The Crystal Heart (17 page)

I picked it up. As I did so, a strange feeling sparked in me, a rushing in my veins, tingling like the onset of fever. Tugging a strand of hair from my own head, I laid them together, the red and the black. At once, the crystal grew warm against my breast.

At that moment, I heard footsteps on the stairs. He was coming back! Shoving the hairs in my pocket, I scrambled to my feet, my pulse racing, and turned to face the door. An instant later, it opened and my father came in.

‘My dearest daughter, there you are.' His voice was cool, calm, without inflection.

Shock and disappointment had robbed me of speech for a moment.

‘Are you not glad to see me?' he said.

I swallowed. ‘Father, I – I was not expecting you.'

‘I know. Well! There you are. I was anxious for you, my daughter.'

I tried to keep my voice steady. ‘Father, you did not need to … be anxious about me.'

He smiled. ‘My dear, where your welfare is concerned, I am always on my guard. And I knew just by looking at that other boy that he'd never have come alone. Half
feyin
he might be, but truly bold he is not. I saw Bator's reckless hand in this. And I was right, was I not?'

My heart sank. It was no use lying. I nodded.

‘So this is his bolthole.' His voice changed. ‘But of course you weren't going to find him here. We have Bator already.'

I gasped. ‘No, that cannot be true!'

‘Oh, it is. We didn't even have to find him – he came to us of his own accord.'

‘I – I don't understand.'

‘I'll give this to him: he has lost none of his recklessness. Bold as brass, he walked up to the gates and demanded to speak to me. The guards were all for killing him there and then; but Lord Parigan heard the commotion and came to see what was wrong. What he heard from the creature persuaded him that it would be worth my listening. But I had gone looking for you, my dear.' He walked over and patted my hand.

‘Where is he now?' I whispered.

He smiled thinly. ‘With the Marshals, cooling his heels and his temper.'

Tears sprang to my eyes. ‘Father, please … Please, if you really care for me, don't let them harm him. Don't, or I think I would die.'

‘Why would we harm him, my dear? There is no longer any need to, is there?' The silky menace was back in his voice. ‘You are promised to the Erlking's son. You do understand that, of course.'

‘Of course, Father,' I managed through stiff lips. ‘But you will not harm Kasper. Do you give your solemn word?'

A flash of temper glinted in my father's eyes. ‘You have my solemn word.'

‘Swear it on all that is holy – on our Lady's name, on my mother's memory, Father,' I answered, frightened but determined. ‘Or I cannot believe it.'

His face darkened with fury. ‘Very well,' he said tightly. ‘I swear it solemnly on the Lady's name and on the memory of my beautiful Irina, Bator will not be harmed in any way.' He paused, and I could see him visibly struggling to control his anger. Then his tone changed as he said, lightly, ‘And after all, as the boy came willingly to us and has no interest in you, my daughter, why should I want to harm him?'

His words were like a stab to the heart. But I could not believe what he said. My father meant only to stop me from thinking there was any hope. Why else would Kasper take such risks, if it weren't for my sake?

‘For revenge, my dear,' said my father. ‘Revenge against his former masters, who treated him so cruelly. He has brought us useful information, and for that I must be grateful to him.' He paused again. ‘I have to warn you, daughter, he is not the man he once was.'

I looked at him, then away. What did he know about my love? He had never once asked me about Kasper. He had never tried to find out what was truly in his daughter's heart. I had told myself that, in his way, he truly loved me, and that was why he had kept silent, out of discretion, out of understanding for my sorrow. But now it just seemed that he only loved me if I did as I was told. He would be happy with me if I followed the path he set out for me and marry to cement an important alliance. This was not love.
It was a bargain, in which all the advantage lay on his side. Immured in his honour and his power, he had forgotten about his heart, and it had withered and died. Thank the Lady my mother had never seen what he had become.

‘Come with me now, Izolda,' he said, and his tone implied there was no point in protesting. I didn't for I, too, knew there was no point. I would have been in despair if I'd believed what he said about Kasper. But I knew it could not be true. Whatever story my love had spun to come here safely, it was only a veil for his real purpose. I knew that as well as I knew the beating of the blood in my veins.

I could see the Marshals eyeing me with suspicion and distaste. Traitors might be useful but nobody
likes
them, and there I was in the belly of the beast, bearing gifts for our enemy. They had brought me to wait in a chamber, and they watched me as though at any moment I might sprout wings and fly away.

