The Necromancer's Rogue
Page 18
Monte shivered. He’d always pictured death as cold, and fathomless. It was rational, and pragmatic. He saw it every day – it was just as natural as drawing breath. But here in the ruined city, it felt oppressive, and vengeful. He’d always called on the Lords and Ladies of Death in times of trouble, assuming that they were his only choice as an undertaker. Perhaps he should have remained an atheist after all.
“Brigante Delsenza banished the Lords and Ladies, but she couldn’t send them just anywhere. The entrance to the alternative realm is down here,” said Mr Gondavere.
“How do you know all of this stuff?” Monte wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know the answer.
“I have my sources.” Mr Gondavere smiled, and his teeth glittered in the light from the blue fire in his palm. Was it Monte’s imagination, or were they longer, sharper somehow?
“You never tell me anything,” said Monte.
“I pay you to help me, Monte. That is all.” Mr Gondavere stopped at a crossing. He looked up each of the streets in turn, before selecting the street to the right. Large buildings loomed out of the darkness. They were low, with night trees growing out of them through broken windows. Marks daubed on the door looked like numbers, but not any numbers that Monte could read. Some of the walls lay in fragments, piles of black bricks scattered across the street, and others had roofs open to the air, turning the empty houses into courtyards.
Monte was used to the small cottages and crumbling tenements of the Underground City, with its narrow alleys and crowded streets, and the canals and palazzos of the City Above had been an eye opener. Yet the ruined city followed a third style, with wide streets, low houses and plenty of space. He peered through shattered windows and into houses, staring at the upended furniture and broken belongings. What had happened here?
“What are we looking for?” asked Monte.
“A tomb. The Heart of the City lies down here, Monte. Once we have located it, then the power of the City is mine.”
“What will you use it for?”
“Had you asked me that question before we ventured into the Shrine, I would have avoided answering it, but I see no harm in telling you now. After all, you’ll never find your way out without me.” Mr Gondavere turned and smiled at Monte, his fangs glinting in the low light. “I will use the power of the Heart to recall my brothers and sisters, and not even Brigante Delsenza can stop me.”
A wave of fear crashed over Monte and the cold settled in his gut like an icy stone. If Mr Gondavere had brothers and sisters who had been banished, then that meant only one thing. Mr Gondavere was related to the Lords and Ladies of Death – and here he was, alone with him in an ancient city that most people didn’t believe was real.
“I don’t think we need to worry about Brigante Delsenza, sir.” Monte fought to keep the wobble out of his voice. He’d served Mr Gondavere well so far – perhaps if his employer believed he sought the same things then he could still get out of this alive.
Mr Gondavere turned to look at him and his heart fluttered.
“Brigante is the least of our worries, Monte. Her sister, on the other hand…”
“Eufame Delsenza isn’t likely to make an appearance, is she, sir?”
“According to my sources, she is indeed on her way, accompanied by two Wolfkin and her apprentice. She thinks she has hidden their presence, but none can truly hide from the Lords and Ladies of Death. Come, we must hurry.”
Mr Gondavere led them down another street and Monte peered into broken houses as they passed. Graffiti covered the back wall of the courtyard on his right. Tall, thin figures were inscribed in white paint, shrinking away from an indistinct haze beside them. Monte swung his light away before Mr Gondavere noticed. His employer stopped suddenly at a crossroads. A wide boulevard lined with cobblestones and weeds crossed the narrow street.
“Ah! I had entirely forgotten this avenue. If memory serves, this leads to the Tombs of Kings, and it is there that we shall find the Heart of the City,” said Mr Gondavere.
Monte nodded and followed Mr Gondavere onto the avenue. Something skittered in the darkness to his right, and Monte gulped. This wouldn’t end well at all.
28
Chapter 28
A stairwell led down into darkness on the other side of the gate. Jyx had expected total darkness, but two tiny lights bobbed along some distance away. It looked like marsh fire – but why would there be marsh fire in a ruined city?
“Damn it, looks like we aren’t the first to reach the city.” Eufame peered over Jyx’s shoulder into the shadows.
