The Dark (16 page)

My head shakes a negative; words have disappeared. I feel, without having to look up, the intensity of Lorian’s glare.

‘Isabel, you have no concept of what it has taken me. What it has taken
from
me, to make this decision.’

Bone dry right to the bottom of my throat, I try to work moisture into my mouth so that I can form words again. ‘Then I beg of you, tell me why.’

Lorian explains: ‘Lathenia is on a rampage. She has escalated the war between us, unintentionally drawing a final confrontation nearer. It’s as if she doesn’t have a care or concern for her own armies. This is a new tactic. This is what we are up against now – a fearless
enemy. An enemy willing to risk all – and I mean
all
!’

Lorian pauses a moment. ‘I am not willing to risk all.’

And then, ‘You have not thought this through. If you were to go into the underworld, you would not have your bodily disguises.’

‘My lord,’ I say my words quickly, before they dry up again beneath the Immortal’s stare. ‘Arkarian is without a disguise. So too is Lathenia. And I believe the Order are only moments away from discovering Ethan’s identity anyway.’

‘That may well be, but more is at risk than you think. Lathenia is making moves that will prove catastrophic to our world and hers too. She doesn’t live in the underworld. It is a piteous place where men turn into beasts. It is a place for the soul-less.’ Lorian inhales deeply, shoulders expanding and lifting beneath the silver cloak as power emanates from him.

I find the stool beneath my fingers and sit on it. Ethan follows, his breathing harsh and loud. If he were prone to asthma, I’d think he was having an attack.

Lorian continues in our silence, ‘Have you noticed certain changes in your mortal world?’

This has us thinking, remembering that odd day at school, the slip in the uniform code.

‘Have you noticed a hint of darkness in the wind that comes from the north?’ These words have our heads shooting up. I struggle to keep my eyes from connecting with Lorian’s, feeling an urge to search them for a clue. As for the darkness, I haven’t noticed anything … yet.

‘You will,’ Lorian interrupts my thoughts, reminding me how careful I have to be. ‘Members of the Tribunal
are reporting failed missions under their control. Several have lost soldiers. It won’t be long before our world changes beyond repair. The situation is so desperate the present is becoming a feeding ground for the advancing armies of Chaos. We cannot let this continue. We cannot risk losing a further two important members of our Guard. We are already reinstating your missing members. Rochelle will return immediately. Neriah, who is still to be initiated, is already in your care, Isabel. So hear my words.’ Lorian’s voice explodes into my brain, ‘Until Lathenia’s rage reduces, and we begin to gain back ground, Arkarian remains where he is. There is to be no rescue mission. I forbid it!’

To the Immortal it is clear this meeting is over. But my heart is crying out to be heard. The very thought of living another day without Arkarian makes me feel desperate inside. And so the words come: ‘I can’t follow your command, my lord.’

Ethan inhales a sharp breath and digs his fingers into my arm firmly. ‘What the hell are you doing?’

I yank my arm out of his grasp and get to my feet. The stool beneath me shoots out and tumbles backwards, making a loud noise in the deathly silence. ‘I can’t obey you,’ I repeat more forcefully. ‘You see, for most of my life I’ve looked after myself. If there was a problem I fixed it – on my own. It’s how I live. Perhaps in my small world these matters are innocent and unimportant, and I’m never in any real danger, but right now there is someone in trouble, someone I care for – we all care for – and I know in my heart that I
can
fix this. Thanks to Lady Arabella and her gift to me, I only need a drop of light to see. And most importantly, I ask for no assistance. In this way the risk to the
Guard will be minimal. If you will allow me to try, I will bring Arkarian back.’

Beside me Ethan groans and slowly gets to his feet. ‘Um, well, I’m with her. And no offence to Isabel, but I think the two of us together have a better chance of rescuing Arkarian.’

I smile at him, and with a little more enthusiasm he says, ‘Arkarian was my Trainer, and my mentor for nearly all my life. When I was a child, he stopped me from losing my sanity. I owe him as a brother and as a friend. Please reconsider your command, my lord.’

Lorian remains silent. Maybe the Immortal will relate to a more logical argument. I wave my arms around to include the Tribunal members, hoping to get some response, some support from them. ‘Look, everything we do while the Goddess is on the warpath is more dangerous than anything we’ve done before. Arkarian is vital to Veridian. Everyone in this room is conscious of that fact. We need all our players to fulfil the Prophecy successfully, so we must take the risk to rescue Arkarian, or all will be lost anyway. Can’t you see?’

