zg_shadows | Phone Calls

In the small hours of the morning, Lucy creeps into her son's room, which has 'KAYD' spelled out in big friendly red letters on the door, and watches him sleep. It's almost strange to have him back now, after that hellish month without him.

Still, something has changed. He's thinner, for a start, and his eyes look older. Maybe tomorrow he'll be able to speak, be able to say something about what happened to him.

And she'll get in touch with the Gurahl in Wales, and see if he can help. Kayd's home now, at least, and so the healing can begin.

Tomorrow.

And then her phone rings...

“Hello?”

A man's voice replies. It's deep, with a slightly smokey rasp to it.

"Hello Lucy. Please remain completely calm. Your son's life depends on it."

Lucy looks at her son. He whimpers slightly. Lucy walks out of the room, away from her son’s vulnerable figure.

“Please continue.”

“Also, do not contact your pack or sept-mates over any form of non-verbal or spiritual communication. It is imperative that you believe me that if you do so, your son will die." The voice is stern.

Lucy bites back a laugh. The pack is not complete yet, there is no totem to run messages to her friends.

"Please continue. I understand your restrictions."

"That is good. I would like you to go back through to your son's room and stay calm and observe."

Lucy does so, her movements wooden.

“Who are you?”

"I am a representative of the Black Spiral Dancers and a close friend of the warrior your people killed yesterday. You can call me Blood-Eye. Now please observe your son closely."

“Very well Blood-Eye.”

Kayd's body twitches under the covers and he moans in his sleep. His face turns to one side and Lucy watches as a red mark blooms on his cheek as if he has been branded. Lucy bites down on her tongue, calling on her reserves to avoid giving in to the red rage that threatens.

“Very good. We can kill Kayd from a distance in a heartbeat. Were you to trace this call and you and your mighty heroes come for me then he would still die because the one who holds his heart is far away from me. Now I am going to ask you and my philodoxes will listen for lies - have you informed anyone of this conversation or made any attempt to contact others?"
“No I have not.”

"Very good, Lucy. Now I will get to my point. I will trade your life for that of your son. You will come to me and dance the Black Spiral or we will kill Kayd. If you come to us, we will not only let him live but we will leave him alone to be raised by your current Tribe without interference."

Lucy stared at the sleeping figure before her, and a tear started to flow down her cheek...