by Matthew Roys
It belonged to a large, greying man with an aura of leadership about himself. Scarlet robes were visible beneath a warm cloak. He walked through the men and corpses with no concern for anything. His steps were directed toward Kai and the mercenary.
“Glory Valentine. I see that you haven’t lost any of that fiery spirit. That’s good. We need passionate people in the world. I only wish your passion didn’t lead you to break into restricted areas and steal dangerous information. It is a very serious thing that you’ve done,” he said to the woman. Even without magic, his voice was clear and strong. Next he looked to Kai. “And you must be Déaþscúa’s companion, Mordekai Redthorn. It seems that you too are a passionate individual. Do not allow yourself to burn out due to too fierce a flame.”
“Where’s my sister?” Kai asked again, his anger only just in check.
“Your sister is being taken to our Scottish Hall to recover from the injuries she received from Annis. Nobody here seemed able to heal her. I’m afraid her fate is in the hands of science rather than magic,” the man answered. “You will all be taken there shortly so you will be able to see her for yourself soon.”
“And Déaþscúa?”
The man patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Déaþscúa is alive and well. There is no need to worry about him. Now, I must go and attend to business. Annis didn’t fully break the seal but she has left it paper thin. It could crack at any minute, and none of us want that. If you need anything then ask for Arch Councillor Forenine.” Then he vanished into the snow.
“Look at you, making friends in high places,” Glory smirked. “Your new buddy is the leading member of the English branch of the Grand Moot. That makes him the most important man in the country. With the recent actions the Moot’s taken recently, it also makes him very incompetent or completely untrustworthy. Keep that in mind.”
“Lucky him. I don’t much care for important folk. In my experience, the more important you are the bigger dick you are. It’s all pretty correlative,” Kai muttered dismissively.
“Oh I like you,” Glory laughed. “I’m Glory Valentine, by the way. Leader of the world’s largest international mercenary cartel. That’s about as important as you can get without corrupting yourself with politics.” Her smile unnerved Kai slightly but she only laughed again.
True to Forenine’s word, it wasn’t long until the remaining warriors were led to a line of vans. They were loaded into them then had no option but to sit and wait as they were driven to the Scottish Hall. Time dragged inside the confines of the van. It was only an hour or so journey but Kai felt every second of the time. Glory brought out a set of dice and invited Kai to a few games with the other mercenaries but none of them seemed focussed on it.
When the van’s engine cut off it was still several minutes until the doors opened. Kai stepped stiffly out into a large courtyard surrounded by brown stone walls topped with towers and spires. Patterns and sculptures were carved across the surfaces. It looked like some grand manor house or something similar.
Soldiers in black and red uniforms came to guide away Glory’s mercenaries and the remaining Scottish warriors after clamping them in chains that suppressed their magic. Kai was taken aside by another soldier who led him into the building through a separate door. His feelings that the building was a grand house were confirmed by the interior. Old looking paintings covered the walls while more carvings worked their way up columns and across skirtings. The place even smelled old. Despite all of this, every room was flooded with light and warmth.
Kai tried to pry some information from the soldier. It was a fruitless effort. The man kept a stoic silence. He led Kai at a brisk march through the corridors to a set of double doors. The soldier opened one door and ushered Kai inside. It was a long room filled with half a dozen beds. Only one was currently occupied.
“KT!” Kai was at her side in two great strides. She opened her eyes and winced.
“Geez, keep it down. I feel like I’ve been through a meat grinder,” she said weakly. Dozens of tubes were connected to her body. “A doctor told me I should be dead. I’m getting tired of people saying that. I’ll heal perfectly fine but I’ll have some pretty nasty scars. They tried to use magic to save me but it didn’t work. I think the fairies did something to the wounds. The doctors had to rely on potions and stitching. I look like Frankenstein’s monster.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Kai breathed. A smile slid across his lips. “I’m going to have to stop letting you out of my sight. Every time I leave you alone I find you injured in a sickbed afterwards.”
“Only because I actually do things. I make myself useful.”
“Yeah, as a practice dummy apparently,” Kai countered. They both laughed, almost deliriously despite the pain it was clearly causing KT.
The laughter stopped when the doors were opened again to admit a small group of men into the room. Kai only recognised Arch Councillor Forenine. He greeted them both kindly. The other men stood behind him without expressions. They weren’t in soldier uniforms but white robes.
