The Grigori: Stalking Tender Prey Part 47

At the High Place, the preliminary invocations had been made, the correct atmosphere induced. An essence of incense mingled with the scent of ripening fruit and pine, underscored by a hint of sweet corruption. Ray Perks and his two friends still guarded the outer limits of the circle, their hands clasped in front of them, their heads bowed. They did not look at what was happening in front of them. Louis stood to one side of the bonfire, Othman to the other. At his feet, Daniel lay naked, his eyes focused on the stars. Owen knelt between Daniel's legs, his body twitching as if being whipped by invisible flails. His fingers clawed the dirt, his lips drawn back into a snarl. Othman stared down at him from an expressionless mask. His eyes burned red with the reflection of firelight. Slowly, he raised his arms and with a final glance at Owen, threw back his head. Drauga! Druj! Renen! Drauga! Druj! Renen!' The bonfire hissed and crackled, its red flames purple at their hearts. As Othman repeated the chant, Louis lips began to move silently. Owen's back arched as if someone, or something, had grabbed hold of his hair. He cried out, a bleat of pain.

Daniel closed his eyes. If he could only shut himself away from all this, hide his being deep within his mind, he might survive. He had never heard the words Othman was chanting before, but he knew their meaning: Falsehood, lies, violence.' Something hideous would come, something beyond human endurance. Daniel had realised that Owen was no longer the person he knew and loved, but a stranger, Othman's cat's paw. It would be useless to appeal to him for help. He had no will of his own any longer. As if sensing Daniel's thoughts, Owen growled like a dog and lunged forward, curling his hands around Daniel's throat. Daniel tried to struggle, to rip the constricting fingers away, but Owen was filled with unnatural strength. Daniel gasped for breath, his eyes filled with red light like a film of blood. Owen's eyes glowed like neon violet through the darkness. His engorged c.o.c.k slid inside Daniel's oiled body like a blade or a tongue of flame.

Othman could feel the presence forming around him. He had attracted the interest of the being he was trying to invoke. Ahriman!' he screamed in his mind. Come to me. Take this offering!' At his feet, Owen Winter made love to his lover, but it was a lie, a travesty of love. Around him in the air, Othman felt the imminence of the false one, the embodiment of falsehood, untruth and destructive love. If there were tears upon the face of the lamb, then it was only fitting. Everything was drawing to a close, a climax. When the Ahriman manifested and took the sacrifice, then the flame would be unleashed.

Daniel felt as if he was nothing more than a column of pain. He could not hate Owen for his actions, but felt a crushing disappointment that his belief in Owen had been misguided. This clawing, grunting, thrusting creature, this beast, was not the person Daniel had known, and yet, maybe he was now experiencing the truth of the Grigori, what Owen really was. Only hope sustained him. Perhaps, if he kept quiet, and made no fuss, this grotesque parody of love would cease and whatever ends Othman hoped to achieve would be consummated. Then, it might be possible for Daniel to escape with his life. He sensed that if he fought against what was happening now, he would be killed outright.

Opening his eyes, he looked past Owen's moving silhouette and saw Othman leaning over them. To Daniel, it looked as if Othman was now over eight feet tall. His face was a leering mask, all vestige of beauty fled. That is the truth of you, Daniel thought, and gleaned a faint satisfaction from it. He was amazed at how clear his head felt. Whatever was being done to his body, his mind was free, serene. He could even scoff at Othman's demonic ritual. What did he hope to achieve? Nothing lasting could ever come of this. If it succeeded, Othman would only destroy himself.

Almost as if Othman could sense Daniel's thoughts, he uttered a guttural snarl and sprang into a stooped position. Before Daniel's eyes, his outline shimmered and distorted. Scoff at me now, pretty boy! He was a demon with goat's legs, a lion's head, and a serpent was wrapped around his body, breathing fire. Daniel forced himself not to look away from the hideous spectacle. I have been drugged, he told himself. I am hallucinating. But the demon looked too real to be an hallucination. From its mouth came abomination, lies and false prophecies.

Drauga, Druj, Renen, Aeshma, Degvant!' I am the guardian of the abyss, too vile for your frail human senses to endure!

