The Magelands Box Set

by Christopher Mitchell

  Daphne swallowed. ‘Not Vince?’

  For the briefest moment Daphne’s mother looked like she might break, but her features hardened.

  ‘Yes, Daphne,’ she said, her voice devoid of emotion. ‘Your brother Vince is dead.’

  Daphne sobbed, then turned to her father, who nodded.

  ‘He fell at the Sanang frontier wall last Winter’s Day.’

  Killop’s heart filled with sorrow for Daphne as she began weeping, her face crumpling up in tears. Her father, still holding on to Karalyn, reached out for her and held her close.

  Killop stayed silent, glancing at the Holdings folk on the porch.

  ‘At least she’s crying,’ Daphne’s mother said. ‘I’ve yet to see my boy’s widow shed a single tear.’

  Celine said nothing, her eyes cast downwards.

  ‘Mother,’ Ariel snapped. ‘Don’t be like that. Celine is allowed to mourn in her own way.’

  ‘You’re so naïve at times, Ariel,’ her mother said. ‘When you’re older you’ll learn how to spot people who try to take advantage of your generosity and family name.’

  ‘Rosalind, enough,’ Godfrey said, his eyes dark as he glared at his wife. ‘Celine is family now. She’s a Holdfast.’

  There was an icy silence. Killop wondered if he should say something.

  ‘Holder Fast?’ said Jean.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Shall I organise getting Miss Daphne’s things unloaded? Where shall we be putting our guests? The south wing has an empty suite on the first floor.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ Godfrey said, disentangling himself from Daphne, and passing Karalyn to her. Killop stepped forward and put his arm around her.

  ‘The south wing will be fine,’ Godfrey said.

  ‘But first,’ said Rosalind, ‘we will pay our respects.’

  The Hold Fast family shrine was a short walk across the baking-hot gravel to a low marble building shaded by the trees of the nursery. Killop hung at the back while they trooped along the path, leading Karalyn by the hand. She was crying, the doll having been forcibly removed by Daphne before they had left the porch.

  Servants lowered their parasols as the Holdfasts entered the nursery. No servant had been tall enough to hold one over Killop’s head, and so he had borne the beating sun and was sweating by the time the thin shade of the trees covered him.

  Godfrey and Rosalind led the way towards the white, stone building, with Daphne, Ariel and Celine following. Lydia and Teddy had been left with Jean back at the house. Mistress Jean had tried to persuade Karalyn to stay behind as well, but she had clung to her father’s leg and had refused to be parted from him. He ducked his head to get through the front entrance of the building, and sighed in relief at the cool air circulating within. A hallway opened out into a large chamber, where the walls were lined with dozens of alcoves. Most contained stone or metal urns, while old skulls sat in some of the higher spaces. The family gathered around an alcove by the right end of the wall, where fresh flowers had been arranged in vases on either side of a small silver urn.

  Godfrey rested his hand on the urn for a second, closing his eyes.

  Rosalind frowned, and turned to Daphne.

  ‘You should say a few words.’

  Daphne nodded, and approached the alcove. Her eyes were red from weeping, and she kept her gaze downwards.

  Godfrey moved back to give her room, and the family stood and waited for her to speak.

  ‘Should we wait for Jonah?’ she said.

  ‘He’s out for the day,’ her father said, ‘working with the northern herds, what’s left of them. I doubt he’ll be back before nightfall.’

  Daphne nodded.

  ‘Vince was my hero when I was little,’ she said, her words slow. ‘In my earliest memory of him, he was riding a horse, he seemed like a giant up there, so brave…’ She paused, her head bowed. ‘And he was kind, and would have made a great father. I know he wanted children…’ She glanced over to Celine, but the other woman had her eyes closed. ‘I loved him,’ Daphne went on, ‘and I’ll miss him.’ She turned to face the urn. ‘Goodbye Vince.’

  ‘Thank you, Daphne,’ her mother said. ‘Good girl. Now I would like to say something.’

  Daphne nodded and stood to the side, where Killop put his arm around her. He kissed her on the top of her head, as her mother reached the alcove.

