by Imogen Elvis
“We’ll take that chance.” Kade shifted, then asked Briar gently, “Can you move?”
She didn’t want to, but Briar nodded anyway and struggled to her feet, helped by Kade’s supporting hand. Ava was dead because of Master Sachio, and she wasn’t going to just sit here and weep while he got everything he wanted. Ava and all these poor children deserved better.
“Lead the way, Lara,” Kade said.
Lara headed across the square, away from the soldiers carrying out their gruesome job. Briar’s feet were leaden as she followed. It felt so wrong to leave without saying a proper goodbye to Ava. She hadn’t even seen her sister one last time, and now she would never have that chance. Her throat tightened. But the soldiers were everywhere. She couldn’t risk getting close enough to find her sister, not if she wanted to stay free long enough to see Master Sachio punished for his sins. Maybe this awful pain wouldn’t be so bad if she could hold Ava one last time, say a proper goodbye. But instead, here she was, walking away, empty and cold. Only Kade’s arm around her shoulders held her steady, a warm reminder that she wasn’t alone.
“I’m so sorry,” Kade murmured.
“Thank you.” Briar’s throat tightened as she choked out the lie, “It’s not important right now.”
“It is important. You don’t just lose someone and shake it off. I know you must be hurting, more than I can imagine. I have no idea how you keep going.”
“I keep going because I must.” Briar found it easier to let her unfocused gaze wander over the street rather than meet his eye. “We need to stop Master Sachio. At the moment there’s nothing more important.”
“Some things are,” Kade said quietly. “You are.”
Lara led them away from the scene of the attack and in the general direction of the castle. Here, the streets were undamaged and slowly filling with people. The children burned right through the poor end of Mizra, but the wealthier districts hadn’t been so much as scorched. Master Sachio protected the people he found most useful, it seemed. Briar’s stomach twisted, and she kept her eyes on the ground as they hurried through the streets.
Their path led them past ever larger and gaudier houses until finally, they came out onto the bank of the river. Here, a small track ran along the water’s edge, worn into the bare earth by passing feet. Kade’s arm dropped from around Briar’s shoulders, and he gestured for her to go on ahead of him. The tiny path was too narrow for them to continue walking side by side, at least, not without them both overbalancing and tumbling into the water. Briar drew a deep breath, her shoulders hunching in on themselves without the comforting support from Kade’s arm, and tried to focus on where each foot fell, instead of seeing, over and over, the awful scenes from the night before.
“I didn’t think Sachio would actually attack Mizra,” Lara said, breaking the silence that had reigned since they left the square. “I was convinced he wouldn’t dare to have the children march on the city.”
“He’s never hesitated before,” Briar said, dully.
“Still, it’s one thing to burn towns and villages that you’ll never visit. Mizra is another thing entirely.” Lara shook her head. “If only we’d been able to get here sooner, we might have been able to act before he did this.”
“Don’t think like that,” Kade said vehemently. “We’ve done the best we can, every step of the way. There’s nothing more we could have done.”
Briar wanted to believe that. But her mind spun wildly, searching for things she could have done differently, some way she could have changed the outcome. They were the sort of thoughts that could drive a person mad.
“Sachio has a lot to answer for. Too much.” Lara’s voice was hollow with sadness. Briar imagined she was probably thinking of Rowen. So many people had been lost to Master Sachio’s greed.
“He will,” Kade said.
“I hope you’re right.” Lara came to a halt at a wall that bordered on the edge of their tiny path. “This is the back of Lady Madella’s garden.”
The wall was high and smooth, every block of stone fitting together so seamlessly that there wasn’t even a toehold. Briar craned her neck. Even by jumping, there was no way to reach the top.
“How do we get over the wall?” Briar asked.
Lara gestured to a young tree standing near the wall. It reached higher than the top of the stones, though the upper branches were thin and fragile. Lara and Briar might not have any trouble climbing up, but looking at those spindly limbs, Briar wasn’t sure whether they would carry Kade’s weight.
