Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6)

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘I know you left Kin Dai a while ago,’ said Belinda. ‘What happened then?’

  ‘I sailed to Capston, and stayed there, but after a few days I could sense the presence of agents – demigods, I think – searching the town, and I was worried I would be discovered, so I got another ship, this time to Alea Tanton, and I hid there instead. I was living in a horrible little place, but I thought I was safe, but then soldiers burst through my door and dragged me here.’

  ‘And the god who visited you? Who was it?’

  ‘She’s called Felice. She came here an hour after I’d arrived. She didn’t ask me any questions, though.’

  ‘She didn’t need to; she has vision powers.’

  ‘Then she must know that I’m innocent.’

  Belinda’s gaze fell. ‘I doubt she’s interested in you, Vana, though your powers are probably the reason you’re still alive.’

  ‘That’s how I knew you were in the passageway outside,’ she said; ‘I could sense you.’

  Belinda said nothing. If Felice had read Vana’s mind, then she would know Corthie was still alive, and she would know that Naxor was with him, and that Naxor knew how to get to the City of Pella. Like Silva, Vana had powers that were unusual, and Felice would have sensed that too.

  ‘Did she say anything to you?’

  ‘She told me that she was the governor of Khatanax, and that I would not be harmed if I cooperated, but then she left.’

  ‘And did you sense her using her powers?’

  Vana hesitated for a second. ‘Yes. Am I in trouble?’

  Belinda ignored the question, her mind racing through the possibilities. If Felice knew about Corthie, then why hadn’t she reported that fact to Arete or Leksandr? Was she playing a game for her own advantage? The Ascendants could read Felice’s thoughts, but perhaps she had buried the information, just as Leksandr had told her they could do. She glanced at Vana. The demigod knew too much, and was a threat to everything Belinda was trying to achieve. If Karalyn had been present, she would have been able to wipe Vana’s memories clean of anything incriminating, but Belinda lacked that power.

  ‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ said Vana, taking a step back.

  ‘I know what I need to do, but…’

  ‘What do you mean? What do you need to do?’

  ‘If the Ascendants discover what’s inside your head, then everything I’ve done will have been for nothing.’

  Vana’s eyes widened. ‘You’re going to kill me? I knew you were ruthless, but I thought we were friends.’

  ‘We’ve never been friends, Vana. You disliked me from the start.’

  Vana fell to her knees, tears springing from her eyes. ‘Please, Belinda, I’m begging you. None of this is my fault; I was brought to this accursed world by Naxor, and then Irno was killed and I had to go along with the others; I had no choice; I’ve never had a choice. And then Corthie was behaving like a pig, and I had to leave; it’s not fair.’ She sobbed. ‘All I want to do is go home.’

  ‘Be quiet.’

  Vana fell into silence and closed her eyes, as if she expected her life to end at any moment.

  Belinda stood. ‘You’re Aila’s sister. I know I should kill you, but I can’t.’

  Vana burst into tears again.

  ‘You must do something for me.’

  ‘Anything,’ said Vana.

  ‘Tell me where Felice is right now. And Leksandr.’

  ‘Alright.’ She wiped her face, and her eyes glazed over. ‘The Sixth Ascendant is in his rooms in the western tower. Felice is… she’s inside a mansion two miles from here, in a large room with a dozen or so mortals; Banner officers I think, though it’s hard to tell; they are armed but have no self-healing powers.’ Her eyes cleared. ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘If I can’t kill you,’ said Belinda; ‘then someone else will have to die.’

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, Belinda stepped down from a carriage, a soldier holding the door open for her. She glanced up at the entrance to Felice’s mansion. The god governed Tordue from within its walls, preferring to live as far from Leksandr and Arete as was possible. Belinda had been inside a few times, always in the company of the other Ascendants, but it was more normal for Felice to be summoned to the Governor’s residence if Arete or Leksandr needed to speak to her.

  A courtier approached.

  ‘Most blessed Third Ascendant,’ he said, bowing. ‘Governor Felice is not expecting you.’

  ‘I know. Take me to her.’

  A frown flickered across his features. ‘Of course, your Majesty.’