  ‘Sweet words are all very nice,’ Rosalind said, ‘but the grief I bear burns with a mother’s rage for all the years wasted. Vince was the heir to Hold Fast, and no woman could have been prouder to name him as their son. That honour was mine, and now he has been lost to us forever, snuffed out while trying to protect his homeland from the vile savages that invaded on Winter’s Day, and anger now fills my heart.’ She gazed into Godfrey’s eyes. ‘And so,’ she went on, ‘I give thanks to the blessed Emperor for striking down the evil witch Keira, the monster that took Vince from us.’

  Killop tensed, his heart burning, but remained silent. Godfrey glared back at his wife, but also said nothing.

  ‘I am comforted by my faith,’ Rosalind said. ‘I know that Vince is now in paradise, whereas the soul of the witch will be tortured for all eternity. The Creator will see justice done.’

  She glanced at Daphne. ‘Don’t you agree?’

  Daphne’s face hardened. ‘I don’t want to argue with you, mother. Not here.’

  ‘I thought you were a believer now,’ Rosalind said. ‘Did you not claim to have spoken to the Creator?’

  ‘It’s complicated,’ Daphne said. ‘I’ll tell you all about it, every last detail if you want, but not now. Now, I just want to sleep. I’m so tired.’

  ‘Of course,’ her father said. ‘You’ve had a long journey, you must be exhausted. Ariel and Celine can show you to your rooms.’ He glanced at his eldest daughter, and Ariel nodded. He turned back to Rosalind. ‘I would like a word with your mother.’

  Rosalind snorted. ‘There is nothing you can say that I want to hear.’

  She turned her back to him and strode from the chamber.

  Ariel shrugged at Daphne and Killop. ‘Some things never change. Come on.’

  Killop picked up Karalyn, and she was asleep in his arms in seconds. Ariel took Daphne’s hand and they followed Rosalind out of the chamber, Celine shuffling behind.

  ‘Sorry you had to hear all that,’ Ariel said to him as they walked along the path through the nursery.

  ‘Your mother has a right to be angry,’ he said.

  ‘I think your arrival was a shock to her. Well, it was a shock to us all. I’ll admit that I never thought you’d come all this way. I wish you’d sent word.’

  Servants with parasols were waiting on the gravel by the edge of the nursery, and Killop felt the wall of raw heat hit him as they emerged back out into the sunlight. He took a parasol from a servant and held it over Karalyn as they walked back to the mansion.

  Godfrey held up a bottle in the candlelight.

  ‘This is the finest rum on the estate,’ he said, gazing at Daphne sitting across from him by the fire. ‘I’ve been saving it for a special occasion and well, your homecoming would seem appropriate.’

  Killop glanced at Daphne. They were both dressed in clean clothes, after having bathed, and then slept for several hours in an enormous bed in their new rooms. A servant had awoken them a few hours after sunset, and invited them downstairs to her father’s study. They had left Karalyn sleeping, and were now sitting on comfortable chairs while Godfrey poured them drinks.

  Daphne lit a cigarette.

  ‘Is anyone else coming?’ she asked, as her father passed her a glass.

  Godfrey shook his head. ‘Ariel’s in bed, Celine’s smoked enough dreamweed to fell a carthorse, and Jonah’s not returned home. I suspect he’s decided to stay up north for the night. I didn’t ask your mother.’

  They raised their glasses.

  ‘To your health,’ Godfrey said, and they drank.

  Killop savoured the rich sweetness of the rum.

/>   ‘Now,’ Godfrey said, gazing at Daphne, ‘I’m going to make some guesses. Please oblige me by pointing out where I err.’

  ‘All right.’

  ‘You have fled the civil war in Rahain?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Governor Ghorley is firmly in charge?’

  She nodded again.

  ‘The Severed Clan have evacuated?’

  Daphne glanced at Killop.

  ‘Aye,’ he said. ‘The clan didn’t feel safe in Rahain any more. Both sides wanted us out. They’ve gone back to Kellach Brigdomin.’

  ‘A pity,’ he said. ‘Strategically speaking, your presence was a useful wedge. Without it, there’s nothing to stop the church’s takeover of the entire country.’

  Killop frowned.

  ‘So,’ Godfrey went on, ‘you’re no longer their chief? Am I to understand that you chose my daughter over your position?’

