The Chimera's Curse Page 21

  Mrs. Khalid turned back to her charge. “Remember, Lee-am, though bigger, they are the same.”

  Liam nodded, his tongue sticking out between his teeth in concentration. On Mrs. Khalid’s signal, the fire imp companions called to their creatures. Distracted from their game with the firefighters, the imps looked down on the two tiny humans below and held out tapering limbs of flame toward them, inviting them to the party. Mrs. Khalid shook her head, though for a moment Liam looked tempted.

  “Now!” she called.

  The fire imp companions clicked their fingers together, and the fire imps were snuffed out, leaving curling plumes of smoke rising to the sky.

  At the same moment, a tongue of strangely silvery flame issued from the stairwell directly in front of their group, darted into the air, and disappeared. Even before the smoke cleared, Col was running across the open space between him and the rear door to the refinery. He dashed past Liam and plunged into the building without a clue what he was going to do. He just knew he had to reach Connie. He would have continued recklessly into the smoldering stairwell if a hand hadn’t grabbed his belt and pulled him up short.

  “You aren’t thinking of going in there again?” asked a familiar voice. “Because I wouldn’t recommend it.”

  Col was speechless. He grabbed hold of the arm that was restraining him to check that it was real.

  “Let’s get away from this smoke.” Connie coughed.

  In a daze, Col stumbled after her. Once outside, he grabbed her to stop her from running farther and stared into her face.

  “You’re alive,” he said at last.

  “So it seems,” said Connie faintly. Her hair glistened in the dawn-light as if it had been dusted with silver.

  “But, Connie, what about Kullervo?” Col glanced behind them as if he expected to see the shape-shifter bound from the building.

  He didn’t get an answer as a tidal wave of people hit them. Mack enfolded Connie in a bear hug; Rat squirmed through to give her a slap on the back; Simon hung onto his sister around the waist; Liam was hopping up and down to touch any available inch of skin; Dr. Brock kissed her on the cheek once Mack had allowed her to surface for air; Mrs. Clamworthy squeezed her hand as if she would never let go. Even Omar Khalid waited his turn to give her a relieved embrace.

  Finally, Connie pushed her friends away gently. “Sorry to have kept you all waiting,” she said as if she was only late for dinner. “Shouldn’t we go?” She nodded to the thinning smokescreen.

  Mack grinned. “Yeah, we’d better get out of here. Explanations can wait.”

  “But Kullervo?” asked Dr. Brock urgently.

  “He’s…gone,” Connie said, meeting his eyes. “Forever.”

  “I can’t believe it, but if you’re here it must be true.” Dr. Brock gazed at her in wonder. “Connie, I want to know exactly what happened, but first we must get the news to the Trustees and stop the battle.” Argot rose to his feet and snorted to his companion. Dr. Brock sprinted across the tarmac and vaulted onto his back. “And we must spread the message to Kullervo’s forces. See you at the Mastersons’!” the doctor shouted as the red dragon propelled into the air.

  Mack turned to his son, still standing in a daze a few feet away. “Col, you’d better get Skylark out of here before he’s spotted. Simon, you and your companions lead that monster to the farm across the moor—but hurry! Connie, Rat, Liam—let’s go before we’re arrested.”

  Simon was about to rush away when Connie caught his arm. She gave her brother a hug, just for him. “Great job, Companion to Chimera,” she said in a low voice, nodding over at the sleeping beast. “I’m proud of you.”

  Simon smiled back but was too choked up to say anything.

  “Well, what’re you waiting for?” Connie smiled. “Don’t spoil it all now by getting caught!” She pushed him away. He stumbled off, but not without turning once or twice to look back at his sister to make sure she was really there.

  Col knew how he felt. He hadn’t gotten over his surprise at seeing her walk out of the burning building. No one should’ve been able to survive in there—let alone walk away from Kullervo.

  “Col, are you going to stand there all day?” bellowed his father, seeing that his son was still rooted to the spot.