  He led her into the high-ceiling entrance hall of the mansion, where a few members of the god’s staff were talking. They silenced at Belinda’s approach, their glances following her. The courtier escorted her up a flight of stairs and along a corridor, then he knocked on a large door.

  ‘One moment, please, your Majesty,’ he said, then stepped inside.

  Belinda waited outside the door. She was unarmed, but would find something to use, once she was face to face with Felice. A worry nagged at the back of her mind, and she released her vision powers, sending them back across the two miles to the Governor’s residence. She checked in on Leksandr’s study. The Ascendant was there, in his usual position, sitting cross-legged in front of the Sextant, meditating.

  The courtier coughed. ‘Governor Felice will see you now, your Majesty.’

  Belinda walked into a large meeting room. Lady Felice was alone, standing by a window. Belinda glanced at the long meeting table. The surface was littered with papers and half-full glasses of water, as if a meeting had been interrupted.

  ‘Third Ascendant,’ said Felice; ‘how may I assist you?’

  Belinda waited until the door was closed behind her, then she strode towards Felice. She scanned the room as she walked, and noticed a long, iron poker by the cold fireplace. She would use that, she thought, but first she needed to know if Felice had told anyone else.

  ‘You haven’t been honest with me,’ said Belinda, coming to a halt a few yards from the god.

  Felice furrowed her brow. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘I think you do. You arrested a demigod and locked her in the eastern tower of the Governor’s residence. Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘Ah. I see. You’re talking about Lady Vana?’

  ‘Yes. Answer my question.’

  ‘Perhaps you should answer some of mine first, Third Ascendant. Why have you kept the fact that Corthie Holdfast is still alive from the Sixth and Seventh Ascendants? You denied having revived him, didn’t you? You were lying. Furthermore, you must have known that Vana’s cousin, a certain Lord Naxor, has used a Quadrant to travel to the salve world many times. Did your relationship with him cloud your judgement, or are you, in fact, a traitor?’

  Belinda strode to the fireplace and picked up the poker. ‘Who else knows?’

  Felice laughed. ‘You’re going to kill me with that? Have you lost your mind, Third Ascendant?’

  ‘Corthie once killed a god by smashing his skull in with an ashtray. I’m sure a poker will be able to do the same job. Who else knows?’

  ‘But if I tell you that, you’ll kill me. Put the poker down and talk.’

  ‘What do you want?’

  ‘Soldiers are waiting outside this room. One shout from me, and they’ll charge in, and fill you full of crossbow bolts. Sit down, and let’s discuss this like civilised people.’

  Belinda walked forwards. ‘It’s too late for that, Felice. Tell me, or I’ll rip it from your mind.’

  Felice laughed again. ‘Try. Go on, Third Ascendant; try to read my thoughts.’

  Belinda pushed her vision out towards Felice, but her eyes were shielded by something – the thin, filmy discs that the gods used to protect their minds from invasion. Belinda blinked. Felice was prepared; she had known Belinda would be coming.

  ‘You see?’ said Felice. ‘You can bash my brains in, but then you’ll
never know who else I told about Corthie and Naxor.’

  ‘Or, I can hold you down and remove those… things from your eyes.’

  Felice’s expression changed a little. ‘Now would be a very good time,’ she muttered, taking a step back.

  Belinda sprang at her, knocking her off her feet. She placed her free hand over the god’s mouth as they fell to the floor, smothering her cry, then she laid the poker down on the ground. With a knee on the god’s chest to pin her down, she reached for Felice’s eyes.

  The air shimmered behind her, and Belinda cried out as pain ripped through her. She glanced down, and saw the tip of a sword thrust through her chest, the blood dripping onto Felice’s face. Something hit her, and she toppled to the side, the sword still lodged in her chest. She reached her hands up to push it out, then a boot kicked her in the face.

  ‘You foolish child,’ said Leksandr, standing over her with a Quadrant in his hand. ‘An Ascendant you may be, Belinda, but you behave like a mortal child. You have betrayed us, and now it is time for you to pay.’

