The Key (15 page)

We run back the way we came as if our feet are on fire, clawing at the forest growth that gets in our way, leaping over fallen logs, tree stumps and meandering creeks. Neriah's in trouble; I feel it in every one of my bones.

Finally we break free of the forest and head straight up the mountain. We get to the secret door of Arkarian's chambers. He forms before us, looking very worried.

‘Good, you're here.'

‘Where's Neriah?' Ethan asks.

‘Still at home. There's trouble there. They need our help. Ethan, you and I will use our wings. Rochelle, you make your way over as fast as you can. Jimmy, Dillon and Isabel are on their way now. Are you both clear?'

‘Wait,' Ethan says. ‘I'm not going to use my wings.'

‘But, Ethan, it's the quickest way. You're not still having trouble using them?'

‘No. But we saw one of Lathenia's hounds in the forest. I'm not going to leave Rochelle alone with that thing lurking around.'

‘I don't need you to protect me!' I tell him, then add, ‘I know a shortcut that won't take me long.'

‘Where is this shortcut?'

‘It's the old fire trail that runs around Devil's Ridge. It links up to the western side of Neriah's place.'

‘Yeah,' he says sarcastically. ‘I know the one. It runs straight through the thickest part of the forest.' Ethan makes it sound as if this shortcut only proves his point.

Arkarian glances from me, back to Ethan, but remains quiet.

I try to put an end to this ridiculous discussion. ‘We're wasting time arguing, when you and Arkarian could be there already.'

‘I'm not leaving you,' Ethan says stubbornly. And for a second I let myself think he's doing this because, well … maybe he does have …

Then he says, ‘That hound was trying to lead us into the forest, whether to distract us from coming here, or because Lathenia has something else planned, I can't say. But I do know that since you defected, Lathenia would love to see you dead. And so would Marduke! They would probably torture you first.' His shoulders lift in an offhand manner. ‘If you go off on your own, you become easy pickings. The Guard doesn't need to lose any of its members right now. The situation is critical as it is.'

‘You're right, Ethan,' Arkarian says. ‘You two follow as quickly as you can. Now be careful.'

With these instructions Arkarian uses his wings and
disappears. Ethan and I are left alone. I shrug off my confused emotions and start moving towards the forest. Ethan catches up and we quicken our pace. We're both relatively fit – it's part of the job. So at this rate, we should be there in only a short time. So far at least there's no sign of that Great Dane that Ethan says is one of Lathenia's hounds. While I was one of the Goddess's soldiers, I worked solely for Marduke and rarely saw Lathenia. All the same I have heard of her seven hounds. I thought they were in an eternal sleep. The story that circulated among her soldiers was that there was once a litter of nine pups that belonged to Lathenia's younger brother, Dartemis. They were devoted to him. Then one day he was murdered and the two eldest pups disappeared off the face of the earth, or wherever the immortals lived in those days, while Lathenia raised the remaining seven.

With this story still going round in my head I miss the first sign of trouble. But Ethan, just slightly ahead of me, doesn't. He stops and throws an arm in the air. I close in quietly behind him.

‘What is it?'

He doesn't get a chance to answer. Suddenly, from among the tops of the trees, a dozen large birds swoop down towards us, shrieking wildly. They have a ghostly look and give me the creeps. Especially their eyes. They don't resemble normal birds' eyes at all, but rather, human ones, including the ridge of their brows, giving their faces a strange human resemblance.

Ethan grabs my arm. ‘I know these birds. Take cover!'

We find a fallen log, but the cover is paltry. Ethan starts to close his eyes, probably to create an illusion, but the birds are on us too quickly. They have sharp
beaks, so sharp they pierce through my black wool coat without any trouble.

‘Oh no, you don't!' I scream at several of them that are trying to get at my eyes. Keeping my head down, I yank off my gloves and grab one by the throat. My hands practically sizzle with the energy generating in them. The bird shrieks and falls to the ground. It looks dead, but I can't be sure.

Ethan glances at me, his head nodding. ‘Nice work. Try to keep them off me for a few seconds, will you. That's all I need.'

