Part 32 (2/2)
”I merely wish to communicate with your guardian spirit, that's all.”
”No!” The Faie hissed her refusal before Celestine could react. ” The Faie hissed her refusal before Celestine could react. ”I tell you, Magus, that we have nothing to discuss.”
”Even though it's a matter of the greatest importance?”
”Leave now-while you can.”
Still he came on and Celestine raised her right hand in a vain gesture to keep him at bay.
”Leave me alone.” She felt the Faie's power rus.h.i.+ng through her, from her mind to her outstretched hand, concentrating in her fingertips. Every vein in her body burned with luminous energy. ”Stay back!”
In the frosty gloom of the filthy alley, Linnaius saw Celestine's eyes begin to glimmer.
Pure white sparks of aethyrial energy shot from her outstretched hand. He s.n.a.t.c.hed the ghost of a breeze from the night, twisting it around himself to repel the attack. But he was too slow to deflect the full force and the bolts sizzled through his defense, knocking him off his feet and onto the ground. Fighting for breath, dizzy, he tried to force himself to get up, slipping on the slime of ice and mud, only to drop back again.
Azilis blazed a vicious warning.
”Leave-us-alone.”
Celestine saw the Magus stagger and fall. This was her chance to escape.
”He'll only come after us again.” The Faie's fury still burned in her brain and she felt a second burst of fire welling up within her. ”Finish it now, once and for all. ”Finish it now, once and for all.”
As the power coursed through her body, Celestine saw Linnaius push himself up on one hand, turning to her with a look so confused, so imploring, that it almost made her stay her hand.
”This is no time for weakness!” The Faie's rage possessed her and she flung another glittering bolt at him. Linnaius fell back. After one convulsive shudder, he did not stir again. The Faie's rage possessed her and she flung another glittering bolt at him. Linnaius fell back. After one convulsive shudder, he did not stir again.
Is it all over at last? Have we destroyed him? Her fire-dazzled mind could only think of escape. She gathered up her skirts and began to run, expecting at any time to feel a flesh-shredding blast of wind catch her. ”Must get away from here,” she kept repeating to herself. ”Must get the sequins back to Yelena. She'll be cross if I'm late.” Her fire-dazzled mind could only think of escape. She gathered up her skirts and began to run, expecting at any time to feel a flesh-shredding blast of wind catch her. ”Must get away from here,” she kept repeating to herself. ”Must get the sequins back to Yelena. She'll be cross if I'm late.”
But at the entrance to the alleyway, all the strength drained from her body and she fell, clutching at a doorpost to support herself.
”Faie, what's wrong?” This was unlike any weakness she had ever felt before, emanating from deep within her. ”Did Linnaius put a glamour on you?”
For a moment the Faie did not reply and when she did, her words sounded distant and bewildered. ”What's happening to me? Why am I...so... weak?” ”What's happening to me? Why am I...so... weak?”
The bright presence within her dimmed, like a candleflame blown out in the wind, and the rea.s.suring, familiar voice fell silent.
”Where have you been, you wretched girl?” Yelena rose, staring severely at Celestine over the top of her pince-nez. ”You're late! Now we'll all have to work past midnight-” She broke off. ”Why, what ever's the matter? You're trembling.”
”I-I was attacked.” Celestine's teeth chattered. She was still shaken to the core by the unexpected encounter with Linnaius. Even enduring Yelena's wrath was preferable to what she had just experienced. ”In the alley.”
”Are you all right?” The other seamstresses crowded around to fuss over her. ”Were you robbed?” ”Did you see his face?”
”I got away.” She pulled out the twist of paper containing the precious sequins and held it out to Yelena. Yelena gave a fastidious little sniff but accepted it nonetheless and unwrapped the sparkling contents.
”Go and warm yourself at the stove. Drink some tea. And don't go by that alleyway again after dark.”
Celestine saw Grebin coming along the pa.s.sageway toward her, carrying the dancers' flowing headdresses. ”They won't do,” he said, plumping the bundle of buckram and tangled ribbons into her arms. ”The ballet mistress says they're too long and they get in the way. Tell Yelena they must be altered. We need them in half an-” He stopped, gazing at her quizzically. ”What have you done to your hair, Maela? Bleached it? I liked it better brown.” And he pa.s.sed on down the pa.s.sageway.
