Faerie Wars fw-1

by Herbie Brennan

  If he could just cut through the ropes in time, he was certain he could get away. Brimstone looked like he'd been dead for years. He was lively enough for an old boy, but he was frail. Pyrgus reckoned he could outrun him easily, probably even take the knife away from him without much trouble. But only if his hands and feet were free. Until that happened, he was helpless.

  He redoubled his efforts with the little blade.

  Brimstone redrew symbols and lit candles. He glanced at Pyrgus. 'Nearly done,' he said cheerfully.

  'What are you going to do to me?' Pyrgus asked him. He wasn't expecting an honest answer but, if he could keep Brimstone talking, it might give him extra time.

  'Nothing you need worry about,' Brimstone told him promptly.

  'What do I need to worry about?' It was horribly difficult to tell how far he'd got with the ropes. They certainly hadn't parted yet. But at least Brimstone was talking.

  'Nothing,' Brimstone said. 'Nothing at all. You won't feel a thing. Well, hardly anything.' He turned away from Pyrgus and picked up a large book. 'Now please be quiet – I have work to do.'

  So much for keeping Brimstone talking. Pyrgus watched with trepidation as he began an evocation.

  Pyrgus couldn't believe what was materialising in the triangle. Like most boys, he'd seen pictures of demons and read about them in his schoolbooks. But they'd all been small creatures, just a few feet high. Bad tempered, admittedly; and dangerous. Put enough of them together and they could strip the flesh from your bones with those sharp little teeth. Some breeds even had magical powers – they could wither plants and cause all sorts of illnesses. And all of them could get into your mind if you were silly enough to look them in the eye. Even though you wouldn't want one as a pet, they weren't really all that scary.

  But the thing in the triangle was something else.

  It was huge. It was ugly. It was loud. It was smelly. It oozed malevolence and naked power. Worst of all, it was smiling.

  'Aha,' it said. 'You found the boy.'

  'You knew it would be him,' Brimstone said. 'You knew, didn't you? All that business about the second person I saw – you knew who it would be.'

  'Of course I knew who it would be,' Beleth growled. 'You don't think I'd leave that sort of thing to chance?'

  'Why him?' Brimstone asked. The creature seemed to make him nervous. He was dancing from foot to foot.

  'Show me the clause in our contract that says I have to explain myself to you,' Beleth hissed.

  Brimstone backed off at once. 'Just curious, just curious. None of my business, none at all. The deal's still on, isn't it?'

  'Signed in blood,' said Beleth. 'And sealed once you complete your part of the bargain. Speaking of which…'

  Brimstone took the hint. 'Yes, yes, I'll do it now. No sense in dragging these things out.' He raised the knife and bent down over Pyrgus. 'Hold still, boy,' he said.

  Pyrgus snapped the ropes around his wrists.

  His feet were still tied so he couldn't run, but he brought the little blade round and jabbed it into Brimstone's hand. Brimstone squealed and dropped the knife. 'You stabbed me!' he exclaimed in astonishment. He looked at his hand. 'I'm bleeding!'

  Pyrgus rolled away from him and tried to grab the knife. He wasn't quite sure whether he was going to use it on Brimstone or the ropes that bound his legs. But he was never to find out because Brimstone moved with astonishing speed for someone of his age and snatched the weapon away just as Pyrgus's fingers closed on it. 'Oh no you don't!' Brimstone said. Pyrgus kicked out with both bound feet and caught him in the shin. For a moment Brimstone stood, arms flailing, then lost his balance and fell half in and half out of the circle.

  'Aha,' said Beleth. 'Freedom!'

  'No – ' Brimstone screamed. Pyrgus noticed he'd dropped the knife again.

  Pyrgus made no mistake this time. With his feet still bound, he rolled once more and grabbed the weapon. From the corner of his eye he saw the massive form of the demon step out of its triangle. Since there was no way he could fight the two of them, he ignored Brimstone altogether, jack-knifed upright and slashed at the ropes round his legs. The knife must have had an ion edge because it cut through them like butter.

  'Keep away from me!' Brimstone howled.

  Pyrgus leaped to his feet and jumped right over Brimstone as he raced for the door. He couldn't remember if he'd seen Brimstone lock it, but it was the only chance he had.

