A World To Lose Page 9

  It was useless to think that way. This Memorial would make sure they would never think that way again.

  Sky moved up to the front of the Throne Room and took a seat on the highest bench on the right. Extra benches had been brought in, and the walkway in between was so narrow that two people couldn’t walk side-by-side.

  The Memorial would begin in under ten minutes, and Affinites from all over were filing into the room. Nathan walked in and took a seat next to Sky.

  Sky scanned the packed room and found Matu sitting near the middle of the lowest bench next to Josephine. Sky wondered if any of the other Affinites they had rescued from the South American Underworld would be here. He knew Reth Okoth, a Kenyan Affinite and a close friend of Matu’s father, was still in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Sky did spot his wife, Eidi, and his son, Yaro, standing on the balcony across from him.

  The room was now near bursting with people. Sky scanned the room further. Lian was standing on the balcony over the entry doors with Anna, and to Sky’s disgust, he found Sophie and Jacob close together on one of the higher benches across from him. Sophie felt his gaze the moment he looked at her. She stared him down for a moment before resuming whatever conversation she was having with Jacob.

  Sky turned to Nathan and found that his brother was also looking towards Sophie and Jacob. There was something in Nathan’s eyes that Sky couldn’t quite place as he looked at the couple.

  “You might want to stop staring,” Sky said, nudging his brother.

  Nathan shook himself out of his stare and turned to Sky. “She seems happy,” he murmured. “She’s doing okay, right?”

  Sky shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I haven’t spoken to her since I found out.”

  Nathan sighed. “As long as—”

  “As she’s happy, yeah, yeah,” Sky interrupted, dismissing Nathan’s attempt to defend Sophie just like Matu had done the day before.

  “I was going to say, as long as it doesn’t last,” Nathan muttered through gritted teeth.

  Sky raised his eyebrows, surprised at the hostility his brother was presenting. He wanted to ask why Nathan seemed to be even more against the relationship than he was. But before he could, the entire room fell silent in an instant.

  Sky turned his head and saw that Diana Griffiths, the last female Elder and Sophie’s grandmother, was standing in the doorway to the Throne Room.

  Diana Griffiths was wearing a long black dress, and a black cloak fell down from her shoulders. It pooled around her as she stood, monitoring the Throne Room. She had the same blonde hair as her daughter, but it was streaked with grey. It was whisked up in an elegant bun on the top of her head.

  For minutes, it seemed, the room was silent as Diana remained still where she stood. Sky didn’t know what cue she was waiting for, but from one moment to the next, Diana started walking towards the altar at the far end of the room. Then Sky understood. The doors didn’t close behind Diana. The other two Elders stepped into the Throne Room behind her. They were both dressed in black as well, and they walked in single file behind Diana in complete silence.

  When Diana reached the altar, she walked around to stand directly behind it. Harrison Mayne, Sky’s grandfather, moved to the right and stopped to stand to the right of the altar. Nathan’s grandfather did the same on the left. They both turned to face the room. Sky met his grandfather’s gaze only for a moment. Harrison gave Sky such a small nod that Sky doubted anyone else would’ve seen it, before turning his attention forward.

  Diana reached for the ancient-looking book in the middle of the altar, and opened it. Dust particles flew up as she turned the pages. The sound of rustling paper was the only thing that could be heard in the vast room.

  Diana paused on a particular page and looked up. The lively twinkle Sky always saw in her eyes wasn’t there today. Sadness shrouded her features as she began to speak.

  “We come together today in memory,” she began. Her voice wasn’t amplified, but in the utter silence of the room, everyone could hear every word she spoke, loud and clear.

  “Three lives were taken before their time. Not many people in this room knew them, but you have all come here to remember them. From wherever they are, I am sure that they are grateful.”

  Sky looked around the room. He wondered how many of the people here had known the Mendosas. He thought quite a few must have. Not in recent years, but Tomas was born an Aster and had lived on Saluverus all throughout his youth and young adult life. Not many people knew Cara, though, Sky did know that. She only came to Saluverus after marrying Tomas. And they left shortly before Gayle was born.

