The Severed City

by Christopher Mitchell

  She kissed him. ‘Fuck me, that was great. I am fucking awesome.’

  He pushed her through the doorway, and leapt after her, running the moment he landed, pulling her along.

  The Holdings soldiers were sprinting towards the burning stables, the pained cries of the trapped gaien filling the cavern. No one looked their way as they raced towards the nearest carriage. The Rahain handlers were gaping at the fire, but one turned, and saw the squad racing in his direction.

  He screamed, and started to run.

  ‘Fucking stay where you are!’ Leah cried, aiming her longbow.

  ‘Hey!’ a trooper called from the stables, pointing at them.

  ‘Get in the carriage,’ Keira shouted to her squad. She reached one of the Rahain. ‘You, get these beasts moving!’

  Kylon ran to the front gaien, and grasped the long reins, hauling it towards the opening, Leah shouting at the others to help.

  The great reptiles began lurching forward, as the Rahain pulled.

  Keira walked backwards alongside the carriage, keeping her gaze on the Holdings troopers as they formed up ready to charge.

  She reached into her powers, nervous that they might be drained, but they felt as full as ever, and she laughed. She glanced over to the row of carriages to her right, and raised her hand.

  A bolt of fire shot out from the inferno devouring the stable block, and impacted onto the side of a carriage, and it exploded into flames. She moved her hand across, and the flames followed, until every other carriage was a burning wreck.

  The Holdings were charging she noticed, the sound they were making drowned out by the flames ripping through the cavern. She glanced over her shoulder. The lead gaien was near the edge, and was extending its wings.

  She turned to face the troopers, now only twenty yards from her, their chest-plates reflecting the bright light of the dawn sun. Keira swept her hand before her, and raised a wall of flame between the troopers and where she stood, all the way from the burning carriages in a semi-circle back to the stables, blocking them in.

  The troopers skidded to a juddering halt before the wall of fire, their mouths open in terror and amazement.

  She bowed, laughing.

  ‘You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.’

  ‘Keira, come on,’ Kylon shouted. ‘We’re going!’

  She ran after the carriage as it slid across the ground, gaining speed, two of its four gaien aloft, the others preparing to go. Kylon held out his hand from the side door, and she grasped it.

  He pulled her in as the carriage lifted off, and they fell onto the wooden floor of the troop-carrier.

  She jumped up, and peered through one of the small circular windows.

  They had cleared the cavern, and were gaining altitude. The sun was shining down on the snow-covered mountain, and she could see darker patches where the thaw was starting to take hold.

  Kylon stood by her, his face next to hers as they gazed at the view.

  ‘Spring is coming,’ he said.

  ‘But where the fuck shall we be spending it?’ Keira said, turning to look up the carriage. The two Holdings were staring out of a window, while Fang sat on one of the benches, strapping himself in. The Rahain they had hustled aboard were gathered at the other end, looking terrified. Leah was piloting from the rear, pulling on the controls she had learned to handle in Tahrana City.

  ‘This world is fucked,’ Keira said to them. ‘The Holdings, the Sanang, the Rakanese, even the fucking Kellach Brigdomin, they all bow the knee to the king. And now the Rahain are completely screwed, he controls the whole fucking world.’

  Keira gazed around at the faces of everyone listening.

  ‘And that world hates me, and wants to kill me. None of you had to come along, I didn’t force any of you to be here with me, but where I’m going some of you may not want to follow. That’s fair enough, I’ll let you off next time we land. Kylon was right. We need to hide somewhere deep.’

  She spat on the wooden floor and looked over at Leah.

  ‘Take us to Sanang.’

  Chapter 31

  Admonition

  Plateau City, The Plateau – 29th Day, Last Third Winter 505

  The air was cool but crisp, and the sky a deep blue. Under the sun of the second last day of winter, the city had come alive. Despite remaining a vast building site, decorations had been put up over the previous days, with bright spring flowers, banners and pennants covering the main routes. As Daphne pushed the pram along the pavement with her right hand, workers on ladders were hanging a long sequence of colourful flags across the street. The tall stone tenement blocks of the aristocratic district gleamed in the crisp sunshine, and Daphne smiled.

