They are demons in the shape of men and live on an island in the middle of a dark river. Light comes from fire-And then his father crossed this last word out and tried other alternatives. Light comes from flames and the sun is hidden.
On the last page of the notebook, Matthew had underlined several passages.
No faith. No hope. No path revealed. But by God’s grace, I found the black doorway and my soul returned to the chapel.
Returning to the twelfth-century manuscript, Gabriel began to turn the vellum pages and inspect the illustrations. Columba wore a white robe and had a gold halo behind his head to show that he was a saint. But there were no demons or devils in this version of hell, only men wearing medieval clothing and carrying swords or spears. While the saint watched from behind a shattered tower, the citizens of hell tortured and killed one another with an unrestrained savagery.
He heard the door squeak open and turned away from the altar. A figure passed through the shadows and entered his small circle of candlelight. Maya. She had one of the nuns’ black shawls wrapped around her head and upper body. Following Mother Blessing’s example, she had discarded the black metal tube and carried her Harlequin sword openly. The scabbard strap crossed her chest and the sword handle rose behind her left shoulder.
“Did you find the book?”
“Yes. But there’s more than that. My father didn’t know Latin, but he worked out a translation and wrote it down in a notebook. It’s all about Saint Columba crossing over to the First Realm. I guess my father wanted to learn about the place before he went there.”
A flash of pain passed across Maya’s face. As usual, she seemed to know what he was planning. “He could be anywhere, Gabriel.”
“No. It’s the First Realm.”
“You don’t need to cross over. Your father’s body is still in this world. I’m sure he’ll come back eventually.”
Gabriel smiled. “I don’t know if anyone would be eager to return to Mother Blessing.”
Maya shook her head and began to pace. “I’ve known her since I was a little girl. She’s become so negative, contemptuous of everyone…”
“Was she always so intense?”
“I used to be in awe of her bravery and her beauty. I still remember traveling with her on a train up to Glasgow. It was a sudden trip-we didn’t have time to prepare-and Mother Blessing wasn’t wearing a wig or any sort of disguise. I remember how men looked at her; they were drawn to her, but they also sensed something dangerous.”
“And you admired that?”
“That was a long time ago, Gabriel. Now I’m trying to find my own path. I’m not a citizen or a drone, but I’m not a pure Harlequin either.”
“And so what kind of person do you want to be?”
Maya stopped in front of him and made no attempt to hide her emotions. “I don’t want to be alone, Gabriel. Harlequins can have children and families, but they’re never really attached to them. Once my father held up my sword and told me: ‘This is your family, your friend, and your lover.’”
“Remember when we sat on that bench and looked out at the ocean?” He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. “You said that you’d stand beside me no matter what happened. That meant a lot to me.”
They were having a conversation-words floating through the cold air-but suddenly, almost like a magic spell, there was a transformation. The island and the chapel fell away and the world became the two of them. And Gabriel saw no concealment in Maya’s eyes, nothing false. They were connected to each other in some deep way, far beyond their roles as Traveler and Harlequin.
The wind pushed at the chapel door, testing its strength, trying to force its way inside. Gabriel leaned forward and kissed Maya for a long time, but then she pulled back. A powerful tradition had just been destroyed like a scrap of paper tossed into a fire. The desire he had felt for so many months pushed all his other thoughts away. When he looked at her, it felt as if there were no barriers between them.
Gently, he took the sword from her shoulder and placed it on a wooden bench. Gabriel returned to her, brushed the hair from her face, and they kissed again. Maya pulled away, but this time very slowly. She whispered in his ear.
“Stay here, Gabriel. Please. Stay here…”
21
An hour later they lay together on the floor wrapped in the black wool shawl. The room was still cold and they were only half-dressed. Gabriel’s shirt was draped over the bench, and Maya felt his warm skin touching her breasts. She wanted to stay here forever. His arms were around her; for the first time she could remember, it felt as if someone were protecting her.
She was a woman lying with her lover, but her Harlequin self had been waiting like a ghost in a dark house. Suddenly she pulled away from Gabriel and sat up.
“Open your eyes, Gabriel.”
“Why?”
“You have to get out of here.”
He gave her a sleepy smile. “Nothing’s going to happen…”
“Get dressed and return to the storage hut. Harlequins can’t be involved with Travelers.”
“Maybe I could talk to Mother Blessing.”
“Don’t even think about that. You can’t say anything to her and you can’t act differently. Don’t touch me when she’s around. Don’t look in my eyes. We’ll talk about this later. I promise. But right now you have to get dressed and go.”
“This doesn’t make any sense, Maya. You’re an adult. Mother Blessing can’t tell you how to live your life.”
“You don’t realize how dangerous she is.”
“All I know is that she walks around this island giving orders and insulting everybody.”
“Do this for me. Please.”
Gabriel sighed, but he obeyed her. Slowly, he pulled on his shirt, boots, and jacket. “This will happen again,” he said.
“No. It won’t.”
“It’s what we both want. You know that’s true…”
Gabriel kissed her on the lips and walked out of the chapel. When the door creaked shut, Maya was able to relax. She would let him return to the storage hut, wait a few minutes, then get dressed. Pulling the wool shawl around her body, she lay back on the floor. If she curled up in a ball, she could preserve the warmth of the Traveler’s body pressed against hers, that moment of intimacy and exaltation. A memory drifted through her mind of making a wish on the Charles Bridge in Prague. May someone love me and may I love him in return.
She was gliding into a pleasant dream when the door creaked open and someone entered the chapel. She felt a moment of pleasure, believing that Gabriel had come back to see her again; then she heard that someone walking hard and fast across the wooden floor.
Strong fingers grabbed her hair and pulled her upward. A hand slapped her across the face, drew back, and slapped again.
Maya opened her eyes and saw Mother Blessing standing over her. The Irish Harlequin had abandoned her nun’s skirt and was wearing black pants and a sweater.
“Get dressed,” Mother Blessing said. She picked up Maya’s shirt and tossed it in her direction.
Maya removed the shawl and pulled on her shirt, fumbling with the buttons. Her feet were still bare, her shoes and socks scattered across the floor.
“If you lie to me in any way, I’ll kill you in front of this altar. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Yes.”
Maya finished buttoning her shirt and scrambled to her feet. Her own sword was about eight feet away on the bench.
“Are you Gabriel’s lover?”
“Yes.”
“And when did this start?”
“Tonight.”
“I told you not to lie to me!”
“I swear that’s true.”
Mother Blessing stepped forward and grabbed Maya’s chin with her right hand. She studied the younger woman, looking for any sign of deceit or hesitation. Then she pushed Maya away.