Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) (23 page)

‘What have we here?’ he chuckled. ‘Still up to your tricks and tomfoolery, Charlie Keeper?’

‘You know, Stix,’ said Charlie as she picked herself back up, ‘one of these days someone’s going to give you the lesson you deserve.’

‘Is that so? Well, that’s not going to be today and it’s not going to be you doing the teaching.’ Still grinning, he held up his finger to show off the ring. He walked towards Charlie, and Aranea followed him. Neither of them saw the Firehaven Sourlax threads that hung from the doorframe, although they both felt them brush against their faces as they walked forward.

‘What was that? Cobwebs?’ asked Stix, wiping his face.

‘Cobwebs?’ echoed Aranea, looking around in puzzlement. ‘There shouldn’t be any cobwebs here. I’ll put this brat to cleaning after you’re done with her.’

You’ll have to get someone else to do the cleaning in here. This is the last time you’ll be seeing our famous guest.’

‘Very well, I’ll have Melita … I … er –’ Aranea swayed and had to hold on to a drying rack to stop herself falling over.

‘What’s the matter?’ asked Stix.

‘Must be the heat … I think …’

‘Uh,’ grunted Stix. Slowly he put his hand to his head. ‘Get me some water. I-I –’ He staggered and almost fell as his face turned a sickly shade of green. He turned accusingly to Charlie. ‘What have you done to us? Quick, tell me, you little imp. Tell me before I gut you with my swords!’

‘Ha! Does this jar seem familiar?’ smirked Charlie triumphantly, looking at Aranea. She pointed at the glass jar and then to the toxic threads dangling from the doorframe.

‘Firehaven … Sourlax! You piece of scum … you flotsam! I knew … you were … trouble,’ murmured Aranea. She could hardly speak and her words came out as a faint whisper. ‘She’s drugged us!’ Her eyes rolled up and she collapsed in a heap.

‘You … you …’ said Stix, his gravelly, rasping voice fading. With slow, heavy movements he erratically stalked towards Charlie, at the same time drawing one of his swords.

Charlie, quite unafraid, boldly stepped forward and, with a firm hand, shoved him in the chest as hard as she could. ‘Oh, be quiet, you chump!’

Stix staggered backwards, tripped over Aranea and fell, stiff and immobile, to the floor. Drugged and motionless he might have been, but he still glared furiously at Charlie through his half-open eyes. One of his hands pulsed and twitched spasmodically near his sword. Speaking through the side of his mouth, he whispered with a numb tongue, ‘You’d … better … run … far … away … girlie … Next … time … I … see … you … I … will … kill … you …’

Holding on to her courage, Charlie applied some of the slimy dye to Stix’s finger and, avoiding his mad, staring eyes, she tugged the ring free. Removing the Isiris Bracelets from her wrists, she stuffed them in her trouser pockets and sighed in relief. At last! At last she had a chance to escape!

‘We … shall … see … who … has … the … last … laugh … brat!’ snarled Stix breathlessly from the floor, a long line of dribble leaking from his leaden mouth to puddle on the tiled floor. Beside him, Aranea began to snore.

Charlie raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She couldn’t
believe he was still threatening her! All the pent-up frustration from the last two days suddenly erupted. The tight knot of darkness that coiled and boiled within her heart roared to life.

‘What is it with everyone in this stupid place?’ she asked sarcastically. ‘I’ve had enough! Enough, do you hear me? Stop chasing me, stop hounding me and leave me alone! If you mess with me again, I’ll show you I’m no pushover!’

‘You’re … dead!’

‘Oh yeah?’ Charlie grinned with a fierce look in her eye. Leaning over, she picked up one of Stix’s swords from his nerveless fingers and with quick movements – SWISH! SWISH! – she lopped his beloved topknot from his head. Holding it jubilantly in her hands, she stared down at the evil Treman. ‘That’s for locking me in the cattle pens full of creepy-crawlies.’

Grabbing a handful of brushes, she dipped them into various coloured dyes, then scampered back to Stix. Doing her best to ignore his continued threats, she proceeded to paint his face. With a liberal amount of red, white and green, she transformed his frozen scowl into the grin of a clown. ‘And that’s for being a nasty piece of work with no sense of humour!’

Chuckling in delight and with a final cheeky wave, Charlie raced off.

