Hunting For The Sun

CHAPTER THIRTY

The Scars of a Soldier

I'll tell you now; it felt incredibly strange to come back after all that I'd been through out there. It was like coming home from school or a soldier coming back to his wife and kids after being out to war. It was dawn already - the sun streaked orange and bands of tiger-gold across the horizon. Raven and Cloud were waiting outside the massive beaten iron doors. I cried out and ran towards them, flinging my arms around their necks. Adura, Perse, Ori and Draco walked up more slowly.

'Guys, this is Raven and this is Cloud,' I introduced them breathlessly. Then I turned to the others. 'And this is Adura - she's my version on the other side - and Perse, well, Persephone, and Ori.'

Cloud nodded politely and shook hands with Ori. Raven smiled forcedly, holding out her hand for them to shake or kiss.

'But where's our dear friend Skye?' she asked brightly, looking around, a false smile painted across her black glossy lips.

'In jail,' Ori purred.

Well, sorry. 'Purred' was the best way to describe it. Maybe it was more of a growl, but not a menacing one.... Oh hell, you get the idea.

'Oh heavens no,' Raven drawled, grinning wickedly. 'Well, she'll be alright.'

Ori laughed, and Raven gave a small shudder of pleasure at making him laugh. Persephone just raised an eyebrow.

'You two do realise that we can't continue until she's with us, don't you?' she asked scathingly.

Raven shot her a foul look.

'I would sacrifice the world if it meant that I never had to look at her again,' she deadpanned.

I rolled my eyes and walked away. The fresh mountain air soothed my lungs, and I breathed deeply. It was so good to be back, but the thought that we had left Skye there in that horrible place was just too much. I heard someone walk up behind me, and felt cool hands slide around my waist. I knew it wasn't Draco. I could feel it.

'Rae, what the hell am I doing?' Ori's voice whispered urgently.

'I don't know,' I replied, trying to push him away.

'I can't stop myself. I have to get inside,' he said, panicking. 'The sun's coming up!'

I heard Raven's voice as she observed what was going on. Ori was groaning with the effort of trying to pull away. I could feel his grimace against my neck as he was forced to kiss me, and I was forced not to stop him. I could hear all the footsteps as they came up to us. Five pairs of them skidded to a halt. Then Draco's - I recognised his footfalls - broke away from them. He grabbed hold of Ori, jerking him away from me, and drew his fist back.

'Sorry about this, mate,' he apologised, then rammed his fist directly into Ori's face. Blood and a couple of teeth sprayed out. I screamed and ran around them to stand with Adura, Raven, Cloud and Persephone. Ori staggered, spitting blood. Then he recovered and swung a punch right into Draco's blade-like cheekbone. I cringed at the thought of that wonderful feature being destroyed. Draco closed his eyes, clicking his neck slightly, before snapping his knee up into Ori's stomach. This was rapidly followed up by a sharp punch to Ori's jaw. The vampire fell back and skidded along the gravelled courtyard. Draco took this chance to take his own chin between his fingers and thumb and shift it from side to side, clicking his jaw.

I think it was meant to happen like it did, but it was still bloody awful. Ori was as far over as he could get, he shifted himself up into a sitting position against the wall. I don't think he could see the sunlight creeping down the basalt walls. He didn't know. I barely saw it. There was a walkway up at the top floor of the building, where a large section of the roof was absent. At that precise second, the sun moved into this gap. Light flooded the courtyard. The gong sounded high up in the tower. Persephone screamed, rushing into a doorway and pressing herself against the wall. Ori couldn't stand. He couldn't run. He was out in the sun.

Fuck. He's a vampire.

I did the first thing that came into my head. I ran out and threw myself on top of him. I ripped my coat off and put it over the parts of him I couldn't cover with my body. Raven tore her cloak from her shoulders and ran over to put it over him. I could still hear him screaming. Smoke was boiling out from under the black fabric. There was a horrible stench of burning flesh. Cloud was suddenly there. He picked up the bundled form of the vampire and ran into the building, kicking the doors wide and running into the cool darkness of the Temple. We all followed -- Draco more slowly. He wiped at his bloody nose as Cloud, Adura and Raven rushed Ori to the hospital area. I hung back to talk with him. I couldn't help but notice what Ori's fist had done to his cheekbone. There was a network of cracks running across it where the force of the blow had split his skin. Blood was welling up in these, beginning to trickle down his alabaster cheek. His nose was bleeding, and he was working his knuckles distractedly.

'Are you alright?' I asked him.

'Well, I held out pretty well, I thought,' he said.

'Of course you did!' I cried, touching his soft hair.

'Considering he's a vampire, and about five times my strength,' Draco added, brushing his split skin with the tips of his fingers.

'They have super-strength?' I asked, shocked.

'Oh yes.'

I couldn't speak. I just gaped.

'Do you need me to fix that?' I asked eventually, touching his cheek.

'It'll heal,' he said absently.

