Kelsey brandished the blunt and bent spoon. ‘Whereas, this might well do the trick.’
Aila picked up the tray. ‘If you say so. Are you still craving a smoke?’
Kelsey scraped the spoon against the mortar. ‘Now that you mention it, no, not really.’
‘Then you should stop. I mean, you’ve done the hard bit.’
Kelsey laughed. ‘My mother would disown me. Actually, that’s a good reason to do it; to annoy her. Anyway, how was I, you know; was I unbearable?’
‘You were a nightmare for oh, about twenty days. That’s why I don’t want you to restart; I don’t think I could handle being in your company if you had to stop again.’
‘That’s fair, I suppose. You haven’t been much fun, either, Miss Aila, just so you know. You’re like the opposite of Corthie; I’ve never met anyone as pessimistic as you. How does he put up with it? I can feel the negativity radiate off you at times.’
‘Corthie and I balance each other out, I think,’ she said. ‘Well, we did until he got it into his head that he was destined to slay the Ascendants; that was a step too far for me. I was also extremely annoyed with him for not telling me why he allowed Van to go off with you.’
Kelsey shrugged as she scraped the mortar. ‘I’m quite proud of him for that. Holdfasts stick together, even when we fight and argue among ourselves. If you’re a lucky girl, you might get to be a Holdfast one day, who knows? We’ll see if mother approves.’
‘Half the time, I don’t know if you’re joking or not. You hate your mother, but you’re unswervingly loyal to her as well.’
‘It’s called being part of a family. I know you demigods don’t… oh.’ She stopped scraping.
‘What is it?’
‘Well,’ she said; ‘you know that I was only really doing this scraping malarkey to pass the time, but, eh, come and take a look.’
Aila placed the tray onto the bed and walked to the window ledge. At the base of the thick bar, a large chunk of mortar had come loose. Kelsey wedged the spoon under it and it slipped free, revealing the end of the iron bar. She took hold of the shackle and eased it through the gap, freeing her chain from the bar. She smiled at Aila, then did the same with her chain.
‘Wait,’ said Aila. ‘They’ll notice as soon as they walk in.’
‘Then we rush them, and run for it.’
‘What, with each of us trailing ten-foot lengths of chain behind us? They’re still attached to our wrists, if you hadn’t noticed.’
‘We passed a little workshop in the basement when we were put in here. There’s bound to be hammers and stuff we could use to get rid of the chains.’
‘But they’ll hear us.’
‘Pyre’s arse, Aila! Come on, this is the chance we’ve been waiting for. We can stop sitting here passively, and actually do something. I’m fed up being a damsel in distress, waiting for the boys to rescue us.’
Aila frowned. Kelsey was right. She tried to summon the spirit of Stormfire. She was unable to use her powers to mask herself, but everything Stormfire had done had really been done by her. Her heart began to pound at the thought.
‘Right,’ said Kelsey; ‘here’s the plan. We eat, then we sit by the door and wait for the next time someone comes in. And then we go for it. You can fight, can’t you? I mean, I can’t, but you can, aye?’
‘Yes, I can fight.’
Kelsey grinned. ‘That’s more like it. Now you’re thinking like a Holdfast.’
* * *
The waiting was excruciating. Kelsey and Aila crouched or sat by the door, their chains piled behind them, as the day slowly went by. Kelsey had tried to pass the time by playing word and guessing games, but Aila’s nerves were shredded, and all she could think about was Amalia’s touch, which could bring her death in seconds. Apart from that, she might get a crossbow bolt in the guts, and she remembered how awful that felt. There were a million problems with Kelsey’s plan, but the young Holdfast woman refused to listen to them, at one point sticking her fingers in her ears and singing to drown out Aila’s objections.
Eventually, the light in the basement cell dimmed as evening approached, and footsteps bringing their dinner approached down the hallway outside. Kelsey’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded to Aila. They moved to the side of the door, so that they would be out of sight when it opened.
Aila handed the end of her chain to Kelsey and tensed.
I am Stormfire. I am Stormfire, she repeated in her head. She didn’t need the disguise. She could do it.
