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Open DoorBy Sue Wilson

Started 14/05/07

0 words

on 19/05/2023 at 9:04 AM

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PrologueThe rain flutters down in a constant shower that soaks through ever the best of water

proofs. The shelter offers little protection, thanks to the breeze coming in off the sea.

Silas can feel it running down his nose and dripping onto the floor. Despite the

discomfort, Rik is in no mood to be moved until the pick up has been made, and right

now his determination is making him the dominant member of the partnership. Silas

just hopes he is getting all the unpleasant drippy cold sensations as well. As the

waves crash up on the shore, briefly adding a less grey shade to the dark grey water,

he reflects not for the first time, on the down side of sharing his body with Aaron’s

pig headed off spring.

“Here’s the stuff you wanted.” Alywin, equally as wet, drops a rain socked jiffy bag

onto the bench.

Silas reaches out for it. “Thanks” Alywin looks at the grey ocean and the equally grey

town. “What a wonderful place you have here.” He states flatly.

“Welsh holiday town in the rain.” Rik quotes.

Alywin shows no sign of detecting the subtle change in tone from Silas’ vocal cords.

“Yeah wonderful. Well if that’s every thing I’m off. Pardon me if I don’t share your

enthusiasm for nature in all it’s forms but there is a warm pub and a pint with my

name on it round here somewhere and I intend to track it down. You coming?”

Silas want to say “Yes” and follow but Rik gets there first. “No.”

“Whatever.”

Silas reluctantly watches his uncle walk away.

Rik picks up the jiffy bag and opens it, peering in at the contents whilst trying not to

get them wet. ‘It’s all there.’

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‘Of course it is, he’s very good at what he does.’ Silas defends.

The bag is resealed and Silas finds himself staring at the ocean again.

Slowly he becomes aware of a presence next to him. He turns and finds himself

looking into the eyes of a small rather beautiful Japanese lady.

In an instant Rik has gone. All sense of the link silent.

The lady tilts her head on her side, a very slight inclination, almost as if she senses

Riks sudden departure. Then Silas realises who she is.

“I should apologies for my son’s rudeness and save you the trouble.” She states

simply.

“I…” He finds himself lost for words.

She holds out her hand. A delicate white flower. “I’m Sukiyama.”

He takes it. Amazed at it’s smoothness and warmth, even in the rain.

“Yeah I….” Again words fail him. Other peoples memories of her flood his brain. He

finds himself trapped looking into her eyes.

“Sorry.” He mutters.

She shakes here head. And he suddenly realises that an apology is not what she is

here for.

“He left.” He explains.

“I know. Do you really think that if I wanted to talk to my Son I could not have

compelled him to stay?”

“Well.” He knows what she is saying is true.

“I came here to talk to you Silas.” She states with a gentle smile. “And because you

need to talk to me don’t you.”

Suddenly he is glad of the rain. The water on his face hiding the tears. He nods. Not

trusting his voice.

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She slides round on the bench next to him so they are both looking out to sea.

“Well they say confession is good for the soul.” She prompts gently.

And it all floods out. All the things he has been holding in: All the pain and the fear,

the sense of betrayal, the insecurities and the isolation. He talks and talks and she

listens. She puts her arms around him and holds him whilst he sobs. Then like a wave

breaking on the beach all the tension is gone and the emotions smooth away.

He sits there. His head resting on her breast aware of her heart beat; and of

memories from both Aaron and Rik of times that she has spend holding them is just

the same way. Slowly he sits up. “Thanks.”

She smiles.

“Silas. Don’t forget I am all too aware of the games the Mellors get up to. I’ve been

on the receiving end too. That’s why I had to come here. To let you know that your

isolation is not as complete as you feel.” She laughs lightly. “You so need to swap

notes with Corton.”

“I’m not sure Aaron would appreciate that. I’m meant to be a secret.”

“Oh Corton knows. Not many others do but he does.” She laughs. “Aaron couldn’t

keep that one from him. You had far too much of an impact.”

Silas looks at her, genuinely surprised at her comment. “He misses you Silas.” She

shrugs “Though I doubt you could get him to admit it to you. You are not the only

one that is feeling alone and miserable.”

“I didn’t know. I kind of thought...”

“What? That is all an act?” She looks at him sadly. “You know him better than that.

Once it would have been, but not any more. He changed. He’s still coming to terms

with that.”

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She looks out to sea again. He voice raises slightly, almost as if she is talking to

some one else. “And on a related note, you don’t need to let Rik make all the calls. If

you want to spend time with your uncle you do it. It’s not like you are against the

clock here.”

He smiles at her and she stands up patting his knee. “Go home. Get warm. Get dry.”

She instructs gently. “I’m not having one of my lads getting a head cold.”

And then she is gone.

He heads for the train.

+ * +

Silas pushes open the door to his suite with a shoulder, riffling the paper work in his

hands. It’s been a while since he was last in Caester and Charles had handed him a

stack of mail with a look a glee that finally his pigeon hole would be empty and neat.

The knock on the door catches him by surprise, but not half as much as the person

on the other side.

He stares at Aaron for a few seconds before managing an “errm”.

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah sorry.” Silas steps back out of the way and lets his old mentor enter the room.

Aaron casts a glance round it. Smaller than is own, just a single bed room with a

lounge cum kitchen dinner. The furnishings are sparse to the point on minimism. He

pauses a brief look of confusion and then confesses.

“I’ve never been in here before.”

Silas stares at him, caught by the strangeness of the revelation.

Aaron Shrugs. “Paul and I always go for more neutral territory when we need to

discuss things.

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“”Like isolated welsh pubs.” Silas responds.

This time it is Aaron’s chance to look confused.

“You know when we first met – that “My lord Corinthiad thing.”

“Oh yeah.” Aaron laughs. “I’d forgotten that.” His face turns for thoughtful briefly as

a dark thought surfaces. “Hmm.

“Coffee?”

“Please.”

Silas heads for the kitchen area, Aaron pushes over the pile of letters and runs his

eyes over the addresses. “Keeping your self busy then?”

“Do you mind those are private.”

Aaron shrugs. “Sorry old habits die hard.”

“I only have instant ok.”

“Better than nothing. And I suppose keeping Paul away from stimulants is a little

essential. Would have though Rae would have had some.”

“Shes on Herbal tea at the moment.” Silas responds. And then mentally kicks himself

so hard he stops and looks at the ceiling.

When he turns to looks at Aaron the Man is smiling wryly.

“But it’s not like you didn’t know that.”

“The tea I didn’t.” He confesses. “The fact you were working together…” He lets the

phrase hang in the air for a second. Almost as if deciding if to ask the next part. In

the end he decides he has to.” Does she know about you and Rik?”

“No.” Silas snaps back the reply with more force than he was intended.

Aaron nods. “Probably no real need to tell her then.”

“We think that would be best.”

The coffee goes down on the table.

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The two stare at each other. Eventually Silas prompts

“Was there a reason why you came?”

Aaron pauses before replying. Using a swig of the coffee to buy him some time.

“Yeap.” He states flatly.

“Not Rae though”

“No.”

They look at each other. Aaron is the first the break the gaze.

“Crap. I don’t know how to put this.”

Silas perches on the edge of the table.

“Depends what you want to say.” He glances over Aaron’s shoulder to the door way

to the bed room. ”We don’t have to end up in bed together do we?”

“God no.” Aaron responds, though a little relieved that the point has been raised.

“Good. Cos I think that stage of our relation ship is definitely over.” Silas laugh.

“Wasn’t meant to happen in the first place.” Aaron confesses.

“So can we put that down as something stupid and move on?”

“I think that would be best for every one.”

“Good.”

Another pause.

“So.” Silas states. “May be I should start.”

“Ok.”

“I miss you. I mean really miss you. Not the physical things the… talking. The

knowing you had my back. Feeling part of something.”

“Yeah I know.”

“So it’s mutual then.”

Aaron nods.

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“We did a lot Silas. The whole thing. Jack, the council, the sun king you know. All of it.

I couldn’t have done it with out you.”

Silas looks at him, the expressions on his face suggesting he finds that hard to

believe.

“Ok I could have but it would have been so much harder.”

“Ok I’ll give you that.” He concedes.

“Then this Rik business drove in a wedge I really wasn’t expecting. I suppose I

misunderstood how much Rik hates me.”

“Rik doesn’t hate you.” Silas responds. “Ok there are times he doesn’t like you very

much but he doesn’t hate you. He’s just….”

“Grown up.” Aaron responds.

“Well Yeah.” Silas concedes and then defensively continues “and he has his own

agenda and he doesn’t want you interfering with it. That’s all.”

Aaron shrugs.

“You know the weird thing.” Silas states softly. “When I was down on the beach and

Suki came to talk. I couldn’t understand why Rik got out of there so fast. I mean if I

had a chance to talk to my mum and dad again I’d jump at it but…. He just fled. And I

thought she’d be upset, you know, I assumed it was him she wanted. But she didn’t.

She didn’t even ask.” He pauses. Taking in a deep breath. “It was me. She was

worried about me. And I didn’t get it.” He looks out of the window aware of the tears

forming. “I couldn’t understand why. I mean what am I to her? I’m the guy that slept

with her husband, you know. I deserve all the shit in the world but that wasn’t what

was happening. She didn’t hate me. I could have understood that. I could probably

have coped with that. But I couldn’t deal with the….”

“Love?”

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“Yeah.”

Aaron smiles wryly. “Yeah she’s good at that. The times you expect to get a

bollocking is the times she gives you the tea and sympathy thing.” Aaron laughs.

“And the other way too. We your feeling sorry for your self she’ll come and kick your

arse. It can be kind of frustrating at times.” Then he turns more serious. “No. She’s a

good judge of what people really need. Always has been.” He takes a deep breath

and swallows the last of the coffee, grimacing at it’s flavour. “Tell you what next time

you come to mine and drink something decent ok?.”

“Ok” Silas smiles, realising fully the open door implication of the statement. “I’ll see

you later Aaron.”

Aaron simply waves as he heads back out of the door.

+ * +

Suki is waiting in his suite leaning on the table.

“You talked?”

“We talked.”

“Good.” She stands up. “Now may be we can all put this moment of idiocy behind us

and get on with the task at hand.” She heads for the door.

“Suke.” Aaron stops here.

“What?”

“Thanks.”

She kisses him on the cheek. “What would you do without me?”

“Curl into a corner in a dark room and refuse to come out.” He reminds her.

“Yes and that was before.”

His face darkens slight. “Yea. Well lets hope we never have to find out.”

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“Come on Dr Mellor.” She extends her hand “The least you can do is buy me a meal

in this expensive restaurant of yours as a thank you before I head home.”

Chapter 1Silas leans over the rail of Aaron’s balcony. Beneath them, in the area normally

occupied by a car park, a century of roman soldiers are setting up camp on an open

field. Behind him “Snow Patrol” drifts out of the window. Sharing the balcony with

him is a tall stocky fair haired man dressed in doublet and hoes, who swigs from a

“Ever cool” aluminium beer can. Any where other than Caester this would be horrible

anachronistic, here it’s just one of those days.

Next to him, Prydan is making uncomplimentary comments about the quality of the

trenches and the lack of discipline; making Silas rather glad that the strict looking

Centurion can’t hear them.

“You’re talking shop.” Aaron accuses as he joins them and hands Silas can of beer.

“Fish will be ready in 10.”

“Cool.” Silas responds, turning his back on the soldiers below.

“Back in my day sonny we really knew how to soldier.” Aaron teases in a fake old

man voice. “Which would be funny if those lot weren’t in your day.” He points out

gesturing down to the camp.

Prydan shrugs reluctantly admitting defeat at the truth in the comment, given his

own Roman origins.

“Besides, you might want to keep an eye open for the guy three from the left. He can

hear you.” Aaron warns.

Silas looks down at the figure he is indicating and it does appear that the man is

glancing up at them occasionally. “How?”

“He’s a solo.” Aaron responds.

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“How do you know?”

Aaron thinks for a while and then shrugs. “It’s obvious if you know how to sense it,

like a flavour or a accent, kind of hard to describe if you don’t.”

“Well I don’t care how hard he is out there.” Prydan observe, “if he messes about in

my town he’ll be spending the night in the cells.”

“Rules were no shop.” Silas reminds him.

“It’s alright for you lot, you’re not surrounded by it.” He complains.

“And that’s the point of having a lads night in, rather than a lads night out.” Aaron

reminds him.

“People keep banding that term around but no one ever actually says what it

means.” Silas complains.

Aaron looks at him confused.

“Solo.” He prompts.

“There is only one of them.” Aaron responds as if that in itself is an answer.

“Ever though of working on a help desk?” Prydan retaliates. “What he means is that

whilst for most people, like me, if you go out into the realities you will different

versions of them, typically one in each universe, all of whom are slightly different.

For solos hunt as hard as you can you can only every find one of them anywhere.”

“Why?” Silas asks.

Prydan looks at Aaron.

“Lots of different reasons. Sometimes a mummy solo and a daddy solo love each

other very much and you get a baby solo, like Rik; Others are created Solo like me

and Christine; Occasionally you find rare ‘last man standing’ solos like Karl. But most

of them are coalesced.” Aaron looks back down at the man digging.

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After a pause Prydan complains “It’s like milking a stone.” Then he looks at Silas.

“It’s something to do with that internal belief thing that means some people can

survive in realities that are not their own whilst other people can’t. The ‘I’m so sure

of what I am, you are not going to tell me otherwise’ thing.”

“Suki calls it Tenet.” Aaron responds, still watching the soldier frowning slightly.

“Sometimes if some one gets particularly good at it then it can acts like a magnet

and pulls all the other version of them out of the other realities and into one place.

That’s coalescence. There is another way, sometimes you find individuals that the

Wyrd has decided she want to keep an eye on and rather than have to go looking in

all the realities for them, she brings them all to one place. It looks like coalescence

but they have less tenet than you would expect.” Then he smiles “Ahh.”

“What?” Silas asks.

“Just worked out who he is. Aurelius. You might want to nip down and have a chat

with him later Prydan he’s a brilliant tactician, if he’s hanging round for a while it

might be worth you deputising him.”

“Can’t dig a straight trench though.” Prydan observes

“Yeah well Solos aren’t necessarily better than other people, you just always know

who you are talking to.” He pulls the watch out of his pocket checking it as there is a

knock at the door of the suite. “He’s cutting it fine.”

“I’ll get it.” Silas offers heading for the door.

It still catches him by surprise that he has to look down when he opens the door. Paul

is wearing the same business suit from the first time so long ago in the pub in Wales.

“He says you are cutting it fine.”

“Some of us still have work to do.” Paul defends. Taking of the jacket and loosening

the tie.

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Prydan and Aaron come in from the balcony Aaron heading straight for the kitchen to

rescue the meal. Paul looks round the suite. “No Ryan?”

“Christine wouldn’t let him out to play.” Prydan responds, making a pushing down

movement with his thumb.

Paul pulls a face of clear disapproval. “That’s really letting the side down.”

To break the mood, Aaron places the giant Salmon in the centre of the table.

Paul stares at with approval. “Wow.”

“Silas caught it.” Aaron state flatly, not wanting to take credit.

“Yeah,” Paul grins at Silas “better give him the end with the teeth marks then.” He

teases.

Prydan stops abruptly, looking out of the window.

Instantly the mood in the room changes.

“Trouble?” Silas asks, recognising the look of concern on the watchman’s face.

“Can I use you phone?”

Aaron gestures to it.

“Oh” Paul looks at the fish longingly. “That smells really good.”

“If you can eat quick.” Aaron states.

Prydan puts down the phone. “Very quick. Connaught wants every one down at the

garrison.”

“Even me?” Paul asks with obvious surprise.

“Especially you.”

“Oh we’re in so much shit.” Silas sighs.

“In which case I might as well at least get a last supper.” Paul grabs a roll of bread

and slits it in half. He scoops up a handful of the fish and drops it into the roll.

Aaron grabs the jacket of his uniform and, pulling it on, holds open the door.

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Silas is the last to leave. “Lads night in huh?” He comment to Aaron.

“Oh we’ll probably enjoy this more than a beer, film and pretzels.”

The Commander is standing in his office waiting for them. “Ah we even have

Dartanion.” He comments wryly as Paul follows Aaron in.

“I guess there is a problem Sir.” Aaron states.

“You guess right Captain.” I seems there is something with in the walls that should

not be.”

All three of them look pointedly at Paul. He almost looks sheepish.

“Other than Him.” Connaught states obviously wishing the clarification wasn’t so

necessary.

“It seems there has been a death. Something daemonic. I would appreciate it if you

four would investigate and deal with the matter before news spreads and we have a

panic.”

Again Paul becomes the centre of attention. “Oh come on!” He protests. “Not even

I’d be dumb enough to crap on this door step.”

Aaron turns back to the Commander. “I suppose we’d better start with the body.” He

suggests.

They follow in instruction Connaught gave them up away from the castle to a small

alley. One of the city watch pulls himself smartly to attention as they approach and

salutes Prydan before gesturing into the darkness of the alley.

Aaron heads in, closely followed by Prydan as Silas goes to enter Paul reaches out

and touches his elbow.

“Have you actually seen a Daemon kill yet?”

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“Not as such.” Silas admits.

“Ok then I’ll go first. That way when you have to run out to be sick you wont be

throwing up on me on the way.”

Silas follows him into the darkness.

Aaron is crouched over a dark shape.

“A little light would be appreciated.”

Paul lifts his hand, a soft blue glowing orb appearing in it illuminating the small group

and the body.

Silas feels his back goes stiff before his conscious mind has even register the sight it

reveals. It’s not the physical remains that gets to him. He has seen death before,

even violent deaths, but it’s not like that. It’s not even the twisted face of torture of

the victim. It is the utter, utter emptiness of the shell before him.

He swallows.

“Try not to barf on the victim.” Prydan states flatly. Silas is not sure if he is saying it

for his own benefit or as a warning to the others.

“Well I think we can confirm it’s Daemonic.” Paul comments, trying to make his tone

as light as he can get.

Aaron stands up. ”Do we have an Id?”

“Don’t recognise her.” Prydan responds.

Silas stares at the twisted features. “I think I do.” He whispers.

Aaron looks up sharply.

“May be.” Silas defends. “She looks a bit like one of the Displaced that went through

the camp a few weeks back.”

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“You got records?”

“Karl has.”

Paul pulls a mobile out of his pocket and heads for the exit to the ally. The light going

with him.

Aaron curses him slightly then pulls out a torch from his pocket.

“Anything else round here that might help” Prydan asks.

Aaron pauses. His eyes defocusing as he pulls on some other non visual sense. The

he shakes his head.

“She didn’t die here. The body was dumped.”

He walks slightly further down the alley to a dead end placing his hand on the flat

wall.

“They came through a door that isn’t here.”

“That means they were walking Caester?” Prydan states, an edge in his voice. “Some

one was using the paths from one of the other realities to get into this version of the

city, and just happened to drop this on the way. That seems overly careless.”

“Yea” Aaron confirms. He reaches up to the top of the wall and pulls himself on to it.

Balancing carefully.

“Shit.” It’s heart felt. He looks down to Silas.

“You know where this path goes don’t you.”

“Home.” Silas states

Aaron drops off the wall. He pushes his hand up under the glasses to rub his eyes.

“It’s not exactly a well known path.” Silas points out.

Aaron starts to head for the road. Silas follows him.

“It’s not recorded any where either. I made damn sure of that one.”

“So who knows it?” Prydan asks.

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“Me and him.” Silas states. “Rik. Paul probably.”

“Paul definitely, you saw him in the pub remember. Emrys, Grace, Polar, Rafe, Suki.

That’s it.” Aaron adds.

“Plus any one who got there by some other means and was trying to get out via

Caester who would have to walk it.” Prydan tries to defend.

“No not really. It’s a pretty isolated reality. You can’t lea path into it.” Silas explains.

“Or U-space… Well you CAN but you’d have to have one a nutter as a helmsman.

About the only one who would ever consider it would be Andi, and I know he’s not

been there.” Aaron adds. He shakes his head. “No it has to be a coincidence. It has to

be something that is lost in Caester’s labyrinth and is trying to find a route out.”

“And feeding at it goes.” Prydan reminds them. “God that’s even worse.”

Aaron looks at him “When was the last time the watch did a sweep on the paths?”

Prydan thinks. “About six months ago.”

“Anything turn up on that?”

“A couple of lost travellers. Nothing that could be responsible for something like

this.”

Aaron looks down at the body. “So it’s something new then.”

“Could you do another one?” Silas asks.

Prydan shakes his head. “Not quickly. It swallows a lot of man time and takes co-

ordination across the whole of the Caesters. Takes months to set up and do it

properly. Next one isn’t due for over a year.”

Paul hangs up the phone. “Bad news. Kind of. There was a Displaced that fits the

description and she was brought in to Caester. Karls faxing the info to Connaught

now.”

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“Shit.” Silas swears

Aaron rests his hand on his shoulder. “Let it go now Silas. This is not something you

want haunting you. You were not to know, she could have gone any where and this

could have happened.”

“I know.” Silas replies.

Prydan turns to the city watch and informs them they can more the body to some

where more secure.

“Stick it in the morgue at the castle. I’ll need a better look at it, and taking that to

the infirmary will only cause a panic” Aaron states and then starts back down the hill.

Silas moves to follow him then stops and turns to the watch. “Who found it?”

The watch man shrugs. “We just got a call from the commander to go to this spot.

The body was here but no one else.”

Silas looks at Prydan. “Isn’t that a bit weird?”

Prydan shrugs. “May be the Connaught knows.”

Paul grins. “Lets go ask him then.”

They start back down the hill as the body is removed under a large blue sheet.

Aaron is already in the morgue when Silas reaches the garrison having pulled on his

title of Doctor to get access, thought quite how a Ph.D. in organic Chemistry gives

him right to do an autopsy has never really been explained.

Copies of the data from Karl are spread out on the table. He looks up.

“Where are the others?”

Paul wanted to talk to the Commander about who called in the find of the body.

Prydan went with him to stop them hitting each other or something.”

Aaron shrugs. Then he holds up an image. “This her?”

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Silas nods. “At least it’s the woman I was thinking of.”

“Did you talk to her?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “She had a rather nasty wound on her arm so Rae dealt

with her.”

A look of despair crosses Aaron’s face. “Oh lets give that hideous task to Paul then.”

Silas shrugs and sits down at one end of the room. As far from the body tray as he

can.

“Do you think Chris knows?”

Aaron looks up confused. “What?”

“I mean. Could that be why Ryan didn’t come to the meal? She didn’t want him

involved in this?”

Aaron puts down the sheet he was reading. “Actually it may be something of a

blessing in disguise. This is Daemonic so Chrimel would want to be involved, but this

is Caester jurisdiction and that’s one car crash I don’t want to be around for.”

He turns back to the data.

Silas licks his teeth. Feeling Rik prick the back of his brain.

“So you didn’t actually invite him then did you.” He states.

Aaron looks up, may be a little sheepish. “It wasn’t that big a fish.” He defends.

“Well at least Paul got to eat it.”

“Don’t worry. It will keep. I time froze it on the way out.” Aaron reassures him.

“There are some advantages to being a Mage.” He teases.

The door at the far end opens and the blue covered trolley is wheeled in by the

watch man from the alley. The man instantly leaves.

“Give me a hand.”

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They move the body onto the tray and un cover it. In the sharp lighting of the

morgue the twisted state of the form is all too clear and Silas actually feels a little

relieved he didn’t eat the fish. Even Aaron is looking disturbed.

“Is this usual?”

“When it comes to Daemons there is nothing usual. But the complete lack of soul is

pretty diagnostic.”

“Is that why it feels so… empty?”

Aaron nods.

“Aaron if this was done to a Bulmäs…”

“Yeap. Gone gone. No coming back. Do not pass go. Do not reincarnate.”

Silas shudders.

Aaron carefully moves the right arm of the victim. It cracks like ancient leather.

“It’s almost mummified.” Silas comments.

“Yeah.” He pears at the flack skin and then reaches for the page he was reading.

“Well I’ll call that a distinctive feature.” He points to the carefully documented

details of the wound and the obvious fresh scar on the body which matches it

perfectly.

“So it is her?”

Aaron shrugs. “With a lack of any soul fragment you can never be completely sure

but….” He gently twists the arm round. “That was repaired with Time Portal

technology.” He carefully puts the arm down again. “Rae is about the only one that

uses stuff that primitive. Get Paul to have a look when he gets here.”

“Speak of the devil.” Paul’s voice sounds from the door way.

“And you’d wish it wasn’t so appropriate.” Aaron states. “Have a look at that and tell

me if it Rae’s work?” He gesture to the arm.

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Paul grabs it and showing none of the delicate respect of Aaron almost rips it from

the socket.

“Hey.” Silas protests.

“What? It’s not like she can feel it.” Paul defends.

“What did Connaught have to say?” Aaron asks desperate to diffuse the situation.

“It wasn’t a call. One of the sensors triggered an unexpected shift. He sent the Watch

to investigate.”

“Good so the only people who know about this is the watch…

“… Who will keep their mouths shut…” Prydan inserts

“Connaught and us.” Aaron finishes. “Lets try and keep it that way.”

Paul stands up. “Yeah that’s Rae’s.” He looks at Silas. “So she knew her.”

“Well they talked at the camp.” Silas confirms

“Crap.” Paul’s response is deeply heart felt

“I need you to go and ask her about it.” Aaron states.

“No.” Paul states flatly. ”Come on Aaron she wont talk to me about it any way. She’ll

assume I have some ulterior motive.”

“I’ll go.” Silas offers. “It’s Camp stuff really.”

Paul grins at him. Obviously pleased to be off the hook.

“Meanwhile we have a killer loose in Caester.” Prydan reminds them.

“We could go hunting.”

“What and walk every path?” Aaron states.

Paul shrugs.

“Do you know how long that will take?”

Paul grins “Well last time…”

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Aaron holds up his hand. “Ok if you want to goose chase it you go do it. I’d rather be

more methodical.”

Paul heads for the door. “I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

“Paul No gribblying inside the walls till we’ve solved this one. I don’t want to be

following a lead just to discover it’s you nipping out for chips.”

Paul looks genuinely hurt at the accusation. “How dumb do you think I am?”

“Well you married in to my family how smart was that.” Aaron retorts.

“Yeah ok. “He concedes. “See you later.” He heads out.

“Should I go with him?” Prydan asks.

“You wouldn’t live that long.” Aaron responds.

Silas looks at Prydan “Does he mean it would take that longer than you will be alive,

or Paul would just get so annoyed he’d rip your head off?”

“Mostly column a, but with Paul it’s never a good idea to get to complacent.” Aaron

replies and then turns back to the body. “Lets see what stories she has to tell us.”

“How long does it take to walk all the paths of Caester?” Silas ponders.

“I wasn’t aware any one has ever done it.” Prydan responds. “If there are an infinite

enough Caesters then…”He shrugs. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“There isn’t an infinite number.” Aaron observes, not even looking up from the

corpse. “However it is very, very big.” He carefully rolls the body over. It’s screaming

face turning towards the two of them. “And you start at number one.” He looks up at

them. “Which fortunately is where we are. Any chance of a hand?”

“Yeah.” Silas walks over.

“Just hold here there. I need to look at her back.”

Silas gingerly touches the skin. It’s so dry it almost feels as if it would suck the sweet

out of his skin. The form is surprisingly light.

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“There is no water it in.” Aaron answers his unexpressed thoughts. “No fluid at all.”

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for an exit wound. Or an entry. I’ll know when I see it.” He stands back and

sighs. “But it’s not there.”

He shakes his head and walks found to the feet. “There is something not right there.”

“No shite.” Prydan sighs.

Aaron gesture to the body. “The answers are not here. This is not going to help us.”

He looks at Silas. “You can put her down now.”

“Thanks” Silas lowers the body grateful he doesn’t have to touch it any more.

“Well I’m out of here.” Prydan announces.

”See if you can find out what she has been doing since she came her.” Aaron asks to

his vanishing back.

He pointedly waits until the door is closed before turning to Silas. His expressions

speaks volumes.

“This isn’t just some coincidence is it?”

“No. One of your lot being killed like that and then dumped here on a path to you

home. My Guess some one is trying to get your attention. When was the last time

you went home?”

Silas thinks. “When I met Suki on the beach.”

“Not since then.”

He shakes his head. “Been too busy.”

“And this girl turned up at the camp after that.”

He nods.

They fall silent staring at the corpse. Each deep in thought.

Eventually Silas speaks. “Do you think there is a daemon in Caester?”

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“Oh I know there is a Daemon in Caester, but he didn’t do this. This is an import job.”

He looks over at the mummified remains. “The only thing that could do some thing

like that is so powerful it is not going to get past Caester’s Wards with out lighting

the whole place up. Which means she died some where else and then some one

brought her here to be found.”

Silas nods to the door. “Connaught and Prydan think they have a killer in the city.”

“Oh they do. But it’s not a daemon. It’s just using a daemon like some one else would

use a gun or a knife.”

“Because it’s the one thing they know we can’t ignore.”

“Bingo.” Aaron sighs. “Right now the only clue we have is her.”

“Shes’s not talking.”

“No. But she already did.” He turns to Silas. “I need you to talk to Rae. Find out what

she said to her at the camp. See if there is anything …” He shrugs. “What ever you

can get.”

“Ok.”

“Get her to come here. I don’t want you leaving the walls until we have some

answers.”

Silas looks at him, a little surprised at the request.

“We need to keep this thing contained. It will be hard enough find it it here, if it’s out

in the realities playing games…”

“Ok. Point taken.”

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Chapter 2Silas arrives back at the Dorchester. Charles greets him as he enters the lobby. “Mr

Tremain. You have a visitor.” He gestures to a leather arm chair near a large plant.

Rae stands up, pushing the hair back from her eyes.

“Cool I was just going to phone you.” Silas greets her, trying to keep the tone light.

“Karl said you needed a chat.”

“Yeah lets go up to the room.” Silas replies.

Rae contains herself until they are in the suite and then turns on him. “What’s

happened to Paul?”

“Nothing.” Silas defends surprised by the ferocity in her voice.

She stares at him. Almost as if her gaze will reveal some alternative truth. Then she

relaxes.

Despite himself Silas smiles “So much for the “I don’t worry about him he’s immortal

line.”” He teases.

She shakes her head. “I know he was here.” She justifies

“He’s walking Caester.” Silas responds. “I suppose he could get lost but…”

She shakes her head. “No he is too good for that.”

“So what did you want?”

Suddenly he finds it hard to speak. “You remember that girl with the injured arm.”

“Amy?”

Silas is suddenly struck with guilt. With all the stress he had never bothered to note

the victims name.

The looks on his face must speak volumes

“Has something happened to her?”

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There is no easy way of breaking the news. “She’s dead. They found her body a few

hours ago.”

Rae sags and drops backwards onto the dinning chair behind her. ”Oh no. The

bastard must have found her.”

Silas looks at her shocked by the revelation.

“What?”

“Can you get me a drink?”

He pours a tumbler of Toffee vodka Paul left in the suite for just this purpose.

Rae swallows it, the sweet fluid barely touching the sides of her throat.

“The curse of the Mellors,” She comments as she puts down the glass with a thunk.

Silas is caught, not sure if she means the drink or the death.

She taps the glass. “Drugs. How we cope. Alex used to get royally stoned.”

Silas frowns, suddenly realising she is revealing to him something both Aaron and Rik

have kept quiet about. Then he recalls Aaron’s warnings about avoiding him when he

was smoking.

She reaches out and refills the glass. Drinking it more slowly this time.

“You said something about a bastard finding her.” Silas prompts, realising that if he

doesn’t keep her focused he could loose his chance.

“The wound on her arm, well the whole thing really, it wasn’t a normal Displaced

thing. She threw herself out of her local reality. A desperate attempt to get away

from some one who was chasing her.”

“That’s pretty desperate.”

“Yeah well it was either that or die.”

“This guy who was after her, did he have anything to do with Daemons?”

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Rae shrugs. “She didn’t say. But I don’t know if she would have known any way.” She

pauses. A moment of clarity on her face. “But the blade that cut her had a taint. Took

me ages to clean it up. With hind sight it could have been daemonic” She takes

another drink. “And it wasn’t a guy.”

“What?”

“The person chasing her. Wasn’t a guy. It was a woman.”

“Did she say who?”

“No and I didn’t press the point because I figured she was out of there anyway.” Rae

sighs. “I was just focusing on calming her down and cleaning her up.”

“How come she ended up in Caester?”

“Well having thrown herself out of a reality I wasn’t convinced she could stabilise

anywhere else, especially in the state she was in. She was in no condition to be

dragged into the shite happening at the temple or Chrimel. So I figure Caester was

the one place that wouldn’t evict her and she’d have the space to sort herself out. I

pulled a few favours and got her a bed at St Peters.” She reaches for the bottle

again. “Crap.”

Silas feels Rik pushing at the back of his brain. Before he can stop it he hears his

voice challenge. “Are you determined to drink yourself under that table?”

Rae’s face snaps up and glares at him. ”Think you can stop me?”

Silas wrestles for control. “No. I just want you to be sure you want to do it.” He gets

out.

She looks at him. Then back at the bottle. Then pushes it away. “You may be right.”

He puts the top on it and puts it back on the side board.

He feels Riks amazement at her response and then he fades away.

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Rae looks at him. He can almost see the cogs move in her alcohol lubricated brains.

Then she comes to a decision.

“Can I see the body?”

“Sure you’d want to.”

“Is it messy?”

“It’s empty.” He responds. Hoping she’ll take the hint.

“Ah.” She sits back. “Hence the daemons question.”

Silas nods.”

“No I think I’d rather remember her happy.” She stands up. “Get the bitch Silas. Rip

her throat out.” The death sentence is delivered with a dangerous quiet calm.

All he can do is nod and watch her leave.

+ * +

Silas passes on the tip about St Peters to Prydan by sending one of the watch to find

him and then heads back to the Garrison. He finds Aaron is in the Map room, a small

office against the outer wall. The data from Karl has been joined by other computer

read outs and numerous hand written notes. They are scattered over the desk in no

discernable order; After the time they spent together he is all too familiar with the

way Aaron works.

He grabs a blank sheet and adds to it the info from Rae, voicing it aloud as he does

so.

“That knife wound was made with a blade that had daemon taint.” He relates.

Aaron looks up. Pushing his glasses back up his eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah Rae said it took her ages to clean it.” A horrible thought hits. “You don’t thing

she missed something do you. That may be there was something left behind that did

that to her?”

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“No Rae is far too paranoid to make a mistake like that.” Aaron responds.

“Also the lass was on the run from some one, a woman who wanted to kill her. Rae

said she pulled herself out of her local reality trying to get away.” Silas adds the

sheet of paper to the pile, Aaron moves it slightly.

“So our killer could be a woman. Did you get anything else about her.”

“No Rae didn’t ask. She didn’t think it was important. She got her a bed at St Peters.

I’ve let Prydan know. Still…”

“What?”

“That’s no mean feat is it. Pulling yourself out of reality.”

Aaron sits back. “It’s rare. Particularly amongst people who have never had any

training. Though I did find something that might go some way to explain that. Our

victim was Bulmäs.”

“Oh.” Suddenly Silas wishes there were questions he hadn’t asked.

Aaron looks at him and Silas realises there is even worse to come.

“Spit it out.” He prompts.

“She had a genetic flag. Kind of a rare one. One that only occurs in the Maynans.

“She’s a relative.”

“Closer. I checked.” He takes a deep breath. “You might want to sit down.”

Silas sits.

”She is a descendent of yours.”

“Descendant.” Silas echoes. “That would mean….”

“That at some point you get to do the nappy and puke on your shoulder thing. Yes.

And no I’m not going to give you any more information on it than that.”

Silas sits trying to absorb the weight of what he has been told.

“So they killed my daughter.”

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“No.” Aaron responds quickly. “There is a lot of drift there. More like six or seven

generations down.”

Silas still doesn’t trust his voice to speak. Rik however has no such compulsion.

“That’s really getting personal.”

Aaron nods recognising the subtle difference in the tone that means it is his son

talking.

“Rae was drinking.” Rik tattles.

“So.” Aaron responds. “That liver Paul gave her can cope with anything.”

Rik shrugs. Silas can feel his frustration at Aaron not rising to the bait.

“And I guess you put your awe in.” Aaron observes. Moving the papers round again

and scribbling some note on another one. “What does it take to stop you two

fighting?” He sighs. “You not even in the same mulitverse as each other but you still

can’t let it go.” Aaron puts down his pen and looks at Rik. “Tell you what, why don’t

you tell me what it’s like where you are now?”

Silas feels Rik withdraw rather than rising to the challenge.”

He coughs, getting control back over his own vocal cords.

“Having second thoughts about father hood yet?” Aaron enquires.

“Hadn’t started having firsts.” Silas confesses. But he can feel Rik withdraw.

Aaron looks back down at the papers. “Sorry.”

“Well you weren’t to know.”

“No not about her. About my children. The bickering.”

“Oh that.” Silas replies. “I’m kind of getting use to it. The thing that really worries

me is that one day he is going to say something that I have no way I could have

known about and give the game away. Not sure how Rae will respond to that.”

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“If she is anything like her mother she’ll kick the crap out of you and then cry for four

hours.”

“Is that what Suki did when you told her.”

“Some thing like that.” He confesses. Then he sits back again. “And then she

thanked me. And then she came to talk to you. Then she kicked my arse again. And

then I came to talk to you. And then she ran up a huge bill in Orchids. And I’m really

hoping that the end of it, or I may actually have to go out and get a day job.” Aaron

turns back to the paperwork.

“Actually I’m sorry for getting you into this mess.” He continues quietly. “I just

needed some way to be sure he was ok, to keep an eye on him when he went

beyond. It’s hard to let your kids go. And I used the excuse of need to know what

that place is like to justify the actions to myself, make it seem less selfish, more like

for the good of the realities sort of thing.”

He falls quiet, leaving Silas with the feeling he needs to fill the gap. “It’s not that

bad.” Is all he can come up with.

Aaron looks at him, a sad smile on his lips. “It would have been better if he has said

he wasn’t willing to play ball before we made the link.”

“He wouldn’t have would he.” Silas responds. “He still needs me to do things for him

here.”

“Yeah.” Aaron looks up at him and for a moment there is a flicker of the affection

they had for each other. “But you being his errand boy was never part of the plan.

Don’t let him push you around Silas. He needs to remember that you don’t actually

need him, and the way I see it you are not getting much out of this relationship right

now.”

Silas shrugs. “He tells me things occasionally.”

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“Yeah but I’ll bet it’s only when it’s convenient for him.”

Silas has no way to refute the statement.

“Stand up to him.” Aaron instructs.

“Suki said that.”

“Ah well then, shows you how right it must be.”

Silence decends on the room, Silas lost in thought and Aaron focused on the papers

in front of him.

“Rae wants me to rip her throat out. “Silas observes.” Given what you just told me I

might oblige her.”

“Suki’s?” Aaron looks concerned.

“No the murderer.” Silas responds, confused at his confusion. “I didn’t think family

relations were that bad.”

“Neither did I” Aaron defends. “But my kids never cease to frustrate me and Rae can

be well... explosive if roused. I’d like to blame it on Paul but she’s always been

volatile.”

“Yeah. Rik said she was always more like you than Suki.” He digs.

Aaron loks up at him and smiles and then gestures to the papers. “Well if you are

determined to go all bestial we have to find her first. May be Prydan can find

something useful at St Peters.”

“Or Paul’s goose chase.”

“Doubt it, But at least he isn’t here bothering me.”

“Rae was asking after him. She actually sounded concerned.”

“Oh it’s all an act.” Aaron states. “She worries. It’s what she does best. It’s what she

worries about that makes no sense.”

“What do I do in the mean time?”

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Aaron throws a thick blank pad at him. “Oh lets start with a list of every woman you

have ever annoyed.”

+*+

Paul walks Caester.

The city is unique in it’s own way, as close to being a solo as any place can ever get.

Long ago in the past the Daemons had attacked a version of the city on some small

world close to shades. Some say it was the first mass assault on the realities the

Daemons ever carried out. Legends tell of how they dropped out of the sky and

caused the deaths of millions across the plain in a single heart beat. The world fell to

them before anyone could draw breath and their beliefs imposing themselves on the

shattered remains for the real world; reshaping it into daemon plains of fog and fear.

And yet despite the speed of the assault, Caester had stood firm. Something about

the people in the city, the walls and the mass of history at the site had held it in

place; gave it belief and kept the destruction out side. Whilst the rest of the world fell

to Blakks minions, the city remained: The one last bastion against the evil, trapped in

the middle of a daemonic world. Ever on the watch for the next attack that may lead

to it’s destruction.

But such events are not with out long term effects. The power in reality once used to

stabilise the whole world focused on the city, gifting it the ability to reach out to all

the other versions of itself across the other realities drawing strength from them.

Thus the labyrinth was born, allowing those with knowledge of the paths, or the

talents to find them, to walk the strands. It gives ways to reach multitudes of other

worlds far away; routes used to resupply the city under siege and to hold it despite

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what the daemons threaten to do. Because in truth no one knows what will happened

if that first Caseter ever falls and the Daemons gain full control of the whole reality.

His feet feeling for the paths; those areas of clarity that indicates the routes leading

to other versions of the city lying in far distant universes. As he walks around him

the world shifts to show briefly the worlds he is skirting through on is travels.

Concrete paths give way to cobbles give way to dirt and then up onto wooden stairs

and along stone blocks. Around him the buildings slowly morph through time. Roman

Stone walls fade into wattle and daub and then solidify into brick before smoothing

into glass. Around him the populace in the worlds he skirts through are glimpsed as

translucent ghosts which flicker in and out of existence. They are not what he is

looking for, He is after the thing that doesn’t change. The odd constants in the

shifting world – the others walking the city, and he is all too aware they could be

anywhere in this Labyrinth.

He did this once before, long ago. An exercise in futility Aaron had called it, but

something about the challenge had drawn him to it. Like some massive string

sculpture. Following each stand to it’s end and then turning and going again.

Then it was a “because you can.”

This time his stride has more purpose.

This time he is hunting.

Not to say last time had not been profitable. Avoiding the maps and quides and

following instinct had shown him a number of older paths longs forgotten, and a few

that had been deliberately hidden, like Silas’s home world. That discovery lead to an

angry confrontation with Aaron in an isolated Welsh pub, almost as if the man though

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he had deliberately been snooping on him, when for once Paul hadn’t been. Still it

had roused his interest in the world.

Given the location of the body on an unrecorded path it seems all too likely that the

murdered is doing something similar. Which both intrigues him and worries him;

there are few with the skill and control that requires.

The destination of the path was not lost on him either. Silas’s home world. and Silas

recognised the victim. He is pretty confident this is not really his battle.

But still he walks.

It is a puzzle and the one thing that always get him is a puzzle to pit is mind against.

Besides, they involved Rae, and the irritation at how this will effect his love is enough

to drive him on.

But so far there are no answers. All there are are foot steps.

+*+

Prydan knocks on the heavy door of St Peters. The door is pushed open by Sister Ruth. She

states up at the Watch man.

“Yes.” Her challenge is firm despite the age of the woman.

Prydan pulls out his warrant card almost as a defence against her attitude.

“I know who you are. What do you want?” She responds.

“Can I come in?”

“No. This is a house of god not a secular establishment.”

“I need to talk to you about a woman who was staying here.“ Prydan states.

“We offer complete confidentiality Watchman.” She shuts him down.

Prydan pauses, counting to ten to calm down.

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“It’s ok Sister.” The voice comes from behind him and he turns to see Rae walking up. She is

looking rough and concerned. Obviously she has come straight from talking to Silas.

Sister Ruth stares at her.

“I’ll vouch for him. This is important.”

“Well if you must.” She opens the door to let them in. The loby is a small hall way. A pair od

double doors ahead of them which leads on into the rest of the structure, and a smaller door

leading to an office come waiting area at the side. Prydan is surprised that now they are

inside the church there is little in the way of religious iconography.

They are quickly ushered into an office an as there are only two seats Prydan elects to

stands and let Rae sit.

“Amy.” Rae states flatly.

“She left.” Sister Ruth responds. “She could not fit in here. There was too much hate in her

soul and she was disturbing the others.”

“I’m sorry.” Rae apologies. “When did she leave?”

“Time has little meaning here but she was with us only a few days. I thought at first she was

settling in. She seemed to be finding some level of peace in our meditations. But something

happened. She became disturbed after we were visited by one of our pioneers, thought I can

not firmly say that her decline was directly connected with the visit.”

“Did she talk to any one whilst she was here?” Prydan asks.

Sister Ruth looks at him as if he has coughed up a stoat. “We are a silent order.”

+*+

“Oh I feel stupid.” Prydan confesses as the door closes behind him.

“How would you know? You are not exactly welcome in there. Wrong sex, wrong job.” Rae

points out. She removes a cigarette from a small leather pouch and sticks it into her mouth,

using a matt black lighter to light it. As she takes her first drag she offers the case to Prydan.

“No thanks.”

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She shrugs and breaths in deeply.

“Well that was a dead end.” Prydan observes, scanning round the roads as if trying to work

out where to go next.

“No it wasn’t.” Rae contradicts him. “The Pioneer. Something about her upset Amy and got

her on the run again. We need to find her.”

“I don’t think they are going to be much help.” He gestures back at the door.

“No. But the pioneers play a very important role in St Peters. Whilst the nuns remain inside

the church they go out into the realities and learn what they can of the events outside, and

then return to bring the nuns up to speed. They are the only direct link the sisters have with

the realties. That pioneer came from somewhere out there,” She points towards East Gate

and the city walls, “which means they must have entered Caester.”

“And some one must have recorded it. I’ll go and requisition the watch gate records.” He

starts down the road and then stops realising she is not following. “You coming.”

She finishes the cigarette. “No. I have something else I need to do. But if I hear anything I’ll

make sure you know.”

She heads for East gate.

+*+

Prydan heads for the town hall. Ordinarily he would leave such mundane paper work to one

of the watch, but this is too important not to follow up himself. He slips in through a smaller

door in the large wooden arch and heads for the reception desk to sign in.

The records are stored under ground in a series of rooms connected by passageways and

tunnels. Prydan locates the gate records quickly enough and slipping on the soft cotton

gloves prepares for a long night working through the reports from each gate looking for the

entry record for a silent Pioneer.

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Though he quickly finds the record of Amy’s arrival via East gate (with Rae, he notes, who

left quickly afterwards) it takes him five hours to confirm there is no record of her departure.

Or indeed any sign of the Silent Pioneer.

+*+

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Chapter 3Paul walks on. He sees a few walkers on the path, but no one that strikes him as being

daemonic or out of place. Still it gives him a chance to ask round about any strange events.

Admittedly most people looks at him as if he is insane, and elicit “What’s normal’?”

responses but there are a few little niggles that he notes and records.

As he turns to start along another path he realises there is a static figure waiting for him.

Rae drops the cigarette and stands up.

“Waiting long?” He asks, trying to keep his voice light, uncertain of her current mood.

“When were you going to tell me?” She asks.

Paul pauses, trying to decided which of the many things he hasn’t told her yet that she

might be referring too this time. Eventually he decides on “Clue?”

She starts to walk with him.

“Silas. And this girl Amy.” She prompts.

He looks at her confused. “You mean the murder.”

She pauses looking at him, suddenly aware of the fact that she knows something that he

doesn’t. “You didn’t spot the family resemblance?”

The looks on his face makes it clear he did not.

“Oh.” She starts walking again.

“Ok spit it out.” Paul lengthens his stride to catch up.

“Amy was Bulmäs. She virtually said as much when she described how she had escaped her

attacker.”

“Yeah. And.”

“Amy was human and Bulmäs.” She hints again.

“Oh.” Paul suddenly realises the connection.

“You only really get them in one place.”

“Do you think Silas knows?”

“Well dad will have worked it out in a shot. It all depends on if he told him or if he kept it to

himself.”

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“What do you think.”

She stops and looks at him.

“Honestly?” She looks out into the distance briefly, almost as if she expects to read the

answer in the buildings around them. ”He told him. There is something between those two

and I am damn certain I don’t want to know what it is.” She starts walking again. “Besides

it’s another clue isn’t it, and right now he’ll be shuffling clues looking for the missing piece.”

“Well as much as I hate to admit this is a waste of time…” Paul admits. “I don’t think there is

anything I’m going to find here.”

“No you’re not.” Rae tells him with a firm conviction in her voice. “That’s why I came to get

you.”

“Thank you.” Paul responds.

“Coming home?”

“Not until I’ve solved this.” He states.

She shrugs, obviously a little upset.

He smiles and puts his arm round her. “I’ll make it up to you. We’ll leave the twins with Gen

and Kendrick and go out.”

She smiles at him, a little sadly. “Ok.” Then she turns and walks back down the path.

+*+

Paul catches up with Prydan as he comes down off the wall at Bridge gate.

“Any luck?” Prydan asks hopefully.

“I see no Daemons here.” Paul replies. “You?”

“Lots of blanks, which strangely enough is a bigger clue than finding something.”

“Ah well lets see what tweedle dum and tweedle dummer have come up with.” Paul grins

and pushes open the door.

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The paper notes have made it off the table and on to the walls and floor. There are

noticeable gabs in the lay out.

Aaron looks up at Paul.

“Caester paths?” He interrogates.

“Nothing Daemonic.” Paul replies.

Aaron gives him an ‘I told you so’ look.

“However.” Paul cuts him short I did find a close path that has been unblocked.” He sketches

out an over view of the path on a map of caster stilly lying on the table. “Here.” He pointed

out the exact site. “And I got a hint of an Elf warden that there has been an undocumented

entry to his world around 24 hours ago.”

“Entry or exit?”

“Entry.” He states firmly. “The guy was very sure. Some one came in via Caester and left

through a St Martins gate having knocked out the guard. He was rather upset about it.”

“Might not be related but it’s worth knowing.”

“Ok to support my case. Guess where the unblocked path leads to and from.”

“Here and there?” Silas offers.

Paul grins.

“Ok” Prydan starts. I have lots of blanks. St Peters is a silent order so she didn’t talk to any

one. Apparently she left there after some pioneer visited the nuns. However there is no

record of a pioneer coming into Caester, or any record of her or our victim leaving. And I am

so going to petition the council for a better search system for the records.”

“Won’t happen” Aaron states. “They are there to record events not so you can look them

up.” He looks up from the paper he scribbled the notes down on and then reaches over to

the wall to attach them in place.

“So what have we got.” Silas asks.

Aaron gets up and walks round the desk. All four of them stare at the mass of paper work.

“A desperate need for a interior designer?” Paul quips.

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“Not and live.” Aaron responds.

“We have a woman.” Prydan starts

“Female human Bulmäs.” Aaron corrects

“My great, great, great, great, great, great, grand daughter or something.” Silas points out.

Prydan looks at him. “Really.”

“Apparently.” Silas confirms.

“Congratulations. Or commiserations or what ever.” Paul offers

“That’s ok.” Silas responds.

“Tell you what I’ll baby sit yours if you baby sit mine.” Paul suggests

“Fuck off.”

“You’ve been talking to Rae too much, they are not that bad really.”

“Who was killed by a daemon.” Aaron continues loudly trying to get them back on track.

“Yes sorry.” Silas apologies.

“And then dumped in Caester on the path to Silas’s home reality.” Paul continues.

“Back up.” Prydan says. “We have a woman who came into Caester into the protection of St

Peters after fleeing her own reality.”

“By pulling herself out of it by pure force of will because some one….” Silas continues

“Another woman” Aaron observes

“… wanted to kill her.” Silas finishes.

“She then met some one In St Peters.” Prydan continues, “but who she didn’t talk to because

St Peters is a silent order.”

“How silent?” Paul asks.

“What?” Prydan looks confused.

“Is it just the out loud thing or do they include telepathy and stuff?” Paul asks.

“I… have… no… idea.” Prydan confesses.

“Completely silent.” Aaron informs them. “No voice, no telepathy. Nothing. The women in St

peters only come together to eat and for moments of mediation on the nature of the

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Goddess. The theory is that one day they will be able to see the truth of her creation and

then guide all others to her perfection.”

The other three look at him surprised he knows so much.

He shrugs. “It’s a Wyrd thing.”

“Well I’d suppose you’d know then but, do they check?” Paul asks.

Aaron looks at him as if it’s a stupid question. “They are a very devout order. And they

expect all to conform.”

“But do they check?”

Aaron rubs his eyes. “Yes Paul they check. It is impossible to communicate with any other

person with in the chambers of St Peters if you are female and men are not allowed in. It’s a

Gaes thing.”

“Ok then.”

“So just seeing this person was enough to scare her so much she left?” Silas asks.

“Looks that way. And then she vanishes.” Prydan stays. “There is no trace of her leaving

Caester. Or for that matter this pioneer that spooked her so much arriving or leaving.”

“And then she turns up dead having been daemoned.” Paul

“But not by any daemon that could get into the walls.” Silas states.

“Can we add the fact that our murderer doesn’t like Silas to the list?” Paul asks.

“We did.” Silas replies darkly, gesturing to a long list next to the window. Most of the names

have been crossed out, but Paul can’t help noting that Rae’s name still appears on it.

“Really?”

“We were assuming that at some point I would.”

“Honestly.” Paul picks up the pen and cross it off. “Take it from some one who knows. She

will be way more direct than this.”

Silas looks over the list again. ”Actually I’m not convinced this will help much. I mean it’s

perfectly possible this is some one I haven’t even met yet, especially if they are hunting out

my deep descendants.”

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“Ok lets leave these on the maybe useful pile then.”

“So suppositions gentlemen.” Aaron asks.

“The pioneer grabs her once she is out side St Peters. Some how accesses Caester’s paths

with out going near the gates.” Prydan offers.

“Is that possible?” Silas asks

“It is if you are determined enough.” Paul confirms. “After all, you only have to get on the

walls and walk round, you can start from anywhere.” He shuffles as he revels his guilty

secret “There are a number of places you can climb onto the walls if you really want to, and

you know the timings of the guards patrols.”

“There are days when I feel security in this place is just a sick joke.” Prydan complains.

“It’s designed to stop things getting in , not getting out.” Aaron reminds him. “Still may be a

refresher course might be in order. Once we’ve cracked this one.”

“So our murderer gets out of Caester without being observed at any of the gates.” Prydan

continues refocusing himself on the task at hand.

“Or.” Silas gestures to the data for the Elf warden. “Leaves here knocking out the guard.”

“Feeds her to a daemon. Then brings back the body.” Paul adds.

“Again with out being observed.” Prydan points out.

“And dumps it whilst walking the path to home.” Silas states

“Or possibly on the way back from there back into Caester.” Aaron offers.

They stop looking at the mass of papers.

“Least ways that the Holmes approach.” Silas explains.