'But it's gross,' I explained to him, emphasising each word. For some reason, I spoke as though to a child. He obviously noticed this, as he looked down at me and smiled, his stormy silver eyes warm.

'I've had worse,' he shrugged, flexing his jaw again.

'Please!' I pleaded. 'It's giving me the yickies just looking at it!'

He laughed at that, and I couldn't hold off any longer. I flung my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. He smiled against me, and gave me a big squeeze.

'Let it heal,' he said, not to be distracted.

'No,' I pouted. I pressed my hand against his face, and he rolled his eyes. I felt the surge come through my blood, jarring my aching shoulder on its way. The purple light flickered and melded the skin back together. I shuddered at the surging of the skin under my fingers, and shrugged away.

'Why the hell did you hit him so hard?' I asked, hugging him and leaning against his chest. The sound of his soft breaths echoed in my ear and his heart thumped gently.

'Well, I know I only needed to knock him into the sunlight - I could have just shoved him - but I really did want to beat him up,' Draco admitted, rubbing his jaw. 'I need a shave,' he added absently.

I reached up to check this. It was true; I could have lit a match on his cheek.

'Heh, fuzzy,' I mumbled.

He batted at my hand affectionately, then looked up. 'We should probably go to the hospital with the others.'

'Probably,' I agreed. 'I want to see Alethea too.'

'Well, there isn't much to it,' Draco said dubiously. 'She looks like she did before, just paler.'

'Men,' I groaned, pulling away and stalking off up the sweeping marble staircase. He laughed and ran after me, his boots tapping on the smooth stone.

'So what is it with you and Ori?' I asked, linking my arm with his as we walked through the multihued light of a stained glass window that was big enough to throw a house through.

There was silence.

'It's like I told you,' he said finally. 'He messed around with Skye when I was with her.'

'Was that why you left her?' I asked.

'Well, I stayed with her for a while, but then there was that thing with Raven... I never really forgave her. Then I realised that it had all been him...' He stopped walking and stared fixedly at the ceiling. I could see a rim of pearly tears under his eye. He sniffed loudly, pressing his lips tightly together and shaking his head. His hair fell across his eyes, and he used his wrist to rub his eyes roughly.

'Are you alright?' I asked, putting a hand on his arm.

'It's nothing. Fucking nothing at all. Noth.... Fuck,' he grunted. He shook his head and kicked the wall. I was really worried about him. He never did this!

'I hate him!' Draco shouted, snapping his face up to look at me. There was a single tear-streak down his face, and his eyes were red. 'He ruined everything!' His teeth were bared, and his breathing was harsh and ragged.

'Draco...'

'I was going to get fucking married!' he yelled, another scorching tear coursing down his cheek.

'You.... were?' I knew that I was upset. I'm honest enough with myself to say that. He needed me more, and it was clearly over, but the thought that he was upset that he didn't marry her... Well, it was too much. The thought that he'd rather be with her... that he didn't really love me at all.

He looked up again, perhaps realising what he'd said.

'Oh god, Rae,' he whispered. 'No, I didn't mean that.'

For a moment I couldn't think why he had noticed, then I realised that I was crying. Crying like a bloody waterfall.

'I know,' I said. 'We had to be this way. It's only because of the spell that you like me anyway.'

'No! Don't say that!' he cried, trying to grab me. But I kept pulling away, wrapping my arms around myself. 'What proof do you need?'

'Take the spell off,' I told him, trying to keep my voice low so that it didn't warble. 'Take the spells off both of us, then say that you wouldn't rather be with Raven, or Persephone, or Skye or whatever. Tell me that.'

'Rae...' he faltered, taking my hands in his. 'Look, I don't know how to do it.'

'Find the fuck out then!' I yelled.

'Stop shouting at me,' he said wearily. 'I had to do what I did and you know that.'

'It doesn't change anything,' I muttered.

'You're right,' he conceded. 'I'll ... We'll go to the library now and find out, alright?'

'Fine,' I mumbled, biting my lip.

'Sorry,' he apologised.

'Sorry,' I replied.

He laughed a little sheepishly. 'I didn't mean it to sound like it did. There's no way I'd rather be with any of them now,' he said. 'Raven's... Well, she's a one-time slut. Skye's even more annoying than you were at first. Persephone's old news. She was my girlfriend at school.'

'I was annoying?' I asked, hurt.

'Very. Without the spell, I could never have put up with you,' he bantered, poking me in the ribs. 'Now, are we going to the library or what?'

'But... Alethea!' I protested feebly, allowing myself to be steered up the other fork of the staircase.

'Fuck her,' Draco said cheerfully, using my arm to push the door open.