“It’s beautiful down there,” said Vyolet. She gazed down into the city below, her eyes huge. Jyx envied her ability to see in the dark and made a mental note to look up charms he could use in future to do likewise.
“Some of your people used to live down here, Vyolet. For a long time they were the only ones who knew it was still here. But then they found ways to work with the humans, and now they’re scattered throughout the Underground City instead,” said Eufame. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the actions of my sister also played a part in things.”
“Why?” asked Jyx.
“When Brigante banished the Lords and Ladies of Death to another realm, that realm needed some kind of access point. The entrance is somewhere in the ruined city. The Shadowkin didn’t want to be anywhere near that, and who can blame them?”
Fortis leaned beyond Jyx and took back the lit torch. He extinguished it with a wave of his hand and Jyx stared up at the bulk of the Wolfkin. His eyes struggled to adjust to the new darkness.
“That’s a good point, Fortis. We don’t want to advertise our presence if we can help it,” said Eufame.
Fortis and Validus stepped onto the stairs. They nodded to each other and began their descent. Jyx looked beyond them to the tiny bobbing marsh lights.
“Exactly who is already down there?” he asked.
“I’m not sure of his name yet, but I’m pretty sure we don’t want him getting his hands on the Heart of the City. He has someone with him, a human of some kind. I don’t think the human is overly fond of him, though. That may, or may not, work in our favour.” Eufame stepped onto the stairs and followed the Wolfkin into the darkness below.
“How can she see?” asked Jyx.
“She’s not human, remember. Hold my hand and I’ll lead you.” Vyolet slipped her hand into Jyx’s and led him down the stairs.
Total darkness enveloped them at the bottom. The ground below his feet felt like cobblestones grown slippery with moss, and he shuddered at the way the shadows lay across his skin.
“We’re in a wide street, Jyx. The houses are all a single storey, and a lot of them look like something bad happened here. Broken windows, walls that have caved in – there are even trees growing out of some of the roofs,” said Vyolet, keeping her voice low.
“Have you ever been down here before?” asked Jyx.
“No, but I remember the stories about it. The Elders always forbade us from coming down here,” replied Vyolet.
Jyx allowed her to lead him, though the shard of Eufame in his mind made it easy to follow the necromancer general through the dark streets. He focused on his hearing instead of his useless sight, listening for the soft footfalls of the Wolfkin, and the swish of Eufame’s robes. Vyolet was like silent smoke beside him. It was no wonder people employed the Shadowkin as rogues, spies and thieves. How different the Underground City might have been if the humans had worked with them, instead of against them.
“Vyolet?” Eufame’s voice sounded up ahead.
The Shadowkin hauled Jyx after her. Jyx smelled the cold edges of Eufame’s cloak and guessed she stood beside him. The scent of warm leather told him the Wolfkin were also nearby.
“I need your help.” Eufame’s voice sounded near Jyx’s right side.
“My help?”
“Yes. The street signs are all in your tongue, not mine.”
“Oh, I see. Do you know what I need to look out for?” asked Vyolet.
Vyolet let go of Jyx’s hand. He stifled a yelp.
“Jyx?” Eufame’s voice sounded closer.
“I can’t see. Vyolet’s been leading me,” replied Jyx.
“Oh, I quite forgot. Here, hold still.” Eufame’s hand clamped over Jyx’s eyes, her skin icy against his. She muttered something under her breath. When she removed her palm, the world swam into view. Dim outlines of buildings appeared in the shadows, and the white streak in Eufame’s hair glowed in the darkness beside him.
“I’ve passed on a little of my sight to you, so you can at least find your way. I can’t have you blind down here,” said Eufame.
Vyolet took up her position at the head of the party, accompanied by Fortis. Eufame came next, followed by Jyx, and Validus brought up the rear. Being sandwiched between the necromancer general and a Wolfkin brought a measure of security to Jyx, even if he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows. He’d seen books on mental acuity, and psychic magick, in the library at the Academy, but he’d always dismissed them as nonsense. Considering the fact he carried a sliver of Eufame in his mind, he now knew such things were real. Still, it didn’t help to berate himself for being an idiot at the Academy.
