Belinda frowned ‘Why?’
‘Because it gets too cold for them down south. They’ll return in the springtime.’
The road levelled off, and began to run alongside the banks of the lake, where a wide shingle beach spread. In the distance they saw their destination: Colsbury Castle. It sat upon a rocky island fifty yards from the shore. A low promontory stretched out towards it, and an arched bridge crossed the remaining distance. Great walls rose sheer from the bare bedrock of the island while within, a cluster of tall towers overlooked the other buildings making up the interior. Smoke was rising from several chimneys, and a cart was crossing the bridge, making its way towards a village that lay on the shore opposite the castle.
‘I wish the Empress hadn’t chosen me for this,’ said Karalyn as the carriage rolled towards the village.
‘I’m quite looking forward to it,’ said Laodoc, ‘and I’m sure you’ll do an excellent job.’
‘I doubt whatever I say will make any difference.’
The carriage neared the bridge. A couple of uniformed guards approached and spoke to the soldiers up on the driver’s bench, then waved them past. The carriage wheels juddered over the cobbles of the bridge as they went up, then down over its vaulted span. A large, blocky gatehouse barred the entrance to the castle, but its gates lay open, and another pair of guards watched as they rolled through a dark passageway and out into the castle courtyard. The soldiers brought the horses to a halt next to a small group standing in the long shadows. Some approached to take hold of the horses, while another stepped forward to open the carriage door.
Karalyn gazed out at the upturned faces. A woman was standing by the door of the carriage, smiling.
‘Miss Holdfast?’ she said.
‘Aye.’
‘Welcome to Colsbury,’ she said, gesturing; ‘her Highness is waiting.’
‘I don’t care what she says,’ the woman said, her voice echoing round the huge dining room, ‘I’ve served my time. Ten years I gave to her. Ten.’
‘I remember, my dear princess,’ Laodoc said. ‘I also worked in the imperial court for the same number of years.’
‘Yeah,’ said Shella, ‘but you stayed in the capital, sitting behind a desk drinking cups of tea, while I got all the nasty jobs. Need someone to pacify Rainsby and bring it to heel? Get Shella to do it. War breaks out between Agang and the Matriarch? I know, get Shella to fix it. Riot in the Kellach quarter? Get Shella to walk down the street so everyone will shit their pants and run home.’
Belinda laughed. ‘Why would they run away?’
Shella glanced at the young woman, her eyebrow rising. ‘Who are you again?’
‘Belinda.’
‘Yeah. Belinda who? Or where? Or what?’
‘She’s a friend,’ said Karalyn.
‘A mage?’ said Shella. ‘Please don’t tell me she’s another crazy dream mage.’
‘I’m not a mage,’ said Belinda, ‘but Karalyn is, and so is Laodoc, though he’s not very good.’
Shella laughed. She picked up her glass and took a sip.
‘The Empress said you’d be resistant,’ said Karalyn, trying to conceal her nerves. She couldn’t remember Shella, but she knew the Rakanese woman had been present with her parents on the roof of the Great Fortress on the night the old Emperor had died. She resisted entering her mind, though the Empress had told her to go ahead if she needed to.
‘And she was right, little Miss Holdfast,’ Shella said. ‘I have zero desire to get involved in the world again. I love it here. The peace and quiet, the mountains. Great food. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. When I left Bridget’s service, she promised me that I’d done all that was needed of me, and yet she’s sent you lot to try to talk me round. Daphne’s daughter, a blind old Rahain man, and Belinda, whoever she is.’
‘If the Rahain take Rainsby,’ said Karalyn, ‘then the empire will fall.’
‘Maybe,’ Shella shrugged. ‘If that happens, tell Bridget she’s welcome to come here. I’ll keep any enemy from entering the valley. But I’m not leaving. It’s someone else’s turn for heroics, I’m done.’
The table sat in silence.
‘Still,’ said Shella, ‘feel free to stay for a day or two. Relax, before you go back to Plateau City empty-handed.’
‘The Empress is low on friends,’ said Laodoc. ‘She needs people around her she can trust.’
‘And she trusts me?’