Forenine spoke gently but his voice was still official sounding. “Katherine and Mordekai Redthorn, you both have my formal apologies for being wrapped up in all of this. You should never have been aware of our world and you certainly shouldn’t have been placed in the danger that you were. As a rule, we try to keep regular, powerless humans from any knowledge of us. It is better for everyone that way. As such, the Council has voted to wipe your minds of any events linking to magic and monsters.”
Kai choked. “You what? We fought tooth and nail for your world. We chose to be a part of it. If you think that you can mess with my brain you’ll get a nasty surprise.”
“I am afraid that you don’t have any choice in the matter,” Forenine informed them. “It has been deemed a matter of security risk. Whether you try and fight or willingly comply, the results will be the exact same. You will have no memories of the time since first meeting Déaþscúa. New memories will be given to explain your injuries. It will not harm you in any way.”
Kai was about to argue until KT placed her hand on his arm. She shook her head weakly.
“This is a battle we can’t win. I don’t want to see you get hurt needlessly,”
Forenine nodded approvingly. “You are a wise young woman. I’ll be sad to see you go.”
“Can we at least say goodbye to those who helped us before we forget them?” she asked.
Forenine ran a broad hand through his beard thoughtfully. “I think that that would be acceptable. You may say your farewells to all except for Déaþscúa. He is currently being debriefed. If you can walk, I will show you to where the others are.”
“Thank you,” KT told him. She tried to stand but needed Kai’s help to get out of the bed. She was in a regular looking set of checkered pyjamas. “What happened with Annis and Heaven’s Gate? Did we stop her in time?”
“I’m afraid that information is classified.”
Kai snorted. “Classified? You’re about to delete our memories. Does it really matter if you tell us?”
“Rules are rules, young man. Suffice it to say that everything is in hand.”
It took a few minutes to fully unplug KT from her bed. With Kai’s assistance, she shuffled across the room and out of the door after Arch Councillor Forenine. As they walked, Forenine would point out pieces of art or architecture and explain its history. He seemed to know everything about the building. Men and women moved purposefully everywhere. A sense of urgency and near panic seemed to be fuelling the torrent of activity.
It wasn’t long before they entered into a vast chamber that looked even grander than the other rooms. A large fireplace stood at one end and a heavenly fresco was painted on the ceiling above. A darkwood dining table had been pushed to one side to make room for all of the people who loitered frustratedly within the room.
Kai could see Ailia, Arteeru and Glory but there was no sign of Niall. That observation was pushed from his head when he spotted Jearl and
Elizabeth. Anxiously, they edged through the crowd to the two. Elizabeth rushed to them and immediately began to check on KT’s health. The girl weakly brushed her off once she had made it clear that she was okay.
“Your father is in as good health as can be expected. He is here too somewhere, as are the other survivors from the lodge,” Elizabeth said. She was the only person present who did not look dishevelled other than the Moot’s soldiers.
Jearl had not been anywhere near the battle yet still managed to appear as though he had been out in the wild for a week. He always looked like that. What did look out of place on him though was a scowl. It was the first time that KT or Kai had seen him look angry.
“You’ve not been told, ‘ave you?” His statement drew blank stares from the teens. “They’ve arrested Déaþscúa. Got him locked up tighter than Annis. She’s tucked away somewhere nice and cushy, safe from harm. Half the Council want Déaþscúa executed.”
“They can’t kill him!” KT exclaimed. “He’s only ever fought to protect people.”
“They know that,” said Jearl. “Only, Déaþscúa scares ‘em. He can’t be stopped or controlled by them and that leaves a nasty stain in their underwear. Don’t worry about him though. Déaþscúa has never been held against his will for long. Hell, he’s been executed more times than I’ve had hot meals. It’s the name he mentioned as they dragged him away that’s set me on edge.”
“Yes, Déaþscúa and the rest of us will be fine,” Elizabeth soothed loudly, overriding Jearl’s sentence. She glanced at him then returned her eyes to the twins. “We were told what is to happen to you. I’m sorry.”
KT hugged her. “Don’t worry. It’s alright. You and Déaþscúa wanted to do the same to us. It’s the sensible thing to do I guess.” She sighed sadly. “Well, this is goodbye then.”
Kai didn’t speak but offered Elizabeth and Jearl a nod of his head. He and KT moved across the hall to say farewell to Ailia too. Arteeru and Glory joined them.
“You were both funny,” Ailia grinned. “You’d have both made excellent thralls.”
“Cheers,” Kai muttered.
Arteeru clapped him on the shoulder. “You are a good man, Kai Redthorn. It was an honour to battle at your side.”
