Anwar exited the club, greeted the smartly dressed bouncer one more time on his way out and hurried back to the car. It was starting to rain again and he hated getting wet.
Simon, the Albanian guy they’d paired him with, was still on his mobile, watching his stupid videos. His name was actually Sajmir, but English people always struggled with the silent “j”, so he told everyone his name was Simon instead.
‘You have to watch this one, brother; they find other UFO in Russia.’
‘Start the car and stop calling me that,’ Anwar rolled his eyes at the man’s poor attempt of Indian accent, trying not to lose his cool. He hated having a partner, especially an idiot like this one. He worked better on his own, but Lincoln had insisted on the two men working together on this case.
‘You got it, brother,’ Simon teased, laughing. He was one of those guys who wasn’t bothered by much. As long as he had plenty of food to eat, cigarettes to smoke and internet, he was the happiest man on earth. ‘We have destination?’
Ignoring the fake accent, Anwar showed him the picture on his iPhone.
‘This is the guy we’re looking for. He was at the Adams’ place with the girl when the old man was shot. This morning he was just spotted by a camera on a local store in Basingstoke.’
‘Then we go Basingstoke,’ Simon said, starting the car and tempting Anwar for the umpteenth time that day to punch him in his stupid face. And he would have done it if he didn’t fear the guy’s bigger size and nasty temper.
This was gonna be a long day indeed; he’d already grown nauseated of the man. For one, he just wouldn’t stop talking, not ever. Anwar hated excessive talking. He would listen to the first few words the man would say and then tune him out completely, like a noise in the background. And the man could never tell that he was being ignored; that’s how much he loved his own voice. When he wasn’t talking, he was either stuffing his face, or watching video after video on YouTube. Anwar had never met a more annoying person.
He was a good driver, however, and very handy in a fight. His big size made him quite scary to most people, and if that wasn’t enough, he had useful skills when it came to dealing with unwanted complications. Still, right now, Anwar seriously didn’t think those skills were worth the nuisance he was being.
It took them a couple hours to get to Basingstoke and the off-licence store where Freddie had been seen. They parked the car and went both inside. A young black guy was standing behind the till.
‘How you doing, bruv?’ Simon spoke first, adapting his accent again and prompting more eye-rolling.
‘I’m very well, thank you,’ the young man replied in perfect English, really wondering about the idiot in front of him. ‘How may I help you?’
‘We just need some information and were hoping you could help us,’ Anwar took over from Simon, getting some kind of a badge out of his pocket and showing it to the boy. ‘We’re private detectives and are looking for a young girl who was kidnapped two days ago. We have reason to believe that this guy is involved and that he was seen here this morning.’
‘That’s this shop in the picture, ain’t it, bruv?’ Simon interfered.
‘Yes, bruv,’ the boy replied to him, clearly annoyed, ‘it’s this shop. But I don’t know anything about no kidnapping.’
‘That’s okay, that’s not what we’re asking you. We just need to know if you remember seeing this guy today.’
The boy looked at both of them suspiciously and then at the picture again.
‘Yeah, I think I remember him. He bought some food and drinks. Paid cash.’
‘Do you know if he had a car?’
‘No, I think he was walking. Basingstoke is a small town; most people that live around here prefer to walk.’
‘That’s great,’ said Anwar, not really caring. ‘Did you happen to see which way he went by any chance?’
‘Sorry, it’s just me on till and it was a busy morning.’
‘That’s alright. Thank you for your time.’
‘Yeah, cheers, bruv,’ Simon said as Anwar practically pushed him out of the shop. The boy followed them with his eyes, shaking his head. He really needed to get himself another job.
Once at the car, Anwar could no longer keep quiet. ‘Why do you do that? Why do you always have to do that?’
‘Do what?’ Simon asked, no accent in his speech now.
‘Why do you always change dialect? You speak to me with an Indian accent - which is shit by the way - even though I’m from Pakistan, born and raised in London, and barely have an accent myself. You spoke to that kid as if you were black. Yesterday you had an “Italian accent” at that restaurant, and the day before that, you were speaking “Welsh” with that hooker you were flirting with. You don’t speak Welsh. What is it with you and accents? Is this an Albanian thing? Do all you people do this?’
‘I don’t know, alright?’ Simon got defensive. ‘I can’t help myself. They start talking to me and I just feel like I have to reply in the same way. What’s wrong with that?’
‘What’s wrong with that is that people find it offensive. They think that you’re taking the piss when you’re doing that. So you better stop.’