Still the Chamber remains silent, and my frustration grows. ‘Why don’t you answer me? I thought you knew everything! How come you don’t know how to get Arkarian back?’

Lorian stands, and the suddenness of it has everyone gasping and holding their breath. I have a fraction of a second to realise I over-stepped my mark.

Lorian’s hands do a wide sweep of the room, and from them explodes a chilling flame of blue fire, hurling and unfolding straight at us with the speed of a rocket in full flight. Every person, Lord, Queen and
King alike, dives to the floor. This curtain of pulsing flame hovers threateningly over us for a few seconds, making us shiver with the sudden plunge in temperature. Power surges through our bodies, rocking us, and I understand this is a display meant for us to feel the Immortal’s strength, and not just see it.

In a flash the flame retracts, and everyone breathes again, murmuring to each other. Lorian speaks inside our heads, as if speaking verbally is beyond the Immortal’s own capability at the moment.

The room falls silent as each of us receives this message. None of us is left in doubt of the Immortal’s command.
Arkarian remains in the underworld. I have spoken. Now everyone leave me. Everyone!

Chapter Fifteen

Isabel

I wake in my bed with a wild jolt to my heart, the power of Lorian’s rage still thundering through every cell of my body. I get another start when I see Matt sitting in my plastic lounge, reading. He notices I’m back and puts the book aside. ‘What happened? You look like you just returned from the dead.’

It takes a minute to catch my breath, then I tell him about my visit to Athens, and how Lorian informed us of the precarious position the Guard has found itself in. ‘Lorian forbade any attempt to rescue Arkarian, and …’

‘And …?’

‘I inadvertently provoked an immortal rage.’

‘What!’

‘Lorian swept the chamber with this incredible blue fire. It was like ice. It went right through me.’ I hold up my hands. They’re still shaking.

Matt stares at me. ‘You idiot.’

‘Well thanks, and here I was thinking you cared.’

‘You made this … this superior being mad at you? Are you insane? What were you thinking?’

‘OK, I hear you. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do it again.’

‘I’m glad to hear it, Isabel.’

His sarcastic comment ticks me off. ‘Well, thanks. At least I get things done!’

He doesn’t respond, and I feel like a heel for having the cheap stab at him. ‘Sorry,’ I mumble.

‘Forget it.’

We’re silent for a minute. ‘Before the mad rage Lorian let us know that Rochelle is coming back. Are you going to be all right with that?’

He glances away to the door, then swings his gaze down to his bare feet and stares at his toes for what seems like ages. Finally he looks up at me, ‘If it were up to me, and I wasn’t involved in this Guard stuff, I’d try to win her back, with everything I have.’

His words make my stomach churn. ‘But now?’

He gets up and stands looking out at a starry night sky. ‘Unlike you, I’m not an idiot.’

‘Jerk.’

He smiles briefly, his jaw sliding first left, then right. ‘I don’t like the fact that I was being used by Marduke, or anyone, but …’ he sighs. ‘Look, maybe Rochelle didn’t have much choice.’

‘Seems to me that she only had two: pretend to love you, or be tortured by Marduke. Maybe she wasn’t strong enough to stand up to him. Maybe he held other things over her as well. Things you won’t know about until she’s released from her de-briefing and the two of you get a chance to talk.’

He nods.

‘I’m sure her decisions were difficult to make.’ Of course
not
becoming Marduke’s spy in the first place
would have been her best one.

And yet there is another twist to Rochelle’s tale. Ethan has feelings for her too. At least he did. When they first met, he swore there was a connection, a bond of some sort. But neither of them could act on that feeling, as their lives swung off in opposite directions.

Matt leaves, and I lie in bed awake for the rest of the night. By sunlight I’m a wreck. I would take the day off school, except I’m supposed to be looking out for Neriah, and acting normally. But how can I act as if nothing’s wrong? There’s just too much going on in my head.

Ethan, knowing I would be distraught this morning, rides over, and along with Matt, we get the bus together. And even though we know Rochelle is going to be returning soon, we’re all thrown into shock when we see her at school already, sitting alone on one of the benches.

I grip Matt’s arm. ‘Do you want to get this over with?’