  ‘Aye, I did.’

  ‘Another pity.’

  Daphne glared at him. ‘What?’

  ‘Strategically speaking, Daffie,’ he said. ‘As a father I’m grateful that Killop escorted you home. However, the withdrawal of the Severed Clan from Rahain is a victory for the empire.’

  ‘Who cares about the empire?’ Daphne said.

  ‘All those who love the Holdings should care about the empire,’ Godfrey said, lighting a cigarette, and refilling their glasses. ‘You must have seen the poverty on your way here. The Emperor has bled the River Holdings dry of recruits and supplies.’

  ‘We avoided the towns,’ Daphne said. ‘Came up the old coast road.’

  ‘But you saw the empty fields when you entered the estate?’

  Daphne nodded.

  ‘The imperial army took every fighting-age horse we had. Every one, Daphne.’ He paused, and sipped his rum. ‘And didn’t pay a penny.’

  ‘The army didn’t pay us?’

  ‘Not a single coin. Nothing but promises of payment from future campaigns. But against whom? The recruitment has gone well beyond the simple replacement of the old alliance field army that was destroyed at the Sanang frontier. The Emperor is assembling a truly stupendous force, about as large as the Sanang horde that invaded on Winter’s Day.’

  Daphne said nothing.

  ‘So,’ Godfrey went on, ‘what does the Emperor intend to do with his new army? Rahain is finally settling down, and Governor Ghorley already has his own army; he doesn’t need any help. To send an army of that size to Sanang would seem pointless, considering that as much as a third of its men-folk were slaughtered last year.’

  ‘That many?’ said Killop.

  ‘Indeed,’ Godfrey replied. ‘Your sister left half of Sanang ablaze before she invaded the Plateau, and her entire army, some hundred thousand strong, was annihilated outside the walls of the imperial capital by the Emperor himself, if the tales are true.’

  ‘So what does he want?’ Daphne said.

  ‘Come now, Daffie, you must have heard.’

  She shook her head.

  ‘Mages. He wants mages.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I’ve heard whispers, from sources deep within the capital, that the Emperor had the Lord Vicar murder five mages as some kind of sordid sacrifice, in order to steal their powers.’

  ‘The news-teller said that the Creator had given him those powers.’

  ‘Maybe, but it also required the deaths of five mages, one from each land.’

  ‘But if he’s got all those powers,’ Daphne said, ‘why is he looking for more mages?’

  ‘I don’t know. Maybe he wants even more power. But there’s no doubt, every one of his proclamations since defeating the fire witch has been repeating the same message: all high mages must report to the imperial capital. As far as the Holdings are concerned, that means anyone with inner-vision and above.’

  He held Daphne’s gaze for a moment.

  ‘With your return,’ he said, ‘I am in breach of the law. Knowingly harbouring a high mage. And I’d imagine the imperial authorities might also want to question the brother of the lately-deceased fire witch, to ask if you know the whereabouts of her corpse.’

  ‘What?’ Killop said, his eyes narrowing.

  ‘It’s gone missing, you see,’ Godfrey said. ‘Thousands up on the city walls watched her die, but apparently it was dark when scouts went out to look for the body, and by the time they got there it had disappeared.’

  ‘Thousands saw her die?’ Daphne said.

  ‘Half the city claim to have watched it happen. The Emperor is furious, he wants the body back. The chief suspects are Keira-worshippers among the Kellach living in the capital. The latest imperial edict has demanded that they hand over the body, or soldiers will go in to retrieve it.’

  ‘Worshippers?’

  ‘The Sanang treated her as a god,’ Godfrey said. ‘Keira kill-kill.’

  Killop bowed his head. ‘They won’t find the body,’ he said. ‘She’s still alive.’

  Godfrey’s eyes widened. ‘You know this for certain?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Hmm,’ Godfrey said. ‘Regardless, the Emperor looks like he’s going to assault the Kellach quarter in Plateau City soon. He might be using the body as a pretext, but his true aim is, I believe, to scour the area for any hidden mages.’

  Killop turned to see Godfrey staring at him, and he felt an odd sensation behind his temples.

  ‘Father!’ Daphne said.

  He flinched away, a look of confusion on his face.

