Blood Song: The First Book of Lharmell Read online

  Carmelina had been right that day in the gardens: Lharmellins were not human. To think that a creature such as this existed just across the Straits of Unctium made me shiver. It was a relief that they looked so decidedly un-human. So what was I? The question burned in my mind.

  I read the accompanying passage:

  The moste Terrifying and Rottenn Speecies in all the land, this Lowely Creetcher hides in the tors of Lharmell, feasting on Blud from the Humans it kidnaps. Some they turn into Harmings, who are then maid to join there Sordid Ranks. The Lharmellins are impervious to Human weapons, and have only been thus far Contained to the tors by the Warm Climate surrounding Lharmell, as they are Reluctant to venture out of the colde.

  I dropped the book in horror. Harmings? Human Lharmellins? I looked again at the picture. The Lharmellin had light blazing from its eyes, just like Rodden, the blue-eyed phantom, had. The sketch was in black and white, but I felt sure that if the artist had used colour, the light would be ice-blue.

  Made to join their sordid ranks.

  His eyes. The secrets. The strange goings-on in his room. Rodden was a harming? But did that mean I was, too?

  Renata came in and I stuffed the book under a cushion. She held out a gown. ‘This one tonight, I think.’

  I groaned. ‘Please. Not tonight. I’m too tired. I don’t feel well. I think I’ve got sunstroke.’

  She placed a cool hand against my brow. ‘You don’t seem tired, you haven’t got a fever and you’re not burnt. Get dressed.’

  The last thing I wanted to do was to act normal when I was worried there was a horrible lipless monster lurking inside me. I stomped around as I got ready, letting Renata know that I was seriously displeased. But stomping around on marble wasn’t nearly as effective as stomping around on the wooden floors at home, and it sent such terrible shocks up my legs, so I stopped.

  While we walked to the great hall I pulled Lilith a few paces back. ‘Have you noticed anything strange going on?’ I whispered to her.

  She looked at me in surprise. ‘Like what?’

  ‘Like with this war.’

  ‘Oh, Lothskorn’s got that under control,’ she said breezily.

  ‘Yes, but for whom?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  I searched her face. Her surprise was genuine. Either I was going mad or she was impervious to everything inside her wedding-bubble.

  ‘Oh, nothing,’ I muttered, and let go of her arm. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice: Carmelina already thought I was crazy. I didn’t want my own sister thinking the same thing.

  To my chagrin, I had to sit next to Rodden again. He appeared at my side as soon as I entered the hall and offered his arm.

  ‘I thought you’d like to keep an eye on me,’ he murmured in my ear, as if we were conspirators. He smiled down at me, a mocking, unpleasant smile. Everyone was watching so I had to take his arm, though touching him made me shudder.

  ‘Are you cold, my dear?’ Rodden asked, all politeness.

  ‘Don’t talk to me, don’t look at me, and don’t touch me,’ I said, taking my arm back as soon as we reached the high table.

  He snorted. ‘That’s rich, coming from someone I found only yesterday hiding under my bed. It’s me who should be warning you off.’

  I took a sip of water and looked in the other direction.

  ‘Your Majesty.’ Rodden’s voice rang out. The whole court turned to look at him, including me. He was standing and looking at the king, a smile on his face and a devilish twinkle in his eye. I saw a few young women seated just below us nudge each other and whisper behind their hands.

  ‘Your Majesty,’ he said. ‘I am aware that preparations for the wedding of the prince and princess are going splendidly. As the happy occasion is still a few days off, I propose a small diversion.’ He glanced down at me, his grin wolfish.

  Uh-oh.

  ‘Just the other day, Princess Zeraphina was boasting to me of her prowess with a bow. As you know, I like to dabble in the sport.’

  The off-hand way he said it made me certain that ‘dabble’ was a gross understatement.

  ‘I would like to challenge Zeraphina to an archery tournament, winner takes all.’

  Everyone turned to look at me in wonderment. The girls who had been admiring Rodden started to titter.

  ‘What a splendid idea!’ King Askar cried. Below us, the room broke out into approving applause.

