'Sweet,' cooed Lowe. 'I should wrestle you for that, but I find your defence of your fiancee heartening. Perhaps now you will see what a plain n.o.body that mortal girl really is.'

He stared at Luca, daring him to react, but Luca just breathed deeply, two pink spots appearing in his cheeks from the effort of not retaliating to his brother.

'Take Indigo,' he told him, when he felt calm enough to speak. 'I will walk back.'

Lowe rolled his eyes, pushing past Luca and grabbing hold of Indigo's reins. The horse skittered back nervously as he attempted to mount her, and she stared mournfully at Luca.

'Good girl.' Luca stroked her nose then patted her side to see her on her way.

With Lowe gone, Luca turned his attention to Raphael.

'How are you?' he asked awkwardly.

'Never better,' said Raphael, pushing his hair from his face and b.u.t.toning his shirt. 'Fully restored to good mental health and ready for duty!' He gave a comedy salute at Luca, who laughed a little nervously, wary of the boy.

Raphael stopped laughing and gave him a long look. 'You are ready to be married then?'

Luca kept his expression calm, answering in a stilted tone. 'Lila is a worthy bride. I'm lucky she has been chosen for me.'

Raphael chewed his lip, thoughtfully. 'But she is not the one you would have chosen for yourself?'

Luca cleared his throat. 'You more than anyone understand what is expected of us here.'

'Expected, yes ...' Raphael was about to continue his tack, but appeared to change his mind, straightening his shoulders. 'It is the mark of adulthood. Duty ... Selflessness.' He smiled a little too brightly at Luca. 'Celeste says it is a privilege and we should all be thankful.'

The boys locked eyes in what seemed to be an understanding.

'She is pretty enough.' Raphael kicked lightly at the ground.

Pretty, yes, thought Luca; a sweet, harmless, pretty girl.

'Great beauty is dangerous, Luca,' said Raphael, as though he had read his thoughts. 'Be glad that Lila doesn't stir jealousy in you. You can be safe in the knowledge that she will be devoted.'

The moment was intensely awkward, and heavily tinged with the memory of Jane. Raphael's manner unsettled Luca. He seemed a little emotional. Luca reminded himself that the boy was still recovering from his ... breakdown. He was anxious to change the subject.

But Raphael pushed further, daringly. 'You believe that the way of your elders is the right way?' He kept his eyes trained on Luca's. 'That all this is for a greater cause.'

Luca was careful not to betray his true feelings. 'I believe that we live here without conflict ... That breaking the fundamental rules of Nissilum those laid out by your family means we abuse that protection.'

'Ah. Protection.' A small tic appeared in Raphael's cheek. 'One thing I learned from the mortal world is that they live without that security ... In fact, they see the lack of protection as vital to building strength.'

Luca saw clearly the truth in his words, yet the thought of turning his back on all that his parents had given him, albeit in their own austere way, was too much.

'One thing,' Raphael added. 'Mortals live with lack of certainty except for death. They live with the knowledge that love may not last for ever.'

'No.' Somehow this fortified Luca. Gave value to what he was preparing to do. Jane may love him now ... if she still did. But he could not be sure that she always would. What then would he do, if he betrayed Henora and Ulfred and the Royal Seraphim? He would be alone, outcast. His act of rebellion for nothing.

'I feel that there is reward in not giving in to the sliver of weakness that exists in us all here. The reward is satisfaction in being selfless the knowledge that you have given to others ... self-sacrifice,' Luca said, after a pause.

'And life here goes on for ever and ever ...' Raphael murmured, in a miserable tone. 'That sacrifice never ends.'

Luca frowned.

'Ignore my melancholic ramblings,' Raphael said, recovering himself. 'I am questioning everything. It is no doubt connected to the weight of dubious responsibility I will have soon.'

Luca's head was too full of profound discussion to pick up on the odd meaning in Raphael's words. He planned to walk off the conversation, never to return to it.

'I had better get home,' he said.

'Of course,' said Raphael, turning away. Already Luca was dimissed from his thoughts.

Luca started to walk away but something made him hesitate. He turned back to Raphael, who was staring after him, a strange intense look on his face.

Raphael couldn't see him, Luca realised. He was looking straight through him. As Luca watched, Raphael shut his eyes, wincing as though he was in pain. Even from this distance his face was tense.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

'Where are we?' I whispered, struggling to see in the dark. 'It's like the middle of the night.'

'Hmm.' Soren squinted, crouching on his knees, looking over the low stone wall we had appeared in front of. 'My timing was not perfect. It does seem to be late.' He put both hands on the wall and leaned out into the pitch black.

I shivered, pulling my jacket closer around me. 'Is it winter here?'

'No,' he sighed. 'It's late. The temperature drops at night.'

I ignored the patronising tone to his voice. 'Well, what good is it arriving when everyone is asleep?'

'We wait,' he said calmly, 'until the morning.'

'Excuse me, but I have a really nice, warm bed back home,' I grumbled, 'which I could be making good use of right now.'

'Stop whining,' said Soren, but with a half-smile. 'I thought you were the tough mountain girl?'

'Soren,' I said, careful to keep the whinge out of my voice, 'do you have a plan? Somewhere civilised we can go?'

'I am thinking,' he said. 'Please be patient.'

I slumped against the wall, pulling my socks further up my legs. 'Well, let me know when you have thought,' I replied dryly.

Finally Soren dropped down again, rubbing his hands together.

'OK, I have friends here. Of course, it is impossible for me to go back east where I was born. But I do have some ... acquaintances here. Fortunately they don't sleep at night ... In fact, this is when they are most awake.'

