Girl of Myth and Legend (10 page)

‘I need to take you away, my Lady,’ continues Sersu, ‘and out of the open. Come with me.’

‘What about them?’ Dad says, looking across to the attackers. They’re being grouped together by soldiers, reinforcements having now arrived.

‘That’s not important,’ replies Sersu. ‘We have to get her to her chambers; there might be others. The Thrones can handle them, but what just happened was unacceptable, a lapse in our security precautions.’ She bows her head at me. ‘I’m so sorry, my Lady. Leonie.’

I don’t know what to say. It’s not like I blame them, but right now all I can think of is how that woman wrapped her arm around my neck, so easily and without effort, and how she grinned at me as if this was just the beginning.

The beginning of what, though?

LEONIE

BLOOD ANSWERS BLOOD

I’m led away from the scene by Sersu and Dad. Steep stone steps wind upwards towards the temple I’ll be staying in, and gripped in its arc is a waterfall that meets with a river below. Ahead of us, on an undisturbed blanket of white, is the temple, as snow, silver and dark, falls hauntingly around it. Near the temple are four smaller, though still large, temples built entirely of stone, about which frozen vines tangle and foliage clings.

For the final stretch of our escape to the temple, we have to cross a stone causeway with small statues of stargods marking the way. The closer we get to it, the more my heart pounds in my chest. I look up and a snowflake lands on my cheek. This sky is not the one I grew up under. It is foreign to me. It is alien. It screams at me to turn back, to go home, to live under that ordinary sky I’ve always known. I should listen to it, I should, I
should
, but there’s an intent desire in me, strong and determined and unafraid, and my reluctance to enter this magical world is only offset by my own desire to experience it further, despite everything that’s happened.

A low wall encloses the temple, and we have to walk through a small, ornate tower that acts as a gateway. We pass something that looks like a gazebo, small and enclosed by dark-green foliage. We then walk up a path and a set of stone steps. Two doors painted scarlet open to us as if by magic—which is entirely possible—and I walk into a foyer where glistening candlelight reflects in the glossy walls, and the marble floor rings under the weight of our shoes. There are two white statues embedded into the wall, each with their hands in prayer, and they look down on me as if to say, ‘Who are
you
?’ I don’t get to take in much else of my surroundings, as Sersu drags me through the hallways in a rush, passing by Magen, who glance at us uncertainly.

I’m in a room now, lavish and grand and old. Scarlet is everywhere, decorating the walls, the bed, the curtains. I would have liked the colour, but after seeing what I just saw, it makes me think of blood, blood that might have been spilt—my blood.

I know Sersu and Dad are talking to me, and I’m pretty sure I respond, but I can tell by their lingering presence that I’m not fooling them into thinking I’m all right. I feel something wet on my hand, and Pegasus’s nose is touching me, his tail wagging like nothing has happened, like we didn’t just get attacked by magic assassins or whatever the hell they were. Pegasus’s eyes never leave mine, and I stroke his head. Sersu and Dad keep talking, but I don’t listen or bother to give them a response this time. I just stare at Pegasus. Slowly, the world comes back to me as if I’m piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, and colours become bright and brilliant again, and that feeling of safeness shrouds itself around me. I’m all right, I didn’t die, and I’m still here breathing with a beating heart.

Sersu leaves, and Dad sits by me on the bed. I don’t even remember sitting down. I take off the dark-green cloak.

‘Who were they?’ I ask, my voice quiet.

‘Rebels,’ he replies. ‘It’s all right now, I promise. Blood will answer blood, and they’ll be punished for what they tried to do.’

‘But why would they attack me? I haven’t—’

‘You represent something now, Leonie. Like you were told, around two hundred years ago the Pulsar were wiped out by a malevolent force, and since then they’ve been considered extinct. Extinct, until now.’ His gaze hardens on me. ‘Until you. You are
the
Pulsar, and that means something.’

‘I thought I was beginning to understand what it meant,’ I say. ‘I thought I was.’

