Winter's Light (22 page)

Chapter 34

‘Winter?’ Sam’s voice distracted her from the notebook. She’d been so lost in Blake’s words she’d momentarily forgotten where they were.

Now awake, the sounds of the airport rushed over her. A distorted voice echoed through the lounge announcing Paul Govind was to immediately make his way to gate thirty-four; a baby was screaming a few seats down from her, the mother pressing the red-faced infant to her breast, gently shushing him.

Sam was looking down at her, his face tense.

‘It’s time to go.’ In his good hand he was carrying a ticket and the forged passport. The other was hidden in a sling under his jacket. ‘They’ve just announced the gate. C’mon.’

Still feeling upset about what she’d just read, Winter nodded and slipped the notebook back into her bag. She’d wanted to pack Blake’s diary as well, worried it might get lost with her luggage somewhere en route, but it had been too bulky. Sam was already walking towards the security check and she had to run to catch up.

Reading the notebook while she waited for their gate to be called probably hadn’t been the smartest decision. She was already anxious, and each sentence made her even more distressed. Such horror and tragedy. Winter didn’t know how Blake could have endured it. Nevertheless, there was some comfort to be found in his words. At times Winter could imagine Blake was speaking directly to her, relating more of his dark history as he had done by firelight in the Velasco living room. The story was upsetting but the intimacy – the connection forged between Blake, the teller of the tale, and Winter, his captive audience – was worth it. She was thinking about this connection when a black shape in her periphery made her freeze. A man dressed in a dark suit was crossing the lounge towards them.

Her breath caught in her throat, heartbeat surging. It was Benedict! He’d found them. She was about to grab Sam when she realised her mistake. It was not Benedict – just a young guy who in profile looked a bit like him. There was no reason to panic. They were safe in the daylight.

Her attention still on the young guy, Winter nearly ran into the back of Sam, who had paused abruptly.

‘What’s up?’

She followed his worried gaze and saw the line of people waiting to pass through the security checkpoint. Guards with guns holstered to their belts were carrying out routine searches on every third or fourth person. After seeing his face splashed across every major newspaper and broadcast on all the news networks, usually with the label ‘suspected murderer’ underneath it, Sam was entitled to be a little jumpy. All it would take was one keen-eyed security officer with a good memory to look past the dyed hair and recognise his face for that thin promise of freedom to disappear.

‘I wouldn’t worry about it, Sam. The police are looking for a handsome blond guy. Not a weird-looking emo cripple. You’ll be fine,’ Winter said, hoping a little humour might help him relax. Her efforts won her a nervous smile.

‘I look that different, do I?’

She nodded. ‘I barely recognise you.’ Their eyes met and she felt a strange rippling inside, as though someone had thrown a pebble down a well, disturbing the surface of the water.

‘Aren’t we missing somebody?’ she asked. Elena had left them watching the departure screens while she’d gone to buy a book.

‘I am here.’ The voice startled both of them. Winter turned and saw Elena materialise out of the bustling activity of the airport. Just alluding to Elena could apparently summon her out of the ether like a genie or spirit. Or witch.

‘Did you get your book?’ Winter asked.

‘Yes,’ Elena replied, her golden-hued cheeks reddening ever so slightly. Intrigued, Winter saw the top of the book jutting from her handbag. It was a Danielle Steel novel, the author’s gold-foil-stamped name catching the airport’s glare. Winter turned away, quickly hiding her smile. In a million years she wouldn’t have pegged Elena as a reader of steamy romance novels.

They joined the motley collection of travellers lining up for the security check. Almost every age demographic was represented, from grey-haired grannies to wide-eyed toddlers straining against their parents’ grasp.

Whenever Winter travelled by air (she’d done it four times, so she was hardly used to it), the oddest guilty thoughts occurred to her when she passed through security. It was the signs that did it. The ones plastered all over the area just before the checkpoint that listed all the various objects that were forbidden from being carried on the plane. She didn’t have so much as a nail file on her, but it didn’t stop her doing a double, then triple-check to make sure.

She glanced over at Sam and saw that her mild anxiety was nothing compared to what he was going through.

His tanned skin was flushed, beads of sweat shone on his forehead and ran down his temples. He lifted his hand to wipe at them, but it too was sweaty, so he only ended up smearing more moisture across his brow. Sam looked feverish. And guilty. His eyes wouldn’t stop moving, jumping to the security guards and then skittering nervously away. People walking through security checks, dripping with sweat and acting jittery, were probably regarded more closely than others. Winter knew that she needed to do something to calm him down.

Without thinking too much about it, she reached over and took hold of his clammy hand, giving it a quick, compassionate squeeze. At the contact Sam twitched, turning to look at her with surprised puzzlement. A smile crept across his harried features.

‘It’s going to be okay,’ she told him.

He gave a brief nod and she was relieved to see the incriminating expression leave his eyes. Both of them stepped forward to the X-ray machine and loaded the small plastic tubs with their wallets and jewellery (she was reluctant to part with Blake’s necklace even for a second, but dutifully removed it). They passed through the detectors with nary a raised eyebrow from the bored-looking security guards.

Afterwards, Sam’s relief was palpable. He let out a long, sustained sigh.

‘I can’t believe I made it. It’s really over.’

‘Yep – you’re a free man. How does it feel?’ Winter said, sharing his happy relief.

‘Fantastic. Just . . . fantastic. I honestly thought I was going to spend the rest of my life in jail. I’d sort of resigned myself to it.’ He stared thoughtfully ahead into the middle distance, as though seeing a future he hadn’t dared imagine before.

