Rebel's Cage (Book 4)

Fourth Book of Elita

KATE JACOBY

First published in 2001 by Gollancz

This ebook edition published in 2013 by

Jo Fletcher Books
An imprint of Quercus Editions Ltd
55 Baker Street
7th Floor, South Block
London
W1U 8EW

Copyright © 2001 by Mackenzie Oliphant.

The moral right of Mackenzie Oliphant to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Ebook ISBN 978 1 78206 883 9

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

You can find this and many other great books at:
www.quercusbooks.co.uk
and
www.jofletcherbooks.com

Also by Kate Jacoby

EXILE’S RETURN
First Book of Elita

VOICE OF THE DEMON
Second Book of Elita

BLACK EAGLE RISING
Third Book of Elita

TRIAL OF FIRE
Fifth Book of Elita

As always, a huge thank you to my family, and to my friends for all their support and understanding. Thank you again to Jo and to Karen – your efforts are always appreciated.

Much has been said about Robert Douglas, the man at the centre of this history; about his character, his honour and about the sometimes secret forces behind his actions. Many stories have been told, of his brave deeds, his strength and his determination to deliver his people from tyranny.

But Robert Douglas was a man both more and less than what legend made of him. The people saw in him the hero they needed; those close to him saw the soul tortured by a prophecy handed to him at the age of nine – an event which would shape not only the rest of his life, but also that of his beloved country.

*

When Robert Douglas returned from his self-imposed exile, he found Lusara struggling under the rule of the conqueror Selar, the Church floundering for leadership and the powerful Guilde growing stronger under Proctor Vaughn. While Selar had once been a close friend, Vaughn had been Robert’s sworn enemy, for the Proctor had discovered the secret of Robert’s sorcery and was determined to destroy him.

The secret Enclave, hidden high in the Goleth Mountains, was home to sorcerers who no longer dared to live in the country, fearing for their lives, from both Guilde and sorcerer Malachi. The Enclave was protected by the powerful talisman known as the Key, which was also used as a guide and a source of information by the leader, the Jaibir. It was the Key which had given Robert the Prophecy.

While the people needed a release from tyranny, those within the Enclave, the Salti, begged Robert to help them – but Robert was a man of honour, and could not reconcile the responsibilities placed upon him with his oath of allegiance to Selar, nor with the terrible fate promised by the Prophecy: that Robert would, in the act of salvation, destroy that which
he loved most. This conflict raged within him, shaped his character and informed too many of his choices. Over thirty and more years it grew, becoming something he both despised and feared, a dark stain inside himself he could neither control nor destroy. In his own mind, he called it the demon.

But there was one person who understood both Robert and his demon. Jennifer Ross was abducted as a child by Nash and set to live in Shan Moss forest. Fourteen years later Robert rescued her, discovering she was not only a sorcerer, with vastly different magical powers, but the daughter of the Earl of Elita. Robert returned her to her father, but even as he realised his feelings for her were changing, he discovered that she was part of the Prophecy, the Ally – and if he allowed it to come true,
she
would be the one he would destroy.

King Selar had a new friend, Samdon Nash. A sorcerer of incredible power and evil, Nash was known as Carlan to his people, the Malachi. He would stop at nothing to possess the Key – and Jenn, the Ally.

Then an accident caught Robert and his brother Finnlay, and the secret sorcerers were no longer secret. Word flew across the land.

As Nash secured his position at court, he used a hideous perversion of the ancient Bonding to tie Selar to him, so the King would lose all free will and become Nash’s puppet. Robert helped the Queen flee to safety with her two children, but Jenn’s impending marriage finally broke him. Despite all his promises to himself, Robert spent the night with her, giving into the Bonding foretold by the prophecy, then he left, sending himself into exile once again – this time determined to stay there and do no more harm.

Though heartbroken, Jenn went through with the marriage to Duke Tiege Eachern, Selar’s brutish cousin. When she found she was carrying Robert’s child, she kept the secret, allowing her husband to believe it his.

This time Robert exiled himself in a remote abbey, hiding even his identity from the brothers. There he met Bishop Aiden McCauly, recently imprisoned by Selar, then rescued, and now living in hiding. The seeds of a deep and powerful
friendship were born between the two, who were drawn from their sanctuary by threats to Robert’s brother and an attack on Jenn at Elita.

They raced across the country and arrived at the castle in time to discover those holding siege were evil Malachi sorcerers under control of the third figure in the prophecy, the Angel of Darkness. Even as Jenn went into labour, even as her father was killed and her son born, the enemy was closing in on them, threatening to overrun the castle. Exhausting all his defences, the demon within Robert finally cracked and broke, flooding through him with a fury that could not be denied. From the highest battlements, he let loose the terrifying Word of Destruction, obliterating the Malachi and severely wounding the Angel of Darkness.

*

Five years later, Robert returned again to Lusara, having researched the prophecy as much as he could. But this time he came with a more urgent mission. Selar was determined to invade neighbouring Mayenne, ruled by his brother. Robert knew that Lusara was not strong enough for such a fight, that the only outcome would be defeat, and another tyrant on the throne of Lusara. He sent out word to lords still loyal, asking them to gather their armies and meet him at Bleakstone Castle, in friendly Flan’har.