“Ok lets disprove that one and then see what we have left.” Aaron concludes

+*+

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Silas heads back to the hotel, Pyrdan having pointed out that they will all be more effective

after some sleep. Both Aaron and Paul made excuses to remain in the map room a little

longer. As he enters the foyer Rae stands up.

“If we keep meeting like this people are going to talk.” He jokes.

She looks at him witheringly and then heads for lift.

She doesn’t speak until they are in the suite and the door is firmly closed. Even then she

drops herself into one of the deep leather arm chairs.

“I said I’d let you know if I found anything.” She states. “Well it’s not exactly found. It’s more

of a remembered.”

She unzips the black leather jacket she is wearing and pulls out a scroll of velum tied with a

black bow. Carefully she unties it and rolls it out on the coffee table.

The surface of the goat skin is covered in black brush strokes of Japanese calligraphy.

“Sorry I can’t read it.” Silas confesses.

“Id be worried if you could. This is Paul’s and he writes in a cypher.” She gestures to it “It’s

an extract from his diary, an account of Ryan and Chris’s engagement. It’s so long ago I’d

forgotten all about it. “ She leans back, looking tired. “The problem is Silas, as you may have

noticed, that when you hang around with the Mellors that the weird becomes so mundane

that you forget how strange it really is. And for that I owe you an apology.”

He looks at her quizzically.

“I should have realised when I was treating Amy that she was related to you, I should have

told you then you would have had a chance to meet her.”

“I think that might have been a bit strange.” Silas confesses.

“Well. Ok. But at least I could have given you the option of it.“ She taps the paper. “This is

another one of those moments.”

Silas sits down. “Go on.”

When Chris announced her engagement to Ryan, Paul pulled me off a Time Corp job so that

we could be there. At first I assumed it was just the engagement thing, but just as the party

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was winding down all hell broke loose. There was a direct attack on the Island by a force of

Bulmäs. Urox the really big guys. Well between us we managed to fight them off but it

became clear that they had just been a distraction, and whilst we were out side taking on the

main force they had sent in a small squad into the house itself. They attacked a girl that was

staying with Christine. Now she was another Human descended Bulmäs.”

Silas looks at her not sure where this is going.

“Ok I know they are pretty common where you come from Silas, but out in the rest of the

realities Half breeds are not exactly well liked amongst the Bulmäs.”

“Well I had picked up on that,” he confesses.

“In fact anywhere other than your place, where they only was they could survive was to inter

breed with the locals, you guys are a real faux pas, like bestiality or something. And most

Blumas take great delight in hunting them down, and the parents, and killing them off. Now

at the time, given the size of the attacking group and the lack of any other leads, I kind of

assumed it was just one of those.”

“But now?”

“Well I realised I missed something at the time. The force in the house just left. They didn’t

kill her and frankly they could have done. They were looking for some one else. Some man

named stone house from the comments they made. When she wasn’t him they got confused

and pulled out. I asked Chris who she was and Chris tried to fob me off with the same bollox

that she’d told every one else, that she was her niece, only at the time I know she couldn’t

be. But that was before.”

“Before?”

She looks at him. Obviously trying to find the words she needs.

“Mum turned up at our place one day. She was, not annoyed, but upset about something.

She wanted to know where you were. Paul stone walled a lot but eventually had to give in.”

Rae laughs. “She can be very persuasive when she want to be.” She swallows. “Anyway Paul

took her off some where. Through Caester.”

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“To the beach?”

“I don’t know. I know they came back soaked.”

He nods, recalling the rain.

“Mum naturally speaks a very formalised dialect of ancient Japanese. It’s full of subtleties

which most people missed, but I grew up with it. When she came back something had

changed. You went from being referred to in tones of some business associate of Aaron’s to

being family. I mean real inner family.”

Silas looks at her still not getting the significance.

Rae holds up her hands with five fingers and count them down. “Me, Rik, Dad, Corton, You.

That’s it. Even Paul doesn’t get that honour and she brought him up for a while.”

Silas sits back. “Oh.” It’s like a weight hitting his chest. He knows full well why Suki would

refer to him in the same terms as her son, but there is no way he can tell Rae.

“Chris said Silvia was her niece. Mum classifies you as family. Now what’s the derivation of

your name again?”

“Maynan or Tremain?”

“Does it matter?”

He suddenly realises that it doesn’t

“Bulmäs is pretty rough and ready, deals more with concepts than specifics, Stone house is

not a million miles away is it.”

“Another attack on one of my descendants.”

“It was unsuccessful and might be unrelated, but I couldn’t take the risk that it wasn’t. If Paul

hasn’t mentioned it, it could be that he has forgotten, or that he hasn’t actually been there

yet, or he hasn’t realised it’s significant…”

“Or he is playing his cards close to his chest.” Silas observes.

“I was trying to be more charitable,” Rae replies. Then she taps the vellum again.” However

this should remind him.”

“Thank you.”

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“It’s ok. I just felt you needed to be warned. This has a feeling of something big. The woman

that attacked Amy and drove her out of her world. Well lets just say she was taking her time.

From what little Amy said her attacker was very sadistic. And it needs a certain level of evil

to stand and watch a daemon feed and do nothing to save the victim. I see it occasionally in

Paul. When his other side gets the better of him.”

“Aaron has his moments too.” Silas recalls. Thinking about the revenge on Herne.

Rae looks at him, obviously she has similar memories of her own… “Yeah.”

“Even you told me to rip her throat out.” Silas reminds her.

She signs. “May be we all have our dark sides.” She concedes. “Except Suki. She even

pleaded clemency for Mikan.”

Silas looks at her confused.

“Oh way before you time. Before mine If I’m being honest. Back when the temple was first

being set up. Mikan was responsible for Suki’s death.”

“Death?” Silas looks concerned.

Rae shrugs “She got better. I’m not sure something to do with Corton giving up some of his

life. He seems to like doing that. Anyway at the trial Suki argued for clemency for Mikan. In

the end he was allowed to commit sepaku rather than being given the death sentence.”

Silas looks at her confused.

“Believe me Silas there is a major difference.”

“But you are still dead right?”

“Well yeah, if you only want to look at it that way.” She concedes.

She shakes her head. “Any way that’s ancient history and this is now.” She pauses very

briefly. “And I meant it. I just want you to be sure that you are ripping out the right throat.

Whoever is doing this is playing mind games. They are trying to get you rattled.”

“They are succeeding.” Silas admits.

“Exactly. You need to stop and think. Make sure that the target is the right one, and not

some patsy that’s offered up as a convenient focus for your rage.”

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Then she stands up to leave.

And he realises how tired she looks. “You could stay” he offers.

“Thanks but no. As much as I am knackered, I really can’t take up your offer of a bed.”

“I’d sleep on the couch.” He assures you.

“You say that like you’d have the choice not to.” She observes pointedly. Then she smiles

“No. It would be a bit weird. Besides I have a baby sitter to rescue.”

As she heads for the door he calls after her.

“Be careful Rae.”

She turns and smiles. A genuine look of friendship, and may be a touch more. “You too

Silas.”

+*+

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Chapter 4Silas arrives back at the Map room after a disturbed nights sleep and is not overly surprised

to find Aaron still there.

“No Paul?”

“No he said he owed Rae a night out on the tiles.”

“Don’t think she’ll appreciate it, she was off to bed when I saw her.”

“Oh he’ll time it right. Besides he needs a little R&R himself. Not that he’d admit it.”

“Shame I was hoping he could explain this.” Silas puts the velum down on the table. Aaron

turns it round.

“ooo Does he know you’ve got this?”

“Not unless Rae told him.”

Aaron smiles and then adds it to one of the spaces on the wall.

Silas frown at him for a second.

“Can you read that?”

Aaron grins sheepishly. “If he asks you say no ok.”

“Hmm. That’s what I thought.” He decides to cut to the chase. “Who is this Silvia then?”

Aaron twists uncomfortably under his gaze. “Oh you don’t really want to know.”

“No. But I think I have to.” Silas points out. “Rae made some comments last night that

opened up a few cans of worms and I need help getting them back in the box.”

“Like.”

“Human Bulmäs all being my relatives for a start.”

“Ahh that. Well broadly speaking yes I guess they are. Most of them at least. There are

probably a few that are native born and not found by the Bulmäs but they are rare.”

“Ok.” Silas tries to absorb the fact.

“I mean it’s not like you directly sired all of them.” Aaron defends. “You know how

populations can grow, especially given time and a competitive advantage. And natural Lea

walking is a pretty good advantage in the realities.”

“So I found a dynasty.”

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“Well yeah.” Aaron admits reluctantly.

“Ok. May be I’ll put that away and deal with it later.”

“I think that would be best.”

“So this Silvia.” Silas gestures at the diary extract.

“Yeah.” Aaron states. Almost as if he hopes the yeah will be enough.

Silas looks at him, making it clear that it isn’t.

“Closer to me than Amy?” He prompts.

“You could say that.” Aaron admits.

“What was she doing at Chrimel?”

“Internship.” Aaron replies.

Silas looks at him.

“Oh come on it’s pretty standard practice round here, your kids go off and spend some time

with some one else so they can get a look at the real world. Rik did it, Rae did it. Even you

did it, bit later that normal may be but circumstances got in the way.”

“Did you know about this attack?”

“God no. Christine would never fess up to something like that she knows how fucking furious

I’d be with her especially….” He stops himself.

“Especially?” Silas prompts.

Aaron tries to look innocent and fails.

Silas puts it together. “Ahh. Especially as she was looking after Silvia for you.”

“Yeah.” Aaron admits.

Silas looks at the velum. “She’s my daughter isn’t she.”

Aaron refuses to reply.

Silas draws in a deep breath and then bites his lip.

“What else did Rae say last night?” Aaron asks.

Silas looks at him. “I think you know.” He says darkly.

“Doesn’t make it less valid.” Aaron replies.

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He takes another deep breath. “What have I done to deserve this?” Silas asks.

“We don’t know. You may not even have done it yet.”

“Well whatever I’ve done or will do. They didn’t do anything did they.” He states gesturing to

the picture of Amy and the velum

“No they didn’t.” Aaron confirms.

He turns to Aaron. ”What about the rest of them?” He asks. “What about the others out

there?”

Aaron shrugs. “The immediate family we could act.” He stops himself. “No I’ll be frank with

you, I already have acted on. The moment I realised where this was pointing to I got out

there and I shifted them all to places of safety.”

“As safe as Chrimel?” Silas challenges, stabbing his finger accusingly at the velum.

Aaron leans forward, his eyes flashing will annoyance. “She’s still alive isn’t she.”

Silas goes to reply and then stops himself. “Ok. Sorry.” He forces himself to calm down.

Aaron sits back, and shakes his head softly. “Let it go.” He advises. “Ok I’ll level. I was just

keeping it to myself. I figured the smaller the number of people who knew the safer they

would be. But even I have my limits Silas.” He shrugs “How do you protect a whole bloodline.

Especially one as disparate as yours? It’s not like we can call a big family gathering, and

even if we did we might only be making it more dangerous for them by identifying them.

Honestly I’m banking on their natural talent for staying alive. Face it Amy got away from this

bitch once. It was only when she came here she became trapped. Even then, St Peters is so

secure. If she hadn’t left…”

“But she did.”

“Yeah. And I suppose our real failing is that we didn’t know and protect her. Between me,

Rae, Sister Ruth, Karl or who ever we dropped the ball.”

Silas looks at the photo of Amy again. “Rae apologised for not introducing us. She said I

could have got to know her. I said I thought it would have been weird.”

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“It’s a line you have to decide where it’s drawn because no one else can do that for you.”

Aaron comments softly “The danger of this life. How much do you want to know about things

that haven’t happened yet? How much would you try to change and how much worse could

it be? You could save Amy. Silvia might die instead. We could loose a third of the human

Bulmäs in the realities at a stroke.”

He shrugs.

“Rae prefers to know nothing. Paul grasp for every scrap he can. I didn’t get a choice. Or

rather I did but it was too late by the time I made it. And what do you do about others? Karl

goes one day at a time. Personally I give out as little as I can about what I know. Paul holds it

over you like a sword of Damocles. No one said it was easy.”

“No one ever said it would be this hard.”

“If you are going to quote Coldplay at me you can go jump in the Dee right now!” Aaron

states pointing to the door.

“True though isn’t it.”

“Well running in circles chasing our tails might be, unless we get a bit of focus.”

He stands up and stretches. “You had breakfast yet?”

“Ate at the Dorchester.”

“Well you can come with me anyway.” He picks up the uniform jacket and pulls it on but

makes no attempt to do it up. “Bacon butty at the Pantry and I’ll be ready for the day.”

+*+

The Pantry is a small circular building just out side the castles main gate. A popular

alternative to the castle’s Naafi fair. Some how they have squeezed a serviceable kitchen, a

few tables and a staircase to on upper floor –“More seating upstairs”- in the limited space.

The menu consists of brightly coloured paper notices on the wall that offer “Bacon butties”,

“All day full English” and “Daily roast meal (tea/coffee included)” with an invite to “Ask for

today’s desserts”. The room is filled with the aroma of roasting meat and fresh bread.

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Aaron heads for a table under the window and after a brief consideration of the three options

opts for “two full english stagger them by ten minutes would you Declan.”

Silas sits and watches him eat, reluctant to interrupt what is so obviously an intense attempt

to recharge and stock up his reserves. It worries him a little. He has seen Aaron do this

before when he is expecting trouble, or knows he will not to have enough time in the future

to eat or sleep properly. He is torn between concern and not wanting to know what the

future may have instore for them.

Prydan joins them as Aaron starts on his second round of eggs. “Anything new?” He asks.

“A few more pieces.” Silas advices.

Aaron waves his knife “I’ll fill you in back at the map room.” He mumbles through the toast.

“I had a word with the Watch. A few of them recall our girl but no one saw her after she left

St Peters.”

“No I’m beginning to think she was waiting for her as soon as she left.”

“And then what?”

“Hmm. May be we should go and look.” He folds the remaining sausage in a slice of bread

and waves at the Declan behind the counter who waves back.

As the door closes behind them Silas looks at him ”Do you ever actually pay for anything?”

He smiles, winks and sticks the sausage into his mouth.

They head up Bridge street to the cross, blending in as far as possible with the normal

residents of the city. As they reach the ever shifting statue Silas stops staring at it, caught up

for a moment in it’s shapes and forms as it cycles through all the statues and constructions

that have ever exist at that spot in all the realities.

Prydan nudges Aaron and gestures to Silas.

“He has a lot on his mind.” Aaron defends. He steps up onto the stone plinth that surrounds

St Peters and leans against the door.

Almost immediately it is opened and he has to grasp the door jam not to fall in.

“Yes!” Sister Ruth challenges.

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“Oh crap.” Prydan’s heart felt expletive is not as under his breath as he’d hoped it would be

and the aging nun gives him a filthy look.

Aaron smiles at her as politely as he can.

She looks him up and down. “What do you want Wyrd child?” Some how she manages to

make the title sound like an insult.

“Sister.” Aaron starts.

“Not yours.” She interjects.

“We are looking into the disappearance of Amy…” He prompts, ignoring her rudeness.

“I know he said.” She gestures to Prydan. “And I told him she left here.”

“I know.” Aaron responds. “We are trying to work out where she went next. I’m just here

starting from the beginning.”

“Fine.” She shuts the door in his face.

He turns round sighing and swears softly in Eelafin, the singing language carrying the

expressions of his emotions far more effectively than mere words.

“The nearest point out of here is East gate.” Prydan states.

“No it’s not.” Silas comments. Still staring at the cross.

Aaron looks at him.

And then Silas reaches out and touches the statue and is instantly gone.

“What the!” Prydan steps forward and grasps the statue. It stabilises briefly in the form of a

woman holding apart two squabbling boys, only to continue it’s shifting as he lets go.

“Where the fuck did he go?”

Aaron stares at the statues morphing form.

“Do that again.”

Prydan reaches out. This time it is a twisting form of metal and glass reaching up to the sky.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t know it did that.”

“Oh I knew I just hadn’t thought about it that much.” Then he laughs and shakes his head.

“So where is Silas?”

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“Out.” Aaron responds. “Some where on the paths on his way back here by now I’d guess.”

He shakes his head again. “None so blind.”

“Aaron!” Prydan challenges.

Aaron throws his arm towards the morphing shape. “It’s dimensionally active, isn’t it. Has to

be to do what it does. Silas hitched a lift. And my guess it that is exactly how our murderer

grabbed our victim.” He catches Prydan round his neck and slams his hand against the stone

work of the medieval cross. “And gone.”

“So why doesn’t it work for us.”

“Because you are not a natural Lea walkers and I don’t actually want to go anywhere.” He

stops, his face turning very serious. “But it tells us one thing about our murderer.”

Prydan looks at him. ”She’s a lea walker?”

Aaron shakes his head. “She’s Bulmäs. This is not something some one could teach you to

do. It has to be innate.” He starts down the hill. “Come one I have to update the map.”

+*+

Silas lets go of the statue and finds himself standing in an enclosed court yard. St Peters and

the black and white buildings have gone, replaced by steal and glass facades. Fortunately no

one seems to have spotted his unusual arrival.

“Where the hell am I?” He whispers.

“Can I help you sir.” The voice comes from a short woman dressed in a red waist coat and

gold trousers. She looks at him quizzically.

“Ermm. I’m just a little disorientated.” He explains.

“Yes the mirrors some times do that to people.” She explains.

He looks at the statue, a mass of swirling reflective surfaces spiralling around a central pillar.

“Yes.” He manages. “I think I just need some fresh air.” He heads for the door.

“Oh sir.” She runs after him a look of concern. “I really wouldn’t do that.”

He looks back confused.

“It would be very dangerous to leave the dome, especially to day. The pH is down to 2.5.”

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“Ok.” He says, trying not to look totally confused.

“Here.” She hands him a small aerosol with a face mask attached. The label reads “Nu Air”

Silas takes it off her and she mimics putting it on. He obliges her and is hit by a blast of pure

oxygen that leaves him feeling light headed. He coughs.

“Don’t worry sir. Visitors often get over whelmed by the home world. I mean it’s such and

honour to be allowed back here isn’t it.”

“Yeah.” He grasps at the straw she offers. “May be you could tell me a little about it.”

She giggles. “Oh I’m not a guide. I just look after the mirrors.” She gestures to the statue. “I

could get you a guide if you want me to.”

“No I’ll be ok. May be if I just go back to the hotel for a lie down.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Erm.” He gestures. “Near east gate.”

“The Bradshaw.” She sounds impressed, Silas is a little relieved the Dorchester is still a top

hotel in this world, even if the name has changed. He can only hope that Charles is still on

the desk. “Well sir if you take the lower passage way the Bradshaw is right at the end.”

He smiles at her. “Thank you.”

“Pleasure to be of service sir.”

Some how she even manages to sound as if she means it.

+*+

Aaron adds the data about the cross to the wall as Paul swans in whistling. He stops mid note

as he sees the velum.

“Where did you get that?”

“Rae gave it Silas.”

He walks over and peers at it.

“Care to enlighten us?” Aaron asks.

“No. But give me twenty minutes and I’ll be back with the answer.”

He turns for the door.

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“If you find Silas on your travels can you bring him home?” Aaron asks as lightly as he can.

“You lost him?”

“No he lost himself.” Prydan states. “The cross. It seems it can act as a lay gate or

something. Silas used it.”

“And he’s not back yet.”

“No. But he may have become distracted.” Aaron states. “And given how central he is to this

case I’d really rather he was here.”

“Ok I’ll fetch.” Paul leaves.

Prydan waits until the door closes and then turns to Aaron. “And then there were two?”

“Well I’m hoping they are coming back.”

“So what did I miss?”

“Amy is a descendant from Silas.”

“yeah got that one.”

“Via Silvia.” He gestures to the velum, “Who was also attacked but will survive thanks to the

fact that Paul and Rae have just gone to save her.

“Ahhh.” Prydan nods.

“Our murderer is also a descendant of Silas, but I’m guessing from one of his other kids,

other wise they could have wiped themselves out if the attack on Silvia was successful.”

“How many kids does he have?”

“None yet.” Aaron responds.

“How many does he have?”

“Well that we have to go and look it up. Coming?”

“Back to the records office?” His expressions makes it clear he is not thrilled at the idea.

“I wasn’t thinking of using Caesters.” Aaron assures him.

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Chapter 5Paul collects Rae from her ‘day job’ as an operative for Time Corp hunting down temporally

active miscreants across a number of high tech closely related realities. She is seriously

unimpressed at being disturbed in the middle of a case, protesting that her work uniform is

not really suitable for a visit to Chrimel for a party, but he is not willing to take no for an

answer.

Chrimel security is tight as usual, but he knows their system well enough to hide his arrival

as part of an in bound U-Space portal. It’s a simple matter of timing to slip into the hall with

the others when the time comes for the announcement.

Christine nods to them as they line up at the back near Jerry, almost as if she expected to

see them there. It doesn’t surprise him; after all he has got a reputation to maintain.

Jerry looks up at Paul, a look of realisation passing his face. “You!"

Paul smiles at him cheekily. "I did knock, just not loudly."

A cough from Christine calls their attention to the front of the hall.

"I suppose the rumours have been flying since you all heard about this meeting. I hate the

think what you have come up with even in the short time I gave you."

A polite ripple of laughter runs through the crowd.

"Well I know at least two people have worked it out," She states looking pointedly at Paul

and Jerry. "But for those of you who havent..." She pauses to look at Ryan.

He smiles at her reassuringly.

"For quite some time now, Ryan and I have been an item. I have decided it is time that

relationship should be on a more formal and public footing. As such in the papers today

there is an announcement informing the world of my engagement to Mr O'Naigh."

She pauses to let her words sink in most people seem to be genuinely surprised. She smiles.

"And this meeting is so you lot know as well." Ryan adds.

A tall muscular woman, her left side more metal than flesh stood steps forward. "May I speak

for all of us and offer my congratulations Mistress?"

"Thank you Mac."

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There is a mummer of agreement amongst the crowd.

"Yeah, good going Ryan." Paul yells. Rae elbows him in the ribs.

However his cry breaks the ice and slowly people step forward as Ryan leads Christine down

into the crowd.

As the babble in the room builds Jerry turns to Paul. "You pick very unsociable times."

Paul looks at him confused. "what?"

"3:47." Jerry replies.

The expression on his face makes it clear the time means nothing to him.

"That wasn't you down at the dock last night."

Paul shakes his head. "No we came in at 6:30 labelled as party supplies." He explains.

"Oh." Jerry looks at him.

"Problem?" Paul asks.

"May be I'd better go and check." He looks at Rae. "Sorry." He excuses himself heading for

security.

Rae looks at the concerned look on Paul’s face as he watches the security chief go. "Ok?"

He shrugs "I thought I told myself to get here for the announcement. Now I'm not so sure."

He lies to his wife. "You armed?"

"You know I am you pulled me off a job." She retorts.

He holds out his hand expectantly.

She pulls a small fire arm from a hidden holster and slaps it down.

He looks at it. and grimaces at the inadequate weapon, whist a Haylin alchemical pistol is

fine for the combat accountants she is normally chasing, it is useless for the fire fight he

knows lies ahead. "Well it'll have to do for now." He slips it into the waist band of his

trousers, watching his wife check a similar pistol and seats it back in it’s holster.

"Should we tell Ryan?" She asks.

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"No, lets not spoil his day, it might be nothing. We'll just cover his back for him. Stay here."

He heads off at a jog after Jerry.

Almost instinctively Rae moves up the right hand staircase where she can cover the door.

+*+

Charles brings Silas up to speed as quickly as possible. It seems that the environment of this

earth has collapsed and most of humanity is now out in the stars. He also breaks the news

that, thanks to the construction of the Dome protecting the city, the walls have been

disrupted and it is impossible to access Caester and walk back.

“Realistically you have one option. With the environment gone the lea died so you are left

with U-space. Fortunately this world has discovered U-space travel. If you can get yourself up

to the Space station I can get a message out and get you a lift.”

Silas thanks him and then heads up to his suite to clean up. It is only after he recalls Aaron’s

request that he doesn’t leave Caester’s walls; and orbit is about as far away as you can get.

Still he has little options unless he wants to set up shop here. A few moments staring out of

the window at the dead world beyond persuades him that he really, really doesn’t want to do

that.

+*+

Aaron leads Prydan down the path. The watchman is not impressed at having to climb over

the iron gate at Allen, street, balance along the wall above the alley where the body was

found, or slide down the tiled roof of the outhouse near the Yatch.

“So this is the route the murderer used is it?” He asks incredulously.

“Yeap.”

“I see what you mean about it being well hidden and difficult.”

Aaron reaches down to help him up onto the wall. “But it’s not going to be recorded on any

gate documents is it; which was kind of the point.” He leads him down the steps at East gate

and down a narrow alley to the car park.

Prydan pauses when he sees the vehicle Aaron is heading for.

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“She wont bite.” Aaron assures him.

“You said that last time.” Prydan protests.

“Yeah well now she knows what you taste like to the mystery is over.”

Cautiously Prydan gets into the black landrover, he is sure that the seat shifts into a bucket

seat only after he opens the door.

“You know they do have car rental on this world. I saw one just through east gate.” Prydan

suggests desperately. “I’ll cover the cost and every thing.”

“Don’t be silly she a perfectly adequate spirit of transport. Besides she blends in.” Aaron

assures him.

Prydan’s seat belts transforms into a five point harness.

Aaron reaches for the ignition with a dark “Ka behave.”

+*_+

The security room is crowded even with only six people in there. Paul steps back to let Ryan

into the room and then bumps his shoulder against Rae to stop her next to him. Jerry is leant

over the desk staring at the read outs.

"That blip from last night." He explains. He hits a button and the graph appears on the

screen showings a series of harmonics. “It grew.”

Christine stares at it. "Give me a visual."

"Can't. Camera's are out. Actually pretty much everything is out. Whatever this is, it’s

fucking with the electronics." Jerry explains.

"Who's out there?" Ryan asks.

"Morgan and his team, but we can't get anything to or from them." Jerry replies.

"Seal the building." Christine orders

Jerry's hand reaches for the button.

"No wait." Ryan states. He looks at Christine, apology in his eyes for countermanding her

order. "We need to know what's out there."

"Who'll go?" She asks.

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Simultaneously both Rae and Paul say "I will," Paul looks at her and smiles. "Jinxs."

"With all due respect to you two, I need one of my people out there." Christine concludes.

She looks at Mac, and then at the mass of metal and circuitry that makes up Mac's left side.

"She'd fry." Jerry states, voicing all their thoughts.

"What have we got that will get through this interference?" Christine asks.

Ryan just looks at her and swallows. "I'll go." He states simply

Christine looks at him, her eyes speak of her desperation. "Why today of all days?" She

whispers.

"Actually I'd pick to day." Paul observes, "You've just got over a major crisis, you're

celebrating so you are distracted. Polar is incommunicado."

The people in the room turn and look at him.

"It’s not me." He states.

Their expressions don't change.

"I wouldn't have sent me here if it was me." He defends.

The same set expressions reply to him.

"Ok, Ok, it could be me." He concedes, "But if it is, it’s not me yet." He justifies.

Chris moves over to him. "If this turns out to be one of your jokes..." She lets the threat hang

in the air.

"It doesn't matter who it is, it’s getting bigger." Jerry cuts through the argument. He gestures

to the pulsing read out.

"What the hell is it?" Ryan asks

"Jump gate?" Paul hazards.

"On a planet? Only if the helmsman’s really lost it." Ryan responds. "I'd better go."

"We’re going with you." Rae states. The turning to Paul she adds. "That way if it is some sick

joke of yours I can kill you there and then and save myself the walk back."

Ryan stops reaching for Christine. "Won't be long." He promises, kissing her. "Be careful."

She comments letting him go.

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"Once we are out, seal the house." He tells Jerry, then picking up the weaponry he heads out.

Outside the disturbance is all too clear. A circle of ripples in the air, pulsing softly they fade

towards the edges. For all the world it looks like the view is a reflection in a lake with the

ripples those formed when a stone is dropped in to the water. Only this 'lake' is hanging in

the air, and the ripples are higher that the house. At it’s centre is an area of stillness, a

standing wave, where the view of the sky beyond is tainted with a faint amber glow.

"What the fucks that?" Ryan asks, staring at it.

"It’s a ley gate." Rae responds softly.

Paul looks at her. "You sure?"

"I’ve hung around Kathnak long enough to know Bulmäs shit when I see it." She replies.

"I thought they had to be stabilised by some outer structure." Ryan asks.

"Usually." Rae responds, concern on her face. She cocks the gun with a loud click, then she

looks at Ryan, "That girl?"

"Silvia?" Ryan asks, surprised Rae is showing an interest.

"She bulmäs?" Rae asks.

"I don't know." Ryan admits. "No she is just Christines niece." He adds.

Rae looks at him, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Why?" Ryan asks.

Rae’s expression doesn’t change and Paul knows her well enough to know that she has

spotted something that Ryan has missed, but right now there is a more pressing problem

that Silvia’s heritage.

"I better get this back to Christine." Ryan closes his eyes, to focus on what he is doing and

then opens them again. Paul can feel the subtle telepathic link activate between Ryan and

his fiancé. Obviously he has been practicing and the ‘assistance’ contained in the syringes

Paul has been passing on to him is paying off.

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In the quiet in the centre shapes and distortions are forming. Just simple out lies at first, the

creatures push at the edge of reality, distorting it and stretching it, their curves and surfaces

visible by stretching and compressing the view beyond. Then the bubbles burst.

Large stag horned creatures step out on to the island, the smallest 3m tall, The largest well

over 10. Each is grasping a long rod with horn crescents at either end that flash in the

distorted sunlight.

"What the fucks that?" Ryan whispers.

"Hürn Urôx-argyl armed with moon glaives." Rae calls readying her weapon. "This is no

minor thing Ryan. Who have you been pissing off?" She asks darkly.

Paul looks at the small pistol in his hand. "This is no bloody good." Throws it into the

undergrowth, Reaching up into the air he creates a portal from the palm of his hand to the

weapons store at the castle. He can feel the Islands security complain at the violation, but

the system is over loaded by the lea gate before them. He grabs the largest SMG he can

locate at such sort notice and drags it out.

The first creature turns towards them and bellows his fury at the obvious targets. It bends

it’s head forward to bring the metal tipped antlers into play and charges.

Paul opens fire.

+*+

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Chapter 6Silas steps of the shuttle, feeling a little queasy. He was assured they have artificial gravity,

and to be fair they do, only it is very artificial and he suddenly feels a long, long way from

home.

Through the view port he can see the earth below. It twists in spaces like a burnt brown

marble. Looking it he can not help think about the images of his own earth with it’s blue

oceans and white clouds. “What did they do to this planet?”

“They fucked it.” The voice comes from next to him. He turns to see a man almost as short

as Paul. Beard and hair closely cropped to the same length to give him and overall dark fuzz.

His eyes a soft light brown with a smile in them even if there isn’t one on their lips. “Some

thing Humanity seems to be extraordinarily good at. You wouldn’t believe the number of

destroyed earths I’ve seen.” He shrugs “You’d have thought they would have more respect.”

“Mines blue.” Silas states almost boasting.

“I haven’t got one at all.” The man confesses. “Not even a distant memory.” Then he holds

out a hand. “Andi.”

“Silas.”

“Cool it would be embarrassing having that conversation with the wrong person.” He smiles.

“I’m your lift. Charles gave me a call. You a long way from home?”

“Yeah.” Silas confesses.

“Brill I’m in the mood for a road trip. Mags is this way.”

The man pulls himself along on hand holds in the wall and ceiling, obviously far more used to

the strange version of gravity than Silas. With some difficulty Silas follows him down a

narrow access way towards a small black space vessel. The surface seems to shimmer and

change as Silas looks at it, swirls of purple and green that aren’t really there, but his brain is

insisting on trying to put in anyway.

“What the hells that?”

Andi looks at him, almost as if to be sure what Silas is looking at himself. “She’s a fold ship.

Not a big one but she doesn’t need to be.”

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Silas blinks, the effect is almost painful to look at.

“Ahh. “ Andi exclaims, a sense of sudden realisation in his voice. “You’re Bulmäs.”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

He gestures to the ship. “Fold ships. They use a form of Lea gate to access U space, but it

means they are really only ever half in this world. That’s why it’s getting to you. You’ll be fine

once you are in there.”

He reaches out to touch the shell of the vessel; it wraps back to reveal a small compartment

inside with space for a couple of beds and a set of seats. Andi pulls himself inside and then

moves over to let Silas in.

Silas takes a deep breath “It’s not like I have a choice.”

The door folds close behind him leaving no sign of it’s presence.

Andi lowers himself into a bucket seat at the front of the ship, pulling a strap across his legs

to stop himself floating out again.

“I’m guessing you’ve not been in space before.”

“No.” Silas confesses.

“Ok. Strap your self in because I don’t bother with gravity unless I need a piss. If you want to

pass out feel free. But please keep all screaming to an absolute minimum because pissing off

your helmsman can prove fatal.”

Silas watches as Andi reaches out towards a projection from the desk in front of him. The

projection opens up and folds itself around his arm, flowing up it as Andi leans back and

relaxes into the seat, Soon it has curved over his shoulder and up around his neck and

obscuring is mouth. The next time he hears Andi’s voice it is from a speaker like construct by

his head.

“Well you coped with that well. This is the point when I find most people scratching at the

door, screaming ‘let me out! let me out!’.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.” Silas responds. “I take it that is part of the controls.”

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“Yeap. It’s not exactly standard issue. I like to get up close and personal when I fly.” As he

‘speaks’ the black fluid flows over the rest of his head, covering his eyes, and then starts

down his other arm. “This allows me to be the ship; feel it. It’s… Not sure I can describe it

really.” Soon it is impossible to see him. “Would you like some in flight entertainment?”

“Like?” Silas asks a little nervously.

“Music. I usually listen to something whilst I fly, If that’s ok.”

“Ok by me. I usually have a tape in when I drive.”

“Well yell if you don’t like it.”

Music starts in the chamber. Silas is surprised to realise it’s the same album Aaron was

playing at the night in that wasn’t. A dark thought forms. Suddenly he connects the name

with a throw away line from Aaron.

“Do you know a Dr Mellor?”

“Isn’t that compulsory?” Here is a brief pause then he adds. “Yes, sorry. He gave me this.

The music in the world I come from is a bit shite. I’m always looking for something different

to listen to. If you don’t like it I can put on something different.”

“No it’s fine. I suppose I was surprised I recognised it.”

“Ok. I just need to get clearance and concentrate a bit whilst we get into space; scraping off

the side of the dock is a bit embarrassing and more than a little uncomfortable when I’m In.

Once we’re past Jupiter orbit we can make the jump to U-space. Would you like the view?”

“View?”

Suddenly the ship vanishes, the walls transparently. Silas can only see the seat he is in and a

vague shadow where Andi is. Before he can speak the chair seems to lift off the floor and

turn gently towards an opening portal revealing black space and innumerable dots of light

beyond.

+*+

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Aaron pulls the car into a small carpark. A faded wooden sign informs visitor that they are on

National Trust property and a sign post points to “Abba Falls.” Prydan detaches himself from

the five point harness with some relief and follows Aaron up the path towards the water fall.

“Why have we come sight seeing?”

“We haven’t. I need the fay gate here to get into Avalon. We are heading for Caer Cwartz

and this is the closest gate.” Aaron responds. “I figured the less time I had to expose you to

Fay domains the better, given how well you don’t get on with Ka?”

“Is that what she is? Something Fay?” Prydan asks. Looking back towards the vehicle parked

up near the stream.

“Not really.” Aaron responds. “But it’s a close as you are likely to get in this life time.”

They stepping down off the path and heading to a small cluster of stones that looks for all

the world like a derelict sheep pen. Aaron pauses. “You been in Fay lands before?”

“Not for a while but I think I remember the rules. Accept no gifts, make no promises that sort

of thing.”

“Yeah. This place isn’t so bad, but don’t get lost.”

“So why are we here again?”

“There is a information in the library of Caer Cwartz that, if things are still working properly,

will make life a lot easier for us than ploughing through Caester’s records. I have enough

jurisdiction round here to get access to it without too many questions being asked.”

Then he pauses and looks at Prydan. “And I have some friends here I want to check up on.”

“Relatives of Silas?”

“Yeah, but not descendants. Silas grandfather lives at the castle. Still all things considered

I’d be happier if I saw they were ok for myself.”

“A Bulmäs in Fay lands?” He stares at him in surprise.

“Oh it’s such a long story.” Aaron responds. “Brace yourself.” Aaron reaches out for the

stones, resting his hand on them. Around them the world shifts, the colours change. The

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green of the grass turning a deep purple and the sky goes black. Prydan shudder, a feeling of

sickness and disorientation flowing over him.

“Crap.” He blinks desperately as his eyes adjust to the strange negative world and it’s ‘anti-

light’.

“Sorry. It can be a bit confusing first time. The good news is it’s not far to the castle.”

Aaron leads the way along orange paths between blue trees, as they turn the corner a

brilliant white form comes into view. “Caer Cwartz” Aaron gestures to the castle a head of

them “Domain of The lady. One of the most powerful and important Fay on this realm.“ He

grins at Prydan. ”And on the quiet a bit of a friend of mine.”

He approaches the draw bridge with a firm stride and shouts out

"I am Aaron Wyrd Child. Elf Wardener. As is my rite and my Duty I request entrance."

A voice returns the shout. "You are recognised Wardener but who travels with you. Be he

friend or foe?"

“Friend. I vouch for his trust worthiness.”

“Then Welcome.” The draw bridge lowers.

Aaron steps back and gestures for Prydan to go in first.

+*+

Silas sits in silence as the planets rush by him. They looped round Venus and it’s swirling

cloud layers to pick up some speed before heading out of the system. Andi brushes the outer

edge of the asteroid fields so he can see the tumbling rocks and balls of ice gas beneath

them. Silas gets the distinct impression he is getting the guided tour rather than the most

direct route, however it is worth it. He is all too aware that he may never get an opportunity

like this again.

As they come towards Jupiter the music cuts out.

“Oh you have just got to hear this.”

Suddenly there is a sounds like glass bats twittering away to each other. High pitched almost

at the edge of his hearing. And then suddenly it is blown away by a wall of rushing thunders,

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like a wave crashing hard on a beach of tin sheeting. There is a very brief shudder in the

craft.

“Class.” Andi whispers with a reverent awe.

“What was that?” Silas asks softly.

“Jovian Bow wave. It’s caused by Jupiter moving through the solar wind. It’s just so cool. All

planets do it but he’s the biggy. Saturn really sings but she’s’ a bit out of our way. I’m telling

you Silas there are some great things out here.”

“I wish I had time.” Silas comments honestly. “But I need to get back to Caester.”

“Oh well, may be we can meet up again some time in the future.”

The ship banks steeply to the right away from the planet.

“Prepare for entry into U-space. This might be a little rocky.”If you want to hear the Jovian bow wave check it out at

http://www-pw.physics.uiowa.edu/plasma-wave/tutorial/voyager1/jupiter/bowshock/text.html

+*+

They are met just inside the gate way by a tall impossibly slender figure, with sharp features

and angled oval shaped eyes. He is dressed in fine chain mail, almost as shiny as the white

stone work of the castle. He bows to Aaron. “Lord Mellor,” his voice high pitched and almost

singing the words. Aaron acknowledges the bow with a nod of his head then the fay guides

them up the staircase and into the narrow Crystal corridor.

Prydan can’t help noting that defensive arrangement of the castle. This place was obviously

constructed at a time of war and there have been little concessions to convenience and

comfort.

“Lord Mellor. I am afraid the Lady is not here. She is visiting the Sun King’s domain.” The

Guard explains to Aaron’s request to meet with The Lady.

“Oh well. Let her know I passed on my regards at her return. We need access to the library.”

He explains “Who is in charge in her absence?”

The Guard signs, obviously not happy. “The Bulmäs visitor.” He almost spits out the term.

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“Jack Maynan, good.” Aaron responds, apparently ignoring the slur. “Then I’ll go and ask

him. “ He steps forward as if to walk past the guard.

And then suddenly the fay is pinned against the white wall by Aaron’s arm across his throat.

His eyes bulge in shock and near suffocation.

Aaron leans in close until his nose is almost touching the guards. A dark edge for his voice.

“Don’t you ever question the decisions of The Lady again.” He spits out.

The guard struggles to nod in his pinned position.

“She is far more experienced that you will ever be. You have no idea what Maynan is capable

of. Count yourself lucky I am dealing with this and not him, or it would be his claws at your

throad rather than my arm. ” He lets go and the guard drops to the floor. He coughs and

reaches for his throat as if he is trying to open it again from the out side with his hands.

“Now consider yourself on indictment soldier. Four days for insubordination. Get your sorry

arse down to the charge room now.”

“Sir.” The guard coughs and then half crawls and half runs away from them towards a

narrow spiral stair.

Aaron stands up and stretches his back. “Sorry about that.” He apologies to Prydan, the

anger vanishing instantly.

“No. No Good call.” Prydan assures him. “Can’t have dissention in the ranks.” But his tone

makes it clear that he wasn’t expecting Aaron to be so aggressive.

“No.” Aaron looks after the vanishing fay. “Unfortunately I doubt he is the only one. Still ,

give Jack time and he’ll prove his worth here, I’m sure of that. Now.” He turns to Prydan and

smiles, the dark mood vanishing as he replaces it with a more pleasant thought. “Ok lets kill

two birds with one stone and go find jack.”

+*+

The Bulmäs come in hard and fast and Paul, Rae and Ryan are all too aware how out

numbered they are.

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Paul empties the Clip of the SMG and throws it away, reaching through the realities to

another one already to go in the castles armoury. Rae curses loudly that she is out and he

throws the new one to her before pulling out a third. Toby had better have done his chores

or they could be in real trouble.

The front ranks of the Urox go down under the hail of lead, silver and crystal, but more keep

coming.

“They brought a whole fucking army.” Ryan protests as he changes clip.

“O this is just cheating.” Paul complains. He stands up to get a good view of the approaching

wall of minotaur like beings.

“Cheat back.” Rae instructs.

Paul grimaces, forcing his will on the Islands reality and battling it into submission. The

ground before the approaching troupes turns blue and sweeps towards them.

He hears Ryan scream in protest as the reality is ripped open by the rift Paul’s action makes,

but the next wave of attackers have vanish when the rift closes up.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Save your bloody neck.” Paul responds.

“For gods sake Paul between you and the lea gate there is going to me nothing left of this

place.”

“Quit whinging and start fighting.” Rae retorts, standing up to load off another clip of ammo

at the next wave and throwing the gun to one side and holding out her hand expectantly to

Paul.

He drops the SMG into it and reaches for another. “Crap.”

Rae looks up at him concerned.

“The racks empty.” His face twists with concentration then he pulls out another weapon,

larger with an under slung grenade launcher. It makes a distinctive crunch noise as he cocks

it.

“Shit.” Rae covers her ears and opens her mouth.

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The sky turns white and then an evil deep green; lightning streaks across the sky to the

farthest horizon. And then a blast wave and the noise hits them, pushing Paul back and

running groves in the gravel of the path.

“What the fuck was that.” Ryan mouths, temporarily deafened.

“Nuclear grenade thrower.” Rae shouts back.

He glares at Paul in disbelief that he would use such a weapon this close to the main house.

“What are you complaining about it’s relatively clean.” Paul defends.

“They are still coming.” Rae cuts across their argument. And then unloads the last of the

SMGs.

“What does it take to give these guys the hint to fuck off.” Ryan screams.

“Up close and personal time.” Paul grins. He drops the grenade launcher and draws a large

Naginata from the thin air between his hands. He jumps over the wall and charges towards

the Urox.

“Oh he enjoys this far too much.” Rae protests, kicking over the grenade launcher “I need a

sword!”

There is a blue glow in the air in front of her and a Katana lands in her hand. “Thank you.”

The largest of the creatures takes his charge head on, Paul feels the blade dig deep into

muscle and fiber. He reaches down the connection the blade has made between himself and

his victim with some deep inner sense and pulls. A quiver runs through the body of the beast

as it’s life force is almost instantly snuffed out.

The beings around him pause, caught by surprise at the suddenness of the death; and Paul

decides to let them see what they have really taken on.

He feels the reality boil around him in protest at his presence, but with the rent he ripped in

it earlier and the lea gate above it can not muster enough energy to kick him out.

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Lightning blue sparks crackle down his claws as his true from unfolds it self from the human

shell.

He sees fear in the eyes of the Bulmäs before him as they begging to grasp just what he is.

He draws strength from it, feeling their terror roll around him like some wonderful drug,

filling his tired muscles with fresh power and his lungs with the purest of airs.

He smiles.

+*+

The amber fluid rises up around them, a cloudy swirl that reduces visibility down to almost

nothing. The sides of the ship fade back into view, leaving only a single window showing the

deep yellow fluid beyond. The black cover slides back off his pilot.

“Not a lot to see from here on in. If we are lucky.” Andi explains. He shifts in the seat so he is

looking at Silas. “You hungry?”

Silas suddenly realises he is. Andi reaches out and hits a push button control near his seat

with AG on it in large friendly letters. Suddenly Silas feels very heavy, like he has got out of a

pool after a long swim.

Andi gestures to the back of the compartment. “There’s a fridge there, help yourself and

while you are up, I could do with a coffee?”

Silas gets up carefully and then realises that is not a bad version of gravity after all.

“I’d help out but...” He pats the chair and Silas assumes he means he has to control the ship.

Inside the fridge is a number of pre-prepared meals, some of which manages to even look

edible and he soon locates a microwave next to it.

He hands the coffee to his pilot. Who warms his hands on it before taking a swig. “Ta.”

“If you need to get some sleep.” He gestures to the cots at the back.

“No I’m fine” Silas responds. “You?”

“I’ll kip in the chair if I have to. I’m used to that. We do have a long way to go. We should be

able to follow the currents down for most of the way. Also,” He takes another swig. “I can’t

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get you all the way back to CG001, there is no way I can get landing permission there. But I

can get you pretty close, a quick trip round the walks and you’ll be home. That ok.”

“Fine.”

“Good cos actually you don’t have a choice.” He grins. “You meals ready” He states just as

the microwave goes ping.

Silas wolfs down the meal, surprised how hungry he feels. As he finishes and sits back down

Andi asks. “Mind if I turn the grav off?”

“No.”

“Ta.” He his the button again and seems to relax as weightlessness returns. He stretches

again almost as if even the brief exposure to gravity stressed his muscles. “Sorry it’s kind of

boring. There isn’t much to see in U-space. Least ways if you are lucky there isn’t.”

“And if there is.”

“Then that proximity alert goes off and all heal breaks loose.” He grins, “so lets hope it

doesn’t.”

“Does that happen often?”

“Depends which route you are on. The one we are on is a little hotter than most, but then we

are going pretty deep. CG013, may be BF012 if I can slip round.”

Silas frown s at him. “BF012?”

“World nomenclature.” Andi states obviously surprised Silas doesn’t recognise them. “Why?

How do you keep track?”

“Usually just ‘who ever came from that worlds’ home world.”

“How do you navigate with that?”

“I use paths, like walking to someone’s house.”

Andi shakes his head “Weird.”

“So how do the numbers work?”

“Well the bottom most one where you are of to is CG001, That’s the original Caester where

the daemons attacked. It’s right on the edge, virtually in the daemons planes. All the others

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are layers about them. Number gives the height of the layer, letters give the coordinates.

There are rumours of a 000 layer but that’s so close to the edge it’s just asking to be

Scragged.”

Silas keeps very quiet.

“So you just set your depth and direction, make sure your route isn’t going to get you caught

up in any reality wells so you avoid accidentally ending up in the wrong world, and hope

there is nothing in the way that wants to eat you. It’s not hard. Just very, very tedious

especially compared with real space.” He sighs. “Don’t suppose you play chess?” He asks

hopefully.

Silas smiles. “Actually I do.”

“Cool. Boards at the back, cupboard under the microwave. Rack em up!”

+*+

“Aaron!” The man behind the desk rises to his feet with obvious delight at his visitor. Pyrdan

is caught off guard by the mans obvious American accent.

“Jack. Hows it going?”

“Oh filling in,” He explains gesturing to the scrolls on the desk. “I wasn’t sure at first but this

place is no worse than running a field.”

“Having done both, I’d say this is easier.” Aaron replies tapping the table.

“Well at least I don’t have the family bickering in this place.” Jack concedes.

“Ah before I forget.” Aaron gestures to his companion. “This is Prydan, Captain of the watch

at Caester. Prydan, Jack Maynan, currently Master of guard at Caer Cwartz and Silas’s

Grandfather.”

“For my sins.” Jack replies with a laugh. “How is Silas?”

“Busy.” Aaron responds. “We are looking into a problem at Caester, he’s off following a

lead.”

“Well as long as he is not sitting around wasting his time playing silly games.” He gestures to

the wooden chairs in the room. “Sit. Sit.”

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Aaron drops himself back into the chair.

“I’m glad to hear he is ok. Alywin said you had a bit of a falling out.”

Aaron dismisses the question with a wave of his hand. “Bit of a miss understanding nothing

more.”

“Really?” Jack looks at him, obviously aware that it was way more than that.

“You know what it’s like Jack. Big picture, small picture stuff. We talked it through, reached

an understanding.”

A smile creaps over his face. “I guess not without mediation though.”

Aaron snorts slightly. “Oh you know me too well.”

“I know how stubborn you both can be. Well as much as it’s probably not really my business,

but send thanks to Suki from me.”

Aaron looks at him puzzled he knows.

“Silas turns down a pint and you think Alywin would not be worried enough to keep watch.

May be you don’t know my family as well as you claim.” Jack challenges

Aaron smiles. And dismisses it with a flick of his hand. “I had to put one of the guards on a

charge.” He confesses, changing the subject.

“Oh. Can I ask why?”

“He challenged your right to sit in that chair.” Aaron states flatly.

“Well I’d like to say I’m surprised but…” He sighs. “There are some.”

“They’ll accept you eventually. Hell they got used to me.” Aaron reassures him.

“Yeah but they had seen you in anger. I’m only coming here on past glories.”

“Careful what you wish for Jack.” Aaron warns. “besides, the ones that really matter with

accept her judgement anyway so don’t let it get to you.”

“Yeah.” He sits forward again. “Ok then get to the point. I know you too well to think this is

just a social visit, and there is no party to crash. So why are you here?” Jack asks

“I need to look in the library.”

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“Fine go.” Jack cuts him off. “You have access you don’t need to ask me.” He sighs. “I was

kind of hoping you were here to take on this.” He confesses

“Unfortunately not. I have more pressing problems at the moment.” Aaron explains.

Jack looks up, alerted by something in Aaron’s tone of voice. Then he looks over at Prydan

and back at Aaron. “Where did you say Silas was?”

“I didn’t.” Aaron replies honestly.

“Would this pressing problem have something to do with my Grand son?” Jack asks.

Aaron leans forward, he rubs his face with his hand and then deliberately moves them apart.

Then he puts them down on his knees.

“Bigger than that?” Jack sits back. “Ahh. You want the Maynan records.”

Aaron nods.

Jack stops in thought for a moments.

“I know it’s a big ask.” Aaron comments. “But I can’t get the information any other way. Well

at least no where near as accurately.”

Jack looks over at Prydan. “No offence Aaron but…”

“I’ll vouch for him.” Aaron assures the man before him.

Jack looks at Prydan, his eyes staring into the watchmans. “Tell me about yourself son.”

Prydan swallows confused and not sure where to start. “Well I’m captain of the watch I….”

“No.” Jack cuts him off. He grimaces slightly. “That’s not what I need.”

He looks over at Aaron obviously looking for help.

Aaron sighs reluctantly then he reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a smooth

globe of red stone. “Hold out your hand Prydan.” He asks.

Prydan looks at him, and then realises that this is the only way to get past the impasse they

face. He extends his palm.

Aaron mouths the word sorry as he drops the globe into it.

+*+

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Chapter 7With a little more reluctance that he would ever want to admit Paul lets his human form

envelope him again. A few of the Bulmäs got past but nothing that Rae and Ryan can not

deal with. Besides he reasons if she has had a good fight she’ll be easier to deal with later.

Even in the battle he stops himself. Those are not thoughts he should be having about his

family. He shakes his head to clear the last few sensations of the daemon from his mind.

Some days being evil is just too tempting.

He looks up at the lea gate. He can make out another wave ready to come through.

“You ok?” He projects back to Rae. There is no instant scream for aid. “I’m going to close the

gate.” He informs her. And then he jumps.

The assembled creatures stare at him in disbelief as one lone small Japanese man armed

only with a naginata appears before them in their muster point.

One of the creatures even laughs.

A mistake. It draws Paul’s attention to him, a flash of blue and a portal appears across the

centre of the creatures head, the crown falling left as the rest of the body falls right. There is

a splat as the brains hit the floor.

Paul turns and smiles at them.

The assembled war band steps back. Paul holds out his sword and pointedly drops it through

the gate as it vanishes through it, falling to the ground. The gate closes up; it’s connection

severed by the life force trapped in the sword.

The war band look at him

He lets his teeth show, fully well aware of the insult that portrays to the beings in front of

him.

His eyes narrow slightly and then he says.

“Run.”

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Some of the creatures turn, others decide to stand their ground. It makes little difference to

him. He prefers the chase, makes fear fresher and give it an edge. But even those that stand

know their task is futile and ultimately all that waits them is death and their desperation

gives the emotions a subtle twist, like lemon.

He stretches out his wings and claws to really get the message across, and their fear fills

him.

Not that he makes it quick. He even lets a few of them get a blow in to give them an element

of false hope and drag out their despair. Just as he is really loosing himself in the swirling

mass of dread there is a loud pop sensation and he finds himself floating in the amber of U

space.

Some one has spoilt his fun and collapsed the lay domain.

He rips out the throat of the Bulmäs struggling next to him in irritation, but some how it is

just not the same. In this unfamiliar world they are just not enough of a challenge to make

the hunt worth while, like a fish left flapping aimlessly on the sea shore.

He forms a portal around him and heads back to reality.

+*+

It is three games of chess and five and a half albums later, only one of with Silas recognised,

and even there he is sure the tracks were slightly different form the version he has at home.

Silas is beginning to get a handle on his opponent’s style of play and feels like he might be

doing better in his game, though there is a nagging doubt that he is just being lead into a

trap. Andi takes his chess seriously, occasionally mumbling along with the music as he plots

his next move.

The music cuts out mid way through a note. Andi focus snaps up for the board as the

proximity warning goes off.

“Crap.”

He spins the seat back round and reaches for the control rod.

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“Strap yourself in.” Is the only warning Silas gets as the gravity snaps off and the board lifts

up into the air.

