Chaos Bound (14 page)

The woman pulled a lace hanky from a pocket and sniffed into it. ‘You keep bad company.’

I wagged my head slowly. ‘Don’t I know it.’

The woman walked passed us both and settled on the edge of the slashed couch. Her hands rested on her black-skirted knees, handkerchief twisting around her fingers. In a rush, it hit me who Crowhurst had bought to my door. My heart sank into my shoes and I threw Crowhurst a look that was somewhere between desperation and accusation.

He shrugged helplessly and said, ‘Lora, this is Jonas’s mother, Arlene Grundler.’

I collapsed on an armchair opposite her. ‘I'm sorry for what happened.’

‘Jonas was my only son.’ Her voice was harsh, and her gaze direct, like she was searching for something in my face.

‘I know.’ I searched for the right words, but knew there were none. Crowhurst stood by the gutted fireplace, obviously not wanting to sit down with either of us.

‘It was self-defence,’ Crowhurst said quickly. ‘Just like I explained to you.’

Arlene Grundler pinned him with a glare. ‘My son was a good boy.’

‘I'm sure he was,’ I said. ‘And I’m sorry for what happened.’

Her eyes swivelled back to me, top lip curling. ‘You can’t bring me back my boy,’ she said, ‘but you will make this right to me.’

‘There’s nothing I can do,’ I said defensively, though I knew exactly where this conversation was heading. When there were no avenues for lawful justice, vengeance was the next best thing to serve. I just hoped it wasn’t going to be directed at me.

‘They say he had been tortured; that he had become a monster, his mind broken.’ Her voice hitched and she pressed the handkerchief against her lips, closing her eyes for a brief moment. When she opened them again, they were hard and determined. ‘Whoever did this, whoever dared to do this, they will pay. I want blood for the life of my son.’

‘I'm not going to hunt someone down and kill them for you,’ I said.

Arlene smiled, showing a row of small, even teeth. ‘I want a name. There are others who can assist me with the rivers of blood needed to wash this sin away.’

‘That’s it?’ Crowhurst frowned. ‘You just need a name?’

‘A reason would be good as well,’ she said. ‘Mostly, I want who was responsible.’

‘What if I can’t get you the proof you need?’ I asked.

Arlene Grundler’s smiled widened. ‘I don’t need proof. I've heard you are a reliable Runner, despite being a crippled. Your word will be enough. Then, my sister, she will see things right.’

Crowhurst rubbed his eyes as if they were burning him from the inside out.

‘Who’s your sister?’ I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer, but I had to know what I was dealing with.

Crowhurst’s voice was strangled. ‘Andela of Arcanus.’

‘Oh.’ I swallowed. I'd dealt briefly with the witch Andela. She was the most feared craftuser in Applecross and was not someone you crossed willingly.

‘You see why I had no choice but to bring her?’ Crowhurst’s lips pressed together. ‘She threatened to have Andela send enchanted spiders to crawl in my ears when I was sleeping if I didn’t.’

Arlene stood, face twisting. ‘You will do this for me, Lora Blackgoat. You will make this right. Or the blood that runs will be yours.’

She looked at Crowhurst expectantly and he hurried across the room to escort her out. He threw me a loaded look over his shoulder. ‘We’ll talk later.’

I snarled silently at his retreating back. Sure, we’d talk later. With my fist against his big, loud-mouthed jaw.

After cleaning the worst of the mess, I packed a bag full of random clothes and shoes, which I dropped back at Seth’s home, figuring I had a good couple of hours before he returned from work to pick me up. Roman hadn’t tried to make contact with me, and that had me worried. I had to find him, and fast.

By the time the sun was setting, my lame leg was dragging and I was beat. After a fruitless initial search, I put enough bribes in motion to have some eyes out for him. Wherever Roman had disappeared to, he didn’t want to be found. I didn’t want to think of the other scenario: that the Grigori already had him.

A car drew alongside me, and I heard Seth’s voice.

‘Thought I told you to wait for me back at the house?’

Turning, I saw him sitting in the driver’s seat of a red station wagon, elbow hanging out the window. I leant a hip against the car, too weary and depressed to think of a clever reply. ‘I had errands. You still going to take me to the Outlands?’

‘You’d better get in before I change my mind,’ Seth said.

I clambered in, settling my cane between my legs. Securing my seatbelt, I massaged my leg and waited for Seth to drive off. But he sat still, looking at me with a frustrated expression.

