Othman shrugged. ‘Long Eden is a forgotten place, Lily. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Not if you’re careful.’
‘Will you stay with us?’
He paused, his eyes flicking away from Lily’s stare. ‘For a while.’
‘What are you hiding from?’
He glanced back at her. ‘Nothing.’
Lily realised that this feeling of control she had over him proved to her more than his physical appearance how weak he must be at the moment. ‘Have you ever killed anyone, Pev?’
His face seemed to bleach before her eyes. He looked like bone, a skull. ‘Why do you ask? Is it important?’
She shrugged. ‘Perhaps. Perhaps if you told me some truthful things, I might trust you more, no matter what you’ve done.’ She leaned back in her chair. ‘So, tell me...’
He rubbed one hand over his eyes. ‘Lily, you must understand that being Grigori is not like being human. You have been brought up as human, with human values. Whatever I say to you will be judged by human morals.’ He looked at her directly, as if summoning a few shreds of strength from some inner place. ‘Yes, I have killed. How could I not? I am quite old, and age brings experience. If you live long enough, you will kill too, because you will undergo every possible experience.’
‘That’s an easy answer. What is it like to be Grigori, Pev? If I am this thing, then tell me about it.’
He sighed. ‘How can I? It’s too big to describe. If you look deep inside yourself, you will find the answer. It lies there, believe me.’
‘That’s not enough. Tell me!’
His eyes widened as she raised her voice. He glanced towards the window, as if afraid Owen would hear her and come into the cottage. ‘All right. Look upon yourself as one small part of something unimaginably huge. Grigori: one family. We are all linked, every one of us in the world. You are estranged, but you could change that if you wanted to. I don’t recommend it, because, as you rightly pointed out, you might not only lose the chance to attain Long Eden, but would also suffer the penalty meted out to your father. Grigori are powerful, but they are paranoid too. They want to remain a secret, even though they permeate human society like parasites. All true magic lies in their hands, Lily. They understand the old ways, they keep the knowledge that humans were given, but have lost: the original sciences, what we call magic, the science of free energy, before the narrow perception of humanity took over. Some Grigori, like your father, want to expand upon that knowledge, and they are punished for it.’ He shook his head, smiling sadly. ‘We never learn our lessons. Never. We repeat the same mistakes and tread the same evolutionary cycles.’
‘Then you agree that Kashday Murkaster should have been stopped.’
‘No. I mean the same mistakes the Anannage, our ancestors, made, of having an unbalanced view, of fearing chaos and the more unstable spheres of the Cabbala. I believe what the original Grigori did was right, but conservatives within our society espouse a more fundamentalist creed. They seek to regain what they see as respectability, perhaps to earn the approval of the Anannage once more. They believe that is the way to the ultimate understanding, the way to regain Paradise. Others, such as Kashday, take the view of the Fallen Ones, that we should find enlightenment through our own experience and experimentation.’
‘Do the Anannage still exist?’
Othman shrugged. ‘Who knows? If they do, they are more efficient at keeping themselves hidden than we are! I like to think that they don’t and the conservatives are wasting their time.’ He leaned forward across the table. ‘Lily, you can have power and I can help you get it. But first, you have to acknowledge and accept what you are, cast off the outdated, constricting values you’ve inherited from your mother.’
‘You mean I have to become the sort of person who could kill someone?’
He stared at her for a few moments, as if deciding how to answer, then said simply, ‘Yes.’
Lily stood up, went to the window. ‘I don’t want to,’ she said. ‘I’d rather just forget what I am, go back to the life I had.’
Othman came up behind her, put his hands upon her shoulders. ‘And never age? One day, you would be forced to accept your inhuman condition. Neither will the villagers here let you shun your destiny. You think Emma Manden would allow it? She is strong, Lily, stronger than you. You would be wise to let me become your teacher, not her, because Emma, for all her longevity, is only human. You and I are of the same race. Let go, Lily. Come to me.’
‘But I am half human,’ she whispered.
‘Grigori blood is stronger.’
