The Lake of Souls. Darren Shan

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СКАЧАТЬ faces and clothes. We ended up outside the city, in a small forest, where Evanna had prepared a camp amidst the trees. At her offer, we sat and tucked into the berries, roots and water she’d set out for us.

      We ate silently. I found myself studying the witch, wondering why she was here — if she’d really come to say goodbye to Mr Crepsley, she’d have gone down to where his body lay in the pit. Evanna was Mr Tiny’s daughter. He had created her by mixing the blood of a vampire with that of a wolf. Vampires and vampaneze were barren – we couldn’t have children – but Evanna was supposed to be able to bear a child by a male of either clan. When we met her shortly after setting out to hunt the Vampaneze Lord, she’d confirmed Mr Tiny’s prophecy – that we’d have four chances to kill the Lord – and added the warning that if we failed, two of us would die.

      Vancha finished eating first, sat back and burped. “Speak,” he snapped — he wasn’t in the mood for formalities.

      “You’re wondering how many chances you’ve used up,” Evanna said directly. “The answer is — three. The first was when you fought the vampaneze in the glade and let their Lord escape. The second, when you discovered Steve Leonard was a half-vampaneze and took him hostage — although you had several opportunities to kill him, they count as one. The third chance was when Larten faced him on the platform above the pit of stakes.”

      “That means we still have a shot at him!” Vancha hissed excitedly.

      “Yes,” Evanna said. “Once more the hunters will face the Vampaneze Lord, and on that occasion the future will be decided. But that confrontation will not come in the near future. Steve Leonard has withdrawn to plot anew. For now, you may relax.”

      The witch turned to me and her expression softened. “It might not lighten your load,” she said kindly, “but Larten’s soul has flown to Paradise. He died nobly and earned the reward of the righteous. He is at rest.”

      “I’d rather he was here,” I said miserably, gazing at the leaves of an overhanging tree, waiting for tears which still wouldn’t come.

      “What about the rest of the vampaneze?” Alice asked. “Are any of them still in my city?”

      Evanna shook her head. “All have fled.”

      “Will they return?” Alice asked, and by the glint in her eyes I saw she was half hoping they would, so she could settle a few scores.

      “No.” Evanna smiled. “But I think it’s safe to say that you will run into them again.”

      “I’d better,” Alice growled, and I knew she was thinking of Morgan James, an officer of hers who’d joined the vampets. They were human allies of the vampaneze, who shaved their heads, daubed blood around their eyes, sported V tattoos above their ears, and dressed in brown uniforms.

      “Is the nightmare over then?” Debbie asked, wiping her dark cheeks clean. The teacher had fought like a tigress in the tunnels, but the events of the night had caught up with her and she was shivering helplessly.

      “For you — for now,” Evanna answered cryptically.

      “What does that mean?” Debbie frowned.

      “You and the Chief Inspector can choose to distance yourselves from the War of the Scars,” Evanna said. “You can return to your ordinary lives and pretend this never happened. If you do, the vampaneze won’t come after you again.”

      “Of course we’ll return to our lives,” Alice said. “What else can we do? We’re not vampires. We don’t have any further part to play in their war.”

      “Perhaps,” Evanna said. “Or perhaps you’ll think differently when you’ve had time to reconsider. You’ll return to the city – you need time to reflect, and you have affairs to put in order – but whether or not you’ll choose to stay…” Evanna’s eyes flicked over Vancha, Harkat and me. “And where do you three wish to go?”

      “I’m continuing after that monster, Leonard,” Vancha said immediately.

      “You may if you wish,” Evanna shrugged, “but you’ll be wasting your time and energy. Moreover, you will jeopardize your position. Although you are fated to confront him again, it’s not written in stone — by pursuing him now, you might miss the final destined showdown.”

      Vancha cursed bitterly, then asked Evanna where she suggested he should go.

      “Vampire Mountain,” she said. “Your clan should be told about the Vampaneze Lord. They must not kill him themselves – that rule still applies – but they can scout for him and point you in the right direction.”

      Vancha nodded slowly. “I’ll call a temporary end to the fighting and set everyone searching for him. I’ll flit for Vampire Mountain as soon as night falls. Darren – are you and Harkat coming?”

      I looked at my fellow Prince, then down at the hard brown earth of the forest floor. “No,” I said softly. “I’ve had all I can take of vampires and vampaneze. I know I’m a Prince and have duties to attend to. But I feel like my head’s about to explode. Mr Crepsley meant more to me than anything else. I need to get away from it all, maybe for a while — maybe for ever.”

      “It’s a dangerous time to cut yourself off from those who care for you,” Vancha said quietly.

      “I can’t help that,” I sighed.

      Vancha was troubled by my choice, but he accepted it. “I don’t approve – a Prince should put the needs of his people before his own – but I understand. I’ll explain it to the others. Nobody will trouble you.” He cocked an eyebrow at Harkat. “I suppose you’ll be going with him?”

      Harkat lowered the mask from his mouth (air was poisonous to the grey-skinned Little People) and smiled thinly. “Of course.” Mr Tiny had resurrected Harkat from the dead. Harkat didn’t know who he used to be, but he believed he could find out by sticking with me.

      “Where will you go?” Vancha asked. “I can find you using the Stone of Blood, but it’ll be easier if I have a rough idea of where you’re heading.”

      “I don’t know,” I said. “I’ll just pick a direction and…” I stopped as a picture flashed through my thoughts, of circus vans, snake-boys and hammocks. “The Cirque Du Freak,” I decided. “It’s the nearest place outside Vampire Mountain that I can call home.”

      “A good choice,” Evanna said, and by the way her lips lifted at the edges, I realized the witch had known all along that I’d choose to return to the Cirque.

      We went our separate ways as the sun was setting, even though we hadn’t slept and were ready to drop with exhaustion. Vancha departed first, on his long trek to Vampire Mountain. He said little when leaving, but hugged me hard and hissed in my ear, “Be brave!”

      “You too,” I whispered back.

      “We’ll kill Leonard next time,” he vowed.

      “Aye,” I grinned weakly.

      He turned and ran, hitting flitting speed seconds later, vanishing into the gloom of the dusk.

      Debbie and Alice left next, to return to the city. СКАЧАТЬ