Authors: Lee Monroe
‘You’re not wrong, but …’ Dalya twiddled a lock of her hair. ‘Please … don’t be angry … but it was me.’
‘It was you!’ My insides turned over, registering disappointment first, then confusion. ‘What made you … ?’
She wrung her hands. ‘Henora warned me that as I grew older I would develop this ability to speak to people through my dreams. If they’re on my mind … If I miss them.’ She looked up at me through her eyelashes. ‘Luca had the same dreams …’
‘I remember,’ I said, smiling at the memory. ‘I thought there was something wrong. I thought it was Luca.’ I tried not to show the pain that hit me as I spoke, though ever-intuitive, Dalya squeezed my hand tightly.
‘There is no danger. Just a bit of sadness. Luca is … well he is not the same these days. He is so quiet. He has no sense of humour. He is like a machine with no feelings. He just does everything Henora tells him to do. But his eyes are dead. I just wanted …’
‘I know.’ Seeing her distressed, I gave her a brief hug. ‘I want it too. But perhaps we both have to let go of it.’ I could hardly believe I was saying this, and not at all sure I believed I could do it, but Dalya was only a kid. With the weight of the world on her shoulders.
‘So now you feel you came back here for nothing?’
‘No. Not now …’ I shook my head. Hesitant about telling Lila the other reason. ‘I am glad to see you. So glad.’
But instead of smiling, Dalya’s whole body seemed to deflate. I could have sworn I saw tears in those dark eyes.
‘Lila is not you … She’s nice enough. I suppose she’s pretty, but she’s … needy,’ Dalya said with some distaste. ‘And the way she sucks up to Mother – like a little girl who wants to be loved.’
‘Maybe she does?’ I knew the truth about poor Lila, and I wished I could tell Dalya, but I couldn’t betray Soren like that.
‘Well, she can find some other boy to love.’ Dalya looked sulky. ‘I mean, why does it have to be Luca?’
‘Where is Lila?’ I asked. ‘Is she here, at the parade?’
‘She is arriving at any moment, and I must go and join my family, to greet her. So that we can act out the pantomime. All so that Henora is happy.’
‘What a mess.’ I reached out for Dalya’s hand. ‘But you mustn’t worry … Go now. I hope to see you again.’
‘I hope so.’ Dalya held on to my hand. ‘I can still talk to you, in your dreams, if you like?’
‘I like.’ I hugged her properly then, feeling her slight frame, and the silky softness of her hair where it brushed against my face. I watched her as she walked away, each step she took looked heavy. Like her heart. Like mine. As she disappeared through a group of people standing at the edge of the field. I turned to think, staring out at the acres of field in front of me. The sun had come out and my face underneath the make-up felt hot. I badly wanted to scrub it off. Be myself again. This whole day was pointless.
As I turned back to face the palace, my eye caught a willowy blonde figure, dressed in a white tunic, her hair pulled back prettily.
Lila.
At her side, was an older woman. Must be her mother, Hanni. Her adoptive mother. Suddenly I thought of Soren. I had lost sight of him. Dalya and I had walked so far from the others. If my own dreams were shattered, I could at least help him.
I walked back, the sound of the brass band growing louder. And the closer I got to the palace, to the people, the louder my heart seemed to beat. Alone, I felt vulnerable somehow, as though, unguarded, all manner of danger might come to get me. I picked up my feet until I was practically running.
‘There you are.’ A strong arm gripped mine, and I gasped, turning with relief to see Soren.
‘She’s here,’ I said breathlessly. ‘Lila.’
‘I know. I saw her too.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
‘You. You don’t know what to do?’ I almost laughed. ‘Well you have to try and talk to her …’
‘What is the likelihood of me getting anywhere near her?’ He gave a humourless laugh. ‘She is surrounded.’
I thought for a moment. ‘Soren, this might sound a bit out there, but I know someone who’s close to me – and also to Lila. In a sense, anyway. If she knew the truth, she would certainly help.’
He looked bemused. ‘Who?’
