‘What is it?’
He glanced at her, his lust battling with fear.
‘Stay back,’ he said. ‘Just in case.’
‘In case what?’
He pushed open the door. It was dark inside, and he crept into the hallway. He halted, listening, but heard nothing. Kerri walked in behind him and lit a wall-lamp.
‘Oh,’ she said, staring.
The apartment had been turned upside down. The doors leading from the hallway were all open, and Ravi could see his bedroom, living-room and kitchen from where they stood. All had been ransacked. His things were lying scattered over the wooden floors – clothes, books, shoes. Feathers lay in heaps by the slashed settee, while every kitchen cupboard had been emptied, their contents strewn everywhere.
Ravi walked into the living-room, his mouth hanging open. The box where he kept his savings was missing, along with anything else of value. He pulled open a drawer by the wall.
‘Bastards even took my weed,’ he said, tears beginning to well in his eyes. He felt sick.
Kerri opened her bag. ‘Here,’ she said, handing him a stick of dreamweed.
‘You?’ he said, sitting on the arm of the ruined settee. ‘I didn’t think you smoked that stuff.’
‘Living with my mother’s not been the easiest,’ she said, sitting next to him and lighting the weedstick with a match.
‘Thanks,’ he said, taking a puff.
They gazed around at the devastation.
‘So maybe they weren’t bluffing, then,’ she said.
‘At least you weren’t here when they came round,’ he said. ‘That’s it, you’ll definitely have to stay at your mum’s now.’
‘You’ll have to report it to the wardens,’ she said. ‘Let them deal with it.’
He said nothing.
‘What are you not telling me?’ she said. ‘I know when you’re hiding something.’
‘I can’t tell the wardens,’ he said.
‘Why not, Ravi?’
‘The money,’ he said, ‘What I was doing was totally illegal. I was basically funding a bunch of lying criminals; the people-smugglers. The standard sentence for what I was doing is five years. I looked it up.’
Kerri’s face paled. ‘What?’
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I should have told you. I tried all the legal ways to get my family out of Arakhanah, but every one of them hit a dead end. So I borrowed money to pay off this gang, who promised me it would be simple. But there were always delays, and they needed more and more money, which I gave them, then they fucking disappeared on me. It’s obvious in hindsight. They played me from beginning to end. What’s worse is that the money-lenders know all this, in fact sometimes I think they’re part of the same gang that fleeced me in the first place.’
She took his hand. ‘You have to go to the wardens. Tell them everything. They’ll understand that you were just trying to help your family.’
‘Would you wait for me,’ he said. ‘if I went to prison?’
‘If it came to it, yes.’
‘I don’t deserve you, Kerri.’
They kissed, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
‘You’ll have to go back to your mum’s tonight,’ he said.
‘What about you?’
‘I’ll stay here, and bar the door after you leave. I doubt they’ll be back tonight though.’
‘Okay, if you’re sure you’ll be alright.’
He gazed at her as she stood.
‘Do you fancy a quickie before you go?’ he said, trying to smile.
She frowned at him. ‘I’ll meet you tomorrow morning,’ she said, ‘before work, and we’ll go to the wardens together.’
‘Fine.’
She leant over and kissed him again, then walked to the front door.
‘See you tomorrow, Ravi,’ she said, then left the apartment.
He was on his feet the moment the front door closed. He walked across the sitting-room to his study, lighting a lamp on the way, and pushed the door open.
He felt like weeping.
The study had been ransacked like the other rooms; the bookcases upended, and the desk drawers lying open. He put the lamp down and knelt by the desk, feeling for the box where he kept the eight stones he was turning into diamonds.
It was there, right where he had left it.
He sunk down, his back to the wall, and the tears came. They hadn’t found it. It wasn’t the stones themselves he was relieved about, although he had put hundreds of hours’ work into them, it was the fact that his secret was still safe.
He put the box back in its place, got up and walked to the front door. He examined the locks, and saw that one had been forced. He would need to get that repaired. He fastened the door-chains and slid home a security bolt, the first time he had ever done so. He had never worried about his safety before, not since leaving Arakhanah City. An old feeling of dread crept up his body as remembered what it had been like. Amatskouri felt safe and free, and he hated having to bar his door like he was living in fear.
