Keir backed away. There was something uncanny about his sister sometimes, something that scared him a little, though he would never admit it.
Kelsey slowed her breathing. Keir sat on another stool next to her and lit a cigarette.
‘You’re not supposed to smoke in the stables,’ Kelsey said. ‘It’s a fire hazard.’
Keir began to laugh. ‘Maybe I should burn the whole place down.’
‘One might regard that as a slight over-reaction, brother.’
‘Have you calmed down?’ Keir said. ‘Now, start at the beginning.’
‘I’m not going that far back,’ she said.
‘Just tell me what you’ve seen.’
She stared at him. ‘We run away.’
His eyes met hers. ‘Where would we go?’
‘South. Plateau City.’
‘When?’
‘Now.’
Keir said nothing in reply. Foremost in his mind was how his father and Aunty Celine would react. Running away would show them what they had done. He was no longer a boy, and he could make his own way in the world. He started to smile.
‘It’s a stupid thing to do,’ Kelsey said.
Keir’s smile changed to a smirk. ‘Yeah? Then why are we doing it?’
‘Because I’ve seen it, you dullard. You on Monty, and me on my dear little Fickle, thundering across the plains.’
‘Maybe you’re too young to come along,’ he said. ‘It might be dangerous.’
‘In which case you’ll need me all the more,’ she said, standing. ‘Come on, help me get the bags and saddles ready. We should leave as soon as we can.’
He nodded and got up. ‘Alright, let’s do it.’
‘Is that it? Are you not worried about Jemma and your baby?’
‘They’ll be fine. The Holdfasts will make sure Jemma has everything she needs.’
‘Yeah,’ Kelsey said. ‘Everything except the father of her child.’
Chapter 9
Lament
Plateau City, Imperial Plateau – 3rd Day, Second Third Spring 525
Karalyn and Laodoc sat in the shadows of the townhouse balcony as the imperial fleet left the city’s great harbour. Masts and sails clustered over the swelling waters of the Inner Sea, a strong wind pushing the ships south, towards Rainsby. Amid the warships were dozens of supply boats, filled with grain, horses, and thousands of troops. The winter storms had extended into spring, but the harbour at Rainsby was open again, and the empire was speeding to its relief.
‘The city will seem deserted now,’ said Karalyn, smoking a cigarette, ‘All those soldiers and sailors who’ve been hanging around since New Year will be gone at last.’
‘I imagine it’s a fine sight,’ said Laodoc, a cloak wrapped around him to keep out the morning chill.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she said. ‘So many ships, and the gulls are following them as they leave. The dawn sun is shining down on them.’
‘I wish it was shining down on us,’ said Laodoc. ‘The balcony is so cold at this hour.’
‘We can go back inside if you like.’
‘No, my dear, I know how much you love the view from here, as I once did.’
Karalyn smiled, and poured the old man a fresh cup of tea from a pot on the table.
‘Here,’ she said, placing it into his hand.
‘Thank you.’
He sipped from the cup, and the cold seemed to vanish from his face. ‘Lovely.’
Karalyn turned her attention back to the fleet of ships. More were continuing to leave the harbour, as if every ship on the Inner Sea had been released at once. Most of the fleet would have returned by the end of the third, bringing back the dead and wounded defenders of Rainsby. She knew that the group of volunteer Sanang hedgewitches that the Empress had requested were only a few days from arriving in Plateau City. They would have plenty of work to do.
‘Did you speak to Calder this morning?’ said Laodoc.
‘Aye, when he arrived,’ Karalyn said, ‘though he’s a grumpy sod at that time of the morning. Never usually says anything until he’s had a coffee. The complete opposite of Belinda. She’s so excited by her lessons, that she never shuts up from the moment she awakens.’
Laodoc smiled. ‘And how are the lessons going?’
‘Fine, I think. I haven’t really been downstairs much to watch.’
‘Are you not supposed to be supervising her battle-vision?’
Karalyn frowned. ‘I haven’t let her use it yet.’
‘But the Empress said…’
‘I know what she said, but Belinda’s not ready. I want her to learn how to fight first, on her own terms, and then slowly unlock her battle-vision powers.’
