The Magelands Box Set

by Christopher Mitchell

  ‘So?’ Kallie said, filling a mug with spirits. ‘Flora’s dead, Keira. And the Emperor… well, maybe you can stay sober after going through that, but I couldnae handle it.’

  ‘Ye did alright at the time.’

  ‘Aye,’ Kallie said, ‘but my nerves were shredded. I thought he was going to kill us, I really did.’

  Keira rummaged in her pouch, and lit a stick of keenweed.

  ‘Is that how ye’ve managed to stay awake?’ said Kallie. ‘Have ye been smoking all day?’ She looked around. ‘What time is it anyway?’

  ‘How the fuck should I know?’ Keira said, taking a draw. ‘Evening? Night? And anyway, there was another reason I had to stay awake.’

  ‘Daphne?’

  ‘Aye?’

  ‘Has she been in contact?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Shit. Ye got any dreamweed?’

  ‘Aye. Ye’re not getting any, but.’

  Kallie frowned. ‘Why not?’

  ‘I need ye ready, ya daft cow,’ Keira said.

  ‘Ready for what? I thought we were going to hide down here until it was safe to leave the city?’

  ‘Something’s wrong, Kallie. Daphne should have sent a message hours ago. If something happens tonight, I need ye able to shoot yer fucking longbow. Ye’ll be useless if yer wasted.’

  Kallie sipped from her mug, and coughed. ‘Shit, this stuff’s rough. Alright, give me some fucking keenweed then.’

  Keira narrowed her eyes.

  ‘Ye’ll get some when ye need it.’

  ‘Fucksake,’ Kallie said. ‘Yer treating me like I’m a bairn. Nothing’s going to happen tonight, anyway. Hopefully Daphne’s just waiting to see how things settle down, and then we’ll be on our way.’

  ‘You still drunk?’ Keira said. ‘Yer fucking delusional. You saw what the Emperor did, right? How exactly do ye think things are going to settle down?’

  Kallie gazed around at the damp walls of the small cavern.

  ‘Alright,’ she said, ‘things are fucked up, I admit it. The Emperor’s no doubt still searching for you, but I think we’re safe down here for now. Hang on,’ she said, frowning, ‘if the Emperor can’t see us down here, then maybe Daphne can’t either. Maybe she’s been trying to find us.’

  Keira felt annoyed that Kallie had thought of this before her.

  ‘She’s the best fucking vision mage going,’ she said. ‘She’d find us.’

  Kallie said nothing, sitting back in her chair and nursing her mug. Keira shifted in her seat, the leathers digging into her skin. She longed to be able to wash and clean herself, but there were no toilets or baths that deep in the caverns. Already the smell coming from the bucket in the small cave behind her was starting to reach her nostrils. They had no food, and little water, and she was keeping what they had for Karalyn.

  She watched as Kallie’s eyes began to close. She stubbed out her weedstick and got to her feet, stretching her limbs, and gazing down at the sleeping child. Her dark skin shone in the lamplight, and Keira smiled. She reached down and spread the twisted blanket back over the girl’s legs, covering her, then went to the entrance of the cavern. It opened onto a long, low tunnel, which stretched into darkness on either side. There were other caverns close by. Some were empty, while others were sealed with iron grilles, and locked up.

  She needed a plan.

  Flora would have known what to do. Or, rather, Flora would have told her the right thing to do. For a long time Keira had allowed the young Holdings woman to act as her conscience, her moral filter. It had given her free rein to behave any way she wanted, always knowing that Flora would still be there, no matter what crazy shit she had just done.

  But she had lost Flora, and gained Karalyn. And the child, her blood, needed protecting. Keira would fight like a bear to stop anyone from hurting her, and that simple truth had shifted her priorities. She tried to imagine a time in the future, long after this was all over, when Karalyn was back with Killop and Daphne, and she was free to… do what exactly? Go back to being the town drunk at the World’s End in Domm? Or, if she wanted to, she could rule the world. She smirked. She knew there was a joke in there somewhere.

  What did she want? To see her brother again. To be free from the fear that the Emperor was trying to kill her would be nice as well. She realised that she would never be free while the Emperor lived. Even if she hid alone in the most remote corner of Domm, every morning when she awoke she would wonder if she was witnessing her last sunrise, if that would be the day the Emperor would find her.