At first he doesn’t answer, just keeps looking at Rochelle. ‘I don’t think so,’ he finally says. ‘Maybe another day.’

He takes off and now I notice Ethan looking at Rochelle. Does he still have feelings for her too? Love is one of those things that can’t be turned on and off at will. I decide to bring the matter up to test his reaction. ‘Ah, I wonder what you’re thinking right now.’

‘About what?’

‘Well, since it’s over between Matt and Rochelle … I thought maybe …’

His head swivels sideways and he stares at me without blinking. ‘What are you on about? You know I
can’t stand that girl.’

I whisper back, ‘She’s one of us now.’

‘Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I trust her.’

He’s lying, right to my face. Maybe even to his own heart. ‘You stood up for her once, before all the members of the Tribunal.’

He chooses to ignore me, which is probably a good thing, as Dillon, walking beside Neriah, makes an appearance. I recall I was supposed to meet Neriah in the car park. But I’m having trouble remembering everything I’m supposed to be doing these days. Somehow I have to get a grip.

Mr Carter comes out of the office and pulls Neriah to the side, pointing to some textbooks in his hand. Dillon spots me and comes over, and for the first time I notice just how vivid green his eyes are.

‘Hey,’ he says. ‘I went to the Falls Café yesterday but Neriah wasn’t there.’

‘Oh?’

‘Then I went to the art block, but the staff there told me that Neriah Gabriel isn’t doing any after-school art class.’

‘Well, she’s new. Her name probably isn’t registered yet.’

‘When I couldn’t find her, I went for a walk through the forest and stumbled across her house – or I should say fortress! Anyway, I got to talk to her after all and she’s not going to any art classes. She doesn’t know where you got that idea from.’ For a minute I think he’s mad at me. Most guys would be. But his scowl transforms into a teasing grin. ‘I think you were trying to get rid of me yesterday.’

I lift my shoulders and offer a lame smile back. ‘I’m
sorry, Dillon. Yesterday was one hell of a day.’

‘Yeah, well, it was a weird day for me too. But look, I really like Neriah. I want a chance with her. I need you on my side, Isabel.’

Maybe Ethan’s right when he says Dillon’s a nice guy. Maybe I don’t know him as well as Ethan does, or even Matt for that matter.

Neriah approaches, ending our conversation. And somehow, minute by minute, the day passes. But if anyone were to ask me what classes I had today, I wouldn’t be able to tell them. Except for history, when Mr Carter found a moment to tell me a mission is planned for this evening.

When I get home I learn there are guests coming for dinner. But I don’t mind really, ’cause it’s just Ethan with his parents and his Auntie Jenny, who’s going to be staying in Angel Falls for a while. This is a plan, apparently, to persuade Laura not to go to the sanatorium next week. But so far it’s not working. At least tonight I’ll have an opportunity to see how Laura’s doing for myself.

But when I do see her, I get such a shock, it takes an effort not to be rude. I can’t help staring. When did she get so thin? Her arms and legs are like billiard cues. And her eyes, normally so vivid and pretty, look oversized in a grey and drawn face. Even Shaun looks gaunt. He must be so worried about his wife.

Ethan sits beside his mum at the dinner table; occasionally his hand whips out and squeezes her arm. On one occasion when he does this, tears spring to my eyes. Sensing something, he glances up and catches my compassionate look. I try to impart a supportive smile. I want to let him know I’m here for him, and that
somehow we’ll find a way to make his mother better.

Mum serves dinner – roast chicken with four different vegetables. The plate is bright and colourful. The look of it makes my stomach roll. I can’t remember when I last ate. I can’t seem to think of food any more. But I try to force some down so Mum doesn’t get worried. Beside me, Jimmy watches quietly. He knows how anxious I am, but we haven’t had a chance to talk yet about all that happened while he was away. Mum comes over and rubs my shoulders. She catches sight of my plate and can’t help staring at what is now a pile of unidentifiable mush. ‘Did I cook that?’ Her tone is light, but I know her well. It’s a disguise for her concern. ‘Not hungry, darling?’

I almost blurt out some lame excuse about having a tummy bug. Ethan makes a coughing sound, and I remember not to ever make a fuss before going to bed on the night of a mission. Mum would only come in and check on me. And while I’ll appear as if I’m only sleeping, my body won’t wake or even stir. And she’ll get such a fright if she tries to wake me.