Freya's Quest (29 page)

Her suffering at the hands of the Satanists overwhelmed me.

When she had finished, and could cry no more, she nestled up to me. She appeared like an innocent child, wanting succour. And I became a willing surrogate mother. As the morning light pierced through the small aperture to awaken me, I found her still attached to me, sleeping on blissfully.

I smiled, not knowing this would be the last time I’d ever see my friend.

A STRANGE STILLNESS gripped the atmosphere within the library, the room which had given me the most comfort since my arrival here. I sat by the fire, reflecting on the real picture of Dylan Quest, and the wider characters surrounding him, I had developed. I had totally mixed feelings now. He had genuinely cared for me. Yet that hadn’t stopped him hurting me through his unfaithfulness and his increasingly erratic behaviour. I was beginning to realize how much my search for the truth by staying with him had taken out of me. I’d learnt so much about the novelist, things which would’ve shocked even the most seasoned tabloid hacks who’d lampooned him for so long.

Now things were drawing to a conclusion. The fascination he had held for me would wane thereafter, I was sure. And I would be able to leave his depraved world behind and get on with my own life.

The final chapter still had to be told. And the only person I thought capable of telling it was Veronica Faversham.

Dylan was up in his ivory tower, putting the final touches to his novel-in-progress. I was sure he’d not disturb us. I’d called Veronica. Now I was simply awaiting her arrival.

Finally she did turn up, in an immaculate Hillman Super Minx. I met her at the door and led her through into the library. She helped herself to a tumbler of single malt whisky, then sat down in a leather armchair opposite me.

‘Your call sounded urgent. I came as fast as I could. What’s the matter?’

‘Dylan and Janis’ve told me everything.’

Veronica raised her eyebrow. ‘I’m sorry? I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Well, let me spell it out for you: you’re a Satanist!’

Veronica looked stunned.

‘Dylan has told me all about the satanic circle Sir Frederick ran….’

Veronica tutted.

‘….that you, his mother and others were his followers….’

She tutted again and lifted her head towards the ceiling.

‘….and that Dylan and Seraphina had been destined to be joined in a despicable and evil union.’

‘What rubbish!’

‘’Fraid not. I’ve seen an old film of the ceremony.’

Veronica shook her head, non-believing. Yet the first telltale signs of disquiet underpinned her expression.

‘Seraphina lost her virginity that night. Dylan was the goat-man who took it from her, just as your husband instructed. I take it he was the priest-like figure?’

‘OK. You’re right. Dylan must’ve told you.’

‘Yes.’

She went over to the drinks cabinet and poured herself another whisky. ‘I admire you, Freya. You must’ve influenced him greatly. He’s been truthful with you, which is unheard of for Dylan. He usually talks in riddles.’

‘Believe me, it took a lot of research and piecing together from books, the medallion I found, gossip, Seraphina’s folly painting, the ruined chapel, the old film and such like. I only managed to coax it out of Dylan and Janis armed with this evidence.’

‘I see.’

‘I think I’m the first person who’s really tried to find out what lies behind his sexual behaviour.’

‘You seem to’ve been given the full run of this house, too, which is rare.’

‘You sound jealous.’

‘You’re probably right. I’ve been jealous of all the lovers he’s paraded in front of me over the years. And, believe me, there’ve been plenty of them.’

‘Jealous? Why, because all these women were replacing your beloved Seraphina?’

‘No. Because I wanted him for myself.’

I couldn’t help giggling.

She looked disgruntled. ‘I was beautiful, once, you know.’

‘Well, let’s leave your warped fantasies to one side, shall we,’ I said, trying to disguise my mirth but failing badly. ‘Dylan’s been getting worse, both physically and mentally, even in the short time I’ve known him. Satanist indoctrination and trauma may account for a lot of this.’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Care to enlighten me, then?’

‘Where’s Dylan?’

‘Up in the tower. We shouldn’t be disturbed, if that’s what you’re worried about.’

She climbed to her feet and leant against the mantelpiece, picking up a poker to stoke the fire. Then she came over to me and waved the poker in front of my face.

‘If I tell you what you want to know, I must swear you to secrecy. If you do tell, no one in the outside world will believe you. But it would destroy Dylan.’

I watched the poker hovering nearer with mounting fear.

‘If you tell him, I’ll drive you out of his life! And I’ll do some damage with this!’ – she waved the poker beneath my nose – ‘Understood?’

I started to shake and quickly blurted out: ‘I swear.’

Veronica retreated and I was glad when she laid down the poker. She sat down again. She had remained calm throughout, despite her threats of violence. And this chilled me to the core.

‘Everything you’ve said about the Satanic Circle is true,’ she began, as if nothing untoward had happened. ‘I cannot deny my involvement. I was a fervent supporter of my husband’s activities. Passed down through generations of von Eschenbachs and Favershams. He was an expert black magician. Renowned throughout European circles. He had plenty of connexions and friendships with other renowned occultists. I don’t think you’ll ever believe how great my husband’s powers were. All you have to know is that his coterie of young maidens became committed to his work.’

‘Dastardly work, you mean.’

‘I never saw it that way. Dylan’s mother and I were two of the twelve selected in my generation. I was further honoured by becoming his wife as well. The Satanists had taken us away from our humble circumstances, educated us, given us belief in ourselves.

‘All except Dylan’s mother had remained committed to his master plan. She came to loathe Frederick and tried to obstruct our work. She ran off to Wales in an attempt to break away. Turned to evangelical Christianity in a failed bid to block out the dark forces. But she was drawn back here eventually, when her life turned sour. She remained unfaithful. But she couldn’t stop Frederick from influencing her son. Dylan simply believed he would become part of the group to which his mother had belonged. He was carefully tutored to take on the role of impregnating Seraphina during a dark ceremony, so that any offspring would obtain the combined powers of Faversham. Once of age, they could take the Circle forward to the next generation.’