The demon laughed, its grotesque face hanging inches above Daniel's own. Its tongue lashed out like a thick, wet worm and licked Daniel's face; its saliva stank of rotting flesh. Daniel cried out, felt his stomach tighten, then his consciousness tugged free of his body and soared up towards the treetops. Looking down, he could see the enormous demon crouched beside the fire, see himself beneath Owen, the shadowy figures of his father and the others standing nearby. Then the demon raised its arms and Owen was hurled, ejaculating, away from Daniel's body.

Daniel's consciousness snapped back into his own flesh. He could feel the effects of the drug wearing off within his body and mind, yet still the image of the demon stayed clear in his eyes. Its fanged maw slavered viscous fluid, and its eyes leaked blood. It uttered a hungry, whimpering sound, reaching out with its greasy, black talons for Daniel's white flesh.

This is it, Daniel thought, quite coherently. This is my death. He wanted to close his eyes and pray, but could no longer control his body or his mind.. As he stared up at the demon, its countenance shimmered. For a moment, he saw Othman looking down at him, his expression confused, then the image flickered again, to become the most beautiful face Daniel had ever seen, its facial cast indescribably sad. Then the conflicting images were banished, and the demon held sway once more, preparing to strike and feed.

In the chamber beneath the High Place, the guardians were awake, creatures of bone and tattered cloth, their faces like the skulls of reptiles or birds. As they stretched their withered spines erect, the flame changed colour to violet blue. Lily's eyes ached from looking at it, yet it was too beautiful to turn away from. The guardians did not seem to notice her presence; their concentration was centred on the flame. Lily got to her feet, felt Raven's clawed hand reach out briefly to steady her. She took a step towards the flame. As she stared into it, she could see a shape forming within it, a sinuous, female shape. Hands reached out to her: Come to me, my darling. Come to me.'

Lily blinked. Mum?'

The image shimmered and writhed within the flame, yet became more definite as Lily stared at it.

Come to me, my daughter.' Slim, white arms extended from the flame, and there was Helen, dressed in a long, pleated skirt, her belly tattooed with an enormous eye, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s bared, her hair hanging down in coils.

Lily, my daughter...'

Lily took a hesitant step forwards. Was this image real? Behind her, Raven made a soft, encouraging sound. Rea.s.sured, Lily went towards the flame.

Come now,' said Helen. This is your heritage, my child. Take it!'

Gathering all her courage in her heart, Lily reached out to take the offered hands. Around them, the guardians had begun to chant monotonous notes, which sounded like the tones that had emanated from the pillars in the antechamber.

Helen was so beautiful, an icon of love and benevolence. Her hands felt real and warm in Lily's own. Her smile was just as Lily remembered it. She allowed her mother to draw her into the flame, and it did not burn her, or make her feel cold, as she'd feared. It was an energising warmth, nothing more. Helen held Lily close and as Lily curled her arms around the slim body to return the embrace, suddenly the flame burst through the ceiling of the chamber, scattering plaster and stone. Lily felt herself melt into her mother's soul, become one with her as the flame roared upwards, tearing away earth and roots to reach the sky. And as their souls fused, combining the raw energy and light of their female power, another presence was evoked, greater than their sum, a G.o.ddess.

The flame burst through the ground, exploding the bonfire in the middle of the High Place. Flames and burning embers, stones and soil flew everywhere. Daniel saw his father tossed sideways by the force, to land in a crumpled heap on the edge of the clearing. Owen and the other youths all fell to the ground and covered their heads. The demon hanging over Daniel roared out in anger, and rearing up, wheeled round to face the flame. For a second, its eyes blazed triumph, but then, to Daniel's astonishment, it sank to its knees with a hollow, breathless moan. Daniel blinked, and the tiny action seemed to take an eternity. He saw Peverel Othman kneeling before the flame, with his arms over his eyes. The demon presence had vanished.

