Judged

by Liz de Jager

  We get to Dante and I worry at the chains holding him bound. They’re thick and we don’t have the keys to unlock the padlocks holding them in place.

  Dante’s face is a mess of bruises and cuts, and he can barely see us as his one eye is swollen shut and he’s sagging heavily against the chains.

  ‘Hey, we’ve got you,’ I tell him and he tries to nod but gasps. His lips are raw from where he’s bitten them. ‘Just hold out a few seconds longer.’

  Aiden mutters something about focus and then he’s slashing at the chains with huge claws and full-on werewolf strength. One of the iron and steel cables gives way and he grips it between his hands and just keeps pulling and straining until it breaks completely. Then it’s easy enough to pull the chains through the loops set into the stone and unwind them from Dante’s body.

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Dante sags against me but his eyes are on Thorn, who’s bent over the last surviving sorcerer.

  ‘He took my place,’ he rasps in disbelief. ‘Why would he do that?’

  Aiden drops the heavy chains with a look of distaste and props up Dante on his other side, mindful of the ugly cuts lacerating his body.

  ‘You can ask him, when we get out of here.’ Aiden then looks at me saying, ‘How about we do just that? I’ve got Dante, why don’t you get Thorn?’

  I hesitate, then carefully pass Dante on to Aiden, who holds him as if he’s something precious.

  At the death of the final sorcerer the blue flames ringing the stage flutter and die away completely. Sound rushes in and there’s chaos in the amphitheatre. I barely spare a glance at the Fae climbing over one another in a desperate bid to get away from what is happening on the stage.

  I run across the stage and stop a few paces from Thorn. He’s cradling the final sorcerer’s hand in his and he looks sad. I can’t see any discernible movement of the sorcerer’s chest and he certainly looks as if he’s left this mortal coil. Thorn becomes aware of me and looks confused to see me standing over him.

  ‘Kit.’

  ‘We have to go,’ I say. ‘Dante needs help.’

  ‘Is he alive?’

  ‘He is, thanks to you.’

  He nods, looking thoughtful. ‘It was a close thing.’

  ‘I know. You … you were supposed to be the vessel all along, weren’t you? Even though it really sounded as if it was meant for Dante?’

  He tilts his head to the side as he considers my words and the gesture is so unfamiliar on him. It echoes the way the gods stared at Lady Firesky. ‘Yes. Prophecies never mean what you think they do. I’ve seen this happen countless times in dreams and visions. Every time I don’t interfere we all die and Dante becomes the monster that tears all our worlds apart.’ His gaze, still a jumble of jewelled colours, finds mine. ‘I had to do it. To save us all.’

  From behind us, Aiden grumbles, ‘The cavalry’s just showed up, late as usual.’

  I look up and find Dina half striding, half running down the centre aisle towards the stage. The Stormborn sweep into the amphitheatre behind her, and the Fae who haven’t made their escape as soon as things went pear-shaped on stage are being rounded up.

  She notes the carnage on stage but strides up to Thorn, taking his face between both her hands so that she can stare into his eyes. ‘Oh, Thorn, what have you done, you stupid boy?’

  ‘I stopped it,’ he replies and his voice sounds far away, ‘all of it. Now we have a chance to start anew.’

  ‘The goddess … ?’

  ‘I have taken on her power.’ His gaze rakes the bodies of the fallen gods. ‘I have taken all their power.’

  ‘Your father?’ She follows my gesture to where Aelfric’s body lies half-buried beneath the horned god. She moves towards them but hesitates, her face expressionless as she stares at the body of her husband before turning back to Thorn.

  I stand a little closer to him because he looks exhausted. The golden sheen of his skin is fading and he’s starting to look more like the boy I’ve come to know. Dina blinks at me and in her eyes I see regret and a world’s sadness banked into a slow-burning fire.

  One of the Stormborn, whom I recognize as Korash, her second-in-command, moves onto the stage.

  ‘Your majesty?’ he says, and perhaps the intensity of his regard grounds the High Queen of Alba. I see her visibly get a grip on her herself before she turns to look at him. ‘We have secured the complex and await your orders.’