‘I assume,’ Laodoc said, frowning, ‘that Calder is aware of this?’
‘Aye, and he agrees. He said that if we gave her battle-vision now, it’d be like giving a child a loaded crossbow.’
‘Very well,’ Laodoc said. ‘Perhaps in this case, your defiance of the Empress’s wishes is warranted. As you know, I remain unreconciled to the whole idea of fashioning Belinda into a weapon. From the moment you scoured her mind, she became a new person, and just as sons cannot be blamed for the crimes of their fathers, she cannot be held responsible for anything the old Belinda did. Therefore, it seems to me that she should be free to choose the course of her life. If she wants to train to be an assassin, or a soldier, and fight for the Empress, then I would welcome it gladly; however, I worry that she is being manipulated, by people who want to control her.’
Karalyn lowered her eyes, and took a draw from the cigarette. ‘The Empress feels that by fighting against our enemies, Belinda will be repaying her debt. She says that her crimes are too serious to be washed away without any reparation.’
‘Tell me, my dearest Karalyn, do you believe that?’
‘Part of me does; part of me doesn’t. I understand what you’re saying, but I also see the truth in what the Empress says too. I know my own feelings shouldn’t come into it, but I can’t help it. I feel, no, I am responsible for what happens to Belinda.’
‘You’re too young to have such burdens upon your shoulders, but it was always what fate had in store for you. Unless you were to hide yourself away like Shella, your powers are destined to keep you tied to the fate of the world. You have made yourself essential to the most powerful ruler on the Star Continent, despite being only nineteen. I feel proud to have played even a minor role in your education.’
‘Four years of study?’ said Karalyn. ‘I’d hardly call that minor.’
‘It was one of the happiest times of my life, and I’ll always treasure those long evenings when you read to me. I admit, I was feeling quite dispirited before being asked to become your tutor. More than dispirited, I felt old, blind and useless. These last few years have refilled my heart with joy, you should know that.’
She smiled. ‘You’re the only person I can really speak freely to. With everyone else, there’s always something stopping me from being completely open with them. I reassure Corthie and Belinda when they worry; and I have to be mindful of my duty when I’m with the Empress and Nyane. With each of them I guard what I think, but I don’t have to do that with you.’
‘Thank you, my dear, that means a lot to me. I notice, however, that you neglected to mention your parents. They both love you with all their hearts, as do I.’
‘I love them too,’ she said. ‘I know it might not have seemed like it, but it was good to see mother when she visited last winter. And I’d love to see father again. It’s been over a year since I saw him.’
‘When did you last reach out with your powers to your mother?’
Karalyn frowned. She had checked that her mother had returned safely to Holdings City after her visit to the imperial capital, which had been back in the first third of winter. Since then, they had communicated a few times, but they were both always so busy, and the vision-meetings had petered out at the end of winter. Damn it. Had it been that long?
‘A while,’ she said. ‘I’ll do it soon.’
‘If the operations at Rainsby go well, perhaps you could go back for a short holiday?’
‘What, you mean actually go? In person?’
‘Yes,’ he laughed. ‘With a couple of horses, you could be there and back in two or three thirds. Your parents would be delighted to see you.’
She shook her head. ‘That’s too long to be away. The trip to Colsbury Castle to see Princess Shella was only twenty days, and it took me ages to catch up with all the work that was waiting for me in the Great Fortress when we got back. And even if Rainsby is successfully re-supplied, and continues to hold out against Ghorley, there’s the re-capture of Stretton Sands to plan. The Empress wants me mapping out the location of every enemy detachment stationed there. No. I’ll have to stay.’
The door to the balcony opened and Gerald emerged.
‘Ma’am, my lord,’ he bowed.
‘Aye?’
‘We have visitors.’
‘At this hour?’ said Laodoc.
‘It’s Herald Nyane,’ he said, ‘and several soldiers.’
‘I hope you let her in,’ said Karalyn.
‘She’s waiting in the hall, ma’am.’
Karalyn got to her feet, her hand extended. Laodoc took it, and she helped him up.