Up ahead, Fortis raised his head and sniffed the air. He let out a tiny yip and a low growl. Validus responded in kind behind him. A shiver ran down Jyx’s spine. Something skittered in the street to their right. Sounding like claws on stone, it echoed among the buildings. It was still far away, but the fact it was there at all made Jyx’s stomach clench.
Eufame replied with her own bark, and the party pressed on, their brisk walk verging on a slow jog. Jyx didn’t stop to ask why Eufame wasn’t facing down the threat. Either it was too far away to be a problem, or she was hoping to find the Heart first. He didn’t want to consider the third alternative – that Eufame couldn’t tackle whatever it was herself. And if she couldn’t defend them with the help of two Wolfkin…
For the first time in his life, Jyx wished he’d shown aptitude as a soldier, not a mage.
“Down here,” whispered Vyolet. She disappeared around a corner into the darkness. They followed, and found themselves in a long corridor. Rounded arches punctured the walls, and Jyx peered into the shadows beyond. Were these tombs?
“She’s in here. I can feel her,” said Eufame. She kept her voice low, and Jyx jumped to hear it puncture the silence.
“What was out there?” asked Jyx.
“Bloodhounds.” An edge of frost sharpened Eufame’s tone.
“What are they?” Jyx tried to remember all of the books he’d read, and he’d never come across anything called a Bloodhound before.
“Something you should pray you never meet,” said Vyolet. “I’ve heard stories about them, and they never end well.”
“There is someone else here.” Validus’s voice echoed in Jyx’s head.
“Who?” asked Jyx.
Before Validus could reply, Eufame broke into a run and stormed ahead. Jyx ran to keep up, his boots slapping on the flagstones. She plunged along the corridor towards the tomb at the end. Lights flickered into being in the darkness of the tomb, and a figure stepped forward through the arch. He held a blue flame in his palm that fluttered against his skin. Eufame stuttered to a halt, and Jyx bumped into her back. She held her arms wide, both to steady Jyx and to hold him behind her. The warmth of the Wolfkin lapped against his back.
“Ah, so the necromancer general has decided to grace us with her presence,” said the man. The blue flames in his palm cast a sickly glow across his face. Jyx screwed up his nose. The stranger had more teeth than Jyx was comfortable with, and they were sharper than they should be. He wore black from head to foot, including a wilted flower in his lapel. He might have looked like an Underground City dandy, were it not for those teeth.
“And you are?” asked Eufame.
“Horatio Gondavere, though you may call me Mr Gondavere. I assume you have come here for the same reason that I have?”
“I came here to show my student the tombs,” replied Eufame.
Jyx marvelled at the ease with which the lie rolled off her tongue, but was it really a lie? He was her student, and she was showing him the tombs.
“Do not lie to me, necromancer. You came to locate the Heart of the City.” Mr Gondavere narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. The expression was an ugly one, but at least it hid his awful teeth.
“And if I did?”
“Then I should have to introduce you to some friends of mine.” Mr Gondavere placed two fingers into his mouth and blew. A piercing whistle echoed around the corridor, producing blue sparks where the sound struck the stone walls.
Familiar skittering came along the corridor towards them. It was the same sound Jyx had heard outside, only much closer. The sound of claws on stone. Sharp claws, at that. He paused to wonder where Vyolet was, but he couldn’t see much. He hoped she hid in the shadows of one of the tombs. He didn’t know a lot about Shadowkin, but he’d come to see them as stealthy and quiet, not strong fighters like the Wolfkin.
Fortis dropped into a crouch, holding his paws up in a boxer’s stance. Validus stood with his legs wide, the muscles of his thighs taut as he braced himself. Jyx willed them to draw their weapons, but instead they bared their teeth. The corridor echoed with their fearsome growls. Jyx shrank against Eufame, surprised that she didn’t turn to face the threat.
“Do you not intend to aid your Wolfkin?” asked Mr Gondavere.
“They aren’t my Wolfkin, and they’re more than a match for anything you might have conjured up,” replied Eufame.
