‘What now?’ said Chane. ‘Should we wait for the others?’
Daphne gazed at the empty road leading to the palace.
‘No,’ she said, kicking her horse into movement, ‘let’s take a look.’
They spurred their mounts to a trot, and made their way down the wide street. The buildings to either side looked deserted, and many had been neglected, their windows broken and their roofs leaking.
‘The entire government fucked off years ago,’ Chane said as she gazed at the dilapidated structures. ‘I’m surprised the Lord Regent stays up here. It’s like a ghost town.’
‘The Prophet’s up here too,’ she said.
‘That miserable old fart? Is he still alive?’
‘I think so, skulking somewhere deep within the citadel.’
‘He probably smokes dreamweed all day,’ Chane said, ‘and wallows in nostalgia about how he used to be important, but now everybody’s forgotten he even exists.’
‘Let’s focus on the Lord Regent first,’ Daphne said. She slowed as they entered Holders Square. Lamps had been lit, illuminating the façade of the palace. Pillars and arched windows ran in rows along the front of the building, with a stately entrance in the centre. There was a low platform abutting the grand stone steps that led down from the palace, and Daphne gazed at the spot where she had nearly been executed three and a half years before.
They trotted over to the steps, and climbed down next to a low railing. After securing their horses they ascended the stairs towards the open doors of the palace.
Four soldiers were on duty, guarding the entrance. Their lowered their crossbows at Daphne and Chane as they approached.
‘I am Daphne Holdfast,’ she said. ‘I’m here to see the Lord Regent.’
The soldiers stared at her.
‘What do you know about the fighting in the city?’ said one. ‘What’s going on?’
‘There’s an uprising in progress,’ Daphne said. ‘That’s why I need to speak to the Lord Regent urgently.’
‘You’ll have to leave your weapons at the door.’
‘Of course.’
The lead soldier nodded, and Daphne and Chane passed into the great entrance hall of the palace. It was poorly lit, with a handful of lamps burning against the walls. Daphne unbuckled her sword belt and handed it to a soldier. Chane frowned, and did the same.
The two women turned, and strode across the marble floor of the hall towards an arched opening opposite.
‘I hope you know what the fuck we’re doing,’ Chane said. ‘Cause I haven’t a clue.’
‘Maybe this can end without bloodshed,’ Daphne said. ‘Let’s see if the Lord Regent is a reasonable man.’
At the entrance to the adjoining hall a courtier was standing. She bowed as they approached, but her eyes were lit with suspicion.
‘We’re here to see the Lord Regent,’ Daphne said.
‘And do you have an appointment?’
‘No. But there’s a force of several thousand rebel Holdings troopers currently running up the royal ramp towards the palace. I imagine the Lord Regent would want to know.’
The courtier’s mouth opened. She glanced at their beltless waists.
‘Follow me,’ she said, and turned for a grand set of stairs.
They climbed to the first floor, and the courtier led them to a massive reception room, equal in beauty and grandeur to any Daphne had seen on her travels. At the far end was a podium, upon which sat a great throne, flanked by lesser thrones. All three were empty, and the room was quiet and still. The courtier led them on to a door in the far wall, and they went through to a small chamber. Guards lined the walls around a large table, at which four people sat.
‘Lord Regent,’ the courtier said as they entered.
A man looked up. Next to him was a uniformed woman, and across the table sat Faden Holdwick and Queen Mirren Blackhold.
‘What is it?’ the man muttered.
‘Visitors, Lord Regent,’ the courtier said, gesturing to Daphne and Chane.
The man squinted at them. ‘I wasn’t expecting anyone.’
Daphne stepped forwards. ‘Your regime is at an end, Lord Regent. I’m here to see if you wish that end to be bloody or peaceful.’
The man’s face twisted in contempt. ‘How dare you…?’
‘A force of three thousand troopers, from eleven different noble Holds, is on its way up the royal ramp. They will be in Holders Square any moment, and then they are coming here for you, Lord Regent. If you surrender now, we can prevent the loss of any lives.’
