The Forest of Lost Souls (11 page)

T
HE SMALL GROUP CLIMBED THE GENTLE SLOPE, LED
by Pavel, who was doing his utmost to divert attention from the Lunatrixa’s words about his Ink Dragon. Only Oksa, who’d deliberately lagged behind, had managed to overhear the little creature’s
conversation
with Abakum, and her mind was now working overtime. As the group made their way up the hill, the Young Gracious was seething with questions. Did her father really have a tattoo on his back? Did she remember seeing it? She didn’t think so. Her father never went bare-chested, he was very modest. Too modest? Because of the tattoo? Was he ashamed of it? If so, why? No, there had to be a much more secret, personal reason for concealing the tattoo. The few words spoken by the Lunatrixa and the questions asked by Abakum had made that quite obvious.

“Grrrrr, it’s so infuriating,” she said angrily, rubbing her cheek.

“Is something wrong, Oksa?” asked Abakum, joining her, the Lunatrixa slumped in his arms.

The girl was bursting to ask all the questions whirling round her head, but thought better of it, preferring to watch, listen and learn by herself.

“No, everything’s fine, thank you, Abakum,” she replied, her tone more thoughtful than cheerful. “What’s the matter with her?” she asked, stroking the Lunatrixa’s cheek. “Too much excitement?”

“None of this is easy for her, you know,” explained Abakum.

“That strange creature has a lot of psychological problems,” said the Incompetent, which was also lagging behind, although not deliberately. “Look at the colour of her skin! She looks like she’s suffered a stroke… Oh, now I understand,” it exclaimed with delight. “She’s had an emotional stroke!”

“You’re right, Incompetent,” said Oksa, chortling. “Excellent diagnosis!”

“That creature is the absolute limit,” added Gus, who’d lost no time in joining his friend.

“Yes, I’m the absolute limit for diagnostics,” agreed the Incompetent. “But would you remind me who you are? Your face looks familiar…”

Gus and Oksa burst out laughing, which helped dissipate the tension that had built up over the last few difficult hours—the fear of never seeing each other again and other such morbid thoughts. They cried with laughter at the Incompetent, who watched them incredulously, astonished to be the cause of such wild hilarity.

“You’re very cheerful,” it concluded candidly.

Oksa wiped her eyes and winked at Gus, sealing their renewed bond. Gus blushed and looked down. A long, dark strand of hair tumbled forward, hiding part of his face. He brushed it away and, as if to hide his emotion, declared in an unusually high voice:

“Look over there!”

Abakum and Oksa turned round: Leomido and Reminiscens had stopped some way off from the group and were deep in conversation. Oksa’s great-uncle seemed very moved by whatever Reminiscens was saying to him.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” exclaimed Gus, sounding more like his normal self. “They haven’t seen each other for fifty-seven years.”

“And she’s still as beautiful,” murmured Abakum, lost in thought.

Oksa and Gus exchanged looks, astonished by the Fairyman’s wistful, nostalgic tone.

“That woman is fascinating,” added Tugdual, who’d just joined them.
“Ocious’s daughter, Orthon’s twin sister and descendant of the genius Temistocles, the inventor of human shape-shifting.”

“And you find that fascinating?” asked Gus.

“Of course I do!” retorted Tugdual. “It means she’s a real powerhouse! Like the Graciouses, if I may say so, my Very Honourable Lil’ Gracious… She used to frequent the Secret Society of the Werewalls and probably rubbed shoulders with Diaphans. It’s not every day you meet someone like her. Have you thought about that?”

“No, we haven’t thought about that. For a start, no one has such a twisted mind as you!” scoffed Gus. “Let’s go over and join them, instead of listening to your stupid remarks.”

Tugdual shrugged, without losing his ironic smile.

“Don’t you two ever stop bickering?” asked Oksa quietly, with a worried glance.

“We’re not bickering,” answered Tugdual defensively, “it’s just a frank and honest exchange of views.”