‘Of course,’ said Karalyn. ‘You were close to her for years.’
‘She lost many,’ Laodoc said, ‘in the attempted coup last spring. Dyam and Isobel were killed, and half of her government was involved in the plot to overthrow her.’
Shella frowned. ‘Losing Dyam was a blow.’
‘Aye,’ said Karalyn, ‘and that’s why the Empress needs someone like you beside her, at least until the crisis is over.’
Shella glared at her. ‘You’d better not be using any weird mind powers on me.’
‘No,’ said Karalyn. ‘That pang of guilt and empathy you were feeling was genuine.’
‘You may appear sweet, but you’re as crafty as Kalayne on the inside. Had any good prophecies lately?’
Karalyn smiled. ‘A couple.’
‘Give us a nibble.’
‘Alright,’ said Karalyn. ‘I had a vision of you.’
‘Really?’ Shella grinned.
‘Aye, and it’s not too far into the future. You’re in the palace, standing next to the Empress, helping to advise her.’
Shella’s expression changed. ‘You’re full of shit, Holdfast. If that were true, why would you waste time coming to see me?’
‘To tell you about the vision.’
‘Your torturous logic doesn’t fool me, girl.’
Karalyn shrugged. ‘Was worth a try.’
‘Yeah, I guess it was,’ said Shella. ‘Didn’t work, though, which I guess means you’re not using your dream powers to “persuade” me. Is that why Bridget sent you?’
‘That, and as Laodoc said, the Empress doesn’t have many round her she trusts.’
Belinda yawned.
Shella glared at her.
‘Is there any more to eat?’ Belinda said. ‘My bum’s getting sore sitting here.’
‘Treat my kitchens as yours while you’re here,’ Shella said. ‘If you want to, you can head down there and eat until you burst for all I care.’
Belinda stood.
‘No,’ said Karalyn. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea. Let’s get our things unpacked.’ She turned to Shella, who was eyeing Belinda with suspicion. ‘Thanks for the invitation to stay here for a couple of days.’
‘No problem,’ said Shella. ‘Make yourselves at home.’
The guests were shown to their rooms. Laodoc had a chamber on the ground floor of the Great Keep, while Karalyn and Belinda had their baggage carried up several flights of stairs to a small room near the top of the tower, directly beneath Shella’s own quarters. Belinda opened the narrow shutters, letting in the cool breeze and the bright afternoon sunlight. The winter sun was low over the mountains to the west, and the snow on the summits dazzled their eyes. Below, the lake reflected the opposite hillside in perfect, unbroken symmetry.
‘It’s beautiful,’ said Karalyn.
‘I miss my cats.’
‘I know, but we’ll see them soon.’
Servants had left their bags in the space between the two single beds, and Karalyn sat down on one and began to unpack her things as Belinda stood by the window, her eyes wide at the view.
‘About before,’ Karalyn said. ‘About teaching you to fight. It won’t be me doing it. I have no idea how to fight.’
‘Who will it be, then? Laodoc’s too old and blind.’
‘No, not Laodoc.’
‘And Corthie’s too young. Though he is strong, and he’s already taller than me. I think he’ll be a good fighter one day.’
‘He’ll be the size of his father when he stops growing,’ Karalyn said, ‘if not bigger. But
no, not him either. We’re going to have to introduce you to someone new.’
‘I met new people today.’
‘I meant back home. I’ll have a think about it. Maybe ask the Empress.’
‘Oh.’ Belinda said, frowning. ‘When we get back, there’s something else I want to do.’
‘Aye?’
‘I want to start looking for my family again.’
Karalyn bit her lip.
‘I know that you searched the city,’ Belinda went on, ‘looking for anyone who knew who I was.’
‘We didn’t find anyone,’ Karalyn said, her voice low.
‘If I look, then someone might recognise me. Imagine,’ she said, her face lighting up, ‘there might be someone in the city who remembers who I was before I lost my memory.’
‘We can try, though I don’t want you to get your hopes up.’
Belinda sighed and walked over to her bed. She sat down, and Karalyn could sense her sadness.
