Keeper of the Realms: The Dark Army (Book 2) (26 page)

‘We’re not children –’ began Nibbler, but was cut off with a scowl from Ottoline.

‘Yes, you are. Crumble Shard can’t be older than sixteen. Humans I’m not so good at but I reckon Charlie can’t be a year above thirteen and, Winged One, you’re still just a Hatchling! Come to think of it, shouldn’t you be hibernating with the rest of your brethren? Or perhaps you could kindly inform them that we could do with their help right now.’ Nibbler started to explain, but she cut him off. ‘Anyway – kids, you’re all kids.’

‘I’m fourteen actually,’ said Charlie. ‘But I won’t argue with you about us being kids. So how can you help us?’

‘How? By getting you three out of Shidden Vale as quickly as possible.’

‘That’s something that we could do by ourselves. We need help with other matters.’

‘What sort of matters?’ said Ottoline, crossing her arms.

‘We need help from someone who knows about Portals.’

‘Pfft,’ snorted Ottoline. ‘You’re not going to find anyone with that knowledge in Shidden Vale. The last Keeper to visit Shidden Vale was harassed so badly that the Winged Ones had to intervene on his behalf.’

‘We don’t need another Keeper. Well, that’s not exactly true. Another Keeper would be really helpful at the moment, but what we’re really looking for is information on Bane’s barrier that prevents Portals being opened in the Western Mountains.’

Ottoline sucked at her teeth. ‘Then you might be in luck. Follow me.’

The three shared a look, but after a round of shrugs and nods that indicated they should keep their wits about them, they followed Ottoline as she unlatched a small gate that led from the garden. They filed down a narrow path that in turn led to the back of a building.

‘What is this place?’ asked Crumble, only to get a ‘Shh’ from Ottoline.

Pulling a key from her belt she unlocked the door and ushered them inside.

‘Keep your voices down while you’re in here. The walls aren’t that thick and my neighbours aren’t as Human friendly as I am.’

‘But what is this place?’ insisted Crumble.

‘“The Crooked Letter Y”. It’s my shop and my home.’

‘Really? What do you sell?’

‘Knowledge.’ She saw the odd look that Crumble gave her. ‘Hhmpf. Here …’ She opened another door with a flourish to reveal a shelved room heavily laden with books and scrolls. ‘Knowledge from around the world.’

‘You’re a bookseller!’ said Charlie, delighted by the sight.

‘Aye, that I am, but the three of you must wait here while I close the blinds. It would do no good for hungry eyes to spy you three in my premises.’

She swiftly rolled the blinds across the large bay windows that overlooked the street, and for good measure she also unbolted the front door so she could go out and close the shutters.

Charlie, unable to restrain herself, took the opportunity to browse through the shelves. It was just like a bookshop from back home, only different in little ways. More dust for one thing, she noted, and more scrolls and unbound parchments than would be found in any shop in London, but nonetheless there was something so very similar about it that she couldn’t help but feel homesick.

‘All done,’ said Ottoline as she relocked the door behind her. ‘So long as we don’t raise our voices we should be free to work without fear of detection. So you wanted to know about Bane’s border, did you not? And how he prevents nosy Keepers from butting in on him unaware?’

‘It would be amazing if you could help us with that,’ said Charlie.

‘Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to tell you how Bane prevents the opening of Portals. That’s all higher knowledge, privileged only to Keepers and not something shared with us lowly mortals,’ chuckled Ottoline as she began to weave in and out of the shelves looking for a particular book. ‘However, I hope that I’ll be able to help you with your particular problem by … Aha!’ Climbing on to a footstool she pulled a large book bound in wood from the topmost shelf. ‘This is what we’ll need:
Poodit’s Atlas of the Five Empires
.’

‘Five empires?’ asked Crumble. ‘What five empires?’

‘What indeed, young man. What five empires?’ said
Ottoline, adopting a teacher’s tone. ‘Well, Poodit was a Treman archaeologist who had a passion for ancient ruins and stories of old. His greatest fondness was for the third, fourth and fifth centuries of the second age. A time of empires – indeed a time when the Winged Ones weren’t so heavily involved in governing our realm. Of course, Poodit was a scholar from the seventh century of the third age, which means this book is more than two centuries old, but that is neither here nor there. What is important is that Poodit’s studies of these ancient empires are of interest to us today.’