I had never seen such a city, with its looming crystal skyline in the golden cave-light, bound within its own strange nature. Yet the wonder of it did not eclipse my sense of sordid familiarity.
Feyin
or human, we are all the same: all about buying and selling, about getting an advantage, of doing down your enemies by any means and betraying your friends. The things I once believed in – trust and love and honour – were just words to these people. It was a bitter knowledge but it drove away my fear. Once, I would have been awed, frightened even, of the giant Marshals with their threatening presence. Now, I saw them just as differently tuned versions of Krainos
soldiers, who do as they are told without hesitation or mercy. Once, I thought I could never be like that – that I would always think for myself. But that path led only to misery and despair.

I'd come to understand what peace it was to be a Marshal or a warrior of Krainos, to only follow orders as I must now follow mine. I was where I wanted to be and I did not care what would happen to me after I had done what must be done. All is well. All is as it should be.

Yet, if that were so, what was this feeling that gripped me like a vice? Ever since I was swallowed by the Lake and spat out into Night, I have felt it deep in my guts. Emerging dazed but unnoticed into the shadows behind the Crystal Fountain, I had stumbled to my feet and found a quiet spot in which to hide till I could catch my breath. Taking out the package of papers from my shoe, I had checked that they had not been damaged. They had not, for the oilskin they'd been wrapped in had held well. I had looked around me, dazzled for an instant by the beauty I'd heard so much about, followed by the pain of why these streets were familiar to me, like a half-remembered song.

Enough!
I had told myself, shaking the weakness away as a dog shakes water off his coat. I had then nosed my way into the city, taking on camouflage as though I were hunting in the woods. I had aimed to pass as an Outlander, whose dialect was similar to that of my region. Armed with local coins I had filched from a too-trusting woman, I bought bread and a room. In an evil-smelling old shop, I purchased a medal stamped with the insignia of the Lion Knights and labelled ‘Genuine antique originally from the late Princess Irina Leonska's ancestral domain'. Genuine
or not, it would fulfil the purpose I intended for it. If I could not get close to the Prince while I showed him the papers, I planned to ask him to examine the medal.

The Lord Chamberlain watched me unblinkingly, his flat eyes reminding me of a cunning old toad's. I could not guess how old this creature was, but in our world he'd be judged to be in his seventies. What was certain was that he did not trust me an inch, though he knew what I had brought was worth an audience with his master. When I took the roll of papers from my shoe and showed it to him, his small eyes had widened. He had waved away the Marshals and beckoned for me to follow him. We made our way through the gates and across a grand square, in the middle of which stood a large statue made from crystal and opal. It depicted a man on horseback, so delicately and perfectly carved that I could not help a small movement of pleasure as we drew near it.

‘I'll wager you have never seen anything like this in your scrubby little country,' the Lord Chamberlain had said, haughtily. ‘This is
feyin
art of the highest kind, as removed from the crude efforts of your kind as the moon is from the earth.'

‘Ah, but in my village we once caught the moon in a net,
my lord
.'

The Lord Chamberlain shot me a black look. ‘You are not to speak thus in front of the Prince. You are to address him as “Sire” and you are to bow three times when he enters the room. Upon the third bow, you must go down on one knee and rise only when he tells you to do so. Is that clear?'

‘Yes, my lord,' I said mock-meekly. I cared not for making friends. I only need a buyer – the Prince. I needed
him to buy my story, and I would find the right moment soon enough for the needle, which lay in my pocket, along with the crystal shard. Suddenly, it pulsed, sending a shooting pain down my leg. ‘Ouch!'

The Lord Chamberlain frowned. ‘What is wrong with you?'

‘Nothing – just a pain from sitting so long.'

‘Be quiet, Krainos scum, or I will get the Marshals to give you something to really complain about,' he snapped.

‘And here I was thinking you
feyin
were renowned for your good manners towards guests,' I said.

‘You're no guest,' he spat. ‘You're a creature, and for two pins I'd have you shot for insolence.'

‘Ah, but I think the Prince would not be happy with you if you did that, for what I have brought him is a prize far beyond the value of rubies. Don't you find that ironic, my lord?'

He gave me a look that was way beyond black, and hissed, ‘Well, it's all in blood, I suppose, and nothing to be done about it. It is so plain to me now that even a trace of
feyin
blood can redeem that coarse human strain, for your friend is nothing like you, but respectful and gentle-mannered, just as it should be.'

My stomach lurched. Was he speaking of the Princess? Surely not – he would never refer to his master's daughter in such a familiar way. ‘I don't know what you mean,' I growled.