My hair bleached? Celestine stood in the dim light with her arms full of dangling ribbons and laces, not knowing quite what to do first. Celestine stood in the dim light with her arms full of dangling ribbons and laces, not knowing quite what to do first. Is my disguise slipping? Is my disguise slipping?
This thought was so disturbing that it sent her running to the nearest empty dressing room, dumping the offending headdresses over a hanging rail and leaning close to the mirror to check her reflection. Even in the gloom, she could see that her hair was fast reverting to its natural shade of pale gold. And her eyes were blue as cornflowers once more.
”Faie?” She began to wind her fair hair up into a knot, desperately casting around for a piece of sc.r.a.p material that she could use as a headscarf to hide it. ”Faie! ”Faie! What's wrong with you?” There was no reply. ”Answer me!” What's wrong with you?” There was no reply. ”Answer me!”
The seamstresses stayed up all night to finish the dancers' costumes. Celestine, her hair still covered by a tightly bound headscarf, was relieved not to have to leave the theater again. The women took it in turns to sleep and sew, drinking strong tea from the samovar to keep awake. As Celestine sat slowly, mechanically st.i.tching a seam, her eyelids began to droop, only to start awake as she saw again the Magus's face, lit by the stark, pure light of the Faie's attack.
Is Linnaius really gone at last? She had thought she would feel triumphant in the knowledge that she had destroyed him. But all she felt was emptiness. She had ruthlessly pursued her quest to avenge her father, abandoning her career, her country, even her dearest friends. She had thought she would feel triumphant in the knowledge that she had destroyed him. But all she felt was emptiness. She had ruthlessly pursued her quest to avenge her father, abandoning her career, her country, even her dearest friends.
Faie? There was still no answer. Celestine's heart ached. Suppose in protecting her from Linnaius, the Faie had given up the last of her aethyrial life force? There was still no answer. Celestine's heart ached. Suppose in protecting her from Linnaius, the Faie had given up the last of her aethyrial life force?
Am I all alone now?
CHAPTER 10.
The plans for rebuilding the damaged wing of Swanholm Palace lay spread out over the Emperor's desk. Eugene, in company with his architects, was comparing them with the original designs when a discreet knock announced the arrival of his secretary, Gustave.
”I wouldn't have interrupted you, imperial highness, if it were not a matter of the utmost gravity.” Gustave bowed as he presented Eugene with a folded paper.
”Excuse me, gentlemen.” Eugene went to the window to read by the clear snow light while Gustave hovered, waiting for a reply.
It was a transcript of a Vox message from an agent in the port of Haeven: Unconfirmed reports received from clippers on their way back from the Azure Ocean of a devastating typhoon or tidal wave that has wrecked many s.h.i.+ps and wreaked havoc in the Spice Islands.
Eugene looked up, staring out over the snow haze blanketing the valley, yet seeing a distant sh.o.r.e where, were it not for the merciless heat, the sand was so white it could be mistaken for snow. ”Enguer-rand,” he murmured. ”Aude. Andrei.” Andrei.”
He had left the rebel princes behind on Ty Nagar, wanting to put as much distance as possible between them and his children. When Linnaius had returned to rescue Lord Gavril, he had offered to take Lady Aude too but she had refused, insisting she would stay with Enguerrand. And that was the last he had heard.
He looked up to see Gustave and the architects watching him cautiously. ”Has anyone else seen this intelligence?” he asked.
”I believe that news may have leaked out-” began Gustave.
”Eugene!” Astasia came running in. ”What's this rumor I've been hearing?”
Gustave nodded to the architects, who bowed and hastily made themselves scarce.
”A tidal wave in the Spice Islands? All the s.h.i.+ps in the area feared wrecked?”
”There are no details yet-” Eugene began.
”Why didn't you send Linnaius back to rescue him?” She launched herself at him, beating her fists against his chest. ”You left my brother marooned there. You left him there to die!”
Eugene stared at his wife, taken aback by this furious outburst. He caught her by the wrists, pressing her clenched fists against his breast. ”You know well enough why I didn't bring Andrei back.”
”He wasn't in his right mind, Eugene; he was possessed by that- that Drakhaoul.” Her eyes burned with angry tears yet she didn't break down. ”Andrei would never have done those terrible things. I was there. I saw him. It wasn't Andrei who stole our son. The daemon forced him to do it.”
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