The Inner Circle: Holy Spirit (19 page)

‘
So what about--?’
Ilgrin was about to ask a question, only to be cut off by Jakob as
he squinted deeper into the cave. There was an additional light
source in the cavern up ahead.

Jakob mumbled something to himself and
then continued the story. ‘Weeks before Abraham’s death, Sarah fell
pregnant with you. Realising that pregnancy would serve to
incapacitate her in her duties, Sarah selected her late husband’s
closest friend as an assistant,’ Jakob paused, again peering into
the distance. ‘Du’Korah was a nobleman of no particular importance
other than that the Devil had befriended him, but Sarah trusted him
implicitly. By the time Sarah reached thirteen months--’

‘
Thirteen months!’
Ilgrin gasped, cutting Jakob off.

‘
Forgive me,’ Jakob
laughed. ‘It takes a bit longer to grow a demon than it does a
human. Anyway, as I was saying, by the time Sarah had reached
thirteen months and was due to give birth, she’d effectively handed
over every possible legional responsibility to Korah. It wasn’t
until after she’d given birth that Sarah realised her mistake. The
legion had come to see Korah as their Devil. All that was left was
to make it official and so Korah ordered her
assassination.

‘
Sarah had few allies
left, but was fortunate enough to be forewarned by a close friend.
She took you and fled to the only place in which you’d be safer
than you would be anywhere in Old World: Abnatol. She knew that of
all the places in New World, it was the least likely place you’d be
killed at first sight. I think you know the rest.’

‘
They did pursue her,
though,’ Ilgrin uttered softly.

‘
Oh, yes.’ Jakob
nodded, as the cave became even lighter. Ilgrin was able to make
out a brightly lit entrance up ahead. ‘Korah knew that if either of
you survived, you might one day come back to reclaim what was yours
by right.’

‘
I don’t understand.’
Ilgrin shook his head. ‘They caught up to us. They must have.
Sarah’s dead. My parents found us at our front door.’

‘
Maybe they shot her
and then she escaped to die later. Or maybe your executioner was
too weak to assassinate a newborn.’ Jakob shrugged. ‘Who
knows?’

‘
How can I believe
you?’ Ilgrin bit his lip.

‘
You really are
suspicious, aren’t you? I suppose life amongst humans might do that
to you, but I just risked my life to save yours.’ Jakob narrowed
his eyes. ‘You don’t know me very well yet, but you’ll soon enough
learn that I’m ordinarily one for self-preservation, not
sacrifice.’

‘
Then . . .
why?’

‘
I’m a Sa’Tanist.’
Jakob sighed. ‘I never asked for it. I was born into it and as
things stand, I’ll never rise above the lowly station of grunt work
while ever the current system remains in place. My father lived and
died as a spy for Hel’s legion and never got anywhere. I do not
wish to do the same. I’m helping you get back what belongs to you,
because you’re going to remember me when you get there.’

‘
And how do you
intend on doing that?’ Ilgrin asked. ‘We have a two-man army. They
have an entire world. Even if I am the Devil, how can we prove
it?’

‘
The Devil’s crown.’
Jakob winked as the mouth of the cave loomed up before them. ‘It
burns the flesh of anyone who touches it--the only exception being
those of the Sa’Tanic bloodline. That means you. But don’t you
worry your little head about the details. I happen to know a few
like-minded individuals who are able and willing to offer a great
deal of assistance.’

CHAPTER
Thirteen

Betrayal

An alliance between Jenjol and the
Elglair was a matter of great significance. To the rest of the
world, it demonstrated that the Jenjen were able to rise above
their petty hatred and that the Elglair were able to coexist with
outlanders. As a result, in the weeks that followed the combined
armies’ departure from Veret, Far-a-mael and King Harundor had
received offers of assistance from the lords of Riverend and the
king of Engelta in Moor. Naturally, their offers had been accepted
and once again the army increased innumerably.

El-i-miir stared at the wall in her
tent. She was attempting to meditate. Doing so would allow her to
connect more entirely with the Ways. Too many times she’d been
caught off-guard and had been unable to affiliate with sufficient
haste. She refused to let that happen again.

El-i-miir sighed, acknowledging that
she’d been lying to herself. The truth was that she’d been
meditating to take her mind off Ilgrin.