30

A Midnight Trade

The Shades slid noiselessly through the twilight of Sylvaris. Writhing and creeping from graceful bridge to cobbled boulevard, the Shades slunk towards Narcissa’s tower. Crossing the drawbridge, they drew up short. Stones and the Alavisian Watchmen blocked the entrance.

‘Have you brought the agreed advance payment?’

‘Of course,’ hissed a Shade. ‘Do you doubt my word, or that of my master?’

The pulsating Shadow extended a dark tendril that was neither hand nor paw. Balanced on the end was a small woven, wicker basket. Nestled inside were fat and very plump rubies that glistened and twinkled hypnotically in the starlight.

A second shadowy tendril upended a small stack of gold bars that clunked heavily as they struck the mighty drawbridge.

‘That is just one basket and a mere ten bars. You promised us a hundred baskets and a thousand gold bars,’ snorted Stones. ‘This is but a hundredth of the down payment, I trust that you have the rest with you.’

‘But of course,’ said the Shade. Letting out an eerie, shrill
whistle that echoed across the drawbridge, it motioned its brethren forward.

There was a faint rustling, as though a hundred silk curtains were being slowly drawn. The pack of Shades drew closer. Each held a basket and stack of gold aloft.

Together, Stones and the Watchmen gasped as a twinkling sea of red and gold stars unfolded in front of them. After a brief display the Shades withdrew their bounty back into their shadowy folds.

‘Satisfied?’ asked the Shade.

‘More than satisfied,’ admitted Stones. ‘This way.’

The large Stoman guided the long line of Shades beneath the portcullis and into the tower. Once inside the pack of shadows followed Stones as he led the way down splendid gilded hallways and up a grand spiral staircase. Pushing open an elaborately carved set of wooden doors, he ushered the Shades into the Great Dining Hall.

The Great Dining Hall was the complete opposite of the Lower Dining Hall, the sole purpose of which was dining. This room conveyed an overwhelming sense of opulence and wealth. It was obviously meant to impress … and it did. Luscious gold and silver panels lined the walls and splendid bouquets of wild orchids cascaded from magnificent blue-tinged vases. Elegant chandeliers lit with hundreds of candles hung from the painted ceiling, and ornate tables and chairs dotted the marble floor. Carved into the far wall was Narcissa’s emblem and beneath it stood Lady Narcissa herself.

‘Welcome, welcome!’ she greeted. ‘Please come in. Can I get you anything? Perhaps something to eat or to drink?’

‘We do not care for mortal food or drink. It does not suit our tastes,’ hissed the Shade. ‘We are here to trade, not socialize. Bring us the girl and the pendant.’

‘Certainly,’ replied Narcissa smartly. ‘However, I would prefer to have the payment first. Only then will I supply the girl.’

The Shade nodded its consent and motioned its pack forward. Shuffling and mewling, the thick carpet of shadows slunk forward like an immense wave of black velvet. The Shades briefly lapped and puddled around Narcissa’s white-clad feet. There they writhed and wriggled for a short moment. Then, like some great black tide, they retreated and in their place was Charlie’s ransom. Rubies and gold had been piled together to form a carpet of wealth.

Lady Narcissa grinned. Clapping her hands sharply, she ushered in a line of butlers and housemaids. At her command and under Stones’s watchful eye, they collected the treasure and staggered out to the tower’s vault. Lady Narcissa could barely hide the greed in her eyes.

‘Our thanks to Lord Bane,’ she smirked.

‘And the girl?’ questioned the Shade.

‘I’ve sent for her. In fact, she should be here by now,’ said Narcissa.

‘Should be?’

‘Well, yes. My son Stix is making her somewhat more … presentable. But not to worry. I assure you, Stix is most trustworthy and he shall, I’m sure, be here soon.’

‘Presentable does not concern us. Simply give us the girl and the deal shall be done.’

‘Please just wait a few minutes more.’

‘Wait? We do not wait. Take us to the girl now,’ snarled the Shade. ‘We have shown our good faith and now you must show yours.’

‘If you do not trust me, fine,’ snapped Narcissa somewhat angrily. ‘Stones, please escort our suspicious guests down to collect Charlie Keeper. I believe she and Stix can be found in the servants’ quarters.’

‘Yes, Mother.’ He turned to the pack of shadows. ‘Follow me.’

