Chapter 25 #2
‘But—’ I stare back at him. When I last saw Cillian, it felt as if …
as if he was telling me that we could be together.
I’d foolishly imagined that meant living back home, in the city I’d grown up in.
Moving on with my life. What if too much time has already passed?
What if I’ve missed starting my professional training?
What if I’m going to be stuck here cooking and cleaning for the Seven forever?
‘I need to go back, Matt. I have a life, a future.’
‘Then you need to find a way to get there as soon as possible.’
I swallow, suddenly realising the significance of this. Is this what Cillian really meant. That he wanted me stuck here, at his mercy? It didn’t seem like that, but honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him.
‘I’m beginning to wonder,’ I say, ‘that ever since I met Rose, I’ve been slowly being drugged, manipulated…’ I frown remembering that the night I first met Cillian was right after I had a drink at the party. Maybe that’s not the only hallucinogenic device the Kinfolk have used on me.
‘No, you’re Rose’s friend, she wouldn’t—’
‘And … what about my feelings?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Are … are my feelings even real? I’ve been living with Rose for nearly four years now. Being around her, the food and drink I’ve shared with her … could that be influencing me? Making me think I have feelings for someone, when I don’t really.’
‘You’re worried that you don’t really care about Cillian?’
‘Maybe,’ I admit. ‘And…’ I don’t know how to choose my words. I can see Matt loves Rose. How will he react to my uncertainty? ‘I suppose I’m worried that Rose has been manipulating me, too.’
He smiles sadly at me and shakes his head.
‘If Cillian didn’t care, he would simply have killed you during the hunt.
And I know Rose loves you, Niamh. When she met you, she defied Cillian to invite you to that party, defended her choice of you as a friend more than once.
And it wasn’t just to stick it to her brother.
I know we didn’t know each other all that well, and I’m sorry that she was with me rather than you when your parents were killed.
But I’m glad you’ve been there for her. It’s made me being here so much easier to bear. ’
‘Matt—’ I stop, more unsure than ever about what to say to him, but really sure now that he needs to know. ‘About Rose…’
‘What?’
‘I’m worried about her.’
‘Why?’ He’s turned to face me, his face tense, concerned. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.
‘She just … she’s changed so much since you’ve been gone from her life. She never settles for any guy, she’s wild, reckless. You were the only one for her, and she won’t accept a replacement. She’s miserable without you.’
Matt’s face falls, and he shakes his head.
‘No, tell me that’s not true. All I’ve wanted, hoped for, these past few years, is that she’s been living a normal life, or as normal as a Hunter’s can be.
But, Niamh … you know I can’t leave. Because of Vincenzo, I’ll be found guilty.
I have no chance of a fair trial. And even on the off-chance the Court exonerates me, Vincenzo would still hunt me down. ’
‘He’d get away with that?’
‘He’d find an excuse. Vincenzo gets away with anything, nowadays.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘Because it already happened to my father. That’s why I was such a convenient patsy. The son of a traitor? Who would even bother to defend me?’
‘Then how did you get here?’
‘Cillian hunted me. He caught me, but for some reason he believed me. And then he let me go, gave me the chance to come here. He sees it as a sort of test, I think. Only those who deserve to, find sanctuary before the dawn. I know he sees through Vincenzo but the rest either don’t, or don’t care.’
‘Cillian saved your life?’
‘He did.’
I smile, as I cling to this knowledge. I’m not deluded. At the core of his being, Cillian Hunter is a good man.
‘I’ll defend you,’ I promise Matt. ‘If Cillian thinks you’re not guilty, then neither do I.’
But he drops his head forward, his shoulders sagging as he sighs. We both sit in silence for a minute, then the monastery bell tolls and he groans.
‘Finally. I need to go and help with the bloody delivery.’
‘Is there food in it that comes from the human world?’
‘Should be. Oh, right. Yes, why don’t you come and make sure you know what’s what. It might help you … last longer here.’
We exchange wry smiles, pull on our robes and head for the monastery.
‘I can hear an engine,’ I say to Matt. ‘How?’
He frowns. ‘The delivery.’
‘Yes, but how did it get to the island, does the causeway reappear?’
Matt notices the glint of hope in my tone. ‘There’s no way to escape anyway, I’m sure Declan will have warned you.’
‘He did.’
‘The landscape in the human world is very different,’ he says.
‘The loch has been mostly drained and a road leads right up to St Marnox. You should stay here in the Underworld. The deliveries all arrive in the human world, but we’ll bring the food through and leave it in the kitchen for you to put away. Just go and wait there.’