Kai grabbed his hand like an old friend. “Same. I could have gotten use to my own personal werewolf war mount.” Arteeru gave a sly grin at that and Ailia snorted. He then turned to Glory who headbutted him.
“What the hell?”
“It’s how we show respect,” she told him as though it were the most logical reason in the world. A black collar encased her neck. Glory noticed his look. “I know things that the Moot don’t want other folk knowing. I say certain words and my head explodes like an overripe melon being body-slammed by an obese elephant with the shits.”
She drew closer to them and lowered her voice. “Listen. I won’t sugarcoat things. The Moot is behind some real questionable things and all of us here are in very real danger. It is only a matter of time until they try to consolidate their power by removing dissenters. That means everyone who supports your mate Déaþscúa. Things are going to kick off. Try to stay safe, okay?”
A looming presence behind them caused them to turn. Forenine and the white robed men stood with eyes fixed on the two teens. “It is time,” the arch councillor announced. He motioned for them to follow.
They began the walk to leave the room with the slow footsteps of the condemned. Jearl stood beside the door. “Mind wipes aren’t too bad. They used to do it to me every other week. It never stuck long on me for some reason. Apparently it takes a great deal of skill and power to do though. They got sick of repeating it. Never did me any harm. Probably.”
Then they were out of the room and away from any form of comfort. The doors shut behind them, cutting off sound to a dull murmur. Forenine walked at the head of the group while the white clad men penned in KT and Kai. The arch councillor stopped in front of a door that looked like any other.
“Through here, if you please. We will begin as soon as you are both settled. Don’t worry. You won’t feel a thing.”
Chapter 28.
Darkness faded into light. Black became white. Numbness clouded thoughts. A sense of disembodiment flooded into the void then flared into awareness. Comprehension followed shortly after.
KT was laid in a bed staring up at a white ceiling. White walls surrounded her. Another bed was at her side. Her mother was propped up on her elbows and stared across at her happily. She looked pale and bruised but full of life. On chairs between the two beds sat Kai and their father. They too bore bruises and small cut.
Memories clicked into place. She remembered being at the lodge. There had been a strange smell, then an explosion. During brief moments of consciousness she could recall hearing people talk about some kind of gas explosion that had killed several of the lodge’s guests and injured the others. Everything was alright now though. She was safe and well.
“You’re finally awake. How are you feeling?” her mother asked her softly. Everyone was looking at her.
“Good. Tired and sore but good.” It hurt to speak.
“You’ve been out for a few days,” her father told her. He reached out and held her hand. “You were declared stable two days ago and have been drifting in and out of consciousness since.”
“Well I’m back for good this time,” KT smiled. “Kai, how are you?”
“Me?” Kai shrugged. “I was only thrown around a bit. This head’s too thick to take damage. You almost managed it though. You drove me mad with worry. Where would I be without you there to keep me on the straight and narrow?”
KT closed her eyes again for a moment. “I’ll always be there to keep an eye on you. You wouldn’t last a day without me.” She suppressed a flutter of a frown. It seemed that he remembered the explosion. For KT, other memories had started to overlay that inferno.
She looked around herself slowly and noticed Ava’s necklace on the table beside her. With unsteady fingers she picked it up and stared into the mesmerizing swirl of silver. Resolve filled her soul like a tsunami.
Black Annis still lived, Déaþscúa was imprisoned and Heaven’s Gate was severely weakened. The red haired woman’s parting words loomed at the back of her mind too. Big changes were in motion and she needed to be strong enough to face them.
For Ava and Uncle Frank, and now Aunt Susan, and for everybody that the witch had ever taken from this world, KT would see her dead. This she vowed to herself.
‘It would appear that the Grand Moot was not informed of your resistance to magic. That is a mistake that I feel will come back to bite them. This will prove to be an interesting lifetime...’
About the author.
Matthew Roys is a young writer from Nottinghamshire. He writes fictional stories as an excuse to talk to imaginary friends rather than real people.
He studied Creative Writing at Sheffield Hallam University where he received First Class Honours and a very expensive piece of paper. Has he mentioned just how expensive this paper is?
When he isn’t writing, he can be found to be doing other socially isolating activities such as reading, playing video games, watching anime or staring into the uncaring abyss.
If you would like to hear more from him, please reconsider your life. If it still sounds appealing after that then you can digitally stalk him in the following places:
Twitter: @Matthewroys
Personal website: matthewroys.ninja
Gaming website: pixelfanggaming.wordpress.com
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