The Emperor of All Things - By Paul Witcover Page 0,166

search for other examples of Wachter’s work, creating the persona of Grimalkin to hide my efforts from Magnus. He never did learn or, as far as I know, suspect that Grimalkin was yet another of my aliases.’

‘I do not know what to think, what to believe,’ Quare said.

‘I dared not turn my attentions to the hunter Corinna had stolen from her father, for my speculations as to its nature and purpose had convinced me that it was best left alone, untouched, all but forgotten. Still less did I trust Magnus to respect its dangers. So I hid it away and looked elsewhere for enlightenment, using the skills of a regulator and, as Grimalkin, the abilities my new appendage had bestowed upon me. Abilities you are about to experience for yourself.’ He stepped towards Quare, extending his hand. ‘Your watch, Mr Quare, if you please.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘You have seen me divest myself of my own personal timepieces. I must ask you to do the same. Even if it is only the one. It may still misdirect us. Unlikely, but under the circumstances, it is better not to take the chance.’

With misgivings, Quare handed over his watch. Longinus stopped it and placed it in the same pile with his own. Then he turned back to Quare and extended his hand once more. ‘Now, Mr Quare. Take my hand, sir. Come and walk with me.’

Quare rose from his seat. But he did not take the proffered hand. ‘Lead on,’ he said cautiously, ‘and I will follow.’

‘You cannot follow where I would lead,’ Longinus answered. ‘To go where I go, you must place your hand in mine. Then, in a manner of speaking, I will carry you along with me.’ And he stretched his hand nearer to Quare, as if in emphasis.

Quare felt giddy with confusion. Part of him wanted to leave the room, leave the house, deny all that he had heard and seen. But he knew too well what awaited him outside this sanctuary. Besides, for all his eccentricities, which verged on, if not crossed entirely over into, madness, Longinus – or whoever he truly was – had not harmed him, though it had lain within his power to do so at any time had he wished. It was this reflection, combined with a sense of rebelliousness that seemed to have no other outlet, that prompted him to grab hold of the older man’s hand.

‘Brave lad,’ said Longinus with a nod. He stared into Quare’s eyes. ‘Whatever you do, whatever you see, do not let go of my hand, or you shall be irretrievably lost. Say nothing, lest you alert Doppler or his allies. Save your questions until we are safe again. Do you understand?’

Quare nodded, his mouth dry.

‘Very well,’ said Longinus with a smile. ‘It has been years since I travelled thus. I find that I have missed it more than I realized. They say that the longest journey begins with a single step, Mr Quare. Let us begin our journey.’

15

Tiamat

BUT THOUGH QUARE stood ready to follow Longinus, the man did not move. Instead, regarding Quare with a sceptical expression, he asked hesitantly: ‘This woman calling herself Grimalkin … What did she look like?’

‘You think it might have been Corinna?’ Quare asked. ‘But surely she would be an old woman by now. The woman I encountered did not appear to be much older than myself.’

Longinus pulled his hand from Quare’s and made a dismissive gesture, as if to push him away. ‘They are immortal beings and do not age as we do. Besides, I have reason to believe they can alter their shape to appear however they desire. But you’re right – how could it have been her? Why would she not have revealed herself to me?’ He seemed to be addressing himself as much as Quare. ‘No – it is impossible. The woman could not have been Corinna.’

‘You do not seem entirely convinced of it.’

Longinus sighed. ‘I wanted it to be her. I have missed her so much, you see. But as I told you a moment ago, their kind cannot cross over to our world as easily as they once did. No, it was not Corinna.’ He spoke with confidence now. ‘Nor was this woman sent by Corinna, for then she would have said as much, and I would have given her the watch freely. There would have been no need for her to fight, to kill those men. She could only have been sent by Doppler. There