  But how could she kill him? She had already tried, and had been lucky to escape with her life. Fuck, the first time she had faced him, she hadn’t even managed that. And now he was more powerful than ever. She gazed up at the tunnel ceiling, glistening with moisture. Somewhere above her head, through hundreds of feet of earth, was the Emperor. What was he doing? She remembered him saying that he would be able to see her wherever she went, but they had been in the cavern all day, and through the evening, and there had been no sign that she had been discovered.

  Maybe Kallie was right. Maybe nothing was going to happen that night. She should have a drink, and switch to dreamweed, and get a good night’s sleep, so she was fresh for the morning. The idea tugged at her, but her mind was already made up. She was Karalyn’s aunt and guardian, and that was that. Losing her would be… fuck, it wasn’t something she could bring herself to imagine. She thought about how Killop and Daphne must have been feeling, all this time without their daughter, the worry must have tormented their every moment. How could they bear it? All the Kell knew loss. She and Killop had seen friends torn apart by crossbows bolts and swords, yet if Karalyn were to die, Keira knew that everything she had ever felt would be dust and ashes.

  What should she do? What would Flora say?

  The white witch would tell her that she had to get Karalyn out of the city, no matter what it took.

  Keira felt her eyes begin to well up, and she shook her head. No time for that. She turned, and walked back into the cavern. She knelt by her chair and packed her bag, stuffing it with their things. She took two sticks of keenweed from her pouch, then slipped it onto her belt.

  She nudged Kallie.

  ‘Not again,’ she groaned. ‘What is it this time?’

  ‘We’re going,’ she said. ‘Time to leave.’

  Kallie rubbed her eyes. ‘What? Now? Is it morning?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. I think it’s probably the middle of the night, but fuck knows.’

  ‘What about her? You going to wake her?’

  ‘Not if I can help it. We’ll carry her up to the caverns closer to the surface, see if we can pick up some food for her, and find out what’s been going on.’

  ‘And then?’ she yawned.

  ‘And then we get out of the city. Maybe you were right about Daphne not being able to see us down here. Either way, if we get a good pace going, we can put some distance between us and the Emperor before dawn.’

  Kallie sat in silence, her eyelids heavy.

  ‘What if the exits to the city are guarded?’

  ‘We fight our way out.’

  ‘Huh.’

  ‘Here,’ Keira said, holding out a weedstick. ‘Smoke this.’

  Kallie took it from Keira’s fingers, and lit a match.

  ‘Light mine as well,’ Keira said, holding up her own.

  Kallie lit both, and took a long draw.

  ‘It’s a terrible plan,’ she said. ‘The Emperor could be searching the Kellach quarter for you right now, and we’re just going to oblige him by emerging from our hiding place? How do you know he’s not waiting for us to make this very mistake, eh?’

  ‘That’s why we find out what the fuck’s been going on first,’ Keira said. ‘When we get to the upper caverns, there’ll be folk there we can ask. If the Emperor’s searching for me, they’ll know.’

  ‘And then we call it off?’

  ‘Fucksake. Let’s wait to see what they have to say first.’


  ‘And how are you going to fight, if you’re carrying Karalyn? I mean, I can’t shoot everybody.’

  Keira frowned. ‘Let’s worry about that shit when we step in it.’

  ‘Alright,’ Kallie said, standing. She stretched her arms. ‘Fuck, we’re manky. We’re still stinking of smoke from the fires, and covered in dirt, blood, and fuck knows what else. And yer hair, it stinks from when it got singed.’

  ‘It’s like being back in the war.’

  Kallie smirked. ‘Which one?’

  ‘Any of the fuckers,’ Keira laughed. ‘I’ve fought in three so far.’

  ‘Come on, then,’ said Kallie, picking up the pack and slinging it over her shoulder. ‘Let’s get on with it.’

  Keira shook her head and stood. She strapped her sword to her belt, and crouched down by Karalyn, watching her sleep for a moment. She gathered up the girl, wrapped in the blanket, and stood holding her in both arms.

  Kallie smirked.

  ‘Don’t start,’ Keira frowned.

  She shifted Karalyn onto her left hip, her head nestled onto her shoulder. The girl groaned and wriggled, but her eyes stayed closed. Keira smirked back at Kallie, and strode to the cavern entrance. Kallie unhooked the lamp, and followed.

