The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,165

truth is dangerous. I know hara died and went mad so that Pellaz could become Tigron. I know that Thiede turned a har of integrity and vision into a tame dog. Not everyhar in the world waves the Gelaming flag, Seel, and you know it. So, you can’t have loose cannons running about, can you?’

‘You never doubted being incepted.’

‘Pell did.’

‘And where is he now?’

Flick closed his eyes for a second. He saw the inevitable conclusion, but why waste any more time? ‘I mean it,’ he said and turned for the door. Ulaume could follow him, if pursuit was a possibility.

From the corner of his vision, Flick saw Seel press his hands against his face briefly, then make a gesture. At once, two hara came to his side. ‘Escort tiahaar Flick to one of the guest rooms,’ he said. ‘A secure room, and have the Kakkahaar escorted to the boundary of the estate.’

‘Seel,’ Flick said dismally, still disappointed, despite his fears. ‘No…’

But before he could make a scene, he was firmly and swiftly led from the room. The last thing he saw was Tyson watching him knowingly from among the drapes by the tall windows, where the last light of the fire came in to conjure animal fierceness in the harling’s eyes.

When they’d returned to Forever after the war with the Varrs, Swift and Seel had made Terzian’s master bedroom their own. It had been redesigned since the days when the Varr leader had slept there. It was now a much lighter, airier place, and warm memories had been imprinted over less wholesome ones. But that night, the atmosphere in the room was sour and tense and the light seemed too bright.

Seel sat on the window seat, staring moodily out over the dark gardens, while Swift stood over him, glaring. It was not a common expression for Swift.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ he demanded. ‘Have you gone mad? You can’t just lock that har up like that.’

‘So release him,’ Seel said. ‘You explain to Pell why you did it.’

Swift sighed heavily and it sounded like a snort. ‘Pell doesn’t have to know. You’re well aware of that. This is about something else and we all know what.’

‘Enlighten me. I can’t wait.’

Swift was silent for a moment. ‘I don’t know you,’ he said. ‘This isn’t you, Seel.’

‘Yes it is, or has your memory been wiped? Remember when we met.’

‘I don’t care about that. I want to know why you imprisoned one of my guests. What has this to do with your insane obsession with Cal?’

Seel pressed one hand against the cold glass of the window, thought about pressing until it broke. ‘I don’t want to feel this way,’ he said. ‘Flick was… he was an essential component in all that happened. Pell wants to speak to him and so do I. I never asked him much about what he knew of Orien’s death. I treated him badly, took out my anger and hurt on him.’

‘And this is the way to make amends?’

Seel closed his eyes. ‘No. I just want to take him to Immanion.’

‘You can’t force him. It’s wrong.’

Seel leapt up from his seat and Swift backed away a little. ‘I know it’s wrong, but I have to do it. Flick’s just being stupid and awkward. If I don’t make him do this, he’ll regret it later, when it’s too late. Pell is very fond of Flick. He’s been concerned about him from the moment he found out that Flick left Saltrock alone.’

‘Is that so?’ Swift said. ‘Strange. I was sure this was really something to do with Cal.’

Seel was silent for a moment and when he spoke again his voice was low. ‘All right, Swift, all right. The truth is that Pell hides what he feels, but every day a part of him is dying. Can you understand that? For a long time, I’ve kept a lot of the truth from Pell, to protect him, but now I think differently. He has to speak to Flick and Flick has to tell him what he knows. Nohar knows what Pell is going through, his pain. Nohar but me, because he can’t show it. He is Tigron and Cal is a dirty stain in his past. Flick was there the night Orien died. I believe Cal spoke to him.’

‘You want to believe that. You have no proof.’

Seel thumped his chest. ‘I do. In here.’

‘You and Pell encourage each other in unhealthy love and unhealthy hate,’ Swift said. ‘You shouldn’t draw Flick into