Unfortunately, this wish was not to be granted, because the meeting continued for some time, as various tribe leaders stood up to say their piece. Moon wished he and Tyson could just slip away, but that was impossible because of where they were sitting. Eventually, however, Tharmifex brought proceedings to a close and hara began to leave the site.

Swift came to Cal's side again. 'Where will you go now?' he asked.

'To Immanion,' Cal said. 'Well, in a day or so. Just a few things I need to finish here... meeting hara and so on.'

'You know you're welcome in Galhea whenever you want to visit,' Swift said.

Cal laughed. 'I think we need to give Seel a little more time before planning holidays.'

'Nothing is impossible. We've seen that.'

'There will be no reunion,' Cal said, 'but tolerance might one day be possible. And empathy, of course. Can't forget empathy.'

Swift smiled and slapped Cal on the arm. 'Be well, my friend. Please stay in touch close touch.'

Cal nodded and embraced Swift closely for some moments, watched from a distance by Seel, who was clearly far from happy.

'Well,' Cal said to Moon and Tyson, 'you should go back to Galhea too. Come to Immanion in a couple of months. I want to talk with you.'

'We'll come with you now if you wish,' Tyson said.

'No, Cobweb will need you. Who knows what you'll find back home? Some rebuilding will be required, I think.'

'We'll go to Imbrilim first,' Swift said. 'It'll take Cobweb a while to get back to Forever. There are a few things I want to attend to with the Gelaming before returning home. I want you with me, Ty. Your f.e.c.kless days are over. You are now a Parsic power. Get used to it.'

Tyson's shoulders slumped. 'If you insist.'

Cal laughed. 'I hope we all see each other again soon, regardless. I too have unfinished business to attend to.'

At that moment, somehar spoke behind him, in a soft, low-pitched voice. 'Tiahaar Calanthe...'

Moon turned at the same time Cal did, and saw that the voice belonged to Galdra har Freyh.e.l.la. Up close, he was stunning to look at.

Cal's body visibly stiffened. 'Tiahaar,' he said. 'You are returning to Freygard now?'

'Yes,' Galdra said. 'I am.' He paused. 'You spoke well. I'm glad you're back.'

'Thank you,' Cal said. 'I appreciate your words, although under the circ.u.mstances, there is little else to be said. You had your moment, tiahaar. Remember it fondly.'

Hara had begun to move away from Galdra and Cal, no doubt driven by embarra.s.sment.

'Yes,' Galdra said coldly. 'I had a moment, as you put it. And you need have no fear that I'll forget it. You are in your place, and I am in mine. I am content with that.' With these words, he bowed and then walked away, signalling to his hara to follow him.

'That was cryptic,' Tyson said.

Cal stared after Galdra. He said nothing.

Chapter Forty-Three.

As Lianvis har Kakkahaar advised, Tharmifex had arranged for Peridot to transport Pellaz back to Immanion almost immediately. After only a few hours, Pellaz had recovered physically, but had still felt dazed, confused and lethargic. Because of his condition, Tharmifex had travelled beside him, guiding both Peridot and his own sedu. Once the sedim had broken through into a balmy Almagabran evening, Pellaz had collapsed. It seemed the otherlane jump had used up the last of his energy. The time allowed for his recovery in Megalithica had been too brief. Tharmifex had taken the Tigron directly to the infirmary.

Now, two days later, Pellaz still lay in an infirmary bed, under strict instructions from Sheeva not to move. He was not badly injured, but his etheric body had taken a battering. To help it recover, his physical body must have total rest for at least a week. Pellaz felt numb, yet at the same time ached with a strange kind of grief that was so pa.s.sionate it was almost pleasurable. Now that the conflict was over, he half expected Cal to disappear into some other realm again. Why hadn't Cal been to see him immediately? Pellaz knew, because Tharmifex had told him, that Cal had been present at the Grissecon site. He knew what Cal had done there. Maybe, because of what he'd seen, Cal had no intention of coming home. Pellaz had sought to punish both Galdra and himself. At the time he'd really wanted Galdra to stop his heart. The moment he'd seen Cal in Fulminir was the moment he'd realised how much he'd betrayed Cal. He had allowed himself to fall in love with somehar else, and surely that was impossible? Cal was his life, his soul mate. The conflicting feelings made no sense. All Pellaz knew was that he hadn't questioned why Galdra hadn't been to see him. Whatever they felt for one another, it was over. It had to be, whether Cal returned to Immanion or not.

