By old – and therefore unquestionable – tradition, the voting was public. The Grandmaster held his hand over the table and clenched his fist, the ancient symbol for yes. Others clenched their own fists, or held their hands palm out, the symbol for no. The remainder kept their hands to themselves, abstaining from the vote. The Grandmaster counted the votes silently and cursed under his breath. Even with the three votes that he and the other two senior members had, the motion had not passed. Besides, Lady Asma had placed her vote against it.
The Grandmaster kept his face blank with the ease of long practice, refusing to even look at Herod’s mouthpiece. No one had ever seriously considered the possibility of a necromancer having allies within the Council, particularly not someone who could offer reward – or threaten punishment – at will. The system had been intended to prevent the Academy from developing a political interest of its own – and eventually taking power for itself – yet it had also prevented him from investigating Herod. The entire system had broken down.
“The motion is rejected,” the Castellan reported. “There will be no investigation.”
The Grandmaster scowled inwardly, but showed no sign of his inner turmoil. Perhaps there would be no public investigation, yet he had resources he could call upon, friends and allies who would come when he called. The game wasn’t over yet.
***
It was a suspiciously cheerful Herod who greeted Reginald after he’d slept for several hours, following the tender ministrations of a pair of slave girls and the first good meal he’d had since leaving the Golden Palace. The Emperor seemed content to chat about nothing, although Reginald felt a growing nervousness that had nothing to do with the Emperor’s unpleasantly inhuman grin. It recalled waiting for his father as a young man, after having done something so awful that even his family had been moved to complain about him, knowing that the punishment – whatever it was – wouldn't be worse than the waiting.
“The Academy has been rendered toothless,” Herod proclaimed, and proceeded to outline what had happened. Reginald realised that Herod wanted – no, needed – to gloat and listened carefully. There was always the possibility that the necromancer would reveal something useful. “They voted down the Grandmaster’s plan for an investigation.”
“That’s wonderful,” Reginald said, trying to project enthusiasm. He had hoped – and feared – that the Academy would step forward to confront Herod. The magician in him had feared that battle – no necromancer would go easily – yet it would have spared him the need to make a decision for himself. “They’re not going to do anything?”
“So it would seem,” Herod said. His grin widened. “And one day, they are going to look out of their windows and see my army advancing on the Academy to take it and use it for myself. Just think about what we could do with all the knowledge locked up within the Academy!”
Reginald, who had once spent a week as a statue as punishment for trying to sneak into the restricted section of the Academy’s library, nodded in understanding. “Yes, Your Grace,” he said. “We could do much with such knowledge.”
“But enough of such pleasant thoughts,” Herod said. He stood up suddenly, his power billowing around him as if it were a cloak. He might have mastered controlling the vast power that flowed from necromancy, yet Reginald could sense it and knew that any Freelance Mage who came close enough would sense it too. Herod’s grasp on power might not be as secure as he thought. “It is time for your lesson in necromancy.”
Reginald felt his chest turn to ice as Herod gestured to one of his guards, who opened a door and escorted in a young woman. The girl wore nothing apart from a pair of tiny pants and her eyes were dull and lifeless, suggesting that someone had drugged her with an obedience potion. At Herod’s command, without resistance, she climbed onto the table and lay on her back, staring up at nothing.
“Your knife,” Herod said. He passed Reginald an object wrapped in cloth. Reginald opened it and discovered a black knife, glittering with dark power. The art of creating such devices had been thought lost, before Herod had rediscovered it. A skilled necromancer didn't need them, but someone who was learning the art tended to rely on them until they knew what they were doing. “Watch carefully.”
Reginald watched helplessly as Herod demonstrated how to create a series of light wards surrounding the girl, ones that would assist the knife in capturing and transferring her life force to his wards. He forced himself to follow him, creating the wards one by one, hoping and praying for a miracle that would save him from having to commit himself to a necromancer. Nothing materialised.
“And now,” Herod breathed, “cut her throat.”
Forgive me, Reginald prayed, and slashed down. The power seemed to surge up through the knife and into his body, a shock that sent him reeling backwards. He hit the ground still holding the knife and found himself staring at Herod as the necromancer laughed. There was nothing human in the ghastly sound.
“Your wards broke,” Herod said. Reginald said nothing, feeling the power curling around and inside him. It was sickening, yet somehow intoxicating. “I'm afraid you’re going to have to try again.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Five days after they were shown to their personal apartment, the guide finally materialised to escort them through the caves and out of the mountains. Much to Hind’s private relief, the guide – the dark-skinned warrior woman Eric had fought and beaten back when he had broken into the caves – was wearing light armour and carrying a sword, although she explained it by stating that she was charged with escorting them down through regions that were not controlled by the witches.
“My name is Rise,” she said, when Hind asked. She seemed oddly respectful of Eric, although she spent no time with Hind or their new charge. Branet had been inconsolable for several days before she had finally calmed down, but Hind knew that that wouldn't last. Branet was at the wrong age to lose a parent, let alone both of them. “Please follow me.”
