The Magelands Epic: Storm Mage (Book 6)

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘Wait,’ said Calder. ‘Is this a good idea? What does this thing do?’

  ‘Do it,’ said Karalyn to Ravi. She turned to Belinda. ‘Sorry about your necklace.’

  Ravi squatted down, holding the necklace in one hand while the Quadrant rested on his knee, its metallic surface gleaming in the lamplight. Karalyn crouched next to him as he used the knife to ease the jewel out of its silver casing.

  ‘If you know what it does,’ said Belinda, ‘then say so.’

  ‘I’m not certain,’ said Karalyn, ‘but I remember seeing it twice before, whenever Rahain agents seemed to vanish before our eyes. Each time, I watched one of them hold it, right before they disappeared.’

  The jewel fell into Ravi’s hand, and he passed the remainder of the necklace to Belinda, who frowned and slipped it into a pocket.

  ‘I’ll make you a new one, I promise,’ said Ravi as he examined the jewel. He positioned the Quadrant in front of him.

  ‘Once it’s in,’ said Karalyn, ‘hand it to me.’

  Ravi glanced at her. ‘What are you going to do with it?’

  ‘Get us out of here. I hope.’

  Calder walked to the door. ‘Footsteps. Still a bit away, but they’re coming.’

  ‘We should move,’ said Belinda.

  ‘Hold on,’ said Ravi, his fingers poised over the Quadrant. ‘Almost there.’ He placed the jewel into the empty casing on the rim of the Quadrant and it seemed to glow for a second, a hum reaching Karalyn’s ears.

  She put her hand out. Ravi narrowed his eyes for a moment, then passed it to her. She felt its energy the second her hand clasped it.

  I am ready to receive your command, Karalyn.

  She gasped. Had the Quadrant just spoken to her?

  Quadrant?

  Yes?

  Karalyn glanced at the others in the room. Ravi and Belinda were both gazing at her, waiting for her to say or do something, while Calder was by the door, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Kerri was huddled by the wall, her eyes closed.

  She returned her focus to the Quadrant. Can you take us home?

  Where is home?

  Karalyn hesitated, then smiled. The roof garden of the Great Fortress in Plateau City. Do you know where it is?

  I do. How many wish to go?

  All of us here.

  Then they must be in contact with you, or with me.

  Are you alive, Quadrant?

  There was no response. Karalyn glanced at Belinda. ‘I need everyone to gather round. Place your hands on me, or on the Quadrant, and then… well, we’ll see.’

  Ravi rushed over to where Kerri crouched, as Belinda stared at Karalyn.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ she said. ‘Do you know how to work it already?’

  ‘They’re getting closer,’ said Calder.

  ‘Get over here,’ said Karalyn. ‘Grab onto my arm.’

  Ravi helped Kerri up and they gathered round Karalyn. Ravi placed the tips of his fingers onto the Quadrant. Belinda frowned then did the same.

  How do I make it work?

  When you are ready, say ‘go’.

  ‘Is everyone holding on?’ she said.

  ‘Aye,’ said Calder, ‘but you’d better hurry, I can hear them on the steps.’

  Karalyn nodded, and closed her eyes.

  Go.

  Nothing seemed to happen, then Karalyn felt warmth against her skin.

  We have arrived.

  She opened her eyes.

  ‘What the fuck?’ cried Ravi, staring at the trees and flowers on the roof of the Great Fortress. ‘Where are we?’

  ‘Plateau City,’ said Calder, ‘though how…?’

  Karalyn slid the Quadrant inside the folds of her tunic, feeling the cold metal against her skin. She smiled. ‘It’s good to see the sun again.’

  Ravi burst into tears. ‘Am I dreaming?’

  ‘No,’ Karalyn said, ‘we’re really here. You’re free.’

  His tears turned to laughter as he hugged Kerri. ‘I take back what I said about you being shit at rescuing people,’ he grinned at Karalyn. ‘You’re actually quite good.’

  ‘We did it,’ said Calder. ‘We made it back.’

  ‘We failed,’ said Karalyn. ‘We didn’t stop the war. Ghorley’s dead, but I think Agatha and Yosin have been ruling from behind the scenes for a while now. The war will go on.’

  Calder’s smile faded. He gazed out to the east, where the sun had just risen.