The flame was incredible to behold, a vivid violet blue, soaring up into the sky. Daniel scrambled onto hands and knees. Was this evil? It didn't feel like it to him. He shielded his eyes from the light, but unable to look away. Something was rising up into the flame from below, a figure taking shape, as tall as Othman had appeared before. Slowly the rising form took on definition. Daniel realised it was the figure of a woman, wreathed in transparent peac.o.c.k blue veils, which were like smoke, or part of the flame. Her arms were held out to either side of her body, the glowing flesh tattooed from wrist to shoulder with writhing serpent forms. Upon her belly, a tattooed eye stared out. Daniel saw horror and wisdom in its gaze, grief and understanding. The eye spoke to him, called him. He looked up to the woman's face and recognised her, even though she appeared very different to the last time he had seen her, struggling and lamenting beside a pit of fire and sulphur. Ishtahar: the Master's woman: he knew her. She returned his gaze, acknowledging the contact, but only briefly. She wore her beauty like a scent, like gold, like bells; it called to all the senses.

Daniel glanced round at the Owen and the others, but they were still curled up on the ground. Couldn't they feel the presence of this G.o.ddess? Didn't they want to look at her? Daniel crawled over to Owen, shook him. He must see her. Owen groaned, a sound of despair and terror. Had had shut himself away, refusing to see.

The voice of the G.o.ddess, when it came, filled the world, yet it was the most gentle, soothing sound. She said one word: Shem.'

As that sound touched his mind, Othman saw his own body fall away from him in black flakes. He stood up. Peverel Othman lay decomposed around him, no longer flesh, no longer relevant. What was this thing? he thought, looking down at the dismal remnants. His memory was cloudy. He remembered hot, feral thoughts, bitterness, frustration, yet surely he had been asleep for millennia, and the thoughts had been dreams, nightmares of revenge that had troubled his slumber. She was before him now, but her image and her presence were difficult to perceive. Some part of him had always hoped he would find her again, but he was afraid of believing his longing had been fulfilled. Doubt and resentment had tortured his hope, beat it down. His body ached, his soul was torn. She had murdered him, but it had been an act of love. He raised his face to her slowly. Ishtahar.'

She shook her head sadly, a weary smile upon her lips. Pain had hardened her, matured her, but it had softened her too. Gone was the spark of ambition and greed. All that was left was the love of him, which she had manifested and shared with those who had invoked her for centuries. Shem, why are you still torturing yourself?' she asked, gesturing round the clearing. What have you been doing to these children?'

He felt confused at her words. What did she mean? Then, as he glanced behind himself, he remembered. The black words spilling from the mouth of his dead persona, the invocation of The Lie and the offering of life. Daniel's face looked up at him wondering, his arms around the shuddering form of Owen. They were beautiful. What had he been thinking of to abuse them? Hadn't his original purpose been to defend the children of humanity, to be their advocate? Why this?

Crouching in the dirt, Daniel could only stare in wonder at the beings before him. He had seen Peverel Othman fall, but what had risen up was something very different. He knew now who Othman was. It all made sense. His original vision in Marlene's had been literal. Othman: Shemyaza. The same. He didn't know how such a thing could be, but he knew it was the truth. Othman the Dark Priest had transformed into Shemyaza the Being of Light. And she: Ishtahar, the bound woman who had been forced to watch Shemyaza die. No wonder Shemyaza had transgressed the code of his people for her. The power and love emanating from her was overwhelming. She was compa.s.sion and gentle comfort, pa.s.sion, s.e.x and serenity, excitement and tranquillity: all of this. The all-wise, all-seeing mother earth, the potential which dwelt within every woman. Had their love made her this, or their sacrifice?

Shemyaza sank to his knees before her as she hung in the violet light of the flame. Daniel heard him say: I once said to you that you would become a G.o.ddess. Didn't I tell you that? I wanted to find you again, but it was impossible.' He indicated the flakes of Peverel Othman which already were being blown away. There was only this, or other versions of it. I searched for something, but could not find it.'

Ishtahar made no verbal response, put both hands against her belly, where the eye stared out upon the world. Violet light spiralled there and her flesh opened. She drew forth from her womb the body of a girl, which she placed outside the flame. The girl stumbled around, disorientated, her hands out before her.

Lily!' Daniel cried. She seemed to be blind, although her eyes were open and staring.

Ishtahar made a gesture with her hands and Lily was propelled forwards to where Daniel knelt, Owen across his knees. Daniel reached out for her, pulled her down, and she curled against his side, making a strange sound of mingled weeping and laughter. Daniel looked up and the G.o.ddess was staring at him. Care for them.' The words rang inside his head like bells.