The ships walls fade out to reveal U space beyond as Silas grabs for the pieces and and

stashes the board between his seat and the now invisible bulk head.

“Where are you, you bastard?” Andi’s voice whispers from the speakers system. Then

slightly louder. “Mags give me over lay.”

Suddenly the swirling mass has a series of lines imposed over it, colours and dots that

remind Silas of one of the more complex ordinance survey maps Aaron had him studying

when they were walking lay routs in Wales. Only here the lines and symbols are moving. It

makes for a nauseating effect.

Andi speaks again. “Any idea what it is?”

Silas goes to respond and then Rik cuts in to his mind. “He’s not talking to you.”

“Who is he talking to?”

“The ship.” Rik responds as it the answer is obvious. “But keep your eyes open.”

“What am I looking for?” Silas pears into the thick amber glue.

“Oh you’ll know when you see it.”

“There you are.” The ship shirts round, ahead of them is a darker patch in the jel getting

slowly larger. The lines converge around it and turn a deep blood red. Though the shape

itself in the limited visibility is little more than a smudge the lines clearly show numerous

projections moving beneath a smooth upper shell.

“What is it?” Silas ask.

“A Notostraca probably.” Andi replies the ship angles up so they will pass above the

creature. “Lets hope it’s not hungry.”

As they shift he can see the outline of the creature pass below them in the angry red, a

massive armoured head, with a long segmented tail. It reminds him vaguely of a horseshoe

crab, but has way more legs. Only as it vanishes and Andi relaxes does he ask.

“What do those things eat?”

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“Anything that falls out of the realities. The Displaced for example. We are a little big for

him. He’s more of a filter feeder.” He stretches as the black cover slides away. “If we had

gone below him we’d have been more at risk, those leg like things catch anything beneath

and feed them up to the mouth parts.” He turns and grins. “And that would be bad.”

“Where did they come from?”

“I don’t know. Something that got kicked out and then evolved here. Some dream of the

daemons. I’ve heard lots of theories but never really bothered to get close enough to get a

really good look. I like living to much. Notostraca are safe enough, there is much worse. I

have heard of something really deep in shades which eats whole worlds.”

“That’s got to be a ghost story!” Silas dismisses.

Andi shrugs. “You’d hope. Still,” His face turns more serious. “If the Notostraca are about

there will be other things, you often find them near the larger things picking up the scraps.”

He turns his sit and reaches for the control probe. “Might be better if I ride her in from here.”

+*+

It’s cold. So cold and so dark.

And then it is light a blinding whiteness and the sensation that his whole skin is burning.

Prydan can hear his screams but they are a thousand miles away.

The only thing he can be sure of is his hands gripping the globe, holding on to it as if it is a

life line, the one real link back to where he came from.

Dark Cold again. A sense of utter emptiness. So alone and inaccessible. An eternity in

isolation.

And then the darkness is cut through with a white light, like the sunlight reflection off a

sword blade. He grasps for it. Feeling the light cut into his fingers. It hurts, hurts so much,

but it is only pain and pain compared to the loneliness is nothing. Pain he can endure. Being

cut off is worse than death.

+*+

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“You still strapped in?” Andi asks, His voice wakes Silas from a sleep he wasn’t aware he’d

fallen into.

“Yes”

“Know anything about ships weaponry?”

“Played a few computer games.” Silas offers.

“Oh.” His tone makes it clear that it is a poor substitute for the real thing.

Silas rubs his eyes. A head of them he can see dark shapes and the converging lines again.

“What is it?”

“Trouble.” Andi responds. “There is something really big out there. It’s occupied at the

moment but…” The ship twists slightly. “Might just get away with this one. Mags prep for

silent running.”

The lines vanish and the walls of the ship reappear.

“We have a couple of options. We can go in heavy and hope it runs away, but with out a

gunner that’s suicide. We can sneak past whilst it’s busy or…

“Or…”

“We can be lunch. Not fond of option three myself.”

“Can’t say it would be my first choice.” Silas agrees.

“There is a current we can drift past in. It goes a little closer than I’d like but given it’s

already on a kill bigger than us, I’m hoping it’s not going to bother.”

Silas catches the meaning hidden in his comments. “Kill?”

“Yeah. Looks like a U-cruiser which drifted a bit deep.”

“Are there people on it?”

“There would have been.” Andi replies flatly.

“How many?”

“2000, 2500 on average.”

“There might be survivors.” Silas protests.

“It’s not like we could pick them up.” He gestures to the small size of the ship they are in.

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“We can’t just leave them!”

The cover washes away from Andi in a single fluid moment, and he whips round to him, his

eyes almost glowing with anger. “Oh we so can, ‘cause I’m not in a rush to be lunch and we

aren’t equipped to do rescue missions.” He almost spits at him. “Get real Silas, you have no

idea what those things are.”

He turns back to the controls, the blackness sliding over him again..

Silas sits in silences recalling the “pissing off your helmsman can prove fatal” comment and

wondering if the ship has an ejection seat.

+*+

All there is is pain, and then someone is prising his fingers open and he is back in the office

on his knees, blood flowing from his hand onto the rug. Aaron is stanching the flow with a

hanky and some one is shouting for a medic.

He looks up into Aaron’s eyes.

“What the fuck…”

“Sorry.” Aaron whispers. “But if it’s any consolation you passed with flying colours.”

Then Jack is next to them helping Prydan back into his seat, and a young woman is

inspecting his hand, numbing it with some salve and sowing closed the deep gash. Prydan

closes his eyes against the pain as she stitches him up.

Prydan forces his eyes open to look at Jack who is leaning against the edge of the desk.

“Well?” He challenges

“Oh help yourself. “Jack responds, with obvious admiration in his eyes. “You can marry my

daughter whilst you are at it.”

“Well as long as it was worth it.” Prydan forces out through closed teeth.

The medic leans back and announces that it will heal. Prydan thanks her, noting with a little

embarrassment the stain of blood on her stocking where she knelt in the pool on the carpet.

However as she gets up the carpet looks clean.

He looks up realising Aaron is watching him, his face showing a subtle element of concern.

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“You ok?”

Prydan replies with a look that screams “Stupid Question!”

“Only we need to get on with this.” He apologies.

Prydan slowly gets up, making sure not to lean on the damaged hand and testing his

balance. “Yeah lead on.”

Jack watches them leave then very carefully uses a leather glove to pick up the red stone

globe and place it on the mantle piece.

+*+

After five long minutes of silence Silas hears. “Sorry.”

“No you are right. I don’t have any idea what I’m dealing with here.” Silas responds.

“Well I’ll fess up. I’m scared. I hate those things. I got caught by one once. I was bloody lucky

because I had a passenger on board who knew a few tricks. There is not a time I go deep in

U-space without thinking about that one, or feel relief at seeing the stars when I get out.”

“You still go though.” Silas comments softly.

Andi laughs. “Yeah funny that.” He takes a deep breath. “It’s off port. Do you want to see it?”

Silas shakes his head.

“There wont be any survivors to worry about.” Andi informs him. “The things are just

sweeping up now. Looks like the initial attack was pretty quick and decisive, the main super

structure of the ship is bent in half.”

Silas swallows. Part of him wants to tell his pilot to shut up, that he really doesn’t want to

know, and then it becomes irrelevant.

“Shit. Full up Mags.” Andi commands

Suddenly the ship jumps into life. U-space and the over lay comes back into view. Despite

himself Silas glances to the left as the ship whips round, giving him just a glimpse of the red

converging lines and the rapidly growing dark shapes.

“They’ve seen us. Crap.”

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The ship lurches violently as it cuts across the current; Something bounces off the side, and

Silas gets a brief view of a black fragment of rock and metal as it slides over his head. He

twists in his seat to try to see what is chasing them, but Andi is whipping the ship round so

fast it’s hard for him to focus, or indeed for the over lay to keep up.

“Oh come on.” He urges the ship faster. “Down Down Down Down Down.”

Suddenly it twists again and Silas senses something passing close underneath them. He gets

a view of something black and shiny with long sucker covered tentacles.

“Fecking U-squid.” Andi Swears at their attackers

The ship lurches again and twists to prevent the tentacle locking on.

“Shelf it.”

The ship pulls up sharply and climbs before twisting round again. Silas feels his shoulder

impact against the bulkhead that he can not see.

“Oh there are just too many of the bloody things.” Andi complains as another dark shape

forms in the fluid a head of him. “Give me a reality point.”

A female voice sounds in the speaker. “4.683 SE0014”

“That’ll have to do.”

The ship spins again and cuts back across the current. Silas sees another of the U-squid drop

down the front of the ship, It seems to grip onto air as the suckers attaches to the invisible

surface. The sucker works on the nothing and Silas is sure he can see it cutting into the

invisible bulk head. He begins to wonder how armoured the ship it, but this doesn’t seem like

a good time to ask..

“Bastard. You’ll regret that.” Andi screams at the squid as another tentacle climbs up into

view.

“0.500 to reality point.” The female voice says in a smooth calm voice.

“Well either he gets off or his coming with us. It’s not my choice.” Andi responds.

“Brace for reality break.” The female voice warns.

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And then the amber fluid seems to fracture around them like they have driven through a

glass projection plate

And there are only stars and the remains of the U-Squid boiling off into the vacuum.

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Chapter 8The Black control system peels away and Andi sits back.

He lets out a deep heartfelt sigh and looks at Silas.

“Don’t suppose you smoke?”

“No.” Silas confesses.

“Damn. I’m out.” He rubs his head. “And I could really do with one. “

“You’ve got coffee.” Silas prompt

“It’ll have to do.” He stretches again and stabs at the AG button.

As Silas get up Andi speaks again.

“Where are we Mags?”

“SE0014.”

“Ok give me the over view.”

A flat plane appears in the centre of the ship, similar to the lines on the walls when Andi

asked for the over view but it hovers in the air of the ship, slowly ripples and bumps appear

in its surface reminding Silas of a relief map they used to have on the wall of the geography

class room at school.

Andi studies it. “Ok. We have an Earth and… we have an active Caester.” He looks up. “That

place leaves a really distinctive mark on reality plots. So you can at least walk the rest of the

way. Which is good news because frankly those things are going to hang around for a while

and I don’t fancy going back into U space for the next few hours from this spot.”

He studies the plot.

“On the less good note I’d say this earth is not yet space faring. It’s got a small space station

but there is no formal planetary landing control. So we’ll have to be a bit sneaky on the way

in.”

“Is that bad?”

Andi shrugs. “Worse case you could end up on the front cover of national enquirer under the

head lines ‘I was kidnapped by aliens and anally probed.’ And I could end up on a dissection

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table.” He grins. “But I like to think I’m better than that.” He smiles. “We’re not squid food,

“He points out. “Besides did I promised Charles I’d get you home. And I owe him.”

+*+

“What was that thing?” Prydan asks as Aaron guides him into the Library.

“It’s a soul stone. It’s used by Bulmäs as a test of character. It… reveals… things.” Aaron

explains.

“Do I want to know what it revealed about me?”

Aaron turns and looks at him. “Nothing I didn’t already know.” He comments darkly.

“Do people normally get hurt using it?” He flexes his hand, relieved that the wound is

already repairing thanks to the skill of the medic.

The lack of reply makes him look up at Aaron. His face turns quizzical.

“No.” Aaron responds flatly. “But then most people don’t have the drive that you have.” He

breaths in softly. “For a start most people are scared of pain.”

“Where as I….”

Aaron coughs. “Rae always said it takes a degree of Masochism to hang around with my

family.” He observes.

Prydan frowns “Hmm. Should I be worried?”

Aaron smiles. “Nah.” He shakes his head. “For you it’s a strength. Some where along the line

you realise that pain is only ever temporary and somethings are worth enduring a bit of that.

That’s what the Soul stone showed Jack. That’s what he admired and that is why he said

yes.”

“And offered me his daughter.” Prydan laughs at the inappropriate proposal.

“You could just say you really wouldn’t want to Silas uncle. I think Jack would accept that.”

“Good point.” He looks round the room. “So where is this book then.”

“This way. And it’s not a book.”

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Prydan stands at the bottom of a massive wall completely covered with a mural. A crowd of

people spread out and down across the wall, faces, names dates all inter woven into a

beautiful scene of a woodland grove. At the top right is Jack and a short woman. A short

distance beneath them is Silas, and then a cascade leads down and spreads out. About half

way down the wall he recognises the face of the woman whose death they are investigating.

“Wow.” He breaths out.

“Bit good isn’t it.”

“Yeap.” Prydan stares at it. “I know some of these people.” He observes.

“I’d be damn surprised if you didn’t, considering…” Aaron responds. “” He taps one of the

images near the bottom of the wall.

Prydan looks at it, recognising the face as the solider digging the wonky trench. “Ahhh.”

“Said you should talk to him.”

“I did.”

“And?”

Prydan looks at him and smiles guiltily.

“Fair enough.” Aaron responds, getting supplies out of a cupboard near the door.

“I can see why Jack wouldn’t want just anyone getting to this. It is kind of revealing.” The

watchman observes.

“Yeap, fortunately its not the most portable of things though.” Aaron concedes. Then he

passes a scroll and pen to Prydan. “Lets get copying!.”

+*+

Paul steps through the door way to the castle. He took the long way round, reluctant to see

his family again until he’d got a grip back on his daemonic frustrations. Briefly he toyed with

going to talk to Kendrick or Aaron but he didn’t want the lecture that he knew he would

rightly get off both of them. In the end he decided the best bet was to get home and loose

himself in normality for a while. Or at least as normal as it ever got.

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He closes the door as quietly as he can. Rae is standing with her back to him looking at the

pile of weaponry they ran through at Chrimel, included in it is a large Bulmäs head.

He steps up behind her and whispers in her ear.

"You could have put them away."

"Hey at least I got them here." She responds. "Paultal magic is your trick not mine."

He smiles at the in joke of the pronunciation and rewards her by returning the weaponry to

the stacks, adding to them a sticky note to remind Tobias to clean and reclip them.

But he deliberately leaves the decapitated Bulmäs head and a few small pieces of gravel.

She turns to face him, her face suddenly filled with concern at the damage he took in the

fight in the lay domain. For a second his is touched by it, and then realises himself how

rough he looks. His jacket is ripped in a number of places, and there is a violent red wound

on his right arm, surrounded by dried blood.

"Have fun did you?" She asks, surveying the damage.

"You should have seen the other guys." He smiles.

"Yeah, not a scratch on them." She jokes. "They were looking for a man called Stonehouse."

She continues, bringing him up to date on what she knows. "Actually they seemed to think

that Christine‘s new pet, Silvia was the man they were looking for. They were a bit confused

with the gate opened to her instead."

"The gate was from a temporary Ley domain." He explains. "They collapsed it as soon as

they realised their troops weren't coming back." He decides not to mention the events

between the gate closing and the domain collapsing.

"Dead end eh?" She asks.

He nods.

"May be Kath will recognise him." She gestures to the head.

"I don't care." Paul responds, pulling her to him with his good hand. "I just want a bath and

bed." Then he looks at the head. "You'd better move that before the kids get hold of it."

She looks at him hopefully.

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"No." Paul shakes his head, laughing at her slightly. "You need the practice." He head out

through the double doors to the left.

He feels her concentrate to move her prize and then the castle shifts obediently to more the

head on to the floor of one of the deep refrigerated store. "Oh, put it on a shelf!" He shouts

to here. And feels her focus again to move it. “Better.”

He moves through the castle, determined to get to the bath first, but he can feel her

following him, irritated that he hasn’t waited.

"Christine has told every one that Silvia is her niece." Her voice echoes through corridors

behind him.

"So?"

"Doesn't that strike you as strange?"

"Why?" He arrives at the lounge and shifts off his clothes. The bath already hot and waiting

for him next door. One of the great advantages of being a mage is that you never have to

wait for anything. He can feel her paranoia and despite himself feeds it.

"What you think A has been up to something?"

"I don't know." She replies honestly. "She did say she was just the daughter of a close friend,

that she told people she was her niece to get them to accept her."

"Well then." He reassures her.

He lowers himself into the bath, concluding there is little point in getting her more wound up.

Besides he wants a night in and if Rae gets too irritated she might decide to head off and

find some answers of her own. He can feel her focus shift to an annoyance at the size of the

castle and not being able to find him and decides to keep her attention on that. "Are you

coming?" Paul's voice teases her gently.

She opens the door, letting out a cloud of steam, She has a glass of clear liquid in her hand.

Probably something left over from last nights game of Mah jong.

"Close the door, you're letting the heat out." He complains from the deep wooden tub.

She slides the door shut at his protest and then moves over to him.

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"Joining me?" He asks hopefully.

She looks into the water, "Too hot for me." Then she hands him the glass.

He takes it sipping the liquid.

"I ought to go and check on the kids." She stares.

"I hear no screams." He reaches out to her hand, pulling her down so she is kneeling next to

her tub. She crosses her arms on the side of the tub, resting her head on them. The warmth

in the room making her feel sleepy after the exertion of the combat.

"Exactly." She replies. "I always get scared when they are quiet."

"Your paranoid." he states, hunting in the deep water.

"I don't want to add another name to the list of people who coalesced looking after our kids."

She replies, only half joking.

"Oh they are not that bad." He responds.

"Seventeen people would disagree with you." She answers. Then she frowns, looking at his

groping actions. "What are you looking for?"

"I could have sworn I had a sponge in here." He replies.

"Ohh, you are not getting away with that one." She responds smartly.

"What?" He looks at her, a smile coming to his face.

"The old, Oh dear I've lost the soap, may be it’s on your side trick." She stands up.

"Damn." He replies a beaming smile on his face. Then he lifts the sponge from the water.

"Oh look here it is."

"You don't do innocent. Paul. You never did innocent." She observes heading out of the door

on the other side of the room, leaving it deliberately open.

He curses her and instructs the castle to close it.

+*+

The ship slides down into a field a few miles from Caester with no difficulty at all. As Andi

points out, when worlds are not space faring they are not normally looking either. Just as

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Silas is wondering as to how to call for a Taxi, Andi hits another control on the console and a

steering wheel forms out of the control stick.

“It’s a car as well?” Silas asks.

“Why shouldn’t it be? You never seen a plane taxi?”

Silas concedes with a shrug.

“Mags has a few extra tricks. The most useful one right now being the ability to look like

something else to a limited extent. Whilst a fold ship on wheels might look a bit strange,

people don’t look twice at something that looks a bit like a van.” He reaches out and strokes

the console with a finger. “Oh Lets have some driving music.”

“Rob Dougan?” Silas comments as the music sounds out. Andi smiles at the recognition.

“Another one from the Meddler. This was for dropping a package off at TX114. That turned

out to be more of a pain that I expected too.”

“You get paid in music?” Silas asks, suddenly regretting not picking up his IPod.

“No I get paid in money. I do favours for music. Or Vodka if it’s good.”

The ship pulls out onto the road and follows the green signs to “Town Centre.”

All too soon the walls are in view. Silas feels himself relax as they pull into the carpark at the

race course.

“I’m not taking Mags into the city.” Andi apologies, “Her lea gate-ness upsets the residents.”

“No this is fine.” Silas responds, looking up at Bridge gate and the castle. Then he comes to

a decision. “Do you want a drink?”

Andi pauses for a moment as if contemplating something. “Yeah why not. The longer I give

the U-squid the more likely it is that they’ll get bored or find something else to chase.”

The door slides back, behaving much more like normal technology that the fold ships peal.

Silas steps out and it a little surprised to realise there is a short ramp to the floor.

The he turns to see Andi wheeling himself down the ramp. As try as he might he knows there

is a look of surprise on his face. Andi looks up; May be a little disappointed at Silas reaction.

“I’m guessing nobody told you.”

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Suddenly the tapping of the chair when he put on the artificial gravity takes on a whole new

meaning.

“No,” Silas responds. Then he sighs. “They never tell me anything.”

“Join the club.” Andi responds wryly. “Well take me for this drink and I’ll fill in the gaps.” He

offers. Then he laughs. “It’s not like you can get me legless is it.”

+*+

Paul leans back into the water, letting it soak him through and aid his natural recovery skills.

After all the energy he gained from his games in the lea domain it will not take long to repair

the few minor wounds. The damage to the leather jacket is more annoying. He liked that

jacket and it might actually take some effort to fix it. He resolves to give it to Gen as

something to practice on.

Thought of his children encourages him to reach out to see what they are doing. He can feel

Toby’s amusement and Rae’s frustration at him. Obviously they have been having fun but he

is too content to pry deeper. No doubt Rae will inform him at great length when the bath is

over.

He sips the drink and reviews the day. The attack of the Bulmäs distracted him. He was

meant to be finding out about the girl. Still Rae was talking of her in present tense so he is

pretty sure she is ok. If things had gone differently she would have said. Stone house. The

significance of the name is not lost on him. Silas uses a number of surnames, Maynan,

Tremaine but they all come from that root. He ponders for a moment as to whether that is

deliberate. Given Aaron will have had some hand in setting up the other identities it’s

unlikely to be coincidence.

So the Bulmäs were expecting to find Silas, or may be a son. But their killer is female.

Suddenly he is not so sure the attack is connected at all.

And then there is Polar’s absence from the announcement. That was strange. Surely

Christine could have held off something as important as that until her right hand woman was

available. Unless...

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His shudder disturbs the bath water.

Unless Chris was making a point. That Polar was deliberately excluded from the family event.

Punishment for some transgression. But what could she have done that would piss Chris off

that much. He suddenly realises he needs an excuse to go back to the Island and get a few

answers.

But not tonight.

He stands up, the bath water draining away leaving his skin smooth and dry. He reaches out

and his favoured Kimono, the one with the 'burning chicken' design on it; Rae's less than

complementary name for his personal crest, appears in his hand growing from a blue glow.

He slips it on and goes to locate his family.

On his way up to the families rooms he passes today’s baby sitter on the way out. He can’t

help grin at her. She shrugs.

“See you next week?” He asks. Half expecting a ‘you have got to be kidding answer’.

But Vapour just smiles. “Bye Paul.”

He shakes his head and climbs the stairs.

Rae is standing on the balcony watching Vapour leave, he sees her relax as the woman

fragments into her various forms and vanishes off into the different realities. Only then does

she relax.

Paul's arms slip round her waist, and kisses her right arm.

"What did he do?" He asks gently.

"He left Vapour thinking she was sitting in a ward." Rae replies with a sigh.

"Thinking?" The kiss moves to the other arm.

"It was just a circle there was no power in it."

Paul snorts a laugh.

"Don't you'll only encourage him." She replies.

"Well she should have checked." Paul retaliates.

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He turns her round gently, looking up at her. This close the 4" height difference is significant.

He snorts again, amused at his son's behaviour.

"Don't." She protests. "How am I going to persuade him to behave if you keep laughing?"

"Lighten up Rae. No one got hurt, I bet even Vapour found it funny after the fact. They are

kids, kids get into mischief."

"Yes but It’s every time..."

"It’s not every time." He responds. "It’s nowhere near every time. Actually they are well

behaved, it’s just when they are not..."

"When they are not people coalesce." She finishes.

"When they are not they can be more inventive than most kids." He correct her.

"They have more ammunition than most kids."

"That too." He admits. He pushes the oil stained hair from her eyes. "You need a bath," his

hands run down her hair to her shoulders, feeling the tightness of the muscles. "and a

massage." He takes her hand. "Come on."

He leads her up the stairs to their bed room, a hot tub of water waiting for her. He eases the

tight black shirt from her shoulders, gently massaging the skin as it comes into view. She

relaxes as he strokes her. He pushes her down so she is sitting on the edge of the tub.

Pulling off the tight boots he starts to rub life back into her tired feet.

"I should be doing this for you," She protests slightly.

"No. I'm all better." He shows her the damaged arm, just a faint scar remains. He hopes she

doesn’t question where he got the energy from to heal that quickly.

He pulls off the tight Kevlar and cotton standard issue trousers, slipping them carefully over

her hips first, mindful of the bruise she picked up when the Bulmäs struck her. He drops a

kiss onto her belly to distract her as moves the waistband over the damage. She sighs

deeply at his touch.

"Impressive." He gestures to the blue and purple bruise.

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She looks down at it. "Deep too." She responds, noticing it for the first time. "When..." She

starts, then she remembers the impact that sent her flying. "Ahh yes."

"In the bath." He instructs. "There are herbs in there that will heal that in no time."

She follows his command, sinking deeply into the water, enjoying it’s warm and soothing

effect. She lies back, resting her head on a small pillow at the end of the tub. He sits beside

her stirring the water gently to allow the currents to caress the damage. She closes her eyes,

the action making her sleepy.

"Did you know Ryan was mainlining Fay blood?" She asks.

"Humm huh." He affirms. "Where did you think he was getting it from?" He replies with a

smile.

"Why?" She asks looking up. "Surely he could just get a transfusion from Christine. There has

to be enough Wyrd in her."

Paul shrugs, "She said she's saving that for a special occasion." He replies. "You're not going

to go all two faced on me are you?" He asks, amusement in his voice.

"No but..." She replies, lying back again and closing her eyes.

"Ooo, it’s nasty stuff and you never know what you are going to get..." He starts in his high

squeaky 'Mrs busybody' voice. "Maximising profit, that's all they care about these dealers.

They cut it with all sorts of stuff, washing powder, talc you name it. Makes it go further you

know....."

"Blue minty gel." Rae responds in dark slow voice referring to a joke he played on her in their

deep dark past after the body swap when she was still relearning to use her fate gifted

abilities.

"Well yes." Paul replies in his own voice. He scratches his nose. "It’s just a crutch Rae, like it

was with you. Just something to give him the confidence, get him used to pushing that sort

of power around whilst he gets up to speed."

"I hope so." She observes.

"You worry too much about him." He replies.

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"Well it’s not as if I have to worry about you." She responds.

"You can still worry about me." He is hurt by her words. "Just 'cos I'm immortal doesn't mean

it doesn't hurt. If you prick me do I not bleed, if you kick me in the balls do I not roll on the

floor in agony" He miss quotes.

"Just because I don't worry doesn't mean I don't care." She reassures him, picking up on his

disappointment. "I care a lot Paul. It’s just I always know you are coming home." She moves

to sit up, but he pushes her back down into the bath, sitting on the edge.

"Give it a bit longer, let it soak in." He instructs.

"I'm falling asleep." She protests.

"So?" He replies, "What are you going to do? Drown?" He laughs at her, reminding her of her

immortal status.

She shrugs, but she lies back closing her eyes. He leans down kissing her forehead gently.

"Do you want me to give up my immortality so you can worry about me?" He offers, and for

the briefest of seconds he even means it.

She shakes her head. "I played the game of loosing you once. I don't want to play it again."

She replies.

"Then worry about me." He replies. "Worry about how much blood I am going to leave behind

on the battle field, and how much skin I'm going to leave in the bath tub."

"I thought you wanted me to stop worrying." She asks, opening her eyes as she feels him

stand up.

"Well if you are going to worry about pointless meaningless things then they might as well as

be me." He justifies. “I’m about as meaningless and pointless as they come.”

He heads for the stair case up to the children's quarters.

+*+

Prydan has no idea how much time later Aaron wakes him with a shake of his shoulder but

the news “Were done.” is more than welcome.

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He sits up realising he fell asleep over the scroll he was working on. He looks down at the

smudged marks. “Sorry.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Aaron assures him. “The Soul stone does take it out of you. I’m amazed

you got so far. Besides,” He holds up a bundle of tightly wrapped scrolls. “I’ve got what we

need.”

Prydan sits up and stretches. He looks up at the mural and the assembly of faces.

“All from one person.” He muses.

Aaron nods. “The Maynans are natural survivors. Once out of the limit of this world there was

no stopping them. Literally.”

“Except each other.” Prydan comments darkly his eyes resting on the face of Amy on the

wall.

Then he lets his gaze extend to the rest of the image. “Once of these faces left that girl to

die in the grasp of the daemons.” He voices the thought that has been haunting him aloud.

“Yeap.” Aaron responds.

“We are looking at the murderer right now.” Prydan sighs and shakes his head. “But we

don’t know which one.”

“Hey look on the bright side we have narrowed it down from any one in the multi-verse to

just this lot. That’s a pretty good percentage drop.”

Prydan drags his gaze from the mural to Aaron. “Next.”

“Back to Caester. See if Paul or Silas have found anything more out.”

They turn for the door and then Prydan recalls how they got here. “Do we have to use Ka?”

“You’d rather walk?”

“Frankly yes.”

“Even given the danger of running into this realities version of yourself?” He prompts gently.

“Ahh.” Prydan responds. “May be not then.”

“I like you Prydan. I really do not want to risk having to go back to Connaught and admit I

lost you on a field trip.” Aaron explains, “He might make me do your job as well.”

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“Oh well, your infernal beast it is then.” Prydan relents sadly.

Aaron grins at him. “Ohh, She just likes you.” He teases. “It’s quite sweet really.”

The expression on Prydan’s face makes it all too clear that sweet is not the adjective he had

in mind.

+*+

Paul pushes the door open to the bed room. Gen is sat in the top bunk reading. It is a thick

leather bound treaties on magic. Toby is curled on the bottom pretending to be asleep.

Paul sits on the bottom bunk, prodding his son, with increasing force, until he admits to

being awake and rolls over.

"What did you do to Vapour?" he asks, there is no hint of accusation or anger in his voice.

"It was just a silly joke." Toby replies.

Paul just shrugs.

"What did you do today dad?" Gen asks. Fielding for her brother as usual.

"Collapsed a Ley gate, fought some bulmäs, usual thing." He responds matter-of-factly. He

looks up. "Gen, What do you know about unbounded Ley gates and Followers of Hürn

Bulmäs?"

"It’s rare. Some high tech Bulmäs can do it. I can look it up for you." She offers.

"I think you're mum would like to know." He replies. He looks at his son. "Just chalk eh?" The

smile creeps to his lips.

"She sat there for an hour and a half." Toby smiles back.

"Yeah she could have got up at any time." Gen giggles. "It was so funny."

Paul shakes his head and then stands up. He leans forward kissing them each in turn.

"Goodnight."

"'night Dad." They respond in harmony. As Paul reaches the door the light goes out.

"An hour and a half. " He whispers smiling.

Then he shakes his head and heads back to his wife.

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Chapter 9Silas puts the pints and the double vodka down on the table. Fortunately the Yatch Inn has

one of the residents of Caester working at the bar so he’s been able to find out just where he

is and pay for the drinks out of his Caester resources.

And picks up the Vodka and knocks it back. “Lovely.” Then he turns his attention to the pint.

Silas finds himself lost for what to say. Fortunately Andi, especially Andi fuelled with alcohol,

is a natural talker.

“I’m the product of an experiment.” He explains. “Fusion of three or four cell lines

apparently. Trouble is some of the cells proved to be incompatible; as a result bits don’t work

too well.”

“Couldn’t they fix it?”

“Not with out loosing a lot of what I can do.” He responds. “It’s not worth it. I spend most of

my time out there so it’s not an issue. It’s not the illness that makes the disability it’s the

attitude. So how did you get involved with all this lot?”

“This lot?”

“The Mellors, Caester this lot.” He amplifies.

“Err” Silas ponders where to start, trying to remember himself . “Via my grandfather I

suppose. Aaron Mellor has had a long association with my family. When stuff went a bit pear

shaped I ended up on the run with him that was…” It’s seems centuries ago. He tries to sort

out in his head how long it has actually been. “… Five years may be.”

“And when did you get this link to Rik?”

Silas spits his beer across the table, the pub turns to look at him.

“I’m sorry. “Andi responds. Desperately trying to clean up the splash with the few bear mats

in reach.

The bar man drops over a stack of napkins and a dirty look leaving Silas with the distinct

feeling they need to drink up and get out.

He pushes Andi up the ramp and onto the wall over looking the car park.

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“Sorry about that.” Andi echoes once they are out of the bar.

“How did you know?”

“Mags detected the incoming transmission whilst we were in U-Space. Riks thought patterns

are kind of distinctive.” He waves a hand. “It didn’t occur to me it should be a secret.”

“Well it is.” Silas replies.

“No problem. It goes no further.” He smiles. “It’s not like Mags and I don’t have our own

indisgressions”

Silas feels Riks interest rise, but there is a reassuring sense to them obviously he doesn’t

consider Andi knowing to be a major threat.

Andi looks down to the vehicle waiting in the car park. “Remember I told you about the thing

in U-space getting me.”

Silas nods.

“Lets just say Mags and I owe Rik a lot. Keeping this bit of info to ourselves is pretty fucking

minor by comparison.”

Then he looks up at Silas. “You Ok to find your own way from here? Only from what I hear

the walls and paths aren’t really wheel chair compatible.”

“Yeah this is my territory.”

“Cool.” He looks at him for a few seconds and then says. “Listen mate, the offer of the tour

still stands. When ever the what-ever-it-is is over, you still have Saturn’s song to hear. And

there’s the heliosphere.”

“Thanks I’ll take you up on that.” Silas replies with a smile.

“Brill.” He turns the chair and wheels it down the ramp.

Silas turns to walk the walls and unlock the route home.

+*+

Prydan arrives back in the map room and drops the scrolls on the table.

Aaron follow him in with a tray of coffee mugs.

The watchman looks at the walls.

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“I don’t think we have room for this.” He points out.

“Call me strange, but I really don’t want Silas reading it anyway.” Aaron points out.

He unlock a low the cupboard on the flat wall and puts the scrolls in it before returning to his

coffee.

The door opens and Paul swans in with a grin on his face.

“That was more than twenty minutes.” Aaron states.

“You weren’t here.” He defends. “What was the point of coming back if you weren’t here any

way?”

“Principle.” He hands him a mug.

“Ok I’ll nip back to twenty minutes after I left and say ‘bugger they’re not here’ and come

back to now if you want.”

Aaron looks at him and for a second Paul wonders if he would make him do it.

Instead the question is “Where’s Silas?”

Paul looks round the room, almost as if he expected the man to be here. Then he remembers

“Oh.”

Aaron looks at him.

“Fortunately for you.” Prydan informs him. “He came through water gate and had a drink in

Yatch Inn about an hour ago. Charles arranged a pick up for him.”

“Well then you see I knew he would be ok.” Paul defends.

Aaron shakes his head. “Any idea what kept him?” He asks Prydan.

“Apparently he ended up in a world where Caester isn’t accessible.”

“That was a bit of bad luck.”

“Yeah. Unfortunately the ecology is dead so lea walking was out too.”

Aaron looks up suddenly concern on his face. “How did he get back?”

“U-Space.” Prydan replies. “Charles found him a pilot that would do most of the run home.”

“No.” Aaron drops into the seat.

“What’s up?” Paul asks

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“Oo just make a guess on who that one is going to be.” Aaron retorts.

Paul thinks for a few moments. “Andi.”

Aaron puts his head in his hands.

“You trying to keep them apart or something.”

“May be.” Aaron mumbles into his hands.

“Why?” Paul asks in his best irritating toddler voice.

“The realities best lay walker and a man with a map of all worlds hard wired into his neural

net, you work it out!”

“Oh Yeah.” Paul laughs. “Oh that’s cool.”

“A Silas and Andi road trip. That would make “Beavis and Butthead” look like “Little House

on the Prairie” Aaron weeps softly.

“Oh that is so one I have to go on.” Paul says with glee.

“Oh you so don’t” Aaron counteracts.

“Oh ‘cause Like me being along could make it worse.” Paul teases.

Aaron goes to reply and then stops as the door opens and Silas walks in.

Paul takes one looks at him and bursts out laughing.

“What?” Silas asks.

“Nothing He is being a child.” Aaron responds firmly.

“Oh. I.. “ Paul starts.

“Out side now. You can come back in when you have got a grip.” Aaron shouts at him.

“Yes boss. “ Paul responds mimicking Corton perfectly. But he goes out side. Aaron looks at

Prydan pleadingly. “Go slap him or something.

Prydan smiles at the offer and follows the man out side.

Aaron looks at Silas. “You ok?”

Silas nods. “Just had to take the long way round.” He confesses. “So I’m afraid that stay in

the walls thing went for a Burton.”

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“Well you are back now.”

“So what have you been up to?” He asks, scanning the wall to see if anything has changed.

“Went to see Jack.”

“Oh.” Silas sounds almost left out. “How is he?”

“Great. He’s master of guard at Caer Cwartz at the moment.”

Silas looks at him and frowns. “Isn’t that your job?”

“Not any more it’s not.” Aaron smiles.

“Oh and you are so upset about that.” Silas lifts one of the mugs on the tray.

Aaron licks his lips. “How’s Andi?” He asks.

Silas sighs. “He knows about Rik.”

Aaron nods, his worse expectations confirmed. “Does he know it’s meant to be a secret?”

“He does now.”

“Well we will have to rely on his disgression and his loyalty to Rik.”

“He offered to show me Saturn.” Silas says sipping the coffee.

Aaron laughs. “He offers to show every body Saturn. It’s not a chat up line. He just really

likes his job.”

The door opens and Paul comes in, still trying to suppress a smirk. He is followed by Prydan

shaking his head.

Aaron turn the chair round to face the patch work of papers. “Right then. What have we

got?”

“The cross can be used by Lea walkers to get out Caester.” Silas states

“But not back in.” Paul points out.

“No it’s one way.” Silas confirms

“But it is dangerously close to St Peters. That has to be our point of exit.

Silas takes a deep breath in. “I think” He starts slowly. “If you really knew what you were

doing you could control where you were going. It’s a matter of making contact when the

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cross of the world you are after is in place and then riding it….” He pauses. “But I’m not sure

if it’s on a cycle or if it’s random. I need to go and have another look.”

“Look but don’t touch.” Aaron states.

“I don’t need to make that mistake again.” He agreed “Trouble is lots of statues and crosses

look the same. It’s not going to be a quick thing.”

“Ok lets leave it for now. But lets assume that out murderer knew where she was going.”

“Once out of this Caester she access the walls without being seen.” Prydan states.

“She doesn’t need to.” Paul stops him. “If she knows how to use the cross she can get

straight to the world she want to. Straight into one where she can walk straight out of the

gate and the Daemon can be waiting for her.”

“People are going to be noticing a Daemon waiting out side the walls Paul.” Prydan responds.

“Not if it is a world that’s already fallen.” Paul turns to Prydan. “Face it, what do your guys do

when a world is really daemon ridden?”

“Break the walls. It’s standard practice. Stops the taint from getting in.”

“Exactly.”

“But then the world becomes inaccessible so...“

“Just like the one he ended up on.” Paul points out gesturing to Silas.

Prydans face goes white.

“You can’t use the cross to get in. It’s not like it’s a breach point or something.” Silas

reassures him.

“Still.” Prydan looks up at the map of Caester on the wall. And Swallows hard. “Bollox.”

“She still got back in with the body.” Silas points out.

“Yeah but where did she get back in from.” Paul presses.

“Zero.” Aaron whispers.

“Exactly. She gives the girl to the daemon, who probably has a whale of a time and then she

picks up the body and steps straight into Zero.”

“Through Anaon.” Aaron whispers.

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“Through Anaon.” Paul confirms

“Oh Shit.” Aaron cures is heartfelt.

“Err For those of us who didn’t keep up?” Silas prompt.”

“Do you know where your home world actually is?” Paul asks.

“It’s pretty deep.”

“No.” Paul shakes his head. “It’s not just deep. It’s Out. Your home world is actually in

shades. That’s why it is so hard to get too. The Lea. U-space all that lot don’t get that far.”

“But shades is the nasty dark place where the daemons come from.” Silas asks obviously

confused.

“Yeap.” Aaron responds. “Ok Daemonic origins 101, sit down. The daemons are not part of

the realities, no one really knows where they came form but they are not ‘some thing of the

wyrd’ as Christine like to put it. That is why they can’t remain in the realities unless they

have some sentient thing believing in them to stabilise them and give them existence.”

“Ok.” Silas responds, realising he was vaguely aware of that from things Karl told him when

they were picking up people who had been displaced.

“Works the other way as well. The place where the daemons hang out when they are not

trying to get into reality is pretty damn empty and boring because nothing real can exist

there unless you have some one with belief supporting it. For… however long, it was just the

Daemons, fighting each other feeding on each other and then one day some how one of the

daemons found out there was something out side shades. Blakk likes to claim it was him and

there isn’t really any one to say other wise, but there is no real proof. What we do know is

that when Blakk got out there, and he may have been following someone else, he saw reality

and he decided it was good. So he brought something back to prove to the Daemons that

there was an out side. Again it’s a blank spot we don’t know what that was, what we do know

is that the nature of Shade destroyed it, and that really pissed him off. So he went and got

something else. Only this time he brought back some body with him. By that point the

Daemons had already realised that if you had the right person believe in them they could

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remain in reality longer, which is probably why stories of dark evil beings are so wide spread

across the multitude of cultures in the multi-verse, whilst people don’t always believe in a

god, they pretty much always agree there is a devil. So it didn’t take a great mind to work

out you can flip that over and use the same power to stabilise a reality thing in shades. Any

way back to the plot. Blakk returns with a thing. A tree.”

“Why a tree?” Silas asks

“I don’t know. He liked it.” Aaron guesses. “Bound into the tree were a couple of his followers

from the world he got the tree. And ever since then Blakk has been very keen to collect fate

gifted individuals because they can stabilise the tree and keep it in his domain. And whilst he

has the biggest bit of reality in Shades, he is the boss man. The other Daemons know that.

They will buy favours off him by giving him souls. Bottom line is, that side of the line and

we’re nothing but currency.”

“So how come my world is in shades then?” Silas asks

Aaron frowns. “That I’ve never quiet worked out. Best I can figure is its being hidden in there.

But I do know that wrapped round it is the place your Bulmas called Anoan.”

“The realm of the dead?” Silas looks confused.

“Yea but I’ve never been convinced they are dead souls. There are souls suffering in there

and it’s not a good place to be, but I have a feeling they are actually the souls in Blakks tree

projecting their pain into the reality of your world. But I do know that that blanket of pain and

suffering effectively camouflages the world from the shades side, and pretty much

guarantees that casual travellers don’t go too far out.” He shrugs. “Which makes it pretty

cunning really. Some one spent a lot of time and effort setting that one up.” Aaron’s

explanation tails off as he gets lost in the enigma.

“The point is.” Paul picks up. “There is a route from shades, into your world via Anoan and

thus out again through Caester. But, and this is the interesting bit, you can only do that

because of him.” Paul states, stabbing a hand in the direction of Aaron.

Silas looks at him. “Is this true?”

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“May be?” He confesses. Then he shrugs. “I had a bit of a hand in founding Caester in your

world yes.”

“Bit of a hand.” Paul state at the understatement. “I believe an entire legion was sent to hold

a scratch of marsh land so you could get your stupid settlement.

“Do you mind that ‘Stupid settlement’ is my town.” Prydan defends.

“And erm yeah the re coursing of a major river. And entire inland sea that mysteriously dried

up to give a salt plain.”

Aaron shifts uncomfortably.

“The founding of a welsh line of kings, The suppression of trade at Liverpool for 200 years.”

Aaron puts his head in his hands.

“Dunwich mysteriously vanishing into the sea despite being the second biggest town in the

country at the time. The re routing of the Norse invasions to Ireland. The major break though

of the industrial revolution happening in Shropshire of all god forsaken places.” Paul

continues to rant.

Silas stares at his friend. He can see Aaron shifting his thumbs to cover his ears as if not

hearing is going to make it any better.

”The construction of Offers Dyke and then the silting up of the Dee to make sure future

development wouldn’t disrupt the walls.” Paul turns to his audience. “Is that a hand? Should

we vote!” he concludes.

“Finished?” Aaron asks without looking up.

“Yes.”

“You really did all that?” Silas asks.

“I had 30,000 years to kill.” Aaron defends.

Prydan shakes his head and leans back against the table. “Well it’s interesting but I don’t see

how this is relevant.”

Paul looks at him shocked. “Relevant! Of course it’s fecking relevant!”

He looks down at Aaron.

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Then he stops. He turns and looks at Silas. Almost as if he is considering who is in the room

before he continues. He takes a very, very deep breath in and out.

“It’s relevant because we have a path taken by our murderer. And we can be pretty certain

of the place of death.”

Aaron sits back and seems to visible relax.

Paul sits down. It is almost as if his rant took something out of him. “What we don’t have is a

motive and without a motive we are never going to get to the bottom of this.”

“Are we disregarding the ‘just to wind me up’ one?” Silas asks.

“I think so.” Aaron responds. “There are far easier ways of winding you up.” He looks at the

wall and then gestures to Paul’s diary extract. “What about this?”

Paul frowns. “Still not sure it’s relevant. Some one sent a whole load of Bulmäs to Chris’s

place looking for a bloke called Stonehouse but they found Silvia instead. Thing is they didn’t

follow it up, once they knew they had the wrong person they fucked off. I mean they must

have been pretty serious to send such a big force but they were obviously after some one

very, very specific.” He shrugs. “I can keep chasing it if you want.”

Aaron nods. “It might provide a missing piece in the long run.”

“What about my descendants?” Silas asks. “I mean I assume that is why you went to see the

Maynans without me.”

Aaron smiles, a little pleased that Silas had picked up the clue for himself. “We are on it.” He

assures him.

“Ok.” Silas responds. “I think I’d rather leave that too you. Feels a bit too weird for me,

especially seeing as I haven’t even though of getting married yet let alone kids.”

Aaron nods. “Ok. Well you go and see what you can get from the cross. If there is a pattern

we many be able to calculate the world she went to first.”

He looks at Paul. “You chasing up these Bulmäs and Chris?”

Paul nods.

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He looks up at Prydan. “Sorry but I have a day job. The watch doesn’t run itself, and most of

this is moving out of my jurisdiction.” The watchman points out. “Also, I think I need to let

Connaught know about Silas discoveries around the cross. I know it’s not a route in, but we

need to do something about it. We can’t have people accidentally vanishing off into distant

worlds.”

“Ok. You cover the caster specific stuff. If you come across anything you know where we are,

and if we need you we’ll come running.”

“Agreed.” Prydan nods and heads out.

As the door clicks shut Aaron rounds on Paul. “Who rattled your cage?”

Paul looks over at Silas, almost as if he is unsure if he can answer in front of him.

“He’s been in my head Paul.” Aaron dismisses his concern.

“Ok then.” He taps on the desk. ”This is your fault.”

“Yeah along with lots of other things.” Aaron replies, not even attempting a defence.

“If you hadn’t gone to such lengths to make Caester in Zero…”

“Oh what was I mean to do, suddenly pop in Shades and hope they didn’t notice? The

biggest collection of fate suddenly arrives right next to Blakks tree and you think he might

not have spotted it.”

“What were you doing in there In the first place?”

“Covering your arse.” Aaron retorts. “Well you, Corton and Polar.” He confesses.

“Yeah like you aren’t responsible for that too.”

Aaron sits back and throws his arms wide. “Ok So it’s all fucking my fault. The whole arsing

mess. The realities, reconciliation, the Daemons, In, you, Christine, him. You happy now!”

“No!” Paul shouts back. But his face is starting to crack. “I want you to beg for forgiveness.”

He starts to smile. “I want you down on your knees Mellor.” The laugh starts. “I want a

Please Please Please forgive me Lord Shoko.” He takes a breath in. “And I want a yacht.” He

stops and wipes his eyes.

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“You can’t have a yacht”. Aaron states, beginning to laugh himself.

“Oh well bollox to this then.” Paul makes as if he is going to leave. And then stops and sits

down.

They look at each other. And Aaron laughs.

“Oh dear.” He signs out.

“I’m not apologising.” Paul states.

“I never expect you too.” Aaron replies. He looks over to Silas. “Oh sit down.” He starts to

open the draws of the desk until he locates the glasses and the whiskey.

Aaron pours out three generous measures. He waits until they have picked their’s up.

“To family.” He states.

“To covering each others arses.” Paul responds.

They looks at Silas, he shrugs. Then Rik says “To Suki.”

The name brings a level of seriousness to the moment.

“Yeah.” Aaron responds. “To Suki.”

“The glue that stops us ripping each other apart.” Paul adds. He knocks back the drink and

gestures for another. Aaron refills the glass.

Then Paul looks at Aaron pointedly.

“How does she do that?”

“Meaning?”

Paul leans back, considering his words. “Ok. Like when I’m right. I know I’m right I am so

right no-one has ever been righter. I know all the ways; I know my motivations; I have it all

laid out. I am SO right that the rest of you are just fucking stupid because you can not see

how right I am.” He puts down the glass his is waving, aware of the fact he is about to spill

the drink. “And then she walks into the room and I am the dumbest thing in the whole of

creation.”

Aaron laughs at recognition of the situation.

“That. How does she do that?”

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“Honestly? She knows us too well.” He sips his drink. “It’s like a knife through butter. She can

cut through all the excuses we make and get right to the heart of the matter.” His face turns

serious. “And then faced with the truth you just have to back down.”

Paul sighs. He takes a drink. “It’s like…” He pauses looking over at Silas and then shrugs,

“Hell like you can keep any secrets round here. It’s like with Rae and the twins.” He looks at

his father in law “I couldn’t face it Aaron.” He confesses. “I knew there was no way she could

survive the birth. I knew there was no way I could face loosing her. And I knew I couldn’t face

anything happening to those kids. And then Charlie made the offer and I thought fuck it. This

is such the right thing to do. This is a no lose. We all get to live on and be happy. Problem

solved. It didn’t even cross my mind for a second that she wouldn’t want it as well. So I did it.

And then she walked away. And I couldn’t even begin to see why. There she was, the one

thing that matters.” He sips the drink. “The one thing that keeps my daemon at bay. And

then she wasn’t there and I could not even begin to see how it could in anyway be my fault.

It was her. Rae was being stupid. I’d gone to all this trouble and she couldn’t even appreciate

it. And I was so damn angry I was ripping worlds apart. And then there was a knock on the

door. And there was Suki. And suddenly I was this stupid senseless, self centred, selfish,

childish, moronic idiot.”

“What? You expect me to contradict?” Aaron asks

Paul shakes his head. “I’m not apologising.” He states firmly.

“No you are not.” Aaron agrees.

“It was still the right thing to do.” He states firmly. “I could have done it better.” He

concedes.

“You could have asked.” Aaron states.

“You can’t ask Rae about her future she always says ‘I don’t want to know!” Paul protests.

Aaron shrugs. “That’s her choice. But if it’s any consolation Suki did go and talk to Rae too.”

Paul shrugs and then finishes the drink. “I can’t help feeling that we are going to be having

another of those conversations before this business is finished.” He states. He shakes his

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head. “There is something going on here but I’m really not sure what it is. But it feels really

big. This is more than one death.”

“Yeah.” Aaron breaths out.

Paul looks over at Silas, looking him up and down.

“What?” Silas ask defensively.

Paul looks over to his diary extract, and then the picture of the victim and then back at Silas.

“Argggr” He lets out a low growl from his throat, almost guttural. He flexes his hand open

and closed, as if gestures are easier to use to express his aggravation that actual words.

Then he reaches out into the air above the desk as if catching some invisible ball in space;

His hands coming together in frustration. “It’s there but it’s not there.” He exclaims.

“Too many missing pieces.” Aaron explains.

“and we are not going to find them sitting round here.” He stands up. “I’m going to Chrimel.

See if I can stir something up.”

“Well try not to annoy them too much.”

They watch him go before Aaron looks at Silas, waiting for the comment.

“So that would explain why Rae looks nothing like you, Rik or Suki then.” Silas states softly.

Aaron shrugs. “You could have asked.”

Silas shrugs. “Never really seemed important.”

“It isn’t. Aaron admits. “It doesn’t matter what body she is in. She is still Rae. Took her a

while to come to terms with that though.”

“He said ripping apart worlds.” Silas asks softly.

“Yeah He did loose it some what.” Aaron admits

“Andi said there was something really deep that ate whole worlds.” Silas prompts, unsure if

he wants his darkest suspicions confirmed.

Aaron grimaces. “Just don’t get on his bad side ok.” He warns.

Silas swallows and nods. Then he finishes the drink. “I’ll go and see what I can work out

about the cross.”

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Chapter 10Silas sits on the steps at One Bridge street looking at the cross. Just beyond his gave the

clock of St Peters is counting off the hours. He was correct in his assumption that this was

going to be hard. Far too many Caesters have the same basic design of cross or statue.

“We only need to see the right one.” Rik tells him.

There is one he knows is unique. The one that attracted him in the first place. He knows it

doesn’t lead to the right world. But it leads to a world.

As he sees the mass of mirrors flicker into existence he hits the lap timer on the stop watch.

And St Peters Church clock ticks on.

+*+

Paul puts the drink down on the table. Jerry looks up suspiciously at the man as he sits in

front of him.

“And this is for?”

“Can’t I buy you a drink?”

“Oh wait a second, you mean you are not Paul Shoko Arie, The man who would sell his own

grand mother and does nothing without a reason. Fine then of course I accept you

completely free and with out obligations hospitality. D’ you think I came down the lagan in a

bubble just now?”

Paul manages to look hurt. “Do I really deserve that?”

“Are you expecting anything in exchange for the drink?”

“Ok I probably do deserve that.” Paul confesses, sitting down.

Jerry looks at him. “Just cut to the chase Paul”.

“Where’s Polar?”

“Don’t know. Wouldn’t tell you if I did. Next.”

“Silvia…”

“Is Christine niece and is staying for the foreseeable future. Next.”

“Stone House?”

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“Don’t know him, Rae said he was the one the Bulmäs were looking for but he don’t work for

us. She’s chasing that goose, not us. Go home. Talk to your wife. Next.”

“And there is no connection between Silvia and the name Stonehouse.”

“Not that I know. Next.”

“Ryan.”

Jerry looks at him. He lowers his voice slightly. “Is in way over his head and is struggling to

keep up. I’m worried about him. Chris sprung this engagement on him as much as on us. I’m

not sure what is going on.” He pauses and picks up the drink. “But I’m damn glad you and

Rae where here when the Bulmäs turned up.”

“Would he talk to me?”

“Doubt it.” Jerry smiles wryly. “You and Li did kidnap him remember.”

Paul shrugs. “That was ages ago.”

“Not for him it wasn’t.”

“Damn this non linear life style of mine.” Paul jokes.

Jerry shrugs.

“Why all the questions Paul?”

Paul grimaces. “Oh I’ve got my self wrapped in a puzzle. I thought I had an answer but now

I’m not so sure. It keeps eluding me.”

“Something to do with the attack?”

He nods. “Best I’m doing is worrying at it, like a dog with a bone. I’m not even sure if it’s

important.”

Jerry laughs. “Of course it’s important DummKopf!”

Paul looks at him.

“If it wasn’t important you would have told yourself to let it go by now.” He points out.

“Oh. Yeah.” Paul realises that he is right. He coughs sheepishly at having to have the

obvious pointed out to him.

