Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) (46 page)

‘Dis is the Keepers’ Room of Travel,’ explained Lady Dridif. ‘It is the place traditionally reserved for Keepers ta use for the safe opening of Portals on behalf of the Jade Circle. Unfortunately, in these times of unrest, Keepers in Sylvaris have become something of a rarity. Still, that is no excuse for the apparent lack of cleaning. I shall be having a very firm word with the First Maid dis afternoon.’

‘You clearly haven’t seen my bedroom!’ joked Charlie before Lady Dridif could work herself into a temper over the chamber’s untidy state. She heard Kelko and Nibbler snort with amusement behind her.

‘Hhmm?’ said Dridif, and then realized that Charlie was trying to lighten the mood. ‘Ha, well, yes. There are more
important matters to worry about.’ She led Charlie into the centre of the room. ‘So, let us recap. The twin Human cities, Alavis and Alacorn, are in the west, halfway between here and the Western Mountains. West is that direction,’ said Dridif, pointing with her outstretched arm. ‘The University of Dust is in Alavis and the courtyard is in the university. Can ya picture it based on what Nibbler described ta ya? Can ya see the Chancellor’s Courtyard in yer mind?’

‘Yes,’ said Charlie, who was startled to realize that she could indeed picture it and picture it very well.

‘Good. Now focus on it. Breathe it in. Imagine the smell of the courtyard, the feel of the flagstones beneath yer feet. Feel the weight of the university around ya. Have ya got it? Can ya see it?’

‘Yes.’ Charlie grinned with sudden enthusiasm. ‘Yes, I can!’

‘Now open yer Will. Use it, focus it and –’

Dridif’s words stuck in her throat as Charlie’s hands exploded into flares. Warm golden light illuminated the chamber, much brighter than daylight, and with a shimmering, rippling motion the Portal opened.

‘Er, yes, well done, Charlie,’ murmured Lady Dridif, surprised by just how easily Charlie had managed her Will.

‘That’s it, then?’ asked Kelko, as he looked through the Portal to the rain-spattered courtyard beyond.

The square was of a very different design from Treman architecture. It appeared almost Roman in style. Tall, graceful columns soared upward to meet the sloping rooftop of the university building. Mighty statues of scholars and warriors stood at intervals throughout the main square.

Charlie peered through. It was just how she’d pictured it. She could imagine students and teachers wandering across its flagstones in quiet contemplation. Now, however, the square was silent and empty.

‘Er, why is it so quiet?’ asked Jensen. ‘Shouldn’t there be more people there?’

‘Seems perfectly reasonable ta me,’ said Kelko. ‘It’s raining and there’s a siege going on. If I was an intelligent student ya wouldn’t catch me outside on a day like that!’

‘Captain!’ snapped Dridif, and beckoned over the fully armoured Treman guard.

‘Yes, ma’am?’

‘Take yer men through the Portal and secure the square. Make sure there’s nothing sneaky lying in wait.’

‘Ma’am,’ saluted the captain.

Motioning his squad forward, they stepped into the shimmering space. Once through, the men spread rapidly across the courtyard, bows drawn and swords at the ready. After a minute the captain stepped back into the Keepers’ Room of Travel.

‘All clear, ma’am. Not a soul in sight.’

Dridif nodded. ‘Very well, then. I’d just like ta say –’

‘Urgh,’ groaned Charlie through clenched teeth. ‘If we can maybe speed things up? I can’t keep this open all day. It, uh, it feels really heavy.’

Dridif flashed an apologetic smile. ‘I’m sorry. I just wanted ta ensure yer safety first,’ she said. She gave Jensen and the captain a go-ahead gesture. ‘Charlie Keeper?’

‘Yes?’ grunted Charlie, sweat beginning to break out across her brow.

‘Good luck.’

‘Thanks,’ said Charlie.

Then, motioning Jensen, Kelko and Nibbler forward, Charlie threw Lady Dridif a hasty wave and jumped towards the courtyard’s flagstones. The Portal shivered shut behind her.

For a long minute Dridif stared silently into the space where the Portal had been, thoughts tumbling through her head. Then with a grunt she turned and walked from the round chamber. She had matters to attend to, a city to run and a council to uphold.

As she strode down the spiralling flight of stairs a footman rushed to her side.

‘Lady Dridif?’

‘Yes, wot is it?’

‘The guards, as instructed, have arrested Councillor Flint. Would ya like ta speak ta him now or later?’

‘Later. He has caused more than enough trouble and his treachery needs ta be punished. Throw him inta gaol. Let’s give him time ta think about all the wrong that he has done. Tell him that if he behaves we’ll see about giving him a trial by the end of the month.’

‘Very good, ma’am. And wot should we feed him?’

Dridif thought for a moment, a smile creeping across her face. A touch of Charlie’s cheekiness came to mind. ‘Oh, methinks a good helping of stale, mouldy bread and pond water should do him fine.’

‘Excellent,’ said the footman. He hesitated before going on his way.

‘Yes?’ asked Lady Dridif.

‘Well, ma’am, I’m not too sure wot ta do about another matter …’

‘Spit it out, man.’