  ‘If she wins, I promise to grant Zeraphina anything that it is in my power to give.’ Rodden turned to me, fingering the silver chain at his throat. ‘Do you agree, Zeraphina?’ he prompted.

  I looked up at him, my eyes narrowed. Amusement was etched on his features. I did want my ring back, and King Askar was looking at me expectantly. I reasoned that if I refused it would disappoint the king, and Renata wouldn’t want me to do that. She was going to be upset enough about my boasting. Not that I had been boasting – not verbally anyway – but she wasn’t going to believe me now. Really, accepting the challenge would be the lesser of two evils. Also, I would definitely beat Rodden and nothing would give me more satisfaction. ‘I agree, Your Majesty,’ I said, inclining my head.

  ‘And if I win,’ Rodden continued, grinning out at the court below us, ‘I claim Zeraphina’s hand in marriage.’

  I started to say, ‘Now, hang on –’ but the entire court erupted into cheers, wolf-whistles and table-banging and I was drowned out. I looked to the king, expecting him to interject on my behalf, but he was applauding and saying ‘Splendid! Splendid!’

  How could he condone his soon-to-be daughter-in-law’s sister marrying a commoner? Where was his sense of propriety? I was a princess!

  Now that he was confident of the support of the king, Rodden toasted the room with his wine goblet, looking as if he’d already won the tournament. There was no way I could back out now so I flashed a smile at the court. This brought on even more cheers. Renata glared down the table at me, but really, she was the least of my worries. Why, oh why had I agreed without hearing all the terms? He’d tricked me, making me think all that was at stake was my ring.

  Rodden took his seat as soon as the cheers died down. I clenched my hands in my lap, not trusting myself to reach for anything in case I slapped him, right there in front of everyone. I tried to keep the smile in place, but my fury must have shown.

  ‘Starting to doubt your talents?’

  ‘Not in the least,’ I spat.

  ‘Now, now, Zeraphina. Don’t be like that. Aren’t you secretly hoping you’ll lose? Carmelina told me about your little crush.’

  My face flamed red. Oh, she hadn’t! I looked down the table at her. She grinned back at me – she had told. It was too much. Not only had he got the upper hand, he thought I liked him.

  He leaned closer, dropping his voice. ‘You know what makes this all the more sweet? Your ring. I don’t even need it any more.’

  I stared at him, uncomprehending.

  ‘You’re here in Pergamia, aren’t you?’ His blue eyes were dancing with amusement.

  ‘You’ve got the whole court in the palm of your hand. But you don’t fool me.’ I didn’t bother to mask the pure hatred on my face. ‘And you’ll never have me, either. I’ll die first.’

  As I fled the dais I heard Rodden say to the king, ‘Nerves, Your Majesty, nerves.’

  ––

  It wasn’t long before Renata appeared, with Lilith just behind her. I was curled up on the sofa, a cushion clutched to my belly. I hadn’t been faking to get away from Rodden. I really did feel ill, as if I’d swallowed a dozen angry snakes and they were all writhing around in my belly. Renata stood in front of me without saying anything. Her foot was tapping on the marble floor so I knew she was just warming herself up. Choosing the right words to blast me with. Lilith hung in the doorway, keeping away from the storm that was about to break but curious just the same. I’d be curious too if I was about to see my sister flayed alive.

  Renata opened her mouth, and then closed it ag
ain. Then she opened it.

  Here it came. The word-barrage.

  But she just threw up her hands and stalked out.

  ‘Aren’t you going to bawl me out?’ I called.

  She strode back. Perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut.

  ‘You,’ she said, pointing a finger at me, ‘had better hope that you’re as good an archer as you say you are, or that he is a terrible one. Because if you lose, there’s nothing I will be able to do to prevent this marriage. What leverage do I have? They take words of honour very seriously in Pergamia, and with Lilith on the brink of her own marriage to the king’s son I can hardly go around making demands. It could jeopardise everything.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘Unless you want to lose. This isn’t some plan the two of you have hatched up? You haven’t fallen in love with him, have you?’ Renata said ‘love’ as if it was the most despicable thing in the world. Then again, loving Rodden would be rather despicable.