Lily bowed her head. She could feel tears trying to escape her dry eyes. They wouldn’t come. Some inner part of her had already accepted what Othman had said to her. It was like standing on the edge of a precipice and being told she could fly. Someone was now telling her to jump, to trust the information and jump. She was afraid, even though she could already feel the experience of flying.
Othman parted her hair and kissed the back of her neck. ‘I need Owen, Lily. You must help me. It would be inconvenient if he opposed me, us. We must have him with us.’
Lily sighed. It was a struggle to speak. ‘You are right. He doesn’t trust you. I can’t see how you, or I, can change that. Not immediately, anyway.’
Othman rested his chin on the top of her bowed head. ‘Then we must believe a way will present itself shortly. Belief is magic, Lily. Add your will to mine.’
‘All right,’ said Lily.
‘I will stay here now,’ Othman said. ‘Later, I’ll fetch my things from The White House.’
‘Barbara won’t like that!’ Lily managed a weak laugh.
Othman ignored the remark, turned her round to face him. ‘It’s Owen we have to concern ourselves with, not Barbara. She is nothing.’
‘Go to my room,’ Lily said. ‘He mustn’t see you yet. He’s worried about his boyfriend. Let him go to collect Daniel this afternoon, then he’ll be happy, and in a better frame of mind to accept things.’
Othman’s face became hard. Lily realised she had said something he didn’t want to hear. Then he smiled. ‘All right. Come to me when he’s gone.’
‘I will.’
Later, as she lay naked in Othman’s arms, surrendering herself to his gentle love-making, Lily sensed the black shadow of the cat leaving her mother’s bedroom. She moaned a little to distract Othman’s attention, worried he’d sense the presence of the cat himself. She wanted to believe in Othman, wanted to become part of his world, yet a portion of her inner being made her keep silent about the cat. She would not give herself to this man completely. He had a lot more to prove to her before she’d do that.
Owen waited outside the school gates, chain-smoking in the car, but Daniel did not come out of the building. He waited until the caretaker came to close the gates, even though he sensed that Daniel had not been to the school that day. Anxiety mounted within him. Was there a rational explanation? Was Daniel hiding somewhere, unsure of what to do with his life? Owen had a dreadful premonition he would never see Daniel again. Something had happened. He knew it.
By the time he reached home, Owen was almost demented with worry. He stopped the car at Low Mede, went to hammer on the door, ring the bell. Barbara Eager opened the door. She did not seem surprised to see Owen. ‘Hello, dear,’ she said. ‘What is it?’
Owen was taken aback at finding her there, opening the door to the house as if she owned it. He tried to peer round her. ‘Is Daniel in?’
Barbara’s face crumpled into an expression of apology. ‘I’m afraid not.’
‘I want to speak to his father,’ Owen said. ‘Or Verity.’
Barbara’s face changed; it became hard. ‘That’s not possible. Daniel’s not here, neither is Verity.’
‘Who is it?’ Louis’ voice came from inside the house. Owen saw a male shape come into the hall behind Barbara, shadowy. It did not sound like Louis, neither did the outline look like him. But as he came towards the door, Owen realised this was
Daniel’s father, but changed almost beyond recognition. Othman had done this. He glanced at Barbara. Both of them were Othman’s now.
‘Where’s Daniel?’ he said, looking at the apparition of health and vigour that was Louis.
Louis put his hand on Barbara’s shoulder. ‘I’m sorry, Owen, but Daniel and Verity have gone to stay with my brother and his wife for a few days. I wanted some time to myself.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ Owen said.
Louis laughed. ‘But it’s true.’ He frowned. ‘Why would I lie to you?’
‘Because you’ve changed,’ Owen said.
Barbara and Louis looked at one another and laughed. ‘If we have, I can’t see why that means we’ve become liars as well!’ Barbara said.
‘I want to look round his room,’ Owen said. He knew it was unlikely his request would be granted, but he couldn’t let these two creatures of Othman’s think they’d convinced him.
‘That’s out of the question,’ Louis said, then smiled ruefully. ‘Look Owen, this is difficult, but I really think you should know that Daniel’s quite upset by... certain things that have been going on. He wanted to get away. Surely, I don’t need to say more? This is quite embarrassing.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ Owen said again, although he could feel his determination ebbing.