‘Well, it’s Constantina of the Narcissa family. She’s been screaming and shouting outside the Council Chamber for hours and hours. Reckons she’s innocent. She’s been begging for an audience with yer ladyship but the clerks refuse to announce her until she goes through the proper channels. But …’

Lady Dridif sighed. She could see where this was going. ‘There are always loose ends ta tidy up, aren’t there?’

‘Er, yes, ma’am.’ The footman coughed and gave her a rueful look.

‘Very well, then. I will see her, but not today, nor do methinks dis week. She can learn the meaning of patience. However, I do not think the child is really guilty of treason or of evil intent –’

The footman threw her a startled glance.

‘I sees that me opinion surprises ya. Why, may I ask, is that?’

‘Er, well, ma’am, surely if she’s Lady Narcissa’s daughter she must have been somewot involved with all the treasonous plots ta sell our city ta the Western Menace? Surely ya can’t believe that such a spoilt, malicious brat could be innocent of such crimes?’

‘Being malicious or being the daughter of an evil woman does not necessarily mean that she is evil herself,’ said Lady Dridif with a frown. ‘I believe that she has simply been misled by her mother and therefore I am prepared ta give her another chance ta redeem herself. Ensure that she is
returned ta school and that she has a suitable guardian in the Jade Tower. Tell her she may expect a meeting with me some time soon. However, I’d like ya ta warn her that I expect her ta earn her keep from now on and that the Jade Council has frozen her mother’s assets. No longer will she have such a lavish and opulent upbringing, so please instruct the First Maid that she has a new chambermaid.’

‘Very good, ma’am.’ Bowing to Lady Dridif, the footman made to depart.

‘Wait.’

‘Yes, ma’am?’

‘Today is not a schoolday, is it?’

‘No, ma’am.’

‘Excellent, in that case ya can show Constantina ta the Keepers’ Room of Travel. Ask the First Maid ta meet her there with a bucket and mop. Our new chambermaid can start earning her keep. Immediately.’

The footman grinned. ‘Very good, ma’am!’

Turning, he scampered down the stairs.

‘Oh, and if she gives ya any trouble,’ Dridif called after the footman, ‘please remind Constantina that I have only suspended the traditional penalty for losing the Silent Duel due ta the turbulent events clouding the games. But if she causes grief I can still see ta it that she spends the full year repeating her sins in the Halls of Echoes. I’m sure the threat of a year in a cold cave should curb her tongue.’

The footman’s laugh of delight echoed back up the staircase and resounded pleasingly in Dridif’s ears.

It was an end, no doubt, to Constantina’s spoilt and petulant upbringing.

The Chancellor’s Courtyard was devastatingly quiet.

‘Bah!’ snorted Kelko as he sheltered from the rain beneath the outspread arms of a large statue. ‘Ya would have thought that dis moody old Bishop Darkmount could have kept an eye out for us. I mean, where exactly are we supposed ta go from here?’

Charlie stared at the Treman soldiers taking up positions around the edge of the square. Something just didn’t feel right to her.

‘Hey, Nibbler, what did Edge Darkmount say exactly? That we should open a Portal here and then what?’

Nibbler shuffled over to where Charlie was huddled with Jensen and Kelko, his waterproof scales protecting him from the drizzle.

‘He didn’t say anything else. All he said was that we should come here, he’d meet us and then examine the pendant.’

‘So why isn’t he here?’ asked Charlie. ‘We’ve been here for a while now. Surely someone must have noticed we’ve arrived?’ A sense of alarm was beginning to tug at the back of her brain, demanding attention. ‘There’s something a little too odd about –’

Charlie’s words were cut short by the sudden clatter of feet as hundreds of Stoman warriors burst into the courtyard. The horrid sound of twanging bowstrings cut across the flagstones, shortly accompanied by soft groans as the Treman guards fell to the floor with dozens of arrows
sprouting from their sides. Fierce-looking Stoman soldiers with gruesome axes swiftly circled Charlie, Kelko, Jensen and Nibbler, fencing them in with a ring of steel. The soldiers chuckled nastily as they eyed their catch.

A Stoman colonel, looking proud and fierce in polished, blood-red armour and bearing a baton of command under his arm, strolled into the rain-splattered square. Grinning with silent mirth, he stared at the companions.

‘Charlie Keeper, I arrest you in the name of our Great Lord, may history carry his name on winds of thunder from now until eternity!’

Smiling cruelly, the soldiers began to beat their swords and axes against their armour, chanting a single word over and over until the sound became deafening.

‘BANE!’

‘BANE!’

‘BANE!’

‘BANE!’

‘Blight me Leaf! He’s gone and betrayed us!’ cursed Jensen, his green face turning pale with shock. ‘Edge Darkmount has sold us out!’

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Original edition published as
Who Is Charlie Keeper?
by Troubador Publishing Ltd 2008
First published in this revised edition 2012

Text and character illustrations copyright © Marcus Alexander, 2008, 2012
Illustrations by Lobak Oren
Map by David Atkinson

Cover illustration by Ben Kovar
Series logo by Black Sheep

All rights reserved

The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted

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Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

ISBN: 978-0-141-97136-0