The silt had come to haunt her
thoughts. Was he safe? She felt certain he was. They’d become
intimate enough that El-i-miir was confident she’d feel it if
something went wrong. She tried to visualise Ilgrin’s face. His
eyes were a deep shade of purple. His face was beautiful, though
inhuman. El-i-miir stood up, having become frustrated by her
thoughts.

‘
It has to be this
way,’ she murmured and headed for the exit.

The midday sun bit into El-i-miir’s
flesh as she wove between tents in an attempt to avoid the raucous
gatherings of unruly soldiers. A few weeks earlier she’d suffered
but a taste of what Seteal had gone through in Sitnic and she was
still upset by it. At the centre of the camp--presently to the
south of Elta--stood several large tents that loomed over those
surrounding them. A number of them belonged to King Harundor and
the various officials sent from the surrounding countries. One
belonged to Far-a-mael and another ludicrously large tent was
Seeol’s.

El-i-miir made her way toward
Far-a-mael’s tent. ‘I seek audience with the War Elder,’ El-i-miir
told the an’hadoan standing guard outside.

‘
Wait here,’ the man
said before ducking inside. He returned shortly thereafter. ‘It’d
better be important. The War Elder is not in good humour today, but
you may enter.’

After stepping through the entrance,
El-i-miir was struck by the overpowering odour of decay. Far-a-mael
paced in the depths.

‘
What is it,
El-i-miir?’

‘
Far-a-mael,’
El-i-miir began informally. She approached cautiously, all the
while trying to hide her repulsion. ‘We used to be close. Can’t you
tell me what’s happening to you?’

Far-a-mael sighed, stopped pacing, and
turned to face her. His flesh was green and wrinkled. He was
covered in weeping wounds that wouldn’t heal and one of his eyelids
hung heavily. Several of his fingernails were gone, leaving
puss-ridden sores in their place. His clothes were soaked through
by a pungent-smelling liquid. ‘You remember I once told you of my
allergies as a child?’

‘
Of course.’
El-i-miir nodded sympathetically.

‘
Most of them went
away with age.’ Far-a-mael looked at his hands disparagingly. ‘Some
of them remained. I still cannot eat seafood and bottle trees give
me a terrible rash. It would appear that I’m also allergic to
resurrection.’

‘
I see,’ El-i-miir
said. It was not unheard of.

‘
My body is rejecting
what you and Mister Geld did.’ Far-a-mael’s face fell. ‘I’m
decaying.’

‘
I’m sorry,’
El-i-miir said.

‘
Oh, what do you
care?’ Far-a-mael snapped, his defensive walls returning. ‘I tried
to have you killed.’

‘
I’m in love with a
demon.’ El-i-miir smiled sadly. ‘Anyone would’ve done the
same.’

‘
You’re a peculiar
girl, El-i-miir.’ Far-a-mael gazed at her with a half-smile. ‘The
world would be so much better off if the rest of us could be half
as decent as you.’

‘
I have something to
tell you,’ El-i-miir said slowly, fearing that what she was about
to say would count as betrayal to her friend.

‘
What is it?’ The old
man replied distractedly, his stomach making a strange squelching
sound.

‘
It’s Seteal,’
El-i-miir said nervously. ‘She plans to kill you.’

‘
Of course she does.’
Far-a-mael put a hand to his chest and chuckled dismissively. ‘It’s
no secret that she has my blood in her veins. My family are always
so fond of revenge, aren’t we? Never mind. I’ll take care of it.
Send her in here, will you?’

‘
You won’t tell her,’
El-i-miir said pleadingly. ‘That I told you, I mean.’

‘
Of course not,’
Far-a-mael said reassuringly. ‘I have a separate matter I wish to
discuss with her.’ The old man waited until El-i-miir was about to
exit before speaking again. ‘El-i-miir,’ he called.

‘
Yes?’ She
turned
around.

‘
How would you like
to go home when all of this is over?’

‘
You can’t undo
condemnation.’ El-i-miir frowned at the cruel joke.

‘
I’m the War Elder,
my dear.’ Far-a-mael laughed. ‘I make the rules as I see fit and
I’ve decided that I want you back. It pains me to say it, but I
made a mistake in sending you to Vish’el’Tei.’

