The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,28

picture Cal created. Seel was so intrinsically Wraeththu, it was hard to imagine him as human, let alone as a child. He and Cal had lived in the same area, attended the same schools, until Cal had corrupted him enough to stop bothering. Cal would have been the wild kid, always in trouble. Flick already knew Cal came from a rich family, but it was hard to imagine. He seemed to have deprived childhood written all over him. ‘As soon as we found out about Wraeththu, I wanted to find out more,’ Cal said. ‘I wasn’t scared like most of the others. We heard they were just gangs, some weird kind of cult. I always knew it was more. Sensed it. Seel wasn’t into it at all. It was only once his mother found us together in his bed that I managed to persuade him it was our destiny. He couldn’t face the flak at home and didn’t have a choice but to come with me. I was going and he didn’t want to be left alone.’

‘You were cruel even then,’ Flick said. ‘You took advantage.’

Cal shrugged. ‘Maybe. He doesn’t regret it now though, does he?’

‘No.’ Flick put down his glass. He had drunk too much. Cal didn’t seem affected by the alcohol at all. If anything, he seemed the brightest he’d been since he’d arrived in Saltrock. He looked radiant, the har who had seduced Pellaz Cevarro away from home. Flick could remember the names of some of Pell’s family now. They came back to him, sister Mima, closest brother Terez. Already dead, no doubt. Flick rubbed at his face and Cal reached out to touch his arm. ‘Are you OK?’

Flick nodded. ‘Just tired.’

‘So what’s your story?’

‘Not now.’

His arms lay on the table and now Cal had taken one of his hands. His skin felt smooth and dry and cool. Oh God, Flick thought. What have I done?

‘Nothing yet,’ said Cal.

Flick snatched away his hand. ‘Stop it. Don’t pry. Don’t play with me.’

‘Oh come on. At the very least, it would really really piss Seel off. At the very most, you would enjoy me immensely. Think about it. Seel treats you like a dog and there you are, the obedient little puppy, coming back with your tail wagging after every kick. He doesn’t see you for what you are, does he? He doesn’t even know you. You’re stunning, Flick. Seel’s stupid not to realise what he’s got.’

‘Shut up.’

‘It’s true, isn’t it? Even Pell noticed the way Seel treated you so dismissively. We talked about it.’ He reached out and took Flick’s hand again, and even though Flick wanted to so badly, he couldn’t pull away this time. ‘Everyhar is so full of advice for me,’ Cal said, ‘but here’s some for you. Stop being a shadow. Stand up and shine.’

Flick looked into Cal’s eyes and couldn’t think of a reply, witty or otherwise. He knew it was the truth.

‘You won’t stay here for ever,’ Cal said. ‘If you think you will, you’re wrong. Oh, it’s painful to think about. You don’t want to think about it. So don’t. Forget it. It’s what everyhar wants me to do, isn’t it?’

Flick felt as if he’d been punched in the head. He didn’t know what he felt.

Cal took some minutes to finish his brandy and they sat together in silence. A thousand thoughts tumbled through Flick’s head, too fast and chaotically for him to understand them. Then Cal stood up and pulled Flick to his feet. ‘You coming?’

Flick raised the hand that Cal was holding. They stood there, palm to palm, for some moments, until Flick laced his fingers through Cal’s. ‘Let’s go.’

Seel must have heard them go up the stairs, but he did not come out into the corridor. As soon as they were inside Cal and Pell’s old room, Cal shut the door and pushed Flick up against it. He took Flick’s face in his hands and then they were sharing breath, savagely, strongly, tasting thoughts so deep they came from another life. Flick searched vainly for a part of himself that was aghast, disapproving or even mildly surprised, but could not find it. It seemed the natural conclusion to the evening to be here in Cal’s arms, bruising against his mouth.

When they broke apart, Flick said, ‘Your madness is infectious. This was not part of the plan – ever.’

Cal laughed. ‘How do you know?’

‘Do you want to play-act seducing a young Seel again? Is that it?’

‘If you want.’

‘Sick,’ Flick