Sacrifice

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘Another missing body.’

  ‘Yes, but unlike Fire Mage Keira, nobody saw Shella die. My sources believe that she was helped to escape, and the Emperor is too embarrassed to admit it.’

  ‘Killop believes Keira is still alive. ’

  Her father nodded. ‘After what he said the night you arrived, I decided to carry out my own investigations.’ He paused. ‘Unfortunately for Killop, I have spoken to three people I trust who saw her fall with their own eyes. The Emperor flicked his hand from the walls of the city and, surrounded by the headless remains of her army, she collapsed, dead.’

  Daphne picked up a glass of iced tea and drank, saying nothing. She wasn’t sure if she should relay this news to Killop, or whether it would be better to allow him to hold onto his hopes.

  A servant entered from an archway.

  ‘My Lord Holder,’ she said, bowing, ‘your guests have arrived.’

  A man and a woman appeared, and approached the low table.

  ‘Greetings, Faden,’ her father said. ‘Good journey from the capital?’

  ‘Long and uncomfortable, Godfrey,’ the man said. He noticed Daphne. ‘Miss Holdfast,’ he bowed, ‘a pleasure to meet you, as always.’

  Daphne stood, and curtsied. ‘And you, Lord Holdwick. May I offer my congratulations?’

  Faden raised an eyebrow.

  ‘On Ariel’s pregnancy,’ Daphne said. ‘Your third child.’

  ‘Of course,’ Faden smiled. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I know how much my sister and the children have missed you.’

  ‘I’ve just spent a most delightful morning in their company,’ he said. ‘I wish I could be with them more, but my work keeps me in Holdings City.’

  ‘Please sit,’ her father said.

  Faden reclined on one of the couches as a servant poured him a drink.

  The woman approached.

  ‘This, Daphne,’ her father said, ‘is Annifrid, commander of the Hold Fast Company.’

  ‘Hello,’ said Daphne.

  The woman bowed, and sat. She was a few years older than Daphne, and had the look of a cavalry veteran.

  They all lit cigarettes, and drank iced tea .

  ‘When I arrived this morning,’ Faden said, ‘I couldn’t help but notice that the festival seems quiet this year.’

  Her father sighed. ‘Lowest attendance in decades. The country’s largest horse fair, and no damn horses to buy or sell. We even had to cancel most of the competitions.’

  ‘It’s the same everywhere, old chap,’ Faden said. ‘The imperial army has stripped the Holdings bare. The economy’s on the verge of collapse, trade is almost non-existent, and with the Emperor’s insane invasion of Rainsby, the only major tradeline to Rahain has been cut. The River Holdings are seething with rage, it’ll only take one spark and they’ll explode.’

  ‘No, no,’ her father said, shaking his head. ‘It’s bad, I’ll grant you, but I don’t believe a collapse is imminent. There is opportunity here, my friend, for the Holds to unite. If we band together, the Lord Regent cannot stop us.’

  Faden frowned.

  Her father chuckled. ‘Daphne is completely trustworthy, Faden, you needn’t worry about what you say in front of her.’

  ‘With all due respect, Godfrey, did she not used to work for the church?’

  ‘Just the one time,’ Daphne said, ‘when I rescued Princess Shella from the Rakanese camp, which I certainly don’t regret. The church themselves call me a renegade.’

  ‘And what are you thoughts on the empire?’

  ‘I’m not against it in principle, I suppose,’ she said, ‘if it was fairly done. You may not agree with this, but from the outside world it looks as though the Holdings are in charge. Rakana is firmly under the thumb, and Rahain is ruled by Governor Ghorley. And the Emperor himself, of course, is Holdings. To every other race of people, we are the imperial overlords, and our church is feared even more than our soldiers.’

  ‘If only they knew how much resistance there is here to the Emperor and the church,’ her father said. ‘Guilliam lost a lot of love when he moved to the Plateau. Did you know he hasn’t been back once since his coronation? In the early days of the alliance, the people remained hopeful and proud, but with the endless losses in war, and the savage recruitment for the new army, the poor in the River Holdings have suffered much. And we, the Holds of the great plains, have been taxed and stripped of our resources.’