Louis stepped forward, and spoke in a confidential manner, an avuncular smile pasted across his face. ‘Look, old chap, we all do things when we’re young, which are experiments with life. I think it’d be best for everyone if you just accepted that Daniel was curious about... well, you know. But now he’s decided it’s not for him.’
Owen thought that if Louis looked the way he had the last time he’d seen him, he might believe what he was saying, but this was a man who’d been charmed by Peverel Othman, who’d been altered by him. His resolve was battered by the shame of thinking Daniel might regret their relationship, but that was a thought implanted by Louis. Owen forced himself to remember the last time he and Daniel had been together. There had been no hint of regret. Still, it was clear that short of barging into Low Mede he was going to get no information here. Without another word, Owen turned away. He would have to talk to Lily, maybe even Emma. Daniel was in danger, he was sure of it, and Othman was involved.
‘Bye!’ called Barbara Eager as Owen retreated down the drive.
Louis closed the door, took Barbara in his arms. She pulled away. ‘Lou, are we doing the right thing?’
He kissed her. ‘Barbara, don’t! Of course we are. We’ve been given another chance! Don’t fight it.’
‘But Daniel...’ she said. ‘And Verity. What’s going to happen to them? We can’t just leave them down... there.’
‘They’ll come round,’ Louis said. ‘Pev will talk to them. Don’t worry! This is a strange, new world for us, and the kids are scared of it. Get one of the guns.’
‘What?’ Barbara took a step backwards. ‘Why?’
Louis shook his head, smiling. ‘Barbara, my dear, we have to feed the poor children. And we don’t want them causing any trouble. Now, I’ll make some sandwiches, you fetch the gun.’ He touched her face softly. ‘Everything will be fine. I know it will.’
Verity had endured a day of terror, a day during which all her phantoms came back to torment her in the dark. Daniel had slept most of the time, but she had talked to him continually, stroking his face, his hair, glad of the contact. At times, she went cold and clammy with fear, thinking of Daniel dying in her lap. Then he would wake up, tell her he was thirsty, and she would tell him she loved him, not to leave her.
‘I can’t!’ he said, trying to laugh.
‘How do you feel?’
‘Sore. Vez, what are we going to do?’
She squeezed his body. ‘I don’t know. Raven will come. I know he will.’
‘Dad shot him,’ Daniel said. ‘I saw.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Verity answered firmly. ‘He’s not just a cat, Danny, something more. He isn’t dead. He’ll come. We must believe it.’
They’d had to relieve themselves in corners of the cellar, Verity helping Daniel to stagger a distance away from where they were sitting on old sacking and a ragged car blanket. The smell of their own urine and excrement filled the stifling room, until they couldn’t smell it any more.
Once, Verity said to Daniel. ‘Can you see anything over there?’
Some small amount of light was leaking in somewhere. They could make out dim outlines in the dark. ‘See what?’ Daniel asked.
Verity shuddered. ‘A man.’
‘No, Vez, no!’ Daniel’s voice sounded panicked. ‘Don’t say things like that. We’ll scare each other to death!’
‘But I know I have ghosts around me, Danny. Peverel Othman told me. I saw him get rid of one of them. He threw it up into the air like a rag.’
Daniel reached for his sister’s face. ‘No, Vez. He must have... I don’t know, hypnotised you. You mustn’t believe what he said, or what he made you see.’
‘You don’t know,’ Verity moaned. ‘You don’t know about me.’ She told him then, about the married professor, who seemed as if he’d give her so much, but had proved to be a weak, puling man, who would not leave his wife, then changed his mind, then changed it back. She told Daniel about how the wife had discovered the affair, the long, useless cruelties of betrayal and indecision which followed, the woman’s breakdown and suicide attempts, the professor’s decline into depression. Then there was Netty, and Netty’s boyfriend. Verity hadn’t wanted him as a partner, she just wanted sex, his body. But the fool had fallen in love with her. Her coldness invoked only deeper degrees of infatuation. She’d had to be cruel. She hadn’t guessed that he too was so weak, that her denial of his existence would send him plummeting into an abyss of despair, where death seemed the only viable option. ‘Those are my ghosts, Danny,’ she said, and Daniel could think of nothing to say. Now, he dared not look too closely into the dark.