  ‘Clean this up,’ she says. ‘Bring the king’s body to the Citadel. No one will speak of what happened here.’

  Korash bows smartly and leaves to do her bidding.

  Aiden and Dante start down the stairs, with Dante leaning heavily on the younger boy. I watch them to make sure they’ve got it under control before I head to check on the children we left behind. The room is as we left it, with the two unconscious guards still tied up.

  I drop to my knees beside the first sleeping child and, as I do, I put a name to the face, something I didn’t dare do the first time I saw them bundled together – here in their little cocoon nests of blankets and wrappings.

  I check them all, looking for their pulses. Faint but steady. Roberto Santos. Joanie Powell. Christopher Singh. Jerome King. Rachel Mitchell. All accounted for, all alive. Except for Tia.

  I swallow heavily but it doesn’t help. The tears just spill silently as I hunch over their sleeping bodies and I let sobs rack my body. This then is the end. I’ve found the children and, assuming we can wake them, they will be able to go back to their parents. I can’t even begin to fathom what their lives will be like as they readjust to being awake and present in the human world once more. Roberto and Rachel have been gone for over two years and the psychological effects of their return on their respective families will be massive.

  I look up when someone enters and I sit back on my heels. The Stormborn warrior takes one look at my tear-stained face before he crouches down next to me.

  ‘Lady Blackhart, you have done your duty. Let us take the children to safety. The queen and guardian await you, so you may all return to the Citadel. Her majesty fears for your safety, should any of the dissenters escape the army.’

  I wipe my face but I’m really just too tired to form words. He helps me stand and walks me over to the door. I look over my shoulder at the tiny forms.

  ‘Promise me you’ll keep them safe?’ I say to him. ‘Find me when you’ve got them safely settled?’

  His look is as solemn as the small formal bow he gives me. ‘I am Elof – at your command, Lady Blackhart.’

  I let Elof lead me to where Dina and Thorn are standing amidst a small cadre of Stormborn. Their cloaks are vivid splashes of colour in the darkening amphitheatre. Thorn takes my hand as we move up the central aisle to the main tunnel out of here.

  We’re joined by Dante and Aiden at the start of the passage and one Stormborn helps Aiden support Dante’s weight as we leave the complex.

  As we near the end of the tunnels, Dina beckons Korash closer.

  ‘Tear it all down. This is never happening again. This island presents too much of a temptation to any who wish to bring ancient gods forth or ban any –’ she stares hard at Thorn – ‘newly made gods. I will not stand by and see a repeat of this. Bring sorcerers who are loyal to us, gather them from across the Otherwhere and sink this island into the depths of the lake. But only after you burn it down.’

  ‘Your will, your majesty.’

  ‘See it done. Set guards. No one goes in or comes out without my permission.’

  Korash salutes and hurries away to carry out her wishes. I watch him go and struggle to feel any relief at her instruction. Instead I look up at Thorn, who’s staring thoughtfully at me as if he’s not entirely sure why I’ve not run from him yet.

  I’m given the same suite of rooms I had when I stayed at the Citadel in the past. The main room overlooks extensive gardens, and the sound of hundreds of fountains fills the air with a soothing music. I sit out on the chamber’s balcony, feeling m
ore wrung out than I’ve been in a long time. It’s only a few hours after we left the amphitheatre and I’m unable to sleep – even though I feel as if I should be curled up in the middle of the giant bed, dead to the world.

  Instead, my mind is in turmoil, replaying over and over again the scenes I witnessed. A gamut of emotions rages within me. I’m relieved we’ve seen the end of all of this for now. I also feel sorry for Dina and the responsibilities that she’s about to shoulder. I can’t begin to imagine the impact Aelfric’s death will have on Alba. I’m not even sure if any of Thorn’s brothers are fully aware of the deadly game Dina and Aelfric have played behind their backs. Petur, the eldest, will be crowned as high king in the next few weeks – Dina said that much on our journey back to the Citadel. She went into full planning mode once we reached the forest. I watched in awe as she set about laying plans to handle damage control after what had just happened.

  In the end I just trudged along, part of the group, barely listening as she spoke to Thorn and gave instructions covering every eventuality.