Then Ishtahar directed her attention back to the one who knelt before her. Rise, Shem. Come with me.'

Shemyaza obeyed her words. He saw her hovering in the flame before him, summoning him with an extended hand. Now, at last, they would be together again. He stepped towards the flame and it engulfed him entirely. The light burned his eyes and he closed them. Lost, familiar energy coursed through his blood and bones, but he could not reach for her. Had she abandoned him again?

He opened his eyes and raw, white sunlight made him blink. Around him, he saw the tiers and terraces of the Garden, half-hidden by a screen of cedars. Ishtahar was sitting some distance away from him, on a close-cropped lawn, in the shadow of one of the trees. She looked exactly as she had the last time he'd seen her in the flesh: a beautiful young woman, with a mischievous glint to her eyes and a humorous expression.

What has happened?' he asked her. Have we gone back? Come back?' He dared to hope that all the terror of the millennia of confinement, while the black vestiges of his soul had roamed the earth, had never happened. He could begin anew, escape now with his beloved before the worst happened.

Ishtahar smiled and shook her head. I'm sorry. I have brought you here to talk. It isn't real, but I wanted us to be together in a pleasant setting.'

Where are we?'

In the flame, in the future. There is so much I want to say to you.'

Shemyaza went towards her, but Ishtahar held up her hand. No! Do not approach. That is not the reason I've brought you here.'

Shemyaza sat down upon the gra.s.s, some distance away from her. I am confused.' He shook his head. I can't think. Talk? I want none of that! I want you, to touch you. I want back what was mine.'

Ishtahar laughed. Ah, why did I ever think you were so different from human men? I thought that you and I were the same, but we're not.' She frowned a little. Listen to me. Let me tell you the things you should have realised for yourself.

We were separated so harshly, and with such cruelty, yet I never nurtured bitterness in my heart. I remembered only love, while your fragmented spirit remembered only sundering and became twisted. Over the centuries, in the hearts and souls of women, and even men, I have become what you ordained I should be: a G.o.ddess. This I did for you. Hope never died in me, for the generations we sp.a.w.ned have filled me with their own hopes. I am fulfilment and the desire for fulfilment. What happened between us in the past created a destiny greater than either of us, greater than our desires. If you had escaped with your life, we would have had an existence on earth together, yes, but little more. Because of our sacrifice, we have given life and the seed of potential to the people of the earth. For good or for bad, this was our fate.'

Shemyaza regarded her contemplatively for a few moments. Light rippled over the skin of her bare arms as if from the reflection of water, but there was no water nearby. He did not want to think deeply or argue with her, but he could not agree with all she said. Ishtahar, perhaps you are right in saying that our sacrifice changed the future of the world, but you are wrong in saying that we would have had a small, meaningless life together. Our union was destined to create greater changes, to enable humanity to challenge the power of the Anannage. We were stopped, but perhaps now we have been given another chance.' He began to stand up, but Ishtahar again extended her hands to push him back.

I cannot believe you can deceive yourself so much!' she cried. What is this talk of changing humanity's destiny? You wanted only to sample the mysteries of the earth through me, and turned your back on your people! I was the one who was aware of our potential, not you! You were only interested in gratifying your desires!' She laughed gravely and shook her head. Now, you want to come to me! Can't you see that you're not ready? Coincidence has aligned so that you have been able to remember who you are, but you should thank the boy, Daniel, for that. He has always been your faithful follower, and like you, unaware of his true self. But unlike you, he has remained unconsciously faithful to his original purpose. You, on the other hand, have done many wicked things over the years, all of which I have seen and experienced.'

Shemyaza opened his mouth to interrupt, but Ishtahar silenced him with a shout. No! Just listen to me! You still have many lessons to learn before what we created all that time ago can be fully reawakened, and we can be together again. Through our bonding, humanity's destiny was sealed. You can't change what has happened, but can only go forward. Now is not the right time for you to return to me, or to regain access to the Source beyond the stargate. You would only abuse that knowledge! You are Shemyaza, but at the same time you're not. Too much of Peverel Othman and the countless personae before him remain within you.'

Shemyaza raised his arms to her. So, what can I do? It's not my fault I became what I was. Ishtahar, you must let me come to you. Let me pa.s.s through the gate to the Source that I renounced. I am empty. I am a void. I have been alone for over ten millennia. Ishtahar, through your love, take me back to Paradise, show me my kingdom and my power!'