  ‘All a bit garish, if you ask me,’ Shella said, strolling beside her. They were wrapped up warm from the cold, except for Bedig, who was sweating in the sunlight.

  ‘I think it’s beautiful,’ Daphne said, gazing up at the bright banners. ‘Cheers me up to see the city looking so festive. Do they not celebrate New Year in Arakhanah?’

  ‘Not really,’ Shella said. ‘Just another day.’

  Daphne glanced over her shoulder, checking that the two troopers were still behind them. They escorted them whenever they left the house, as she insisted upon doing at least once a day. Staying indoors with the baby was exhausting, and it had been the most tiring third and a half of her life. After a few deceptive days of quiet sleeping, Karalyn had proved to be a demanding infant, and even with the help of Shella, Bedig and Celine, Daphne was worn out.

  Her own body had also taken time to recover. She longed to start training again, to get back into shape, but the lack of time, and the advice from the doctors, had forced her to lead a life as sedentary as when she had been pregnant. Once Karalyn started sleeping through the night, she promised herself, that was when she would get a small piece of her life back.

  A well-dressed couple nodded politely to her as they passed by on the pavement. No one was ever rude to her face when they stuck to the streets around her house. She knew they probably gossiped about her and her daughter, but she could cope with that as long as they kept up their mask of noble civility whenever she bumped into them in the street.

  Karalyn stirred. Daphne reached into the pram and retrieved a dummy. She placed it into the baby’s mouth, and she settled.

  ‘Those things are amazing,’ Shella said. ‘Wish I could’ve used them to shut up Noli’s brats.’

  ‘Your Highness,’ a lady curtsied at Shella from the steps to a grand townhouse.

  ‘Good morning,’ Shella replied as they walked past. She looked like she was about to mutter something to Daphne under her breath, when her mouth opened.

  ‘Look at that,’ she said.

  Daphne followed her gaze.

  Upon the side of a tenement, an enormous embroidered banner hung. In rich colours it depicted scenes from the conquest of Rahain, or liberation as the banner proclaimed it in large, golden letters.

  ‘Ha!’ Shella cried, pointing. ‘Is that who I think it is?’

  Daphne squinted upwards as she pushed the pram closer to the banner.

  Shella was pointing to a small scene in the bottom left of the tapestry. A girl was hurling balls of fire onto blazing catapults, while next to her stood a barbarian chieftain, his long black locks flowing, his sword raised.

  ‘Hey, Karalyn,’ Shella grinned. ‘There’s your daddy.’

  Daphne smiled. The depiction was crude, but there was no doubt it was Killop up there, saving the alliance charge at the battle which won the war. Killop and his mage who, rumours said, was his sister, the notorious war criminal Keira. Despite official denials, the population held fast to this belief, bolstered by the reported fact of her escape a few days later, stealing a winged gaien and fleeing into the barren mountains.

  Daphne was unsure. She knew Keira was Killop’s twin, so any young girl could not possibly be her, but Keira could have ghosted away after the attack, and Killop could have used the girl to try to trick the Ho
ldings. That, at any rate, was the prevalent theory among the rumour-mongers in Plateau City.

  Shella sighed. ‘I can’t believe the alliance crushed the lizards so quickly.’

  ‘It’s justice for what they did to you,’ Daphne said.

  ‘Maybe,’ Shella frowned.

  ‘And us,’ Bedig said. ‘Our people there have been freed. It was worth it just for that.’

  Daphne nodded. ‘And Killop is their chief.’

  ‘When you go to Rahain, miss,’ Bedig said, ‘I’ve decided to go with you. I love this city, it’s the greatest place I’ve seen, but I want to join Killop’s clan, and help make a new beginning for our folk.’

  ‘I’ll be glad to have you along,’ Daphne said, ‘though I won’t be leaving for a few thirds yet, when Karalyn’s old enough to travel.’

  ‘You’re all buggering off,’ Shella said. ‘What about me? I’ll be stuck here with only my idiot brother for company.’

  ‘You have your new job to look forward to,’ Daphne said, wheeling the pram about.

  ‘Work? Gah. I haven’t worked in ages, not since I was running Akhanawarah. I’m too lazy to lift a finger now.’

