Alex Verus Novels, Books 1-4 (9780698175952) (126 page)

* * *

B
eing able to look into the future gives you a certain amount of protection against being killed in your sleep, but as last night had demonstrated it's not reliable. The basic problem is free will; once someone's made their plans to kill you it's easy to see them coming, but if they don't decide on the details of their assassination attempt until
after
you've gone to sleep then it gets iffy. Until this was over I wasn't going to be sleeping in any of the places I'd been attacked in. In fact, I wasn't going to be following any of my usual routines at all.

This is the reason being hunted sucks so much. If you know who's chasing you and how, it's not difficult to throw off pursuers. The problem is doing anything
else
. I couldn't run my shop, or live in my flat, or hang out with Luna or Anne or Variam or Sonder, or follow any of my usual patterns, because if I did I could be traced. Most people can get away from hunters in the short term—it's the long term that trips them up. Even if you're being hunted, life goes on: you have a job to do, places to go, and a home to live in. All those things make you predictable, and sooner or later someone will use them to find you. I couldn't keep hiding forever. Right now, though, I just needed somewhere to sleep.

The Royal National Hotel is next to Russell Square, a gigantic concrete-and-brick building that sprawls over an entire city block. It's the largest hotel in London and feels like a small airport, right down to the people sitting on the carpets in the lounge with luggage piled around them. My mist cloak drew stares but I was too tired to care. The reception staff didn't even blink; either they were too well trained or they'd seen so many weird guests that nothing fazed them anymore. Probably both.

My room was on the second floor with a view out over the flagpoles of the inner courtyard. I didn't undress or even empty my pockets; I just dropped on the bed and closed my eyes. I was asleep inside two minutes.

chapter
10

T
he plaza was filled with white light, doves pecking on the stones and roosting in the branches of the line of trees in the distance. I was sitting on the same bench, looking up at the glowing sky, and in the distance I could hear the rustle of wind. “You know,” I said, “each time I go back to Elsewhere it feels like I get here faster.”

“You do,” Shireen said from next to me. She was sitting on the bench; I didn't know if she'd been there before I spoke, but I'd known she'd be there after.

“What's changed?”

“Finding your way in Elsewhere is just like anything else,” Shireen said. “The more you do it, the easier it gets. Are you ready to go back?”

“One thing,” I said. “I'm seeing Rachel's memories when I do this, aren't I? What's it like for her? Can she feel anything?”

“Maybe,” Shireen said. “I think to her it just feels like another dream.”

“Could she tell the difference? Find me while I'm there?”

Shireen hesitated. “I'm not sure.”

“You're not very good at being reassuring, you know that?”

“Sorry.”

I wanted to ask more, but I knew this would only get harder the longer I waited. “All right,” I said. “Let's do it.”

Shireen nodded and extended her hand. I took it, feeling the touch of her skin—

* * *

I
was back in the girls' room in Richard's mansion, but something was different. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, but somehow I knew that this memory was from the end of my time in Richard's mansion, after I'd tried to rescue Catherine but before I'd escaped.

The mission to America had changed things for the four of us. In our first year we'd competed, but there had always been a vague sense that even if we might not like each other we were still on the same team. After the fight in the canyon things were different. Tobruk had always been dangerous, but killing Matthew had made him worse; it was as if there wasn't anything holding him back anymore. Shireen was on edge, angrier. I hadn't realised it at the time, but the same things that had gotten to me must have been bothering her too. Only Rachel had stayed the same. Right now she was sitting on the bed with her back against the wall, reading. It was daytime and light was streaming in through the open windows.

Shireen was in an armchair, her elbow on one of the armrests and her head propped up on her hand. She was studying an old clothbound book and frowning, and as I watched the frown kept getting deeper. “This is really messed up,” she said at last.

Rachel didn't answer. “Rach?” Shireen said. “Have you read this?”

“Hmm?” Rachel said without looking up.

“Listen to this,” Shireen said. “It's a study about mages who Harvested someone. Are you listening?”

“Uh-huh.”

“‘Mages in Category A appeared to complete the ritual successfully with no significant side effects. Mages in Category B displayed symptoms of mild psychological consequences. Mages in Category C displayed symptoms of moderate to severe psychological consequences. Mages in Category D were unavailable for study for reasons including: (a) subject location unknown, (b) subject unwilling to participate in study, (c) subject deceased in subsequent altercation before sufficient data could be obtained. It has been suggested that a significant fraction of mages who should have been assigned to Categories B and C may have been incorrectly assigned to Category A due to lack of relevant data . . .'” Shireen looked up. “Rach? Are you listening?”