‘You’ve had a lot to contend with in just a couple of days. It’s unsurprising some things didn’t sink in.’

‘What I am, is it bad? It is bad enough to want me dead?’

‘…It’s complicated. Since the beginning of the Chosen, Pulsar have been our champions and defenders. When the Imperium formed, their duty became more intense than ever as the sword and shield of the Imperium, but the burden wasn’t as heavy as it is for you—they were many.’

‘And I’m alone.’

His hand folds over mine. ‘Rebels fight against their government for whatever reasons they choose, just as those rebels fight against the Imperium. As the Pulsar, you
are
the Imperium; you are the beginning of an old age revived again, a time when Pulsar led us. That makes you a threat to them. I don’t know why, but they obviously believe you’re a danger to their cause, you and Crato.’

‘The… the woman who grabbed me, she mentioned Crato. Dad, who exactly
is
he?’

‘He’s the Head of the Imperial Council. Sebastian Crato makes the final decisions on issues raised at his court.’

‘And he’s the guy who saved you from imprisonment?’

‘Yes.’

‘You don’t seem happy about it. I’d be glad to have the favour of someone so important, enough to let me get away with something that’s considered punishable at least.’

‘I’m not in his favour, and believe me when I say that Crato doesn’t do things if it doesn’t benefit him in some way.’

‘What, he wants to use you?’

‘We’re all pawns in this game, and at the moment Crato is the player.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I say.

‘It means don’t lose yourself, the girl you’ve grown to be, especially not to Crato. I kept your existence a secret for a reason, Leonie, and if you become one of his pawns, if that happened to you, I… I wouldn’t…’ He turns away from me, focusing on the carpet as he restrains his emotions. ‘There was a time when I was like Crato, when I tried to crush your spirit, to mould you into what I wanted you to be.’

I stiffen. We never talk about that part of our lives—never.

‘You’re at your very best when you’re you, when you’re true to yourself, when you’re honest and kind and witty. No one should try to crush that out of you, though they’ll try—though they
have
tried. I was so…’

‘Um, look,’ I say, ‘let’s just… let’s not talk about this. It’s stupid. It’s the past—’

‘I almost killed you. You were so lifeless.’

‘Dad, don’t—’

‘But you became someone when you met her.’

‘Dad.’

‘She saved you.’

‘
Dad
.’

‘If it weren’t for her, I’d have lost you—’

I stand up. ‘Stop it, just stop it!’

‘You can’t run away from it forever—’

‘I don’t want to talk about this. Don’t just… don’t just
talk
about it like that!’

‘Leonie—’

‘Please, get out.’

‘I—’

‘Now! Go! Just go!’

He stares and I turn from him. After a moment I hear the door close, and I’m alone with Pegasus. I sit on the bed. There’s a rage in my stomach, or is it rage? No, it’s fear. Fear of remembering, fear of being reminded. Fear fear
fear
—always in the background, like my shadow trailing behind me. I try to calm myself, to tell myself I was overreacting. I didn’t mean to shout at Dad. I didn’t mean to let his words rile me up. I work so hard to forget, so hard to block out the past, and I do a good job, too. But when he ambushes me like that, when I have no time to put up a wall against his words, how can I remain insensible to the past?

‘She saved you.’

Yes, in many ways she did. But I didn’t save her.

I rest my head against Pegasus and close my eyes, drown-ing out the world.

_________________

The Sandman has been holding out on me lately, so sleep hasn’t come easily. Sunlight filters through the window and onto my bed, telling my eyelids it’s morning. I sit up and find Pegasus on my bed; at least that hasn’t changed. Hugging my knees, I glance around the room. It doesn’t seem as forbidding today, and the scarlet is just that, a colour.

I keep thinking about Dad’s words last night, about how Pulsar were the sword and shield of the Imperium, and I wonder if that’s why the rebels see me as a threat, because they think I’ll destroy them. Hah! The attack yesterday must have proved to them how weak I am, how powerless and unmagical I am.

