Butterflies began to flutter their wings inside Charlie’s stomach and almost immediately her palms grew sweaty. Hot waves of guilt washed her face red with shame.
‘Oh, look who we’ve got here,’ snorted Jensen. ‘Miss I’m-Too-Good-For-The-Likes-Of-Ya! Surprised ta see people like us in such a posh tower? Well, don’t ya worry. We’ll soon be outta yer hair and back ta where “riff-raff” like us belong!’
Jensen’s snide remarks hit Charlie hard. The guilt in her stomach and the remorse running up and down her spine intensified. Kelko, standing next to Jensen, didn’t say anything. He just looked shamefacedly down at his fat stomach before quickly walking off.
Which was worse. A lot worse. Charlie would have preferred the sarcastic remarks from Jensen rather than having to see the awful look of hurt across Kelko’s gentle face.
‘Look, I didn’t mean to say those things! It wasn’t really me saying any of that! It was –’
‘After all the help we gave ya and that’s how ya go and repay us?’ interrupted Jensen. ‘Charlie, we thought ya were a nice girl. But yer a real piece of work, ya know that?’ Not waiting for an answer, he stalked off.
‘B-but …’ stuttered Charlie.
Azariah gazed softly at Charlie. ‘Young Keeper, there will be time enough for that later. But right now it is imperative that we see the First Speaker.’
‘But –’
‘Later,’ insisted Azariah. ‘I shall, as I promised, help you. But please remember that a Keeper must always face up to his or her responsibility. And at the moment that means having a quiet word with Lady Dridif.’ He held out his hand. ‘Now, come this way.’
The young Stoman boy paused on his way to the market. On his back was a large pannier of crystals and rock fruit that his father had instructed him to sell. But the pannier was heavy and the road long. Pausing for a break and a sip of water, he eased the pack off his back and sat down to massage his aching legs. But … what were those noises?
Caws and raucous shrieks began to tear along the pathway, echoing back and forth, growing louder and louder. The boy stood up fast. His heart jumped and kicked wildly within his chest. Wyrms! It had to be! They were coming back. Coming back for him!
Panic coursed through his veins like a wild electrical fire. He tried to sprint for safety but his tired legs were in no shape. Cramp sent its cruel fingers digging into his calf muscles and with a hoarse cry the boy fell over.
The shrieks grew louder and louder. Closer and closer the strident call came and then it was there. Whipping around the corner a thick black cloud of rushing, streaming, cawing crows cascaded towards him. Hooked yellow beaks and needle-sharp talons flashed in the afternoon sun. Dark feathers fluttered fiercely. The harsh sound of hundreds of beating wings tore at his ears. The endless tide of shadowy birds blocked out the sun, leaving the boy to whimper and scrabble in the gloomy dust.
And then they were gone. Croaking and screaming, the crows sped onwards, hurtling down the path and disappearing into the distance.
It took the young boy a long time to gather his wits together and longer still to fasten the heavy panniers upon his back. First Wyrms and now this.
‘What is happening to Bellania?’ he said aloud, before hastening to the market.
43
Planning Ahead
‘And why, might I ask, do ya want ta see the Isiris Bracelets?’ asked Lady Dridif.
‘To prove a point,’ said Azariah, as though it was the most reasonable request in the world.
‘And wot point would that be?’
Azariah sighed. ‘Lady Dridif, I have known you for eighty-seven years. I would like to think that perhaps, after all this time, we could finally learn to speak openly with one another. You and I both know the threat that Bellania faces. You and I both know that the shadow of Bane will soon cover the land. We need to make bold decisions and we need to make them now.’
The four of them – Azariah, Charlie, Nibbler and Lady Dridif – were standing in the First Speaker’s comfortable study. A large fireplace occupied one wall and along another was a huge map of Bellania. The third wall was covered by bookshelves and the fourth was one enormous window that looked out across the beauty of Deepforest.
‘We both know that the Jade Circle has been compromised,’ continued Azariah. ‘At least one of Bane’s agents, if not more, is a councillor. After this morning’s accusations you know without a doubt that either Lady Narcissa or Charlie works for the Western Menace. Give me the Isiris Bracelets, right here, right now, to use privately in this room and I shall prove to you that Charlie is beyond suspicion.’
