The Key to Starveldt (33 page)

‘Thank you,’ she said. Though none of them had known Luci, news of the girl’s death had poisoned the room. Now, it felt as though the evil were being leeched away; as though Morgause Eleuthera had reached through time to show their flock of runaways that perhaps there was some tenderness between parent and child, after all.

‘So,’ said Paige, breaking the silence. ‘Starveldt. How do we get there? You said before that it was locked away, frozen or something, but still tied to Earth. What does that actually mean?’

Liluye inhaled. ‘It means that Starveldt, like all of you, is born of Earth. I do not know where it was originally built, nor when, but part of what makes it so unique – the power at its heart, the world-gate – is its ability to slip in and out of phase with the physical plane. At present, it is out of phase: the castle exists, but cannot be accessed. Were you to free it, however, it would re-open at its last tethered location. After that, it could be directed elsewhere.’

‘Do you honestly mean to say,’ said Jess, unable to help herself, ‘that Starveldt can just pop into being anywhere it likes? Like a quetzal?’

‘In a manner of speaking, yes.’

‘But that’s ridiculous! People must notice, surely!’

‘Not unless they are intended to notice. Just as it phases in and out of reality, so too does the castle cloak itself from all who are not Rare.’

‘In the vision we saw of the night it burned, it was on one side of a chasm,’ Solace said. ‘There was a stone bridge going across.’

Liluye’s expression darkened. ‘What you saw was the gateway to Sanguisidera’s realm, joined to the castle door. It was a work of fearsome magic, one that claimed the lives of several dozen mages. I have explained the difficulties in wielding the power of gates – the Bloodkin, whose minds are fractured, cannot successfully do so. This is your proof. It cost the Bloody Star dear to draw her own realm alongside Starveldt for long enough to ensure the infant Grief ’s undisturbed passage into her care. Now, her only mage is Mikhail Savarin. But the castle,’ she added, anticipating Solace’s question, ‘was last bound to the world in Scotland, in a town called St Andrews. There are cliffs overlooking the sea, and the ruins of a human castle – not so large as Starveldt, but your father enjoyed the irony of anchoring one to the other.’

‘A town,’ said Manx, glancing from Liluye to Solace and back again. ‘You mean a populated area? With people? Normal people? Because, you know, if the Bloodkin are going to attack us at any point, that could be … not good.’

Liluye twitched her fingers. ‘Ordinarily, Morgause and Aaron preferred to remain apart from society. Once the rebellion was underway they did not want to risk provoking human casualties by dwelling close to innocents. But for the birth of their first child, they needed to be near, so that he could be delivered into human care after their deaths. Of course, Sanguisidera put an end to that, and the castle remained in St Andrews. That is where you must go.’

‘Which begs the question,’ said Laine, so abruptly that Jess jumped, ‘how do we actually open Starveldt?’

‘Ah.’ Liluye glanced at Duchess. ‘Would you care to enlighten them?’

It was Manx who translated. From where she sat on Anise’s shoulder, the little cat stretched her forepaws and leapt onto the back of the lounge, so that she was sitting level with Jess and Electra’s heads.

she said, pausing for Manx’s benefit.

‘Your
blood
?’ said Paige, both appalled and fascinated. ‘Why?’

Duchess heaved a cat-sigh.

‘Weird,’ said Paige, wrinkling her nose.

Solace lifted her head sharply. ‘Authenticate? How? To whom?’

Duchess favoured the vampire with a stare. For a moment, Jess thought the little cat was refusing to answer, but then a look of dawning comprehension crossed Solace’s face.

‘You mean that stupid Voice is part of the castle? That’s who I’ve been talking to?’

Duchess said, still via Manx.

Even Liluye looked surprised. ‘I had not known that,’ she murmured, glancing at Sharpsoft. ‘Did you?’

Sharpsoft looked uncomfortable. ‘I suspected. Starveldt is a strange place – stranger even than your realm, in its way. Its rooms are malleable, able to change their size and furnishings in accordance with whatever an occupant requires, unless a limitation is imposed on them by the keybearer. It is uncanny to watch, both an exorbitant and a useful magic. A sentient, immortal essence bound into the foundations is not the only thing that could account for it, but in conjunction with everything else, it makes the most sense.’

