Burn Bright

The Illi platform was wider than Vank and lit by ornate iron and glass lamps. A cobbled path branched out from the wooden platform along the mountainside.

Rollo led the way, walking backwards along the cobblestones so that he could talk. Retra stayed close to Suki, wary of what lingered beyond the path. She could smell the electricity of the dark, feel its charged fingers reaching for her.

‘We’re here,’ said Rollo.

Retra lifted her gaze. Uphill from the steps stood the vast stone edifice of Illi church. Where Vank was spire-angular and ornamented inside and out with hardened wood, Illi was built on rounded lines and decorated by bevelled mantles and pillars. Fire torches lit the outside and, as the warm breeze played with their light, they splashed grotesque shadows across the face of the church.

Rollo pointed downwards. ‘The Grotto is at the bottom of these steps. It’s part of the old Illi gardens and was an outside place to worship. I haven’t been down there yet. At Goa, they told me that the Grotto isn’t safe. People go missing from the steps all the time.’

‘I can’t see any lights,’ said Suki. She was alive with curiosity. ‘Do you think anyone is down there?’

‘There’s a rock wall at the bottom of the steps. It curves like a half-moon. The Grotto is on the other side of it. The wall will most likely shield any lights. I guess that’s why people go there. It’s private.’

Retra stared at the steps disappearing down into the night. ‘It’s getting darker again.’ Even as they stood there, the lights of Illi grew brighter, signalling the passing of Early-Eve. ‘We should hurry.’

‘Me first!’ said Suki, as she went to plunge down the steps.

Retra caught her arm. ‘Wait, there’s a password to get in.’

‘What is it?’ asked Rollo.

‘The age of rage,’ Retra whispered to them.

Suki pulled away and kept moving. ‘Still gonna be first!’

‘Hey, wait!’ Rollo catapulted after her.

Retra followed them more slowly, heart in mouth. A dull glow lit the rough steps as if somehow it produced its own energy. Even so, shadows seemed closer than they should be. Was this really the right place? Did Rollo know or was he making it up? She found it hard to trust someone she hardly knew. And yet he’d trusted her.

Retra’s doubts grew stronger than her conviction as she continued down. Several times she thought about turning back.

She heard scraping sounds on one side of steps.

Like you. Smell good.

She pressed her hands to her ears.

Mine. The voice stayed insistent and clear.

A scream climbed into the back of her throat and caught there, robbing her lungs of their passage of air. She looked below for Rollo and Suki but they’d disappeared at the bottom of the steps, perhaps to the other side of the wall.

She should run back to Illi. Or the station. But what if Joel was down there? What if her brother was this close?

Come to me.

She made a noise, a harsh, frightened sound that cleared her throat. Air flowed back into her tight chest and she began to run downward. Don’t fall. Don’t fall. Don’t fall.

Invisible fingers grabbed at her ankles but she lifted her knees high, touching only her toes onto the stone-work. Hot breath caressed her neck, and soft touches like clammy kisses fell on her arms. She flailed, not sure if she imagined them or not.

Joel. Joel. Be there. Please be there.

The steps ended abruptly, a wall looming from the dark without warning. Her hands slammed into rock, jarring all the way to her shoulders. Her desperate fingers grasped the cool iron loop of a door latch. She twisted it with all her strength but it didn’t budge. She let go and beat at the door with her fists.

‘The age of rage,’ she cried. ‘The age of rage.’

The heavy door swung inward. She stumbled through it, past tall boys armed with pointed sticks, into Rollo’s waiting arms.

‘What took you so long?’ His grin was eerie and distorted by the glow of hundreds of candle lamps.

‘You left me,’ Retra gasped.

‘Sssh,’ said Suki. ‘They’re starting.’

Retra pulled away from Rollo and gazed down into the Grotto. The candle lamps illuminated a hundred or more gangers, sitting in loose formation on the rock floor of what seemed to be a cave without its roof. The walls were dotted with hollows that contained statues – many of them ruined. Retra recognised one as a dolmen – the three upright stones of a burial chamber that the Grave Elders wore embroidered on their formal gowns.

Exotic, pale flowers on creepers clung to sections of the rock wall, exuding their pale beauty and sweet scent into the air, and lending the Grotto an ethereal look.

‘What are they?’ breathed Retra.

‘Moonflowers,’ said Suki. ‘They only come out at night.’