  'I'm on your side, fool!' the demon growled, apparently to Brimstone. It crossed the room in two huge strides.

  Pyrgus was reaching for the door handle when the huge clawed hand fell on his shoulder.

  The jolt of power that surged through his body felt like trapped lightning. Pyrgus jerked as every muscle went rigid. His momentum carried him forward, but his whole body felt as if it had been seized by rigor mortis so that he toppled forward to fall flat on his face on the floor. Blood gushed from his nose and a loud knocking filled his ears. Behind him he could hear Brimstone wailing like a child. The demon roared. Then everything went deathly quiet.

  For an eternity Pyrgus lay there waiting for the demon to kill him. The knocking noise started up again and he realised it wasn't inside his head at all – it was coming from the door. Experimentally he tried to move his arm. His body ached from head to toe, but the muscles had started to work again. He rolled over, tasting blood in his mouth, and slowly sat up. The room was a shambles. Bits of trapped-lightning equipment were strewn across the floor and a whole segment of the circle had been torn up and destroyed. The brazier was just a piece of twisted metal. Brimstone lay against one wall, a dazed expression on his face. He looked as if he'd been thrown there like a rag doll. He was cradling his large book in both arms.

  The knocking became a pounding and suddenly the attic door burst in, hinges shattered. Four large men marched through with military precision. Beleth vanished instantly. Brimstone scrambled to his feet. 'Get out!' he screamed. 'Get out! Get out! Who do you think you are?'

  Pyrgus stared. He knew who these men thought they were. Each one wore the uniform insignia of His Supreme Majesty, the Purple Emperor.

  'Where's my boy? wailed Jasper Chalkhill.

  'Shut up!' Brimstone muttered. He was staring at the wreckage of his attic room, still bewildered by the sheer speed of events. One minute he'd been about to bring his greatest plan to glorious fruition, the next his hopes were shattered. Beleth was gone. The boy was gone. All his expensive equipment was broken. It would take him weeks to replace it – weeks! No matter how much he paid, it would take him weeks! But he still had the book. That was something. And the contract. Although he didn't really like to think about the contract. The contract had a penalty clause.

  'I insist you speak to me! I insist, Silas! I absolutely, positively insist!' Chalkhill stamped a slippered foot in the extremity of his frustration.

  Brimstone sighed. 'They took him away.'

  'Who took him away? Why didn't you stop them?'

  'I didn't stop them because there were four of them and one of me. I didn't stop them because they were the Emperor's Guard. That's why I didn't stop them.'

  Chalkhill blinked. 'The Emperor's Guard? The Purple Emperor's Guard?'

  'What other Emperor is there?' Brimstone snapped. He wished the fat idiot would go away. He needed time to think, to plan. He needed to decide the best thing to do next.

  'What's the Purple Emperor want with that boy?'

  'How should I know? Maybe you should write a letter and ask him.'

  'You're being horrid, Silas. Imagine what a disappointment this has been to me.'

  Brimstone decided on diplomacy. 'To us both, Jasper, to us both. But what was I supposed to do – defy an order from the Purple Emperor?'

  'They had an order? From the Emperor himself?'

  T don't know if it was from the Emperor himself. Maybe they print out those things by the dozen. All I know is they waved a bit of parchment underneath my nose, then marched him away.'

  'Did you re
ad it?' Chalkhill asked.

  Brimstone stared at him as if he was insane. 'What am I – a lawyer? These were the Emperor's men!' Actually he was sorry now he hadn't read it. Might have given him some clue to what was so special about this boy. First Beleth wanted him, now the Purple Emperor.

  Brimstone walked across the room and took Chalkhill by the arm. He made a massive effort to put sympathy and reassurance into his voice. 'Look, Jasper, give me time to clean things up in here, then I'll work out some way to get the boy back.'

  'You will?'

  'That boy broke into our premises. He stole several of our cats. Heaven alone knows what other damage he may have caused.' Brimstone nodded soberly. 'He broke the law, Jasper. That may give us prior claim. I don't know why the Emperor wants him, but we may have prior claim. Even His Supreme Majesty is not above the law. What I'd like you to do, Jasper, is give me half an hour to clean things up in here, then send Glanville and Grayling to my office – '

  'Our lawyers?'

