I felt him mechanically patting my arm. ‘You have a canine now, I see.’
I stepped back and looked down at him. ‘I’m living in our old house.’
He looked startled by this. ‘Our old house?’
I nodded. ‘Loon won’t allow canines. But it was good to go home. Very good. Reminds you of how important family is.’
Morrigone looked out of the window and glared at me.
‘I hope you have been enjoying your time, Vega.’
I did a bit of a double take as I focused on the emphasis she had placed on the word time.
‘I’m not sure what you mean.’
‘You’ll find out,’ she said cryptically.
And for a fleeting moment, I thought I saw great sadness in Morrigone’s features, but it happened so fast that I could not be sure.
She looked past me and said, ‘Come along, John. We have things we must accomplish this night.’
John boarded the carriage.
Morrigone and I stared at each other for a half-sliver longer and then Bogle whipped up the sleps and they were off.
I spun around on my heels and walked off, pushing my way through huddles of Wugs who were lingering to talk about the Duelum. I felt a sharp pain in my side and looked over to see Cletus Loon running away with what looked like a rock in his hand. I called Harry Two back because he had started to tear off after Cletus. I took a deep breath, stopped thinking about the pain and hurried on. Harry Two snorted twice and glanced back at Cletus, obviously miffed about being called away.
I reached my digs, pulled out the Adder Stone, waved it over my hurt and thought good thoughts. The pain instantly vanished, as did the swelling. But it couldn’t take away the pain of losing John.
I placed the Stone, along with the shrunken Elemental, in my cloak pocket and hung it on a wall peg. I even took Destin off and hung it on another peg. It was a bit awkward to sleep in I had found. As I rubbed my side, I truly believed this was to be the last time I would ever be pain free.
32
VALHALL
Late that night, I heard Harry Two bark. That was actually the second noise I heard. The first was my door crashing inwards.
I sprang off my cot, my heart pounding painfully in my chest.
I saw Harry Two fly backwards and strike the wall next to my cot. He lay there stunned even as I looked around and saw what was happening.
Jurik Krone stood before me. Behind him were Non, Ran Digby and Cletus Loon. Their mortas were all pointed at me.
‘What is going on?’ I shouted as I ran over to Harry Two and made sure he was OK. He lay there, his tongue hanging out and his breathing heavy, but nothing seemed to be broken and he did lick my hand.
‘We are here to take you to Valhall, female,’ announced Krone.
‘You are not taking me anywhere. I’ve had quite enough—’
Krone held up Quentin Herms’s book of the Quag.
His smile was as triumphant as it was cruel.
I made the mistake of glancing at the floorboard where I had hidden it.
‘This was taken from your digs earlier this night during the meeting at the square,’ said Krone. I winced at the utter glee in his voice. That explained why he was not at the meeting. He had been here, searching.
Krone continued. ‘It appears to be a book on the Quag. An illegal thing if ever there was one. Was it the Outliers that gave it to you, Vega? Does it show the routes they will use to attack us? How much are they paying you for your treachery? Or have they simply taken over your puny mind?’
I looked at each of them, my heart pumping so fast I had to steady myself by holding on to the wall. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not a traitor. And I’m not working with any Outliers.’
Krone drew nearer and held the book close to my face. ‘Then explain how you came by this.’
‘I found it.’
‘You found it!’ exclaimed Krone. ‘Then why did you not report it to Council?’
‘I . . . I was going to,’ I said lamely.
‘You lie,’ he snapped, his features twisted into an ugly ball of fury.
He looked at Digby and Non. ‘Take her.’
They came forward and seized me by the arms. Harry Two started to attack them, but I ordered him back. Cletus had taken aim at my canine’s chest and I was terrified he would shoot him.
‘Don’t!’ I screamed. ‘I’ll come with you. I won’t fight. Harry Two, you stay here. You stay!’
I was hustled out of my home and down the Low Road. All the noise must have woken everyone up, because many Wugs in their nightclothes were out on the cobblestones as we reached the high street and witnessed what was happening.
