The Marriage of the Living Dark

Lin Pei nodded. “She claims that if s hers. That she wrote it”

Emily looked down at the stack of volumes. Why, there had to be at least thirty of the big, leather-bound books. As Lin Pel said, the gods knew how she had managed to carry them this far. “Whaf s her name?”

“She calls herself Hannah.”

“Hannah?” Emily thought a moment, then shook her head. She knew no one of that

name. “And does she say what she

wants?”

“To see you. And to get these to safety.”

“Safety?’ Emily laughed at the thought That was all they needed right now - a true history of a world about to be taken over by the floraforms. In a year, maybe less, all this - this long and patient effort - would be transformed. Would become part of the greater greenness of the world.

And history itself would end.

“You say she’s sleeping?”

Lin Pei looked down, then met his mother’s eyes again. “I called Surgeon Wu. I had him give her a sleeping draught. She looked exhausted.” She smiled at him. “You’re getting soft, Pei.”

There was a moment’s alarm in his eyes before he saw that she was teasing him, and then he smiled. “No softer than you, mother. Had you seen the state she was in, you would have done the same.” She nodded. “You’re a good man, Pei. Your father would have been proud of you.”

He bowed his head, moved by her words.

“Well,” she said, looking back at the book in her hand. “I’ll speak to this Hannah in the morning. In the meantime I think I’ll take this to bed with me.” Pei grimaced. “It is not cheerful reading, from what I’ve seen.”

She looked up at him. “No, yet maybe we would not be in this mess had we come face to face with what we were. Knowledge is power, so they say.” “So they say.”

They both laughed, the darker knowledge of their fate behind their laughter. They lived in shadows now, in darkening days. Their laughter was a candle against such darkness.”Good night, Pel.” Emily stepped across and, one hand gently holding the back of his head, kissed his brow. “Sweet dreams, my darling boy.”

“The gods protect you,” he answered, pecking her cheek. “And don’t read too long. You need your sleep.”

“I won’t”

Turning, she made her way back along the corridor, the book held tightly in her hand, a burning curiosity filling her.

Fate. Fate was playing tricks with them all in these final days, like a player moving the stones.

And in her head she saw the woman struggling along a mountain path, the heavy backpack weighing her down, and wondered why.

Daniel was dozing, not quite asleep, yet dreaming, when the door to his room opened and someone crept in. There was the rustle of something falling to the floor, then someone - warm and quite definitely female, slipped in beside him. Surprised, he edged back slightly, then sat, turning on the bedside lamp.

“Siri?”

She looked up at him, the sheet pulled up about her neck, an uncertain smile on her lips.

“What are you doing here?”

It was, he knew, a silly, senseless question. He knew what she was doing there. One did not come to a young man’s bed in the middle of the night - one did not cast off one’s clothes and slip in beside him - if you wanted only to talk. But her simple presence there threw him. He found himself blushing, and holding the sheet to himself, as if to conceal his own nakedness. “You can’t stay,” he said, when she didn’t answer. “You...” She reached out and touched him, her soft, warm hand resting on his hip. It made him feel strange. The cloth had fallen away from her slightly, revealing one of her breasts. He stared, as if he had not seen her naked before, surprised by the hardness of the nipple, knowing instinctively what it meant.He took a small, shuddering breath, then reached down, removing her hand. “Siri... you can’t stay. Really.”

She blinked, surprised. There was doubt in her eyes now, and disappointment Meeting those eyes, Daniel frowned, surprised to find her close to tears. He eased back, away from her, then turned and, bending down to retrieve it, pulled on his cloak, fastening it tight about his waist He turned back, looking down at her. She was crying now. Tears dropped one after another from her bottom lids, running down her cheeks and into the hollow of her neck. Yet still she was silent.

Daniel walked round the bed and picked up her sleeping robe, then held it out to her.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m very flattered. You’re very beautiful, but...”

“If s true, then,” she said bluntly.

He frowned.

Siri looked down, then wiped the back of her hand across her cheeks. “Still, I guess if s not your fault.”

“I’m sorry?”

She met his eyes again. “All those boys and no girls. It must ... change you.” He laughed. A short, humourless laugh. So thaf s what she thought And yet even if it were true, why should he be ashamed of that? It was the comfort, the feeling of being loved - of loving - that mattered, nothing else. “Is that what you think? That I prefer boys?”

“Well, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never had the chance to find out. Before tonight, that is.”

She looked down again, swallowing, then, raising her head defiantly, threw the sheet aside. “Well? Do you want to find out?”

He stared at her, aroused by her arousal. Wanting her, despite his qualms. Even so, it felt wrong. “No,” he said finally, holding out her cloak to her. “Not now. Not like this.”

He saw how much his denial hurt her, and wished - truly wished - he could be selfish and just have her. Fuck her, the way he’d been fucked, or had fucked others. The way it was in the camp. But he didn’t want that Not here. “I’m sorry,” he said again. “Really I am.” She stared at him, then, standing abruptly, snatched the cloak from his hand and pulled it on. For a moment he thought that she would strike him, there was such anger in her, but then, unexpectedly, she stepped close and, pressing her mouth to his, kissed him.

“There,” she said, standing back “Now you know.” She was trembling faintly. Her hands clenched and unclenched. And then she was gone. Without another word, another look Daniel turned, staring at the open door. He could hear her footsteps departing down the corridor. A door slammed shut. Daniel closed the door then went across and sat Drawing aside his cloak, he stared down at himself, surprised. At least he had learned that much about himself. For a moment he closed his eyes, imagining it, remembering the warmth of her body against his. It would have been so easy. Easy, yes, but wrong. A violation.

Yet still it troubled him. Was he right to spurn her? Wasn’t that a kind of selfishness? After all, all she wanted was a little comfort A little love. He shook his head, confused now. He’d made her cry. He hadn’t meant to, but he had, when he could so easily have made her happy. “Aiya,” he said quietly, knowing that he wouldn’t sleep. “Why now? Why now of all things?”

Yet he knew why. They all knew why. They were coming to the end of time. The end of human history. And at the end people did such things, took such risks. So maybe he was wrong. Wrong to be so fastidious; to reject such a simple, heartfelt offer of love.

Emily. Yes, Emily would know.

He stood up, then crossed the room, determined to go to her at once. And stopped.What if she was asleep? What if she didn’t think this was such a major thing? To wake her over a ... a nothing.

Then again, why had she brought his attention to it in the first place if it wasn’t important?

Okay, he thought. Ill go and see her. But if she’s sleeping, III come back. It can wait, after all.

It could wait Then again, the world might end tomorrow. Pulling open the door, he hurried down the corridor, heading for Emily’s private rooms.