Sacrifice

by Christopher Mitchell

  Over the ten days since discovering Karalyn’s whereabouts, Daphne had joined her mind to her daughter’s on only three more occasions. The other times Karalyn had either been too sick to reach out with her powers, or too feverish and confused to make any sense. In all that time, Daphne had caught only glimpses of life within the apartment where she was recovering,

  Her vision soared up from her body, and crossed the miles of grassy plains to the walls of the great city. The gates by the New Town were sealed shut, with soldiers up on the gatehouse towers. She moved south, past the gate leading to the cathedral and merchants’ quarter, which was also closed and guarded. She came to the breach in the walls that Keira had created, and Daphne marvelled at the power Killop’s sister possessed to have caused such destruction. Barricades had been constructed across the hole in the wall, and at least two companies of Rahain soldiers in imperial uniforms were stationed just behind.

  She went further south, and came to a stretch of wall she had never seen before, jutting out past where the old Kellach camp had been. A large gate stood there, but it too was closed and guarded. New towers flanked the river, and a large area had been walled in on the other side. A heavy steel gate lay across the flowing water, and soldiers patrolled the walled banks.

  Daphne paused, stunned. There was no way in. She hadn’t realised how much the city had changed in her absence. They would have to wait for dawn, and try to walk in.

  She pulled her vision up, and over the wall into the Kellach quarter, where she guessed Keira’s building was most likely to be. It lay quiet and still beneath her, full of empty tenements and abandoned or burnt-out shops. A few pockets of life lit up the dark district of the city, where the remnants of the Kellach population lived alongside Holdings squatters .

  In the distance, she recognised the large tenement block where Karalyn was being held.

  It was time to confront Keira.

  Daphne pushed her vision through a gap in the shutters of Karalyn’s bedroom. She smiled. Her daughter was up, playing with the young Holdings woman who had been caring for her. Daphne sent her vision through to the living room, where Keira was sitting alone, smoking and looking out of a window. Daphne entered her head. She looked out through the Kell woman’s eyes, and projected an image of herself onto the glass.

  ‘Hello, Keira,’ she said.

  Keira’s eyes widened. She looked over her shoulder, and Daphne moved her image round, so that she appeared to be standing in front of the Kell woman.

  ‘Who the fuck are you? And how the fuck did you get in?’

  ‘I’m Daphne Holdfast, and I’m not really here. I’m in your head.’

  Keira reached out her hand, and her fingers passed through the image.

  Her jaw hung open.

  ‘How the fuck did ye find me?’

  ‘Through Karalyn,’ Daphne said.

  ‘The bairn?’

  ‘Did you not know she has mage powers?’ frowned Daphne.

  ‘No, why the fuck would I?’

  ‘That’s why Kylon took her,’ Daphne said. ‘She’s like Kalayne.’

  ‘Really? Fuck.’

  ‘So,’ Daphne said, ‘what exactly are you doing with my daughter, Keira?’

  Keira picked up a bottle from the floor by her feet and took a long swig.

  ‘This is mental,’ she said. ‘You can make yerself appear wherever ye want?

  ‘Karalyn,’ Daphne said. ‘What do you and Kylon want with her?’

  Keira frowned. ‘What the fuck are you on about? What do I want with her? I fucking saved her life. Aye, me. That wee prick Kylon had her strung out on dullweed, and was slowly killing her. For ten fucking days now me, Kallie and wee Flora have been looking after her. Fucksake, more than once I thought she was going to die on us, but she pulled through. She’s a wee fighter. And now you come and accuse me of… what the fuck are ye accusing me of?’

  Daphne paused. She knew Keira was telling the truth.

  ‘Thank you for looking after her.’

  Keira smirked. ‘That’s better, hen. So I’m guessing ye thought me and Kylon were working together or something. Well, come and see this.’

  She got to her feet and walked to a door of the living room. She unlocked it, and eased it open. Daphne peered inside. In the darkness lay a figure on a bed. He was tied down with ropes across his chest, and binding his wrists and ankles to the bed-frame. A hood was covering his head.

  ‘Hey, Kylon, ya fud,’ Keira yelled. ‘Ye’ll never guess who’s come to visit.’ She turned to Daphne. ‘Shall I take his hood off, so ye can see him?’

