Page 159 of The Death Wish

The hydra, a consummate professional so far as being seen and not heard was concerned, nodded emphatically. ‘Anything you wish for, your highness, my lord, ask and you shall receive. I am here for your every whim. Ever loyal, ever efficient, ever –’

Enoch held up his hand. ‘Thank you, Forneus. Let us leave these gentlemen to enjoy one another in whichever regard they see fit.’

‘Oh, they have very vigorous regard for each other, my lord,’ Forneus said, rather unnecessarily.

‘Purebreds are fond of vigorous regard, Forneus. Hence why I allow Vassago to retain his human form here.’

Three heads nodded. ‘Yes, my lord. I see the fortuitousness of that now. There could be no vigorous regard if his highness took his true form, could there?’

‘Well, there could be, but I doubt Mr Mercer would survive it.’ The Lord of Arcadia turned on his dirty heels. ‘Come along Scarlet, you promised to draw me a picture of that coat you say Mr Mercer is fond of, so it can be replicated.’

‘And the coblet, for his highness.’ Forneus’s multiple feet, or rather small black hooves, clicked against the stone.

‘I think you’ll find it’s called a corset, Forneus.’

‘Yes, my lord. Sounds dreadful, if I’m honest.’

‘Best you are not honest then, for your master has a taste for them, so Scarlet says.’

The wisp lifted from Pitch’s shoulder and executed a loop in the air, the streaks of their colours streaming out behind them. They darted straight at Enoch, slipping in under his smock, emerging a moment later.

Tottering with the load they carried.

Silas stared in astonishment at the wooden disks; a dirty white string dangling from between them. ‘The bandalore.’

‘And only that now, I’m afraid.’ Enoch settled his smock where Scarlet’s invasion caught it on the waist of his breeches. ‘I forgot I had it. Immortality is troublesome that way. Izanami wanted it passed to you. A memento.’

The wisp darted back to Silas, dropping it onto his outstretched hand. Scarlet gave them an imperious salute, and then zipped away, squeaking at Enoch’s ear as he walked them both out the door, humming with interest at whatever it was the wisp had to say. The lord left dirty footprints as he went.

Pitch and Silas stared down at the bandalore. Neither moved to touch it.

Forneus cleared his throat. ‘Right, well, is there anything that I can –’

‘Leave us,’ Pitch said. ‘Leave now.’

‘Excellent. Just pull on this chain here, if you need something, and I’ll –’

‘Forneus, go.’ Pitch was firm. ‘Thank you for your service, but do not disturb us the rest of this day. I wish to show my human some vigorous regard.’

Silas’s cheeks burned. Forneus rushed from the room, doing so at a backwards trot whilst bowing; impressive, considering all the limbs.

When he was gone, Silas said quietly, ‘You are not disappointed?’

‘About what?’

‘That I am only human.’ In truth, it did not feel so bad.

Pitch lifted the bandalore from Silas’s hand. ‘And that I don’t have to share you with Death any longer? That I’ll never again have to watch the anguish of lost souls consume you? Yes, terribly disappointed.’ He toyed with the bandalore’s thin silver string. ‘What of you? Are you disappointed, my dearest? Yourgoddess has been very gracious. But she wanted to gift you a life you have been denied…in your world, with your gardens to wander, and your kind to live amongst. Perhaps you imagine having a family, taking strolls in the sunshine, going to dinner parties and simply being mundane. You deserve as much. But you are trapped here in this tower, with me, and all this ridiculous talk of kingship. Arcadia is not simple, nor would a life here be. I understand if you wish to be returned to your world. To Charlie, and Edward, and all who loved you there. I will not resent you for it.’

He had begun flippantly, but by the end Pitch was so earnest, so obviously afraid, Silas’s heart ached. ‘Pitch…’

‘Yes?’

‘You are a dolt.’

Brows lifted, and that perfect cupid-bow mouth parted. He wriggled free of the blanket trappings. ‘That’s no way to speak to a King of Daemonkind.’

‘Lucky you are only a prince then.’