  Realizing the answers were not going to be given just then, Col shook himself out of his stupor. There was another miraculous event he had witnessed this night and it was about time he shared it. He jogged over to his father. Blocking the gap in the fence was Simon astride the Nemean lion. Once on the other side, the three creatures—lion, goat, and snake—led the chimera into the gray shadows of the dawn, cutting across no-man’s land to reach the open moor.

  “Congratulations, Dad,” Col said when he came alongside Mack.

  Mack threw an arm around his shoulders. “It was nothing. The others did most of it, as you saw.”

  “I know,” said Col with a grin. “But it’s not every day you become a father for the second time.”

  Connie gasped. Mack froze. Col could’ve sworn he heard the cogs grind as Mack’s brain adjusted to this new piece of information.

  “What?”

  “Yep. An hour or so ago. At home. Mother and baby are fine.” Col could see Connie smiling broadly on the far side of his father.

  Without another word, Mack broke into a sprint, pushing Omar and Rat out of the way as he dived through the fence and raced off into the twilight. A moment later, the sound of grating gears and a screaming engine indicated that Mack was making a fast getaway in Evelyn’s VW.

  Mrs. Clamworthy put her hands on her hips. “Typical!” she said in exasperation. “We’ve got seven people to get home, and he takes one of the cars without so much as a single passenger!”

  “It’s all right, Gran. I can take someone on Skylark,” said Col, looking hopefully toward Connie.

  The universal shook her head slightly, refusing his unspoken offer. “Mrs. Clamworthy, you take Liam and the Khalids with you. Rat can go with Col,” she said, guiding Mrs. Clamworthy over the rough ground to where the old lady’s Fiesta stood waiting.

  “I can’t do that. What about you?” protested Mrs. Clamworthy.

  “Oh, I’ll be fine. I just need a little time to myself to get used to…to recover. I’ll find my own way home.” Mrs. Clamworthy gave her a questioning look, but Connie smiled and shook her head again. “It’s no good asking. I’m not going to explain. You’d better go.”

  “If you insist,” said Mrs. Clamworthy, giving in to the new-found authority in Connie’s voice. No one listening to her could doubt that she would get home safely.

  “See you later.” Connie turned from them and began to walk off across no-man’s land, following the route taken by her brother and his companions. Her slight form was soon swallowed up by the shadows, except perhaps for a faint glimmer of silver in the half-light.

  Skylark neighed, reminding Col there were only a few minutes left of semi-darkness for them to make their escape unseen. Col leapt onto his back as the Fiesta stuttered into life. Rat scrambled up behind him and hung onto Col.

  “What do you think happened?” Rat asked once they were airborne.

  “I don’t know,” mused Col. “And I’m not sure we’re ever going to find out. Connie’s different. She seemed older somehow—more mysterious.”

  “She was cool,” pronounced Rat, squirming in his seat to get a parting look at the smoldering refinery.

  “Yeah, she was cool,” agreed Col.

  Connie was lying on her bed, supposedly resting, when she heard footsteps on the path. At first, she didn’t move. She was still reliving the events of the past few hours, concluding with her flight home in the form of a silver pegasus. Col would like that one, she thought with a smile. But so much had happened, she was so different, she didn’t know where to begin. She felt like a tiny stream suddenly swollen with a flash flood: all she could do was wait for the torrent to pass so she could absorb what had taken place. She was a universal still—yes,
she could sense her powers within her—but now she also had Kullervo’s gift, the imprint of his nature, mingled with her deepest self. If anyone visited her mental landscape today, they would find a vast ocean of silver lapping peacefully at their feet, waiting to curl itself into new forms.

  “Connie!” Mack called up the stairs. “Jane and Anneena are here.”

  Raising herself from her pillow, Connie straightened her clothes, checked in the mirror that she had resumed her shape properly, and hurried downstairs. She found her friends in Mack and Evelyn’s room bending over the cradle where the new baby was sleeping, an awed expression on their faces.

