passed at all, for you; though for Marie, quite a bit had taken place.’
‘What happened to her?’ It was the question Raegan had been
too afraid to ask.
‘Most likely she was drugged, as you were, with a mild
relaxant, and then persuaded to leave the bar under romantic pretences. Once
out of sight, she was murdered. That in itself is horrifying, I know, but the
method is something that you could not imagine. Her life force was not simply
put out, you see.’ Max leaned forward, low over the desk, each word slow, so
that there could be no misunderstanding. ‘It was stolen. The time was drawn
from her. That was why she was an old woman when you found her. The years were
stolen away.’
‘But… by who? I thought Regents were the ones who controlled
time.’ She was filled with horror. ‘One of – well, us , I guess I should
say – we hurt her? We did this?’
‘No. But we should have been there to stop it, and for that
failing, I can only apologise. Her essence was stolen by those who have none of
their own. They are the main reason that we have been given these powers – who we must defend time, and therefore civilians, from.’
‘So that’s why the first Regent was given his powers? Because of them?’
‘In a sense. It’s hard to say who
came first – the chicken and the egg, if you like – but the end result is the
same. Like night and day, both parties must exist to preserve the natural order
of things. The link is time. We protect it, they steal it: living on borrowed
time, killing others to further their own mortality. We call them the Fay, and
you have been unlucky enough to meet two already.’
‘Philip and Christian.’ Raegan said
numbly.
‘That was what they called themselves.’ Max shook his head.
‘And Christian was the one you tangled with tonight. Fortunate that this
particular Fay was arrogant and twisted enough to enjoy the chase, or your
grandfather might never have found you.’ He looked at Con sharply. ‘Though if
he had at least told you how the pendant worked, it would have been no problem
at all.’
Con grunted angrily. ‘Subtle as ever, Max. Fine. Raegan, the pendant glows when the Fay are near, which
you’ve already worked out, I’d wager. If you wrap your hand around it, anyone
who has a companion hourglass can find you.’ Con slid a concealed flap on the
front of his silver ring forward to reveal a tiny hourglass cut into the band,
pressing against his skin.
But Raegan was completely oblivious to this exchange,
turning Max’s earlier words over in her mind. She twisted her hands again and
again as the guilt finally burst out of her.
‘So if I’d known about this, about everything, I could have
fought Christian? Stopped him, somehow?’
Max and Con shared a tense glance. ‘It’s difficult to say,’
Max said at last. ‘Most Regents spend their entire lives fighting the Fay;
tracking them, hunting them, and killing as many as possible. But these are
dangerous creatures, Raegan. Sometimes we fail; sometimes, they kill us
instead, or they evade us and we never find them again. It is impossible to
save everyone. That is one of the hardest lessons for a Regent. And it is
terribly sad that it is a lesson that you, before you have even embarked on
your training, have already learned.’
The frantic movement of the blue-green eyes, which flickered
with the tide of her emotions, stilled. She met his gaze.
‘Training. That’s why I’m here, I
suppose. To learn.’
‘Yes. What you endured tonight was called a traverse – the
process by which the Regent manipulates time through his or her heartbeat. The
art of traverse is one of the most powerful weapons in a Regent’s arsenal: it
allows you to attack a Fay outside of common time, which reduces civilian
involvement, and when used properly can even be used to manipulate a Fay’s own
heartbeat. Had you commenced training as you were supposed to, you would
already know this. ’
Raegan didn’t understand much
‘What happened to her?’ It was the question Raegan had been
too afraid to ask.
‘Most likely she was drugged, as you were, with a mild
relaxant, and then persuaded to leave the bar under romantic pretences. Once
out of sight, she was murdered. That in itself is horrifying, I know, but the
method is something that you could not imagine. Her life force was not simply
put out, you see.’ Max leaned forward, low over the desk, each word slow, so
that there could be no misunderstanding. ‘It was stolen. The time was drawn
from her. That was why she was an old woman when you found her. The years were
stolen away.’
‘But… by who? I thought Regents were the ones who controlled
time.’ She was filled with horror. ‘One of – well, us , I guess I should
say – we hurt her? We did this?’
‘No. But we should have been there to stop it, and for that
failing, I can only apologise. Her essence was stolen by those who have none of
their own. They are the main reason that we have been given these powers – who we must defend time, and therefore civilians, from.’
‘So that’s why the first Regent was given his powers? Because of them?’
‘In a sense. It’s hard to say who
came first – the chicken and the egg, if you like – but the end result is the
same. Like night and day, both parties must exist to preserve the natural order
of things. The link is time. We protect it, they steal it: living on borrowed
time, killing others to further their own mortality. We call them the Fay, and
you have been unlucky enough to meet two already.’
‘Philip and Christian.’ Raegan said
numbly.
‘That was what they called themselves.’ Max shook his head.
‘And Christian was the one you tangled with tonight. Fortunate that this
particular Fay was arrogant and twisted enough to enjoy the chase, or your
grandfather might never have found you.’ He looked at Con sharply. ‘Though if
he had at least told you how the pendant worked, it would have been no problem
at all.’
Con grunted angrily. ‘Subtle as ever, Max. Fine. Raegan, the pendant glows when the Fay are near, which
you’ve already worked out, I’d wager. If you wrap your hand around it, anyone
who has a companion hourglass can find you.’ Con slid a concealed flap on the
front of his silver ring forward to reveal a tiny hourglass cut into the band,
pressing against his skin.
But Raegan was completely oblivious to this exchange,
turning Max’s earlier words over in her mind. She twisted her hands again and
again as the guilt finally burst out of her.
‘So if I’d known about this, about everything, I could have
fought Christian? Stopped him, somehow?’
Max and Con shared a tense glance. ‘It’s difficult to say,’
Max said at last. ‘Most Regents spend their entire lives fighting the Fay;
tracking them, hunting them, and killing as many as possible. But these are
dangerous creatures, Raegan. Sometimes we fail; sometimes, they kill us
instead, or they evade us and we never find them again. It is impossible to
save everyone. That is one of the hardest lessons for a Regent. And it is
terribly sad that it is a lesson that you, before you have even embarked on
your training, have already learned.’
The frantic movement of the blue-green eyes, which flickered
with the tide of her emotions, stilled. She met his gaze.
‘Training. That’s why I’m here, I
suppose. To learn.’
‘Yes. What you endured tonight was called a traverse – the
process by which the Regent manipulates time through his or her heartbeat. The
art of traverse is one of the most powerful weapons in a Regent’s arsenal: it
allows you to attack a Fay outside of common time, which reduces civilian
involvement, and when used properly can even be used to manipulate a Fay’s own
heartbeat. Had you commenced training as you were supposed to, you would
already know this. ’
Raegan didn’t understand much
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