Page 49 of The Death Wish

‘How can you bloody tell? This mist is worsening.’ The landscape was a white blur. On the occasion that it shifted, they saw themselves surrounded by rolling hills, endless sweeps, rising ever upwards, the occasional flock of sheep showing as whiter blobs amongst the milky scenery.

‘Do you think an elemental assists us?’

‘No. I think this just a fine example of dismal English weather.’ Pitch wiped at his nose where moisture beaded. ‘Now, truly, if we are talking of keeping things from one another, perhaps you’d like to elaborate on your mood?’

‘There is nothing to my mood.’

‘Fine. There was nothing to the return of the simurgh, either.’

‘Pitch.’ The single word dropped hard, like the clang of a grandfather clock, resolute and dominate. And all at once it seemed completely ridiculous to carry on the charade. Besides, the ankou would chew his ear off for the rest of this journey if Pitch did not open up now.

‘I don’t feel well. There you go. I feel quite shitty, in fact. And having the Cultivation return hurt like all the fucking hells…’ He paused to take a breath. Scarlet gave him a pat from inside their pocket hiding place. ‘I think the damage done to the simurgh is partly to blame. The ruined claw was not the most pleasant of things to absorb.’

The reunion had been harsh enough, but he’d not been prepared for how awful he’d feel after it was done. He felt as though he’d eaten bad oysters, truth be told.

Silas said nothing for a while, merely nestled in closer, and brought his arms in with a firmer embrace.

‘Thank you.’

‘For what? Feeling like a dog’s breakfast? Your fetishes are not what I expected.’

He felt rather than heard Silas’s amusement, something in the shift of the man’s broad shoulders. ‘Of course not, my lovely fool. Thank you for telling me.’

‘Well, you were being tiresome. It seemed the best way to shut you up.’

Scarlet jabbed at him–with a bulbous finger, he hoped–and Silas’s breath huffed against his ear.

‘You are so thoughtful.’

Charlie twisted in the saddle. ‘I can barely see the road, I’m worried I shall miss the turn off.’

As if to accentuate the remark, a particularly dense buffet of mist swept across the road. There was hardly anything left to be seen of either Charlie or the brown horse.

Pitch was hardly surprised when Silas sucked in his breath.

‘It’s alright Silas, he’s only a few strides ahead.’

‘No…it’s not that.’ He bit the words between his teeth, and jerked at the reins. Lalassu lifted off her front feet, and veered sharply to one side. Pitch lunged for a fuller handful of her mane, instinct pushing him, despite the fact there was no fear he’d fall, with the horse’s mane pinning his legs, and Silas steady behind him. ‘I just need a moment, Lalassu, release me.’

Freed of the mare’s bracing hold, Silas swung his leg over her rump and dismounted.

‘Silas? Are you all right?’ Pitch struggled to free himself too, but Lalassu was being damned slow about it. ‘Come on, you little shit. Let me down.’

‘No. Hold him, Lalassu.’ Silas leaned forward, bracing his hands to his knees. ‘We’ll carry on in just a moment. I’m fine…I’ll be fine…I just need to catch my breath. They are terrible to listen to.’

The countryside could not have been any quieter.

‘Is this something to do with what Herbert said to you, before we left?’ Pitch demanded. ‘Who are you hearing, Silas? It’s not what the Herlequin did to you again, is it?’

Silas shook his head, his dark curls like heavy curtains concealing his face. ‘No. This is not manipulation. And I am not afraid.’

‘Then what do you hear?’

The ankou straightened. It still astonished Pitch how grand the man was. Every day he seemed greater, more imposing. ‘All of them. All of the dead.’

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SILAS HADnot lied about being unafraid, but hewasoverwhelmed. The warning Izanami had sent him, through the child Herbert, had hardly been sufficient.