Children of Poseidon: Rann (20 page)

“He did it deliberately.”

“What?”

“That boy. Pushed you into the road.”

“What boy?”

The man looked around. “He’s gone.”

“You’ve been following me,” Jewel repeated. “Did you—”

“I pulled you back.”

“Why? Why are you following me?”

“You’re Lila?” The man retreated as she stepped forward. “Aren’t you Lila Redcar?”

Jewel opened her mouth, couldn’t think what to say, and closed it again. She shook her head. “No.”

The man took another step backwards, and his mouth drooped. He looked as though his mind wasn’t completely switched on. “You must be. Your aura—”

“What do you want with Lila?” Jewel followed him as he moved backwards. He stepped off the pavement, and a cyclist swerved, swearing as he avoided him.

“Be careful.” Jewel took a nervous breath.

“I know her.” The man stood in the road, face blank for a second. He made an obvious effort to gather his thoughts. “She knows me. I need to talk to someone who knows me.” A car sped up the road, and he sidestepped back onto the pavement, slowly drifting along the street. Jewel followed him.

“Who are you?” She caught him up and studied his face. Something about it looked familiar.

“I don’t remember.” The man paused, brow furrowed. “I don’t remember a lot of things. But I’ve some names in my head. Lila is one of them. Maybe she can tell me who I am. If I can find her.”

“Wait.” Jewel thought hard. She wasn’t going to lead a stranger to Lila, but maybe she could bring Lila to him. “Why did you call me Lila?”

“You look like her.” He squinted. “I think. Or what she should look like. I don’t know.” He scuffed the pavement with his trainer.

“I know a Lila.”

The man’s head jerked up again, vague blue eyes sharpening with interest.

“If you wait here, I’ll get her.”

“I don’t know. Is it safe?” He edged into the shadow of the café.

“I’ll only be ten minutes. Stay here.” Jewel whirled round, ready to run back up the hill, and bumped into Rann. “What—”

“I followed you.” He folded his arms and dared her to complain. Jewel saved it for later.

“Wait here. Make yourself useful. This man thinks he knows Lila. Don’t let him wander off. I said I’d get her.”

“Wait. What . . .?”

Jewel didn’t wait to hear what he had to say. She backed away, checking that Rann understood her request.

Rann studied the stranger, who shuffled backwards as Rann’s stare bored into him. “Who—”

“I don’t know. Neither does he. Make sure he stays put. Just wait. I won’t be long.” She dodged past Rann and jogged back up the hill, conscious of his stare on her back.

“Who is this man?” Lykos drew himself up, his posture imperious. “Lila? You should stay here. I’ll go and talk to him.” He grasped Lila’s arm and tried to push her back onto the sofa.

Lila pulled away and rose to her feet. She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t think so.”

Jewel flicked her fringe out of her eyes. “Why don’t both of you come?”

“Me too.” Maya scrambled off the other sofa, and Jewel heaved a deep breath.

“Come on.” She hoped the stranger wasn’t shy. Or scared of crowds.

The whole lot of them trooped down the hill to the High Street, which still teemed with shoppers, lunchers, and general passers-by. She could see no sign of Rann or the stranger.

Jewel looked up and down the road, with a growing nervousness.
What happened to them?

“In the café.” Maya pointed through the window. Rann and the stranger sat at one of the window tables, large mugs in front of them. They appeared to be deep in conversation, but Rann looked up and waved upon seeing Jewel.

Lila drew in a short breath, choked, and clutched Lykos’s arm.

He frowned at her. “What’s wrong?”

“That’s . . .” Her voice faded, and she gulped.

“What?” The air throbbed with Lykos’s worry, and he radiated impatience. “You don’t have to—”

“Do you know him?” Jewel spoke at the same time.

“That looks like my father.”

As Jewel watched, her colour faded, and she sagged against Lykos, using his body for support.

He wrapped his arm round her. “Are you sure?”

Lila chewed her lower lip, and her forehead wrinkled. “Yes.” She took a deep breath. “No. He’s thinner. Grayer. I’m not sure. I think so.”

“Come on.” Maya pushed past Lykos and nudged the door of the café with her hip. “Let’s go in. Find out what’s going on.”

“Are you all right?” Lykos studied Lila. “Would you rather—”

“No. We should go in.” Her voice shook, but she followed Maya, heading into the café, with Lykos hovering protectively behind her.