The key sounded in the lock, and the door was pushed open. It was the young servant again. He peered into the room, and his smile faded as he glanced at the seemingly empty cell.
Aila pounced. She sprang up, a length of chain in her hands, and wrapped it round the young man’s throat, hauling him backwards. He dropped the full tray, its contents clattering to the ground, and stumbled, pulled off balance by Aila. Kelsey scooped up the jug of water from the floor and smashed it down onto the man’s head. It broke, and the man cried out, and stopped struggling, his hands at his neck as Aila choked him.
‘He’s still conscious,’ Aila said. ‘Hit him again.’
Kelsey glanced at the broken jug, then clenched her fist and punched the man in the nose. He yelled as blood gushed down his face, and she punched him again. Aila hauled him into the cell as he groaned in pain.
‘I’ve got the key,’ Kelsey said, her fist bruised. ‘Come on.’
They picked up the chains and ran out of the cell, and into a long passageway with rooms leading off on either side. They shut and locked the cell door, then Kelsey led the way, glancing into each room as they went.
‘In here,’ she said, and rushed into a room on the left. It was lit by a narrow window by the ceiling, and contained work benches and racks of tools. Kelsey dropped her chains onto a bench, and began rooting through the tools. They tried a set of bolt-cutters, but the chains were too strong, and they couldn’t get the long handles to close. Kelsey then tried a hacksaw, but the blade was old and rusty, and she gave up after a minute of fruitless sawing.
‘They used a hammer to drive in the pins,’ she said, eyeing the rack of tools. She selected a large hammer, and brought it down on the thick iron pin holding the shackles to the chain. ‘Ow!’ she cried, as the hammer struck the band round her wrist. ‘Pyre’s arse, that hurt.’
‘And it made a racket,’ said Aila. ‘This is no good; we have to get out of here before someone else comes downstairs.’
‘There’s bound to be a blacksmith in town; maybe we could ask them to remove them.’
‘We’d need gold to bribe them to keep their mouths shut.’
Kelsey continued to peer around the room. She found a long steel pole, narrow enough to fit through the links of the chain. She clamped her shackle into a vice, then drove the pole into the link closest to her wrist, and began to twist it. The chain links clumped together, and soon she was straining to twist it further.
‘Help me,’ she muttered.
Aila grabbed the other end of the pole, and together they twisted it a few more revolutions. Aila and Kelsey heaved at the pole, and the link gave, sending Aila flying to the ground. She glanced up and saw Kelsey grinning, the chain lying free on the floor.
‘You next,’ said Kelsey.
Aila got up and placed her arm into the vice.
‘What’s all that noise?’ came a shouted voice from the passageway. ‘The mistress is trying to sleep.’
Kelsey grabbed a hammer and dashed to the door, holding herself flat against the wall. Maxin pushed the door open and strode in. His eyes went straight to Aila, who was standing staring at him, her wrist clamped in the vice. Kelsey swung her arm, and the end of the hammer connected with the back of Maxin’s skull with a crack, and he toppled to the ground and lay still. Kelsey stared at him, as blood began to seep onto the cold, stone floor.
‘Did I just do that?’ she said, her eyes wide.
‘Stop staring and help me get the chain off,’ Aila
said.
Kelsey didn’t respond, her eyes fixed on the body of Maxin. ‘Is he dead?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Aila, ‘and I don’t really care. Get over here; I can’t twist the chain off on my own.’
‘You don’t care that I might have just killed someone?’
‘He was working for Amalia.’
‘So, you’re saying he deserved it? You sound like my mother.’
‘Please, Kelsey. If Amalia comes down those stairs, we could be in trouble; we have to get out of here.’
The young Holdfast woman dragged her eyes away from the body, and took a few steps forward. Her right hand was still clutching the bloody hammer. She stared at the pole that Aila had rammed through a link in her chains as if she seeing it for the first time.
‘Kelsey?’
‘I’m just like my brothers now; a murderer. I didn’t mean it, I…’
Maxin spluttered from the floor, and emitted a low groan of pain.