“So want to tell me your problem?” Jerry offers.

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“Not sure I can. Aaron doesn’t want it getting back to Chris.”

“Oooo juice gossip is it? Look you know, if she asks me I can not, not tell her but…”

“She’s got to know to ask.”

Jerry nods.

“Ok.”

Paul brings him up to speed on the body in Caester and it’s connection to Silas and Silvia.

The identity of Silvia’s father comes as a little surprise to Jerry, but he is not overly

concerned by the news. Paul watches him as he absorbs the information as he drinks the

drink.

“May be the question isn’t why, may be it’s why not. It’s not like Human descended Bulmäs

are that rare.” He states softly. “I mean we have plenty of them around here. May be is

something else. Not Silas. Some one lower down the line.”

“But what about the body turning up on Silas’s home path?”

Jerry shrugs. “Yeah but if most of these guys are from that blood line anyway you could

make a fair argument for that being the home world of all of them. It’s not like any of them

are truly local anywhere else. The best they get is where they were born or grew up or

settled down or what ever; it’s always an adopted world. Bottom line they evolved on that

world. It’s the only place they could have come from without the Pure Bulmäs wiping them

out.”

“Doesn’t help me though does it.” Paul points out.

Jerry frowns.

“What?”

“Oh it’s just something that occurred to me a while back. Another ‘why not’ thing.” He looks

at Paul. “All these human Bulmäs. You would have thought that with the way the pure fields

feel about half breeds they’d have scragged them long ago.” He looks round the room. “But

they are every where.”

Paul looks at him, frowning in realisation at the point he is making.

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Jerry looks at him. “Why?”

“Aaron says they are natural survivors.”

“Bollox. If the pure breads called down the wild hunt they wouldn’t last five minuets and you

know it.”

The two sit in silence as Paul absorbs Jerrys ponderings. Then he swears. “I came here for

answers not more bloody questions!” He protests.

Jerry grins at him.

“Ok Try this one.” He states slowly sounding out each word separately. “Why Didn’t The

Bulmäs Kill Silvia?”

“Because the didn’t want her dead.” He says softly.

“Bingo.” Jerry responds. “That’s what I came too when I was figuring out this one. Some one

went to an awful lot of trouble to get to her NOT to kill her.”

“What would be the point?”

“I don’t know.” He confesses “That’s where I drew a blank.”

Paul considers the gate and the lea domain beyond it. “That was a lot of technology.”

“That was a lot of lives.” Jerry points out. “I mean you three left enough bodies out there.”

“And there was a whole load you never saw.” Paul admits, thinking of the wave that

vanished into the rift and those abandoned in U-space when the domain collapsed.

“Even given Bulmäs reincarnation, that cost.”

“Just to not kill her.”

“Hmm.” Jerry finishes the drink and stands up. He pats Paul’s shoulder. “Solve that one lad.

That’s the real key to this one.”

“Yeah thanks.”

+*+

Silas walks into the map room. “4 hours 43mins 18 seconds.” He announces.

Aaron looks up for a scroll, letting it go so it rolls up on it’s own. “What.”

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“The Cross. It’s a regular pattern and it takes” He looks down at the stop watch. “4 hours 43

mins and 18 seconds to rotate. Each image holds for .3 seconds.”

Aaron sits back. “That’s interesting.”

“Oh well I’m glad I’ve not completely wasted the day then.” Silas defends

“No.” Aaron shakes his head at Silas’s assumption of dismissal. “That’s not long enough.”

“What?”

“At .3 seconds it should take.” Aaron ponders for a few moments and then declares. “days at

least to cycle through every Caester.”

“So it’s only doing some of them.” Silas pauses trying to work it out. “May be there are

casters that don’t have a cross.” He guesses

“Get real Silas.” Aaron challenges him, “How many have you seen that are blank while you

have been sat there?” He shrugs realising that Aaron is right.

“Why only those?” Aaron whispers. He looks up at the image of the cross on the wall and

Silas’s account of the world he visited.

“Oh crap.” He reaches for the phone.

“It’s Captain Mellor, Is Pyrdan available?.... ok Tell him we’ll come to him.”

He gets up picking up his jacket.

“What?”

Silas follows him out of the door, jogging to catch up as Aaron lengthens his stride.

“The Cross Silas. At .3 seconds how many worlds does it cycle through in four hours, 43

minutes and 18 seconds?”

“Oh God Maths.” Silas curses him. He pulls out his phone to access the calculator.

“Try 56,660.” Aaron states. “Or there abouts.” He leads Silas down the steps and on to the

cobbles of water gate. “Now ask me why I know that number?”

Silas looks at him as he pulls open the door of the watch house.

“Because that’s the number of times Caester’s walls have been broken. Every single one of

those crosses leads to a world that is no longer accessible through the paths.”

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“Shit.” Silas shudders realising just how dangerous his leap into the cross really had been.

“You are just so fucking lucky you got to a world where that happened by accident rather

than one that was deliberately broken because it fell to the daemons. Do you know that?”

Silas stares at his back as Aaron barges into Pyrdans office announcing his presence with

“We have so got a problem.”

+*+

Paul pushes open the door to the castle and drops his sword and armour on the rack. There

is a note on the table from Rae telling him that Kathnak called and that there are a group of

Bulmäs looking for “the head in the fridge” as she puts it. Mention of the prize from the

battle calls to mind the unanswered question. He tests the air

“Gen, Tobe?”

“They have gone out Shoko-sama. Sukiyama-sama took them to the temple.” His maid, Miko,

appears at the door. Bowing low as she speaks.

“What time did Rae-san leave this morning?”

“Late. My Lord.” She responds.

He nods realising that he has some time.

“I am going down to the stores. Inform me the moment any of the family return.”

“Of course sir.” Another low bow.

He turns and strides down the stairs.

The head is on a shelf in the cold store. He ensures the door is firmly closed behind him

before turning his attention to it.

“Now lets see what answers you have.” He challenges the head.

Blue lightening crackles from the end of his finger tips as he reaches out and places his nail

against the forehead. The eyes snap open. Fear in them; and confusion at suddenly not

being dead.

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“Speak.” Paul’s words carry a weight of command. The head struggles to obey the voice

cracks with no wind the long vanished lungs to forms the words. Paul’s frustration shows in

his face and the expression on the head becomes more desperate. Mouthing it’s pleas to him

for mercy.

The daemon in him isn’t interested in it’s pleas. But it does want the answers. He calls on the

castle. A current of wind forming in the cold room, drawing air up through the severed neck

and out of the mouth. It gives a voice to the dead.

“Let me die. Let me be reborn.” It begs.

Paul just stares at it.

“Who sent you to the Island?”

“I do not know.” The head responds.

Paul turns as if to leave

“No.” It begs. “It was an order. A mission from the council. Some one very high. May be even

the god himself.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“It is truth. What would I gain from deception?”

Paul turns back to it. “Name your field.”

“Zeintfelt.” The creature responds. “I am Helox of Zeintfelt. Now give me death.”

“Zeintfelt.” Paul states. He knows the name. Kathnak spoke about them once. If it’s true then

may be they are not kidding about the god being involved. His earlier pessimisms is

beginning to feel all too justified.

He looks at the head. “You want death?”

The creature almost looks relieved at the promise in his voice, and then Paul lets it see what

he is really offering, the black claws reaching through the creatures eyes and drawing out it’s

soul.

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Chapter 11Aaron and Silas Leave Prydan and Connaught dealing with their bomb shell.

“If anything that makes it easier doesn’t it?” Silas observes as they head up the hill towards

the cross.

“How?”

“Well if most of these crosses lead to realms which are Daemonic, that makes the whole

murder thing a doddle. Grab the girl and jump. She didn’t have to be aiming for a particular

world at all.”

“Unless she had a particular Daemon in mind.” He shrugs. “Mind you if was she headed into

shades anyway….” Aaron shakes his head. “ohh.” He stretches. “This is getting to me.” He

confesses. “Something is gelling but it’s not quite right.”

The watch have set up a barricade round the cross to prevent people bumping into it. A high

chain link fence with concrete feet. Silas stares at it sadly.

“Is that really necessary?”

“Probably health and safety regulations.”

“Looks like it’s in a cage.” Silas protests. “It shouldn’t be in a cage.” Suddenly he feels angry

without really knowing why. It’s almost as if some one has imprisoned a good friend.

He turns out the shout of his name and sees Gemma waving at him as she runs down the

road.

And then it hits him.

“This shouldn’t be in a cage. This is a memorial Aaron. This is every Caester that died. Every

person who fell to the Daemons. Like Gemma’s brother. Like Amy. You can’t let them do

this.”

Aaron looks at him. Then he looks at the cross.

Gemma reaches them. “Hi Silas, Hi Dr Mellor. I’ve been looking for you.” Then she stops and

looks at the cross. “What’s going on?”

Aaron opens his mouth to answer but Silas gets there first. “Some fool thinks it’s

dangerous.” There is venom in his words.

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Gemma steps back. “Wooo Silas, it’s only a statue.”

He turns and looks at her. “No it’s much more than that. Much much more.” His face takes a

determined expression. “And I’m going to make sure they know that.”

He turns round and heads back down the hill to the garrison.

Gemma goes to go after him but Aaron reaches out to stop her. “No.”

She turns and looks up at him confused.

Aaron opens his mouth and takes a breath in, collecting his thought before speaking. “This is

his fight.”

“What is?”

He looks at the cross and then back at Gemma. He gestures to the cross. “Silas lost some

one recently. Like your brother.”

“The Daemons?”

Aaron nods. “We just worked something out. Something about the cross. It relates to the

worlds the Daemons took.”

Gemma looks at it. “Yeah.” She breaths softly. Something in her manner makes it clear she

is not overly surprised. “I came here a lot after Alan died. Some how it made me feel closer

to him.”

“You are not the only one.” Aaron confirms softly. Then he looks at her. “What did you want

him for anyway?”

“There’s a party tonight at Cloisters. 8:30. I was wondering if he wanted to come?”

Aaron smiles. “Yeah he will. He needs a bit of R&R.”

“Well if you can get him there it would be great to see him.”

“Oh I’ll round up some wild horses if I have to. Thanks Gem.”

+*+

”Darling how the fuck am I meant to give the head back as part of our negotiations if you

have sucked the bloody thing dry?”

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“It annoyed me.” Paul states simply There is a dark edge to his voice, almost as if it’s a

warning that it might not be the only thing to face that fate in the near future.

Rae makes as if she is going to hit him. And then she turns and walks away, putting her

hands up to her face.

“Crap now what are we going to do. We can’t give it back to them in that condition.”

“Just tell them it was destroyed.”

“But I was going to use that as a bargaining chip to find out what they were doing there in

the first place.

“They were on a mission sent by some one high up. Maybe one of the gods.” He responds

flatly.

“Paul!” She shouts at him.

“It doesn’t fucking matter Rae.” He replies. “It doesn’t matter who sent them what matters

was why they were sent. I talked to Jerry.”

“And what did Jerry say.”

“Why Didn’t They Kill Silvia?”

“Well that’s helpful.”

“Yes it is now stop and answer the fucking question.

“I don’t know!”

“You do. They didn’t kill Silvia because they did not want her dead. The Urox were looking for

some one that they fully expected to be in that room. Mr Stone house. But they found Silvia.

They didn’t think ‘May be this is him’ and take her any way. They didn’t kill her anyway. They

just left.”

She stares at him.

“The head is not something they want. They would like it but they don’t want it. Not like they

wanted what ever they expected to find in that house or right now we’d be shooting nuke’s

in our own back garden. What they want is Mr Stone house.”

Paul’s Eye brows twitch. She knows the expression all too well.

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“And we know where Mr Stone house is don’t we.”

Rae sits down. “We can’t do that Paul?”

“Why?”

“Because he’s family.” She replies

“Since when?” He challenges

“Since….” She stops herself, trying to justify out loud what she feels. “Since Suki said he

was.”

Paul sighs and sits back. “Crap.” He knows he has no defence against that one.

“You can’t just hand him over to the Bulmäs Paul. They’d kill him. He’s a Half breed.”

Paul clicks his fingers. The other half of Jerrys questions hitting his mind.

“May be not. May be this is one of those things that have to be.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, Paul?”

“We need to talk to Silas. And I mean We because I can’t take him to the Bulmäs but you

can.”

“This is insane.”

“No it’s not. But you are right we can’t just hand him over. He has to agree to this. I made

that mistake before and I really don’t want to get a dressing down off Suki again.”

+*+

Silas is on the dance floor with Sally.

He had complaining loudly when Aaron told him he had accepted a party invite on his behalf,

but now he realises how vital the down time it is.

Gemma is laughing. Roland is trying to balance empty beer cans on the head of the statue of

the monk that gives the club it’s name. Clive is trying to persuade the DJ to play a track from

his band. Surrounded by his friends he is finally beginning to relax and forget about all the

crap that his happening, for the night at least.

And then he sees a face in the crowd that he really does not want to see.

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Paul grins at him as he heads towards them on the dance floor.

“Go away I’m having a good time.” Silas complains.

Sally looks over at him confused for a second thinking that he is talking to her. Then she

sees Paul.

“Don’t worry Rae is getting the drinks in.” He assures him.

Paul gins at Sally.

She looks at him suspiciously. “Do I know you?”

“I work with him.” Silas states.

“Oh.”

Gemma waves at them, beckoning them to come over, Sally start to move but Paul catches

Silas’s arm.

“We need a chat.” He states his face serious.

“Ok but not here and not now.” Silas pleads,

Paul shrugs.

“Ok.”

Rae joins them with drinks, handing one to Silas. He takes it.

“Silas wants to party tonight.” Paul informs her pointedly.

“Yeah and?” She responds. “You still owe me a night out.”

“Do you think your guys would mind if we joined them?” Paul asks

Silas looks at the group laughing together, thinking about the way Sally reacted.

“No.” Rae solves his dilemma. “Have a good time Silas. We’ll catch up in the morning.” She

drags Paul away.

+*+

The phone next to Aaron rings. He picks it up with a smooth fluid motion. “Mellor.”

“I need help.”

It takes him a few seconds to place to voice.

“Aurelius?”

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The man’s voice is full of only just controlled panic. “I’m at Prydan’s. I think there is

something very wrong.”

“I’m on my way.” Aaron pockets the phone and grabs his jacket and sword.

The Watchman’s apartment is only a few minutes from the castle, a ground floor flat

overlooking the nuns field allotments. Aurelius is waiting at the door for him. His faced

etched with concern. Prydan is on the sofa, his complexion grey and his breathing shallow.

Aaron moves over to him.

“What happened?”

“I was talking to him. Trying to explain something. Stuff about my past and…”

Aaron turns and looks at the man, sensing there is something he is not saying. “… and the

other versions of him you knew?”

Aurelius nods.

“Then what?” Aaron rests his hand lightly on Prydan’s chest.

Aurelius shrugs.

Aaron stops and looks at him. “This is one of those complete honesty moment soldier.” He

warns him. “If you don’t tell me I can not help you.”

“I opened my memories to him, so he could see it for himself and know I wasn’t lying.”

Aurelius admits.

Aaron grimaces. “Please tell me there wasn’t that one particular memory, that we both know

is in there, that he saw.”

Aurelius just looks at him. Then he swallows. “I’m sorry.”

“You showed him his own death.” Aaron responds, there is an underlying anger and disbelief

in his voice.

“But it wasn’t his death was it.” Aurelius retaliates, “It was that other version of him. It was

my Prydan’s death. Not his.”

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Aaron rolls round so he is sitting on the floor with his back to the sofa looking at the man

before him. “Wyrd save me from well meaning idiots.” He whispers softly. “Did it not occur to

you that seeing a version of yourself ripped apart by a daemon might not be just a tad

stressful?” He asks.

Aurelius drops onto the coffee table, his head in his hands. “I killed him. Again.” He whispers.

Aaron looks at him. His expression softening. “No you haven’t.” He assures the man. “He

might wish you had when he comes round but he’s not dead.”

Aurelius looks up clutching at the straw Aaron is offering.

“Back of the fridge there is a beer bottle without a label. Go get it.”

Aaron watches the man go and then turns back to his patient.

Inside Prydan’s mind is a mess. He closes his eyes to focus, feeling his way through the

tangled screaming crowd. Far too many of these people hate Aurelius and his presence really

wasn’t helping the one lone original voice come through. As the source of their anger and

betrayal leaves they quieten and Aaron can hear the voice whispering over and over again “I

died.”

He focuses on it, hunting it down and lifting it to the front. Then he cuts through its litany

with a long practiced skill and a single message. “No it wasn’t you.”

On the sofa Prydan’s eyes spring open and he takes a great gulp of air as man who was

drowning. He tries to sit up but there is a weight on his chest. He looks over at the source of

the pressure confused.

“Aaron? How did you get here? Where’s Aurelius?”

Aaron opens his eyes and lets go so Prydan can sit up.

“Oh my head what was I drinking last night?”

“Fate.” Aaron responds softly.

Prydan looks at him confused, and then begins to sense the source of his head ache. He

clutches his skull as the voices threaten to over whelm him again.

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Aurelius returns with the beer and hands it to Aaron. Aaron cracks the top off it with his

thumb and then takes a brief swig of it himself before handing it to Prydan.

Prydan stares at it unsure.

“It will help shut them up for a while.” Aaron assures him.

Prydan swallows most of the bottle in one go. It’s coolness seems to seep into his head and a

brings a calmness to the clamour in his mind. He looks up at Aurelius and then at Aaron, still

confused. “What the fuck is going on? Why is my head full of people?”

Aaron pats his knee. “Welcome to solohood Pry. That’s coalescence.”

+*+

Silas is on the dance floor again. His head swimming with all the booze. It’s a slow numbers.

His arms are around someone. He buries his face in her hair. It feels so good and so right as

they move to the music together. He feels a gentle kiss on his neck. And then he looks up

and sees Sally coming back from the toilet. She stops dead starting at Gemma and him

embracing on the dance floor.

“Oh crap.” He whispers.

And then the main door is swinging as Sally vanishes through it.

He chases after her filling the room which is cry of “Sally wait.”

But by the time he gets outside there is only darkness wind and rain.

His fist slams into the lamppost in frustration.

“Silas?” He turns to see Gemma right behind him.

He gestures down the road. “Sally.”

Her face looks panicked got a second. “Oh good I’m so sorry I didn’t think...”

“Oh Argg.” He throws his fists at the air. Cursing his stupidity.” The club starts to empty out

behind them, obviously some one has called time.

“Let me walk you home.” Gemma offers. “Get a coffee.”

“Ok.”

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Chapter 12It was meant to be just coffee. He even remembers putting on the kettle at some point.

So why is the floor covered in clothes, and why is this amazing woman in his arms and why

does it all feel so good and so right.

Gemma sneaks out in the morning before her father comes on the early shift. Silas watches

her go from the window as she makes her way along the walls home. His brain boiling in

turmoil at the nights events, and throb with the start of a hangover. He can not even begin

to reconcile what has happened, his thoughts just refuse to come straight despite all attempt

to sort it out.

Realising he need help he pulls on a fresh set of clothes and heads for the map room.

Aaron doesn’t even look up when he comes in and yet still manages to say “You look rough.

Good party?”

“I don’t know.” Silas pleads, more of a whine in his voice than he would have liked to have

had.

At this Aaron looks up.

“I think I did something dumb.”

“Well it seems to have been the night for it. But what do you mean by think?”

Silas looks at him pained. “I upset my girlfriend.” He confesses.

“How?” Aaron asks.

Silas gets the distinct feeling Aaron knows but is determined to make this difficult. “I kind of

ended up in bed with Gemma.”

Aaron tries hard to suppress a grin. “You don’t do things by half, do you lad?”

“Oooh.” Silas falls forward on the chair and puts his head in his hands. “What do I do?”

“Does Sally know you slept with Gemma?”

“I…. No.. But she did see us dancing together and she ran off.”

“Is she likely to find out?”

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“I don’t know.”

Aaron turns back to the paper work but keep’s talking. “Well frankly Silas you are a crap liar

so I think you have to assume she will eventually.”

Silas looks up at him.

“So you have two options.” Aaron looks, his face serious. “Either you go for the ‘I was pissed

defence’ and grovel like a loon.”

“Or?”

“Or. You take this as a wake up call and really re-evaluate your relation ship.”

Silas frowns at him.

“How long have you and Sally been an item?”

“Eighteen months maybe.” Silas responds.

“And is it going any where?”

Silas leans back.

“Honestly?” Aaron challenges him.

“Well… “ Silas struggles to come up with an answer that doesn’t sound like no. The best he

can manages is “But Gemma.”

“What about Gemma?”

“Well were just mates. It’s not… She’s like a sister or something.” He defends.

Aaron looks at him.

“I mean we just hang out together, And she keeps and eye out for me, and we go to watch

films and…

“… She makes you lemsips when you have a cold.” Aaron reminds him of the way she looked

after him after they fished him out of the Dee.

“Yeah.” Silas retorts.

“And you like being with her.” Aaron states.

“Yeah.” Silas concedes.

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“And through all the shit she’s been the one shoulder you know you could cry on because

she understands and she actually wants to waste the time listening to you moan.”

“Yeah.”

Aaron rubs his nose and just sits and looks at him.

“And I missed it didn’t I.” Silas admits.

Aaron nods. “My advice?”

“Yeah?”

“Go and talk to Sally. But end it. Let her go off and find somebody else that doesn’t have to

fight daemons and get lost in Caster. Let her go and be normal.”

Silas nods. Realising that Aaron is making perfect sense. “And then?”

“Then go and talk to Charles before he comes and talks to you.” Aaron smiles slightly. “Cos

you KNOW he will.”

Silas nods and heads out of the door.

Aaron goes back to the files.

+*+

Silas arrives back at the Dorchester Charles looking up as he walks in. He concludes he has

nothing to be gained from putting this off and approaches the desk.

“Can I have a word?”

“Of course sir. “ Charles responds with ultimate professionalism.

“In private?”

Charles looks over to one of the junior members of the team. “Andrea look after the desk

whilst I deal with Mr Tremain.” Then he leads him through a door marked Private.

Silas suddenly realises he has never seen “back stage” at the Dorchester. The office in

question is surprisingly small and not a little cramped.

Charles looks at him expectantly.

“It’s about Gemma.” Silas admits.

“I thought it might be.” Charles responds. His professional aire dropping slightly.

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Silas stalls. Not sure what to say next.

Charles looks at him for an age and then states softly. “What bizarre world do you live in that

you think that my daughter could leave your suite at 4:30 and no one would shop you both

too me?” There is a strong degree of calm control in his voice, as if the man is having to

focus on not being angry.

Silas swallows.

“Well?”

Silas only manages a guilty look.

“What are your intentions towards my daughter?”

Silas takes a deep breath. “I’m not sure.” He confesses. “If I said honourable would you

believe me?”

“Given this morning behaviour what do you think?”

Silas swallows again.

“May be you should go away and think about it and come back later.” Charles states firmly.

“Would that be ok?” Silas asks.

“If you want to tell me that you have long term plans with my daughter, I want to be damn

sure that you have at least thought about it.” Charles responds. “And not just with your

testicles.” He adds darkly.

Silas grimaces and nods.

“Now I have a hotel to run.”

He pushes open the door.

Silas leaves with his tail very firmly between his legs, uncertain if he just got off lightly or

only prolonged the agony.

+*+

Paul and Rae arrive at the Map room hand in hand obviously having had a good night out.

Aaron looks up as they come in and smiles.

“Obviously it’s in the air.” He states.

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Rae looks at him quizzically.

Paul looks round the room. “Where’s Silas?”

“Dealing with the fuck up his made of his love life.” Aaron replies.

“What’s he done?” Rae asks.

“He was out with Sally last night.” Paul states confused.

“Hmm... He woke up with Gemma this morning.” Aaron passes on the news.

Paul grins, his mouth almost touching his ears. “Ohh Boy.”

Aaron looks at Rae.

“Wasn’t my fault.” She defends.

“No Rae of course it wasn’t.” Aaron replies.

“We weren’t even there.” She states firmly.

Aaron just looks at her. “Yeah but don’t tell me you didn’t have that conversation.”

Rae looks dismissive. “Gemma’s better for him any way.”

Paul looks at here. “When did you talk to Silas?”

Aaron looks at him almost in disgust. “Really Paul! Since when did we work in straight lines.”

He challenges.

“Gemma confided in me a while ago that she really liked Silas and she thought Sally was

taking the piss.” Rae confesses.

“And you said?” Paul asks

“Well fucking do something about it then.” Aaron and Rae intone together. Rae looks at him

and smiles at his ability to match her phrase.

“Which is why you dragged us off last night.” Paul concludes. “Ahh.”

“Because with you around Silas would not have got… relaxed… enough for Gemma to make

her move.”

“Does anything happen in that kids life that isn’t engineered by one of you too?” Paul asks

suspiciously.

Rae grins at him.

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“Oh definitely.” Aaron responds. he turns over the page he is scribbling on. “Some times it’s

Suki or Rik messing with him instead.”

“Or Corton.” Rae adds.

Aaron pauses for a while thinking. “Oh yeah.” He responds as he catches the incident she is

refereeing to.

He puts down the pen and looks up.

“So what have you got?”

“Well something. But it involves Silas so we really should discuss it when he is here.” Rae

responds.

“Oh why break the habit of a life time!” Paul bitches.

Rae round on him, her face deadly serious. “You know why.”

He stops looking at her. Realising that this is not a time for joking.

She tilts her head slightly.

“Sorry.” He apologises

She nods.

Aaron watches the exchange, a look of concern etched into his face. Obviously this is big or

Rae would not be hitting her husband so hard.

“May be you should run it by me first.” He suggests, with just a hint of a command.

“The Bulmäs at the island were looking for Stone House. It’s likely that the Stone House in

question is Silas.” Rae states.

“We think Silas should go and talk to the Bulmäs.” Paul states.

“And what makes you think they wont just kill him?” Aaron asks.

Paul looks at Rae. “What makes us think they wont just kill him again?” he prompts.

“My Gut.” Rae replies.

“Her small intestine.” Paul states.

Aaron closes his eyes.

“That is just…”

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“What’s just?” Silas asks coming into the room.

Aaron looks at him.

“Sit down Silas. It seems Bonny and Clyde here have an insane proposition for you.”

+*+

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Chapter 13Silas sits on the stone steps, cleaning off the sword Aaron gave him. A short distance away

Rae is deep in conversation on the phone pacing up and down on the green.

Paul sits down next to him and offers him his hip flask.

“No thanks”

“Still feeling rough from last night?”

He nods.

“How was Gemma?” Paul asks keeping his tone light.

Silas stares at him, and then looks back to the open door to the map room. “Can’t I tell you

anything in confidence?” He complains.

“Oh they would have known with in 30 seconds of you coming through the door.“ Aaron

shouts back.

Silas shakes his head.

Paul swigs from the hip flask. “You sure about this?” He asks.

“Well dying will avoid having to face Sally again.” Silas replies.

Paul laughs. “Oh you and your jolly little silver linings.” He ruffles Silas hair.

Silas flattens it down again.

“Seriously?” Paul asks.

“No.” Silas responds honestly. “But Rae makes a pretty strong case. And…”

“And?”

Silas looks at him.

“What?” Paul prompts.

“I’m having to do some serious thinking.”

“About?”

“Gemma. Silvia. Amy and the rest. A sense of obligation and responsibility.”

“I think it’s called being an adult.” Paul states.

Aaron comes out of the door locking it behind him.

“How the fuck would you know.” He interrupts.

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Paul turns looking hurt. “I can be an adult.”

“Really? Well be sure to point out when it happens so I can take a photo.” Aaron responds.

“Stop bickering.” Rae shouts, closing up her phone as she walks back to them.

Aaron looks at her. For a second he thinks of not saying it and then says it anyway. “Oh you

are so like your mother.”

Rae goes to reply and then stops and looks pointedly at him instead.

“ooo That’s you told.” Paul teases him.

“Well?” Silas asks.

“It’s all arranged.” She confirms

He stands up. “Then lets do this then before I come to my senses.”

+*+

Rae leads Silas through the lea. Paul and Aaron accompanied them to the gate at the shrine

and then made their excuses. It was pretty evident that neither of them would be popular on

Bulmäs lands, and as Aaron said. “Lets try not to annoy them any more than we already

have.”

They could talk but he doesn’t feel like it, instead he finds himself lost in his own thoughts.

Memories of the night before keep welling up in his mind. Thoughts of Gemma and how good

it felt being with her. Of how she felt in his arms. Of her smell and her caress.

And then Rae’s voice cuts through his thoughts. “Can you keep your horny to yourself?”

“What?” He looks over to her. Then he realises the nature of the place they are in. The lea is

a place of where fears and thoughts can become real; nightmares or angels; as the lea clings

to any hint of the form it should take. As a result Silas’s ponderings are conjuring up erotic

statues of couples in deep embrace. “Oh yeah sorry.”

“It’s not that it’s not enjoyable.” She states softly smiling at him. “But it is a little

distracting.”

The images fade away back into the grass land of the path they are walking.

“She’s really got to you hasn’t she.”

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“Yeah.” Silas admits.

“You think it’s love?”

Silas sighs. “I don’t know. What do you think?”

Rae shrugs. “I’d say right now there is a pretty huge element of lust. But more long term…”

“I don’t know if I have a long term.” He states.

She stops and turns and looks at him.

“You have a long term Silas.” She states.

He looks at her.

“I know conversations that I have had with you that you haven’t had yet. I know Silvia is your

kid, and unless Gemma is totally dumb and extremely unlucky I seriously doubt last night

was enough to create her.”

Silas looks at her, considering what she is saying.

“Now I’m not saying I know what is going to happen when we get to where we are going, but

I am pretty damn confident that we are at least both coming back alive.” She smiles.

“Admittedly I’m immortal so that’s less of an issue for me than it is for you but the principle

still holds.”

He nods seeing the sense in her words.

“Of course the bad news is that that means you will still have to go and talk to Sally.”

“I know.”

She starts walking again. “Unless of course you really want to follow this Bulmäs thing to it’s

extreme and set your self up with a whole harem.”

He stares after her a look of panic on his face, and then runs to catch up.

“But if you are then I would seriously recommend you go and talk to Corton first and find out

all the down sides of suddenly discovering your have been locked out of your own house by

your own wives.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation he can not help but smile at the thought.

“I know Gemma and Sally were good friends but I think that might be asking a bit too much.”

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“I always thought so.” Rae confirms. “There was a time that I thought Paul was having an

affair.”

“And was he?”

“Kind of. But it was with me. It was around the time that the body swap happened. I

occasionally caught glimpses of myself and I assumed it was some one else.”

“Did you tell him?”

“No.” She looks at him. “I thought he was having an affair and I was afraid that if I

confronted him he would run off with her.” She snorts a quick laugh. “Which I suppose he

kind of did in the end.”

“It’s too complicated.” Silas complains.

“I know.” She sympathises. “Why do you think Dad takes notes!”

“Charles wants to know what my intent is for Gemma is?”

“Well he is her father, he has a right to ask.”

“I’m not sure what to say.”

She stops again looking at him. “Well what are your intensions?”

“I’m not sure I know.”

She tilts her head on one side and then reaches out, sliding up the arm of his T-shirt to

reveal the Field Brand on his shoulder.

“What?” He looks confused.

She runs her fingers over it then lets go.

“Silvia has a mark just like that.”

Silas looks at it. It’s been there so long he’d forgotten all about it. “It’s a field mark. I got it

when I officially became a Bulmäs.”

“You weren’t born with it?”

“No.”

She starts walking again.

“Why?”

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She shakes her head. “I’ve just seen it before, that’s all.”

“Where?” He challenges.

“Lots of places.” She sighs “For a start Amy had it.”

“Wasn’t on her body.” He states. “At least I don’t think it was. I’m sure I’d have spotted it.”

“Of course not. It was linked to her soul. When the daemon killed her he’d have taken that

too.”

He catches up. “Where else?”

“Well pretty much every human Bulmäs I’ve ever met.”

“They all have this.” He reveals the mark on his arm again.

She nods. “In some of them it’s hidden, but it’s there if you know how to look.” She looks at

him. “That’s how I knew Silvia was Bulmäs.”

He taps his arm. “Where I come from this is unique. My adoption into Bulmäs society was

with Herne and Herne alone. Most other people have much more complex brands.”

“Yeah funny that.” She keeps walking “Who did you say your soul was again?”

“I’m not aware of ever telling you. But Herne.” He states.

“So basically the only person you swore allegiance to was yourself.”

“I guess so.” He admits, having never thought of it like that.

“Like I said. Funny that.” They walks a little further then she adds “Do you know who

commands the Urox that attacked the Island?”

“No.” He replies.

“Well the Bulmäs call him Hürn.” There is only the most subtle difference in the

pronunciation. “Big guy. Antlers. You know.” She adds. “Just so happens to be one of the

Bulmäs gods.” She looks at him and grins evilly. “And he seems to be overly anxious to talk

to you.”

Silas looks at her not sure how to take the revelation.

She keeps walking.

+*+

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Paul and Aaron watch the lea gate close behind Rae and Silas.

“Beer?” Paul asks hopefully.

Aaron just looks at him.

“No beer.” Paul concludes from his expression.

“We still have a killer to find.”

They head back into town and up to the cross. It shifts through it’s cycle, each statue

flashing into existence for the briefest of times before disappearing again.

“So this is where all worlds end then is it?” Paul asks.

“Well that’s an interesting way of looking at it but I suppose yes. It seems when Caesters

walls are broken the energy bubble collapses and focuses here.”

Paul walks round it trying to get a good look through the fencing. He taps the metal work

with annoyance.

“Yeah I’m working on that.” Aaron responds.

“So what’s the period then?”

“16,998 seconds.”

“Do you know what time she left St Peters?

“I’ve got a five minute window.”

“That’s still a thousand worlds.”

“And each and every one with a long walk back.” Aaron looks at him. “You up for it?”

“Yeah why not.”

“Well the sequence starts in two minutes.”

Paul reaches out and pushing the fencing out of the way.

“Cool.”

+*+

The path ends at a large stone circle in the middle of an open plain. In the distance all

around Silas can see thick woodland stretching to the distant horizon. Waiting for them is a

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huge bull headed minotaur, his body covered in short red fur and deep black tattoos. Some

how it’s muzzle twist into a smile.

“Hi Kathnak.” To Silas’s surprise she hugs the beast before them

“Hello Rae.” The voice is guttural but remarkably clear.

“Silas this is Kath. He works with me occasionally.”

“When She wishes it.” The creature turns his gaze onto Silas. “So this is the Stone House is

he?”

“It seems highly likely.” Rae responds.

The creature reaches out a hand made of two horn covered fingers, obviously evolved from a

cloven hoof it takes Silas a couple of seconds to realise that it expects him to shake it.

The snort sounds almost like a laugh.

“I should warn you I don’t have a huge amount to do with the followers of Hürn.”

“But you can get us to them?”

“Oh yes. They want to meet him and they are pretty much willing to do anything towards

that end.”

“Why?” Silas asks.

“Ahh that they are less open about.” The creature admits. “But, I have a Brock friend who

has a great interest in ancient history and legends. And he has an interesting theory. Lets

walk.”

The Bulmäs turns, his cloven feat digging into the soft earth as he leads them out of the

circle.

“What do you know of our gods?” He asks.

“Assume nothing.” Silas advises him. “That way I wont be missing anything important.”

“There are four fundamental faction in the Bulmäs. Those like myself who follow Dumla, the

followers of Hürn. The Brock and another lot that we don’t like to discuss much.”

“Ok.”

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“Dumla is the Goddess. Now you should understand that Bulmäs gods are not like Human

gods. Bulmäs gods are very real and have a very… direct interaction with their people. I may

self am fortunate enough to have been chosen by Dumla as one of her consorts.” He looks at

him. “Don’t get too impressed she has lots of consorts. However I was by her side this

morning and understand I would not be here right now if I did not have her blessing in this

matter.”

“Ok.”

“The Hürn faction are far more aggressive than my people. If you like, consider us farmers

whilst they are the more predatory. The Hürn control the wild hunt.”

Silas shudders at the mention of the hunt, memories of the time it was on his heals still burn,

even thought it was long ago.

Kathnak looks at him. “But I see that means something too you.”

Silas nods.

The great creature twists it’s head slightly “Hmm. Interesting. Any way. For completion the

Brock are scavengers. They will make use of what ever they can get. But do not under

estimate them for that. The god of the Brock vanished long ago. We say he became irritated

with them and went off to do something more interesting.” He smiles. “But they do not like

us for that.”

“No I can see how that might be annoying.” Silas responds.

“Back to your issue. Hürn is very much involved with his people. He has a council beneath

him who carry out his orders but he is very much in charge of every thing they do. At his

word the followers of Hürn will crash down on a world and rape it of all it’s resources. With

little care for the people who live here.”

“Like the daemons.”

“No.” The creature responds quickly “No nothing like that scale.” He pauses for a moment in

thought trying to think of a relevant analogy “Consider them more Viking. They made raid

the cattle and steal the gold, but the land will survive and may be in time recover enough

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that it can be pillaged again. By world I mean, planets, not realities. At least not whole

realities. Still if they are on a migration it will leave a wake of devastation behind it. Like ant

swarms.”

Silas nods getting what the creature is trying to explain.

“Legend has it that on one such migration many, many, many years ago some one was lost.

Some one important to Hürn. He became enraged. He called down a wild hunt that ran

through the whole of his people sending them mad. In their frenzy they destroyed many

worlds but in the end their hunt was unsuccessful. My beloved Dumla brought the madness

to an end by offering one of her own as replacement for the one Hürn lost on the

understanding that should the lost one ever reappear that he repay the debt in full.”

“Thus your interest in this matter.” Rae states softly.

He looks down at her and smiles. “I do nothing without Her wish it.”

She nods.

“You think I am this lost one?” Silas asks.

“No that would be impossible. No one lives that long.” He glances down at Rae. “Present

company excepted.

She almost beams back at him.

”And no soul would stay stable over such a long time.” Kathnak continues. “No you can not

be the lost one. But my belief is that Hürn thinks you are in some way related to it. And

Dumla is intrigued enough to give your meeting him sanction. So it seems I may be your

guardian in this matter at least.” He looks down at Rae and smiles again. Then he looks at

Silas. “At least one god is smiling on you. But I can not make any promises for any others.”

“May be that will do.”

+*+

Paul and Aaron collapse onto the dirt of an arena. Fortunately it is late at night at the

destination and there is no one about. Paul picks himself up and brushes off the red dust.

Aaron stays sitting on the floor and just looks round.

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“Anything?” Paul asks

He shakes his head.

“What are you looking for?”

“I’m sort of on the ‘I know when I’ll see it’ thing right now.” Aaron confesses.

“Great. And you said walking Caester was a pointless exercise.” Paul complains. Then he

pulls a phone out of his pocket and takes a photo of the moon glaive jammed in the sand

behind them that had been the statue that brought them through.”

“Holiday snaps?” Aaron asks getting up.

“No I thought I’d take a leaf out of your book and start taking notes.” He puts the phone

away again. “I wonder how Rae is doing?”

“Well if she was doing crap you would have gone and got her by now.” Aaron points out.

“Who is to say I’m not doing.” Paul responds darkly. Kicking up the soil.

“Well then what’s there to worry about.”

Aaron looks round.

“A lot of people died here.” He says softly.

”Well if you are going to go on a tour of broken worlds it’s not going to be a Mr Happy fun

trip is it?” Paul points out.

Aaron shrugs. “The point is no one died here recently. So this is not where Amy was

brought.”

“You are assuming that she was killed as soon as she arrived.” Paul points out. “What if who

ever it was brought her through into this world and then used a path into shades and killed

her there?”

Aaron shakes his head. “We know the woman that brought her out of Caester was a natual

lea walker to be able to access the cross. That takes a certain amount of fate. Any one like

that going into shades would be like a red flag. I fail to see how they could get out of there

again with out being pounce on by something Daemonic. Especially if there was a daemon

feeding nearby.”

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“But I thought we were working on that being the way back in to Caester. You know Shades,

Anoan, the Ghama and Caester.” Paul comments heading for the large doors at the far end

of the arena.

“I know. But how would you hide it.” Aaron asks following him. “There aren’t many that can

cloak their own tenet.”

“Chrimel has technology that can do it.” Paul informs him. “They use it for the rangers.”

“Would it work in shades?”

He shrugs. “Ask Chris”

“I’ll probably have too.”

Paul pushes open the arena doors. Beyond them the grass is as high as their heads and a

thick yellow, next to the door are the skeletal remains of a large stag headed creature.

“This is a Hürn attack.” Aaron responds to the sight. “This world hasn’t been Daemoned, the

residents must have broken the wall to stop the Bulmäs getting in.”

“Another dead end then.” Paul concludes. “Next.”

Aaron nods.

The world around them glows blue as Paul opens a rift establishing a reality bubble on the

far side. The image of the world fades away to be replaces by the Amber of U-space.

Paul is left with a thought full look in his face.

“What?”

“You don’t think that was some omen do you, given where Rae and Silas are heading?”

Aaron just shakes his head. “Just get us to a reality we can walk home from will you.”

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Chapter 14Kathnak leads them through the forest, as they emerge Silas gets a view of a large flood

plain. A head of them the open flats are full of massive silvery space ships, like vast

cathedrals dropped down into this green world.

Suddenly he realises why the woodland had seemed so strange. There was no bird song. No

sign of any animal life at all. Just row upon row of trees. The reference to the ant swarm

comes back to him. So this is what the followers of Hürn do to a planet. As predators they

have no interest in plant life, but anything meat is fair game. Large towers from the ships

reach up to the sun, as if pointing the way to their next destination. Part of him wonders

where that will be; and if it will be inhabited. Kathnak is right. This is not like the Daemons.

But in his books it is only just short of it.

The Bulmäs take the lead, heading towards two smaller towers on the edge of the plane.

Standing before them are two stag headed creatures, 5 meters tall. Their antlers tipped in

silver that glint in the sun.

Kathnak hails them as they approach. “I am Kathnak, consort of Dumla. I bring that which

your lord seeks.”

The beings look at him, almost disinterestedly. “ We heard of your approach Milk sucker.”

It’s clear from their tone that the term is meant as a grave insult.

Kathnak snorts and Silas sees him tighten his grip on the staff.

“Well If are not interested in what we have we will leave.” Rae responds, turning away.

There is a look of panic on the creatures face at her threat. They exchange glances. Then the

larger one draws a horn from his belt and blows it.

Rae steps back close to Kathnak. “Don’t let them get to you.” She whispers

He glances down at her and then looks back at the sentries as a cloud of dust heads out from

the ships towards them.

“I wish Paul was here.” He states quietly.

“No believe me he would only make it worse.”

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“It would make them think twice about trying anything.”

“He doesn’t need to be here to do that.”

She steps past him as the escort arrives. At it’s head is a stag headed man dressed in a

black lagured armour, almost Japanese in design. It almost seems to smile.

“A Mellor. Should I be surprised?”

“Probably not.” Rae responds.

“I should have known your kind would have had a hand in this.” He looks past her to Silas.

Silas feels him studying him as if he is looking past the visual to something beyond.

“Interesting. You must be Tremain.”

“Yes.” Silas confirms.

The creatures turns to the sentries. “This. This is what you were looking for. Not some stupid

girl. Understand!”

“Yes lord.” They mumble apologetically.

“There is something of a difference I would have hoped even you can see that.” He turns.

“Still I suppose an army is only as good as it’s intelligence.” He looks Silas up and down.

“Well come on then. He has been waiting a long time to talk to you but making him wait

longer will not endears you to him.”

+*+

Aaron and Paul step down of the walls and head back towards the cross.

“This could get boring.” Paul warns.

“You said you were up for it.”

“What are we on?”

“World 307.”

“We are not even a third of the way through yet. There has got to be a better way surely.”

Aaron stops and looks at him. “Probably. Lets have a look at those holiday snaps for yours.

See if we can draw some connection between the statues and the world.”

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A quick trip to the computer suite in Caester’s library and they soon have a print out of all

the images Paul has taken at each of the worlds they have visited so far.

Aaron proceeds to sort them into piles, Worlds where the break was accidental, worlds where

some other threat caused the residents to breach the walls deliberately and those

specifically involving daemons.

Paul spreads the daemon worlds out looking at them. His face relaxes.

“Oh it couldn’t be that easy could it?”

“What?”

“Look they are all black. The others, “he thumbs through them,” we have a vast variety of

colour, but the daemon worlds are all very dark.”

“There are a few in the other sets that are black too.” Aaron points out.

“Yeah but that has got to narrow things down a little.”

Aaron taps the table. “Silas made a tape of the cross when he was checking the timings. Lets

see if we can pull some stills.”

+*+

They are escorted by over forty Bulmäs down toward the assembled ships. Silas can’t help

feeling it is over kill for the three of them, but the looks of caution on Rae’s face makes him

feel that may be there is something more to be worried about. As they reach the landing site

he can see cages and crates being loaded. The place is a hive of activity, groups of human

sized Bulmäs being commanded by the bigger silver antlers ones.

“Looks like we got here just in time.” Rae whispers.

“On migration they don’t hang around long.” Kathnak replies. “Once a world is stripped what

need is there to stay.”

As he watches one of the smaller animals drops a crate. It bursts open spilling it’s contents

onto the ground. There is a squawk of protest as the a small number of some ground

dwelling bird, not dissimilar to a chicken, escape and flap around. The Bulmäs desperately

reaches for them as she head off in all direction. The air is filled by a guttural tone as one of

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the larger creatures spots his error, instantly it cowers covering his head against the whip

that descends.

Silas feells Rae’s hand on his wrist before he even realises he has gone for his sword.

“Not our fight.” She states firmly. Then looks pointedly at the 40 surrounding them.

Reluctantly he lets go.

They pass into the shadow of the largest ship heading towards the great door that dominate

it’s face. At the foot of it’s steps their still nameless guide stops.

“This as far as you go.” He states looking pointedly at Rae and Kathnak.

“No deal.” Kathnak states.

The guide turns to him. “It’s not like you have a choice. Consort or not to your own, You are

not worthy of the sight of our god.”

“It’s ok.” Silas states softly. “This is between me and him any way.” He strides up the steps.

Kathnak looks down at his small human companion. “Where did you find him?”

Rae shrugs “He followed Aaron home or something.”

“Hmmm.” Kathnak snorts. “Are you sure he’s not a mellor?”

+*+

Paul leans back from the video equipment.

“I make it 56 in the time frame we are looking at.” He checks the records again. “22 of which

we have already visited.”

Aaron nods. “34 to go then.” He stands up.

“You sure you don’t want a break.” Paul asks.

Aaron looks at him. “Not until I’ve solved this.”

“It could take a while.” Paul warns.

“I don’t want to loose momentum. The longer we take the more likely it is that our killer will

strike again.”

Paul shrugs. “Well if you are sure.”

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They head up to the cross again waiting for the sequence to play to the right point.

Aaron stares at the image almost as if he is being mesmerised by the shifting form. “Paul do

you know what the population of Caester is?”

“No.” Paul responds. “Ten thousand.” He guesses. “Living in the walls that is. I guess it

varies quite a lot from reality to reality.”

“Point three of a second isn’t long to remember that many people is it?”

“No.” He agrees.

“56660 broken walls. If our three hundred are a representative sample, may be 14,000 are

accidental. The rest?” he takes a deep breath. “It’s not even as if it’s just the Daemons to

worry about is it. You’ve got Hürn, plagues, environmental collapse, even worlds where the

Fay took exception to the populous.”

“So?”

Aaron looks at him. “I don’t know.” He thinks for a second. “So why am I do upset about this

one death? Why is it niggling me so much?”

Paul shrugs.

“May be your getting old?”

“Oh Ta.” He shakes his head realising the sequence is getting close to the statue they are

aiming for. “Come on.”

+*+

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Chapter 15Within the ship is it dark, slits high up in the roof let in thin slivers of light, which just

emphasis how dark the chamber beyond it. He had half expected the guide to follow him in,

but he is here alone.

Only not alone.

In the darkness he can hear movement and deep resonant breathing which moves the air in

the chamber around.

The voice when it sounds could be coming from anywhere in the room with the way the noise

echoes of the many angles and projections.

“Step forward.”

Silas realises there is a patch of light on the floor in front of him. He considers his options

and then comes to the conclusion that really there are none.

He steps into the beam of light.

The breathing continues for a moment and then the room speaks again.

“Strange. I thought you would be taller.”

He ponders whether to be insulted, but given the size of the creatures outside he can not

help feeling that the expectations were perhaps a little unreasonable.

“And you are Tremain.”

“That’s the name I use.” Silas responds.

“It was not a question.” The darkness points out.

In the darkness something shifts. The light patterns change slightly as something massive

moves and obscures some of the slits whilst exposing others.

“Your return is inconvenitant.” It states.

For a briefest of second Silas actually considers apologising, and decided that it may appear

to be a sign of weakness.

There is a snort, and a gust of wind move the dust on the floor up into the air. The particles

sparkle in the light beams and they swirl and descend.

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There is an anger in it’s voice now. An underlying growl. “It would be better if I killed you

know and claimed you for ever lost but it seems far too many know of your existence. It is

doubtful She would believe. And I want no war with the Dumla.”

Silas stands firm. What ever this thing is it is large and angry. He can feel his life hanging by

a thread and suddenly all Rae’s words of future conversations seem unlikely.

“It seems I have a debt that I must pay. But not one I am willing to fulfil. Not when it would

cost me so much.”

The darkness shifts again, the light slits obscured as what ever it si comes closer. He hears

the thud of a hoof and the floor shifts slightly. The wind blows in from the door behind him as

the creature breaths in.

“But there may yet be one solution.”

Silas can feel the breath on his skin.

“Creature do you know what an abomination you are too us?”

Silas frowns.

“What you stand as?” it growls at him. “You are the sign of weakness. Of impurity. Bulmäs

that corrupted themselves by mating with something not of our kind. It is inexcusable and all

such things should be destroyed before they draw breath.”

“I have heard that view point.” Silas responds.

“Ah so you do have some knowledge.” It comments. “And yet you still breath.” It taunts.

He feels the creature sits back. More light enters the room, not enough to see, but the wind

is not as strong.

“I am going to make a gift of you Little Man.” It states. “I must repay a debt and you will be

my payment. Now before you think to protest let me lay out the deal I will make with you.

You know what our kind feels about your kind. You know the hatred in our souls and I would

expect that you can surmise from just your brief encounter with us here, that you can project

what we could do to you and your kind.”

Silas nods.

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“So this is the deal I offer. Be my payment for this debt and I will swear to you that none of

my kind will ever act against one of your kind because of you’re the curse of your blood. That

you and your descendants, regardless of the insult your breath is to my kind, will walk the

realities without fear that we will hunt them for the bastardisations that they are.”

Silas pauses, thinking about what is on the table here.

“Now I can not speak for those followers of Dumla or Brock. They may see things differently.

Nor can I give you any guarantee of how Dumla with treat you once you arrive at here as my

payments. But…” It lets the words hang for a second. “We are the hunters. We are the ones

who ensure the purity of blood. We are the ones who can call down the wild hunt. Consider

who your threat truly comes from.”

Silas looks up, allowing some thing other than site to guide his gaze to the face of the god

before him.

“Deal.”

“Excellent. Then you had best be on your way. I’m sure the milk sucker will be anxious to

take you to his mistress and frankly the sooner the Mellor is of my lands the better.” There is

a definite edge to the creatures final words.

Silas turns and heads for the sunlight.

+*+

He emerges from the Hall deep in thought at what he has been told. The sounds of combat

drag him back to his senses.

He looks up to see Rae stood with her back to the wall; a katana cracking with blue energy in

her hand. Besides her is Kathnak his face fixed in a grimace. Before them as twenty fully arm

and armoured Bulmäs with silver tipped antlers. He throws himself down the steps towards

them drawing his blade.

“No!” Rae’s voice cuts through the clash of weapons.

Her distraction is only brief but it is enough. The creature before her beings the moon topped

staff down and round towards her neck.

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Silas launches himself off the steps, His shoulder impacting into her and pushing her way

from the attack. The weapon is so sharp it cuts into his leg with hardly any pain, but it throws

him off track catapulting him into a wall.

He tries to stand and feels the leg twist unnaturally beneath him.

Now there is pain.

“Shit.” Rae dives over to him.

From his vantage point beneath her he can see the creature swing the blade round again,

bringing it down towards her back.

And then in mid swing it stops. A bloodied projection emerging from it’s chest. It looks up.

Silas feels the shadow over him. The Sun blocked out by a creature more massive than any

of those they face.

The Bulmäs stares in disbelief of his death at the hands of his god.

And then the pain really hits him and gives way to blackness.

+*+

The world smells of death and decay as they arrive on it. Aaron instantly starts coughing and

covering his mouth with his hands. Around them fires are burning, consuming the remains of

human flesh and filling the air with a acrid smoke.

“This is fresh.” Paul states.

“Some one survived.” Aaron states. “At least some one was around long enough to light this

pyres.”

Paul takes out a hanky and pours some liquid from his hip flask on to it, handing it to Aaron

so he can put it over his mouth.”

“How come your not suffering?”

Paul pulls down the neck of his jacket to reveal a series of gill like structures.

Aaron shows a little surprise. And then looks round trying to get his bearings.

Paul pauses, briefly. “They are this way.” He states confidently and starts to lead Aaron

towards a large shadow in the smoke filled atmosphere.

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It’s the Cathedral. A large gothic structure of red sand stone. There are lights on inside and

Aaron can hear the singing. Obviously the survivors of the attack ran for sanctuary in it’s

structure.

As Paul pushes open the door the singing stops and the lights dim.

“Just a memory.” Paul observes. He puts his hands on the walls near the door. “The building

remember having life in it.”

“The pyres weren’t lit by a memory.” Aaron points out. He walks into the church, his feet

echoing on the marble floor. “You coming?”

Paul shakes his head. “This isn’t a place for me. I’ll have a look round outside instead.”

Aaron moves deeper into the church. The alter at the end is laid out for a communion, a

plate of wafers and a goblet of wine on a clean white cloth.

“Have you been to confession son.”

The voice comes from the darkness in the corners. Aaron turns round. Not sure if it is a

memory or a survivor. Sitting at the end of the row is a small man dressed in priestly garb.

His hands are blackended and his clothes stained with the smoke.

“Are you the only one?”

The priest stands. “For my sins yes.”

“For your sins?” Aaron questions. “Then may be I should take your confession.”

The priest steps forward and bumps into the alter. He puts his hand out to steady himself,

leaving a black smudge on the cloth.

Then he turns to face Aaron.

And Aaron realises he has no eyes.

+*+

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Chapter 16He can feel the healing powers coursing through him. He can feel the closeness and the

tenderness that the energies portray. The utter closeness and intense love that is wrapped

up in them.