  Messengers were dispatched to inform the other rulers of the Otherwhere of the passing of Aelfric, High King of Alba. Logistically speaking, she had a nightmare on her hands in terms of keeping everything under control. And yet I fully expect that she is capable of handling the situation.

  There’s a soft knock on my door, and it’s pushed open on silent hinges. Aiden finds me sitting in the shadows of the balcony.

  ‘Lady Blackhart, may I enter your chambers?’ he asks with a cheeky grin and an eyebrow wiggle that I’ve seen him use to devastating effect in clubs.

  ‘Are you here to steal me away?’ I ask him as he drops into the other chair with a sigh and props his feet up on the railing beside mine.

  ‘I can if you like. Do you want to run away?’

  ‘I’m not sure any more. I don’t think anywhere I run to will be far enough away.’

  ‘Wow, that’s pretty extreme.’

  I flick a finger at him and get lightly shoved in return. We sit in silence and stare over the gardens. The distant forest glowers beneath a night sky thick and heavy with snow clouds.

  ‘They’re not letting me see Dante,’ Aiden says after a few minutes. ‘I got sent away.’

  ‘As in, he’s under heavy guard and is deemed a threat, or … ?’

  ‘No, the healers. They don’t want me near him. They say I’m a disruptive influence while they’re trying to help him.’

  ‘Oh, that’s okay then.’ I lift the corner of my mouth in a grin when he lets out a frustrated groan. ‘He’s going to be fine. Just let them do their magic.’

  He grumbles and crosses his arms over his chest and scowls out into the night. ‘It’s going to snow,’ he tells me. ‘You can feel it in the air.’

  It feels good to sit here, in the growing dark, with Aiden by my side. I empty my mind and breathe the cold air. It starts snowing some time later and the world takes on a monochrome tinge. Aiden dozes off, and I watch the shadows darken around us. It’s cold but not wholly unpleasant. Then there’s a noise behind me and I glance up to see a young page lighting the fire in my room.

  ‘Laurent?’

  The young faerie jerks in fright.

  ‘Lady Blackhart, you gave me a shock. I didn’t think anyone was in here.’

  I walk into the room, leaving Aiden sleeping in the chair.

  ‘Sorry, just sitting outside for a little bit. How are you? How is your grandmother?’

  Laurent smiles politely and answers my questions as he moves around the rooms lighting candles and lamps. He moves with a Sidhe’s innate grace and he talks quietly about his grandmother and the North Hold in London, not wanting to wake Aiden.

  ‘Is he one of the wolves, my lady?’ Lauren asks, lifting his chin towards Aiden’s sleeping form.

  ‘He is. His name’s Aiden Garrett.’

  The page smiles. ‘The rest of his pack arrived about half an hour ago. They were very noisy.’

  ‘They’re wolves,’ I say. ‘They’re only ever quiet when they’re eating.’

  This startles a shocked little laugh from him. ‘I’ll be sure to watch at dinner tonight. I’ll be serving in the main dining hall.’

  ‘How is everyone, with the high king … ?’

  The way he stills makes me think he’s weighing his words carefully. ‘Tense. The princes and the king’s advisers have all been in conference with the queen since she returned with the king’s body.’

  ‘What are people saying?’

  ‘That the king was killed while attempting to put an end to another coup threatening the House of Alba. That those present at the ritual had all been imprisoned and will be charged with sedition and plotting to overthrow the House of Alba.’

  I blink rapidly. ‘Yes. That is exactly what happened.’

  Laurent looks at me with large blue eyes and his expression is open and guileless. ‘I am glad you were there, helping put a stop to it all.’

  I can only nod and have to walk away, back towards the balcony. ‘Yes, me too. We’re all very lucky to have come away safely.’ I lean over Aiden and shake his shoulder lightly. ‘Wake up, sunshine. Your pack’s here. Laurent will show you where they are.’

  Aiden sits up with a groan and scrubs at his face. ‘What? Oh.’ He nods at the young page. ‘Okay, I’ll see you later, Blackhart. Dinner, I guess?’ He kisses the top of my head and follows Laurent out of the room. Dinner’s going to be a late, informal affair, he tells me over his shoulder as he guides Aiden out – served in the smaller great hall.

