“Sophia wanted me to read this for her,” said Gabriella in an unsteady voice. “I can barely remember my Mother. To be honest, I try not to. What I do remember is Midnight. To me, he was my Dad. And now he’s gone and it hurts so much.”
I had to swallow a lump in my throat. Next to me, Delagio had a hand covering his eyes. His body was shaking. Rachel’s face was one of stone. She looked broken — like her emotions had been sucked away by the previous night’s events.
“Midnight, I don’t know if you can hear me up there, but I wanted to play something for you. Hopefully you’ll be with the rest of your family and you can all listen together. I miss you.” From somewhere around us, speakers crackled and then Eva Cassidy’s Songbird began to play. The haunting melody and beautiful words filled the silence. I struggled against the tears. Sophia began to cry and Gabriella pulled her into her arms. I felt sick. This shouldn’t have happened. At that moment I despised Hades more than I could ever have described.
As I sat there, listening to the music fade away, it suddenly dawned on me what it was that was bothering me so much about my dream. I needed to speak to Faru as soon as possible.
By the time the ceremonies had finished, the afternoon was fading into twilight. Faru had finished with a moving speech about remembering those who had fallen, but also not forgetting what we had prevented from happening. How we needed to stand united and carry on. It was hard, but he was right. We’d lost so many — we’d lost Midnight. But Gabriella was still alive, as was Sophia, Delagio and Rachel. I was still alive. The Sorrow hadn’t been allowed to pass through the Veil. There was at least that to hold onto.
As everyone walked back to the base, I joined Faru. He was walking slowly, arms folded behind his back. There were no Golems around and he looked younger and healthier, but still he wore his melancholic expression like a mask.
“A terrible few days,” he mused as I fell into step with him. “But we must remain strong.” It seemed as if he were talking to himself as much as me.
“I know sir…we will. Sage Faru, I dreamt about The Sorrow again last night. The one where I’m in the graveyard.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Interesting.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t quite the same. It didn’t feel like I was being tracked. More like I was dreaming it for another reason. I mean why that graveyard? And that derelict mansion — surely they must all mean something?”
He pondered the question for a moment. “That has actually been puzzling me too. The locations of your dreams have been very specific.”
“So it might mean something?”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. I will re-visit them. If I find anything of interest, I shall send someone to investigate. Would that be acceptable?”
“That would be great, thank you.”
He gave a slow nod. “You are welcome. Now go and join the others. You will need each other to help stay strong.”
I saluted him and ran off towards Rachel and Delagio, who were walking with their arms wrapped around one another — as if one would collapse without the other.
“Hold still,” laughed Mum, trying to wrap the bowtie around itself. She kept glancing at the instructions lying on the table. “These things are impossible.”
I was standing in the lounge, wearing the tuxedo I’d rented for the Christmas Ball. It was a week after the funeral and things finally seemed to be getting back to ‘normal’.
The past week had been hard, but uneventful. The bodies of the Soldiers of Sorrow who had died in battle had been buried in a specially created lot, far away from the Guardian graveyard. Controversially, a stone column had been erected, with each of their names on, as a symbol of honour. Those who had survived were deported permanently back to Pandemonia. Faru had refused outright for there to be any more death. Sophia was taken to live with the Coven. She had still refused to speak, but at least had started to eat a few small meals. Gabriella and I had visited her every day. She would always be sat in the same position on her bed, staring into space, whilst she fiddled with the remaining ear of the bunny that Tommy had given her.
The Manticore had died in battle. Luckily the cubs were old enough to be able to survive without her. Her body had been taken to the Sanctuary, wrapped in strange multi-coloured bandages, and placed near the cubs. They had sniffed their dead mother and seemed somehow to understand. They’d made heart wrenching mewing sounds and lay with the body around the clock. Somehow, a few days later all that had remained was a bundle of bandages.
All of the Unicorns had survived the battle, but one of the mares had lost her horn, which meant that she died later in the week. Isiodore had been badly injured, but was being treated and — I was relieved to find out — was expected to make a full recovery.
The Red Storm hadn’t subsided, but it was starting to roll away from the base, which suggested that The Sorrow was acting on Faru’s prediction of moving to another section of the Veil. I just prayed they could work out which one it would be in time to seal it. The Red Storm had made Chapter Hill famous. There was no way that the HASEA or the government could hide something that large. Masses of meteorologists and other weather analysts had flocked from all over the world — armed with ten year old readings from a similar incident in Italy — to try and analyse the cause. Obviously, none had worked it out, so had come up with all kinds of bizarre theories, most of which involved global warming. Religious zealots had come in droves, carrying signs with the words Armageddon and Death is Coming scribbled on them. They were closer to the truth.
Mikey had been brought to the Warren the first morning after the battle, so that Scarlett could attend the funeral. I had been so relieved to see him that I’d pulled him into a spinning hug. He’d walked around the base with his mouth in a permanent O.
Mum and a thinner John had returned home that same evening, faces filled with confusion at the menacing sky hovering over their hometown. For the first few days after their return, everything had been okay. Mikey and I were getting on so well, now that he was a part of my new world, that it seemed to have the effect of drawing us all together. Even John had started to be nice — for a short while.
Then he reverted back to dickhead mode.
Gabriella and I had started to date officially, which also had the added effect of giving me an excuse for the reasons I was always out. But I’d had to put up with the constant knowing winks from Mikey every time I slipped from the house — my holdall bag containing a spare uniform and the Crimson Twins. Mostly it was just being prepared. If there were any SOS left in the country, they were keeping their heads down. I figured that word had spread about the failed attack on the base. I prayed it would stay that way. Mikey had suggested I tell Mum and John, but I’d decided to keep it simple.
Finished with the bow, Mum stepped back to admire her handiwork. “Perfect,” she smiled. “You look wonderful! Doesn’t he look wonderful John?”
John was sat in the armchair by the window. His face appeared from behind the paper he was reading. He gave a grunt, and then his head retreated back into the sports section.
Mum gave a weary sigh. “Well I think it’s wonderful that you and Mikey have such pretty, friendly girlfriends, even if his is always sneaking out at ungodly hours.” She kissed the top of my forehead and left the room, leaving me and John on our own together.
“Still can’t work out why Gabriella’s interested in him,” he muttered under his breath, not intending me to hear, but I caught it all right. His hurtful words twisted into my stomach like a knife. I marched over and ripped the paper from his hands. “What the hell are you doing?” he demanded, staring at me in disbelief. “You know what John, I’ve had enough of you. What exactly is your problem with me?” “I don’t have a problem with you.” “Oh yes you do. So come on. Let’s sort this out once and for all.” He stood up and tried to move past me. “I don’t have to listen to this crap.”