Shadow: Bloody Fairies Part 34

Nikifor, still crouching in front of her, was silent. Hippy looked at the expression on his face. Right then, she knew.

"He did something."

"We must not jump to conclusions." There was doubt in his voice. "Pierus knows how important your spider is to you, he wouldn't-"

"What did he do last night after he locked me in?"

Fangs stretched her wings and backed a little way down Hippy's shoulder.

Nikifor rose to his feet. He closed his eyes and rubbed his head. "I can see images, hear soundsat times today I have thought it was coming back, but" he paced to the wall and back.

"Think Nikifor," Hippy said. "Think hard. You left us at the bedroom. What happened when he returned? Did he open the box?"

"Yes. Yes, he opened the box."

Hippy took a step toward him. "And then?"

"Hehe took the spider up to his laboratory." The words died on Nikifor's lips almost before they were fully spoken. He looked aghast. "Hippy, please, I'm sure he wouldn't have done anything on purpose. Perhaps there was an accident."

Hippy turned on her heel and headed for the stairs.

Nikifor pursued. "No. You must not go up there, it is forbidden!"

"Back off, Nikifor."

"I must ask you to stop, or-"

"Or what?" Hippy whirled around and brandished a fist. "What are you going to do?"

"We will find another way! When he returns, I'm sure if we talk to him"

"Talk? You want to talk? Tell you what, you talk. I'm going to kill something." Hippy bolted up the stairs. When she reached the third floor several paces ahead of Nikifor, she dragged the heavy double doors closed and locked them.

"Hippy!" Nikifor yelled from the other side. "Hippy please, don't make him angry with us!"

Hippy went into the laboratory. On the big table in the centre she found the vamp hand bound to a slab of steel with rope over each finger and the wrist. It twitched when she came near. There were tiny cuts all over it. Beside it, in a bloodstained bowl, were several black seeds.

Her stomach revolted. Her skin crawled. Behind her she could hear Nikifor scratching at the lock on the door. She reached into her belt, took a pinch of Ishtar's fairy dust and sprinkled it over both the hand and the seeds.

The fingers jerked and clawed at the slab. Then the skin turned grey and crumbled to dust, just like the seeds.

Hippy let out a long, shuddering breath, but she didn't feel much better. She investigated the shelves and the planets. She couldn't look at the skeleton. When she drew aside a heavy red curtain, she gasped. Behind that, suspended in midair, was the s.h.i.+niest, brightest cage she'd ever seen. It appeared to be made of pure light, or maybe fire, it was hard to tell. The intricate egg-shaped network of lines enclosed the Apple of Chaos, but it was broken again. The pieces floated, each separate, each trying to join the rest.

She frowned. Two were missing, she was sure of it. There had been something s.h.i.+ny in Fluffy Ducky's branches, and Pierus was gone for a whole day. If he was hiding the pieces one by one, then she was already too late to rescue the whole thing.

But Mr Silver had said she only needed one piece. Just one.

She reached out for the cage. The lights were warm. They got hotter. Her fingertips hovered just underneath them. They buzzed. Her skin tingled. The hairs on the back of her fingers curled and smoked.

Hippy s.n.a.t.c.hed her hand away. She backed up and reached for the nearest heavy object she could find, which was a thick, hard-covered book. She hurled it at the cage.

The book bounced off the lights and landed at her feet, a cross-hatch pattern burned into the cover.

She stamped her foot and screamed in rage. Nikifor crashed into the other side of the door.

Fangs, still on her shoulder, made a low whining noise.

"You're right," Hippy said. "We should just go." She ran up the stairs that wound from the centre of the room and came out on the roof. It was flat, damp and mouldy up there. She hurried across it and looked out across the plains.

The gra.s.s was dotted as far as she could see with tiny blotches of green. Pierus must have worked hard last night. How he'd planted so many seeds and why, she had no idea. She wondered if they were the same as the ones she'd found soaking in vamp blood.

There was no time to worry about that. She had to get out of here. She climbed onto the edge of the roof, jumped and landed in the garden below. Fangs took off from her shoulder halfway down and flew into the garden.

Hippy ran straight out onto the plain before she had too much time to think about leaving Fluffy Ducky behind. She hoped Fangs would follow.

Her feet barely touched the ground, she ran so fast. She ignored the seedlings, even though they'd all doubled in size since this morning, and now had several leaves apiece. She didn't slow down until she'd gone under the huge cold Arch. Then she only slowed a little bit. Running felt good. The wind whipped through her hair. She could forget about Fluffy Ducky while she ran.

There was a movement at the corner of her eye. Hippy tried to see what it was without stopping, tripped over and hit the ground.