‘Alright, alright, I’ll try not to do it again if it bothers you so much. Now, where do we go from here?’
Anwar looked around and seemed to be thinking. They were at least twenty minutes from the town centre and there was nothing but houses all around.
‘If he didn’t drive here, it means that they’re staying somewhere in the neighbourhood. Let’s take a walk around and see if we spot his car; I got the licence plate number.’
Simon followed him begrudgingly. He was the lazy type and didn’t like to walk. But at least he could smoke. He lit one up and began puffing to his heart’s delight. Anwar gave him a dirty look and sped up the pace. He hated smoking.
They walked around the neighbourhood, turning on every street and corner, but the car was nowhere to be seen. The boy might have hidden it inside a garage, or perhaps changed it. Either way, unless they came up with another idea or received new information, it was clear that they were done here. They would never be able to find them if they stayed indoors. He was afraid that he would have to camp outside the off-licence store for hours on end, waiting for the boy to visit again, and he really wasn’t looking forward to sitting in the car for more than a couple of hours with the accent monster.
He was just about to give up and call it a day, when he noticed something interesting. He stopped and called his partner.
‘Simon, come here a minute.’ Simon came.
‘What?’
‘What month is it?’
‘September, why?’
‘Do you see anything suspicious at all before you?’
Simon looked on all sides, but was clueless.
‘Look at the gardens, man,’ Anwar lost his patience. ‘They’re all pretty normal, most turning brown and drying up, except for that one there. That one is not only at full bloom, but it would stand out, even if it was the middle of May. It just doesn’t seem natural; wouldn’t you agree?’
‘Well, now that you said it, yes, it does look a bit…’
‘Magical?’ Anwar offered.
‘Yeah.’
‘Glad you agree. Let’s go see if we can find out who lives there, shall we?’
They both checked their guns were loaded and ready, and headed towards the small house. Anwar had a very good feeling that they were in the right place. He was eager to find the girl and get this over with. He couldn’t wait to get rid of the Albanian. He hated Albanians.
When he’d realised for sure that they were in New Endërland, Daniel had been looking forward to seeing Sam. Only, he hadn’t been too sure of what to expect. It had been so long since he’d last seen her and he didn’t know if she’d changed at all, or how she would react to seeing him. And now that they were face to face, he found he was nervous. She was still as young and beautiful as she had been when they’d first met; radiant and seem
ingly full of life. And yet, something was different about her. He could sense it in the way she looked at him, in the way she spoke; he could not help but feel that she harboured some deep unpleasant feelings towards him. Or maybe he was just projecting; he’d always felt a bit guilty for choosing Hëna and leaving her with Damien without ever saying anything to her.
‘You don’t seem very happy to see me, Daniel,’ Sam teased him, flashing him that wicked smile of hers.
‘I am, of course I am,’ Daniel hurried to convince her. ‘I’m just, surprised, that’s all. I realised a while back that we were in your dreamworld, but seeing everything that’s happened here, I wasn’t sure if I would find you.’
‘Yeah, well, if you’d come a couple of days later, you most probably wouldn’t have,’ Sam replied. ‘I’m impressed that you actually made it here. I never really thought it possible to travel between dreamworlds.’
‘Neither did we, but here we are,’ Daniel spoke for both himself and Nemo, finally acknowledging his friend before her. ‘This is Nemo, by the way. Nemo, this is Sam.’
‘A pleasure,’ Nemo bowed his head towards her. ‘I’ve heard so much about you.’
‘Likewise,’ Sam replied, returning the gesture. She then turned, along with her soldiers, and beckoned them to follow her out of the chamber and went up through a series of hallways and stairs, until they got out on one of the balconies. ‘Have you found any trace of Serena yet? Last I heard, you and Hëna set on different paths to look for her, but that’s all we know.’
‘No, nothing so far,’ answered Daniel, his head down. He could not feel his daughter’s presence in this world either, and apparently Sam had no news to give him of her. She did not seem to have come this way, which was probably a good thing; there was something not quite right with Sam's dreamworld. ‘I’m beginning to think this was a hopeless quest. I don’t know how many other worlds are out there, or where she could be. And we’ve almost died several times now; not sure how long our luck is going to last.’
‘Is that why you have a black eye?’ Sam asked, sounding amused. Nemo chuckled next to Daniel.
‘No, that’s just me being stupid,’ Daniel replied, ignoring Nemo.
‘That’s funny; I don’t remember you ever being stupid,’ said Sam, who then returned to the subject at hand. ‘Anyway, don’t despair yet. You’ve made it this far and you’re the luckiest man I’ve ever known. Besides, who knows, maybe Hëna’s already found her.’