‘Okay.’
Matt heads towards the sound of the lorry, while I head for the kitchen. I’ve only just reached the walled garden when I notice that the door in the wall leading towards the front of the monastery is open.
As I walk past the beds of herbs, I see a woman in a uniform with a clipboard standing beside one of the benches. Strange, Matt didn’t say anything about anyone coming through to the Underworld but I guess someone has to bring the food through.
I smile at her. ‘Can I help with anything?’
‘I’m Ulla.’ The woman smiles at me and looks at the information on her clipboard. ‘You could take this?’
‘Sure,’ I say and reach for the box she gestures towards. It’s a small box, but heavier than it looks.
‘We have a regular delivery scheduled here. It’s nice to get the chance for a wee day trip into the countryside. We all argue about who gets to come.’
I laugh. ‘I’d love to be heading back to the city if I’m honest.’
‘Why? Have you seen the guys who live here? Although…’ she looks around and then leans in closer to me. ‘Sometimes they’re a bit odd. Intense. You know?’
‘I…’ I break off, as a frisson of unease slithers down my spine.
‘There’s not a single one of them that I’d turn down for a … date, mind.’ She grins at me. ‘If you know what I mean?’
I nod and laugh, hoping it doesn’t sound as forced as it feels. ‘None of them are my type,’ I say. ‘So, don’t let me stand in your way.’
‘Oh, I won’t. Now, I’m off to get a signature and try my luck.’ She waggles her eyebrows at me, and indicates the box. ‘You should try one. Specialist apples Declan wants to experiment with for a cider. But I threw in a couple of extras we had. They’re delicious.’
‘Thanks,’ I say. ‘I will.’
She smiles a broad smile, and I brush off the uneasy feeling I got from her just a few minutes ago.
‘Of course, no problem. I’m Eve, by the way.’ I smile sweetly at her, hoping she’ll not suspect I’m being untruthful. But really, what does it matter? She’s just here to drop off a delivery. It’s not like I owe her anything.
‘Eve. Nice. Biblical, even. Oh, and appropriate,’ she says, gesturing to the box before heading towards the door to the brewery itself with a second box.
I take a moment to choose an apple. They all look delicious, huge and shiny, and the sight brings back a memory of my mum handing me an apple, one just like these, at our kitchen table.
I smile as I remember her polishing it and handing me the large shiny red fruit.
For once, I’m grateful for my robe as I polish the apple on my sleeve and stare at my face reflected in the mirror-like surface.
Above me, birds chirp in the trees, and several are hopping in and out of a stone birdbath at the centre of the planted beds.
I wander closer to them, slowly so as not to scare them away.
I can afford to take a break from chores to eat one apple.
I’m safe here, aren’t I? Looking up at the cloudless blue sky, I lift the apple to my mouth and take a large bite.
I grimace. The taste is sickly-sweet, not the crisp freshness I expected, and when I go to swallow, the apple sticks in my throat.
I cough, or at least try to, but I can’t dislodge it.
I look at the apple and see a face staring back at me from the polished surface.
It’s Ulla, and she’s laughing. Something is happening.
It’s like … like that fateful night in Sussurri.
I feel exactly the same. I fall to my knees, then crumple onto my side, my muscles frozen, although right now I can still see and hear.
Whatever drug this is, it’s much faster-acting, and I’m already beyond being able to call for help.
‘Don’t worry, Niamh,’ Ulla says, coming into view.
She’s kneeling beside me. ‘Oh, did you not understand? It’s only the walls of the monastery itself that count, not the garden ones.
Shame. Now just relax and you won’t feel a thing.
Close your eyes and fall asleep like a good little girl, and then everything in my world and Cillian’s world can go back to exactly the way it’s supposed to be. ’
I’m not sure whether I’m hallucinating, until she leans forward lifting my necklace from around my neck.
I try to stop her, but I can’t move a single muscle.
My eyes are still open, so I watch her stare down at my necklace as her face and hair and body slowly morph into Vittoria’s.
She lets out a blood-curdling scream and rips my necklace from me.
No! I try to scream but nothing comes out, my voice trapped inside me.
‘Vittoria!’ I hear Matt calling to her as my eyes slowly close. I sense him rush up to me, kneeling down beside me and taking my hand in his. ‘What happened? What did she do?’
With my last breath, my fingers release, and the bright red apple falls to my side, a single bite mark visible.