Heart of Danger (12 page)

Ginevra laughed. ‘Thomas. Every time. You haven’t a hope of avoiding him, Juno. Give in and get it over with is my advice.’

Which I would not take. I did not want to spend time with Thomas, son of Hilto. I did not want to talk to him. I didn’t trust him, so why should I? I decided to deflect his attention.

By lunch time the following day I was short tempered from sleep deprivation – the dreams were getting worse rather than fading away – and Thomas’s presence rubbed me raw.

‘What’s all this about, Thomas? What do you want?’ I asked him when he sidled up just as I was returning my tray to the server.

He jumped back as if I’d bitten him. ‘I only want to talk to you. I just want to find out stuff. About Taris.’

I made a huge effort to speak kindly. ‘Look, please ask somebody else. Somebody who wasn’t so badly harmed by your fa … by Hilto.’

‘But there isn’t anyone else,’ he wailed. ‘And anyway, I want to talk to you.’

‘I’ll ask Oban to tell you stuff,’ I said, feeling mean but still determined not to talk to him. ‘He’s nice. You’ll like him.’ Then I hurried away before he could skewer me with his big tragic eyes again.

Noni laughed and said, ‘Round one to you, Juno. But that’s merely the first skirmish. Prepare for the battle ahead once Thomas regroups.’

I shrugged her words away. I had other things to think about – the small matter of a trip to Wellington and a court trial of a pack of murderers.

Over the next few nights the dreams grew stronger and more terrifying, so that I woke sobbing and sick with terror. By Friday I could barely concentrate and gave up trying to work in class. Ginevra and Noni wrapped calm around me but it seemed to me that I was stuck inside a shell, drowning and suffocating.

Talk to Willem
.

That was Grif again. I didn’t stop to think, just stood up and stumbled to the door without a word to the teacher. Willem would be waiting for me. Grif had sent me.

He opened the door to his office just as I was reaching for the handle. ‘Come in, Juno. I’ve been expecting you.’

He took my arm, helping me to an easy chair. Words poured out of me. ‘I keep dreaming and I can’t escape the dark. It’s full of evil. There’s hate and loathing mixed up in it, and it won’t go away. I can’t sleep now. I don’t want to sleep. I’m terrified. Worse than terrified.’

He was calm. ‘All will be well, Juno. Believe me. We’ll drink tea, then we’ll work.’

He didn’t speak again until after Lydia, the chef, had brought in a tray with tea and biscuits, but his strength and wisdom surrounded me. ‘Drink this and eat two of these.’ He poured the tea and set the biscuits on the saucer.

I did as he bade, and relief flowed into me, bringing a serenity I’d not felt since Hera had said she was going away.

‘I’m ready,’ I said when the cup was drained. ‘What work must I do?’ I knew it would involve using the part of my mind that I didn’t understand, but anything had to be better than enduring more haunted nights.

He regarded me for a moment as if assessing my strength.

‘Please,’ I said. ‘I’ll do what I have to. The dreams …’ I swallowed and fought to stay calm. ‘And Hera won’t go to sleep without one of us with her. Sometimes she cries in her sleep. What’s happening? I don’t understand. I can’t help either of us.’

Willem didn’t give sympathy. ‘Sit up, Juno. Pull yourself together so that you can absorb what I’m about to say.’

I craved softness, sympathy and understanding. I felt Grif’s presence around me emanating all the love and understanding in the world – and beyond it.

‘Please begin.’

‘What you did in defeating those men was remarkable.’ He wasn’t praising me, simply stating a fact, which somehow let me believe it was so.

He saw it had sunk in. ‘The dreams you and Hera are experiencing are because you didn’t know enough about how to use the power of your mind.’

‘I didn’t know anything,’ I muttered.

‘No. You have wilfully turned your back on learning more.’

Did he have to be so hard? So stern?

Listen, child.

I sat straight in the chair. ‘It frightens me. And these dreams just prove I’m right to be scared. Why would I want to go through this again?’

‘Don’t be obtuse, Juno. Your mind saved your life and Hera’s. The problem you’re having now is because you didn’t know how to protect yourself. You did well, but if you’d known more you would have been able to shield Hera and yourself from the after-burn of the power you defeated.’

