The Lamia Hunt

Chapter Fifty-Three: The Maze

20:37 21/03/2015

Outside, it was just beginning to get dark, and she could see that the clouds were drawing near. They might even get a storm tonight.
Lucy had been woken by Jordan about a quarter of an hour earlier, and that was the last thing she could actually remember happening. All the rest – getting dressed, going downstairs, walking outside – was there, but it was shaky and vague, with no fixed points. She couldn't even remember why she was out here, which was slightly worrying. She wasn't going to go back inside, though, not until she had to; it was nice out here, the wind only faintly chilling her arms.
It was a nice garden, too; this section had been made into a quaint maze, with white gravel paths and hedges that grew to about twice her height. At intervals, there were benches set into bulges of the path, but Lucy didn't sit down. She felt no need to.
She wasn't going anywhere in particular, just going, smiling faintly. The sun was setting, now, and the sky was filled with a brilliant red glow. The path along which she was walking was almost completely consumed by shadow, but she didn't mind.
It was better that way.
There was a faint idea in her mind that she was going to find her way to the centre of the maze, but it wasn't exactly that idea; it wasn't her goal, but rather something that she was going to achieve.
What was her goal? She wasn't sure she had one. She probably didn't need one. Probably, that is.
She was walking in a light daze, her head rocking from side to side with the rhythm of her stride, her eyes half closed. She didn't need to see where she was going. She wasn't going anywhere, so why would she need to see? Why did she need to do anything, aside from keep moving?
Had this been any other time, Lucy would have sensed the figure following her; she would have heard the crunch of feet other than her own on the gravel, would have seen the other shadow that moved behind hers. She would have known.
But this wasn't any other time.

She flinched at the hand that was placed on her shoulder, but still couldn't focus enough to hear as its owner spoke to her, couldn't keep her eyes open long enough to see their face.
They didn't leave, though, and gradually became more coherent.
They were tall, taller than she was, with very pale hair. Their hair was bright, now, shiny in the last of the sunlight.
Were they a Lamia? Yes, a Nescius. How did she know that? They were male, too... Wearing a suit. Yes, a suit. That's how she knew that they were male. Their face was male, too. Blue eyes. Blue for male. No, that didn't seem right. Scars on their face. Round their cheek. Old scars, long healed. Face still torn up, though. Talking. Talking to her.
"Excuse me, have you seen Fidèle?"
Fidèle. That was an odd name. She'd heard it before, hadn't she. Lamia's accent was harsh, German. What business did he have here?
But then, what business did she have here?

#

When she woke up, the Lamia was bent over her, his face contorted with worry.
"Sorry," he said, as soon as her eyes were open. "I didn't mean to scare you; I must have – I'm sorry."
She shook her head.
"It's fine."
What had he done? She could remember seeing him, remembered that he was asking about something... Someone. And then what had happened?
Had she fainted?
"But, uh, I don't think I heard your answer. Have you seen him?"
"Who?" She could remember that he'd mentioned a name, a name that was familiar to her, but she couldn't remember what it was... Maybe it was just a common name, and-
"Fidèle," he said, slowly, as if he relished the sound of it.
Fidèle. Fidèle was here? It was news to her.
She shook her head.
"No, but-"
"No, wait." He laughed, and Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. She couldn't see what was funny. "I made a mistake," he said. "Have you seen Jacques? Jacques Blerié?"
Lucy shook her head. She'd never heard that name before; that was certain.
"Oh. Oh well. Would you like me to take you back to the house? You fell down quite hard."
Lucy shook her head.
"I'm fine." She began to push at the ground, and managed to raise herself to a sitting position before saying, "You can go; it sounds like you really want to find someone. I'll be fine."
He stood up, and began to walk away from her, but turned around before a bend in the maze.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
She nodded.
"Never better."