The Spook's Sacrifice (19 page)

'What took you so long?' Mab asked. 'I've been
waiting here for ages.'

'Why would you be waiting for me?' I asked warily.

'Because you have things to do and time is short!
Your mam's waiting,' she replied. 'Here, I'll carry
this . . .'

With those words she took the lantern from me and,
seizing the sleeve of my cloak, began to pull me
upwards. For a moment I resisted but then allowed
myself to be tugged up the narrow spiral steps.
Faster and faster we went, until we were almost
running.

Suddenly I started to worry. Why had I allowed her
to control me like this? Was Mab using some sort of
dark magic to bind me to her will?

'Where are your sisters? And why weren't you with
the rest of the Mouldheels?' I demanded, bringing our
upward flight to a sudden halt. I didn't trust her at all.
Perhaps the Fiend had betrayed me, failed to keep his
word. What if Mab was delivering me into the clutches
of the Ordeen, who was already awake?

'We separated into different groups as we entered
the Ord,' Mab explained. 'Beth, Jennet and I followed
at a distance. Now they're safe and sound and as far
away from this ugly place as possible. But I stayed.
Risked my life, I have, to do this. You should be
grateful.'

'To do what?'

'Find the Ordeen for your mam. Scryed it for her, I
did. Hardest thing I've ever done. Now come on, Tom.
No time to delay. Time's short and your mam's waiting
up there!' she cried, trying to pull me upwards once
more.

'Wait!' I shouted, resisting. 'You knew where the
Ordeen was? Yet we weren't told? We wasted our time
and then fell into a trap. Why didn't you warn us? We
could all have been killed!'

And there was worse, although I didn't tell Mab.
I'd just surrendered my soul to find out where the
Ordeen was.

'No, Tom. It wasn't like that at all. Only scryed that
once we were inside the Ord. I could only do it by
using the blood of one of the Ordeen's servants. I cut
the throat of one of the sleepers. Didn't take me long.

'Then we knew that the Ordeen wasn't in any of the
towers. Knew she was here. So your mam decided to
risk taking the most direct route. She led me out of the
tunnel and along the wall. Went in through the main
entrance, we did, bold as brass! Lots of danger inside
though – nasty insect things with six legs and huge
pincers and lots of eyes. Didn't come near your mam
though – they kept their distance. Then we came up
against a barrier here. Your mam could get through but
I couldn't. Used her power to smash it so I could get in.
Cost her a lot too – drained some of her strength. Just
shows how badly she needs me. "Bring Tom to me as
quick as you can!" she said. So come on. No time to
waste!'

With that she began to tug me after her again. I
didn't resist and soon we were running up the steps
again at full pelt. We halted on a gloomy landing.
Before us stood a doorway and darkness beyond.

'You go inside,' Mab said. 'Your mam's waiting there
to talk to you. She told me to wait outside. She wants
to see you alone.'

I didn't want to go in, but I held out my hand for the
lantern. Mab shook her head. 'Doesn't want you to see
her yet. Not like this. She's changing. Just halfway
there, she is. Not nice to look at . . .'

I didn't like the way she said that about Mam and I
felt like striking her with my staff. Was Mam changing
into her full Lamia shape?

'Go on!' Mab snapped.

I scowled at her, and clutching my staff and bag,
went forward into the darkness of that forbidding
chamber and waited for my eyes to adjust. But even
before I was able to make out the shape in the corner, I
could hear laboured breathing. Was that Mam? She
sounded as if she was hurt.

'Mam! Mam! Is it you?' I cried.

'Yes, son, it's me!' a voice replied. It sounded hoarse
and somewhat deeper than I remembered. And
weary and full of pain. But without doubt it was Mam.

'Are you all right, Mam? Are you hurt?'

'There is some pain, son, but it's only to be expected.

I'm changing. I can choose my shape and I'm taking on
one that might just give me a chance against the
Ordeen. But it's been harder than I thought. Much
harder. I still need a little time to ready myself. You
must delay her.'

'Delay her? How?' I demanded.

'Firstly with words. You'll be an enigma to her, a
puzzle that she'll be desperate to solve. That's your
first defence. Later, your chain and staff might buy us
further time. Are you still wearing the blade, Tom?
And have you used the wish?'

My heart sank right down into my boots at her
words. I suddenly realized that Mam had wanted me
to use the Grimalkin's gifts against the Ordeen. But I
had to tell her the truth.

'I still have the blade, but I used the dark wish to
save Alice. Aferal lamia had her in its jaws. She'd have
died otherwise.'

I heard Mam sigh wearily. 'Combining the wish
and the blade might have given you a real chance
against the Ordeen. But if you survive this, son, you
made the right decision. You'll need Alice by your side.
As a last resort use the blade anyway.'

'What did you mean by me being "a puzzle" to the
Ordeen?' I asked. 'I don't understand. Why will I be
that?'

'Don't you remember what I told you? The reason
we gave her your blood? She will know you and
not know you. You will seem like kin. Someone she
should know but does not. You'll be able to hold her
attention and allow me to ready myself and strike first.
She drank your blood, taking it into her own body in
order to gain new life. It's changed her. It makes you
close. Already that's weakened her. That's why you
were able to pass through the barrier. That's why I was
able to enter this place too. We share the same blood,
Tom.'

Her voice was changing now. Becoming less human.
Once again, I had my doubts. I'd been tricked so many
times before and was wary.

'Is it you, Mam? Is it really you?' I demanded.

'Of course it is, Tom. Who else? But I don't blame
you for doubting me. I've changed and continue to
change. I've taken on many forms in my long lifetime
and now I'll take my final one. The process is
accelerating even as we speak. I'm no longer the
woman I was. I remember being your mother. I
remember being a wife to your father. But I'm already
something different now. Don't be sad, Tom. All things
change eventually. Nothing lasts for ever. All we can
do now is make our final moments together
worthwhile.