“You go first,” Kade said to Lara. “Be careful.”
“I have done this before.” Lara swung herself easily into the tree. The branches dipped beneath her, and the whole tree swayed. For one heart-stopping moment, Briar thought that they might give way and send Lara crashing to the ground again, but she scaled the tree quickly, shimmying from an upper branch to perch on top of the wall. “It looks clear.” Lara dropped down on the other side of the wall with a soft thud.
“You go next,” Kade said. “I’ll follow.”
“Don’t break anything,” Briar said.
“That’s why I’m going last.” Kade gave a wry smile.
“I meant your bones. I don’t care about the tree.”
“I’ll do my best. I was hoping Lara’s way in would be a little easier than this, but we never have that much luck, do we?”
“No. We never do.” Briar held back a sigh.
The first branches were easy enough to climb. They bounced as Briar stepped on them, but held firm. The higher she went, though, the thinner the branches became. She tested each step with care before trusting any of the tree limbs with her full weight, all too aware of how long this climb was taking compared to Lara’s. Twigs snagged in her skirt, and she dragged it free with an effort that set the leaves rustling. As soon as Briar could reach, she grabbed the top of the wall. The tree dipped and swayed beneath her, making her stomach lurch.
“Are you alright?” Kade called.
“I’m almost there,” Briar said, breathlessly. She bit her lip and hauled herself from the tree to the top of the wall. It at least was wide and sturdy, and she could sit astride it to catch her breath. Here she could see all the way across the river, and down into the garden. Despite the height of the wall though, her view of Lady Madella’s house was blocked by a stand of trees, and all she could make out was the very peak of the roof.
Lara waited below for Briar. “It’s safe to jump.”
Briar gripped the edge of the wall and eased around, letting herself down gently, rather than just leaping off. The thud of landing jarred her ankles, but she was safely in the garden. The edge of a thick hedge concealed them, blocking Briar’s view of the main garden. Hopefully it would hide them from any unfriendly eyes.
“We’re clear,” Lara called softly. “You can come over now, Kade.”
The tree shook violently, setting the leaves rustling like the whispers of a crowd. Something cracked, followed by a muffled swear.
“Are you alright?” Briar called softly. “Kade?”
“I’m fine. A branch broke, though.” Kade sounded a bit out of breath. “Give me a moment.”
More rustling followed, and then, finally, Kade’s head appeared over the top of the wall. He clambered over and dropped to the ground beside them, brushing bits of twigs and leaves off his clothes as he straightened.
“I thought you said it would be easy to get into the garden,” Kade said to Lara.
She shrugged, seeming completely unrepentant. “Well, we’re here, aren’t we? Come on. The house is this way.” She crept around the end of the hedge, checking in both directions before stepping onto the gravel path. “There may be gardeners nearby. Stay close.”
The path followed the line of the hedge for some distance, before veering off to wind through a little grove of trees. The trees then gave way to an expanse of green lawn, gleaming with dew and warm with the early sun. The path skirted the edge of this lawn and arrowed straight up
the garden in the direction of the house. Finally, as they passed another hedge, which bounded the far end of the grass, Briar caught her first look at Lady Madella’s house.
A long veranda, built from smooth blocks of stone, ran along the entire back of the building. A low roof shaded it, held up by slender beams that were wound round with ivy, neatly trimmed and glowing with fresh growth. The house was three storeys tall, glimmering with glass, and built from warm, golden sandstone.
“Those doors lead into Madella’s breakfast room.” Lara pointed to a set of double doors near one corner of the building. “If we’re lucky, she won’t have eaten yet.”
The doors were made almost entirely from glass and gave Briar peek inside the room. A warm, pale light glowed off the white walls inside. A small table stood near the doors, set around with four chairs. Anyone eating their breakfast here would have an excellent view of the garden. It would be such a peaceful way to begin the day. More pressingly though, the table was set with plates and silverware. Everything was ready for Lady Madella’s breakfast.