When the light came on, they were blinded by it, and clutched each other more tightly. They heard Barbara Eager’s voice, ‘Oh, Louis, Louis! Look at them! Oh Louis, the smell!’
Then their father, or a man that sounded like their father used to sound when they were children. ‘Put down the tray, Barbara.’
Verity squinted up the steps. She saw her father holding the gun, pointing it at them. ‘Dad!’ she said. ‘Please Dad!’
‘Louis, you can’t...!’ Barbara’s voice was cut short as Louis slammed the door. They heard the lock turn, but at least the light was left on. Verity glanced up at the naked bulb. It was old. How long would it last?
‘They’ve left food,’ Daniel said in a dull voice. ‘Vez, I’m too tired to go up the steps. Will you fetch it?’
‘Of course.’ Verity eased herself from under Daniel’s body. Now there was light, she could see the swelling on his forehead, the dried cut. His eyes looked glazed. Oh Raven, she thought as she mounted the steps. Come soon.
Barbara left Low Mede in a temper. She walked back to The White House in a daze of confusion. What was she doing? How had she become involved in all this? It was only yesterday that she and Othman had gone to visit Godfrey Thormund, only yesterday when she’d achieved her desires and enjoyed Peverel Othman in Herman’s Wood, and later taken her pleasure with the rejuvenated Louis. Now, she felt she was a criminal. It had shocked her to see the condition of Verity and Daniel. How could Louis do that to his own children? And yet, she’d had a part in it herself. She had been the one to inflict the wounds. What should she do now? Call the police? It would mean implicating herself, but she couldn’t just leave Verity and Daniel locked in that stinking cellar, injured and hurting.
Louis had let her go. He’d only said, ‘You’ll be back.’ He was so confident, as if he didn’t believe for a minute that she’d betray him. How was she going to explain herself to Barney? Was it possible to claw back that dull, mundane, dissatisfying life with her husband? Now, she yearned for it more than anything.
Yet
, by the time she’d reached the hotel, her heart was longing for Louis. It was as if she hadn’t seen him for a week. Mrs Moon accosted her in the hallway, wearing an expression of extreme disapproval. The staff all knew, of course, where Barbara had been spending most of her time since yesterday. They’d drawn their own conclusions.
‘There’s things to be seen to,’ Mrs Moon said, ‘for Friday.’
‘Friday?’ Barbara had forgotten what was planned.
‘Your barbecue for All Hallows,’ Mrs Moon reminded her. ‘I’ve got to order rolls.’
‘Oh, yes,’ Barbara said irritably. ‘Can I leave it to you, Mrs M? I’m afraid a few things have cropped up, and I’m really rather too busy to organise Friday night at the moment.’
‘Charcoal,’ said Mrs Moon accusingly, ‘and the bonfire to be built.’
‘Surely Mr Eager is the person to speak to about that?’
‘He says it’s your ‘do’,’ Mrs Moon persisted. She folded her arms. ‘He’s got things on his mind. I don’t like to bother him.’
‘Oh please! Speak to Shuni, and ask her to get her brothers to help!’ Barbara snapped. ‘Shuni knows all about it. I really can’t be bothered now, Mrs Moon!’
She escaped upstairs. Fortunately, Barney was absent from the flat. Barbara poured herself a tumbler of gin, and went to sit on the sofa in the lounge. She stared at the cordless telephone for five minutes before she dialled Low Mede. Louis’ voice, when he answered, was husky and seductive. She ached to hear it, and began to weep. ‘Louis,’ she said. ‘I love you. Don’t be horrible, please. Don’t become someone else.’
‘Barbara,’ Louis answered in a gentle tone. ‘I’m waiting here for you. Come when you can.’
‘Your kids...’ Barbara began. ‘Louis, I feel dreadful! We’ve hurt them! I can’t live with it! What’s happening to us? You must let Daniel and Verity out, get them to a doctor!’ She couldn’t continue, but rested the phone against her face as she sobbed. She could hear Louis’ voice, gentle, soothing.
‘Everything will be all right. It’ll all be over soon. Pev will take care of things.’