  ‘But we have the Quadrant,’ said Belinda. ‘Can we use it to go anywhere?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Karalyn. ‘I want to study it before trying anything again.’

  Calder nodded. ‘We should tell the Empress we’re back. And we need to let her know about the second army we saw on the Rahain side of the tunnel.’

  They walked to a turret where a spiral staircase descended. They went down, Karalyn leading, and Ravi supporting Kerri. Guards saw them at the foot of the steps. One cried out in alarm as they levelled their crossbows at them. More soldiers piled out of the nearby rooms.

  ‘It’s Lady Karalyn and Lord Calder,’ cried an officer. ‘Let them through.’

  ‘What is all this noise?’ said Nyane, emerging from a door at the end of the hallway. She stopped when she saw them, her tongue flickering, then she ran forwards and embraced Karalyn, her arms holding her close.

  ‘We’re back,’ Karalyn said, ‘and we brought a diamond mage.’

  Nyane’s eyes darted over to the two Rakanese, and she gasped in recognition. ‘We must go to the Empress immediately; her Majesty will want to know about this. How did you get here?’

  Karalyn smiled. ‘I can’t wait to tell you all about it.’

  Soldiers crowded round them as they made their way along the corridor. Nyane paused at the door, then glanced at Karalyn.

  ‘Before we go in, you should know that your mother’s here. I’m sorry, but there’s been some bad news.’

  Nyane opened the door and entered. Karalyn stood for a moment, feeling a knot appear in the pit of her stomach. then followed her into the large reception room. The tall windows were open, letting in the morning sunshine. Sitting by them on a chair was a woman dressed in black. She turned her head as Nyane approached and saw her daughter.

  ‘Kara-bear,’ she said, rising, her eyes dark with tears and rage.

  Karalyn froze. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for her father, but he wasn’t there. She ran to her mother, who gathered her in her arms. Their gazes locked, and Karalyn saw the truth in her eyes.

  ‘We’ll get whoever took him from us,’ her mother whispered in her ear as Karalyn dissolved into tears. ‘We’ll kill them all.’

  Chapter 30

  The Pyre

  Stretton Sands, Eastern Plateau – 9th Day, Second Third Summer 525

  Lennox clutched his head, pain paralysing his body as he waited for Sable’s sword to fall.

  ‘Don’t move,’ said Carrie. ‘I’ll put a bolt through your throat.’

  ‘Aye,’ said Leisha, ‘me too. Put the sword down.’

  ‘You cowardly pieces of shit,’ cried Sable.

  ‘Aye, maybe,’ said Cain, ‘but no one threatens our squad leader, not even you, ma’am.’

  ‘I’ll kill you all.’

  ‘You’re fast,’ said Carrie, ‘but there’s three of us.’

  No one spoke or moved. The pain in Lennox’s head began to fade as Sable’s focus switched to the soldiers standing around her, their crossbows aimed at her heart. He heard her sheath her sword.

  ‘A trade,’ she said. ‘I’ll leave Lennox alone, and you’ll let me walk out of here with the other two hedgewitches. If you agree, you should know that I’ll report you as deserters for this act of treachery. You’ll be fugitives, and if the Army of Pyre catches up with you, you’ll be arrested and hanged.

  ‘If you disagree,’ she went on, ‘then come on; try to kill me. Who knows, you might even manage it, but I guarantee at least two of you won’t walking out of Stretton Sands
alive.’

  ‘We’ll take the deal,’ said Carrie. ‘Go.’

  Lennox heard footsteps, and opened his eyes. Sable was backing away to the entrance of a narrow side street, leading the two old Sanang women by a rope. When she reached it she turned, and in a moment they were gone, lost in the darkness of the alleyway.

  Carrie knelt next to him, and he sat up, his head clearing.

  ‘Thanks,’ he said, glancing at her.

  ‘We weren’t going to let her kill you,’ said Cain, standing alongside, ‘but you should have done what she said. We’d be on a flying carriage out of here by now if you had.’

  ‘We need to go after the other two hedgewitches.’

  ‘Why, boss?’ said Cain. ‘I mean, I feel bad about what’s going to happen to those girls, but what do we owe them?’

  ‘It was us that captured them,’ said Lennox. ‘We destroyed their lives; we should make amends.’

