Guardians Book One - Magic Rising

Chapter Thirty

Kath opened her eyes. This time the world was solid, the colours sharp and bold, and she knew this was reality, this was the original world. Her head ached.

Also, she was lying down on a bed.

Slowly, her limbs aching, she drew herself into a sitting position, hugging the duvet into her chest.

"Where...am I?" she murmured. "This time?"

Someone – she recognised Pes' voice – gave a brief, soft laugh. "Morning." Kath rolled her eyes towards him; he was leaning on the wall by the little tea bar, glancing back and forth from the bathroom door to Kath.

"Is it?" she mumbled. It could have been any time, for all she knew. In the bathroom, she could hear a shower running.

"Just a hotel," said a voice it took her a moment to place, especially as mired in weariness and sorrow as it was. Vicky. Oh. God. Her husband... "I checked in earlier...because...I rather thought we needed somewhere to go. Our house..." She trailed off. Kath focused on her face.

Victoria Stewart was sitting in the hard little armchair these hotel rooms invariably came with, her legs crossed neatly, her face drawn and tight, her eyes reddened. Even so, there was an extraordinary calm about her. In her place...I'd be a wreck...has it hit? Or maybe he's...? No. Not the way that house was burning...She dropped her eyes from Vicky's face, somehow ashamed.

"We have prepared for this day for a long time," said Vicky, very softly. "It was always a possibility – a likelihood. I cherish the time we had together. But some things...are larger than one's own life..." Her fists were so tightly balled her knuckles were white, her nails pressing into her palms in a way that had to be painful.

"I'm so sorry..." said Kath, and instantly wished she could take back the feeble words. But Vicky's lips turned upwards in a polite if humourless smile.

"There will be time to grieve eventually," she said, exhaling. "For his sake – for all our sakes – I have a duty."

"It's you, isn't it?" Kath whispered, realising. "You're the replacement."

"There is no-one else," said Vicky, nodding. "Time willing...I will be the last."

Kath stared at her.

Pes shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "He will think he's got an advantage now, the Dark Lord. We have to..." He closed his eyes, lowering his voice. "We have to show that's not true. If nothing else, we need to guide where they meet. Somewhere outside of a populated area. If they march on London..."

Someone's missing. "Where's Lady?" Kath glanced around, then to the bathroom. "Oh. God. Has she..."

"It revives her," said Vicky. "Let her be. Although we shouldn't stay too long. But we can..." She inhaled sharply, her eyes growing wet. "I'm sorry. I..." She wiped her eyes, and managed another wan smile. "While you slept, I spoke to the police. A gas leak, they say."

"All lies, of course," Pestilence whispered, his usually good-natured voice hot and angry. "They rigged it. How could I not have..."

"Nobody knew. Day had been there. Nobody could spot something that well hidden and...unmagical..." Vicky grit her teeth. "How they've learned from humans. How we've forgotten. My Alex, he would have seen, a few years ago, such a trap..." Her eyes moistened again. "We didn't think like...humans." She pressed her face into her hands.

The shower suddenly shut off, and a moment later Lady came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a massive white towel which knotted under one armpit to form a rough dress. Her glow was duller, even as the light caught the water on the creases of her skin, shimmering like fish scales. Even wet, Kath could see her long hair was a good few inches shorter and choppy. Of course. Half of it was singed off... She swallowed.

"I shall dress and then I am ready," Lady said, her voice toneless, grabbing a pile of clothes from the table, not even looking at Pes. She spared a nod for Kath, not meeting her eyes. "The transfer should not take long, if your carriage is anything by which to judge."

Kath stared at her. "Eh?"

"The new vessel," said Lady, her voice still flat. "There is nobody but I. I am ready." She fussed with her dress, shaking it out. Her eyes were absolutely blank.

Vicky pulled her hands away from her face, and stood. For a moment she paused, then very, very slowly walked over to her daughter. "My dear," she said. "You know...you cannot. You know..."

"Do not be ridiculous," Lady didn't look at her mother, either, merely carried on shaking the creases from her dress. "You must return to Dartmoor, Mama." Her lip wobbled for a moment, but she still held herself ramrod-straight, her muscles all tensed. "I am prepared."

Vicky put a hand on her daughter's bare shoulder – Kath saw the burn marks over her collarbone and winced. Lady didn't relax one bit, her eyes still trained on the dress as if it was all she could see. "Lady. We have no choice..."

At last, Lady's head shot up, her eyes sparking. "A choice! You do. There is always another way...always, always! It can be me, I can be the host. I can handle it. I am not...you cannot. I will not let you...not because I failed in my duty. I shall not fail this time. I shall not allow it...F...Father would not wish it..." She pulled away from her mother's hand, clutching the dress, stalking up and down the small room before spinning to face her mother, tears in her eyes.

Victoria moved forward and seized her daughter's wrists, throwing back her own long hair to meet Lady's gaze. For a moment at the touch of her mother's hands Lady struggled, but after a moment she shrank back, a sob choking from her throat.

"No..." she whispered, "No. Please..."

"I'm sorry, my Lady, so sorry, so sorry...there is no-one else. It is not your friend's place and you cannot. Please understand..." Tears poured down Vicky's cheeks as she held her daughter's desperate gaze. "I wish we had more time. There is barely any left... Ever since your father came back from that jungle – we knew. I knew. We were a time bomb. We gave up our lives willingly...you have to believe that. I never wanted this for you...my little girl..." She lifted her chin. "I know what we did to you, what we made of you, before you could even choose...I can't ask you to forgive us. We destroyed your life...I've always known..."

Lady's head snapped up. "No," she whispered. "I never hated you. I always loved you...why else would I..." Another sob tore from her throat. "I would have done the same." She gave a strangled laugh that had nothing to do with humour. "I was angry. Sometimes. When I was younger...but I couldn't have abandoned...I understand. I do, and I love you...I cannot lose..." She jerked her head at Pestilence. "I have gained more than I could ever imagine so even when it...if it hurt I had...even if I have nothing left. This is my life. This is all I have ever been, and all I shall ever be...I have nothing else."

Pestilence came up behind Lady, wrapping his arms around her shoulders from the back, pressing his face down into her hair. Kath flushed, glancing away; awkward in this moment she had no right to be intruding on. The Lord of Light, in her head, was silent, but she could feel his sadness – the sadness of a man who's lost a thousand friends and hosts through the years, but remembered each and every one. She pulled her knees up to her chest. The whole world is sorrow. But also hope. All energy is born and reborn, all is eternal. That is why...my brother cannot win. I grieve for him, as well. Every day. That he allowed his grief and fear to make of him a monster...but jealousy and fear are also human. As long as they do not consume you.

At last, Lady drew back, and Vicky dropped her wrists. Lady looked up at her mother, her lips parting to frame a question, uselessly, and shaking her head, sagging. For the first time she looked as she was – tiny, human. Vulnerable.

"It has to be this way," said Vicky.

Lady sank back against Pes, who held her, rocking her gently, and so quietly Kath could barely hear her, she breathed, "I know."