Infinite Spring Read online

  Jago was nowhere to be seen. Anais remembered how he had needed help to get down the cellar stairs from the bedroom, so he must still be up there.

  “I want to talk to him alone.” Anais didn’t know why. It was comforting having Aethelu with her, and she was more nervous than she admitted. She was positive she was right about Jago, but a little voice in her head kept saying, ‘What if you are wrong?’

  Anticipation and fear ran through her in equal measure. A burning curiosity was also added to the mix of her emotions.

  Aethelu protested Anais’ request, but she stood firm.

  “Fine, but if you are not back in the kitchen in thirty minutes I’m coming back down with a big stick.”

  Anais laughed and kissed Aethelu lightly. She broke off before the tingles started.

  Aethelu handed her the keychain and walked towards the big steel door. She only opened it and left when Anais motioned for her to leave.

  It was only when Aethelu had gone that she realised that if Jago couldn’t get down the stairs unaided, she was certainly going to be no help to him. Her only course of action was to go upstairs herself and talk to him up there.

  She called up the stairs. “Jago?” No answer

  “Jago?” She called louder, still no answer. “James?”

  Finally, she heard a grunt come from the top of the stairs.

  She awkwardly made her way up the steep steps. They were easier to manage than the winding staircase into the kitchen but the narrowness of them coupled with the lack of a bannister still made getting up them difficult. Eventually, she managed it and, found Jago sitting on the edge of his bed.

  He didn’t look up, although he must have heard her enter. There was no thick carpet down here to muffle the sound of the crutches.

  “James, it’s me, Anais.”

  He sat silently on the bed; his hands clasped together on his lap.

  “I’ve brought you some food. I’m afraid I couldn’t carry it upstairs. It’s Winnie’s Sunday Breakfast.” She was aware that she was waffling.

  Still, he didn’t speak.

  She tried a different tack.

  “Who is Sabine?”

  He mumbled something incoherent. His long limp hair hung over his eyes, which made it even harder for him to hear him.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “I can’t get down the stairs.” He looked towards her and held out his hands. His arms and legs were still shackled together and to the wall. If she unlocked just the wall shackles, but kept his arms and legs chained together, he would still need help getting down the stairs. Help that she was unable to give. She thought for a second and then made up her mind. Hobbling over to him, she unlocked all of the shackles. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest and she wondered if she had made a mistake. It would take very little to overpower her and running away was impossible. She had effectively made herself a sitting duck if he wanted to attack her. She waited for him to move, holding her breath. He didn’t attack her, but he made no movement to get off the bed either. Instead, he looked at her with curiosity.

  “It’s getting cold,” said Anais eventually, referring to the breakfast.

  He looked like he wasn’t sure if this was some sort of trick. Deciding it wasn’t, he got up and slowly followed Anais down to the cellar’s main room. Without so much as a look at Anais, he sat down on the worn sofa and brought the breakfast towards him. Anais sat, once again, on the computer chair and watched him eat. He was painfully thin, but he still managed to wolf down the breakfast much more quickly than Anais would have thought possible. He slurped his coffee until that was also gone. Anais waited patiently until the whole meal was finished before she spoke.

  “James?”

  “Thank you,” he managed. He put down the empty plate and looked at her through dull black eyes.

  “You are welcome,” she paused, “James, who is Sabine?”

  “You believe me now? That I didn’t attack you?” His stare hadn’t moved. He was still looking at her intently which unnerved her slightly, but she didn’t feel afraid anymore.

  “I know you didn’t attack me. I knew that the moment I saw you. You still didn’t answer my question.”

  “Sabine is my daughter.”

  “You have a daughter?” It was not the answer she was expecting. She knew that the women Guardians failed to carry babies to term, and she knew the men could have babies with normal women. She herself was proof of that. Her father was the only male of the group to have a child that she knew of before now. It seemed Sabine was just like her. Half Guardian and half normal human.

  He closed his eyes and paused for a couple of seconds before responding to her.