  ‘No! Oh, yuck, love Rodden? You’ve got to be kidding. He’s an absolute creep.’

  ‘Really?’ Lilith piped up. ‘Amis says he’s the best person in the world.’

  ‘Amis needs to get out more.’

  ‘And he said –’ Lilith stopped.

  Renata turned to her eldest. ‘And he said what?’

  Lilith looked apologetic and twisted her hands this way and that. ‘And he said . . . he’s a really good shot.’

  Renata covered her eyes with her hands and groaned. I did the same with the cushion.

  ‘Oh, look on the bright side, Zeraphina,’ Lilith said.

  I looked up from behind the cushion. There was a bright side?

  ‘After you’ve married him, we’ll be able to see each other every day.’

  ‘No you won’t, because I will have thrown myself off the battlements on the morning of my wedding.’

  ‘Don’t be so dramatic, you silly girl. What you are going to do is get yourself down the archery range first thing in the morning and practise, practise, practise. No daughter of mine is going to marry some trumped-up politician because of a ridiculous bet. We’ll be the laughing stock of all Brivora.’

  I pressed my face into the cushion again.

  ‘I don’t think you’re helping, Mother,’ I heard Lilith whisper. She must have steered Renata out of the room, because when I came up for air Lilith was sitting beside me and Renata was nowhere in sight. Then, in the silence, I could hear her muttering from the next room.

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Thanks.’

  Lilith shrugged. ‘She’s overreacting. I know you’re a good shot. Anyway . . .’

  ‘Anyway what?’

  ‘If you do lose . . .’

  ‘Don’t even say it!’

  ‘Oh, Fina, come on. I know you like him. You’re always looking at him.’

  ‘That’s because he’s up to something.’

  ‘Don’t be so childish. He’s very handsome and you have a crush. Just admit it. And he’s a good person. He’s devoted his life to the protection of Pergamia. He’s fiercely protective of Amis, too. Do you know Amis would have turned me down if Rodden hadn’t approved of me?’

  I wanted to tell her that it was because Amis, and everyone else in Pergamia, was blind to the truth. Everyone except me. I was going to prove he was a monster. But first, I had to make sure that I didn’t end up as his wife.

  EIGHT

  When I went down to the practice range the next morning at Renata’s insistence, Rodden was there. Not firing, just standing around. Waiting for me. When he saw me he grinned and leaned against the wall, arms folded. I ignored him, notching up a few arrows and firing them, but I could feel his eyes on me. It put me off and my shots were way off target. Every misfired arrow brought a snort of amusement from him.

  ‘Don’t you have anything better to do?’ I asked, not taking my eyes off the bullseye. I would hit it this time. I would.

  ‘What could be more pleasant than watching you make a fool of yourself? Unlike you, I’m sure of my skill. I don’t need to practise.’

  My fingers were slippery with nervous sweat and the arrow loosed before I had finished drawing back. It fired sluggishly and rebounded off the board.

  He laughed. ‘Don’t worry, sweetheart. Whichever way it goes you’ll still get a ring.’ He waggled the third finger of his left hand at me.

  I unstrung my bow with a snap. Stuff practice. I wasn’t going to stand around being tormented all day. I stomped past him and made my way to the stables. I needed to get away; far, far away. Besides, if I went back to my room Renata would give me hell about not practising. She wouldn’t understand that if I wasn’t ready now, I never would be.

  I asked a groom to saddle up a horse for me – with a proper saddle, not one of those silly side-saddles. I wanted to gallop.

  Reasoning that it looked like the only semi-deserted place near the palace, I headed for the forest to the north-west, outside the heavily guarded walls. I wanted to get out of sight of Rodden and all his soldier minions. Away from the northern turret.

  The horse was shiny brown like a chestnut and was eager to get some exercise. We raced up a narrow track through the trees and I was exceedingly glad to leave Rodden, Renata and the whole palace behind me. Tree branches grew low across the track and I flattened myself against the horse’s neck so I wouldn’t be swiped off. The wind sent my hair flying like streamers.

  Sooner than I would have liked, the forest thinned and we could go no further. We’d reached the edge of a cliff and beyond it was the sea. I dismounted, walked to the edge and looked down. It was a sheer drop. Waves crashed against half-submerged rocks.