He reaches for her, wanting to be even close her wanting to embrace her to share every

thing hes has with her like so many times before.

“Silas!” The voice cuts through his thoughts. The Voice is wrong. The name is wrong. This is

wrong.

His eyes snap open and he is panting, almost in fear. He stares straight into the eyes of his

daughter.

And then the reality come crashing back in.

“Oh go I’m sorry I’m so sorry.”

Silas lets go of her, He tries to push himself away and then the pain surges through him from

his leg.

“Lie still you idiot you’ll crack it apart again.”

He lies on his back His chest rising and falling in rapid breaths. Above him arch the fabric of

some yurt like tent. Complex maze like patters are woven into it which briefly catches his

attention. And then the pain cuts threw it. The pain sadly is familiar but this is not where he

last remembers beings.

He feels Rae’s hand on his stomach. “Calm down.”

He lets her voice work on him. Slowing his breathing and getting a grip.

“Sorry.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not your fault.”

“I thought you were…”

He is going to say some one else but she finishes the line for him. “mum.” She breaths in

turning her attention to his leg. “And you were Aaron. When did you share memories with

him?”

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“Ages ago.” He replies softly.

“I think you need to do some filing.” It’s not a chastisement, more a gentle observation.

He looks down to see what she is doing and instantly regrets it. The skin on his leg is spread

side with a series of metal tongues. He can see down through the layers of muscle and tissue

right to the bone, which is cleanly sliced in two. He feels the nausea rise. He has seen her

work on a wound like this before but never on him. Or for that matter, never when the

patient was awake. The reduced level of pain surprises him for a second.

“The wound site is in stasis, that’s whys it’s not bleeding and none of the pain messages are

getting out.” She explains to his unvoiced questions. “Moon Glaives are designed to make

injuries that resist healing.” She states flatly. “This is going to take some work.”

He nods. Not trusting himself to speak and not throw up.

She continues to work on the damage. Dropping the tools she is using into a pot of boiling

water on the fire beside them.

Eventually he feels about to risk his voice. “Where are we?”

“Kathnaks place.”

“How did we get here?”

“Hürn let us out and I ‘paultled’ us here.”

“Oh.” He feels her moving the bones into place and drawing air through his teeth at the pain

it causes on the connected joints.

“Sorry. But ..”

“but If I go unconscious again I might think I’m Aaron again.” He finishes.

“Yeah, and I could do without the distraction.” She explains. She looks at him. “So you are

going to have to stay with me on this one.”

He nods.

She turns back to the wound. He can feel her fingers on the bone. She closes her eyes in

focus briefly and he senses the cells starting to respond to the warmth and knit begin to

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together. “I’m not blaming you Silas. I know what mum and dad have going between them. I

doubt it would be possible for any one to resist it.” She looks at him then she sighs.

“Of course it would be a little easier if you weren’t so damn good looking.” She adds.

Silas stares at her in surprise. It’s the first time any one has ever commented on him in that

way. She looks at him and grins and he realises that she is pretty hot looking her self. He

laughs, sending a shudder down the bone. He feels her fingers press on it. Warmth follows

the Pain again.

“Tell you what don’t do that again until I’ve finished eh?”

He stares back up at the roof. “Ok.”

“So how come you have some of Dads intimate moments imbedded in your brain.”

“Long story.”

“Like you are planning one going anywhere soon?” She points out.

“Aaron and I were…. Close….. once.”

“Best mates down the pub close or lovers close.”

“More the latter, but it’s over now.”

“Grew apart eh?”

“Something like that.”

“Well that would explain quite a bit.” She states. He can feels her putting something around

the bone, a sheath of firm material to hold it all together whilst it heals up.

“You don’t sounded annoyed?” Silas observes.

“About what?”

“Me and Aaron.”

“Why do you want me to be?” She asks. There is a clunk as she drops something from the

wound into the boiling cauldron.

“No.” he responds, realising that having her annoyed whilst she is re building his leg might

not be the best of things. “It’s just… well I thought you would have at least been…”

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“Shocked?”

“May be.” He admits.

“It’s not that uncommon actually. Plenty of cultures have a system where an older man will

mentor a younger one, and sometimes those relationships turn intimate and sexual. The

Greeks did it, Happened a lot in Feudal Japan; It’s pretty common amongst the Brock as well.

So if you are expecting me to go all homophobic and traumatized then you’ve come to the

wrong place.” She stops and looks at him. “The way I see is Silas is anything like that is

between him and mum, it’s not my business.” She turns back to the wound. “Once I would

have been annoyed, or upset, seen it as something that might have split the family, but I

have learnt it takes more than something a minor as that to come between him and Suki.”

Then she realises the unintended insult. “Not that you’re insignificant.” She adds.

“Sometimes I feel a bit irrelevant.” He admits. “Like just a pawn in some one else game.”

“You are not irrelevant. Not to him and not to Suki.” She looks at him again. “And so not to

us. I wouldn’t be here arsing around with the mess you have made of your femoral artery if

you were unimportant.” She pulls two worm like structures up into the light to have a closer

looks at them “No that’s a bit of Medial circumflex, not the Lateral.” She mutters to herself,

delving back into the wound again. “Look dad is out there in the realities doing all sorts of

stuff. Some times he is away from home for a long, long time. I would be worried if he didn’t

have friends out there. It must get pretty lonely. So the way I see it, anything that makes life

a little more bearable for him when he is away from mum is ok by me if it’s ok by her. And

I’ve not heard her complain yet. Quiet the opposite actually.”

“Eh?”

“Some days he beats himself up about it and she has to kick him and tell him it’s ok. Like

with you. I don’t know what you did to him Silas but he was up on eagle point for three days

until Corton got pissed off and went to pester him down.”

“It wasn’t deliberate.” Silas defends.

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“I never thought it was.” She replies. “At least not after I actually met you. You don’t strike

me as the type who would kiss and run off giggling.”

“I think I need to apologies to him.” Silas states. “I accused him of being weak once when he

didn’t resist the closeness that comes with healing like that. I had no idea what it was really

like, and how.. well all encompassing it is when you feel it.”

“This would be the Rowan thing.” She comments.

“You know about that?” He asks a little surprised.

“Yeah. Her partner turned up at the temple for a while but it didn’t really work out her being

there...”

“Why didn’t it work out? They seemed pretty dedicated to each other when I saw them.”

Silas asks confused.

“She didn’t like Aaron much, and the temple is no place to be for people who don’t like

Aaron. Despite all the crap that goes on, he does still manage to have a number of friend’s

there.” She smiles. “She put people backs up, especially Sage. So mum found her some

where else. I think Mum still goes to see her pretty regularly, but I’ve not seen her in years.”

She sits back on her heals and looks at him. For the briefest of seconds he sees a lust for him

in her eyes and then it is gone. “It’s not easy being good.”

“No it’s not he agrees.”

She turns her attention back to the damage, He feels her pull the layers of tendon and sinew

close to the bone back together. “I mean it’s not like I don’t know we could feel that good

together. We would feel that good together.”

“But there’s Paul.”

She laughs. “No He wouldn’t give a shit.” She looks at him. “Oh he’d hold it over you and

make you feel damn guilty. He might even fake being pissed off to get your running. But no.

In reality it wouldn’t bother him, it would just give him more ammo to use against you that

all. In some ways he might actually enjoy it.” She concedes “No it’s not that.”

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He lies back; his mind following the patterns in the fabric which make up the roof as a

distraction from the wound.

“It’s Rik.” She says softly.

“Rik?” He tries to keep the panic out of his voice at the question, wondering how much she

really knows.

“I miss him Silas. I really miss him. I know all any one else saw was the fighting and the

bickering and the taking the piss but there was a reason for all that. It was how we related.

How we got on. How we kept each other on the straight and narrow. I could go out and get

totally wasted and Dad wouldn’t give a shit, and mum would just shrug and heal the damage

I’d done but Rik…” She sighs. “Rik was the one that would make me feel guilty. He was the

one who would point out what a moron I was being doing it to my self.” She looks at him.

“Bro was my moral compass. My calm. The thing I could judge my action against to see if

what I was doing was right or just something I wanted to do.”

“And now he is not here and I’m having to make all those calls for myself and I’m not even

remotely sure I’m doing it right.”

He can feel Rik taking a definite interest in proceedings. Silas tries to hold him back, but in

the pain he is feeling it’s not easy.

“I keep asking myself, ‘what would Rik say?’. It’s the only thing I have to judge it on. But I

don’t know if I’m right or just remembering the arguments.”

She looks at him. He can almost feel Rik duck.

“What would Rik say about me?” Silas asks.

“He’d say don’t be a fool. They guys got enough problems without you adding to them.” She

laughs.

Silas nods. “You are not wrong there.”

She turns back to the wound. Starting on the layer of muscles.

“You are like him you know.” She says. “Some times you say things that are just what he

would say.”

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He listens to her, scared that she may one day find out how right she is.

“The strange thing is when I hear them from you they seem easier to listen too and take in. I

know it’s not just for the sake of the argument.”

Her face grimaces slightly as she reaches into the wound and pulls something. He feels his

toe twitch.

“May be that is why Suki’s attitude changed when she came back from talking too you. She

saw something in you that was family. May be that is why you and Aaron… You know… got

so close.”

“May be.” He concedes. “But if you need to talk to some one you can come and talk to me.”

He offers. “I’m not Rik but…”

“That might not be a bad thing.” She smiles at him and then reaches down the inside of his

leg looking for a bit of tendon and pulling on it. “Yeah.” The is a tug sensation on his groin as

the tendon straightens out. He breaths in sharply at the pain.

“Sorry.”

“That’s ok it’s for my own good.” He manages to get out between his teeth. “Distract me.”

“Tell me about Gemma.”

He sighs. “Oh I don’t know about Gemma.” He pleads.

“How does it feel?”

“Good.” He responds softly. “Very, Very good.”

“As good as Aaron and mum?” She asks.

He looks at her. Then he thinks hard about how it felt to be with her and hold her. “Not yet.”

he answers softly.

She smiles. “yet.”

“Am I being stupid?”

“ooo. I’d say…. yes.” She responds.

“I’m beginning to get a feel of how big this thing is that I’ve got myself wrapped up in.” He

confesses. “I’m not sure it’s fair dragging anyone else into it.”

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“Well here’s a thought. You could ask.”

“Hi Gemma, looks I know we’ve only been together one night and we were pretty smashed

at the time, but how do you fancy founding a dynasty?”

“You could probably phrase it better than that.”

“She’d still run a mile.”

“No Sally would have run a mile. With Gemma you might be surprised.” She states.

He can feel her working on the top layer of muscles, re constructing them.

Then he looks at her. Remembering the comments she made on their journey through the

lea. “You know my future don’t you.”

“Bits of it. Nature of the beast really.”

“So you know what she says.”

She stops what she is working on and looks at him. “Are you sure you want to cross that

line?”

He thinks hard. “It’s a big temptation isn’t it? I suppose I’m not all that interested in the

details. I just want to know it turns out ok in the end.”

“There is an entire race of human Bulmäs out there Silas.” She points out. Then turns back to

his leg.

“I know.”

“Well then. How ‘Ok’ do you need?”

He looks at her.

“I think we can be pretty sure you don’t die old and alone and childless.”

He smiles.

“I do die though.”

“Really Silas, Immortality is not all it’s cracked up to be. Just ask Karl. There comes a point in

life when you have done everything and you just get so fucking bored. Why do you think I

was so utterly pissed off with what Paul did to me?”

He shrugs.

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She sits back. “Look I’m going to reconnect all the nerves. This is going to HURT. It’s not

something you want to be around for.”

“Ok. What if I get confused again?”

“Oh I think I can cope.” She gestures to the large cooking pot next to them that she has

been using to clean the tools. “Worse case I hit you with that.”

He looks at it. “You any good at rebuilding brains?”

She grins. “Yes. No. I don’t understand.” She mimics his whine. “Who’d know that

difference?”

Then she reaches out and touches his head.

“G’night Silas.”

And then there is blackness.

+*+

The priest relates his tale.

Aaron sits next to him just letting him talk.

His story is all too familiar. How at first the minor things were over looked and excused. Of

how the people became distracted and turned away from natural things. Of how violence

and strife crept in and then became the norm.

And then the daemons came. At first only in brief visits, but as more came to hear of them

and believe in them the visits became longer and longer. Some claimed to be aliens here to

help, and the people in their desperation listened and let them in.

And then one day it changed.

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He tells of a force that turned up at the end to fight the daemons but confused and afraisd

and uncertain who was the enemy the locals turns on them too, so they withdrew.

And then it was too late.

He took refuge in the cathedral as hell battled outside. Hiding in the bell towers and praying

for the screams to stop. When he went quiet he looked out of the slats but before he could

even tell what he was seeing his vision went black, and when he reaches up he realised his

eye sockets were empty.

He tells how he tried to weep but the tears will not flow.

And then he falls silent.

“Has there been any one since then?” Aaron asks softly.

“There were two. Two woman. They came and fought. The smaller one won.”

“Smaller?”

“From the foot steps yes.”

“Can you show me where?”

The priest leads him down the side aisle and points to a spot on the floor.

“There. She fell there.” Aaron crouches in the spot he indicates. The White marble of the

floor has been burnt black and he can feel the rip in reality focused on the wall. He stands

up.

“Thank you.”

He turns but the priest is already feeling his way down the pews.

“I can take you some where safe.” Aaron offers.

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“No. I belong here. Others may come.”

+*+

Rae walks out of the tent, cleaning off her hands. Kathnak stands as he sees her.

“He’ll walk.” She tells him.

“Soon?”

She looks back in the tent. “Give him an hour or so to come round.”

“She is anxious to meet him.”

“Popular man our Silas.” She observe. “Especially for a Half breed.” She looks pointedly at

Kathnak.

He shrugs.

“Which, of course, means that whilst you may well know, you are not at liberty to discuss it

with me.” She translates.

The muzzle twists into a smile.

“Any chance of something to eat?”

There is almost an evil quality to his eyes as he responds. “We have plenty of milk.”

“No thanks.” She smiles back.

“You watch over him and I will arrange for food to be sent to you. I will send word to my

beloved Mistress and inform you when you have an audience.”

“Thanks Kath.”

Silas is awake by the time she returns to the tent having sated her hunger with a salad. He is

flat on his back staring at the fabric of the roof again.

“Is it really that fascinating?”

“Actually yes it is.” He probes himself up on one elbow, but makes no attempt to move the

leg. Then he looks round the chamber. “It’s every where.”

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She gazes round the tent, realising he is right. The same basic pattern is repeated on almost

every thing; intricate knot works which rap around in a complex design. She thinks for a

second. “Like Kathnak’s Tattoos.” She observes.

“Hmm.” Silas lies flat again. “Have you ever just let your mind follow it?”

“No.” Rae responds. “You know Silas. Life is just too short.”

“Not yours.” He observes.

“Ok may be in my case that should be I’ve not got bored enough.”

“Get bored.” He tells her.

To humour him she lies down and takes a deep breath.

“Where do you start?”

“Where ever you want. Pick a corner.”

She lets her eyes following the knot work. It goes forwards and backwards, twisting around

itself. Vanishing underneath itself and reappears. Some how it is relaxing and kind of

hypnotic. She feels her breathing slow and her heart rate calm down.

Then she feels Silas take out and hold her hand. For a moment she thinks to protest. Remind

him that they are being good, but then she realises that is not what he is up to. She can feel

him tracing the knot work on the back of her hand. Her eyes match his pattern. A deep

warmth flowing into her.

“Feel it?” His voice sound close and yet so far away all at once.

She nods. Her body does not have the strength to speak.

“Close your eyes.”

Even in the darkness behind her eye lids she can still see the knot work. It glows with a

delicate yellow and green. Like a summers field. She feels it’s warmth on her like sunlight.

She could stay here like this forever.

“Rae?”

“What?” She struggles to even get the word out.

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“What are you feeling?”

“Warm. Safe. Like lying in the sun.” She responds. Then she sighs deeply.

She realises he has put his arm round her. She rolls towards him. She can still see the knot

work.

“This is something Dumla gives to her followers.” Silas whispers to her.

“I’m beginning to understand Kathnak’s loyalty.” She responds.

“I know.” He replies.

He stops tracing the pattern on her hand. The image fades and she reluctantly comes out of

the warmth.

Slowly she opens her eyes and realises that she is staring into his.

“I don’t know enough about Magic Rae.” He states. “I need to know how you do that.”

She looks at him quizzically.

“I know what Aaron and Suki have. I know what I feel when I am with Gemma. This is similar.

I can sense that much at least but….” He stops running out of words. “Is it magic? Or

something else.”

Rae ponders his query. Then a looks of realisation comes over her face. “It’s Faith Silas.” She

sits up. “It’s a belief in something bigger. That’s what Dad always said about Suki. That

together they are more than they could ever be apart.” She thinks. “And it’s not just the two

of them. It’s all of us.”

“Together we can move mountains?”

“Yeah.” She laughs. “God that’s so easy Silas. Working together mountains are a half a

morning job. Look at the temple.”

“Never been there.” He admits.

She looks at him, a little surprised and then says. “No you wouldn’t have.”

“But I do have Aaron’s Memories of it.” He assures her “So I know what you mean.”

As he speaks ‘he’ can recall working with Sage and Corton to pull the valley and its

surrounding mountains out of its reality and safely enclose it in a reality bubble to set it

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floating in U-space before the temple could be destroyed by the rising flood waters of the

dam. Only it wasn’t his actions; it was Aaron setting things in place so the family would have

some where safe to grow up. From detached view point he starts to get a feeling for how

much of Aaron’s actions are putting things in place for something that will not become

important until much later. His mentor has the advantage of ‘future memories’ as he

describes them.

Suddenly he feels vulnerable and lost. How can he hope to have that sort of long term vision

for his family when he knows so little of where he is going even on a personal level. But at

the same time he is all too aware of the pain that knowledge brings to Aaron every day, and

he is determined not to fall into that trap. There has to be an alternative. And then suddenly

he realises there is one right next to him.

“I don’t know where this is going Rae.” He admits. “But I know there are something I need to

get right. This,” He points to the knot work. “this is something I need to get right. And there

will be other things too.” He looks at her. “But I don’t even know where to start.”

She nods realising what he is asking. “You want help?”

“Please.”

She smiles. “You got it.” She rests her head on his shoulder. “Any time you want it Silas,

you’re family, you don’t need to ask.”

And for the first time in a long, long time, he doesn’t feel lost and alone.

Chapter 17She investigate his wound. “Right lets give it a go.”

He doesn’t look sure but with her help he gets to a standing position. She fetches a short

stick with a rounded brass end from a pile by the door. “Sure it’s ok?” He asks. “I’m not sure

Kathnak would want you giving his stuff away to a half breed.”

“Eh?” She looks confused and then responds. “No. It’s mine.” She confesses. “I always have

stashes of stuff around the place in case we get caught out on a job.”

“How often do you need a walking stick?”

“Often enough I keep one here.” She responds. She hands it to him.

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He leans on it experimentally, surprised at how well is bares his weight and how comfortable

it feels in his hand. After a few trial steps he figures he can cope, but it’s not without pain,

but he is mobile.”

A shadow passes across the door. They turn to look. Kathnak Looks at them. “She is

waiting.”

+*+

The realm of Dumla is a much softer place that Hürns lands. Her court is a collection of yurt

like tents gathered around a large central Marquette. The tents stretch out for as far as the

eye can see and Silas can not even begin to guess how many Bulmäs live here. Still it is clear

that the Dumla far out number the Hürn and he begins to under stand Hürns reluctance at a

war with them.

As Kathnak leads them down to it Silas can not help noticing that the knot work is literally

everywhere. It soaks the whole camp in the warm happy feeling. Rae is even smiling. There

is a calm about the place, completely at odds with the haste of the Hürns Armada and whilst

the arrangements at the court suggest it is not a permanent structure, they have no hint of

the danger of sudden departure. He gets the feeling that the life of the followers of Dairree

happens at a much more gentle pace.

Around them Silas can see the Bulmäs people, these are a more classical Minotaur, with bull

like features. There is a more uniformity of size and Silas realises that Kathnak, whilst

dwarfed by the Hürn warriors is one of the largest of his race.

Kathnak pulls back the opening and leads them inside.

+*+

Aaron finds paul at the back of the cathedral, close to the wall where the gate was created.

“It’s round here somewhere.” Paul states.

“It’s in there.”

Paul looks at him confused, and then up at the building.

“That takes some doing.”

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Aaron nods.

“How good is that technology of Chris’s?”

“I doubt it’s good enough to hid a rift to some where as fate rich as this.”

“Unless that was the point. Use the rift as a distraction. Any Daemon in the area is going to

have to investigate, and then any individual could just sneak past.”

“Want to try it?” Paul asks.

“Not personally.” Aaron responds recognising that as potent as the building is, his personal

power is still way more attractive to any Daemon waiting.

“You do realise that to do this properly really we need to walk that bit of her route.” Paul

points out.

Aaron looks at the wall in thought.

“If we are doing this it’s going to be at a sprint. I’m not staying in that place one second

longer than I need to. If Blakk gets his hands on me…”

Paul shrugs. “I could go on my own.” He offers. “You could go the long way round. Meet me

back at Zero.”

Aaron considers it. The offer is very tempting given the alternatives, but really he has no

choice and, as much as what lies a head of him is unpleasant, it is sadly all too essential. “No

I have to do this.” He responds.

“Ok.”

Aaron draws his sword, it seems to emit a faint glow in the light from the pyres.

“Suki is going to kill me for this.” He whispers.

Paul grins evilly. “If we get this wrong she wont get the chance.”

Then he closes eyes. The human forms unfolds, the blackness emerging from it, growing, the

wings unfolding like some sinister butterfly emerging from it’s cocoon.

Despite himself Aaron shudders as he feels his energies draw towards the creature like a

tidal current.

The Daemon looks at him. “Suddenly you look very tasty.” It rasps.

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Aaron’s face darkens slightly and he lifts his sword.

“Joke.” The daemon lies.

Then it reaches out with it’s claws and rips the world apart.

+*+

There is a warmth in the air of the tent created by a mass of bodies being together. Silas

wasn’t sure what he was expecting from the goddess, but the creature before him catches

him by surprise.

At first it is hard to say where her worshipers end and she begins, but as his eyes adjust to

the light levels he realises her large form, reclining on a small hill in the centre of the

Marquette, is covered in contented Bulmäs all suckling at her numerous extended teats.

Kathnak lead them up round the worshipers and up the hill. At the top is a large hornless

head, the muzzle of which twists into a smile as they approach.

“Kathnak my favoured one.” She declares in a soft tone.

He beams at the recognition. “As always you have discharged you duties with diligence. You

may receive your reward.”

Kathnak bows low and them moves back down hill slightly before moving into the mass of

Bulmäs feeding to join them.

The goddess turns her attention to Rae.

“And the Mellor.” Rae nods, despite her self she is still smiling, the effects of the knot work

still fresh on her mind. “I would offer you sucker too, but I suspect you would feel the need to

refuse it. So I will save us both the embarrassment of rejected hospitality.”

“Thank you.”

“Never the less you have our thanks for the part you have played in returning this debt to

me. And in that regard I think we can cancel all debts between my people and your family

can’t we.”

“That is more than generous.” Rae states softly. Then she turns to leave.

“Ermm.” Silas voices.

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She looks at him and then at Dumla.

“Tremain. What I have to say is for your ears alone.” Dumla states firmly.” If you wish to do

so you can relates as much or as little as you want to those you choose to walk with later.

But that is your decision not mine.”

“I’ll be waiting for you back at Kathnaks tent.” Rae assures him.

“Ok.” He concedes then he watches her go.

The goddess turns her eyes on him. Looking deeply into his. He is almost getting used to the

sensation of this beyond site gaze.

“This is an interesting dilemma is it not?” She queries softly. “You are a gift. A payment for a

debt long over due. Under other circumstances I could be offended at the offer of a bastard

beast... and yet I am not. Now why would that be?”

“Because I can do something for you?” Silas guesses.

She laughs, it’s not harsh more the amusement of a mother by a child. “There is nothing you

can do for me Silas.”

The use of his actual name catches him by surprise.

“As you can see my people are more than content here, and I am content with them. What

could you offer me? No let me ask you this. Do you know what you are payment for?”

“Kathnak said somethings but… Honestly no.”

“Then I will enlighten you. She gestures to a smaller mound on the hill. “Sit. You leg is

troubling you and there is no need for discomfort.”

Silas lowers himself onto the hillock.

“A long time ago my… contemporary Hürn became enraged at a theft. The item stolen was

something unique and highly important to him and. “She pauses for a second before

deciding to tell him something. “The one responsible for the theft was the father of the

woman you currently walk with.”

“Aaron.”

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She laughs again. “We have other names for him. However his part in the tale is minor. It is

wahat was taken that matters.”

“A soul.” Silas whispers. He does not know how he knows but he knows he is right.

“Ahh you are insightful too. Well that is a talent that will aid you well if you learn to listen to

it.” She contemplates him for a second and then continues. “The soul in question was the

mate of Hürn. The only female Hind in his race at that time. Without her his people faced

destruction. You understand now why they Hunt was called.”

Silas nods. “Oh yes.”

“But he could not find her. She was not in any of the realities.”

Silas nods again. He has a pretty good idea where she was.

“I could see the destruction being wrought so I concluded there was only one way to resolve

the issued I handed Hürn a gift.”

“A gift?”

“One of my own cows. My daughter. One who would be fruitful and bare his race. Indeed she

was so successful that all his followers are descended from her. However in our culture a gift

demands a gift, so it was not without prize. The agreement was that should the soul, or

something descended from it were ever to reappear, my daughter and all her line would be

returned to me.”

“Ahh.” Silas realises the significant of Hürns words.”

”Now it seems highly likely that given you are of Bulmäs descent, who you associate yourself

with, and certain traits you have that those they know can recognise, that you are in some

small part a descendant of that soul returned. Thus the payment is due.”

“But that would mean Hürn would have to hand over all his followers to you.”

“And it seems to be something he is reluctant to do. And I suppose I can not blame him. We

all thought this would be a temporary measure, or as time went one that the soul was truly

lost. So he has sent you as payment instead.”

She looks at him, blinking slowly and giving him time to absorb her words.

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“So tell me. How can you replay that big a debt.”

He swallows. Wondering if for one moment he has got all this wrong. Then he thinks of Rae’s

comments about the human Bulmäs.

Her muzzle twists into a semblance of a smile.

“Let me give you the answer.”

“Be fruitful;

“Show your people the joys of the lea and teach them the responsibility they have to protect

it from harm and disruption;

“Lend your aid in the battle against the daemons so that the worlds will be safe.”

She leans back.

Silas nods without realising it.

“Which in truth is all I ever ask of my subjects.”

“I don’t see any problems agreeing to that.” He responds.

“Of course you don’t’ But understand this Silas. Do not be mislead. This is not a light thing I

am asking. I know I ask little more of you than you would do yourself but this is not just for

you. This is for your people. It is a pact you are making with me for all your descendant. It

will lie with my followers and your line for all eternity.”

“Until all worlds end.” Silas whispers, borrowing a phrase the Mellors use all too much.

She smiles. “I see you get it.”

“Show me your brand.”

Silas pulls up the sleeve of his T shirt. She reaches down and lifts up a small bowl of milk. For

a second he fears that she is going to ask him to drink, recalling Aaron’s warnings of the

mental submission it brings. But instead she pours it over the scar.

There is pain again, as if it is being burnt anew. But the pain passes quickly, and when he

looks down there is no obvious difference.

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“That is the way you and your people will be known. That will be carried in your blood. It is

your badge of office and a warrant of safe passage with those of Hürn. If your people keep

the pact, they will keep the mark and gain the benefit from it. Break it and well all bets are

off. I do not believe individuals should hide behind the shield of their family if they do not

deserve it. But nor do I believe that a family should be shorn for one black sheep. So though

you swear this for all your kind, it will be up to each individual to decided if they keep the

pact and the protection it affords, or take their chances in the realities with the Hürn on their

heals. But you will need to insure they are trained well and informed so they can make that

choice.”

Silas nods.

He runs his hand over the scar. Some how it feels more, deeper, though there is nothing

clearly to show it visually.

Dumla nods.

“Now go. You have more vital things to be doing than entertaining me.”

He stands favouring the leg and using the stick. “Thank you.”

+*+

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Chapter 18Prydan patrols his city, hoping that getting back into a normal routine will help clear his head

of the chaos with in it, for the most part it seems to be working with a little extra support

from Aurelius. The hardest part has been dealing with the collective sense of betrayal his

other versions suffered from when ‘their’ Aureliuss vanished when he coalesced. He can

understand why the man was so cautious when he first approached him, the way it seemed

like he expected Prydan to kick him out any second, having suffered the rejection so many

times before. It’s strange to realise that the fact that, for some reason, he never met the

man before, and so never suffered that loss, actually made this easier to deal with. Whilst

the memories of times spent with him by all those other versions of himself just made it so

easy and so natural to be with him.

The arrangements for the cross are in place and the Watch and Guard have been warned of

it’s significance. They had listened to the joint briefing in silence and few had shown any real

surprise at the revelation. It was more as if an unspoken universal question had finally been

answered.

He pulls his focus back to the day to day events, trusting in Aaron, Paul and Silas to solve the

mystery.

It’s market day so he heads up to the town square. The open area is full of stalls and noise.

His men are working the crowd looking out for pick pockets and people swiping from stalls.

He recalls with nostalgia the days when they was his only problems.

And then he hears the start of a disturbance at the Allen Street gate. A sense of fear rises.

He can recall climbing over the structure when Aaron took him to Silas’s home realm.

Suddenly the reason for the trip seems all too obvious and he can not believe how he missed

it.

He strides up towards the gate. The shoppers moving out of his way as he passes, the

determined look on a watchmans face is not something you ignore in Caester.

A small crowd has gathered, but he moves through it easily.

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And then he sees what has drawn them to the spot.

The body is dried and desiccated like the last one. It is impaled on the spikes of the gate

through it’s fore arms and shoulder blades, hanging there in some grotesque crucifix. It’s

blank eyes staring down at the crowd.

Behind him Prydan hears some one whisper “Daemon Kill.”

The Meme spreads through the crowd and then on to infect the shoppers. He turns to see

the start of the stamped, a collective scream of fear and panic as a wave moves through the

assembly.

“No.” But his voice is barely above a whisper itself, and in their terror the crowd can not

listen. Stalls and their contents fly. He sees people pushed to the ground and trampled. Even

the watch men turn and run, caught up in the horror.

It lasts only seconds, but the devastation leaves wounded people, abandoned children and

shrapnel of wooden splinters.

He reaches for his radio.

“This is Prydan I have a major incident at the Market square. Multiple casualties. All watch

respond. Get the medics down here now.”

He turns back to the body, grabbing a tarpaulin from the wreckage and throwing it over the

hanging corpse.

Then the cries of the injured remind him he has citizens in greater need right now.

+*+

The darkness in the world is complete. There are good reasons it is called shades. And yet

dispite the total lack of light he can see. Around him are the victims of the daemons. Their

existences reduced to the mere building blocks of the world the daemons have created for

themselves. He can feel their anguish.

In the distance he can hear the daemons baying with delight. They have senses him. It was

impossible they could not all things considered. Next to him Paul spreads his wings.

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“Run I’ll keep them off your back.”

He doesn’t need telling twice.

In the centre of shades he can sense the largest collection of the souls. Their existence

crafted into the form of a great tree; the first thing from the realities that was ever brought

into Shades. Some where hidden in it’s branches is Silas home world. It hangs like a bauble

on some writhing screaming Christmas decoration.

The sword sings for him. The few Daemons that stand between him and his destination

discovering the power of the soul in it’s blade; and of the souls total commitment to

protecting him. He keeps focusing on moving forward, relying on Paul to deal with anything

behind.

As It seems like he may even be successful something looms in front of him; Something all

too familiar.

“Ah Mellor.” There is joy in the voice. “I was told you might be coming.”

Aaron slides to a halt.

“Blakk.” The voice comes out like a swear word.

And the beast before him LAUGHS

+*+

Rae is waiting for him impatiently as he approaches Kathnak’s tent. She is sitting on a

bundle of belongings tied up into a back pack.

“Can we get out of here?”

“What’s the rush?”

“I’m dying for a ciggy but if I light up here I’ll have a thousand Bulmäs giving me grief.”

“Ok.”

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She gets up and he goes to pick up the pack. She stops him tapping his leg. “Get real Silas.”

She lifts it up and swings it over her shoulder.

They head towards the lea gate in silence. As soon as they are through she stops and lights

up.

“What happened to happy smiling Rae?” He enquires

She draws deeply on the cigarette before replying. “She realised there was more important

things to do.”

“Shame I kind of like her.” He retaliates.

She looks at him and then smiles wearily, for the briefest seconds he sees the happy Rae in

her eyes but then the concerns of their situation floods in again. “Just a few home truths

coming back to roost.” She explains. “This is going to be a long walk, you sure you can

manage it?”

He nods, but leans on the stick. “Just keep me distracted.”

“Or you’ll distract your self?” she teases reminding him of the walk here.

“Something like that.” He confesses.

She adjusts the pack and then starts to move, but lets him set the pace.

“This debt that was paid by you bringing me here?” Silas asks.

“Yeah?”

“Was it big?”

“Big ish” She responds. “Depends on your opinion of Aaron’s head really?”

He looks at her

“Dumla said she’d rip it off if she ever saw him again.”

“Because of Hürns mates?”

“No.” Rafe laughs. “Actually she gained out of that one, which may be why it was only his

head she was going to rip off.” She reflects.

“What did he do?”

She shrugs. “He never told me that. I think it was something to do with some milk.”

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“You mention his name out in the realities and you kind of get the feeling that all Chaos rides

with him.” Silas reflects.

Rae snorts but makes not attempt to deny the statement.

They walk on. Silas feels a twinge in his leg as they leave the smooth grass and head into

rougher ground. It calls something to mind.

“How did the fight start at Hürns place?”

“Oh. “ Rae suddenly realises with everything that has been happening she has never told

him.” Well when the Bulmäs attacked the Island Ryan managed to kill one of their big guys,

and I kind of ran off with it’s head.”

“Why?”

“I was hopping to use it to identify the people who attacked.” She explains. “One of the

Bulmäs recognised me and demanded it back.”

“So just give it back to them.”

“I can’t. Paul broke it.”

“How do you break a head?”

“You get very, very annoyed with it apparently.” She states with an irritated edge to her

voice. “When I told them that the head was in no fit state to be returned they got a bit

upset.” She looks thoughtful for a moment. “Never got round to saying thanks for that did I.”

“No,

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

The ground starts up a steeper slope the path moving into wood land. The floor ruts up with

the roots and Silas find it harder to get an even footing.

Rae sense his discomfort and stops. “You want to rest?”

“No I want to get home.”

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“Me too.” She confesses. She looks round carefully in thought and then says “Bugger this.”

She swings the pack off the back and starts to rifle through it. “Do me a favour and make a

door, would you?”

“What?”

“A door. You know those wood things you find in the way when you are trying to get inside. A

door.”

He looks confused.

“Oh come on you were doing it well enough with your porn statures earlier, don’t tell me you

have forgotten how to do it now.”

“Oh.” He catches what she is after. “Ok.” He closes his eyes and visualises a door. Wooden

painted green with a glass insert and a polished brass knocker and letter box. It is only as it

forms that he realises that it is the door to his parents house. He hopes that’s not significant.

Rae finds what she is looking for and pulls it out. “Back door key.” She informs him. “My

spare way in case I need to nip back to the house for something and don’t really have time

to hang around.”

She walks up to the door and pauses briefly before unlocking it and pushing it open. “Come

one. Short cut. Just don’t tell anyone ok. Paul doesn’t like people knowing about this.”

He follows her inside.

+*+

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Chapter 19Paul crashes out of shades and into the reality. He can feel it boil at his daemonic presence

and quickly conceals in with in the human shall.

Subject to human sensations again he feels his stomach heave and he drops to his knees

coughing violently. He tries to push out of his mind his last view of Aaron in the clutches of

Shades biggest and badest. He looks up trying to get some idea of where he is. He needs to

get to Caester and fast. He needs to get to Rae before Suki realises what has happened and

does something stupid.

He sits back on his knees and realises he is in the drawing room of a familiar looking house.

A man sitting by the fire rustles the paper he is reading. Short cropped grey hair and steel

rimmed glasses. He is dressed in a three piece suit with a smart tie and high collar shirt; The

epitome of Edwardian elegance, just like the room. For a second Paul suspect he has come

through to the wrong time. And then he hears a plane fly over head and remembers.

“It is customary to knock.” The man states flatly, as if people just appearing in his sitting

room is as common as using the front door.

“Sorry Callum.” Paul stands up.

The man looks round the paper.

“I trust you haven’t made a mess.”

Paul looks down, feeling almost guilty even thought there is no trace of anything on the rug.

“Now do you want to tell me what you were doing in the dead worlds.”

“If I said taking a short cut would you believe me.” Paul tries.

Callum folds up the paper and looks at him.

“Where were you trying to get to?”

“Caester.” He says hopefully.

The man stands up and rings a small bell. “Kerion. Get the car.” He shouts. Then he looks at

Paul. “You do owe me for this.”

“Yes.” Paul sighs, mentally adding it to the list of favours he really must get round to

repaying.

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“Just as long as you understand.” Calumn sighs. “I suppose I should be relieved you didn’t

deposit half a tonne of ectoplasmic slime on the Axminster like most of my visitors.”

They drive through the night in silence. The Rolls Royce eating up the ground in the

darkness.

Paul stares out of the window. As they cross over the Dee his phone rings. Prydan’s line.

“What?”

“Where the fuck are you?”

“Just crossing the river now.” Paul assures him.

“There’s been another death.”

For a second Paul almost expects him to say it is Aaron then he remembers that can not be.

“Who when where?”

“The who we haven’t got an Id on yet, but it’s another girl, I’d say the same age as Amy or

there abouts. The When was thirty minutes ago our time.,.”

“Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

“Because of the where. The body appeared hanging on the gate at Allen St. Smack in the

middle of Market day. I’ve been run ragged trying to get on top of a city full of panicking

people. Connaught wants to know where you all are.” The car pulls to a halt. “I’m coming

into Caester now. Silas is at my place. Aaron is in Shades.”

“Aaron is where.”

“Yeah. You heard. Give me twenty minutes Prydan and I’ll be back with Silas. Aaron will be

there as soon as he can, you can be sure of that. Run interference for me and I’ll make it up

to you.”

+*+

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They step through into a dark room with a low ceiling. The room is devoid of any furnishings

except for a staircase leading up through a hatch. Rae turns and locks the door behind them.

She then drops the pack and stretches her back.

Silas turns to see she is looking out of the single window next to the door. It looks down into

an enclosed garden. Beyond is a large Japanese style castle. A high wide battlement wall

connects the structure they are in to the main castle.

“Home?” He asks as she looks almost longingly at the structure beyond.

She nods. “This. She points at the floor. “This is the moon tower. One of the places the kids

are banned from. Not that I have any reason to think that will keep them out, but at least it

deters them from messing with anything that would prove they had been here. It gets used

for guest quarters, extra storage. Stuff like that.”

She turns and heads for the stairs. “Lets have a bit of a sit down and have a look at that

wound of yours.”

He follows her up, using the banister and stick to take the pressure off his leg. Up stairs is

furnished with low tables and futons. There are windows on all four walls, offering views out

over the castle and the hillsides surrounding them; A mountainous region with tall fir trees

and long water falls.

On the table is a small kettle and tea cups with a bento of sushi.

“Did someone know we were coming?” He asks at the food.

“No.” She states, a little confuse. “Ah… no...I always set it up like this. It’s a fair bet that if

I’ve used the back door I’m hungry or knackers or something.” She gestures to the futon.

“Plant yourself there lad.” She pours out some tea and passes it over to him and then offers

him a roll of fish.

He considers it briefly and then concludes that he is hungry enough that raw fish didn’t seem

such a bad idea and takes it.

“Get your trousers off and I’ll have a look at that leg.”

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He shuffles with some difficulty. Now he has sat down the leg has seized up, the muscles

protesting at the exercise he has expected from them after such an injury.

Rae starts to massages the areas around the wound. He feels the warm closeness again, and

his body reaction to it.

“Behave.” She states softly.

“Sorry.”

“I take it as a compliment but I don’t want to make your love life any more mess than it

already is.”

She sits back and takes a sip of the tea. “All things considered it’s doing remarkably well.”

“You mean considering I probably shouldn’t have a leg at all.” He looks at the scar. A deep

angry red now she has encouraged the blood flow.

“Something like that.” She takes one of the sushi warps and leans back on the futon.

She breaths in and visibly relaxes. Almost as if in some way the air of the castle is a drug.

She leans back and closes her eyes.

Noises drift up to the window and she looks over briefly before looking back up at the roof

structure again.

“Catch it then.” A girls voice giggles.

“Those the twins?” Silas asks.

She nods.

He gets up, making heavy use of the stick and moves over to the window.

The children are playing in the garden, throwing a plastic Frisbee around and laughing. For a

second he is caught by the anomaly of the view. This ancient stone castle, the children in

kimonos and the modern toy. To add to it as he watches something massive swoops across

the landscape and vanishes from view behind the tower.

“Is that a…?”

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“Pterodactyl. Yes. It’s Toby’s pet. It eats loads and craps everywhere.” She sighs wearily. “I

suggested a puppy but…”

“That would have been too normal.”

“Probably. Dakky was a compromise, he wanted a dragon.”

“How do you take a pterodactyl for a walk?” he ponders.

“With a very, very long lesh.” She responds as if it is the punch line to a very old joke.

He looks down to where they are playing again. The girl throws the Frisbee but just before

her brother reaches it, it vanishes in a blue haze.

“Cheat!” He protests at her laugh.

“Well cheat back then!” She responds. There is something familiar in her phrase.

“Fine.”

She shrieks as the ground beneath her vanishes in a similar flash of blue and she falls out of

sight.

“Don’t worry she’ll be in the stables.” Rae assures him. “Despite how dangerous it looks

they wouldn’t actually do anything that would hurt. Well not each other any way.”

As Silas watches the boy runs back into the house with a cry of laughter and delight.

The site of the children sets him thinking again.

“I need to talk to Gemma.” He whispers.

“I know that’s the other reason we came here.” Rae responds. She sits up and addresses the

air.

“Miko.”

“Yes Rae-san.” The voice comes from nothing.

“Can you ask Gemma to come up to the Moon Tower?”

“Hai.”

“She’s here?” Silas asks surprised.

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Rae nods. “After her brother was killed she wanted to help out. We knew full well that

Charles would never sanction his only daughter going out into battle, but we reaches a

compromise. She comes here and helps out with the back room stuff. Tracking people,

looking out for anomalies in the world reports. Stuff like that.” She smiles at him. “Most of

those jobs you have been doing for Karl came through Gemma.”

He shakes his head. “She did make some comment about a day job. I thought she was

working in a shop or something.”

“Ah well.” She sits back and looks at the roof again.

Silas looks out of the window. He sees a door in the side of the castle open, the figure

dwarfed by the stones as it steps onto the battlements, pulling a coat around her.

“Oh.”

Then Rae is standing next to him. “You ok.”

“Yeah. I’m just not sure.”

“About her?” She sound’s surprised.

“No I am 100% sure about her. I’m not sure about dragging her into this mess I’ve got myself

in. I’m not sure it’s fair. There is a lot she doesn’t really know about me.”

“Fairs fair Silas. There’s a lot you don’t know about her too.”

He looks at her.

“I’m not answering that.” She smiles. “In fact I’m not even going to be here.” She heads for

the stairs. “Try not to think too long Silas.”

He watches as Rae appears beneath him and heads down the battlements. She pauses at

Gemma, pointing to the door and saying something before moving on. And then Gemma’s

step quickens.

He hears the door down stairs and her foot steps on the tread. Yet some how it seems to

take an age before she comes into view. And he suddenly realises he stopped breathing.

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“Are you ok. Rae said you were hurt.”

He tries to speak but his voice seems paralysed at the sight of her and the concern in her

eyes. She moves over gently running her hand over the wound. It is only then that he

realises he still isn’t wearing his trousers.

“What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter.” His voice is barely above a whisper. “It really doesn’t matter.”

He puts his arms around her and holds her. And holds her.

+*+

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Chapter 20Paul storms into the castle. Instantly reaching for Rae.

She feels his distress and comes running.

“Where’s Dad?”

“In shades with Blakk.” Paul responds.

“WHAT? Go get him.”

“What do you think I am?” He rounds on her, his eyes flashing and she knows he is afraid.

His fear stops her.

He pauses calming himself. “Look Rae, your dad is damn near unstoppable you know that.

hey can get his pain, but they will never get fear and despair from him, and that is all they

really want. Given what he is they can’t suck him dry so he will survive. They will get bored

with him eventually, and then they will let him go. He will be back, and given the timeless

nature of shade, for us, he will be back soon.”

“For him?”

Paul just looks at her and shrugs. “It’s Blakk. I’m not saying he doesn’t have a whole world of

reasons to want to hate your dad.”

“Oh god.” She drops backwards, the castle producing a seat for her to land on rather than

letting her fall to the floor.

“You need to go to Suki.”

She looks up at him.

“She is going to know something is wrong. You need to get to here before she does

something stupid. Please Rae.”

She nods. She knows he is right.

“Gemma and Silas are in the moon tower.” She warns.

“Ok.”

She stands up and start to the door. Then she stops and steps back up to him, kissing him.

“I love you.”

“I know.” He responds. “That’s what keeps me coming back.”

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+*+

He collapses on something solid. Something real. His whole body screams in pain and

confusions. But he is back in reality. Finally the Daemons have finished their sport. He rolls

over and curls up into the foetal position. Each breath seems like his lungs are ripping apart

as air is forced into the pathways. He grasps at memories from his time in shades. Quickly

storing the information he needs before the confusion of the switch from non existence to

existence can rob them from him.

He can hear noises. Voices. The sound of guns being cocked.

“Identify yourself.” The voice is familiar but he can not place it. Everything hurts too much.

He manages to unroll an arm and hold it up, his fingers extended to show he is holding no

weapons.

Foot falls come closer cautiously then the same voice says. “Bloody ‘ell it’s the Captain.”

They roll him over. Their actions causing him more pain, but this he can deal with. He coughs

up something black and thick which must look horrible given the reaction of the Guards men.

He feels two people lift his arms and drag him towards the gate, the rest of the patrol

covering their retreat, expecting the daemons to swoop in at any second.

Then he is on the floor of the guardroom just inside the gate. The cobbles feel comfortable

and familiar under his cheek and really he would be content to lie there for days.

Some one puts a bottle to his lips. “Come on Sir. It’ll help.” Hey assure him. He licks it,

recognising the taste and the truth in the words. He opens his mouth and feels the herbal

brew pour over his tongue. Then he curls up again.

Someone somewhere yells for a medic.

“You were damn lucky Sir.” His rescuer states. “Colmine thought you were a trap. Wanted to

shoot you there and then.”

Aaron opens his eyes.

“Luck had nothing to do with it Peters.” He states softly. “Why do you think I drill you so

hard?”

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“Sir.” Peters acknowledges.

Aaron contents himself, just breathing in and out seems like a luxury. “You got any more of

that Beer?”

“Aye sir.” He hears Peters crack the top off a fresh bottle and hand it over.

It takes all his strength to sit up, leaning against the wall of the small guard room. He lifts it

to his lips and swallows the contents, feeling the power in the herbs coursing into his body.

It’s not a cure but it will stave off the symptoms for a while.”

“Careful sir that’s strong stuff.” Peters warns.

Aaron just looks at him.

The nurse arrives from the infirmary. She looks concerned and shocked trying to work out

where to start. Aaron closes his eyes and she sets to work with bandage and sticking plaster.

The bests she can do is cover the surface injuries and he can tell by the look in her eyes that

she is not confident that is a good enough job.

He looks at her. “I’ll heal.” He states softly.

“These are bad Sir. We should really get you to the infirmary.”

“I know nurse…” His brain has to struggle to recall her name. It annoys him. He should be

better than this. But at the same time he knows it is a miracle he is still alive to think at all.

“Misato. Sir” She states.

“Sorry. Nurse Misato. But believe me I will heal.” Already he is feeling more alive. “You don’t

need to concern yourself with me.”

She stares at him, then she shakes her head slightly. “You guards men are all the same.”

She chastises. “Tiz but a scratch while your leg is falling off.”

He closes his eyes again, breathing in and breathing out. Each lungful of air is helping to

reassert reality on his form. Even her words are helping. A taste of the familiar. The medical

branch and the soldiers arguing their points.

“Don’t you know who that is nurse.” He hears Peters explain. “That’s Captain Mellor that is.”

There is a respect and recognition in the Guards man’s voice that empowers him.

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“He’s the man that rebuilt old bridge after the daemons destroyed it. If he can do that I

doubt a few cuts and scratches are going to stop him.”

Despite himself Aaron smiles. The confidence in Peters words are like the best drug he could

ever have. The breathing becomes easier. The cobbles under his fingers begin to feel

uncomfortable hard again.

He pulls himself up on to a chair, the nurse rushing to help when she realises he is moving.

He looks at her. “Thank you.” His voice is sounding stronger.

“Are you sure I can’t get you to the infirmary?” She asks.

“Well you can take me half way. I need to get to the map room at the garrison.”

“Well if that is the best I can get you too do.” She concedes. “I need to get back to the

infirmary, we have a lot of injured in at the moment.”

He looks at her concerned.

“There was a riot sir.” Peters explains. “Up in the market Square.”

“A riot?” He asks It doesn’t seem likely.

“That’s what I heard. Something about a body being found. Causes a stampede.” The guards

man reports.

Aaron closes his eyes and takes one more deep breath in, using it to expel the final taint

from the daemons from his body. Then he stands up, a determined straightness in his spine.

He looks down at Misato. “You have patients far more in need that I am.” He tells her firmly.

Given his apparent miraculous recovery she can not deny that.

He looks at Peters. “Thank you Guardsman, and thank your team. I’ll make sure the

commander knows how efficient you are.”

Peters salutes him. “Sir.”

“I’m needed at the garrison.” He turns and heads for the door. He knows he is going to pay

for this later, but there are more important issues here than his discomfort. And later Suki

will be here, and that will make the pain so much easier to bear.

+*+

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Paul reached for this phone as he strides through the castle heading for the moon tower. He

doesn’t want to disturb the love birds but the news from Caester is something that can not

be ignored. “Give me an update.”

He can hear Connaught ranting in the back ground breaking his tirade with the phrase. “and

if that’s Dartanion you can bloody well put him on speaker.”

“Hello Paul.” Aaron’s voice makes him breath easier, but it is clear from the tone that he has

not come out of his time with Blakk unscathed.

“I’m getting Silas now. What have you got?” he explains.

“Victim Id is Fiona. She is his Great, great, great, great, great, grand daughter.” Prydan

explains. Paul can hear the tension in the watchman’s voice; this has not been a good day

for the man. He resolves to take him out for a drink once they have time.

“Get him back here. Paul.” Aaron’s voice sounds distant.

“Ok.” He ends the call rather than listen to more of Connaught’s grating complaints.

He quickly texts Rae with the fact that Aaron is in Caester. Knowing full well that Suki will be

looking for him by now but at least it may calm her. Then recalls that, unless sage is really

on the ball, the messages wont get to her until after she gets back into a reality. Still at least

he can claim he tried to tell her.

+*+

It’s later. The sky has turned dark and he is sure the pterodactyl is perches on the roof above

them.

Gemma lies in the crook of his arm, her hair splayed across his chest. He figures he must

have slept at some point because he feels rejuvenated and refreshed.

Her arm reaches over and hold his shoulder and strokes it with her thumb.

“I really thought this would never happen.” She confesses softly. “I’d stopped believing

because it all seemed so impossible and it hurt too much.”

He kisses her fore head rather than try to reply with words.

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“Rae said there was something you needed to discuss with me.” She prompts.

“Yeah.”

“She said you’d beat around the bushes for ages if I didn’t make you tell me straight.”

He laughs. “Yeah that too.” He looks at her. “It’s kind of hard to now where to start.”

“Start with the point Silas.” She instructs him. For some reason the comment makes him

think of the brief instructions that occasionally turned up on the world reports and he realises

a connection that he’d missed before.

“Did you like sending me out into the realties to deal with things?”

She sits up looks confused. “What sort of a question is that?”

“I don’t know. But you knew when you sent those instructions they were coming to me.”

She swallows. “Yes.” She admits. “I knew, and there were times when may be against my

best judgement I sent some one else because it was very dangerous.”

He holds his arms wide to encourage her to lie down again. She does so.

“The point is…” He breaths out. “I’ve come to an arrangement with the Bulmäs. It’s

something that doesn’t just effect me. It effects….” It’s hard. How can he have this

conversation with her. This is only the second time they have been together like this. As Rae

said there is so much they don’t know. But he knows he can not lead her on not knowing

what lies in his future.

“Point.” She prompts sitting up again.

“I just signed away my life and the life of all my descendants. I made an agreement with

Dumla to keep them all safe from Hürn.” He stops. “I’m sorry this isn’t making any sense at

all.”

“Pretend it is and keep going” she replies.

“I can’t let you do this without letting you know what you are letting yourself in for.” He says.

“Which is?”

He looks at her. And then lists the instructions Dumla gave him.

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She looks at him. Her face serious. The moment seems to last an eternity as he waits for her

to get up and walk out. He is asking too much He knows he is asking too much. Who would

ever agree to such a stupid thing?

And then she speaks.

“Is that it?”

He nods.

“Go have kids. Teach them to walk the lea and fight daemons.” She summarises.

He nods.

She lies down. “I thought it was something difficult.”

He closes his eyes feeling like a complete fool.

“This. This you and me thing.” She says softly. “This isn’t some flash in the pan. I’ve been

there I know what that feels like. This. This is more. This is long. This is rest of our lives stuff.

Now I’m not saying I’m willing to get pregnant tomorrow because I have plans for my life.

But children do feature in those plans, and as of that night we spent together those ‘children

plans’ definitely involve you. Now as much as you are probably going to hate me pointing

this one out to you, I probably have a better idea of what this whole daemon thing means

than you do and If our kids are going to grow up being part of that battle then….”

She looks at him.

“I couldn’t be more proud. Somethings are worth fighting for Silas. The realities are worth

fighting for. I know that. I know that as sure as I know that you and me are meant to be

together. You have no idea how much I have regretted introducing you and Sally.”

Silas rolls onto his side so he can hold her. His leg protests at the weight on his hip but he

isn’t going to let that stop him now.

She stokes her hand down his arm, lingering on his brand.

