Dark Season: The Complete Third Series (All 8 books) (24 page)

"Yes, silly," I reply, "but what kind of vase?"

"A... magic vase?"

"No no no," I say, laughing. "It's a normal vase, but it was once used for something very wonderful. It was used to carry Cassandra's heart after it was first cut from her chest". I wait for her to say something, but she just seems a little confused. "Do you not know about Cassandra?" I ask, stunned by Abigail's total lack of knowledge. She's really starting from scratch, but it doesn't matter: I'll soon get her up to speed. I'm a quite wonderful teacher.

"Gwendoline," she says, sighing, "I genuinely appreciate your effort, I really do, and I'm totally grateful to you for showing me around, but would you be really annoyed if I went to my room and took a nap? I'm really tired, and I think I need to get some sleep before dinner".

I smile, realizing that I've monopolized her for far too long. Why didn't I consider the possibility that she might be tired? "Of course," I say. "Poor dear Abigail, please forgive me, I was just trying to make you feel more at home, but I suppose there's plenty of time to do all of this later, isn't there? Shall I show you to your room?"

"Is that okay?" she asks.

I nod. "But on the way, I want to show you just one more thing". I grab her hand again, this time leading her back through to the ballroom. We go over to the large patio doors that look out across the garden. "Isn't it beautiful? I ask as we stare at the scene. A huge green lawn spreads out from the house, running for miles before it's met by the edge of a tall dense forest and - beyond - the mountains. I've always fantasized about what it would be like to run around in the forest, though of course I've never dared to go so far from the house, not since Daddy took me out there many years ago. "Gothos has the most wonderful garden," I say.

"Yep," she say, nodding.

"In the old days," I continue, "there used to be croquet games outside, and everyone would gather for huge parties. That's when the vampires were here, of course. Things are so different now".

"So you're not a vampire?" Abigail asks.

Turning to her, I can't help but laugh. "Me?" I say. "A vampire? Heavens no!" I bare my teeth for a moment, allowing her to see the distinct lack of fangs. "If I'd been born a vampire," I tell her, "I'd have gone off exploring. I'd have traveled the world and fought monsters and done all sorts of things, instead of... well, instead of spending all my time here". I pause for a moment, imagining all the fun I might have had if I'd been blessed with mark of a vampire. "Mustn't complain, though," I say. "Gothos is the most wonderful place".

"You can still go out and explore," Abigail says. "Nothing's keeping you here. The world's not that scary".

"Of course," I reply. She thinks it's so easy, but she doesn't understand what it's like for me. For one thing, the garden might look empty, but there are things living out there. Horrible things. I glance across the room, to make doubly sure that we're alone, and then I lean closer to Abigail. "Do you want to know a secret?" I ask, keeping my voice low just in case one of the ghosts overhears me.

"Sure," she says.

"You must promise to keep it," I say, putting on my most serious face. "If you tell anyone, I might end up in awful trouble".

"I promise," she says with a grin, as if she's humoring me.

Reaching down, I grab her left hand and take hold of her little finger. "Promise that if you let my secret out to anyone else, you'll give me this finger. You'll cut it right off and give it to me".

She smiles. "Okay. I promise".

Letting go of her hand, I reach into my pocket and pull out one of the keys I've been carrying around with me. "Diana doesn't know I have this," I whisper, glancing around once again to make sure that there's no-one nearby. "I'm not supposed to go out into the garden on my own," I continue, "and of course I don't. But sometimes I unlock the door and open it just a chink, to give myself a thrill. I like to breathe the air from outside occasionally".

"You're a real rebel, huh?" Abigail says.

"I wouldn't say I'm a rebel," I reply, turning the handle and slowly opening the door a couple of inches, "but I do like to be naughty from time to time. Don't you?" Abigail shivers as a cold breeze blows in from the garden. "Can you smell that air?" I say. "Isn't it the freshest, most wonderful air you've ever known?"

"It's nice," she says, "but cold. I guess you don't get much sunbathing done around here". She pauses. "So when was the last time you went outside?"

