‘Are you not going downstairs to inform Ghorley?’ she asked.
Joley shrugged, his attention fixed on the streets below. ‘I’m sure he already knows. He probably organised it.’
They watched as the crowds neared the barricades. As soon as they were within crossbow range the shooting began. Many bolts struck the makeshift wooden shields of the New Free protesters, but several made their way through the gaps, hitting flesh. People in the crowds were struck, collapsed, then disappeared under the surge.
The soldiers on the central barricade began aiming their crossbows at an angle, their bolts flying over the front line of shields to pepper the charging masses, and dozens began to fall. Screams mixed with the guttural roar of the crowds as, yard by yard, they closed on the barricades. On the right-hand street, the charge began to falter as repeated waves of bolts ripped through the press of ex-slaves. Many began fleeing down a side-street, but bunched together at the entrance they formed a target that the Old Free soldiers couldn’t miss.
‘It’s a massacre,’ said Joley, transfixed.
On the central street, the charge had slowed, and the lead protesters were huddling behind their battered shields, twenty yards from the barricade.
Daphne spun round on the roof platform to see what was happening on the other side of the mansion.
‘The Old Free are holding them,’ she cried to Joley. ‘They’re slaughtering them.’
‘Wait,’ Joley said. ‘Over here, look.’
Daphne turned back, her eyes following where Joley was pointing.
On the left-hand street, the protesters were within a few yards of the barricade. Piles of dead lay carpeting the road, but the press of people surging towards the line of over-turned carts was unstoppable. Daphne saw some of the ex-slaves in the front lines shot through with crossbow bolts, yet the pressure and mass from behind were keeping them upright. Within seconds the crowd reached the barricade, and swarmed over it without a pause. The soldiers guarding broke and ran, but many were caught by the oncoming mob and were thrown down and trodden into the ground.
The crowd spilled down the street towards the mission, roaring in triumph. At the other barricades, the soldiers began turning, realising their line had been broken.
‘They’re finished,’ Joley said. ‘The mob will tear them to pieces. ‘There are six companies of Old Free down there. Eight hundred soldiers against what, ten thousand ex-slaves?’
Daphne said nothing. She watched as the Old Free soldiers began running, and more barricades succumbed to the protesters. Groups of soldiers formed themselves into tight squares, loosing bolts into the advancing mob, but no matter how many they hit, more protesters took their places and one by one the Old Free were hunted down and slaughtered. Some soldiers tried to scale the walls of the Church Mission, or pleaded for mercy with the Holdings troopers at the gates, but they were pulled back into the crowd and consumed.
The masses swarmed in triumph round the walls of the Church Mission, holding aloft the mangled and broken bodies of the slain Old Free soldiers. The roar of chanting filled the streets, echoing off the cavern walls and ceiling.
Daphne’s ears picked up the faint noise of trumpets. She nudged Joley, and pointed down the main boulevard leading to the vast Senate complex at the other end of the cavern.
‘What is it?’ he said.
‘Douanna’s preparing her response,’ she said. ‘The Old Free army’s gathering.’
Joley frowned. ‘I should probably tell Ghorley.’
‘I’ll come with you.’
They edged their way down the roof, the air humming with the roar of the crowd below, and entered the building through the hatch. Daphne closed it, dimming the noise, and they headed down the narrow staircase. The upper floor of the mission was deserted, and they carried on to the middle level, where Ghorley had his reception chambers.
The corridor by the stairs was packed with mission staff, many in the black robes of the One True Path. Wherever there was a window, people crammed round to stare out at the streets below. Daphne saw a deacon wave down to the masses, a grin on his face.
Guards were protecting the entrance to Ghorley’s rooms, but they moved aside to allow Joley and Daphne to pass.
‘Ahh,’ said Ghorley. ‘There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you’d run off together.’
Daphne glanced up at him. He was standing on a stool, his arms out-stretched as a pair of servants dressed him in his most ornate priestly robes.