The seedlings all around stretched and bent toward her like compa.s.ses. She drew her hand out of reach of one. They were only little plants.

Hippy got to her feet. The leaves followed her every movement. Her breath came in short, quick gasps. Her blood hammered. She walked through them on her toes. It was horrible. Her neck p.r.i.c.kled. They were watching her, she could swear they were.

She picked up the pace. The distance to the forest gradually diminished. Soon she'd be with Clockwork and she'd never go back, not for anything, not even the Apple of Chaos. She'd tell Mr Silver she'd failed and he could find another way to save Shadow. She couldn't do it, not without Fluffy Ducky.

Her feet pounded over the ground. She just barely missed the seedlings with each step. She was almost in breathing distance of the gra.s.s and the forest when she felt a sharp sting on her heel. The pain hit her like an axe in the foot. She stumbled forward, fell and rolled until she was out of the seedlings.

She lurched to her feet and put more distance between herself and the horrible little plants. Everything went blurry. The gra.s.s looked like painted stripes on a wall. The distant trees swayed and bent like people. She turned in a circle. She couldn't find the slope.

"Clockwork?" Hippy tried again when her voice wouldn't come out right. "Clockwork?" She stumbled to her knees. Then she fell forward on her face and lay there on the gra.s.s, her open eyes turned towards the seedlings. Blood trickled from her foot. Her heart slowed. Insects rustled in the gra.s.s.

She couldn't move at all.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE.

Hippy couldn't blink. All she could see were a few blades of gra.s.s. There was no way to tell how much time pa.s.sed. Once, a centipede crawled past and stopped to try and outstare her. Her fingertips and toes grew cold. After a while she couldn't even feel the pain in her foot.

Two sets of distant footfalls made the ground s.h.i.+ver against her cheek. Gra.s.s rustled under her ear. A bat swooped so low she could feel the wind on her face. The light faded. Night would fall and whoever was coming would miss her lying there in the darkness.

The footsteps crunched near her head. A shadow crossed her face. "Look, a dead fairy," a voice said.

If she could have, she would have jumped up and run away when she heard Pierus's reply. "Oh, Hippy." He stooped and picked her up. Her head fell onto his shoulder as though it belonged to a rag doll. He smelled like stone, sweat and fear. He'd walked a long way. Behind him, through locks of his hair, she glimpsed his companion.

The man was tall like Pierus. Every inch of his body was covered. He wore a long black coat with a high collar, black pants, tall boots, black gloves, a hood. A silver mask obscured his face. When he spoke the lips didn't move. "Your dead fairy is staring at me."

"She's not dead." Pierus's fingers rested briefly on the pulse at her neck. Her skin crawled, but she couldn't even flinch. "...Yet." His long strides took them straight back into the seedlings.

Hippy wanted to yell a warning. Both Pierus and the stranger were completely oblivious to the danger. Then, after a few minutes, she realised there was none. No leaves moved. Nothing stung them. Maybe they let people in but not out, like a spider luring flies into its web. Horror made little sick inroads into her stomach. Pierus's fingers rested carelessly across her cheek while he carried her back into her prison.

The stranger hurried to catch up with him. There was something familiar about him. Something she couldn't place. "You didn't tell me you still had the fairy around."

"Why would I tell you anything? You haven't proved to me you'll keep your end of the bargain."

"Oh, I'll do that, Muse King. You can count on it."

"Very well."

So why keep the fairy? You've never been able to stand them."

"She carries my child."

"A pregnant fairy?" the stranger sounded astonished. "Isn't that a little dangerous for you?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Pierus said. "If I can't find a way to control this fairy, how am I meant to control the entire plague of them when the time comes? Besides, I've got used to having her around."

"Apparently she's not all that keen on being around," the stranger said.

"She'll learn." The two words were clipped and cold. "My rose garden will serve its purpose." He glanced over his shoulder at the stranger. "Perhaps now would be a good time to warn you not to leave without me. The roses do not discriminate."

The stranger looked around him at the seedlings. "These? These roses? What will they do? They're just a bunch of flowers."

"They're bloodthirsty little creatures who will poison anybody who tries to leave Castle Arch." Pierus sounded positively delighted. "Except for me."

"Are you telling me I'm to be trapped in a castle with you and a fairy for weeks on end? I know what I'll be doing for fun."

They pa.s.sed through darkness. Hippy thought they must be under the arch. Pierus's voice was like a blizzard. "If you lay one finger on her without my permission, I will personally remove your liver and then feed it to you. This is my fairy."

The stranger chuckled. "Don't get your breeches in a bunch. I can wait. She's still staring at me. Are you sure she can't hear us?"

"Of course she can't." Pierus reached up and closed her eyes.

