The Gathering (56 page)

“Dreams?”

Albion nodded.

“Your mother?”

“Uh, huh.”

“She loved you very much.
 
I know you miss her.”

Albion nodded again and hugged his father as he began to sob.
 
Stephan felt his heart breaking.

“It’ll be alright, Son.”

Then Stephan held his youngest child and let him cry until he fell back to sleep.
 
He laid Albion gently in his bed and quietly walked out of the room.

When the door had latched, Albion turned over and sighed.
 
He now had a chance to get to know his father, but he couldn’t get his mother out of his head.
 
What if she was alive?
 
He had always felt that she was and now there might be a chance.

He pulled back his covers and changed his clothes.
 
He put on his shoes and opened his bedroom door.
 
He looked around and saw the light coming from under his father’s door.
 
He waited and watched, and then the light went off.
 
He moved silently down the hallway to the front room and took his keys from the counter.
 
He gently unlatched the door and closed it quietly behind him.
 

As he walked out the main door of Keystone House, he zipped up his jacket and made off in the direction of the jail.
 
He needed to speak with Rona Mason.

75

The falcons flew high and straight to the mountains of old San Bernardino, to the black castle that stood tall and foreboding in the dark morning sky.

The Shape felt them overhead and rose from his bed, softly so as not awaken the women.
 
They stirred for a minute and then stilled.
 
He pulled his cloak around him and walked to the door.
 
He opened it and walked out on to the balcony.
 

The cold wind of the early morning whipped around him and he breathed deeply, filling his lungs with air.
 
The world was his for the taking if he could harness the power of the goddess.
 
He felt his powers waning.
 
He had consumed the last of his unicorn blood.
 
He needed more to complete the spell, but they were as yet, nowhere to be found.
 

He heard a screech and turned towards the sky.
 
Out of the darkness came his pets.
 
They moved gracefully through the air, like leaves falling from a tree, and landed on his outstretched arm.
 
He smiled as they chirped quietly.
 
They relayed the information to him as Rona had told them.
 
He smiled and nodded and they flew to the ledge of the balcony.
 
Then as he was about to go inside, they chirped again.

He smiled and looked towards the west.
 
He swiftly opened the door and returned moments later with a large bowl.
 
It was filled with strips of raw flesh.
 
He placed the bowl on a table in the center of the balcony and called to them.

The birds flew to the table and were soon joined by their brethren.
 
The falcons that flew high above the castle rained down upon the terrace.
 
The small raptors ripped and tore at the meat before them.
 
The Shape laughed as he watched and then he looked at the sky.

“You’re going to lose this one, Bitch.
 
Once I have her, all of her powers will be mine…all of your powers will be mine.”

He laughed again and turned, walking back into the bedroom.
 
His virility had returned and he satiated it.
 
As he ravaged his companions, the wind outside grew fierce and the sky flashed with lightning.
 
And when the last strike hit the earth, from the burning ground arose a congress of ravens.
 
They flew to the west.
 
There was still time.

76

Albion walked swiftly to the jail, taking special care to make sure that he wasn’t seen.
 
As he neared the jail, he dodged into the shadows, just as the tall, lean frame of Molly Creegan walked through the village streets, followed by Arthur Jones.
 

The two soldiers lifted their lamps in the direction of the jail and looked, but they saw nothing.
 
They continued on their rounds in silence.
 
Albion, who had hidden behind a barrel of ale, now stood up and looked after them.
 
He grabbed several boxes and stacked them next to the window and climbed up.
 
He looked inside and saw Rona and Darla, both asleep.
 
He lightly tapped the metal bars, but Rona didn’t move.
 
In his loudest whisper he called her name.

“Rona!
 
Rona!!”

Rona lightly stirred as he called to her again.
 
She rolled over and squinted in the faded yellow glow.

“Who is that?
 
I’m asleep!”

“Shhh, the guards will hear.”

“Like I give a damn!
 
