The Dragon Queens (The Mystique Trilogy) (14 page)

I had stopped breathing at this point. I could not believe the nerve of the knight, and I could not imagine how he thought we could escape this situation. Still, whatever his plan, I was with him all the way.

The Shah gave a nod and his guards backed away from us and filed out of the room. As Cingar and I moved cautiously towards Raineath, I noticed one of the Shah’s officials reaching for a pistol. Instinctively, I pulled my own pistol from the deep pocket of my skirt, and aimed it at the Shah, ordering the man to cast aside his weapon. The official complied and Cingar retrieved the discarded gun.

After some delay, the court’s doors were closed and the Shah was left alone with us.

‘Well, this is an interesting turn of events,’ commented his Highness, who still appeared as cool as a cucumber.

‘It is rather.’ I looked at the Shah down the barrel
of my weapon. ‘It seems as if your Majesty has become an intimate part of the legend after all.’

‘So it would seem.’ His Highness was not amused, but by the same token he was not perturbed either. ‘I fear the ending of this chapter will not be so victorious for you, Lady Suffolk.’

‘We shall see,’ commented Raineath, who moved quickly to bolt the doors. She returned to our midst and pulled a small vial from her robes, which she held out to the Shah. ‘Drink this.’

Naturally his Majesty refused. ‘I would rather die by the sword than poison.’

‘And you probably shall,’ Raineath said, shoving the vial into the Shah’s hand, ‘for this will do naught but put you to sleep. Or I could use more brutal means, if you would prefer?’

I felt sure the brew being offered was one of Chiara’s, which I had used myself on more than one occasion.

His Majesty still refused. ‘There is no way out of this chamber, so you may as well give yourselves up to my mercy.’

‘To lie is not very divine, your Highness.’ The knight that had control of Raineath lost his patience. ‘Drink!’ The sword blade lashed out in warning and the Shah flinched as his hat was knocked from his head.

Without further hesitation his Majesty drank down the potion and then cast the vial aside. ‘None of you will leave Persia alive,’ he swore as his eyelids began to lower. Within minutes he was sleeping peacefully.

‘That was magnificent!’ Cingar told Raineath. ‘Here we were, thinking we were coming to save you, and you end up saving all our skins.’

‘Our skins are not safe yet,’ I pointed out, and addressed myself to Albray. ‘How on Earth do you plan to get us out of here when we are besieged?’

‘The same way his Majesty would be spirited away from here, should this kind of situation arise.’ Albray, still inhabiting Raineath’s body, moved around behind the Shah’s throne and, with a mighty push, slid the seat forward to reveal stairs to a secret passageway beneath the palace. ‘Quickly,’ the woman urged Cingar and myself, as we both stared in amazement at the hole in the floor. ‘Let us be gone before anyone realises our intent and sends guards to meet us at the other end.’

Cingar was the first to descend. ‘I cannot see a thing down here,’ he complained. ‘We could walk right into a pit and drop to our deaths…and I think I hear rats.’

‘Must you be such a girl?’ Albray queried via Raineath, then looked to me. ‘No offence to us, of course.’

I just shook my head; the comment sounded ridiculous coming via Raineath’s mouth.

‘I was only thinking of you ladies,’ Cingar explained, sounding a little hurt by Raineath’s comment as he aided me down the stairs—I really was not dressed for negotiating underground tunnels.

‘We shall live,’ I assured him.

Raineath was the last to descend, and when she turned to push the throne block back into place Cingar was quick to aid her. When they had succeeded, we were left in total darkness.

Raineath moved past me to lead the way. ‘Just follow my voice,’ she instructed and began to hum the tune that Cingar had taught her.

FROM THE DIARY OF TAMAR DEVERE

I turned the page of the Persian journal to find a clump of loose pages shoved securely into the spine of the huge volume, and the handwriting was entirely different to that of Lady Ashlee. However, she had made a note at the top of the inserted text, attributing the additional material to her husband, Lord Suffolk, Earnest Granville-Devere.

‘Bonus,’ I decided, having never read anything penned by the lord himself. These must have been the notes that Ashlee asked Devere to pen in her absence.

Still, as I had been reading for a while now, I decided to get some refreshment from the kitchen before continuing with the tale.

I was perusing the snack cupboard for a suitable treat, when the phone rang. I guessed the call was my parents checking up on me, and so I answered it. I pressed the receive button, expecting to see the faces of my parents illumed on the screen, but to my great surprise the screen remained dark—whoever was calling, was doing so from an old audio phone—an item that I thought had been extinct for over a decade.

‘Hello, Devere residence,’ I said politely.

‘Is that Tamar Devere?’ It was a man’s voice that I did not recognise, and as I could not see the face of the inquirer and I was home alone, I was wary to answer.

‘Who wants to know?’

‘An old friend,’ was the reply.

‘And your name?’ I insisted.

‘My name is not important.’

‘I don’t think that any old friend of mine would hesitate to tell me their name,’ I scoffed, and then
covered my mouth too late to prevent giving my identity away.