‘I really hope so,’ said Daniel, and then changed subject. ‘Anyway, tell me about you. Just what exactly is happening to your world?’
Sam sat down on a ledge and set her sword down beside her. The soldiers stayed at the entrance of the balcony, while Daniel and Nemo took a seat on either side of her.
‘I don’t know where to begin, really. We first heard about them only a few months ago; I thought it was just rumours or fairy tales that my people were making up, but then they started dying, tens of them every night. We’ve tried everything, fight them, appease them, hide from them, but they know no reason, nor mercy, and they always find us and kill us. I don’t know how, or why. My whole kingdom has turned into a giant graveyard, Daniel, and I’ve been unable to do anything about it; they are out of my control.’
There was horror in Daniel’s face. He’d seen the damage for himself, but he never thought things had come so far and gotten this bad.
‘But, what are they, these monsters killing your people?’
‘I don’t know their real name or nature; I’ve never seen them before in my life. Some call them batwives, some call them furies, some harpies; all I know is that there are three of them. They look like women, but have wings like a bat and have Medusa-style hair; you know, snakes. Their eyes glow red in the night and their screams can practically shatter your eardrums and fracture your skull from the inside. Sounds like anything you know?’
‘Actually, yeah,’ Daniel replied, not wanting to believe it. ‘I’ve read about creatures like that in Greek mythology. What you’re describing sound an awful lot like the Erinyes.’ First Odysseus and now them. What does this mean?
‘What are they?’ Nemo asked.
‘They’re supposed to be these very old Greek goddesses, who avenge the wrongful death of parents at the hands of their children, or of guests at the hands of their hosts, and so on. But what are they doing in New Endërland?’
He stared at Sam as if she’d know the answer to that but wouldn’t say it.
‘Your guess is as good as mine,’ she replied. ‘I don’t remember murdering anyone from my family; unless your brother counts. But then, why wait twenty years to find me, and why kill everyone else and not just me?’
‘It couldn’t be because of Butler,’ Daniel said, not sure he wanted to revisit that part of the past. ‘He was trying to kill me and my dad; you saved our lives.’
‘Yeah, well maybe these Erinyes don’t feel that way about it. Anyway, none of that matters now,’ she said, looking at the setting sun. ‘They’ll be back for more blood tonight. I have only a handful of soldiers left; they have made their peace with it and are ready to die. So am I. But you couldn’t have come at a worse time. I cannot protect you against them, Daniel; you need to go back where you came from.’
‘What about you? Are you just gonna give up?’
‘I don’t have much choice in the matter, they cannot be killed and they will never back off until they’ve gotten every last one of us. I don’t know what will happen to me after that; maybe I’ll die back in the real world too, or maybe I’ll return here or build a new dreamworld; I don’t really care at this point. But you don’t have to die here; go back where you came from, Daniel. Please.’
‘I don’t know if that’s possible,’ said Daniel. ‘And even if we could find our way back to where we came from, I’m not sure that’s what I want. I need to move forward, Sam; I need to keep searching for Serena.’
‘And how do you intend to do that, Daniel? You might not even survive the night here.’
Daniel didn’t know what to say to that. He’d left Endërland on a hunch, and by pure luck he’d made it to Odysseus’ world. From there he’d also jumped into Charybdis on a hunch and again he’d almost died. Where would he go from here? He needed time to figure out the next step, a possible way off this world to the next one, if another hidden path even existed. But apparently time was something they were rather short of.
The sun had now hidden completely under the sea and the sky was beginning to slowly grow darker. The first stars had already appeared above them. Soon the Erinyes would come out to hunt.
‘You have maybe one or two more days,’ Sam told him. ‘I hope that’s more than you need to get to the next dreamworld. But right now, I need to get you to a safe place so neither of you gets hurt. The Erinyes, or whatever you call them, will be here soon, and you don’t want them to see you.’
Sure enough, the first shrieks of the creatures sounded far in the distance. All of them turned in the direction where the disturbing sounds came from and could see their silhouette far in the sky, drawing ever closer to them.
‘Time to move,’ Sam said and got up. ‘My men will take you to a safe room and stay on guard.’
‘And you?’
‘I’ll come find you when I’m done here. Don’t worry, they won’t harm me, not yet. I think they’re saving me for last.’
‘But maybe we can help,’ Daniel pleaded with her.
‘No, Daniel, you cannot. Not this time. Please, just do as I say. It’ll be alright.’