  ‘You’ll get used to it,’ Daphne smiled.

  ‘At least the old ambassador will be gone soon. Just a few more days.’

  ‘And then you’ll be an eminence as well as a highness, your Highness.’

  ‘I bet the king regrets making Obli queen,’ Shella laughed. ‘If he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have to keep pretending I’m a princess.’

  ‘I’m sure he doesn’t mind,’ Daphne said. ‘Does his image good to have a Rakanese princess attend his court. Contributes to his regal air.’

  ‘The ruler of the world,’ Shella snorted. ‘You Holdings just love your fucking royalty, fawning over the king like puppies wagging their little tails. The only man more popular than the king is Benel.’

  ‘Did you hear?’ Daphne said as they walked back down the street towards her home. ‘The hero mage is attending the New Year celebrations, gracing us with his presence. He’ll be at the head of the parade. Damn, I can already imagine the swooning and screaming.’

  ‘You’re just jealous,’ Shella said. ‘It you hadn’t got pregnant, it would’ve been you being all magely and heroic. That’ll teach you to keep your fucking legs shut.’

  As Shella was about to laugh, another aristocratic couple passed them. She muttered a polite ‘good morning’, as they frowned and turned away.

  Daphne smiled. ‘Quite the foul mouth for a princess. I hope you remember your manners when you become ambassador.’

  ‘I’ll just have to take it out on Sami,’ Shella said. ‘There’s only so much politeness I can handle.’

  A priest coming towards them turned direction when he saw Daphne, and crossed the road, keeping his glance averted.

  ‘Take that asshole for instance,’ Shella said, ‘ten minutes of having to be polite to him and he’d be vomiting up his lungs.’

  ‘Don’t pay him any attention,’ Daphne sighed. ‘It’s bad form to acknowledge incivility. It’s beneath noble ladies like ourselves.’

  Shella looked at her. ‘You want to kick his ass too?’

  ‘I’d love to,’ Daphne said, pushing the pram. Her right arm was tired, her left tucked into her warm clothes. ‘But I’m out of shape. Just going for a walk tires me out.’

  ‘You need more sleep.’

  ‘Karalyn keeps me up all night.’

  ‘Try having sixteen in your house all at once. I was demented for thirds.’

  ‘One’s enough,’ Daphne said. ‘And the feeding’s not going well.’

  ‘I don’t know why you keep trying. Use a damned bottle, woman.’

  They stopped at the entrance to the Holdfast mansion. The troopers took up position on either side, scanning the street.

  ‘Thanks girls,’ Shella said to them. ‘Made it back alive again.’

  Bedig gripped hold of the pram and carried it up the stairs, Karalyn remaining asleep inside. Daphne nodded to the troopers, and followed him up with Shella.

  The housekeeper was waiting for them at the door.

  ‘Mistress, your Highness,’ she bowed as they entered.

  Daphne shrugged off her coat, and the housekeeper took it from her.

  The pram was placed down in the hall, and Karalyn began to stir.

  ‘I’ll get some tea,’ Bedig said.

  Daphne walked to the pram, her right hand reaching in.

  ‘Mistress,’ the housekeeper said, ‘you have a visitor.’

  ‘Yes?’ Daphne said, her attention focussed on the waking baby.

  ‘An older Kellach gentleman. A rude and coarse fellow. I would have shown him the door, but he said he had important news. He knew Karalyn’s name, mistress, and other things about you. I thought it best to let him stay.’

  ‘Oh yeah?’ Shella said. ‘A rude old man? I can’t wait.’

  ‘I doubt he’s a match for you,’ Daphne said, before turning to the housekeeper. ‘Did the gentleman give a name?’

  ‘Kalayne, mistress.’

  Daphne blinked.

  ‘You know him?’ Shella said.

  ‘Heard of him.’

  She pursed her lips, trying to remember everything Killop and Kylon had said.

  ‘Very good,’ she said to the housekeeper. ‘Which room have you put him in?’

  ‘The green room, mistress. He demanded food and we left him eating.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Daphne said. ‘I shall go and see our visitor shortly.’

  The housekeeper bowed, and walked down the hall.