  “He’s so tiny,” whispered Anneena, putting the tip of her little finger in the clasp of one of his curled hands. He gripped it instinctively and shifted in his sleep, mouth feeding on air.

  “Look, he’s dreaming of milk!” said Jane softly. “Let’s leave him in peace.”

  They tiptoed down to the kitchen. Evelyn was sitting with her feet up by the fireside. Mack was washing up at the sink; he looked distinctly shell-shocked. Connie hoped the excitement of last night had not been too much for him.

  “Is Mack okay?” she asked her aunt quietly as Jane and Anneena fetched their presents. “He looks a bit…a bit odd. He’s not still worried about what happened at the refinery, is he? And the battle on the moor—that’s over now, isn’t it?”

  Evelyn smiled sadly. “Oh yes. I think we’re both feeling a bit mixed up. It’s strange to be grieving for those who died during the battle while feeling so happy to have a new life in the family. It feels all wrong somehow.” Evelyn sighed and closed her eyes. “At least, Kullervo’s sudden disappearance meant that the Society avoided a slaughter at the hands of his supporters. It could have been much, much worse. We all realize that.”

  Connie braced herself. “Tell me who we lost.”

  “Three dragons, six rock dwarves, two pegasi, a great boar—I’m afraid the list goes on. Ten human companions were injured, two seriously so.”

  “And Kullervo’s supporters?”

  “I don’t know. They must have suffered losses, too. They retreated in confusion, led by that weather giant Hoo. You remember him, I think.”

  Oh yes, Connie remembered him. He had abused his position as a Trustee and allowed Kullervo to invade her last year.

  “Kullervo may be gone, but the weather giants will not give up,” added Evelyn.

  Connie sighed. “You’re right. We’ve given them too much cause to hate us humans. The world’s gone mad. I sometimes think it’s like the chimera. We shouldn’t be fighting these creatures—we should be doing what we can to keep the Earth fit for all of us to live in.”

  They sat together in silence. Inside Connie’s head, a wail of grief reverberated. She felt the urge to shift into a banshee to spin out her misery in their mind-numbing dance. It seemed the only way open to her to dull the pain of being part of this world.

  Upstairs, George Clamworthy let out a cry in his sleep. Instinctively, Connie rose to comfort him, but the baby had settled again before she could reach the door.

  Evelyn patted the chair beside her. “Sit down for a moment. I want to tell you something. You have to realize that you are not to blame for these losses. You cannot be everywhere and save everyone. You conquered Kullervo: that is enough—more than enough.”

  Connie knew her aunt was right. She’d had no choice last night. But still, so many had died.

  “Life is full of the bitter as well as the sweet. Your victory—our little George—these are what you should be thinking about now.” Evelyn held Connie’s gaze, trying to fathom what was going on behind her niece’s eyes. “Something’s happened to you—I can tell. I wasn’t the only one to become someone different last night.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “I became a mother. I think the change has been as great for you, maybe greater. Am I right?”

  Connie shivered: that was exactly how it felt—she had shed the skin of her old life and transformed into something new.

  “Yes, I’ve changed. But I can’t explain it.”

  “I understand. I can’t tell you yet what it’s like to be a parent. It’s as if my center of gravity has shifted into that baby—it’ll take me a while to regain my balance.”

  Further discussion was prevented as Anneena came back carrying a magnificent bunch of flowers for Evelyn. Jane followed with several bags piled high with food.

  “Here’s your lunch—thanks to Anneena’s mum,” said Jane. “So, tell us, Connie, what were you doing last night when all this excitement was going on—the baby, the fire, the evacuation—don’t tell me you missed out on it all?”

  Connie felt caught between her friends’ interest and the fascinated gaze of her aunt and Mack, neither of whom had heard any details yet of what had gone on inside the refinery and both of whom had been itching to ask.

  “I…er…I was somewhere else,” Connie said.

  “Oh? Where?” persisted Jane.

