Connie wheeled her bike up the drive to Five Shaker Row, glancing around cautiously. Night had fallen some time ago, and the silent street lamps bathed her path. The sky was cloudless, and her hands were already numb with cold. Not to mention she was still sore from the fighting. She couldn't wait to get back in her warm, comfy bed.
She paused at the top of the drive. All of the lights were off, and nothing stirred. Connie breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed her cover story had worked; about the only thing in her plan that had. Despite her failure, though, the duel had given her a lot to think about. After helping Sentinel with his injuries, which he insisted were only minor, she'd carefully gone through what happened. While it was upsetting she had to abandon Col yet again, in many ways it was lucky Helena stopped her. Contrary to Colman's information, if she'd been infected with Stormbolt's power, there would've been no coming back.
The shock of her near-mistake lingered as she parked her bike behind Evelyn's car. It seemed not everything in the Universal's reading room could be trusted. That was quite a blow to her confidence, as she was still the only Universal and had no-one else to guide her. She wished she could've asked Helena so much more. How had her spirit managed to survive for so long? How had she managed to communicate with Connie? And her words about the Society initially being set up to contain the Universals…what did it all mean? How much of the truth had been lost to history?
Connie paused at the back door, closing her eyes. She'd have to save those questions for later. Right now she needed to focus on Col, and how to stop the Society turning against the pegasi. If only Kullervo hadn't done his stupid disappearing act! He'd learnt something about Stormbolt—something important—yet he wasn't willing to share his information. Connie could only hope he'd be in a more talkative mood later, so she could get back to planning her next move.
Yawning, Connie slipped through the back door, closing it gently.
She tip-toed into the kitchen, the promise of the stairs mere inches away, when suddenly the lights snapped on.
Connie froze. Slowly, she turned around. Evelyn, Mack and Mrs. Clamworthy were sitting at the breakfast table. Evelyn looked as fearsome as her banshee companions, while Mack's eyes were narrowed as he studied her soiled clothing. But it was Mrs. Clamworthy's disappointed face that frightened Connie the most.
"Go get cleaned up, Connie," Evelyn said, breaking the silence. "Then come down, and you can explain where you've really been these last few hours."
Gulping, Connie hurried up the stairs to her room. She closed the door, and glanced to her mirror. The battle damage was worse than she realised. Dried blood caked her right sleeve, and her jacket and trousers were coated in tears, loose threads and dust. Her hair was windswept and muddy, her cheek scarred from Col's sword, and that was before she got to the smell that was just starting to hit her.
Stripping off, she took as long as she dared in the shower, unwilling to face the grilling committee downstairs. How had they found out so quickly? Had Jane been forced to tell the truth? Of course they'd know instantly what she'd done once Col's name was mentioned.
This was going to be very sticky, indeed.
Once free of blood and mud, Connie dressed in her pyjamas and brushed her hair. Finally, looking a little more presentable, she began the cringe-worthy walk to the kitchen. Mack tapped his fingers restlessly. None of them took their eyes off Connie as she took the single unoccupied seat, and Connie took a shaky breath, her heart running overtime. Silence fell, until Mack stood up.
"Where the hell have you been, Connie?!" he blurted. "We were worried sick! After Gard told me he'd seen you cycling towards the caves…" He trailed off. Connie cursed. She hadn't banked on the earth elemental seeing her. She could've made up as many stories as she liked; once her foot touched the ground, he'd know it was her.
So why hadn't he stopped her?
"Mack, please," Evelyn said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We don't want to wake George." Mack nodded, and sank back in his chair. Evelyn turned to Connie, her gaze softened. "Just tell us everything, Connie. Did you try to go after Col again?"
Connie clenched her fists.
"Yes," she said.
"Connie, we explicitly told you not to try anything alone!" Mack snapped. He gestured to her bruised arm and scathed cheek. "Look how much he's hurt you!"
"You think it doesn't hurt me here, watching Col act like this?" Connie tapped over her breastbone, her own temper rising. "I'm sick of sitting around doing nothing! Seeing the mythical creatures, our family, Col, all suffering." She gritted her teeth. "I had to do something."
"But we asked you to come to us first," Mrs. Clamworthy said. "You shouldn't have kept this a secret, Connie. You could have been in serious trouble with nobody to help you. And I can only imagine the toll it's taken on you, to fight someone you care so deeply about."
Connie bowed her head.
"I didn't have any other choice," she said. "You've seen how powerful Stormbolt is, and the influence he has over Col. I'm the only one who can match up to him."
"He could've killed you, Connie!" Mack yelled, not heeding Evelyn's earlier words for George. "How d'you think we feel, every time he launches an attack, every time he taunts you? My own son turning the Society against itself, and against you…" He buried his head in his hands. "Children should never be forced to fight like this."
An indignant retort rose on Connie's lips about being called a child, but she forced it down. Her guilt over the worry she'd caused her guardians was stronger than her anger.
"So what happened?" Evelyn asked, holding Mack's hand. "I guess you spoke with Sentinel, since you were headed for his home?"
"I did," Connie said. "I asked him to take me to a place where no-one could find us."
Evelyn frowned. "You were going to try and seal Stormbolt like your ancestor did, weren't you?"
Connie nodded.
"But as you can see, it didn't work," she said, "and I'm still in one piece."
"And Col?"
"Still with Stormbolt."
Evelyn shook her head.
"That was very reckless, Connie," she said. "You could've gotten seriously hurt. You're not going to pull a stunt like this again." She clasped her hands together. "You're grounded for the rest of the holidays."