  “She is missing. I haven’t seen her in just over a month. In fact I was trying to raise some money in case someone wanted a ransom, by selling some of my paintings when you people took me from my home. It wasn’t long before I realised who you all were. I didn’t know why you wanted me, but I came willingly, hoping that you also had Sabine. It became apparent when I got here that you didn’t even know who Sabine was, let alone her whereabouts.”

  Anais was shocked.

  “Why didn’t tell you anyone?”

  “I tried, when your people took me from my house. They wouldn’t listen. They chained me here and let me starve. I knew that talking was pointless, but I prayed you would come to the right conclusion in the end, for her sake more than for mine. I had hoped that it would have been sooner. Whoever has Sabine now has had her for a month, plenty of time to hide her anywhere in the world. I fear I have left it too long to go looking for her.”

  “Is she a young girl?” Anais hoped he wasn’t talking about a child.

  James smiled. The first time Anais had seen him do so. His eyes took on some of the sparkle she was used to seeing in those who had taken the Elixir.

  “She is three hundred and twelve years old. It seems that the Elixir works, not only on those that drink it, but future generations as well. Of course, you already knew that didn’t you?”

  He paused for a brief second.

  “Her mother, Margueretta, was the love of my life. She died young, not just young in our terms. She was fifty-five years old. Sabine was just eight years old at the time. It has just been the two of us since then. We have lived in Florence for many hundreds of years. It is the most beautiful part of the world.”

  “So what happened to Sabine? Did she just disappear? Can you be sure that someone took her?”

  “Oh, yes, of that I can be sure. I had been painting for many, many, years and selling my art in local galleries and markets to make money. On that particular day, I came back from one of my trips into town to collect some money from sales of a couple of paintings. When I got home, I saw there had been a struggle. I haven’t seen Sabine since. The only clue left was a note. It mentioned you, strangely enough.”

  “Me?” Anais had no idea where this was going and was completely baffled.

  “Not you personally. I recall it said something on the lines of ‘Do not, in any circumstances, contact the Guardians.’ I had no idea what it meant. I assumed it meant the police. I didn’t know until I got here that ‘Guardians of The Light’ was the name you had given yourselves. It seems that I should have contacted the police after all. I certainly have failed miserably in doing the one thing the kidnapper wanted me not to do.”

  Anais reeled at the information. Jago had not only stolen this man’s identity, he had also stolen his daughter. He was as much a victim of Jago as the Guardians had been.

  “I think I should tell you what has been happening around here. It’s obvious that Sabine being kidnapped isn’t just a crazy coincidence.”

  She spent the next ten minutes telling him about the man called Jago who had been threatening them. That he had threatened her own parents twenty years previously and had only stopped when they moved to Los Angeles where she was born. She told him that the threats had restarted a few months ago, and that Jago had a vial of a virus that would wipe
out most of the population of the world if he ever decided to unleash it. She purposely left out the part where she had conceived and subsequently lost triplets in an attempt to mix her DNA with that of a Guardian in an attempt to get the required DNA to eradicate the virus. It was still too raw to talk about.

  When she had finished her story, he summed it up perfectly.

  “So, someone claiming to be me has been trying to do everything he can to get his hands on a vial of Elixir to prolong his life. He travels all over the world sending letters, and finally, when he was not getting what he wanted, he attacked you and Aethelu?”

  “Yep. That’s just about it. I’m guessing that Aldrich will now have no choice but to give him what he wants. Perhaps we can barter the Elixir for the virus as well as the safe return of Sabine.”

  “I certainly hope so.” A tear formed which he quickly wiped away.

  The steel door opened making them both jump. Aethelu entered armed with a frying pan.

  “A frying pan? What were you planning to do with that?” Anais laughed.

  Aethelu looked embarrassed.

  “I couldn’t find a big stick.” Her eyes flicked over at James. “What’s happening?”

  Anais told her the whole story. It was apparent that Aethelu believed it. The shocked expression on her face said it all.