Ishtahar slowly shook her head, although she was still smiling. Our love is not enough to break the bonds that tie you to your penance. When humanity has finished partaking of the fruit from the tree of knowledge that we planted, and the seeds of that fruit engender another tree, only then can we be in the Garden again. For some, the fruits of that tree are still red with blood. Shem, you have to go on living. You have to interact with humanity, by giving to them your presence, your light and your knowledge. At the end of this millennium, you will return to me, your brethren and the glory of summer in Paradise, but not yet.'

There is nothing I wish to do on earth,' Shemyaza said. It has given me nothing and I am sick of it.'

But what of your destiny?'

Shemyaza leapt to his feet. Destiny? What destiny? Everything I had was taken from me and I was shaped into a monster! How can you give me back the knowledge of myself and then force me back into the world?'

Ishtahar sighed. You make it sound as if this is easy for me. It isn't. My instinct is to take you in my arms and shelter you from everything you fear and shun. But I can't. Shem, can't you see? You are an archetype, the eternal dying king. You are the key to unlock the doors of the future. Humanity is failing, floundering around in darkness. Only you can lead them to the light. On earth, the end of the millennium approaches, which is the gateway to change. You must go back and learn to become your true self.'

As she spoke, the image of the Garden began to shimmer, take on a bluish cast. Shemyaza realised she was withdrawing from him. He wheeled around, desperately trying to reconstruct the image but it was Ishtahar's will alone that sustained it. He felt a sense of propulsion and found that he was standing beyond the flame once more on the High Place outside Little Moor. He screamed. No!'

Ishtahar had become less distinct within the flame. She gestured with her hands towards Daniel and the others. Shem, take these children. They are our children, and when you've learned to love them, then you can love me again.'

Shemyaza tried to lunge back into the flame, but could not penetrate it. When he spoke, his voice was ragged and weak. Ishtahar, you are wrong! Give me your stellar gate! Show me the way back to the One. We must remember what we were together.'

Again, Ishtahar shook her head. No, Shem. I will not. Only when you understand why will you be ready to enter the gate once more.'

Shemyaza could feel her preparing to withdraw her presence. A feeling of total desperation engulfed him, familiar and hated. The flame would not open to him, his kingdom was yet again denied to him. Ishtahar had brought him back to consciousness, only to compound the cruelties of his brethren, bind him once again for another eternity, deprived of his love, his power and his faith. She tortured him as she spoke words of love. The world's G.o.ddess now, not his. He had made her into this, and she dared to defy him. He felt his body falling forwards, his head touch the earth, felt the form of his soul crumble inwards.

Taziel Levantine had his hand upon the gate of Low Mede. The house was in darkness. He's not here,' he said to the others. I don't even need to look.' A roaring sound of thunder and a mighty crack caused them all to turn round and gaze up.

Great Shem!' Lahash exclaimed. The flame!'

What is it?' Aninka cried.

The sky was speared by a blade of violet light. It looked solid, like a tube, as if it was an unearthly pa.s.sageway to the stars.

It's the perpetual flame,' Lahash said. He must have awoken it! Come on!' Already, he was loping down the lane towards the woods.

Aninka and Taziel looked at one another. I can smell it,' Taziel said. I can feel its cold heat, its reawakening. The earth is vibrating. Can't you feel it?'

Aninka took his arm. I can feel something. Come on, we mustn't let Lahash go alone.'

Taziel resisted for a moment. This is it, Ninka.'

She pulled a wry face. I know, Taz. I know. Let's go.'

Emma Manden was still crouched among the bracken, chewing the skin around her fingernails, trying to evaluate what she'd witnessed. The man she'd known as Peverel Othman was crushed, she could see that. Whatever he'd tried to make happen certainly wasn't going to happen now. Shemyaza had thought he was alone in the garden with Ishtahar, but their words had boomed out over the High Place like prophecies, clearly audible to all. It was obvious to Emma that the erstwhile Peverel Othman was much more than she could have imagined, and the woman in the flame had spoken of the future. The end of the millennium? That wasn't far away. Something big could happen then. Emma stood up. She'd have to get Shemyaza away from this place before what was left of him was destroyed. Ishtahar did not frighten her. She was fuelled by an instinct for survival. Shemyaza and the twins were her only recourse to longevity, and Daniel Cranton seemed to be a part of everything that had happened. Emma knew that all of these people had to be taken away from here as soon as possible, and she was the only one capable of initiating it.