‘So you
are
Tamar,’ my caller assumed and I was angered and frightened at once.

‘Goodbye.’ I reached for the disconnect button.

‘No! Please don’t hang up.’ His plea was rather desperate, and so I refrained. ‘I believe you are in grave danger.’

‘Yeah, right,’ I scoffed. ‘Who the hell would be interested in me?’

‘Many, many powerful people.’ He appealed for me to take him seriously. ‘You, and your family, are being observed.’

I was a little spooked by the claim, so I turned around to check that all the blinds were drawn, and they were. ‘What am I doing now?’ I held up my middle finger and raised the offensive gesture high as I turned around three hundred and eighty degrees.

‘It is your enemies who are watching, not I,’ he calmly advised.

‘I don’t have any enemies,’ I said rather bluntly, as this caller was giving me the creeps. Time to terminate this conversation.

‘But you
do
, key-holder,’ he added. ‘You need to avoid the bright lights—’

I pressed the disconnect button. ‘Loser!’ I barked at the phone, feeling the caller was some uni student who was bored, pissed, or both—but I sure as hell was not going to let him get his kicks by scaring me witless.

The phone rang again and startled me, so I answered, disconnected and disengaged the receiver. ‘Cop that. You’ll just have to find someone else to annoy.’

I returned to my reading, but not before I checked that all the windows and doors were locked. I briefly considered calling Mum to tell her about the prank call, but I knew I’d spoil her evening with Dad and I was not going to give my anonymous coward of a caller the satisfaction.

Besides, I was eager to hear what Lord Granville-Devere had to say for himself, thus I lifted his inserted pages from the journal and read on.

Although I have passed into the Halls of Amenti, I leave the Secret of Secrets hidden in these Tablets to light the way for the adept seeker. Through the aeons my spirit will watch from the hidden land and wait for the worthy few who have passed the trials of the outer. Summon me, the Key, and I shall come forth from the Halls of the Gods in Amenti to receive the initiate. I know where the gates to the Isle of Fire may be found and I will disclose the words of power to lift the initiate to the heavens to receive the wisdom of the ages.

I found this passage on the tablet that identified itself as one of two supplementary tablets to the initial thirteen, so I shall number this tablet fourteen for the sake of clarity, as it has no other name. The last of the tablets, which I have numbered fifteen, identifies itself as ‘the Secret of Secrets’ and promises to be most interesting, but as I am greatly in need of sustenance, I shall get started on it immediately after a very late lunch.

It seems that my study of the last tablet is to be delayed. Our work force have all returned from the holiday Levi granted them and thus Taylor has put them to work and is attempting to transport one of the tablets to the surface. He will not disclose to me what he plans to do with the tablet once he achieves his goal, but I dare say he has an interested party coming to view it. I admit that I am impressed that the men have managed to get the huge golden slab as far as the staircase; they are currently attempting to rig up a pulley system that is strong enough to hoist the tablet to the surface.

A new day dawns to see a huge golden sentinel standing gloriously atop the sandy plateau of the excavation, glistening in all its splendour beneath the warming rays of the early-morning sun. Taylor is a very determined man.

The good news is that after this mammoth effort, which lasted well into the night, the entire work force here at the Mound of Pitch are still sleeping, thus the site is deserted this morning. I intend to take full advantage: let us now discover what this great Secret of Secrets is…

This tablet speaks of the unveiled mysteries. It tells us how darkness (disorder) and light (order), although seemingly different, are of one nature, for they both arose from the source of all there is—referred to here as the Sovereign Integral, which we know as God. The tablet also speaks of Guardians, twelve plus two in number, who, as channels of the Sovereign Integral, shall direct the unfoldment of
being. It states that humankind’s purpose in being is the transmutation of darkness to light. Man is bonded to the Earth, which is encircled by a wave of vibration. Here follows a detailed instruction, along with key words, for bypassing this vibration barrier so that one might explore beyond in an astral form. Next, the tablet instructs on the very subject we seek information about—how to enter the Halls of Amenti. There is a detailed meditation, which I shall copy presently.

Again my study of the tablets was interrupted. I was summoned to the surface by one of the staff to find our dear Mr Taylor, this time having a complete fit!

Surprise of surprises, his huge golden tablet, which took tens of men to move, has simply vanished into thin air. Of course Taylor’s first conclusion is that it has been stolen.

‘You cannot seriously believe that,’ I said. ‘And where on Earth do you think the locals are hiding it?’

‘Then you explain it,’ Taylor barked in frustration.

‘I shall,’ I promised, ‘this evening.’

‘Why not now?’ Taylor asked warily, noting how amused I was by his panic.

‘I have my reasons,’ I replied calmly. ‘But I assure you, you have nothing to worry about, as your tablet will return of its own accord.’

‘This evening?’ Taylor sounded rather sceptical and perplexed by the suggestion.

‘Trust me,’ I said, keen to retreat back into the cool of the tablet room and out of the midday sun.

Taylor grabbed my arm. ‘And what if I cannot wait until this evening for answers?’