  They walked up the tunnel, lowering their heads to avoid hitting the ceiling. Pools of water had collected along the path, and Karalyn stirred against Keira’s side as she stooped through the tunnel. Kallie’s lamp lit the way, and after a few minutes the passage widened, and began to slope upwards. They clambered up the steep path until it levelled out onto a short landing. At its end was a rope ladder, disappearing up into the darkness.

  ‘You go first,’ said Keira.

  ‘No way,’ said Kallie. ‘If you drop the girl I want to be here to catch her.’

  ‘Fucksake, I’m not going to drop her,’ she said. ‘Alright, I’ll go first, but only because you have the lamp. Make sure you hold it up for me, I don’t want to be climbing that fucking thing in the dark.’

  She walked to the ladder, her left arm keeping Karalyn close. She reached out with her right hand and grabbed hold of the rope, pulling herself up to the first rung. Kallie came close, and her lamp shone up. Keira swore, gazing at the height she was going to have to climb one-handed. Karalyn had been awake when they had descended the rope earlier that day, and had clambered down it easily.

  ‘Get a move on,’ said Kallie. ‘My arm’s getting sore holding the lamp.’

  ‘You are fucking hilarious,’ Keira said, climbing the ladder. Each time she got her feet up onto the next rung, she had to grab the rope higher up, while keeping Karalyn steady. She kept going, losing her temper and patience as she went, until they reached the top. She emerged into another earth-walled cavern, and sat, her left arm aching, and waited for Kallie.

  ‘You look knackered,’ she said, lifting the lamp clear of the tunnel, and climbing up next to Keira. ‘Are ye still sure it’s a good idea to go outside carrying the bairn?’

  ‘We’ll be fine,’ Keira said, getting back to her feet. She switched Karalyn to her right hip, and stretched her left arm.

  They set off again, following the tunnel that led from the cavern. She saw the flickering light of lamps ahead, and began to hear voices. The passageway opened onto a much wider tunnel, with booths dug out on either side. Men and women, both Kellach and Holdings, were gathered. Many were busy, pulling on armour or buckling swords to their waists.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Keira asked a small group, who were unloading a crate of crossbows.

  The group glanced at them

  ‘It’s all kicking off in the streets above us,’ said one.

  ‘The Emperor?’

  ‘No sign of him,’ the man said. ‘Apparently he’s locked himself up in the Great Fortress.’

  ‘This is our best chance,’ said another. ‘If we can keep the garrison busy, we can break out of the city and run for it.’

  ‘What’s he doing?’ said Kallie. ‘The Emperor, I mean.’

  ‘Pyre alone knows,’ said a Kellach woman. ‘His soldiers took over a hundred folk captive, and led them off into the fortress a few hours ago. The Emperor’s not been seen since.’

  ‘You both look fit,’ said the Holdings man. ‘You coming to help?’

  ‘Aye,’ said the Kellach woman. ‘Ye can leave the bairn here with the old folk, she’ll be safe enough.’

  ‘I cannae,’ Keira said. ‘I promised the girl’s mother that I’d stay with her.’

  ‘I can fight,’ said Kallie, tapping her longbow.

  ‘Do ye know how to use that, hen?’ said the Kellach woman.

  ‘Ya cheeky cow,’ said Keira. ‘She’s the best fucking shot around. I can still fight though.’

  ‘Aye?’ said the Kellach woman. ‘With a bairn on yer hip?’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘How ye going to draw yer sword?’

  Keira frowned. She looked down. Karalyn’s legs were around her waist, covering the hilt on her belt.

  ‘Here,’ said the Holdings man, handing her a long knife. ‘Stick that in yer boot.’

  ‘Cheers.’

  The group moved to the side of the tunnel to allow a dozen armed civilians to pass.

  ‘Come on,’ said the Kellach woman. ‘Let’s go.’

  The group moved off. Keira and Kallie tagged along at the end, and followed them through the tunnels, passing groups of elderly and injured civilians, and stores of food and water.

  ‘Hang on,’ said Keira. She ducked into one of the storeroom booths.

  ‘I need water and food,’ she said to an old woman sitting on a stool by the supplies, ‘for the girl.’

  ‘Staying or going?’

  ‘What does it matter?’