  He pulled a knife from his robes and slammed it down, piercing Belinda’s throat, the end of the blade embedding itself into the floorboards. Belinda squirmed and struggled, but the sword and the knife were draining her self-healing powers. Leksandr placed a boot onto her right hand, crushing it with his weight, then threw something to Felice.

  ‘Help me get this on the Third Ascendant,’ he said.

  ‘Yes, your Grace,’ Felice said. ‘I was starting to get worried; I thought you weren’t coming.’

  ‘I was watching the entire thing from my study,’ he said. ‘I told you my plan would work. All we needed to do was wait for the Third Ascendant to incriminate herself.’

  ‘Yes, your Grace. All the same, she nearly killed me.’

  Leksandr laughed. ‘I couldn’t hear what was being said; I could only watch. As soon as she jumped at you, I activated the Quadrant. Sorry to say it, but you were a little expendable. Come on; don’t look at me like that. This morning, Arete actually suggested that you be executed along with Latude, and I forbade it. I suspected you might prove useful, eventually.’

  ‘Did you tell the Seventh Ascendant about Lady Vana, your Grace?’

  ‘No. You were right to come to me with the information. Arete’s temper would have probably led her to act rashly, but I imagine she will be very pleased with our day’s work when she returns from hunting dragons.’

  Belinda sensed Felice kneel next to her head, but her vision was blurry, and the pain excruciating. Her left hand was scrabbling at the knife lodged in her throat, but she was too weak to pull it out.

  ‘Is it ready?’ said Leksandr.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said Felice. ‘I’ve never attached a god-restrainer mask before.’

  ‘It’s quite simple,’ said Leksandr. ‘The nails go through the victim’s eyes; you may have to push them in hard; give it a thump with your fist, then you do up the strap at the back.’

  Felice swallowed. ‘Are you sure, your Grace? She is the Third Ascendant.’

  ‘She is a traitor and a liar. If it were up to me, I’d remove her head and mount it on the gates of Old Alea, but alas, Lord Bastion might not appreciate that when he returns. This way she lives, but will be utterly under our control. Proceed.’

  A dark object was positioned above Belinda’s face. Felice’s hands were trembling, and she almost glanced away as she lowered the mask. Belinda stared up in panic as the two iron nails got closer to her eyes.

  ‘For goodness’ sake, Felice,’ muttered Leksandr. ‘Don’t be squeamish. Give it a good hard push.’

  Felice gagged, then brought the mask down, the nails ramming through the Third Ascendant’s eyes.

  Belinda screamed.

  Chapter 18

  Gratitude

  N orthern Kinell – 29th Luddinch 5252

  ‘And then I dangled her over a pool of lava,’ said Frostback, her head and forelimbs glistening in the sunlight.

  Kelsey laughed. ‘I wish I’d seen that.’

  Aila frowned. ‘I thought you liked Sable.’

  ‘I do, well, I do sometimes; it depends what mood I’m in. She’s the kind of person who needs to be dangled over lava occasionally. All the same, I’m glad she’s alive. What happened next?’

  Frostback tilted her head. ‘I dropped her.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Kelsey.

  ‘Her idiot protector Sanguino rescued her. Regardless, that’s why I was disowned by my father. He had promised Blackrose that her pet insects would not be harmed, and I dishonoured him by trying to kill Sable.’

  ‘Is that how you see us?’ said Kelsey. ‘As your pet insects?’

  ‘In a way. You are the first humans I’ve really spoken to. Sable, Maddie and Millen all tried, but I didn’t know them for very long, and each of them irritated me in their own way. I wonder if they are dead. Without Blackrose’s protection, I cannot see how they could have survived in the Catacombs for long.’

  ‘I hope that’s not true,’ said Aila. ‘I don’t know this Millen guy, but Maddie is a friend, and Sable? Well, Sable and I… I thought we could be friends. I don’t know.’

  ‘Sable doesn’t have friends,’ said Kelsey. ‘Her past is littered with people she befriended, and then betrayed. I only stick by her because she’s a Holdfast, albeit a reluctant one. But, you know, family’s family.’

  ‘She is a devious witch,’ said Frostback.

  ‘Still,’ said Aila; ‘she seemed lonely to me. As if, underneath that cocky and tough shell of hers, she’s actually quite vulnerable.’