Daniel and Nemo did not like this one bit, but did not argue. Two soldiers led them through the hallway to a cell-like room and locked them inside, standing guard outside their gate. Once again, Daniel had the uneasy feeling that something wasn’t right, but didn’t want to say anything. He had trusted Sam with his life before, he had no reason to doubt her now. Or did he?
The dreaded cry of the creatures caused Junior and Séraphin to beat their wings faster and harder. It
wouldn’t be long now and they were sure to appear, hungry for more blood. The good news was that they were almost there; they could see the castle on the beach straight ahead. Surely they would find some help there, or at the very least, shelter from the crones.
Nazir kept looking back over Hëna’s shoulder, fear almost paralyzing him.
‘We’ll be fine, Nazir,’ Hëna sought to calm him, ‘we’ll make it.’
‘And then what?’ asked Nazir.
‘One step at a time, my friend,’ Séraphin answered over the air. ‘I see people there, soldiers by the looks of it. I’m sure they’ll help.’
Nazir wanted to believe him, but somehow this failed to ease his fears. He’d seen the creatures in action and knew they were impossible to kill. A handful of soldiers, or even an army would not be able to stop them permanently. He was beginning to think this was definitely a one-way trip, with their death as the destination. It was a shame indeed, from what he’d seen so far, this was a most beautiful world. He could see himself and his people building a good life here.
Nazir wasn’t the only one to battle with these thoughts. The rest of them were having their own doubts and fears, not only concerning the creatures, but also whomever waited for them at this castle they were headed towards. For all they knew, they could be heading into a trap, or even the layer of the creatures themselves. But evening was already upon them and they’d ran out of alternatives.
They flew for another five minutes or so before they finally reached the castle and headed towards the large terrace, where they could see the armed soldiers waiting with their weapons raised. Behind them, the creatures could be heard announcing themselves and their imminent arrival. Everyone looked in the direction the shrieks came from and could see their dark silhouettes on the horizon.
The soldiers on the terrace gathered around a single woman clad in bright shining armour similar to theirs. She had a small but exquisite golden crown with brilliant gems placed over her curly blonde hair. A long sword rested in her right hand, unsheathed and ready to be used. When they finally approached the balcony, Junior and Séraphin hovered in the air, not sure whether to land in front of them or not.
‘Lower your weapons,’ Sam ordered her soldiers and stepped forward, beckoning the eagle and wingman to land. As they did, Hëna and Nazir climbed down from Junior and curtsied before her.
‘Sam?’ Hëna asked, seeking confirmation. This was the first time the two women met.
‘Hëna,’ Sam acknowledged. ‘It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, though I wish it had been under better circumstances. You must be Séraphin,’ she bowed her head slightly towards the wingman.
‘It’s an honour, my lady,’ Séraphin returned the courtesy. ‘These are Junior and Nazir, our companions.’
‘You are all welcome here,’ Sam said, while Junior and Nazir also genuflected before her in their own custom. ‘We’ll take care of the proper introductions later, should daylight find us alive, but right now, if anyone of you does not wish to stay up here and fight, I will lead them inside and into safety.’
‘Can’t all of us hide?’ asked Hëna.
‘I wish that were possible,’ Sam replied. ‘Unfortunately, there’s no gate they cannot break, no place they cannot enter, and no secret room that can shelter us from them for long. Sooner or later they always find us, either them or their deadly snakes. Fighting is the only way to keep them otherwise engaged.’
‘I’ll stay,’ Séraphin was the first to say.
‘Me too,’ added Junior, even though he was exhausted from flying all day long and having had little sleep. But he had no intention of leaving Séraphin alone out here.
‘Well, if you’re staying, so am I,’ said Hëna, not even thinking of abandoning her friends.
‘My men are more than capable of handling the monsters tonight,’ Sam said, then looked at Junior. ‘I cannot accommodate your large friend inside, unfortunately, but I can keep the rest of you out of harm’s way. Besides, there’s someone already inside, who I am sure you’ll want to meet.’
‘Serena?’ Hëna almost jumped, suddenly hoping.
‘Sorry,’ Sam answered with a sad voice, ‘I have no news of her, I’m afraid. But Daniel and Nemo arrived earlier today.’
Hëna suddenly had no words to say; they were tied up in a knot at the edge of her throat and failed to get out.
Meanwhile the Erinyes kept getting closer.
‘Daniel is here?’ Séraphin asked, clearly glad of the news. ‘Are they alright?’