‘Oh.’ That made sense. I should have been able to work that out for myself. ‘What do I do now?’

‘You’re ready to work?’

I nodded. ‘Yes.’

We didn’t eat lunch that day. Willem told me to visualise light in the room where Secondus had fought me. I had to wrap it around Hera and me. I had to see it growing in intensity until it filled the room. I had to see it shining so bright that it obliterated Secondus. I don’t know how long it took, and sometimes I despaired, felt ready to give up. Then I remembered what the nights would be like for Hera and me if I did.

Those evil people would not defeat me. I kept going, and at last it was done. I fell back against the cushions, triumphant.

Willem said, ‘Well done, Juno. Now we tackle the leader.’

I sagged. I had no strength left.

‘Yes, you do,’ Willem said, the steel in his voice. ‘Begin now.’

And so I began all over again. I thought it would be easier but it was much, much harder. I felt I was back in that room, back fighting the living man, bashing his evil back at him.

‘Don’t fight.’ Willem’s voice cut across the battle. ‘It’s the light which will protect you. Bring in the light.’

Maybe it was fury at the leader, or maybe it was Willem’s guidance, but right then a blaze of light flared across my mind. I held it steady, visualising it spreading out from me through that room. I no longer concentrated on the twisted man in the chair. All I saw was light flowing, cleansing the space, and then it was done.

I too felt washed free of something noxious. I was weary, but calm for the first time since I’d been in that building.

‘Thank you,’ I said to Willem. ‘There is much for me to learn, isn’t there?’

He smiled at me and now I felt the warmth from him that I’d craved earlier. ‘We will begin after the trial. You, Hera and I will work together.’ He stood up. ‘You’ve done very well, Juno. Go home now and rest. All will be well.’

T
hat night I slept without waking. If I dreamed, I didn’t remember it. Hera, too, must have slept soundly because in the morning she sat up in her bed and said, ‘The bad has all gone away.’ Then, still wearing her nightclothes, she went out by herself into the garden to check for ripe strawberries.

Mother looked at me. ‘You have something to do with this? You look better too.’

‘I am,’ I said. ‘Thanks to Willem.’ I told my family about the long session with him.

Leebar and Bazin wriggled with discomfort but Dad said, ‘I hope Willem will begin those lessons soon.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s far beyond any of us to help either of you.’

‘I just wish I knew where they come from,’ Mother said, ‘these strange abilities you both possess.’

Willem called me into his office that morning, but didn’t ask me to sit. He gave me one of his searching assessments, but I must have achieved the required standard, because he nodded. ‘Good. You are better. Hera, too, I think.’

But he hadn’t called me in to talk about our health, or to give me advice about the trial. He talked about Ivor.

‘Don’t be bitter about him, Juno. He has much to learn, as you can learn much from him – if you choose to.’

What! I could do without such lessons, thanks very much.

‘Is that all?’ I asked. ‘I need to go to class.’

He opened the door for me. ‘A difficult experience is only wasted if you turn your back on the wisdom you could gain from it.’

I stomped off to class. Why shouldn’t I be bitter about Ivor? I felt bitter, I felt ragingly angry too, and I was glad he was too much of a coward to face up to me or dine with the rest of us. Except that – as Willem must have known he would – Ivor was standing outside our classroom at break time, waiting to pounce on me as if nothing had happened.

‘Please Juno, I need to talk to you.’ He seemed so serious, looking at me as if I was the most important person in the world – the one he cared about above all. He didn’t even glance at Ginevra and Noni.

He knew how to hurt.

‘I don’t want to talk to you.’

Ginevra whispered, ‘You might as well get it over with.’ She took Noni’s arm and they walked away.

I folded my arms to stop him reaching out for me. I held my head high and said nothing. He could corner me, but he damned well couldn’t make me talk.

‘I’m sorry.’ At least he didn’t try his charming smile.

I didn’t believe his apology. Words are worthless when they’re only noise.

He looked down, scuffed a foot on the ground. ‘I knew I should have talked to you about … stuff … ages ago. But I just liked having you for a girlfriend.’

That got to me. ‘You
what
? You went around with me because I’d been on telly?’ My fingers curled into a fist. ‘You’re really that shallow?’

