“The sun rises in the west here and sets in the east. Their day is our night.” I paused to give her a few moments to breathe it all in. “Come, we must find the lord of these lands.”
We began down the steps and walked out into the countryside. It had been half a century since I had visited Annwn and it remained as lovely as I had remembered.
I found Arawn exactly where I had expected to, in a field of bronze wheat a few miles’ walk from Caer Sidi. The ruler of the afterworld was stripped to the waist, sweat shining on the long muscles of his tanned arms as he bent to parcel and scythe the crop, twisting it into bundles and tossing them back on the ground. Around him other men and women laboured, some in fine purplish tweeds, others in drab linens or animal skins.
“Hail, Arawn, Lord of Annwn,” I called out as we approached. He turned and peered at me, shading his eyes with one hand from the early-morning sun.
“Mallt? Mallt, is that you?” His face split into an enormous grin and to my surprise I saw an expression of relief pass over his features. “The fates are kind to send you to me now, Mallt. We have been waiting for you.”
He broke off and squinted at me. “You look different, Sister of the Night. Is it truly you?”
“In the flesh, which is a surprise to me, too.” I balled my fist over my heart and bowed to him.
Belis copied me, looking around nervously at the harvesters.
Arawn shoved the handle of his sickle into his belt then strode over to us. To my irritation I found that, where once we had been the same height, he now towered over me. “Blood of my ancestors, Mallt, have you shrunk?”
I glowered at him. “It’s this human form I’m stuck in, it’s terribly inconvenient.”
“Human? It can’t be.”
He looked at me again, crouching a little so that his eyes met mine. They were a liquid gold, no whites nor pupils. I flinched a little under his gaze. He grabbed my hand, raised it to his mouth and bit down hard. I yelped and tried to drag it back.Belis hurried forward but he had already released me. I inspected the injured finger – a shallow cut on the tip. I looked back up to Arawn.
“Your blood proves the truth of your words. There is no taste of magic in you, no scent of the ages.” He stepped closer. “Tell me what happened.”
I scowled, unhappy with how strange and unfriendly he was being. Belis pushed her way between us and to my surprise I felt a little better. She was not quite the same height as the Lord of the Dead, but it was comforting to have her there.
“It is my fault,” she said, meeting Arawn’s eyes. “My mistake. We are here to ask you to help rectify it.”
Arawn stared at her then threw his head back and laughed. Birds were startled from the trees at the sound and a murmur rippled through the dead. He was almost gasping for breath by the time he regained control of himself but there was no mirth in his face.
“You have come to ask me for help, Mallt Y Nos? After years and years of praying and hoping for you to come, you arrive powerless and mortal. Truly you are the Nightshade, for you have brought darkness to this land.’
I recoiled, gripping Belis’s arm and pulling her back. Arawn covered his mouth and cast a quick look at the dead.
“We cannot talk here. Come.” Arawn beckoned us over to the edge of the field where a huge barrel had been filled with water. A set of wooden cups floated on the surface and the king dipped one into the water and handed it to me. I dropped my pack and took it gladly. The water was cold enough to sting my teeth. He gave a second to Belis who was still looking at him as though he might attack again.
“Apologies, my lady,” Arawn said to her, “you have not caught me at my best. I am usually more composed. I don’t believe Mallt has introduced us. A living mortal?”
“This is Beliscena, Princess of the Iceni,” I said. “She’s the reason I’m in this mess.”
“I am Arawn. Welcome to Annwn.”
“Thank you,” said Belis, bobbing another bow. Arawn nodded at her then turned back to me.
“So, Mallt, care to explain?”
I described the battlefield, the events in the glade. Belis hovered next to me, casting anxious glances around her. When one of the dead reached into the barrel to help herself to a beaker of water she flinched backwards, staring at the woman.
“She won’t hurt you,” Arawn said, interrupting my story. “Be at peace.”
Belis nodded and smoothed down her skirt nervously.
“As I was saying,” I cleared my throat, “when I appeared and had reached out for the distressed soul, somehow the three of us got tangled up. Belis was healed, but her sister’s soul was tugged loose and my powers were dislodged, leaving me helpless and human.”
“Indeed,” Arawn said, looking from me to Belis. “You must have strong magic indeed to have done such a thing. Powerful yet extremely foolish. If Mallt had not been there you both would have died.”
Belis flinched and dropped her gaze.