Kerri was right. He would need to see the wardens. He sighed and went to bed.
Kerri was waiting outside the entrance to his apartment block when he emerged into the dawn sunshine. They kissed.
‘You look rough,’ she said.
‘Bastards took a shit in my shower,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t face cleaning it when I got up. And the coffee jar was smashed on the kitchen floor. It’s got all these tiny pieces of glass mixed it, no way was I drinking that.’
‘Poor baby,’ she said. ‘We’ll stop for a coffee on the way.’
‘And some breakfast,’ he said. ‘I’m starving.’
There were a dozen hot-food stalls between his apartment and the closest wardens’ office, and they went to the one with the shortest queue. Ravi let Kerri order and pay, while he stood staring at the sea. His life was about to change. Would they arrest him? A weight of anxiety surged over him and he felt the urge to flee. Simply run and run, anywhere.
‘Here you go,’ Kerri said, handing him a filled cornbread wrap and a cup of coffee.
‘Thanks, babe.’
They wandered to the edge of the seawall and sat on a wooden bench.
‘You’re very brave for doing this, Ravi,’ she said as he ate.
He said nothing, barely tasting the food as he swallowed it down. The coffee was rank, and they had forgotten to put any sugar in but he drank it anyway, not wanting to complain in front of Kerri. Would she really wait for him?
A gull landed by his feet, attracted by the food in his hand.
‘Piss off,’ he said to the bird as it stared at him. He heard a muffled sound from Kerri and felt something sharp dig into the side of his ribs.
‘Stay completely still,’ said a voice.
He froze as a man sat next to him, a dagger in his hand. Another sat by Kerri, and from the look of terror on her face Ravi guessed that she had a blade jabbing into her as well.
‘Where are you off to so early this morning, then?’ asked the man next to him.
‘Nowhere.’
The man laughed. ‘Well, wherever it was, your plans have changed. There’s a wagon on the street behind us. We’re all going to stand up and climb aboard. Relaxed and calm, no fuss. If you try to cry out or run, we’ll cut you both. Understand?’
The tip of the blade pressed in harder against Ravi’s side and he gasped in pain. ‘Yes.’
‘And you, little lady,’ the man said to Kerri. ‘do we have your agreement?’
Kerri stared at Ravi, her eyes wide. ‘Yes.’
‘Right then,’ the man said. ‘Stand up.’
The four got to their feet, and Ravi turned to see the wagon ahead of them, a pair of horses harnessed to the front. The knife jabbed, and they began walking. Ravi’s eyes scanned the faces of the people bustling past on their way to work but no one was looking in their direction. The man took a firm hold of his arm, and led the way across the pavement.
‘Up you go,’ he sai
d as they reached the steps leading to the rear of the covered wagon, and Ravi climbed up, followed by Kerri and the two men. One man leaned forward and rapped the drivers’ bench, and the wagon took off. Ravi and Kerri were sat down on one side, while the two men took the other, their knives held out.
‘See?’ the first man said. ‘That wasn’t too difficult.’
Ravi took Kerri’s hand. ‘Where are you taking us?’
The man smiled, revealing a row of golden teeth. From his accent, Ravi guessed he was from Arakhanah.
‘I hate to ruin surprises,’ he said. ‘Let’s just say that it’s time to settle your debts.’
‘This has got nothing to do with her,’ Ravi said, nodding at Kerri. ‘Let her go.’
‘What?’ laughed the man. ‘So she can run straight to the wardens? Do you take me for a fool?’
Ravi bowed his head, his guts churning. If only he were a flow mage, instead of a stupid clay mage, then he could kill the men with a wave of his hand. He closed his eyes. No, he thought. Even if he were a flow mage, he doubted he would be able to kill anyone, even the two assholes sitting opposite them. He wasn’t built for killing. He opened his eyes and gazed out from the back of the wagon, watching the streets as they rolled past.