Jewel stayed on the pavement, wondering if she should join them, or whether she would be an unwelcome intruder. Her stalker was Fergal. Maya’s father, Lila’s father, and probably her father. Rann looked up as Maya arrived at the table. He squinted through the window, eyes scanning the street until they rested on Jewel, hovering outside. He rose to his feet and edged past the tables. Jewel didn’t move until he appeared on the pavement.

“Are you just going to stand there?”

“No.” She still made no effort to move, and Rann grabbed her hand. “But I feel like an intruder.”

“Come on.”

“I didn’t know who he was.” She resisted the tug on her hand. “I wouldn’t have brought Lila like that if I’d known. I’d have warned her first.”

Rann cupped her face in one large hand.

She poked at the pavement with the toe of her new boot. “Honestly. I would.”

“Jewel.” He shook his head and pulled her inside.

Maya had already appropriated Rann’s vacated seat, and Lila and Lykos stood together by the side of the table. Rann let go of Jewel’s hand and pulled a couple of chairs from the next booth. He pushed Jewel into one and sat in the other.

“Lykos?” He raised his voice, and Lykos dragged his attention away from Lila. “Sit down. You’re looming.”

Lykos frowned but hooked a chair out, pulling Lila onto his knee as he sat on it.

No one said anything for a moment then Maya opened her mouth. She’d never been one to let a silence develop into discomfort. “I—” Her words were cut off by the soft voice of her older sister.

“I’m Lila.”

“Yes.” The stranger’s blue eyes squinted at her. “I know you.” His face screwed up in confusion.

“I’m your daughter.” Lila grasped Lykos’s hand.

“Daughter?”

“Yes.” She waited. “Don’t you remember?”

“I . . .” The stranger picked up his mug and peered at the contents. “I don’t remember who I am.” He put the mug down again. “I’m your father? So who—”

“I’m Lila Redcar. Your name is Fergal Redcar.”

“Fergal? Yes. That sounds right. No one’s called me that for a long time.” He winced and clasped his head. “It hurts to remember.”

Lila winced in sympathy. “Where have you been?” She leaned towards him. “For nearly thirty years?”

“Thirty years? Has it been that long?” He rubbed his forehead.

“Twenty-seven.” Maya interjected. “I’m twenty-seven.”

Fergal gave her a puzzled glance. “You look like . . .” His eyes moved over her face. “But she’s dead. They told me that.”

Maya shrugged.

“My sister. Maya. She looks like our mother.” Lila touched the back of Fergal’s hand with one finger. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t know where I’ve been. Not exactly.” Fergal closed his eyes, hiding a flash of sorrow. “When I try to remember, I get a headache. But the last two days, I’ve seen glimpses. Things are coming back.” He opened his eyes again and nodded at Lila. “I remember you. I saw your friend and remembered you.”

Jewel glanced at Lila and shook her head slightly. She didn’t think this was the right time to tell him that he had yet another daughter. She wondered if he knew his wife had died twenty years ago. She thought that might have been whom he’d referred to when he’d recognised Maya.

Lykos tipped Lila off his lap, headed to the counter, and came back with a tray of drinks. The scent of chocolate reached Jewel’s nostrils, and she realised her legs still trembled. Shock from her earlier fall.
Why did someone try to push me under a lorry? Who could it have been?

Lykos handed a mug to Lila and waved at everyone else to help themselves. “Drink it,” he told her. “It’ll help.”

Lila sipped the drink, while still examining her father through her eyelashes. Her hands shook, and Lykos took the drink back. Lila chewed on her index finger until Lykos captured her hand in his. She gave him an uncertain look. Lila always knew what to do. Or at least she always gave that impression. The older woman had never let her dearth of magical talent stop her from doing what she thought right, but right now she radiated confusion.

Fergal spoke, this time to Lykos. “Should I know you?” The question could have been aggressive, but it just sounded plaintive.

“No.” Lykos sat down again, lifting Lila back into position. “I’m Lila’s lover, partner.” He paused. “Husband.”

Fergal examined Lila again.

“I met Lykos ten years ago.” Her voice had stopped shaking, and she told her father about the kidnappings and people trafficking she’d been involved in.

He stared into space. “Maya?”

“Yes?” Maya jerked to attention, but Fergal addressed Lila.

“My daughter?”

“Yes. My sister.” Lila sounded patient as she repeated herself.

“I don’t remember.” His gaze drifted to Maya and away again.

“We’ve never met,” Maya said. “You disappeared before I was born. Don’t you remember anything?”

