The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,202

were so perfect, Flick thought, they could have been grown in a vat. Perhaps good living could do that to a har. Flick found himself laughing: the idea was too ridiculous. ‘It can’t be you,’ he said.

‘Why not? Because I haven’t come to you before?’

‘I didn’t expect you to. Our lives diverged dramatically. You didn’t have to come.’ He hesitated. ‘Why have you?’

Pellaz folded his arms. ‘I remember you so well, that innocent little thing at Saltrock. Not that I wasn’t an innocent little thing either. If either of us had known…’ He shook his head. ‘Somehow, I thought you’d be the same, which is stupid, considering how much I’ve changed.’

‘Time doesn’t stand still,’ Flick said. He felt light-headed. This conversation was unreal. ‘The Gelaming have made a magnificent har of you, Pell. But then, that is what the rumours have told us.’

Pellaz grimaced, as if made uncomfortable by the compliment, although Flick suspected he was merely being modest. ‘I’ve thought about finding you for a long time, Flick. But in some ways, it didn’t seem right. All that I had, and was, had gone. I realised you might not want to be found. Seel told me you left Saltrock, after…’

‘Don’t,’ Flick said. Should he talk to the Tigron like that? It seemed the world was breaking apart like smoke before a rank wind.

‘I know,’ Pellaz said. ‘I’m not here to rake over old coals. I’m here because…’ He sighed. ‘I’m not a very good liar, even now.’

‘I heard you’d become quite good at it.’

Pellaz shrugged. ‘Occasionally.’ He pulled a comical face. ‘Don’t look at me that way. I’m still me inside, despite everything. Remember the good times, Flick. Those were fine days.’

Flick sat down with his back against the cliff. His legs felt unsteady. ‘I have fond memories too. If we have to dwell on anything, let’s concentrate on them. Are you here incognito, having escaped your viziers and generals for a while?’

Pellaz sat down beside him. ‘Something like that.’

‘What’s it like being Tigron?’ He clasped his hands around his knees and hoped Pell didn’t notice how much he was shaking.

‘Hectic most of the time. It’s like a dream.’

‘Were you really dead?’

‘Apparently. I can’t remember. I just woke up one day and my whole life had changed.’

‘I spoke to you in a dream once. You said you wouldn’t remember it.’

Pellaz laughed.

‘How did he do it?’ Flick asked. ‘Everyhar says Thiede brought you back from the dead. We heard your head was blown off. Your body was burned. That was just a story, right? What really happened?’

Pellaz regarded him carefully. ‘I’m not sure. I was dead for a time, only it’s hard to believe. I can’t remember it. Thiede is very powerful. He called me back and created a body for me.’

‘Nohar can do that.’

Pellaz shrugged. ‘Well, here I am, so I guess they can.’

Flick reached for his satchel. He felt so disorientated; he needed something earthy and real to steady himself. ‘Are you hungry? I have lunch.’

‘Good.’

Flick began to unwrap Lileem’s package. ‘How did you get here? I mean, where’s your sedu?’

‘I let him go to find Astral. That was how we found you, by the way. Peridot homed in on Astral. There were good friends. Now, he has no friends but you.’

‘I’m sorry about that,’ Flick said. ‘I wanted to keep him. Did Vaysh tell you your brother Terez stole my other horse?’

‘Yes.’

‘Have you met Terez yet?’

Pellaz appeared distinctly uncomfortable now. ‘No. Thiede thinks it would be awkward. Terez does not fit into the picture very well. You know what it’s like, Flick. We have to cast off our human lives. Terez is part of that, and much as I’m curious to see what kind of har he is, we’ve heard bad reports. That’s sad.’

‘You wanted me to find your family,’ Flick said. ‘I did. I upheld my promise.’

‘I realise that,’ Pell said. ‘I shouldn’t have asked you to do so, but I was young, newly incepted, and the past wasn’t that far away then. I appreciate your loyalty though.’

‘Terez was a mess when I found him,’ Flick said. ‘He’d been partially incepted. Ulaume and I managed to complete the process, but it wasn’t exactly a roaring success, hence the reports you’ve received, I expect. You do know about Ulaume, I take it?’

Pellaz smiled. ‘Yes. You and he are the last two hara I would ever have expected to end up together.’

‘We met at your old home,’ Flick said. ‘I was trying to fulfil my promise to you,