‘Thank you, Gerald,’ she said. ‘Please make sure that Lady Nyane has a cup of coffee, or whatever she wants.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said, then bowed and left.
‘This doesn’t sound good,’ Karalyn said, as she escorted Laodoc from the balcony and into the warmth of her cosy sitting room.
‘Perhaps Mage Sanders has received a message?’
‘She visioned yesterday,’ Karalyn said, ‘and it takes her a couple of days to recover.’
‘I assume that Nyane still knows nothing about Belinda, or the lessons that Calder is giving the girl?’
‘I think so. The Empress told me not to say anything.’
Karalyn checked her hair in the mirror. She hadn’t yet dressed for work, and was still wearing her morning robes over her night clothes.
‘Do you think I have time to get changed?’
‘You know Lady Nyane doesn’t like to be kept waiting,’ Laodoc said, smiling.
Karalyn nodded, and they left the room and went down the single flight of stairs to the ground level, Karalyn holding Laodoc’s hand on the steps.
‘Good morning,’ said Nyane, standing alone in the hallway by the closed front door. The Rahain woman was in full uniform, and looked as though she had been up for hours.
‘Morning,’ said Karalyn. ‘Do you want a coffee?’
‘Your servant has already asked me, thank you,’ the herald said. ‘May we speak?’
Karalyn opened the door to a large reception room and gestured for Nyane to enter, before she followed her in, her hand guiding Laodoc to a seat. Lace curtains were letting in daylight from the street outside, but were thick enough to afford the room privacy. Karalyn took a seat by the window and Nyane sat opposite her.
‘Is there a problem?’ Karalyn said.
‘Yes,’ said Nyane. ‘The Empress has sent me here.’
Karalyn lit a cigarette, waiting for the Rahain woman to continue speaking. She seemed on edge, but the young mage resisted the temptation to raid her thoughts.
‘This morning,’ Nyane said after a moment, ‘there was an intruder in the Great Fortress.’
‘Is the Empress all right?’ said Laodoc.
‘Yes, everyone’s fine. The children are fine.’
‘Who was the intruder?’ said Karalyn.
‘A man.’
Karalyn looked around and realised there was nowhere to flick her ash. She got up and walked over to a large table, where a heavy, glass ashtray sat, and picked it up.
‘I’ve been with the Empress since before dawn,’ Nyane said, ‘making sure the fleet departed on time. We were in her Majesty’s private chambers when the intruder walked in. We still don’t know how he managed to evade the guards posted on the lower floors and gain entrance. Regardless, there he was.’
Karalyn returned to her seat and set the ashtray down. ‘What did he want?’
Nyane frowned. ‘To know what had happened to Lady Belinda of Fell Grange.’
‘Oh.’
‘He got quite aggressive for the few minutes he was there. He demanded we tell him where Belinda was. I asked him if he was a relative of hers, and he laughed.’
‘But the whole Fell Grange story was a lie, wasn’t it?’ said Karalyn. ‘I thought no one there had heard of Belinda.’
‘Indeed. I told him as much, and then informed him that Belinda had been executed after leading a coup against the Empress. He said that he didn’t believe me, that we must be lying, and again demanded we tell him where she was. Then the guards appeared, I mean, the whole thing was over in a minute or two, and the man ran for it. He was fast, and strong.’ She paused, and rubbed her brow. ‘It sounds ridiculous, but the guards lost him.’ She shook her head. ‘Soldiers everywhere, and they couldn’t find any sign of him.’
‘And then what happened?’ said Laodoc.
‘Nothing. After the guards had checked the Empress’s private quarters, and myself and her Majesty were alone again, she ordered me to come and see you here. To warn you, she said. When I asked why, she told me that you would make everything clear.’
Karalyn said nothing, her nerves jangling.
‘Well?’ said Nyane. ‘Is there something I need to know? I don’t care if you and the Empress have been keeping secrets; I understand that her Majesty will have her reasons, and that you were only doing as ordered.’
‘Alright,’ Karalyn said, standing and stubbing out her cigarette in the glass ashtray. ‘It’s probably better if I show you, rather than try to explain.’