‘Come to watch me address the crowds?’ he said.
‘Daphne saw something that you might interest you, your Grace,’ Joley said.
‘Ohh?’ the priest said. ‘Would that be the approach of the Old Free army, by any chance?’
Daphne nodded.
‘Well it was nice of you to come and tell me,’ he said, ‘but you have only confirmed what I expected of Douanna. She cannot very well do nothing when faced with such a public setback. The Church Mission might be worthless strategically, but its symbolic value to those of the true faith should not be underestimated. She will need to fight to get it back, or lose all authority in the city.’
‘You planned all this,’ Daphne said.
‘Of course.’
‘But the imperial army is only a couple of days away,’ she said. ‘Why didn’t you wait for them to arrive? It might have saved hundreds from dying out in the streets just now.’
He smirked.
The servants finished arranging his last outer robe, and stood back, bowing. He stepped down from the stool.
‘You don’t trust the army,’ she said. ‘You want to take control of the city before they get here.’
Ghorley looked back at her.
‘The army swore its oath to Laodoc,’ he said, ‘but fear not, for I have found a grand purpose for the brave army of the old chancellor.’
He walked to the double bay doors, which led out onto a balcony overlooking the wide front of the Church Mission, where crowds had gathered in thick numbers. He stepped out, his arms raised, to tumultuous cheering and applause.
Daphne and Joley, and several others on Ghorley’s staff gathered round the entrance to the balcony, and the priest began.
‘Free citizens of Rahain,’ he cried out, as they quietened, ‘beloved in the one faith and united by belief across this glorious empire, here, this morning, you have struck the first blow to regain the freedom that the Creator gave to you. You have battled those who oppressed you, here in these streets outside this mission. You spilled your blood to reach us, to reach your brothers and sisters in faith. I praise you for your courage, and thank you for delivering us from the hands of the evil ones, the old oppressors, the unbelievers. Praise be to the Creator!’
The crowd cheered and Ghorley gazed down on them like a proud father.
‘Rahain is destined to be united in one faith,’ he went on, ‘as is the whole empire, but we in Rahain have led the way. One day we will bring the light and truth of the Creator to every soul in this world, but the spark you have lit today is fragile yet. Even now, the machinations of the old oppressors are working to rob you of this triumph.’
He pointed towards the Senate, his arm out like a rod.
‘There!’ he called out. ‘In there lies the nest of evil, the snakes forever denying you your freedom and dignity. Let today be an end to it! Pick up the weapons of the soldiers here, and take up your shields for the time has come.’ He gazed upwards, clenching his fists as the crowd swayed and roared.
‘Destroy them!’ he cried. ‘Burn the Senate to the ground! Kill them all! Grind the Old Free into the dirt beneath your heels so that they may never rise again.’
The crowds screamed in a boiling frenzy, surging towards the main boulevard that led to the Senate. Within minutes, thousands were on their way, and the blood-stained streets surrounding the Church Mission quietened, leaving several hundred wounded, and a few others standing guard amid the piles of dead.
Ghorley came back into the reception cha
mber, a smile on his face.
A couple of his staff applauded. Daphne glanced at Joley, but the long-serving secretary’s face was expressionless.
‘Thank you, thank you,’ Ghorley beamed. ‘Now, we have much to do…’
‘Am I the only sane one here?’ Daphne said.
The room turned to look at her.
‘Did you just advocate mass murder?’ she went on.
‘I merely encouraged the freed slaves to fight for their liberty,’ the priest said.
‘So burning the Senate is liberty?’
‘It is a symbol of the forces that have oppressed the masses of Rahain for thousands of years.’
‘And who will rule if they are successful?’
‘The empire will appoint appropriate leadership to guide the nation through its current difficulties, my dear Miss Holdfast,’ Ghorley said. ‘This might be a suitable time to remind you of the promise you made to stay out of politics and the affairs of the church.’