‘There; see?’ Aila said. ‘He’s not dead. You’re not a murderer. Now, please, Kelsey, help me.’
She dropped the hammer and took the other end of the pole from Aila, and together they began turning it. As before, the chains bunched together, and then the link snapped and Aila pulled her wrist from the vice as the chain fell to the ground. Aila ran to the body of Maxin, and crouched by it. He was still breathing, so she began to rifle his pockets.
‘Oh,’ said Kelsey. ‘I thought for a minute that you were going to help him.’
Aila found a leather wallet, and slipped it into a pocket. She then hauled the man’s long coat off, and pulled it on, the sleeves long enough to hide the shackle on her right wrist.
‘And I thought I’d be the one who froze,’ Aila said, as Kelsey stared at her, her hands shaking. ‘How have you managed to live this long without resorting to physical violence?’
Kelsey said nothing.
‘Come on,’ Aila said, grabbing her arm.
They went to the door of the work room and Aila peered out. The passageway was in silence, but a loud groaning was coming from the cell where they had locked the young servant.
‘We should have killed them both,’ she muttered, as she half-dragged Kelsey out of the room.
They ran along the passageway until they reached the stairs, then Aila stopped at a small storeroom, and stuffed her coat pockets with food. When they were full, she turned for the stairs, and nudged Kelsey along as they ascended. At the top of the steps was another passageway, with a large door on the right. It was barred with three beams, and the two women lifted them from their brackets and laid them on the floor. Aila pushed the door open, and blinked from the bright evening sunshine. Ahead of them was a series of stairs built onto the side of a huge wall, and beyond that, a small town was laid out. Wooden houses lined the streets, and dozens of chimneys were sending grey smoke up into the blue sky. Gulls called and shrieked overhead, and the air reeked of the ocean. Aila stared at the view for a moment, then led the way down the steps to the cobbled ground level. The high, thick walls encircled the small town completely, and looked ancient compared to the structures in the interior. On the left was a tall arch, and through it Aila could see a harbour with a stone jetty protruding outwards into the ocean. Several vessels were tied up, but there was nothing larger than a fishing boat. A hundred yards to the right was another arch, which led to the open countryside beyond, and Aila selected that direction.
They were walking along the street, trying to blend in with the locals, when a cry rose up behind them. Aila turned, and saw Amalia standing at the front door of the house built into the walls.
‘Stop!’ she cried, her eyes landing on the two escaping women.
‘Keep walking,’ said Aila; ‘ignore her.’
She linked arms with Kelsey and they kept going. The street was busy with people. A few had turned to glance at the woman shouting from the top of the stairs, but none paid Aila or Kelsey any attention, despite the state of their clothes and their unkempt appearance. Amalia charged down the steps and started running along the street after them.
Aila saw a tavern to their left, and they ducked in through the open door. Inside, a large fire was roaring in a central hearth, and the place was filled with the odour of cooking meat. They walked to the bar and waited for a stout, middle-aged man in an apron to approach.
‘How can I help you, ladies?’ he said.
‘We’re looking for some dinner, please,’ said Aila, ‘and maybe a room for the night. How much would it be?’
‘It’s ten silver pennies per room,’ he said, ‘and two each for dinner. Take a seat, and I’ll have someone bring over the food. Would you be wanting something to drink with your meal?’
‘Ale, and lots of it,’ said Kelsey.
The man smiled. ‘Sure thing, ma’am.’
‘Give us a moment to think about the room,’ said Aila.
The man nodded, and the two women walked to an empty table next to the fire, Aila glancing at the main entrance.
‘Did she see us come in?’ said Kelsey as they sat.
‘I’m not sure,’ said Aila. She slipped the wallet out of a pocket, and looked through its contents.
‘How much do we have?’ said Kelsey.
‘Five gold sovereigns, and about twenty in silver. Not much.’ She tossed the empty wallet into the fire. ‘We may have to steal some more.’ She glanced at Kelsey. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘A bit better. Sorry about before; I… I just…’
‘It’s alright; you don’t have to explain anything. You did what you had to. If you hadn’t hit him, we’d be back in our cell by now.’