‘I think I’ll remain here,’ said Laodoc. ‘Corthie will be coming down for his lessons soon.’
Karalyn kissed the old man on the forehead. ‘See you in a bit.’
She nodded to Nyane and the two women left the room. At the end of the hallway was a door to the basement, and Karalyn led the herald towards it. She opened the door and they descended the narrow steps. A faint sound of voices reached them through a thick door at the bottom of the stairs. Karalyn grasped the handle, and pushed it open. In the windowless basement, two figures were sparring by the light of several lamps. Calder was swinging a staff, and a young woman was trying to dodge the blows.
Nyane stared, her tongue flickering, her eyes wide. ‘No.’
Karalyn walked into the middle of the room, and raised a hand.
‘Belinda,’ she said, ‘this is Lady Nyane, the Empress’s Herald.’
Nyane staggered. ‘She killed Dyam! She’s a traitor, why is she not dead?’
Belinda’s mouth opened.
‘Please, Nyane,’ Karalyn said, pushing calming thoughts into her friend’s head. ‘This is not the old Belinda.’
‘Did she know the old me?’ said Belinda. ‘Who did I kill?’
‘Fucksake,’ said Calder; ‘what is going on?’
Nyane glared at him. ‘So you knew. Everyone knew but me.’
‘No,’ said Karalyn. ‘The only people who know are in this room, except for the Empress and Laodoc. And Corthie.’
‘Your thirteen-year-old brother knew?’ Nyane’s eyes looked distraught.
‘Aye,’ said Karalyn, ‘he had to know – he lives here. But I didn’t tell my mother when she visited. I hid it from her the whole time. I’m sorry.’
Nyane’s face hardened, and she approached the three others in the middle of the room, her eyes never leaving Belinda. ‘You said she’s not the old Belinda?’
‘No, she’s not,’ said Karalyn.
‘I don’t know who I am,’ said Belinda, peering at Nyane. ‘Do you?’
Karalyn shot her vision into Nyane’s mind.
Say nothing. I’ll explain later.
Nyane blinked, then shook her head.
B
elinda glanced from one face to another. ‘Who is Dyam?’
‘I need to speak to Nyane for a moment,’ Karalyn said, ‘then I’ll come back down, and we can have a chat.’
The young woman nodded, though her eyes were suspicious.
‘Come on, Nyane,’ Karalyn said. ‘Let’s talk.’
The Rahain woman stared at Belinda for a moment, her face expressionless, then turned and left the room. Karalyn half-smiled at Calder and Belinda, then followed her as she went back up to the ground floor.
‘Explain,’ she said to Karalyn as she joined her in the hallway.
‘I scoured her clean. She was about to kill me and the Empress.’
‘And why wasn’t she executed?’
‘She’d been scoured, Nyane. Her mind was like a child. You can’t execute a child.’
‘She’s not a child, she’s a sadistic murderer.’
‘She was. And now the Empress wants to turn her back into one, and send her against Ghorley.’
Nyane frowned, her brow creasing. After a long moment she nodded.
‘I think I see,’ she said. ‘Train her, then send her to do to them what she tried to do to us? That sounds fitting.’
Karalyn wanted to disagree, but remained silent. Nyane was so focussed on winning the war, it seemed like there was little space in her mind for anything else.
‘Now I know why the Empress sent me here,’ said Nyane. ‘After this morning’s uninvited visitor, she must have judged it time that I was let in on the secret. The guards I brought, I’m going to leave them here, in case the intruder comes looking.’
‘How many did you bring?’
‘Two squads,’ Nyane said. ‘Twenty altogether.’
‘And how many did this intruder slip past in the Great Fortress?’
Nyane frowned. ‘You must stay alert for now. When I get back to the Empress, I’m going to advise that Belinda is moved into the fortress. The Holdfast townhouse is too exposed, and if I leave a company of soldiers here, it’ll only advertise that there’s something, or someone, worth hiding.’
‘Maybe I should take her out of the city.’
‘Yes, maybe.’
The Magelands Epic: Storm Mage (Book 6) Page 13