by P M Cole
He waved his glass at a nearby row of servants. “You’re no better than them. You might have been lucky to have been born as you are, but unfortunately that was all ruined by your lack of upbringing. No wonder you fell in with a street gang. What were they called the Slitters?”
“Ratters.”
“Ha, that was it. I think you and they were well suited together. Living with the filth in the sewers. Shame they are all dead now.”
I took a slow deep intake of breath and steadied my increasing heart rate. “Do you not believe someone can change? You left Grayton manor, because you wanted to get away from your childhood did you not?”
He looked away, blinking. “I had my reasons for leaving. He… would never listen to me. My plans.”
“He is a god.”
“And so are we.”
“We were born with godly powers. It’s not the same.”
“We can be whatever we wish to be.”
In that I agreed.
One of the doormen shouted something loud, to which the crowd first grew excited then quietened. Eyes fell upon the main entrance.
Byron sighed. “Anyway. Just so you know. We are watching you. We won’t let you destroy our destinies.”
I turned to reply, but instead looked upon an empty space. I then heard his voice across the room, standing next to Grace, who was dressed in a flowing silver dress.
An older man of obvious means, walked through the main entrance, accompanied by a woman of similar age on his arm. The din increased as if in disappointment. It was now impossible to hear the quartet.
There was still no sign of Hades. I looked at my pocket watch. 7:30 p.m.
The main room was now a sea of people. Someone nudged my hand, placing something within it. I tried to see who it was, but they were already lost to me in the crowd. I looked down at a small piece of paper. I turned towards the wall and opened it.
‘We are here. We will cause a distraction at the dinner bell. Be ready.’
No, no.
I desperately looked from face to face, trying to see who delivered the note, to tell them to wait until later, but I recognised no one.
I scrunched the piece of paper up and hid it within the top of my dress. Then I walked quickly through the mass of bodies to the nearby servant. “Where is the ladies’ room?”
“The ladies' and gentlemen’s rooms are on the ground floor, at—”
“Up the stairs? First floor? Thank you.” I turned and swiftly moved away before he could correct me. And ascended the left of the two grand staircases. The first-floor landing was wide, with a series of small paintings on the wall panels. A number of doors were on both sides and a junction about twenty yards further on. I turned and looked over the balcony to get a better look at everyone below. I scanned each face, young and old, guest or hired help, until I found one I recognised.
It can’t be…
I almost spoke the words aloud in excitement, for I couldn’t believe who I was seeing.
Olivia was standing against the left wall, dressed in a maid’s outfit. My heart beat as I strained to see if it was really her, and I resisted jumping for joy. She must have been the one that gave me the note.
I then noticed Byron and the others looking up at me. I couldn’t go to her directly, they would know. Perhaps I could relay a message through another member of staff. I went to move back down stairs, when I felt a slight draught, and I stopped, knowing what it meant.
I turned around. “Are you going to follow me all night?” I said to Byron.
“If that’s what it takes.”
“Then perhaps you would like to accompany me to the ladies’ room? Because I’m looking for it.”
He frowned. “It’s on the ground floor. Take the door left of the main entrance, I’m sure it will be easy to spot.”
“Thank you.”
He was going to be a problem.
I arrived at the bottom of the staircase, smiling, and carefully making my way through the crowd, keeping to the left side, then brushed up against the maid there, and kept on walking to the leftmost exit. The room next door had a small queue of women waiting. That was good. I looked at my watch. 7:40 p.m. I hoped I had given my altered note back to her in time to put a halt to their 8 p.m. plan, and for them to act on mine.
Twenty minutes for the dinner bell. I was running out of time. The children would be waiting, expecting their freedom would come at any moment. I had to get out of the manor. I looked back at the door to the main hall. There was no sign of Byron. Just to be sure I used my innate sense of the other six and couldn’t feel any of them close, although I’m sure one of them was watching the door nearby for when I returned. I didn’t have long. I looked at my watch. 7:43 p.m.
I walked quickly through the second door, and then through the next room and another, until I could no longer hear the crowd and I was in a room with a window. I pulled the latch to one side and pulled the window upwards. A rush of cold air took me aback slightly, but I ducked underneath, and dropped my shoes down to the snow outside. I then took off, as fast as my dress would allow. I started at the side of the house, but soon was in the grounds to the rear. I tried my best to keep to the cleared paths and was soon back at the Greek columns. I slid my hands over where I thought the button was but couldn’t locate it.
“Come on…” I looked back at the house, full of light and sound.
A click came from the masonry and the elevator started to descend. I looked at my watch. 7:51 p.m.
The descent into the earth felt as if it was taking twice as long, but soon the grand hall came into view, and with it seventeen elderly people, huddled together and dressed in winter clothing.
The elevator juddered to a stop and I smiled at those waiting just yards away, but instead of greeting me with the same expression of hope, they instead started to back away.
“What…”
“This was your plan?”
My heart almost stopped. I slowly turned to see Byron step out from one of the pillars.
