Jack of Ravens(123)
‘Or Jack, Giantkiller,’ the queen said with a wry smile. ‘Tales are already being told of your exploits in the Far Lands. Of how you tricked the Master of Tongues to win the Cunning Key, and how you climbed the Malign Mount to free the daughters of the Lord Tempest from the Ice Dolls—’
‘I’m sure they’re exaggerated. You know how tales get.’
‘I do indeed, Brother of Dragons.’ The king gave an enigmatic smile. ‘We would introduce ourselves, but our names are legion amongst the Sons of Adam. We are the king and queen of the Seelie Court. Will that suffice?’
‘It’s good enough for me.’ Church noticed Tom had slipped several feet back and was skulking near the vegetation.
‘You have returned, then, brother?’ Niamh said.
‘A brief visit, sister. It saddens us to see what is transpiring in the Fixed Lands. The rivers are filled with poisons. Smoke blackens the sky over foul factories. The cities sprawl across green fields. It is not surprising that the Blue Fire has fallen asleep in many parts of the land.’
‘But there are still places like this,’ the queen added, ‘where wonder is ignited in the Sons of Adam. We come to drink of their astonishment and delight. And we shall until Reason drives us away for ever.’
The sound of smashing glass echoed from somewhere near at hand. Church turned to Niamh. ‘Police?’ The Seelie Court did not look perturbed, although the king’s face hardened as he scented the air.
His black coat swirling around him, Veitch strode out of the shadows to stand in the circle of light beneath one of the torches. ‘Well, what the bloody hell’s all this, then?’ he sneered.
Church grew cold, remembering Lucia and Etain, and all the others Veitch had murdered.
Veitch drew his sizzling black blade and pointed it towards the king. ‘Don’t stick your nose in, all right? This is between me and him.’
‘I wouldn’t get on their wrong side, Veitch,’ Church said.
‘I’m not scared of them.’ Veitch held out his silver hand. ‘See this? A present from Dian Cecht and the Court of the Final Word. Only when you get presents from that lot they never turn out how you expect. They can’t be trusted, any of them.’
The Court of the Final Word: Jerzy, Tom and now Veitch. The connections were becoming clearer to Church.
He could see the cold hatred in Veitch’s eyes, and the hot, barely constrained anger bubbling behind it. They were the eyes of a man on the edge. Church drew his sword. The blade sang and fizzed with Blue Fire, but it was much depleted from its original state and Church wasn’t convinced it could stand up to the black fury of Veitch’s sword.
Veitch saw it, too. ‘You’re only half a man since Janus had his way with you. You’re a joke now. You don’t stand a chance.’
‘So what’s the plan? Drag me off again so your vampire can suck out the rest of my spirit?’
Veitch’s eyes narrowed. ‘Nah. This time I’m just going to kill you.’
‘Your bosses won’t like that.’ Tom came forward defiantly. ‘You know they need the Pendragon Spirit. They’re terrified of it – they must find a way to contain it. Only it can’t be contained.’
‘Shut up!’ Rage lit Veitch’s face. ‘You always were a pain in the arse.’
Church looked from Veitch to Tom. Veitch saw the betrayal in Church’s expression and laughed. ‘I forgot – you forgot. In the future, you wankers. A hundred and fifty years from now. He was with the Five of us. And her.’ He nodded towards Niamh.
Veitch advanced a few steps. Church hefted his sword, but Veitch was lost to his bitterness. He jabbed his sword towards Tom and Niamh. ‘They both gave up their lives for the cause – that’s how sick all this is. She loved you – ’ Niamh winced as if she had been slapped ‘– but you didn’t care because all you wanted was Ruth. And that bastard thought you were some kind of hero. So you let them both walk away and die, and just carried on getting what you wanted. I wish you could remember so I could see your face. See if there’s any guilt there. See if you care at all.’
The rage finally broke though and Veitch rushed forward, swinging his sword. Church parried, and a massive explosion of energy lit up the whole Crystal Palace; black lightning flashed and Blue Fire erupted in wild bolts. Both men were thrown yards across the hard stone floor as though opposing polarities had been brought violently together.
Stunned, and with every bone ringing, Church staggered to his feet. Veitch had already recovered and was bearing down on him. Church avoided the arc of the black blade, but Veitch caught Church full in the face with his silver hand. The blow sent Church spinning across the floor once more until he crashed into the side of the fountain.