It’s not like I don’t understand a little about my duties as a Pulsar, how challenging it will be, how difficult and consuming and how alone it will be. But that’s what I like about it. I want to be consumed by something. I don’t mind being alone. I don’t. I don’t.

Even if I did mind, there’s no turning back from the choice I’ve made, the choice to come here. After seeing what I’ve seen, and knowing there’s so much
more
, I can’t go back to that empty life in that empty cottage. I can’t.

I climb out of bed, booting out Pegasus as per usual. I thank those stargods everyone’s so crazy about when I find an en-suite. As I wait for the water to fill up the bath, steam rising from the tub, I look into the long, grand mirror standing opposite me. Eyes gaze back that aren’t my own, a reflection that doesn’t quite belong to me. It’s like I’m not Leonie Woodville anymore, but someone
different
, the legendary Pulsar everyone keeps going on about. I turn away.

Once I’ve finished washing, I notice my suitcase in the bedroom beside the cupboard. Sersu or Dad must have brought it with them. I was assured when I was back home that I didn’t need my clothes, that they had ‘appropriate clothing’ for me, but judging by the robe fad here, I made a good decision to bring them with me. I quickly dress.

There’s a knock on the door.

‘Leonie?’

‘Yeah, I’m here.’

The door opens and Dad walks in.

‘You OK?’ he says. ‘Sleep well?’

‘I had a dream about a sock that tried to kill me. How about you?’

‘My dreams were less exhilarating.’ He stares at me, hesitant, and then puts on a smile. ‘So! I found out this morning that there’s someone else like you here.’

‘Pulsar?’

‘No, no. Someone ignorant.’

‘Great. Somehow, I’ve got the label “ignorant”.’

He shifts.

‘What?’ I say.

‘Hmm?’

‘You obviously have something you want to say.’

‘Right… well, to be honest, Leonie, it’s only Pulsar that are brought to the Temples of Elswyr when they awaken, but knowing how you’re new to all this, Harriad arranged for someone else who’s just awoken their magic to be brought here, too.’

‘Wait, so, only Pulsar come here usually?’ I ask.

He nods.

I ‘tut’ but I’m not that bothered being misled. I know that O’Sah, Harriad and Dad are just trying to keep me relaxed, and after what happened yesterday I definitely need to be relaxed.

‘He’s at breakfast,’ says Dad, ‘so if we hurry up, you can meet him.’

I think about it. It would be good to meet someone new—not ignorant—to this world like me. Besides, I’m starving.

I leave Pegasus and follow Dad out of the room and through the corridors. I get to take a proper look this time. The walls are marble tinted like gold, polished and glinting from the light of the candles. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve travelled quite a bit.

The corridor opens up to a room with three wooden doors lined with gold. As we approach, the middle door opens for us. ‘Thank you,’ I say to no one, and we walk through.

There are no windows in this hall, but then there’s no need for them: this room
is
light, large and high, the ceiling an entire painting of stars and constellations and people who I gather represent the stargods. The stars are actually illuminating as if they were real, and I gaze up in wonderment.

In front of me is a large table decorated with white linen and silver plates. I recognise most of the people at the table from yesterday: the Thrones who brought me here, including Sersu and one boy who I guess is the newcomer. The Thrones begin to stand up when they notice me.

‘No, please, don’t do that,’ I say. ‘Seriously.’

Dad sits down at the table and I sit next to him.

‘You look full of colour today, my Lady,’ says Harriad. ‘You’re feeling well?’

‘Yeah. I’m good.’ I drum my fingers on the table. I thought breakfast would be ready when I got here.

‘I hope you’ve recovered from last night,’ says Sersu.

I nod. ‘I guess so, though I don’t really understand how it happened. I mean, I thought only a few knew about me.’

‘That’s what we thought, too,’ says O’Sah, narrowing his eyes. ‘The information regarding your existence was deleted from all databases some days ago as a precaution against any potential threats towards you.’

‘Somehow, these rebels infiltrated the Replica’s system,’ says Harriad. ‘It’s an impossible feat, but they managed it.’