‘They’re both fine,’ Sam answered. ‘They’re resting.’
‘You have to go to him, Hëna,’ Séraphin said. ‘I’ll stay with Junior.’
‘I can’t leave you out here to fight while we go and hide,’ Hëna argued, torn between the yearning to see her husband and her loyalty to her wingman friend.
‘We’ll be fine,’ Séraphin replied, ‘there’s more than enough of us. Just give me that sword of yours and go tell Daniel I said “Hi”.’
‘It’s okay, Hëna,’ Junior also tried to reassure her. ‘Go on inside, we’ll see you once we’ve dealt with the nasties.’
Convinced that she was doing the wrong thing, Hëna handed her sword to Séraphin.
‘I’ll be back with Daniel,’ she promised. ‘In the meantime, look after each other, won’t you?’
‘We will,’ Séraphin also promised, offering her a reassuring smile. Next to them, Nazir stepped closer to Junior and shyly looked up at him.
‘Please be careful, Junior. And make sure you get rid of those things for good. I kinda like this world and would love to see my people here one day.’
‘You have my word, my friend,’ Junior answered with a voice that warmed the little terg’s heart. ‘I’ll see you at dawn.’
Nazir turned and was about to leave, when he remembered something.
‘You know; I never did learn your real name.’
‘It’s Gjergj,’ Junior replied, a little surprised at the terg’s question. His answer, however, must have triggered something in the little man, because it prompted Nazir to open his eyes wide in wonderment.
‘So, that’s who you’re named after,’ he said, in his eyes a strange light.
The Erinyes launched another urgent cry, informing them that they were practically upon them now.
‘What do you mean?’ Junior asked, now burning to find out what Nazir knew. ‘Who am I named after?’
‘Win the battle again tonight and I will tell you what I know in the morning,’ Nazir promised, the sight of the approaching Erinyes causing him to tremble once again.
Sam finally led both Hëna and Nazir inside the castle, just as the first wave of arrows launched in the air towards the flying harpies. They would not stop the monsters, but they would certainly slow them down for a bit. With the sounds of battle in the air, the iron gate closed behind them, separating them from their friends. Sam led the way through a number of hallways, climbing down several flights of stairs, until they reached the level where Daniel and Nemo were.
Besides not feeling great about leaving Séraphin and Junior behind, Hëna got an uneasy feeling that they were walking into a trap. She couldn’t explain it; Sam had given her no reason to distrust her, and yet something about her seemed to bother Hëna.
‘You don’t seem at all surprised to see us here,’ she probed as she followed her through the castle.
‘I’m not,’ Sam replied, without turning to look at her. ‘Damien keeps me informed of pretty much everything that happens in Endërland, so it wasn’t that much of a surprise, really; not after seeing Daniel and Nemo, anyway. It was a lovely coincidence for you to arrive on the same day, however. I’m sure Daniel would be as happy to see you as you are.’
Again, there was something about the way Sam said that last part that bugged Hëna. She knew the whole story, including her feelings for Daniel all that time ago and what it had meant for her that Daniel had chosen to stay in Endërland. She found it hard to believe, however, that
Sam still felt the same about Daniel, or that she bore any kind of resentment against her after all this time. After all, from what she’d heard from Damien, they’d been happy together for many years. No, this wasn’t about Sam and Daniel; it had to be something else.
They finally arrived at the room where Daniel and Nemo were staying. What she saw added an extra layer to her concerns. Her husband and their friend were on the other side of iron bars, with a pair of soldiers standing guard outside. This looked more like imprisonment than a guest accommodation.
Upon cue from their queen, the soldiers opened the door and stepped aside, making room for them. This, at least, Hëna took as a good sign and proceeded to enter the cell. Daniel and Nemo were speechless at the sight of her.
‘Hëna,’ Daniel jumped out of the bed he was resting on and into her open arms. They hugged and kissed, their want and passion for each other fuelled by the time and distance that had kept them apart for the longest time ever. ‘You’re here; you’re alright. Oh, I don’t believe this; I’ve missed you so much.’
‘I missed you, too. I can’t believe I found you here. This is so unexpected.’ She then drew back, her gaze setting on the bruise on his face. ‘Dan, your eye. What happened?’
‘Oh, it’s nothing to worry about,’ he replied. ‘Just a lesson worth learning, that’s all.’ Here he looked at Nemo who lowered his eyes as if guilty. Hëna noticed this and turned now to the Sea-King.
‘Nemo?’ Her voice had a threatening tone to it, which prompted Daniel to grin widely. Nemo on the other hand, drew back a step and raised his hands defensively before him.