“Frank and honest? Yeah, right!” retorted Oksa. “Is that what you call the relationship between two boys who can’t stand each other and who systematically contradict whatever the other one says!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault if your friend lacks my sparkling wit!” mocked Tugdual.

“You’re impossible!” gasped Oksa.

“But that’s what you like about me, isn’t it?” replied the boy mischievously.

“Enough!” retorted Oksa. “You talk too much.”

Tugdual laughed loudly, attracting the attention of the other Runaways standing in a circle around Leomido and Reminiscens on the heather. Gus looked furious.

“What’s so funny, youngsters?” asked Reminiscens, smiling.

“Oh, Tugdual thinks he’s funny, but unfortunately he’s the only one laughing!” said Oksa, taking her revenge, avoiding both Gus’s angry eyes and Tugdual’s merry gaze.

“If only you knew how happy I am,” continued Reminiscens. “Not only to meet you, but also, and especially, to be reunited with old friends I’d given up hope of ever seeing again.”

“Can I ask you something?” suddenly broke in Oksa. “Um… it may be a bit nosy…”

“…but you’re desperate to ask anyway!” continued Reminiscens, her eyes shining.

“Yes,” replied Oksa with scarlet cheeks.

“I’m listening.”

“Well, I’d like to know why you never tried to find Leomido when you arrived on the Outside.”

Reminiscens looked down, upset.

“I knew one of you would ask me that some time. It’s a long story…”

“We’re in no hurry,” replied Abakum quietly.

Reminiscens gazed sadly at him and slowly smoothed her dress. Then, with a faraway look in her eyes, she began:

“To answer your question, Oksa, I have to go back a long way into the past. Back to the time, years ago, when I was very much in love with your great-uncle Leomido. Our families had always been close; my twin brother Orthon, Leomido and I were practically raised together in the Glass Column under the watchful gaze of Malorane and her First Servant, my father Ocious. When I became a young woman, I realized my childhood friendship had turned into a deep, passionate love for the man who had, until then, been my best friend. And the day that Leomido confessed that his feelings had changed too was one of the happiest days of my life. Our love soon became obvious to everyone and that was the start of our problems…

“Malorane and Ocious did everything they could to break us up, although we couldn’t understand why. Malorane introduced Leomido to a string of young women, each more attractive than the last, and my father presented me with all kinds of young men who professed to be madly in love with me. Leomido and I laughed about it at the time: we
thought these gambits were funny. We were so naïve… However, when we didn’t take the bait, our parents resorted to more drastic measures. My family moved to the other side of Edefia, officially to make it easier for my father to govern Peak Ridge, the territory of the Firmhands. I didn’t know then that this move was intended to keep us apart and, although I was upset at seeing the man I loved less often, I put up with it out of obedience to my father. He was a brilliant, austere man who was very strict. Many feared him, but he was my father and I stifled any questions I might have asked out of loyalty to my family. I was in love, though, and my heart hungered for Leomido, so we met in secret. The hours passed so quickly… we were miserable and it tore us apart to say goodbye. We didn’t know why they were trying to stop us seeing each other.

“One day, my brother caught us together. I’d gone to see Leomido in one of the houses owned by the Gracious’s family, a fine residence high in the forest of Green Mantle. We’d gone there to repeat our vows of fidelity and to encourage each other not to lose hope that things would work out, when Orthon turned up. I’d never seen him so angry. His words were full of a violent hatred that had never been directed at me before. Orthon had always looked up to Leomido. He regarded him as a brother whom he admired as much as envied. But, that day, I saw a different side to him. He was a savage, narrow-minded bully. I didn’t understand what was going on: his reaction seemed so
excessive
, so absurd and pointless. I tried to have my say, telling Orthon that I loved Leomido and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He then dared to raise his hand to me. It hurt so much, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the wound in my heart. I may have lived through worse times in my life, but the memory of that day still upsets me because something was shattered for ever—my twin brother, the person to whom I’d always been so close, had hit me just because I loved someone against our father’s will. Beside himself with rage, Orthon threw himself at Leomido, who might have been younger, but was much stronger. My brother ended up with a broken nose and
some fine bruises, but it was the injury to his pride that really rankled and he never recovered from it.