‘What about Grief ?’ asked Solace, looking again at Duchess. ‘Technically, he’s an heir, too. Aren’t you saying he could open the castle, too, even without your blood?’

said the little cat, after a moment’s hesitation.

‘So,’ said Evan, after Manx relayed these remarks, ‘we’re going to Scotland?’ He was looking at Liluye, but Jess did not miss how his gaze flickered to Solace. A pleasant surprise.
Maybe all that teasing pushed them together, after all.
‘Because, just for the record, I am totally cool with that.’

‘It’s where we’re going,’ said Solace, confirming Liluye’s nod. ‘But I don’t care what the prophecy says, you guys don’t have to come with me. Grief only cares that I open Starveldt. The rest of you –’

‘– are not getting left behind,’ said Jess, firmly. ‘We’ve come this far. We’ll go the rest of the way. Or at least,’ she amended, ‘I will.’

Saying this sent a rush of excitement through her, such that when Harper cleared his throat, she didn’t immediately consider he might disagree.

‘We don’t have to, though,’ he said, curling his fingers protectively around Paige’s hip. ‘Why can’t we stay here? It’s safe. The Bloodkin can’t come in. I know they tried to take Solace, but it didn’t work, remember? Who says we have to go back to the real world? This place, I mean …’ He let the sentence trail off, waving his free hand. ‘We could have something here. A life. Why fight when you don’t have to?’

Jess felt her mouth slip open in an O of surprise. All eyes were fixed on Harper, who straightened. In the event, it wasn’t Solace who answered him, but Paige.

‘Harp,’ she said, looking up at him, ‘we have to go. I can’t pretend we haven’t been part of this, and I don’t want to be exiled from my own
planet
just because it’s easier than standing up to someone who wants to turn me into a monster.’ She looked tense, frightened, as if she didn’t quite know what she was doing, and her eyes bore intently upwards, daring him to look away. He didn’t. ‘Whenever I was scared, you always helped me do what was right. Please. I’m tired of running away.’

Harper brushed his lips against Paige’s forehead. Her eyes closed at the contact, then opened as he pulled away and nodded.

‘All right,’ he said, and the words were for his pixie girl. ‘We’ll come.’

‘The prophecy.’ Manx stared at Liluye, who lifted her chin quizzically. Jess doubted she was alone in feeling grateful for the distraction. ‘When we arrived, you said you’d explain it to us. You said you knew what it meant.’

‘I lied.’ The proprietor gave a strange, small smile. ‘I only
think
I know what it means. Not truth. Just interpretation. And as such –’ she went on, preventing any protest, ‘– it will remain
my
interpretation. Private.’

‘Since we’re agreed, then,’ said Laine, before Manx could speak, ‘we should go now. It’s not like there’s anything keeping us here.’

‘I agree,’ said Jess, quickly.

‘Wait.’ Solace held up a hand, her face unreadable as she stared at Sharpsoft. ‘Luci wasn’t alone in the group home. There was a woman there, too, my house-mother. Sarah Plummer. To get to Luci, Grief probably killed her. But maybe she’s still alive. If she can be saved, then take her somewhere safe.’ She gulped, looking downwards. ‘Tell her about the grove. And tell her I’m sorry. For everything.’

Sharpsoft inclined his head. ‘My lady. I will see you again in Starveldt.’

‘Be careful, Sascha.’

To Jess’s shock, the words came from Liluye. There was a strange, hungry look on the proprietor’s face as she stared at Solace’s guardian, one that was mirrored in the flicker of his eyes.

‘I will,’ Sharpsoft said – and then, as was his habit, he vanished in a green-edged shiver of air, so that they were all left blinking away the after-images of his departure.

Something landed on Jess’s shoulder.

She yelped, jumping to her feet, only to realise that she’d been colonised by Duchess. ‘Well,’ she said, trying to recover some small shred of dignity, ‘what are we waiting for?’