"Oh," I say, trying to think. "It must have been... years and years and years ago. Daddy took me hunting, and -" I pause, trying not to think about that horrible day. "Well, I haven't been out since". I reach out to pull the door shut, but Abigail grabs my hand.

"Are you really scared of opening the door?" she asks.

"I..." I start to say, but then it occurs to me: if Abigail goes outside, all my problems are over. I've been setting up a complex plan for getting rid of her tonight, but suddenly this opportunity is presenting itself. "I don't know," I say finally, as I desperately try to decide what to do. Should I stick to my original plan, or should I seize the moment? "I mean, it's not allowed. Going outside, I mean. Diana forbids it".

"So what?" Abigail asks, grabbing the handle and opening the door all the way. "Come on, let's go outside".

"Absolutely not," I say, stepping back. "It's forbidden".

"Why?" she says, smiling. "Is it dangerous?"

I glance over at the other side of the room. There's no-one around. I could let Abigail go outside, and then I could tell people I have no idea what happened to her. After all, she'd only need to go a few paces away from the door and she'd be as good as dead. "Do you really want to go outside?" I ask cautiously. I shouldn't even consider the idea, but the chance to kill Abigail so quickly can't be ignored.

Smiling, she takes a step through the door and turns back to me. "Look, Gwendoline," she says. "I'm outside. Is something awful going to happen to me?"

I stare at her. I should get her to come back in, but it's so tempting to let her keep going. After all, I want her to die, and now she's making it far too easy for me.

"You're right," she continues, taking a deep breath. "There's really nice air out here. We should come out properly later". She turns to come back inside.

"No!" I say, blocking her way. "Go a little further! You need to get away from the house a few meters if you're really going to breathe in the crisp air".

She stares at me, clearly becoming a little suspicious. "Gwendoline, it's very nice out here," she says, "but I really just want to -"

Suddenly I push the door shut and turn the key, locking her outside. She lunges for the handle, but it's too late. My heart is pounding. I shouldn't be doing this, but she's almost forced my hand. If she'll just walk a little further into the garden, the creatures out there will surely grab her and kill her. This is almost too easy.

"Gwendoline," she says through the glass in the door, "this is very funny, but it's really cold out here".

"Go and have a look first!" I say, hoping no-one hears the commotion. "Just go a few more steps from the house and take a nice deep breath. I'll let you in straight away, I promise".

"Seriously?" she asks, sounding annoyed.

"You're the one who wanted to go out there," I remind her. "Take a little look around". I keep my hand on the handle. I could open the door and save her, but it's far too tempting to let her walk to her doom.

"Let me in now!" she says firmly, trying to force the door open.

"Not until you've look around!" I say. Although I can't see the creatures, they must be so close by now. If only they weren't so scared of the house, they'd have got her by now. Oh, this could all be so deliciously easy. "Take five steps back," I say, "and then I'll open the door".

"Gwendoline, let me -" she starts to say, but suddenly she spins around, as if something behind her has caught her attention.

"What happened?" I ask, trying to contain my excitement. Is this it? Is it going to be so easy to get rid of Abigail?

"Something touched my shoulder," she says tensely. "Something touched me". She backs against the door. "Gwendoline, let me in. Please?"

"Just a moment," I say, pretending to try the key.

"Now, Gwendoline!" she insists.

"I can't!" I say, wiggling the key in the lock. "It's stuck. I don't know what's wrong!"

"There's something out here," Abigail says. "I can't see it, but I keep feeling it brushing past me. What is it?"

"I don't know!" I reply, still pretending to try the key in the lock. "I shouldn't think there can be anything at all. I just -" At that moment, I hear a noise over my shoulder. Before I can react, I'm pushed aside and Diana turns the key, opening the door and pulling Abigail into the room.

"What were you doing out there?" Diana shouts, slamming the door shut and locking it. "Where did you get this key?" She turns to me. "Gwendoline, how many times have I told you never to go out there? How many times have I told you to be wary of the garden?"