“From that day onwards, my life was a living hell. My brother and father watched me all the time and used all kinds of cunning tricks to prove that Leomido wasn’t the man I thought he was. They tried
everything:
persuasion, threats, blackmail… Leomido also received the same treatment from his mother. It was as if our parents had joined forces to separate us! It was a really difficult time for me. I couldn’t understand why things had changed. But I wouldn’t play ball with Orthon, Ocious and Malorane. I loved Leomido and that was all that mattered. We managed to continue meeting up with the help of some loyal friends. There weren’t many of them left: our parents had done their best to cut us off from the world and isolate us—me more than Leomido. Most of the time, I was kept inside—at that time, we lived in a luxurious cave in the Firmhand mountains, its walls lined with precious stones. My mother, who was my guard, was powerless in the face of my misfortune: she was far too cowed by the threats made by my father, who’d become increasingly overbearing and vicious. She did all she could to dissuade me from loving Leomido, but none of her arguments won me over. Quite the opposite! The more I was kept away from him, the more I missed him and realized how much I loved him.

“I soon became a prisoner of my own family. I was like a caged lion and life lost all meaning. I was only allowed out under the close supervision of my father or brother. Orthon became increasingly hard-hearted—once so lacking in self-confidence, he became cruel, pitiless, almost inhuman in the space of a few months. He was under our father’s thumb and I no longer recognized him. Leomido, whom he’d loved like a brother, had become his sworn enemy and the whispered conversations he had with my father led me to believe that I wasn’t the only reason for this drastic change. I watched and listened—I was so bored in my cave—and I
gradually
formed the impression that I was nothing more than a grain of sand in the works and that they had far bigger fish to fry than my love affair
with Leomido. It was around this time that I overheard a conversation which confirmed my suspicions: Orthon and Ocious were plotting to seize power! But they weren’t interested in governing Edefia—Oh no! They were aiming much higher. Malorane had been foolish in screening her Dreamflights to the Outside, and these had awakened dark
ambitions
, as you all know. When I realized that the Felons who’d rallied to my father’s cause were endangering our people, I Vertiflew to Leomido’s house faster than I’d ever done in my life. He hid me in a secret house in Green Mantle for three days, until my father and his henchmen found me. The next day, Ocious dragged me to Retinburn where, in one of the caves owned by the terrible Secret Society of the Werewalls, I endured the worst punishment in the world.”

“O
NE OF THE
D
IAPHANS INHALED EVERY LAST DROP OF
romantic love from my body. That foul creature gorged itself until it was sated and black tar flowed from its excuse for a nose. I’ve never seen anything so disgusting in my life… It felt like my soul had been sucked out of me. My heart froze, as if pierced by an arrow of ice, growing harder and harder as the life seemed to drain from my veins. The pain was gone—all I felt was a terrible sensation of coldness. I thought I was dying and that my life force was being consumed by the Diaphan. Even my brother looked upset by this vile act. I remember meeting his eyes… I was panic-stricken, terrified by the Diaphan, which was in a trance, while Orthon was standing in a corner of the cave, wringing his hands in dismay. Not far from him, my father was watching the scene with complete composure and I’ll never forgive him for that. Only his eyes gleamed with the pitiless light of someone who had achieved his ends. He walked over to the Diaphan and collected the black tar trickling from what remained of its nostrils in a small phial, which he immediately pocketed. “Everything will be okay now, my dear,” he said, caressing my cheek. My reaction was to spit in his face—which was all I could manage in my weakened state, even though I had a burning desire to kill him. He wiped his face slowly with his sleeve, looked me right in the eye and smiled cruelly, without saying a word.

