenever you might need it. One small thing will summon it: a spot of blood on the tracks.’ Ahken bowed.
‘You really think we’re getting on this thing again?’ Laura sneered.
Ahken smiled again, this time sly and cold. ‘Everyone takes a scheduled trip on the Last Train once in their existence. Yours is still to come. A seat has been reserved.’
Laura felt a chill, resisted the urge to ask when that would be.
The doors slid open and they stepped onto the clean, modern platform of Heathrow Airport Underground Station.
‘Shit. How did he know where we needed to be?’ Laura turned to ask Ahken, but the Last Train had already departed, as silent as the grave.
Chapter Three
HUNTED
1
The last leg of the journey through the Kent countryside was illuminated by the silvery light of approaching day, and by the time Mallory drove the stolen rental transit across Canterbury’s city limits, the sun was a pink and gold glow low in the eastern sky.
Sophie sat in the passenger seat, with Jerzy and Caitlin in the back. Now and then, she’d glance at Mallory, confused by emotions shifting deep inside her. Every day at Steelguard, she had watched him move around the office with his cleaning products, wishing she could talk to him, but with no rational explanation for why she would want that. He was always sullen, with a clipped politeness that undercut all his comments with contempt. Some of her colleagues, usually the braying, arrogant ones, were convinced their cleaner was a psychopath waiting to gut them in the lift one night. Sophie had never felt threatened by Mallory, though she had caught him looking at her on more than one occasion.
He was certainly good-looking, but a hardness shadowed his features that suggested his life experiences had not all been good. More troubling was that Sophie’s feelings for him went beyond attraction to something deeper and more nuanced. It made no sense, and that left her frustrated and angry.
‘I keep remembering something really sad, only I can’t remember what it is,’ Caitlin whined from the back in her little girl’s voice.
‘Can’t you shut her up?’ Mallory snapped.
‘Have some compassion,’ Sophie hissed harshly. ‘She’s not well.’
‘Compassion is way down the list at the moment, behind anxiety and fear. I tell you, she’s going to drop us in it big time.’
‘Get a grip. You can deal with it.’
‘I’ll take that as a vote of confidence.’ Mallory glanced at Jerzy in the back. The Mocker’s mask gleamed above a voluminous blanket. ‘All right, tell me now, you little weasel – why Canterbury? I don’t know of any standing stones in this area.’
‘Don’t bully him,’ Sophie said sharply.
‘Get off my back, will you?’
‘The Enemy will be observing the old stones where the Blue Fire is strongest,’ Jerzy replied, ‘but they are not the only places where it can be found. Anywhere with sufficient spiritual power will do if you know the right key to unlock the door. The ground in those places is like a battery, soaking up the energies of worship.’
‘You know what worship gets you?’ Mallory said. ‘Sore knees and a sore throat.’
‘Somebody died.’ Caitlin began to cry quietly. Sophie watched a flicker of pity cross Mallory’s face, but he hid it quickly.
‘She shouldn’t be with us. For her own sake,’ he said firmly.
‘We can’t leave her behind.’ Sophie softened her critical tone. She turned back to comfort Caitlin and was shocked to see that a new flintiness had replaced the little girl’s innocence.
‘I’m going with you. Nobody dumps me,’ she said sharply.
‘It’s like having an acting class in the back,’ Mallory muttered.
‘Who are you now?’ Sophie asked.
‘I’m me – Caitlin, that is.’ She softened. ‘I know it’s difficult for you both, but I’m asking you to make some concessions. I’m not going to let you down—’ She paused. ‘If I do, I’ll make sure it’s only me who pays the price. But I need to do this. I need to make things right.’ She silenced Sophie’s coming question and added, ‘Don’t ask me to explain. Memories are surfacing from a life I don’t wholly remember. Upsetting things …’ She choked back a sob.
‘We all have different faces we put on when needs must,’ Jerzy said. ‘In this, Caitlin is no different—’
‘Who kicked your box?’ Mallory said harshly. ‘Stop acting like you’ve got an opinion worth hearing.’ He pulled the transit into a multi-storey car park and brought it to a halt in the first empty space. ‘Okay, I’m sorry.’ He turned back to Caitlin. ‘We’ve all got our own big bag of rocks on our shoulders. Some are more obvious than others, but that doesn’t give me a right to start mouthing off.’
Caitlin’s touching, relieved smile made Sophie warm to Mallory, reminding her of the qualities that sometimes drew her to him so strongly.
Jerzy clapped his hands together. ‘Oh, the band of heroes shapes before my eyes—’
Mallory jabbed a finger at him. ‘You stay five paces ahead of us at all times. If I wanted a cheerleader I’d choose one who looks good in a skirt.’
Even though the streets were deserted, they kept away from the main thoroughfares as they made their way into the city centre.
‘Everywhere I look I keep thinking I see spiders,’ Sophie said. ‘Is this how it’s going to be? Never feeling at peace again?’
Mallory was distracted by a rack of newspapers outside a newsagent’s. ‘That thing we saw over the West End last night – the thing that shattered the Enemy’s illusion of normalcy? All that fire and destruction?’ He tossed Caitlin a copy of the Daily Mail. ‘Think again.’
The headline read:
TERROR STRIKE ON LONDON
Fifty-Seven Dead in West End Attack
The rest of the front page showed firemen battling to put out a conflagration engulfing an Oxford Street store.
Uncomprehending, Caitlin flipped to the inside report. ‘There’s no truth here at all. It says all the devastation was caused by bombs in Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street … and … and some kind of gas that made people hallucinate.’
‘Clever,’ Sophie said bitterly.
Mallory tore open a copy of the Mirror. ‘ “CCTV captured the terrorists fleeing from the scene. Photos have now been circulated to police, customs officials and security services.” What’s the betting they’re nice little snapshots of us and the others?’
‘It means we’re not going to get much help from anyone,’ Sophie said.
‘Then come quickly,’ Jerzy said. ‘The Enemy has recruited many foul things and they will be attempting to prevent you from returning to the Far Lands.’
As they moved on, Jerzy drew a blanket over his head and shoulders and lowered his gaze to divert attention from his mask. Soon the cathedral was in sight, its gleaming stone incandescent in the morning sun. All was still around the remnants of the monastic buildings and grand old houses to the north. To the south, they lost themselves in the sprawl of streets and alleys of the medieval town that converged on Christ Church Gate, leading to the lawns surrounding the cathedral. Winged angels looked down at them from the gatehouse.
‘That’s us,’ Caitlin said in her little girl’s voice.
‘That is our destination.’ Jerzy indicated a circular tower on the eastern edge. ‘Known as Becket’s Crown, it is the oldest part of the site. The first church was built there, but before that there was another temple dating to the earliest days of your people. Thousands of years of unbroken worship empowering the ground.’
‘How come you know so much about it?’ Mallory asked.
‘I came here for a while after the Blitz.’ It sounded as though Jerzy was smiling beneath the mask. ‘I was made more than welcome by the local people, despite my appearance. They all helped me with my mission.’
‘What mission, Jerzy?’ Sophie asked.
‘Gathering any and all information that might help with the work that lies ahead. Your work.’
‘You’ve been planning for this since the Second World War?’ Sophie asked in disbelief.
‘Oh, it has been planned for much longer than that.’
Mallory checked his watch. ‘Still more than three hours till this place opens up. Let’s find some breakfast.’
‘Don’t you think we should be staying out of sight?’ Sophie asked.
‘Got to eat.’
‘What happens if our photos are on the morning news?’