A sliver later, we were outside Valhall. Nida had evidently been forewarned and placed back on duty, because he had the cage door open. The shuck stood next to him, its ferocious eyes on me, its nostrils quivering as though it were taking in my scent in case it had to run me down later.
I was thrown inside the cage, and the huge door slammed shut behind me. Nida securely locked it.
Krone stared at me through the bars. ‘Formal charges will be brought against you this light. And those charges will be proved. And the penalty for treason of course is beheading.’
I looked at him in disbelief. Beheading?
As he turned away to speak to Nida, my mind raced. It was stupid for me to have kept the book, but there was nothing in it to suggest attack plans against Wormwood. It was information about creatures that existed in the Quag. My spirits sank as I thought about this. How could I explain having such a book without revealing that I had taken it from Quentin’s cottage? And how could I explain him even having such a book? I glanced down at my arm. I thanked Steeples that I had fallen into an exhausted sleep this night and not bothered to take off my clothes. If they had seen the marks of the Quag map on my body, they would probably tear me limb from limb here and now. I pulled my sleeve down further and made sure my trousers were securely fastened and my shirt tucked in them.
Krone drew closer so that his mouth nearly touched the bars. ‘And not even Madame Morrigone can get you out of this, Vega.’
I reached through the bars in a futile attempt to hit him. Then I jerked my hand back as the shuck snapped at me with his teeth. I came within an inch of losing my fingers.
Nida’s club hit the bars with a powerful whack. He roared, ‘Never reach through the bars, female. I will not tell you this again.’
I crawled to the centre of the cage and sat there, dazed by what had happened. I was hoping this was simply a nightmare from which I would soon wake. But as the darkness deepened and I lay there shivering in the chill, I had to accept that this was real.
For a time, I watched Nida and the shuck patrol up and down the cobblestones. Then Nida went into his little shack, and the shuck became the sole sentry. If I moved even a muscle, it would stop its pacing, turn and make such a menacing growl that my arm and neck hairs would rise heavenward.
I watched the black of night turn to grey and then deepening red and then brilliant gold as the sun began its climb into the sky. Finally, I fell into an exhausted sleep, which allowed my mind and body a bit of a reprieve.
When I awoke, the sun had brightened Wormwood. I blinked heavily as I saw Delph near the cage.
He had Harry Two with him. The shuck instantly started to growl. Nida came forward and stared up at Delph.
‘You will move along, male,’ said Nida. ‘And the canine too.’
‘I want to talk to Vega Jane,’ said Delph forcefully.
‘You cannae talk to a prisoner. Now move along.’ Nida slapped the club against the palm of his hand.
‘I saved your life once, Nida. And you will not grant me this?’ said Delph sternly.
Nida stared up at Delph. I could see the conflicting thoughts racing across his small, brutish features.
‘You have five slivers, no more. And our debt will be settled.’
Nida stepped aside and whistled at the
shuck, which stopped growling and drew next to his master as Delph and Harry Two passed by to the cage door.
I flung myself against the bars. ‘Delph, you have to help me.’
‘What be the charges against you, Vega Jane?’
I couldn’t look at him as I said in a low voice, ‘They found the book about the Quag.’
He sucked in a breath and looked nervously over at Nida.
I said, ‘Krone is saying I’m a traitor. That the book is a way to help the Outliers attack us.’
‘Rubbish.’
‘I know, Delph. But Krone said I could be put to death for this. I’m really scared.’
He reached out a finger and touched my hand.
An instant later, we had leaped back because Nida’s club had come down on the bars, nearly crushing our fingers.
Nida barked, ‘Talk, not touch. And your slivers are almost up, Delphia.’
I looked down at Harry Two. ‘Delph, can you look after Harry Two?’ I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. ‘Just while I’m in here.’
He nodded. ‘O’course. What’s one more beast to the Delphias?’ He tried to smile at his little quip but couldn’t quite manage it.
