Faerie Wars 01 - Faerie Wars (8 page)

'Yes, sir.'

'Crambus, Pyrgus -- call me Crambus. I've a feeling we might be friends when all this is over.' Pyrgus nodded. Crambus Pratellus said, 'You know that was a dangerous thing to do?'

Pyrgus nodded again. 'I do now.'

'I argued with Mr Brimstone about the extreme security precautions.' Pratellus threw his eyes briefly upwards. 'But would he listen? Some day somebody's going to get killed and then where will we be? But you didn't get killed?'

'No, sir -- no, I didn't, Crambus.'

'And, of course, it might have been far more dangerous to let yourself get caught by Black Hairstreak.'

Pyrgus nodded. That was probably true. Especially when you'd stolen his phoenix. He decided he wouldn't mention the phoenix to Captain Pratellus.

'So you weren't breaking into the factory
for
anything? It just happened to be your ... escape route.'

'Yes.'

'What about the kittens? The guards said you stole kittens.'

Pyrgus hesitated, then said, 'I didn't steal them -- I rescued them.'

Pratellus sighed. 'You're an animal lover. So am I. I hate what they do to cats here.'

'Then why don't you stop it?' Pyrgus asked with sudden passion.

Pratellus spread his hands helplessly. 'It's not illegal,' he said. 'Believe me, I've looked into it and there's absolutely nothing I can do.'

'You could tell people!' Pyrgus said. 'Once people knew what was going on, they'd put a stop to it!'

Captain Pratellus smiled sadly. 'I'm afraid people just don't care. I know this is difficult to accept at your age, but it's true. Let's not quarrel -- there may be something we can do about the kittens later. I have to make a report, you see. Just for now, would you like me to say you're a little soft-hearted about cats -- lots of young people are -- and that was all there was to it really? Boys will be boys sort of thing?'

It was probably the best way. Pyrgus nodded gratefully.

Suddenly Captain Pratellus was no longer smiling. 'You must imagine I'm a total cretin!' he hissed furiously.

Jasper Chalkhill's office smelled of perfume. Lush carpet covered the floor and heavy velvet curtains hung from every wall. There were two rare white tiger skins in front of the enormous desk and several works of oriental statuary on display in elaborate crystal cases. But the most exotic thing in the place was Chalkhill himself. He wore a feathered hat and peacock robe with cloth-of-gold slippers. Folds of fat hung from his face and arms.

'Why, Pratellus, dear Pratellus, what have you brought for me?' He tripped across the room with remarkable grace for so bulky a man and examined Pyrgus minutely. 'A boy! How thoughtful, Pratellus, how thoughtful.' Close up, Pyrgus could see he was wearing rouge.

'Caught breaking in, Mr Chalkhill,' Pratellus said ingratiatingly. 'Stole one of our cats and all her kittens. I suspect he was after -- ' he dropped his voice and glanced behind him before completing the sentence ' -- the formula.'

Chalkhill looked positively delighted. 'A thief! A dear little thief! Well, he must be punished, mustn't he? What shall we do, Pratellus? Shall we beat him? Shall we teach him a stern lesson? Oh, what fun we might have!' He leaned forward in a perfumed cloud and, for the first time in his life, Pyrgus realised here was a man he would cheerfully use a Halek knife on.

Pyrgus briefly wondered if he should spit in Chalkhill's eye, but satisfied himself with hissing fiercely, 'Keep away from me, you smelly tub of lard!'

'Ooooh,' said Chalkhill, smiling at Pratellus. 'What spirit! What ferocity!'

'He's bad-tempered all right, Mr Chalkhill. He was beating up my guards when I found him. Heaven knows what damage he might have done if I hadn't come along.'

Pyrgus gave the captain a filthy look, but said nothing. He was coming to realise the whole of Chalkhill and Brimstone was full of liars.

'Then you are to be commended, Captain Pratellus,' Chalkhill said. He smiled at Pyrgus and rainbow sparkles danced across his teeth. 'Well, now, my little terrier, what are we going to do with you?'

'You're going to let me go at once!' Pyrgus told him. 'Otherwise my father -- '

'Ah, a father's boy, is it? I was always much more fond of my mother, but no accounting for taste. I'm afraid I'm not terribly impressed by your father, boy. Big, is he? Bulging muscles? Wooo, I'm so afraid.' He turned to Pratellus. 'Now, captain, I assume you questioned him?'

'Yes, sir, Mr Chalkhill. Sly one, sir -- gave nothing away. That's why I brought him to you. I thought you might like to torture him.'

'Oh, yes,' Chalkhill said enthusiastically. 'I'd like to torture him, all right. But before we go to ... extremes, perhaps I shall ask him some questions myself. I find quite a few people are prepared to chat with me when they refuse to talk to anybody else.' He turned back to Pyrgus. 'What makes a dear boy like yourself break into a respectable business premises?'

'Respectable?' gasped Pyrgus, sudden anger overcoming a determination to keep silent. 'What sort of factory drowns kittens in glue?'

Chalkhill's eyes widened sympathetically. 'Worried about little kittens, are we? But don't you realise, my poor child, there are far too many stray cats around the city? Most of them lead dreadfully unhappy lives. Illness ... starvation ... it's a kindness to kill off a few of them.'

'And profitable,' snarled Pyrgus.

