THE DEMONATA - Demon thief (2)

Chapter 16 - SEARCHING

An uneasy mood. We're all uncomfortable. Even the gruff Shark, who believes in forcing people to work for the Disciples, isn't used to tyrants like Beranabus.

The magician comes over and sits with us. He scratches the sole of his left foot, then runs a hand through his hair and coughs. "Take no notice of Nadia's hysterics," he says. "She'll be all right when she calms down. We've had similar confrontations before. Although this is the first time she's threatened to kill me." He laughs harshly. Nobody smiles.

"This isn't the best of introductions, is it?" Beranabus notes, looking at me wryly. "You think I'm a heartless beast. But this is the way life is for me. I have no time for decency. I'm a demon killer. That's my sole purpose in life. I sleep soundly - on those rare occasions when I sleep - because I know I'm doing the task that the universe charged me with." He points at my shoes. "You might want to get rid of those. You too, Shark and... Deviant?"

"Dervish."

"Aye. Dump the shoes. They block the flow of magic. Even the slightest advantage can be vital when you're faced with a demon and battling for your life. I'm assuming you two intend to stay and help?"

Shark and Dervish glance at each other edgily. I don't think either had planned to stay. Then Shark shrugs and raises an eyebrow. Dervish nods in answer and smiles weakly. They bend to untie their laces.

Beranabus studies me closely as I peel my socks off. "You're a strange one, Kernel Fleck. Normally, I can sense magic in those who possess an abundance of it, but I get almost nothing from you, even though you must be throbbing with power to open windows between worlds so swiftly."

"I don't think it's magic," I say shyly. "It's like a puzzle. I see lights and I'm able to slot them together when they pulse. That's the only difference between me and you. I can see the pieces of the window. You can't."

"Tell me about these lights," Beranabus says. "When you first noticed them and realised you could manipulate them."

"I've seen the lights all my life, but it was only on the needle of rock that I realised I could..." A memory kicks in and I come to a surprised stop. "No, that's not right. A year ago, I put lights together in my bedroom, stepped through the window and went missing for a few days." I can't believe I hadn't remembered that until now.

"Missing?" Beranabus sniffs.

"Yes. Nobody knew where I was. I don't know either. I can't remember what happened when I stepped through the window."

"Nothing at all?" Beranabus presses.

I think hard, but even though I now know that I must have crossed into this universe, my mind's a total blank. There's something about the window itself, before I stepped through, but the memory evades me. I shake my head.

Sharmila has been listening closely. She looks at Beranabus, troubled. "Does it not strike you as strange that of all the places Cadaver could have emerged, he turned up in that village? The home of the one boy in all the world who has a power which in some ways is greater than even your own."

"You think he went there for Kernel?" Beranabus frowns.

"Perhaps. When we turned up, maybe he thought we were protecting Kernel. So he took the brother instead, gambling that Kernel would chase after him."

"A trap," Beranabus says, nodding slowly. "Aye, it could be. Maybe we should forget about Cadaver and - "

"No!" I hiss. "Art's the only thing in this universe I'm interested in. I don't care if it's a trap - I'm going to keep looking for him. Whether you help me or not. I know how now. I'll use a window to find him."