The Wiccan Diaries: Neophyte Adept Part 28

The Dioscurus.

It moved through the a.s.sembly, giving the vampires it pa.s.sed the heebie-jeebies, as Marek termed it, the sensation which threatened to overwhelm them. Suddenly it hissed. "You are being watched, Highness," It said.

The king stirred in his seat, uncomfortably.

"Indeed?"

"This one wants to start a war," hissed the Dioscurus; I could only a.s.sume it meant Lennox.

Lennox turned from the aether-form, drawing away; it was almost like the Dioscurus was the dark aether.

"He hides from us; we fear he hides from you too," It said, returning its attention to the king, who squirmed.

Maria looked like she was going to be sick. She turned and ran from the hall. The other vampires clutched their throats.

Whatever it was doing, it was like the Dioscurus was sending out a wave of silent enmity. Only the King, and Marek, could withstand it; Lennox clutched his head. The others were suffering... pain...

"Banish this monster at once!" said the king.

The Dioscurus directed its attention to the king himself.

"He will start a war. A war, Highness. It will happen all over again."

"That is ended. Be gone from my sight! And stop attacking my people! Otherwise you won't live to see anything!"

Asher and I were standing there panting. It was not long before we were returned to the Gathering. And our bodies.

Chapter 21 In the Dark.

I was neglecting the lesson, my mind full of what Asher and I had seen the previous night. He warned me about sharing what I had seen. "Scrying is illegal," he said. "I could get into trouble. So could you."

"I won't tell anyone," I said. "I promise. I want to see more."

Lux said, "Halsey? Are you still with us here? h.e.l.lo? Halsey Rookmaaker?"

"Sorry," I said, coming out of it, looking around. I heard Vittoria making a tisking sound.

"I was saying about sharing magical discoveries that secrecy fosters an att.i.tude of them versus us, which can be fatal when it comes to the stability of the Houses," said Lux.

"Absolutely. We must present a united front. Yes sir," I said.

"But something tells me you weren't paying attention," he said.

I had sand in my toes. "Sorry Professor, it's just..."

"What is it, Halsey?"

"I was just wondering if you could tell usI mean, the thing is, what exactly do you know, Professor, aboutthe Dioscuri?" I said.

Lux's eyebrows went up.

"It's just Gavenhe's the Head of the Sons and Daughters of Romulusand he said, well he seemed to think, rather, that they, the Dioscuri, mattered, and I was just wondering..."

"...What they are?" said Lux.

I nodded. The other Initiates looked around at each other. Shaharizan had her hand up.

"Shaharizan?" said Lux.

"Well, I was at the Ball, too, and I couldn't help overhearing something about them also. It's a strange name. And I kind of never forgot it," she said.

"Yeah," said someone else.

"And now that I think about it," I said. But I shut up. "Never mind." I had just remembered that my landlady had spoken about them, the Dioscuri. They are here with us, she had said, or something.

Lia looked at me. "Are you all right, Halsey?" she whispered to me.

"Later," I whispered back. She nodded.

"Very well. Dioscurithat is plural," said Lux, "are these"

"Things," I said.

He nodded. "Have any of you ever seen one?"

They shook their heads no. We all did.

"Good," said Lux. "They are vile creatures, Dioscuri, which is why they keep themselves hidden. You only meet a Dioscurus sometimes. And then, only when you have no choice. They are Seers, and it is amazing how many Wiccans and other Supernaturals put stock in their put-ons. We're so interested in prophecy and mumbo-jumbo. But that is like saying sharks make wonderful soup. They are foremost sharks. The same for the Dioscuri. Wizards and vampires keep them around for their visions, but the Dioscuri have minds of their own. Yes, Halsey?"

"Is there a connection between the Dioscuri and the dark aether?" I asked.

It looked for a moment as if I had gone too far. Lux looked at me as if sizing me up.

Rather than asking me to explain myself, he said, "That is a theory I have been working on, as well, yes."

Vittoria looked between us.

"But how did she...?" she said.

"It's a pity my House has only one opening, Miss Rookmaaker," said Lux. "You would make a fine addition to House Ravenseal."

"Oh, I don't want to be in Ravenseal," I said.

"No?"

"No. You guys can have Vittoria. No offense," I said to Vittoria. "Is it true that they've predicted the coming of a second war?" I said to Lux, before she could respond.

"I don't know who told you that," said Lux, "but yes." The other Initiates, Lia among them, looked at me, as if wondering where I got my information. "She knows things before they happen," they said. "Maybe she is her. The One."

"The Dioscuri are incorporeal; it means they're not real," said Lux. "But we certainly feel them."

"If they're not real then why do they matter?" said Badgley.

