Chapter 45

CHAPTER 45

ROLAND

Roland couldn’t tear his eyes off Yvain. His friend. His brother-in-arms.

Enchanted by his witchkind wife, used and destroyed by her magic. Did he know? Had he guessed what Lynette was doing or what she had planned? Or was he so blinded by love that he had let it all pass him by?

But at the last, he had moved in defence of their queen. Because Yvain had once been the most honourable of them all and he had meant his vows with all his heart. In the final moment, he remembered that. He didn’t deserve that end. It was wrong. It was so wrong.

‘We have to move,’ Elodie said, her voice betraying not a single emotion now. It didn’t even tremble. Roland felt her put the horror of it all aside and take control of the situation.

Because she was the queen. And she had to.

‘The city needs us. We must find the knights and rally them. We must protect our people. Grandmaster, I need you.’

A queen. A hedge witch. It didn’t matter. She was always Elodie and she was always the one in charge.

‘I have to find Wren,’ said Finn and then he was gone, striding down the corridor and out of sight.

‘What happened to him?’ Maryn asked. She was not quite so well versed at hiding her shock as his Elodie.

‘The Aurum filled him when we were in the College of Winter. I think Wren did it to save him from the power of the Nox but…’ Roland sighed and raked one hand through his hair. It was damp with sweat and blood but what was that now?

‘Wren did it?’

‘Sidonia changed her. She’s barely clinging on. She’s trying, but – we may be too late already. I don’t know what Leander’s done to her since he captured her.’

Elodie swore under her breath and made for the door.

‘What about her?’ Maryn asked, nodding at Lynette, still sobbing over Yvain’s body.

Elodie cast the woman a look which was half pity and half disdain. ‘Lock her in. I’ll deal with her later. Right now I need to find my daughter, before it’s too late.’

‘Our daughter,’ Roland corrected her.

That stopped her in her tracks. She drew in a breath and a wavering smile passed over her lips. Just for a moment. It looked like relief. Then her face became regal once more and she nodded. ‘Our daughter. And if Finn finds her first we may still lose her. The Aurum has no care for her at all. I don’t know if even his love for her can withstand its power.’

‘Elodie, your kingdom, your people…that must come first. You know that.’

She didn’t want to hear that. Which was why it had to be Roland to say it to her.

They didn’t make it as far as the Sanctum. Up ahead the sound of battle rang off the walls, and Roland took the lead. He was still the Grandmaster of the Knights of the Aurum, and a seasoned warrior. A couple of Ilanthian guards appeared, running headlong towards them without even seeing them until it was too late. He killed one and the other backed up, babbling about surrender and the light knew what.

‘The knights got out,’ he gasped. ‘They’re enraged…berserk…I’ve never seen anything like it. And there are things with them. Witchkind. And…and creatures…Nox defend us, such creatures…’

Good, Roland thought. That had to be good. And punched the guard in the face until he fell down and didn’t stir again.

They followed the sounds of fighting, which was not the greatest move instinctively, but there would be greater defence for Elodie in numbers. When he glanced at her he saw that she had relieved the Ilanthian of his sword and held it with a practised hand. Maryn beside her bristled with magic. Having the Aurum back in the palace, even if it had sheathed itself in Finn’s skin, was enough for the knights to become true Paladins again and the maidens to regain some semblance of their power. Even now, in the Sanctum, Roland suspected the Ilanthian guards had already learned that it was never wise to anger the Maidens of the Aurum.

The chamber ahead of them was a vast meeting hall, painted and gilded and tiled in marble. Now it was awash with blood.

‘Grandmaster de Silvius!’ Anselm shouted as he recognised them. ‘The queen! Knights of Asteroth, people of Pelias, defend the queen!’

A sea of their people greeted them, patched together and armed hastily with whatever they could lay hands on. But they were Roland’s knights, the palace guards and the remnants of the city watch, even the palace servants and several citizens of the lower city. At the sight of Elodie, they seemed to don their former selves. They hadn’t surrendered easily, he saw that now. Yvain might have ordered the knights to stand down, on Lynette’s command, no doubt, but they had not gone without a fight. And now they were free to fight again.