  'Yes,' Brimstone nodded patiently, 'that Glanville and Grayling. I'll have them prepare a petition – a legal petition.' He stared at Chalkhill for some clue he was following this. 'A petition to the Emperor, you understand. With a little luck, we could have the boy back here within a day.'

  'You really think so, Silas?'

  'I really do, Jasper,' Brimstone lied.

  Brimstone's office was nothing like that of his partner. It was far smaller, more cluttered, gloomy and dusty. Every wall was lined with ancient tomes of sorcery and demonology, books that had taken a lifetime to collect. Brimstone's desk was a sea of parchment texts and the antique wooden floor an obstacle course of bulging folders and files. Brimstone himself was playing with a Hand of Glory when Glanville and Grayling marched in. The lawyers might have been twins. They were both small, pot-bellied men with very little hair. They both wore three-piece suits and highly polished shoes. Both carried elephant-hide briefcases with ornate 'G' monograms embossed in gold leaf on the side. Both wore rimless spectacles and both were trying unsuccessfully to grow moustaches. They looked around vainly for somewhere to sit and sighed together when they didn't find it.

  'Jasper Chalkhill claims you wish to see us,' Glanville said.

  'Alleges you have work for us to do,' Grayling nodded.

  'We understand – without prejudice – there is a boy,' said Glanville.

  'Some miscreant,' said Grayling.

  'Some tort-feasor,' Glanville added.

  'Larcenous.'

  'Trespassing.'

  'And missing,' Brimstone said drily, to shut them up.

  'Ah, yes,' said Glanville, 'missing! Taken by the Emperor's men, to the best of our information, knowledge and belief.'

  'Abducted, one might say,' sniffed Grayling slyly.

  Glanville smiled. 'And Mr Chalkhill would like him back.'

  Grayling smiled. 'Mr Chalkhill would like him back,' he echoed.

  'Never mind about that,' said Brimstone. 'I want you to run your eye over a contract.'

  'Contract law!' Glanville exclaimed, not at all put out. 'Your speciality, I believe, Mr Grayling.'

  ‘I want you both to look over it,' hissed Brimstone.

  'I want the best legal advice you can give me.' He flicked nervously at the thumb of the Hand of Glory and small flames ignited at the fingertips. Brimstone blew them out hurriedly.

  'You shall have it,' said Glanville.

  'You shall have it,' said Grayling.

  Brimstone pulled a single sheet of parchment from the drawer of his desk and handed it across. Glanville took it, read it, then passed it without comment to Grayling. Grayling took a little longer reading, but looked up eventually.

  'Is it binding?' Brimstone asked.

  'Yes,' said Grayling.

  'Yes,' said Glanville.

  'It's with a demon,' Brimstone pointed out.

  'Makes no difference,' Grayling said. 'Demonic contracts still have force in law.'

  Glanville reached out and took the parchment. 'I know everyone tries to get out of them and demons are notoriously slapdash when it conies to legal matters – '

  'They prefer to kill you,' Grayling explained, smiling brightly.

  ' – but the fact remains,' Glanville continued, 'if this – ' he raised his spectacles and peered at the parchment closely ' – Beleth wished to institute proceedings on foot of this document, they would certainly be entertained in court. Unless, of course, your signature is forged or you could prove duress. That means the demon forced you into signing,' he added helpfully.

  Brimstone shook his head. 'I signed it all right. Without duress.' The Hand of Glory was beginning to sweat a little so he set it down. 'There's a penalty clause…'

  'I noticed that,' said Grayling soberly.

  'I take it this contract has not yet been executed,' Glanville said.

  Brimstone shook his head again. 'Not yet.' The Hand of Glory began to crawl away and he pinned it to the desktop with a paper-knife. All five fingers wiggled weakly. 'I want to know my chances of getting out of it.'

  Grayling jiggled his spectacles. 'My dear Brimstone, this is signed in blood.'

  'The form of words is clear,' said Glanville. 'You have agreed to make specific sacrifice to Beleth. He has agreed to grant you a specific wish.'

  'The penalty clause is equally specific,' Grayling said. 'Should you fail to make the sacrifice within a month, this Beleth creature takes your soul.'