‘How?’ asked Nibbler.

‘Because, Hatchling, Poodit drew detailed maps of the old empires and of their old capitals. The Western Mountains – or rather the city known as the Western Mountains – is very, very old. Ancient even. In its time it has been many things. Before it became the city that we know today it used to be the basis of power for Stale the Swallower and the centre of his empire. Poodit has a map of the city and its original boundaries are in this very book. It is, I believe, along these ancient boundaries that Bane has placed his barrier to Portals.’

‘Really? Will this map be accurate?’ asked Nibbler.

‘Well, probably not a hundred per cent accurate and I’m only basing this thesis on hearsay from other booksellers, scholars and learned philosophers, but if you’re looking for a guide to base your travelling on then I would say that this is your best bet.’

Finding the page she wanted, Ottoline turned the book so Charlie could better see. It showed a gorgeously detailed
map of the Western Mountains and surrounding lands that were spanned by three concentric circles. The names of places were carefully inked in an archaic language that Charlie could not decipher.

‘I can’t read this.’

‘Of course you can’t,’ said Ottoline. ‘It’s ancient Lyllac and the names on this map are different from today’s. These are the Silent Men, but we now know them as the Slumbering Hills, and this the Roof of the World, or the Western Mountains, and this, of course, was the ancient city of Ackrolisyss –’

‘Which is now the city of the Western Mountains, right? See that, Crumble?’ said Charlie. ‘At least back in the day they were more original when it came to the naming of places. None of that New This or New That malarkey.’ She turned her attention to the concentric circles on the map. ‘What are these?’ she asked, tracing her fingers over the lines.

‘Boundaries. The largest indicates the furthest border of Stale the Swallower’s Empire of Dawn, the second dictates the metropolitan border, and the smallest circle is Ackrolisyss’s city border.’

‘Does the city of the Western Mountains still have the same border?’

‘Yes it does, which is what’s so interesting about this second border.’

‘The metropolitan border?’

‘Yes. We believe – well, when I say “we”, I mean other more educated philosophers – believe that Bane still uses the borders of old. We think that Bane has limited the opening of Portals anywhere within the metropolitan border.’

A huge grin blossomed across Charlie’s face. This was just the knowledge she had been looking for! ‘Thank you. Really a big thank you. You’ve saved us days with this.’ Charlie turned to Nibbler and Crumble. ‘So what do you guys think, if we Portal to just outside this border and walk from there?’

‘Sounds good,’ acknowledged Crumble as he looked at the atlas. ‘It would only take another two days to walk from there to the city.’

‘Great,’ said Charlie. ‘Are you familiar with this border?’

‘Sure, there are still standing stones that mark the paths into the city. They’ve got to be markers for the old metropolitan border. I never knew what they were for, but it makes sense when you know about these old boundaries.’

‘Could you describe a place near one of those stones well enough for me to be able to open a Portal there?’

Crumble paused to think about it. ‘Yes. Yes I can. There’s a waterfall near one of those stones, but it’s not so close that we’ll be right on top of the border.’

‘I’ve got a map that you can take too,’ said Ottoline. ‘And if you wish you’re welcome to use your Will and your Way to travel from my storeroom upstairs. It’s large enough and it’ll mean you’ll be able to leave Shidden Vale discreetly too.’

‘Please,’ said Charlie. ‘That would be great.’

‘Follow me.’ Ottoline led the way from the room, pausing once to lift a scroll from one of the shelves before herding the three upstairs into a well-lit room that held stacks of books and well-organized parchments. ‘I’m sure this will be large enough for your needs and take this.’ She passed the scroll to Charlie. ‘This map covers the Slumbering Hills, the
Great Plains and the Western Mountains. I hope it’s of some help.’