"I just thought -" I start to say, but she slaps me hard across the face, almost knocking me to the floor.

"Don't talk back to me," she snaps. "Apologize to Abigail at once".

"It's okay," Abigail starts to say.

"It's not okay!" Diana shouts. "Gwendoline, apologize!"

Slowly, I turn to Abigail. Determined not to let her see me cry, and with the side of my face still stinging, I take a deep breath, forcing the tears back. "I'm sorry," I say, my voice quivering a little. "It was only supposed to be a bit of fun".

"It's fine," Abigail says, clearly feeling awkward. "It was just cold, that's all".

"Sorry if I scared you," I say. "If you like, I can make it up to you tomorrow by taking you to the zoo".

"The zoo?" she replies, looking puzzled.

"Yes!" I say, smiling. "We have a zoo in the garden. You can -"

"There's no time for this talk now," Diana says sternly. "Abigail, perhaps you should have a rest before dinner. Meanwhile, Gwendoline can do some chores for me".

"I don't want to do chores," I say, turning to her. I hate the way she always punishes me by making me do chores, like I'm some kind of child. "Please don't make me!"

"Everyone must do chores," Diana replies. "Go through to the pantry while I take Abigail back to her room".

Realizing that there's no point arguing with her, I turn and stomp through to the pantry. I hate this part of the house; it's where the servants work, and I don't see why I should have to spend time in such a place. As the maids get on with their work, I sit in the corner and wait for Diana to come and put me to work like some kind of common slave. I can't believe how close I came to getting rid of Abigail. Ever since she arrived at Gothos this morning, I've been plotting to get rid of her, and then she almost got herself killed right in front of my eyes. I'd assumed it would be hard to neutralize her, but perhaps she's stupid enough to walk straight into one of my traps. After all, I wasn't even trying to kill her just now, and she almost died. Imagine how things will go tonight when I'm actually putting in some real effort.

It's a shame, really, that dear Abigail has to go; she seems rather nice in some ways, and I think perhaps we could be friends under other circumstances. But she's standing in my way, and I have to get rid of her. Never mind. Sending her out into the garden was just one idea. When night falls, I'll take her to the room upstairs and I'll make her go inside. No-one ever comes out of that room. As I imagine her disappearing forever, I start to smile. I'll get what I want eventually. Patrick will see that he's made a terrible mistake, but I'll force him to reconsider. This can all still be put right before he dies. Finally, after years of misery, my chance has arrived!

Patrick

My body is dying. One by one, the cells are breaking down. Whether it takes days, or weeks, or even months, the process is irreversible: soon my life will be over, and the worries of the mortal world will be far left behind. So many centuries of life, snuffed out by eternal darkness. For now, I'm wracked with pain and I can barely think straight, but this is how it was always going to be. I was destined to die this way.

I should never have brought Abigail to Gothos, but I had no choice. Her body was breaking down. I had assumed, wrongly as it turned out, that she would undergo the change without any undue effects. When I found her outside Callerton, however, it was clear that something was going wrong. I worried that she might be dying, and I believe she would have died if I had not brought her immediately to this place. Gothos is little more than a set of ruins, a shadow of its former self, but it retains a certain atmosphere. Abigail seems to be recovering, and I'm quite certain that soon she'll be able to return to the human world and take her rightful place.

Unfortunately, bringing her to Gothos means bringing her into contact with some individuals I would rather forget. Diana has tried to keep Gwendoline in check, even going so far as to chain her in the basement for many years. Following the departure of Astley, however, Diana chose to bring Gwendoline back up; she put a dress on the girl, fixed her hair, and taught her to be a lady. It was an imperfect process, and one of which I do not entirely approve. Gwendoline was a failed experiment, and she should have died long ago. I worry about her effect on Abigail, but at least I know that Abigail is strong. If Gwendoline's jealousy gets the better of her, she'll undoubtedly lash out at Abigail, but I'm sure that Abigail will be strong enough to resist; if she's not, all of this will have been in vain.