“Bits and pieces. More every day.” Fergal’s eyes sharpened and lit up with a residue of intelligence. “I hope it will all come back soon. I think it will. Hurts my head, though, trying to put it all together.”

“Why don’t we go back to the flat and see what we can work out between us?” Maya sounded more tentative than Jewel had ever heard her. “Lila must remember some things, and we’ve heard stories. We can compare information.”

Jewel intercepted a glance between Rann and Lila.

“Not everything now.” Lila chewed on her finger. “Later maybe. We’ll have to talk about it, but wait a little. If it gives you a headache, you should be careful. Take things slowly.”

Fergal gave them a puzzled look but stood up when the others did.

“Okay to come back home and talk to us? Just a little?” Maya was uncharacteristically tentative, but Fergal nodded.

Jewel and Rann trailed behind the others as they made their way up the hill.

“Are you all right?” Rann took Jewel’s arm. “He told me you almost fell under a car. Said he stopped you.”

“I—”

“Are you sure he didn’t push you?”

“I don’t think so. Someone did, but I don’t think it was him.” Jewel tried hard to remember, but it had happened so quickly. “Anyway, why should he?”

“I’ll be watching him.” Rann’s voice echoed with the rumble of thunder. He put his arm round Jewel’s shoulders. “You’re shivering.”

“I’m fine. Just a bit shaken.”

Rann’s arm tightened.

Chapter 20

Jewel and Rann entered the sitting room to find Maya and Lila sitting on one sofa with Fergal opposite. Lykos hovered behind Lila, his hands resting on the back of the sofa, his legs apart—a picture of protectiveness.

Jewel looked round the room and then sat down on the arm of her sister’s sofa. Rann joined Lykos behind the sofa, his demeanour just as threatening.
Poor Fergal.

Fergal resembled an interview candidate in front of a human resources panel. He sat on the edge of the sofa, still wearing his oversized coat. It hung open, revealing knees pressed close together, hands wedged between them.

“What do you remember?” Lila asked.

“I came here by boat.” Fergal looked up at the ceiling. “To London, I mean. I was somewhere warm before. I escaped.”

“Do you know where you were?” Lila asked. “Where you escaped from?”

Fergal grimaced.

“If it’s hurting . . .”

Fergal shook his head, eyes on his knees. “It doesn’t matter. I remember being afraid, and desperate to leave the place I was in. I felt ill. I knew I’d been used in some way. Cursed or spelled. I can remember recognising the feel of powerful magic.” His voice shook. “I’m remembering more every day. I can sense the truth. It’s almost there.”

“Why did you come to London?”

“I had to. Something called to me. I knew I had to come here. It’s taken a few months.”

“You remembered me, though?” Lila’s voice was gentle and encouraging.

“Your name.” Fergal blinked. “I remembered Philippa first.”

“My mother?”

“Yes. I looked for her. I asked in an herbal shop in Camden.”

“She’s—”

“I know.” Fergal interrupted, his eyes flashing up at her. “The woman in the shop remembered her.” A shadow crossed his face. “I couldn’t . . .” He took a deep breath. “It was a while before I remembered your name, but I knew I should look for you.”

Fergal and Lila stared at each other, obviously remembering Philippa.

“Then I saw your friend.” He nodded in Jewel’s direction. “I don’t know why, but I thought she was you.” He studied Jewel. “I don’t understand it. You look a little alike, but I remember Lila as a child. She was eleven. I remember.” He narrowed his eyes as he inspected Lila. “You’ve grown up, but you still look like you. She looks like you as well.”

“Do you remember Kara?” Lila watched him with her empath’s face.

Fergal flinched. “Yes.”

“And . . .?”

“She was the coven leader when I lived here,” he said. “She was a scary woman.” A visible shiver ran through his thin frame. “Efficient. Cold, but efficient.”

“Do you—”

“Is she still the leader?”

“For the present.” Lila said.

“I’m Kara’s daughter.” Jewel’s voice intruded into the momentary silence, and Lila gave her a warning glance.

“Ah.” Fergal shrugged. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“She is scary,” Jewel said. “I hadn’t seen her for nine years until this week.”

“Do you remember leaving London all those years ago?” Lila continued with her questions. “Why you left?”

“Not really.” Fergal sounded frustrated. “It was all a bit of a fog. I was at home. Then I wasn’t. The first thing I remember about that time is being in a room in a warm place. As a prisoner. I think.”