  “I’m so sorry Jago…” she began.

  “James, please. I’ve not been called Jago for many hundreds of years. I only use it as a professional name. I sign my paintings with it as it seems to help them to sell, however, I have been known as James for a long time. I would not like to be confused with the man who attacked you both and stole my daughter.”

  “I’m sorry that you have not been treated well by my family, James.”

  “I now understand why you have treated me the way you have. If we ever find the man who took my beloved daughter, I would do the same. Please think no more of it. If you can help me find Sabine, all this will become a distant memory.”

  Anais had no idea if that would ever happen, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

  “You cannot stay down here anymore. I will go up and tell the family all that you have told me.”

  “Will they believe you?”

  “If Anais believes you, then I believe you. If I believe you, then my family will, too. I will get you a room ready. Aunt Ava and Uncle Alfred have left. You can have their room. Give me ten minutes and I’ll come back for you.

  She left, taking the empty plate and cup with her.

  Anais used the time, waiting for Aethelu’s return, to tell James about how the family had kidnapped her too and how she had arrived at The Manor in the first place.

  “I think that’s how they welcome people to be honest. It must come from living into extreme old age. They forget the niceties.”

  It was a feeble attempt at humour, but to her surprise, James laughed.

  She continued to tell him how she had fallen in love with Aethelu whilst she had still been locked up.

  He looked at her thoughtfully.

  “I remember Aethelu from all those years ago, always up a tree, always covered in mud. Alistair was the same. Inseparable they were, never saw one without the other.”

  Anais smiled at this nugget of information about her father.

  “I was sorry to learn that he died. He was a good kid, cheeky sod, but a good kid. I really hope we find this mad man.”

  “Me, too.”

  The metal door once again slid back. Instead of Aethelu, it was Aldrich. He walked forward purposely and stopped inches from James. Anais had no idea what he was doing, but it became apparent seconds later. He flung his arms around James and cried.

  Anais had never seen him cry before, at least, not like this. Great big racking sobs came as he buried his head in James’s shoulder. James embraced him back. Anais almost didn’t know where to look. This was so unexpected.

  Finally, after much sobbing, Aldrich broke away.

  “My old friend, how can you ever forgive me for this?” Aldrich spoke through the now ebbing sobs.

  “How can you ever forgive me for stealing your Elixir all those years ago?” James answered.

  “It was our Elixir. I should never have stopped you in the first place.”

  “But I made a mess of your house.”

  “It was a long time ago. It is water under the bridge.”

  “Then you are forgiven for not feeding me. I must say that this morning’s breakfast almost made up for it.”

  Aldrich laughed

  “That is Winnie, she is a great cook. You must remember, you ate at our house often enough. Oh, how much we have to catch up on, my dear friend. Come.”

  The two men walked to the door, Aldrich supporting James as they went, leaving Anais alone.

  “I’ll just make my own way upstairs then, shall I?” she said to no one in particular.

  What an unexpected day this was turning out to be. She smiled at the thought of James being released, but then she remembered that the real danger was still out there. A nightmare that she had thought was over had once again returned.

  Chapter Six

  When she got back up to the kitchen she was disappointed to see that it was empty. It seemed that everyone had forgotten about her and her inability to get up the winding staircase with her crutches. She supposed she could wait for someone to come down to the kitchen, but the thought of Alex once again carrying her up the stairs was too much to bear. She still had Alex’s bunch of keys and was pleased to note that they also held the main door keys. Looking around, she found a pair of wellies that fit her standing by the back door. She placed her feet in them, the bad leg causing her a little discomfort as she did. There wasn’t a coat nearby so she was going to have to go out as she was. The cold air hit her instantly as she opened the door and a fine drizzle dampened her hair, making it stick to her face. She almost turned around and went back inside, but thinking of Alex, she determinedly carried on. Closing the kitchen door behind her, she made her way slowly through the courtyard and down the driveway round the side of the house. It was difficult to keep upright on the gravelly surface, but she persevered and finally made it around to the front of the house. The main stone steps up to the front of the house, being wider and straighter, were much easier to climb than the kitchens staircase, even with the fine slick of rain dampening them. Putting the large key into the keyhole of the front door, she turned it. It turned easily enough, but the door remained steadfast. She thought back to the morning when she had opened the door to the postman. She had re-bolted the door from the inside.