Pellaz sighed deeply, staring out of the window at the infirmary gardens. He listened to the sounds his body made, which were loud in his ears: the beat of his heart, the gurglings of his gut, the sigh of his breath. Sheeva had been to see him only half an hour before, and had left him alone to digest some rather startling information.

Pellaz sensed he was being watched and turned his head, a movement which made his eyes ache.

Cal stood at the threshold to the room, head c.o.c.ked to one side. 'Hi. Can I come in?'

Pellaz dared not risk a nod. 'Yes.'

Cal came to stand at the foot of the bed. 'How are you?'

'Flattened. You?'

'Fine. The Parasilians are coming along, too. I visited Azriel just before I came here. He could talk sense to me. With Aleeme, it could take a while. Cobweb and Snake came to Fulminir. Snake looks amazing...'

'Shut up,' Pellaz said. 'I couldn't give a d.a.m.n about any of them at the moment.'

Cal pursed his lips. 'Just trying to make conversation. What do you want me to say?'

'I don't know. I really don't.'

'Hmm.' Cal scratched at his hair, leaving it sticking up on his head. Clearly, he hadn't washed it too recently.

'You were never there,' Pellaz said. 'Never when I needed you. Do you know that? I idolised you, but you had to go mad for no reason whatsoever and kill Orien. You were just too stupid and wrapped up in yourself to investigate sensibly. You could have found me. But no. It was easier to play the mad har. I ended up blood-bonded to Rue because of that. Neither were you here in Immanion before we went to Megalithica. You weren't here and somehar else was. You ran out on me. I wanted you so badly. What were you doing?'

'Thiede summoned me,' Cal said. 'I couldn't refuse. You must have heard that.'

'I heard it. Does that mean I believe it? I don't know. I suppose I should have known Thiede would be involved. Even beyond this world, he works to keep us apart.'

'That's wrong,' Cal said. 'It's time for you to see the bigger picture, Pell. It's not always just about you. Thiede knew what was going to happen. He trained me to help deal with it. If he hadn't, Ponclast could be redecorating Phaonica by now.'

'Why keep me out of it? Why all the secrecy?'

'You're too public. You had your job to do, mine was different. I could do it because I'm not the face you are. The Hegemony needed you more than they needed me. You must be able to see the sense of that.'

Pellaz stared at Cal, unblinking. 'Who did you meet for dinner that night, just before Rue was attacked? Who is Thiede's agent? Is it anyhar I know?'

Cal was silent for a moment. 'I can't tell you.'

'Orien died for a similar silence.'

'I know. You'll be told soon, though. Thiede should have more freedom of movement now, at least for a while. He will tell you.'

Pellaz briefly closed his eyes. 'What were we doing, Cal? What was it all about?'

'Lianvis had it pretty much right.'

'You've spoken to him?'

'Extensively over the past couple of days. I don't know if he's changed or I have, but I like him a lot now. He'll be a useful ally.'

Pellaz laughed in a choked manner. 'Do you intend just to walk back in here and try to take up where you left off?'

'It is my job. The Hegemony can't exactly sack me, not now. They're not stupid. I did my bit in Megalithica. They know that. I made sure they knew. Lianvis backed me. He made it clear he'd be happy to deal with me in a diplomatic sense. I'm his Gelaming of choice, apparently.'

'You have secured your boundaries, then?'

'Oh, yes,' Cal said. 'Count on it. At least, politically. The rest...' He shrugged. 'That's up to you.'

'The Hegemony wanted to replace you, but I expect you know that.'

'Yes. Ponclast told me actually. Was that your suggestion?'

'No. I tried to fight against circ.u.mstances, but it was pointless. Some things are just meant to be.'

Cal nodded distractedly. 'We all have our Terzians, I suppose.'

'Hardly. This was more of a Panthera. You remember him, surely, your little lapdog? The one who almost took my place, until you came here and threw Thiede out into the void. Only, like with Orien, you got away with that too, and now you and Thiede are big friends. How convenient. I wonder what Panthera's doing now?'