"That is an important question. A Dioscurus cannot be touched. Not being flesh, the only reality is the malice of its mind. They truly are things, the Dioscuri. As for their bodies, some of us" And he inclined his head to me "believe they are manifestations of something else. I can only a.s.sume that's what your Magus Codex said? The dark aether perhaps?"

It certainly had been like the dark aether, the Dioscurus. I couldn't see it. Just feel it and perceive of an ent.i.ty through the cloud of Asher's mind. Maybe scrying made Dioscuri invisible.

"Are they at all perceivable visually?" I asked.

Lux adjusted the rings on his Wiccan W. "Yes. And there are lots of them. The Dioscuri have a hive mind. I don't mean Wiccan Hiving," he said. "I mean, One mind thinking for all, all minds thinking for one..."

It sounded like some kind of nightmare version of The Three Musketeers.

"I have heard that they have a dark tower somewhere, although where it is is beyond me," said Lux. "They come from it, now and then. Do not ask me more. I do not know. Oh, and, since this Gathering encompa.s.ses fight training, I will say this." He flexed the muscles of his Wiccan Mark. "When you attack one of them, you attack them all. They all know. Hive minds, remember? In that sense, they are immortal. Can you figure out why?"

"Because... because..."

"Because," said Vittoria, who wished to prove that sheof all of usdeserved to be in Ravenseal, "the Hive never forgets."

"Even new Dioscuri know the oldest things," said Lux. "It is the source of their power. Which is why witches and wizards come to them. To remember..."

He left us there, thinking about what he had said.

That night Lennox and Marek had a tremendous argument outside of a speakeasy in New York City.

"You really believe this? You really believe they have our best interests at heart? Maria wants power, Lennox, more than she's got. She killed Glamorgan, the Vampire King, or did you not put that together in that thick head of yours?"

"Don't you see, Marek, that that is why I need to go back," said Lennox. "They've offered me Rome. Did she tell you that?"

"Maria says the same thing two different ways and backwards. Believe none of it."

"You have been my mentor. Almost a father," said Lennox. "I would be dead without you. But it is time we went our separate ways. Just think, you won't have to look out for me anymore!"

He laughed.

"Actually, that's exactly what I'll have to do," said Marek. "If you go back to them, how could I ever trust you again? You know things that could get us both killed."

"Only because you told me," said Lennox. "Besides, I'm sure they wouldn't object. Come with me."

"Two vampires in Rome?"

"Absolutely."

"It is 1929," said Marek, looking at his wrist.w.a.tch. "Besides, these flappers taste good. I couldn't give that up. You go and be their lapdog and watch for these mongrels. I say no thank you. You go Lennox. I've taught you well enough. Maybe you will survive. In which case I'll see you next century. Or the next. If you make it."

"Don't be like that, Marek."

Marek made his way down the street. "Die young, my friend. Live forever. Et cetera, et cetera. Blah blah blah. Whatever. I don't care.

"Marek!"

But Marek didn't turn around; he didn't look back. Lennox watched Marek disappear. Something in his eyes sparkled.

Asher ma.s.saged his temple with his huge lion-like paw. "I will have to go," he said. "But I can come back, in a day or so, if you wish to scry some more."

"Is anything wrong?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing for you to worry about," he said.

I didn't inquire further.

"But, remember, Halsey, keep practicing," he said. My robes hid my Mark. "The best defense is the threat of retaliation."

... Because there wasn't anything to hide.

"Okay, Asher," I said, promising him, "and... thank you..."

He nodded. "See you soon," he said.

We left each other at the opening to the Columbarium. It was quite a trek back to my room. Asher slipped off. He didn't want anyone knowing he had been showing me stuff. I remembered all of the fuss that had been made about ailuranthropesbecause some of them when mated with certain wizards and witches produced extraordinary children; children with powers that could be abused.

What would have happened, if we had been caught? Was there some kind of council that ruled on magical infractions? I figured there must've been. Whoever they were, I didn't want to get caught up in their politics.

No wonder scrying was illegal. It was dangerous. I had seen Lennox as even perhaps he did not want me seeing him.

Asher had taken the torch with him. And cats were usually so good about seeing in the dark. I trailed my hand along the rough stone wall. My book and my map were both back in my dormitory. I seemed to remember swearing to myself that I would never leave either of them behind again. Some idea was rattling around in my head Either my roommate or my diary would get the full brunt of it, if I ever got back.

Asher had created fire as if by speaking it. "Fire!"

I tried the same. My Wiccan Mark was really letting me down. Nothing happened. Instead, I walked along, on my short, non-Gambalunga legs, and then somebody said my name.

"Halsey?"

I turned around.