  She felt such a fool. It had been painfully slow going, walking on the gravel and she couldn’t bear having to walk back around to the kitchen door, only to have to face the kitchen stairs once she got there. She knocked as loudly as she could and rang the bell for good measure.

  Luckily, someone must have heard her as she could hear the bolt being pulled back. The door opened and there stood Rafe. He looked momentarily surprised to see her standing outside in the rain, but then he opened the door wider to let her in.

  “What do you think you are doing?” He had his sneer firmly in place. It was not a side of Rafe she liked. He was obviously upset with her for something.

  “I couldn’t climb the spiral staircase in the kitchen so I walked around the house.” She didn’t particularly want to have this conversation with him.

  “Not that.” He waved his hand dismissively. “I’m talking about letting Jago go. He’s a dangerous mad man and Father is taking high tea with him in the parlour.”

  Anais smiled despite herself.

  “Didn’t anyone tell you what he told me?” she asked.

  “Yes, Aethelu told me everything. Who’s to say he is telling the truth?”

  “I believe him. Aldrich obviously believes him.” Rafe remained unconvinced. “Look at it this way. I sat with him alone in the cellar for twenty minutes. He was unchained and I had no way to outrun him. He is weak, but with The Light
in his system, I’d bet a lot of money that he could overpower me if he wanted. He had plenty of chance. He is a man who lost his daughter. You should have seen the grief in his eyes when he talked of losing her. It wasn’t an act. He’s not Jago. At least he’s not the Jago we are looking for. He goes by the name James now.”

  “Well, just don’t blame me if we all wake up dead in our beds tomorrow,” said Rafe as he stalked off in a huff, twirling his silver tiger-topped cane as he went.

  “Don’t blame him if we all wake up dead in our beds? What’s he on?” Aethelu appeared giggling at the top of the stairs.

  “He’s angry about James.”

  “Oh, that? Don’t mind him. He can be a real grouchy-pants when he gets a bee in his bonnet about something. Come on.”

  She led Anais up the stairs and to her own bedroom. Anais hadn’t been in it for weeks. It was certainly tidier than she remembered it. The first time she had been in the room, it looked like every single one of Aethelu’s possessions had been upturned onto the floor. Now it was pristine. Very un-Aethelu-like.

  “I asked Mrs Smithson to clean it,” Aethelu answered Anais unasked question.

  There was a plate with a couple of sandwiches sitting on the bed. Aethelu waited until Anais had sat down next to them before she offered one to her.

  “You’ve not eaten all day. I thought you’d be hungry.” She passed Anais a sandwich. It was obviously made by August as it was three times thicker than a normal sandwich, with the contents so overstuffed that they spilled out all over the edges, in this case Beef and tomato. Winnie’s sandwiches tended to be much smaller, neater and cut into triangles.

  “August made them for us when you were down in the cellar talking to Jag…James,” confirmed Aethelu.

  She hadn’t realised she was hungry until now, and she devoured the sandwich quickly, pausing only to take a drink out of a bottle of water that Aethelu had passed to her.

  Aethelu helped her finish off the other sandwich and then put the plate on to the bedside cabinet.

  Anais lay down, with her head in Aethelu’s lap. With all that had happened that morning, her head was swimming with thoughts of James, of Jago, of Sabine, but mostly of Alex, whom she was doing her best not to think about. When Aethelu began to lightly run her fingers through her hair slowly, the motion made her feel sleepy. It would have been heavenly even without the tingles of The Light, but with the feeling of little shivers moving over her head, it was blissful. They lay like that all afternoon, neither talking. Anais must have drifted off at one point because the afternoon flew by in a heartbeat.