While Ethan sinks to the ground I whack one bird after another as they fly down and try to attack us. It's hard work because my hit only stuns them for a few seconds and then they get back up again. Only the one that had my hand around its throat hasn't moved.

‘Are they invincible?' I ask.

‘Remember what Arkarian said – they're already dead and can't be killed by human hands.'

My eyes drift to the motionless one with the scald marks around its throat. I guess my hands aren't ‘normal' any more. But if Ethan is right, how on earth are we going to get away from them? One suddenly latches its claws around the back of my coat collar and starts digging its beak into the exposed skin at the back of my neck. The jerk is painful; the bite goes deep. Warm sticky liquid oozes down my back.

‘Hurry, Ethan. I can't hold them off much longer!'

The sound of more wild shrieking fills the air. Another dozen birds fly down from the trees. Now there are so many there's no way we can get through this. Ethan starts to get up.

‘No, stay down,' I tell him. ‘There are more.'

But he gets up anyway, and that's when I realise the second lot of birds are Ethan's invention. They start attacking their own kind.

Satisfied that his illusion is working, Ethan pulls on my arm. ‘Let's go!'

We take off at a run and soon the sound of the shrieking birds recedes into the distance.

‘How long will your illusion last?'

‘Long enough if we move fast.'

But I'm not sure how long I can keep this pace up. I think that bird at the back of my neck earlier hit deeply. My back is soaked with blood now, and I'm feeling weaker by the second. If only I could stop the blood pouring out so quickly. But my heart is pumping hard and that's definitely not helping.

We run and keep running until at last we see the high brick walls of Neriah's fortress. I fall against the wall and try to catch my breath. Ethan notices. ‘Are you all right? You're white as a ghost.'

‘I'm fine. Just keep going. They need you in there.'

‘They need you too. Are you sure you're all right?'

‘Yeah, go. I'll catch up. I just need to get my breath back.'

He looks reluctant and I wave him away. But he doesn't move. And suddenly someone is coming. My eyes are starting to glass over and it's difficult to make out exactly who it is. Now she's up close, and her arms come around me, dragging me to the ground.

‘Where is she hurt?' Isabel yells at the top of her voice. ‘Where, Ethan? Tell me!'

‘I … I don't know. I didn't know she was hurt.'

‘My neck,' I whisper.

Isabel pulls back my collar. ‘Oh … look at that!'

‘What is it?' Ethan comes over. ‘How bad is she?'

‘Quiet, Ethan. Let me work.'

For the next few minutes there is nothing but silence and a strange sense of a probing invasion into my body. But the probing has a subtle, gentle feel. Very quickly I start to feel stronger and my eyes focus again. I see Ethan staring at me in a state of shock, but there was no way he could have known I was in trouble. I'm not in the habit of crying out with pain. I never have been.

Isabel starts to help me up. ‘How does that feel?'

Amazingly, I feel absolutely normal again. ‘Thank you.'

She smiles. ‘We'd better hurry. Arkarian, Dillon and Jimmy are trying to keep the house safe, but it's nothing short of a living hell in there.'

I've been here for seven days and seven nights and the only thing I've been practising is meditation.

‘You have to reach a place within your soul,' Dartemis explains –
again –
while sitting on an opposite sofa. ‘And you can only achieve this when you are completely still, completely empty, and the route to getting there has been effortless.'

I can't help shaking my head. ‘I've tried. It's hopeless.'

‘I could take you to this level, Matthew, and we can begin your training, but because you won't have reached this point through your own means, you will have learned nothing. Now close your eyes.'

I do what he says, but really, I can't see how this is going to work – the learning, I mean, the reason I'm here. If I can't relax, close my mind to all the thoughts going around up there, then what's the point?

‘Close your eyes, Matthew.'

And that's another thing. Why does he call me Matthew? I can't remember anyone else ever calling me by my full name.

‘Because Matthew is what I named you.'

My eyes fly open. ‘Were you at my birth?'

He doesn't answer at first. ‘The details of your conception and ultimate birth are complicated. And in your present … mind-state of self-doubt, you would not understand, or believe, and I would be wasting important learning time.'