  Cain groaned. ‘This is about the fucking hospital, isn’t it? Nothing you do will bring back the people you burned, and the two hedgewitches are as good as dead. We have no idea where they’ve been taken, but that doesn’t matter, because you don’t want to make amends, you want to die trying to salve your conscience. Look, by dawn the imperials will be swarming all over Stretton Sands, but until then we’ve got time to get out.’

  ‘I don’t care,’ Lennox said, rising to his feet; ‘I’m going after Thorn and her sister. Are you coming?’

  ‘Aye, boss,’ said Carrie.

  Leisha nodded, her eyes unreadable.

  ‘Fucksake,’ said Cain. ‘This is going to get us all killed, but fine, if you want to throw your lives away…’

  Lennox checked his armour, making sure his crossbow was loaded and his mace was secured to his belt. He eyed the various alleyways leading from the road, chose one, and set off towards it, the three that remained of his squad following.

  For two hours they searched the Rakanese and Rahain districts, avoiding the streams of Sanang warriors evacuating the town. Many were laden with looted goods, pushing over-loaded barrows and carts through the cobbled streets. The roar coming from the battle by the harbour gates waxed and waned as the sky to the east slowly began to lighten.

  They entered a small square, and Lennox raised his hand. ‘Take a rest for five minutes.’

  Cain glared at Leisha, and she frowned.

  ‘Boss?’ she said.

  ‘Aye?’

  ‘I think maybe we’ve done all we can. We’ve got no idea where the hedgewitches are. They could be inside any of these tenements, or it’s just as likely that someone’s smuggled them out on the back of a cart.’

  ‘Or they’re dead,’ muttered Cain. He pointed to the east. ‘It’ll be dawn soon, perhaps we…’ He paused, his ear cocked. ‘Did you hear that?’

  ‘Aye,’ said Carrie. ‘The fighting’s getting closer.’

  ‘Shit,’ said Lennox, listening. ‘The imperials must have broken through the harbour gates. They’re inside the town.’

  ‘That settles it, surely,’ said Cain. ‘We should get out now, while we can.’

  ‘No,’ said Lennox. ‘If the hedgewitches are still in the town, then this would be the time they’d get moved.’

  Cain groaned aloud, rolling his eyes.

  ‘You can go,’ said Lennox. ‘It’s fine. There’s no need for any one of you to die for my mistakes.’

  ‘Come on, boss,’ said Carrie, ‘don’t say that.’

  ‘If I didn’t walk out of the squad when you went with Libby,’ said Cain, ‘what makes you think I’ll leave you now? You’re an idiot, but I’ve stuck by you my whole life.’

  ‘Aye,’ said Leisha. ‘Where you go, we go.’

  Part of Lennox felt anger towards them; annoyed that they wouldn’t leave him alone to find some way to die with honour. If they were alongside him, he would feel responsible for them, as he always did. Carrie had told him to do something every day to make the world better; perhaps ensuring that three of his squad survived was the best he could do. He glanced at the dense streets surrounding the quiet square. Lines of tenements stretched out into the darkness.

  They could be anywhere. He lowered his eyes.

  ‘Alright,’ he said. ‘We’ll head back towards the gates on the eastern side of town, and watch the roads there for as long as we can. When the imperials approach, we’ll flee; with or without the hedgewitches.’

  The others nodded.

  ‘And then what?’ said Leisha. ‘We’re fugitives?’

  ‘We’ll worry about that later.’

  He led them down a narrow lane leading towards the River gate, the darkness enfolding them, as they left the relative gloom of the square. Lennox kept his hand on his crossbow as his ears picked out the sounds of the town. To the west, the low roar of fighting was increasing, and spreading out, while in the other direction, the boots of the Sanang echoed on the cobbles as the last of them fled from the town.

  Lennox halted by the side of a road as a crowd of Sanang warriors charged across the street ahead of them, several holding torches aloft.

  ‘Arseholes,’ Leisha muttered. ‘They wreck the town, then run at the first sign of the imperials.’

  ‘But these ones are going the wrong way,’ said Lennox. ‘They’re headed towards the fighting.’

  ‘What are they doing?’ whispered Carrie.

  Lennox shrugged. ‘Looks like they’re hunting someone, though I can’t pick out anything they’re saying.’

