Simon Green - The Man with the Golden Torc

"There is one obvious answer," Molly said. "Set them both at each other’s throats."

"No," I said immediately. "I won’t be responsible for starting a war. Too many innocents would die, caught in the cross fire. And not everyone in my family is dirty. Some of them are good people, fighting the good fight not out of family duty but just because they believe it’s the right thing to do."

"If you say so," said Molly.

It was my turn to consider her thoughtfully. "I couldn’t help noticing, Molly, that you’ve been very…reticent today. Holding back, as it were. None of your usual wild magics in any of our battles. In fact, you’ve let me do most of the hard work."

She grinned. "I was wondering when you’d notice. I’ve been watching you in action, Eddie. Seeing what you can do. Trying to get a handle on who you really are. I’ve hated and fought the Droods most of my life, and with good reason. They killed my parents when I was just a child."

"I’m sorry," I said. "I didn’t know."

"I never found out why. Droods aren’t big on explaining their actions. That’s how Truman was able to snare me so easily…But you were always different, Eddie. I’ve fought a dozen different Drood agents in my time, but you…you were the only one who ever fought clean. You’ve always…intrigued me, Eddie."

"I love it when a woman talks dirty," I said.

We were leaning towards each other when the barge’s proximity alarm went off, a silent crimson light that filled the cabin. I gestured urgently for Molly to be quiet and rose quickly to turn off the CD player. Outside, the wind was howling with a voice not all its own. I turned off the crimson warning light with a sharp gesture and dropped down beside Molly again. I put my mouth right next to her ear.

"Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t do anything. Something’s out there. And my security alarms wouldn’t flare up like that unless there was something really nasty in the vicinity."

"Looking for us?" said Molly, barely breathing the words.

"Seems likely. But it’s not my family. That would set off an entirely different alarm."

"You got any weapons on this boat?"

"No. And no defences either. That’s the point of this place; nothing to attract any attention. It’s supposed to be right off the map. Nothing for any enemy to detect."

We listened to the wind raging. The cabin was rising and falling jerkily now, as the waters were disturbed. The temperature dropped sharply. My breath steamed on the air, mixing with Molly’s.

"What do you think it is?" Molly whispered.

"Could be any number of really bad things. I’ve made some serious enemies in my time. Probably think I’m vulnerable, now my family’s disowned me."

"But you’ve got your armour, and I’ve got my spells…"

"No. If we give away our position we’ll have to go on the run again. And I’m running out of safe places to hide. Keep your head down and stay close to me. Just being this close to my torc should hide you too."

We sat silently together as the barge shook and shuddered and the wind howled like a living thing. One by one the storm lamps guttered and went out so that a darkening gloom filled the cabin, as though there was something close that could not abide light and warmth. I could feel the presence of something horribly other drawing inexorably closer, something fierce and foul, like a thorn in my soul. I was shivering now, and so was Molly, and not just from the bitter cold that penetrated the cabin. Something was looking for us, something dangerous to our bodies and our souls, and it was perilously close. I took Molly in my arms, and she held me tightly. Whether I held her to bring her closer to the torc, or just out of a desperate need for human contact, I couldn’t say.

I could have armoured up. I was pretty sure my armour would protect me from whatever was outside. But using such a strong magic would have given away my position immediately. And Molly would have been left unprotected.

The presence outside finally moved on, and the night went back to normal. The wind fell away to murmurs, and the barge stopped rocking as the waters stilled. The storm lamps popped back on, one by one, and light and warmth slowly filled the cabin again. Molly started to pull away from me, and I immediately let go of her. She shook her head slowly, and then stretched theatrically.

"God, I’m tired. Don’t get any ideas, Eddie. We’re allies on this case, nothing more."

"Of course," I said. "I need to get some sleep. Would you like me to fix some hot chocolate before we turn in?"

"Hot chocolate sounds very good," she said. "But where, exactly, are we turning in? How many beds do you have here?"

"Just the one," I said. "In the bedroom at the far end. You can crash there, and I’ll put some blankets on the floor here."

"My perfect gentle knight," said Molly, smiling.

I made two mugs of steaming hot chocolate in the tiny galley, and we sat together and talked about nothing in particular for a while. Just winding down, from a long, hard day. Finally we both started yawning, Molly’s eyelids drooped heavily, and she went to sleep right there on the couch. I rescued the mug from her slowly relaxing fingers and put it to one side. The sleeping draught I’d put in her mug had worked fine, disguised by the heavy taste of the chocolate. It wasn’t that I entirely mistrusted her, but we had tried to kill each other too many times, and I needed to feel safe while I slept.

I picked Molly up and carried her into the small enclosed bedroom at the far end of the barge. I laid her out carefully on the bed and undid a few buttons at her throat. She moved slowly in her sleep, murmuring like a dreaming child. I started to sort out a few spare blankets to sleep on, but I was just too tired. And the bed was plenty big enough for two. I stretched out beside her. Molly was already snoring gently. No doubt she’d have a few harsh words to say when she woke up in the morning…but that could wait.

My bed fit me like a glove, and sleep had never felt so good.

I was dreaming. A great voice spoke in my mind, saying: I can help you, if only you’ll let me. There’s no end to the things we might achieve together, you and I. I am the answer to all your questions, and all your problems. Just stop fighting me.

I wanted to believe the voice. I really did. But I’ve never been able to trust anyone apart from me. The family saw to that.

I woke up with a knife at my throat. Molly was sitting astride my chest and not in a good way. She was leaning right over me, the edge of her silver dagger pressing just hard enough into my throat to cut the skin. It stung, more irritating than painful, but I could feel a slow trickle of blood coursing down the side of my neck. I decided to lie very still. Molly’s face hung right above mine, red with rage, but her eyes were cold as ice. Her hand was very steady, for the moment, the razor-sharp edge resting just above my Adam’s apple. And I’d been having such a good dream too. I gave Molly my very best polite smile.

"Good morning, Molly. Sleep well?"

"You drugged me, you bastard! Did you think I wouldn’t notice? And you slept in the same bed as me after all that nonsense about blankets on the floor!"

"Yes," I said carefully. "I slept in the same bed as you. Emphasis on the word slept. You needed a good night’s sleep, and so did I, so I just…helped things along a little."

Molly’s scowl deepened, becoming actually dangerous. "You drugged me. Do you really expect me to ever trust you again after this? You could have done anything to me while I was asleep!"

"Yes," I said. "I could have. But I didn’t. Still, you shouldn’t take it personally. I was very tired. I’m sure I’ll do better next time."