Hind had been allowed to visit some of the other parts of the community, but both Eric and Branet had been warned to remain in their apartment and not attempt to leave. They both glanced around eagerly as Rise escorted them through a series of corridors, even though there was very little to see. The community, it seemed, didn't want to have to see them leave, although Hind had no idea why. Perhaps they didn't like saying goodbye, or perhaps they just didn’t want Eric to see them naked. There were so many possible explanations and, she told herself, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were on the way to their next destination.
The Three – the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone – met them at a gate set within the rock and exchanged goodbyes, warning them to be careful outside the community. Rise nodded and waited impatiently while Hind said her goodbyes to the Three, thanking them for their help and saving her life. The gate finally slid open, revealing absolute blackness beyond, so Rise generated a globe of light and sent it floating out ahead of them. It didn't seem too different from the interior of the community – just dark passageways and strange sounds in the distance – but it felt different when they stepped through the gate. The wards that protected the inhabitants of Harmonious Repose fell away, leaving them defenceless. She looked back as the gate closed with a loud clang, banishing them from safety and leaving them with no choice, but to press onwards into the gloom.
“Follow me,” Rise ordered, and set off down the passageway. Hind and Eric exchanged glances and followed her, but Hind couldn't help noticing that Eric had his hand on his sword, ready to draw it at the slightest hint of an attack. Branet looked around nervously, as if she saw things in the darkness that no one else could see. Hind watched her and then reached out to take her hand, but Branet refused to hold hers, choosing to walk on her own. It was the first time Hind had ever seen Branet nervous about anything. “We need to remain close together or something will notice us.”
Hind nodded, staring around at the rocky walls. It was hard to be sure, but someone had clearly built a s
et of ancient buildings deep underground, buildings that sent an unholy chill echoing down her spine. They didn't look human, somehow, even though the proportions were right. She caught sight of a statue of an angel, hands covering its face, and shivered. There was something about it that bothered her, even though Rise seemed to ignore it and everything else, looking neither left nor right. They walked deeper into the passageways and heard the sound of running water, so close that Hind was sure that they were going to walk right into it, yet she saw no sign of a river. The caves were playing hell with her hearing.
“Rise,” she said, if only to hear a human voice, “who built these caves?”
“No one knows,” Rise said, her voice calm and composed. “They were apparently empty when we moved in, centuries ago, yet we found signs of earlier habitations that had been abandoned. We used to send quite a few parties down into the deeps and found nothing, or we lost the parties altogether...eventually, we took the hint and abandoned any deep explorations. Sometimes, one of us gets lost and comes back with strange reports, but not everyone believes them.”
Hind looked up at her. “You’re sitting on a network of caves you know very little about and you haven’t tried to explore?”
“We have tried to explore,” Rise said, sharply. “The deep caves are impossible to map and we lost people trying. Once we met some of the other communities living within the mountains, they warned us not to risk exploring further. There are powers deep within the earth that we do not want to disturb.”
Eric looked over at her and she felt his disbelief through the ring. Rise wasn't telling them the truth...or, at least, not the complete truth. There was no point in asking now, or even trying to force the issue. If it was a problem, they’d discover the truth sooner or later. She made a mental note to go to the Academy once Herod had been defeated and search for references to old powers and settlements within the mountain ranges. Who knew? Perhaps some early explorer had found all of the answers and they were just waiting for her in a book. Or perhaps, part of her mind whispered, there weren't any, because no one had come back to report. There were far too many places on Touched that no human could go, save at risk of their life.
They turned a corner and found themselves staring down towards a massive river, flowing downwards into the Earth. Rise led them along a damp stone path towards a bridge and then across it, holding herself above the water like a cat. Hind watched her in frank admiration; she’d almost slipped twice and she had the feeling that if she fell into the water, Eric would never see his wife again. Branet changed her mind and clung to her hand, so tightly that Hind feared that she might break bones. The fear in her eyes was all too apparent. Hind tried to distract her with chatter, but nothing worked. The child that had lost one set of parents didn't want to risk losing another.
“There are strange creatures within these waters,” Rise admitted, as they paused on the far side of the bridge. “Some of the tales are strange and no one really believes them. Once, one of our fishers encountered a living carp that sang a strange song before leaping out of the net and back into the water – or so she claimed. Another pulled a golden bowl out of the depths and found, when she looked into it, that she could see magic in ways no other magician could hope to see magic. When she looked up, she was blind and stumbling through the passageways helplessly. There was no sign of the bowl.”
Hind heard something splashing in the distance and looked along the river. There was something there, just for a second, and then it was gone, heading deep underwater. Perhaps it was just a fish, or perhaps it was something more...she pushed it out of her mind, more disturbed than she wanted to admit. The caves were getting to her slowly and Rise’s collection of spooky stories wasn't helping.