Barbara Eager was fighting her way through the dark woods. It was so confusing at night, and there were so many terrifying sounds: thundering, crashes, electric crackles. Whatever Othman was doing at the High Place, she had to interrupt him. She thought she knew these woods so well, but where was the path? When she saw the tall figure ahead of her, she thought it was Othman. Pev!' she cried and beat her way forward, stumbling on roots and tangled fern. The figure turned and she saw its white face. Not Othman, no, but the other one: his enemy. She realised she had to stop him reaching the High Place and with a high-pitched scream, threw herself against him, her hands curled into claws. The suddenness of her attack caught the other off-guard. He stumbled backwards.

I must kill him, Barbara thought. Her fingers scrabbled to reach his eyes and she thrust her whole weight upon him. Then someone grabbed her hair and pulled her backwards. She came up snarling, lashing out at whoever held her. It was the woman from the hotel garden: the enemy's accomplice.

Get out of here!' Aninka said. Go back!'

Barbara smacked Aninka's arm away and stepped back until all three of them were before her. You have to pa.s.s me first!'

Who the h.e.l.l are you?' Aninka demanded.

Othman's creature,' Lahash said, standing up, rubbing his face.

Who the h.e.l.l are you?' Barbara snarled.

We have private business with Peverel Othman,' Aninka said. Now get out of the way. We don't want to harm you.' She wasn't sure whether Lahash held the same view.

Over my dead body!' Barbara screeched. She felt very powerful, and quite prepared to die to protect Peverel Othman. She knew these interlopers could sense that. They were wary of her, despite the fact they outnumbered her. Then she saw the tallest man reach towards his jacket. She sensed he hid a weapon there and without further thought plunged into the bracken. As she turned, she saw the purple light radiating from the trees above her. She was close. Pev!' she screamed. Pev! Look out!'

Aninka glanced at Lahash, sure he would shoot Barbara down in cold blood. She was wondering whether she should spoil his aim, but then realised he hadn't reached for the gun after all. He didn't have to. The next minute she was thrown sideways and the Kerubim gusted through and past them. Taziel landed heavily against her, shielding his head with his arms. Aninka pulled him close, sc.r.a.ping hair from her eyes. She saw them take the woman, saw the body flung up into the air as if it weighed nothing, explode in a ball of blood and bone. She cried out and hid her face, but Lahash was already pulling at her arm.

We can't wait! Get up!'

Emma heard the sounds coming from the bottom of the hill, Barbara Eager's frantic warning. There was no time to waste. As she ran into the clearing, she saw the G.o.ddess form shoot up into the sky through the flame, and as she soared upwards, the flame began to collapse behind her. Shemyaza was a slumped form on the ground, the twins and Daniel Cranton huddled together nearby. Around the clearing were several other motionless forms, which she didn't bother to examine. They were unimportant. She could hear Lily whimpering. Daniel seemed to be the only one in possession of his senses. Get up!' Emma cried as she ran past him. Help me get them out of here!'

Before Emma could reach Shemyaza, the ground suddenly erupted around her. Seven blades of light punched up through the earth, sending up a chaotic spray of debris. Emma cringed and dodged, but kept on stumbling forward. As she reached Shemyaza and put her hands upon him, she saw the erupting flames had solidified into seven columns of white light making a circle around them all. The columns vibrated, emitting a chord of bizarre musical notes. And there were faces in the flames, faces Emma recognised: Murkasters! But there was little time to contemplate what this might mean. Already the white blades were soaring upwards towards the stars, following the ascent of the blue flame. The Murkasters were truly leaving Little Moor, for the last time, and they would never come back.

Overhead, the seven columns began to twist together, their song condensing into a throbbing choir. Emma hauled Shemyaza to his feet. He appeared mindless, and certainly didn't recognise her. Move!' she ordered. Do you want to die here?'

