Descent

by Charlotte McConaghy

  Jane felt her anger seep away. ‘Jesus, Fern. How unbelievable is it? I can barely get my head around it.’

  ‘When did you remember?’

  ‘When I was in the sky.’

  They looked at each other. ‘So how did you do it?’

  She shook her head slowly. ‘A curse. A blood sacrifice. And love.’

  ‘What do you mean love?’

  Jane sighed. ‘The Scourge is a demon that seeks ultimate power, ultimate destruction. He is alone, has always been, and always will be. There is no stronger bond between humans than love. It was the one thing he could never beat out of us, nor destroy within us. So I used it against him to create the banishment.’

  ‘I don’t understand, Jane.’

  She was looking down at her hands, but slowly she looked up to meet his eyes.

  ‘Amara had a boyfriend—sort of. Someone she loved more than anyone else in the world. And she would have done anything for him, would have died a thousand deaths that he might not be harmed. The Scourge knew this and sought to use it against her, so that Amara would offer herself in exchange for his life. But when she did this, it forged a bond between her and this boy, so deep that it tortured the Scourge, weakening him and allowing her to curse him forever.’

  Fern looked pale. ‘A boyfriend,’ he murmured. ‘You had another boyfriend?’

  It took her a moment to work out why he was so upset. ‘Fern, you idiot. Don’t be jealous. It was you.’

  Fern’s mouth dropped so low that he looked almost comical. ‘ What?’

  ‘Sorry to spring it on you, but I wasn’t the only one in that life to be reborn a second time.’

  ‘Why don’t I remember?’ he fumed.

  Jane shrugged. ‘No one remembers their past lives—no one except me. I don’t know if it’s ever going to be possible for you to remember.’

  She waited, trying to give him time to process. He was staring at the ground, shaking his head slowly with the enormity of it all.

  ‘I had no idea,’ he whispered. ‘I was ... I was your boyfriend? What does that mean? Why wasn’t I your husband?’

  Jane’s eyes slid away. ‘There was never time.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because of the war, Fern. And what happened after it. You know the story.’

  Suddenly his face was horrified. ‘You jumped off the cliff! Why did you do that?’

  God, this was way too much to be dredging up now. She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter anymore, Fern. It hasn’t mattered for a very long time.’

  ‘Was it because of me?’

  There was a whole world of fear in his eyes as he waited. He understood, somehow, that of course it had been him. That he was the only one who could have hurt her enough for her to take her own life. But she couldn’t bear the look in his eyes just then. No matter how hard it was for Jane to be the only one who remembered the horror of what had happened, she couldn’t be selfish enough to get Fern caught up in it again.

  Taking his hand through the bars, she looked into his eyes and she lied as convincingly as she’d ever done.

  ‘No, Fern. It wasn’t because of you. I promise.’

  He breathed out a shaky sigh. ‘I’m sorry,’ he muttered. ‘The thought that I’d caused you to ... I don’t think I could have bared it. What did happen then?’

  ‘Honestly, I don’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t your fault, so don’t worry. If anything, Fern, you were always the one who kept me alive.’

  ‘I wish I could remember.’

  No, you don’t, she thought.

  ‘But could you do what you did last time?

  ‘I don’t think so. He’s escaped the banishment. It means he’s stronger than he used to be. I have no idea what to do, Fern. No idea.’

  ‘Well, maybe we should just concentrate on one problem at a time.’

  ‘Right. Get the flying baddies, then deal with the jerk controlling them.’

  ‘Something along those lines. If we can’t stop Accolon, then we have to stop the Valkyries before tomorrow night.’

  ‘And how many do we think there are?’

  He shrugged helplessly. ‘Nobody can possibly know. There could be hundreds, thousands ... millions.’

  Jane shuddered. ‘Great.’

  Harry skidded to a stop as he rounded the corner in the palace grounds, his heart thumping. Standing in the middle of the chasm was Anna, her hair covered in muck, her back to him. It took Harry a moment to realise that there was someone there with her. A man.

