Origin of the Body (24 page)

‘In which case we should meet force with force.’

‘Was that you speaking, or somebody else?’  Marcus turned away.  ‘Marcus, we need to give people something to believe in, not beat them down with force.  If we can bring the energy back up the rebels will lose support, if we fight them, we can never go back to how things were.’

‘What makes you think we can anyway?’

‘Trying for peace is better than starting a war.’

‘And what if it’s already too late?’

‘Start praying to the Gods,’ she said, harshly, willing him to snap out of it.  Anita got up to leave, she could read from his energy he’d been pushed as far as he was willing to go.  ‘At least think about it,’ she said, heading back towards the tent.  Marcus exhaled, slumped back on the sofa and held his head in his hands.

‘What did she want?’ hissed a hostile voice seconds later, making Marcus jump, Amber positioning herself right in front of him, giving him nowhere to look but at her.

‘What do you think?’

‘I don’t know; spell it out for me.’

‘She wants me to help the Institution with their plan to send the relic back.’

‘And?’

‘And what?’

‘What did you say?’

‘What do you think I said?’

‘Don’t play games with me.’

‘Or what?’

‘Your father would be turning in his grave.’

Marcus jumped to his feet, towering over her, grabbing her neck with one hand, pushing her back against the tree.  ‘Don’t ever speak to me like that again and do not presume to lecture me about what my father would have wanted.’

Amber raised a slow, seductive eyebrow, ‘finally,’ she said provocatively, ‘some fight.  I knew it was in there somewhere,’ she said, carefully pulling his hand from her neck and reaching up to play with his bow tie.  He pushed himself away and turned to leave.

‘You’re fired,’ he said over his shoulder, ‘you can collect your things tonight before I get home, anything left after that will be thrown away.’

Amber watched him go, smiling after him.  Oh you silly boy, she thought, maliciously.

*****

Anita entered the tent as an upbeat number was drawing to a close, a slower melody starting to fill the air around her.  Alexander felt her presence before he saw her, turning his head away from the Councillor he was talking to and rising to his feet when his eyes met hers.  He was on a raised platform at the far end of the marquee, on which the Descendants had been seated for dinner so everyone could get a good look at them.  He moved to the steps, seeming to float down them, a path clearing for him as he reached the dance floor at their base.

He melted through the crowd, people opening before and closing behind him, not a single dancing form knocking into him, his energy forming a protective, repellent shield.  He reached where Anita stood at the edge of the floor, the crowd carefully delivering him to her before clearing a respectful gap around them.  He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, not saying a thing, her energy jumping involuntarily at their proximity, his dinner jacket enhancing his already divine form.  He led her silently to the dance floor, pulled her into a firm hold, and started confidently circling the floor, careful to trace the river’s course, its wild energy floating up to meet them, pushing their spirits higher.

‘You look beautiful,’ Alexander purred, spinning her under his arm.

‘Such a cliché,’ she replied flirtatiously, looking encouragingly up into his electric blue eyes.

‘You’re impossible,’ he smiled, kissing her passionately on the lips.

‘Everyone’s looking at us,’ she whispered, pulling away to a sea of gossiping faces.  She buried her now red face in his shoulder to block them out.

‘Cleo isn’t,’ he replied, in a tone that would rival even Cleo’s best rumormongering one.  Anita’s head snapped round, her eyes seeking what Alexander’s had seen, and quickly located her friend, clad in racy, low cut, high slitted, black dress, looking intently into the eyes of a man Anita didn’t know.

‘Indeed she isn’t.  Let’s get closer,’ she thrilled, conspiratorially, revelling in the moment.

‘No,’ he said, firmly, ‘leave her alone.’

Anita shook her head, ‘you’re no fun,’ she said, feigning frustration, giving him a peck on the lips before putting her head back on his shoulder, the faces around her totally forgotten.

*****

Cleo had been dancing with some Councillor or other; he wasn’t very good looking and she couldn’t remember his name, but she’d felt obliged to say yes when he’d asked her to dance.  He’d stepped on her toes and his hands had been limp and scared against her skin, so she’d led for the most part, willing the band to bring the song to an end so she could make her escape.  Eventually the band obliged and Cleo sighed with relief as she pulled back, searching for words that would enable her to get away.  However, before she needed them, another figure appeared, tapped on her partner’s shoulder, ‘you wouldn’t mind if I cut in?’ he asked.

Before waiting for an answer, her saviour swept her into a tight hold and spun her away, the band playing something much slower, Cleo taking full advantage of the change in tempo and pressing herself against him whenever possible.

‘Ah the disappearing man,’ she said, her tone distant, but her body inviting, ‘I almost thought I’d imagined you.’  The man opposite, wavy hair as unkempt as it had been when they’d first met, smiled.

‘How can I ever make it up to you?’ he teased, running his hand deliciously down her back to the base of her spine, Cleo arching towards him in response.

‘You make your dinner jacket look scruffy you know.’

‘How terrible,’ he said, his eyes smouldering, ‘maybe they’ll throw me out.’

‘Planning your exit so soon?’

‘Not if I can help it,’ he whispered deliciously in her ear, nipping it between his teeth before meeting her eyes once more.

‘So why are you here?’ she asked.  ‘You live in the Wild Lands…don’t you?’

‘Do I?’

‘The Great Hall of the Magnei, it’s in the Wild Lands.’

‘Is it?’ he asked, turning her suddenly under his arm, then pulling her firmly back into his hold.

‘I’m sure of it, and I’m sure that’s where you call home; you’re so different to anyone else I’ve ever met, you must be.’

‘I’m hurt.’

‘Oh stop,’ she said playfully.  ‘Tell me.  Is that where you’re from?’

‘You’re right, I’m from the Wild.’