The atmosphere in the room grew cold. Many of the mission staff, especially those in black robes, were staring at Daphne with naked hostility. Even Joley looked uncomfortable.
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I promised not to interfere, if the church stayed out of my life. May I ask you a question, Father Ghorley?’
He smiled at her. ‘Of course, my dear.’
She lit a cigarette.
‘Say the New Free are victorious,’ she said, ‘and the church take over the administration of Rahain.’
‘Yes?’
‘Then what happens to Slateford?’
‘You said no political interference,’ snapped one of the staff at her.
‘No,’ Ghorley said. ‘She has a point. Slateford is her home.’ He gazed at the staff around him. ‘Miss Holdfast is, of course, threatening us. She means us to understand that any interference in the lands of the Severed Clan would absolve her of her promise, and allow her to take action against us.’ He smiled at Daphne. ‘Is that not correct, miss?’
‘The truest thing you’ve said all day.’
The guards in the room tensed, and the black-robed staff formed a barrier between her and the priest.
‘You are my biggest regret,’ Ghorley said. ‘The things we could have achieved together, with you at my right hand, Daphne. I have argued on your behalf countless times with the leadership of the church, urging them to give you another chance, but every time we reached out you would spurn us, and I would be the one left looking foolish.’
He shook his head.
‘So here it is, Daphne, your last chance,’ he said. ‘Work with us. Swear an oath of allegiance to the Emperor and church, stand by my side and together we will win this war.’
Daphne kept a mask of calm on her face, but her heart was pounding. The guards lining the walls were clutching their crossbows and staring at her. She kept still, giving them no excuse to shoot.
‘Or,’ Ghorley went on, ‘you could go back to Slateford, and live on your farm with your Kellach man and your daughter. But don’t get too comfortable. There are forces at work that no one can stop, and the spread of the faith is one of them. Rahain will be united in one religion, of that there is no doubt. A lasting peace with the Slateford enclave is possible, but first they must open their hearts to the Creator.’
Daphne clenched her fist.
Joley stepped forward.
‘It would probably be best if I escort you to your quarters, Miss Holdfast.’
She glanced at him and saw the pleading in his eyes.
Daphne said nothing for a moment, then nodded.
‘Good day, father,’ she said, then turned and walked to the door, Joley hurrying after her.
Guards stepped out to block her way, their crossbows levelled.
‘She can go,’ Ghorley said, staring at her. ‘You have until the end of the day to decide.’
The guards opened the doors and Daphne walked out, with Joley next to her. They squeezed through the packed corridors, and went up a flight of stairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, Joley let out a choked moan.
‘Could you not have shut up in there?’ he spat. ‘Of all the stupid things I ever heard. You threatened the man who will soon be ruler of Rahain, and in front of the One True Path. You’ve never been able to control that tongue of yours, not since I first met you.’
‘I remember thinking like that,’ she said, ‘but I got fed up biting my lip when I wanted to speak out. Seems a long time ago.’
They reached her quarters.
‘Could you stay for five minutes while I get my things together?’ she said.
She opened the door and went in.
Joley hesitated at the entrance, then sighed and joined her. He closed the door as Daphne reached for a pack that was lying against a wall.
‘You’re leaving?’
She nodded. She went to the wardrobe and began throwing her clothes onto the bed.
Joley lit a cigarette. ‘There’s ten feet of snow outside.’
‘I know.’
‘Slateford is surrounded by an Old Free blockade.’
Daphne shrugged as she examined her small collection of possessions. She would need to travel light.
‘What will you eat?’
She selected some warm clothes, rolled them up and placed them in the bottom of the pack.
‘You’ll either starve or freeze.’
She looked up. ‘You’d rather I wait for Ghorley to try to kill me?’
‘Swear allegiance, Daphne,’ he said. ‘There’s no fighting the church, not any more, not in Rahain.’
‘What about the army?’ she said. ‘Ghorley doesn’t trust them. There must be a reason.’