“Time to move,” Rise said, suddenly. “We can't stay here all day.”
Hind wondered, absently, how anyone born so far below the ground could tell the difference between night and day, but it wasn't as if it mattered. There were more of the strange eerie buildings on the other side of the river, yet these were crawling with odd and ancient magic, glimmering with power. Hind studied them, trying to determine what – if anything – the magic was doing, but none of it made sense. The only thing she could tell about the builders was that they had loved spiders. There was a spider design on each and every one of the buildings. She allowed Rise to hurry them along and only glanced back at the end, when they reached the next passageway...and froze.
There was a figure standing by the buildings, watching them. Even in the light from the glowing globe, she was indistinct, a dark shadow. No, Hind realised; she was black, as black as night itself. She looked up and two bright red eyes met hers, two utterly inhuman eyes. There was a moment of shared shock...and then the figure vanished within the darkness, moving at lightning speed. It was gone before she could alert the others.
“They won’t bother us if we don't bother them,” Rise said, flatly. “Come on.”
The endless passageways started to blur together as they kept moving, pausing only long enough for snacks and energy-enhancing potions. Rise warned them that it was unwise to go to sleep within the caves, warning that there were too many dangers to risk sleep. They passed though a cave of mirrors, one that created hundreds of reflections of themselves in the air, and a cave of memories, one that showed them images of strange creatures who had passed through the cave in the past. Hind realised suddenly that there would be a memory of her, Eric and Branet trapped within the cave for all time, even if it was only an image. She didn't mention that thought to the others. It would only have upset them.
Branet seemed tired and so Hind pulled her up onto her shoulder, carrying her as they kept walking onwards. The caves seemed to be changing rapidly now, hinting that there were still traces of old and dark magic in the area. She heard the sound of battle in the distance, and then the sounds of women wailing for the dead...and once a howling followed them, chasing the party until they finally made their way out of that cave. They stumbled across a cave filled with dead bodies, somehow preserved over the centuries, some strange and very inhuman. And, finally, they entered a cave of treasure, dominated by piles of golden coins and boxes stuffed with strange jewels, all of which were crawling with magic.
“We tried to take some of this treasure when we first found it,” Rise explained, “but it turned out to have been cursed and we lost several lives before we decided that it was best to leave it alone. Sometimes people see ghosts watching the hoard, yet we have no idea where or when it came from. We did wonder if it belonged to a dragon, but no dragon in the world could have gotten down into the caves through the passageways. Even a baby dragon couldn't have squeezed through the tiny passages.”
Hind frowned, wondering about that. There were many stories about dragons told at the Academy, how they had both great power and great wisdom and very little interest in the affairs of mankind. Perhaps dragons, unlike humans, could work teleport spells reliably and simply teleport down into the caves, or perhaps the treasure belonged to some long-dead warlord whose power lingered on into the present day. Eric studied some of the coins without touching them, but finally had to admit that he didn't recognise any of them.
“They’re not from the Empire,” he said, finally. That meant nothing. The coins the Emperor minted weren't good everywhere, even though they were made of marked gold. There were plenty of other currencies on Touched. “I think they’re actually older than the Empire.”
They shared a long look. She could sense his fascination and yet she knew that if there was a curse on the coins, taking any of them could bring disaster. The problem with really old magic was that it had a tendency to mutate, becoming something else that could be dangerously unpredictable. The presence of the wellspring, not too far away, could only enhance that danger. By now, there could be enough magic wrapped around the coins to wipe out entire families of thieves.
“Come on,” Rise said. “We don't have much time left.”
The passageways started to head
upwards now and Hind climbed gratefully, aware that their journey was nearing its end. The caves and tunnels looked more natural now, or perhaps less inhuman, with some clearly mining shafts dug by miners a long time ago. She could feel cool air blowing against her face and smiled. She hadn't even realised how dark and cold the caves had been, not until they started to walk up to the surface. There was a light flaring down from high above...it was the sun!
“You might want to wait here until your eyes get used to the light,” Rise said. Hind worked a careful magic over her eyes and smiled in relief, before doing the same for Eric and Branet. “Once you feel ready, walk up the passageway and out into the quarry and then follow the river down to Lawless. Good luck.”
She turned and headed back into the darkened passageways. “One moment,” Hind called. “Thank you for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” Rise growled. “If you want to thank us, Your Highness, don’t ever come back this way again.”
“I will endeavour not to,” Eric said, wryly. He held up one hand in salute. “And please accept my thanks as well.”
Twenty minutes later, he led them out into the open air. They were standing within an abandoned quarry, one that had been mined out long ago. Hind looked around and saw the mountains in the distance, still covered with snow, and realised just how far they had come. The river flowing down from the mountains and past the quarry called to her, suggesting that she could clean the dust and sweat off her body, but she ignored it. Instead, she put Branet down and followed Eric towards the road leading downwards. They left the quarry and found themselves looking down on a sprawling city.
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