The Gorgons Gaze # 2 (Companions Quartet) (24 page)

“Your counsel is good,” grunted Gard.

Col listened to the debate, waiting for someone to raise the same suspicions as he had, but they seemed to be coming to a decision to take action without questioning the information on which they were working. It just did not seem right. The meeting was already beginning to break up as the commanders prepared to order their units to take up position. He would have to speak before it was too late.

“Can I say something?” Col said loudly, tugging Kinga’s sleeve to get her attention.

“Silence!” she called out to those who had risen to their feet to leave. “The companion to pegasi wants to speak. Well, Col?” she said more gently.

“It’s just that…” Col faltered, feeling the attention of the whole room on him, “it’s just that we’re reacting exactly as Kullervo would predict. He’s already told me that he’s been feeding information bit by bit to the Society somehow. He must know we will send our forces in. Don’t you think we might be playing into his hands?”

“What else can you suggest?” asked Dr. Brock. “If we act quickly, we might be able to save Connie and stop him—we cannot pass up this chance.”

“I know that, but…” Col could not think of a “but” beyond his instinct that this was another trap. Kullervo was a master hunter; he knew how to manipulate his prey.

“We will think on what you have said, Col,” said Kinga kindly but with a clear note of dismissal. “However, until we are wiser on this matter, we must act as we feel is best for those people tomorrow. To your posts, my friends! Francis,” she added in a lower voice, “if you wouldn’t mind, perhaps you could deal with Godiva Lionheart for us?”

“Of course.” Dr. Brock was the first out into the yard. Col saw him lead Godiva toward the farmhouse and away from the stampede of creatures that had followed on his heels.

Everyone except Col and Skylark left the barn in haste. Skylark nuzzled his companion comfortingly.

“Something’s not right,” Col said fiercely to the empty room, “it’s not right!”

Cassandra parked the van in a rest area ten miles from Chartmouth. She climbed into the back and shook Connie’s shoulder.

“Time to wake up, Universal,” she said softly. “You need to get ready.” Connie woke unwillingly, her lids still heavy as she opened them to find a pair of clear blue eyes gazing steadily at her. “I’ll take off your ropes if you promise not to try to leave the van.” Connie nodded. They both knew that she would not get far, but Kullervo had ordered that she must not be allowed to put even one foot on the ground.

Cassandra helped Connie climb out of the bunk and then proceeded to wash and dress her like a child.

“I used to do this for Colin, you know,” Cassandra said wistfully, pausing as she brushed Connie’s hair.

“Col,” Connie whispered, flinching away from Cassandra’s light touch.

“He was Colin then,” Cassandra replied with a rough jerk of the brush, causing Connie’s eyes to water. “I should hate you for what you’ve done. It’s because of you he’s turned against me.” The brush clattered to the floor and Cassandra bent to pick it up. “He would’ve joined with us if he’d had time to understand what Kullervo can offer—time to complete his training.”

“You’re wrong,” said Connie. “Kullervo was just using you both. Col would’ve been burned out by his bond with him—you’d have lost your son.”

“Ha! What do you know?”

“I know.”

Cassandra frowned and turned away. She then placed a plastic-wrapped sandwich and a can of soda on the table in front of Connie.

“Eat,” she said. “When you’ve finished, I’ll help you put on your flying jacket.”

Connie chewed each mouthful slowly, trying to summon some energy to face the next challenge. The barrage of voices that had battered her mind had finally fallen silent; she began to recover a little of her strength, enough to be curious about where she was and what was going to happen next.

“Are we flying then?” she asked.

Cassandra seemed surprised to hear Connie’s voice again. The girl had barely spoken for days, making the task of keeping her a prisoner much easier; she need only think about her as the universal and not as a child of Col’s age.

“
You
are flying,” Cassandra said, avoiding her eye. “Are you ready?”

Connie knew from experience that sooner or later she would have to do what was required of her. She stood up and let Cassandra zip up her jacket. The gorgon companion then slipped the rope loops over Connie’s wrists, tying her hands in front of her.

“You should be really grateful he’s chosen you,” Cassandra said smoothly, her hands still on Connie’s arms, her breath stirring her hair.

“Why should I? I hate him.”

“No, you don’t—you love him. He’s your other self and you know it.”

Connie said nothing, but she recognized that Cassandra had chosen her words well. She let Cassandra steer her to the door. The gorgon companion opened it, letting in a flood of cold night air.

“Wait!” she warned, increasing her grip as Connie began to step down.

Out of the darkness came a midnight blue pegasus. It stopped by the side of the open van.

Mount
, Kullervo said.

Connie tried to clamber onto the back of the beast, hampered by her weakness and tied hands. She slid back, falling between the pegasus and the door so that her foot would have reached ground had Cassandra not hauled her roughly up by her belt.

Help her
, Kullervo ordered, angered by this near miss.

Cassandra none too gently pushed Connie up onto his back, making sure that this time Connie’s legs were firmly astride before she retreated back into the van.