Shemyaza blinked at her. He looked like Othman, but was also distinctly different. She could not fathom the difference exactly, but now was not the time to worry about it. Even as she continued to exhort Shemyaza to move, the air exploded around them with sound and light and movement. Thousand upon thousand of birds were rising up through the ruined earth to flutter around the circle, filling the air with a cacophony of cheeping, twittering and whirring wings. Their claws snagged in Emma's hair as she tried to drag Shemyaza towards the opposite side of the hill. There was so little time. A thunderclap of sound crashed around them as the white columns of flame broke free of the earth, trailing tails of twigs and stones. The thundering sound was almost unendurable, rolling on and on and on; deafening, roaring, ripping. Emma had to push Shemyaza ahead of her. He could barely stand, never mind walk. She saw Daniel's face peering over the brow of the hill. Go down!' Emma yelled, trying to make herself heard above the noise. Failing, she gestured wildly. The cottage! The car! Quickly!'

Aninka and Taziel stumbled after Lahash into a maelstrom of wings and light and deafening sound. Aninka was too astonished to be frightened. She'd never seen anything like this; pure chaos. Where was Othman? What the h.e.l.l had he been doing up here?

Lahash turned to her, pointed. Over there!'

She could barely hear his voice, but looked in the direction he pointed. She saw the staggering form of a woman, who was helping a man escape the clearing. Her heart nearly stopped. Even though she couldn't see his face, she recognised him immediately. Pev!' She couldn't help shouting out the name.

Too late for that!' Lahash said. He tried to run after their fleeing quarry, but the riot of birds swooped down to snag in his hair, peck at his body and face.

Aninka saw him lashing out with his arms. She crouched down on the edge of the circle, Taziel held against her.

He has become,' Taziel whispered against her neck.

She didn't question him. Her guts felt as if they were being pulled upwards, and soon she might vomit herself inside out. A violent wind plucked at her body, trying to toss her up into the swirling air with invisible hands. Desperately, she reached out to clutch the tough stems of bracken around the circle, trying to anchor herself to the earth. Taziel cringed against her. Through slitted eyes, Aninka saw Lahash's suit jacket flapping about his body as he slipped and stumbled across the clearing. If he doesn't grab hold of something, he'll be taken, she thought, and called his name. He glanced back briefly.

The Kerubim had been lured from their play with the dead woman's remains, but as soon as they approached the vortex of light, they were sucked upwards. At first, their strident song was joyful as they cavorted through the maelstrom, but then, as their spiritual fabric began to disintegrate in the wake of the flame, their song became a blood-chilling symphony of howls and shrieks. Streaks of their shining substance broke away and streamed upwards.

Aninka was determined not to follow them. She had not come all this way to die like this, without even confronting the object of her pain and love. Everything in the clearing was being dragged towards the sky now: she saw twisting bodies, trees, ferns, soil, stones. Lahash, she was relieved to see, had wrapped his arms around a large tree on the left of the clearing. She hoped it would hold. Taz, we have to try and go backwards,' she said, even though the thought of trying to move was terrifying. Relinquishing their anchor might mean immediate death. Just as Aninka plucked up the courage to let go of one fistful of ferns, which were beginning to come loose from the ground, everything stopped.

The silence, the stillness was abrupt, immediate and total.

Whatever energies this place had contained were now thoroughly expelled. All power had left it.

Shakily, Lahash stood up, and smoothed his hair in rather an embarra.s.sed manner, like a cat. After a moment, he came over to Taziel and Aninka. Well, Taz?' he demanded. Where's he gone?' The unbelievable experiences of the last few minutes might never have happened.

Taziel, still shuddering against Aninka, merely moaned.

Lahash reached down and pulled Taziel upright. Speak! Concentrate! Where's Othman?'

Taziel's head lolled sideways. Aninka was afraid he was dying. Oh, let him go!' she cried. This is all too much!'

Lahash ignored her. Taz! Pull yourself together!'

Aninka leapt up and attempted to wrest Taziel from Lahash's hold. Leave him alone!'

Lahash bared his teeth at her. Shut up! We have to keep searching! We can't let him go.' But he relinquished Taziel into her arms.

Aninka held Taziel close. His flesh felt cold. Who is Peverel Othman?' she asked in a low voice. Why is he so important? What the h.e.l.l happened here?'