With her husband’s death, Jenn took her son, Andrew, to live with her sister while she joined the rebels, where she volunteered to help research the Prophecy by making a trip to Bu, in the southern continent. Horrified that she should go alone, Robert went with her. While they found nothing of immediate use to the Prophecy, the trip did heal the rift between them, and Robert vowed to marry her, despite the Prophecy – even as he was forced to accept he might not have a way out of it.

When they returned to Bleakstone, loyal lords insisted that Robert marry Selar’s daughter, Galiena, and upon victory, that he take the crown. Stricken, Robert went to Jenn, but she insisted that he agree, saying that their country was more important than their love. After the wedding, word arrived that
Selar was heading for the border. The rebel forces were mobilised.

Jenn headed to the Enclave and was chosen by the Key to replace the dead Jaibir. Trying to stop her, Robert arrived too late – but the Key possessed him, changing both their bodies so they would not age, but last as long as this battle against evil would require them. With Jenn now joined to the Key for life, Robert could no longer trust her, and left to rejoin his army.

Marching with Selar’s army, Nash made an ally of Prince Kenrick. Jenn joined Robert’s army; one night their camp was attacked by Malachi, and a young woman was captured. She gave up no information; Robert was not to know that she was Sairead, the girl Micah, his closest friend, had fallen in love with. Micah had left her to fight alongside Robert.

Kenrick stole into the rebel camp and poisoned his sister, Robert’s young wife. Devastated by her death, Robert prepared his army the following morning, knowing where to lay the blame.

At dawn, the armies faced each other and the fight was engaged. Robert sought out Selar and faced him, struggling to control the demon. But he killed Selar, and night fell, and still the battle was not won.

That night, as Robert slept fitfully, ignoring the pain of his wounds, Malachi once more crept into the camp, freed Sairead, and abducted Micah. The following morning, as the armies lined up for battle, Robert rode into the heart of Shan Moss forest to save his friend.

Robert found Micah in a clearing, bound and gagged, and fought off Malachi attacks before Nash appeared. Robert was stabbed in the back by Sairead – and discovered that she was the girl Micah had fallen in love with. Feeling betrayed, he sent Micah back to camp to warn the rebels, then began his assault on Nash, chasing him through the forest.

They emerged onto the battlefield between the two terrified armies. Nash was severely wounded, his power virtually gone. Robert too was hurt, but determined to last as long as it took. The two sorcerers fired bolts at each other, then Jenn felt the build-up of power and knew Robert was preparing to use the
Word of Destruction to kill both himself and Nash: he would defy the Prophecy that had ruled his life with his
own
death.

Jenn rushed between them, using her own awesome powers to split them apart. Nash was spent, but alive, and Kenrick’s men rescued him from the field. Robert remained standing long enough to see Kenrick’s army racing away in terror and to hear the cheers of his own men. Then he collapsed into Finnlay’s arms.

The war was over and Kenrick, now King, was fleeing back to Marsay, the wounded Nash and dispirited Malachi with him. Micah, desolate to be banished from Robert’s side, left to play bodyguard to his friend’s son, Andrew. Robert’s army buried its dead that night, but Robert himself lay dying, his wounds severe, the demon inside him making them worse.

Finnlay fetched Jenn, hoping she would tell Robert that she loved him and that Andrew was his son, so Robert might have something to fight for. Jenn was shocked by Robert’s injuries. Mindspeaking him, she discovered the demon had all but overtaken him and would kill him before the night was over. She saw that telling him the truth would not make things better. She needed to give the demon something else to focus on – so she told him that she had never loved him, that their one night together had been just the Bonding and nothing else and that surely it was time they put their brief moments together into the past.

The demon struck out at her, but with Robert so weak, it could do no damage. She opened her eyes to find the demon working to heal him – but she saw only hatred in his eyes. Jenn left for the Enclave, knowing that she had lost his love, but that he was now finally free of her, free to fulfil the destiny his country cried out for.

*

For eight years, Jenn lived and worked at the Enclave, teaching and learning, growing closer to the Key, strengthening their bond. She saw her son regularly, but never enough. Rarely would a day pass that she would not wonder about the Prophecy and how it would finally unfold.

Of Nash, there was little word as the years flew by. It was
assumed he was recovering, rebuilding himself, using his evil powers to take the blood of other sorcerers. Few were fooled into believing his silence meant that he was finished. They all knew that this was a period of watchfulness, of preparation.

Kenrick grew into his role as King in his father’s place, more than surpassing his sire’s tyranny. Piece by piece, Lusara fell apart around him, and nobody seemed able to stop it.

*

During those eight years, when it seemed darkness would engulf Lusara and swallow it whole, the country prayed for deliverance. This was the time of the Silent Rebellion. And Robert Douglas, Duke of Haddon, rebel and outlaw, waited for something many people should have foreseen.