Darkness. Footsteps crunched on gra.s.s. Her brain went fuzzy. She knew that voice, knew that walk, but couldn't for the life of her figure out who the stranger was.

Pierus imperceptibly relaxed when they walked into the shadow of the castle. Doors opened. Heavy boots climbed the steps.

Pierus yelled for Nikifor, who ran in from Shadow knew where and skidded to a halt.

"My king, you found herthank Shadow" Nikifor's voice trailed off. "Is she dead?"

The contempt in Pierus's voice was palpable. "No, you pathetic excuse for a muse, she is not dead, no thanks to you. Prepare a room for my guest. I believe he would like something with no windows. Later perhaps he can give you lessons in how to stand up to a fairy half your size."

Then they went up three flights of stairs. He swept a table clean with one arm, then dropped her onto it.

He went away. Hippy fought the slowness of her brain. She couldn't lose touch now.

Something cold and wet dripped onto her foot. The sensation sent shudders all up her leg. The ice cold in her fingertips and toes receded.

Again, the liquid dripped onto her foot. Soft fabric cleaned the wound. She could think more clearly. She tried to remember if she'd seen a weapon in here, a knife, a sword, anything. Oh for Poppy with her gun right now.

She opened her eyelashes just the tiniest bit. Pierus bent over her foot, frowning in concentration. Oh. She could move. She waited until he'd finished binding a bandage around the wound. When he moved away again she wiggled her fingers, just to make sure. Then she sat up and rubbed her head. She felt fine. Pierus had his back to her at the other table.

Hippy put her hand into a pouch at her belt and found a slim metal arrow there. It would have to do. She crouched on the table, crept forward and leaped.

Her leap took her straight into Pierus when he turned towards her. She threw her whole weight into the motion, sent him cras.h.i.+ng to the floor and pressed the tip of the arrow into the skin at his throat. "What did you do to my Fluffy Ducky?"

His ribcage vibrated under her knees when he laughed. "Did you miss me, my love?"

"If I did, my aim's about to improve." She raised the arrow into the air and stabbed downward.

"Tut, tut." He caught her wrist when the point of the arrow was a hairs breadth from his skin. "You know what will happen if you kill me. You kill everything. Besides, I didn't hurt Fluffy Ducky. I gave him a new purpose in life."

Hippy's hand trembled in his grip. She'd never actually fought Pierus. She had no idea how strong he was. "I don't care," she said. "Maybe it's worth it. I hate you."

Pierus pushed on her wrist, rolled her onto her back and stuck his knee in her ribs. He took the arrow from her hand, snapped it and tossed the pieces away. Then he put a hand around her neck and squeezed lightly. "You don't hate me." He moved down until his face was just inches above hers. "I won't allow it. Although I have to wonder" he traced a line down her cheek with his fingernail "-If you would still have been the sweet, innocent little thing I first took to Dream, had the Invisible Army not interfered. Would you, Hippy?"

Hippy forced her words out through clenched teeth. "Take your hands off me."

"But of course." He let her go, stood up and walked away.

Hippy lay on the floor, gasping for breath.

"What in Shadow made you try to leave the castle alone?" he said from across the room. "I know you were dropped on your head as a child, but really, any fool could figure out I wouldn't let you go that easily."

Hippy sat up. She rubbed at her neck and didn't look at him.

He returned to her and crouched down. "I'm sorry," he said, although he didn't look or sound the least bit like he meant it. "I had intended that we should get along better on my return. I brought you a gift." He put a pile of fabric in her lap.

Hippy stared at the fabric, dumbfounded. It was white. It was s.h.i.+ny. In fact it was so s.h.i.+ny, when she moved it patterns of rainbow colours played along the material. She unfolded it. Inside she found a row of sparkly gems sewn in a v-shape. She looked up at Pierus. "I don't understand."

"When I saw it I knew it was for you," he said. "I know how much you like s.h.i.+ny things."

"You knew how much I liked Fluffy Ducky, too."

He made an impatient gesture. "Forget the spider. Try it on."

She rose to her feet and shook out the fabric, to discover it was a dress. A little too long for her, but it was the s.h.i.+niest, most beautiful dress she'd ever seen. The sparkly gems ran from the fitted bodice to the waist and met in a point. The skirt flared slightly at the hips. The sleeves were cut out at the shoulders, then ran sheer to the wrist, where more little gems sparkled.

"Well? Do you like it?" Pierus went behind her, took the dress from her hands and held it up against her. "A beautiful dress for a beautiful fairy."

"But what would I want a dress like this for?" She knew she should move away, but she was hypnotised by the colours in the fabric.

"Because in three days we are to be married."