‘When were they introduced into the Circle?’

‘They were educated together by my husband from the age of ten. They were both in awe of Frederick. Dylan, in particular, was very impressionable. Easily manipulated. Yet they were not subject to any induction into the group until the ceremony – the one you say you’ve seen the film of.’

‘Your other children – and the children of the other women – were though.’

‘Yes. They weren’t special like Dylan and Seraphina.’

‘How d’you mean?’

‘Well, what he didn’t, and still doesn’t comprehend, was that roles within the ceremony had been mapped out for both of them since their conception. Sir Frederick had embarked on a six-year programme. Like all the previous Masters had done. Tradition dictated it. All the twelve women were allowed to pair off and breed with other male members of the Circle. But only after each had submitted to Frederick in a specially designed ceremony on the most especial date in the satanic calendar – 30 April. Two of the twelve on that night, each year, until all had submitted.’

‘You mean sexually submitted?’

‘Why, of course. And as virgins.’

‘I see.’

‘Dylan and Seraphina were so special because they had been the only children conceived on these dates: Seraphina on 30 April, 1952; Dylan on 30 April, 1953. The twelve women had other children; but they’d been conceived within their own partnerships or during the less important ceremonies.’

‘How could you be so sure they were conceived on the night of the ceremony?’

‘Because the chosen women were sworn to celibacy between 30 April and the second most important date in our calendar – 31 October. Or Hallowe’en to you.’

‘I see….’ Then suddenly it struck me. ‘Now, hang on a minute. You’re telling me Sir Frederick fathered both Dylan and Seraphina?’

‘Yes.’

‘So they were half-brother and half-sister!’

‘Exactly. Seraphina found out about this soon after the ceremony. Then, when she discovered she was carrying Dylan’s child, she realized there was a great possibility the baby might turn out to be a monster, because of the close blood ties. That she might, in effect, really become the mother of the Devil’s child.’

‘And Dylan?’

‘Dylan never knew any of this. He was happy that Seraphina loved him; that he loved her; and that his life with her would be everlasting. He was also content with the esoteric powers he’d gleaned from my husband.

‘But Seraphina couldn’t live with the antagonisms. She’d confided in me several times about the raving thoughts inside her mind before she finally ended it all. She tried to escape what she called “her father’s baleful influence” by running away with Dylan. He arranged for them to have a Christian wedding, which might act as an exorcism.

‘She couldn’t bring herself to tell him. She’d always been very highly-strung. She loved him, but at the same time, she was ashamed to have committed an incestuous act. Despite our teachings, she’d never really overcome the customs and taboos of wider society….Therefore, she killed herself.’

Veronica bowed her head. She brought out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from her eyes.

‘I didn’t want to tell Dylan the real reason behind her suicide, for the same reason why Seraphina didn’t want to tell him what was troubling her: we didn’t want to lose his love and companionship.

‘She chose not to tell him. So I, in turn, have adopted her attitude.’

‘And between you, you seem to have overladen him with guilt!’ I interrupted angrily, a wave of sympathy for him sweeping over me.

‘I’ve suffered, too, you know. I’m sure the Devil’s curse was laid upon me and Dylan’s mother. I’ve lost my looks, my husband and my daughter since that ceremony. Anne lost her life to cancer.’

‘But look what you’ve done to Dylan!’

Veronica remained silent.

‘So Dylan and Seraphina only entered into these ceremonies once; kept in the dark till that moment. The same can’t be said for Janis and Eric, now can it?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘You mean you can’t face what you’ve done to them. That you’re culpable in the systematic sexual abuse of both of them! And Agnes’s three daughters! And other children as yet unaccounted for!’

‘It wasn’t like that.’

‘How else can you explain it? Little boys and girls being molested, penetrated and raped by grown men, women and even dogs. Some of these perpetrators being their own mothers and fathers – horrific!’

I was becoming increasing frustrated with Veronica’s denials of the enormity of what she had been part of. Could this really be the result of Sir Frederick’s indoctrination? Or did she have to keep denying it all, in order to survive the horror of what she had done.

‘Dylan and Seraphina escaped this. But you’ve created a line of victims. Some of whom have become sexual monsters themselves. Like your renegade son, Eric. Janis’s told me all about his imprisonment for paedophilia.’

‘Don’t dare mention him!’ Veronica was boiling over with rage. She was finally having to face up to her crimes. ‘I disowned him long ago. He was always of lowest rank, not even Frederick’s son.’

‘Conceived during one of those orgies, no doubt.’

‘Indeed. He threatened our secrets, you know, spilling them all out through his lewd actions.’

‘You tried to gag Janis, too, didn’t you? By marrying her off to another of your husband’s evil cronies.’

‘Yes. She started to pour out all her memories in therapy. Then she’d come to me with her tirades. I thought she needed to be stabilized before she spilled it out to other people. I couldn’t let that happen. There’s too much at stake.’

‘Eh? All this took place years ago.’

‘True. But I never retired after my husband’s death.’ She unbuttoned the top of her blouse and I saw the medallion boldly displayed above her cleavage. ‘I spared Emily from all involvement and knowledge, in light of its effects on my other kids. But our Circle still exists; it’s simply been relocated since Dylan reneged on his responsibilities.’

‘My God! You must tell Dylan the truth! If you don’t, then I will. I can’t keep this to myself.’

‘No! No! No!’ she shrieked. ‘You swore to me you wouldn’t tell!’

She ran over to the hearth and picked up the poker. She thrust it into the fire, then held it aloft in a threatening manner, and walked towards me. Instinctively, I pulled myself to my feet and stood behind the chair as a line of defence.