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Chapter Thirty-Two: The Hunter
Ilyria woke to a soft hand stroking her hair. She smiled her contentment as her eyelids fluttered open. “Astra- ..”
Miasma, who had been leaning over her, pulled back. “Oh,” she said, then she grinned, “You have been dreaming, Kitten.”
Ilyria, disappointed and angry at herself for her disappointment, rolled over grumpily. “Go away, Mia.”
Instead, Miasma climbed onto the cushion behind her and snuggled into her back. “I love the dream ones the best,” she said with a sigh, “Will you tell me about him?” but before Ilyria could tell her it was none of her business, Miasma had launched into her own story of her dream suitor who was not at all how Ilyria had pictured he would be. She turned back around so she could face Miasma who was happily continuing. She had lain on her back and was gesturing with her hands to show this handsome prince of a man who was short and a little bit round and very hairy and who was just so funny and who adored Miasma, “…and I think wha
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Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Three: Lost Cities and Living Relics
“Not who, my sweet,” said Nicos, then laughed when his brother growled at him not to call his woman that. He grew serious again. “Not who. What.” “The relics left by the the old Magoses,” guessed Ilyria, “The parts of themselves that they left behind. Is that it?” “Yes,” said Nicos. “The relics. If the evil Magos …” “Zlo,” said Ilyria. Each time she said its name, it became a little less terrifying to her. It had been a man called Zlo. Men can be defeated. “Yes,” said Nicos, understanding, “Zlo. If Zlo finds these relics, when the Twin Moon rises, he will have absolute control of the unnatural forces. He will have all the power of the old Magoses as well as his own. It will be a fire that consumes everything in its path.” “Enough!” said Madame Skia, rising and shaking out her skirts. “These stories are only terrifying my girls. We have work to do,” she said, “We need to plan our defense.” “But,” said Ilyria, thinking of Dirk slumped in
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Thirty-Four: The Toad-man and the Prisoner
Ilyria didn’t bother with the ‘how-did-you-do-that?’ questions. Her experiences since she had left her mother’s mansion had shown her that there was so much she did not understand that it was probably better to begin by assuming that anything was possible. The ascetic had arrived in Ilyria's glamour which was simultaneously the street outside the House of Madame Skia in Idixat and Astrapi’s aerie. “What do you want now, ascetic,” said Astrapi. He sounded wary rather than angry. Ilyria looked at him, confused by his reaction but he would not meet her eyes. “The child must come with me,” she said, “There is information about the Mogul’s whereabouts.” “Tell us here,” said Astrapi. “I cannot do that, Lightning Bird and you know why,” said the ascetic. They held out their arm, “Come, Ilyria.” They repeated. Ilyria hesitated. “I have to go,” she said to Astrapi but he was already turning away. “Then go,” he said, striding away and as he did,
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Five: The Woman in the Desert
Zlo stood aside for her to enter. Ilyria felt numb. What had Madame Skia said? That there were few certainties, all they could do was to stand together and protect each other. Her mother swayed in the hall and Ilyria’s heart could not hold on to the anger she felt for her. Not with true evil standing directly before her. She walked past Zlo into the entrance hall with as much confidence as she could fake. The door clanged shut behind them and Ilyria felt a buzzing under her skin as the enchantment took hold. She tried to concentrate on her mother. She thought she saw her lift her head, the pale and glassy eyes almost-focus on her then slide away. Zlo brushed past her and she shuddered. It stank of Dirk’s rotting flesh which it seemed unable to cast it off. Its own calloused grey hide showed through where Dirk’s skin had stretched too tight or torn. She felt her sanity slip. My mother, she reminded herself, she will know what happened to the traveller. What tr
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Six: The Enchanted House