‘Where?’

His head suddenly snapped up, as though he were a wild animal that had caught the scent of a hunter.  ‘Look for me and you’ll find me.  I know you will,’ he said in a rush, leaning down to kiss her, hands holding her neck.  He pulled back, eyes alight.  ‘Come and find me,’ he said, letting her go, disappearing into the crowd.

‘Who was that?’ asked Anita, suggestively, as she and Alexander approached, Cleo resisting the petulant urge to stamp her foot in frustration.

‘I don’t know his name,’ she said, stroppily.

‘But you’re met before?’

‘Yes,’ she said, reluctantly.  ‘He’s the one who told me about the Magnei.’

‘What?’ said Alexander, scanning the room for him but finding no trace.  ‘His energy was really weird.’

‘How do you mean?’ asked Cleo.

‘Potent.  He’s a very strong Spirit, probably the strongest I’ve ever felt, but there was something about it that was just different.’

‘Different how?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Well he’s probably a Magnei, maybe they’re all like that?’ Cleo suggested.

‘Maybe, I suppose, but it’s still weird.  What did he want?’ asked Anita.

‘Nothing as far as I could make out, but he told me to come and find him in the Wild Lands.’

‘Peculiar,’ said Alexander, thinking aloud.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ asked Cleo, edgily.

‘Come on Cleo,’ said Anita, ‘you don’t even know his name.’

‘That’s not the point,’ she said, turning away with an exasperated flick of her hair, sashaying melodramatically towards the bar.

‘Do you want to go after her?’ asked Alexander.

‘No,’ replied Anita, ‘she’s just frustrated; the mystery must be torture.’

*****

Cleo shouldered past a number of people to reach the bar, not caring whose dress she stepped on or whose dinner jacket she ruffled.  She reached the front of the queue, Timi and Helena her only remaining obstacles, and pushed her way clean in between them, putting an end to whatever they’d been discussing so intently.

‘Cleo,’ said Helena, ‘everything alright?’

‘Just peachy thanks,’ she replied coolly, leaning over the bar and directing all attention towards attracting the bar tender.

‘Glad to hear it,’ said Helena, raising her eyebrows before taking Timi’s arm and steering him towards the edge of the marquee.

‘What was that about?’ he asked.

‘Gods only know,’ she replied.  ‘Cleo can be…volatile sometimes.  But as I was saying, our support is dwindling; many of our followers in the Wild are defecting to join the rebels and it’s draining our resources, not to mention bolstering an already militant group.  They’re calling for immediate action and Draeus says even their leaders are struggling to maintain control.’

‘And what do you suggest I do about it?’ asked Timi, not unkindly.

‘You’re a key member of the Institution,’ said Helena, tersely, ‘I expect you to take more than a passing interest in a group that’s threatening to ruin everything.  I suggest you take the message back to the leadership and seek support and guidance from them, and whilst you’re at it, I’d appreciate your help with our plan to send the relic back.’

‘I thought you were against what we’re doing at the Cloud Mountain, whatever it is you think we’re doing, and wanted to turn yourself into my enemy?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ replied Helena, regretting her earlier outburst.  ‘If you’re doing something to hoard resources, then yes, I think you should stop, but the immediate battle needs to focus on stabilizing the energy.  Surely that aligns with your goals also?’

‘Of course,’ he replied lightly, ‘how do you think I can help?’

‘Help us convince the Descendants to participate in the plan.’

‘Why do you think I’d be the right person for that job?  The Spirit Descendant is already on your side and I have only limited dealings with Gwyn and Marcus.’

‘Okay, fine, well at least be there when we send the relic back; it’ll add additional weight to the occasion.’

‘Of course,’ he replied, finally, making it clear their conversation had reached its end.  ‘Now if you’ll excuse me,’ he said, slipping away without as much as a backward glance.  Helena watched him disappear into the crowd.  There was something different about him at the moment, but she couldn’t for the life of her pin down what it was.  What are you up to Timi, she silently questioned.

*****

Timi left the tent, making his way to a circle of large boulders where a bonfire had been lit.  A group were splashing in a shallow section of the river nearby, mostly involving outlandish displays of aggressive flirting; boys threatening to push girls into the river, girls holding them tightly, coquettishly begging them not to.

Timi sat on one of the smaller boulders, pretending to concentrate intently on the fire.  ‘How can I help you?’ he asked, after a few moments of silence.  ‘You followed me here for a reason, so I suggest you save us both some trouble and simply come out with it.’

Amber stepped out of the shadows into the firelight and sat opposite the Spirit Leader, taking a few moments to compose herself, intending the pause to also demonstrate that she was neither intimidated, nor would she be rushed.  ‘As a matter of fact I have a proposition for you,’ she said, when she deemed the silence to have extended for an appropriate amount of time.

‘Oh yes?’ he replied, flicking his eyes up from the fire to look her up and down.

‘Well, I’ve heard rumours…’

‘...oh dear.’

‘About the Cloud Mountain...’

‘...scandalous.’

‘About what’s going on up there.’

‘I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a little more specific.’

‘I can supply you with an army of trained soldiers.  We could come to the Cloud Mountain and protect your cause, whatever precisely that is, although I think I have a pretty good idea.’

‘I see.  And what makes you think I need an army?’

‘Who doesn’t in times like this?’

Timi looked squarely at her, his eyes reflecting the dance of the fire, ‘and what’s in it for you?’

Amber paused, taking only a brief moment to determine honesty was the best option.  ‘Austin is dead and Marcus has fired me. I need a cause to be a part of and yours is the obvious fit for someone like me.  You have monks with great skill and power but you lack those who can provide you with effective combat strategies, or indeed physically protect you, should it come to that.’