by KJ Baker
The woman was human.
ASHA
To my disappointment, I soon discovered that the Spire’s magic did not extend to recreating food. When I went to the fridge in my make-believe apartment, I found it depressingly empty. Neither could I make a cup of coffee as there was no running water in the taps nor any electricity.
So that’s why, when Samuel returned and asked if I wanted to accompany him to the food hall, I’d agreed. Now I found myself walking with Samuel down a set of wide steps that looked as if they’d been made to allow hundreds of people to use them at the same time. Right now though, there was only the two of us and the corridor echoed hollowly.
“Where is everyone?” I asked. “This whole place is like a tomb.”
He glanced at me with a look of regret on his face. “They’ve chosen their sides and left to join the armies,” he said sadly. “The Spire and its priests and priestesses have always been neutral. Alas, no more. Now they fight like the rest of us.”
I thought of Rillana, the newly elevated Spire, and how she had bound herself to the Seelie cause. Were there just as many priests and priestesses who had joined the Unseelie? The thought of such divisions, such animosity, made me unaccountably sad. We reached the bottom of the stairs and a set of wide double doors that stood closed.
“Ah, here we are,” Samuel announced.
He pushed the doors open and led me into a vast, cavernous hall with floor to ceiling windows on either side and a high, vaulted ceiling. Light spilled through the windows giving an incredible view of the city and the bridges that spanned the lake disappearing into the hazy distance. What was happening beyond those bridges I wondered. Were the Fae already fighting?
Row upon row of long rectangular tables filled the hall, polished until they gleamed. But like everything else I’d seen at the Spire, the hall was utterly empty.
“This is where the priests, priestesses, initiates and acolytes used to gather to eat together,” Samuel said. “Come, I know you must be hungry.”
He wasn’t wrong there. I don’t know how many meals I’d missed but my stomach had been complaining loudly for the last several hours.
“I’m so hungry I could eat a scabby horse.”
He smiled. “I’m sure we can do better than that.”
He led me to one of the long tables and indicated for me to sit. He took a seat on the other side.
It seemed strange, just the two of us sitting at the huge table, like a party where none of the guests had turned up. I’d not seen anything of Taviel or Felena all day and that was just fine by me. I’d fallen asleep on the sofa in my ‘apartment’ and woken up clutching the picture of my grandma. More tears had flowed and I’d only pulled myself together when a knock on the door had revealed Samuel standing there.
I tried to look around surreptitiously, without alerting him to the fact that I was looking for ways to escape. I’d not seen any doors that led to the outside but maybe I could get one of the tall windows open.
A small door at the end of the hall opened suddenly and I jumped. A woman appeared wheeling a silver trolley. She pushed the trolley over to the table and gave me a warm smile. I gawked at her—the first person other than my jailors that I’d seen since I arrived. She wore a green and gold uniform with the tower emblem of the Spire sewn onto the breast.
She pulled a white covering from the trolley to reveal several steaming platters. “Would you like the duck or the venison?” she asked politely.
“I...um...both,” I replied.
I watched as she piled food onto a plate and then placed it in front of me.
“Thanks,” I said. “Who are you? I thought this place was deserted.”
She gave a faint smile. “My name is Tourin,” she replied. “Housemistress of the Spire. Whilst it’s true that many have left their posts, those of us who understand where our loyalty lies, have not.” Her tone made it clear what she thought of those who’d left.
“Tourin is the real authority at the Spire,” Samuel said, giving the woman a wink. “There isn’t anything she doesn’t know about this place. She’s served under three different Spires and will no doubt serve under many more. Isn’t that right, Tourin?”
The woman inclined her head. “Lord Samuel is very kind to say so. I’ll leave you to your meal. Ring the bell if you need anything.”
With that, she returned the way she’d come. I looked at the pile of food on the plate. My stomach growled and saliva flooded my mouth. The defiant part of me said I shouldn’t eat any food my captors offered me but I knew that was a stupid way to think. If I was going to escape, I needed to keep up my strength.