“Yes.”
Rachel looked up. “What?”

“This is important.”

“No, it's not,” Rachel said. “We're supposed to be learning
how
to do this, not what's happened to other people.”

“Isn't some of this stuff worrying you?” Shireen said. “‘Psychological consequences'?”

“That's only if you do it wrong.”

“Look, this is starting to sound really freaky. Pulling someone else's magic out and taking it for yourself? What does that do to them?”

Rachel shrugged. “I guess they can't use magic anymore.”

“Then how is it none of these books say anything about what happens to them afterwards?”

“How should I know?” Rachel said in annoyance. “Are you going to help me with this or not?”

Shireen looked at Rachel, frowning. “Why is Richard getting us to learn this stuff?”

“Look,” Rachel said. “What's the one thing we've learnt that mages care about? Power, right? Well, this is a way of getting it. Besides, if we don't use it, everyone else is going to.”

Shireen frowned again but didn't argue. Rachel went back to her reading and the two girls sat for a little while in silence. “Rach?” Shireen asked.

“Mm.”

“Have you ever thought about leaving?”

Rachel looked up in surprise. “You mean here?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would we want to?”

“Look, think about it,” Shireen said. “Do we actually
like
anyone in this mansion?”

Rachel shrugged. “Not really.”

“Then why are we living here?”

“We get training from Richard and we've got servants to do whatever we want,” Rachel said. “Anyway, it's not like you expect to like the people you live with.” Rachel narrowed her eyes slightly. “Is this about Alex?”

“No,” Shireen said.

Rachel looked at her.

“Okay, maybe.”

Rachel shook her head. “I told you not to talk to him.”

“It's not just Alex, okay?” Shireen said. “I just . . . Look, I don't feel like this mansion is such a safe place anymore. And Tobruk is seriously starting to freak me out.”

“You're the one who was screwing him.”

“Was,”
Shireen said, glaring at Rachel. “Have you seen what he's doing to that girl?”

“I told you about him, didn't I?” Rachel said. “You didn't listen.”

“Yeah, well, I'm listening now. How about we do something about it?”

“I'm not getting near Tobruk,” Rachel said with a shiver.

“So what?” Shireen said with an edge to her voice. “We sit around while he goes down to visit every night? This is fucked up.”

“Better her than me,” Rachel snapped. “She's going to die anyway, what difference does it make?”

Shireen drew back, startled. “She's not . . .”

“Oh, come on,” Rachel said impatiently. “You think Richard's just going to let her go?”

Shireen looked away, and there was an awkward silence. “Rach, I'm serious,” Shireen said. “I feel like something bad is going to happen.”

“It is, just not to
us
.” Rachel put the book aside and turned to Shireen. “Look, we need to stick together. Tobruk's just waiting for us to slip up. If we break Richard's rules like Alex did, he can get us. But as long as we do what Richard says, Tobruk can't do anything. Promise me you won't do anything. I don't want anything to happen to you too.”

Shireen didn't meet Rachel's eyes. “Promise,” Rachel insisted.

“All right,” Shireen said.

“Okay?”

“Okay,” Shireen said. But she still wasn't looking at Rachel.

Rachel didn't seem to notice. “Come on,” she said. “It'll be just like that time with Mrs. Ellis. You remember that?”

Shireen gave a half-smile. “I was the one who came up with that.”

“I did all the work though. Anyway, it's not for much longer.”

“What isn't?”

“This,” Rachel said. “Being Richard's apprentices.”

Shireen frowned. “How do you know?”

Rachel glanced at the door, then leant closer to Shireen, lowering her voice. “I don't think Richard's going to be around much longer.”

“Why not?”

“Last week, when I went into his study,” Rachel said, “he left some papers out on the desk, and there was a letter. I couldn't see who he was sending it to but it was Richard's writing and he was saying something about not being back in England for years. Maybe more.”

“But where's he going?”

“Who cares?” Rachel said impatiently. “Don't you see, this is why he picked us. Remember how everyone keeps saying how he's never taken any apprentices before? This is why he did it
now
. He wants someone to leave in charge while he's gone.”

“And that'd be us?”

“Why not? We've earned it. Once we're Richard's Chosen, this place is going to be ours. The other mages are going to have to respect us. We'll be the ones in charge, not Richard.”

“And once he gets back?” Shireen said.