‘No! Of course not.’ He ducked his head sideways and smiled at me with conscious charm. ‘Oh, some of that was attractive, it’s true. I don’t deny it. But there was more. Way more. You’re gorgeous, you’re charismatic and you’re just that bit mysterious. Can you blame me for being enchanted by you?’

Where to start? Then the rage washed out of me, leaving me heartsore and battered. ‘Just go away, Ivor. And don’t you ever, ever do this to another girl again.’

He jumped as if he’d received an electric shock. ‘Did you really think I wouldn’t hear about Ginevra, about the other girls you’ve set out to
enchant
?’ I threw the words at him, then ran.

I had to work hard to concentrate that afternoon. If only seeing Ivor again had made me hate him, it would be so much easier. But all I felt was hurt, and sickened that I could have been so wrong about him. Willem didn’t understand a thing about the human heart.

The days of the trial ahead began to seem like a respite from Ivor’s hovering presence – as well as from Thomas’s.

 

The whole family had arranged to see me off at the station. Before we left, Mother handed me a parcel wrapped in rough cloth. ‘From Gilda. And Thomas. With their love.’

‘I don’t want it!’ I shoved it back at her, but she wouldn’t take it.

‘I’m ashamed of you, Juno. Nothing Hilto did was their fault. Would you like somebody to hate you just because they didn’t like your genetic father?’

I glanced at Dad, but there was no help there. He agreed with Mother. ‘Open it,’ he said gently. ‘They made it for you with love. Remember that.’

I complied. They’d given me a beautiful cape woven from multicoloured wool. I’d ruined my only warm jacket on the journey north, so this would be perfect for the train. ‘Please thank them. It’s lovely.’

Mother said, ‘Thomas wants to talk to you, Juno. He asked me to tell you.’

I didn’t answer. I didn’t trust him, and talking wouldn’t help change that.

Callie, the D.I. and a couple of other officers had already settled themselves in a carriage by the time I arrived. Callie seemed relieved to see me, though she didn’t say anything until the D.I. had finished briefing us.

‘What will happen to the workers?’ Callie asked. ‘The others like me?’

‘You’ll all get justice,’ the D.I. said.

Callie looked worried.

The train pulled out from the station and we spoke no more about the trial. I went to sleep after we’d passed through Whanganui, and didn’t wake until we’d reached Wellington at midnight.

I jumped from the carriage and ran, yelling Vima’s name. People stared. I didn’t care. I knew she’d be there to greet me, and I couldn’t wait to see her.

She raced up the platform, grabbing my hands to swing me around and around before she hugged me. ‘It’s so good to see you,’ she kept saying. ‘I’ve been starved of Taris people.’

I kept one arm round her and scrubbed at my eyes with my other hand. ‘Yeah. I know. Weird, eh? We so wanted to escape from there. Never wanted to see any of them ever again.’

D.I. Whitely called out, ‘Remember, Juno. Ten sharp at court in the morning.’

I wouldn’t forget.

We had to sprint to catch the last train up the hill to where Vima and James lived. When we were settled in a pod, I sat back and sighed. ‘I miss you, and I want to see Wilfred. And James of course.’

She laughed. ‘Well, I know James is looking forward to seeing you. Can’t answer for Wilfred though.’

We chatted about gentle things – her uni course, Fairlands, news of other Taris people. We didn’t talk about the deep stuff such as Hera’s kidnapping, or whether Vima was happy, whether she regretted her hasty marriage to James, who was an Outsider. She said she’d seen Camnoon briefly once, but neither of us spoke of Sina and Jov who, along with Sina’s parents, were the only other Taris people in Wellington.

‘Cool jackety thingy you’re wearing,’ she said. ‘Leebar been busy, has she?’

‘I wish.’ I told her about Gilda and Thomas. ‘He keeps pestering me to talk to him. I told him I’d ask Oban to tell him all he’d ever want to know about his disgusting father. But no, he wants me to. No way.’

‘Well, why don’t you?’ She cocked her head on one side. ‘There’s more to this than meets the eye. Why are you being so unreasonable, young Juno?’

I pulled the cape around me, glad of its warmth. ‘Smart ass, aren’t you! You’re right, though. I don’t trust him. I think Hilto got at him. I think he poisoned him. It’s going to show up more and more the older he gets.’ I was shivering. ‘The truth is – I’m scared, Vima. Really scared of what’s inside his head.’