“What is that?” she asks. It sounds like a question she has had for a long time but never felt

confident enough to enquire about.

“Field mark.” He states, focusing more on holding her. She shifts her head to look at it.

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“I always thought it looks cool.”

“I tend to forget it’s there.” He confesses.

She snuggles into his chest. “I think I’d like one.”

“It hurt.” He warns her.

“May be not then.”

He looks round. His trousers are over the futon next to them and he can see a biro sticking

out of the pocket. He reaches for it and then carefully copies the symbol onto her upper arm.

“There you go. One none hurty version.” He lies down again.

She angles her shoulder to look at it. “Thanks.” She snuggles into him again. “It feels so

good being here with you like this. I could follow you any where.”

He closes his eyes and breaths her in. “You don’t have to I never want to be anywhere else

but here.” He whispers.

“I don’t think that’s very practical.” She whispers back.

“No I have to go and talk to your father for one.”

“I guess he knows.”

“Yeap. Some one shopped us.”

“Bet it was Dr Mellor.” She states.

Silas goes to defend him and realises he can’t really, given that it could well have been and

it is just what Aaron would do.

“Actually your dad is going to be easy. It’s Sally I’m dreading.”

“I’ll deal with Sally.”

“Do you mean in a Julie Andrews sort of way or an Al Paccino sort of way?”

She grins at him trying to look evil. “Are you talking at me?”

He start to tickle her.

“Cos I don’t see any one else here.” She giggles.

He increases his attack, getting between her ribs.

“Julie Julie I’ll be Julie.” She sputters out between the laughs trying to fend him off.

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“I’ll be Julie?” Paul’s voice sounds from down stairs and there is the sound of the door

closing. “Do I want to know?”

“Hang on Paul, We’ll get decent.” Gemma calls out.

“Not sure I’ve got that long.” Paul replies. Gemma helps him pull his trousers on over the

wound on his leg. It’s looking better, but the skin is still tender and the fabric of the jeans

grates over the damage. Then she pulls on her bra pants and dress.

“’K”

Paul appears up the stairs. He scans his eyes round the room.

“Rae’s over at the castle.” Gemma states.

He shakes his head. “No shes’ not. She went out again.” He replies walking over to the

window and looking out side.

“What’s up?” Silas sense something.

Paul takes a deep breath. “Well I hate to disturb your fun but we are needed.” He looks at

Silas. “There has been another death.”

Silas is instantly on his feet and then regret it as the damage to his leg reminds him that it is

there. “Bollox.” Gemma passes him the cane and he leans on it.

“I’ll come with you.” She reaches for the coat and slips her feet into her shoes.

Paul nods and heads for the stairs.

Then she realises Silas is looking at her.

“What?”

He goes to speak and then stops.

She tilts her head on one side and then guesses his unvoiced thoughts.

“No. I’m not staying here. I’m not being safe whilst there are people out there dying who I

might be able to help. Besides.” Her face goes serious. “They are my kids too aren’t they.”

He draws in breath realising the wisdom of what she is saying.

She holds out her hand to him. “Lets go home.”

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Chapter 21As they walk the walls to lock Caester Paul fills them in.

“According to the records she is your Great, great, great, great, great, grand daughter” He

explains, counting the greats off on his fingers.

“Where was she found?” Silas leans hard on the cane grateful for it’s support, and the

support of Gemma on his other arm.

“Draped over the gate at the ends of Allen street.”

“That’s unpleasant.” Gemma comments softly

“Yeah. ‘Specially seeing as it was market day so Connaught is pissed with us.” Paul warns

them.

“So much for keeping everything quiet eh.” Silas observes.

“That’s exactly what he said.” Paul replies “then he said a lot of other thing that sounded like

the Roget thesaurus entries on incompetent and arsehole.”

“I think on the bases of a nice way to spend the evening we won that one.” Silas reflects

hugging Gemma.

“Didn’t take us off the case though.” Paul complains. “Though if he calls be Dartanion again

it may become mute.”

“I like Dartanion.” Gemma observe.

Paul stares at her.

“As a character in the book, not as a name for you.” She defends quickly. “Though I can see

where he’s coming from.” She adds and Paul walks on ahead of them.

“I heard that.” He calls, pushing open the door to the map room.

Silas walks in and immediately worries. Aaron looks rough. Very rough. If he didn’t know

better he would be sure he was ill. Spread out on the table are photos of the corpse and

details of her life.

“When was the last time you ate?” Silas ask.

Aaron dismisses the question with the flick of his hand.

“Paul get him some food.”

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“Since when was I your delivery boy.” He protests.

“Paul get him some food.” Silas repeats, an edge in his voice.

“Ok.” Paul heads for the door, muttering.

Silas moves the paperwork out of the way, and more significantly out of his reach.

“And the last time you slept?”

Aaron shrugs.

Silas thinks. “Have you actually been back to the Dorchester since Amy died?”

Aaron looks at him.

“Do I have to get Suki to kick your but?”

“May be.” He sits back and then looks over at Gemma. “Hello.”

“Hello.” She smiles. “He is right you look like shit.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He replies.

“More than that you are in no fit state to work.” Silas points out.

“Neither are you with they leg.” Gemma reminds him.

“Leg?”

“Oh if you are that unobservant you are definitely doing no good here.” Silas points out.

Gemma goes over and all but lifts Aaron out of the chair.

“Go. Sleep. Eat.” She pulls over the paper work. “I’ll analyse this lot.”

Aaron looks at Silas hoping for support.

“It’s what she is good at.”

“Ok Ok. He concedes.”

Gemma gestures at Silas with a pen, “You go. Take him home and then go and talk to my

dad.”

“Yes Boss. “ He responds sharply and leans on the cane to stand up.

Aaron finally notices the cane. “What did you do to your leg?”

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They head up Bridge street towards the cross neither of them making a quick pace. There

streets are quiet. Obviously news of the daemon kill has spread and people are opting to

remain safe at home.

“Have fun with the Bulmäs then?” Aaron asks.

“Yeah. Discovered a few interesting things.”

“Like?”

“Oh you stealing other peoples wives.”

“I prefer the term liberate myself.” Aaron defends. “You don’t know what it was like Silas.

What they were doing to her. She was an intelligent thinking feeling creature being kept as a

breeding machine, permanently in the pains of labour. And every time she died he just set

the whole thing up again.”

He stops dead in his tracks as if suddenly even one more step is too much for him.

Silas leans on the cane and turns to look at him. He can see the pain of the memory etched

in Aaron’s face.

“Ok so it wasn’t my finest hour. But I’d do it again.”

“And the effect the wild hunt had on the realities. Dumla used the phrase ‘tearing whole

worlds apart.’ I don’t think she was joking.”

“She wasn’t.”

“You didn’t think he’d do it?”

“Of course I knew he’d do it. I know Silas it’s the one thing I do do.” He takes a deep breath

in. “I knew.” He pauses looking over Silas shoulder to the cross up the road. “But the fact I

did it anyway should tell you something.”

Silas turns realising what he is looking at.

The fencing has gone. Instead there is a single silver ring, the thickness of a wrist, supported

at waist height on four thing black legs. It surrounds the shifting structure but does not

obscure it. Next to it is a small safety notice warning people not to touch the structure due to

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sharp objects. Silas walks up to it. Embossed onto the ring is a simple phrase. “For those we

left behind.”

He swallows.

“Looks like Connaught and the council listened.” Aaron says softly joining him.

“Yeah.” He catches his breath. “Thanks Aaron.”

“Don’t assume you are the only one Silas. Especially in this city.” He sighs. “Go one then

take me home.”

+*+

Paul walks back into the map room with a mound of sandwiches from the Pantry. He looks

round. “Oh this is taking the piss.”

Then he looks at Gemma. “Where are they?”

“The Dorchester. We persuaded Dr Mellor he needed to sleep.”

“Wow. Didn’t think that was possible.” He pushes some of the paper work aside. “Hope you

are hungry.”

She reaches out for a sandwich.

“I’m making some head way with this.” She tells him. “But there is some paperwork missing.

Something about the bloodline. It’s in Dr Mellor’s notes but I can’t find it here.”

“That would be the Maynan files.” Paul says. “Aaron has they locked in there.” He points to

the low chest.

Gemma holds out her hand.

He looks at it.

“Key.”

“No those are Silas descendant and all things considered with what is happening between

you and him…”

She just stares at him.

“Seriously?”

“I can not do this task with out that information.”

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“But what if there is something bad in there. Something you don’t want to know.”

She looks at him, a dangerous edge to her voice. “Paul there will be something bad out here

in a moment if you don’t give me that key.”

“Ok. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He hands her a small brass key.

She opens the chest and looks at the scrolls inside.

“Wow. That’s a lot of people.”

“Hmm.” Paul concedes

“Are these all from Silas?”

“Well you know there are a lot of generations there.”

“Ok then.”

She lifts them out and starts to unroll them on the desk. “Please tell me he at least

numbered them!”

“I don’t think he thought any one else would be trying to use them.” Paul defends.

“This is going to take all day.” She takes off her jacket, as she does so the sleeve of her

dress rides up to reveal the mark Silas drew on her arm. It catches Paul by surprise.

She looks at his expression. “Oh we were just messing about.”

“Really.” He doesn’t sound so sure.

She looks at him. “It’s just Biro.”

“You tried wiping it off yet.”

“Been busy.” She prompts gesturing to the paper work.

“Ok.” He responds meekly.

“Spit it out Paul.”

“This messing about thing…

“Yes.” She lets the irritation sound in her voice.

“Don’t suppose at any point you promised to stay with him and be loyal and follow him did

you?”

“What if I did?”

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“And he didn’t tell you he’d look after you and be by your side.” Paul grins quizzically.

“You point is Paul.”

“Castle Shoko is little more than a very large reality bubble in the lea. Last night you told

Silas you wanted to be with him. Have his kids. He said he’d look after you. And then drew

that on your arm.” His face takes on a pained expression. “That’s a rite of binding in

anyone’s books. I think you may find that is harder to get off than you expect.”

Gemma drops into the seat. Her head in her hands.

“I didn’t think.”

“No and I guess that neither did he. You might want to keep that covered up for a while.”

“Yeah.” She shrugs the jacket back on.

Then Paul laughs. “Oh that’s just priceless. And people think I’m dumb. You just got married

by accident.”

“Paul don’t.”

“Oh I so got to rib him about this.”

“Later. I need your help with this.”

“Ok.” He manages to suppress his amusement to a large grin. Then is a child like teasing

voice he sings “You are going to have to buy your mum a hat.”

+*+

Silas gets Aaron up to his suite. The fish is still on the table, confirming his worse suspicions.

The man is fading fast now he has finally given into the idea of sleeping. With some difficulty

considering his own injury he manages to get Aaron onto the sofa. The stairs up to the bed

area are beyond him whilst carrying Aaron’s dead weight. He nips up to get pillows and

duvet and turns as the door opens.

She almost floats into the room; A long white kimono billowing behind her. The soft delicate

features turn to him.

“Where is he?”

Silas points to the sofa.

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She moves over and kneels beside it, folding her body over him. Soft whispers in a language

that he recognises, but is unwilling to breach their privacy by translating. He walks down the

steps handing her the duvet.

“Thank you Silas.” She states. He sense the polite dismissal in her tone. And then she sees

the cane and stops standing up.

Without a word she reaches out and rests her hand on the wound, looking into this eyes,

they defocus briefly.

“Rae?”

He nods. “She’s getting better. There are still a few little things she over looks though.”

He feels the warmth in her hand spreading into this leg, it moves from the wounds and flows

out up and down the joints. He feels the muscles relax and shift.

“There. I’d keep the stick for a while just in case you jar it.” She smiles. “Besides it kind of

suits you.”

Silas smiles back. “I’ll leave him with you I need to talk to Charles.”

She nods and turns back to the man now snoring gently on the sofa.

+*+

Back at the map room Gemma and Paul are making some head way. At least they have

sorted out the order of the scrolls and how they relate to each other. Aaron’s careful

calligraphy has been joined by highlighter pen numbers and arrows and the scrolls, weighed

down by bits of stones, chair legs and what ever they could find in their collective pockets

are spread out over the floor. Gemma sits back on her heels to look at the family tree before

her.

“Ok.” She points to the top with a long ruler. “Silas.” She follows a line next to him. “And that

would be me.”

“Yeap” Paul confirms checking the symbol Aaron has used.

“Why didn’t he write names?” She curses softly.

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“Take up too much room.” Paul guesses. “Kanji is more efficient, and more expressive.

Letters are far too primitive.”

“So” She studies the lines and details. “We have four kids.”

Paul nods. “Looks that way.”

“Who..” She follows the lines down. “Grand children, Great grand children. Wow. I’m going to

need one hell of a birthday list.” She turns back to the top. “Which one is Silvia?”

“That one.” Paul states pointing as a tree like symbol. “And if you follow that line down…” He

traces the marks with his fingers, swapping scrolls. “That’s Amy.”

“She was the first one killed.”

“Yeap.”

“And the second?”

“Fiona. Is here…” He moves over to another scroll.

Gemma studies the line. “Well they are both Silvia’s descendants but There isn’t and

immediately obvious link. At least not one I’ve got from here.

“And what are these?” She points to another group that lead off from Silas.

“Not sure.” Paul admits. “May be Prydan knows.” He lifts up a mobile phone causing one of

the scrolls to roll back up. Gemma curses him. “He’s on his way over.” He informs as she

finally gets it flat again and drops a small pistol on it.

“Did you ask him to bring paper weights?”

“Oopse” Paul uses the phone again.

“Trouble is it’s too flat. I could really do with a way of modelling it in three D so I can see way

other links we might have inside the plot. I mean.” She points to a symbol on the chart “It

looks like this one marries this one.” She shuffles onto another scroll. There might be some

inter related thing going on that would explain why the killer went for those two.”

“If we went into the lea you could easily do it.”

“I doubt either Silas or Aaron would be too please at the idea of having a model of this out

there.”

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Paul shrugs.

Prydan pushes the door open behind them, forcing Paul to shuffle out of the way. Once again

he disturbs the scrolls on the floor. Paul looks up at the man. There is something different

about him, but he can not place it

“What did you want?” Prydan’s voice is strained and tired, and Gemma briefly feels guilty for

disturbing him.

“You were with Aaron when he got this information?” Paul asks

“Yeah.” Prydan confirms.

“Did he say what this lot were?” Paul asks pointed to the group separate to the main four

descendants.

“Those are his other kids.” Prydan states.

“Other kids.” There is a dangerous tone in Gemma’s voice but one Prydan completely

misses.

“Yeah. These are the ones he has with his wife” He points to the four. “And these are the

other one. Aaron was quite intrigued by that lot because they don’t appear in Caester

records either He had me spend ages chasing that lot down.”

“And?” Paul Asks. But as he talks he reaches out to touch Gemma shoulder.

“Nothing mate. No sign of them at all.”

“And their mother?” Gemma almost spits out.

Prydan shrugs. “No idea. She doesn’t even appear on the wall. It’s like these kids appear out

of no where, but they are Silas’s blood line.”

Paul is almost leaning on Gemma holding her down to the floor

“Anything else? Only I have to get back to sorting things out.” Prydan asks, totally unaware

of the effect his news has had on the girl kneeling on the floor.

“No, Thanks anyway.” Paul responds as lightly as he can.

As the door closes behind the watchman he sprints for it. Blocking Gemma’s access to it with

his own body.

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“Get out of my way Paul.

“You can’t Gemma.”

“He’s sleeping with some one else.”

“Wow Jealous type or what.” Paul teases.

She looks at him threateningly.

He shakes it head making it clear he is not going to move.

She picks up the pistol and points it at him.

“Move.”

“No.” But his face is at least now serious. “You can shoot me if you want Gem but it’s not

going to make the blindest bit of difference and I am not going to get out of the way until

you have Got a grip and calmed down.”

She breaths in. Readying to make good on the threat.

Paul just looks at her, trying to remember what he loaded the Haylin with and if there is any

real reason to worry. Then he realises there is one really, really big reason. He can feel the

irritation of the Daemon at a puny mortal threatening him like this.”

“Put it down Gem.” He says softly

Her lips tighten. She goes to pull the trigger and then throws the gun from her. “SHIT!”

Paul breaths out, and feels the daemon back down.

“How? How can he?” She asks. Tears in her eyes.

“I don’t know.” Paul responds. “May be he doesn’t have a choice. May be there is something

else going on here that we don’t know about. May be it’s some mistake on the wall. May be

he already got Sally knocked up. I don’t know.” He looks at her. “But I know one thing.”

She looks at him.

He picks up the primary scroll. “I know yours is the only name on here. So who ever these

people are they aren’t as important as you. And I know that mark on your arm is no light

thing. And I know the stupid fool loves you.”

She sits down on the edge of the table.

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He grimaces. “And I also know that He doesn’t want to know about his future, and he has

really avoided looking at these scrolls. So if you confront him with this, not only will he not be

able to tell you anything, all you will be doing is telling him things He does not want to

know.”

She puts her head in her hands.

Paul drops the scroll and walks over to her, putting his arm round her. “I know how hard it is

Gem. Rae doesn’t want to know anything. There are times I really want to tell her something,

or warn her about something or…” he shrugs. “Just share a joke. And I can’t.”

“How do you cope?”

“You cling to one thing. The one truth. The one thing you can believe...” He breaths out the

last word. “It’s why Suki just walked into the Dorchester. It’s why Aaron spent 30,000 years

building Caester on Zero. It’s why..” The smile creeps to his lips… “You and dopey boy

accidentally got married last night.”

She looks at him.

“When souls call to each other nothing can get in the way. When people are meant to be,

they are meant to be.”

She nods.

“Wow.” Paul picks up the mobile phone and using the built in camera take a photo of the two

of them. “See proof.” He says, and then sends it to Aaron’s phone.

Gemma looks at him confuse. Paul waves his hand. “In joke. Don’t worry about it.”

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Chapter 22Silas heads back down into the foyer. Charles, as usual, is standing at the reception he

glances up at him as Silas strides over.

“Is there anything I can do for you Mr Tremain?”

“Yes Charles I was wondering if we could continues that conversation we started earlier.”

“Certainly Sir.” He guides him into the office and closes the door. “Where were we?”

“I believe you asked me my intensions for your daughter.” Silas states.

“And then I sent you away to think about it.”

“And I have thought.”

“And?”

“I have every intension of spending the rest of my life with her.” Silas responds firmly looking

Charles firmly in the eyes.

“And does she feel the same way?” Charles asks.

“I have every confidence that she does.” Silas replies.

Charles leans back against the desk. “This puts us at something of an impasse then doesn’t

it. I know the Mellors. I see them come in here and what they get up to. What proof do I have

that you are not going to lead her off and then abandon her? That you are not going to use

her just for your own ends and amusements.”

“What proof do you want me to give you?” Silas asks flatly. “What proof can any one give

any one of that? Flip it on it’s head. What proof have I got that she is not going to do the

same to me?”

Charles stares at him.

Silas looks down and draws in breath. “Only I do have proof,” He looks up into Charles eyes

again, “because I know how I feel about her and I know how she feels about me.” He shakes

his head slightly. “But I have no way of showing you that. And frankly even if I could, I’m

pretty sure I wouldn’t want to because it’s private. It’s between her and me.” Suddenly her is

aware of where this line is going, but it’s like being on a train and he can’t stop it. “So I

suppose that actually at the end of the day, it’s not like you actually have a say. We’re

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adults. I would rather do this with your blessing because I know how much that means to

Gemma, but be damn sure of this, I’ll do it without if I have to.”

Charles shoulders drop. And for the first time Silas realises he is looking at Charles the man

not Charles the consummate professional hotelier. “Fare enough.” He sighs out the words.

“So do I have your blessing?” Silas asks.

Charles looks at him. “Three things.” He holds up a finger. “Your family comes first. All this

stuff with the daemons and the realties can wait. If she needs you, you had damn well better

be there.”

Silas nods.

“You don’t take any stupid risks. I’ve seen the effect of loosing some one had on her, and If

you put her through that again….”

“I’m not that anxious to die myself.” Silas points out.

“Ok, But you have responsibilities now. Understand that. There is more at stake.”

Silas nods.

“And finally.” Charles raises a third finger. “Get out of my hotel and get yourself a proper

home. This is ok for visits but it is not a place to live or bring up children.”

“Got it.”

“Gemma has resident’s rights and I would have thought with all the running round you have

been doing for Connaught and Prydan you should have earnt some points. Between you, you

should qualify for a house within the walls. They have just refurbished the terraces on

Hunters Walk. See of you can get one of those, they are not big but it’s a start. Failing that

there are the new apartments planned for Northgate Development.”

Charles stands up. Pulling his waist coat straight. “Now go on. The sooner you get the

paperwork underway the sooner I can have my suite back for paying customers.”

+*+

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Suki holds him tightly. He can feel her there so close to him but he has no strength in his

limbs to return her embrace.

“What did they do to you?” She asks.

He has no strength to reply. And even if he did he does not want her to suffer even at second

hand.

She runs her hands over his limbs, she can feel the distortions and twists in his form created

by Blakks sport.

“No.” She sighs.

He wants to open his eyes. He is desperate to look at her, to reassure himself that this is not

just another desperate dream, like those that tormented him whilst the Daemons played.

She kisses him. Strokes his face. Whispers to him in a deep language that speaks to his soul.

She places her hand over his heart and he feels her pushing her energy into him.

He wants to stop her. To warn her of the danger that she is facing. But he knows that even if

he could speak he could not stop her. He just has to trust to her skill.

Then she kisses him again and from somewhere the energy to open his eyes comes.

She strokes his hair and lifts his glasses out of the way to look into the silver Iris.

“Beautiful.” She whispers. And not for the first time.

He smiles.

She strokes his face again, he can feel the energy flow into him at every touch.

She looks down at him. “Where do I start Aaron?” She asks him. “What did they do to you?”

He closes his eyes. The only way he has to let her know that he does not want to talk about

it. Doesn’t even want to think about it.

“Ok.” She strokes his cheek. “It’s good job I know you so well.”

Slowly she sets to work rebuilding him, repair the damage. Organ by organ, Tissue by tissue,

Cell by cell.

+*+

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Silas starts to head back to the garrison and then realises that there is another conversation

that he really can not put off. He turns north, heading for the small terraces near the

Cathedral Green. He pauses briefly summoning some courage before he knocks on the

recently repainted red door.

Sally’s mother opens it, her face sharp at the sight of him standing there. “What do you

want?” It is clear that she has heard from Sally what happened.

“Can I talk to Sally?”

“You can talk. I doubt she will listen.” She stands to one side to let him into the hallway

beyond. Sally is sitting in the lounge. Her eyes are red and when she looks at him they are

full of hate.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sure you are.” She looks up at her mother, who takes the hint and leaves, closing the

door behind her.

“What was I, Silas?”

He swallows.

“A bit of a laugh. How long have you and Gemma been planning this?”

“It’s not like that.” He defends, and then realises he can only speak for himself. “I…” He

struggles for the words. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Oh but humiliating me is ok then?” She shouts. “How do you think I feel? Every one I know.

All my friends were in that place. You could at least have had the consideration to do you

infidelity in private!”

He can only stand there as she off loads. “You made me into a laughing stock Silas. How can

I face them after that?”

She falls quiet glaring at him.

And then the words come to him. If he didn’t know better he would have thought it was Rik

speaking because the words flow from his mouth without any prompting or planning.

“Is that all you feel?”

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She glares at him, not getting his meaning.

“You see me dancing with your best friend and ALL you can think about what other people

are going to think about you?” He challenges. “Did the fact that I was with some one else not

enter? At any point did you actually miss me? Did you think. ‘hang on he’s mine’ or was it all

‘Oh I’m going to look stupid?’ “ He almost laughs as it all come crashing in.

“God Aaron was so right about you.”

“What the hell is that meant to mean?”

“The last eighteen months Sally. You and me as a couple. I mean did I actually feature in

that at all? Or was I just a convenient manikin to have on your arm.”

She stares at him, a look of disbelief on her face at his accusation.

“No really I’d like to know!” He demands.

“This is that Dr Mellor. He’s poisoned you against me.” She retaliates. “What hold does he

have over you Silas? He clicks his fingers and you come running.”

“Oh and you’d rather it was you that I was running to was it?”

“You are meant to be MY boyfriend! You are meant to love me.”

“Well you have fucking funny way of showing it.”

She glares at him. “What’s that meant to mean?”

“When was the last time you showed any concern for me? Actually when did you ever ask

me how I was doing? The only time you ever showed any interest in what I do was when it

interfered with your plans. Did it never occur to you that what I was doing was actually

important?”

“Important. You’re an errand boy Silas. A jumped up little post man.”

It’s the closest he has ever come to hitting some one. Instead he manages to turn his anger

into the simple words “You have no idea.”

“I asked you before Silas, this time you can answer me. What hold does he have over you?”

He looks at her. Only one word comes to mind. “Faith.”

“What?” She spits it back at him.

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“I believe in him. He believes in me. It’s a mutual trust. When he asks me to do something I

know it’s because it is something good that I can do.”

“You talk like he is your god or something.”

He has no answer to that.

“You are such a fool Silas. You could have been with me. You could have had a good life here

with me. But you are throwing that all away for some idiotic goose chase with Mellor. You

should hear what my Dad has to say about him…”

“You don’t get it Sally. This is not just some job I do. It’s not a choice. It’s who I am.” And as

he says it he realises how true the words are. “Aaron could vanish right now and it would not

make a jot of difference. I am not going to change.”

He feels the anger drain from him. He looks at her and all he can feel is pity for the small

childish world she is living in.

“I’m sorry Sally. Not that I was with Gemma. I’m sorry we didn’t have this conversation a

year ago.”

She looks at him. Her eyes turning red as she realises there is only one way this is going.

“Good luck Sally. I hope you find a manikin more fitting to the roll.”

And walking out of the door is all too easy.

+*+

As he turns the corner at the end of the row he sees Aaron sitting on a low stone wall,

obviously waiting there for him. For a second he contemplates ignoring him and walking on –

and then realises that would be pointless. Instead he joins him on the wall.

“You ok?” Aaron asks.

Silas ponders for a second and then responds. “Actually yes.” Almost surprise by how true

that is.

Aaron nods.

Silas looks at him’ “But I almost feel like I shouldn’t be.”

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“Why?”

“Well I just split up from my girl friend.”

Aaron shakes his head. “You didn’t split up. You saw what was really happening and moved

on.”

Silas shrugs. “I didn’t know what wasn’t there until suddenly it was.” He states not sure if he

is making any sense at all.

But Aaron nods so he figures he can’t be far wrong.

“It feels so good with Gemma. I mean it’s not like you and Suki but..”

Aaron stops him.” Hang on lad. Don’t go measuring against that he warns.”

“well I suppose nothing is ever going to be that good.” Silas concedes

Aaron Laughs. “On the contrary.” His face softens. “Suki and I didn’t happen over night Silas.

Compared to where we started, you and Gemma are a long way down the road.”

Silas looks at him confused.

“Suki and I have had life times together. Literally. She lived one and died and then, thanks to

Corton, she came back.”

“So what was it like when you first got together?”

Aaron leans back on the wall. “Hard.” He admits. “It was an arranged marriage. I was a dirty

Gaigin. Her family lost a lot of status when she married me. It took me years to undo the

social conditioning to get to the woman I knew was underneath. There were time when…

well let’s just say it was hard.”

“What kept you going?”

“I knew it would be worth it in the end.” He turns and looks at Silas. “And it is. She can be

half the multi-verse away and I can just close my eyes and feel her heartbeat.” As he speaks

he closes his eyes and a smile comes to his face, followed by a look of peace.

“Ahh” Silas comments, recognising the expression. “So that’s what you are doing when you

are counting to ten.”

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Aaron opens his eyes and grins at him. “There you go lad. Another of my secrets revealed.”

He jokes.

“Can Gem and I be that good?”

“If you both what it to be. If you both have the commitment. It’s a faith thing. ‘One person

believe in you, you can be a god.’ Believe in each other and you won’t go far wrong. You

could never have had that with Sally.”

Silas nods. “Sally is a child. Gemma is…” He grins. “A woman.” He adds in an almost

salacious tone.

Aaron laughs. “Aye.” He agrees. “Gemma has not been a child for a long time. I can give you

the exact second when Gemma stopped being a child.”

Silas looks at him and frowns.

“It was then Prydan and I went to tell her family about her brothers death.”

“I didn’t know you were there for that.”

Aaron sighs. “He died under my captaincy Silas.” He swallows. “I was leading the team on

the bridge.” He looks at him. “There aren’t many of us around that can repair Daemonic

damage that bad.”

“Prydan told them what happened. Charles went ballistic, called me every name under the

sun. Her mother just collapsed sobbing and then there was Gemma. She just sat there and I

saw her do it. There and then she made a definite choice. Childhood was over. It was like

watching a kid put all their favourite toys in a box and locking them up for ever.”

Silas realises there are tears in his eyes.

Aaron looks at him. His voice soft and serious. “Don’t let her forget where she put the key,

Silas. Remind her occasionally that it is alright to be happy. Some times she gets so wrapped

up in what we are doing her she forgets.”

“Ok.”

Then Aaron smiles and the tears and sadness have gone.

“Now Why don’t you remind me what is involved in a rite of binding.”

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Silas looks confused. “why?”

“Go on humour me.” Aaron responds

“You enter into the lea. The prospective field member proves their worth. Promise to follow

and obay the field leader. The field leader accepts them and they receive the Field mark.”

“That’s what I thought.” Aaron responds.

“You know that.”

“Of course I do.” Aaron looks at him. Silas knows full well there is something he is missing.

“Ok Clue two. Where is Paul’s Castle?”

“In a reality bubble in U space.”

“Which is…?”

“Technically the lea but…” A look of shock comes over Silas face as the pieces fall into place.

“Oh No.”

“Oh Yes.” Aaron comments softly. He leans over and nudges his shoulder. “Congratulations

Silas, where do I send the fondue set?”

Silas puts his head in his hands. “No.” He whimpers silently.

He can feel Aaron laughing. He risks looking over.

“Muppet.” Aaron declares. “Look don’t beat yourself up over it. Consider it an engagement

or something. We can do the big white dress and mother-in-laws hat thing later when we

have more time.”

Silas sits up. “Yeah.” He breathes out. “We have a murderer to stop first.”

Aaron stands up. “So lets go do that.” He starts down the hill.

Silas catches up. “Paul is never going to let me forget this is he.”

“Nope.”

“It was a bit dumb.” Silas concedes.

“Yeap.”

“And you knew I would do it.” He realises, glaring at Aaron.

Aaron just grins.

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“Why didn’t you stop me, or at least warn me?”

“Because Silas. “He pulls open the door to the map room. “That is against the rules.”

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Chapter 23“What’s against the rules?” Gemma asks.

“Telling people about their own futures.” Aaron responds, noting the look that passes

between Gemma and Paul as he says it. “So how are you doing?”

“Making progress.” Gemma responds. “Especially since I got my head round these.” She

points to the scrolls.

Silas realises what they are.

“I’m going to wait out side.”

“No you are not.” Gemma states. “I’m not going to give you anything you don’t need to

know, but there are somethings you need to know if we are going to sort this.”

“Ok”. He shuffles a little uncomfortably.”

“The two girls that died are both descendants of Silvia. Now this is the interesting thing.

Although they both come from different lines, if you plot the birth order on each generation

separately, Amy is the oldest of that generations. Fiona was the forth.”

“So?”

“Two and three are both male.”

“ahh.” Aaron comments.

“So we have a probable next target. Number five is Ruth.”

“Oh you are good.” Silas comments in admirations.

Gemma grins in appreciation.

“Gets better.” Paul adds. “We even have a probably window of attack.”

“Amy and Fiona were the same age when they first encountered our murderer.”

“So we have it narrowed to a year?”

“No we have it narrowed to a forty eight hour period. I don’t know why this is significant but

Amy pulled her self out of reality when she was exactly fourteen years, two months and four

days old. And according to local police records Fiona was abducted when she was fourteen

years, two months and two days old.”

“Why that date?” Silas asks confused.

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“Ahh.” Aaron states softly.

“What?” Gemma asks.

“Well that is how old Silvia was on the day Chris announced her engagement.”

“The day of the attack.” Paul clarifies.

Aaron nods.

“So this is definitely related to our case.” He says gesturing to the velum.

“Looking more likely.”

“Wait a minite. Why don’t we just go to where ever Ruth is at that time then grab who ever

turns up to get her?” Silas asks.

“Because that would be a stupid risk.” Gemma states. “We need to know way more about

what we are up against first. We need to be sure who and what ever we send there can take

this thing down.”

“Besides.” Aaron points. “We always can so we don’t need to do it yet.”

“I’m confused.” Silas complains.

“Don’t worry Silas. We will get you to Ruth before this creature does. I promise you that.”

Gemma states. “And that is all you have to worry about.”

“What we have to worry about is making sure you have everything you need with you when

you get there.” Aaron finishes. He grimaces. “Still pieces missing.”

Gemma gestures to the report on the wall of the pioneer. “That’s it. That is the only link we

have to the murderer at the moment and we have nothing of use on her.”

“Yeah.” Aaron admits. Then his demeanour changes. “You coming Silas?”

“Where?”

“St Peters.”

“Why?”

“Gemma time is better spent here, Prydan has already annoyed them and Paul couldn’t even

go up the steps.”

Paul shrugs. “Holy ground.” He confesses.

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“And I really don’t want to go there on my own.”

“Ok.” Silas responds.

+*+

As they head back up to the cross Aaron looks at him. “I should probably give you a bit of a

warning about this place. Through in the main chambers it is women only. Once in there the

women are not allowed to communicate.”

“Yeah you said.” He states.

“St Peters was founded to contemplate the nature of the Wyrd.”

“Isn’t that your dad or something?” Silas points out.

Aaron sighs. “Well yeah.”

“So why don’t they just ask you?”

“Because the Wyrd is way more complex than that.”

Silas looks at him suspiciously. “If I went into casters records I wouldn’t find some reference

to some Mellor or Elward or something like that having been involved in the founding of that

order would I?”

“You… Might.”

“When most people want to get to know their parents, they go and talk to them Aaron.”

“Most people have that option. Half the time I go to IN she has no idea who I am. The other

half she isn’t exactly thrilled to see me.” He dismisses the comment with a wave of his hand.

“Besides it’s way bigger than that. It’s the whole reconciliation thing. The Wyrd created the

original reality. Some where in her madness that information must still exist.”

“Thus St Peters.”

He nods. “I need to go beyond the doors. I need to commune with the model of the Wyrd in

there. If Amy linked to it, then it will have with in it what she saw. If I can tease it out of the

rest of it.”

“I thought Men weren’t allowed in.”

“They are not.”

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“You planning a sex change?”

“No.”

“So how are you going to do this then?”

He grimaces. “Brute force and ignorance.”

Silas’s face falls. “They are nuns Aaron.”

Aaron nods.

“You know. Nuns… Those small penguin things that can cut you apart just by looking at you.

Thing that travel with out moving. You know they can go from piety to brutality in a blink of

and eye and back. The scariest thing in the whole of Catholicism. Even the pope is scared of

nuns and he has a direct line to god himself!”

Aaron pauses at the bottom of the steps.

“Finished?”

Silas nods.

“Well now you know why I didn’t want to come here on my own.”

He strides up the steps and pushes open the door.

+*+

Gemma systematically works through the data she has.

Paul watches her in silent awe, occasionally filling in some minor detail that has not been

written down. He had been told by Rae how efficient the woman is but this is the first time he

has witness it for himself.

“This world you went to with Aaron using the cross.”

“Yes.”

“You got a nomenclature for it?”

He pauses. “LL004 I think. To be honest I didn’t check.”

She looks at him in withering disbelief. “But” he says quickly in his defence. “Chrimel were

there recently, they got chased off my the locals.”

“Can I borrow you phone? I left mine at your place.”

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He passes it over.

She types a number in it from memory. And then with a flick of her head to move her hair

out of the way puts it to her ears. “Hi Jerry. It’s Gemma. How are you doing?”

The other side of the conversation continues un heard by Paul.

“Brill. Listen your guys did a job on a world recently. Daemon attack. Large church the locals

refused aid…”

“Yeah that sound about right. You got a world nomenclature on that?…. LL004. Thanks

Jerry… Really… That is interesting… Thanks…..Yeah you too.”

She presses three buttons on the phone and then throws it back to Paul.

He looks hopefully at the call settings.

“You deleted the number.” He complains.

“Like I’m going to be responsible for you getting his direct line.” She responds adding some

notes to the sheet of paper she was working on.

“How come suddenly no one trusts me.” He moans.

She looks at him. Jiggerling her pen in her fingers.

“Suddenly?” She challenges.

He sulks. But it leaves her in silence to work.

+*+

Silas follows Aaron into St Peters, not sure what he can offer other than moral support.

Sister Ruth is standing in the foyer, blocking Aaron’s passage into the church with her own

frail body. Aaron stops.

“This place is not for you Wyrd Child.” She states.

“Neither the less I am going in there.” Aaron stats.

She crosses her arms.

“Close the door Silas.”

Silas comes in and pulls the door closed behind him.

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Aaron looks over to the office Prydan and Rae were shown into earlier. He smiles and

vanishes inside. Silas watch as he wheels out a chair and positions it facing the nun so it is

blocking the door to the street. Then he sits down.

The nun glares at the both, but mostly at Aaron.

“I can wait.” He states. “Let’s see who dies of old age first shall we.”

A calmness descends on the room. Silas leans against wall next to the door, hoping that

Aaron was joking about the “Old age” comment. As aged as the nun looks he is not sure he

would out live her.

Then he sees Aaron closes his eyes. He drops his shoulders slightly. This is similar to when

he thinks of Suki, but not the same. Silas watches him intently, trying to work out what is

going on.

Then Aaron looks up. There is a firm determination in his gaze as he looks through the nun

and past the door behind her.

“No.” Sister Ruth whispers.

Aaron does not respond.

“No.” She says louder. You can not do this.”

She steps forward. Her actions more threatening. As panic sets in.

“This is a violation of all that we are. I am telling you to stop.”

Aaron switches his focus to her. His head tilt slightly but his face shows no emotion.

And then the noise starts inside. The sound of voice. The sound of panic; of crying; of

confusion.

The door behind the nun opens. “Sister what is happening.”

Aaron stands up.

“Sit here Silas.” His voice is flat and cold. “Do not let any one leave.”

“Ok.”

Silas sits.

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He can see into the room beyond. The lower part of the room is set out like a church. Rows of

pews with a central Aisle, leading to some alter. However hovering in the air in the centre of

the room is some shifting amorphous blob, silver and pearlescent white. He has seen this

before, long ago in Aaron’s memories; the Wyrd, or at least one of her forms.

Around the rooms are the nuns, confused and panicking. Whatever Aaron has done they

seem to be capable for communication now, but all they can do is ask each other confused

questions. As Aaron strides in determined they see him and the confusion turns to fear. They

run to each other. He can hear their bewilderment: A man has violated the sanctum, How

can this be?

None of them try to stop him. They do not know how. This is a situation that they are totally

unprepared for.

Aaron reaches the creation. Silas watches him draw himself up right, the same action he

used when they entered the presence of the Fay kings in Avalon. His stance speaks of

Confidence; of his right to be there. Then he reaches out and presses both hands into the

shifting mass.

Aaron feels the Wyrd react to his presence with confusion. The removal of the link to her

servants was bad enough, but this is something beyond what is allowed. He feels her

recognition of his mind, and her irritation at his audacity. But He is too determined to back

down. She wants to know what could be so important that he would risk her wrath.

So he shows here. He feels her repulsion at the deaths, especially given at the nature of

those who have died. A deal is reached. She shares with him the knowledge that he needs

that she has gained on the understanding that he leaves and resets things.

Of Amy there is little. She was not there long enough to develop any affinity with her. Still

what she shares shows him that in her life in St Peters, as brief as it was, was a time of

happiness and a feeling of safety and acceptance.

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The Pioneer never communicated with her. The best he has is the views the other servants

shared. The pioneer wore a mask, a white face with black eyes which has simplistic markings

reminding him of Kabuki theatre Demon. Briefly he thinks of Paul, but Paul would never be

that blatant. Besides she is definitely female, and not Rae’s build at all. He puts the idea to

the back of his mind.

Then they wyrd shares him the identity of the one who was closest to Amy during her time

here. He feels the wyrd’s pleasure at her protective attitude towards the troubled new

arrival, and the reward she has for her.

Concluding he has everything that may help, he thanks her and withdraws.

The nuns are huddled into one corner glaring at him. He studies her picking out the ‘one who

helped’.

“You come with me.”

She looks scared but detaches herself from the group and follows Aaron out of the church

into the foyer. Aaron closes the door.

Aaron looks her up and down. His expression is still emotionless and detached and Silas feels

glad that he is not studying him with the same gaze.

“Tell me about Amy.”

“Amy?” She looks confused. Silas shows her the photo.

“Oh the girl who left.” She responds. “I…”

“I know you helped her.” Silas can hear subtle tones appearing in Aaron’s voice, softer tones.

“I… She needed help. I tried as best as I could. I..” She shrugs.

“You did help her.” Aaron reassures her. “You made her time her happy. Be sure of that.”

“Thank you.” She replies.

“Tell me about what happened when the pioneer arrived?”

The young nun looks confused.

“Did Amy react to her in any way?” Aaron asks, his voice almost normal now.

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“No. Not really. It was just after she left. Amy went to her room and then came out. She was

very upset. I tried to calm her; to stop her. But she ran.”

“Was there anything you can think of that might have explained why she ran?”

The nun looks confused. Then she looks at him. “There was one thing.” I only found it after

she left. When it was clear she wasn’t going to return I cleared her room. There was

something in there which I am sure she didn’t bring with her.”

“What?”

“I can get it for you.” She turns, her habit pulling tight across her and Silas realises that she

has a bulge on her belly. She opens the door and vanishes inside. The sound of weeping

drifts into the foyer.

“Aaron?”

“Yes?”

“Is she pregnant?”

“Yeap.”

“How does a nun in a completely female environment get pregnant?”

Aaron takes a deep breath. “It is a gift from the Wyrd.” He explains. “A reward for what she

did for Amy whilst she was here.”

“But that was a few days ago. She looks five, six months gone.”

“Time has very little meaning in here Silas.” Aaron responds and looks at him. “The nuns

here age and die, but they need to stay on. I think it is some kind of parthenogenesis which

allows them to be reborn.”

“You think?”

“The wyrd doesn’t really understand reproduction Silas. She kind of makes it up as she goes

along.”

“So is this how she made you?”

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“No with me she took on a human form who was my father. According to Alex his name was

John. They met in Kathmandu.” He thinks briefly. Then shrugs. “It might be where Christine

came from. But it’s not a discussion I have ever felt the need to have with her.”

The door opens again. The young nun returning clutching something in her hand. Aaron

holds out his hand and she drops into it a metal pin badge. Aaron uses his thumb to roll it

over in his palm.

“Ahh.”

Silas looks down into his hand. The pin has is a very distinctive logo, a curled up letter C.

“Speak of the devil.” Aaron states

“Chrimel.” Silas whispers.

Aaron looks at the nun and smiles. “Thank you.”

She swallows and nods.

Silas watches him close his eyes. A stillness entering him again. The sound of crying

vanishes. Then he looks at her. She closes her eyes and Silas sees the same quietness enter

her.

Without a word she turns and vanishes back into her silent world.

+*+

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Chapter 24Aaron and Silas arrive back at the Map room.

Aaron places the pin on the table. Gemma and Paul look over at it.

“This is what scared Amy so much she left St Peters.” He states softly.

“A Chrimel pin badge?”

Aaron nods.

“There must be millions of them in existence. Chrimel pretty much give them away with

cornflakes on their world.

“Yeah but Amy had never been there. Besides the nun we talked to was pretty sure she

didn’t have it with her when she arrived.”

“What did you get on the pioneer?”

“Not a lot.” Aaron admits. “She did not commune with the wyrd and she wore a mask whilst

she was there.” He pulls over a piece of paper and quickly sketches the design on the mask.

“A Kabuki demon?” Paul comments. “Isn’t that being a bit blatant.”

Aaron shrugs.

“Oh I’ve been so dumb.” Paul admits, putting his hand over his face. “It’s So fucking obvious

you are going to kick yourself.”

“Go on.” Silas asks.

“Jerry all but had it. He said may be it’s further down the line.”

“Spit it out Paul.” Gemma prompts.

“Chrimel.” Paul points to the badge. “plus Daemon.” He sighs. “Equals Polar.”

“That’s a tad circumstantial.” Aaron points out.

“Polar was not at the engagement. That was the same day in Silvia’s life that these two were

attacked. That was the day Silvia was brought into Christine’s family, and by not being at the

engagement, Polar was snubbed. You know her. She wont take that one lying down. These

girls were all attacked at exactly the same ages as Silvia was on that day.”

“But why these people?”

“Can’t you just hear it? Can’t you hear Chris laying down the ultimatum. ‘ You don’t take it

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out on Silvia. You don’t take it out on her children. Or her children’s children, or her

children’s, children’s, children, or her children’s, children’s, children’s, children…’ and so on.

And all the time Polar is counting the generations until she gets to this lot. And they are fair

game.”

“Because Christine didn’t specifically say they were not.”

“Polar is more than powerful enough to do that.” He point to the post death images.

“And she has access to Chrimel tech.”

“And she was on the world Amy was taken to. Jerry said she specifically requested lead roll

on that. Said she was afraid she was getting rusty. Chris was furious when the repulse failed.

She shouted Polar out in front of the whole house.” Gemma advises them.

“How to make friends and influence people eh?” Paul comments.

Aaron look at the data. “Well it fits but we need something more than theory if we are going

to take this to Chris.”

“And if it is Polar?” Silas asks.

They look at Aaron. “She’s Christine’s beast. We would have to leave it to her to decide. I

don’t want a war between the Mellors.” He sighs “The realities wouldn’t survive that.”

“So she could get away with it then.” Silas asks. He can feel his anger beginning to rise.

Aaron looks at him “I doubt it. It’s way more than two deaths. It’s a breach of trust Silas.” He

swallows. “I know what I would do if Corton ever did that to me, and we have way more

invested in each other than Polar and Christine do. Which is why we need to be sure of this.”

“There is one sure fire way.” Gemma states. She points and the info on the wall about Ruth.

“Plan A.”

“We get her when she comes for the next target.” Aaron comments.

“Red handed. Chris can’t complain about that one.” Gemma continues.

“And we know our target now.” Silas remarks, reminding them of the promise they made to

him.

“You can not go on your own.” Gemma states firmly.

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“Aaron and I are out.” Paul points out. “She’d smell us a mile away and just not attack. Same

with Rae.”

“We can ask Prydan?” Silas suggests.

“May be.” Aaron responds. But it is clear from his voice that he is not hopeful on that one.

“But right now my guess is he is still filing and wouldn’t be much use to you.”

“Filing?” Paul looks at him. “Doesn’t he have a secretary for that?”

Aaron looks at him knowingly.

“Oh that filling.” Paul guesses the reference. “Cool when do we have the party?”

“When all this is finished.” Aaron states firmly. “The hunters ball would be a good time.”

“Am I missing something here?” Silas asks.

“Prydan coalesced.” Paul responds. “I guess Aurelius reappearance had a lot to do with

that.”

“Wasn’t that the name of guy digging the trench the night we didn’t eat the fish? Didn’t you

suggest Prydan go and deputising him or something?” Silas asks recalling the conversation.

“You been meddling again, Aaron?” Paul smirks at him.

“Just maintaining my reputation.” He defends darkly. “Anyway Prydan’s issues are not our

concern at the moment, what we really need is some one who can get you in there, pick her

up quick, and get her out without too much fuss.”

“What we need is a Road trip!” Paul stares with a smile.

“Road trip?” Silas asks.

Aaron closes his eyes. “Oh god.”

“Come on Aaron you know I’m right. He can do it.”

“Mags has got the containment.” Gemma confirms. “Rae installed it after….”

“Yeah may be we can just skim over that one.” Paul cuts her off.

Gemma grins at Silas and mouths ‘tell you later.’

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“Ok.” Aaron relents.

Gemma holds her hand out to Paul. Meekly he puts his phone into it. She types in the

number, again from memory.

“Andi? Hi it’s Gemma. I have a job for you. Hostile pick up. Usual fee plus bonuses.

Interested? Ok WN is HS139, if you can get to Caseter our representative will meet you

there….. Silas ” She smiles. “Ok I’ll tell him.” She looks pointedly at Paul as she cancels the

call data again.

“Oh come on I knew that one!” He protests.

“Then it doesn’t matter does it.” She smiles. She turns to Aaron. “You footing the bill one this

one?”

“Of course. Forward the invoice to Dorchester and I’ll get josh to transfer the funds.”

“Thank you.” Then she looks at Silas. “He asked you bring a bottle of the Vodka he had in

the Yacht.”

“Ok.” Silas agrees.

“Well you better get going. HS139 is Declan’s place.” She anticipates his next question.

He nods and goes to leave.

“Ah Hmm.” She comments pointedly.

He turns looking confused, and then embarrassed. “Oh.” He goes over to her and hugs her,

planting a kiss on her up turned lips. Then he realises there is something else he need to tell

her. “I spoke to your dad.”

“And.”

“We need to apply for a house.”

She smiles. “Ok I’ll get the paper work underway.”

“And I talked to Sally.”

“I said I’d do that.”

“I know but... I had to do it. Should have done it a long time ago really. Anyway. It’s sorted.”

“If you are sure.”

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He nods.

“You better get going. Be careful.” She instructs.

“I will.” He reassures her. Then he kisses her again just for luck.

As the door closes behind him she whispers. “Tell me it gets easier.”

“Can’t.” Aaron responds. “Doesn’t.”

“Ok.” She replies, then she looks up at him.

“But you can be sure he is coming home.” Aaron assures her, pointing at the bloodline data.

“Just focus on that.”

She nods and takes strength from his words.

+*+

Silas calls in briefly at the Dorchester to pick up a few things and the bottle of Vodka before

unlocking Caester and walking the route to Declan’s home world on the date Gemma

identified as the window for the attack. He comes out into clear blue skys and the sound of

birds, a bright spring day. The Streets of the city are full of shoppers and tourists and it

reminds him of home. He cuts back along East street heading towards the carpark Andi used

last time. The cross in this world is a Epstein statue of a man gazing up into the sky. He

pauses for a second hopping he never has to see it in the collection of fallen worlds.

As he arrives at Watergate the air fills with the sound of loud music and happy screaming. A

fair ground is scattered across the flat land between the city and the river. Bright lights and

balloons fill the sky as the people of Caester play. He is sure he sees Sally in the crowd, but

he can not be sure if it is his Sally or the version of her that appears on this world.

And then remembers that she is not his Sally.

“It’s all moving too quickly.” He whispers.

“Scream if you want to get off.” The voice comes from his elbow height and he looks down to

see Andi.

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“Hi.” Silas responds. “Oh Gemma said you wanted this.” He hands over the bottle in a plastic

bag.

Andi looks up and grins. “Ta.” He puts the bottle into a pocket on the side of the chair. Then

gestures to the fair “Couldn’t get parked.” He complains. “You would have thought they

would have had some sort of disabled access provision.” He grins. “I don’t know some

realities are so backwards.” He turns the chair and pushes it down the road. “I’m on the

other side of the river.” Silas lengthens his stride to catch up with the rapid pace he is

setting. The Cane making a regulat lick noise as the metal tip hits the flag stones.

“So what have you been up to since we last met?” Andi asks.

Silas has to think, it doesn’t seem that longs ago yet he realises some how he seems to have

fitted and awful lot in. “Split up with my girlfriend, broke my leg, got married, saved an

entire species from being hunted to extinction.” He summarises “You?”

“Couple of jobs for Chrimel, Bit of asteroid mining. Nothing that fun. Gemma sent me

through the info on the job but it doesn’t make a huge amount of sense. Do you want this

Ruth girl picking up or not.”

“No. We are after the woman who will be turning up to attack her.”

“Ah bit of a stake out job then.”

“Something like that.”

Andi stops at a large camper van. “Hi honey I’m home.” And the door slides open, a ramp

coming down. With a practiced easy he manoeuvres the chair up the ramp and into the front

of the van. There is a loud click as it slides into the slots that hold it in place. Silas follows

him in and the door slides closed behind him.

“What have you got on the attacker?” Andi asks.

“Polar” Silas responds.

Andi stops and looks at him. “Who?”

“Polar, she works for Chrimel.” He clarifies

“Oh yea, I’d hope there isn’t more than one.” He stares at Silas. “You are serious.”

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Silas nods.

“The Polar was Christine O'Naigh personal body guard.” He looks over his shoulder. “Where’s

you back up?”

Silas shakes his head. “Just you and me.”

Andi leans back in the seat. “Oh I should have known this was just one big pile of poo when

the payment came through from the David Waters account.”

“If you want to back out.” Silas offers.

“No I’ve taken the job. I have a reputation to maintain.” He unclips the chair again. “But if

the target is that big I’m going to need to be better equipped.”

Andi moves past him. Silas pulling his feet up onto the bench to give him room. Then he

opens a large cupboard. Inside is a silver body suit. Andi starts to pulls off his flight suit.

Rolling down the trousers. As he bends over Silas spots a very familiar mark on his hip.

“What’s that?”

Andi looks down. “Birth mark or something.”

“Really. Want to see the original?” Silas pulls up the sleeve of his t shirt.

There is no denying the marks are the same. Andi peers at it. “Snap.” He concedes. Then he

turns his attention back to the suit. Sliding in one leg and grimacing as he pushes the toes to

the end.

Silas sits back trying to absorb the enormity of the existence of the mark.

“Who were your parents?” He asks.

“Didn’t have any.” Andi replies. “Mum was a big blue bucket of goo. Apparently you take a

cell from some human, and a cell from…” He pauses to think as he gets his next leg in. “I

think you would know them best as Eelafin but they have another name where I come from.

Then you add a few other things that help to glue the thing together. Brew in a bucket for

eighteen months and you get a me. Or something like me. Apparently results may vary. And

did. Lots. ”

“Do you know where they got the cells from?”

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Andi shakes his head. “It was some super secret experiment thing. Even if there were

records, my world went belly up ages ago so there is no where to go looking for them.” He

leans forward pushing his hands down into the sleeves of the suit. Then sits back, stretching

his arms wide. As Silas watches the suit seems to slide over him and seal itself up his spine.

There is a brief grimace as it reaches the base of his neck.

“Ow.” He flexes his neck and his shoulders. “Why the interest?”

“The mark.” Silas admits. “It’s something unique to my family.”

Andi shrugs. He does not seem to be overly interested in the revelation. “I had a family once.