  ‘We wouldn’t mind so much,’ Faden said, ‘if there were some terrible necessity, or grand strategy underpinning the Emperor’s actions. But all he seems to care about is the gathering up of every mage in the world, and for what? No one seems to have an answer.’

  ‘To become even more powerful?’ Daphne said.

  Her father shook his head. ‘Annifrid here has not long returned from the imperial city, where she saw the Emperor in person. Tell her about it, Anni.’

  The commander flushed a little as she caught Godfrey’s eyes, and Daphne frowned.

  ‘I was staying with an old cavalry officer that I used to know,’ Annifrid said, turning to Daphne, ‘and she was called up as part of the force that assaulted the Kellach quarter. Emperor Guilliam himself came down to the barracks on the morning of the attack, and I heard him speak to the soldiers.’ She shook her head. ‘Then he personally led the assault. I went along, and saw what he did. He was… unstoppable. He must have killed hundreds.

  ‘The soldiers followed behind, searching for the body of the fire mage. From a basement under a tavern, I saw them haul out a Sanang hedgewitch, or at least that’s what I was told. I left the Kellach quarter after that, I couldn’t stand any more.’

  ‘The irony,’ her father said. ‘They went in looking for a dead fire mage, and came out with a living hedgewitch.’

  Daphne caught Annifrid smile at her father. She narrowed her eyes.

  ‘I wonder who they’ll find in Rainsby,’ Faden said. ‘There are bound to be one or two mages hiding down there. And then we face the most important question; where will the Emperor strike next?’

  Her father nodded. ‘It’s imperative that we hold our nerve until the Emperor’s aims are clear. If we act in haste, then Guilliam may very well decide to bring his army here. After all, one of the most powerful mages in the land is sitting before you.’

  Faden raised an eyebrow, and sipped his iced tea.

  Daphne lit another cigarette. ‘So what do you plan to do?’

  ‘For now, nothing,’ her father said. ‘Keep the Holdings running while we wait and see what the Emperor does next. But our dream? Do you wish to know our ultimate aim?’

  Daphne nodded.

  ‘We wish for nothing less than to overthrow the Lord Regent that sits in Holdings City, and proclaim a republic. We wish to rule ourselves again, reform the Royal Council into a Senate of the Holds, and throw off the shackles of monarchy.’

  ‘Like Rahain?’

  ‘Without the slavery, of course.’

  ‘What about the church?’

  ‘The people will be free to follow their faith, we would never interfere with that, but the church will have no role in any constitution or government.’

  ‘And the empire?’

  ‘It was a foolish idea from the beginning,’ Faden said. ‘I’m all for peace and trade, but each nation should look after its own interests.’

  ‘I’m not sure Guilliam would agree.’

  ‘Which is why we do nothing,’ her father said. ‘Quite clearly, the Emperor is a threat to the stability of the world, and wherever he chooses to go is in grave danger. He seems to care nothing for the well-being of his subjects.’

  ‘The power’s gone to his head,’ Faden said. ‘He thinks he’s almighty.’

  ‘Maybe you’re right,’ Daphne said, ‘though there must be some reason behind his madness, some plan he’s following. Presumably he’s carrying out the Creator’s wishes, or thinks he is.’

  Faden shook his head. ‘I do not accept the existence of the Creator.
It’s nothing more than a legend.’

  ‘You still don’t believe?’ Daphne said. ‘Even after what happened? How then did the Emperor get his powers? ’

  Faden shrugged. ‘Through some arcane mage-craft of which I have no knowledge. Some foul ritual that involved the slaughter of ten mages.’

  Daphne shook her head.

  ‘We may never agree on the Creator, Daffie,’ her father said, ‘but we can still work together to further our aims. Are you with us?’

  ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family.’

  Her father smiled. ‘Good enough for me.’

  After lunch, Daphne went up to her quarters. She had expected to find Killop and Karalyn there waiting for her, but the rooms were empty. A note was on a table, written by Killop. It asked her to meet him outside by the pavilion.

  She washed off the heat and dust, changed her clothes and smoked half a weedstick from her dwindling supply. The afternoon was wearing on when she headed back out into the sunshine, and the temperature had dipped from earlier. The market square was quiet as she passed through it, and few were on the road to the old tower and the pavilion. She spotted Killop, standing in the shade of the stables.

  ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘Where’s Karalyn?’

  ‘I left her with Celine.’

  Daphne raised an eyebrow.

  ‘Jean was there too,’ he said. ‘Listen, I have something I need to show you.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Come on,’ he said, turning towards the line of temporary bars that had been constructed by the side of the great pavilion.

  ‘We going for a drink?’ she asked.

  ‘You might need one after you see this.’

  The bars were quiet, and Killop entered one that was almost empty, with just a few tables occupied. They walked over to a couple sitting in the corner .

  Daphne’s mouth fell open as she saw who was there.

  The woman stood.

  ‘Daphne,’ she said. ‘It’s good to see you.’

  ‘Chane,’ Daphne said. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘It’s a long story.’

  Daphne looked at the other occupant of the table. She narrowed her eyes. ‘Kylon.’

  ‘Hello, Daphne,’ he said, continuing to sit and drink his ale.

  She turned to Killop, who shrugged. ‘We knew he was coming.’

  Kylon frowned. ‘How?’

  ‘Another long story,’ Daphne said. ‘You should know that I haven’t forgiven you for telling Killop I was dead.’

  ‘An unfortunate but necessary lie,’ he said. ‘But you’re together now, which just proves you were meant to be.’

  Daphne frowned.

  ‘Sit with us,’ Kylon said.

  Killop and Daphne took seats round the table, and a waiter brought over a large jug of ale.

  Daphne glanced at Chane. ‘So you two know each other?’

  ‘We met in spring,’ she said. ‘Weir brought us together.’

  ‘Sergeant Weir?’

  ‘Yeah. He found me first, in some drinking dive in the River Holdings. One of the regulars was also ex-cavalry, and told Weir I was back. And then, in spring, he found Kylon.’

  ‘I’d been asking around the towns for anyone who knew how to find Daphne Holdfast,’ Kylon said, ‘but the imperial recruiters were out in force and I had to lie low. Eventually someone told me about a sergeant who had served with you in Sanang, and I was introduced to Weir. He took me to a safe house, where I met Chane. A little while back he told us that you had returned to Hold Fast, and we waited for the festival, so we wouldn’t stand out too much.’

  ‘Did you come by yourselves?’

  ‘Aye,’ Kylon said. ‘Weir stayed in the River Holdings. He’s in charge of putting up roadblocks if and when the recruiters return. The folk down there are angry, angry enough to put up a fight if the army try to enlist any more of them.’

  ‘It’s all ready to kick off,’ Chane said. ‘A lot of people are talking about resisting. And they’re furious with the church.’

  ‘Is that why you’re here?’ Daphne said. ‘To tell me this?’

  Chane chewed her lip. ‘I don’t know, to be honest. It was Kylon who kept insisting that he needed to see you, and when Weir told us you were back, he asked if I’d go along with him, since I knew the way, and I said yes.’ She lit a cigarette. ‘Look, I’m sorry about how we parted, and for some of the things I said. I was in a dark place at the time. It took me until we’d got back to Sanang to realise that Agang was never going to change, and I got out. Just in time, as it happens. Keira arrived not long after.’ She nodded at Kylon. ‘With him at her side.’

  ‘You were with her?’ Killop said.

  ‘Right up until the final battle before the walls of Plateau City.’

  ‘Are the imperials looking for you?’ Daphne said.

  ‘Aye,’ he said. ‘I’m a wanted man.’

  ‘But you didn’t see what happened to my sister?’ Killop asked.

  ‘No, but I’ve heard nothing else since I left the Plateau and entered the Holdings.’

  He picked up his ale and took a long draught.

  ‘It’s not true, Killop,’ he said, his dark eyes glinting in the dim light. ‘Keira’s alive.’

  ‘But if you left before the battle,’ Daphne said, ‘how do you know? Have you seen her?’

  ‘The morning after the battle,’ Kylon said, ‘Kalayne came to me in my dreams, and gave me a message. He told me to go to the Holdings, and said that he was taking Shella to meet up with Keira in Kellach Brigdomin.’

  ‘He was with Shella?’ Daphne said.