‘Luca’s sister. Dalya. She and I have an understanding.’ I sighed. ‘In fact, it was Dalya who came to me the other night, not Luca.’ I waved away the question that was about to come from his lips. ‘It’s OK. I’m OK. But seeing as my own plight is kind of hopeless. I feel I should help you, if I can.’
‘Can you trust this girl?’
‘As much as I can trust anyone. I trust her like I trust Dot, my sister.’ As I said it, I knew I meant it. ‘And she knows there is something … a little odd about Lila. She was saying so just now.’
‘You have been busy.’ Soren nodded. ‘But I don’t know … I don’t want to frighten Lila.’
‘Has it occurred to you that Lila might actually be happy to know she has a brother? A proper flesh-and-blood brother.’
‘It has occurred to me that it would distress her to know that her brother killed her entire family,’ he said grimly.
I rounded on him. ‘But what about the truth? You can’t spend the rest of your life pretending.’
‘The rest of my life?’ He smiled, but it was a forlorn kind of smile.
‘Well … eternity then.’ I reached out and touched his shoulder. It occurred to me for the first time that living for ever wasn’t really the dream that mortals longed for. It could be for ever spent sad and regretful. I realised that underneath the cynical humour, Soren was just that.
‘What about you? Are you going to spend your life pretending? You don’t get long, after all.’
‘Way to cheer me up,’ I said, dryly. But he had a point.
‘Luca is prepared to … So there’s not a lot I can do about it. Even Dalya can’t see him changing his mind. And in a way, it makes me – well, it makes me love him more.’
‘Oh, Jane.’ Soren gently lifted my chin with his fingertip. ‘Luca is a fool.’
The sky above us was growing darker blue, and over at the palace, tall candles glittered magically.
‘Time for the palace party,’ Soren said, his gaze crisscrossing. On the lookout for Lila, I supposed.
I linked my arm through his. ‘Come on. I’m starving,’ I said. ‘Let’s see if the banquet has started.’ I pulled him with me. It was true, my stomach ached I was so hungry. But I wanted to find Dalya again. If she was willing to help get Lila on her own then tonight might be Soren’s only chance to talk to his sister. And set the record straight.
The musical theme was jazz. Jaunty trumpets played us inside the palace gates. Palace staff stood about with jugs of sparkling liquid, welcoming the hundreds of guests as they streamed through, keen to get their free food and drink, courtesy of the Celestial family.
Groups of people, smiling, bopping to the music, painted a happy carefree picture. I could see that Nissilum was sometimes a happy jubilant place, where its people were content with living under its regime.
Near to the grand entrance, Vanya stood talking to Celeste. They made an odd couple. Vanya tall, willowy and dangerous-looking, waved her elegant hands about expressively, while Celeste stood demurely, nodding in a polite way. If she was uncomfortable, she didn’t betray it. I even saw a flicker of a smile at something Vanya was saying. Vanya briefly caught my eye, lifting her chin, a sly smile on her face.
I just hoped Dalya had not been whisked away. I looked around me, my heart flipping over at the sight of the tall, slender boy standing with his brother and a couple of the palace minions. With his hands stuck into his pockets, he was nodding absently at their banter. I felt my insides contract as I watched his eyes travel away from his companions, looking this way and that, and I saw for the first time how thin he had become. He lifted his head and his gaze came to rest on where we stood, Soren and I. I swallowed, wanting to look away, but I couldn’t do it. I wanted to pretend he was no more than a stranger, but I didn’t take my eyes off him, and then his eyes met mine, and a look of sadness came over his face as he smiled a secret smile.
I smiled back, not wanting the moment to stop, but within seconds Lowe was tugging at his brother’s arm and Luca turned from me, his head bent back, listening to what Lowe had to say.
I had it though, I had the sign I needed.
‘Luca!’ A pretty voice, like a little bell, chimed through the crowds, and it seemed that everyone standing in the palace courtyard turned to watch the girl practically skip through the crowds.
Luca looked up, recognising her, and it looked like his expression changed, and broad smile lit up his face.
‘Stay calm,’ Soren whispered, as though reading my thoughts. ‘It is to be expected.’
I drew myself up, nodding, and noticed the sulky dark-haired girl traipsing along with her formidable mother.