‘Hey, don’t look at me. He totally deserved it.’
For the next couple of minutes, they were busy recounting roughly what had happened and who was to blame for what. While all this went on, Sam and Nazir drew back and stood by the door, giving the three of them a little space. The sounds of battle outside could barely be heard down here, which was a good thing. For a moment everyone seemed to forget all about the situation they were in.
‘Wow, that’s a cool pair of daggers,’ Sam suddenly said, noticing Séraphin’s knives in Nazir’s belt. ‘May I see one?’
‘Of course,’ Nazir hastened to comply, feeling ever grateful to this stranger for her help in keeping them safe. He took out one of the knives and handed it to her.
Sam took it and turned it over and over in her hands, observing its craft with interest.
‘It’s a beautiful piece of work,’ she commented. ‘Did you make these yourself?’
‘Actually, these belonged to…’ Nazir was unable to finish that sentence. The knife he’d given Sam, struck him upside his jaw and entered his brain, killing him in an instance. He dropped at her feet with a thud, causing Hëna, Daniel and Nemo to turn and freeze.
‘What did you do?’ Hëna screamed, horrified at the sight of her little friend slaughtered and lying in a fresh pool of blood. She took a few steps forward, but Sam's risen sword and the two soldiers stopped her. The queen’s eyes suddenly turned cold and malicious.
‘I’m sorry I had to ruin your moment, darling, but I’m not really one for reunions. It was actually upsetting my stomach.’
Daniel and Nemo pulled Hëna back. The three of them stood there, not really sure what to do. Daniel could not take his eyes off the blonde woman in front of them. He finally saw it. He understood why he’d had that uneasy feeling from the moment he and Nemo had set foot in the castle.
‘You’re not Sam,’ he said, looking at her with new eyes. The woman chuckled.
‘Why? Because I murdered someone in cold blood? What makes you think Sam doesn’t have it in her to do the same. Or anyone of you, for that matter. Take your pretty wife, for example. I can see she’s having some very unsavoury thoughts right about now.’
‘You have no idea,’ Hëna threatened.
‘Oh, but I do, darling, trust me. Those kinds of thoughts are as clear to me as the light of day; they call to me, louder than anything you’ve ever heard. Louder than even the cries of the old crones out there. It’s what brought me here in the first place.’
‘Who are you?’ Daniel asked. ‘Where is Sam?’
‘Sam is somewhere in here,’ she answered. ‘Not much left of her at this point, I’m afraid. As for who I am, that’s not really important at the moment. What’s important is that we are in the same situation right now; there’s a trio of flying hags out there that will not rest until all of us are dead, and I, for one, would like to avoid that, if I can. Now, I have a way out of this, but I need your help.’
‘And why should we help you? So you can go and murder more innocent people? I’d rather die,’ said Daniel.
‘Ah, Daniel, always the martyr. Why did I know you’d say that? But you seem to be forgetting one very important thing; if you die here today, or even tomorrow, your quest dies with you. And what’s gonna become of your beloved Serena if you do? It just so happened that I know exactly where she is and what she’s going through. Right now, a pair of assassins hired by the Order of the Guardians are looking for her in the real world. That’s right, she’s in your home world, Daniel, but she’s not gonna be alive long enough to enjoy it. The Order seems to believe that she is the Dreamer of the old prophecy and a danger to them, so they have decided to do away with her.’
‘How do you know all this? Who are you?’ Daniel asked again.
‘Oh, I have my little birds that keep me informed. Now, the way I see it, you have two choices; you can either help me escape this world, at which point the Erinyes will also go away, leaving you alive to continue your search for your beloved Serena. Or we can all die here at the hands, excuse me, fangs of those lovely creatures that will soon be coming for all of us; in which case, your daughter will be left at the mercy of the Order. Your choice.’
Daniel felt trapped. He had no desire to help this person or whatever it was that had taken over Sam, but he could not deny the fact that their choices were indeed very limited. He knew the Erinyes would not stop until they got what they came here for, so if there was even a chance for them to get out of this alive, he had to take it. The question was, what would they have to do?
While Daniel and Hëna pondered their next response, Nemo could not help but ask something.
‘These Erinyes, they’re here because of you, aren’t they?’
The woman smiled wickedly at him.
‘You’re a sharp little guy, aren’t you, Nemo?’
‘I’m not little,’ Nemo protested, but that only caused her to laugh.
‘They are here because of me, yes, and if I leave this world, so will they.’