‘
I can feel the
truth in
your words,’ El-i-miir choked
out, ‘but still I cannot believe what I’m
hearing.’

‘
You don’t need me
anymore,’ Far-a-mael said softly. ‘When we return, you will
complete the Wil’ca examination. You’re ready to become a
gil.’

‘
I’ve dreamed of
this,’ El-i-miir said shakily. ‘Thank you. Oh, thank
you!’

‘
You’ve earned it. In
coming to me about Seteal, you’ve shown where your true loyalties
lie. Besides, you’ve gotten rid of the demon. I can see no reason
to further maintain your punishment.’ Far-a-mael smiled for a
moment before jolting in response to a cracking sound in his mouth.
He fished about for a moment and retrieved a tooth. ‘Well? Go and
get her for me.’ He flicked the tooth absentmindedly across the
tent.

El-i-miir stepped into the sunlight,
her heart beating fast and her breath coming in short bursts. She
could go home. She’d be able to see her family again . . . be there
to watch her sisters grow up. And never see Ilgrin again.
El-i-miir’s heart sank. She shouldn’t think about that. No, she
should just go and find Seteal as directed.

‘
Seteal,’ El-i-miir
called when she found the woman’s tent, but didn’t wait for a
response before barging inside.

‘
El-i-miir,’ Seteal
looked up in surprise. She was sitting on a makeshift bed, cradling
her rounded belly. Seeol stood over her, but stared at El-i-miir as
though she’d intruded on a private conversation. The young man’s
bright golden eyes were inhuman in colour and were all that
remained of his avian form. ‘What is it?’ Seteal asked, standing
slowly.

‘
We was just talks
about your,’ Seeol said almost incoherently, still struggling to
work his human tongue.

‘
Seeol,’ Seteal
cautioned. ‘I said no.’

‘
It’s just
friendlies,’ Seeol insisted, bobbing his head a few times before
stumbling toward El-i-miir. ‘Will you eating some dinner for
me?’

‘
You want me to eat
your dinner for you?’ El-i-miir raised her eyebrows.

‘
He wants you to have
dinner with him,’ Seteal rolled her eyes. ‘I’ve been arguing with
him for the better part of an hour.’

‘
Oh,’ El-i-miir
gaped, having been taken by surprise. ‘I guess.’ She squirmed
beneath the young man’s steady gaze. He really was quite handsome.
‘Just to catch up of course.’

‘
Yessh!’ Seeol pumped
a fist into the air, possibly mimicking behaviour he’d witnessed
from the soldiers. ‘I told you,’ he gloated at Seteal before
turning back to El-i-miir and taking her hands. ‘It will be the
bestest night ever. We will talk and have fun and eat delicious
beetles and dance in circles.’

‘
Calm down there,
Seeol,’ El-i-miir said nervously, immediately regretting having
agreed to attend.

‘
Oh, it will be
marvellous and there will be no naughty silts.’ He skipped out of
the tent and disappeared amongst the rabble.

‘
What’d you agree
for?’ Seteal asked. ‘I was trying to prepare him for rejection to
make it easier on you. Now you’ve gotten his hopes up. He loves
you. You do know that, don’t you?’

‘
He doesn’t know what
love is.’ El-i-miir frowned. ‘He’s just an owl. Don’t let the body
of a man make you forget that.’

‘
I suppose you’re
right.’ Seteal frowned.

‘
Besides,’ El-i-miir
said irritably, ‘what makes you think you have the right to try
convincing him not to ask me to dinner?’

‘
Maker, I was just
trying to help,’ Seteal said defensively.

‘
Well, don’t,’
El-i-miir snapped. ‘I can take care of myself. Maybe I want to have
dinner with Seeol.’

‘
All right.’ Seteal
chuckled. ‘You go ahead and have a lovely evening together. It’s a
bit soon after Ilgrin, but who am I to judge?’

‘
Oh, you think you’re
so funny, don’t you?’ El-i-miir narrowed her eyes. ‘By the way,
Far-a-mael wants to see you in his tent.’

‘
And?’ Seteal replied
with a flick of her hair. ‘If Far-a-mael wants to see me, he can
come and find me.’