Cursed

by Sue Tingey

  “Where have I heard this before?” Jinx said.

  “The Sicarii,” I said.

  Jinx let out a long deep breath. “I am beginning to think there is a lot more to all of this than we at first thought.”

  “What’s your name?” I asked the spirit.

  “Clement.”

  “Clement,” I said, “I can’t help you until I find a way of breaking the curse,” the spirits groaned, “but I promise I will find out how to do this and I’ll return as soon as I can.”

  “Be careful,” he said. “He wants your power.”

  “Who wants my power?”

  “Amaliel. He wants all your power.”

  “I don’t understand; I don’t have any power.”

  “The power over the living and the dead,” Clement said. “If he captures the trinity he will have it all.”

  “I—” Then the door at the back of the hall opened and the spirits began to float back up into the rafters as two servants came out carrying trays.

  “Be careful,” Clement said as he drifted away. “You are our only hope of salvation.”

  Jinx touched my arm. “Come on,” he said, “there’s nothing else to be learned here.”

  Back in our room Shenanigans and Kerfuffle had been getting ready for us to leave and had laid out several changes of clothing on the bed for me. It was apparent they’d got to know me very well—there wasn’t a single dress. There was also no underwear, but this wasn’t an omission, Shenanigans explained in embarrassed, hushed tones, it was just that neither he nor Kerfuffle thought it seemly that they riffle through my under-garments.

  “This is Kubeck,” Jamie told them. “He’s the newest member of Team Lucky de Salle.”

  Kerfuffle looked him up and down, hands on hips. “Can you handle yourself?”

  “Aye, little man, I can.”

  “I’ll be Mr. Kerfuffle to you,” he said with a haughty look.

  “I’m Shenanigans,” my largest guard said, ignoring his grumpy friend, “and this is Pyrites.”

  Pyrites grew to the size of a mastiff and gave Kubeck a dainty sniff, then sat back on his haunches with a puff of steam.

  “Okay Kubeck,” I said. “Tell me why Amaliel wants you out of the way.”

  “He had my cousin convicted of treason, a charge that was untrue. I was heard to complain, next thing I know I’m arrested and accused of the same offense.”

  “And there was no truth in it?” Jamie asked.

  Kubeck laughed. “No, the most my cousin was guilty of was having a flapping jaw when in his cups and my only crime was supporting him. If you look at the records of execution, you’ll see that there have never been more poor souls executed for ‘crimes against the state.’”

  “That could be because Lord Baltheza is madder than a cat in a sack,” Jinx said.

  “But we know he was being pushed over the edge,” I said, turning to Shenanigans and Kerfuffle to explain. “Baltheza was being poisoned.”

  “With verillion most probably,” Jinx added.

  “That’d do it,” Kerfuffle agreed. “He’s always been a bit crazy—the verillion would have been able to do its work easily.”

  I took a deep breath and went on to tell them what happened in the hall.

  “Now I think about it,” Jinx said, “it does explain why the spirits of the dead are so gray.”

  “Gray?” Jamie said.

  “Yes, the spirits in the great hall are just like the ones at the Sicarii temple—gray, like they’ve been drained of all color.”

  “I thought it was a demon thing,” I said, then thought on it. “Though Diargo was still colorful.”

  “His soul hadn’t been drained,” Jinx said, his eyes glittering and angry.

  “The question is: why would Amaliel do all this?” Jamie asked.

  “Power,” Jinx rested his chin on his fist, “he loves the power.”

  I flopped down on the bed. “But why all the executions?”

  “Because he’s a sick, psychopathic monster?” Jinx suggested.

  “I think it’s more than that,” I said. “Clement said he wanted the trinity for power over the living and the dead—what did he mean?”

  Jinx’s brow furrowed. “If he means what I think he does, Amaliel is punching well above his weight.”

  Then it finally sank in—the trinity; three; power over the living and the dead … “It’s us, he doesn’t just want me, he wants the three of us …”

  “Amaliel must be in league with the Sicarii,” Jamie said.

  “Not good, not good,” Kerfuffle said.