  As they leave I can hear Laurent’s high voice, edged with obvious awe, ask Aiden if he can turn into a wolf at will or if he could only do it at full moon. I don’t hear Aiden’s reply but his voice is a low rumbling growl and I grin, imagining poor Laurent’s face at the sound of it.

  I rummage around the large wardrobe and am pleased to find one of the soft white cotton sleeping gowns I remember from my last stay. I strip off my dirty clothes and put that on before I get beneath the crisp covers on the bed, deciding that I would do my utmost to get a few hours’ sleep before dinner.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  The dinner is tense and there are far too many people for a small gathering. But I know Dina needs to make a show of presenting a united front to certain Sidhe nobles, with her sons at by her side.

  Uncle Andrew and Jonathan Garrett are also present. The moment I walk in with Aiden and a very pale but much-recovered Dante flanking me, Andrew hurries over and pulls me into a long, hard hug.

  ‘You and I, young lady, are going to have words. A great many of them.’

  ‘I know. I’m sorry.’

  He sighs heavily and glances at the boys with a scowl. ‘And the two of you.’

  Dante’s the one who speaks. ‘Sir, if you’re going to blame anyone, you should blame me. I’m the one that was kidnapped. I should have been better prepared, sir. I put everyone at risk by not being alert to the dangers that faced us.’

  Andrew lets go of me and walks up to Dante, gripping both his shoulders hard. ‘That is the stupidest thing I have heard you say since we met, Dante. You are not to blame here, at all. Unless, of course, you’re going to tell me that you worked with the kidnappers. Then you and I would need to have a little more of a chat. So, were you in cahoots with the guy that came into your room and took you away?’

  ‘Well, no.’ Dante frowns at him. ‘But I should have been able to stop him.’

  ‘He drugged you.’ Andrew grips him tighter and gives him a little shake. ‘We found the syringe. This isn’t on you, boy.’

  ‘But Kit and Aiden …’

  ‘What they did was dumb and reckless.’

  ‘That was my fault.’ Thorn clears his throat as he walks up to us. He looks far better than earlier today and, like all of us he’s had a bit of a wash and cleaned up. ‘I invited them along. I knew the three of us would move faster as a team, to track Dante. And if I’d left them behind, they could have easily become targets themselves
. I couldn’t risk it.’

  Andrew’s face tells me he doesn’t quite buy Thorn’s explanation but he inclines his head.

  ‘The matter isn’t settled, but I understand what was at stake. And, I think, so did you. You did what you thought was best at the time, but it was still dumb. And reckless. You could have been killed. All of you.’

  Silence falls as Andrew stares at each of us in turn. ‘I just hope this will not happen again. None of our families would ever be the same if the worst happened, so next time, think. Speak to us and let’s come up with a solution that isn’t charging headfirst into danger.’

  He gets muttered agreements from us all and, as he moves away from us, we share a combined look of relief. Then a page calls us to take our places. Dante, Aiden and I are seated close together whilst Thorn takes his place at the top table at one end of the hall. Aelfric’s chair is empty and Dina presides over the table. To her right is her oldest son, Petur.

  As I watch the brothers and their families arrange themselves at the table I realize that they’re doing it almost too obviously, making a show to those present that the House of Alba stands together. Kieran, the brother closest to Thorn in age, catches my eye and gives me an exaggerated wink.

  Once Dina is seated, we are all free to sit down. The pages bring in the food, the musicians start up, and soon the hall is abuzz with the sound of cutlery and conversation. But the atmosphere is muted.

  The official declaration of Aelfric’s death won’t happen until the morning. This will give everyone the chance to express their sadness at his heroic death. All three Courts will sit in judgement on those who plotted the failed coup and they will be sentenced to death.

  Laurent, when he brought me a pretty blue tunic and trousers to wear, confessed he’d overheard that Petur will become the High King at the Midwinter Ball. In the meantime Aelfric will lie in state in his throne room for a week, so that his subjects will have the opportunity to pay their respects. His funeral will take place on the day of the Midwinter Ball, culminating in the ball itself, which will then end with Petur being crowned as the High King of Alba.