  ‘Anna!’ he called. He could think of no one in the whole world who would be holding her with such intimacy, and it caused him to panic.

  She turned, startled, but the man didn’t move. Harry looked at him, and as their eyes met, he felt his heart beat out of time. The man’s eyes were red. Bright, blood red. He was naked, and he stood with an air of such animalism, his every muscle tense and alert, that Harry had a sudden, terrifying realisation of who he must be.

  He stared, unable to believe what he was seeing.

  ‘He changed,’ Anna whispered, confirming his fears.

  ‘Get away from it, An,’ Harry said quickly, taking a step forward. Locktar was in front of Anna with such fluidity that Harry barely saw him move, his lips curling back, a low growl emanating from his throat.

  Harry froze. Very slowly he lifted his hands. ‘Anna,’ he whispered, not breaking eye contact with the beast. ‘Move away from him slowly.’

  The growl in Locktar’s throat became a snarl, and he reached behind him to take Anna’s hand.

  Anna moved closer to the monster and put her hand on its shoulder. ‘What are you doing?’ Harry hissed. ‘That thing is dangerous.’ It was staring at Harry as if it were about to leap through the air and rip his head off, and it definitely looked deadly enough to do it.

  ‘Not to me,’ she said firmly. Then she moved in front of Locktar, ignoring the creature’s growl of warning. It occurred to Harry, very belatedly, that the beast was trying to protect Anna as much as Harry was.

  ‘He’s my friend,’ Anna said. ‘Just like he was as a dragon. He would no more harm me than you would.’

  Harry stared at the two of them, feeling overwhelmed. Because there was nothing else he could do, very slowly, he nodded. The man immediately relaxed his stance and stopped snarling. He didn’t take his red eyes off Harry for an instant.

  ‘He’s going to help us,’ Anna added. She looked a mess, haggard, but happy. ‘What’s going on inside?’

  Harry quickly related what he knew.

  ‘They’re in jail?’ Anna gasped. ‘We have to go to them!’ She took her cloak off and draped it over Locktar, then the three of them ran into the palace and made their way down to the dungeons.

  ‘Anna!’ Jane exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

  ‘Jane! What the hell are you doing in here?’

  The two of them held hands through the bars and had a very rushed conversation about what had transpired. Fern and Locktar were staring at each other, their expressions unreadable.

  ‘How long have you been in here?’ Anna asked breathlessly.

  ‘A few hours. It must be getting close to sunrise.’

  Suddenly Fern was on his feet. ‘Harry, man, I need you to go and get Elixia.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Please, just do it as fast as you can.’

  Harry shrugged and climbed the steps, hurrying through the corridors. He asked a servant to lead him to the High Queen’s chambers, but as they rounded the corner and saw a figure leaving the room, Harry stopped.

  ‘Altor!’ he gasped. The Black Prince embraced him fondly. ‘What are you doing here? Did you come with your mother?’

  ‘I came with Jane and Fern and just like everyone else I’m on a quest to stop evil.’ He winked.

  Harry grinned. ‘Yeah, right. What are you really doing here?’

  Altor’s eyes flashed with something before he shrugged. ‘You’re right,’ he muttered. ‘New city. New ale, new women, new men to
gamble with—’

  ‘Of course. But what were you doing in the queen’s bed chamber?’

  Altor smiled crookedly, a glint in his eye. ‘I said “new women,” didn’t I?’

  Altor’s expression was almost defiant, as though daring Harry to dispute that such actions were below him. And then he was closed over again, so Harry knew there wouldn’t be much point in arguing with him.

  ‘Well I need to bring her to the dungeons—her brother needs to speak with her. Can you help me get her? I’ve only spoken to her a few times before—’

  ‘Neither she nor her brother have anything to do with me!’ Altor snapped, not meeting Harry’s eye. And then he walked into the dark hallway, disappearing into the shadows.

  Harry shook his head in exasperation and asked one of the guards to alert the queen that she was needed. A moment later Elixia arrived at the door.

  ‘I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour.’

  ‘There won’t be sleep for anyone tonight, I’m sure,’ Elixia replied kindly. ‘You said my brother needs me?’