  “Where to now?” Shenanigans asked.

  “We have no idea where to start,” I said.

  “Yes we do,” Jamie contradicted me. “We know the direction they were taking you. And it could be there are Sicarii scouring the countryside trying to find you; if we find them, we find their hideout. So we make for the Forest of Dignus—the place where I found you.”

  I shivered, painful memories returning that would have overwhelmed me if I’d let them. I pushed them away; I was safe, my men were safe, that was all that mattered. “Sounds like a plan,” I said. This was a lot more positive; now we had somewhere to start.

  “I don’t want to piss on your bonfire,” Kerfuffle interrupted, “but aren’t we playing straight into their hands?”

  “What choice do we have?” I asked. “I have to find Kayla and Vaybian, and Angela’s just a little girl.”

  “Mistress, I don’t wish to upset you, but they might already be dead,” Kerfuffle said.

  “I think Lucky would know it if Kayla were,” Jinx told him.

  “Until I know for sure, I can’t give up on her or Vaybian.”

  “Then it’s agreed,” Jinx said. “We make for the Forest of Dignus.”

  Ten

  Pyrites seemed none the worse for his being shot with arrows and, except for one sore-looking patch on his flank, all of his wounds had healed. If he was bothered by having me and two large demons on his back he didn’t show it.

  Kerfuffle was another matter. He didn’t like sitting on Bob behind Jinx one little bit. It was actually quite funny considering how he’d sniggered when Vaybian was in the same position.

  “If you don’t hold me around the waist you will fall off,” Jinx said.

  “Then I will fall.”

  “Don’t be so stubborn.”

  “I’m not going to hug you. I don’t even like you much.”

  “It’s not hugging me, anyway how do you think I feel?”

  “I don’t care.”

  “By Beelzebub’s bollocks you are the most cantankerous little sod I know.”

  “Sticks and stones.”

  “For the love of Mephistopheles, will someone tell the halfwit that if he doesn’t hold onto me he’ll fall?”

  “He’ll soon grab hold of you once you take off,” Jamie said.

  “No,” I said, as I had a feeling Kerfuffle was just as likely to let himself tumble to the ground to prove a point. I stroked Pyrites head and whispered in his ear, “Sorry boy but I’m afraid I’m going to have to fly with Jinx, otherwise Kerfuffle is going to end up getting himself splattered all over the countryside.”

  Pyrites gave a little purr; I think he knew it too. He laid down on his belly so I could slide off and I stalked over to Bob who was snorting and stamping his feet, eager to get going.

  “Off you get,” I said to Kerfuffle. “You go and ride on Pyrites.”

  Kerfuffle didn’t need telling twice. He hopped down and hurried over to Pyrites, where Shenanigans gave him a hand up.

  Jinx grinned down at me. “Now this is more like it,” he said.

  Jamie very gallantly linked his hands together to give me a lift onto Bob’s broad back, but he wasn’t quite so happy about the situation. “I could always carry you,” he said.

  “I know,” I told him as I made myself comfortable, “but that would be silly when I can ride on Bob.”

  “You’re not going to argue ab
out putting your arms around me are you?” Jinx said with a chuckle when Jamie had moved away.

  “Not on your nelly,” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist.

  He gave a big sigh. “I’m in paradise.”

  I leaned my head against the back of his shoulder. “This is rather nice,” I whispered so only he could hear and then we were off to the pounding of hooves and the beating of powerful leathery wings.

  It was a completely different sensation to riding on Pyrites. My drakon was softer and although warm, was not hot. Bob was hot, and I could feel his solid muscles moving beneath his taut flesh. Of course, I was also holding on tight to Jinx, and I was thinking that “rather nice” had been an understatement. His back was pressed against my chest, my cheek resting against his shoulder, and the feel of my arms around his waist did things to my insides that had nothing to do with accelerating through the air, no matter what I might try to tell myself.

  It didn’t take too long to get to the forest—probably less than half the time it had by rickety, horse-drawn cart. We followed the road until it disappeared into a sea of scarlet and rust-colored pines, and continued flying above the forest until it came out the other side. The road was winding, but there were no branches off of it for miles and miles. When we did come to the few side lanes they all led to small villages and not much else.

