Mike Shevdon - The Road to Bedlam

I took my jacket off and shook it over the doormat, earning a disapproving look from Geraldine. I hung it over the back of a chair at a table by the window and took the other seat.

Geraldine bustled up. "What'll it be?"

"Coffee, please. Filter will do."

She looked expectant, so I disappointed her further. "That's it, thanks."

Her walk as she returned to the kitchen said just what she thought of men who ordered only coffee when it was still officially lunchtime. A scalding mug of coffee was delivered moments later, making me wonder whether she had simply put a mug of this morning's dregs into the microwave. It was far too hot to drink, but I was in no hurry and the cafe was all but empty.

The windows of the cafe were steamy with condensation inside and running with rain outside, offering little in the way of a view. It left me to my thoughts: of the men and boats lost in storms like this one, of the girls and their different reasons for leaving the town, and of Blackbird. Where was she now? Where could she go that would be safe with Deefnir stalking her? The desire to follow her down to London was strong, but what would I do when I got there?

I was lost in thought and took no notice when the door juddered open again and slammed against the stop before being shunted carefully back into place.

Geraldine came forward and then hesitated.

"I'll have whatever he's having." The voice brought me out of my reverie.

"Raffmir."

"May I join you? I find the weather here quite inclement, even for this forsaken backwater."

I remembered Garvin's instruction to find out what he wanted. Then I remembered who it was I was talking to. "There are plenty of other tables."

"True, but I thought we might talk."

"About what?"

He sat opposite me, unconcerned by my rudeness.

"I was wondering whether you'd had an opportunity to consider my offer to assist you in the matter of your daughter's whereabouts," he said.

"Her whereabouts?"

"Oh, come. You're not still pretending you know where she is? Surely we're past that, aren't we?"

"I'm not sure what it is that we're supposed to be past. Why don't you tell me what you want and then you can go and find somewhere where the weather suits you better. I think Mars is supposed to be dry."

"You don't trust me. I understand that. I sympathise."

"Fuck off, Raffmir."

"No need to be abusive. I'm trying to help you."

"I neither want nor need your help."

"That's where you're wrong. You need my help more than anyone's. I'm the only one who can bring you to your daughter."

"You don't know where she is." It was a statement. I was calling his bluff.

"I know where she will be."

Geraldine appeared with another mug of coffee. This one was freshly made and smelled considerably better then the one I was drinking. He smiled at her as she leaned down to place it at the table for him and she hesitated, then blushed, and hurried back to the counter.

"Are you flirting with the staff?"

"Flirting? Good grief, no." He shook his head, then sampled his coffee and grinned at me.

Mine was still too hot to drink.

"How will you know where she is, Raffmir? You don't have any more idea than I do."

"Ah, then you admit you have lost her."

"Now who's playing games?"

"You are a hard man to help, Niall Petersen."

I sighed. "You're not helping me. Whatever it is you're doing, you have your own reasons for doing it and they do not involve helping me."

"That's where you're wrong. Hear me. Without me, your daughter will be lost to you. Without me, you will never reach her in time. Time is running out, Dogstar. Soon, you will have to make your choice."

"What choice?"

"The choice between obedience and duty, between honour and love."

"What are you talking about?"

"That time is fast approaching, but you need to trust me."

"Why should I trust you? What possible reason would I have?"

"Because I have sworn to see you unharmed. Because, despite your rudeness and your arrogance, I know you will do what's best. We are cousins, you and I. We are alike."

"I am not like you."

"We are more alike than you know."

"We killed your sister, Blackbird and I." It was a remark meant to taunt, and for a fraction of a second there was something in his eyes that looked like hate. It vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"It was the witch's hand that did the deed," he growled.

"It was her hand, but raised in my protection. Your sister would have killed me otherwise, trial or no trial, rules or no rules. You know it's true."

"I will not gainsay it." He drank carefully from his mug.

"So why would you help me? You owe me nothing, Raffmir, nor I you."

He stared out of the rain-smeared glass for a moment. "I cannot tell you why. You are right. There is more to this than can be seen, but hear me when I say this: your daughter's life hangs by a fragile thread. Her fate is intimately bound in with mine, I know this now. When I tell you that I am the only one who can help you recover your daughter, you know it's true. The lie would be obvious to you, were it otherwise."

"OK. But nothing is free, is it? What do you want in return?"

"For now? I need your silence. I am aware that Garvin and the other Warders will want to know what we have discussed. It is only natural that they will try and come between us. But if you want your daughter back, you must keep the subject of our discourse to yourself."

"What? No way…"

"Then you seal her fate. Will you do that, Niall Petersen?" He looked straight into my eyes and spoke levelly and calmly. "For as sure as you can hear the truth in my words, if you tell them, your daughter will die."

"Are you threatening her, Raffmir? Because if you are…"

Raffmir shook his head. "As always, Dogstar, you interpret my actions in their least favourable light, and quite unfairly, I might add. I have taken an oath that I will not harm your daughter and I intend to keep it. If you will only let me help you, I will see to it that you are reunited. How can I say fairer than that?"

"You could tell me what you're doing here."

"I did tell you. I'm trying to help you. There are things here that I am not at liberty to discuss, but I am not the only one who is holding things back."

"What does that mean?"

"Has Garvin told you how the negotiations are progressing?"

"In summary, yes."

"He's not mentioned any of the detail, then?"

"He doesn't normally discuss the inner workings of the High Court with me. I'm not his confidante."

"Even when those discussions concern you and yours?"

"What does that mean?"

"I am merely saying that while you are ostracised here in outer obscurity, negotiations are taking place that affect you and all the other mongrel fey. Did you never wonder why neither you nor any of the other half-breeds are part of those negotiations?"

"That's clever, Raffmir. Without directly saying anything you attempt to drive a wedge between me and the other Warders."

"Then why are you here?" He gestured through the rain-streaked window at the blurry harbour.

"I'm here because of you. Garvin's well aware that if I stayed at Court, you would create some sort of incident. It's just the sort of thing you would do."

"I am offended. Have I not sworn to see you unharmed?"

"Then call Deefnir off. He's out there somewhere, harassing Blackbird."

"Deefnir is not mine to command."

"How convenient."

"That still does not explain why you were sent all the way out here. If the purpose was to keep you away from me, we can both agree that it isn't working. Perhaps there is another reason."

"Garvin wouldn't lie to me."

"Neither would I. There would be no point. Can I suggest that the reason you are not in Court is because your very presence would prejudice the negotiations. With you there, it would be awkward to place certain options on the table."