  The two of them hurried back down to the dungeons. It seemed like the whole night had been spent travelling up and down these stairs.

  ‘Lix!’ Fern said quickly as they arrived. ‘I need your help.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I need you to tell me how to control my dreams.’

  As soon as Elixia began to talk, Jane understood exactly what Fern was planning. And she knew, just as quickly, that she could not let him be the one to do it. The world had already lost Fern once, and look how far it had fallen. He had far too much to live for.

  So Jane listened to Elixia’s words as intently as she could.

  ‘It is all about courage,’ she told her brother softly. ‘They will show you your deepest fears, try to break your spirit by preying on your weakness. So you don’t let them. You face your fears. You walk forward to meet each one. And you have to understand, Fern—they are your dreams, your nightmares—you can decide what happens to you within them.’

  She stopped and he waited. ‘That’s it?’

  Elixia shrugged helplessly. ‘I wish there was more to it, but that’s it. It isn’t as easy as it sounds—it takes a huge amount of courage and clarity of mind. If we had time, I could practice it with you. But for now, I want you to start imagining dreams, rehearsing them in your mind, over and over again so that during sleep you have an easier time calling them into play. It’s easier to control something in sleep if you have already imagined how you want it to play out during consciousness.’

  Fern shook his head. ‘Okay,’ he said, standing up. ‘Time to get out of here. Lix, is there any way you could get the keys for these cells?’

  ‘If there was I would already have done it—Accolon has both sets of keys hanging around his neck.’

  ‘Where is Altor?’

  Harry shrugged. ‘He disappeared. Probably to a tavern by now.’

  ‘Okay, I need three of you—Anna and your friend, and Lix—to spread out and look for him. It’s imperative that you find him. Tell him to go to where the three of us landed and wait there alone.’

  ‘Why, Fern?’ Elixia asked.

  ‘Please,’ he replied gently. ‘Just hurry.’

  They looked at him a moment longer, then Anna, Locktar and finally Elixia left the dungeons.

  ‘Now, Harry, I need you to find a healer and take from him his most potent sleeping potion. Then go to where Altor is waiting—the same spot where you found Anna, and give it to him. Make sure he continues to wait there.’

  ‘Wait for what? And who is the potion for?’

  ‘None of that matters, Harry, I just need you to be as quick as you can.’

  Harry scratched his beard, and for a second he looked strange to Jane. But then he met her eyes and smiled a weary smile that she recognised, reminding her that he was still just the boy she’d grown up with.

  ‘No worries,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks, Harry. You’re a good man,’ Fern said sincerely, making him flush with pleasure before he raced up the stairs.

  ‘What was that about?’ Jane asked Fern immediately. He hesitated. ‘I didn’t want them to have to see what I’m about to do.’

  Jane’s eyes narrowed as she stood. ‘What are you talking about?’

  He didn’t answer, but turned towards the bars, placing his hands firmly around two of them.

  ‘Fern! What are you doing?’ Something about his sudden secrecy frightened Jane. He closed his eyes, breathing calmly. Then he began to pull against the bars, muscles straining with the effort, veins popping out in his neck.

  After a moment he gasped and stood back.

  Jane couldn’t help but wonder if he’d started to lose his mind—he was very strong, but no one could bend metal that thick.

  ‘You okay?’ she asked. He nodded, still staring at the floor. After a moment she couldn’t help her lips from twitching. ‘Trying to bend the bars, were you?’

  His eyes snapped to hers and his look of disgruntled disappointment was enough to make her burst out laughing. Suddenly he was laughing with her.

  ‘Shut up,’ he chuckled. ‘Just listen—I’m not quite as stupid as I look.’

  Jane managed to stop laughing.

  ‘I can bend those bars—I know I can. I just need the right motivation.’

  ‘What do you mean? Isn’t the simple fact that we’re in prison right now pretty motivating?’

  ‘No, I mean ... I have to get angry. I have to get really angry, really quickly.’ Fern took a step towards her. ‘How do I do that?’