‘I feel cut-off,’ she said. ‘As if everyone else is different from me. I had a whole life as someone else, and now I don’t even know how old I am. Before we got here I hadn’t noticed how strangely people look at me, like I don’t belong.’
‘You do say odd things sometimes, but try not to worry about it. You’ve only been speaking for a few thirds, and it’ll take time before you sound the same as everyone else.’
Belinda lay down and closed her eyes. ‘I’m not sure I want to sound like everyone else.’
Karalyn finished unpacking as Belinda slept on the bed by the window. There was a washbasin, with soap and towels, and she cleaned off the day’s travel-grime, then dressed in a fresh set of clothes. The light from outside was dimming as the sun set, and she lit a lamp on a small table. She gazed down at Belinda. The young woman was still asleep, and Karalyn sensed she was dreaming. She pulled Belinda’s boots off and placed a blanket over her. She was thinking about going to bed herself when there was a gentle knock at the door.
‘Come in.’
The door opened a foot and Shella poked her head through the gap. ‘You want to come for a drink?’
Karalyn glanced at Belinda for a moment, then nodded. ‘Alright.’
She got to her feet and crept across the room to the door. Shella closed it behind her, then led her to a narrow flight of stairs and up into her own quarters. She opened a door and they entered a warm chamber, lit by flames roaring in a hearth on the right. Wide balcony doors were open, and a light breeze competed with the heat from the fire.
‘Sit,’ said Shella, gesturing to an armchair by a bookcase.
Karalyn sat as Shella walked to a cabinet. She opened it and picked up a couple of glasses.
‘What do you fancy?’
‘Whatever you’re having,’ said Karalyn.
‘Sounds like a challenge,’ Shella laughed. ‘You are half-Kellach after all.’
She plucked a bottle from a shelf and walked over to the chair opposite Karalyn. She set down the glasses and bottle.
‘Feel free to smoke,’ she said, sitting.
‘Thanks,’ Karalyn said, lighting a cigarette.
‘So,’ said Shella, filling two glasses with a clear liquid, ‘I thought we should have a little chat, you and me.’
Karalyn nodded.
‘How’s your mother?’
‘She’s fine, thanks. She spent the Winter’s Day holiday with us in Plateau City. I think she had a good time.’
‘Technically,’ Shella said, ‘I’m under her rule, what with Colsbury lying within the boundaries of the Holdings. I pay my taxes to dear old Daffers now. I don’t see her as often as I’d like, though. Maybe once her term of office has finished.’
‘Unless she stands again.’
‘Yeah, and knowing her, she might.’ She took a sip from her glass and sighed. ‘Go on, try some.’
Karalyn picked up the other glass and sniffed. ‘Gin?’
‘I see you’re not completely clueless.’
Karalyn took a drink.
‘Now,’ said Shella, ‘tell me about Belinda. She intrigues me.’
Karalyn paused. She could sense a faint nervousness coming from Shella, and wondered if she was about to walk into a trap. Without further thought, she entered the Rakanese woman’s head. She suppressed a frown. Shella somehow knew everything that she and Belinda had been talking about in their room; the words of their conversation shone clear in the woman’s mind.
‘She lost her memory,’ Karalyn said. ‘Laodoc and I have been helping her relearn everything.’
‘Why?’
Karalyn considered wiping the woman’s memories. If she had been eavesdropping on their conversation, then was she trying to test Karalyn? She recalled how much her mother and the Empress respected and admired the Rakanese mage, and changed her mind. She could always adjust Shella’s memories if she reacted badly to the truth.
‘I scoured her mind,’ she said. ‘She was going to kill me and the Empress and take over the government.’
‘What?’ Shella spluttered. ‘You mean that young woman was involved in the coup last spring?’
‘She led it.’
‘I thought the leaders had been executed or imprisoned.’
‘They all were, apart from her. I scrubbed her mind completely clean, and now I’m rebuilding her.’
‘What the fuck for? If she was responsible for Dyam’s death, then she should die. Does the Empress know what you’re doing?’
‘Of course. The Empress wants her trained as an agent, so she can help us in the war.’
Shella snorted. ‘The girl’s simple.’
