Faerie Wars 02 - The Purple Emperor (29 page)

The raft docked quietly within a tiny inlet beside some rocks. There was a narrow stretch of stony beach, then the low, sheer cliff topped by the towering walls of the Keep. Pyrgus allowed his eyes to drift upwards, then froze. There were guards on the battlements. Even at this distance he could see they were armed with lethal kris wands.

He became aware of Blue at his shoulder, also looking upwards. 'Hairstreak's taking no chances,' she said.

'There are guards,' Pyrgus called over his shoulder.

Nymph moved to stand beside him on the other side from Blue. 'We're safe so long as we stay on the raft,' she said, 'but to get in we will have to cross that beach. Once we do that the cliff will shelter us - they can't see much looking straight down - but if they spot us crossing, they can pick us off like flies.' She'd clearly noticed the guards' weapons as well.

Blue turned to the wizard. 'Can you make us invisible?'

Ziczac shrugged. 'I'm a specialist. I don't do invisibility.'

Pyrgus said, 'What about this cloaking business? Can you extend that? Maybe take the raft across the beach?'

It was Nymph who answered. 'The vehicle is only designed for water usage. And there's no way to extend the cloak beyond it.'

Blue glanced at Pyrgus. 'Is there another inlet that would take us closer to the walls?'

'Not that I know of.'

'So we have to risk the beach,' Blue said thoughtfully.

Nymph said firmly, 'We soldiers will take the Wizard Ziczac and protect him while he does his work. You will remain on the vehicle where you will be safe. When all is ready, you may dash across the beach to join us.'

Blue gave her a look that would have shattered glass. 'We all cross together. Two crossings double the chance of being seen. It's a small distance and the overhang will protect us once we reach the cliff.'

Nymph turned to Pyrgus. 'Is this your wish, Crown Prince?'

'Yes,' Pyrgus said promptly. He fancied Nymph a lot, but long experience had taught him not to get on the wrong side of Blue when she was in this mood.

The plan was a simple one. They would wait until the guards were looking the other way, then make a run for it. The trouble was, the guards never seemed to look the other way at the same time. Some would stare out across the water, some to their left, some to their right, but there was always at least one watching the narrow stretch of beach. They all wore palace uniforms, but Pyrgus was firmly convinced these were Faeries of the Night: they had the jerky, paranoid look that made them such excellent watchdogs.

After a while Nymph said, 'We need a diversion.' She glanced across at Ziczac, who nodded slightly.

'What did you have in mind?' Blue asked. To Pyrgus there was almost a hint of suspicion in her tone.

Nymph shrugged. She turned her head to look out across the expanse of water. The river was particularly wide here, but they could still see the encroaching city suburbs on the further bank. A few of the houses had their own jetties and personal boats.

Ziczac squatted nimbly on the floor of the raft, adjusting his robe to cover his knees. He began to hum quietly to himself.

'What's he doing?' Pyrgus asked no one in particular.

'Wizard's work,' Nymph said. 'Don't you have hummers in your Court?'

Pyrgus didn't. He'd never even heard the word hummer used in magic before. But Blue said, 'Illusion, isn't it? Sort of.'

Nymph looked at her with just the barest hint of admiration. 'That's right. Sort of.'

One of the guards on the ramparts suddenly shouted. Pyrgus looked up in time to see him point to something in the water. In seconds the remaining guards were running to join him.

'What are they seeing?' Blue asked.

'Dragon, probably,' Nymph said. 'He likes to do dragons. Or a sea serpent, since it's in the water. Or it could be naked mermaids - he's got a bit of a naughty streak.' She glanced fondly at Ziczac, then archly at Pyrgus.

'Let's go,' Blue said tightly. She looked at Ziczac without the fondness. 'Can he hum and run at the same time?'

Ziczac waved a dismissive hand in her direction.

It took them less than a minute to cross the narrow stretch of beach. Ziczac stopped humming once they reached the shelter of the cliff face. He grinned at Blue and Pyrgus. 'Giant fireball,' he said. 'I made them see a giant fireball - very bright. Thing is, it leaves an impression on the retina, just like the real thing. I think those boys up there are Nighters, so they're particularly light-sensitive. They'll be seeing spots for the next five minutes. Keep them occupied. Give us time to get inside.'

Pyrgus looked at him gratefully. It meant a lot to have a skilled wizard along on a mission. He began to think they might have a real chance of reaching his father after all.

'There are those in the Realm,' Peach Blossom said, 'who will not rest until Prince Pyrgus is restored to his rightful place. Prince Comma might as well be a full-bred Nighter now. Everybody knows it's Black Hairstreak who rules. The old Queen, Comma's mother, is dangerous as a slith, but her brother is the one who holds the reins of power. It cannot be allowed to continue.'

From her expression and those of the women around her, Henry had no doubt at all that the Silken Sisterhood counted themselves among those who wanted Pyrgus back. He wondered briefly if they were doing anything about it. From the war movies he watched on television, resistance movements sprang up like mushrooms in times of trouble. 'Do you know where they've gone?' he asked. 'Pyrgus and Blue - the Crown Prince and his sister? Is it true they're in Haleklind?'

Peach Blossom nodded. 'Yes.'

Henry blinked at her. I don't suppose you know where that is?'