Hold on with your knees, Universal, and grip my mane. We are going for a little ride
.

Taking advantage of the quiet road, Kullervo galloped down the carriageway and soon he was striding in the air, climbing steeply. Fearfully, Connie looked down at the lights twinkling below and wondered what would happen
if she simply slid off. Would such a death be better than the fate that he had in store for her?

You will not do it
. Kullervo laughed softly. He now had free access to Connie’s mind and could hear all her thoughts.
You love life too much
. Connie knew he was right. She gripped tighter with her knees, her muscles already complaining.

You are tired, Companion
, said Kullervo, with a hint of tenderness as they dropped through a damp cloud. Since she had become his prisoner, he had come to care for her like a prized possession. Connie could sense how he gloated over her and watched her covetously.

I am not your companion
.

Oh, but you are. You have no choice. We were made for each other; our partnership is as inevitable as the sea cleaving to the moon, following with its tides. I am your moon, Connie. You see me as dark and hateful; you do not understand the true potential of our bond. Come, my universal, glimpse what we can be together!

Connie let out a piercing scream. In mid-flight Kullervo was changing form. The beast she had been sitting on melted away like a cloud dispersed by the wind, and she began to tumble to the earth. Kullervo swirled, shapeless, around her, slowing her fall. She struck out with her legs, trying to swim up through this matter as if it were water, but it was taking form once more and she was caught in the beak of a griffin, its lion’s tail beating the air
behind its pinions as it continued to fly south toward the sea. She felt sick with fright and swung there helplessly, too shocked to feel anything but terror.

Kullervo laughed.
You do not yet like this game? But have no fear, I will not let you fall. Embrace the changes! Join the dance of the air!
His shape shifted once more and Connie fell from the beak back into the blue-black mist that mingled with the night sky. She closed her eyes tight, desperate to shut out this nightmare. But she was not plummetingto the ground—she was being spun like a twig borne along on the surface of a stream. Realizing she need no longer be afraid of tumbling to earth, she floated free, allowing Kullervo to support her, twist and turn her in the air as his essence regrouped into another form, that of a dragon with a long whipping tail. He nimbly caught her in his talons, then tossed her to the sky again as he turned into a phoenix with trailing black feathers. Falling to rest on the downy back, Connie sensed the exhilaration that coursed through his being, running into her veins, rekindling her exhausted soul. Kullervo relished his mastery of form, craved to experience all life to the very marrow of each being he became, rejoiced to conquer the secrets of creation by learning to assume its shape.

So why do you not like us?
Connie asked, confused by this glimpse into his nature. She had not thought that he had delight in anything but destruction.

The joy of the game burst like a soap bubble, and the
phoenix reverted swiftly to its pegasus form, intent once more on its business.

Humans are a mistake
, Kullervo said shortly.

The pegasus began to circle around as he descended toward the wood. Connie peered over his neck to see the lights of Hescombe below her.

What are we doing here?
she asked, not expecting a reply, but to her surprise he was ready with an answer.

Tomorrow, men will start to rip up this forest, but you are going to stop them
, he replied.

How?
she asked, fearing what would come next.

You have a choice, Companion. You can aid me by channeling my power so that the work is stopped for good. I had thought that I could shift into a gorgon, and we could turn the concrete spreaders to stone—a most fitting end, do you not think? He gave a rumbling whinny of laughter. No? You will not do that? I did not think so. I know you now, Universal. You will not aid me willingly until all else is lost. I must make you see that that point has come
.

If you do not choose to help me today, then you must take the second course of action. The Society will do anything to save you—not only out of concern for you but to stop you from becoming what they fear. You should be sufficient bait to bring them out of hiding
.

But why do you want this?
Connie gasped as she began to understand his mind.

Open battle between mythical creatures before the eyes of the world—it will destroy the Society. They will be forced to kill other mythical creatures in defense of you and these road builders. Think what that will mean! The Society will be exposed for the human-centered sham that it is—prepared to kill us to protect the fellers of trees. Mythical creatures will leave in droves. They will join me, and then I will be strong enough to take on you humans. After that, the battle will be between us and humanity—we stand a far better chance of survival in open warfare than in this game of hide and seek we have been playing for centuries, thanks to the Society. And when those two sides are lined up facing each other, I know that you will then join us, as you love the world too much to let it be eradicated by your fellow men. You will then be a willing channel for my power and put an end to all this for good
.

You’re wrong
, said Connie bitterly.

No, Companion, I am right. I know you better than you know yourself
. The pegasus descended steeply. The tops of the trees were now only a few feet below.
Prepare yourself!
He gave her only a moment’s warning then shifted shape into an eagle, Connie still clinging to his neck as mane turned to feathers in the numb fingers of her bound hands. The eagle spiraled and landed at the top of a tall oak tree.

Welcome to Merlin’s oak
, he cackled.

15
Michaelmas