I stared at him. 'Please say that again but in a way that makes sense.'

'Well,' he said carefully, 'I don't want you to be alarmed. I am sure you have been told many exaggerated stories about my friends. But they are decent, really ... And they have always been good to me-'

'Soren,' I cut in, 'please get to the point before I die of cold.'

'The Borgias,' he said. 'Vanya Borgia and her-'

I gaped at him. 'Vanya? You can't be serious? She's a vampire!'

'She would never hurt you. For one thing she would respect any friend of mine. For another, this is Nissilum. There is no danger here.'

'I know what Vanya's capable of!' I hissed, before an uneasy thought occurred to me. 'You haven't been lying to me, have you?'

Soren frowned. Even in the darkness I saw his black eyes flash.

'Of course not,' he said emphatically. 'Honestly, Vanya and Valdar are old friends of mine.'

'Well, they're not my friends,' I said. 'She tried to ... well, she knows I am mortal.'

'Yes, yes.' Soren waved a hand dismissively. 'She knows who you are. She knows I am bringing you here.'

'Soren,' I said, agitated, 'I don't like the sound of this. Vampires and werewolves don't get on ... Vanya hates Luca. Will you stop being so flippant!'

'She doesn't hate Luca.' Soren sighed. 'Or you. Vanya was overwhelmed by you when she met you. She has lived here for so long ... Been abstinent for all that time. It was a temporary lapse.'

I shook my head, recalling the last time I'd seen Vanya. How she'd very nearly seduced me.

'I don't trust her. And I don't trust you either.' I was beginning to shake now. 'I've changed my mind.' I stared at him, wondering already if it was too late.

'Please,' he said, softly now, 'I understand why you might be afraid. I apologise. I didn't think.' His black eyes looked dewy as he stared imploringly at me. 'The Borgias took care of me one year when I made the journey here for the Great Ball. Years ago. I was alone and nervous and they took me in.'

I said nothing. I thought of Luca and me dancing, the night of the Great Ball; his soft green eyes, the feel of his arms around my waist.

'I think they see me as a little brother of sorts ...' Soren went on.

'But-'

'But no one will hurt you when I am around. I would not let that happen.'

He gently took hold of my hand. 'I will take you home now. I can see I have not been sensitive.'

Above us the sky was growing lighter. I thought for a moment.

'No.' I sighed. 'I said I would come back with you once. And now I'm here.'

The rustle of an animal nearby made us both tense.

'Come.' Soren took my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. 'Let's go.'

'Please.' Vanya held out a bottle of something dark and dubious-looking. 'More juice.'

Soren and I had arrived at her grand house and been greeted as long-lost friends as though Soren was part of her family. We were sitting in a dimly lit, stone-walled kitchen at a vast wooden table.

I shook my head, avoiding eye contact. 'Thanks, but I'm fine.'

She smirked at Soren. 'She's no fun. I told you, didn't I?'

Soren half smiled, but his eyes flickered rea.s.suringly towards me. 'Jane is wary of you, Vanya,' he said. 'I must say I don't blame her.'

'Oh, darling.' Vanya pouted. 'Not you too.' She rolled her eyes, putting the bottle noisily on the table in front of him. 'I have so little fun in my life. I at least thought you would join me.'

Soren picked up the bottle and poured himself a drink. 'There,' he said. 'Happy now?'

Vanya settled herself on the trestle bench by the table. 'So,' she said, with a sigh. 'That boy of yours has turned his back on you. I should have warned you about that.'

I shrugged. 'I should have known.'

'These wolves ...' she said, considering her words. 'They're a stubborn breed.' She patted me on the shoulder and her hand felt cold through my clothes. I edged subtly away from her.

Soren cleared his throat. 'Jane needs a.s.surance from you that she is not in danger,' he prompted.

Vanya sighed, pressing her palms together. 'My weakness is my strength,' she murmured. 'But, of course, Soren. Jane is safe.'

She smiled broadly at me. 'I pity you, dear. Luca has embroiled you in all sorts of strange goings on ... and now he has deserted you.'

I kept my expression steady, but her words brought back a painful reminder.

'But together we can see if something can be done,' she went on thoughtfully. 'For both of you.'

Soren dropped his head, drawing his beaker towards him.

'Soren has been banished from this place,' she told me. 'He has to sneak about from this world and yours. But here, with Valdar and myself, he will always be welcome.' Her hand stole out and took hold of Soren's. 'As will his friends.'

I smiled tightly. Something didn't feel quite right, but then I was tired. Vanya seemed harmless enough tonight, but I was beginning to feel hopeless about Soren's plan. I didn't want Luca through subterfuge. I wanted him to be with me because he wanted to be. As horrible as it was to think of losing him for good, I wasn't sure I had it in me to steal him away from Lila.

'Well, I do have some news.' Vanya spoke. 'That fiancee of Luca's has gone back to her family. She will return in a few weeks for the wedding.'

Soren looked hopeful. 'She is East?'

'Now, darling,' Vanya purred, 'don't go getting any ideas about going after her. You'll only make her more determined to marry him. I hear she is besotted ...'

I looked sympathetically at Soren, but he seemed to be taking that bit of news quite stoically. His eyes slid over to Vanya and locked with hers. The look that pa.s.sed between them seemed loaded. But within seconds he turned his attention to me.

'Lila is a complex girl,' he told me. 'And a slave to her family's code of honour. It doesn't surprise me that she has convinced herself that she is in love with Luca.'

Why wouldn't she be? I thought to myself. Luca was everything I wanted. Why wouldn't Lila feel the same?

Mindful of hurting Soren's feelings, I gave him a weak smile.