It went a bit crap. Now it’s just me and Mags and I kind of like it that way.” Then he stands

up and turns round. “No offence.”

“No that’s Ok.” Silas excuses. Then he looks him up and down.

“Hard Suit.” Andi explains.” It connects into my CNS and by-passes the nerves that have

deteriorated. Also stops a 17mm bullet, which is nice. But, it kind of hurts and I can’t plug

ingot the ship whilst I’m in it. Also..” He looks down at himself. “It’s a bit of a naff design and

stands out more that I’d like, especially when the helmet is on.” He looks back as Silas. “Still

if you are serious at taking on Polar… What are you wearing?”

Silas gestures to his jeans and T-shirt.

“You are joking.”

Silas shakes his head. “I haven’t got anything else.”

Andi rubs the side of his jaw. “The person who sends you on these jobs. Do they actually like

you?” He asks.

“It’s my wife.” Silas responds.

Andi pauses thinking briefly about how to respond. “You considered marriage guidance?”

+*+

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Chapter 25Rae sits on the veranda of the small cottage at the back of the temple. The two young

children curled up on bolsters next to her are finally calm and asleep. She strokes the hair of

the youngest, a girl with a strange combination of western and oriental features that don’t

really seem to gel. She looks up as the door into the walled garden opens. A large muscular

man wearing a kimono and Tabi. There is a slightly russet hue to his skin and his long dark

hair is braided come in. He closes the door behind him as softly as he can. Then smiles at her

as he moves silently along the stone pebble path.

“How are they doing?” He asks at a whisper.

“Exhausted. I’m hopping that a good thing. Any news?”

“Sage said Sukiyama-sama just asked for a pick up from Caester 32. Apparently the boss is

back and feeling a lot better now she’s been to see him.”

Rae leans back and breaths out. “Thanks Corton.”

He sits down next to her. The boy shuffles in his sleep; His features are smoother and much

more good looking than his sister. “Shhh Rik.” He whispers, stroking his hair to settle him.

“Mums on her way back.”

“So what has got them all worked up out there?” Corton asks.

“Some one has been killing people who are descended from Silas.” She states softly. “Well

feeding them to daemons actually.”

“And that’s how A ended up in shades?”

She nods.

“Do we know how long he was in there for?”

She shakes her head. “Do you really think he would ever say?”

“Not to Suki he won’t.” He confirms

“He might to you.” She states softly.

“Yeah.” Corton admits.

“Make him talk if you can Cort. This is not something he should have to keep himself.”

He gestures to the small building behind them. “You staying?”

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“No I’m going to get back. I might be needed in Caester.” She stands up.

“I’ll stay here with the kids. If pop off you can use the same pick up as a drop off. That will

make Sage happy.”

She smiles. “Ok. Thanks Cort.

“Any time.”

+*+

Andi pulls the van to a halt in front of a private girls school.

“We are going to get arrested as paedophiles.” He states firmly.

“We have to stick with Ruth.” Silas responds. “And right now she should be in there.”

“Well lets see what we have got.” Andi presses a few buttons on the dash board and a flat

plane appears in the air in the middle so the van. “Bring it in a bit Mags.” He requests. A

number of distortions and ripples start to come into view. Andi points at a large distortion in

the middle. “That’s us. Like I said. Mags is kind of a Lea gate so she shows up on reality

plots.”

“Could Polar detect this?” Silas asks, suddenly sensing there may be a fundamental flaw in

the plan.

“Well if she was really looking, but we are pretty shielded from the outside. Thanks to that.”

He taps a panel at the side of him. “A bit of anti daemon tech we err… kind of acquired from

Chrimel. For some reason when we got to the drop off point the delivery note read one less

than the collection.” He grins and shrugs.

“Ok. I won’t tell them.” Silas grins back.

They turn back to the plot. “The school would be here….. Ooo that’s interesting.”

“What?”

He point to two minor ripples. “Kind of Bulmäs ish. But there aren’t any on this world.” He

looks at Silas. “Bulmäs show up on reality plots, something to do with their contact with the

lea.”

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“Do I show up like that?” Silas asks

Andi shrugs. “Don’t think I’ve ever looked.” He nods his head to the door. “You can pop out

and try if you want.”

“Yeah lets to that.” Silas decides. He heads to the door and having checked there is no one

about. Slips out and walks a short distance down the road It gives him a chance to have a

look round.

The school is a large Victorian dwelling, surrounded by a large stone wall backed by trees

which all but obscure the view. However he can hear the girls playing sports in the gardens

at the side of the building. He heads back to the van.

As he closes the door he asks “Well.”

“OO yeah want a look? Mags Back up the image three minutes.”

As Silas watches the plane ripples with distortions as if some one dropped a stone in it. The

Waves it produced is two or three times the size of the distortion caused by Mags, and way

more than the ripples of the ‘Bulmäs’ Andi pointed out.The source of the disturbance moves

away from the van and then after a brief pause heads back. “Real time, please Mags.”

“That’s big.” Silas comments softly.

“That’s boasting.” Andi responds and laughs. He scratches his face, the same gesture he

made before he made the Marriage guidance comment. “I’m guessing you’re Solo.”

Silas looks at him, recalling Aaron using the term a long time ago to describe beings in the

realities where only one of them existed in the multi-verse. “I guess.” He admits. “Never

really thought about it.” He frowns, thinking of an alternative explanation “Could this be the

Rik thing?”

“Don’t know was he talking to you at the time?”

Silas shakes his head, realising that Rik has been pretty quiet for a while now.

“It’s not me, it’s Silas.” Rik speaks. As he talks there is a large distortion in the plane in front

of them, even with the Chrimel technology active it was massive.

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“Ok then.” Andi states, as the plane returns to it’s normal state. He looks up at Silas, and

frowns almost as if he is trying to look past him in some way. “You’d better keep your head

down mate, Polar would definitely spot you.”

“I think that’s the plan.” Silas responds.

“Still I suppose that might be why they send you out on your own. I mean you aren’t really

are you?” Andi observes.

Silas ponders the idea for a moment. “I…” He shrugs. He suddenly realises that Gemma has

no idea about Rik. And he has no idea how to raise the issue with her, or even if he should,

given the security issues. But how can he not tell her.

Then he realises that Andi is staring at him. “You Ok?”

“Yeah, just spotted a bit of a problem.”

Andi leans back. “Care to share?”

“Gemma doesn’t know about Rik.”

“Gemma?” Andi asks confused and then the light dawns. “Ohh you are married to her…

Wow… I didn’t know she was available... Mind you we’ve only ever talked on the phone.”

“She isn’t now.” Silas reacts with a little more speed than he intended. “It’s all pretty

recent.” he admits. “And complicated. Not sure if it is a marriage as such, may be more of an

engagement thing only, it’s more than that to us and…”

Andi holds up his hand to him to stop him prattling. “Deep breath.” He advises.

Silas stops himself and calms down.

“Not that I am in any way the best person to advise any one on anything around

relationships and shite like that.”

“But….” Silas prompts.

“You don’t want to keep any secrets from her.”

Silas looks at him.

“If she is worthy of the way you feel about her then she will keep your secrets. Other wise

what is the point? If you can’t tell her this then…” He shrugs.

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Silas realises he is right.

“Just make sure you pick the right moment.” Then he grins. “And you may want to sort out

some ground rules with Rik.” As he says it he glances down at the reality plot. It wavers

slightly. “Save any embarrassing moments.”

“Ok.”

“These two.” He points back to the ripples they were looking at. “Chances of one of them

being the girl we are looking for?”

“Pretty high.” Silas states.

“If we can confirm that then we don’t need to be too close to keep an eye on her. And Polar

should show up on this at least as big as you, probably even bigger.”

Andi looks at the reality plot. “Hang on a second… Mags over lay external top down view.”

The image ripples and takes on colour. Silas realises that he can see what looks like a

satellite view of the areas around the school.

He points to the two ripples. “ Crap.” He moves to the drivers seat. “They are leaving the

school grounds.”

The van starts up. “you are going to have to navigate me. Normally I get that lot straight in,

but in the armour.”

Silas tries to orientate myself. “Ok next right.”

As they come round the corner they can see two girls in school uniform walking down the

road. It is clear they just climbed over the wall and snuck out. Silas recognises the one

nearest the road from the image Gemma showed him of Ruth. “That’s her the one on the

right.” He points her out to Andi.

“Any idea who the one on the left is?”

Silas shakes his head. “Can you get an image of her?”

Andi taps a button on the dash board. “Done. Mags patch that one back to Gemma.”

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The two girls cross the road in front of them giggling to each other and then head down a

path into a wooded area.

“Can’t follow them down there.” Andi states. He parks up at the end of the path.

Silas turns to look at the reality plot. Then he shakes his head. “I’m not happy about this.”

He confesses.

He can see the ripples moving away, but the aerial view is useless as the path vanishes

under the trees.

Then Silas reaches a conclusion. “If you see anything, come running.”

He cracks open the door and follows the girls down the path.

+*+

Rae arrives back at the Round Eye gate. She managed a brief chat with Suki at the top of

the wooded path who assured her that her of her father’s on going existence. The hug

helped too.

She makes her way through Caesters labyrinth heading for C1 and the map room to catch up

on what is going on.

She opens the door and Gemma looks up from Aaron’s normal seat. She feels a brief second

of panic before she hears her father say. “Hi.”

She turns to him and stares, looking for some trace of the damage she knows he must have

endured at the hands of Blakk.

“Are you ok?” She asks stepping towards him.

“Yeah – Fine. Thanks to Suki as usual.”

“Good.”

Then she hits him.

Hard.

The Punch comes from nowhere and impacts on the nerve cluster below his right collar bone,

driving him backward into the wall.

“That’s for making your family worry!” She screams at him.

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“Ow.” He tries to lift his hands to fend off more blows, but the impact has left his arm feeling

limp.

Paul jumps off the desk to grab his wife, but Aaron waves him away with his good hand.

“What the bloody hell did you think you were playing at?” She rants. “You could have been

killed. Or worse. Then what would have happened? How would mum have coped? How would

we have copes but no you just had to go in there taking stupid risks and for what?”

“Rae I..” He tries to respond

“Do you know what it was like? Do you know what effect your vanishing had on Rik and Me?”

“Rae I…”

“I’ve been with them. They have been in a hell of a state. How could you Aaron?”

“Rae.”

“You must have known how it would have affected us, you just vanishing like that. Rik was

going insane.”

He gives up trying to speak and stands looking at her, flexing his fingers as the nerve cluster

starts to work again and the feeling comes back.

“I can’t believe you were so selfish. Why didn’t you warn some one? Why didn’t you have

some contingency plan in place….”

“I did.” He states barely above a whisper. “You were there.”

She stops.

“You were there. Why do you think Paul sent you there?”

She stares at him.

“What did you say to them Rae? Can you remember? More importantly can you remember

hearing it back then. Can you remember knowing that you were the one person who

wouldn’t lie to them about that? That when you said ‘don’t worry Dads coming back’ that

they knew they could believe it because you had been there yourself. And you knew it was

true.”

She sags. Her rage draining from her as she listens to his words. “Sorry.”

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He shakes his head. “Don’t apologies. Because in some ways you are right. I shouldn’t put

my family through that. And I wouldn’t have done if it wasn’t so vital that I did it. One day

you will understand Rae. But I am not going to tell you any more that that.”

He holds his arms wide. She walks forward accepting the hug. Her head resting on the nerve

cluster she hit. Aaron grimaces but says nothing. Instead he stokes her hair and kisses her

fore head.

“What to know something really funny?” He asks in a conspiratorial tone.

She looks up puzzled.

He grins. “Go and have a look at Gemma’s arm.”

“Oh please.” Gemma protests. “I think I preferred you when you were hitting each other.”

Rae turns round, Aaron’s arm still round her waist. “What have you done to your arm?” She

asks, looking confused at the total lack of obvious injury.

Paul mores over and pulls up the sleeve.

“Stop it.” Gemma tries to move away, but being sat down her options are limited. Paul grabs

her shoulder and exposes the portion of skin.

Rae frowns. “Isn’t that…” and then the light dawns. “Ohh.”

“Yeah I know.” Gemma pulls the sleeve back down to cover it, glaring at Paul. “It’s all soo

amusing to you people isn’t it.”

“Actually I think it’s kind of cute. Bit quick may be but all but inevitable.” Rae responds. Rae

looks round the room. “You guys actually doing anything productive right now, or are you

waiting on more information?”

“We are waiting for Silas to get back with Polar.” Paul states.

“Ok.” Rae strides open to Gemma and takes her arm. “So you don’t need us then.”

“Well I…” Paul struggles to find and excuse but fails.

Aaron shrugs.

Rae holds out her hand. “Card.”

Paul looks a bit panicked.

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“Least you can do having taken the mick.” Rae states and gestures ‘gimmee’.

He hands over a smooth black credit card.

“Ta.” She plants a kiss on his cheek. “Come on Gem. Lets go melt some plastic!”

As the door closes behind the two women Paul looks at Aaron. “Any chance I can send you

the balance on this one?”

“Nope.” He responds flatly.

“Shit.”

“You married her.” He moves over and takes up his seat.

“You think Connaught has any temping jobs going?”

“You think temping Jobs with Connaught are going to make the slightest dint in the debt she

is going to run up?”

“No not really.”

“You could ask Chris.”

“Oh yeah that’s going to go down well. Hi Chris, we just proved to you that your trusted body

guard has been playing you for a fast one all along, and now you have had to dispose of her

services. By the way you don’t happen to have any jobs currently going? Only I’m a bit

strapped for cash.” Paul intones, “You don’t think she may think I had an ulterior motive in

uncovering Polar’s treachery?”

Aaron looks up at him “And do you?”

Paul looks at him. His face serious. But he does not refute it.

Aaron looks back down at the paper work.

“I’m not going to deny she has been a thorn in my side for a long time.” Paul comments

softly.

“Enough of a thorn to pull it?” Aaron asks

“Do you think she doesn’t deserve it?” Paul challenges.

“I didn’t say that.” Aaron looks up at him again. “But I do want to know why…”

“Why?” Paul asks.

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“Because Paul ultimately Polar and Corton are cut of the same cloth, and if there is a flaw in

it I need to know.”

“Corton wouldn’t betray you.” Paul says with utter certainty.

“I bet Christine said that about Polar.”

“No. You are missing something here. Something crucial.” Paul pulls over a seat and sits

down across the table from Aaron. “There is one thing that you have that Chris doesn’t”

“I’m guessing it’s not sparkling good looks.”

“No.” Paul thinks, “well may be it is.” He concedes “You have Suki.”

Aaron frowns at him.

“It’s like this. I’ve seen how you work. I’ve seen how Chris works. With Chris they are at war

all the time. She accepts nothing but blind obedience. You never challenge her, you can put

forward alternative ideas, but even then you’d better be able to back it up. With you, it’s

more open. It’s more this is the problem give me solutions. Like this.” He points to the map

room full of notes can comments. “Can you ever imagine Christine giving up the main seat

like you did for Gemma?”

“Gemma’s good at it.” He justifies.

“Exactly. You see that. You see the strengths and let people play to them. Chris does too but

she tells them what to do and how to do it.”

Aaron looks at him, still confused.

“Ok. Let me put it another way. How often do you and Cort argue?”

“All the bloody time.”

“And what happens?”

“Either we resolve it or…”

“Or Suki comes in, rings the bell, makes you to return to your corners for the count and gets

you to calm down and sort it out rationally.”

“Or kicks our buts.”

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“Or spanks your back sides, yes. In which case we all get a good laugh. The point is you get

to clear the air. You both get to make your point and you both know that one way or another

the other has heard the issue and is considering your point of view. Whether you got there

on your own or by Suki making you listen to it from her.”

Aaron pauses realising he is right, and acknowledging that there have been times when

Corton actually had a better solution to the problem than he had seen, and it was only

stubbornness that had driven him to ignore it.

“When do you think the last time Polar and Chris argued?” Paul asks.

Aaron shrugs “No idea.”

“No. No body does.” Paul responds. “When you and Cort get swinging we hear it at home.

Tobi sells tickets if it’s a really good one. But Chris and Polar. How do you think they solve

those disputes? How do you think they ease those tensions?” Paul leans back. “The answer is

they don’t. Chris lays down the law. And all the time every slight, every disagreement, every

unexplained command, is eating away at Polar’s insides and feeding the Daemon within.”

Aaron looks at him.

“And take it from a man who knows Aaron. You can’t feed daemons and not expect them to

grow.”

Aaron leans back and breaths in. He nods slightly, realising the truth in Paul’s words.

“Corton will never betray you, because Corton will never be driven to the point where he has

no other option.”

Aaron turns back to Gemma’s notes reading them quickly to come up to speed, but pauls

reassurance runs through his thoughts as he realises how true it is. He puts down the pen

and looks up. “Tell you what, when the bill arrives I’ll split it with you 50-50.”

Paul smiles.

+*+

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Chapter 26Silas runs down the path, after a few turns he can see the girls through the trees and slows

to match their pace. They are talking and giggling at each other, obviously happy to have

escaped the school.

“Your mums going to give you so much stick when she finds out.” Ruth’s friend says.

“I don’t care.” Ruth responds. “Double sports. Who wants to run around and get sweaty any

way?”

“And she said she’s meet you down here?”

Silas ears prick.

“In the email yeah. It should be a laugh.”

“Does she know I’m coming?”

“No but I can’t see how it matters. Here we follow the stream.”

As he watches the girls climb over the rails of a small bridge and mover through the trees.

“I’m going to get my socks mucky.” Ruth’s friend complains.

“Just tell your mum you had cross country.” Ruth laughs.

Silas steps into the woodland. Suddenly this feels comfortable. He is back to tracking through

the trees, something familiar at last in all the strangeness he has been dealing with. It is

easy to keep up with the girls. They are making too much noise themselves to hear him, and

they are too wrapped up in anticipating the fun that awaits them to even be trying to spot

him.

They reach a small shack in the wood, dilapidated and unsafe.

“She said to wait in here.” Ruth tells her friend, pulling open the door. It creaks open the

wooden hinge protesting and the girls vanish inside.

Silas settles into the roots of a large tree to wait.

Then he hears it. Something is coming through the forest behind him. He pulls back into the

shadows, listening to the foot falls and cracks of twigs. Who ever it is may be fairly proficient

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at being silent, but is failing dismally on the woodland floor. Something silver moves into the

corner of his eye.

“You sound like a herd of Elephants.” He mutters low.

Andi turns, a large revolver like weapon in his hand.

“Never heard of elephants.” The voice comes out slightly metallic tinge. He steps over the

roots and ducks down with Silas. The image of the forest reflects off the silver suit but not

effectively enough to be camouflage.

“See what you mean about not blending in.” Silas observes.

The suit shrugs.

“The girls are in the hut. They are waiting for some one there. A woman?”

“Polar.”

“I guess so.”

“So we wait.”

Silas nods. “That’s the plan.”

“Here.” Andi hands him something like a mobile phone ear piece.

“What’s this?”

“Tac-com. Links back to Mags.”

Silas shrugs but puts it on anyway.

“You were saying Mags.” Andi prompts.

“I have trace on the two girls they are 10.4 meters a head of you and have been stationary

for 5 minutes 30 seconds. I have trace on Silas 1.04m to your right. I have unidentified major

trace approaching your location from Due north, Distance 56.2 meters. Closing at 4.5 klicks

E.T.A. 44 seconds.”

Andi points over the stream indicating the direction their target is approaching from.

Silas starts to move. He slips round the southern end of the hut, using it as cover. Andi

moves behind the tree.

“40 seconds”

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He can see Andi aiming at the door way and begins to wish he knew what was loaded in that

revolver.

“35 seconds. Unidentified trace has slowed.”

Silas closes is eyes, trying to feel out with that other sense Aaron awakened him too. He can

sense her, and the two girls in the hut. They are quieter now. Almost as if they too sense

something is going on.

“What is she holding?” Andi’s voice whispers over the Tac com. “Mags are you getting that?”

“Is she armed?” Silas whispers back. “Is it polar?”

“Can’t tell. She’s wearing a mask. White one with red lines on it. Pretty freaky if you ask me.

And some kind of form fitting body armour. But it’s got Chrimel logo embossed in it.”

“Target stationary.” Mag’s calm voice informs them. “Item identified as Chrimel technology

stasis box. Portable. Suitable for one occupant only.

“Perfect.” Andi whispers. “I’ve fancied one of those for a while.”

“Think we might be needing it. Has she seen us?”

Then Silas feels something in his mind. “Crap she is sensing us. Move.”

He springs out from around the side of hut and throws himself towards the target.

But she is fast. Very fast. He feels something impact against his side and looks down to see a

pair of shurikan embedded in his thigh frighteningly close to the area of the break – almost

as if she knew.

She jumps into the air, going far higher than any human should be able to manage.

He hears Andi swear and then there is a rush noise from up my the tree, and the silver suit

follows the woman up.

Silas looks up to see the two of them on a collision course, then the door of the hut flies open

and he can see Ruth standing there.

“Get back in.” He screams at her.

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For a second she falters, something about the tone of his voice has authority. But then looks

up and screams as she sees the deadly ballet happening.

Andi gets the upped edge on height and starts back down again, his feat aimed at the white

mask.

The woman twists in the air but some how he still makes contact. There is a rush again as

the jets built into the suit reverse flow, driving the two of them down towards the stream.

“Get the bloody box.” Silas hears him screaming over the Tac-com. Then he spots the stasis

device on the floor where she dropped it to throw the stars.

“What do I do?”

Mags is voice is steady and calm. “Activate by pushing the large blue button.”

Silas rolls the box over, covered in mud it is hard to see which side is which.

Andi and the target impact the ground, Andi springing off and pulling up the weapon, but she

jumps again.

“Bloody hell! Stay on the ground woman!” Andi complains

He locates the button and pushes it, the box starts to unfold.

“Stasis target must be in contact with the large yellow plate.” Mags continues. “Please note,

This is a single occupant device. Attempts to insert multiple targets will result in the

destruction of the device and death of targets.”

“Ok I get it.” Silas assures her.

Andi heads up again. “This is burning my power pack.” He warns.

“Also be advice device only has sufficient charge for one activation.” Mags continues.

“Get to the point.” He urges the ships systems.

“O just press the green switch.” Mags responds, sounding suddenly very human. “And keep

your fingers out of the way.”

This time the woman has the upper hand, even with the mask there seem to be a look of

delight on her face as she kicks the silver helmet.

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“Oh that does it.” Andi grabs her ankle and pulls down hard. The move throws the woman off

balance in the air. He twists it, flipping her over.

Silas stands up with the devise open, yellow plate facing away from him.

Gravity reasserts it’s will on the fight and they fall again. Andi landing flat on his back as she

hits the floor in a cat like poses. Then she kicks him in the head. Then looks up at Silas and

the item. She jumps forward towards him.

Andi grabs her leg again. Her forward momentum sufficient to pull them both through the

mud.

She looks over her shoulder at the distraction, surprise her second blow did not lay him out.

“Let go!” Mags screams at him.

Silas leaps forward using the distraction as his chance to act.

Andi, unaware of Silas approach but trusting Mags completely, lets go.

They yellow plate hits the woman on the shoulder and Silas slaps the green switch.

And then the world before him turns inside out.

He has no idea what a stasis devise is or how it works, but for a man who knows the lea is

does not look one bit pretty. He can feel reality complain as chunks of it are ripped away.

The space occupied by their target seems to fold in on itself, and then back again.

And she isn’t there.

The whole forest seems to be silent, as if the world itself is stopped in a shocked pause.

Then he hears Ruth screaming.

He looks up at Andi. He knows he should do something about the panicking girls but he is

frozen.

Then Mag’s voice cuts into his ear. “Get up.”

Andi stands on auto pilot. Then he comments “I thought we were going to keep you a

secret.”

“He has Rik in his head Andi.” She responds.

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Silas looks over to the girls they are on their knees hugging each other in total terror. Andi

start towards them.

“No.” Silas stops him. “They are scared enough as it is without having to face you in that get

up.”

He goes over to the girls, standing over them. “You have no idea how lucky you are.” He tells

them. Suddenly he feels like an adult. His father said this to him when he had made a stupid

mistake. He remembers how un helpful it felt at the time and he stops himself.

“Stand up.” He says. They respond more from fear than anything else. “I’m not going to hurt

you. In fact that is exactly why I am here. She was coming for you.” He focuses is comments

on Ruth. “Because of who you are.” He lifts up the sleeve of his T shirt to show her the mark.

Her face pales slightly then she reveals a similar design near her knee. “Lucy has it too.” She

says indicating to her friend. “That’s why we are friends.”

Silas nods. “Good. Stick together. Now. I want you to go home. Straight home. And I want

you to be honest and tell your parents what happened. Then ask them about the lea and

Bulmäs.” He pulls out a business card, something Aaron had him print up long ago. “And If

they don’t know, call me.”

The girls nod. He stands to one side. “Get going.”

Andi watches them leave then walks over to him. “Do I get one of those?”

“If you want.” He hands one over putting the rest back in his pocket, still watching after the

two girls.

“You Ok?” Andi asks.

“Yeah.” Silas responds. He bends down and picks up the Stasis device. “I just feel a long way

from home.”

+*+

Rae leads Gemma through Caesters to a small shop hidden deep in the arcade. “The main

branch of this place is in London, but this is just as good.” Rae assures her.

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“I can’t go in here.” Gemma balks at the place, looking at the designer out fits in the window.

“This is way too much.”

“But you’re not paying.” Rae holds up Paul’s credit card.

Gemma looks at her and shakes her head.

“Gem. Trust me on this one. The hunter’s ball is coming up. Silas will have to be there

because Connaught and Prydan will give him grief if he isn’t. You will be going with him as

his partner. And I am guessing right now you have never actually had a dress tailored just for

you have you?”

Gemma shakes her head. “It all seems far too extravagant.”

“That’s only because you have never experienced it. Now.” She turns her to look at the

cocktail dress in the window. “Imagine Sally’s face when you are wearing that.”

“That’s cruel.” Gemma protests.

“Ok then. Imagine Silas’s face when you are wearing that.”

She smiles and looks back at her.

“Now. Imagine how much bigger his…. smile.” She winks “is going to be when it is made just

for you and designed to make you look fabulous.”

“I should be saving this for my wedding dress.” She protest.

“Fine save all you want. But you don’t have to pay for this one.”

She shakes her head still reluctant.

“Gem. How many times has Paul taken the piss? How many times have you been about to

go home when we have asked you to pull an extra shift? How many times have you had to

pick up the pieces because a baby sitter has run screaming from the castle because of

something Toby did?”

She holds up the card again.

“Pay back time.”

Gemma grins and takes the card. “Lets go shopping.”

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+*+

Andi and Silas arrive back at the van. The mud has drained off the hard suit on the walk

home but Silas is still covered and it is dripping off the Stasis device. Andi steps in and grabs

a stack of plastic to throw on the floor. Silas steps onto it, he can feel the mud drying on his

skin and it’s starting to itch as the door of the van slides shoot.

Andi strips himself out of the hard suit. He grimacing as the interface unplugs itself from his

neck and drops back into his chair then her turns to Silas.

“You smell bad.”

“Ta.” Silas responds sarcastically.

“Strip off. There is a shower in the back. I think there are a few of Rik’s clothes in the

cupboard.”

+*+

She knows she is in stasis. This is a familiar feeling. This is the way her mistress would

contain her and control her to prepare her for training. It is comforting and arousing. Her

body is used to the sensation and has learnt to associate it with anticipating the pleasure to

come.

However this time there will be no pleasurable reward. It is not her mistress who placed her

in here.

She seethes at the disgrace of a man getting the better of her. Angry at falling for such a

cheep ploy and being entrapped by her own device.

What is more it meant the target had got away, and the Mistress had been very specific

about the timing. It will take a lot to set up again. She wonders if she should just forget the

girl. Move onto the next one. Would that be allowed? Surely if the girl rejected her interests

and called for help from a male she does not deserve the pleasure and gifts she had in store

for her. Yes may be that approach would persuade her mistress to write off this one. The loss

of the opportunity would be punishment enough.

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But for that to happen she has to free herself from this thing, still she is content enough. She

knows it has a very limited time. All she has to do is wait.

+*+

By the time he returns he is feeling a lot better, the stasis device has been wiped off and is

on the bench. Riks jumper and jogging bottoms just about fit but it feels weird to wear them.

Some how familiar and strange at the same time.

Andi has a curious look on his face, slightly worried.

“What’s up?”

He gestures to the device. “Seems Polar was not expecting to hold the girl in there for long.

It only has a limited battery life.”

“Can you recharge it?”

“Not whilst it’s still active.” Mags explains from the speaker.

Silas looks round at the voice.

“Given you are no longer hiding, I think our passenger needs a visual aid.” Andi comments.

The reality plot shifts and reforms in to a humanoid figure made of golden dots. It tilts it’s

head slightly. “Better?”

“Yeah thanks.” Silas responds.

It moves over standing behind Andi’s chair and resting it’s hand on his shoulder.

“So you are not just a GPS system then?” Silas asks

“No.” Mags responds. “Not for a long time.”

“This is the indiscression you said Rik knew about?” He asks.

“Well it’s not common knowledge and we prefer it that way.” Mags replies. There is just a

hint of a smile in dots that make up the face.

“Ok.” He agrees.

Then he looks at the devise “How does this thing work then?”

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“I suppose it creates a pocket of reality in which there is no time. It’s not really my field.”

Mags responds.

“So how long has it got left?”

“About fifteen minutes. She is fighting it which is running the charge down.” Mags explains.

“And if she gets out then we are back to square one.” Andi complains.

“Hang on if there is no time in there how can she be fighting it?” Silas asks.

Andi shrugs and looks at Mags. “May be in someway she is independently aware. If she was

used to a timeless environment….”

“Like shades.” Andi comments softly.

“Could be.” Mags confirms.

Silas sits down on the bench his hand strokes over the device.

“Careful.” Mags warns. “The Red button will disable the device and kill whoever is inside.”

Silas looks up at her, his finger almost resting on the switch.

“This thing killed two people, fed them to a daemon. Left them empty.” He says softly.

“Revenge?” Andi asks. “Is that what you are after?”

“I want to be sure she doesn’t do it again.” Silas replies.

“Well pressing the button would do that.” He responds.

“You can’t” Mags states softly.

“Oh he can.” Andi contradicts her. “His finger is right there. I’m not going to stop him, and

you can’t.” He looks at Silas. “It’s your call. But be sure it’s what you really want because

there is no going back.”

He stares at the device. “Rae warned me about this.” He recalls. “’Make sure that the target

is the right one, and not some patsy that’s offered up as a convenient focus for your rage.’

That’s what she said.” He moves his hand from the device.

“Ok then.” Andi leans back. “Fancy a quick run through Caester?”

“How long have we got?”

“Twelve minutes?” Mags guesses.

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Silas shakes his head thinking of the way the thing looked when it activated. “I’m not sure

that thing activating in Caester’s labyrinth would do the paths any good at all.” He states

darkly.

“Mags how do we transfer the contents of that into our own containment system?”

“With difficulty.” Mags responds. “I suppose if the timing was spot on we could activate our

systems at the same time it’s battery ran out, but if you got it wrong you could end up with a

double inversion.”

“That’s would be bad?”

“Depends on how much you like this reality really.” Andi responds. “Oh and life.”

“It would destroy everything round here.”

“Scale? Van , town planet.”

“Reality” Mags says firmly. “And probably a couple of others not far away.”

“Ok lets not make that mistake.”

“But leave it too late and she could get out and then we’d be in real trouble.

“Ten Minutes.” Mags states.

Andi looks at her. “That was never 2 minutes.”

“No. Like I said she is fighting it.”

“So we can’t even be sure of our own timings.” Andi complains.

“If we hit the release ourselves we could be.” Silas states.

“Yeah but then you would be stuck in there with her.”

“Can your system cope with more than one person?”

Andi nods.

“Then what’s the problem.”

“And then what?”

“You take both of us back to Caester.”

“CG001?” Andi looks at him. “Forget it.”

Mags stares at him.

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“It’s in Daemon planes Mags.” He defends

“You would do it for Rik.” She says softly.

Andi looks Silas up and down. “That’s not fare. He’s not Rik.”

“Rik always said you were the best.” She presses the point.

Andi shakes his head, this is obviously a line of persuasion he is not comfortable with at all.

“Well are you the best or aren’t you?” She challenges

“I’m the best.” He responds, almost spitting out the words.

“Fine then.” She challenges. “Prove it.”

“You’ll never get clearance.” He direct to Silas.

“Mags can you patch me through to Connaught?”

She nods.

“If I can get clearance well you take us?”

“Yeah but you wont.” He states confidently.

“You’re on Silas.” Mags informs him.

“Mr Tremaine” Connaughs voice sounds from the speaker.

“Commander. I have apprehended the suspect in those deaths.” Silas addresses to the air.

“Excellent. Well done son.” Connaught almost sounds pleased.

“One problem. I need clearance to land a fold ship within in Caester.” Silas informs him.

There is a pause.

“I take it you can’t escort the prisoner back any other way.” The Commander asks.

“She’s too dangerous, Sir.”

“And you can get a pilot mad enough to fly you home can you?” He sounds disbelieving.

“I’m looking at him right now sir.” Silas states looking pointedly at Andi.

“Ok then. If that is the only option. Bring it in over Bishops gate, drop it on the Cathedral

green. I’ll warn the Guard and the watch you are on your way.”

“Thank you Sir.” There is a slight click of a receiver going down.

Silas picks up the devise.

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“I take it you can find your way?”

Andi nods but he doesn’t look happy.

Silas looks at the projection of Mags. “Ok where’s your containment?”

She points to the back of the room towards the compartment he used as a shower.

She shrugs at his confusion. “Space is limited”.

+*+

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Chapter 27She can feel the field weakening. It will be soon now. She begins to plan her revenge on her

attackers. They will not be expected her, but even if they are she can deal with them. Her

mistress taught her well and no man can be a match for her. They just got lucky last time.

She was not expecting them. This time it will be them taken by surprise.

She feels the field beginning to give, the world opens up again, releasing her back into a

reality with time.

And then she sees him standing there. The same one who attacked her in the woods. He

looks almost smug but she knows how to wipe that smile off his face. She prepares to spring

at him, her knife forming in her grip just as she taught her.

But some thing is wrong. Reality is not moving. A second Stasis field.

Anger enflames her, she pushes against it, moving fractions of a millimetre in the timeless

environment, it is almost nothing, but importantly it is not nothing.

He is trapped in here with her, and he isn’t going anywhere.

At least she can have her revenge.

+*+

Mags plunges into U-space.

“He missed Saturn again.” Andi comments.

“I think there will be plenty of other occasions, I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot of that

guy.” Mags replies.

Andi grins. “Should I be jealous?”

“I don’t think I’m his type.” She responds. “Do you want a route plotting or you doing this

one on your own?”

“How hard can ‘down’ be?” He counters glumly.

“If I didn’t know better I’d say you were missing him.” She teases.

Andi shakes his head. “Don’t be silly I hardly know him.”

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“You went running out of that door quickly enough when you saw the plot shift.” She points

out.

He either ignores or dismisses her comment, focusing on pointing the fold ship down.

“We can talk this out now whilst he isn’t here, or we can have it out later when he is here.

Which would you prefer?”

“He is not Rik.” Andi states.

“Yeah I keep hearing you say that but I haven’t heard you believe it yet.” She retaliates.

“Look it upset me too. The way he just vanished like that with no word. And the way the

Mellors pulled together and pretending nothing was going on.” She explains.

Andi looks at her.

“But we always trusted there was a reason behind everything he did. And let’s be honest

when we got to see the reason it was always pretty major. We have to believe that this is the

same.” She continues. “May be he couldn’t say. It’s pretty obvious from the way Silas

reacted that they don’t want people to know that they are connected. I can’t believe those

two facts are not integral to something.”

“I just wish some one would come clean and tell us.” Andi responds. “And what’s all this

bollox about my birthmark and blood lines?”

“I don’t know that either. There is nothing in the records to explain it, so I guess they didn’t

know.” She pauses. “There were a few others across the schemes that had your deformity as

they called it. He might want to know about them given his interest.”

Andi shrugs

“You lied to him.” She point out.

“Not exactly. I said there was no where to go looking for them, not that they didn’t exist.”

“You implied…”

“So shoot me.” He responds. “Where I cam from is not something I’m proud of Mags. And it’s

not something I want to revisit. I live forward remember.”

“Ok then. But if he asks I’ll tell him.”

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“Suit yourself.” He turns his expression back to U-space outside.

“And I am going to ask him about Rik.” She warns.

He ignores her.

+*+

She pushes against the nothingness, forcing her will on to it. She has done this before, a test

to prove her loyalty and love for her mistress. Then it had been hard, so hard. This time her

anger and frustration fuel her, and the miniscule movements encourage her that she will be

successful.

She draws more strength from the knowledge of how please her mistress will be at her

success in defeating this enemy. Of how she will be welcomed back into her mistresses arms

and rewarded with pleasure upon pleasure as she has been so many times before when she

has returned with the blood of a man on her blade.

+*+

The U-space around them takes on a deeper red colour as they move down into it’s depths.

Andi looses himself in the flight, music drifting through the cabin. He plays with the currents,

confident that this close to the Daemons there are unlikely to be many creatures to disturb

him.

The reality plot floats in his mind, coupling with the data from the density map. He can feel

the u-space around him. It’s not like flying in real space, this is different. Here he can create

the ‘space’ he needs. He feels the matter take form as he moves through it and then boil

away back into it’s undefined state as he moves on. It tickles the side of the fold ship, like

lying in a Jacuzzi, the sensation lifts his mood. He feels mag’s caress him.

“Hi.”

“Having fun?” She teases as he angles back into the current.

“Yeah.” He admits. He lets the nose drop into the current and lets it spin them round. “How

far to the plains?”

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“The way you are going minutes.” She complains.

He stabilises the spin and pulls out of the current, as they float in U-space a scent of blood

fills the cabin. “See what you mean.”

“Do you have a plan?” She asks

“Floor it?” He responds, but he doesn’t sound convinced.

“We have the shield. We could sneak in.”

“And hope they don’t notice?”

He senses her shrug.

“I was considering a meteoric entry and slamming on the breaks at the last minute.” He

confesses.

“I’m not sure that will make you popular in Caester.” She states flatly.

“Depends on if you own a glazing company or not.” He grins.

He feels the aerial view of Caester unfold into his mind. “If we come in on the far side of the

See. Run the river and then twist to cut along the wall, once we are in range of the guns,

then the wall man can pick off anything on our tail.”

She nods. “It’s a plan.”

“We’ve flown on less.”

+*+

Silas becomes slowly aware that timeless is not timeless. He can not see but he is aware. It

confuses him, trying to work out why this seems so familiar. He pushes out his consciousness

but the world outside the stasis is moving at a sickeningly dizzy speed. He pulls back, and

then realises there is one place he can go.

He reaches for the woman in the field with him.

The images in her mind shock him.

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He can feel her hatred for him burning; her desire to see his blood on her knife. Interwoven

with it is the highly sexual reward she expected to get as payment for killing him.

As if to confirm her dedication to it she runs in her mind other deaths she has been

responsible, and her intense orgasmic joy at them.

Silas withdraws confused. How can some one associate murder with orgasm so completely?

Fear fills him. This is beyond anything he has encountered before. He recalls Rae’s

comments about the sadistic nature of the attack on Amy. Realising how couched her

language had been about it. He wonders what more the woman knows.

+*+

U-space grows darker, and the matter changes. It feels like they are flying through a thick

fog. Outside the air becomes impossibly cold as if it is sucking all the energy out of the ship.

In his mind the density reading vanish completely and the reality plot flips all levels going off

the scale as they leave reality behind.

He shakes his head to clear the momentary confusion that hits him.

“Show time.” Andi whispers.

“Andi?”

“Yeah?”

“How do we spot the daemons coming?” Mags asks.

“Erm. I was kind of banking on them being obvious. But I’m so open to suggestions right

now.”

“Could we use the reality plot? Like looking for the holes?”

“It looks like all holes to me at the moment.” He confesses. “But may be there are more

holey bits in the hole. Yeah give it a go. Anything is going to help.”

As they drop lower the mist starts to clear. Beneath them there appears to be stars. “What

the? Stars in Daemon plains?”

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“They are not star Andi.” Mags informs him softly. “They are souls. Beings trapped her by

the daemons.

“Oh my head hurts.” He complains.

He pulls hard on the controls flipping the ship round so now they are skimming over the mist

with the starry night above them.

“That’s better.” Then he laughs.

“What?”

“Stars.” he says sounding almost relieved. “I like stars. I mean I know they are not stars but

allow me my delusion for now. Like Alexi said, once you can see the stars you know your way

home.”

He turns the ship. “And my indefatigable sense for decent vodka says Caester is this way.”

+*+

Silas reaches the other way, If Rik can come down the link surely he can go the other way.

Then he feels him. There is a brief sense of surprise.

“Hello.”

Rik pauses. “You running slow.”

“I’m trapped a timeless containment facility.”

“Need help?”

“No it’s all part of a cunning plan. I’m just bored.”

He pushes to look through Rik eyes. He finds himself in a large study, sunlight streaming in

through the windows. Beyond is an idyllic green landscape.

“This home then?”

“For the moment.” Rik responds.

Silas wants to get up and look through the window, but Rik won’t play, Silas pushes at him

his frustration.

“Sorry but no.”

“Why?”

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“You might tell dad.”

“So?”

“It’s not time for him to know.” Rik respond firmly. “When it is, I’ll tell him, but not before.”

“Well you better distract me with something else then.” Silas threatens.

“Like?”

“Tell me about Mags and Andi. I get the feeling you know each other pretty well.”

“Yeah, we’ve travelled a bit.”

“It’s more than that.” Silas challenges.

“They think I saved their lives. They were running a supply run for Chrimel to a world really

deep when we hit something nasty and unexpected.”

“Daemon.”

“Kind of. It was Paul. It was when Rae left him after the body swap fiasco.”

“And?”

“We should have been dead. I mean I’m good but I’m no match for Paul in full Daemonic

flow.”

“But you are not.”

“No. Funny that. Something stopped him.”

“He said it was Suki.”

“No he remembers Suki coming and yelling at him but this was before. He doesn’t remember

it at all, I’m pretty confident of that. He came at us with every intention of stripping the

reality right out of us and then something stopped him.”

“And they think it was you.”

“Yeah, and I never did anything to refute their theory, but I know it’s wrong.”

“So what do you think stopped him?”

“I don’t know. I think it was them. Something about the way they are together. I think it

made him think of Rae and that stopped him. In truth the only thing that ever stops Paul’s

daemon is Rae. I don’t now, maybe me being there put in a hint of Mellor that completed the

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effect but… I don’t like using the word Love, it’s over rated, but may be at that moment it

was significant. All I know is that the creature coming at us was suddenly not there.

Something threw him back into reality. May be the castle picked him up or something. Then

Suki tracked him down and gave him a good talking to. And we lived. And I gained Andi’s

undying gratitude and like some blasted lap dog every time I needed to go anywhere he was

there.”

“That’s a little uncharitable.” Silas complains.

“I’m not a people person, Silas. Tell you what you have him. You need him more than I do at

the moment. Now if I’ve amused you enough then I have work to do.”

“Just one more thing.”

“Make it quick.” Rik states.

“Gemma. We are an item.”

“Congratulations I suppose.”

“I will be telling her about us.” Silas informs him.

“If you are sure you can trust her. After all you are at more risk if this gets out, it’s not like

they can get to me is it.”

“I can trust her.” Silas states firmly. “And there will be times when I want some privacy.

Times when I am with her.” “What do you want me to do? Knock?”

“Actually yes.”

“Fine. Get out of here. I’ll set something up, but I’ll expect the same courtesy.”

“And you’ll get it.” Silas assures him. Then he withdraws back into his own mind.

+*+

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Chapter 28The fold ship skirts low over the fog layer, the turbulence from the wings swirling the mist up

behind them. Andi focuses on his destination, but the plains are all but featureless.

“Making any headway with that reality plot.?” He asks hopefully.

“The scale is totally blown.” She complains. “I can detect a mass of reality in the direction we

are going, but I have no way of saying how big it is or how far away it is. And there is

something distorting the readings.”

“Like.”

“Like holes in the nothing.”

“Any between us and it.”

“Loads.”

“Oh well this was getting boring any way.”

He pulls the nose up. The fog follows them up so no matter how high they climb they are still

just above it.

“Oh this place is just weird.” He levels out again, the fog playing out in spirals behind them

once more.

“It’s almost as if you have to come in at head height.” Mags observes.

“So you are at the right level to cut it off?” He muses darkly. “I wish Rik was here.”

“We’ve got Silas.”

“Yeah but he’s kind of tied up right now. We’ll just have to hope that Chrimel devise is as

good as they claim it is and that anything our here is feeling particularly unobservant.”

“I don’t think we are that lucky.” Mags draws his attention to a large from rising out of the

mist in front of them. It’s huge bat like wings spreads out and it takes to the air.

“Plan A then” Andi states, and pushes the control forward urging the craft to it’s top speed.

“Welcome to the wonderful world of chicken daemon.”

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The creature and the fold ship close on each other at a dizzying speed, Andi spins the ship

slightly and pulls up to pass close over the creatures head. It reaches for them, but he shifts

over and slides through the gap in the wings.

“Let me know how quick it turns.”

“Fast but not as quick as we can.” Mags replies.

“That’s good. Is he catching us?”

“No but he’s holding.” She warns.

“I hope Connaught told the gate we are coming.”

“There is another one.” She warns.

“Do you think they are all dumb enough to fall for it?”

“Wouldn’t risk it.”

He starts to climb again. But the fog stays with them and the creature seems to be

remaining on the same plain a head of them.

“Oh this is just cheating.” Andi complains.

“Stop thinking like a plane then. This is just like the A.P.C. We go 2D.”

“Oh yeah, suddenly it’s so obvious when you put it that way.” The control system in front of

him shifts. “Oh that’s better.”

The vehicle swerves right and then left as he keys into the new mode of transport.

“Oh this is familiar.” He confirms.

The beast before them drops onto all fours and charges, bringing it large horns into play.

“Oh you are just pretending to be a Bulmäs, that’s not scary.” Andi teases it. He feels for the

reality plot, the whole he dodged earlier is closing on them fast. He pulls back on the speed.

“How dumb do you think they are?”

“Why?”

He seats a course straight towards the charging daemon, aware of the creature behind him

getting closer every second.

“If you get this wrong.” Mags threatens realising the game he is playing.

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“Come on you two I’m a dice big juicy bit of reality and you both so want me you are not

looking at what the other is doing are you…” He whispers, urging the daemons to believe

him.

The two daemons bear down on him, one in front and one behind. The creature fills the

whole of the viewing port, then he pulls sharply left, reversing the flow through the jet on the

left hand side for a fraction of a second before pushing all of them up to full.

There is screeching thud as the two daemons collide at full speed. The claws of the flying

one ripping into the head of the charging bull, but Andi is not interested in watching the fight

their collisions creates. He spins round and focuses on his vodka calling to him again.

+*+

The door opens in the map room.

“Aaron. Silas is on his way back, he asked for clearance to bring a fold ship into the city.”

Aaron is on his feet

“That’s insane.” Paul’s states.

“No that’s your road trip. Andi must be flying him in over the daemon plains.” Aaron

retaliates. “Which way is he coming?”

“Bishop gate, to use the cathedral green as a landing point.”

Aaron things for a second. “Yeah that will work. Prydan get all the watch up to the green, we

will need to erect a wall diversion around it.”

“Why?” Paul asks.

“Because you can’t bring a fold ship into Caester with out disrupting the wards. And if you

disrupt the walls.” Aaron grabs his coat and his sword belt.

“The Daemons can get in. Got it.” Paul responds.

Aaron tosses a large brass key to Prydan. “The beacons are in the chantry at the back of the

cathedral. The big oak box.”

Prydan nods.

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“Set one every couple of feet to be on the safe side. Surround the whole of the green and

make sure you connect to the walls. If in doubt double up.”

He heads for the door.

“Where are you going?” Prydan asks.

“To clear him a route. Andi’s good, but those things are Daemonic, and the closer you get to

Caester the nastier and more cunning they get.” He looks at Paul. “Coming?”

“Rather!”

They head out onto the walls at a run.

+*+

The fold ship skids across the fog layer, throwing it up. Mags studies the reality plot trying to

make sense of it so she can leave the flying to andi.

“I think they know we are coming, they seem to be forming some kind of a line.” He pulls

back on the controls slowing the ship down.

“We can’t fly over them.”

“Under?”

He tries pushing the nose down but once again the fog resists. “Nope. I’m running out of

ideas Mags.” He confesses.

Then Mags stops. “I’ve got an incoming transmission.” She sounds surprised.

“Down here? It can only be from Caester.”

“Mellor to Mags, Do you need assistance?” Aaron’s voice cuts out of the speaker.

“Well duh!” Andi responds.

“I take that’s a yes. The Daemons know you are coming and getting organised, Fortunately

they are all looking out and we are behind them. You just head for Caester and we’ll make

sure there is a whole in the line when you get to it. How does that sound?”

“Sounds like a life line.” Mags replies.

“Is Silas there?”

“He’s kind of unavailable right now.” Mags replies.

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“Is he hurt?” The concern in Aaron voice is almost tangible.

“No, it’s just the only way we could get the target in stasis was Silas to end up in there with

her.” Andi admits.

“Oh that was bright. Well as long as he is ok, We’ll solve that problem when you get back.

Andi do you still have that CD I gave you?”

“Yeah why?”

“Slap on track 5 and keep in on random repeat. That way I’ll know it is you and not think

you’re a daemon, things can get a bit tricky out here.”

“Ok.” The music starts and Andi can’t help but smile as the sound builds softly to the lyrics.

“Keep it fast. Keep it coming this way. See you when you land.”

+*+

Aaron leads Paul out of the gate, the wall man have been thoroughly briefed on what to

expect, and he knows they will do their job. Prydan can organise the watch, after all it’s what

he does. The only real question is if the two of them can cut a whole in the line

“Ready?”

Paul smiles and unfolds into his Daemon from. Aaron stands back. as the wings and claws

stretch out.

“Ohh yeah.”

Aaron draws the sword and closes his eyes for a second. Feeling for the music coming over

the daemon plains. It is a noise like nothing the creatures have ever heard before. He points

to it.

Paul nods and starts to charge.

Aaron curses the daemons longer stride and sprints after him.

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Paul hits the first of the daemons from behind, His claws rip into it’s flesh and pulls out the

spine. Unfortunately his normally soul stealing trick is useless on the soulless creatures and

the daemon twist to fight back.

Aaron’s blade however was born for the job, It bites down into the brain case of the being

next to him and almost instantly the creature ceases to exist, leaving no sign that it was

ever there.

He hears the scream of the other daemons nearby as they sense the breach in the line, and

the mass of reality that is responsible for it. Suddenly the fold ship seems like a less tasty

option given the alternative and the line collapses towards them.

Paul rips the head off his opponent. “Well you’ve made them a gap. Please tell me there is a

part two to this plan.

“Yeah we keep them busy and then go home.” Aaron responds.

The blade swings round Cutting into the beast closing in on him. The creature boils away

from the source of the cut, screaming as it senses it’s destructions. The ones around it back

off realises the creating death the blade represents.

“That’s is?” Paul’s moves so he is standing back to back with the wyrd child, his claws

challenging the daemons to have another go.

“I was pressed for time Paul.” He pauses. “He’s on track 8. Must be getting closer.”

One of the daemons decides to test their defences. Aaron flips the sword in his grip and the

creatures hand hits the floor before vanishing. Slowly the beast unravels from the cut,

fragments of it falling away like drying sand. It grabs the damaged hand at the elbow

screaming as it dissolves.

“that’s all very well but I don’t have one of those.” Paul comments softly.

“Yeah but you are bigger.” Aaron defends. A frown passes over his face as the daemons

move round realising for themselves that Paul is less of a danger to them than Aaron. “I’m

going to regret this later but.”

“What?”

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“Rae has one.”

“Where?”

“It’s in your armoury. The Wakazashi I gave her for your wedding present.”

Paul ponders the revelation for a second. “You gave my wife a weapon that can destroy me

as a wedding present.”

Aaron shrugs.

“I’m not sure how to take that.”

“Well I’d really give it some thought quickly because I think they are getting restless.”

Paul pulls himself up to his full height. “Of course there is a problem with this. I need to be

human to access the armoury.”

“I know. Better do it quick then.”

Paul drops to his knees, the daemon form folding up as he does so. Aaron spins round as the

daemons take their chance, three of the beings meet the swinging point of his blade and the

oblivion it brings. The world glows blue between Paul’s now human hands and he draws out

an ancient short sword bearing the same design on Aaron’s own. It hums slightly as he draws

it, almost in protest. The he stands again, once again back to back but the other way round.

“Where’s Andi?”

There is a rush noise a short distance away. “Headlights on a dark road?” Paul asks

Aaron shrugs. And then the daemons scream as they realise they have been tricked. They

turn to chase the fold ship and Aaron springs after them. “Not this time you don’t you

bastard.”

Paul stabs with the sword, He feels the blade enter the daemon and then there is no

resistance at all. Suddenly he realises exactly what the blade does and it is all he can do to

keep the abomination in his hand. This makes soul stealing looks like nothing. The blade

removes they thing from reality, no more than that; it makes it that the daemon never

existed. The fear enters into him. If Rae ever used this on him she would never even know.

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He would never have existed. The Twins would never have been. The enormity of it’s effect

shakes him.

“Paul”. The command in Aaron’s voice drags him from his brief catatonia. Fortunately

between loosing their pray and the fact that now both of they are armed with soul blades the

Daemons are rethinking their options and are running.

Aaron gestures back to Caester. “Lets go home.”

Paul swallow and nods.

+*+

They see the break in the line and go for it. On the reality plot they can see the mass that is

Caester and a large spike where Mellor is.

“Do you think we should pick them up?” Mags asks.

“No he said he’d see us when we land. We head for Caseter.” Andi states firmly.

As they cross the line some of the more observant daemons spot them and start to follow.

Andi pushes the stick to the front, forcing extra fuel into the engines to give them and edge

of speed. He can see the towers of the cathedral above the wall s and focuses on it, knowing

Bishops gate is just up the wall from that.

“They are still gaining “ Mags warns him.

He feels the claws of one of the daemons swipe close to the tail. “This is not good Mags. He’s

not like a u-squid. If he gets on us we can’t get in there.”

Then he realises that the fog has vanished and beneath them is the mud and concrete left

when the town beyond the walls of Caester was destroyed. “Ah.” He switches configuration

again and pulls up. This time reality behaves and he is able to climb, the Daemons are

thrown off course, And then the Wall guns open fire.