‘Thanks for looking after me back there. It was . . . very cool.’

‘Don’t mention it,’ she said, and almost laughed in relief at the whole thing. And then she thought of Blake being cruelly tortured by the scarlet monk and experienced a stab of guilt that was profound and upsetting.

I’m coming my love.

It was a promise made not only to Blake, but to herself. A reminder of why she was about to get on the plane with Sam and Elena. The task ahead was so daunting, so fraught with uncertainty, Winter realised she’d been avoiding dwelling on it, allowing herself to get carried away with the excitement of the moment. The drama of jumping on a plane and setting off for an exotic location. This wasn’t a holiday. It was wise to be afraid. Useful even. The fear would help prepare her for the unexpected.

Just then, the ‘unexpected’ chose to manifest itself in the form of a small figure with a bright pink suitcase standing ahead at their departure gate, looking up at the flight information.

Jasmine!

Chapter 35

‘Jas!’

Jasmine turned, her eyebrows raised in a hopeful, if vaguely guilty, expression.

Winter quickly crossed the distance between them, gathering her friend in a crushing hug.

‘Surprise!’ Jasmine said, laughing at Winter’s astonishment.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Well, last night, I was sitting around watching a re-run of
The Hills
,’ Jasmine began obtusely. ‘You know, that episode where Heidi and Whitney have that big fight? And I got really teary, not because of Heidi and Whitney but because of you and me. I hated how we left things. So, I really wanted to see you again but knew you were already driving and didn’t want to just call. And then I started thinking about you in France all alone with these weirdos.’ Her gaze drifted past Winter to Elena and Sam who were hanging back, watching them with puzzled expressions. ‘I just figured it would probably be best if I came along. You know, to keep you out of trouble.’

All Winter could do was shake her head in silent marvel. ‘You’re amazing.’

Jasmine’s brow crinkled. ‘Amazing in a good way or an annoying way?’

‘I’ll get back to you,’ she quipped, but she could already feel the tears of happiness burning at the back of her eyes. She knew she was tired and emotional but didn’t care. Squeezing Jasmine again, she whispered into her friend’s ear, ‘It’s so good to see you.’

‘What is she doing here?’ Elena asked, coming up behind them.

Winter released Jasmine and faced the Russian, readying herself for an argument. ‘Good news. Jas is coming with us.’

Elena pursed her lips and shook her head. ‘This is not a good idea. Yuri would not —’

‘Yuri can kiss my —’ Jasmine began, her fiery nature threatening to roll forth.

Winter quickly stepped forward to diffuse the situation. ‘The Bane needs my cooperation, right?’

Elena’s eyes narrowed and she nodded reluctantly.

‘Well, I’m happy to cooperate but only if Jasmine comes with us. Is that understood?’

The Russian’s gaze darted between the two girls, as if searching for a weak point in their united front. Eventually, she sighed and withdrew her phone from her jacket. ‘I must talk to Yuri.’

Dialling his number, she walked off leaving Sam standing with them. He nodded a little awkwardly at Jasmine in greeting.

‘Jas.’

Jasmine returned his nod curtly. ‘Samuel.’

Winter sensed that the tension between them had lessened, or at least she hoped it had. The three of them were about to spend a long trip together in a confined space.

‘I think I might go for a quick walk,’ Sam said tactfully. ‘Can I get either of you anything? Coffee? Snack?’

‘No, thanks.’ Winter shook her head with a smile.

Sam nodded again and walked off. Once he was gone, Jasmine turned to Winter and said, ‘I was kind of hoping someone would have arrested him.’

Winter tutted. ‘C’mon, Jas, Sam’s okay.’

‘If you say so. Anyway, enough about Sam,’ Jasmine said, taking Winter by the hand and leading them to a couple of spare seats. ‘Tell me about the drive down. What’s with that Elena chick? Is she a psycho?’

Aware that their time was short, Winter quickly encapsulated their journey. Jasmine’s eyes widened at the description of Benedict’s attack by the side of the road, and widened further as she explained the origin of Elena’s tattoo.

Jasmine puffed out her cheeks and exhaled. ‘Wow. Sounds like I missed out on all the fun.’ She paused, frowning thoughtfully. ‘So, Elena’s a witch? Figures.’ Noting Winter’s quizzical expression, she added, ‘I mean, if anybody’s going to be a witch it’s her, right? She’s so spooky and mean and . . . Russian.’

She fell silent as Elena approached them still holding her phone.

‘Yes, I’ll tell them. Goodbye,’ Elena said, folding her phone away. ‘Well, he is not happy with the situation,’ she addressed Winter, barely acknowledging Jasmine. ‘But if you will not be swayed from the decision, then so be it. The girl is your responsibility.’

Winter could feel Jasmine bristling at Elena’s dismissive tone.

‘Well then, that’s settled. We all go together.’

‘Yes. Together.’ Smirking at Jasmine’s suspicious expression, Elena shrugged and wandered off to check the flight screen.

‘I really don’t like that woman, but now I’m scared if I say anything she’ll turn me into a frog or something,’ Jas said once she was out of earshot.

Before Winter could comment, a voice crackled over the intercom announcing their flight was ready to board. She felt a surge of anxiety. This was it.

Immediately, the gate lounge bustled with activity as passengers began to stand and collect their belongings. A line was forming at the gate where a blonde flight attendant wearing vivid red lipstick was waiting to check tickets. Sam reappeared with a coffee, which he rushed to finish.

‘Are we ready to go?’

Pale-faced, Winter’s hand stole to the lodestone. She rolled the crystal between her fingers.

‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’