Dark Heart Rising (25 page)

‘Luca,’ I pleaded, not daring to touch his expanding body, ‘this is not what you think …’

‘I don’t know what you’ve become, Jane. I don’t know what he has done to you. But you don’t belong here.’ Luca’s voice was deep, harsh, though he wouldn’t look at me.

‘It isn’t fair, brother.’ Dalya defended me, but at the sight of her brother’s changing body, she stepped away, and her words faded amidst the guttural growl coming from his throat.

‘We’d better get out of here,’ she said. And then, with a howl of pain, Luca pushed off after the disappearing Soren and Lila running with the speed of a panther.

‘Soren, stop!’ I screamed. ‘Please, stop.’

At the sound of my voice Soren stopped, still holding on to Lila. Luca, no longer a boy, prowled in front of the two of them.

‘This has all gone wrong,’ sobbed Dalya beside me. ‘What was I thinking? If Henora finds out …’

‘She won’t,’ I said, though my own anxiety was palpable. Lila was nearly hysterical at the sight of her fiancée, wailing like a little girl. Soren, trying to stop her from bolting, looked helpless for the first time since I’d met him. And behind us, a small crowd of kitchen staff had gathered to watch.

‘Oh, God,’ I murmured, remembering how tenuous my disguise was. I edged further towards the three of them: Soren, Lila and Luca.

‘Where are you going?’ Dalya tried to pull me back.

‘I’m going to talk to your brother,’ I told her, knowing that was the only way to diffuse the situation.
If
he would listen to me.

I was behind him now, saw the strange transformation of his slender, boyish body now bulked out and trembling aggressively. How could I speak to an animal? I just kept thinking about the time I’d seen him change before. And how he had summoned the strength to change back.

‘Luca.’ I kept my voice low. ‘Please, trust me. Soren is not going to harm Lila. He just wants to talk to her … He is her brother. It’s the truth.’

The strange sound coming from him quietened almost imperceptibly and he turned very slightly. Hopefully, I edged forward.

‘Will you just hear what he has to say? Then I promise you he will go … and Lila will stay. I’ll make sure of it.’

I held my breath until I saw his body relax, the muscles lose tension, and his form very slowly returning to boy-shaped.

Lila was still shaking, and her wide eyes were still trained on Luca. Soren shot me a look of relief – perhaps gratitude. I couldn’t be sure.

‘All right. I’m listening.’ Luca’s voice when he spoke was breathless and strained. I wanted to reach out and touch him, but this wasn’t the time.

I had to let Soren explain.

Don’t be arrogant
, I willed.
Please, Soren, be humble for once in your life
.

‘It’s … it’s a long story. And when I’ve finished, you may want to try and kill me again,’ Soren said slowly. ‘But … please don’t.’

I moved to stand next to Luca and looked sideways at his expression. His normally pale face was flushed.

‘Go on,’ he said.

As Soren started to speak, I watched Luca’s face return to its regular pallor. I couldn’t face hearing the story again … I turned to see Dalya, shooing the kitchen staff back inside.

‘What in heaven’s name is going on out here?’ I heard the cook scold. ‘You, young lady, should be with your family, dancing, not listening to a couple of boys spatting.’

I crossed over, linking my arm through Dalya’s. ‘Come on,’ I said. ‘Let’s go.’ Ignoring the curious looks, I half dragged her through the kitchen, down the corridor and into the Great Hall, firmly shutting the door behind me.

‘What a mess!’ I breathed, leaning against it. I felt exhausted.

Dalya looked at me, trying to smile. ‘I know it didn’t work out very well, but it was the right thing to do to tell her.’

‘I hope he’ll be OK …’ I gazed into the distance.

‘Soren?’

‘No … Luca.’ I sighed, putting an arm around her. ‘This is all so hard for him.’

‘You always think of him,’ she said. ‘More than yourself. You must still love him a lot.’

I shut my eyes, not knowing how to answer. My feelings hadn’t changed. If anything they had only grown stronger. I took a deep breath.

‘I care about him,’ I said. ‘That won’t change.’

‘Henora is going to be very angry.’ Dalya smoothed her dress out absently, her little face tense and serious.