  “You all right back there?” Jinx called over his shoulder.

  “Fine thanks.”

  “You comfy?”

  “Lovely.”

  “Yes you are,” he said.

  I kissed him on the apple of his shoulder. One of his hands closed over mine and I hugged him a bit tighter. This was one journey I would be sorry to see the end of.

  After a while two mountains rose up ahead of us. These were regular mountains and nothing like the Sicarii’s ruby red Dark Mountain. The road twisted around to go in between them until we were traveling through the top of a narrow pass flanked on one side by a roaring amethyst river.

  Jinx urged Bob to fly lower so his hooves were almost skimming the foaming water and spray wet our faces and hair. Jamie dropped down beside us. “It can’t be much further,” he shouted to Jinx over the pounding of wings and thunder of the river. “We’ve traveled what would be a day’s journey by cart.”

  Jinx pointed down to the road below and Jamie gave a nod of understanding and accelerated ahead to glide down, with us following.

  “Hold on tight,” Jinx said over his shoulder as the ground rushed toward us. Bob spread his wings out and slowed us down for the last few yards until his hooves hit the earth at a canter. He slowed to a trot, to a walk and then stopped.

  I rested my head against Jinx’s back for a couple of seconds with my eyes closed. “Hmm, that was wonderful.”

  “Almost as good as sex,” he whispered, “but not quite.”

  “Here, let me help you down,” Jamie said, giving Jinx one of his disapproving looks, which I guess meant Jinx hadn’t whispered quite quietly enough. If Jinx cared he didn’t show it, he just jumped down from Bob with a grin.

  Pyrites’ shadow passed over us as he came in to land a few yards away. His back feet hit the ground first; his front claws dropped down with a puff of sand, then he shrank down a bit for the boys to climb off.

  “Why have we stopped?” Kubeck asked.

  “We thought we ought to have a little talk before we go much further,” Jinx said. “Once we’ve passed through the mountains I should think we’ll be getting close to wherever it is they’ve holed up and they’re bound to have lookouts. They’d be fools if they thought we weren’t coming.”

  “And they probably think we’re fools if we do,” Jamie said.

  “I’m afraid you’re right there brother.”

  “So what do we do?” I asked.

  Jinx rested his chin on his fist and stared along the road. “Maybe we make them think we’re more foolish than we are,” he said.

  “I’m listening,” I said.

  “No, absolutely not,” Jamie said a flush of dark pink creeping along his cheekbones.

  “They won’t expect it and it’ll throw them off guard,” Jinx said.

  “You are making too many assumptions.”

  “It’s not as risky as it sounds.”

  “Not for you perhaps. For Lucky it is.”

  “I have sworn to protect her and I will.”

  “Sending her into a den of psychopaths on her own is protecting her? I’d hate to think what it’d be like if you had it in for someone.”

  “If you can think of a better way to find their temple and get inside, I’m all ears. Anyway we’ll be right behind her.”

  “I’ll do it,” I said, cutting through the crap.

  “No,” Jamie said.

  “It’s too dangerous, mistress,” Shenanigans said.

  “I agree,” said Kerfuffle. “Apart from anything else, Lady Kayla will have our guts for garters if she finds out we let you do this.”

  “Three against two,” Jamie said.

  “It’s a bold move, but it could work,” Kubeck said.

  “Who asked you?” Kerfuffle asked, glaring up at Kubeck, hands on hips.

  “They’d be stupid to believe Mistress Lucky would attempt to find the Sicarii temple without us,” Shenanigans butted in.

  “Look, why don’t Pyrites and I just fly ahead for a few miles to see if there’s anything that looks like it could be their new temple. Then I come back and we make a decision.”

  “Why don’t we all just carry on together?” Jamie said.

  “Because they will see us coming.”

  “Surely the Deathbringer, Guardian and Soulseer will be the match of the Sicarii,” Kubeck said.