“It won't matter.”

“I don't know, Rach. I'm not sure we're doing the right thing anymore.”

“We can't back out now,” Rachel said. “Come on, just a little longer. Then it's all going to be ours.”

Shireen looked back at Rachel and gave a halfhearted smile. The scene blurred and shifted, and—

* * *

I
was in Richard's study, thick carpet covering the floor and shelves lining the walls. The room was shadowed, the only light a low fire burning in the fireplace. Three people were inside, one behind the desk and two in front of it.

The first was Rachel, and she looked different from how I remembered her. For all the nine months I'd been imprisoned Rachel had avoided me, and I'd barely seen her. Now that I got a good look at her I was surprised at how drawn and harried she looked, as if she'd been on edge for far too long.

Next to Rachel was Tobruk, and unlike her he looked exactly as I remembered him, steady and confident. Becoming a Dark apprentice hadn't changed Tobruk; it had just brought out what was already there. He stood with his arms folded, ignoring Rachel, all his attention on the man behind the desk.

That man was Richard, and even in the dream, seeing him again made me flinch. There was nothing intimidating about his appearance; he was average height with an average build, and looked completely ordinary in every way. He could blend right into a crowd without ever being noticed, at least until you heard him speak. But just seeing him terrified me and I was suddenly sure that dream or no dream, he knew I was there. If he'd turned to look at me I think I would have run.

But he didn't; instead, he was speaking to Tobruk and Rachel. Even in the memory Richard's voice was captivating, deep and commanding and utterly assured. No matter what he said, he always sounded natural and reasonable, and anyone who disagreed with him foolish and out of their depth. Arguing with Richard felt like swimming against the tide: no matter what you did you would be carried away, not because the water bore you any malice but because it was so much vaster and stronger. “. . . that we discussed,” he was saying. “Have they been resolved?”

“I found Bennet,” Tobruk said. He sounded confident. “He's not going to give us any trouble.”

“I set up the wreaths,” Rachel said at the same time. Neither she nor Tobruk were looking at each other; both were acting as though the other wasn't even in the room. “They'll be ready.”

“Excellent,” Richard said. “I believe you are ready for your final tasks.”

Rachel and Tobruk did look at each other then: a quick glance with no friendship in it. “I have been strict these past weeks,” Richard said. “Our schedule has been tight and there have been threats you have not been aware of. Despite this, both of you have fulfilled your roles admirably and without complaint. It is time you learnt what you have been working towards.”

Richard looked towards the two apprentices expectantly, as if waiting for questions. I'd thought it would be Tobruk who'd speak first, but to my surprise Rachel beat him to it. “It's to do with gate magic, isn't it?”

Richard inclined his head. “Go on.”

“That book you had us read,” Rachel said. She was frowning, looking thoughtful. “It said that gate magic used to be able to do more. That the old gate spells couldn't just move us between places on Earth, they could move between worlds.”

“Which is done today, after a fashion,” Richard said. “Modern gate magic can be used to access shadow and bubble realms—but both are very limited things. What if it were possible to open a gate not just to a small pocket reality, but to an entirely new world?”

“Can you do that?”

Richard raised his eyebrows. “What do you think?”

“I . . . guess,” Rachel said slowly. “I mean, gates just work on a similarity, it doesn't matter how far apart they are . . .” She shook her head. “But wait. You need to know where you're going.”

“Unless you have a gate stone.”

“Oh yeah.” Rachel frowned again. “Those work even if you don't know where you're going.”

“Because gate stones share a sympathetic link with the location they are keyed to.”

Tobruk was starting to look restless. “Who cares about this?”

“Soon I will be departing this reality through a worldgate,” Richard said. “When I do, your time as my apprentices will be at an end.”

The room was silent but for the crackle of the fire. Both Tobruk and Rachel were visibly taken aback; whatever they'd been expecting, it hadn't been this. “You needn't be surprised,” Richard said. “Your studies have progressed far. Both of you are strong enough now to stand without my protection.”

Rachel and Tobruk stood staring at Richard. “What are we supposed to do?” Rachel said at last, and for the first time she sounded unsure.

“Whatever you like,” Richard said with a smile. “Isn't that the point?”

“Who gets to be your Chosen?” Tobruk said.

Richard nodded, as if he'd been expecting the question. “I will need someone to watch over this mansion while I am away and to be ready for my return. Should either of you become my Chosen, this will be your responsibility, along with managing the rest of my property and affairs. It is of course a voluntary position.”