Who are you?”

“Albion…Albion Merganser.”

“Oh, you.”

She sat up, swung her legs over the side of the bed and rubbed her eyes, then looked over at him.

“Well, what the hell do you want?”

Albion sighed.

“Why are you sending me those dreams?”

Rona cocked her eyebrow.

“Come again?”

“You sent my father dreams about Mrs. Stark to make him believe God was talking to him and now you’re sending me dreams about my mother.”

Rona got up and walked over to the window.

“I don’t do dreams, Kid.”

“Yeah, right… then who did?”

Rona smiled.

“How the hell would I know?
 
Maybe your mom decided to make contact with you, I don’t fucking know.”

Albion frowned at her, confused.

“My mother’s dead.”

Rona laughed.

“Yeah, right.”

Albion started to breath quickly and he grabbed the bars.

“What’s that supposed to mean?
 
What do you know about my mother?”

Rona shook her head.

“Ok, here’s the deal.
 
Anne Merganser is alive and well and living in San Bernardino.
 
She ran out on you and your brother and your dad.”

Albion shook his head.

“That’s not true, my mother wouldn’t leave me.
 
You’re lying.”

Rona shrugged, walked back to the cot and sat down.

“Whatever, Kid… like I give damn what you think.
 
Why would I lie about that?”

“So I would get you out of jail.”

“How the hell are you gonna get me out of here?”

“My mother… the mother in my dream said that you could bring me to her.
 
In order to do that, I would have to let you out.”

“Well, I guess if you can get us out, then I can call the Master.
 
It may take some doing though.”

“You don’t know my mother, you’re lying.”

Rona sneered, got up and walked back over to the window, pulling her face against the bars and right up to Albion’s.

“Get this, you snot-nosed little shit!
 
I may have done a lot of things, but I do not need to lie to the likes of you.
 
You wanna know what happened to your mom?
 
Fine!!
 
Your mom was out picking berries with those other broads when the Master came along.
 
He says to come along quietly and they won’t be hurt.
 
The others tried to run, so he killed them, boom!
 
Your old lady wasn’t happy at Crystal Shade cause daddy was tapping the local beauties.”

“What?”

“He was banging his assistant and your mom found out.
 
The Master says she’s a beauty, so she saw her chance and jumped ship.
 
Turns out that he had a thing for her and she loves it!!
 
The only thing she’s been bitching about all these years is you!
 
I guess he finally caved and said you could come.
 
There’s your lie, Kid!
 
Enjoy it!!
 
Now, fuck off!!”

Rona turned and crawled back into bed.
 
Albion stared down at her, only now seeing Darla standing in her cell watching.
 
He noticed how sad she looked.

“You’re Darla, aren’t you?”

Rona sighed and pulled her covers up around her as Darla nodded.

“She’s telling you the truth.
 
She likes to tell people the truth when it hurts them.”

“Why don’t both of you shut your pie holes so I can go back to sleep!”

Albion looked over at her and then back to Darla.
 

“Why wouldn’t you lie?”

“I would.
 
I did.”

“ARRRGGHH!”

Rona threw back the covers and sat up again.

“She's feeling guilty.
 
She doesn’t care if they kill us or not, because she feels badly about what she has done.
 
Pathetic!!!!”

“Will you take me to my mother?”

Rona cocked her head at him.

“Oh, now you believe me, huh?
 
You wanna go to your mom?
 
Yeah, I’ll take you.
 
But don’t blame me if you hate it there.”

She smiled and rubbed her forehead.
 
Albion looked at both of them.

“Ok, fine…I’ll get you out…sometime today.
 
You promise?
 
You’ll take me.”

Rona looked at him and in her eyes was a seriousness he hadn’t seen before.

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Ok then, later today.”

Albion then jumped down and carefully put the boxes back where he found them.
 
Then he quickly made his way back to the Keystone House.

Rona looked over at Darla and sighed.