  My thoughts grew morbid. Here was where I would throw myself off if I lost the tournament tomorrow. It would make a good bards’ tale.

  Hear me now, hear me now. I am Yorris the Bard, who heard this tale from Derko the Bard, who heard it from Heppo the Bard, and all the bards before him. Gather to me, and hear the tale of the beautiful, clever princess whom no one would listen to but was right all along about the evil, depraved monster who had all great Brivora in his thrall . . .

  It would end with Renata weeping over my dead and pallid body as it lay on the beach, attractively scattered with seaweed. What a shame I wouldn’t be alive to hear it sung. The last part sounded especially sweet.

  If I lost. But I wasn’t going to. I’d been practising since I was eight.

  I shaded my eyes and peered across the ocean. I almost expected to see dark and forbidding mountains, the tors of Lharmell, rising in the distance. But all I saw was a gleaming horizon.

  To the west was the city dock, cluttered with sailing and fishing ships. From this distance they looked as tiny as toys. There were several more on the open water, their sails filled with wind as they ripped along. The freedom they commanded was intoxicating; the whole wide blue yonder was theirs.

  To the east stretched a curving, sandy expanse of coast. Waves crashed against an empty beach, sending plumes of spray up into the air.

  So this was the sea. Living as I did in a land-locked, mountainous country I had never imagined that it would be so big, so blue and so noisy. Holding the horse by its bridle, I made my way along the cliff until I found a path down to the beach. I took off my boots and tied my practice dress around my thighs. Over the wind and crashing waves I could hear the screaming cries of the white and grey gulls that wheeled overhead. They coasted the strong wind, moving neither forwards nor backwards. Foamy water rushed in and covered my ankles before rushing out again. Despite my glum mood, the shock of cold water made me squeal and hop about. As the wave receded it stole grains of sand from beneath my feet. It was one of the oddest sensations I had ever felt, the earth being pulled from under me.

  Things didn’t stay the same; I was starting to understand that. In a few days Lilith would be married and gone forever. Of course, she wouldn’t be gone, but she would never be just my big sister again, the one who had the bedroom down the hall and all the time in the world to lie around with me on rainy days. She wo
uld be Princess of Pergamia, and one day, Queen Lilith. I imagined what it would feel like, going home without her, and I felt a squeeze in my throat. I didn’t want things to change. They were changing faster than they ever had in my life and showed no sign of slowing down. This time next year I could be married. This time tomorrow I could be betrothed if I didn’t win the tournament.

  I looked out to the north, the direction of the greatest uncertainty of all. On such a bright day it was difficult to imagine that, just out of my sight, was a cold, mountainous country filled with malevolent beings. And that just behind me, barely a mile off, Rodden Lothskorn sat in his turret plotting who knew what. The man was an enigma. Why tell me to go home one moment and then construct an elaborate plan to force me into marriage the next? It didn’t make any sense.

  Unless it was to discredit me before the court. If he won and I refused him, everyone would know I’d gone back on my word, however unwittingly it had been given in the first place. No one would believe me after that if I accused him of spying for the enemy.

  Or – and this was an even more startling thought – he intended to marry me in order to hand me over to the Lharmellins.

  Whatever the reason, it didn’t originate from any affectionate feelings, I was certain.

  The sun was biting into my bare shoulders so I waded out of the water and mounted my horse. I let it set its own pace as we headed for the castle. I was in no hurry to get back.

  I had not gone fifty feet when a gnawing pain clawed at my back. I gasped and straightened, trying to work out what I imagined to be a knot. The pain grew worse, and five minutes later I was sweating profusely. Shaking, I slid from the horse’s back and pressed my face against its flank. The pain dimmed as I stood there, but when I started forward, it erupted again with greater violence. It felt like a thousand claws had dug into the flesh of my back. If I stepped backwards, there was no pain; forwards, and the agony began.

  I was no great judge of direction, but the coastline told me that behind lay true north, the direction of Lharmell.

  With tears springing into my eyes, I again mounted my horse. Burying my face in its sweet-smelling mane, I urged it onwards, south towards the palace.