‘But I have a right to know!'

He leans forward, elbows on his knees, his wide, oval-shaped eyes narrow and contemplative. ‘It became necessary to create an immortal. My brother's earlier attempt had failed and it was decided I would try, even though it would mean leaving here for a brief flicker of time. I took the form of a human male and walked the realm of earth as a free man. It was not long before I met your mother. We were drawn to each other as if we were magnets. When she was with child I had to leave. It was not an easy decision, but the risks of remaining on the earth were too high. Lathenia had started to sense another immortal's presence. In fear that she would discover my existence, I had to remove all traces of our relationship from your mother's memory. The only thing I made sure she recalled was your name.'

I can't believe what he's saying. ‘You used her!'

‘I chose her. I loved her. And she loved me. Never doubt that, Matthew.'

I stare at him and he says in a softer tone, ‘One day she will live here with me.'

‘But she can't do that.' She would have to be dead, the thought comes unspoken. ‘My mother is … in love with this man that lives with us.'

He smiles, and his whole face changes, illuminating from within. It's a secret smile, one that says he's unwilling to share any more secrets with me. Of course he's reading my thoughts as I think them. He sighs dramatically, as if
relenting against his will, then says, ‘The Protector.'

‘What did you say?'

‘Jimmy is the protector of my family on earth.'

‘Oh yeah? Well what about the man who came before Jimmy? Isabel's father. Was he one of your protectors too?'

‘No. Now close your eyes, Matthew.'

‘Wait! I have more questions.'

His eyes flutter closed for a second, as if he is only just hanging on to his patience. ‘Go on.'

‘If you are my father, then how come I don't look like you? Your skin is kind of see-through, and your eyes are … well, different. And you're really tall. I mean, so much taller than a normal person.'

His face breaks into a grin. ‘You have fortunately taken after your mother's side,' he says, then adds, ‘And who says you have stopped growing yet?'

The very thought makes me a little sick inside. ‘No offence, Dartemis, but I don't ever want to grow as tall as you.'

‘
Ever
is a long time,' he answers cryptically. ‘We'll see.'

‘You make it sound as if I'm going to live for a long time.'

His eyebrows lift. ‘You are immortal. Doesn't that explain everything?'

‘No. I don't understand. When I cut my hand, I bleed.'

‘Yes, but your body repairs itself. The more severe your injury, the quicker the healing takes place.'

I nod, recalling my recent experience with a few sticks of dynamite. ‘OK, so I'm going to live for a long time.' Well, so are Isabel and Arkarian. It won't be too bad.

‘Isabel and Arkarian will live a mere fraction of your lifetime.'

‘Well, I'm going to be lonely then, aren't I?'

His head tilts in a gentle, caring way. ‘What sort of father do you think I am?'

Now he has my full attention. ‘What are you talking about?'

‘Before you leave here, I am going to give you a gift. A very special gift that you must give to one person.'

‘That's a hell of a responsibility! How do I know I'll pick the right person?'

His eyes glow like fire. He stands up, and though he says nothing, I feel his anger shoot through every cell of my body. He continues to stare at me as I try to work out why he's suddenly so irate. Does he think I know nothing about responsibility? I've been responsible for my sister since her father ran out of our lives. And I've looked after my mother as well, until Jimmy came along!

We stare at each other for a long time, but I'll be damned if I'm going to be the first to look away.

After a while his head nods and his body relaxes. ‘You will know, Matthew. You will know her by looking into her mind.' He sits again and adds, ‘And when you give her this gift from me, remember not to mention my name. Now close your eyes. We have so much yet to cover.'

I take a deep breath and try to do what he says, but there are so many thoughts circulating in my head right now it proves impossible to relax. Dartemis sighs under his breath, but his tone is more soothing than angry.

‘I will show you how to create magic,' he says. ‘Of course, the magic I speak of is simply an extension of your powers. You will use it as a tool and sometimes a weapon. You need to learn magic, Matthew, for you
cannot undo what you do not understand. During your time here I will show you many things.'