  ‘No thanks,’ Daphne said. ‘You kept him alive, then?’

  ‘Wee Flora’s been feeding the fuckwit,’ Keira said, ‘and keeping him docile with the same stuff he used to drug the wee one. We thought you might want him.’

  ‘Thanks, sister.’

  Keira grinned. She closed the door, and sat down again.

  ‘Now we know where we stand,’ she said, ‘let me take a look at ye.’

  She stared at Daphne. ‘Killop’s woman, eh? Mother of his child. Hope yer good to him. I take exception if anyone messes with my wee brother.’

  Daphne smiled. ‘I love him more than anything,’ she said, ‘except for Karalyn.’

  Keira nodded. ‘I’m family now as well. That wee lassie’s my niece, and even though I usually find bairns to be a right pain in the arse, I have to admit she’s alright. She’s a bonnie wee thing. ’

  ‘So how did you and Kallie end up in Plateau City at the same time as Kylon and Karalyn?’

  ‘It does look weird, I know, but we were here well before Kylon turned up. There’s not that many Kellach folk left in the city, and I heard about him arriving and paid him a visit. The reason we were in the city at all, though, was because we were coming to visit you.’

  ‘Kallie was coming to visit me?’

  Keira laughed. ‘She just came along to help wee Flora get back home to the Holdings. That’s the other reason we’re here. I don’t suppose ye know what happened to Hold Cane?’

  ‘Is that where Flora’s from?’

  ‘Aye.’

  Daphne shook her head. ‘The Emperor passed through Hold Cane. Not much of it’s left.’

  Keira nodded. ‘I should tell ye, if ye ever meet Flora, she’s not too impressed with the Holdfasts. I think she blames your family for getting her folks involved in yer rebellion.’

  ‘She’s not the only one,’ Daphne said, ‘but my father’s dead now. The Emperor killed every one of my family, except for Karalyn. Apart from my sister-in-law, we’re the only Holdfasts left.’

  ‘The Emperor kicked yer arses, eh?’

  ‘Yeah. He did.’

  ‘So where are ye now?’

  ‘A few miles outside the city.’

  Keira snorted. ‘Fuck. Ye made it down here fast.’

  ‘Went through a few horses on the way.’

  ‘Wait a minute. Is my wee brother with ye?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Killop rode a horse?’

  ‘All the way from the Holdings.’

  Keira laughed. ‘I pity the poor beast carrying his fat arse.’

  Daphne raised an eyebrow.

  ‘Hey,’ Keira said. ‘I’m allowed to slag him off, I’m his big sister. So, what’s the plan? ’

  ‘We’ll enter the city tomorrow, and come here.’

  Keira nodded. ‘Or, we could come to you. The wee lassie’s well enough to travel now, and I’ve got a wagon and supplies locked up and waiting for me. The city’s crawling with soldiers, maybe best if ye don’t come in.’

  Daphne hesitated.

  ‘Aye,’ Keira said, ‘that’s what we’ll do. We’ll pick ye up on the road, and get on our way to the Holdings.’

  Daphne bowed her head.

  ‘We can’t.’

  ‘Why the fuck not?’

  ‘The Emperor. If we don’t stop him, he’ll destroy us all.’

  Keira groaned. ‘Not this again, ye sound like Kylon
. Look, I get that the Emperor’s a fucking nutter. He’s wrecked his way through Frogland, and your Holdings, but I’ve gone up against him before.’ She shook her head. ‘Let’s get the fuck out of here, Daphne. The Emperor’s not our problem.’

  ‘He killed my family.’

  ‘Most of them. Do ye want to lose the ones ye have left?’

  Daphne felt her will begin to crumble.

  ‘Let the bastard sit on his throne and fester,’ Keira said. ‘Ten days he’s been back, and not a fucking peep from him. There might be plenty of soldiers in the city, but it’s a fucking illusion, he lost his Holdings army in Frogland, and most of his lizard soldiers in the Holdings. He’s spent.’

  ‘It sounds like a reason to strike now.’

  ‘No, Daphne,’ Keira said. ‘Like a bear with his paw in a trap, he’ll be most dangerous cornered. Let’s leave him be. There are plenty of places in the world where we can hide, and live in peace. Fuck, with me and you side by side, nobody’ll fuck with us. I hear yer quite a fucking fighter, and yer not bad with yer vision tricks. I keep forgetting yer not really here.’