The guards lining the walls of the room tensed, their hands going to the hilts of their swords.
‘You walk in here, unarmed, and make demands of me?’ the Lord Regent cried. ‘I was appointed by the Emperor to rule the old realm, and only the Emperor can remove me.’
He stood.
‘Do you surrender?’ Daphne said.
‘Of course I don’t, you silly little girl,’ he sneered.
She visioned into his mind and took control of it, forcing his body to freeze.
I am in your head, Lord Regent. Listen very carefully to what I have to say. Do you feel my power on your memories, your thoughts? Do you see how fragile they are, how easily I could tear and shred them? Do you know I could scour your mind clean, or wreck it so that you weep and scream every day for the rest of your life? I could make you forget who you are, or fill your mind with endless torment. Nod if you understand me.
The Lord Regent nodded, while the guards stood frozen, waiting for his command.
Good. Now, you will do exactly as I say.
Daphne relinquished control of the Lord Regent’s body, but kept a part of herself hidden in his mind.
‘I will ask you again,’ she said. ‘Do you surrender?’
Fear swept across his face. On the other side of the table, Mirren and Faden were watching.
The woman in uniform got to her feet, and drew her sword. ‘Lord Regent,’ she said, ‘should I place them under arrest?’
Tell her to put the sword down.
‘Stand down, Major,’ the Lord Regent cried. He bowed his head. ‘I surrender.’
The woman’s mouth opened in shock, and she glanced from the Regent to Daphne.
‘Get on your knees,’ Daphne said.
The Regent stood still for a moment, then did as she ordered.
‘What is happening?’ the major said. ‘Lord Regent?’
‘Put your sword away,’ he said, his eyes welling with tears.
Daphne nodded at him. ‘Good. Now swear allegiance to the new Chancellor of the Holdings, Lord Faden Holdwick.’
The man stared up at Faden. ‘You? You betrayed me?’
‘It is you who have betrayed the Holdings,’ Faden said. ‘Now we can take back control of our own land.’
‘But the empire…?’
‘The empire has stripped the Holdings bare, you fool,’ Faden said. ‘The Emperor’s insane quest for mages is the cause of children starving in the River Holdings, and the endless toll of war dead. Thousands have already fallen in the marshes of Arakhanah City, prey to disease and pestilence. No more. No more.’
The Lord Regent bowed his head.
‘I swear allegiance.’
Daphne glanced at the uniformed woman.
‘Major, please take the former Lord Regent into custody.’
The woman frowned. ‘Under whose authority?’
‘Mine,’ said Faden. ‘As chancellor I command it.’
The major remained expressionless. She glanced from person to person.
Mirren stood and bowed her head to Faden. ‘I acknowledge you as chancellor, Lord Holdwick. May you rule the Realm of the Holdings wisely.’
The major frowned, then nodded at the guards. ‘Take him to the cells.’
Four soldiers approached, and escorted the Lord Regent from the room. The major got down onto one knee.
‘I swear allegiance to you, Lord Holdwick.’
‘Excellent,’ said
Daphne. She gestured to the queen and the new chancellor. ‘Shall we?’
They left the small chamber, and went back into the enormous reception hall. Faden mounted the platform, and sat in the great throne, and the queen took the smaller throne to his right. Daphne and Chane took up position one step down from the podium, and the remaining guards were ordered by the major to secure the hall.
‘What the fuck, Daphne?’ Chane whispered. ‘What did you do to him back there?’
‘Just showed him the true meaning of fear.’
‘You are one scary bitch, Daphne Holdfast, even without a sword.’
The front doors of the hall burst open, and squads of militia began running in. Their uniforms ranged from pale green to brown and dark blue, detachments from all eleven rebel Hold forces present as they filled the hall. She saw Lord Holdsmith walk to the front, panting.
Daphne raised her right arm.
