Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next 2)

I looked at Landen, who shrugged.

'Sorry, Thurs. I meant to tell you about him. He's quite alive here in your memories – but harmless, I assure you.'

Hades told the couple next to us to scram if they knew what was good for them and then sat down, tucking into their unfinished seed cake. He was exactly as I had last seen him on the roof at Thornfield – his clothes were even smoking slightly. I could smell the dry heat of the blaze at Rochester's old house, almost hear the crackle of the fire and the unearthly scream of Bertha as Hades threw her to her death. He gave a supe

rcilious grin. He was relatively safe in my memories and he knew it – the worst I could do was to wake up.

I reholstered my gun.

'Hello, Hades,' I said, sitting back down again. 'Tea?'

'Would you? Frightfully kind.'

I poured him a cup. He stirred in four sugars and observed Landen for a bit with an inquisitorial eye before asking:

'So you're Parke-Laine, eh?'

'What's left of him.'

'And you and Next are in love?'

'Yes.'

I took Landen's hand as though to reinforce the statement.

'I was in love once, you know,' murmured Hades with a sad and distant smile. 'I was quite besotted, in my own sort of way. We used to plan heinous deeds together, and for our first anniversary we set fire to a large public building. We then sat on a nearby hill together to watch the fire light up the sky, the screams of the terrified citizens a symphony to our ears.'

He sighed again, only this time more deeply.

'But it didn't work out. The course of true love rarely runs smooth. I had to kill her.'

'You had to kill her?'

He sighed. 'Yes. But I spared her any pain – and said I was sorry.'

'That's a very heart-warming story,' murmured Landen.

'You and I have something in common, Mr Parke-Laine.'

'I sincerely hope not.'

'We live only in Thursday's memories. She'll never be rid of me until she dies. The same goes for you – sort of ironic, isn't it? The man she loves, the man she hates!'

'He'll be returning,' I replied confidently, 'when Jack Schitt is out of The Raven.'

Acheron laughed.

'I think you overestimate Goliath's commitment to their promises. Landen is as dead as I am, perhaps more so – at least I survived childhood.'

'I beat you fair and square, Hades,' I said, handing him a jam pot and a knife as he helped himself to a scone, 'and I'll take on Goliath and win, too.'

'We'll see,' replied Acheron thoughtfully, 'we'll see.'

I thought of the Skyrail and the falling Hispano-Suiza.

'Did you try and kill me the other day, Hades?'

'If only!' he answered, waving the jam spoon in our direction and laughing. 'But then again I might have done – after all, I'm here only as your memory of me. I sincerely hope that I am, perhaps, not dead, and out there somewhere for real, plotting, plotting … !'