‘What about Cillian? Is he hiding… something?’
Matt chuckles. ‘Lots of things, I’m sure, but his physical appearance isn’t one of them. Not in his case. Or any of the Hunters for that matter.’
‘But—’ I pause. It’s going to sound crazy, but I really need to know. ‘Sometimes I see Cillian with antlers.’
Matt nods, as though that’s perfectly normal. ‘Cernunnos. Dressed in the leathers and adorned with the antlers of the mightiest deer in the Caledonian Forest. You see him like that when he embodies the Huntsman. Each of the families represents one of the old gods. Family representations can change if a bloodline dies out, or is… well, let’s just say that, similar to in the human world, sometimes people want to take what rightfully belongs to others and are willing to kill to get that.’
‘Like the Rialis?’
‘Like the Rialis. They came here nearly a century ago from Northern Italy. They are Kinfolk, as you know, and rose to power here very quickly. Vincenzo’s grandfather was ruthless and ambitious– just like his descendants. And so good at obtaining information about their rivals… well, about everyone, really.’
‘So Kinfolk exist all over the world?’
Matt shrugs. ‘Wherever there are humans, there are Kinfolk. The Underworld exists everywhere, although it has its own borders and boundaries. The two of them impact on one another, though, even if humans don’t always know it. There are so many different magics that I’m sure I’m not even aware of them all. The longer you’re here, the more you’ll understand.’
Then his expression falters. He takes my hand in his and squeezes it tightly, looking earnestly into my eyes. ‘You shouldn’t be here. We need to find a way to get you back home. Humans pass through into the Underworld for a variety of reasons…’
‘And?’ I prompt.
‘And it usually doesn’t end well.’
‘Oh.’ I frown and try to work out what he means. It doesn’t feel different being here. My daily life is different, certainly, but I’m not sure what would be different if I’d ended up in these circumstances in the human world.
‘I don’t really know how you got here, or why. You implied Cillian sent you here, but… but I saw him here with you and I know that isn’t the whole truth, is it?’
‘No,’ I confirm, but I’m learning not to volunteer more than is asked, so I stop there.
‘The longer you stay, the less likely you are to ever get home. Time can pass very differently when you step through a thin place.’
‘How long have you been here?’
‘How long have I been gone?’
‘Almost four years,’ I tell him.
‘It feels longer,’ Matt says.
‘But—’ I stare back at him. When I last saw Cillian, it felt as if… as if he was telling me that we could be together. I’d foolishly imagined that meant living back home, in the city I’d grown up in. Moving on with my life. What if too much time has already passed? What if I’ve missed starting my professional training? What if I’m going to be stuck here cooking and cleaning for the Seven forever?
‘I need to go back, Matt. I have a life, a future.’
‘Then you need to find a way to get there as soon as possible.’
I swallow, suddenly realising the significance of this. Is this what Cillian really meant. That he wanted me stuck here, at his mercy? It didn’t seem like that, but honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him.
‘I’m beginning to wonder,’ I say, ‘that ever since I met Rose, I’ve been slowly being drugged, manipulated…’ I frown remembering that the night I first met Cillian was right after I had a drink at the party. Maybe that’s not the only hallucinogenic device the Kinfolk have used on me.
‘No, you’re Rose’s friend, she wouldn’t?—’
‘And… what about my feelings?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Are… are my feelings even real? I’ve been living with Rose for nearly four years now. Being around her, the food and drink I’ve shared with her… could that be influencing me? Making me think I have feelings for someone, when I don’t really.’
‘You’re worried that you don’t really care about Cillian?’
‘Maybe,’ I admit. ‘And…’ I don’t know how to choose my words. I can see Matt loves Rose. How will he react to my uncertainty? ‘I suppose I’m worried that Rose has been manipulating me, too.’