Dridif silently turned away. Walking over to the window, she rested her forehead against the cool glass and stared out across her city.
‘I have been on dis council for more than two hundred years and of those I have held the position of First Speaker for one hundred and eleven. After all that I have seen and endured, after all that I have had ta fight for ta ensure Bellania retains its freedom, I have grown weary. I’m tired, me bones are old …’ Lady Dridif took a deep breath before standing up stiff and straight. She stared at Nibbler, who remained solemn and silent.
When Dridif next spoke her voice had grown hard. ‘But of course that ain’t wot ya want ta hear, is it? And ya shall not, for I’m still Lady Dridif, the Royal Oak, First Speaker ta the Jade Circle, and I still hold the ideal and promise of liberty close ta me heart. So I will fight against Bane in any way that I can, even if it means betraying some of the principles that I hold dear. The bracelets are there. Use them and show me the truth.’
Charlie looked to where Dridif was pointing. Without hesitation she walked over and clamped the cold jewellery over her wrists. Picking up the Isiris Ring, she passed it over to Dridif.
‘Ask me,’ said Charlie quietly. Then, because that didn’t feel quite right, she said it again but this time in a more determined voice. ‘Ask me.’
‘Charlie Keeper, I bid ya ta tell the truth. Do ya work for or in any way aid or abet Lord Bane, the Western Menace?’ asked Dridif.
‘No, I don’t!’ declared Charlie. ‘Help that angry idiot? I’d rather have all my hair cut off and have my name changed to “Bob” before I helped that horrible grumping stumping oaf of a giant!’
‘Young Keeper, a simple “no” would have sufficed, but thank ya all the same,’ said Dridif, fighting to retain a prim and proper expression on her face. ‘Very well, then, the truth is revealed. Lady Narcissa is the traitor.’
‘My turn,’ said Azariah.
‘Wot?’
‘I insist,’ he said. Stepping over to Charlie, he unfastened the bracelets from her wrists and slipped them over his own. He stared expectantly at Dridif.
‘Very well, then. Azariah Keeper, I also bid ya ta tell the truth. Do ya work for or in any way aid or abet Lord Bane, the Western Menace?’
‘No.’
‘Well, then, if you can do it so must I,’ grumbled Lady Dridif.
‘But you’re the one we had to prove our innocence to!’ protested Charlie. ‘Why would you have to wear the bracelets?’
Dridif held up her hand. ‘If Bane has succeeded in reaching with his dark fingers all the way inta the Jade Circle, then no one, absolutely no one, is above suspicion. Trust is a luxury that we can no longer afford,’ she said, snapping the bracelets over her green wrists. ‘Azariah, would ya be so kind?’
The elder Keeper nodded respectfully and repeated the question.
‘No,’ replied Dridif. ‘I do not.’
‘Can I have a go?’ asked Nibbler. ‘Can I try them on?’
Azariah chuckled. ‘The bracelets would not work upon a Winged One, even one as naughty as yourself. But do not worry, young Hatchling, you are above suspicion.’
‘Oh,’ said Nibbler, looking a bit crestfallen. ‘How boring.’
‘Who else do ya suspect?’ asked Dridif.
‘Flint.’
‘Flint?’ exclaimed Charlie. ‘Don’t you mean Nazareth?’
&nbs
p; Azariah shook his head. ‘Nazareth? As pompous as Nazareth is, his heart is for Sylvaris.’
‘But how come he’s always helping Narcissa?’ said Charlie.
Azariah smiled. ‘I would have thought that was obvious. The old fool is in love. Completely and utterly smitten. No, the secret mover behind the scenes is Flint.’
‘Why do you think Flint is working with Narcissa?’ asked Nibbler.
‘Simple. Every time we backed Lady Narcissa into a corner, or it appeared that we might wriggle free from beneath her accusations, who would help her out with his well-placed words?’
‘Flint would, but it didn’t really seem like he was helping her,’ said Charlie.
‘Well, that’s the whole point of being a “secret” accomplice, young Keeper! No, what he did with his well-timed words was sway the way the whole council was thinking. After Lady Narcissa he was second to protest against using the bracelets. He was the first to agree with Narcissa’s right to trial by Winged One. And have you forgotten that Flint also tried to aid Narcissa by having you placed in the vaults so he could “study” your pendant? Hhmph, if he had succeeded in having you locked away I doubt it would have taken long for you to have an “accident” and for your pendant to mysteriously disappear.’