‘The Lord Regent has surrendered, and is in custody,’ she cried out, loud enough for the hall to hear. The militia let out a cheer. ‘Lord Holdwick is now Chancellor of the Realm, and Queen Mirren Blackhold is his First Minister. Do you pledge your loyalty to them?’
The crowd of militia roared and cheered.
Lord Holdsmith approached the thrones, and knelt, while other noblemen and women gathered to offer their congratulations and pledges of allegiance.
‘Look at them,’ Chane whispered. ‘All wanting to be the first to kiss the arse of the new leader, hoping to get the pick of the plum jobs.’
‘Let’s leave them to it,’ Daphne said. ‘I want to make sure the rest of the Upper City is secure.’
She bowed to Faden, who nodded and smiled at her, then she and Chane descended the steps.
‘Stay here, Major,’ she said to the officer, ‘in case any imperial soldiers arrive who are yet to hear the news.’
‘Who are you?’ she asked.
‘Daphne Holdfast.’
The major shook her head. ‘So the Holdfast’s have finally got what they wanted, to rule the Holdings?’
‘I think you’ll find that Lord Holdwick is chancellor, Major, not my father.’
‘And where is your father, ma’am?’
‘At home on the estate,’ she said, ‘with the rest of my family.’
‘He sent you in his stead,’ the major said, ‘so his hands would appear clean.’
Daphne stopped. ‘Do we have a problem, Major?’
‘I am an officer of the imperial army, ma’am. This coup of yours will bring nothing but despair and destruction to the Holdings. The Emperor will have no choice but to intervene in force.’
‘The Emperor was planning to invade regardless,’ Daphne said. ‘We are merely taking action to defend ourselves.’
The major said nothing, her eyes conflicted.
‘I have no desire to see Holdings kill Holdings,’ Daphne said, ‘but I will take any action necessary to protect this land. If you wish, I can have you arrested, and then your conscience will be clear.’
The major bit her lip.
‘Is your loyalty to the empire, or the Holdings?’ Daphne said.
‘The Holdings, ma’am.’
‘Good.’
Daphne turned, and caught Chane’s eye. As she was about to speak, she felt a voice in her mind.
Miss Daphne Holdfast, I have been expecting a visit from you for a long time.
Daphne paused, recognising the voice from years before.
And now you are here, the voice went on, there is much for us to discuss. Come to the citadel, I will be waiting for you.
Daphne nodded.
‘Let’s go to the citadel,’ she said. ‘I want to look in on the Prophet.’
Chane frowned. ‘I thought we were going to check the steps down to the middle bridge?’
‘The Holdwain militia are assigned there, I’m sure they can handle it.’
Chane shrugged.
They set off through the maze of corridors within the palace, turning at a junction that led to a small gate on the western side. They emerged out onto a dark street, marking the boundary between the secular and ecclesiastical halves of the Upper City. Behind them stood the bulk of the palace complex, while ahead lay the piled-high buildings of the headquarters of the church, with the spires of the cathedral dominating the skyline.
A pair of armed church wardens were guarding the main gates to the headquarters, and they raised their spears as Daphne and Chane approached.
‘This is church ground,’ cried one. ‘You are forbidden to enter.’
‘I have an invitation from the Prophet,’ Daphne smiled.
One of the guards staggered, his eyes glazing over. His head snapped up, his sight clear again.
‘Let them through,’ he said.
The other guard nodded, and swung open the great iron-rimmed door.
Daphne entered, followed by Chane. Inside, the passageways were dim, lit with low burning lamps. There was a musty smell of abandonment, and dust covered most surfaces.
Chane peered into the gloom. ‘Where do we go?’
Daphne reached out with her vision, feeling for the presence of the Prophet. His power shone like a beacon in her mind’s eye.
‘This way,’ she said.
They walked through long, dark corridors, past empty offices and deserted halls, deep into the warren of buildings, until they reached a large set of double doors lying open.