The Chamberlain smiled nastily and gestured to a Marshal. ‘Fetch our guest.' Then he turned his back to me and didn't speak again till we heard the heavy tread of the Marshal outside. An instant later the door opened,
and there, large as life and just as incomprehensible, was Amadey.

For a wild moment I thought it was a trick. This is
feyin
country, after all. Magic runs through it like the veins of crystal and opal in the caves. Why should they not then be able to plunder your mind and conjure up walking visions from your memories and dreams?

Amadey came towards me. He looked almost as startled as I was, but there was leisure in his eyes, and relief. ‘Oh! Vazi– I mean, Kasper, I'm so pleased that you are safe and that –'

‘Stop,' I said. ‘What did you just call me?'

He looked anxious. ‘Kasper. Was I not supposed to?'

‘They told you,' I said. ‘They told you who I was.' I looked at him, at the expression in his eyes. ‘Why don't you hate me?' I said slowly.

‘Hate you? Why should I hate you? You're my friend. Oh, I see.' His face cleared. ‘You think I believe you're a traitor. No, Princess Izolda told me the truth. Oh, my friend, I am so glad for you, so glad for you both! I –'

‘Shut up,' I said harshly, my guts in a dreadful knot of pain, my chest burning with wild feeling. ‘Shut up, you ridiculous fool. You have no idea what you're saying.'

‘But, Kasper –' His face was twisted in hurt puzzlement.

‘How did you get here?' I said, cutting him off.

Amadey shot a glance at the Lord Chamberlain. ‘I – I didn't tell you … I have a secret. To cut a long story short, my mother was a
feyin
.'

I stared at him as dark suspicions crowded into my mind and ate into my soul. ‘You were tasked to spy on me,' I growled.

‘Spy on you? No, Kasper, I swear –'

‘Don't lie to me.'

‘I'm not lying!'

‘How did you get here then, eh? Tell me the truth!'

‘Same way as you did.'

‘You followed me.' I remembered the sensation I had of being watched in the caves, of the pebbles tumbling down before the shaft had closed. ‘I guess you used
feyin
magic. Well, I hope you're proud of yourself. You sure had me fooled. I thought you were my friend.'

Amadey looked at me, stricken. ‘But I am! I truly am your friend.'

‘More fool you, then,' I hissed. ‘You've taken up with a double-dyed traitor.'

Amadey shook his head. ‘Don't say such things. Don't punish yourself for things you did not do. The Princess told me the truth, Kasper.'

There was a pity in his face now that I could not bear to see. ‘Why do you think I'm here, you fool?'

‘For her,' Amadey replied, simply. ‘Because you love her.'

I gave an angry laugh. ‘What kind of dream world do you live in? I have come here to sell secrets to the Prince. The secrets of Krainos, Amadey.'

‘I don't believe you,' he said, white to the lips.

‘Ask him,' I said, gesturing to the Lord Chamberlain. ‘He will tell you I am a traitor, one who will deliver his land to the highest bidder for sweet revenge. Love? What do I care for love? It is nothing but a poisonous lie, and if you …'

I broke off, for I heard an intake of breath behind me. I turned to see
her
framed motionless in the doorway, the
Prince of Night by her side. Never before had I seen such an expression as I saw on Izolda's face then. As our eyes met, the pain in my chest that had been building all day became a crushing agony beyond all telling. Then she was gone, fleeing as though pursued by demons, followed by a grey-faced Amadey.

But the Prince of Night did not flee. ‘Well, Kasper Bator,' he purred, advancing towards me, ‘Lord Parigan tells me you have brought something useful. It had better be so, if I am to overlook the shock you have just given my daughter.' He gave a smile that would make one's blood run cold.

‘I think you will be pleased with what I have brought you, Sire,' I said. ‘But I warn you, it does not come cheap.'

‘How dare you speak thus …' spluttered the Lord Chamberlain, but before he could say any more, the Prince cut him off with an impatient gesture.

‘We will agree upon a price when I see what you have,' the Prince replied, his eyes never leaving my face. ‘If you are lying about your purpose here and you have, in fact, come for my daughter, then I will show you no mercy. Your life was spared before; it will not be so again. Is that clear?'

‘Crystal,' I said, with a twist of the mouth. ‘You may be sure I have no such designs. The past is dead to me – and buried.'

His eyes searched mine, and I looked back at him without flinching. ‘Very well,' he said at last. ‘Come with me. We will speak alone.'

As I followed him down the long corridor, I could feel the pressure of the needle case in my pocket. I had to be strong, to do what must be done and meet my fate. Yet in my mind's eye, all I could see was her face, and I wished I were dead already.