‘I’ve never seen them before.’

‘Probably too cold where you come from. They like warmth. We get them down the mountain in Stra’ha. But only in summer.’

Retra wanted to touch one, inhale its perfume, but the crowd below them began clapping.

‘I have to get closer,’ Retra whispered to Suki.

The girl nodded. ‘Over there.’ She pointed. ‘More steps.’

The three walked around the ledge and climbed down the steps to stand just above the back row. The White Wings were in front of them, their heads wrapped in bandanas. To their left sat a group wearing spikes around their throats and wrists.

‘That’s the Freeks,’ said Rollo. ‘They look like a bunch of pen quills.’

Suki stifled a giggle. ‘What about the ones with white cloaks?’

‘They’re the Ghosts. Their cloaks are made of old ghost bat skins. They collect the dead ones and sew them together. Some of them even leave the heads on.’

‘Who are the others?’ asked Retra. The group who sat opposite the White Wings wore ordinary dance clothes like her and Suki and Rollo, except for the very front row. Those sitting there wore hard leather tunics and pants that resembled armour that Retra had seen in history archivolos.

‘That’s gotta be the League,’ said Suki.

‘I don’t understand how they get those clothes. Mine are waiting for me in my locker.’

‘That’s ’cos we’re newbies,’ said Rollo. ‘Those that have been here a while swap gear around. Trade. And most of the time the Leaguers dress normally. Only their important members wear the leathers full time.’

‘How come you know so much?’ Suki gave him a suspicious stare.

‘What’ve you been doing since you got here?’ asked Rollo.

Suki shrugged. ‘Going to the clubs. Watching out for her.’ She nodded at Retra. ‘Why?’

‘I’ve been talking to people. Asking questions. And now I’ve got one for you. What in the fross is going on here?’

‘Krista-belle from the Wings isn’t the only one Brand’s touched,’ said Retra suddenly.

‘Brand? Is she the one you hammered? The scar lady?’

Retra nodded. She was listening to him, but her eyes flew from face to face searching for Joel. Where are you? Where?

At the centre of the Grotto, where the gangs faced each other, stood four figures. Retra recognised Kero but not the others. Two of them were like him, thickset young guys with confident postures, one wearing a spiked choker and wrist bands, the other in a stiff white cloak. The fourth caught Retra’s full attention – a tall, broad-shouldered girl with a huge sword in her hand. She towered over the rest.

‘That must be Dark Eve,’ said Rollo. His voice echoed the same awe that Retra felt. Dark Eve was imposing in size, but it was more than that. Energy seemed to crackle around her.

Kero held up his hand to the assembled. ‘Quiet!’

The single word carried effortlessly around the rocky amphitheatre, and the crowd quieted. He beckoned to someone by his feet.

Krista-belle stood up and bowed to the crowd. Her hair was piled high, and even from the back of the Grotto, Retra could see the sweep of heavy eye shadow from her eyelids to her temple. She wore her white bandana around her neck like a necklace, above a tight, black shift and chunky heels.

Kero took her hand and held it in his, as he addressed everyone. ‘Krista-belle has a story. Listen to it.’

His girlfriend slipped her hand free of his and walked slowly around the four in the circle, gathering the attention of all the gangs.

When she was sure they were listening, she spoke. ‘One string ago, at the Drop, Brand tried to take me. I was on a rest couch and the bitch-Riper fell on me. She grabbed me.’ Krista-belle touched her breasts and ran her hand down between her legs. ‘She stuck her tongue places, and her hands. She bit my neck. I wanted to puke but I couldn’t move.’

‘What happened?’ shouted someone.

‘A newbie saw her and smashed a stool into her.’

A roar of approval went up.

‘Which newbie?’ a few of them wanted to know, when the crowd quieted again.

‘A Seal,’ said Krista-belle. ‘A girl. And that’s all I’m saying.’

‘Hey, that’s you,’ said Rollo, digging Retra in the side. ‘You’re a hero.’

The Wings sitting in front of them turned around and looked. They started whispering to each other.

‘Sssh,’ Retra told Rollo. ‘Listen.’

‘Point is,’ added Kero now, ‘Brand’s dangerous. Krissie’s not the only one she’s touched.’

The Ghost’s leader spoke next. ‘One of ours, Amora, disappeared six strings ago. She was last seen at Bella Death, talking to Brand.’