  “Hmm, normally I would say yes,” Jinx said, “but we were nearly overcome by sheer numbers alone back at the inn.”

  “How come there are so many of them?” Shenanigans asked. “They always used to be a rather small sect.”

  I turned to Jinx. “What you said before about Amaliel wanting power,” I said. “Could it be that he’s been planning this right from the start? Maybe he’s built the sect up over the years. Maybe he thinks that with enough followers he can seize the Underlands for his own?”

  “And what a happy place this would be then,” Jinx said.

  “No one would be safe,” Jamie said.

  “Think of all the souls he would collect,” I said. “If this is his plan, it has changed things. This is no longer about saving Kayla and Vaybian or even Angela.”

  “It’s about saving the Underlands,” Jinx said.

  Despite the higher stakes, we still argued. Jamie, Shenanigans and Kerfuffle wanted us to stick together. Jinx thought I should allow myself to be used as bait—and as scared as I was of what they might do to me I thought he was right, and Kubeck very sensibly kept quiet after Kerfuffle’s outburst.

  “How about if Pyrites shrinks down to bird size and takes a little look around?” Shenanigans asked.

  Jinx’s eyes met mine. “I have a better idea.” He patted Bob on the head then threw himself up onto his back. “I’ll be back in a couple of ticks.”

  “Where are you going?” I asked, laying my hand on his knee and squeezing.

  “To gather my spies my lucky lady, to gather my spies,” and with a slap to Bob’s rump he was off into the sky.

  He didn’t go far, just up onto the peaks above us. Once there he leaped off his steed and strode along the ridge until he was standing at the highest point. He threw back his head, stretched out his arms and stared up at the heavens. Within moments the sky darkened with the shadows of birds: ravens, his harbingers of death, his spies. Soon he was surrounded and all sight of him was lost behind their flapping wings.

  Even from so low down we could hear the birds’ chorus as they massed about Jinx. Then all became quiet as they drifted down to land on the rock around his feet, turning the surface black.

  For about five minutes he stood there speaking to his audience. A single bird cried out,
then another and another until the mountain echoed with their calls and the blanket of feathers rose up, blotting out the suns and turning the sky black, before breaking into hundreds of fragments as they spread out and flew across the countryside.

  Jinx raised a hand in farewell then lowered it to shield his eyes from the sun as he watched them go.

  “I hope they can find out what we need to know,” Jamie said as Jinx climbed back on Bob.

  “I doubt they’ll be watching out for birds,” Shenanigans said.

  He was right. Why would they?

  Bob circled the two mountains and then powered down toward us, his hooves hammering the air as though he was galloping even as he flew. He touched down at a run, stopping a few yards away from us. Jinx jumped down and ran his hand down the creature’s glossy neck and I saw his lips move, “good lad” I think he said.

  “Now we wait,” Jinx said. “My feathered friends won’t take long. They already have an inkling of where there may be a large gathering of daemonkind.”

  “Really?”

  “Not many pass this way, at least not on a regular basis. But they tell me that recently there has been a steady trickle of travelers through this pass to and from the west.”

  “How many?” Jamie asked.

  “They were unable to tell me,” Jinx said.

  “Not good, not good,” Kerfuffle said.

  “I was hoping we’d finished off a large proportion of their membership outside the inn,” Jamie said. “Looks like they were the cannon fodder.”

  “So it could be ten, twenty, a hundred …” I said.

  “Or a thousand,” Kerfuffle said.

  “Is it being so cheerful that keeps you going?” Jinx asked him, and Kerfuffle scowled.

  “Shall we carry on?” I asked.

  “Best we continue on foot once we get to the end of this pass. There’s more chance we’ll be seen in the air.”

  Jamie helped me back up behind Jinx and we all set off again, this time flying low between the mountains. When the rock faces on either side of us began to get lower we landed and started to walk.

  The landscape on this side of the mountain was a dark red expanse of rock and sand—not the rusty red I had grown to expect, but blood red. There was very little in the way of plant life and the temperature out in the open was several degrees hotter than it had been in the pass, and it was in this inhospitable place that the road ended.