Ilyria was still a street away from the House of Madame Skia when she was forced to stop running by a crowd milling about in the street. She was out of breath and sweating and used her frustration to propel herself forward, bumping and pushing past people with her head lowered and muttering half-hearted excuse-mes as she went. As she neared the House, the crowd thinned and she understood why when she took a breath and coughed out a lungful of chariko. A thick fog of the spice surrounded the House. Those who were close to the House looked dazed and happy but tended to wander away, having lost interest in what had drawn them there in the first place. Light pulsed from the House, emanating from the courtyard at its centre. She guessed this was what had attracted the crowd. The chariko and the light were alarming enough. The complete silence that enveloped the House felt worse somehow. It was an absence of sound like black is the absence of color. She h
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Seven: Sisters
“No,” said Ilyria, “It’s a mistake. You must be wrong.” The ascetic shook her head. “Think about it, Ilyria. You will know the truth yourself.” Ilyria remembered the Princess’s enchantment. Walking along the cold cave, dripping with condensation, the markings hewn into the walks gleaming with ancient silver, the story that could only be understood when looking away from the sigils, and at the center, two beings. A Magos and a Lightning Bird. But enchantments were not reality. “What if you are being deliberately misled,” she said, “What if this is what Zlo wants you to believe?” There was the slap of bare footsteps on the stone and they all three turned to see Bonbon running toward them. Her eyes were wild with panic. “Thassa! Nicos!” she was calling as she went, looking helplessly around her. “Where are they? Madame Skia have you seen them? Have you seen my Thassa?” Madame Skia hushed her. “Bonbon,” she said, “Be calm now,” the
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Eight: Man and Monster
“There is more,” said Ilyria, “The Mogul was disguised. My mother was convinced that he was a woman—in fact, an Orenian spy.” She watched as Nicos, Madame Skia and the ascetic exchanged glances. “It would make sense,” said Nicos, He stood, folded his arms and began pacing. “It would make sense if he knew about the place of the three stars, Utzed,” Ilyria heard the sharp intake of breath from Madame Skia. Nicos stopped pacing. “Skia, we must say its name. She must know. We will even have to help her find it.” Skia shook her head but to Ilyria’s surprised her response was the opposite. “Yes I know that’s true,” she said, “But we have to help her.” “How,” said the ascetic, “None of us can accompany her. You and I, Skia, we cannot leave here or our lives will be forfeit. You know that. Nicos would not survive.” “I’ll…ow!” said Thassa as Bonbon punched him in the arm. He rubbed his arm and looked at her. It was strange to see Thassa’s scarred face,
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Journey and a Companion
Ilyria turned to look back at the gates of the city. She had to hold tight to the horn of the saddle beneath her as the unfamiliar sway of the camel threatened to unseat her at every moment. Sand stung her eyes and she faced frontward again, wrapping her head scarf around her face. The tears were from the sting of the sand, nothing more, she told herself. At each moment during the days of preparation for her journey, she had hoped—even expected—that Astrapi would come to her, asking her forgiveness and offering her an explanation that would allow her to let go of her betrayal and anger. Yet he had remained infuriatingly away. Skia, Thassa, Nicos and Bonbon were trying to help Ilyria find her way to Utzed. Each time they presented her with a new idea, they would preface it with “If only one of us could be with you …” until she could no longer bear it and told them that even if they had been able to be with her, she wouldn’t want it. This outburst seemed to set their m
Ilyria and the Lightning Bird Chapter Forty: A Desert Night
Ilyria knew that she should not sleep. So she picked at dinner, conscious of not eating so much that she would grow drowsy. Her belly growled in complaint but after carefully positioning the bag with the cloud silks and the kitten over her shoulder, she decided to go looking for the merchant. The other travellers were rolling out bedding on the cooling desert sands, keeping close to the fire. The kindly, hairy man who had alerted her to her moving bag was sprinkling a glowing blue dust around the bedding of his a pair of tussling small boys while a woman Ilyria assumed to be his wife looked on with sad, tired eyes. The blue dust glittered in the desert dusk. He saw her looking. “It is Zaraqi dust,” he said, “It will keep away most things that bite.” He grinned and held out the bag to her, “Here, there is a little left.” She hesitated, not wanting to take advantage of the man’s kindness but his wife nodded once at her and gave her a smile that was about as ti
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