'For much of my long life I've planned the
destruction of the Ordeen. And now it's almost within
my grasp. You gave your blood to her – gave it bravely.
That was why I brought you to my homeland. But
there is one more thing you can do that might make a
difference. Delay her. Buy me time. Mab will guide you
to the place where she will shortly awaken. Soon I'll
use the last of my strength against her. I will hold her
in a death-grip. But if I succeed in doing that, you must
flee the Ord immediately. Will you do that? Do you
promise, Tom?'

'Leave you, Mam? How could I do that?'

'You must do it, son. You must escape. Your destiny
is to destroy the Fiend. That's what I've worked so
long to achieve. If you die here with me, it will all have
been for nothing. I'll bind the Ordeen fast until her
strength fails. Once that happens, the Ord will collapse
back through the portal. It will be destroyed, and if she
can't get free, it will be the end of her too!'

'But you'll be destroyed as well! Is that what you're
saying, Mam?'

'Yes, it'll be the end of me too, but the sacrifice will
be worth it. I will have achieved what I set out to do so
long ago. So do you promise? Please! Let me hear you
say it . . .'

I felt shocked and full of grief. Mam was going to die
here. But how could I refuse her when it would be the
last thing she'd ever ask of me?

'I promise, Mam. I'm going to miss you so much. But
I'll make you proud.'

At that moment a shaft of moonlight came through
the window to illuminate Mam's head. It was still just
recognizable, but her cheekbones were higher and
sharper than ever, the eyes more cruel. I could just
make out the shape of her body and a little of the
substance. She was crouching close to the ground.
There were scales, sharp claws, folded wings . . . Even
as I watched, she was becoming less and less human,
transforming before my eyes into her final Lamia
shape.

'Don't look at me, Tom! Don't look at me! Turn away
now!' Mam cried out, her voice full of pain and sorrow.

I had seen something similar to this before – and
heard Mam utter those words. The Bane that had lived
in the labyrinth beneath Priestown Cathedral had once
afforded me a terrible vision, showing me Mam in this
shape. And I remembered his exact words:

The moon shows the truth of things, boy. You know that
already. All you have seen is true and will come to pass. All
it takes is time.

The Bane had been right: I was now in a waking
nightmare. It had come to pass all right.

I hesitated and Mam cried out again, 'Go and do
what I ask! Don't let me down now! Remember who
you are and that I love you!'

So I turned my back and fled the chamber, filled
with an anguish of my own.

Outside, Mab gave me a triumphant little smile.
'Told you she wasn't nice to look at,' she said. 'Now I'll
take you to the Ordeen . . .'

Trembling at what I'd seen, I followed Mab up more
steps. It hurt me to think of the pain Mam was feeling
and the change she was undergoing. But I had little
time to think about that as we emerged onto a
balcony with a low stone balustrade and Mab
pointed at another flight of steps leading down
beside it.

'There she is!' Mab hissed. 'The Ordeen!'

Far below was what looked like the interior of a
church; all it lacked was rows of pews. A straight aisle
passed between ornate marble pillars towards a white
dais, where a woman in a black silk gown reclined
upon a black marble throne. Tall black candles in
golden holders lined the aisle, and behind the throne
were hundreds more, flames burning steadily in the
still air. Beyond the pillars were shadowy alcoves in
the walls, within which any manner of dangers might
lurk.

I looked at the woman again. Her eyes were still
closed but she might awaken at any moment. My
instincts told me that this was indeed the Ordeen.

When I turned to face her, Mab put a finger against
her lips. 'Keep your voice very low,' she warned softly.

'She'll soon start to stir. Go down the steps and do
what your mam asked before it's too late. Do it or none
of us will get out of here alive.'

I realized that there was no more time for words. So
putting down my bag, I turned my back on Mab
Mouldheel and started to descend the steps, trying to
make as little noise as possible. Once I reached the
bottom I walked along the aisle, heading towards
the black throne. Despite all my efforts, the noise of my
boots echoed back loudly from the arched ceiling. I
wondered if the sleeping Ordeen was guarded –
I glanced right and left at the shadowy alcoves beyond
the pillars, but nothing moved. There was no threat
there.

The nearer I got, the more I was aware of the
intimidating power of her presence; an intense cold
rose slowly up my spine. Mam said that I'd to do my
best to hold the attention of the Ordeen until she was
ready to come to my aid and destroy her enemy. But
what if she attacked me on sight? So, readying myself
for danger, I switched my staff from my left to my right
hand, then eased my silver chain out of my breeches
pocket and thrust my left hand beneath my cloak to
conceal its threat.

Now that I was closer, a stench wafted towards me.
The Ordeen had the appearance of a woman but there
was something of the wild animal about her – a fetid,
musky odour that almost made me retch.

I halted before her throne. Her eyes were closed and
she still seemed to be sleeping. Was this my chance to
strike before she awoke to her full strength? Why not
use my advantage? But would any of my weapons
prove effective?

Silver was usually a powerful tool against servants
of the dark, but I wasn't dealing with a mere witch –
this was one of the Old Gods, a much more powerful
being. Could a silver chain bind her? It seemed
unlikely. My staff, with its blade forged from a silver
alloy, could hurt her. But I would have to spear her
heart and she would be fast and strong. I might not get
the chance. I still had the blade that Grimalkin
had given me, but I'd used the dark wish. Even
though Mam had understood that I'd needed it
to save Alice, I'd sensed her disappointment at
its loss. The blade might hurt the Ordeen, but my
best chance of damaging her badly was now gone.