cspector.worldwithoutend- 第3节

　
　In　a　few　moments　I　had　a　tray　all　set　to　take　upstairs。　Sheer　decadence　to　dispel　the　night　fears。　Tea　and　scones　while　taking　a　hot　bath。　Maybe　later　I'd　read…from　a　real　book　with　pages。
　
　I'd　just　settled　into　the　tub　when　the　tele　beeped。　Happens　every　time。　As　the　machine　picked　up；　I　heard　Caimbeul's　voice。
　
　〃Aina；　I　know　you're　there；〃　he　said。
　
　I　gave　a　universal　gesture　for　contempt　and　went　back　to　drinking　my　tea。　I　hadn't　heard　word　one　　from　him　in　eight　months。　Frag　him　if　he　thought　I　was　going　to　get　out　of　a　nice　warm　bath。
　
　〃Look；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　en　route　to　the　UK。　I　should　be　landing　in　about　an　hour。　Things　have　been　happening。　Things　you　need　to　know　about。　I　have　it　all　under　control　now；　but　we　need　to　talk。　I'll　be　up　to　Arran　in　about　four　hours。〃
　
　I　closed　my　eyes。　The　uneasiness　that　I'd　almost　dispelled　was　back。　For　Caimbeui　to　e　here　out　of　the　blue　meant　something　was　up。　Something　big。　The　dreams　came　back　to　me。　I　shivered。　The　water　had　gone　cold　and　I　suddenly　didn't　like　lying　there　naked　and　vulnerable。
　
　Quickly；　I　finished　washing　my　hair　and　got　out　of　the　tub。　As　I　dressed；　I　tried　not　to　dwell　on　Caimbeul's　unexpected　visit。　Whatever　the　reason　for　it；　I　would　know　soon　enough。
　
　And　I　doubted　the　news　would　be　good。
　
　It　is　dark。
　
　A　blackness　so　thick　and　heavy　it　feels　like　a　weight　against　her　eyes。　It　is　suffocating；　this　darkness。　It　feels　as　though　she　is　being　swallowed　up　by　it。　Being　turned　into　it。。。
　
　Caimbeui　was　late。
　
　Though　I　wasn't　surprised；　I　was　annoyed。　It　wasn't　as　though　I　were　looking　forward　to　seeing　him；　but　if　you　drop　in　on　someone　with　〃imper…tact〃　news；　you'd　bloody　well　better　be　on　time。
　
　I'd　made　tea　with　all　the　things　Caimbeui　liked。　Scones；　of　course；　with　lemon　curd。　Those　ridicu…ious　little　sandwiches　with　the　crusts　cut　off；　slices　of　cake；　tarts。　He　had　a　sweet　tooth。　But　now　the　sandwiches　had　gone　hard　and　the　cake　was　stale。
　
　I'd　switched　from　tea　to　sherry；　then　to　scotch。　And　still　no　Caimbeui。
　
　Finally；　six　hours　after　he'd　said　he'd　arrive；　I　heard　the　crunch　of　tires　across　my　gravel。
　
　I　waited　until　I　saw　him　emerge　alone　from　the　car　before　opening　the　door。　Even　though　I　had　security　sensors；　you　can't　be　too　cautious。
　
　〃Prompt　as　usual；　I　see；〃　I　said。　
　〃Ah；　Aina；　still　charming　as　ever；〃　he　replied。　〃No　'How　are　you？　Why　are　you　late？'　You　wound　me。〃
　
　I　snorted。
　
　〃Please；　spare　me　the　usual　dancing；〃　I　said。　〃It's　cold　out　here。　e　inside。〃
　I　turned　and　went　into　the　house。　Behind　me　I　could　hear　him　getting　his　bag　and　shutting　the　doors　to　the　car。
　〃Lock　the　door　and　switch　the　system　back　on；〃　I　called　over　my　shoulder。
　He　muttered　something　under　his　breath；　but　oddly　enough　he　did　as　I　asked。　I　went　into　the　great　room　where　I'd　started　a　fire　earlier　that　evening。　Sometime　between　the　sherry　and　the　scotch。
　〃Did　you　leave　that　woman　at　home？〃　I　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　as　he　shrugged　off　his　coat　and　tossed　it　on　the　couch。　He　flopped　down　into　one　of　the　wing　chairs　in　front　of　the　fire。　I　handed　him　a　snifter　of　brandy　and　poured　myself　another　scotch。
　
　〃I'm　surprised。　I'd've　thought　you'd　bring　her　along　to　iron　your　shirts。　Or　something。〃
　〃Or　something？〃　he　asked。　Coy；　that　one。
　〃Whatever　it　is　you　do　with　girls　young　enough　to　be　your　great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…great…〃
　He　held　up　his　hands。　〃I　get　the　picture。〃
　〃Oh；　please；　I　don't　want　to　hear　about　your　peculiarities　in　that　area。〃
　〃Do　you　care？〃　he　asked。　〃What　goes　on　between　us　is　none　of　your　business。〃　
　I　turned　away　from　him；　stung　by　his　remarks。　Of　course　his　life　wasn't　my　concern。　It　hadn't　been　for　centuries。　But　old　habits　die　hard。
　
　The　silence　stretched　out　between　us。　Once　I　enjoyed　them。　But　now　it　felt　awkward　and　tense。　I　longed　for　things　to　be　as　they　once　had；　but　it　was　far　too　late　for　that。　As　usual。
　
　〃I　had　a　terrible　time　getting　through　UK　customs；〃　he　said　at　last。