Briar, Kade and Lara crouched behind the hedge, watching the doors to the breakfast room. The hairs on the back of Briar’s neck prickled and she glanced around. What if a gardener should walk past and catch them here? Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Kade doing the very same thing. But the rolling lawn was empty, and the paths lay undisturbed. If there was a gardener here, he or she must be working in another part of the garden.
“I hate waiting.” Lara shifted.
“Madella will be here soon, I’m sure,” Kade said. “There will be plenty for the council to do today. She’s unlikely to linger long.”
“Someone’s coming.” Briar withdrew further into the cover of the hedge, peeking around the edge as the interior door to the breakfast room opened, and a woman entered, followed by two servants. She was an older woman, her steel-grey hair looped over her ears before sweeping back into a bun. Lady Madella, Briar presumed. One of the servants pulled out her chair and helped the woman settle into her seat. The other servant carried a large silver tray and laid the dishes of food out on the table. Lady Madella addressed the servants for a brief moment before they both bowed and left the room.
The moment the door closed behind the servants, Lara moved out of hiding and hurried up the steps onto the veranda. Kade and Briar followed after her a little more slowly. Briar’s eyes flicked left to right, checking the windows for anyone who might see them.
Lady Madella looked up, startled, as Lara pushed open the glass doors. “Lara, dear. I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Are you alright? After what happened last night-”
“That's why we're here,” Lara said soberly. “We're running out of time.”
“On that we agree.” Lady Madella took in all three of them with her direct gaze. “Would you like to introduce me to your friends?”
“Of course. This is Briar.” Lara gestured to her. Briar dipped into a small curtsey, bowing her head. “And this-”
Lady Madella rose to her feet, her eyes widening. “Levi?” She stared at Kade, eyes wide with disbelief, for much longer than was probably polite. Then, as if remembering her manners, she swept him a low curtsy. “Your highness. You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe for you in Mizra.”
“I know,” Kade said. “But Sachio is here.”
“It is precisely Lord Sachio who I am thinking of. If he finds you, he won't hesitate to have you executed. Publicly.”
“I know,” Kade said again. “But this is where I need to be. Do you mind if we sit?”
“Of course. Where are my manners?” Lady Madella gestured to the empty chairs. She pulled her own chair forward again and settled her skirts primly. “Welcome to my home. I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“I assume you know what happened last night?” Kade said.
Lady Madella nodded. “A messenger arrived not long ago, bringing all the details. The children were stopped, I understand?”
Briar nodded, a pang of remembrance shuddering through her. “Yes. They're dead.” She was pitifully proud of how she held in the wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her at those stark words.
“The immediate threat has passed then.” Lady Madella was far too matter of fact. “What happens now is that the ruling council will meet this morning to discuss our next course of action. It’s likely, after this latest attack, they will vote Varik no longer able to protect and serve his people, and he will be forcibly removed from power.”
“The council really has the power to do that?” Briar asked.
“Not usually. But in this particular case, Varik is clearly unwell. His mind is not his own, and his condition is endangering the whole country. His inability to deal with this latest threat is more than enough proof. In an emergency such as this, we have the power to declare him unfit to rule, and to decide on a suitable replacement.”
“And in this case, they’re most likely to choose Sachio,” Lara said.
Lady Madella nodded, pouring tea into an eggshell thin china cup. “The king's negligence allowed dangerous magicians to march on our city. They could have made it to the very heart of Mizra and attacked the castle itself, and he would have blocked any meaningful move to protect the people. It was only because of Lord Sachio that this didn’t occur.”
“He would never have allowed that to happen,” Briar said. Though every time she repeated those words, she believed them a little less. The castle could be repaired. It was the throne he really wanted. If it served Master Sachio’s purpose to attack it, would he have hesitated?