  ‘So,’ Shella said, ‘who is this guy?’

  ‘He’s the Kellach prophet,’ Daphne said. ‘The one who saw me and Killop together.’

  She took a cigarette from a silver case and lit it.

  Shella raised her eyebrows.

  ‘If he’s rude to us, then I can be as rude as I like back to him, yeah?’

  Karalyn started to cry.

  ‘Fuck,’ Shella said. ‘Where’s that oaf Bedig gone?’

  Daphne stubbed her cigarette out and picked up the baby from the pram.

  ‘We’ll just have to take her with us.’

  They walked down the hallway and headed for the green room, a small, out of the way chamber at the back of the mansion. Shella opened the door and they went in.

  A man with white hair and a neatly trimmed beard who looked to be in his late fifties was sitting at a table. He was scowling at a plate of food, examining it close up with a knife in obvious disapproval.

  ‘What’s this crap you’ve served me?’ he said, then looked up. ‘Ah, it’s you.’

  ‘Is something wrong with the food?’ Daphne said as they approached.

  ‘It would be easier to say what was right with it,’ he replied. ‘Nothing.’

  He turned his attention to a large jug, and sniffed it.

  ‘Water. How hospitable.’

  ‘Would you prefer tea?’

  ‘I would prefer enough whisky to blot out the taste of the foul leftovers you had your servants bring me.’

  ‘How about some old-fashioned introductions?’ Shella said.

  ‘Who asked you to speak?’ the man said. He turned to Shella, his gaze lingering on her body.

  ‘Hoi,’ Shella said. ‘Eyes up.’

  He ignored her, continuing to stare.

  Daphne and Shella shared a glance.

  ‘I am Daphne Holdfast…’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘And this is Princess Shella.’

  ‘I know that too, although I hadn’t realised how pleasing she was to the eye. If all the frog people are as well proportioned as her I might make a trip there. It would be worth the swamps and the flies for a piece of amphibian action.’

  ‘You’re a fucked up old bastard,’ Shella said.

  He grinned. ‘And a well-spoken young lady too. If you’re lucky I might take you out on a date after this. You’d have to pay for the meal, but I promise the sex will be amaz
ing.’

  Shella laughed, and sat at the table. Daphne took a chair next to her, resting Karalyn on her knee. The infant’s cries became louder.

  ‘What a terrible noise,’ Kalayne said. ‘I hate babies.’

  ‘Thank you for sharing your opinion,’ Daphne said, hiding her irritation as well as she could, ‘but I presume you didn’t come here just to tell me this.’

  ‘You presume correctly,’ he said. ‘You know who I am, then?’

  ‘You’re a weird old man,’ Shella said, ‘who has my best friend convinced you can tell the future, even though this is the first time she’s met you.’

  Kalayne frowned. ‘I sent Kylon to save your life, because I had a vision of him pulling you away from a great wave of mud. Did that not occur?’

  ‘It did,’ Shella said, ‘but you could have learned that from him. I know he’s been in Plateau City.’

  ‘What a tedious bore, having to prove oneself,’ Kalayne said, shaking his head, ‘but if you insist.’

  His arm swept across the table, his hand reaching out and grabbing Shella’s chin. Before she could react, he leaned over and stared into her eyes.

  She pushed his hand away. ‘Urgh.’

  He sat back and laughed. ‘Where to begin? So many memories to choose from. Maybe I should start with the time you killed your sister Tehna’s pet fish and blamed it on Klebo when you were six. Or how about when you broke your father’s medal for civic duties, and dropped the evidence into the canal outside your house? Or when…’

  ‘Stop,’ Shella said. ‘Fucking stop now. I don’t know how the fuck you’re doing this, but I don’t like it.’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ Daphne said, ‘that’s a vision skill. How can a Kellach do it?’

  ‘You mean you can do that too?’ Shella said, her voice heightening. ‘You can read memories?’

  ‘Yes,’ Daphne said. ‘You know I can go into people’s minds, and see their thoughts, but I never look through anyone’s memories. It seems… wrong.’

  ‘Damn fucking right it is,’ Shella said.

  ‘Mage-priests do it all the time though,’ Daphne said, ‘if they need to find out if someone is lying.’