The food, as I’d come to expect from the Summerlands, tasted delicious. I cleared the plate in no time at all and for the time it took to eat, I focussed only on my food, letting everything else fall away. When I was done, I felt a hundred times better.
Samuel barely ate. Through the meal he watched me, sipping water from a goblet. He didn’t say anything but I could tell he wanted to ask me questions. Hell, he was probably as surprised as me to find another human here. Yet Samuel was not my ally, I had to remind myself. Just because he was human did not mean I could trust him. He had been mated to Eliana, after all.
“How are you feeling?” Samuel asked. “Any better now you’ve had time to rest?”
“If you mean do I believe any of the crap you and Taviel told me, then I’m sorry to disappoint you.”
He leaned back in his chair. “Would you like me to show you around the Spire?”
“Show me around? As in like a tour? But I thought I was a prisoner.”
“You’re not a prisoner,” Samuel replied. “At least, not in the conventional sense. There are certain areas of the Spire that are out of bounds but except for those, Taviel has decided you are free to move around as you please.”
I didn’t know what to make of this. I stared at him, wary of a trick.
“I’d like that.”
We set off and I soon discovered that the Spire was a vast complex of study rooms, lecture halls, chapels, guest rooms, kitchens and storehouses. At full capacity, this place must have been amazing. I could almost picture the corridors humming with conversation as the Fae scholars discussed and debated theories, as acolytes scurried to do their mentor’s bidding, as the chapels echoed to the sound of the priests and priestesses singing. Now though, the only sound was the echo of our boots on the floor.
The whole of the center of the Spire, I soon learned, was taken up by a vast open shaft. A white marble railing circled the shaft on every level for safety, and the interior of the shaft was taken up by moving platforms on a loop like a paternoster, moving up the shaft on the right, moving down the shaft on the left endlessly. Doors on each level gave access to these platforms and you had to take your chances and step out onto them as they moved past. This, I learned, was the way to get up and down the vast tower of the Spire without killing yourself taking the stairs—if you couldn’t teleport of course.
“Just down here on the right there is a vaulted gallery that gives a splendid view of the lake to the west,” Samuel said.
We had just stepped off the paternoster—a hair-raising experience if ever I’d had one—and were walking down a long corridor about three quarters of the way up the Spire. Windows along the wall gave a dizzying view of the drop to the ground below.
“It’s said that’s where Andros Sand had his epiphany that led to the founding of the initiate’s school.”
I nodded but wasn’t really listening. My attention settled on a huge set of double doors to our left. The doors were at least three times my height and the dark oak and delicate runes had been carved along its edges. They were the only doors I’d seen so far in the Spire that were closed.
“What’s through there?”
Samuel carried on a few steps before realizing I’d halted. “Hmm?”
I nodded at the closed doors. “What’s through there?”
A flicker of unease crossed his face. “
That’s the Grand Library.”
“Sounds interesting. Can we have a look?”
“Er...no. Afraid not. The Grand Library is out of bounds.”
“Out of bounds? Why?”
Yes, he definitely looked uncomfortable now. “I told you there were a few places you can’t go. This is one of them. Come. The gallery is just down here.”
What was in the Grand Library that I wasn’t supposed to see? And who had told Samuel I wasn’t to go in there? Taviel? If so, that was all the more reason to get a look inside.
I nodded and then fell into step beside Samuel. “So, this gallery is pretty special, right?”
He let out a slow breath as we left the Grand Library behind. “Yes, it’s—”
He halted so suddenly I almost walked into the back of him. His expression had suddenly gone slack, his eyes glassy. He tilted his head as if listening to something.
“Taviel wants to see you,” he said. “Something’s happened.”
The way he said it made me decidedly uneasy. “What’s happened?”
“I don’t know but we better find out.”
