The Black Madonna (The Mystique Trilogy)

  I knew he was telling the truth; it was disappointing. Suen, otherwise known as Sin, was another of Enlil’s sons. His name meant ‘the bright one’ as he was so technologically and scientifically minded, but his intellect had never been used to invent anything beneficial to creation. It made sense that the King of the Underworld, the Nefilim’s chief technologist and the daddy of all the Nefilim had masterminded the frequency fence project.

  ‘Then Erragal, Suen and Ill are now my primary targets,’ I concluded. I wasn’t really surprised, as these three Nefilim, along with Ill’s firstborn, Ningirsu, had always formed the nucleus of the fallen ones.

  ‘Now you see my need for the Rod of Power,’ Killian said. Then he noticed the sun’s first rays hitting the sky. ‘Surely it can’t be morning already!’

  ‘I was forced to screw with time a little, and suspect our adversary did as well,’ I informed him. ‘So it wouldn’t surprise me what time it is, or what day for that matter.’

  Killian checked his watch. ‘This says it’s a quarter past twelve, so we’ve lost at least six hours.’ Which meant the watch would be unable to advise him of the date. ‘I’ll buy a newspaper in the next town.’ He looked back to the controls of his car, which were still operating on their own. ‘If you’d care to give me back control of the car, that is.’

  Once his hands were on the steering wheel again, I relinquished control. Killian was clearly more comfortable with that arrangement.

  ‘So where are we going?’ he asked.

  ‘Back to base,’ I advised. ‘I need to speak with my parents.’

  During the journey back, I took some quiet time to go within and connect telepathically with my mother while she slept—in case the Nefilim got to her, or me, before I had the chance to converse with her. I didn’t have time to relay all that had gone on this night, but I enlightened her as to what I had learned about the ringstone. The rest of my discoveries could wait until I saw her in person.

  CHAPTER 4

  THE TIME LORD

  We parked the car some distance from the site camp. It was certain the Nefilim had someone on site to report on our movements, and while I may have taken out those eyes and ears yesterday when I cleansed André, it was best not to take any chances. Ishkur claimed that the Nefilim had the technology to see anyone, anywhere, at any time, but I knew this did not extend to Amenti’s staff. The high vibratory rate of our beings cloaked us, and those close to us, from the sight and hearing of any being on this Earth. That said, our comings and goings through the time continuum could be noted, as such instances caused disturbances in the fabric of time-space and the Nefilim had learned how to monitor these.

  We crouched on the forest-covered hill that overlooked the dig site. Killian was pleased we hadn’t just driven up and announced ourselves, for his parents’ limousine arrived as we watched, and I observed Sabine Labontè trick my father into meeting with her alone. As my mother allowed this, I could only assume she hadn’t yet processed the information I had imparted to her in her sleep.

  ‘I have to warn him, wait here,’ I told Killian and Ishkur, and silently made my way down the hill towards the back of Killian’s quarters. It was the largest and most luxurious dwelling on site, so naturally Sabine led my father there to converse in private with him.

  Back pressed hard to the wall, I crept towards a window where I was able to observe the lounge area. My father followed Sabine into the room and closed the door behind them.

  ‘Warn who about what?’ Killian startled me with his whispered query.

  I smacked a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet, and he appeared rather surprised by my strength.

  ‘…I assure you, Tamar has no serious designs on your son or his fortune,’ my father was saying. ‘I know she looks mature, but she is barely thirteen.’

  ‘Thirteen!’ Killian’s shock was muffled by my hand, and I slapped my other hand over his eyes to prevent him seeing anything he shouldn’t.

  Sabine had her back to my father, but I could see the ringstone necklace she toyed with in her hands. ‘Oh, Albray, Albray, Albray…I’m not concerned about your daughter.’ She spun around to reveal her treasure and my father was near shocked off his feet. ‘I am far more concerned about you,’ she said, and smiled seductively.

  ‘Where did you get that?’ My father recovered, clearly convinced it could not be the same ringstone that my mother had lost down a sheer cliff in the Sinai fourteen years ago.