“You wanted to rescue these pathetic souls?”
I moved to the side, stepping off the circular area, and onto the rock floor. “You… said yourself Heather is insane. They don’t deserve this fate!”
He stepped towards me, also leaving the lift. “Yes, but again, you are going behind everyone's back. You cannot be trusted!” He looked at the group behind me, and a few of them let out gasps. “And you think your mother cares for these wretches?”
There was a scream. I realised he wasn’t where he just was. I spun around to where the anguished sound came from. Daphne lay on the floor. Her head facing the wrong way. Before my anger could become rage, I noticed him lean forward. It was the slightest of movements, but it was enough for me to realise he was about to move again. Instinctively I threw my hand out in front of me, the metal twine in my dress unravelling in the same direction. It spiralled around his ankles and he fell forward, only stopping his face from hitting the solid surface by throwing his hands out in front of me.
He immediately became a blur of movement. His arms and hands working furiously to set himself free. I knew I didn’t have long.
I pulled the metal beams from the scaffolding nearby and sent them down upon him. An almighty clash of metal echoed off the walls, as the heap of iron beams came to a rest.
I wanted to believe he was dead, but out of the corner of my eye there was a blur and then pain. I flew through the air, landing awkwardly on a nearby rock face. My hair fell from its carefully set positions, falling across my face and a stabbing feeling came from my lower back. Another of the elderly lay unmoving next to the first.
“I will kill you for this!” I shouted.
Laughter came from somewhere in the hall, but because of the acoustics I couldn’t tell exactly where.
The remaining people needed to be protected. I pulled the clump of metal girders from the floor, raised them into the air, then as the elderly screamed, drove them down into the ground forming a rudime
ntary cage around them.
“Clever girl. But they will still die once the others find out what you were trying to do.” This time I could tell where his voice was coming from, because it was almost drowned out by the elevator mechanism kicking into gear.
I ran forward, feeling with my mind the yard-wide cogs and levers that were operating below, and in one swift thought, caused them to stop. Byron looked up at the night sky above him, then back down to me.
“Guess I will just have to take care of you myself,” he said.
He leaned forward again but this time I was ready. A spray of gold and silver streamed from the chute to the underground vault, instantly forming a metal wall in front of me. There was a loud thud, and then a scuffle. Without a second thought I wrapped the wall around him and enclosed the top. He was imprisoned.
Thumps came from inside the metal barrier. With my thoughts I produced a small hole to allow him to breath. Not that he deserved it.
“You think you’re going to escape, with your paupers?”
“I’m doing nothing of the kind. They will escape. I’m going back to the banquet.”
There was silence. He then went to speak, but instead I sealed the hole closed. “I hope for your sake they find you before your air runs out.”
I then looked at the frightened individuals in the centre of the room and ran to them. Daphne’s body was on the floor, now returned to the body of a nine-year-old girl. I swallowed my sadness and leaned down to close her eyes. I took a breath, then looked to the others. “We have to go. Everyone onto the elevator now!”
They all moved as quick as they could, and I climbed up to the elevator which was now a few feet from the ground, helping them climb up.
I suddenly remembered the banquet and looked at my watch. 8:03 p.m.
“I’m late, we have to go!” I shouted as the last of the elderly got onboard the elevator. I clicked the stone button to ascend.
“You’re going back to the house?” said one of the men.
“I have to.”
“Then how will we get away?”
“There will be someone to take you.” I was really hoping that was going to be true.
A noise came from above. I looked up to see Lucas’s face looking back at me from the rim of the shaft.
Tears ran from my face. And I waved. He waved back.
“We have to be quick, or the staff will see us!” shouted Lucas.
The grounds came into view as we reached the surface level. Dax and some others I didn’t recognise were also there. I ran forward and embraced Lucas.
“Good to see you too, girl. But you don’t want to leave yet?”
I pulled back. “I can’t. I can end this tonight. Take these people away. I will find a way out when I’m done.”
Lucas hesitated.
“It’s OK, I can do this.”
He nodded. “Olivia, Colin, and Estelle are still inside. They will try to help if they can.”
I turned to the elevator, feeling the machinery below and twisted a number of the pins, making sure it would not easily be used again soon.
I went to move away, when one of the elderly women stated to talk. “Your back is bleeding miss.”
I twirled around, feeling a wet patch on my lower back.
“Hold still,” said Dax stepping forward. A warmth came to my back. “That’s a temporary fix. And you still got the mark on your dress.”
“It’s fine. Thank you.”
I then took off across the snow. As I reached the terrace, I looked at my watch. 8:08 p.m.
I pulled the rear doors open and rushed past one of the servants. “Have they started?”
“They are going in now ma’am. There was a disturbance in the kitchen, which delayed dinner.”
I ran through the house, arriving in the main hall, just as everyone was funnelling out through one of the exits.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
A stern-looking man, with a face that looked as if it was forged in a court of law, sat next to Hades. There was a long table, which was at the head of a series of eight, all crammed into a room barely large enough to accommodate them all. An hour had passed since I slipped back in, and I did my best to enjoy the food and plan my next move.
