told me that Callum preferred her to me. I knew that it was mean and petty, and I absolutely believed it when Callum told me that it was all nonsense, but I still didn’t really want to chat with her. But if Callum wanted me to talk with her, then I would.
“That’s fine. Will you take me to her?”
“Great. I’ll go and let her know while you make your wayup. Go round to your left when you get up there and I’ll tell you when to stop.”
“OK. See you there.” I felt the waft of air as he stooped to kiss my cheek, then waved my ticket at the woman sitting behind the desk. Joining the long queue of people edging up the long spiral staircase I tried not to think about my natural dislike for Olivia. I visualised her as tall, dark and hauntingly beautiful, someone who was able to be comforted by Callum in his own dimension. My fists clenched automatically and I forced myself to relax. She couldn’t be that bad, I reasoned, not if she wanted to talk to me. And Callum seemed to really like her. I tried unsuccessfully to put her out of my mind as I trailed up the endless stairs. When I reached the top I stopped for a moment to catch my breath before I worked my way through the little maze of tiny corridors that led to the gallery itself. I couldn’t resist the temptation to have a quick peek in the mirror. If I was going to meet my rival, I wanted to make sure I didn’t have something stuck in my teeth. But the image that peered back at me was red-faced and breathless. Sighing in resignation, I made for the corridor.
I was walking up the last few narrow steps when I saw the translucent figure coming towards me. I smiled at Callum and felt the familiar tingle in my wrist as he put his amulet in the same space as mine. “Hi,” he said. “Are you OK? I saw you hesitating at the top of the main stairs.”
“Just a bit nervous, that’s all,” I admitted.
“You – nervous? That doesn’t seem likely!”
“Much you know about women then,” I muttered under my breath, forgetting for a moment that he could hear every word.
“You’re serious? You really are nervous of meeting Olivia?” He hooted with laughter. “That’s brilliant. She’s been beside herselfwith worry all morning, ever since I said you were coming. Both of you are scared of the other!”
“I’m not scared,” I huffed. “Just, well, nervous , like I said.” I didn’t want to use the word jealous, even though I knew that’s what it was.
“Come on then, better get the introductions done. She’s waiting in the gallery.” I could hear the smile in his voice; for some reason he was really amused by my discomfort. I pulled open the door and as always was taken aback by the sheer volume of space in front of me. The Whispering Gallery gave a spectacular view of the floor of the cathedral as well as revealing the full scale of the dome itself. As usual there were a large number of tourists sitting on the long seat that hugged the wall of the gallery, whispering with their mouths up against the wall in the hope that someone further along was going to hear them. Most didn’t seem to realise that just sitting normally and talking quietly would have the same effect, and no one but me knew just exactly who was responsible for the strange acoustic phenomenon. The Dirges were sitting and standing around the gallery, unseen by everyone else, and it was their presence that somehow reflected the sound.
I took a deep breath. “To the left, did you say?”
Callum smiled at me, and I was momentarily distracted by seeing him next to me. “Yes, left. She’s right along here. I promise it’ll be OK.”
“If you say so,” I muttered, fiddling unnecessarily with my phone mouthpiece.
“Ah, there you are. Come and meet Alex.”
His tone was annoyingly affectionate so I watched the approaching figure closely. She was more transparent than Callum, and I couldn’t see her as clearly as I could him, but I could tell thatshe was completely swathed in
“That’s fine. Will you take me to her?”
“Great. I’ll go and let her know while you make your wayup. Go round to your left when you get up there and I’ll tell you when to stop.”
“OK. See you there.” I felt the waft of air as he stooped to kiss my cheek, then waved my ticket at the woman sitting behind the desk. Joining the long queue of people edging up the long spiral staircase I tried not to think about my natural dislike for Olivia. I visualised her as tall, dark and hauntingly beautiful, someone who was able to be comforted by Callum in his own dimension. My fists clenched automatically and I forced myself to relax. She couldn’t be that bad, I reasoned, not if she wanted to talk to me. And Callum seemed to really like her. I tried unsuccessfully to put her out of my mind as I trailed up the endless stairs. When I reached the top I stopped for a moment to catch my breath before I worked my way through the little maze of tiny corridors that led to the gallery itself. I couldn’t resist the temptation to have a quick peek in the mirror. If I was going to meet my rival, I wanted to make sure I didn’t have something stuck in my teeth. But the image that peered back at me was red-faced and breathless. Sighing in resignation, I made for the corridor.
I was walking up the last few narrow steps when I saw the translucent figure coming towards me. I smiled at Callum and felt the familiar tingle in my wrist as he put his amulet in the same space as mine. “Hi,” he said. “Are you OK? I saw you hesitating at the top of the main stairs.”
“Just a bit nervous, that’s all,” I admitted.
“You – nervous? That doesn’t seem likely!”
“Much you know about women then,” I muttered under my breath, forgetting for a moment that he could hear every word.
“You’re serious? You really are nervous of meeting Olivia?” He hooted with laughter. “That’s brilliant. She’s been beside herselfwith worry all morning, ever since I said you were coming. Both of you are scared of the other!”
“I’m not scared,” I huffed. “Just, well, nervous , like I said.” I didn’t want to use the word jealous, even though I knew that’s what it was.
“Come on then, better get the introductions done. She’s waiting in the gallery.” I could hear the smile in his voice; for some reason he was really amused by my discomfort. I pulled open the door and as always was taken aback by the sheer volume of space in front of me. The Whispering Gallery gave a spectacular view of the floor of the cathedral as well as revealing the full scale of the dome itself. As usual there were a large number of tourists sitting on the long seat that hugged the wall of the gallery, whispering with their mouths up against the wall in the hope that someone further along was going to hear them. Most didn’t seem to realise that just sitting normally and talking quietly would have the same effect, and no one but me knew just exactly who was responsible for the strange acoustic phenomenon. The Dirges were sitting and standing around the gallery, unseen by everyone else, and it was their presence that somehow reflected the sound.
I took a deep breath. “To the left, did you say?”
Callum smiled at me, and I was momentarily distracted by seeing him next to me. “Yes, left. She’s right along here. I promise it’ll be OK.”
“If you say so,” I muttered, fiddling unnecessarily with my phone mouthpiece.
“Ah, there you are. Come and meet Alex.”
His tone was annoyingly affectionate so I watched the approaching figure closely. She was more transparent than Callum, and I couldn’t see her as clearly as I could him, but I could tell thatshe was completely swathed in
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