  Sabine’s smile turned to a smirk. ‘I have my means. You will not try to retrieve this treasure from me at any time.’ She became more serious as she made her orders plain. ‘Nor will you attempt to harm me or seek retribution. Is that clear?’

  ‘Clear as vodka, madam. But my duty to the ringstone must be voluntary,’ he advised, unfazed by her threats.

  ‘So you say. Shall we test that theory?’ She moved closer to him. ‘Kiss me, crusader, with all the passion you would your wife,’ she commanded.

  And my father did exactly that. I could hardly believe what I was seeing.

  Killian was wriggling so much, I let him go. He too was gobsmacked to see what was taking place in his lounge room.

  ‘That’s not my mother,’ he informed me in a whisper.

  ‘I know.’ I held a finger to his lips. I recognised the lustful games of this one-time goddess of beauty and battle. She was Ishtar, no doubt about it.

  Sabine laughed as they came up for air. ‘Lovely.’ She wiped below her lip to ensure her lipstick hadn’t smudged.

  ‘You don’t know what love is.’ My father thrust her away, repulsed by what he had done.

  ‘But you could teach me,’ she purred.

  ‘Only with repentance will you ever know love again,’ he said, backing away. ‘What do you want?’

  ‘I want you to fill me up with your angelic babies.’ She slid up close to him, pressing him against the wall. ‘I want to cause a rift between you and your beloved that will cut through this dimension and into the next!’

  ‘With all you could command of me, this is what you wish?’ He allowed her to get closer and I realised he was fishing for information.

  ‘Well,’ she shrugged, ‘you haven’t lost my favour yet. And so long as you satisfy my desires, I won’t ask you to do anything too terrible.’

  ‘My wife and my daughter are everything to me.’ My father wore his most handsome and persuasive expression. ‘Please don’t do this. Be an angel and give me the ringstone.’

  Sabine gazed into his eyes, enchanted. ‘God you are gorgeous…too gorgeous to give up just yet. But you need not worry about the guilt…I demand that you don’t remember any of the details of this affair.’ She plastered herself against my father and began to relieve him of his clothes.

  ‘Get away from there!’

  I swung around to find Polaris striding towards me.

  ‘You can’t be here right now,’ he said and pulled me away from the window.

  I could hardly believe his gall. ‘I don’t take orders from you,’ I hissed, furious that my father would betray my mother, enchanted or not.

  ‘Who is this guy?’ Killian asked, bewildered.

  Polaris peered through the window to assess the situation.

  ‘Please, Tamar, go and wait for me up on the hill,’ he said.

  ‘You have to stop her,’ I insisted. ‘She’s going to destroy my parents’ relationship.’

  He wasn’t worried. ‘I think that you grossly underestimate their bond. And I am here as an observer only.’ He pointed to direct me up the hill.

  ‘By whose orders are you merely to observe?’ I asked.

  ‘Your father’s.’ Polaris was growing impatient with me.

  ‘My father’s?’ This was unexpected. ‘How can that be when he doesn’t know about the ring—’

  Polaris stopped me short of saying too much in Killian’s presence. ‘Just this once, trust that if you do not do as I say, much progress will be undone.’

  His words just confused me further. ?
??Progress? What progress could possibly come from this?’

  ‘Just wait for me up the hill.’

  He was clearly annoyed that I was distracting him from his mission, and so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and retreated, taking Killian with me.

  ‘Who is that guy?’ Killian whispered.

  ‘He’s…’ What could I say about Polaris? ‘He’s a time lord.’

  ‘Whoa…seriously?’

  Killian was rolling with whatever I told him now, way too deep in shock and confusion to question my authority.

  We returned to our original observation point, where Ishkur was waiting as instructed.

  It’s Ishtar, he said, pointing to the building that Sabine Labontè now occupied, pleased to be of help at last.

  ‘I know,’ I said, sorry to disappoint him.

  ‘You know?’ Killian repeated, disbelieving. ‘How long have you known?’

  ‘I identified her as one of the Nefilim yesterday, but I only recognised her identity today.’

  He appeared hurt that I hadn’t confided in him earlier.

  ‘I didn’t know how much you knew already, so I wasn’t about to confront you with the truth,’ I defended myself. ‘Not without you seeing some proof of what’s really going on.’