"What?!" Connie stood up. "You can't!"
"I can, and I will," Evelyn said firmly. "We need the Society as a whole to put an end to this. You're not running off to play the hero again. You're not to set foot outside this house on your own."
"But…"
"This isn't open for discussion, Connie." Evelyn said. "It's for your own good." She rose to her feet. "Now go to bed."
She left the kitchen. Mack followed, his expression mirroring Evelyn's. Connie rubbed her eyes. This was so unfair! She was so close to unravelling the mystery of the dark pegasus, and Kullervo had some key information, too. Now, if she did discover a way to free Col, she wouldn't be able to do anything.
"Connie," Mrs. Clamworthy said kindly, "I understand your frustration. But you must understand that we don't want to lose you as well. We will find a way to bring him home."
"But when?" Connie asked. "After the Society's tried to wipe out the pegasi? Fighting them isn't the way to solve this!"
"I wholeheartedly agree," Mrs. Clamworthy answered. She patted Connie's shoulder. "Connie, I know you feel you should be able to solve all the Society's problems by yourself, but that's not a good habit to get into. You've been relying so much on your own power, you've forgotten your strongest ally is right in front of you."
"You mean Skylark?"
"Yes," Mrs. Clamworthy said. "I know deep under all that anger and hurt, Col still loves his companion very deeply. You need to tap into that, to remind Col his love for Skylark outshines anything Stormbolt could ever grant him. That is the only way to reach him; the only way to free him and bring him home."
Connie sighed, as Col's words in the caverns came back to haunt her. He'd lost faith in love, tricked into thinking power was the answer. He was beyond her reach now…but she'd seen the pain in his eyes when she'd made him relive the memory of hurting Skylark.
The pegasus was her only hope, now.
"Universal, are you awake? We must speak."
Connie blinked, rolling over in bed. It was late morning, but she was still recovering from her duel with Col. But she recognised the voice instantly, and she sat up. About time he showed up again. Quickly she sank into her silver ocean, and stood on her island. Kullervo was there, in the form of a black griffin. It was unusual for him to talk to her in her mental realm, so Connie knew what he had to say was serious.
"I'm here, Kullervo," she grumbled, grasping a handful of his feathered neck. Much as he irked her from time to time, she couldn't deny he was still her true companion. "Are you going to tell me what you found out now?"
"You need to listen well," Kullervo said. "Stormbolt is an extremely strange entity, and when he connected to you last night, I discovered why. He is the result of a union between a pegasus and a dragon."
"Uh, sorry, what?"
"You heard me, Universal," Kullervo said. "He is a hybrid, a half-breed. Not like the chimera, where each part retains its core power and its thoughts intertwine. He is a mistake."
"How is that possible, though?" Connie asked, pushing away the disturbing mental image.
"Human inference," Kullervo answered. "Long before your pathetic Society, many human companions committed horrible atrocities against our kind. Enslavement, torture, experimentation…he is merely a result of such crimes. A creature that should not, and should never have existed."
Sickness gripped Connie. So much she still didn't know about the past…
"But it is his dual nature that explains why he spreads negative energy so easily," Kullervo went on. "His core power is unstable, unbalanced, made from two opposing forces. When he connects to a human companion, he pulls them into this same imbalance, bringing out their inner darkness. He then uses his companion to spread this to other pegasi, winning them to his cause."
"We knew that already," Connie muttered. "But why does he have to have a pegasus companion, and not a companion to dragons?"
"I suppose in theory he could use a dragon companion in the same way," Kullervo said, "but it was Col who set him free, so he chose him. Regardless, Stormbolt needs to be destroyed. He is toxic to the pegasi, and if his influence is not removed, it will eventually sentence their kind to extinction."
"And Col?"
"A necessary sacrifice."
"What the hell does that mean?!"
"Once you kill Stormbolt," Kullervo said, "the shock of separation will also kill your friend."
"NO!"
Connie escaped the silver ocean, and returned to herself in the present. She refused to listen to anymore.
"It is the only way," Kullervo continued, his voice growing fainter. "Or you will doom the pegasi to destruction."
He vanished, and Connie bit her lip. She couldn't believe it. Was this what it really boiled down to? She'd have to choose between Col or the pegasi?
"Connie?"
Connie jumped, as Evelyn stuck her head around her bedroom door.
"Oh good, you're up," she said. She walked inside, and sat on Connie's bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Hopeless," Connie mumbled.
Evelyn's expression softened.
"Well, I was going to ask if you want to see Skylark earlier today," she said. "There's another Society meeting this afternoon, which make take a lot of time."
Connie sighed. Mrs. Clamworthy's words of encouragement from the night before echoed back to her. She'd been afraid of putting Skylark into more danger, but given Kullervo's alternative, she had to push that aside. She'd find a way to end this, and she wouldn't sacrifice Col, Skylark or anyone else to Stormbolt. She wouldn't fail like she had with the Leviathan.
"That sounds good," she said.
"I'll let you get ready, then." Evelyn headed for the landing, when she paused in Connie's doorway. "Rat's coming along too, to keep an eye on you. So don't get any ideas."
She left the room. Yawning, Connie got out of bed and wandered to her window. Her eyes glanced over her calendar; it was 24th December, Christmas Eve. Time had flown so quickly, and soon there'd be none left.
"You're all I have left now, Skylark," Connie whispered, pressing her hand to her chest. "We'll bring back Col, together. I promise."