‘Dalya,’ I said, grabbing Soren’s arm. ‘That’s Dalya.’
‘The child?’ Soren frowned. ‘I don’t think—’
But I didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence. Instead, I darted through a group of witches.
‘Dalya!’ I shouted, half hiding behind a giant of a man; he must have been a werewolf. I saw her turn, her eyes flashing, curiously, to see who had shouted for her. To my relief she saw me and her face brightened. She turned and came towards me.
‘Careful, missy,’ said the bearded man, jovially. ‘Come to see your Uncle Olwen …’
‘Olwen.’ She bobbed politely, a sugar smile on her face. ‘I need to fetch a shawl for Mother, I think …’ And with that she pushed past him, grinning cheekily, as though to excuse her rudeness, and grabbed hold of my arm. I had forgotten how strong she was. But then, she was a little wolf-girl, I kept forgetting about that.
Looking up at Soren, I saw a flicker of amusement on his face.
‘Follow us,’ I hissed, allowing Dalya to pull me with her, back towards the main entrance.
Oblivious to my companion, Dalya kept going.
‘Dalya,’ I said, breathlessly, ‘steady on.’
Obviously judging that we were at a safe distance from her family, Dalya stopped, her dark hair a little unruly.
Seeing Soren, her brown eyes narrowed.
‘Who is this?’ She looked sharply at me. ‘The vampire-boy?’
‘Actually—’ began Soren, but I silenced him with a look. We needed Dalya to trust us, we needed to tell her his story.
Her eyes came back to me. ‘This whole event is deadly,’ she said miserably. Mother is so neurotic, what with the wedding, and Lila is getting on my every nerve. And as for Luca – well, he would be happier at his own funeral.’
‘He looks perfectly happy to me,’ I said, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.
‘Of course he does.’ Dalya sighed dramatically. ‘Luca behaves the way he thinks he should behave. But I swear, she’s enough to—’
‘We need your help,’ I cut in, changing the subject. ‘Soren needs your help.’
Dalya turned imperiously to Soren. ‘So that’s your name. It’s an odd kind of name for a vampire.’
‘It is,’ he said, glancing quickly at me. ‘But my name is not important.’
Dalya crossed her arms over her chest, regarding him suspiciously.
‘So what is going on? How can I possibly help you?’
I took her hand. ‘Before we tell you, you have to promise to keep this a secret – just for a bit.’
‘Of course. Is this about Luca?’ She started to look alarmed.
‘No. No … well, in a way, yes. But there’s nothing to be concerned about.’ I drew her to me. ‘It’s about Lila.’
‘Lila?’ she said, puzzled.
‘It’s …’ I hesitated. ‘It’s about Lila’s family … her true family.’ I looked sideways at Soren.
‘Her
true
family.’ Dalya echoed. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘I am her brother,’ Soren announced abruptly. I glared at him.
‘You can’t be!’ Dalya smiled nervously. ‘I’ve met her brother.’
Before Soren could respond to that I cut in.
‘Lila is adopted. She doesn’t remember being adopted. But her parents, her brother – they’re not her flesh and blood.’
‘Does Mother know?’ Dalya’s face was flushed.
‘I don’t know, I doubt it.’ Soren hugged himself. ‘Lila was taken in by a wolf family when she was very young. Four years old.’
‘But what happened to her real parents? Were you adopted too?’
‘OK. So this is the hard bit.’ I bit my lip. ‘Soren was very young, and very hurt and angry, and … he did a terrible thing.’
Dalya shrank back. ‘I should get back,’ she said. ‘Henora will be looking for me.’
‘No. Dalya. Wait. Don’t be frightened. It was a terrible thing, but it was a long time ago – and there was a reason.’
‘What did you do?’ She clasped her hands together, gazing at him.
‘I … I killed our parents and our siblings.’ Soren’s voice was shaky as he spoke. ‘I was six. I found out that my father was not my father, that my upstanding family were not exactly that. They’d lied to me.’ He paused. ‘I felt very betrayed.’
‘So you
killed
them?’ She stepped closer to me. ‘I mean, how … No, I don’t want to know.’
I put an arm around her.