  Daphne glared at him. ‘Trying to read Killop’s mind without asking? That’s very rude.’

  Godfrey’s mouth hung open. ‘How did you know? And how did you stop me?’

  Daphne smiled, but her eyes remained cold.

  ‘Killop’s an honest man,’ she said. ‘If you want to know something, all you need do is ask.’

  Godfrey took a gulp of rum. ‘I have never felt power like it. Never in my life. Daphne, my beloved daughter, I feel proud and slightly terrified at the same time.’

  ‘I learned a lot while I was away.’

  Godfrey chuckled, and refilled their glasses.

  ‘Now, tell me everything. I want to know what my little girl’s been up to.’

  Chapter 2

  World’s End

  Westgate, Domm Pass – 14th Day, First Third Summer 507

  ‘Keira, ya lazy cow,’ the voice cried. ‘Get yer arse out here, the place is filling up.’

  ‘Aye,’ she muttered, as she lay sprawled over the bed, a multitude of blankets wrapped round her.

  She closed her eyes, and began snoring.

  ‘Don’t you think you should get up?’ another voice said. ‘They’ve been banging on your door for an hour.’

  Keira cracked open an eye and squinted at the young man sitting on the bed next to her.

  ‘Who the fuck are you?’

  His face fell. ‘Do ye not remember last night?’

  ‘No,’ she said, closing her eyes again. ‘Did we fuck?’

  ‘You were too out of it. Had to carry you onto the bed.’

  ‘And ye never took advantage of me?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  Keira peered under the blankets, and saw she was still in her clothes from the night before.

  ‘Just as well,’ she grunted.

  ‘Can I see you again?’

  ‘Are ye not looking at me right now?’

  ‘Well, aye, but what I mean is, would you at all be interested…?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘But…’

  ‘Are ye fucking deaf? Now fuck off and give me some peace. I’m trying to sleep off a bastard of a hangover.’

  She heard the young man get up and walk to the door. He unbarred the lock and swung it open.

  ‘Fuck,’ Keira yelled. ‘Wait, don’t open the… Shit.’

  Another man, dark haired and angry-looking, strode into the room as the other left.

  ‘What the fuck are you doing still in bed?’ he cried. ‘Get yer arse out front. There
’s a whole crowd waiting. Kelpie’s going fucking mental.’

  ‘Aye, aye,’ Keira mumbled, swinging her legs off the bed. ‘I need to fucking wash first.’

  ‘No time for that,’ the man said. ‘Folk are starting to leave, they’re saying that you’re not coming today.’

  ‘I could do with a day off, right enough.’

  ‘Ye get one every ten days. You’ve got seven to go.’

  ‘Yer a fucking slave driver, Kendrie,’ she said. ‘Not like the sweet young man I used to know.’

  She stood, swayed, then staggered to a bucket of water atop a small table. She splashed her face, and bowed her head, her mind swimming. The days were blurring into one. She opened a small pouch by the bucket and took a look inside. At the bottom were three small weedsticks, all she had left. She had managed to stock up when they had run into a band of Sanang bandits as they had been crossing the Plateau, but the supply was almost done.

  She picked up one of the remaining weedsticks and took a match from the box on the table. She lit it and sat back onto the bed.

  Kendrie sighed. ‘Five minutes?’

  She nodded.

  Her headache started to fade, and she felt life course through her.

  ‘I thought this would be your dream job.’

  She looked up.

  ‘It is, Flora,’ she said, ‘but it takes me a wee bit to get going each day.’

  The Holdings woman smiled. ‘It’s beautiful outside. The warmest I’ve felt it since we got here. I might even take my coat off for a bit later, if the wind quietens down.’

  ‘You never know,’ said Keira, ‘it might be one of the three days a year it doesn’t rain in Domm.’

  Flora nodded, then frowned. ‘Who was that I saw coming out of your room?’

  ‘That guy?’ Keira said. ‘Fuck knows.’

  The Holdings woman turned away.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Keira smirked. ‘Did ye fancy him for yourself?’

  ‘No.’

  Keira frowned. ‘Yer a strange woman at times, Flora.’

  She nicked the weedstick halfway down, and put the unburnt end behind her ear for later. She got to her feet and stretched.