  They waited in the shadows for the crowd of Sanang to pass. As the backs of the rear warriors faded into the darkness, Lennox stepped out onto the road.

  ‘Wait,’ said Carrie. ‘Did you hear that? Sounded like they were shouting “soulwitch”. Do you think…?’

  ‘Aye,’ said Lennox. ‘It’s worth a try. Come on.’

  They followed the crowd of Sanang, keeping to the dark shadows by the side of the road. The Sanang reached a junction, then began moving quickly, crying out and running. Lennox picked up his pace and they reached the street corner in time to see the last of the mob enter a tenement building. He turned back to the squad.

  ‘I think they’ve found who they were looking for. We’ll check out who it is, then get going.’

  ‘We’ll need to be quick,’ said Cain. ‘The imperials can’t be far away.’

  ‘What’s a soulwitch?’ said Leisha.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Lennox, ‘but the Sanang use witch as their word for mage.’ He glanced at the faces of the squad. ‘I’m going in after them. None of you have to follow me. You heard Sable; we’re deserters now, you’re under no obligation to obey my orders any more.’

  ‘With all respect,’ said Cain, ‘shut up.’ He checked his crossbow. ‘Let’s get this over with.’

  Lennox nodded, and they ran across the street and up to the entrance of the tenement. The door was wide open, and led into a dark hallway. Lennox went in first, keeping his loaded crossbow ready at his waist. A soft roar of voices was coming from the rear of the building, and Lennox followed the sounds. He came to a back door, and peered through the broken window. Outside was a long courtyard, surrounded on all sides by high tenements. The crowd of Sanang had gathered in the centre. Many were collecting scattered debris, and forming it into a large pile. Cain joined him by the window, and they watched as two men pulled a rope, dragging a bound woman over the flagstones towards the pile. When they reached its base, they hauled the woman onto a lattice of planks, then lifted it high, careful to never touch her body, and placed it on top of the pile. The men stood back, and one of them was handed a lit torch.

  ‘Shit,’ said Lennox. ‘That’s Thorn up there. They’re going to burn her.’

  ‘There are at least forty Sanang between us and her,’ said Cain. ‘We’ll never reach her.’

  Lennox lifted his crossbow to his shoulder as the man with the torch spoke to the crowd, his arm pointing at the figure of Thorn, lying bound at the top of the pyre.

  ‘They’re out of range,�
� Lennox muttered, lowering the bow. He glanced at Cain, then eased the door open, stepping down to the dark flagstones in silence. He heard the muffled sounds of the squad following him. They formed into a short line, their shields held before them, their bows trained on the Sanang. None of the warriors noticed the soldiers creeping across the courtyard, their attention focussed on the man and the lit torch in his hand. He reached the end of his speech, and lowered the flames to touch the end of the pyre, to a great roar from the crowd, who banged their swords off their shields as they cheered.

  The fire licked up the side of the pyre, its flames spreading, and sending coils of grey smoke up into the sky. Lennox slung the crossbow back over his shoulder and raised his hand. He reached out to the flames, joining his will to theirs; and with a small gesture kept the fire from touching Thorn’s body, keeping it back from where she lay.

  ‘We’re in range, boss,’ muttered Leisha to his right, her bow resting on the rim of her shield.

  Lennox got down onto one knee, and the others did the same, locking their shields into a low wall.

  ‘Loose at will,’ said Lennox, and three bolts shot out from behind the shields. Cain, Leisha and Carrie reloaded in seconds, and released another barrage. Sanang cried out as they were hit, several spinning round to see where the bolts were coming from, as others fell to the ground. Lennox concentrated on the fire as the rest of the squad continued to loose. He lifted a stream of flames from the pyre, and swept it down onto the gathered Sanang; their clothes and hair catching light. Burning warriors staggered across the courtyard, stumbling into others, as bolts continued to fly through their ranks. One warrior, his body alive with flames, crashed into the base of the pyre, causing the piled beams and furniture to tilt and collapse. Thorn slid from the top of the mound, and into the thick flames at the bottom. Lennox tried to pull the flames away from her, but the courtyard had descended into chaos, and it was hard to see where she was amid the smoke.

  The dozen Sanang closest to the squad had rallied, and were forming their shields together, readying a charge.