The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,46

But now is not the time to talk about it.’

‘I don’t believe you’ve just come here to tell me you’ve reanimated Pell,’ Seel said, still unable to believe a word of what he’d heard.

‘Indeed not,’ Thiede said. ‘I wish with all my heart that Cal had not come back here and committed such a dreadful atrocity. It makes my job more difficult, because your mind and feelings are clouded by the horror of it. You blame yourself, of course, as do many others. But I want you to try and put it aside for now, to listen to me.’

‘I will listen.’

‘Pell will need hara around him whom he trusts. I want one of those hara to be you.’

Seel drew in his breath slowly. ‘I see.’

‘It will happen, Seel. You must accept it.’

‘What are you asking of me really?’

‘I want you to come to Immanion, to see for yourself.’

‘Cal’s dream,’ Seel said bitterly. ‘He always wanted to find Immanion. I thought it was a fantasy.’

‘Far from it. Come with me to Almagabra, Seel, for that is where Immanion lies. It is a dream come true, and you must walk its streets to see for yourself.’

‘You’re asking me to leave Saltrock?’

‘I’m asking you to visit, that is all. You do not yet have to leave here permanently. You will have a few years to make the necessary arrangements.’

‘No,’ said Seel. ‘This is my home. I built it, and I intend to carry on building it. I don’t want any part of your schemes, your glamours. It’s over, Thiede. Forget Saltrock. Do what you have to, but leave us out of it. We played our part for you and look how it ended up. No more, I swear it. No more.’

Thiede laughed quietly, a terrifying sound. ‘I will not accept no for an answer, Seel. What harm will it do for you to visit the city? Have you no curiosity? I think you have plenty. You are merely being difficult for the sake of it.’ He paused. ‘And because you have no liking for me.’

‘True.’

Thiede leaned back in his chair. ‘Then I see we need more valuable currency to persuade you. Name it. Name your price.’

Seel gazed at Thiede’s face and realised, with incredulity, Thiede meant it. He would pay anything. Am I that valuable? Seel thought. Why? What does he really want of me? ‘Well, there is one thing,’ he said.

‘Name it.’

‘This is the cost for me to come and visit, nothing more. I will not be your plaything, Thiede. You have far too many of those already.’

Thiede inclined his head. ‘What is the price?’

‘Find Cal, punish him.’

‘That might not be easy.’

‘If you are so powerful, you can do it.’

‘Very well.’ Thiede held out his hand. ‘Do we have a deal?’

Seel stared at the hand, so much bigger than his own, yet elegant and attenuated. ‘Yes,’ he said.

Thiede withdrew his hand. ‘Then let’s eat whatever smells so tempting and afterwards return to Immanion. Are you prepared to see your vision of reality come crashing down about your ears? Believe me, after travelling the otherlanes and seeing Immanion, you will never be the same again.’

‘I am prepared to endure whatever you show me.’

Thiede laughed again. ‘I like you, Seel. I have great admiration for you. Perhaps in time you will come to view me as less of a monster.’

Seel glanced up at Stringer, who said, ‘I’ll serve dinner then, shall I?’

Seel reached for Stringer’s hand, squeezed it. ‘Please.’

Colt, who had said nothing the entire time, sat down opposite Seel. Without looking at Thiede, he said, ‘Tell him I will come with you. It’s not right you should go alone.’

Stringer set down a tureen on the table with force. ‘Colt, no!’

‘It’s not right,’ Colt said stubbornly. ‘Seel’s Saltrock’s heart. He shouldn’t be placed in danger.’

‘It’s all right,’ Seel said, but Thiede interjected.

‘Your friend is right. It would be a symbol of trust if more than one representative of Saltrock came to Immanion.’ He smiled up at Stringer. ‘Please don’t worry. He will be quite safe.’

‘I want to see it,’ Colt said. ‘If it’s real.’

‘You would be aghast at what is real nowadays,’ Thiede said and tasted his meal. ‘Mmm, I miss simple cooking.’

During the meal, Thiede informed Seel that two of his Gelaming guard would have to stay behind in Saltrock so that Seel and Colt could ride their sedim. The country of Almagabra lay on the other side of a great ocean, and it was necessary for Seel to use Gelaming transport to