Part 43 (2/2)

Louis stopped the car at the lych gate. Othman stepped out when Louis opened one of the rear doors for him. He sniffed the air and looked around to see if anyone could witness what they were doing. When he was satisfied there were no prying eyes, he signalled for Louis to lift Daniel from the back of the car. Louis followed Othman up through the forlorn graveyard. Othman stopped at the main doors.

It's all locked up,' Louis said. You'll have to break in.'

Othman turned and grinned at Louis. He flexed his fingers together and cracked the knuckles. You think so? As it happens, I partook of a very fine meal last night which filled me with energy and strength. Watch this.' He made an abrupt, flicking gesture with his hands at the door. There was a shock, as if something had invisibly exploded, and a strange, sour taste in the air. The door to the church stood open. There was no smoke, no sign of Othman's power, other than the simple truth of the open door. You see?' Othman said. No problem.'

Louis had the wits to looked disturbed. He s.h.i.+fted the weight of his son in his arms. Let's go in, then.'

Once inside, Louis began to ask awkward questions concerning why Othman had chosen this particular site, and what the ceremony tomorrow night involved. Othman was forced to seal Louis' lips with a few puissant words, to quell his curiosity. It was not desirable to explain things to Louis. Like Barbara, he was merely a tool, and in Othman's consideration, deserved no explanation.

Othman directed Louis to lay Daniel out on the floor before the altar, while he made an inspection of the building. I will bring you life once more,' Othman told the brooding stones. Be patient.'

In the vestry, he located the entrance to the underground chambers he'd expected to find, hidden beneath a threadbare carpet. After discovering the main power switch to the building, Othman descended the stone steps that led under the vestry. Fortunately, the electric lights still worked, although some of the bulbs had blown.

He emerged into a round, domed antechamber where once the ceremonial robes would have hung, and all the sacred artefacts would have been stored. Now, it was empty, but for a faint lingering reek of ancient incense. Doors led off the chamber, and behind one of them, Othman located the ritual bathing area. The waters had been drained from the pool sunk into the ground, but after a brief investigation, he found the stop taps and water began to splutter out from the faucets around the rim of the pool. He would have to leave the water heating for a while, and certain items needed to be brought up to the church, such as towels, ointments, incense and candles. Lily and Emma would have to prepare the unguents and incense.

Back in the church, Louis was standing over Daniel, looking paranoid. When Othman emerged from the vestry, Louis jumped at the sound of his voice. There is nothing to be afraid of, I a.s.sure you.'

Louis stuck his hands in his trouser pockets. It's an eerie old place.'

Othman shrugged. If you say so. Sit down.'

Louis obeyed.

If it will make you feel any better, I shall invoke some protection for you. After all, we don't want anyone poking their noses in, do we?'

Louis shook his head.

Othman put his hands upon the wall and bowed his head. He visualised a glowing cloak of protection around the building, so that should anyone have the intention of approaching it, they would turn away, walk past, not even think of opening the lych gate. As he did this, Othman was surprised himself at how powerful he felt. Over the past couple of days he'd felt drained, weak. Now, it was as if some inner source was filling him with energy. He was still aware of the void deep within his mind, but he had lived with that for as long as he could remember. Was it possible that what he'd do in this place would close up that void for ever? He needed to believe it.

Now, I must go,' he said. Do not leave the building. I shall be as quick as I can.'

Will you send Barbara up here?' Louis' request was hopeful.

Othman felt a twinge of sympathy. I shall call her from the Winters' cottage. But if she comes here, you must not be too intimate with her. I don't want any stray s.e.xual energy thrumming around. Do you understand?'

Louis nodded.

Good. Give me your car keys.'

Louis rummaged in his pocket and handed them over.

I shall be back before nightfall,' Othman said.

As he drove back down to the village, he considered for a few brief moments that he could now drive off anywhere, free himself from whatever he'd taken on by coming to this place. What is holding me here? he wondered. It was of no consequence to him, really, whether the power of the Murkaster flame was reactivated or not. He had seen many flames in his life, pa.s.sed through them unscathed. Closed gateways, every one. Many times, he had attempted to call upon powers, which he directed to open the gate', although he had no idea of what would happen should any of his instincts become reality. He could not think about it, only act. Trying to a.n.a.lyse himself, or his motives, simply caused his head to fill with white noise that prevented thought.

The car purred up to the Winters' cottage, and Othman parked it behind Owen's vehicle on the driveway. The Perks boy was still sitting on the lawn, a grudging sentinel. Othman ignored him and went into the house, where Emma and Lily were drinking tea. Emma's hand was placed over Lily's. Clearly, some comforting had been going on.

Do you have any materials with which to make incense?' Othman asked Emma. Something simple to purify, frankincense, sandalwood and myrrh.'