“But you escaped?” Maya leant forward.

“Yes. There was some sort of uproar, and I had a moment of lucidity and went.”

“You don’t remember—”

“More comes back every day. I can remember the place now, and a boat that brought supplies. I stowed away on it. I could still do invisibility then.”

“It brought you back here?”

“No. I found another boat in some port in Africa. Somalia maybe? They were looking for crew and took me on.” He paused, rubbing his head again. “So tell me what’s been happening here.”

Lila took a deep breath. “Kara’s showing signs of the madness. Jewel’s come back to deal with her.”

Jewel sat up straight. The situation could be summarised like that, but it wasn’t the way she would have described it.

“I see.” Fergal shifted closer to the edge of the sofa. “Kara always had that potential. She was a gifted young woman.”

“She said Jewel was your daughter.” Lila watched him carefully.

Jewel bit her lip. She thought they’d planned to wait before they told him.

Fergal’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

“It’s true.” Jewel dropped her head; she couldn’t look him in the eye. “My mother told me a couple of days ago.”

“I don’t think so.” Fergal eyed her, a small spark flashing from his gaze. “I was always faithful to Philippa.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “I don’t know what your mother told you exactly, but I can’t be your father.”

“She drugged you and bespelled you.” Jewel flinched at the harshness of her own voice.
Maybe that was a bit abrupt.

“What?”

“She
—
”

“Kara?”

“My mother.” Jewel’s voice shrank.

“She was the coven leader. She wouldn’t have done that. It’s forbidden.” Fergal’s eyes flashed blue ice, and he no longer looked harmless. The air shimmered as though it had heated. Maya had obviously come by her fiery talents honestly.

Lila jumped up from her corner of the sofa and knelt in front of him, clasping his hands in hers. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll talk about it later.” Her voice soothed, and the air round Fergal stilled.

“I don’t believe it.” His voice shook.

“It is unbelievable.” Lila exuded sympathy.

He took a deep breath and addressed Jewel. “Is that really true?”

“I think my mother has been a little mad for much longer than we thought.” Jewel wrapped her arms round herself. “She’s completely out of control now. That’s why Maya asked me to come back to London.”

Fergal examined her. “I can’t believe it.” He shook his head. “I’m not accusing you of lying. It’s just difficult to comprehend.” Waves of rejection radiated from him.

Jewel looked away.

He took another shaky breath. “Kara?”

“We think she was the one who had you removed from London as well.” Lila sounded apologetic. “Everyone thought you’d been damaged by your magic and had just disappeared.”

Fergal stared at her.

“You know it happens. You’d been behaving strangely for a while. No one even suspected you’d been cursed. It’s not something that happens in a coven.”

“Why?” Fergal shook his head. “Not now. My head hurts.” The colour had faded from his complexion, leaving it with a grayish tinge, and he sank against the back of the sofa, closing his eyes.

“Are you all right?” Lila released his hands and touched his knee.

“I get these headaches.” He spoke without opening his eyes. “I’ve had them for years. They seem to be improving, but this one . . .” His voice faded to a whisper. “It’s the remembering. It’s so hard.”

“It’s probably a side effect of the curse. Maybe we should continue this discussion tomorrow?” Lila said. “Where are you staying at the moment?”

“Anywhere. Nowhere.” He clasped his head between his hands. “Last night, I slept in an unlocked shed.”

“Lykos?” Lila turned her head. “Could we find a room in our hotel? Maya has no more space here.”

Lykos nodded. “I’ll ring.” He disappeared into the kitchen.

Fergal didn’t open his eyes. The sound of his harsh breathing filled the room. Lila chewed on her index finger, as she studied him.

“Is it my fault?” Jewel whispered.
Maybe I was a little quick to claim him as my father. But Lila was the one who told him.

“No one’s fault.” Fergal was barely audible, but there was a note of resentment and hostility in his voice. “It will pass.”

Lykos came out of the kitchen. “I’ve moved us into a suite. The taxi’s waiting downstairs. We should go.”

Fergal didn’t move.

Lykos took his arm and helped him to his feet. Lila hooked her hand through his other arm. Jewel stood up and, together with Maya, followed them to the door of the flat, waiting while they went downstairs.

“Well?” Rann raised an eyebrow as Jewel and Maya rejoined him.

“They’ve gone.” Maya sat down.

“Are you okay?” Rann looked at Jewel.