‘She’s not. She’s having to learn everything from scratch: eating, speaking, reading. It’s been hard, for us as well as her. Her progress has been rapid; she swallows up every morsel of information we can feed her. Laodoc’s been a great help; he knows so much about history and politics.’
‘Yeah, alright,’ Shella said, ‘but an agent? Is she really capable?’
Karalyn caught Shella’s glance. ‘She can access every mage power.’
‘No. What? How?’
‘We don’t know; just like we don’t know where she’s from, her past, or even her age.’
A flash of panic swept over Shella’s face. ‘And you brought her here? Do you know how much damage she could do? Every mage power, are you insane?’
‘I blocked them all,’ Karalyn said. ‘She can’t use any of them, not unless I unblock them first.’ She smiled. ‘You’re safe.’
‘You know the only other person that had all five powers, yeah?’ Shella said, her fingers clutching onto her glass. ‘The fucking Emperor, that’s who. Are you saying she can do what he could do? What did your mother have to say about this?’
‘She doesn’t know. Only me, Laodoc, the Empress and my brother Corthie know. And you. We’ve also been keeping the truth from Belinda herself. She has no idea that she used to work for the enemy.’
Shella shook her head. ‘And she thinks you’re going to help her find her family? Poor sap.’
‘I’m sorry?’ said Karalyn, feigning confusion.
Shella’s face flushed. ‘Nothing.’
‘How could you know that?’
‘Shit,’ Shella muttered. ‘Alright. Come with me.’
Karalyn followed Shella out through a side door and into a large, tiled bathroom. Over on the floor by the sink was a wide grated opening.
‘Your bedroom is directly below,’ said Shella. ‘You can hear everything through the grate.’
‘You put us in that room so you could listen to us?’
‘Eh, yeah. I did.’
Karalyn tried to look offended. ‘And after the trust I’ve shown in you, telling you all about Belinda, it appears that you don’t trust me at all.’
‘Yeah. Sorry about that.’
Shella walked back into the warm living room, and Karalyn smiled as she went after her, deciding that she wouldn’t wipe the woman’s memories after all. Shella sat back down and rummaged in a bag by h
er side. She extracted a silver case, and took a weedstick from it.
‘Let me get this right,’ Shella said as she lit it, ‘the Empress wants Belinda turned into a killing machine?’
‘Aye,’ said Karalyn. ‘Do you disapprove?’
‘Not in the slightest,’ Shella said, taking a deep draw, ‘if it means that I don‘t have to do it again. Just make sure of one thing.’
‘What?’
Shella exhaled, sending a plume of smoke rising into the air. ‘Train her well.’
Chapter 6
Boating
Stretton Sands, Eastern Plateau – 14th Day, Last Third Winter 524
Libby opened the shutters of Lennox’s room, letting the grey morning light spill inside. Lennox groaned and rolled over in bed.
‘Happy birthday, honey,’ she said. ‘Time to get up.’
He gazed over at the young woman. She was standing next to the bed in her underwear, her long red hair falling halfway down her back. He felt something stir within him.
‘Come back to bed.’
She smiled. ‘I can’t. We have to go to work.’
He stretched out a hand to grab her but she slipped out of his reach, leaning over to pick up some of her clothes from where they lay scattered across the wooden floor.
‘We have a day off soon,’ she said, pulling a long tunic over herself, ‘and we can stay in bed all day if you want.’
‘Aye, I’d like that.’
‘Me too,’ she said. ‘The squad would talk, though. You know they would.’
‘Let them. We’ve been together for nearly three thirds. If anyone’s still got a problem with us, then they’re an idiot.’
She walked over to a table, where their uniforms and armour were sitting piled.
‘Cain’s not an idiot,’ she said, her voice low. ‘He’s just hurting.’
A pulse of guilt shot through Lennox. He pulled the blanket off him and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Libby threw him his tunic and he sat with it in his hands for a moment, trying to clear his mind, still foggy with sleep. Cain.
‘I feel it too,’ she said. ‘The guilt. Why can’t things be simple? It’s like the only way we could be happy together is by breaking his heart. Sometimes I think it would be better if we broke up.’
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