I hesitated. I did not want to see Taviel again. I did not want to go anywhere near him for as long as I lived. And I certainly did not like him summoning me as though I was a naughty school girl being called to the headmaster’s office. I looked around for an escape route.
Samuel spoke. “You’ve been given a fair amount of freedom. Don’t spoil it by doing something stupid.”
I frowned. Was I that god-damned obvious? I let out a breath. “Fine. Let’s get this over with then.”
We made our way to the paternoster and took it up to the upper level where Taviel kept his office. Samuel knocked on the door and pushed it open without waiting for a reply. Inside, Taviel was standing by the window with his back to us but he turned as we entered. He looked livid. His normally carefully composed features had turned white with rage and his eyes glittered. Despite myself, I shrank back a little.
“What is it?” Samuel asked. “What’s happened?”
“The traitorous bastards!” Taviel exploded. “And they dare call me a monster? I never thought they would sink to this. I never thought any of us would sink to this! Fates take me, what is happening to us? Have we forgotten everything we once stood for?”
Samuel glanced at me uncertainly. “Maybe this is something we should discuss in private.”
Taviel’s eyes snapped to me. “No, Samuel, she needs to know. She needs to see what her so-called friends are really like!”
None of this was making much sense. I waited, saying nothing.
Taviel stalked to the desk and picked up a small piece of paper. “This came by bird just now. Read it! Go on!”
Samuel took the slip of paper. “Attack on peace delegation. Destroyed. No survivors. Attack led by Arion Storm.”
“That’s a lie!” I snapped. “Raven would not attack a peace delegation!”
“Oh, you reckon?” Taviel growled. “Look!”
He snatched the piece of paper back from Samuel, muttered a few words in the Fae language, and the slip of paper caught fire, burning quickly to ash that fluttered in the air. The ash swirled, expanded to form the outline of a round shape like a window and through this window I saw images. It was like watching a TV with the mute button on.
I saw a clearing. A group a Fae warriors who I guessed must be Unseelie from the insignia on their clothing, were setting up camp for the night. Around the perimeter of their camp were a series of poles with white flags flying—flags of truce.
Then I saw movement around the camp’s perimeter and suddenly a group of armed warriors swarmed out of the darkness, weapons drawn. My heart jumped into my throat as I recognized Raven leading them, Bowen a step behind. They hammered into the unsuspecting camp, cutting people down before they even had time to draw their weapons. Blood splattered the ground. Bodies fell twisted in agony. I saw one man throw down his weapon and spread his hands in surrender, his eyes wide with terror. But Raven showed no mercy. He slashed his blade across the man’s throat and watched as his lifeblood pulsed down his chest. I didn’t recognize the expression on Raven’s face. It was twisted with rage and hatred.
“No,” I heard myself whispering. “No.” My eyes snapped to Taviel. “What is this? What have you just shown me?”
“The truth!” Taviel growled. “That was a peace delegation! They’d gone to your precious Arion to try and broker a truce. To try and stop this insane blood-shed! Never in the history of the Fae has anyone violated the flag of truce. Never!”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe you.”
“For Fates sake, Asha! Open your eyes! Raven is not what you thought he was. He is the monster. He is the liar. He is the one who has tricked you and used you. When are you going to wake up?”
“Go to hell!” I snapped. The image of Raven slaughtering those people had shaken me badly. It couldn’t be real. It just couldn’t.
Taviel glared at me, his jaw clenched. He looked like he was about to say something else but then waved a hand. “Bah! Take her back to her room, Samuel. I need time to think.”
I was all too glad to let Samuel escort me back to my apartment. As he shut the door behind him, I sank down onto the sofa. The familiarity of the surroundings did nothing to soothe the emotions roiling through me. I hugged my arms around myself as if cold, although it was perfectly warm in the room.
Raven, I thought. Where are you? I need you to tell me that it isn’t true. I need you to tell me it’s all lies.