The wagon stopped by a canal, and they were transferred at knifepoint onto a long, low barge. They were led down into the hold in the rear of the vessel, where others were awaiting them.
‘Ah,’ said the woman who had visited his apartment. ‘How good of you to drop by, Ravi. And I see you’ve brought your girlfriend, how charming.’
Ravi and Kerri were taken through the room, and pushed down onto chairs. Their arms were pulled behind their backs and their wrists tied. Kerri cried out in pain.
‘Don’t damage them,’ the woman said. ‘Yet.’
‘Don’t hurt her,’ Ravi said. ‘She’s done nothing wrong.’
‘To be perfectly truthful,’ the woman said, ‘neither of you will be hurt in the slightest if you do as I say. And that goes for your sister too.’
Ravi’s head jerked up as he saw a door open. Yanin was hauled out by two burly men. She looked terrified, but continued to struggle as they placed her into a third chair and bound her wrists.
‘Sorry, sis,’ said Ravi. ‘This is all my fault.’
She noticed him, and her expression changed from fear to anger. ‘What the fuck have you done now, Ravi?’
‘He’s been a naughty boy,’ the woman said, ‘but we’re prepared to forgive all that, and allow him to work off his debts to us.’
‘That’s what I’ve been trying to do,’ cried Ravi. ‘I’m supposed to be at work right now. How can I pay you back if you won’t let me do my job?’
‘Making bricks?’ the woman said. ‘Come now, Ravi. Can’t you think of a better way to make money? A young man of your skills?’
Ravi’s mouth opened. Shit. They knew.
The woman laughed. ‘When we were turning over your apartment last night, can you imagine our surprise at what we found?’
‘But,’ Ravi said, ‘but…’
‘We left it where we found it?’ she said. ‘Of course. We didn’t want to panic you.’
Yanin glanced from Ravi to the woman. ‘What the fuck are you two talking about? Found what?’
The woman turned to one of her stooges. ‘Bring in the box.’
The man disappeared out of the room, then returned a few moments later carrying Ravi’s box of half-formed diamonds.
‘What’s going on?’ whispered Kerri.
‘He’s been keeping a secret,’ the woman said. ‘For Ravibattanara is no simple clay mage. Isn’t that right, little Ravi? I can see you squirm in the chair, but there’s no escaping the truth any longer.’
She took the box from the man and opened it, showing them the contents.
‘What are they?’ Yanin asked.
‘Some of my men asked much the same question when we found them,’ the woman said. ‘Go on, Ravi. Why don’t you explain?’
Yanin and Kerri turned their heads to face him.
‘Well?’ his sister said.
‘I’m a diamond mage,’ he muttered.
They stared at him in silence.
‘Is that what you were doing every night in your study?’ Kerri said. ‘I thought you were just smoking weed.’
The woman laughed. ‘So here’s the deal. You finish off these here rocks, we take them, and then you can go. Simple as that.’
Ravi gasped. ‘But that’ll take, I don’t know… thirds, maybe.’
‘Then that’s when we’ll let you go,’ the woman said. ‘The sooner you finish them, the sooner you’ll be free of your debts.’
‘You can’t keep us here,’ he cried. ‘I’ll be missed. You can’t just kidnap a fucking mage.’
‘How naïve. No one’s indispensable, not even a clay mage; not when the city has another seven working for it. True, the bribe we had to pay the appropriate government officials this morning was a steep one, but it’ll be worth it, once you start to deliver. Until then, we’ll keep a hold of you, and the two young women. They can help encourage you along. Of course, if you refuse to co-operate, then we’ll be forced to hurt them, slowly, in front of you. Picture that in your mind for a moment, do you want to witness your sister or your girlfriend degraded and humiliated before your eyes? My lads here can be right nasty bastards if called upon. Imagine what they… ’
‘Stop,’ Ravi cried. ‘I’ll do it. Just don’t hurt them, or me.’
‘I knew you’d see sense,’ the woman said, smiling widely. She nodded to her gold-toothed henchman. ‘Take them below.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ the man said. Ravi, Kerri and Yanin were surrounded, and hauled off the chairs. Strong arms gripped them, and they were led from the room, and down a narrow and steep flight of stairs into the bottom of the barge. A lamp was lit, revealing a cramped room, with a barred gate. It was unlocked, and the three captives were pushed inside.