‘But where will you go?’ asked Daniel, terrified of the idea of another world dying because of her. The queen looked at him, knowing very well what he was thinking.
‘There’s a small little world, not far from here. It’s been empty and desolate for a very long time and it should be the perfect hiding place for me.’
‘Won’t the Erinyes find you there too?’
‘They most probably will, but it will take them a while before they do. By then I’ll have thought of something. Anymore questions?’ She seemed to be getting tired of answering.
‘Yeah,’ said Hëna. ‘Why are they after you? What did you do?’
‘She killed someone,’ it was Daniel who answered. ‘Didn’t you? A family member, perhaps, a parent?’
‘Both parents actually,’ the queen answered, her eyes dead to emotion. ‘Twice. Also the woman who raised me, and the woman I loved. The creatures wear their faces as a reminder to me of what I did to them. They’re here to exact justice on me.’
‘But why kill everyone else?’ Daniel asked again.
‘That, you’re gonna have to ask them,’ the queen screamed, losing her patience. ‘Now, I am done entertaining your curiosity. What’s it gonna be? Are we going to help each other, or do we all die?’
The trio stood quiet for a moment, thinking. They hated it, but she was right; they had no other option. They
had to work together with this monster to get out of this horrible situation and continue to try and find Serena. Though, how they would ever make it into the real world, it was anyone’s guess.
Practically hating himself now, Daniel took one step forward and spoke through gritted teeth.
‘What do we have to do?’
The queen smiled again, an expression that appeared very unnatural on her face. Daniel could not believe he had not seen it before; this most definitely was not Sam.
‘You? Absolutely nothing. I need her permission to inhabit her body, if I am to leave this world.’ Her frigid eyes now locked onto Hëna, full of anticipation.
‘No,’ Daniel answered instinctively. ‘Why her? Why not me?’
‘Or me?’ added Nemo.
The queen’s smile widened.
‘Isn’t that sweet; both of you so willing to sacrifice yourself for her. I would love to take you, Daniel, believe me. Sam still has some of those old feelings for you, you know? And sometimes I cannot help but be…, shall we say, infected by them. But, unfortunately, neither of you has what I need for this to work. She does.’
Daniel and Nemo weren’t sure what she meant, but Hëna knew. She’d felt it for a while now, a little change inside of her that she’d tried to deny, but she now knew she no longer could. From the moment she’d lost Serena she had been blaming and resenting herself for it, but not only. She’d also blamed her husband for not protecting their daughter and for gifting her with the Dreamer’s gene, as she called it. She blamed and even hated Junior, too, for almost killing her back in Arbanon, and despite everything they’d gone through together these past few days, she realised she still hadn’t forgiven him for it. Without knowing it, she’d turned into a person that evil could use, and she felt ashamed. She was no longer the girl Daniel had fallen in love with; she was not worthy of him.
‘I’ll do it,’ she said, knowing now what she had to do.
‘Hëna, no,’ Daniel protested.
‘I have to, Daniel; for Serena, for us.’
‘If it makes you feel any better,’ the queen interrupted, ‘once she’s taken me to where I need to be, I’ll let her go. I’ll even show her the way home.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ said Daniel.
‘Nor should you,’ the queen answered him. ‘But you still need to make a choice. Our friends upstairs may buy us a day or two at the most, but the creatures will keep coming back, day after day, until we’re all dust.’
‘And how do we know that once you’ve gotten what you want, you won’t kill us too?’ asked Nemo.
‘I won’t. You’re still useful to me.’
‘What about him, was he not useful to you?’ Nemo accused, pointing at Nazir lying dead on the cold pavement.
‘I wanted the knives,’ the queen said with a voice colder than her bright blue eyes. She then proceeded to explain, seeing that they seemed unconvinced. ‘It’s like this; as long as there are other people alive, the Erinyes will never come after me. That will give me time to leave this world without worrying about them attacking me. And that’s a good enough reason for not killing you. Now, what’s it gonna be, darling?’
Frowning at her, Hëna stepped forward again.
‘I’ll do it.’
‘Hëna, no,’ Daniel begged again, feeling powerless to do anything to change her mind, or this situation. ‘We’ll find another way.’
‘Yeah, Hëna,’ said Nemo, ‘I say let’s fight her and her soldiers. If we kill her, the Erinyes will surely go away and leave us alone.’