I
t was amazing, Solace thought, how swiftly things happened after that. No sooner had Jess firmly but politely removed Duchess from her shoulder than Liluye was leading them back into the halls, directing Knox to return to his duties even as Sylvia lingered near Manx. It felt a little as though the world were spinning, if the Rookery could be deemed a world – it certainly wasn’t a planet, and to the best of Solace’s knowledge didn’t rotate. She shook her head, frustrated and amused by such a useless train of thought, and turned her focus back to her friends.

Falling automatically to the back of the group, she looked around for Evan, only to find that Jess’s sudden presence by her side had propelled him forwards, undesirous of making further sister-related errors.

‘So,’ said the seer, grinning as she linked arms with Solace. ‘We meet again. And under changed circumstances, hm?’

Despite her best efforts, Solace jumped. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘Lies and treachery, dammit. You’ve been hooking up with my brother.’

Solace stumbled, which was near enough to an admission. She swore softly at the delighted expression on Jess’s face.

‘Look, it was – we just sort of – how did you even –’

‘Solace.’ Jess cut her off, leaning her head in close so they wouldn’t be overheard. ‘Seriously? The only way you two could’ve been more conspicuous just now was if you’d each strapped a penguin to your head and tried to communicate alternately in haiku and iambic pentameter. He was the only one who went with you when Liluye called, and you keep
looking
at each other, so I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest you’ve got designs on becoming my sister-in-law.’

‘Just so we’re clear? I hate you
so much
right now.’

‘Lies, and again, treachery.’ Jess’s grin was broad, but her eyes were soft. ‘Look, you know about Laine, right?’

Solace felt her stomach twist with guilt. ‘Yeah.’

‘And you think this is different? Not that I’m trying to malign Evan or anything, but –’

‘Yes.’ She dropped her gaze. ‘It’s different. And it’s not just because of the bond. What happened the other day – what you guys saw, I mean – that was an accident, but we’ve been noticing each other for a while. Being teased just meant we had to think about it. And then it was just
there
. I feel bad about Laine, though. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.’

‘I know that, and so does she. One of the many fun consequences of reading minds.’

‘Yeah.’ She glanced ahead to where Evan was engaged in the hypocritical task of chaperoning Manx and Sylvia’s farewell. Beside them, Paige and Harper had their arms around one another as if things between them had never been different, let alone worse, while Laine and Electra followed close behind Duchess, Anise and Liluye, who were leading.

‘Well, for what it’s worth, you have my blessing.’

Solace blinked, turning back to Jess. ‘What?’

‘My sisterly consent. I approve. You’ll be good for him, and wretch though he usually is, I think he’ll be good for you.’

Solace dropped her gaze, uncertain of what to say. ‘Thanks. But you won’t, um –’

‘Tell anyone?’ Jess laughed. ‘No. Not until you’re ready. I know I spent the better part of this morning giving you guys a hard time – pre-emptively, as things turned out – but I have been known to keep the odd secret.’

‘Thanks, I guess.’

‘Don’t mention it.’

They passed the exit to the temple steps. Solace half-thought Liluye was going to lead them outside, but instead, the proprietor turned deeper into the twisting maze of corridors. Solace paused, staring at the slice of white-starred sky and purple grass afforded her by this brief, last glimpse of the Rookery. Who knew if they’d ever return? Part of her wanted to run through the doors and drink it all in one final time, but deep down, she knew it was unnecessary. Forgetting anything about this place would be impossible. In that respect, her mother’s wish had been granted.

A moment later, she realised where they were headed: the marble entrance lobby into which they’d originally stumbled.

Jess took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. ‘No turning back, then,’ she said.

‘Probably not,’ said Solace.

‘Listen,’ said Jess, ‘about Evan’s birthday –’

But whatever she’d been going to say was lost as they emerged from the hall and into the light of the foyer. Solace flinched, half expecting to see chains and blood, but it was as if the incident with Luci had never happened: everything was pristine again, the white marble bright as a summer moon. Liluye and Anise had already reached the base of the stairs, and they now stood on either side of a polished door. Duchess, however, remained at the top of the stairs, waiting until the others had descended before putting herself directly in Jess’s path.