　〃Were　you　carrying　anything？〃　I　asked　as　I　turned　and　walked　toward　him。　He　gestured　for　me　to　sit　across　from　him　as　though　this　were　his　house　and　not　mine。
　〃No。〃
　〃Made　any　enemies　in　the　UK　lately？〃
　He　smiled　then。　I　was　glad　he　wasn't　wearing　his　makeup。　That　awful　mask　he'd　adopted　out　of　some　perverse　sense　of　humor。　Wicked　Caimbeul。
　
　We　chatted　then　about　meaningless　things。　Things　to　distract　us　from　the　free…floating　tensions　of　a　failed　romance　and　too　many　years　of　history。
　
　The　fire　had　begun　to　die　down　and　we　were　both　a　little　muzzy。
　〃So；〃　I　said。　But　it　came　out　more　like　〃show。〃　〃Why　all　the　mystery　about　your　visit？〃
　Part　of　me；　foolishly；　hoped　that　his　surprise　had　to　do　with　the　sudden　realization　that　he'd　been　momentarily　insane　all　those　years　ago　when　he'd　left　me。
　〃I　beat　them；〃　he　said；　his　voice　dropping　into　a　slightly　drunken；　conspiratorial　tone。　〃You've　been　　saying　that　NAN　would　bring　them　back　with　all　that　blood　magic。　And　you　were　right；　Aina。〃
　
　I　felt　a　cold　finger　touch　my　heart。　Suddenly　the　alcohol　warmth　fled　and　I　was　wide…awake　sober。
　
　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　I　tried　to　keep　my　voice　from　shaking；　but　I　failed。　He　didn't　notice；　though。
　〃They　tried　to　get　back；　but　I　stopped　them；〃　he　said。　〃Ah；　well；　I　did　have　some　help。　A　group　of　shadowrunners　I　enlisted。　We　went　and　played　our　little　games　on　the　metaplanes。　God；　it　was　fantastic。　I　haven't　felt　so　alive　since…I　don't　know　when。　Can　you　imagine　it？　Just　my　wits　against　them。
　〃Oh；　there　was　some　business　with　them　recently　in　Maui；　but　that　was　easy　enough　to　handle。〃
　
　He　gave　a　pleased　laugh。　Full　and　rich。　I　hadn't　heard　that　tone　in　his　voice　in　so　long　I'd　almost　forgotten　he　could　sound　that　way。　Had　it　been　anything　else　to　bring　this　joy　about　I　would　have　been　delighted；　but　all　I　wanted　to　do　was　shake　him。　Hard。　Laughing　and　enjoying　this。。。　this　catastrophe。
　
　It　was　just　like　him　to　think　he'd　finished　them　off。　What　hubris。　What　ego。
　
　〃。。。　And　then　I　told　them　the　story　about　Thayla；〃　he　was　saying。　〃And　I　sent　them　on　a　quest　to　find　her　voice。〃
　〃Did　it　work？〃
　〃Of　course　it　did；〃　he　said；　indignantly。　〃What　do　you　take　me　for？　A　dilettante？　I　know　we've　had　our　disagreements；　but　even　you　can　see　what　a　feat　this　is。
　〃What　I　see　is　your　ego　is　out　of　bounds　again。　In　　your　endless　fascination　with　being　involved　in　the　machinations　behind　things；　you've　missed　the　point。　As　usual。〃
　〃You're　jealous；〃　he　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃You're　jealous。〃
　〃Of　what？〃　I　was　baffled　at　this　sudden　turn　in　the　conversation。
　〃Of　me。　Of　my　power。　You　couldn't　stand　it　when　I　surpassed　your　abilities。〃
　〃Don't　be　asinine。〃
　〃Oh；　do　you　deny　it？〃　he　asked。　He　had　a　pel…itive；　smirky　expression　on　his　face　that　I　wanted　to　slap　off。
　〃I　won't　even　dignify　that　with　an　answer。　The　things　which　you　pursue；　Caimbeui；　are　vainglorious　and；　ultimately；　irrelevant。〃
　〃That's　something　else　you　do；〃　he　said。　〃You　always　call　me　Caimbeui。　I　haven't　been　called　by　that　name　in　three　hundred　years。〃
　〃Very　well。　Harlequin；〃　I　said。　〃But　this　is　all　beside　the　point。　The　point　is　you　think　the　Horrors　have　returned　and　that　you　have　beaten　them　singlehandedly；　don't　you？　Or　at　least　once。　I　have　no　idea　what　actually　happened　in　Maui　because　you　always　leave　things　out　when　it's　not　all　about　you。〃
　
　He　gave　me　an　annoyed　look。
　
　〃Very　well；　Aina；〃　he　said　sullenly。　〃There　was　a　group　of　kahunas　using　blood　magic　on　Haleakala。　They　managed　to　open　a　portal…some　of　the　Enemy　even　managed　to　get　through。　But　they　were　stopped　in　time。　They　were　sent　back　into　the　void。　
　〃See；　nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　〃Let's　see。　First；　you　encounter　them　on　the　metaplanes。　You　manage　to　'defeat'　them　there。　Next；　some　of　them　manage　to　breach　this　plane。　And　you　think　they've　been　dealt　with？
　〃Well；　I've　been　having　dreams　lately　and　I　think　you're　wrong。　I　think　you　failed。〃
　
　He　laughed。
　
　〃Aina　has　a　dream　and　we're　all　supposed　to　tremble　in　our　boots。　Is　that　it？〃
　〃I　had　for