‘Ooh, Nemo,’ the queen teased him, ‘if you continue like this, I might borrow you instead of the moon girl here. However, just a tip, should you seriously consider Nemo’s suggestion. You’re free to try, of course, but even if you do win, which you won’t, you’d only succeed in killing good old Sam. I can never die; and wherever I go from here, I will be back again before you. And next time, I promise you I will not be so pleasant. So, choose carefully.’
‘It’s okay, Nemo,’ Hëna told him, smiling feebly. ‘It’s better this way. You just keep looking after him and don’t let him give up until he finds Serena. Oh, and you have my permission to give him as many lessons as he needs,’ she added, smiling at him in a sad manner. ‘I know how stubborn he can be.’
‘I promise,’ said Nemo, a tear rolling down his face, as the fear that this might be the last time they saw each other stabbed his gentle heart.
Hëna then turned to Daniel and took both of his hands in hers.
‘This is my choice, Dan, and if it means helping us to find Serena, I would make it every time.’
‘But why you? Why not me?’
‘Because your heart is stronger and purer than mine, and you never gave up on me. But I did for a while there, and I blamed you for her. I’m sorry. But I want you to know that I don’t anymore. And I have complete faith in you; I know you will find our baby girl and bring her home to us. And no matter how long it may take me, I promise you that I will find my way back to you. Just promise me you will never give up, okay?’
‘I promise,’ Daniel answered amidst tears, and took her face in the cup of his hands, bringing it closer to him. He then kissed her passionately as if he would never get another chance, holding her body tight to his. Hëna rested her head on his chest and allowed herself to immortalise this moment in her mind, so that she could take it with her wherever she went from here.
‘Ugh, enough already,’ the queen said, clearly annoyed. ‘You’re upsetting my stomach again.’ She walked over to Nazir’s corpse, turned him over and grabbed his other knife from his belt.
‘Let’s get this over with, shall we?’ She held the knife in her right hand and with it cut open her left palm. ‘Give me your hand,’ she commanded Hëna, who slowly raised her left hand towards her.
The queen slashed mercilessly with her knife, smiling nastily as she did so. Hëna winced from the pain, but did not pull back. The queen then clasped her bleeding hand with Hëna’s and held it like that for a few moments.
‘This is how I say Hello,’ she said, winking at Hëna. Blood spilled on their feet and floor from both their hands, creating a little puddle, but no one paid any attention to it. They were all looking at both women, who now seemed to be in some kind of trance. Their eyes were closed and they were shaking uncontrollably, holding both of their hands together. Daniel wanted to intervene, but the two soldiers raised their swords at him, so Nemo had to pull him back.
It lasted for a little more than a minute, but it felt a lot longer from where they stood. When the trance was finally over, Sam fell on the floor, unconscious, her left hand still bleeding from the cut. The woman left standing opened her eyes and clutched her own bleeding hand. She then looked down at Sam's body lying at her feet, her face inscrutable.
‘And that is how I say Goodbye,’ she said, with no warmth or colour to her tone of voice.
The two soldiers suddenly stood still, not sure what to do. Their queen was down, apparently dead, and this newcomer seemed to have done something to her. They were debating in their minds whether or not to raise their swords, but the woman was faster. She picked up Sam's fallen sword and slashed both their throats in one go. Nobody had time to do anything to stop her. They fell down at her feet, life abandoning them with every ounce of blood they lost.
As if nothing had happened, she then turned around to face Daniel and Nemo again.
‘Can’t say I’m gonna miss her much,’ she said, motioning towards Sam and ignoring the double murder she had just committed. ‘It had become rather miserable in there lately. But Hëna on the other hand; ooh, so much more fight within her. I love it; I feel alive again. I’d still prefer a man’s body, mind you, but I’ll have to make due, for now.’
Looking at Daniel now, his eyes wide open with disbelief, her face suddenly changed completely, as if someone else took over her body. She reached with her right hand and caressed his face.
‘Dan,’ she only said and drew closer to him, he
r lips reaching again for his.
‘Hëna,’ Daniel said and reached for her, only to be stopped by cruel laughter. A sharp pain penetrated Daniel’s heart through to its very core.
‘Oh, man, you’re just too easy. Sorry, but I’m afraid you’re not my type.’
She then retreated from them, while Daniel tightened up his fists, desperately wanting to punch someone. The possessed Hëna bent to retrieve the knife from the floor and walked backwards out of the cell, her sword raised in a protective manner. When the door was locked and the prisoners secured, she looked up and spoke through the iron bars.
‘Oh, by the way; I lied, Daniel. You will never see her again.’
Daniel rushed in vain to grab her, calling Hëna’s name in despair, but she was gone.
Hëna, no.