The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,251

matters to me.’

‘I hope it works,’ Lileem said. ‘I really do.’

Pellaz smiled tightly. ‘We’ll see. You’re just as much of a worry. You’re so unhappy. I wish I could take you away, give you a new life, but…’

‘I know. I have to be punished for being bad. I’m stuck here in this great big prison.’

‘Perhaps you should speak to Opalexian, tell her how miserable you are. She isn’t the evil witch queen she makes herself out to be, you know.’

‘I’ll try. I wonder if she’d let me be like Tel-an-Kaa and roam the world looking for parazha. But then, I suppose I’m not to be trusted.’

Pellaz squeezed her leg. ‘Then show Opalexian that you are. She can’t keep you confined here forever. If you think I can help in any way, just ask.’

‘Well, you could speak to her first…’

‘All right. I will. When we next meet.’

‘Thanks, Pell.’ She leaned over kissed his cheek. Beautiful Pellaz. Kind Tigron. How tragic he should be so sad inside.

A few weeks after Flick and Ulaume’s blood-bonding, Aleeme began to display signs of approaching feybraiha. Flick told Ulaume of his desire to ask Pellaz to be their son’s first aruna partner, and Ulaume agreed this might be a good idea. They said nothing to Aleeme, because they sensed he would be delighted with their choice and would be extremely disappointed if Pellaz refused.

Gelaming engineers had perfected a piece of technology that aided the amplification of mind-touch messages, so that mind ‘mail’ could be sent easily over greater distance. Pellaz had brought one of these units to Shilalama and Flick’s household was the first in Roselane to own such a device. Very shortly afterwards, Opalexian received a similar gift from the Tigron. Now, Flick could contact Pellaz whenever he needed to, and after his discussion with Ulaume about Aleeme, he sent a message to Immanion, asking Pellaz if he could spare them an hour or so very soon.

Pellaz arrived at their home the following day. He said he’d been to visit Opalexian first, and wanted to speak to Lileem about something he’d discussed with the Kamagrian leader, but first he sat down with Flick and Ulaume at the bottom of the garden to hear what they had to say. Flick voiced their request carefully. Now that he had to speak to Pellaz personally, he realised he was asking quite a lot. It was a privilege indeed for any har to have the Tigron as their first aruna partner, and if Pellaz indulged all of his friends in this manner, he’d spend a lot of time, that he could ill afford, educating young harlings in arunic skills. Pellaz paused before answering, and when he did, it was to decline, but not because of the reasons Flick had anticipated.

‘This is a great honour you’re offering,’ Pellaz said, ‘but I can’t help you. Thiede has changed me, Flick. If I took aruna with such an inexperienced har as Aleeme, it could damage him severely. I’m more like Thiede now and my essence is strong. I’m sorry.’

Flick was not particularly surprised. ‘We’re stuck,’ he said. ‘We know no hara here we consider worthy of the task. Most of our close friends in Shilalama are Kamagrian.’

‘What you need,’ Pellaz said, ‘is another harish family with second-generation sons.’

‘This might sound incredible, but we’re the only hara in this city who’ve had sons,’ Ulaume said. ‘Remember, this is the territory of pious Roselane. The hara who end up here are mostly like monks.’

Pellaz laughed. ‘That has not escaped me!’ He cupped his chin with one hand, pondered for a few moments. ‘Let me think.’

‘Are there any families of your acquaintance who might help?’ Ulaume asked.

Pellaz drew in his breath slowly. ‘Yes,’ he said at last.

Flick could tell the family Pellaz had in mind was controversial. He knew before the Tigron spoke what he would say.

‘I could speak to Seel and Swift in Galhea,’ Pellaz said. ‘Or, more importantly, I could speak to Azriel. He’s not a child any longer, of course, but he is second generation. He’s Swift’s son, and a fine har. He will be experienced now, and he is pure-born. He would be my recommendation.’

‘They’d never allow it,’ Ulaume said.

Flick said nothing. He wondered how Pellaz could be so insensitive.

‘Things are different now,’ Pellaz said. ‘Seel does not harbour the same feelings for you as he used to do, Lor. I – and Cobweb too – have made sure of that.’

‘And we should care?’ Flick said coldly. ‘There’s no way I’ll