“The next day, we moved back to the Glass Column and I was horrified
to realize the consequences of what had been done to me: my love for Leomido had gone. When I met him in the corridors of the Glass Column, I was devastated by my own indifference. I knew that I’d loved him more than life itself. I knew that my heart had been beating for him alone the night before. And now my love for him had been stolen. I fainted, overcome with grief at my complete disinterest. I’d suffer from Beloved Detachment for the rest of my life because, after that fateful day, I’d never be able to fall in love again.

“My father had won. And Malorane, his accomplice in this gruesome business, had also scored a victory: I no longer loved Leomido. He soon realized this and began avoiding me. I should have told him, I should have talked to him about the torment I was suffering, but I couldn’t. Deep down, I was ashamed. And more than that, I think I was afraid of his reaction: if he’d known the truth, blood would have been spilt, I’m sure, because Leomido wasn’t the kind of man to allow such a barbaric act to go unpunished. So, retreating into silence, I sank into a deep depression, which only my mother saw. My father and brother were busy putting the finishing touches to the trap for Malorane. I was the least of their concerns and they no longer paid any attention to me. I could go wherever I wanted. I listened to their conversations and they made no attempt to hide what they were talking about, which made me realize that they’d soon escape from the Inside and then they’d rule the world.

“I tried to warn Leomido, but he fled as soon as he saw me coming. As for Malorane, I couldn’t stand the sight of her, so there was no way I was going to speak to her. Her relationship with my father had deteriorated, but she was just as responsible for my unhappiness as he was. So I told my mother, who was also suffering at my father’s hands, and I came up with the plan of travelling to the Outside at the same time as the Felons. Not to rule the world, as they wanted to do, but just to escape from a land where I could no longer be safe or happy. My mother was in two minds, when something persuaded her to come with me: I was pregnant! I was expecting Leomido’s child! If my father had learnt about it, the
child would have represented a powerful tool for him. Just imagine: the union of a Werewall woman descended from Temistocles with the son of Gracious Malorane! So we waited. The Great Chaos was unleashed a few weeks later, following the revelation of the Secret-Never-To-Be-Told. Our beautiful land was put to fire and sword by the Felons and, taking advantage of the prevailing pandemonium, my mother and I travelled to the Portal. I saw Leomido and the Young Gracious Dragomira pass through with a few others. The Portal was closing when we got there. I took my mother’s hand, holding as tight as I could, and we raced forward, watched in amazement by my father, who screamed: “NO!” But it was too late! We were already on the other side, on the Outside…

“We were lucky enough to be ejected in the Netherlands, which was a peaceful, affluent country. Six months later, my son Jan was born. He didn’t have the good fortune to know his grandmother: my poor mother died of a broken heart a few weeks after we arrived. This was a tough time for me. Without my son, who knows if I’d have coped with the loneliness of exile felt by any Insider at one time or another… My thoughts often strayed to Edefia and to those who passed through the Portal. And I felt so alone with my grief, my fears and, above all, that huge difference which sets us apart from the Outsiders and which meant that I was—like all of you—continually in danger. But I didn’t give up, I adjusted and I grew accustomed to this life. I became a diamond-cutter and earned a decent reputation, which gave me confidence and strength. I raised my son as best I could and lived a quiet life, with no surprises, good or bad.

“Then one day, twenty years after the Great Chaos, a stroke of fate rekindled those distant memories. I was reading the newspaper, when I suddenly came upon an article about Leomido Fortensky, the
brilliant
conductor. I immediately recognized him from the photo printed alongside the article. How can I describe the rush of emotion? It was as if the ground had opened up under me. I’d spent more than twenty years trying to be like everyone else, and now the past had come back to haunt me, as if to say: “Don’t forget who you are!” The article said that
Leomido was giving a one-off concert at the Albert Hall that evening.