‘The Ripers are our Guardians. This shouldn’t be happening,’ added the leader of the Freeks.

Murmurs started up.

‘What do we do?’ someone shouted.

‘We should bring the Youth Circle here,’ said the Ghosts’ leader. ‘Tell them what we know.’

‘No! They’re spies for the Ripers,’ said Kero. ‘We – the Wings – think we should post guards on the paths outside the clubs. Look after our own people.’

‘The Freeks support the Wings on this,’ said the Freeks’ leader.

Kero turned to the armour-clad girl who’d been silent throughout. ‘Where does the League stand?’

Dark Eve took her time answering, walking in a slow circle around the others, the way Krista-belle had. When she did speak, the Grotto fell absolutely silent. ‘Your plan is selfish. The ideas are narrow. What about those who don’t belong to the Wings or the League, Ghosts or Freeks? Plenty don’t. Who’ll look out for them?’

‘That’s their problem,’ said Kero. ‘Let ’em take care of themselves. Make their own way.’

A cheer rose among the Wings.

‘The League believes the Guardians should answer to all of us,’ thundered Dark Eve. ‘They use the Youth Circle to spy. Not represent. The League supports Ruzalia. She knows the Guardians for what they really are and she sends us a warning. Stand up to them, she says. Fight them. Take this place for ourselves.’

The Leaguers and a spattering of others cat-called in support, but just as many booed and hissed.

‘A lot would follow her, I reckon,’ whispered Suki. ‘She acts like a true soldier.’

Retra glanced at Rollo. His face shone with excitement in the candlelight and his breathing came quickly as if he’d been running.

‘What is it?’ she asked him.

‘I should tell her about the Council,’ he said. ‘Not the Youth Circle.’

‘What Council?’ asked Suki.

Retra stared at Rollo. She shook her head imperceptibly at him. Rollo’s information was dangerous. The less people who knew, the better.

‘We should vote,’ Kero insisted, drawing their attention back to the centre of the Grotto. ‘Who believes we should protect our own?’

All the Wings and the Ghosts raised their hands.

‘Who thinks we should fight the Ripers?’

The League all stood, but the Freeks were divided. Some raised their hands but others didn’t vote, bringing the weight of the vote down on Kero’s side.

His satisfaction was plain. ‘Majority says we protect our own. Meeting’s done.’

‘Which one’s the Seal? We want to know,’ hollered some Freeks down near the front.

One of the Wings sitting in front of Retra stood up. ‘Here. She’s right here!’ He turned and pointed.

A hundred or more curious stares fell upon her. Retra was overwhelmed by the attention and her legs started to buckle.

But Suki held her firm and pinched the skin on her wrist. ‘Be proud of it.’

On her other side, Rollo pointed and preened, making silly ‘I’m with her’ gestures. If her legs had been able to move she would have kicked him.

Instead, she clung to Suki’s words and dug down for the Seal-trained strength within her. Her back straightened and her shoulders squared. She kept her face as expressionless as she could manage.

The crowd began to clap. Then everyone was on their feet, swarming towards her. Bat-skin capes scraped against her arms, and many hands slapped her back in congratulations.

‘Good job, Seal.’

‘On ya.’

‘Brilliant.’

‘Wow. Brave work.’

The accolades blurred into a stream of noise but Retra was only aware of one thing; Dark Eve staring up at her, frowning.

Then shouts erupted behind them all.

‘Ripers!’ cried the sentry guards. ‘Ripers coming from Illi.’

The clapping ceased and the crowd stampeded up the stairs through the gate.

As the Grotto emptied, Retra moved with them, twisting and turning to catch better angles of their faces.

Joel, where are you? Joel?

Her gaze tracked back and forth. Dark Eve stood out among them all, taller than anyone else, more striking. But it was the figure next to her that sent Retra’s pulse racing; something deeply familiar in his posture.

She started to run towards him but he’d gone through the amphitheatre gate before she could take more than a few steps. Then Kero and Krista-belle were beside her, racing up behind the last of the Wings.

‘Hurry up.’ Krista-belle grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. ‘You of all people don’t wanna be caught down here. Kero and I know another way out.’

‘What about Suki?’

‘She’s up there, with some guy.’ Kero pointed to the ledge at the top of the stairs.

‘That’s Rollo.’ Should she say friend?