‘I can’t thank you enough,’ said Charlie in an attempt to voice her gratitude. ‘You’re one of the few people who have been genuine enough to help me –’

‘I appreciate what you’re trying to say,’ interrupted Ottoline. ‘But there’s no need to thank me. I owe a debt of old to the Keepers. They helped my father in his time of need so now I’m simply repaying the favour. If it means anything to you please pay it forward. Whenever you’ve finished whatever it is that you’re attempting to do, don’t forget us ordinary folk.’

‘I won’t,’ said Charlie. She took Ottoline’s strong hand in her own and shook it firmly.

‘Wait a minute,’ urged Nibbler. ‘Er, seeing how nice Ottoline has been perhaps we shouldn’t open a Portal right to the Western Mountains in case that fire and brimstone thing happens again. I don’t think she’d appreciate it if we burned her shop down.’

Ottoline raised an eyebrow at that.

‘Uh, good point,’ acknowledged Charlie. ‘Where to then?’

‘Just take us back to the river near the road that leads to Shidden Vale. It seemed quiet enough and it should be easy for you to find.’

Charlie nodded. Her hands flashed gold then black and with a quick pulling motion opened a Portal. She blinked when she how dark it was by the riverside. ‘Huh, it’s night already.’

‘Is that a problem?’ asked Ottoline.

‘No, I just hadn’t realized how late it had grown.’

‘The three of you are welcome to spend the night here. I have ample space.’

‘No, we’re good,’ said Charlie. ‘And I think that we’ve taken advantage of your hospitality enough as it is.’ She motioned Crumble and Nibbler to go on ahead. ‘Thank you for all you’ve done.’ She gave Ottoline a final nod then jumped through, the Portal flickering shut behind her.

35

Gone Fishing

As Jensen and Sic Boy neared Little Storm’s branch of the Gilded Bank, a Stoman in exquisitely tailored robes pushed the door open and, holding his robes high so that he wouldn’t trip, sprinted down the main thoroughfare towards them.

‘Jensen of the Willow?’ he panted.

‘Aye, that would be me.’

‘I’m the master banker of Little Storm. Please excuse my haste, but I’ve just received word that Charlie Keeper was seen at Shidden Vale!’

‘Me thanks,’ said Jensen as he wheeled Sic Boy round. ‘Me thanks ta ya and the Gilded Bank!’

Not wanting to cover the helpful Stoman in dust, Jensen waited until he was further down the street before kicking Sic Boy into a gallop.

‘Why didn’t you take her up on her offer?’ asked Crumble. ‘Don’t you think it would have been wiser to spend the night under a friendly roof rather than pushing on ahead in the darkness?’

Charlie shrugged. ‘We’re not going to the Western Mountains. Or at least not until dawn. I don’t like the idea of arriving in a dangerous land in the darkness any more than you do.’

‘I don’t get it. If that’s the case why didn’t we stay there then?’

‘Because as nice as Ottoline was I don’t trust her.’

‘But she helped us out,’ protested Crumble.

‘Yes she did, and if I ever get the chance to repay her for her kindness I will. But being kind and being trustworthy are two very different things. I’ve been tricked into trusting deceitful people before and it’s not something that I’m willing to risk again.’

‘But –’ began Crumble.

‘Look I know what you’re going to say. Just believe me when I say the stakes really are too high to take any unnecessary chances.’

‘Well, do you trust me?’

‘I … I’m not sure,’ admitted Charlie. ‘I think so. You’ve put yourself in danger for me and Nibbler so I’d really, really like to think that you’re the nice guy you appear to be. But trust doesn’t come easily to me any more.’

There was an uncomfortable silence broken only by the warble of the river and the occasional
twit-ta-woo
of owls.

‘Soooo … we’ll be making camp here then?’ asked Nibbler, who couldn’t stand the uneasy atmosphere.

‘Yes,’ said Charlie. ‘We’ll crash here and make our move first thing in the morning.’

When they were certain they were hidden from the roadside they set up camp and started a small fire, an activity
Charlie had grown used to over the past couple of days, and which reminded her of her first days in Bellania. Crumble, constructing a makeshift rod from a branch, settled down for some serious fishing.