The gold-toothed man locked the gate, and they went back up the stairs, leaving the lamp burning from a wall-hook.
Ravi sighed.
Yanin slapped him. ‘A diamond mage? When were you going to tell me? My own fucking brother.’
Kerri sat down on a stool. Aside from that, there were a couple of low, wooden pallets and a pile of moth-eaten blankets. A stained chamber pot was sitting by the gate. She began to cry. Ravi put his hand on her shoulder.
‘It’ll be alright,’ he said.
‘How?’ she said, tears falling down her cheeks. ‘How will it be alright? We’re going to be stuck here until you turn those black lumps into diamonds, here, in this stinking hole. Dammit, Ravi, a diamond mage? Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Yeah,’ said Yanin. ‘I want to hear this.’
He took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one. He only had another seven left in the pack. He would have to make that one of his conditions for working; there was no way he could keep going if he had to give up smoking at the same time. He glanced over at the chamber pot and grimaced.
‘I should have told you both,’ he said.
‘How long have you known?’ asked Kerri.
‘Since last autumn,’ he said. ‘About half a year. Like all clay mages, I guess, I tried seeing if I could make diamonds when I was a teenager, but nothing ever happened. Then one day, almost for a laugh, I picked up a piece of coal and, and… I felt it. I mean, almost nothing happened, but that “almost” meant that something was happening. I read up on it. Apparently there’s no easy way for a diamond mage to get better, except through sheer time and practice. So that’s what I started doing. There was nothing really I could show either of you at the time, it’s not like I could snap my fingers and a diamond would appear. Those eight rocks she showed us before, that’s it. That represents everything I’ve done with my powers. Six thirds, and not a single fucking diamond yet.’
‘Shit,’ Kerri said. ‘We’re going to be down here for ages, aren’t we? My mother will think
I’ve run off with you.’
‘Is she not expecting you home tonight?’ said Yanin.
‘She knew that I might move back in with Ravi any day,’ she said. ‘If I don’t turn up, that’s probably what she’ll assume.’
‘Then the wardens might not even be looking for us,’ Yanin said.
‘You heard that woman upstairs,’ Ravi said. ‘They paid off someone in the government, so that they’ll do nothing about me going missing.’
His sister stared at him. ‘I don’t think they’re going to let us go. Ever. Not if you start producing diamonds for them.’
‘Are you saying I shouldn’t?’
‘No,’ Yanin said. ‘Then they’ll probably just torture us. And by “us” I mean me and Kerri. They won’t want to harm their money-maker.’
‘Then I’ll help them,’ he said. ‘I’ll do anything to stop them hurting you.’
‘This is a nightmare,’ sobbed Kerri.
The barge juddered, and Ravi felt motion. ‘We’re on the move,’ he said.
‘Yeah,’ said Yanin, ‘but where?’ She began pacing up and down the small cell, examining every inch of it. ‘There’s got to be something we can do.’
Ravi stubbed out his cigarette and lit another one, blowing the smoke out through the bars of the locked gate. Guilt lay heavily upon him. He had brought the two women that he loved into grave danger. He snorted, almost choking on the smoke as he realised he had admitted to himself that he loved Kerri.
‘Bollocks,’ he muttered. ‘That’s just what I need.’
Hours passed, and Ravi needed to pee. He eyed the chamber pot. Fuck it, he thought, it was his girlfriend and his sister, surely he could pee in front of them. They would, at some point, have to do the same, and worse. He gagged, and tried to think of something else.
His sister jabbed him with an elbow.
‘What?’ he said.
‘If you need to go, go,’ she said. ‘We’ll look the other way.’
‘Eh?’ he said. ‘How did you know?’
‘You’re doing that weird fidgeting thing you do. I can tell.’
‘She’s right,’ Kerri said. ‘I need too. We should all go, one after the other, that way no one will care.’
Fragile Empire Page 10