‘She’ll be angry if she sees me,’ I said grimly. ‘I think it’s time I went home.’

‘Not yet,’ pleaded Dalya. ‘Don’t leave me here alone.’

‘OK.’ I smiled. ‘I’ll stay until we know Luca is all right.’

‘S
omething is going on in the gardens.’ Celeste appeared at Raphael’s side, her words almost dying amidst the sounds of the band.

‘Oh?’ Raphael shrugged. ‘It is probably just a scuffle amongst the staff. Too much grape juice I imagine.’

She shook her head. ‘No, dear. Cook is very worked up. She says there are two boys out there, in a very serious discussion.’ She looked warily about her before lowering her voice. ‘One of the boys is Luca.’

‘Luca? That doesn’t sound like him …’ Raphael was interested. ‘And who is the other boy?’

‘No one really knows. Cook says she thinks it is an acquaintance of Vanya Borgia …’ Celeste sighed. ‘I was having such a civilised discussion with her earlier. I do hope she’s not up to her old tricks.’

The Vampire Jazz Quartert finished the number, and paused to tune their instruments leaving the hubbub created by the room full of people.

To Celeste’s obvious dismay, Henora was approaching, an irritated look on her face.

‘Say nothing of it,’ his great-mother whispered to him.

‘Celeste.’ Henora nodded. ‘Lovely banquet.’ She left a respectable few seconds before she added, ‘I don’t suppose you have seen that son of mine anywhere about?’

‘Lowe?’ Raphael shook his head, quite enjoying her discomfort. ‘I’m afraid not. Have you checked the stables?’

‘Not Lowe.’ She failed to keep the edge out of her voice. ‘Luca?’

‘I – I’m sure he’s somewhere with that lovely young fiancée of his.’ Celeste said nervously. Raphael didn’t come to her aid. Contrary to appearances, she wasn’t that unfamiliar with dishonesty, he thought. Let her fumble.

He held out his hand to Henora, who took it, uncomfortably.

‘Why don’t we have a look?’ he said smoothly. ‘He can’t be far.’

Ignoring the alarmed expression on his great-mother’s face, he led Luca’s mother to the door.

As they walked through into the Great Room, an almighty commotion met them.

‘What the … ?’ Henora started forward. ‘Luca? What is going on?’

Raphael took in the boy, his shirt and jacket torn, and his face a picture of stress. He appeared to be in a world of his own, oblivious to onlookers. Behind him stood Lila, dazed, clutching the hand of the vampire-boy, Soren. And there, huddled into the corner together, stood Jane Jonas and Luca’s sister Dalya.

‘L
uca.’ Henora’s tone was deep with fury. She clasped her hands together trying to maintain some decorum. ‘Explain to me exactly what is going on.’

Luca seemed to come back to the present then. He pushed a shaking hand through his hair and I saw the familiar tic that appeared in his cheek whenever he was distressed. I held my breath, waiting for him to speak. But he was hesitating and his eyes darted between Lila and Soren. Lila was sobbing quietly and unhelpfully, and I saw Soren’s arm slip protectively around her. He looked calm enough, only his black eyes, shimmering slightly, gave him away.

‘Well?’ Henora lifted her chin, imperious and judgemental. ‘Speak!’

Yes, speak
, I willed him.
Tell her the truth
.

But Luca turned to Raphael, who was observing all of us suspiciously.

‘This person should be removed from the palace,’ said Luca. ‘He has come here to cause trouble – for reasons that are unclear to me …’ He paused, as though carefully thinking through his next words. ‘He has fed Lila a dangerous pack of lies; cruel, inexplicable lies. He means to cause a rift between us. And he has dragged others into the mess.’

As he spoke the word ‘others’ his eyes came to rest on me. Following his gaze, Henora looked disdainfully at me.

‘And who are you?’ she snapped. ‘Get back to the rest of your … kind.’ As she took me in, I waited for her eyes to widen in recognition.

‘Dear heavens, it is you!’ She glared at me, moving closer. ‘I thought you were long gone from our lives.’

