Chapter 3. Sleep now in the fire

It was night when Innis woke up on the sand, lying beside

a bonfire. Had it been a dream?

He sat up and saw Florry slumped over further down the beach.

"He's just sleeping." Eurides said. She was sitting near him

opening a timber packing crate.

"Is he alright?"

"He won’t remember a thing. He’ll wake up tomorrow, find his

satchel full of jewellery and coins, and be on his way like a

startled rabbit."

Innis smiled at the thought of it.

Eurides rolled the crate onto its side and tapped the knife

she was using against it. "You're a pragmatic man Innis.

I don't mean any disrespect in saying it - but each year is

finding you worse for wear."

"True enough." Innis said.

He saw that Eurides was using the broken knife he'd

dropped in the water and remembered the cut on his hand.

The wound was completely healed.

"I want you to look after something for me."

Eurides peered inside the open crate.

"There you are." She lifted out a porcelain statue of a

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peacock. It's glaze glistened in the firelight. "There was two

of them on the ship. A peahen and a peacock, a matching set."

"Are they yours?" Innis said.

"No, I saw them side by side on the dock at Graves End in

London before we embarked. The Captain had them both

unpacked and checked for damage before they were loaded."

"Is that what you want me to look after?"

Her laughter surprised him. It was light and almost girlish.

"If only it was that simple."

Eurides turned the statue over in her hands. "I occasionally

give in to nostalgia. The colours remind me of another place."

She sighed and carefully slid the statue back into its crate.

"What are you going to do with it?" Innis asked

"He'll be safe from the tide here. Someone will find him."

Eurides stood up. "Help me stack the fire."

Innis stood next to her as she threw in broken boxes.

"You still haven’t told me what you want me to do."

Eurides stared into the fire.

Innis tossed in some rope and driftwood. He saw her

face in the firelight and thought how beautiful she was.

"It is a most faithful mirror."

He tried to guess she meant, then watched in horror as

Eurides walked into the fire. Innis turned away not wanting

to see. The flames drew back as if in surprise then closed

around her with a roar.

He looked for her body in the flames.

Eurides stood in the bonfire with her back to him.

She swayed slowly with outstretched arms.

Waves of motion flowed through her body. The strings of tattoo

markings that adorned her pulsed and glowed.

The fire was giving up its heat and light to her. The flames rolled

and changed in shape and pattern. A halo and crown.

A set of golden wings and royal garments. Eagles soared and lions

lay down next her, Eurides movements slowed.

She turned to face him and held out a hand.

Innis stepped to the edge of the fire and felt nothing more than

a gentle warmth.

"You still have a choice ."

"Either way," Innis said, " no-one is going to shed a tear for me."

He took her hand.

"Close your eyes Innis."

He stepped into the fire and emerged in the walled garden

of his Father's rectory in Wiltshire. Innis could feel the spring

sunshine on his face. He could hear the hum of bees and

smell the freshly cut apples that his Mother had picked.

"Why am I here?"

"I want to prepare you for what’s to come."

They were sitting on a garden bench.

"The world won't change. History will take its course regardless

of what you do. That's the way it has to be. What's going to change

is the way you see it."

Innis could feel his mind starting to drift. "How will I see it?"

"That will be entirely up to you." Eurides said.

The sound of her voice and the feel of her presence began

to fade, until Innis realized that he was alone.

He was suddenly present and fully aware in the centre of

the bonfire. He screamed as his clothes and hair burst

into flames.

Flames filled his mouth and clawed at his face and ears.

Innis screamed as his skin split open and the muscle and fat

beneath it simmered.

He screamed until his throat closed and he couldn’t scream

anymore, then he fell blind to his knees and the

fire engulfed him.

*