He keeps high, sweeping along the edge of the wall and letting the wall gunners clear the

daemons on his tail. Then throttles back so they are hovering just above bishop gate. Slowly

he nudges the ship forwards.

“Stop.” Mags almost screams and he realises she is in pain.

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“The wards are still up.” She warns him

He is left vulnerable in space as the wall guns of load into the horde of creatures “Come on.”

The guns pause.

“Ok.” She tells him.

He pushes forward again and drops the ship onto the grass. It sinks slightly into the soft

mud. Then he realises Mags is crying. With the press of a few buttons he powers down the

flight systems and goes to where her projection is lying on the floor. He reaches out to

comfort her, but his hand just goes straight through, and not for the first time he curses the

limitations of the system. He reaches out the stoke the bulkhead, it’s a poor substitute.

+*+

Aaron and Paul reenter Caester at East Gate. Paul making a point of handing over the sword

as soon as the gate closes behind him.

“Sure you don’t want to hang on to it for a while?” Aaron asks.

“No.” Paul replies firmly.

“Hold up.” They turn to see Rae coming down the steps off the wall. “You too been having

fun?”

“He has.” Paul responds and then heads for St Werburgh Street to get to the Cathedral

green.

Rae goes to go after him and then Aaron reaches out grabbing her elbow.

“What up with him?”

He produces her sword and hands it to her. “He had to borrow this.” He explains flatly.

“Things got a bit tight out there.”

“And he knows what it can do?”

“It’s pretty damn obvious when you use it Rae.”

“Dad how could you!” She protests.

“Sorry.”

“He’ll never trust me again.” She cries.

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“He will. But you need to talk to him about it.”

“You don’t half pick your moments.” She complains. “Paul wait.” She runs after him.

Aaron turns to see Gemma standing on the step watching the exchange with concern. Aaron

holds out his hand. “Come on lets see how your fiancée is holding up.”

They arrive at the fold ship to find Andi struggling to do an external check of the ship. The

wheels of his chair dig into the mud making it all but impossible.

“Want a hand?” Aaron offers.

“We panged off the wards.” He complains. “There is damage but I can’t see it to fix it.”

Aaron walks over and put his hand flat on the bulk head, closing his eyes. “That’s cause it’s a

reality tear.” Aaron tells him. He walks round. “She needs healing not repair.”

He looks over to the far side of the green where Rae and Paul are arguing. “If you can hold

on a bit Rae can probably do it.”

“She is in pain now.” Andi state.

Aaron heads inside. Mags’s visual reference is curled up on the bench. Gemma stares at it in

amazement as Aaron crouches down next to her, concern etched on his face at her plight.

He looks out of the view port where he can see Rae chasing after an irate Paul. “I’m not

getting dragged into that one. I need a plan B.”

“Can I help?”

Gemma asks.

“You know anything about fold ships?”

“Bit about the theory.” She confesses

“Know anything about sentient fold ships.”

She shakes her head.

“Well I’m not that surprised ‘cause I am willing to bet this is the only one. Well right now at

any rate. Ok.”

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He reaches out and touches the bulkhead again and closes his eyes. Then he feels for suki.

Her warmth flows into him, giving him the energy he needs.

“Andi get your butt in here.” Gemma goes to help him get back up onto the ramp. “What?”

“You know Mags.”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Cos I need an original pattern to reset her reality to.” He beckons him over. Then he

rests his hand on Andi’s knee. “Ok think about here.”

Andi closes his eyes. He thinks about Mags. He thinks about every inch and system in the

ship. He recalls running his hands over every part of her hull when they were in a zero G dry

dock, feeling where his hand flowed smoothly and where they caught. Every wire and fuse.

Of the jet systems and the fuel bypass loop they set up just to see what effect it would have.

All the modification he has installed, all the extra tweaks and quirks in her structure, the

awkward way they had to connect the microwave in and how it cuts out when the shower is

on at just the wrong temperature. And then his thoughts move beyond that. To the interface

and the way they use it for more than just a flight control system. Of how when he is in it he

can actually feel and touch her and how much that means to both of them.

He feels Aaron follow his thoughts. For a second it feels like an invasion and then he realises

this is like Saturn. That for the briefest of moments he can share with some one else

something that is really special to him.

And Then Gemma gasps in shock and he hears Aaron state “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

Andi opens his eyes

A very real and human looking Mags is lying naked on the bench in front of them.

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Chapter 29Gemma takes off her rain coat and Mags puts it on wrapping it round her and looking very

confused.

Aaron leans against the kitchen area work surfaces, biting his lip.

Andi is still in a state of shock. “What does his mean?”

“I have no idea.” Aaron admits. He gestures. “Obviously Mags is real enough to you that

when I reset reality based on your belief that…”

“She became real?” Andi asks incredulously.

“Is that possible?” Gemma askes

“Well what do your own eyes say.” Aaron responds.

“How?” Mags looks at him, and then at Andi.

“Can you still feel the ship?” Aaron asks.

Mags close her eyes. “Yes. That’s the same.”

He shrugs. “Ermm. Not sure what to say really.”

Andi reaches out and with a finger tip touches mag’s knee. Almost as if he is afraid that she

will vanish again when they make contact, but she doesn’t.

“This could take some getting used too.” They both say.

Then Andi laughs and spreads his arms wide. She moves over and sits on his lap. “I can hug

you.” He cries.

Aaron suppresses a smile.

“Yeah well before this gets too X rated, where have you left Silas?”

Mags stands up. “He’s in the stasis unit at the back.” She leads them over and they looks

through the window.

They can see the woman, dressed in the mask Aaron recognises from the wyrds memories

and wearing Chrimel body armour. She has a knife in her arm and she is caught mid pounce

aiming at Silas’s throat.

Nearer the door Silas is standing with his back to them.”

“Oh this could be awkward.” He states.

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“If we deactivate how do we stop her attacking him?” Mags asks, concerned. “And where did

that knife come from?”

Aaron frowns, then his face takes on a more worried expressions. “She’s moving.”

“She can’t be it’s timeless.” Mags asserts.

“I didn’t say she was moving fast.” Aaron responds, but the concern in his voice is all too

clear.

He glances out of the view port at Rae and Paul, now sat on the wall of the green. “Gemma I

hate to ask you to do this but, if you can break up what ever is happening between Paul and

Rae and get them in here, I’d really appreciate it.”

Gemma runs.

+*+

Rae follows Paul down the road. “Stop we need to discuss this.” She yells.

He keeps walking, a determined stride in his step. Right now he just wants to be as far away

from her as is possible and Northgate, even with the Daemons outside, is looking all too

attractive.

She runs grabbing his arm but he shrugs her off and keeps going.

She sprint again, getting in front on him, but he pushes her out of the way and she hits the

cathedral wall hard. Her cry of pain almost stops him but the anger drives him on.

She screams, too distressed to form coherent words.

But he knows that’s not going to work. Nothing is going to stop him now.

Then he turns the corner at the cathedral and in the distance past the beacon points he sees

the fold ship.

And it’s like walking into a brick wall.

He just stops. He doesn’t know why. He just can’t go on.

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He turns to see Rae sat in the mud, tears running down her face from the physical pain of

hitting the wall and the emotional pain of hurting him.

He looks back at the ship. Something about it seems so familiar but he can not even begin to

place it. Then he looks at Rae again.

The anger drains from him and he sinks back against the wall of the shops.

Rae looks over to him.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why Rae? Why didn’t you tell me?” Paul pleads with her.

She shrugs. “What could I say? Darling, your father in law just gave me a weapon that can

destroy you as a wedding present, isn’t it pretty?”

“I can’t believe you brought it into the house? What if one of the kids had found it?”

“It was hidden Paul.” She justifies. “And I warned Gen what it could do.”

He stares at her in total disbelief of what he is hearing. “Even she knew!”

“Paul.” She crawls over to him through the mud of the path way.

He holds up his hands. “No. No closer. Not whilst you still have it.”

She stops and pulls it off her belt.

He stares at it, fear and disgust in his eyes.

She holds it in her hands. She can see all too clearly what it means to him, but to here it is a

gift, and expression of love and protection from her father. He split the set to give her this,

Paired swords divided. It was no small matter. She protested at the time that he couldn’t do

it but he insisted. It was more important that the sword was in her hands and not his. That

she had it to protect her for what ever dangers she might face out in the realities. She

wishes now she had put up more of a fight.

And then again she doesn’t.

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She has never told Paul how many times her life has been saved by the sword. How many

times a daemon has backed down faced with just it’s presence. How in some way carrying it

makes her a Mellor, and how much that means, especially since Rik left and the family

seems so much more important.

“If I said me or the sword what would you say?” He asks her.

She looks at him.

And he knows her answer.

+*+

Gemma approaches the two of them, nervous of disturbing the conversation, but aware that

Silas is in danger.

Rae’s sword is standing up out of the mud a good ten meters from the couple where it has

landed after being thrown in a high arch.

As she gets closer they both look up.

“Aaron needs you. There is a problem.” She says.

“When is there ever not?” Paul responds glumly, and then he stands up. He looks down and

Rae and holds out his hand. She takes it and he pulls her up. They start towards the ship.

Paul points to the sword. “You’d better pick that up.”

“I thought you wanted me to get rid of it.” Rae states confused.

“Yeah but I don’t want it left lying around. God Rae.” He chastises gently.

Rae picks it up but makes the point of putting it in other hand away from him.

Paul steps up into the fold ship, glancing round at the people in side. “Andi.” He nods a

greeting. And then he looks at Mags confused. “Have we met?”

“Not as such.” She responds.

“Mags is kind of new on the scene,” Aaron distracts him. “The problem is here.” He gestures

to the containment, and moves out of the way.

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Paul pears through the window. “Yeah that’s a sticky one.”

Rae looks up at her father. “I need to give you this back.” She says softly, handing over the

sword.

Aaron nods and takes it from her. “We’ll talk later.” He replies.

Then she joins Paul at the window. “Ahh.”

“I’m open to suggestions.” Aaron prompts.

“Can we turn of half of it?” Gemma asks.

Rae shakes her head. “No it’s an all or nothing thing.”

“Can we get some form of restraints on her before we turn it off?” Andi

“Everything in there is frozen.” Rae replies.

“Except it isn’t She’s moving.” Aaron informs them.

“So if we do nothing she will eventually reach him anyway.” Paul concludes.

He looks at Rae. “This time corp tech?”

She nods.

“How would it cope with a portal appearing in it?”

Rae looks confused and then concerned. “Don’t know. It would probably just disrupt the field.

Don’t think it would kill them or anything.”

“Well that’s a bonus.” Paul looks over his shoulder at Aaron. “Where do you want this

prisoner?”

“Daemonic containment at the garrison would be nice.”

“Ok then.”

Aaron looks at him and then realises what he had planed. “Let me warn Connaught.” He

sprints off.

Paul looks down at Rae. “Sometimes I just have to play to type.” He excuses.

She smiles back at him, and then hugs him.

Paul looks back through the window.

“How fast can Aaron run?”

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“Well he’s pretty quick when he has to be.” Rae replies, then she realises what he means.

“Paul that being petty.”

“He gave you a sword that can destroy me.” Paul responds, briefly there is an edge in his

voice. “I’m not feeling very generous at the moment.”

He stands up, pulling his back straight, and twists his head slightly to one side. His hands

raising up and a crackle of blue lightning forming between them.

“Paul what are you doing?” Gemma asks darkly.

“Saving your other half’s life, you might not want to distract me right now.”

He holds the pose for a moment. If he has it right Aaron will have just burst into Connaughts

office.

Then he lets the ball of light fly at the containment.

The lights in the ship flash and go off, warning sirens scream and a yellow light starts to

flash.

Mags screams “Containment breach! Containment Breach!” As the cabin fills with smoke.

Silas staggers out coughing.

“What the fuck happened?”

There is no sign of the woman in the mask.

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Chapter 30Aaron arrives at the Garrison office just as the alarms go off. Connaught barely looks up.

“Deal with it Captain.”

“Sir.”

He heads out again and down the narrow spiralling steps deep into the bed rock beneath the

city. Two watchmen armed with Chrimel weaponry are covering the door to the Daemonic

Containment facility. Aaron just walks past them, aware of the smell of fear off them. “Stay

here.” The last thing he needs is there emotion feeding the thing inside. He slaps his hand

against the palm reader and the door slides open.

Inside the alarms are sounding, the arrival of the ‘paultel’ setting them off. He runs his hand

over the control system turning them off before activating the viewing system.

The woman is inside, literally bouncing off the walls in her frustration. The knife she was

aiming at Silas’s throat is buried up to it’s hilt in the rock. The masked face twists up to the

camera as she senses him watching.

He reaches out. “Take it off.” He urges her.

She reaches for the mask and then stops, sensing what is going on. Instead she deliberately

walks to the far side of the room and sits down.

Aaron shakes his head. She is stubborn and this is not going to be easy. Still the armour itself

given him a link to Chrimel so that may be enough to go on.

The door opens behind him, Paul leading Rae, Gemma and Silas.

Silas walks over to the view port. “That’s her.” He confirms.

Paul joins him to get a better look at their quarry. He frowns slightly. “I know this is a stupid

question but…”

Rae pauses next to Aaron. He reaches out and strokes the back of her arm, a minor gesture

which every one else misses but means so much to her. She turns to him and smiles sadly.

“... How confident are you that that is Polar?”

“Well it was your theory.” Aaron retaliates

“Yeah I know.” Paul responds not sounding convinced.

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“This is the woman that attacked Ruth.” Silas confirms.

“And the pioneer that appeared in St Peters.” Aaron adds.

“Yeah that’s another thing.” Paul turns and look at them. “St Peters is Holy ground. Polar is

at least in part daemonic, how did she get round that one?”

Aaron shrugs. “Corton does it.” He points out.

“Yeah but Corton has ignorance on his side.” Paul retaliates He looks back at the figure now

sitting in the containment.

“No disrespect but… I don’t think Silas and Andi could take down Polar.”

“Well you could have said that before we went.” Silas complains.

“I didn’t want to worry you.” He responds.

Gemma glares at him.

“I had a back up plan. It just wasn’t needed.” He defends. “What sensors have we got here?”

He looks down at the control panel.

Aaron reaches over and flicks a switch, the image moves to one side of the screen and a

coloured disk appears next to it. He stares at it for a moment. “You know as much as I hate

to do this. I think Paul’s right.”

Rae looks at the plot. “That’s not daemonic is it?”

“Well it has elements of Daemonic, that black strand there, but… well his bit here is a lea

reference point. That looks humanish.” He stands back. “If I didn’t know better I’d say this

was Bulmäs.”

They look up at the image of the woman.

“Hang on.” He presses a few more buttons and a second disk appears, similar to the first but

with a bright white strand instead of a dark one. “That’s Silas.”

“What’s that white bit?” Rae asks.

“That would be my fault.” Aaron admits, slightly uncomfortable at the revelation.

“From when you were ‘close’ eh?” Rae challenges.

Aaron looks at her and shrugs.

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“I feel kind of naked.” Silas complains softly.

Aaron adjusts the control. The disk turns jet black with an outer layer of grey and white.

“Well if we are being fair. That’s Paul.” His hands flip over the control and the disk all but

inverts in colour to reveal a white disk with an outer layer of grey. “and that’s me.” Then the

second disk vanishes again.

“We need to get that mask off.” Paul states.

“Tried that she wouldn’t listen to me.” Aaron admits. Then he looks at Silas. “You try it.”

“Why?”

“Humour me.”

He shrugs and then Aaron pushes a control next to a speaker.

Silas take deep breath. “Take off your mask.”

The woman lifts her hand to her face and removes the white plaster, pulling it clear of her

head, revealing long gently curled hair.

Silas stares at her. There is something strangely familiar about her. He looks over at Gemma,

the mouth is the same, and the hair, though hers is a little straighter. Then it hits him as Rae

speaks.

“Err. Dad...” Rae states softly. “That’s not Polar. That’s Silvia.”

“Life just got so much more complicated didn’t it.” Paul intones.

Aaron takes a deep breath. He doesn’t even look at her.

“Rae I need you to go to Chrimel Use that incredible skill of gossip. Find out what you can

about her and what she has been up to since the engagement.”

“Sure dad.” She heads for the door.

“Be careful.” He calls after her.

“What do we tell Christine?” Paul asks.

“I have no idea.” Aaron responds

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“Aaron, a third of Silas’s and mines descendants come from this women, and she really

doesn’t look like some one who has had ten kids.” Gemma points out. “We can’t kill her.”

Silas falls back against the wall. “We don’t have an option.” He states softly. “I’ve been in

her head. She is a psycho. She enjoys murder. It turns her on.”

“That would be this bit then.” Paul explains pointing at the black streak. That’s Daemon

taint.”

Silas looks at him. “But you are almost all like that.”

Paul shrugs.

“No we don’t kill her.” Aaron cuts into the conversation. “We know that. We know she has

children. So we have to rehabilitate her some how.”

Silas shakes his head in disbelief.

Aaron points at the streak. “She wasn’t born like this Silas. This is something she has been

given, or had inflicted on her, depending on your view point. This is something you can learn

to resist.” He points to Paul. “He is living proof of that.”

Silas doesn’t look convinced.

Aaron steps over to him, taking his shoulders in his hands and looking straight into his eyes.

“Look at me.”

Silas lifts his gaze to match Aaron.

“Do you think that for one millisecond that I would let my daughter be with that creature,

“he nods to Paul, “If I did not have faith in his self control and her ability to reinforce it.”

“No.” He answers.

“And you see how big a taint he has to fight against. This,” he taps the image of silvia. “this

is nothing.”

Silas looks at Paul.

The humanized daemon looks uncomfortable at all the attention.

“Will you help our daughter?” He asks.

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Paul nods, it’s only slight but Silas knows it is heart felt. “She can come to the castle. I’m not

going to say it will be easy, but between me and the twins… We’ll do what we can.”

“Thank you.” Gemma states softly. Silas turns to look at her and she holds out her hand to

him. Aaron lets go of his shoulders so he can go to her then moves over to the control panel

next to Paul.

“Sorry about that.” He states flatly.

Paul shrugs. “Well if he is as much family as Rae seems to think he is then he was bound to

find out my guilty secret sooner or later.” He looks at Aaron and grins. “’Course I would have

preferred later.”

They look at the woman in containment.

“There is one thing.” Paul states softly. “If you do trust me so much, why did you give Rae

the sword?”

Aaron looks at him. “What makes you think I ever meant her to use it on you?”

“The fact it was a wedding present. You could have picked a better day.”

Aaron looks him up and down. “I wont deny that it is the ultimate fail safe Paul, but I never

expect her to use it on you.”

“But you gave it her anyway.” Paul points out.

Aaron looks back to the screen.

“Suddenly I need some fresh air.” Paul heads for the door.

+*+

Rae strides out of the labyrinth at Chrimel to be greeted by Ryan’s huge smile. He holds his

arms out for a hug.

“Jerry said you were on your way over, I thought I’d pop down and say hi.”

She walks over and accepts his embrace.

“You do know this I only do this because you are the only person Chris will let me get away

with hugging right.” He whispers.

She looks up at him and squeezes his arse.

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He grins and then slips his arm around her waist to lead her to wards the house.

“So what are you doing here?” He asks.

“Would you believe some R&R.” She responds.

“Life’s that’s good at the moment that this place is quiet is it?”

She nods.

“How’s Paul?”

“Bit pissed with me he just found out what the Waki can do.”

“Ooo. Not taking it well then.” Ryan shrugs. “Ahh he’ll get over it, after all what choice does

he have.” He pulls open the left hand side of the big double doors, and stands to one side to

let her enter. “What is he going to do, send you out in to the realities with no way of taking

out the daemons?”

She looks at him.

Concern passes over his face. “Rae…”

“He gave me an ultimatum Ryan, him or the blade. What did you expect me to do?”

“I’ll cross you off the active list then.” He says glumly.

“No don’t do that. I’ll think of something.”

“Com on I’ll get you a drink.”

He leads the way towards the bar and gets them settles in a window seat. The room is full of

Chrimel personnel kicking back and having a good time. Music is playing, people are

dancing. Rae is greeted warmly by the friends she has here and she realises suddenly that

she had not been completely lying when she told Ryan she needed to relax. With a smile she

works out that is probably exactly why Aaron had sent her here.

It is not hard to turn the conversation round to Silvia, and Ryan sees no danger in bring Rae

up to speed on the girl he still considers to be Rae’s cousin.

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“Actually Polar has taken the girl under her wing, to be honest most of the rest of us are far

to busy. Seeing as Chris isn’t as out and about as much as she used to before the wedding,

something to do with her new woman at home image, Polar has had less to do. Not much

need for a body guard when your round here 24/7.” He looks up at the dance floor “’cept

may be for Friday Mosh night.”

“Has she taken her out into the realties yet?”

“Yeah they go out all the time. Hardly seen them in the last few months.” Ryan signals to the

bar that he wants another drink. The waiter brings two. “That’s kind of the point really isn’t

it? Get the kids out there, give them a chance to see the worlds, and an idea of the other

points of view.”

Rae shrugs. “What are they getting up to?”

Ryan shrugs “Couple of little jobs I needed doing, a bit of surveillance work.”

“What about LL004? Silvia go on that one.”

“Don’t be silly There is no way that Chris would sanction her going on something that

dangerous.”

“But Polar requested it.”

Ryan looks at here. “You are very well informed.”

Rae shrugs.

“Your dad sent you check up on her?” He asks.

“There has been a bit of a problem, a couple of people related to her died we are trying to

make sense of it.”

“You want to check up on her?” Ryan asks starting to stand up.

“Nah. She’s fine.” She dismisses, putting her hand on his to pull him back into his seat. “I’d

rather you stayed her and entertained me.”

“Wanna dance?” He asks gesturing to the dance floor.

She downs her drink. “Two falls, three submissions or a knock out?”

“You’re on.”

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+*+

Silas watches the exchange between Aaron and Paul and then the man leave the room.

“What’s that about?” He asks Gemma.

She shrugs “Something to do with Rae’s sword.” She attempts to answer.

Silas looks over at Aaron as he is looking at the info read out from Silvia. He knows the man

is looking at it too hard for it to be genuine.

“Talk.” There is an element of command in his voice.

Aaron turns and looks at him curiously. “I don’t remember teaching you that?”

Silas looks confused. “Teaching me what?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Aaron dismisses. He looks over to the door and then back at Silas. Then he

pulls Rae’s sword from his belt. “I need you to do something for me, Silas. I need you to look

after this.”

Silas looks down at the sword. “It’s like a little Alex.” He states softly, realising that he never

really got a close look at Rae’s Sword, it always appeared from no where when it was needed

and vanished just as quickly.

“Well there would be a reason for that.” Aaron admits.

“Alex?” Gemma looks confused.

Silas points to the Katana on Aaron’s belt. “Alex.”

“You named your sword?” He looks at Aaron as if he is a child.

“No, she has a name.” He clarifies. “Always did. I just occasionally pay her the duty of using

it.”

“Men.” She dismisses.

Aaron shakes his head realising it is pointless to try to explain, then he offers the Wakasahi

to Silas again. “Please.”

He takes it reluctantly. “Why?”

“Because she need so be in the family and right now I see to be running out.” He looks away

briefly, the awkwardness getting too much for him.

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“Ok.” Silas states softly, pushing the sheath through his belt.

“There are four.” Aaron continues. “Suki holds the Tanto. Rik took the Tachi with him, I have

the katana and until this morning Rae guarded the Wakisahi. However, as much as I love my

daughter and want her safe, her happiness means even more, so right now she can’t have it

and him. On day may be that situation will change, until then…”

“I’ll hold on to it.” Silas states softly.

“Thank you.”

Silas gestures back to the read out. “That white path on my plot that’s wasn’t all you was it?”

Aaron shakes his head. “No.”

“So if she has an equivalent black does that mean she has an active link to some one as

well?”

Aaron turns and looks at the data. “Possibly.”

“Any way we can use that to trace who it is?”

“Depends how paranoid they are.”

Gemma looks at Silas. “What do you mean, it wasn’t all Aaron?”

Silas looks at her and realises there is no time like the present to drop the bomb shell that is

Rik.

So he drops it.

She listens intently at his explanation and then says, “Wow. So this guy can walk in and take

over your body at any time?”

“Well,” Silas shrugs.

“So how do I know when it’s you?”

“Rik isn’t so polite.” Aaron responds darkly.

She glares at him for his unhelpful help.

He looks at her. “If you know what to look for it’s obvious. There is a change in the tone of

his voice, a slight accent, Rik stands differently. You’ll spot it when it happens.”

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“Also he has promised to knock.” Silas adds, “so I’ll warn you. And I’ve asked him not to do it

when we are alone.” He looks at Aaron “I went to visit him when I was trapped in the

containment.”

“Really?” Aaron looks interested, almost excited. “And.”

“He kept me firmly locked where he had been sitting.”

Aaron grimaces.

“But I got to see some stuff. He has a very nice study, and I saw a bit through the window.”

Aaron half laughs at the fragmentary nature of the revelation.

“But he wouldn’t give you anything more.”

Silas shakes his head. “Said it wasn’t time and when it was time he would tell you himself.”

“Well I’ll hold on to that then.” Aaron responds sadly. Then he looks back at the image of the

girl in the room.

“We need to talk to her.”

“But will she be willing to talk to us?”

“She might answer you.” He responds softly. “If we don’t try we’ll never know…”

Silas steps up to the mike.

+*+

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Chapter 31Rae leave Chrimel a few hours later, feeling warm as her liver works over time to deal with

all the alcohol in her system. Still she is a better state than Ryan who she left lying under a

table.

As she heads towards the lea gate in the labyrinth she realises there is one more piece in the

puzzle. A throw away line made when her mind was on other things. The issue is how to

follow up on it. A dark theory forms, a way of possibly literally killing two birds with one

stone.

She heads into the labyrinth, letting it’s path guide her into the lea, once in the realm of

dreams it takes her only seconds to summon up a messenger, a tasty creature formed from

the matter and instills it with the offer she has. She sets it loose, confident it will find it’s

way.

With in minutes the reply arrives in the form of a large black raven that drops to the ground

before her before dissolving in her grasp.

“You have your meeting. Bring it with you.”

She smiles and heads back to the castle.

+*+

Silvia glares at the camera as Silas questions here. As Prydan says “It’s like milking a rock”.

She doesn’t want to talk but he discovers that if he phrases his questions just right it seems

she can not help her self.

Slowly he uncovers the detail of her life over the last few years.

She arrived at Chrimel with no real idea where she came from, as far as she was concerned

she had had a sheltered upbringing to strict parents who had been killed in a car accident

leaving her an orphan. With the speaker off Aaron confirmed that this was part of the

agreement they had with Christine to hide Silvia’s true parentage in case any one started

asking difficult questions.

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The Bulmäs attack had happened with in days of her arrival and scared her, but there was

something abut the way the world had shifted that had spoken to her. She tried to ask round

but no one seemed to want to explain, except for a few comments Rae made on the day

which left her just more confused and intrigued.

When Polar returned from a job she was doing for Christine in Korea she had turned to here.

The woman was all too keen to explain, and from that first approach the daemon slowly

unlocked a world of seduction, bondage and pain magic.

The daemon had taken her time. Starting with little things, a little blood letting as part of a

ceremony, then introduces a sadistic element. She encouraged Silvia to first seduce and

then abuse her maid. Teaching her how to feed on the power the emotions release and use

them for greater magical effects. Slowly Silvia became completely dependant on the

daemon, and Polar encouraged her to prove her love and devotion in ever more twisted

ways.

The hunting down and destruction of the five girls Polar identified would have been the final

step and earnt her the greatest reward. Although she has no real idea what the reward was,

her faith in Polar was enough to drive her to complete the task anyway.

It is clear she has no idea that the girls she was sent to collect were her own descendants

but Silas doubts she would care even if she knew.

All she cares about is that she has failed her mistress.

He flicks off the speaker and stands back.

He looks over at Gemma who has tears in her eyes. “How can…” She struggles to get out the

words… “How can we let that happen to our daughter?”

“We didn’t know.” Silas responds.

“But we did. We are here now listening to this how…. How can we send her to Chrimel

knowing that this is what is going to happen to her?” She looks over at Aaron.

“Because it has to be done.” He states flatly.

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“No.” She states firmly. “You said that about Alan, but that was past. This is future. It is still

our future. How…” She looks at the image on the screen. Then she looks at Silas.

He has no answers; all he can do is hold his arms out wide to her.

“If we didn’t send her there those girls would not have died.” She states firmly, ignoring the

offer of embrace.

Then she looks at Aaron challenging him to deny it.

He shuffles uncomfortably. And then speaks. Silas knows him well enough to know that this

is taking a lot of effort. “If she didn’t go to Chrimel, those kids would never have been born.”

Her expression is almost threatening.

“In a nut shell. She goes to Chrimel, because she goes to Chrimel she goes to Castle shoko.

Because she goes to Castle shoko, she learns to control it and in learning to control it she

meets one of her partners who is the father of that branch of the family.” He elaborates.

Gemma stares at him.

Suddenly all the look of pity and sympathy goes from him. “So welcome to my life.” An angry

bitterness flows in his words. “This is what it’s like every bloody day.” He looks at the door.

“The moment I handed Rae that sword I know that Paul would make her choose between us

and him and I knew which way she would go.” He looks at Gemma. “The day I shook Alan’s

hand I knew he’d be die on that wall.” And turns to Silas “The day of my wedding I knew that

one day the love of my life would rip out her one throat rather than face the shame of

dishonouring me.” He turns back to look at the image of the girl on the screen again. “So.

You know what? You get to send Silvia to Chrimel, but by the time you make that call you

already know where it leads too and how happy she is because of all the links in the chain,

however unpleasant they may be, so” He turns to Silas again “it’s not so hard as it may

seem like right now.” He slows. His voice calming. “And that’s as good as it ever gets.” Silas

watches him close his eyes, a stillness comes over him briefly. “I’m going to see if Paul’s

found that air yet.”

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He leaves the couple alone with the view of their daughter crying in her cell and Gemma

finally accepts Silas’ offer of embrace.

+*+

The castle deposits her via the stone doors of an ancient temple, it is the only thing that

remains of the structure. In the distance she can see the giant silver ships of the Followers of

Hürn. The samurai armour clad Bulmäs is waiting in the courtyard; his loyalist warriors

standing just beyond the shattered walls. She drags out the head and kicks it down the

steps.

They stare at it in horror and disgust sensing it’s emptiness.

“I did warn you it was broken.” She states flatly.

“How did this happened?” The creature asks.

“I guess he fell out with a daemon.” She states the obvious. “How many of your forces

returned?”

“All too few.” He spits back.

“Any of them happen to mention a Daemon?”

“You know they did.” He replies.

“Yeah only that particular Daemon was in your lea bubble when this guy died.”

The creature stares at her, knowing that her facts are right.

“So how did your head end up empty?” She pushes the point. “You were looking for Stone

House. You were pretty damn certain you would find him in that house. I want to know why?”

“What right have you to ask?”

“Well I found him and brought him to you, didn’t I?”

Again he cannot deny the accuracy of her terms.

“So.” She challenges again. “How come my intelligence...” She deliberately uses the word,

“was so much more effective than yours?”

He looks back at the assembled war band and then at her again.

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Then he steps towards her. She stands on the steps measuring his stride. She knows she can

get back through the door and into the castle again if needed. As he reaches the bottom of

the steps he stops. Sensing this is as close as she is going to let him get.

“My intelligence.”

“Your intelligence? You didn’t risk a force like that on nothing, and gateing into an enclosed

location is a neat trick. So who told you Stone House was there, and what was the link you

used to set up the gate.”

“And what do I get in return?”

She laughs. “I think you already owe me enough.”

His face turns dark.

“But if you need more. I have more. Intelligence that is more… useful that that you used to

not find stone house.”

“We received a cell sample from an inside source. One of Chrimel personel. They assured us

that is was from Stone house.”

“This person have a name?”

“Yes, but I’d like to hear what you are offering first.”

“Do you know what Hürn agreed to with Stone house?”

“Yes.” His face turns dark. “That his bastard breed can walk with out our claws freeing them

from the breath they steal.”

“I take it you are not all that happy with the arrangements then?”

He snorts.

“Protected like that Stone house will found a dynasty. And there is nothing you can do to

stop him without disobeying Hürn. Now I was at your camp with him, and he did not like what

he saw and he is nothing if not an idealist.”

“What are you saying?”

“One way or another one day, you will be at war with his people, Hürns protection only

extended to his existence, once he actively moves against you, you will have all the excuse

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you need. Bide your time on this Stone house issue. There is nothing to be gained from petty

snipping. It will anger Hürn and Dumla and only going to make it harder to justify your

actions when you have true cause. And believe me he will give you just cause if you just

keep on doing what you do best.”

The Bulmäs considers what she says. Then he looks at her.

“Polar.”

“Hmmm. Interesting that.” Rae observes. “Christine’s pet Daemon bring you to her house

and then your second in command ends up like that.” She smiles. “Nah have to be a

coincidence.”

She heads up the steps and back into the castle leaving the Bulmäs to ponder.

+*+

Silas leads Gemma out of the dungeon. She wanted to stay but, seeing their daughter in so

much distress, when there was nothing they could do, was too much for her. As they come

out into the sunlight he can see Paul and Aaron stood on the castle wall looking down

towards the river. The wind briefly catches their words and blows them to him.

“I don’t blame you Paul,” Aaron says, “It’s just hard for all of us.”

He stops not to wanting to disturb their talk, but Gemma is in no mood to be considerate.

“So what are we going to tell Christine?”

The answer comes from an unexpected quarter, Rae striding up the steps from the Pantry.

“We tell her everything.”

Aaron looks at her and then nods in agreement. “She deserves to know.” He looks at

Gemma. “I need you to pull it all together and package it up: The autopsy reports, the linage

of the 2 girls who died and the two who were attacked, The details of where the bodies were

found, Prydan will have a police report on the riot, include that too, because that last body

was deliberately placed to cause that chaos and destruction. All the info on LL004, including

Polar’s request to work it.”

“Not sure I can include that without getting Jerry in the shit.” She states.

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“Ok leave it out. He’ll bring it up himself. But include a full recording of the interrogation.”

“And this.” Rae says holding out a data chip. “I went to talk to Hürnson. The attack on

Chrimel on the day of the engagement. Polar provided to cell sample they used to reach

Silvia.”

“Well that will hang her on it’s own.” Aaron states flatly.

“This is not just Silvia. Polar has been a bad girl for a long time, but she has been covering it

up very well indeed. There are going to be big waves from this one.” Rae warns.

“Ok. We’ll batten down and look after our own problems for a while.” Aaron looks back to

Gemma. “Send it over as an ‘her eyes only’ encryption with the key Routengard, that way

she will know it has to have come from me.”

“Then what?” Silas asks as Gemma heads for the map room.

“Then we wait for the call.”

The data sent they assemble on the green near the map room, The sky is a brilliant blue with

faint fluffy white clouds, but try as it might the sunny day is not raising their moods.

Paul is lying on his back. His head resting on Rae’s lap as she strokes dirt and small twigs out

of his hair. Silas and Gemma sit on the wall, Gemma’s head resting on his shoulder. She is

exhausted, the emotions and revelations of the last few days getting too much for her. Silas

holds her, stoking her arm with his other hand.

Aaron is sat on the steps, his mobile phone on the wall in front of him. He appears to be

staring at it intently but his eyes are closed.

The door of Connaught’s office opens and the man marches out. For a brief second Silas

wonders if he is capable of just walking or if the military is so ingrained now he has not

choice.

“Captain! I wasn’t aware I was running a holiday camp here!” He barks.

“We are waiting for a phone call Sir.” Silas responds.

“I don’t remember promoting you boy.” Connaught replies.

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Aaron’s hand reaches for the phone even before it begins to ring. He stands up. “Yes…” His

voice is soft and low and very controlled. “…Ok…” He hangs up. He looks up at Connaught.

“We’re just in the end game now Sir. I’ll have a full report on your desk by the morning.”

“Good.” The man vanishes back into his domain.

Aaron turns to Silas. “Just you and me Silas.”

“What about us?” Paul asks, obviously irritated at being excluded.

“No. Not even Gemma.” Aaron explains. “She was very precise.”

“Then I think I will go and be with my daughter.” Gemma states standing.

“and we’ll go with you.” Rae states making it clear to Paul there is no room for negotiation.

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Chapter 32Silas expects Aaron to lead them on to the walls and through Caester’s labyrinth but he

doesn’t. Instead they head for the Dorchester. They go up in the lift to the top floor and for a

moment Silas thinks they are heading for Aaron’s Suit, but instead he turns the other way to

a door at the far end of the corridor.

He knocks and enters.

The room inside is immaculate, a classic English drawing room of Leather, darks wood and

expensive rugs. Through the door Silas can see a bed room with a four poster bed with white

silk sheets.

Christine is standing in the centre of the room. She is dressed in a smart business suit. Her

make up and hair as immaculate as the room, but her face is as dark as a July thunderstorm.

Kneeling on the floor next to her is a woman with long dark hair and sharp features and Silas

realises with a shock that this is the first time he has met Polar in the flesh. She is restrained

with a hogtie between her neck, ankles and wrists. He can see where the restraint is digging

into her flesh holding her in the kneeling pose.

Aaron closes the door.

Christine looks at Silas. “You need to be in on this,” She states flatly, her voice held firmly so

and not to betray the emotion obviously seathing through her. “But we do not go washing

our dirty laundry in public.”

He nods, understanding what she is means.

The she turns to Aaron.

The two just look at each other for an age, almost as if both are waiting for the other to

speak first.

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Or may be it is because they realises how irrelevant worlds are at a time like this.

Aaron draws his sword and offers it hilt first to Christine.

She shakes her head.

“I’ll do it.” Silas hears the words before he realises he is speaking, but he knows this is like

the conversation with Sally, they come so easily because they are so true.

Aaron slides Alex back into her sheath as Silas takes out the Wakasahi. If Christine is

surprised he is carrying it she doesn’t show it.

“Look at me.” His voice almost sounds compassionate.

Polar looks up. There is hatred in her eyes, if she could get free she would rip him apart with

her bare hands and take great delight in doing it. Silas knows all too well from her gaze that

this is the thing he felt in his daughters mind in the stasis chamber. They were not Silvia’s

desires, it was Polar riding her, just as Rik rides him.

It makes his next task all too easy.

The blade slides into her flesh, plunging into her brain then on down her neck and into her

chest. Nothing can stop it now, although he feels as if he is putting no pressure on it at all.

He feels the point find her heart and bisect it, and then flow on down dividing her stomach,

piercing through the vestigial and useless womb; the bones or her calves and then it collides

with the wood of the floor and stops.

The hogtie falls to the floor, the neck collar around the blade embedded in the wood.

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But of the daemon there is nothing.

Silas stands up, pulling the blade out of the floor. He looks at Christine.

“Thank you” she says, and he knows she really means it.

He runs the blade along his sleeve out of habit before returning the blade to his sheath,

although there is nothing on it to clean off. Then he turns to Aaron

“I think I’d like to go and spend some time with my family now.” He states.

Aaron steps out of his way and wordlessly gestures to the door.

Silas leaves.

+*+

In the containment Gemma can hear a change in the crying, it turns into deep heart felt

sobs.

Rae looks over at her. “It’s done.” She states quietly.

“Let my daughter out.” She commands.

Rae’s hand moves over the containment controls and a hole appears in the rock wall, the

sobbing sounding louder through it.

Gemma runs in to embrace the girl

She strokes her and kisses her; she rocks her gently, singing softly to her the songs she uses

when Toby wouldn’t sleep, not knowing how familiar they would sound to the girl in her

arms.

Rae stands in the door way watching her. She feels Paul’s arms around her waist and his kiss

on her neck.

“I said she could come and stay with us.” He confesses.

“I think that would be best.”

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+*+

The Door closes behind Silas and Christine turns her gaze on her brother.

“Debt paid?” She asks.

He nods.

“And the tree?”

“They are all there, Alan, Amy, Fiona and the rest. I checked. They are not comfortable but

they are safe.”

“And she is still honouring her task?”

He nods.

“Good.” She looks at the door. “He’s a strong one that one. You may want to keep an eye on

him.”

“Oh I do.” Aaron assures her.

Christine looks back at him.

“There was a time I would have killed you for that.” She says gesturing to the hogtie and the

small mark in the floor.

“There was a time when I might have let you try.” He retaliates.

“Meddler.” She challenges.

“Ice Queen.” He retaliates.

“Interfering Bastard.” She raises.

“Heartless bitch.” He responds, but there is no malice in his words.

“No Aaron, I have a heart, you know that.” She defends.

He nods.

“But I’ll take the bitch.” She concedes.

“Ok. I’ll compromise on that.”

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“Now I have worlds to save and you have puzzles to solve, and neither of those things will

get done with us standing around here exchanging pleasantries.”

He nods and heads for the door.

“… and you can tell your son in law that Ryan’s supply of Fae juice had better dry up. It’s

about time he learnt to stand on his own two feet and stop leaning on crutches.” She yells

after him.

“Ok.” He lets the door swing shut and heads along the corridor for a lie down and a fish

sandwich.

+*+

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EpilogueIt’s the night of the hunters Ball a long held tradition in Caester when the great and the good

come to play their respects to the watch and the guard who keep them safe.

The large central room of the Town hall is decked out in flowers and ribbons. Short flights of

stairs lead down onto the dance floor and at the far end a small orchestra are playing.

Paul, Prydan and Aaron have stakes out a set of tables at the far end of the room where they

can get a good view across the dance floor and spot people as they come in. Prydan and

Aaron are in their respective dress uniforms, whist Paul has opted for his Daimyo finery.

In front of Prydan is a folded piece of card with a child like scribble on it: Paul’s gift ‘from the

twins’ to mark the man’s coalescence.

Connaught spots them as soon as he enters the room and heads for them with his

determined stride.

“You did hand in that report, didn’t you?” Paul asks

“Ermm. Probably.” Aaron responds “I’ve slept since.” He teases.

“Gentlemen.” Connaught greets them with a nod. “Dartanion.”

“Sir.” Prydan and Aaron chorus, Paul makes a point of not replying.

“Is Mr Tremain not with you?” Connaught asks.

“He’s running late.” Aaron replies.

“Can’t decided what to wear.” Paul jibes

“Well one would hope he does not come in his pyjamas as well.” Connaught retaliates.

“Of course if one of you two were to official commission him he would not have to make a

choice.” Aaron points out.

Prydan and Connaught exchange looks. “We’ll debate that one later.” Prydan assures him.

“What did you want Silas for anyway?” Aaron asks.

“The Council met this morning and considered his application for residency.”

“And.”

“I think I should tell him first don’t you?”

Aaron shrugs. “Any trouble off Jessop?”

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“Well he had to put his or in but given young Tremain’s crucial involvement in bringing the

murder of those two girls to justice he didn’t have as much weight as he hoped in the end.”

Connaught responds. And then realises that he has inadvertently answered Aaron’s first

question. He glares at him briefly. “Captain.” And then leaves.

“That was almost cruel.” Paul comments.

“That was almost too easy.” Aaron responds. “His guard must be down.”

“Well it is the one night a year he lets himself have off.” Prydan observe toying with the card

as if he is unsure what to do with it.

“Ah here they are.” Paul stands up.

Rae appears at the top of the stairs, she is dressed in a perfectly cut dinner jacket, with

black tie and a tie pin bearing Paul’s Phoenix Mon. On her arm is Gemma in a close fitting

cocktail dress made of shimmering green which clings to her erotically as she is lead down

the stairs.

“And he isn’t here to see it.” Paul responds wistfully. Then he complains “Why doesn’t my

wife ever wear anything like that?”

Prydan looks at Paul’s get up and goes to speak, but then thinks better of it after exchanging

glances with Aaron.

“Well look on the bright side, you paid for it. You might as well at least enjoy the view.”

Aaron points out.

The two women head across the dance floor to them, Paul going to meet them half way.

Aaron leans over to Prydan.

“That could almost make you wish you were straight.” The watchman comments. They

exchange looks and laugh.

“How’s the head?”

“Sorted. Mostly. Aurelius helped a lot, at least was able to tell which memory related to

which me, I mean a lot of them he was there for as well. It threw up a couple of issues but

nothing we can’t work out. At least I know what happened to him rather than what they went

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through. Still I’d hate to have to do that without support.” He turns and looks at Aaron. “He

will never thank you himself…”

Aaron shakes his head as a dismissal. “It’s why I’m here Pry.”

“Still. I appreciate it.” Prydan stands, pocketing the card. “I better go and argue this Silas

thing out with Connaught.”

“He always picks paper on his second go.” Aaron advises watching him leave and then

descends the steps to greet his family.

“Mum not here?” Rae asks

“She’s being fashionably late.” Aaron replies.

“So is Silas apparently.” Gemma complains.

“Trust me this way will have a bigger impact.” Aaron responds. Then he looks up to the door.

Silas comes in. He is dressed in a rented tuxedo and, whilst it fits, it is not the best. Paul

looks at Aaron. “Have you not given him the address of your tailor yet?”

“He couldn’t afford to go to my tailors.” Aaron replies. “He has a household to run now

remember.”

Silas scans the room and then spots them, and then stops.

“Leave him alone, he would look fabulous in boxer shorts.” Gemma defends her love.

“If he was just in his boxers now Prydan would have to arrest him for lewd behaviour.” Rae

observes.

Silas is stationary at the top of the stairs, behind him an elderly couple have to side step

quickly so as not to walk into him.

He is looking at Gemma.

He is looking at Gemma in that dress.

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And within seconds most of the room is looks at her as well.

And suddenly Gemma feels like the most beautiful girl in the room.

Rae glances over at her father and he grins, nodding slightly.

Silas shakes himself and heads down the steps towards her, and the spell is broken and the

dance moves on. Aaron heads back to his seat, Paul and Rae following. They give Gemma

and Silas some space to greet each others.

“How’s Silvia?” Aaron asks.

“Settling in. It’s slow but she’ll get there.” Rae assures him.

“We are having to keep an eye on Toby though.” Paul confesses. “From the way he has been

behaving you would have thought he’d have seen the family tree.”

“Well just remind him that if he makes Suki a great grandmother he is going to have to tell

her. That should keep his trousers on for a while longer.”

Paul laughs. “Now why didn’t I think of that.”

+*+

Two figures stand looking at the girl sat on the bed, they know that she can not sense them

until they want her to so they talk freely.

“I think that went remarkably well really.” The male states.

“Do you think any one suspects?” The female asks.

“No. Mortals are so single minded. We gave them an answer and they are happy with that.”

He responds confidently. “I doubt they really care which daemon took the girls. Don’t they all

look the same anyway.” He teases.

“Getting rid of Christine’s little bitch was a nice bonus.” She comments.

“Made Dad happy.” He smiles at her. “And keeping him sweet is no bad thing.”

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“What do you want to do?” She nods towards the girl.

“Ooo” He breathes softly. “What do I not want to do?”

She shakes her head. “We have time for that later. Much later.” She reminds him.

“Spoil all my fun you do.” He complains

“Not all of it.” She points out. “You got the girls, didn’t you?”

“Oh yeah.” He grins evilly at the memory. “Tasty.”

“Seriously though...”

He looks at the girl on the bed.

Silvia slowly becomes aware of some one standing in the door way. She looks up to see Gen.

“Can I come in?” she asks.

Silvia nods and the girl comes over and sits down next to her.

Silvia looks at her, her brain feels so scrambled. The blocks on her memory have been

removed but it is still hard to work things out. She is sure Gen used to be younger, but now

she looks around her own age. May be it is just that she can not remember properly.

“How are you doing?”

Silvia shrugs.

“It will take time Silv.” Toby’s voice comes from the door way.

She looks over, briefly anger flares in her, there is a man in her domain. She glares at him.

“That’s Polar’s thinking Silvia.” Gen comments softly.

The girl looks at her, tears well in her eyes as she realises that Gen is right. “I’m all a mess.”

She cries, dropping her head into her hands.

Then she feels a hand on her knee, she opens her eyes to see Toby crouched down in front

of her. “It’s ok.” He assures her. “That’s why we are here. To help you sort out the mess.”

“It’s what family do.” Gen adds putting her arm round Silvia’s shoulders. “Try and

remember.”

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She closes her eyes, there are somethings coming back: She can remember playing with

these two, times when mum brought her with her to work; Games of hide and seek in the

castle complex; The time Gen used her magic to make her fly; Toby teaching her about the

weapons and armour in the cellar and her mothers fury when she found out what he had

been doing. She smiles.

“See.” She is not sure which of them says it, but she nods in agreement.

She opens her eyes again and looks at Toby. He has grown from a gangling youth into a

strong and confidently looking man, she feels a brief twinge of attraction to him and then

repulsion at the thought she could feel that way about any man. Tears come to her eyes as

she begins to feel how much Polar has stolen from her.

Toby takes her hands, lifting them to his lips and kissing them.

Gen’s arm on her shoulder tightens slightly.

Almost as if both of them know what is going on in her head.

“It will take time.” Toby says again.

“But time is one thing we are not short of here.” Gen continues.

“and we will be here for you every step of the way.”

+*+

The Ball progresses, Silas finds himself next to Aaron, as Paul drags Gemma on to the dance

floor with the excuse that as “he paid for it he wants to enjoy it.”

Aaron passes Silas a beer. “How are you doing?”

“Still trying to catch my breath.” He confesses. “Sometimes it seems to all be happening so

fast and then others things seemed to have been this way forever.” He shrugs.

“Connaught find you?” Aaron asks.

“Yeah, bit confused. Apparently Gemma and I qualify for a house; we need to come down to

the town hall tomorrow to look at what is available.”

“Congrats.”

“And he said he’d commissioned me as a sergeant in the Guard.”

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“Ah Prydan lost then.” Aaron responds, but he dismisses Silas’s questioning look with a wave

of his hand.

“Didn’t sound like I had a choice.” Silas complains.

“Well you could say no if you want… Mind you ‘Sergeant Tremain’ has a ring to it.”

“Actually we are thinking of going back to Maynan.” He admits. “Gemma prefers it and it

would make Jack happy. If that ok with you?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Tremain was only ever a cover to keep the Bulmäs off your back any

way. So are you going to take the commission?”

“Probably. I get the feeling Caester is going to be my home. You said that once, that there

was something about this place and the people in it. Something special.”

Aaron nods.

“So I’ll need a job and it beats stacking shelves in a supermarket.”

“You can have Captain of the white guard if you want.” Aaron offers.

“Oh no you dumped one of your responsibilities on Jack, you’re not of loading another on

me.”

“Why not? You’d do it better than me. You’d be here for a start. Good practice for running a

field, comes with a five bed detached house within the castle walls that I never used. Besides

I need to get back to what I should be doing. I’ve let too many things distract me recently.”

“Like?” Silas asks.

“Like you.” Aaron responds. And then he looks at his companion. “Our relationship has been

pretty…”

“Fucked up?” Silas offers.

“I was going to say complicated.” Aaron defends. “What with you on the run from the Bulmäs

and the whole ‘together’ thing, and then Rik and now this thing with Gemma and Silvia…

And the sword.”

“So. Where do we stand Aaron?” Silas asks.

“That is what I am trying to work out.”

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“I know how I feel.” Silas offers gently. “When Dad told me I couldn’t come back because

he’d told every one I was dead there was a huge hole. Jack tried to fill it, but it was all too

mad at the Maynan’s and I wasn’t really there that long. But somewhere along the line, some

where between Rik dragging me off and Polar’s destruction, it got filled. May be it’s all this

family stuff that has been occupying my mind.” He looks at Aaron

Aaron nods. “Yeah.”

“I mean I’ve even called Suki mum a couple of times, in private.” He confesses.

“If you call me Dad in public I will knock your lights out.” Aaron warns.

“Agreed.” Silas laughs.

“But you are right. I think that is where we are right now. And I think that’s a good place for

us to be.”

He looks down on to the dance floor where Paul is whirling Gemma round. “She is stunning

tonight Silas.”

“I know.” He responds. “I’m a very lucky man.”

Silas arrives at Paul and Gemma as the track ends. He deliberately takes her hand. “My go

now.” Paul steps back holding up his hands in mock surrender.

As he takes her the DJ puts on the next song and he realises it’s the same one that was

playing all that time ago in Aaron’s Suite, and on the fold ship, and the song he was dancing

to when Sally found them together, almost as if it has been haunting him.

Suddenly the lyrics seems so real and true.

There have been times when he has felt like he has was going mad, but he has realised that

you don’t get caught at life, you have to live it. It’s far too easy to get wrapped up in just

moving forward, without thinking where you are going or why; and all that time he’d missed

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Gemma standing next to him because he’d just not looked at her. And now there is no point

in delaying anything any more.

All that matters is her and he can face anything or any problem because he knows she is

there and believes in him. Maybe has got smarter, or more grown up, or may be just learnt

to see what really matters; that the belief in each other will see them through the darkest of

moments, even when it looks like everything else is falling apart. Because in truth all that is

irrelevant, he is not the weak little boy that his father abandoned in the car park with an

uncle he’d never met before so long ago. He has come such a long way since then and

changed so much.

And it’s the journey that made him so strong.

Started 14/05/07

0 words on 19/05/2023 at 9:04 AM

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Open Door........................................................................................................................................................................1Prologue..................................................................................................................................................................2Chapter 1...............................................................................................................................................................10Chapter 2...............................................................................................................................................................25Chapter 3...............................................................................................................................................................38Chapter 4...............................................................................................................................................................49Chapter 5...............................................................................................................................................................58Chapter 6...............................................................................................................................................................65Chapter 7...............................................................................................................................................................79Chapter 7...............................................................................................................................................................87Chapter 8.............................................................................................................................................................101Chapter 9.............................................................................................................................................................115Chapter 10...........................................................................................................................................................122Chapter 11...........................................................................................................................................................130Chapter 12...........................................................................................................................................................136Chapter 13...........................................................................................................................................................147Chapter 14...........................................................................................................................................................152Chapter 15...........................................................................................................................................................157Chapter 16...........................................................................................................................................................170Chapter 17...........................................................................................................................................................178Chapter 18...........................................................................................................................................................184Chapter 19...........................................................................................................................................................191Chapter 22...........................................................................................................................................................200Chapter 21...........................................................................................................................................................211Chapter 22...........................................................................................................................................................220Chapter 23...........................................................................................................................................................230Chapter 24...........................................................................................................................................................238Chapter 25...........................................................................................................................................................249Chapter 26...........................................................................................................................................................261Chapter 27...........................................................................................................................................................269Chapter 28...........................................................................................................................................................280Chapter 29...........................................................................................................................................................286Chapter 30...........................................................................................................................................................296Chapter 32...........................................................................................................................................................304Epilogue..............................................................................................................................................................309