  “Tomas Mendosa was an Aster by blood. He grew to be a fine man.” Diana smiled softly, as if remembering some memory of Tomas as she spoke. “In the war twenty-five years ago, he was the one to free us of the horror that was Astaroth, the strongest of the Original Higher Kings. He was a great man.”

  Diana paused, letting the words sink in before continuing.

  “Cara was not an Aster by blood, but an Aster she became nonetheless. She provided the most valuable information during the war, without which we would not have won. She was a great woman.”

  Diana paused again.

  “We are here to remember two incredible people. When they birthed the most miraculous child, they cast everything aside to protect their daughter. And they did so until their final breaths were taken from them.”

  Diana stopped and waited once again. Nathan’s grandfather stepped forward and placed his right hand on the rim of the cauldron on Diana’s right. The entire room remained quiet as the Elder of Flora started whispering a spell. A few moments later a fire burst from the cauldron. Yet it didn’t burn the hand that was still on the rim. Nathan’s grandfather slowly retracted his hand and took a step back.

  “Let the fire symbolise a cleansing. Let the flames burn away your sorrow, and let only a memory remain. Remember the greatness of the lives we have lost. And give thanks, for the lives they have lived,” Diana said.

  Sky stared into the flames. They shone brightly in the ever-darkening Throne Room. Dusk was settling over the island, and soon the moon would shine brightly through the coloured glass ceiling.

  “Gayle Mendosa was a brilliant girl,” Diana Griffiths continued. Sky felt his heart contract at where the Memorial was headed now. The hope—the salvation. That was what Gayle had signified for every Affinite and Aster alive. “Nobody here knew her personally, but she meant a great deal to all of us. She was supposed to come to us in these weeks, but she did not get that chance. Her death is a terrible loss, not just to those closest to her, but to us all. She would have been a great woman.” Diana paused, and then added, “She would have been a great Queen.”

  Someone was sobbing near Sky. He didn’t dare take his eyes off Diana to see who it was. He heard Nathan suck in a breath beside him.

  “We could not protect her. That is a great regret we all will live with for as long as we are alive. But we will not let her have died in vain. She was taken from this world too soon, and I promise you all—” Diana paused to look around the room. There was a steely determination in her expression as she looked into the eyes of as many people as possible before continuing. “—Gayle Mendosa, and her parents, will be avenged.”

  A murmur went through the crowd. Sky balled his fists at his sides. Yes, they will be avenged, he thought to himself. He had no doubt that every Affinite around him believed the same. No Disciple, no King, would ever get away with hurting their world as badly as they had done a week ago. It didn’t matter how long it took. It didn’t matter that the Asters would first have to deal with the uprising in North America. The unknown King in South America would pay for what he did. One day… one day he would learn what happens to those who challenged the Asters. He would learn what happens to he who killed the Queen.

  The murmurs in the crowd died the second Harrison Mayne stepped closer to the altar and placed his hand on the rim of the cauldron to Diana’s left. He, too, started whisp
ering, and within a few moments the second cauldron blazed up and a fire crackled within.

  Sky’s grandfather stepped back once more. It was nearing the end of the ceremonial-part of the Memorial. Sky knew what was coming next. Diana would recite the words spoken at the end of every Affinite and Aster funeral when the death was at the hand of Dark magic.

  Diana closed the book in front of her. She placed her hands on top and looked up at the coloured glass ceiling.

  “Tomas… Cara… Gayle…” she spoke. She lowered her head and looked at all the people in front of her.

  “May you be free,” she spoke.

  “May you be free,” repeated every single person in the Throne Room.

  “May you feel no pain.”

  “May you feel no pain,” rang through the room.

  “May you find peace.”

  “May you find peace.”

  “May your deaths not be in vain.”

  “May your deaths not be in vain.”

  Diana waited one moment longer. She stared out in front of her, her expression solemn but with a sense of strong conviction. Sky believed every single word as Diana finally said, “You will be avenged.”