  Kelsey cackled with laughter. ‘You sound like one of her victims.’

  Aila shrugged. ‘That’s what Belinda used to say.’

  ‘And for once,’ Kelsey said, ‘that crazy god is correct.’

  ‘Do you think you’ll ever be able to forgive Belinda?’

  ‘I don’t know. What she did was terrible, but I got to know her a bit in Shawe Myre, and she seemed to have changed, to have grown. When Van rescued me in Yoneath, there was a moment when I was sure Belinda could have stopped him, but she didn’t. One thing I am sure about – she doesn’t care if I forgive her or not. She needs to forgive herself first.’

  Frostback sniffed the air. It was a fine morning, the coolest day of the autumn so far. The forest stretching below them was turning orange and red in patches, next to the dark greens of the pine and spruce trees. A few clouds were drifting in from the east, the first clouds Aila had seen in months. She had almost forgotten what rain felt like, and was looking forward to it.

  ‘I shall hunt,’ said Frostback. ‘The goats are getting harder to find, but I picked up the scent of some wild boars yesterday.’

  ‘That sounds excellent,’ said Kelsey.

  Frostback glanced at Aila. ‘And we must keep our mother-to-be well fed.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Aila, remembering to show the gratitude that the dragon expected of her.

  Frostback pulled her body from the cave and stretched her wings over the broad ledge. She turned her head to face them.

  ‘Be good, my pet insects,’ she said, then soared into the air.

  They lifted their hands to shield their eyes from the swirling dust raised by her wings, then watched as she flew away to the west.

  Kelsey chuckled.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ said Aila.

  ‘You, with your wide-eyed “thank you, Frostback.” She has you wrapped round her little finger, well, she would if she had a little finger. Round her little claw.’

  ‘What about you? You’re happy to be a “pet insect.”’

  ‘How did Maddie become Blackrose’s rider?’

  ‘Is that a serious question? You heard what Frostback said – she swore that she’d never carry a human on her back.’

  ‘That was just dragon hyperbole. I’ll wear her down.’

  ‘Knowing Maddie, that’s probably how she did it.’

  They walked to the entrance of the cave, and sat by the alcove,
where a scorched and blackened circle lay, surrounded by small stones. Kelsey began to clear out the ashes from the previous evening’s fire, while Aila stacked the remaining firewood.

  ‘I wonder what Corthie’s doing,’ said Aila.

  ‘Normally, I’d have a ready reply to such a question, but it seems weird to be discussing him with his girlfriend. The mother-to-be of his child.’

  ‘You’ll tell me if you have a vision about him, won’t you?’

  ‘Aye, but I’ve not had a proper vision in a while. I’ve tried looking into Frostback’s eyes but I don’t know if it works on dragons, and it only encourages the stupid lizard to think that I’m gazing at her in adoration.’

  ‘How come you get to call her that, but you tell me off I say anything bad about her?’

  Kelsey smirked. ‘Because I’m going to be her rider.’

  * * *

  Frostback returned an hour later, carrying the carcass of a wild boar in her long talons. She dropped it onto the ledge, then landed.

  Kelsey clapped her hands in joy. ‘Roast pork tonight! Good job, o high protector of the insects.’

  ‘I sense sarcasm in your tone,’ Frostback said, ‘and I do not like it.’

  ‘That’s tough, because I’m not going to change. And, strictly speaking, it was more a gentle teasing based upon feelings of affection, rather than sarcasm.’

  Frostback stared blankly at her. ‘You are a strange insect. Regardless, I have news, though nothing that should cause you any anxiety. I saw a small group of soldiers not too far from here, moving towards the lair. A mere dozen or so, but they have shiny steel armour that reminds me of the Banner soldiers I saw in Yoneath.’

  Aila narrowed her eyes. ‘Banner soldiers? Were they alone? Was anyone accompanying them?’

  Frostback was silent for a moment, as if pondering. ‘I did not think of that. I noticed the soldiers because their armour was glinting in the sun. There may have others with them who did not stand out. Sound advice, demigod. When I return to kill them, I will make sure that none escape. You can be quite wise at times, Aila; is that due to your extreme old age?’