Charlie and Nibbler looked wide-eyed at each other.
‘I am certain that Flint has sided with Lady Narcissa. As to the others on the council, who can be sure?’ said the old Keeper, tugging anxiously on his beard. ‘And that is why I would advise against openly declaring Narcissa a traitor.’
‘Hhmm, I can see the wisdom in that,’ agreed Dridif.
‘Well, I don’t,’ declared Nibbler. ‘Why don’t you just go right out and tell everyone the truth? Tell everyone that Narcissa and Flint are traitors, then get all the other councillors to put on the Isiris Bracelets one at a time until you know who’s loyal and who isn’t! Makes good sense to me.’
‘And to me!’ agreed Charlie.
Azariah grimaced and rubbed at his bald head. He turned to Dridif. ‘You can tell them why that’s not such a good idea. I’m getting awfully bored with explaining the obvious.’
‘Children!’ scorned Lady Dridif and rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, all right. The reason why we can’t openly accuse Narcissa and Flint of treachery is because we don’t know how deep dis betrayal goes. If there are many traitors in the council and we push them too far they might decide ta step outta the shadows and fight. The power struggle which could follow would more than likely destroy Sylvaris and quite possibly Deepforest. I will not tolerate the prospect of a civil war breaking out in me city. It is bad enough that we might have ta fight one war against Bane’s armies. Two wars would break Sylvaris.’
It took Nibbler a couple of seconds of quite strenuous lip-chewing to get that idea through his head. Finally he nodded. ‘OK, I see your point.’
So too did Charlie. ‘But what are we going to do? We can’t just let Narcissa get away with it. We’ve got to do something!’
‘And so we shall, little one, and so we shall,’ said Azariah.
‘Well, what then?’
‘Is that still not obvious? Bane is still the ultimate cause of all our troubles. Simply trimming away the decayed leaves on a rotten branch will not fix the problem. The whole branch must be cut off in order to save the tree.’
‘Huh?’ said Nibbler, with a vacant look in his eyes. ‘What d’you mean by that?’
‘Wot he means,’ explained Dridif, ‘is that although Lady Narcissa is of immediate concern, she is not our real enemy. There is not much point in merely clipping at the rotten leaves of Narcissa and whoever else might have fallen inta the ways of treason. We have ta go straight ta the source. If we remove Narcissa, wot is ta stop another two or three councillors being tempted ta turn ta the Darkness? Ta cure the disease that Bane has inflicted upon Bellania he must be defeated. Only then can we truly begin ta heal our land. It is Bane we must now move ta defeat.’
‘Oh …’ uttered Charlie. ‘So how do you plan to do that?
‘By showing Dridif your pendant,’ said Azariah. ‘That, young Keeper, is the rather obvious way forward.’
‘Um, sure.’ Charlie blushed and took off her necklace. ‘Here you go …’
‘Thank ya, Charlie Keeper.’ Lady Dridif held the pendant up to the light, then carried it over to her desk.
‘The only clue we have,’ said Azariah, ‘other than that it was given to Mya and Elias Keeper by the Winged Ones, is that Charlie was able to use it to communicate with young Nibbler here. Not in any controlled or sophisticated way,’ he admitted. ‘But it picked up on her cry for help and called for a Winged One.’
‘Interesting,’ said Dridif, examining the acorn-shaped necklace. Reaching up to one of her bookshelves, she pulled down a huge slab of a book. Dropping the heavy volume on the table, she leafed through it and then leaned down so that she could squint at the writing. ‘Hhmm … I thought as much, ‘she muttered.
‘What is it? What does it say?’ asked Charlie, curiosity overcoming her good manners.
‘Wot does it say?’ said Dridif. ‘Not a lot, unfortunately. In fact, ta be perfectly honest it tells me almost nothing.’
‘What? But I thought you were an expert with things like this!’ moaned Charlie in dismay.
‘Oh, and who told ya that?’
‘I did,’ chuckled Azariah. ‘And there I was, thinking you were an expert on Winged Ones. I guess even old men can be wrong.’