  'No getting out of it,' said Glanville.

  'No getting out of it at all,' Grayling confirmed.

  Seven

  Pyrgus could only see as far as the backside of the Imperial Guardsman walking three strides ahead of him. The man was so large he blocked much of the view in front. There were stone-faced guards on either side of him and one behind. If he tried to run, he would get maybe a stride and a half..These characters were experts.

  But he had to try.

  'I've a pebble in my shoe,' he announced loudly. If they stopped to let him get it out, there might be a chance of distracting them.

  They ignored him.

  'I could be crippled if you keep me walking on a rock. Your officers won't thank you for delivering an injured prisoner.'

  Apparently their officers didn't give a hoot. The guards continued to ignore him.

  They reached the bridge where the four men around him were joined by six more of their colleagues. They wore helmet masks and uniform riot gear with stun wands in every holster. This was beginning to look like a serious bust.

  As the new men fell in, Pyrgus started to wonder what it was all about. When the four first took him into custody, he'd been so relieved to get away from Brimstone and the demon that he'd never thought to ask himself why the Emperor's Guard had been sent after him. 'Where are you taking me?' he demanded. 'I've a right to know where you are taking me!' He waited vainly for an answer, then added sourly, 'Or not.' It didn't matter anyway, because by now he had a fair idea where they must be going.

  They crossed the bridge in fine style. The crowds melted before the marching phalanx of Imperial Guard but reconvened to watch the prisoner. At the far side, they followed the course of the river until they reached the official ford. When they stopped to await the Imperial barge, Pyrgus knew he'd been right. They were going to the palace. These men had been sent to bring him to the Emperor.

  Pyrgus sighed. What on earth did his father want with him now?

  The Imperial palace was set on an island in the widest part of the river. There were nearly two square miles of formal gardens surrounded by a miniature forest where the Emperor sometimes went off hunting boar. The palace itself had been built more than four hundred years ago using purple stone. The stone had weathered over centuries until now it was almost black; although it did take on a faintly purple sheen at sunrise and sunset. The colouring combined with the archaic architectural style to give the building a sinister, cyclopean look. Most visitors found it intimidating. For Pyrgus it was simply home.

  He walk
ed in step with the guards through the main entrance, then halted as Gatekeeper Tithonus slithered out to meet them. The old man was wearing his official green robes and looked more like a lizard than ever.

  'I'll take him from here,' he said.

  'Our orders is to bring him to the Emperor direct.'

  'Your orders have been changed,' Tithonus said, unsmiling. He held the guard's eye and Pyrgus could almost feel the soldier's willpower crumble.

  Eventually the guard mumbled, 'Yes, sir.' He motioned to his colleagues and they wheeled off in perfect step.

  'I see you haven't lost it, Tithe,' Pyrgus grinned.

  'And I see your dress sense has got worse,' Tithonus told him drily. 'Do you want to change before you meet your father?'

  ‘I think I'll stick with what I'm wearing – let him see what he's reduced me to.' Pyrgus's grin faded. 'What's happening, Tithonus? Why did my father send the heavy squad?'

  'It's Blue,' Tithonus said. 'Walk with me. We'll take the long way round – there's a great deal I must tell you.'

  'What's the matter with Blue?' Pyrgus asked quickly. Holly Blue was his sister. She was the thing about palace life he missed most. 'Is she ill?'

  'Far from it,' Tithonus said. 'But she is up to her old tricks.'

  Pyrgus groaned. 'What's she told Father this time?'

  'That you've fallen foul of Lord Hairstreak. Is it true?'

  'Sort of,' Pyrgus said. How on earth had she found out? She was a year younger than he was, yet she'd somehow set up a network of spies that was the envy of the Imperial Espionage Service.

  'What does "sort of" mean in this context?' Tithonus asked.

  'He caught me stealing his golden phoenix.'

  Tithonus closed his eyes briefly. 'Good grief!' He opened them again. 'I was half hoping it wasn't true. Have you any idea of the implications?'

  'He was mistreating it!' Pyrgus protested.

  'Of course he was mistreating it. This is Black Hairstreak we're talking about. He mistreats his own mother. I don't suppose you stole her as well?'