  Daphne chewed her lip. ‘How early in the morning could you be ready? ’

  ‘Fuck it, dawn? That’s when the gates open. Where are you?’

  ‘At a farmhouse a mile off the road to the Holdings, about four miles altogether.’

  ‘We’ll be there an hour after dawn. Wait in sight of the road, you’ll see us.’

  Daphne nodded. ‘I have to go soon,’ she said, ‘I’m running low. Walk with me through to Karalyn’s room.’

  Keira got to her feet and they went to the bedroom, where Flora was on her knees playing with the girl.

  ‘Mama!’ Karalyn cried when she saw her.

  Daphne crouched down as her daughter drew near. She paused in front of the apparition, smiling.

  ‘I’m here, Kara-bear,’ Daphne said.

  Flora stood, and gazed about.

  ‘See mama soon?’ Karalyn said.

  ‘Very soon,’ she said.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Flora said. ‘Who’s she speaking to?’

  ‘Her ma,’ Keira said.

  ‘Daphne’s here?’

  ‘Aye, but she’s in my head, so ye cannae see her.’

  ‘Karalyn can.’

  Keira shrugged. ‘She’s a fucking mage.’

  Daphne glanced up at her. ‘Do you always swear in front of my daughter?’

  ‘Keiwa say silly things,’ Karalyn said.

  ‘You’ve got that right, kid,’ said Flora.

  ‘I have to go, little bear,’ Daphne said, turning back to her daughter. ‘Daddy and I will see you tomorrow. We love you.’

  She blew her a kiss and disappeared, as Daphne pulled her vision back the long miles to where her body sat motionless on the grassy bank. She blinked open her eyes, a headache pounding behind her temples. With nothing to take the edge off, her mind felt flailed and raw. She lit a cigarette, and sat for a few more minutes, stretching out her limbs as her headache grew .

  She got to her feet, and stumbled down the grassy bank in the darkness, towards the farmhouse. Inside, Killop and Chane were sitting round the stove, where a hatch was emitting a low light from the fire within.

  ‘Shit, you look rough,’ Chane said.

  Killop stood, and gave Daphne his seat.

  ‘Did you see her?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Daphne said, sitting as Chane thrust a mug of lukewarm tea into her hand. ‘She’s doing well. Up and about, playing with the Holdings girl we saw her with.’ She smiled. ‘I spoke to her, told her we were going to see her tomorrow.’

  ‘So we’re not going in tonight?’ said Chane.

  ‘The city’s changed,’ Daphne said. ‘It’s much more secure now. And I had a chat with Keira.’

  ‘You did?’ said Killop. ‘How is she?’

  Daphne glanced at him. ‘You were right, Killop. I’m sorry for doubting. Your sister’s not part of any conspiracy with Kylon, in fact she’s got him tied up in a room in their apartment. She’s also got a wagon, and supplies, and I arranged to meet them tomorrow morning by the northern road.’

  ‘So we won’t have to go into the city?’ Chane said, puffing her cheeks out. ‘Thank fuck for that.’

  ‘What else did she say?’ Killop said. ‘Keira, I mean.’

  ‘You look nervous, big man,’ said Chane.

  ‘I’ve not seen my sister in years.’

  ‘She was in good spirits,’ Daphne said. ‘She got annoyed that I had my suspicions, but we worked it out.’

  ‘Did she seem like a crazed mass murderer?’ Chane said.

  ‘You don’t know anything about her,’ Killop scowled.

  ‘I was in Sanang,’ Chane said, ‘when the firewitch was rampaging through the forest, slaughtering thousands. I heard the stories of the things she did, and saw with my own eyes the atrocities carried out by her worshippers.’

  ‘She was worshipped? ’

  ‘Yeah,’ Chane said, ‘half of Sanang believed she was a goddess.’

  ‘I bet she believes it too. Her head will be the size of a fucking mountain,’ Killop said, starting to laugh. ‘Tomorrow’s going to be something else. Getting Karalyn back, and seeing Keira again.’