Joley shook his head. ‘The soldiers may be loyal, but their officers are riddled with Old Free sympathisers. It makes no difference either way. Did you not hear him say that he’s found a use for them?’
‘Do you know what it is?’
Joley frowned. ‘Yes. You are aware that a Sanang force has broken through the frontier wall, and is marching on the Plateau?’
Daphne narrowed her eyes. ‘Laodoc’s army is being sent north?’
‘To defend the great imperial capital of the empire,’ Joley said, ‘using the fleet of winged gaien that the Old Free brought up from the south before the coup. Every regiment is being flown out as soon as they arrive, not one of them will be permitted to enter this city.’
Daphne sighed. ‘Ghorley’s been planning this for days.’
‘For his entire life, I would imagine,’ Joley said. ‘The mobs will be reaching the Senate complex about now. No doubt word has been sent out to every cavern that the day has come, for among many other attributes, Ghorley is thorough. Soon there will be hundreds of thousands on the streets, and with blood in mind, there will be no stopping them. By the end of today Ghorley will rule Rahain.’
‘And you’ll be by his side?’
‘An oath is an oath.’
She checked she had packed her weed-pouch and cigarette supply, and found room for an unopened bottle of brandy. She tied up the pack, and placed it by the door.
Kneeling by a chest, she reached in and removed a blanket that was covering her weapons. She put a knife in her boot and another under her left shoulder. Her sword she slung over her back, tightening the buckle.
‘Let’s go,’ she said, grabbing a long overcoat and pulling the pack over her shoulder.
‘Where to, miss?’
‘I think I’d like to go for a stroll along the walls.’
‘And what is my role in your escape?’ he said. ‘You know I’ll have to tell Ghorley. He’d read it out of my mind anyway.’
‘I know,’ she said. ‘Can’t be helped. I just need you to escort me to the far end of the walls. I’ll get stopped by guards if I go on my own. After that you can do what you like. I can punch you if you want, and you can tell them I made you do it.’
‘Thanks, but no,’ Joley sighed. ‘I’m going to get my arse kicked for this as it is.’
Joley led Daphne through the Church Mission and out into the large courtyard that surrounded the building. All around were the high walls facing the streets beyond. To their left the main gate was guarded by several dozen imperial troopers, all Holdings, and more were up on the walls, looking down at the New Free that were still on the streets. They ascended a flight of stairs up to the outer wall, and the guards at the top saluted them as they passed.
Daphne paused for a moment and looked down at the streets. The barricades remained scenes of carnage, with hundreds of bodies piled up, and blood pooling on the road. The distant roar of battle from the other end of the cavern reached her ears, and up the long boulevard that led to the Senate the masses of ex-slaves had again gathered. Thousands upon thousands of protesters were now assembled around the high walls and towers of the Senate complex.
‘This is the greatest city in the world,’ Joley said, leaning on the battlements next to her. ‘The imperial capital might be where the Emperor lives, but it’s insignificant compared to this, and not just in size. Here there is history, and great beauty, the works of thousands of hands over long millennia. Before the Migration, Arakhanah City might have had a larger population but it now occupies a fraction of its former extent. I fear the same will happen here. I love this city, it’s the reason I stayed all these years. After today it may never be the same.’
They walked along the top of the wall, passing sentries and turrets until they reached a quiet stretch. With no guards in sight, Daphne peered over the wall, and saw that the road below was deserted, though littered with debris and stained in blood.
She glanced at Joley, but he was staring in the other direction. His mouth was open, and tears were rolling down his cheeks. She followed the direction of his eyes.
Flames and great billows of grey and black smoke were drifting up from the roof of the Senate building. Fire was racing up the domes and walls of the main structure, visible over the roofs of the buildings standing between. Daphne stared as the ages-old structure began to collapse beneath the flames. Somewhere under there, deep within the dungeons of the High Senate was where Simiona had been murdered, but also, she remembered, it was where Karalyn had been conceived.
The Magelands Box Set Page 128