‘Hhmpf, no one’s an expert on Winged Ones except other Winged Ones. But ya are right, I am the closest thing Sylvaris has ta an expert on such matters.’
‘So how come you can’t decipher its secret, then?’ asked Nibbler.
‘Because I might be an expert on Winged Ones but I’m not an expert on Winged One artefacts!’ snorted Dridif as she returned the necklace to Charlie. ‘But I know someone who is.’
Charlie perked up as she returned the pendant safely to her neck. ‘Who?’
‘His name is Edge. Edge Darkmount. Not a very pleasant person, not by any means. He is a Stoman bishop, one of the old breed. Very religious. And if it wasn’t for a sharp disagreement with Bane and his new religion, Edge would still be a powerful bishop residing back in the Western Mountains.’
‘Well, where is he now?’ asked Charlie.
‘He has taken up residence in the University of Dust.’
Nibbler’s brow creased. ‘The University of Dust?’
‘It’s a university that specializes in myths, history and legends,’ Dridif explained.
‘Fine, so let’s go there and see this Edge guy!’ Charlie grinned enthusiastically.
Dridif threw a meaningful glance at Azariah.
‘We can’t,’ the old Keeper sighed. ‘The University of Dust is in Alavis.’
‘So?’
‘Alavis and Alacorn, the twin Human cities, are currently under siege. Bane’s Second Army started their attack on the cities four days ago. Alavis and Alacorn are completely cut off.’
‘What? But surely there must be some way to see this man.’
‘No, Charlie,’ said Dridif. ‘The city is surrounded. We can’t simply waltz in there, not past all the might of the Second Army. It would be folly ta try.’
‘And neither can we risk opening a Portal,’ added Azariah. ‘The cities and countryside are almost entirely overrun. If we were to open a Portal there is a grave chance that we could open it right on top of a regiment of angry Stoman warriors, which would be a mistake we would never make twice.’
‘Why would it be a mistake we’d never make twice?’ asked Charlie.
‘Because we would be dead. Getting repeatedly stabbed by a horde of bloodthirsty warriors is an experience most people don’t get to enjoy more than once!’
‘Oh,’ said Charlie. She could see his point. ‘Well, is there any way we can get a message to him? I don’t know … maybe smuggle in a note?’
‘Child, I am sorry,’ said Dridif, ‘but when I say the cities are
cut off I really mean it.’
‘I could do it. I could get a message there.’
They all turned to stare at Nibbler, who was looking at the map of Bellania on the study wall.
‘Alavis and Alacorn, right? Looks like it’s only three days there and three days back. So if I leave today I could be back here in six days.’ Nibbler shrugged his shoulders and threw them a fat smile. ‘No biggie.’
Dridif and Azariah eyed one another, an unspoken agreement seeming to pass between them.
‘Six days,’ mused Dridif. ‘He would be back on the day of the Three Winds Festival then, would he not?’
‘Aye, he would at that. But is that enough time?’ mused Azariah. ‘I thought the reports indicated that Alavis and Alacorn wouldn’t hold out much longer than a fortnight.’
‘That is correct. We have ten days at the most and that is only if we’re lucky.’
‘But if it would take Nibbler three days to fly there, surely it would take us a lot longer to get there by foot?’ stated Charlie. ‘Would we make it there in time?’
‘Hhmm,’ murmured Azariah with the distracted expression of someone deep in thought. ‘Oh, not to worry, we would just open a Portal there. We would still get there in time.’
Charlie rolled her eyes in frustration. ‘But you just said it wasn’t safe to use one!’
‘Young Keeper, you must learn to listen carefully. I said it’s not safe to use one blindly while there’s lots of rampaging soldiers wandering about looking for an excuse to stick their swords into something,’ retorted Azariah.
‘So how is opening a Portal when Nibbler gets back going to be any different from opening one now?’
‘Because Nibbler can ask Edge Darkmount for a safe location. An area that hasn’t yet been overrun by Stoman troops. A square, a building, even a room inside the University of Dust. But it has to be somewhere safe. Only someone who is already at the scene will have the appropriate local knowledge.’
‘Oh, OK,’ muttered Charlie.
‘Wot about Charlie’s well-being?’ asked Dridif. ‘Without the Hatchling by her side she will be a lot more vulnerable.’
Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) Page 22