‘What?’ I asked, when it became apparent we weren’t going anywhere fast.

‘What have you been doing all afternoon?’ he demanded. ‘I’ve been looking for you for the last hour. What was so important you’d risk missing this meeting? I thought getting your hands on this book was the most important thing for you.’

I rubbed my gritty eyes, depression wrapping around me. I couldn’t confide in Seth what really had happened at Grogan’s estate. While Seth and I weren’t in any relationship at the moment, his feelings for me seemed to straddle a fine line between caring lover and rabid stalker. This time it was different though, and now Seth’s interference had me worried he was going to take advantage of the situation with Roman somehow.

‘I've been looking for a friend. Don’t bother asking who, because it’s none of your business.’

Seth grunted, but left the matter alone, for which I felt no relief. I knew Seth. He was just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to push.

We left the city gates and took a winding road through the forest until we arrived at one of the candy-striped tollbooths that guarded The Weald’s entrances to the Outlands. A bear-man leant out of his window, rubbing his wet nose, and holding out an expectant leathery paw for payment.

‘Blackgoat Watch account,’ I said, leaning across Seth to get eye contact with the bear-man. When I slid back, Seth shot me a grin while the bear-man checked his account book with glistening eyes, long pink tongue licking his nose.

‘Remember when we went to Paris?’ Seth asked.

‘Stop that,’ I growled.

‘Stop what?’ His smile widened.

‘You know what.’ I stared out the window, memories playing through my head. It had been my twenty-sixth birthday, and Seth had surprised me with a trip to Paris. We’d stayed in a tiny boutique hotel the entire time, only leaving to forage for food and coffee. It was probably the fondest memory I had with Seth.

The boom-gate lifted and the bear-man waved us through. Seth accelerated and we drove down the wide, tree-lined road. The car lights flicked on, illuminating the road as shadows clung to the changing landscape. I cracked a window, smelling wet grass and fresh air.

The transition into the Outlands was smooth and easy to miss it if you weren’t looking. A tingly sensation pulled at your stomach, dots flickered at the corner of your vision, and a veil drifted through your thoughts. The air turned frosty as we drove out of the laneway of trees and into wide fields with a low growing crop. Seth braked when he came to a highway, then turned right, the clockwork car running just as smooth as an Outland one.

Feeling suffocated in the silence, I flipped the radio on. With only a choice of thrash metal or techno beats, I switched it off and leant back, trying to relax. I needed coffee and carbohydrates, and I needed them soon. From the position of the descending sun, it appeared there was only about an hour’s difference from The Weald, which was a relief. Sometimes the difference was almost half a day, and the transition resulted in a wicked and immediate jet lag.

‘So…’ Seth drawled, braking for an empty intersection.

‘What?’ I prompted when no more revelations came.

‘Why don’t you ask me something about my past?’ Seth clicked the indicator for a left turn. ‘I'll tell you anything you want to know.’

I frowned. ‘I haven’t asked because I know I won’t like the answers.’

‘Can you be sure?’ His tone was light and teasing as he accelerated. ‘You don’t want to hear anything? You think these pesky facts will get in the way of you being angry at me?’

I crossed my arms and glared at him. He just didn’t get it. He’d been an important figure in my life, but he’d known my secret and kept it from me, for reasons unclear. It was a betrayal. My thoughts turned dark as I thought of The Key of Aldebaran. It was going to be my life mission to destroy all copies of that wretched book. I wasn’t anyone’s key to some great mysterious power.

‘I don’t want to know your side,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to know about your creepy past. You’re ex-hellspawn. I know a hellspawn’s nature. Maybe you think you’re trying to redeem yourself. Maybe you think I'm that chance for redemption. Or maybe I'm your opportunity to get whatever you were fighting for when you were hellspawn. Either way, you lied to me. You misrepresented yourself. So whatever was between us, whatever I felt for you, is gone. Dead and gone.’

Seth blew out a breath. ‘Anon’s balls, Lora, a bit of sugar-coating next time would be nice.’

I looked at the scrub sweeping darkly past us, now dotted with homes, parks and shopping complexes. ‘I'll keep that in mind.’

A silence stretched, then Seth asked, ‘You want to tell me what really happened in the hedge maze?’

‘I told you what happened.’