  ‘So my parents are truly dead?’ Killian looked tearful as he turned to Ishkur, who nodded.

  We cannot keep anyone alive whose identity we have stolen or our assumed identity would be at risk, the demi-god explained as compassionately as was possible for a being who was an emotional novice.

  ‘Well, you’re not taking me!’ Killian’s anguish for his friends and family surfaced in a huge outburst of anger.

  ‘Calm yourself,’ I said, willing it so, and Killian did, though not by his own choice.

  ‘Wouldn’t you be a bit upset if you were me?’ he appealed.

  ‘I don’t get mad,’ I said, trying to inspire him towards a more constructive approach. ‘I get what I want. So if you intend to live, save your energy—you’re going to need your wits about you.’

  Killian appreciated my reasoning and nodded.

  Polaris scaled the hill to join us. ‘Time to leave, kiddies.’

  ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ I insisted. ‘I need to speak with my father.’

  ‘I’ll take you to him,’ Polaris said.

  ‘I don’t need your escort,’ I replied, and strode off down the hill. But Polaris gripped my arm to stop me.

  ‘That is your father yesterday,’ he advised. ‘A day during which he did not see you. Are you getting my drift yet?’

  Time travel wasn’t my strongest general knowledge subject, and Polaris was the expert.

  ‘Did I miss a day somewhere?’ I asked.

  ‘You will,’ he replied, looking to the sky.

  A great shaft of liquid light lifted us and our company into the belly of the Klieo—the time-hopping transport that was the brainchild of Polaris, the guardian entity of Signet Station Nine, and captained by another of his incarnations, Prince Henry Sinclair.

  Polaris locked Killian in a cabin on board the Klieo, insisting that he wasn’t to see any of the ship or be told anything about his situation.

  ‘Tell me what the hell is going on,’ My date pleaded as I entered the cabin to try to reassure him.

  ‘You’re safer here than anywhere,’ I began. ‘The Nefilim can’t find you as long as you’re on board this ship.’

  ‘How long am I going to be stuck here? I have things I need to be doing. Now more than ever.’

  I could tell Killian’s thoughts were on finding the Rod of Power.

  ‘Time has no meaning here, so you won’t lose anything by taking the chance to relax and recoup,’ I said. He looked perplexed. ‘I’m your best defence right now,’ I continued, ‘and I’m going to get some answers.’

  ‘Who from?’ Killian moved in close, hoping to seduce some information out of me. I certainly wasn’t opposed to him trying. ‘Let me come with you.’ He raised his big blue eyes in appeal.

  I brushed his long, dark fringe out of his eyes. ‘Absolutely not.’

  My refusal didn’t stop his advance, however. ‘Can I kiss you anyway?’

  ‘Absolutely n—’

  I had never been so pleased to be defied. I’d never been kissed before and it lived up to all my daydreams. For a moment I completely forgot who I was. But once our lips parted I remembered Kali’s mission very quickly and my first thought was whether Killian was my missing prince. Would my kiss unlock some ancient memory in him, like in the fairytales of old?

  ‘Wow!’ He appeared dizzy.

  ‘Did my kiss stir anything within you?’ I asked quickly, as I heard the captain coming for me.

  ‘Sure did.’ He gave a cheeky grin and motioned to his trousers with his eyes.

  ‘That’s not what I meant.’ I grinned and tried not to sound disappointed.

  As he heard the door opening, Killian grabbed my hand. ‘What did you mean?’

  ‘Some other time,’ I said as Polaris entered the cabin.

  Killian left it at that, and let go of my hand as Polaris was giving him the evil eye.

  ‘We’re good to go,’ he said to me.

  ‘I’ll be back as soon as I have some solutions,’ I told Killian, and headed out the door past the captain, who was still staring disapprovingly at my suitor.

  ‘I suppose something to eat is out of the question?’ Killian asked.

  Polaris gave no response, just closed and locked the door.

  ‘It’s all right for you time lords, angels and goddesses,’ Killian hollered after us, ‘but I’m only mortal! I need sustenance!’