Emma smiled. Do you think I ever neglected my wors.h.i.+p? I still have a few ingredients back at my daughter's house.'

Good. Go and fetch them. Also, some animal fat, and any candles you might have.'

Emma stood up. This sounds urgent.'

Othman said nothing until she had left the house. Then he asked Lily, Has Owen stirred?'

She shook her head. No, he's still sleeping.' Her brow was creased into a frown that looked as if it had been there all day. I'm worried about him, Pev. How can he sleep this long?'

You have nothing to worry about,' Othman said. He sat down opposite her at the table, reached for her hands. Poor Lily. Be at rest.' With one hand, he stroked her brow and the frown faded.

Tears came to her eyes. She took Othman's hand and kissed it. I love you,' she said.

Emma returned in twenty minutes with a bagful of ingredients, and Lily's kitchen became a workshop for incense making. Othman called Barbara Eager and told her to take some food and a flask of coffee up to Louis at the church, then went into the parlour to watch TV, while Emma directed operations.

What is this all for?' Lily whispered.

His ritual,' Emma answered. He seems to want everything to be just right.'

Emma pounded some of the incense mixture into a fine powder, which she blended with animal fat. When this was done, Othman appeared from the parlour and gave her some of his haoma mix to add to the ointment. Emma had collected nearly two dozen candles of a.s.sorted colours, while Lily found a couple of boxes of plain white candles under the sink for use during power cuts. All her good candles were half used. We shall need more,' Othman told Emma. But you'll have to get some tomorrow now.'

The candles, incense and ointment were packed carefully into a carrier bag by Emma, along with a couple of Lily's rather scratchy towels. Before he left them, Othman kissed each woman. Keep a vigil over Owen tonight,' he said.

Will you be back?' Lily asked him.

Later. Perhaps.'

The light was fading from the land by the time Othman parked the Daimler outside St Shem's. This was the time of power; he could feel it vibrating in the air around him. The soul of the boy burned with a white luminance within the church. Soon, it would blaze like a beacon fire.

Othman dismissed Barbara Eager as soon as he entered the building. She was sitting with Louis on one of the pews, holding his hands. Othman was satisfied to note that Louis pulled his hands away from her and directed his full attention upon Othman as soon as he made an appearance.

Once Barbara had gone, they lifted Daniel and carried him down to the bathing room, Louis wincing at the shadows. Othman lit candles around the pool and extinguished the electric light. Now the room became magical, the patterns of the moving waters rippling across the walls. Othman disrobed Daniel with his own hands, his fingers lingering at the places where the skin was broken and bruised. Then he lifted the boy in his arms. Daniel moaned and moved his limbs slowly as Othman waded into the pool. He lowered Daniel tenderly into the water, which was not yet quite at the temperature of living blood. A memory surfaced in Othman's mind: the ritual bath, the eyes of a boy, trusting, the scent of earth, the sensing of the weight of mountains pressing down from above. As if this memory was the first gate to many, he became aware of a parade of images, waiting to reveal themselves to his inner eye. His first instinct was to push them back, which he did, but not before the face of Taziel Levantine, feral and screaming, reared up before him. Othman closed his eyes. Louis said, What is it?'

Othman shuddered. Nothing. A bad memory.' But now it was painful to touch Daniel's skin. He stood up and came out of the pool, dripping water across the ancient flagstones. You do it,' he said to Louis. Bathe your son.' He went to sit on the wooden bench that circled the wall the of the room. He could hear Louis making small, aggrieved noises as he got his trousers wet in the pool. Othman rested his head against the cool, damp wall, and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt weary. He remembered, then, a dream.

It came to him on a wave of scent, the cut corn, the smoke of votive pyres, the sunset red and purple across the wide sky, and the mountains in sharp relief against it. The dwellings. The high dwellings, with their great stones. His house. There was a room, where chaos had walked across the threshold. He saw a boy, his personal seer, cowering in fear and terror, and the coals were spilled from the brazier across the carpets. The boy was calling out in fear, because the elders had sent their Serafim to take his lord, his master, from this place, to another place, where the earth gaped with sores and running wounds of fire. The boy would be left alone, then, with no-one to protect him, perhaps sacrificed as a creature of the sinful. Othman saw the eyes of the boy, heard the voice crying, Master!', but it was too late, far too late, and he knew then that a curse had come from the boy's lips; he had cursed her, cursed her name, her soul, sealed it with his grief.

She.

Her veiled face, the image of an ache behind his heart and eyes. Her beauty, coming from the inside of her, covering her with a glow. Her voice. Give it all to me. Give me knowledge for my mind is hungry. Fill the belly of my mind. And he had done so.

Ishtahar.'

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