'Nothing wrong with profit,' Chalkhill told him cheerfully. 'Young people don't appreciate these things, but I expect your saintly father would agree with me. Earns a crust, does he? Works for some
profitable
company?' He held up a hand. 'No, spare me the lectures, boy. The captain is quite right. If you won't tell us why you're here, we must
wring
it out of you.'

'I did tell him why I was here!' Pyrgus shouted. He wondered if he should make a break for the door. Chalkhill looked too fat to outrun a tortoise, but there was still Pratellus and two guards were stationed outside. 'I was being chased by some men Lord Hairstreak sent after me!'

'I can see why you didn't believe him,' Chalkhill said to Pratellus. He turned back to Pyrgus. 'Lord Hairstreak is a friend of mine -- a
bosom
friend. He has much bettter things to do than send his men chasing after young boys. It was Paphia, wasn't it?'

Pyrgus blinked. 'Paphia?'

'Argynnis Paphia,' Chalkhill spat. 'He's had it in for us for years, poor Mr Brimstone and myself. Don't bother to deny it -- I can see the truth in your eyes and I shall have it from your lips, mark my words.' He placed the back of one hand on his forehead. 'But I had a broken night. I am much too
enervated
to torture you myself. Captain Pratellus -'

'Yes, sir?' said Pratellus eagerly.

'We will take him to Mr Brimstone, captain. Mr Brimstone's
demons
will get it out of him.'

The second person you see ...

Chalkhill was the first -- a pity that, in some ways -but, as Brimstone swung the door back, an unfamiliar face came into view. It belonged to a boy with red hair wearing the sort of green battle fatigues that were the ridiculous fashion among young people these days. He wasn't handsome, whatever Chalkhill claimed, but his features were pleasant enough in a disorganised sort of way. Although Brimstone was useless at guessing ages, he couldn't imagine this lad was much more than fourteen years old.

An interesting sacrifice for Beleth.

That sycophantic idiot Pratellus was standing just behind the boy. Behind them both were two wooden-top guards. Everyone was po-faced except for Chalkhill, who liked showing off his fancy magic teeth.

'Ah, Silas, my dear fellow, we have need of your little friends.' Chalkhill bobbed his head, trying to see over Brimstone's shoulder. Inside the attic room, trapped lightning spat and crackled. 'Any of them in there? Or have you sent them all back home with your stinky grass?'

'What's happening here?' asked Brimstone. You had to be careful with Chalkhill.

'What's happening, Silas, is that Argynnis Paphia has sent this boy to disrupt our latest enterprise. Fortunately Pratellus caught him in the act.'

'What act?' Brimstone snapped.

Chalkhill looked taken aback and waved his hands feebly. 'In the act of ... of ... of disrupting our latest enterprise.'

'He told you that, did he?'

'Told me what?'

Brimstone sighed. 'Told you Argynnis sent him.'

'No, of course he didn't, Silas -- what a
silly-billy
boy you are! He denied everything. Of course he denied everything. But that's where you come in, isn't it? You and your little friends.'

'You want me to get the truth from him?'

'Yes,' said Chalkhill.

'Very well,' Brimstone said. The turn of events suited him down to the ground. This child was the second person he'd seen since he stepped from the circle, so this child must be sacrificed to Beleth. Once Brimstone made the sacrifice, he could always claim the boy died during questioning. Chalkhill would accept that. He was always killing people himself. It was one of the reasons they'd gone into glue -- the factory was perfect for disposing with bodies.

Chalkhill blinked. 'You'll do it?'

'Yes.'

'You'll turn him over to your little demons?'

Brimstone nodded. Not so little, but ... 'Yes.'

'You'll get them to torture him?'

'Yes.'

'They'll ...' he licked his lips '... they'll do
medical experiments,
won't they?'

Brimstone shrugged. 'Probably.' Demons usually did.

'When do we start? I want to help,' said Chalkhill.

Damn!
He should have seen it coming. The fat fool wanted to get involved. He was always trying to interfere with Brimstone's demon work. Well, Brimstone couldn't have that, couldn't have that at all. 'Won't do,' Brimstone said shortly.

Chalkhill looked stricken. 'Won't do? Won't do? Why won't it do? I must help. Tell him I must help, Pratellus. You shan't have the boy unless I can help, Silas.'

'My dear Jasper,' Brimstone said, trying to put a little warmth into his voice. 'I wasn't trying to spoil your fun -- surely you know me better than that? No, no, I merely wanted to say we couldn't begin
right away.
There are preparations to make. I have to be sure I call up the right demons. What I would suggest,' he went on easily, 'is that you leave the boy here with me -- Captain Pratellus can stay to see he comes to no harm. You go and have a rest, perhaps have a little drink. Then, when everything's ready, I'll send Pratellus to fetch you so you can join the fun. How would that be?'

He held his breath, not altogether sure Chalkhill would go for it. The man might look like a beached whale with the IQ of a lettuce, but he had a certain animal cunning when it came to his pleasures.

Chalkhill was frowning. 'Pratellus can stay with him?' he asked suspiciously.

'Of course!' Brimstone exclaimed.

Chalkhill's teeth flared and dazzled. 'Capital!' he said. 'Capital! A rest, a drink. And you
will
send Pratellus to fetch me the
minute
it's all ready?'

'Of course,' said Brimstone kindly.

'Then I shall leave my little man in your capable hands!' Chalkhill exclaimed grandly and swept off down the stairs.