Shadows of the Woods

Chapter 8

Hayane glanced furtively back at Apollo as he poured out the tea. The delicate china cups clinked lightly against the glass table top , and just on the other side, Apollo sat patiently. He'd removed his hood, and Hayane thought he resembled a human astronaut in his thick solstae gear.

"Sugar?" He asked politely.

"Please." Apollo replied just as politely.

More clinking as Hayane stirred. He gently placed the tea cup in front of the vampire.

"So." Hayane settled back into his own seat, observing Apollo over the top of his on tea. "Clarify this again for me. You, the peace-loving and gentle Apollo, want to kill a witch."

"Yes." Apollo replied simply.

"And you want Androgena, who's banned from doing magic, to teach you."

"Correct." He took a delicate sip of his tea.

Hayane frowned across the table. "What on earth spurred this on? I don't think I've ever heard of you seeking out someone to kill on purpose. If you've ever killed before, it's to protect someone you love."

"Well right now." Apollo said slowly, looking up to meet Hayane's gaze squarely. "I'm protecting someone I love, and the world we live in."

"I see." Hayane said simply, continuing to stare at him.

The parlour was silent except for the contented ticking of the grandfather clock behind Apollo. Like the rest of the palace, the walls and floor were blue crystal, but the walls were panelled with marble. Hayane fit his surroundings perfectly, whereas Apollo stuck out like a sore thumb in his smoke coloured suit.

"You know where she is, am I right?" Apollo spoke into the silence.

"Of course." Hayane took another sip of his tea. He looked into the contents of his cup forlornly; he could never make it just right. It was his servant, Heb, that used to always make his tea; now that she had run off to check on her son, Hayane was stuck making his own. "She was my healer when I was young. She's something like a grandmother to me."

"But you are reluctant to share her whereabouts." It wasn't a question.

Hayane sighed. "I have nothing against you, Apollo. After fifty years of hating you, I've come to realize that you have nothing but kind intentions in your heart. However, I'm slightly uncomfortable that you come with such a request in times as dark as this. Does this request of yours have anything - "

"- To do with this vile sickness?" Apollo finished for him, his green eyes lasering across the room to meet Hayane's. "Yes. Yes, it does."

Hayane blinked in surprise. "How so?"

"This sickness isn't natural." Apollo replied smoothly. "I have reason to believe that this sickness is a dark spell."

"A dark spell?!" Hayane's laughter barked out abruptly. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Would you really like to go through the tedium of me explaining?" Apollo asked impatiently, his composure slipping. He sighed and covered his eyes with his free hand. "I have reason to believe that Castrone is behind this."

There was a swift humming, and Hayane was crouching in front of Apollo's seat. The delicate china cup he had been holding was now shattered on the floor, the pieces still tinkling like plinks of rain.

Hayane's face was stricken. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Apollo said wearily. "Castrone, Hayane. Castrone!"

"You jest." If it was possible, Hayane's face was paler than before.

"Look me in the eye." Apollo stated grimly. "Do I look like I'm joking?"