  The old woman shrugged. ‘If you’re staying down here, I can give you some rations, but if you’re leaving, then you’ll need to trade something for them.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Those are the rules, take it or leave it.’

  Keira glanced at Kallie. ‘Got any money left?’

  ‘Nope.’

  ‘Shit.’ Keira lowered her voice. ‘Do you take weed?’

  The old woman frowned. ‘If you have any dull for the injured, then I’ll take it.’

  Kallie turned round, and Keira opened the pack strapped to her back. She rummaged around and pulled out a small pouch.

  ‘Here ye go,’ she said, handing it to the old woman.

  The woman inspected the contents of the pouch, then reached down and picked up a packed bag.

  ‘Pleasure doing business with you.’

  Keira took the bag, and stuffed it into Kallie’s pack.

  They walked back out into the main tunnel.

  ‘Fucksake,’ Keira muttered. ‘We’ve just been fucking robbed. That was about forty gold’s worth I just gave her, for a wee bag of food and a flask of water.’

  Kallie shrugged. ‘Just as well we still had it.’

  ‘Aye, she said, as they walked down the tunnel. ‘Let’s hope we don’t need it.’ She patted her belt. ‘Still got plenty of keenweed left, but. We’ll not be sleeping tonight.’

  The civilians they had been following were out of sight, so they got in behind another group, and continued through the tunnels for several minutes. It seemed like every surviving civilian from the Kellach quarter was sheltering in the caverns. Small fires were burning in alcoves, and the place was bustling.

  ‘Go get the bastards!’ an old Holdings peasant called out as they passed, and the others around them cheered. Keira felt her back slapped as the peasants crowded the tunnel, offering words of encouragement to the fighters. They squeezed through, and came into another, narrower tunnel, which sloped up on a gentle gradient. At the top was a rope ladder, leading to the surface.

  One by one, the members of the armed group ascended. When the last had gone up, Keira approached the ladder. At its base stood an armed Holdings woman.

  ‘Hey,’ she said. ‘You can’t take that kid up there. It’s too dangerous, th
ere’s fighting in the streets.’

  Keira smiled and walked up to her, a good head taller.

  ‘Aye?’ she said. ‘You going to stop me?’

  The Holdings woman hesitated, then reached out and grabbed hold of Karalyn’s blanket.

  The girl stirred, and Keira snarled.

  Kallie stepped up, and removed the woman’s hand from Karalyn.

  ‘I wouldn’t do that, hen,’ she said. ‘Best if ye just let us go.’

  The Holdings woman cowered back as the two Kell towered over her.

  ‘I have orders,’ she said, her eyes darting around. ‘Only fighters are allowed up.’

  Karalyn opened her eyes, blinked, and looked around.

  ‘Where’s mummy?’ she said.

  ‘That’s where we’re going, wee one,’ Keira said. ‘Just you hush now.’ She glared at the Holdings woman. ‘Ye can go and report us or whatever, it doesnae matter. I’m taking the bairn up there, so get out of my way.’

  The Holdings woman looked terrified, but stood her ground, blocking the rope ladder. ‘You can’t take a little girl up there.’

  Karalyn gazed at the guard. For a second the woman looked back, then her eyes clouded over and she fell to the ground.

  ‘Woah,’ Kallie said, her eyes wide. ‘Either she just fainted, or… or…’

  Keira stared at Karalyn. ‘Was that you?’

  ‘Aye,’ the girl said. ‘Lady sleepy.’

  ‘Good trick,’ Keira smirked. ‘Mind ye never use it on me.’

  She reached up, and grabbed the rope. ‘Here we go again.’

  Ten minutes later, Keira and Kallie stepped out of the small cottage where the hidden entrance to the tunnel was located. Karalyn was still awake, though she kept yawning and rubbing her eyes. In the distance on their left stood the Great Fortress, and a cacophony of noise was coming from that direction. To their right was the road leading to the gates in the walls of the Kellach quarter. The night sky above was lit by the reflected glow of the huge fires that were burning in other parts of the city.

  Keira scanned down the streets, but no one was in sight. She nodded to Kallie, and headed off to their right.

  ‘No!’ Karalyn cried. ‘Go the other way.’

  ‘Shush,’ Keira said. ‘We’re getting out of here, wee one.’