‘I don’t believe for a second you used that brand of magic. You’re more of a knock-and-stun kind of girl. Not a bloodthirsty, rip-your-heart-out type. The report said the man had his eyes gouged out. That I can believe. But tearing a heart out?’ He grinned. ‘Not your style, Dimples.’

‘It happened just like I said.’

‘If you say so.’

We drove through a heavily populated area; streets lined with Internet cafes, grimy looking pubs, and the occasional strip joint. Seth finally parked outside a takeaway shop that advertised the cheapest pizzas in West Sydney. Seth pointed at a bar across the road. A neon sign featured a reptile licking its lips. ‘We’re meeting at the Iguana Cafe. Go inside and order yourself something. I'll be there soon.’

‘What? No way. I'm coming with you.’

‘I'll make first contact.’ Seth’s voice was firm. ‘We’ll meet you in the Iguana.’

‘Why? Is he shy? I promise not to look at your secret handshake.’

‘He can be a shifty character.’ Seth shot over his shoulder as he walked off.

‘You’d have a lot in bloody common then,’ I called after him. I watched him walk down the street, thinking suspicious thoughts. Only certain kinds of people from The Weald migrated to the Outlands, and they were usually of the criminal persuasion.

My stomach rumbled, reminding me Seth had mentioned food. I was a stress-eater and my brain had put in a large order for sugar and starch. I trotted across the road and entered the cafe. It was dim inside, the walls exposed brick with beer posters stuck up with electrical tape. Padded booths lined one side, looking like they’d seen better days, and a service counter lined with high stools sat opposite. I wiggled into one of the end booths, keeping my back to the wall and eyes on the entrance. Three rough-looking teenagers played at the pool table, drinking from pitchers of beer and two men sat at the counter, sucking down coffee and cake. One of them was wearing a shirt that proclaimed he was adverse to heavy women. Considering the beer-belly on him, I thought he had some nerve. His friend wore a polo shirt and red baseball hat, mottled with sweat stains.

They didn’t glance my way and I relaxed before a hard-bitten waitress with a nose ring and swastika neck tattoos took my order.

A plate of pancakes and two cups of terrible coffee later, I felt prepared when Seth walked through the front door. A big guy trailed behind him, dressed in long shorts, open plaid shirt with a singlet underneath, white sneakers and no socks. His hair was a nasty bleach job, while his tidy beard was pitch-black. Thick gold rings circled his fingers and a backpack was slung over one broad shoulder. He wore dark sunglasses, seemingly oblivious to the fact the sun had set.

Seth ordered coffee from the fright-night waitress, then slid into the booth across from me. Blackbeard shuffled in next to him, sliding his backpack under the table.

‘Pancakes for dinner?’ Seth looked at the leftovers on my plate.

‘It’s always a good time for pancakes.’ I eyed the last piece of pancake, trying to measure if it would fit my stomach.

‘Lora, this is Draden,’ Seth said.

‘Call me Casper.’ Blackbeard’s voice was a low rumble.

Seth paused as the waitress brought over two coffees.

‘You guys want anything else?’ Her voice was weary, eyes staring blankly over our heads.

‘We’re good,’ Seth told her.

With a bored grunt, she left. I eyed Casper and tried to figure out his angle. He had an ex-military look, with a lot of rough edges that hadn’t been smoothed out.

‘So.’ His sunglasses turned my way. ‘You’re the Lora Blackgoat.’

I served up a frown. ‘Yeah? So?’

‘So, nothing, sweet cheeks,’ Casper said. ‘Just heard some interesting things about you.’

‘Interesting?’ I returned the grin, flashing my dimples. ‘Seems you have me at a disadvantage, since I don’t know shit about you. Well, other than the fact you have the same nickname as a cartoon ghost.’

‘You think you’re pretty funny, yeah?’

‘I have my moments.’

Casper looked at Seth. ‘She’s a smarty-pants, isn’t she.’

‘I'm not getting involved in this,’ Seth said. ‘You two work it out.’

I looked at Casper’s eyewear pointedly. ‘At least I'm not the one wearing sunglasses inside, at night.’

‘I'm a Blues Brothers fan.’ Casper thumbed the glasses up his nose. ‘Great fucking movie. One of the fantastic things out here is movies. Know what the first one I saw was?’

‘Enlighten me.’

‘
Wizard of Oz
. You seen that shit? I only ask, because I hear you’re partial to the culture out here.’ Casper shook his head. ‘Great fucking movie. It was only after I saw it that I knew where I was.’