“Maybe, maybe not. In any case, the ruling council doesn’t know any of this, nor are they likely to believe it if they were told. All they know is that the king put everyone in danger with his inability to deal with this threat. For as distasteful as his solution might have been, in their eyes, Lord Sachio stepped up to protect the people. To the council, this will make him an excellent candidate for the throne. Especially as he is of royal blood.”
“But the rules-” Briar began.
“The council is aware of the rules. But they’re scared, and they’re desperate. We all are.” A shadow lingered in Lady Madella’s eyes, though her voice didn’t change, and Briar wondered what the noblewoman had been through since Kade had fled the city. “In such a time as this, they will break those rules if they think that Lord Sachio will solve our problems.”
“So, we’re too late then.” Kade mouth tightened. “There’s no time to gather more allies and make a stand against Sachio. No one’s going to want to hear us say he isn’t the saviour he pretends to be.” He shook his head. “He’s planned for everything.”
When Kade put it that way, the situation sounded so hopeless. They had come so far and fought so hard, and in the end, Master Sachio’s schemes had still worked out exactly as he planned them to. He would be crowned, and there was nothing they could do to stop him.
That wasn’t entirely true. “He hasn’t planned for quite everything,” Briar said.
“What do you mean?” Kade asked. “He’s convinced everyone that he is the hero of Kerr. He has twisted the king’s mind until he can’t tell truth from fiction, let alone rule a kingdom. He holds both councils in the palm of his hand. They’re practically begging him to take the crown. And there are, at most, six of us willing to stand against him.”
Briar lifted her chin. “We can still take his magic.”
There was silence for a long moment as everyone took in this suggestion. Kade’s frown deepened, his gaze remaining trouble. Lady Madella’s eyebrows rose a fraction, and she tipped her head to one side in question. Lara however, nodded.
“That is true. And we know Master Talor would help us if we could get a song catcher. Without his magic, Sachio definitely wouldn’t have such a strong grip on his future.”
“It seems I’m missing something,” Lady Madella said. “Would you care to explain?”
“If we could somehow get a song catcher and use it against Master Sach
io, we could strip him of his magic,” Briar explained. “Without his power, he wouldn’t be able to control the king anymore. Nor would he have such a great influence on the councils.”
“If he can’t bend the mind of the king, then he might start to recover,” Lara added, her eyes glowing. “And all of this would weaken his campaign for the throne.”
“Wouldn’t the catcher kill him rather than take his magic?” Kade asked. “I want to stop Sachio. But I don’t know if I could kill him, even after everything he has done. I have to believe we’re better than that.”
Briar shook her head. “Master Talor believed the song catcher would k-kill the children because they were so young. Their magic hadn’t yet matured.” She choked on the words and rushed on to cover it. “Master Sachio is old enough that if we used the catcher, it wouldn’t take his entire life song. He would live through it but would be cut off from all forms of magic.”
“It seems the song catcher would provide us with an excellent opportunity then.” Lady Madella set her cup down carefully. “The main difficulty appears to be in reaching the catchers. Unless Master Talor can procure one for us?”
“That is… difficult,” Lara said. “Sachio has the song council’s catcher, and the royal family has the other. We think that Sachio’s catcher is most likely in his rooms in the castle. If we could get inside, then we might be able to steal that one. But we’re wanted for treason, so even reaching the castle is impossible.”
Lady Madella looked thoughtful. “Not necessarily. I might be able to get you to the castle. Though once there, there is little else I could do to help you.”
“If we could reach the castle, then we would be able to take care of ourselves,” Lara said. Her whole face lit up. “Sachio may have forced the council’s hands, but maybe there’s still time for us to stop his plans and expose him for the traitorous creature he really is.”
“We need a plan,” Kade said. “I have an idea.”
They drew their chairs closer to the table, all eyes on Kade now, eager to hear what his plan for finding the catcher might be. Hopeless as things might first appear, there was still a chance. A slim one, to be sure, but Briar grabbed onto that glimmer of hope with both hands. Because if they couldn’t find this catcher, she didn’t want to think about what would come next.