“Even Bloodhounds?” Mr Gondavere smiled.
Jyx’s stomach clenched to see the row of teeth again. He turned to look behind him. Shapes emerged from the dark, throwing themselves against the Wolfkin. Snapping jaws clattered around the Wolfkins’ arms and legs and vicious claws flashed in the darkness. Fortis and Validus howled and lurched into the attack, pushing back the Bloodhounds. Jyx tried to make out features, but the strange creatures were too dark to see clearly. Only their blood red eyes stood out in the shadows. A shudder behind him prompted Jyx to turn around. He looked up into Eufame’s face, and naked terror rippled through him. Fear shone in the necromancer general’s eyes.
29
Chapter 29
Vyolet edged past Eufame and Jyx, unseen in the shadows of the corridor. She stared at Mr Gondavere. She’d never seen one of the Lords of Death before, though she wasn’t entirely sure she was looking at one now. He was too short, too human-like, to be a true Lord. Jyx trembled to see his mouthful of teeth, but Vyolet merely grimaced. She’d seen worse among the patrons of the Flee Market.
Between Eufame and Mr Gondavere, she watched the Bloodhounds approach. Their sinewy bodies and dark fur gave them away among the shadows they tried to hide in. She glanced at the Wolfkin and winced when they pushed themselves into the Bloodhound attack. Still, it threw the Bloodhounds off guard, and the Wolfkin forced the creatures further up the corridor.
They’re pushing them away from us.
She didn’t have time to worry about the Wolfkin. There was nothing she could do against Bloodhounds. Her uncles would have been useful, able to shape weapons from the shadows, or maybe her grandmother, with her ability to phase and fight simultaneously. No, the Wolfkin were good warriors, and she was better suited to discovering why Mr Gondavere blocked the doorway.
She looked at the arch behind Mr Gondavere. He seemed very keen to keep Eufame and Jyx away from it. Vyolet concentrated hard, turning her very essence as dark as she possibly could, and inched towards the doorway. She hugged the wall, keeping herself in the darkest shadows. Mr Gondavere hadn’t looked at her once, so she could only assume he couldn’t see her.
He can’t be a full Lord then. If Mama’s stories were right, then they used to hunt u
s. We were the only thing they feared.
Mr Gondavere raised his arm towards Eufame, and Vyolet seized her chance. She ducked and slipped under his elbow.
The other arches all led directly into tombs, but this doorway took her into a short passage. A cloak of shadows hung from the ceiling and to the outside view, the tomb beyond lay in darkness. Vyolet slipped through the cloak and gasped. Dim light filled the tomb up ahead. The raised voices of Eufame and Mr Gondavere faded, drowned out by the low hum of the cloak’s magick.
Vyolet hurried on, too impatient to consider the sorcery involved in the cloak. Wall niches lined the passageway and held coffins in various stages of decay. She peeked through a gap in the nearest coffin where the lid and the sides had grown apart. All she could see was a bony shoulder blade, wrapped in rags.
She reached another archway, lower than the first, and peered inside. A stone figure rested against the wall. It hugged its knees to its chest, its face hidden by a mane of limestone curls. A broken spear and a plumed helmet lay on the floor beside her. A man knelt on the floor, hunched over a pile of rocks. Flames danced in his palm and he held them close to the rocks. He peered at one stone after another. Vyolet narrowed her eyes – at least now she knew the source of the dim light. But who was he? He wore the clothes of a gravedigger, but the flames marked him as some kind of magic wielder.
“Oh it’s no use, I’ll never be able to fit these back together,” said the man. His accent gave him away as being from Canalsditch.
So not exactly a sorcerer or a mage then.
She gazed at him. He tried to fit the stones together, turning them this way and that to find the edges that belonged to one another. Beads of sweat clustered across his brow, and his fingers twitched.
Vyolet gauged the distance to the shadows in the corner, in case she needed a speedy getaway, and stepped forward into the dim light cast by the man’s flames. He looked up and fell backwards onto his bottom. He scrabbled across the stone floor of the tomb, careful to hold up his palm to keep the flames going.