Cal rubbed his face with both hands. 'This isn't getting us anywhere, Pell.'

'Then stop b.i.t.c.hing. Are you jealous?'

'h.e.l.l yes! You could take aruna with a hundred hara and not one of them would matter. I'd cheer from the f.u.c.king sidelines. But this was different, wasn't it?'

Pellaz was silent for a moment. 'He's kept away. You know why? Because of you. He'll step out of it now, Cal. That's the way he is. He'd never try to fight you for me, or even beg and plead with me. It's called integrity, or n.o.bility, or something...'

'I don't want to know. He sounds far too saintly to be even remotely bearable.'

'If you'd been here, it wouldn't have happened, but you weren't. You were saving the world for Thiede. And yet, ultimately, it was me, along with those close to me, who dealt with both Ponclast and his allies. What was your job, Cal?'

Cal moved round the bed and sat down beside Pell. 'My job? To save our son. To try and negotiate with Ponclast. To be there for you when you needed me. They weren't world saving things, Pell, but significant, nonetheless. You are the world saver, not me.'

'Our son... where is he?'

'Safe. I don't know where exactly and I don't want to. It's best for him. This isn't the end, Pell. You do know that, don't you?'

'Abrimel...' Pellaz said. He wiped a hand over his face. 'I just remembered. I saw Abrimel in Fulminir with a harling. What happened, Cal? Did Ash's hara find them?'

'They found Abrimel,' Cal said, 'but no harling. Are you sure about that?'

'Yes. Completely. That... thing you pulled off me must have taken it.'

'The charming Diablo. That makes sense. He wasn't found either. Most of the Teraghasts scattered like rats in an opened sewer once the Hashmallim departed. What will you do with Abrimel?'

Pellaz closed his eyes briefly. 'I don't know. Let Tharmifex deal with it.'

'You've always been such a doting father, haven't you? I take it Rue doesn't know yet.'

'He's been here a few times, but I didn't mention Bree. I only just remembered about it.'

'You should have tried to be a father to Abrimel, Pell. Maybe you should show mercy now. I've missed out on a lot with Ty. The puffed-up feelings of pride he inspires in me now sometimes feel like illness! It's most odd, but not unpleasant. He is chesna with Moon. What an incestuous family we are!'

'Cal...'

'What?'

Pellaz drew in his breath. 'I had some very bad news today.'

Cal reached for one of Pell's hands, and Pellaz gripped his fingers tightly. He felt, now he'd made contact, he'd never be able to let go. His eyes filled up. He couldn't help himself.

'Hey,' Cal said, leaning forward to stroke his face. 'How bad can it be? Tell me.'

'The Grissecon... at the end of it... I went out of myself. I wasn't in control.'

'I saw that. I called you back. Do you remember?'

'Yes.' Pellaz locked gazes with Cal. 'I wasn't in control. I wasn't aware of it happening. Sheeva, one of the surgeons here, told me a short while ago...'

'What? Are you hurt?'

Pellaz felt the tears spill from his eyes. He wouldn't hide them. Perhaps it had always been a mistake to do so. 'No... Galdra made me with pearl, Cal. Sheeva could tell from the tests he ran on me to make sure my insides were ok.'

Cal blanched a little. His eyes widened, but he said nothing.

'I told you it was bad. Apart from the fact that it's the last thing I ever wanted to do, I wonder what kind of creature might have been created. That place where we were: it was not a good place to create life. There was too much dark flotsam floating about. Weird things.'

'Have you asked this Sheeva about it? Can't he deal with it?'

'No. I asked him and he said we don't know enough about our physiology. We are not like women. We can't just get rid...'

'Oh.' Cal twisted his mouth to side. 'One day, you might have an heir who is non-problematical. What are you going to do?'

'Ask Sheeva to drug me for the duration? I don't know. Send it to Freygard, maybe. Galdra doesn't know.'

'Who does?'

'Just Sheeva. And now you.'

Cal was silent for some moments. 'Well, if you give birth to a monster, most hara would happily believe it was mine. Also, if it resembles its father, it's fortunate you chose a har who looked like me. We've just got back together. We're blissed out, so much in love. We want to make a public statement about that, don't we? We lost a son as far as everyhar else is concerned. Seems the obvious solution to me.'