Kero motioned up to Suki for them to wait. When they reached them, Kero didn’t waste time explaining. ‘This way,’ he said.

He headed along the ledge in the opposite direction to the gate until they reached the far edge of the Grotto wall where the dolmen Retra had seen before stood embedded in its own tiny hollow. Next to it was a swathe of moonflowers. Kero lifted the curtain of creeper aside and stepped behind it. Krista-belle followed him, beckoning the others.

Suki went next.

When Retra stepped in behind her, she found herself in a low, dark tunnel that slanted upward.

Rollo bumped into her, as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the even lower light, pushing her against Suki.

‘Legendary,’ said Suki. ‘Where does this go?’

‘It’s a bit of a climb but it connects with the paths just beneath Illi,’ said Kero.

Retra touched the stone wall. ‘It’s ancient. And well built.’

‘There’s a few of them around, linking places. I only know of a couple. Dark Eve probably knows more. They must have built them so that the monks could keep out of the weather, back when Ixion had sunlight.’

‘Did it ever?’ asked Rollo.

‘Depends on which story you believe,’ said Kero. ‘Let’s go.’

They climbed in silence, saving their breath for the ascent. The walls were as moist and close as a wet glove. Retra wanted to ask Kero about the night creatures but feared to mention them aloud in this place. What if the voice she’d heard on the Illi steps was near? What if it could see her?

Something grabbed her ankle and she bit off a scream.

‘Sorry,’ apologised Rollo. ‘I slipped.’

‘This tunnel is eerie,’ said Retra.

Rollo grunted. ‘Try being last in line. I keep hearing voices, and feeling things crawling on my skin.’

‘Oh my braveheart,’ Suki carolled from in front.

‘Leave him alone, Suki,’ said Retra. ‘I can feel things too.’

‘Shh!’ Kero called back to them. ‘The Ripers’ll hear you.’

No one spoke again until they emerged onto a narrow Lesser Path, just below Illi. Kero made them wait inside the remnants of the ruined prayer hutch that hid the entrance to the tunnel until he’d checked that the steps were clear.

‘Come on,’ he called.

They piled out of the hutch and hurried upwards to the Greater Path.

Krista-belle and Suki burst into giggles of relief when they finally reached the Illi platform. Rollo danced around in front of them, entertaining the others already waiting for the next kar.

A couple wearing bat-skin coats approached Retra.

‘Cool stuff that you did,’ one of them said.

Retra didn’t know what to say, so she nodded. Her heart still beat wildly from the climb and their run to the platform.

A kar arrived, and the couple got on first. Retra and the others followed, taking two seats between the five of them. Retra squeezed in with Krista-belle and Kero.

Krista-belle grinned at her. ‘You’re famous.’

‘Did you see the guy you’re looking for in the Grotto?’ asked Kero.

She shook her head, not ready to tell them that she thought he’d been with Dark Eve. ‘You won the vote.’

‘Yeah,’ he said quietly. ‘But Dark Eve won’t give up. She’ll keep doing what she wants, making the Ripers angry. Then they’ll take it out on us.’

‘Is that what Brand’s doing? Is she taking revenge on us because the League is helping the over-agers?’ whispered Retra.

‘Maybe.’ He slipped his arm around Krista-belle and pulled her close to him. ‘But the Riper-bitch won’t ever get a chance to get near you again.’

‘Aww,’ said Krista-belle softly. She nuzzled into his neck.

Retra looked away from them.

‘Where do the League spend their time?’ she asked Kero when the pair pulled apart again.

‘Ravens. It’s a club on the end of the Los Fien line. The Lesser Paths around there are well lit. They practise their combat out there.’

Combat. Retra’s stomach hardened at the thought. ‘Ravens. I think I’d like to go there.’

Kero and Krista-belle looked at each other and nodded. ‘Sure. Music’s good.’

Retra tapped Suki on the shoulder. She and Rollo were sitting close together in front of them. Almost as close as Krista-belle and Kero.

‘What now, my hero?’ teased Suki, half turning.

‘Party time at Ravens,’ said Krista-belle.

Suki rubbed her hands together. ‘Beko.’

They all stared at her.

‘It’s Stra’hine,’ she said. ‘It means time to celebrate.’

‘Beko,’ said Rollo. He threw his hands in the air and wiggled his shoulders. ‘Let’s go beko.’