Where the hell are you?
Chapter 7
RAVEN
“What is your name?” I said gently.
The woman cowered away from me, eyes round with terror.
“I won’t hurt you. Nobody is going to hurt you. You’re safe now.”
The woman’s eyes darted everywhere, from me, to Bowen, to the warriors spread through the glade, and back again. She was older than Asha, perhaps middle-aged by human standards, and had short, honey-blonde hair. She did not appear to be injured except for the rope marks around her wrists where the Unseelie had tied her up.
I tried again. “My name is Raven.”
She swallowed a few times. “Maria. I’m Maria.”
I nodded encouragingly. “Do you know where you are? Do you know what happened to you?”
It was clear from her expression that she didn’t. She looked like a startled animal. Her scent was thick with fear and she trembled slightly. I turned and shouted for a blanket and some food to be brought. Carefully, moving slowly so as not to frighten her, I draped the blanket around her shoulders and then held out the bowl of stew. Steam wafted up from it.
“Here. You’ll feel better when you’ve eaten.”
Maria stared at me, blinking owlishly. Then she reached out and took the bowl. She began eating.
Bowen stepped out of the trees and approached. He leaned close and spoke in a low voice, “We’ve secured the perimeter. Looks like we got the lot of them. Their tracks lead up from the east and it seems they were heading north.”
Towards the Spire. Why were they taking the human woman there? And more to the point, where had she come from? What was she doing in the Summerlands?
“Mugged,” she said suddenly.
Bowen and I turned to her in surprise.
“You asked what happened to me,” she said. “I was mugged. They jumped me as I was loading the car. Next thing I know, I wake up here. Is this still Colorado?”
Bowen and I shared a look. “No, Maria,” I said softly. “This isn’t Colorado. I’m afraid you’re a long way from home but we’ll do our best to get you back there, I promise. But right now, we have to move. Those people who held you captive? There may be more of them around. You need to come with us.”
Her nostrils flared and the smell of fear thickened about her. She was on the verge of panic.
Trust me, I said, pushing the faintest pulse of my glamor against her. Trust me. But my magic just slid off her.
It was as though there was nothing in her mind for it to hold onto.
But she nodded dumbly.
We moved quickly after that, leaving behind the clearing, climbing the rise and dropping down into the next valley where we’d hidden our horses. I took Maria on my horse, sitting her before me. She didn’t protest, in fact she didn’t say a word, and I didn’t know whether to take that as a good sign or not.
We rode like the wind, galloping as fast as we dared along the valley trails, following the line of the river. A sense of urgency filled me. I wasn’t sure what Unseelie plot we’d stumbled upon but it unsettled me for reasons I could not quite explain.
Outlying scouts spotted us before we reached the army so by the time we entered camp, we found Ffion, Hawk, Rillana and Telia Rowan waiting for us. I rode up to them and dismounted then lifted Maria from the saddle. She was clearly unused to riding and slid from the horse like a sack full of rocks and would have fallen if I hadn’t caught her.
“Where are we?” she asked. “What’s going on? I need to call the police!”
“It’s all right,” I said soothingly. “These people are friends. They won’t hurt you.”
I took a deep breath. Around us, the army camp sprawled like some great, sluggish beast. We had marched far today, further than I’d dared to hope, and at this pace we would reach the border of the Moon Court where it met the Spire in two days. My jaw clenched. Two days before I saw battle. Two days before I could take vengeance for what they’d done to Asha.
A hot lance of anguish went through me. Asha. What was she doing right now? Was she thinking of me? The bond told me that she was not in any immediate danger, which was just about the only thing keeping me sane right now.
“Looks like your scouting trip was eventful,” Ffion observed, raising an eyebrow. “Mind telling us what’s going on?”
I quickly related all that had happened. When I had finished, Rillana approached Maria. The human woman watched her expectantly but did not seem afraid. Rillana had a way about her that put people at their ease.