  ‘Aye. He’d rescued her from where she was being held, and was going to smuggle her out of the city.’

  Killop narrowed his eyes and stared at Kylon. ‘So Kalayne told you my sister was alive? ’

  Kylon nodded. ‘And when was he ever wrong?’

  Killop bowed his head, and clenched his eyes shut.

  ‘And he’s taking Shella to Kellach Brigdomin?’ Daphne said.

  ‘I don’t know any more,’ Kylon said. ‘That was the last time I’ve been in contact with Kalayne. He said he’d visit me in my dreams again, but hasn’t. Also, some time ago he told me there was a point beyond which he’d never seen himself in a vision. We have now passed that point, and I fear the worst.’

  ‘You believe he’s dead?’

  ‘I can’t think of any other reason that would prevent him from contacting me. He had a plan, and my coming to the Holdings was part of it.’

  Daphne took a sip of ale. Keira was alive, but Kalayne dead? She wasn’t sure if she should trust anything Kylon said, not after the way he had lied to them before. She glanced at him. He looked almost spectral, thin and gaunt, pale-skinned with his straight black hair falling over his shoulders. He was wearing his long leather overcoat, but looked untroubled by the heat.

  ‘I am here,’ he said, ‘to fulfil what may be the final task Kalayne has set me.’

  ‘And what’s that?’

  Kylon gazed at her with his dark eyes. ‘Your daughter, Miss Holdfast. Kalayne told me to stay close by, and protect her with my life.’

  ‘What makes you think I’ll let you anywhere near my daughter?’

  ‘Because my intentions are true,’ he said. ‘From this moment forwards, I pledge my life to protect Karalyn Holdfast, unto death. And I’ll do that, whether you give me permission or not.’

  Chapter 5

  Drunk in Domm

  W estgate, Domm Pass – 29 th Day, First Third Summer 507

  ‘And then,’ Laodoc said, raising his arm, ‘as the first rays of dawn broke over the eastern horizon, the Lord Commander of the great Alliance army gave the order to attack, and the glistening ranks of Holdings heavy cavalry began rumbling towards the walls of the Rahain Capital. To their right marched the forces of Lord Agang, and to their left charged the gallant battalions of Kellach Brigdomin. In the centre of the walls directly ahead of them lay the blocked gatehouse…’
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br />   ‘That’s where I was,’ smirked Keira, as the packed crowd listened.

  ‘Yes, indeed,’ Laodoc said, ‘and Miss Flora as well, I believe?’

  Flora nodded as she sipped her whisky.

  ‘Now,’ Laodoc said, ‘between the gatehouse and the charging Alliance soldiers was the army of the lawless and cruel regime that ruled Rahain, the regime that had previously committed such heinous atrocities as the invasion of your lands, and the destruction of the Rakanese refugee camp…’

  Keira coughed, and shook her head.

  ‘This army,’ Laodoc carried on, ‘began loosing their thousands of crossbows at the advancing Alliance forces, while above the gatehouse, on a platform cut out of the rock, a dozen stone-throwing machines were unleashed, bombarding the lines of horses and soldiers below, inflicting calamitous ruin wherever they struck. Just as it seemed that disaster was about to strike down the noble Alliance forces, suddenly there appeared a great blazing fire on the hillside.’

  The crowd inside the tavern cheered, drowning out the sound of the rain hitting the closed shutters.

  Keira smirked. The folk in the tavern knew this story well, and Laodoc had been asked to tell it for three nights running.

  ‘It was Killop,’ Laodoc cried over the noise of the crowd. ‘The great chief of the mighty Severed Clan, who, having brought his army of brave Kellach Brigdomin over the snow-covered mountains in the middle of winter, had arrived to save the day!’

  The crowd cheered again, and raised their mugs.

  ‘His young fire mage, Lilyann, destroyed the stone-throwers, smashing them into flaming pieces, then dropped her fire onto the ranks of enemy soldiers below. At once, the Alliance army took heart, and charged on with renewed vigour, capturing the gatehouse and entering the city. And so, my friends, the day was won, and the slaves of Rahain were freed.’

  Applause mixed with the cheers as the crowd acknowledged the old man.

  ‘Thank you, my friends, thank you,’ he said, blushing.