‘The cathedral,’ Chane muttered. ‘First time I’ve been here in years.’
‘First time anyone has by the look of it,’ Daphne said.
They entered the great space within the cathedral. The ceiling was lost above them in the gloom and shadows, held up by lines of enormous pillars. At the far end was a raised throne, upon which sat a small figure, hunched over and wrapped in a thick cloak.
At the foot of the steps below the throne stood half a dozen men and women, dressed in the black robes of the One True Path.
‘How did you get in here?’ shouted one of the deacons. ‘Stop at once!’
Daphne smiled. ‘Or what?’
One of the deacons drew a sword, and advanced.
‘Shit,’ muttered Chane, feeling the empty space on her waist were her belt had been.
Daphne pulled on her battle-vision and ran at the deacon. She ducked under a sword lunge, drew a knife from her boot and planted it into the side of the man’s neck. She took the sword from the dying man’s grasp and threw it to Chane.
‘Happy now?’
Chane grinned, and charged. Daphne retrieved her knife, and the pair cut their way through the remaining deacons, slaying them on the steps before the throne, blood spraying onto the marble floor.
Daphne sheathed her knife and ascended the steps. The gnarled old figure on the throne was motionless. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be sleeping, or dead. He looked at least a hundred years old.
I am a mere ninety-three, Miss Daphne, said the voice. Not yet dead, but the day is not too far off I think. My body is old and dying, and only my mind is keeping it alive. I thank you for disposing of those vile deacons, they have made my life a misery for years, trapped up here alone in the citadel, shunned by the church and forgotten by the people. The Lord Vicar will quickly realise what you have done to his spies, however, when he next attempts to make contact with them.
‘I’m not worried about the Lord Vicar.’
No? What about the Emperor?
Daphne smiled. ‘I have a few concerns.’
He will be coming, Miss Daphne, make no mistake about that. Your coup may slow him down a little, but once he learns what you have done, his fury will be without limit or restraint.
‘He was coming anyway.’
I know. His thirst for mages is insatiable. You are near the top of his list, I believe.
‘I’m flattered.’
You should be afraid. I can sense great power in you, but even that is modest next to what the Emperor is now capable of. But I can help you.
‘The Prophet w
ould aid us against the Emperor? Why?’
My girl, as yet you have no inkling of what the Emperor wants, or of what he plans. The empire is rotten and Guilliam is drunk with power. I have been shunned for years, ever since I refused to accompany him to his new city in the Plateau. Even then I knew the plans of the Creator, and knew they would destroy the world.
Daphne felt Chane nudge her arm.
‘Is he alive?’
She nodded. ‘He wants to help us.’
‘Is he in your head?’
‘Or I’m in his, it’s hard to tell.’
You feel it too? the Prophet said. You and I Daphne, we share much in common. We both possess traces of an older magecraft, lost and forgotten to even the wisest. How else would you have been able to give birth to such a child? Did you think it was through chance alone that your daughter has such power?
Daphne gasped. ‘You know about Karalyn?’
Indeed. As I said Daphne, we have much to discuss.
Chapter 9
Leaving Party
Westgate, Domm Pass – 4th Day, Last Third Summer 507
Keira staggered down the muddy street, the drizzle on the high pass clinging in the air like mist, covering her in moisture. Passers-by avoided her as she splashed through puddles and swayed round corners. Her hair was lank and unwashed and her clothes stank of smoke.
She gazed around, the thick cloud cover making it impossible to tell what time it was. She laughed. She didn’t know which day it was, never mind the time. Her stomach turned and she retched. She needed a drink, and she needed to pee. She spotted the tavern up the slope to her left, and stumbled towards it. The large faded sign reading ‘World’s End’ was swinging in the breeze as she reached the front entrance. She hesitated, then walked round to the back of the building and went in through a side door. She climbed up the steps to her room, her legs aching from the effort, and she nearly fell through the door when she got to it.
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