Jewel nodded. She didn’t blame Fergal for not welcoming her with open arms. Her existence resulted from forbidden magic, and her mother’s actions had cost him years of his life. His wife had died while he’d been under the spell, and he’d missed out on his daughter’s childhood.

“I hope his memory comes back.” Maya jumped up again and wandered over to the window, looking out. She frowned. “Lykos is helping him walk. I wonder where he’s been.”

“He thinks he’s remembering more every day.” Jewel followed her, and the two of them stared out into the darkness until Lykos, Lila, and Fergal were gone.

“We should let Annis and Connor know we’ve found him.” Rann reached for his cell phone.

“I’ll check on Seawitch.” Maya disappeared into the bedroom.

Jewel sank onto the sofa as Rann called the investigators. His end of the conversation was not informative. She raised an eyebrow as he put the phone down. There was no way she planned to move; her legs felt far too shaky.

“They’ll come over tomorrow,” Rann said. “They’d like to talk to Fergal.”

“Why?” Surely their part in this had ended, now that Fergal had reappeared.

“They want to talk about Seawitch.” Rann sat down next to her. “The tracker found something in the records.”

“What?”

“I don’t know.” Rann shrugged. “Annis said there was something odd about the magic signature.”

“We know that.” Jewel suppressed her irritation.

“And they’ve found out more about Fergal’s disappearance,” Rann said. “Connor wants to have a look at him. They’re going to bring the tracker back.”

“But we know who cursed him?” Jewel didn’t try to hide her confusion.

“Connor thinks there’s more than one spell on him.” Rann began to sound impatient. “I don’t know. I just think any information might be useful.”

Annis and Connor brought tracker Liv with them late the following morning. Lila, Lykos, and Fergal had already arrived and were seated in the flat, drinking coffee in uncomfortable silence.

“How are you?” Maya sounded concerned.

Jewel strained her ears as she made yet another pot of coffee in the kitchen.

“Better.” Fergal spoke. “I’m remembering more. It’s rushing back in. I think in another couple of days I’ll have it all. Even the pain isn’t as bad.” The satisfaction in his voice carried through the wall.

Putting the cups on a tray, Jewel carried it into the sitting room. Fergal’s gaze drilled into the back of her neck as she put the tray on the table.

“So?”

She looked up at the note in his voice.

“I have two daughters I knew nothing about.” He glanced briefly at Jewel and then back at Maya. “I’m sorry I wasn’t very . . .” His expression darkened, and he paused. “Last night. I was surprised. Taken aback. And I caught a glimpse of the past. I remembered Kara.”

Jewel chewed on her lower lip.

“Do you know where you’ve been since you disappeared?” Annis spoke.

“I’m getting flashes.” Fergal watched as she picked up her coffee. “I remember heat, humidity. A city. Lots of people. Poverty. I sensed their desperation. It was hard to unravel it from my own. That was a long time ago. Then I was somewhere else. I remember mages. I think some dark magic surrounded me. That memory won’t come. Yet.”

“We tracked some of your journey,” Annis said. “You came from the Horn of Africa last. That must be where you picked up the ship you crewed on.”

“I remember that.”

“Would you let Liv check you out?”

“You’re the tracker?” Fergal glanced at Liv.

She nodded.

“And you’re the werewolf?”

“Yes.”

Fergal turned back to Liv. “Okay.” He held out his hand. “I’ve nothing to hide. I think.”

Liv took her knife and made a small cut in his index finger. As she had done with Seawitch, she lifted it to her lips and touched her tongue to it. She closed her eyes. Jewel still found the whole performance disturbing.

“Well?” Maya vibrated with impatience.

“There’s still a slight residue of Kara’s magic.” Liv kept her eyes closed. Her brow wrinkled. “There’s a faint whiff of something really unpleasant. Like the dark master trace I found on your seawitch. Not as obvious, but definitely there.” She opened her eyes. “Which reminds me. Alberic. There was a trace of his magic in Seawitch. When I checked the records. In her blood.”

“Alberic?” Fergal looked puzzled, and Jewel realised he must have no idea what had happened to his old coven.

“Alberic is Kara’s lover,” Maya told him. “A dark mage.”

“Why on earth would his magic signature be on Seawitch?” Lila’s voice was full of foreboding.

“I don’t know.” Maya scowled. “But remember, we have no clue where Alberic has been since he left his last coven. That’s two years unaccounted for. And we don’t know where Seawitch came from.”

“A dark mage?” Fergal sounded more lucid every minute. “In my coven?”