  “Somewhere new. A place I’d never been before. Nature-watching.”

  “Didn’t you notice the fire from there?” asked Anneena, sensing there was something strange in their friend’s answer.

  “Yes, but I didn’t think much about it, I was too caught up in…in other things.”

  Anneena signed in frustration. “Typical! It’s just like you, Connie, to go around with eyes only for badgers or something when half of the county is on fire! You always seem to miss out on the real excitement. Remember how you slept through that tornado last year?”

  “I remember.” How could she forget?

  “It’s a good thing Jane and I keep our eyes peeled for you. You stick with us, and we’ll see you don’t miss out on the next adventure.”

  “Er…thanks. I’ll do that.”

  18

  The Company of the Universals

  Of course, the defeat of Kullervo and his supporters couldn’t be allowed to pass without marking it with the biggest event the Society had ever organized. First, in a simple ceremony out on the moors, the Trustees honored the dead and wounded from the battle. Connie saw for herself how intense the fight had been as many members gathered bore the marks of fresh scars. Kullervo’s supporters had been merciless toward the creatures they believed had betrayed them by allying with humans.

  To them, we are the monsters, Connie thought sadly. Anger washed inside her like a tide as she stood with the others in the chill breeze to say farewell to their friends and comrades. She felt she couldn’t bear the pain of it.

  If this was what it was like for you, Kullervo, she told the shape-shifter inside her, I can understand how part of you was driven to violence to silence this agony.

  Connie barely felt like taking part in the celebration of her victory, but everyone expected her there. It took her some time to shake off the melancholy mood that had settled over her out on the moors. She wandered about the Mastersons’ farm aimlessly, watching the preparations and avoiding conversation when she could. The farm had been commandeered by the Trustees for the event, and mythical creatures and their companions continued to pour in from all over Britain. A huge bonfire had been lit in the paddock, and dragons were already warming up for the most magnificent fireworks display in their history, breathing out practice sparks of silver over the upturned heads of the crowd. Dr. Brock and Argot flew over, blasting the barn roof with emerald flame that lingered on the ridge like a crown for a few moments before disappearing, leaving no trace of its passage. The crowd cheered, neighed, whistled, stamped, and made every other noise known to animal-kind, entreating the Sea Snakes to start the entertainment for real.

  “Later!” shouted Dr. Brock from Argot’s shoulder. “It’s time to eat!”

  Volunteers with flushed faces were manning the barbecues and tables, all of which groaned with food to suit every palate: sides of meat, bowls of creamy desserts, stacks of cakes, and pyramids of fruit and vegetables. The platters of gleaming fish were surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic
selkies—Arran in their midst with his arm draped around Jessica’s shoulders. He was balancing a herring on his nose and making everyone laugh and clap with appreciation of his skill. With a flick of his neck, the herring sailed into the air; Arran stood beneath with mouth wide open—only to find his supper intercepted by Argand, who flew over and took it in one gulp.

  Rat was ecstatic because he and Icefen had been given express permission to use the frost wolf’s breath to wipe clean the memory of any humans that came across the gathering.

  Connie, standing with Sentinel at her side to keep off the crowds of Society members, was a still spot in the swirling masses that surrounded her. She watched Rat and Icefen bound off into the night on the trail of a small group of paratroopers who had been so unwise as to exercise on the moor that night. They did not stand a chance, thought Connie—the soldiers, that is.

  Rat’s mentor, Erik Ulvsen, turned up five minutes later on an even bigger wolf than Icefen.

  “Off hunting?” Erik asked delightedly when Connie informed him where his pupil had gone. “Excellent.” Frost wolf and rider took off after Rat.

  Liam slipped under Sentinel’s guard and shyly took Connie’s hand. Simon, who was keeping an eye on him for Mrs. Khalid, gave his sister a hug.

  “That looks fun,” said Liam, watching the frost wolves bounding over the fields. “Do you think Rat’ll let me have a go?”