I looked at Harry Two. ‘You’re going to go with Delph, OK?’
Harry Two, I thought, shook his head, but I pointed my finger at him and told him again. He finally lowered his head, and his tail tucked between his hind legs.
‘I have to get on to Wall building,’ Delph said. ‘I’m already late.’
I nodded.
He glanced over at Nida, who was busy adjusting the shuck’s spiked collar.
Delph reached in his pocket and handed me a hard roll, a bit of meat and an apple.
‘I’ll be back soon as I can.’
I nodded again. With one more look back at me, Delph and Harry Two disappeared down the cobblestones.
I retreated to the far corner of the cage, squatted down with my back to Nida and had my meal. My belly was hungry, but my mind refused to focus on the food in front of me.
I couldn’t believe they would kill me for merely possessing a book. But the more I thought about it, the worse my thoughts became. Would they accuse me of actually going into the Quag to learn this? Should I tell them I had nicked it from Quentin Herms’s cottage? Then they would want to know why I was there. No answer I could give would help me.
As the light wore on, eventually I heard wheels rumbling over the cobbles. What turned the corner and headed to Valhall was a wagon with a cage set in the back. Two Wugs who I knew worked for Council were in the driver’s box. A single old slep was pulling it.
They stopped in front of the cage door and one of them jumped down. He handed Nida a parchment. ‘The prisoner is wanted at Council.’
Nida nodded, glanced at the parchment and then unhooked the large key from his wide belt. He unlocked the cage door and said, ‘Come, now!’
I stumbled forward and the Wug shackled my legs and hands. He lifted me into the back of the wagon and I was forced into the cage, which was bolted after me.
The Wug got back in the wagon, and the other Wug whipped up the slep.
And off I went to Council.
Off I went, perhaps forever.
33
COUNCIL
The Council building was constructed of stone and marble with soaring columns out front and grand steps leading up to it. The doors were made of iron with intricate scrollwork that, as a Finisher, I had long loved to gaze at. As the Chief of Council, Thansius maintained his living quarters on the first floor. I had never been inside the building. I had had no reason to – until now.
They did not take me in via the front entrance – I supposed prisoners were not given that privilege – but instead through a rear door. After my shackles were removed, I was led into a chamber that was nearly as large as the main room at Stacks, but far nicer. The floors were marble, the walls of stone, the ceiling a combination of the two, with enormous, old worm-pitted beams criss-crossing the high space.
On a raised dais behind an intricately carved wooden waist-high wall sat the full Council. Thansius was seated in the centre. He wore his blood-red robes, which I did not take as a good sign. To his left was Krone, dressed in his usual black. Next to him was a Wug named Duk Dodgson, who was simply a younger version of Krone. Seated next to Thansius was Morrigone. She too was dressed in red.
I was led to a small table with one chair. Next to it was a lectern, like the one the Preceptors at Learning used when teaching.
I looked up at Council. And they looked down at me. I felt like a mouse quivering before a garm.
‘Sit down, prisoner,’ ordered Krone, ‘while charges against you are made.’
I sat, surreptitiously tugged down my shirtsleeves and tried to stop my heart from bursting out of my throat. From the corner of my eye I saw Ladon-Tosh seated to one side of the chamber. He was not looking at anyone or anything. I couldn’t understand why he was present, but then my gaze drifted down to his waist.
There was an axe held there in a special sheath fitted to his belt.
Punishment for treason is beheading.
I turned back to look at Council while tendrils of cold dread formed around me.
Krone looked triumphantly at his fellow Council members. His victorious gaze, at least it seemed to me, lingered longest on Morrigone.
‘We found this book in the possession of Vega Jane.’ He reached in front of him and lifted it up for all to see. ‘It gives a detailed description of the creatures living in the Quag with, in certain circumstances, ways around said creatures. It also identifies species in the Quag that may be of help to those seeking to traverse the Quag. Like the . . .’ He paused, and I knew exactly what he was going to say next. I mouthed the word before he spoke it.