She thought for a moment, then said, ‘Well, your family has a better reason than anyone else to distrust Hilto. But Thomas is just a kid, Juno. Why not talk to him? You might be able to change him.’

‘No. Nobody could have changed Hilto, and it’ll be the same with his son. Let’s not talk about it.’ Give me the gentle topics any day.

She smiled, making it clear she was indulging me. I didn’t care, I was grateful.

James greeted me with a bear hug that lifted me off the ground. ‘Welcome, Juno. You mover and shaker, you!’

Still the same James – funny, kind and with a searingly sharp mind. His hair still did the mad professor look.

They gave me supper, then showed me to my room. The window looked out across hills and the harbour, a blanket of dark in contrast to the dotted lights of the city. What was waiting for me out there? I didn’t think the Children of the Coming Dawn would give up without a fight. They must have followers living outside the Mokau complex. I tried to still my mind, to search for danger, but my thoughts skittered off sideways. I wished my family was with me, longed for the support of my learning stratum. Wishes – useless things. Vima and James were here and I was lucky to have them.

I got into bed and slept until Vima woke me in the morning. ‘You’re sure good at sleeping!’ She poured tea and shoved hot toast in my direction.

James came in with Wilfred tucked into the crook of one arm. Last time I’d seen Wilfred he’d been a tiny baby; now he was bigger, rounder. He chuckled and waved a fist at James.

‘He’s gorgeous!’ I held out my arms to take him.

He gazed at me for about a minute before he decided I merited a smile, then his whole face lit up.

‘He’s coming with us today,’ Vima said. ‘We’ll all be there.’

‘Sina, Jov and Jovan will be there too.’ James’s voice was even.

Vima sent him a look, her mouth compressed, but she said, ‘We all want to support you, Juno. This should be the end of the fight. A fight involving everyone from Taris. We’re just sorry it all seems to have fallen on your shoulders.’

Which was a neat deflection of the undercurrent of tension between them. I just said, ‘Thanks for coming. It’s going to be great to have you there.’ I was sorry for their pain, deeply sorry. I wished there was something I could do to help.

 

D.I. Whitely was at the courthouse to meet us. Callie was there too, looking tired and frightened The trial, the D.I. told us, would be conducted in front of five judges, a system reserved for the most serious offences.

‘You can’t get more serious than this,’ she said as she led us into the waiting room where we were to stay until we were called to give our evidence.

‘Can’t we listen to what’s happening? Watch it on a screen or something?’ I didn’t want to be shut away and prevented from hearing the whole story.

The D.I. laughed. ‘Why doesn’t that question surprise me? But no, I’m afraid not. What happens first is that the charges will be read out.’

Callie took a stumbling step towards the door, only stopping when she saw there was a guard outside. The D.I. frowned but she continued with the briefing. ‘Callie, you’ll be called first to give your evidence. Juno, you’ll be straight after Callie. Both of you then stay in the courtroom in case they need to ask more questions.’

We had about forty-five minutes to wait before Callie was called. She was a mess of nerves. Her whole body shook, and her skin was so pale I expected her to fall down in a faint at any moment. I tried to distract her by talking about her family, about where she was staying. Nothing worked. She looked like she was going to totally freak out when she got into the courtroom. I squatted down in front of her and took her hands.

‘Callie. Look at me.’ I had to repeat it several times before she took in what I was saying. I kept my voice calm and tried to surround her with friendship. ‘Breathe in. Good. Now out. Slowly. Excellent.’ I held tight to her hands. ‘Keep breathing, and talk slowly. You need to tell the court what you know, but you must remember you’re safe now. Can you say what it is you’re scared of?’

It took her ages to get the words out and she spoke in gasps as if she was snatching gulps of air. ‘Secondus. He kills those who go against the Leader. He killed Mira – she tried to run away.’ Tears poured down her face.

‘She was your friend?’

Callie nodded. ‘They killed her. I couldn’t stop them.’ She gulped. ‘I didn’t even try to stop them.’ She pulled her hands free to hold them over her face, and she keened, a high, eerie sound full of grief.

I took hold of her shoulders and shook her. ‘You have to help her now. You have to tell her story. Do it for Mira, Callie.’