  “You will be avenged,” rang through the room.

  Sky could feel the buzz in his veins, the strength that filled him when he spoke those final words. He could feel the truth in them as he said them. He knew all the other Asters felt the same. They might not have been able to prevent Gayle’s death, but they would do everything in their power to make sure it wasn’t for nothing. She would be avenged. Whether it was tomorrow, next month, or next year. It didn’t matter. Gayle Mendosa would be avenged. The South American King would pay.

  Diana Griffiths looked around the crowd in the Throne Room one last time, and said, “From this moon to the next, these fires will burn. And we will remember, even once the final embers have been extinguished. We will avenge you. And we will never forget you.”

  After the Memorial there were drinks and food in the dining hall. The long tables had been moved to the walls of the hall and were now filled with so, so many snacks, half of which Lian didn’t even recognise. Anna had just introduced him to Jaffa cakes, and Lian was still not sure what to make of them. They were delicious—that much he knew for sure. Anna was laughing at the way he had smelt the cake before daring to put it in his mouth, and now he had already lost count of how many he’d eaten.

  The Memorial had been sad, extremely sad; especially when Diana had spoken about Gayle Mendosa and how nothing could’ve been done to save her, Lian felt like his heart was being ripped out of his body. He knew the other Asters felt the same. They all wanted to believe that there was more they could’ve done, but all evidence pointed to the contrary.

  Even though Diana had used the fires just as a metaphor, it did seem like some of the sadness had burnt away. The dining hall was filled with light chatter; lighter than Lian had heard in days. It was nice to see, and even nicer to hear after the deathly quiet of the last few days. Even though there were no bodies yet to burn, it had been a good idea to have the Memorial. Everyone seemed to have got some form of closure.

  Lian looked across the dining hall. He spotted Sky standing over at the bar. It didn’t surprise Lian whatsoever that Sky was there. The drink in his hand was probably at least his second. Sky was talking animatedly with Kemal Malas and Ashu Bekele, two of the Asters’ closest friends. Kemal had been transferred to Saluverus from his hometown in Turkey a few years back when he’d shown potential to become a great soldier. He had a round face, with dark eyes, bushy black hair and thick eyebrows. For a guy his size, the fluidity of his movements had surprised everyone during his first week of training on the island. Ashu’s experience had been practically the same. In fact, Ashu arrived from Ethiopia on the same day as Kemal had from Turkey, though Ashu hadn’t been scouted for his fighting skills, but for his affinity for stealth. His skin tone was an even darker shade than Matu’s and he had short, thick, black curls. Even though they came from completely different countries and backgrounds, Kemal and Ashu bonded immediately upon arrival and had been inseparable ever since.

  Lian looked further around the hall. He couldn’t see Sophie or Matu anywhere, but he found Nathan by one of the higher tables that had been placed in the centre of the dining hall, talking to Moroccan twins, Asmae and Marwa Kadiri. They, too, had been scouted and brought to Saluverus when they were fifteen. They were identically short, with medium-length, dark hair, and brown eyes which were magnified by their black-rimmed glasses. You couldn’t tell by the looks of them, but they were deadly. Even more so when fighting side by side.

  The Asters sometimes trained with the highly skilled Affinites who were in the soldier-programme. In those sessions the Asters weren’t allowed to use magic, so they’d be equals, though for Lian that was always a problem. He couldn’t help it; his magic always kicked in whenever he got hurt, without him even thinking about it, and he would be called out to stop fighting further. It was during those trainings that the Asters had met Ashu, Kemal and the Kadiri twins and had become good friends.

  Lian’s eyes drifted further and found Nora Amsel, the oldest of the five Amsel children, leaning on one of the other higher tables. Lian couldn’t spot any of her siblings or her mother anywhere near her. Nora had a drink in her hand and she smiled and nodded to a second girl Lian didn’t recognise. He just about made out the words “thank you” on Nora’s lips when the second girl walked away from the table to meet up with some friends near the entrance.