And they had something to fight for. They all did.

Anselm and Olivier had found them and freed them, or brought them inside the palace walls, and another surprise was waiting as well, as witchkind took their place in among their ranks. Rebels and scholars and people from the lower city, some of them armed and some weaving frantic enchantments or calling on the elements around them to help.

‘The city is safe. They’ve retreated up here but we can’t get to them. The Sacrum is still in Ilanthian hands and we don’t know about the Sanctum. They still have the regent, many of our nobles and some of the maidens as hostages and…’

‘Have they now?’ Maryn growled and suddenly the resemblance between her and her cousin was evident. ‘We’ll see about that. I need some of your people.’

Two figures joined them, small and slight and so terribly dangerous. Roland knew that as surely as he knew his own name.

Robin and Lark looked entirely innocent as they pushed their way through the force of fighters, but old magic coiled about them, stronger than ever, like leashed beasts ready to attack again.

‘You came,’ Roland said. ‘My thanks.’

Lark smiled and four crows with bloodstained beaks and claws came to rest on her shoulders. ‘We wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Hedge witch,’ she greeted Elodie with a tilt of her head. ‘It is good to finally see you again.’

‘Elodie,’ Roland started to explain. ‘They’re witchkind children who helped us in?—’

Elodie gave a stifled laugh. ‘Oh, they aren’t children, Roland.’ And to his surprise she bowed to them. ‘Old ones, my thanks for your aid freely given.’

Robin was grinning. ‘We brought help. Roland asked so nicely.’

Roland surveyed the scene. There were vines climbing up the marble walls, and animals of all shapes and sizes. And other things, things he didn’t have names for. Some had witchkind with them, directing them, some from the College of Winter and those who had lived hidden lives in Pelias, or who had lately found the old magic returning to their lives once more. Other things stalked the edges of the room and the corridors of the palace alone, wild and ungovernable. ‘I think you mean you brought chaos.’

The boy shrugged. ‘It’s how we help. Order is very boring. We gave your people back their courage. And magic, the ones who wanted it. It’s fun.’ He grinned, showing all his teeth. ‘We like you, Roland.’

Somehow that was more terrifying than anything he had ever heard. He glanced at Elodie, surprised to find her suppressing laughter.

‘I see that. And he is very likeable, I agree. But now’ – her tone sobered abruptly – ‘I need to reach my daughter before the Nox takes her.’

‘Oh,’ said Lark and her gleeful little face fell. ‘It might be far too late for that. The powers are meeting as we speak and they will tear each other apart. The old magic, our magic, is growing. It will not be constrained again and if it escapes, it might destroy those who would use it. She is the Nox, your Wren. Or part of it. Both she and the Aurum thrive on control of their own kind. The old magic does not. It will fight back.’

‘Please,’ Elodie whispered. To everyone’s consternation, she dropped to her knees. ‘Please help us.’

Lark gave a long-suffering sigh. ‘Again? Very well, but we’ll want a price.’

‘Oh yes.’ The gleam in Robin’s eyes turned avaricious. ‘There will definitely be a price.’

‘I’ll pay it,’ Elodie said without hesitation.

‘Are you sure? It could be a life. It could be a life for each of us.’

‘Elodie!’ Roland gasped, horrified.

‘It won’t matter if anything happens to Wren anyway. Please, whatever it is, I’ll do it. Whatever you want.’

The twins just stared at her with that unwavering unnatural gaze. ‘Not just you,’ Robin said at last and Lark wrinkled her nose, so like a child it was impossible to say what they truly were. Creatures of magic, powers in their own right.

Roland should have seen it all along. And they wanted him as well. A life. Well, he’d always been prepared for that. But he was damned if he was kneeling.

‘We need you,’ he said at last. ‘And if you need us, we’re here. But first, please, help us save Wren and Finn.’

‘That may be beyond our power,’ Robin told him solemnly. ‘I can make no bargain on that. Their fate is their own. And we will still demand our price whatever happens, Roland and Elodie. But we will try.’