‘Outliers,’ finished Krone.
On this, Council started murmuring among themselves. I noted that only Thansius and Morrigone did not look at the others.
Thansius’s gaze occasionally flicked to me. Morrigone never once looked at me. I did not take that as a good sign.
Krone continued. ‘The only possible reason for Vega Jane to harbour a book like this is to aid the enemies of Wormwood. For such treasonous acts –’ on this he gave a significant glance in the direction of Ladon-Tosh – ‘execution is the only appropriate punishment.’
Krone looked at each of the Council members in turn and then saved his most scathing look for me.
Thansius rose and said, ‘Thank you, Jurik, for your, uh, typically energetic parsing of the facts.’ He then picked up the book and turned to me.
‘How came you by this book, Vega?’
I looked around, unsure of what to do. Finally, I stood.
‘I found it at Quentin Herms’s cottage.’
‘You were never inside his cottage,’ protested Krone.
‘I was,’ I said. ‘And I saw you there.’
‘Rubbish. Lies and more lies.’
‘“The ring is the puzzlement for me. Why would the accursed Virgil not leave it to his son?” That’s what you said in the cottage, Krone. I was hiding behind the cabinet in the front room. You weren’t there alone.’ I hesitated, and then my instinct told me to go for it. ‘Would you like me to say who you were there with?’ I didn’t know who that was, at least not for certain, but Krone couldn’t know that.
‘Enough!’ shouted Krone. ‘So, you were at the cottage? That merely proves you knew of the book and took it.’
‘I did—’
‘Did you help the traitor Herms create it?’
‘I am trying to—’
‘Do you expect us to believe your pathetic lies?’
‘Jurik,’ Thansius’s voice boomed.
The entire Council seemed to shudder collectively.
Thansius said, ‘She is trying to tell us her side of things. Your interrupting before she does so is not especially productive or a good use of Council’s time.’
There were murmurs of agreement on this point and Krone sat
down and looked off as though he would not bother to even listen to what I had to say.
Thansius looked at me and said, ‘Go on, Vega.’
‘I didn’t know about the book. I went to the cottage because of the reward.’ A lie plus a truth was far better than two lies, at least in my estimation. ‘I went to the cottage to see if I could find any clues to where Herms had gone.’
‘He had not gone anywhere,’ countered Krone, who was once more staring at me. ‘Outliers took him.’
‘But I didn’t know that at the time, did I? It was only announced later and then explained at Steeples to all Wugs.’
‘Then why did you keep the book?’ asked Krone, a tone of triumph in his voice. ‘Why did you not turn it in to Council?’
‘I was scared,’ I replied.
‘Of what?’ snarled Krone.
‘Of Wugs reacting just like you’re reacting now!’ I shot back. ‘Even if I turned it in, I knew you, Krone, would find some way to twist it into a verdict of guilt. When you came for me last night, you said I would be executed. You’d obviously already made up your mind before the Council hearing. Where is the justice in that?’
My statement had the desired effect. Instantly, there were mutterings among the Council members. I saw two of the members give Krone pointedly harsh looks.
Morrigone stared at the wall across the room. Thansius kept his gaze on me.
Krone sputtered, ‘I did no such thing.’
‘Then why did you take me from my digs in shackles?’
‘He did that?’
We all turned to look at Morrigone, who was now staring at Krone.
‘He did,’ I answered.
‘You said you were taken last night, Vega,’ said Thansius. ‘To where were you taken?’
I stared at Krone when I said, ‘Valhall. I was there until I was brought here. And no food or water has passed my lips.’ Well, I had eaten some of what Delph brought me, but I was still starving.
‘Then you must be very hungry and thirsty,’ said Morrigone. She clapped her hands and an assistant instantly left the chamber. He came back a sliver later carrying a platter with bread and cheeses and a carafe of water and a glass. He set it down in front of me.
Vega Jane and the Secrets of Sorcery Page 16