  “Do you know her?” Anna asked, following Lian’s gaze and realising who he was looking at.

  Lian continued to look at the German Affinite, whose mother would soon be off to Brazil to be part of the Queen’s Case. Nora’s flaming red hair stood out amongst the crowd.

  “No,” Lian said. Then he realised something, and added, “Do you?”

  “Not well,” Anna answered. “I’ve spoken to her a few times, but she’s usually busy taking care of her brothers and sisters. She’s actually really nice.”

  It didn’t surprise Lian one bit that Anna had already spoken to Nora. Even though his friend was constantly busy with her studies to become a surgeon, she always seemed to have time to talk to everyone in the castle. Somehow, she knew a little bit about absolutely everyone. How she found the time, Lian would never know.

  “Her mother will be sent on some kind of mission for Percy Kelly soon. You know? Jackson Kelly’s brother. Well, of course you know,” Anna was saying.

  Lian tried to hide his smile, and Anna punched his arm for it.

  “Ow!” Lian exclaimed.

  “Stop laughing. It’s unfair you know so much stuff and can’t tell me,” Anna exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

  “Considering how easily you gossip, I would think it’s very smart that I can keep my mouth shut,” Lian teased, grinning.

  Anna narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. “Come on, she’s standing there all alone. Let’s go over there,” she said.

  Lian followed as Anna led him through the crowd towards Nora Amsel. While he walked something caught his eye. Sophie had just entered the dining hall and was searching the crowd. When her eyes met his, she beckoned him. Lian nodded to her and reached out to grab Anna’s wrist. They hadn’t made it to the high table Nora was standing at yet.

  “What?” Anna asked.

  “You go on ahead. Sophie needs me for something. I’ll catch up, all right?” Lian said.

  “Sure thing.” She gave him a kind smile before turning away from him and vanishing into the crowd.

  Lian changed direction and headed for the entrance to the dining hall. Once out in the hallway he found Sophie waiting for him. Nathan was at her side.

  “What’s going on?” Lian asked.

  “Axel wants to see us,” Sophie replied. Both she and Nathan turned away and headed down the corridor. Lian followed.

  “I hate always having to leave so suddenly,” Lian admitted.


  Sophie looked up at him. “It comes with the job, I’m afraid. Anna understands it, though, right?”

  “Yeah, she does. It still sucks, though,” Lian mumbled.

  The three of them rounded a corner and Sophie led them into a room along the corridor. Lian had never been there before. It was like a small office, with a desk on one side and a few filing cabinets on the other, though none of it seemed to be in use.

  Sky was already there, sitting on the desk, while Matu was sitting on the chair. Axel was standing near the narrow, tall window at the back of the small room. Lian closed the door behind him and turned to face the Ambassador.

  “Thank you for coming, I won’t keep you here long,” Axel said.

  “What’s going on?” Lian asked.

  Axel cleared his throat. “After you left Brazil, Karla and the other local Affinites finished preserving the scene. They are done changing the memories of the other inhabitants concerning the night of the disappearance and what has happened since then. They will not remember the Mendosas ever lived there.”

  The Asters remained quiet as the Ambassador continued. Axel was never one for pleasantries; he always dove right into what he wanted to discuss. Apparently, the Asters were being updated on everything that was happening in Brazil and North America right now.

  “The Affinites involved in both the Queen’s Case and the Bone Recovery missions will leave tomorrow. Katherine and Rose are leading the Bone Recovery teams. Because the events in Brazil no longer concern you, you will be kept out of any developments concerning that matter. Now, as for Diallo and Madeleine’s mission that you came to hear of—” Axel looked pointedly at Nathan, “they are to travel to North America and talk to some of the local Watchers. There are as many Disciples in North America as when we spoke last. However, they are moving around quite a lot, which is uncharacteristic. We’re having Diallo and Madeleine go there in person, not only to talk to the Watchers, but also to get a sense of the latest developments on the continent itself.”