  ‘You seriously think Mathu is hiding in that guy?’ Polaris commented as he accompanied Ishkur and me to the exit hatch.

  ‘It’s a strong possibility.’ I was trying not to let my first kiss colour my instinct, but that proved impossible; I wanted him to be Mathu, my attraction to him was intense.

  Polaris was sceptical. ‘It’s just that I don’t ever remember Mathu being quite that full of himself.’

  I looked at him, surprised by his observation. ‘That’s the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?’

  ‘Yes,’ he agreed, ‘but I’ve always had a high opinion of myself. Your beloved has not.’

  ‘A good point,’ I concurred as we exited onto the deck of the Klieo, parked alongside the great earthern bridge inside the cavern of Mamer.

  CHAPTER 5

  COMPROMISED

  MIA DEVERE—MERIDAN

  I awoke at my desk the next morning, pen in hand, the above chapter sprawled in handwritten pages across my desk.

  My mobile phone was ringing. Still bleary, I reached into my bag and answered it. ‘Hello.’ I smothered a yawn. ‘Mia Devere speaking.’

  ‘Bonjour, Mrs Devere. I am Sylvie Bruyere, promotions manager for the House of Chanel in Paris.’

  Not the first person I was expecting to hear from this morning.

  ‘As in “the little black dress” House of Chanel?’

  ‘Oui.’ She sounded delighted at my recognition of her brand. ‘I am calling in the hope of contracting your daughter, Tamar, to be the new face of Chanel—’

  ‘What?’ I was shocked out of my skin. How did she know anything about my daughter?

  ‘I understand this must be very exciting for you,’ continued Sylvie.

  ‘Overwhelming,’ I said drily. ‘We’ll have to get back to you, I’m so sorry.’

  I hung up the phone and it immediately rang again. I answered it.

  ‘This is Chuck Fix from Rolling Stone magazine—’

  I switched my mobile off in a state of mild shock. It appeared that Tamar had got what she wanted: overnight fame.

  I looked at the pages I had penned in my sleep, thinking that I should read them. I couldn’t recall a word of it, not even who the transmission was from.

  It was only when Albray walked into our room that I realised that he wasn’t still asleep in our bed.


  ‘The morning papers are here,’ he said.

  He sounded perturbed about the fact. He slapped one down in front of me and I saw that the front page was filled with a large photo of Killian Labontè and our daughter. The headline read: Le visage de la beauté.

  ‘That would explain the call I just got from the House of Chanel,’ I said.

  Albray forced a laugh. ‘Are you serious?’ He seemed unsure whether he should be deploring Tamar’s sudden notoriety or beaming with pride at our daughter’s success.

  The sound of a car pulling into the site sent us racing to the door—we hoped it was Tamar and Labontè returning from their history-making date. However, it was Killian’s parents’ gold limousine that drew to a stop outside.

  ‘Not good,’ Albray commented.

  The chauffeur opened the door and the sole occupant, Sabine Labontè, stepped out of the vehicle and looked straight to us. ‘Albray Devere?’ she said, ignoring me. ‘I need to speak with you—it’s about your daughter.’

  ‘Here we go,’ Albray said in an aside to me, and put on a smile for our guest.

  ‘Be careful,’ I warned, although he knew as well as I did what she truly was.

  At the time, I didn’t think it odd that Sabine didn’t ask to speak with both of us. I was still half asleep, and with my overnight work yet to be read I was happy to let Albray deal with Sabine’s concerns. As one of the Council of Amenti, Albray had a far greater psychic advantage than any of the Nefilim and I didn’t for a second question whether he could cope with the situation alone.

  Half an hour and a couple of coffees later, I was of a very different mind for I had finally read my daughter’s transmission.

  I scrambled outside to find Albray waving goodbye to the gold limousine, and was relieved to see him apparently unscathed by the encounter.

  ‘All smoothed over,’ he assured me, ‘for the time being.’

  He looked concerned momentarily, then smiled at me and headed off to the amenities block.

  Albray joined me half an hour later, freshly showered, shaved and changed. This was a little unexpected, as when we were on location he reverted to his ancient knightly ways and didn’t bother too much with his appearance.