From somewhere behind her I heard Tilly’s cackle, and I cringed. God only knew what I must look like. Black make-up all over my face. Hair scraped back.

‘Mother,’ Luca intervened, ‘leave her.’

‘Don’t defend her!’ she snarled. ‘She is clearly in league with this … this vampire!’ She pointed at Soren, then turned to Raphael, who looked frozen to the spot. ‘Raphael, remove these people. I implore you.’

I wanted nothing more than to be at home. With my family. Without this ridiculous make-up. But the injustice of the situation made me stand my ground. I had long since blown my chances with Luca and his family anyway.

Raphael cleared his throat, nodding over at two of the palace guards, who had entered the hall with a troubled Celeste.

‘Take the boy’ – he gestured at Soren – ‘take him to the cell in the palace basement.’ He was calm, authoritative, with not a hint of emotion. I waited for him to order the same for me, but he only stood back to allow the two men to get to Soren.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Soren to his sister. ‘But I spoke the truth, Lila. Remember that.’

‘Enough!’ roared Henora. ‘You have caused enough harm. Please be silent.’

Luca watched as Soren was led away and then his eyes found mine. This time there could be no mistaking his look.

Disappointment.

But my heart had grown numb. I could see no way out of this. Who would believe Soren’s story? I pushed away my own nagging doubts and looked down at the floor. I tried to concentrate on how exactly I was going to get out of here now.

A cold hand took hold of my arm and for a moment it seemed like I was going where Soren was going. But as I lifted my head, it was Vanya’s face I saw.

‘What happened?’ she whispered, turning her back on the others and focussing on me. ‘Soren didn’t … he didn’t tell the girl, did he?’

I nodded. ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.’

‘The hell it was!’ She rolled her eyes. And somehow just the sight of her indignation was comforting. She whirled round, sending even Henora skittering to stand behind Luca. ‘Just for the record, Soren is not a liar,’ she hissed. ‘But clearly he is out of his mind – he’d have to be to expect any of you to actually use your imaginations for once.’ She put one hand on her hip, her skirts swaying a little in her agitation.

‘Spare us your display,’ Henora said, though she still hid in her son’s shadow. ‘I don’t care what you and your … despicable cohorts get up to in private. But you will not infect my innocent son and daughter-in-law with your poison.’

Something snapped, and I saw with a mixture of fear and admiration, the gleaming white fangs visible through Vanya’s perfect red lips.

‘Poison?’ She reeled back, her hips swaying in a snake-like movement. ‘You are delusional. It is you who harbours the poison. You’ – she stabbed the air – ‘maliciously depriving your children of happiness.’

‘How dare you!’ Henora finally bolted forward. ‘I have endured you – up until now – for the sake of peace on Nissilum. But your flagrant abuse of the law – it’s gone too far.’

‘Not far enough!’ Vanya snarled and in a flash she was right up against Henora, her tongue running itself threateningly over her lips.

‘Vanya!’ Luca growled, but after his recent turning, he was clearly too weak to do anything more than lurch forward a little.

‘Vanya, stop it!’ said Raphael a little wearily. But when I looked at his face, I saw a kind of wonder there. Like he was a spectator enjoying entertainment at a brawl.

With a narrowing of her eyes, Vanya obediently stepped back from Henora, closing her mouth in a petulant pout.

‘Yes, stop it, you ridiculous woman,’ Henora added unnecessarily, though it was clear she was shaken.

‘Oh, don’t speak.’ Vanya covered her ears theatrically. ‘It’s like the whine of a tiny little dog.’

I bit my lip. Despite the hideousness of the situation, or maybe because of it, I felt a real sense of absurdity. Catching Raphael’s eye, I suspected he was feeling the same way. I immediately switched my gaze forward.

‘Ladies,’ he said finally, ‘as entertaining as this is, there is a celebration here today. We should be mingling harmoniously with each other.’

Was it me, or was there a touch of derision in his tone?

‘Raphael, forgive me, but I have known you since you were a small boy,’ said Henora haughtily. ‘I do not appreciate being made to look like a source of comedy or being preached to by a … a child.’ She couldn’t help herself glaring at him.