I groaned as he lifted me up and sat me on a bookshelf while he began to look around. From my vantage point, I could see the whole place. There was a more official entrance, which led out from two massive doors which had a lion's head as a handle, onto a sort of raised marble terrace, railed with mahogany. A flight of about five wide steps led from that semicircular balcony down to the ground level. A red carpet was cut to size, tracing down the middle of the steps and running all the way to the fireplace and leather armchairs on the other side. The fire was burning cheerily in a grate the size of a bed, casting warm glows over the books scattered on the low mahogany tables and the figures in the chairs. On either side of this central strip of carpet, tall bookcases, on top of one of which I sat comfortably, were arranged. Ancient dusty tomes sat beside shiny new paperbacks, porno magazines were hidden behind books of literature and chronicles of the great wizards. The walls were panelled with wood, rising high - at least two stories - to the glass roof far above my head.

I looked down at my feet, hanging over insubstantial air, and realised that Draco was nowhere to be seen. Probably, knowing him, I was stuck on top of a bookcase. I placed my hand on the edge and slid down sideways, knocking a load of books off the shelf. They all landed on my feet as I hit the floor, and I cursed angrily. I couldn't really be bothered to find Draco; besides, I wanted to get going. Skye was still in jail, for crying out loud!

The musty smell of dust and leather filled my nostrils and the sharp tang of age made me relax gently. This was a good place... Well, it was full of evil spells and books and people, but still - I felt at home.

What does that say about me, eh?

I knew, of course, that soon we'd be on the road again. My anger at Draco had faded by then, and all I wanted was to get going once more. There was much to be done, and no time to dally. There were still only eight of us around. Well, two of those were injured and out of action... Just six, then. Things were not looking all that great.

'Got it,' Draco called, to a huge amount of shushing from the other patrons.

'What?' I whispered, jogging along the aisle, glancing down each row. I felt a tap on my back and spun to see him holding up a book.

'What does it involve?' I asked nervously, jogging to keep up with his long-legged strides.

'We're about to find out,' he deadpanned.

I grunted and rolled my eyes, skipping the last few feet to the trestle table where he dropped the book and sat down. I sat on the bench opposite him, trying not to look as nervous as I felt. Draco spread his fingers and slid them into his hair as he leaned over the dusty tome, making his silver-blond locks spray out in all directions. He was nibbling his lip as he read and drumming his spare fingers on the table when he wasn't flipping pages. I fiddled with my cuff as I watched him apprehensively.

He shifted his position, and I looked up sharply, but he hadn't found it. He put his hands on the book and shook his hair back into place before hooking the longer bits behind his ears and folding his arms on the table to continue his search. He looked like a student again, studying for an essay or something. I tried to read the text upside down, but it wasn't English.

'What language is that written in?' I asked softly, not wanting him to shout at me.

'Ancient Gaelic,' he replied, flipping another page or two.

'You speak Gaelic?' I asked, surprised.

'Not really,' he shrugged. 'That's why this is going to be difficult.' He shot me a quick grin before returning his attention to the pages.

'Draco!' I cried. 'Isn't that dangerous?'

'Only if you leave it up to me,' he replied.

'But I don't speak Gaelic either!' I protested.

'You don't?' he asked, sounding shocked.

'You thought I...?'

'Kidding you,' he grinned. 'Raven speaks Gaelic. We can ask her to translate.'

'How are you going to find it if you don't speak Gaelic?' I asked, folding my arms defensively. I knew there had to be some catch in his flippant nature.

'I said "Not really",' he reminded me. 'I speak a bit of Gaelic.'

'Well that's alright then!' I drawled sarcastically.

'I knew you'd come around in the end,' Draco grinned impishly.

'Shut up,' I grunted, leaning back in my chair and putting my feet up on the table, crossing my ankles.

There was silence for a while, punctuated by occasional coughs from the other people there; the sound of pages turning, and soft footsteps. I reached behind me and pulled a book off the shelf. Its weight caught me off balance, and my chair tipped. I snatched at the table, barely rescuing myself, before dumping the book on the desk and letting it fall open.

La orden ahora es la fuerza suprema en el mundo. Todos los otros dispositivos religiosos pequeños no son nada sino mentiras. La orden ganará a través siempre, y colocarán a nuestro líder glorioso en el trono del universo. De hecho, hemos hecho tan de gran alcance en nuestra magia que ninguna otra fuerza puede contar con nosotros. Una guerra simple-importada está elaborando cerveza. No tomaremos lados, al igual que nuestro costumbre. Este año de quince ochenta cuatro, hacemos una pausa nuestros principios y no vacilaremos.

Another language. I grunted and pushed it off onto the floor. Almost at that moment, Draco hissed through his teeth and created a sheet of parchment and a pen.

'Did you find it?' I snapped, standing up.

'I think so,' he said, biting the quill between his teeth and starting to scribble frantically. Even when he wrote like that, his script was elegant and flowing. It traced across the page almost as fast as I could follow it with my eyes, and he was soon finished. He snatched the sheet and leapt to his feet, the quill vanishing as he put it down on the table.

'Let's go find Raven,' he said, marching out of the library with a silly grin plastered across his face.