Solace & Grief (29 page)

Guiltily, Solace gulped. ‘Why now, though? Eating's never taken me over like that before.’

Duchess made an odd sound somewhere between purring and choking; a moment passed before Solace thought to interpret the sound – correctly – as laughter.

Silly human. You have never drunk from one of your kind before. It is the after-effect. Your body wants more. Your head does not. And so, uselessly, you hunger
> She yawned.
You would be better off with prey. A swan, perhaps
?>

As with the laughter, there was a moment of dislocation before Solace realised that Duchess was being wry. Apart from the oddity of not being able to use facial expressions as a key to interpreting sentiment, the way in which the words simply appeared in her head left her uncertain of their intended intonation. There was a particular flavour to speaking with Duchess, or perhaps timbre was a better word, that read
cat
, or at least,
not human
. Sighing, Solace tilted her head and studied her strange saviour.

‘Back at the group home, just before I left… it was you, wasn't it? The cat in the alley? You scared the faceless man away. You cut Miss Daisy's shirt.’

You did not belong
>

‘And in my dream, with the riddle-song.’ She gulped. ‘I know now it was Grief. But who are
you
?’

I am myself. As you are. As is everyone
>

Solace opened her mouth to speak, but found herself forestalled.

I know what you meant, human. My true name is not for casual use
> Her whiskers twitched, almost imperceptibly.
Still. I do not object to Duchess
>

‘Are you a cat? I mean,’ Solace rushed on, sensing rather than seeing that she'd caused offence, ‘obviously, you
are
a cat. But were you always?’

Were you always seventeen?
> Maddeningly, the cat held out one lily-white paw and proceeded to wash it clean: once, twice, three times. When she lowered it to the ground without adding anything more, Solace all but shouted in frustration. Angrily, she leaned forward, trying – and only just succeeding – to keep her voice down.

‘Why did you bring us here? Where
is
here? Who prepared the house? How did you know we were coming? And –’ She paused, stunned. Why hadn't she noticed before?
Idiot
! ‘Why did you lead us into danger with those Bloodkin? You
knew
they were in the house!’ Her eyes widened as the full implication hit her. ‘I could have killed Harper! You –’

Silence
>

The word sounded as heavily in her mind as if it had been spoken aloud, the resonance hanging between them like a shared sin. Duchess didn't move, but somehow seemed to grow, her presence expanding to fill the whole room. Where earlier the clock had lit her eyes, they now seemed to burn from within, smouldering and darkening like twin witch lights. Dark blue light glittered in her grey fur like the underbelly of a distant storm, while her white markings seemed to glow. Solace felt pinned in place, immobile. It wasn't terror, but the presence of something older, bigger and immeasurably stronger than she was; as if she were standing on the brink of Niagara Falls, hearing the raw power of so much water thundering into turmoil, only the barest spray on her cheek. Then, abruptly, the sensation vanished, and Duchess was once more a tiny blue-cream cat barely larger than a kitten, staring at her with eyes the colour of algae.

You ask more than what is provided for you to know. Had I my way, human, I would tell you nothing for your insolence. As things stand, however, I lack that choice. So
> She blinked once, slowly.
You were put in the path of the Bloodkin because it was necessary. No human fights who does not comprehend why, or against what. This place was made ready for you by the Lord and Lady of Starveldt. I was instructed to lead you here, when the time came. And now I have. I've been watching you
>

‘But…’ Solace felt drained of words; somehow, she forced them out. ‘Everything here is new. The food is fresh, the beds are made. You must have known there'd be eight of us, but my parents couldn't have. Could they?’

Your friend is not the only seer ever born. Some things, like your number, were known. Others, like the manner of my finding you, were not. I was to stay away until you had come of age, make this place ready, then test you and bring you here. But you, and only you, were to know my purpose. To all else, I am – and must remain – a mystery
>