  ‘What the hell are you talking about? Do you think that if you get angry enough you’ll just miraculously be able to break out of jail?’

  ‘Actually, yes.’

  ‘You’re not the Hulk, Fern!’

  ‘I don’t know who that is,’ he sighed. ‘I know it sounds crazy, but I was changed by Odin. Something of his power remains in me. But it only seems to be able to manifest itself properly when I’m truly angry or upset.’

  She shrugged. ‘Okay. Then think about what made you angry the last time it happened.’

  ‘That’s what I just tried, and clearly it didn’t work.’

  It came to her all of a sudden. A horrible thing that might ruin whatever they had left between them, but which might just get them out of here.

  ‘Of course it didn’t work,’ she said after a moment. ‘You don’t have any real power Fern. I know you think you do, but you don’t.’

  He blinked, frowning.

  ‘No power to help yourself,’ she went on softly, lightly, as if she didn’t care. ‘No power to help me ... you never even had the power to save your wife. We’re just going to have to find another way out of here.’

  It was, she realised, exactly what he’d done on the boat all that time ago. Lie to keep her safe.

  He took an unsteady step back, looking down at the ground. Jane was careful not to look at him as she muttered under her breath, ‘Ridiculous.’ His eyes snapped to hers.

  ‘Gods, Jane, you’re far better at this than I thought.’

  Jane didn’t return his smile. Her eyes were cold and hard. ‘Maybe I am,’ she said. ‘But what is it about the words I said that aren’t true?’ Her voice sliced into the quiet of the dungeon, harsh and weary and all too serious.

  ‘Maybe I’m trying to make you angry, Fern. But maybe I’m also being honest. Those beasts killed your wife and you didn’t do a thing to stop it, because you were with me. You let this happen through your own weakness.’ Jane paused. ‘How angry does that make you feel? How furious, Fern?’

  The fact that that was all it took to tip him over the edge made Jane understand how closely Fern’s insecurities followed him. His jaw was clenched. He closed his eyes. And when he opened them, red flames licked the black, empty sockets. He turned as if in a trance, his mouth curling into a snarl of rage. He took hold of two of the bars, but this time when his muscles strained, the fury inside him burst fourth, and Jane dou
bted that there was anything he couldn’t do just then.

  With a mighty roar, Fern wrenched the metal apart. Sliding through the opening he turned to the padlock on Jane’s door and grasped it in his hand. Sweat pooled on his forehead as he spread his legs and heaved. The veins in his arms and neck throbbed but finally, with a mighty crack, the padlock broke and fell to the floor. Fern sagged against the bars. Jane opened her cell and sank down to put her arms around him.

  ‘Fern! Are you okay?’

  When he opened his eyes, they were back to normal, but as he looked up at her, they didn’t seem any less lost. ‘You’re right,’ he whispered, utterly exhausted.

  ‘No,’ she said desperately. ‘Don’t you understand? I was fuelling the fear you already have. It wasn’t your fault. Her death wasn’t your fault!’

  He shook his head, resting it against her chest. ‘You might not believe it, but your words were the truth.’

  Elixia paced through the halls, poking her head into doorways and cursing her brother for his secrecy. She came to the stairs leading to the roof, and not knowing Altor very well, made the mistake of assuming it was the last place he would have gone. She did not want to be the one to find him; she didn’t have any idea what she would say to the boy who’d said such a perfect thing to her and then fled from her room without an explanation.

  So Elixia walked confidently up to the roof, planning to delay as long as she could.

  Of course, she thought as soon as she saw the shadowy figure. Of course he would be here.

  ‘Prince Altor,’ she said unsteadily. No matter how hard she tried, there was still an inflection in her voice, clear for him to hear and interpret.

  He whirled, startled. His expression was instantly blank. And that’s when she saw it. The change. He was no longer soft. He was cold and hard and unkind. He was the Black Prince. ‘What can I do for you, highness?’

  ‘I’m afraid it is not the luxury of anyone, however unimportant he may be, to be hiding on the roof on a night like this,’ she snapped. ‘You are required downstairs.’