‘I embarrassed myself. Keir would be laughing if he’d seen me. And Corthie would be rolling his eyes. As for mother, she…’
‘Stop it, Kelsey. You may be a Holdfast, but you’re not a killer; you don’t need to compare yourself to the rest of your family. From now on, I’ll handle any violence that’s required.’
Kelsey looked at her. ‘How many people have you killed?’
‘I can’t honestly remember.’
‘Pyre’s arse; you can’t remember? It must be tons, then.’
‘Not as many as Corthie. And I’ve been alive for nearly eight centuries; don’t forget that.’
A serving girl approached their table with a tray, and began to set out cutlery, along with two large mugs of ale.
‘Thanks,’ said Aila. ‘Could you please tell the barman that we’ll take that room for tonight?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
‘Also, what’s the best way to get out of town? Do wagons leave for the south?’
‘Yes, ma’am, but the next caravan isn’t due to depart for a few days. It goes all the way to Kin Dai.’
‘Thanks.’
The front door of the tavern swung open, and Aila and Kelsey turned to see Amalia stride in. She was wearing robes, but her right arm was bare, and fully healed. She saw them sitting at the table and smiled broadly.
‘My girls,’ she cried; ‘there you are!’
She walked over to the table and sat. ‘Are you eating? Good idea. Girl, set a place for me too, and I’ll have some wine.’
The serving girl nodded. ‘Yes, ma’am.’
Amalia waited until she had walked back to the bar, then she turned to Aila and Kelsey.
‘You treacherous little bitches.’
‘Treacherous?’ said Aila. ‘You locked us up; what were we supposed to do? Smile and nod along?’
Amalia pretended to look shocked. ‘By abandoning me, you are betraying your own world, dearest granddaughter. If the Ascendants find me, then nothing will stop them from locating and occupying Tara. Do you want to see our enemies in Maeladh Palace?’
‘So, now you want to talk reasonably? It’s a little late for that.’
‘Surely we can come to a deal; a mutually beneficial deal?’
‘You had your chance, and instead you locked us up for a month.’
‘Aye,’ said Kelsey. ‘Wh
y don’t you crawl back into whichever hole you emerged from, and leave us alone? Better still, give us the Quadrant, and then your beloved world will be safe.’
Amalia looked like she was about to launch into a rant when the serving girl returned with a tray.
‘Your wine, ma’am,’ she said.
The former God-Queen glowered at her, then took the mug of wine and drained it. ‘Another.’
The serving girl nodded and hurried away.
‘You two,’ Amalia said, ‘are finished. Where will you go? Do you even know where we are, or how to get out of this place? I was using you to keep safe, but I was keeping you safe at the same time. Did I torture or humiliate you? Did I starve you?’
Aila gave a wry smile. ‘You have quite a low bar for hospitality.’
‘Is Maxin alright?’ said Kelsey.
‘Why?’ said Amalia. ‘Are you going to pretend to be concerned for his welfare, after you clubbed him with a hammer?’ She seethed for a moment, then tried to smile. ‘Listen, come back to my apartment, and we can talk things over. What do you want? I’m sure we can reach a compromise.’
‘Forget it,’ said Aila. ‘If you think I’d trust you after what you did to us, you must think I’m a bigger idiot than Marcus.’
Amalia’s face changed and she leapt to her feet. ‘If I could use my powers, I’d kill you now!’ she yelled, pointing her finger in Aila’s face. ‘I’d level this stupid town in minutes and slaughter everyone. Have you forgotten who I am? I am the mighty God-Queen, and I’m sick of pandering to mortals who should be on their knees before me. You dare to talk about Marcus?’ She picked up a knife from the array of cutlery on the table. ‘I should cut your eyes out and gut you, you miserable, ungrateful wretch…’
Her words were cut off as two burly men grabbed her arms. One forced the knife from her hand.
‘I’ll kill you too, you stupid mortals! I’ll kill you all!’ Amalia cried, as she was hauled back and bundled to the ground. She tried to touch one of the guards with her fingers, but her wrists were pulled behind her by gloved hands.
Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) Page 9