“I don’t know what came over me: I rushed to the airport and caught the first plane to London. Once there, I met with disappointment: it was sold out! So I did what I hadn’t done for twenty years and had promised myself I’d never to do again until my dying day: I used my gifts. I stole a ticket, taking it directly—and magically—from some poor woman’s bag. Fortunately, it was for a seat in one of the secluded boxes which wouldn’t be overlooked by other members of the audience, so I could study the auditorium without any fear of being seen. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was so excited. When I recognized Naftali and Brune, I almost fainted. They were there, looking splendid, in the second row. Farther off, I saw Bodkin, my favourite jeweller in Edefia. What’s more, by the greatest coincidence and despite the fabulous pieces I’d been working on for years, I was wearing one of his designs—a superb bracelet of emeralds shaped like tiny stars. Nervously I looked round the rest of the auditorium. Suddenly, the lights went out and the stage was illuminated. I thought my heart would stop when Leomido appeared. He greeted the audience and turned to face the orchestra. For two hours, I gazed at his profile. My feelings were almost unbearable. He hadn’t changed much at all.

“At the end, a woman joined him on stage and kissed him—his wife, I thought with a twinge that was more painful than I would have imagined. So he’d married and made a life for himself. Naturally; why wouldn’t he? I felt mingled relief and sorrow at the idea. I’d eventually stopped thinking about the fact that I’d never again experience the happiness of being in love but, at that moment, gazing at that handsome couple who looked so happy, I felt devastated by the realization. I remained sitting in the box with a heavy heart when a voice suddenly murmured behind me: ‘Good evening, dear sister… It’s so nice to see you again.’ Twenty years had gone by, but I’d have recognized that voice anywhere. My brother Orthon was a few inches from me. I felt a mixture of emotions and hesitated to turn round. I didn’t have to: Orthon came to sit beside me
and covered my hand with his. I didn’t stop him, I was so surprised and shocked. ‘Our mutual friend is a magnet for Insiders, isn’t he?’ he said, rather ironically. ‘I’m sure you’ll have recognized, as I did, a few
acquaintances
. But the most important thing is that I’ve found you again. I was sure you wouldn’t stay away.’ When I finally turned round, I couldn’t help crying out: he looked so young! And so heartless… I didn’t remember him being kind, far from it. But I think, at that precise moment, I hated him. A feeling which only grew stronger when I understood the reasons behind his desire to return to Edefia: he’d devoted his life to opening the Portal and, for that, he needed the new Gracious. He was travelling the world, anonymously keeping his eye on any Insiders he’d located. Every girl born to them was carefully watched: one of them might be the new Gracious. When I told him I’d had a son, he was clearly disappointed and I have to confess that I felt relieved.

“My brother frightened me. I didn’t want him back in my life. And yet, after that concert, he occasionally paid me a visit, not only to keep me informed about the progress of his search, but also to check that I hadn’t met a potential Gracious. When my son and daughter-in-law gave birth to Zoe, he became more interested and visited more often. In view of her ancestry, there was a strong probability that Zoe might be the next Gracious. I knew it better than anyone and I trembled night and day at the thought. However, luckily the possibility never materialized and Orthon started focusing on Oksa, whom he’d just located.

“Despite this, my life was no easier: I was increasingly worried by Orthon’s megalomania. I could no longer ignore the fact that he was dangerous and, what’s more, he didn’t hide it. I knew he wouldn’t
hesitate
to kill anyone who stood in his way—he prided himself on being unscrupulous. So I made a fatal mistake: I threatened to warn Leomido if Orthon didn’t abandon his plans. I was very worried for Oksa, whom I sensed was the new Gracious and I was about to go and tell Leomido everything. Unfortunately, something terrible happened, which prevented me from doing so: my son and daughter-in-law died in a plane crash, a
tragedy I’ll never get over.”

The old lady broke off, with tears in her eyes and her lips
trembling.
She turned away and waited until her breathing steadied before continuing.

“After that, doubt crept into my heart: what if Orthon had killed them? I knew he was capable of it. That thought made my life a misery for several months, although I couldn’t say anything. I had my hands full with young Zoe and our terrible grief. One day, Orthon turned up at my house. The conversation got out of hand, as it did every time he visited. I was on the verge of a breakdown and I blurted out my suspicions. I threatened to pay Leomido or Dragomira a visit and tell them everything. That was a few months ago. Since then, I’ve been Impictured.”