  Daphne smiled at him despite her pounding headache, and ignored his swearing. She had a feeling she would be hearing a lot more of it, once Keira joined them. It was good to hear him laugh; it had been a long time.

  ‘Does this mean that we’ve given up on trying to take the Emperor down?’ Chane said, lighting a cigarette.

  Daphne’s expression fell. ‘I don’t know. Let’s get Karalyn clear of the Plateau, and we can have another think about it. Having Keira with us will change things.’

  ‘No kidding,’ Chane said. ‘The two most powerful mages in the world together?’

  ‘You’re forgetting Shella,’ Daphne said.

  Chane shrugged. ‘You and Keira will have to do. Shit, we’ll be on the road again tomorrow.’ She turned to Killop. ‘Your arse will be back up on the saddle.’

  He shook his head. ‘If Keira has a wagon, then we’ll be going slow. I’ll walk.’

  ‘Let’s get some sleep,’ Daphne said. ‘We need to be up at dawn.’

  Chane nodded. ‘I’ll take the back room.’ She stood, and picked up her blanket roll from the pack. ‘See you in the morning.’

  ‘Night,’ Daphne said.

  Killop laid out their own blankets by the warmth of the stove.

  ‘Just one more night,’ she said, as they lay down. ‘One more night till we get our baby back.’

  He put his arm round her and kissed her.

  ‘One more night.’

  For much of the night Daphne’s sleep was dreamless, her exhausted mind and body resting in Killop’s warm embrace. A few hours before dawn she felt her senses stir, as her consciousness was nudged.

  Mama.

  Kara-bear? she said, her mind groggy and thick as it moved into a state of dreaming.

  Mama come.

  Daphne felt her vision dragged from her body, and pulled towards the city at lightning speed. Her sight hurtled over the walls and through the New Town, right up to the high towers of the Great Fortress. She blinked, and found herself in the mind of the Emperor, her daughter’s consciousness hiding alongside hers.

  He was gazing at a fire roaring in a hearth. No lamps were lit in the hall where he sat, and the only light was coming from the flames. His breathing was steady, but his heart was racing with anticipation.

  ‘Not long now, my darling queen,’ he said, his eyes never leaving the fire. ‘The time draws near when I will be bidding you farewell.’ He frowned. ‘If it works this time.’ Anxiety rippled through him, and he shuddered. Then anger, and hatred took over. How he loathed his creation. Miserable and weak; stupid creatures. He could kill them all as one stood on an insect. Only Keira had ever shown any real spirit, and she was dead. As for the rest of the mages, the Holdfast woman had revealed early promise, but had thrown it away
to play at being a mother instead, before falling off a cliff. Shella, though… He smirked.

  There was a knock at the door. It creaked open.

  ‘Your Imperial Majesty,’ bowed Arnault.

  Daphne gazed at the Holdings man through the Creator’s eyes. He was stooping, and his face seemed to have aged by decades since she had last seen him.

  ‘What is it?’ said the Creator, his contempt for the man seeping through his thoughts.

  ‘Everything is prepared, your Majesty,’ Arnault said, his eyes lowered. ‘The mages are ready.’

  ‘Good,’ he said, rising .

  ‘I’ve checked everything three times, your Majesty,’ Arnault said. ‘I know that this might well be our last chance.’

  The Emperor smiled, and began walking to the door, passing a long table on his left. Halfway along it, he paused, and turned to face the row of thrones.

  ‘Wish me luck, my darling queen,’ he said.

  The lifeless eyes of Mirren stared back at him, and Daphne grimaced. Her throat had been cut, and she looked like she had been dead for several days, as she sat slumped on the throne.

  Karalyn pulled their minds away, and Daphne felt herself hurtled upwards as the girl fled from the fortress, weeping.

  It’s alright, little bear , she said as her daughter slowed, far above the city.

  Aunty Mirrie , she sobbed.

  Daphne felt terror surge from the girl, and tried to radiate love and reassurance, but her own fear was rising. She gazed down at the Great Fortress. Somewhere in there, the Creator was about to re-enact the ritual that had granted him more power than any other being in the world. What would it do this time?

  Go back to your bed , she said, and wake up Keira.

  No. Stay with mama.

  Daphne’s heart tore as Karalyn wrapped her thoughts close to hers, and all her instincts cried out to hold onto her and protect her.