'It's a bordering country, outside the Empire. That's why Hairstreak sent them there.'

Henry felt his heart sink. 'Is it far?'

'You want to go to them?'

Henry didn't answer at once. He was out of his depth here and had been since he arrived back in the Realm. He'd translated to help Blue - and Pyrgus - but he'd never expected to be involved in a crisis anything like this. Did he want to go to them, to join them in exile? Was there anything he could really do to help? There would probably be fighting sooner or later and he was no soldier. And everything was going to take far longer than he had thought. How long would the lethe spell continue to work on his mother and Aisling? All the same ... He blinked.

'Yes,' he said. 'Yes, I do.'

'We may be able to help you,' Peach Blossom said. She glanced at him sideways. 'And do something about that gash on your face.' She frowned a little. 'If I didn't know better, I'd have thought it looked like a spinner slash.'

The women weren't like any others Henry had ever known, although there was a ruthlessness about them that reminded him a little of his mother. He found himself being told what to do. There was no discussion about anything.

The bright clothes that had made him feel so good about himself were gone now, replaced by well-cut homespun of rough silk that he'd only just stopped the Sisters helping him to put on.

'You don't want to be noticed,' Peach Blossom said. 'But on the other hand, you don't want to be dressed in rags either. You need to be taken seriously, especially in Haleklind. The wizards lay much store by appearances. Nothing flashy, but the proper cut will help get you access anywhere.'

'Thank you,' Henry said, wondering what on earth she was talking about.

'You'll need that to find the Crown Prince,' Peach Blossom said, as if reading his thoughts. 'Now -' She handed him a pouch made from thin, shiny material that looked both waterproof and tough. 'This is your map and some gold.'

Henry blinked. 'Gold?'

'You can't possibly set out for Haleklind on foot. Much too far. You'll be little use to our royals if you take a month to reach them. The gold is to buy passage on public transports.'

Public transports? What public transports? Henry was as lost in the Realm as if he'd been dumped in the middle of the Sahara Desert. How could he take a public transport if he didn't know where to find one, didn't even know what they looked like? But despite his deepening confusion, he said, 'Gold? I really can't accept -'

'You don't have any option,' Peach Blossom cut him off. 'Believe me, you will not survive without coin. If it makes you feel any better, consider yourself in the employ of the Sisterhood. We wish you to carry a message to Prince Pyrgus and Princess Blue.'

'Is that in the pouch as well?' Henry asked.

Peach Blossom shook her head. 'Not that sort of message,' she said. 'We wish you only to tell them that the Sisters of the Silk Guild remain loyal to their rightful ruler and will fight to the death to restore him to the throne.' She hesitated. 'And correct the abomination of Lord Hairstreak in what he has done to the former Emperor.'

Henry murmured, 'I'll tell them.' He felt real admiration for these women. Even from the little he'd seen of the Realm since his return, he was sure they were risking their lives.

'One of the Sisters will take you into the city,' Peach Blossom said. 'Hairstreak does not yet suspect the Guild. But you must -' She broke off. 'What was that?'

That's trouble, Henry thought. There were sounds in the corridor outside and a woman's scream. Then the door of the chamber slammed open. Henry caught the barest glimpse of soldiers in black uniforms and dark shades before a ball of flame roared across the room to catch him in the chest. The impact was so violent it lifted him completely off his feet and slammed him back against one wall. His head struck stone in a sunburst of agony. He felt himself sliding down the wall and clung desperately to consciousness.

But by the time he reached the floor his limbs were folding like a rag doll and everything had turned to black.

The last time Pyrgus had been in the Keep he was only four years old. The experience had frightened him so much he'd burst into tears and wailed until his father picked him up. Afterwards, when Apatura Iris asked him why he'd been so scared, little Pyrgus told him firmly there were ghosts in the Keep.

The place still felt haunted. Pyrgus found himself in the middle of a stone-flagged floor waiting for the others to materialise. The chambers of the Keep were enormous - so enormous they dwarfed the stacks of storage crates pushed against the walls. They were also gloomy. Light filtered through slit windows, but was absorbed by the grey stone walls. The architecture was like nothing in the rest of the palace - there were levels upon levels, joined by wide, short flights of shallow steps. It gave the whole place the look of a three-dimensional maze.

Blue appeared, stepping out of a solid wall. She looked around and shivered.

'Have you been in here before?' Pyrgus asked.

She shook her head. 'Never. Do you know the way out?'

'I'm not sure. It's a long time since I've been here.' He decided not to tell her quite how long.

Nymph and her soldiers came through in a bunch. The two others were tough, silent men whose eyes darted round habitually as if watching for the possibility of an attack. Then Ziczac appeared, a bemused expression on his face. He stared at the multi-level chamber.

'Archaic engineering,' he murmured. 'I've never seen it before.'

Nymph said to Pyrgus, 'Can you lead us into the main palace, or should Ziczac ...?'

Pyrgus was looking from one level to the other, trying to remember. 'I think so. I mean I think so. These are stores now, so the doors will be locked, but they should all recognise me - or Blue, come to that. With luck it'll be too early for Hairstreak to have changed the spell, even if he thought we might come back.' He hesitated. 'If we are in problems, can Ziczac get us in anywhere?'