Grace and Cassandra had left and returned a few times. No doubt looking for Byron and trying to get the lift to function again.
I needed for this banquet to be over. Luckily, it appeared that was almost the case.
Hades stood, tapping the inside of his glass, which gave him the hush he required. He looked down at the white-bearded man next to him. “Thank you, Prime Minister, for your company tonight. I hope the food and drink were to your liking!”
The older man nodded.
“Unfortunately, the time has come for us to end this evening’s festivities. The PM and I have much to discuss, but please, everyone, stay on for as long as you wish to enjoy your time in my home!”
A round of applause broke out, as the Prime Minister stood, and together with Hades, they both moved towards the back of the room, where a set of double doors opened, then quickly closed after they passed through.
“No…” I said under my breath.
I needed Hades to be alone, and I was running out of time. At least Grace was on to me, I could feel it. I looked across to her on the other table. She was staring directly at me.
As the others around me were getting to their feet, momentarily hiding me from view, an idea came to me. What if I told the Prime Minister who Hades truly was? That his attentions were anything but good for everyone? It was a long shot, but one worth taking. And if that failed, I would still take care of Hades…
I briefly let my mind feel the iron beams making up the construction of the walls and floors around me, and for a moment I could see the layout of the house as if it were a diagram on a draftsman’s board. The doors the two men left through led to a hallway. I needed to find out where they were going.
I got to my feet. Grace mirrored my movement. I needed to lose her in the people around me. I turned and slipped through the wall of bodies shuffling towards the nearby door. Looking over my shoulder I could see her, standing a good foot over everyone else, but that was slowing her pursuit. I quickly walked into the next room along, then outpaced those around me, moving into the main hall. I caught the sound of voices above me. I ran up the closest grand staircase. The voices were louder, and one I recognised as Hades.
I looked back over the balcony, Grace was standing in the main hall. I ducked away quickly and ran down the hallway to the junction. Hades and his guest were at the far end of the next hallway. I went to move after them, when I sensed the presence of metal closing in on me, I turned and instinctively waved my hand in front of my face to deflect a dagger which scraped my left cheek and slammed into a painting behind me. Grace was standing at the balcony. I had to face her, or I was never getting to Hades.
She pulled a long sleek weapon from her back. I couldn’t see what it was, but it looked like a white sword. She charged towards me. I focused my thoughts on the weapon, but it refused to come under my control.
She screamed in fury as she swiped through the air with it. I leapt to the side as it smashed through a small wooden bookshelf.
Bone?
She went to attack again, then realised she was unable to move.
“Clever with the weapon, but not so with what you are wearing,” I said.
Her dress was made from silver thread. There was only trace amounts, but it was enough for me to control her. Knowing what was stopping her from getting to me, she went to slash at the fabric, but instead I pulled the dress crushingly tight to her body restricting her breathing. I then melded the metal threads, swirling the dress around her torso then neck, then head, cocooning her inside it. She fell to the ground, struggling to get free.
I looked down at the blade. I could end her life in a number of different ways. Instead I turned and ran towards where I had just seen the two men I was tracking. Arriving at the end o
f the hallway, I was at a loss to where the two men could have gone, but then I saw an innocuous door. I pulled it open and heard angry voices.
I moved inside, closing it behind me quietly and crept up the wooden steps, listening to the conversation in the room above.
“This is madness Cannington. You told me this new form of energy could be used for power generation, and now you tell me you want my Government to give you license to turn it into bombs? And who shall we use these city-ending weapons against?”
“Anyone that stands in our way! Imagine what the Empire could achieve with such power? World dominance!”
There was a pause, and I did the same, holding my breath, for now I was at the top of the stairs, and just behind the door to the topmost room of the house.
“I need to take your plans to the cabinet. Other minds need to... why are you looking at me like that?”
“Humans… I always expect too much from you.”
“Whatever do you mean? I respect what your scientists have achieved Harold, but—”
There was silence, then a loud clump, which I felt across the floorboards.
I pushed the door open.
A large well-decorated room, with slanted ceilings and frost-covered windows lay before me. Hades stood over the body of the Prime Minister, near a roaring fire, and two high backed chairs.
“Corine?”
Hades went to move. I looked at the direction he was moving in, and realised it was towards his walking stick and hat. I pulled the stick into the air, and used it to pick up his hat, both of which I brought to me and snapped out the air.
Hades stopped mid-stride.
“Give me them girl…”
I grabbed the ornate three-headed top of the stick, holding it tight, then let the silver melt and fall to the floor.
His face turned from one of anguish to anger. “What have you done!”
“What have I done?” I looked at the body of the older man. “You killed him!”
“He needed to die! He was weak. All of this land across this realm he had at his disposal, but his small mind couldn’t aspire to anything larger!” He took a step towards me. “We, Corine, you and I, and the others, our family, we can have it all. This entire realm can be ours! That’s what I made all of you for! To rule!”