Stones stalked from the Great Dining Room and made his way down the wide spiral staircase with the Shades swarming behind him. Opening one of the narrow entrances to the servants’ quarters, he hunted up and down the corridors searching for his brother.

‘Stix, where are you?’ Receiving no answer, he grabbed a nearby servant by the collar. ‘Where is my brother?’ he demanded.

‘I-I-I don’t know!’ stuttered the man, petrified by the Shades.

‘Gah!’ growled the irate Stoman. ‘You! You there, my brother? Where. Is. He?’

‘Aaahh!’ screamed a young maid as she too saw the mass of shadows. She turned to run, but Stones’s thick hand snatched her up by the hair. Kicking and screaming, she writhed in his grip.

‘Tell me where my brother is or I’ll feed you to them!’

‘I don’t know! I honestly don’t know! He’s not here! I’ve been here all evening and I haven’t seen him at all. Please, please don’t feed me to them!’

‘Bah! What is this foolishness?’ Irritated, Stones flicked
the housemaid aside. He puffed up his chest and roared down the corridor. ‘Open your doors and pay attention, all of you! Show me your heads or I’ll cut them off and play K’Changa with them!’

Within seconds four dozen doors opened and shy, timid heads slowly appeared.

‘I will ask this once and only once: has anyone here seen my brother or the Keeper girl?’

Most of the heads shook from side to side. One hand, however, went up.

‘You there, speak!’

It was one of the seamstresses. ‘Er, yes, my lord. I’ve seen your brother. The last I saw of him was in the Spinnery, with Mistress Aranea. That was almost an hour ago now. Sir.’

‘Almost an hour ago?’ Furiously Stones turned around and waded back through the tide of Shades to head for the Spinnery.

‘Stix! Stix! Where are you?’ he shouted as he burst into the large sewing room.

‘Er … he’s over here,’ squeaked a small voice.

It was one of the cotton pickers. At his side were Melita and several of the seamstresses and labourers, all of them staring down at something at their feet. They were doing their very best to hide wide grins behind their hands.

Striding over, Stones caught sight of what attracted their attention.

It was Stix and Aranea.

Unconscious.

There was no sign of the girl. Or the pendant.

‘What is going on here? What’s wrong with them? My
brother, is he OK? And will someone please tell me why he’s painted like a clown?’

‘Brother …’ grunted Stix from the corner of his mouth.

‘Stix, what’s wrong? Tell me who did this to you and I’ll break their bones!’

‘Keeper … the … girl … drugged … us … escaped …’

‘Charlie? The brat did this to you? That little rabbit?’ exclaimed Stones, his mouth hanging open in shock. He’d expected some cunning fiend to have been responsible for this, not some poxy little Human girl. ‘Where did she go?’

‘Not … sure … she … left … about … half … an … hour … ago …’

‘Bah, never mind, she can’t have gone far. The Isiris Bracelets will keep her imprisoned within these walls. It is just a matter of time until we catch her. You there,’ he instructed a labourer, ‘go fetch my mother, Lady Narcissa. She will deal with this.’

‘No … Bracelets …’

‘What was that?’ Stones frowned. Cupping a hand around his ear, he leaned closer to his brother.

‘She … stole … ring …’

‘What?’ roared Stones. Raising a huge hand, he pointed at one of the seamstresses. ‘Quick, go and raise the alarm. Tell the Alavisian Watchmen to shut the tower down. No one is to come in or go out without my consent. And you! Yes, you, go and tell the sergeant he is to bring up the tracker hounds. We must search for –’

‘Forget all of that!’ interrupted the prime Shade scathingly. ‘We can locate her. Her scent is still fresh.’

‘Kill … her … for … me … revenge …’

‘My pleasure,’ sneered Stones, and reached for his bow.

‘You may not! The deal is done and the girl is ours. You may not harm her,’ hissed the Shade. ‘Wait here and attend to your brother, while we hunt down the Keeper.’

The Shades, sniffing and licking at the dyeing and drying room floor, picked up Charlie’s scent and gave chase. Rustling and growling, they swarmed out of the Spinnery.

Stones stared at his stricken brother lying on the floor, then at the retreating pack of Shades. ‘I will not stand by and allow our family honour to be stained and left unavenged. Stix, I will have the girl’s skin hanging from my belt when I return. No one touches one of the Delightful Brothers without paying for it!’ He unstrapped his great bow and, scowling like black thunder, stamped from the Spinnery.