The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,245

rather than flapping. There was also something about the creatures that reminded her of sea animals. Their legs were like a crab’s or spider’s legs, with their bodies hanging between them. Their heads were long and triangular like a sea-horse’s. They had three enormous faceted eyes. It was only when she heard her name called aloud that Lileem realised the strange creatures had passengers or riders.

‘Lileem!’

She knew that voice, even after so long. ‘Terez,’ she cried. ‘It’s Mima!’

‘I know,’ he said and there was fear in his voice, as if he thought this was a terrible, cruel illusion.

‘Come on!’ Lileem began to run towards the creatures.

The creatures appeared to be surrounded by a shimmering bubble of sparkling air. Lileem careered into it and then found she was lying on her back on the ground, the stone book on top of her. Something had repelled her with immense force.

She stood up quickly, and put out a hand towards the light. Something pressed against her hand. She couldn’t push through it.

‘Lileem,’ Mima called. ‘Come to me. Come now. There isn’t much time.’

‘I can’t!’ Lileem wailed.

‘Try!’

Terez was at her side now and together they pushed against the resistant air. They could make no impression on it. ‘This isn’t real,’ Terez was saying, over and over, but he kept trying to break through the barrier.

‘Terez!’

Everything was happening so swiftly, Lileem hadn’t inspected who rode the other creature. Her whole being was intent on reaching Mima, on going home and there was no time for thought or consideration. But now, she turned her attention to Mima’s companion. She knew him at once, not just because he looked so like her visions of him, but because he was surrounded by golden light, by power.

‘It’s your brother,’ Lileem said. ‘Terez, it’s Pellaz. He’s come for us.’

Pellaz leapt down from his peculiar mount and came to the side of the bubble. He looked like a dehar and perhaps he was. ‘Concentrate,’ he said. ‘This world is responsive only to one-way portals. There is no way back. Peridot and Astral are holding open the portal they made, but they are weakening. You have to break through this barrier. You must believe you can.’

Terez took Lileem’s hand in his own. ‘I believe it!’ he said fiercely.

Pellaz closed his eyes briefly, then extended one shining hand towards them. It came through the barrier as if through water and it dripped with opal fire. Terez grabbed hold of it. Pellaz would pull them through, together. ‘Now!’ Terez yelled to Lileem.

She hesitated, then let go of Terez’s hand and ran back the short way to where the stone book lay in the sand. She heard them all calling to her, urgently, angrily, but she couldn’t help herself. She couldn’t leave this place with nothing. They’d suffered too much. The book felt so heavy now. She could barely pick it up, but if there was one last thing she could do in her life, it must be this. She staggered back to Terez, whose expression was demented.

‘Lee! Drop that thing. Hurry. What the fuck are you doing?’

‘Drop it!’ Pellaz shouted at her. ‘You can’t bring it with you.’

Lileem ignored him. She held it close against her body with one arm, feeling the muscles rip beneath its weight. Its surface felt rough now and it ground against her naked skin. She must ignore the weight. She must believe she could do this. With her free hand, she grabbed hold of Terez’s fingers and she saw that her own were bleeding.

Pellaz uttered a fearsome cry and hauled them through the barrier. Lileem felt her skin tear. It hurt so much. But then they were through. She gripped the stone book with both arms. Her legs were buckling beneath her. Terez and Pellaz carried her between them to Mima’s mount. Mima was looking down, in terror, her hair swirling round her head as if she were underwater.

‘Lileem, drop the stone!’ she cried. ‘They can’t lift you. Lee, do what I say!’

‘No,’ Lileem said. ‘I can’t leave it behind. Please.’

Both Terez and Pellaz were trying to wrench her arms apart, but it was as if her limbs had turned to stone. Nohar could move her. One of them slapped her face, but she didn’t let go.

‘This is insane!’ Terez cried. ‘For fuck’s sake, Lee. We have to go. We need to go.’

Lileem uttered an anguished wail. Terez and Pellaz were trying to lift her up to Mima, but she was too heavy.

‘If you don’t let it go, we’ll