There was a hint of desperation about his appeal that I found disturbing. ‘What is the urgency?’

His gaze drifted towards the horizon in the direction of the Euphrates, where I beheld a large party headed towards us, flying the banners of the Church of Rome.

‘You idiot!’ I grabbed hold of him with the intent to knock him senseless, but then realised I did not have the time or energy to waste—I had to get back to the tablet room to record the key words and meditations we needed to find Levi. I released Taylor and made for the ladder.

‘The brothers did not map out for me a road to great fortune and happiness, as they did for you, Devere.’ Taylor’s voice stopped me in my tracks.

I glanced back to see him pointing a pistol in my direction.

‘I have had to make my own arrangements,’ he concluded. ‘Now…you will tell me what has happened to my gold tablet.’

‘I do not explain secret doctrine to traitors,’ I said, inviting him to shoot if that was what he intended.

‘You were as psychically deficient as me before Malory married you off to that superwoman of yours! I guess all that nonsense the knighthood rammed down our throats about honouring the Goddess has proved relevant after all.’ When I made no comment, he tried another way to vex me. ‘Ashlee is still a very fine-looking woman,’ he taunted. ‘Tell me, do you think Malory will consider breeding her again once you are dead and buried?’

You would have been proud of me, Mrs Devere, for I suppressed my first urge—to beat the man senseless—which would surely have resulted in me being shot. I was still formulating a plan B when a
rock hit the back of Taylor’s head and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Miss Koriche rushed towards me. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes…thanks to your deadly aim.’

‘Deadly? We should be so lucky!’ Miss Koriche said, and crouched briefly to check Taylor’s pulse. ‘He is only unconscious, I am sad to say.’

I got the impression that Taylor might have tried to impose himself upon Miss Koriche during the time they’d been sharing the site house before our arrival; however, I did not pry.

‘Many thanks for coming to my rescue,’ I said, ‘but I cannot imagine that we shall get around the representatives of the Holy See quite so easily.’ I could see Taylor’s guests approaching as I moved to the ladder to descend back into the tablet room.

When she too caught sight of the entourage, Miss Koriche gasped, panicked. ‘We must leave.’

‘I could not agree more. Arrange to have our belongings loaded on camels, whilst I make a few last-minute notes down here.’

‘What about him?’ She pointed to Taylor, spreadeagled in the midday sun.

I told her I would toss up some rope for her to bind him, and then she should get a few of the workmen to take him to the site house and lock him in the restoration room.

Miss Koriche urged me to be swift about my research. ‘The church burns women like me,’ she said.

‘I took an oath to prevent any such thing occurring,’ I assured her.

‘A knight’s vow,’ she assumed, and looked to Taylor, unimpressed.

‘A husband’s vow,’ I corrected, ‘a father’s vow and…’ although I hated to admit it, ‘a grandfather’s vow.’

Miss Koriche ventured a smile. ‘I shall have us ready to leave within the hour,’ she said.

‘I shall be ready.’ I dropped to the ground, and tossed up a spare length of rope. ‘One moment, and I shall give you a hand.’

‘No need,’ she called back. ‘Just do what you must and meet me back at the site house.’

When I entered the tablet room I was painfully aware of the missing tablet; all that remained was the metal plate it had been seated upon.

The plate appeared to be made of common steel, and yet it gave off a very faint eerie glow, so subtle it could be excused as a trick of the light—indeed, Taylor had dismissed it as such. The fact that this steel must have been in existence many thousands of years before steel was ever discovered was irrelevant to Taylor; all he could see was the possible monetary value, and thus he had attempted to have the plate removed from the floor. All the picks, spades and brute force could not even scratch the surface, however, quite literally; but we did discover that the plate was highly magnetised, as every time the men approached with their digging utensils, the tools adhered to the steel and had to be pried away by several men.

I was tempted to investigate the strange material further, but was too pressed for time. Instead, I sat myself before the final tablet and recorded the ancient rites and key words in the back of this journal.

By the time I had finished chronicling this information, I felt sure that I had used up the better
part of the hour that Miss Koriche had given me. With one last long, mournful look at the magnificent ancient room of learning, I departed to meet Miss Koriche at the site house.

My apprehension was aroused when I found the area in front of the site house to be completely deserted—no camels, no servants loading belongings for our imminent departure.

Silently I cursed that in my hurry to record the information we needed from the tablets, I had failed to dispose of Taylor’s weapon. Furthermore, I should have seen him bound and locked up myself.

There was little point in trying to surprise my adversary; he was no doubt watching me and awaiting my presence, with Miss Koriche as hostage.

I entered the drawing room to find Taylor seated on a lounge with Miss Koriche standing alongside him, motionless. Our charming host had one arm about the thigh of his hostage and in his other hand he held his pistol, the barrel of which was aimed point-blank at the woman’s womb.

‘Devere…it is about time you honoured us with your presence.’ Taylor caressed Miss Koriche’s thigh; she was clearly repulsed by his touch. ‘Now, unless you wish to lose the next generation of superbeings, I suggest you tell me what has become of my gold tablet.’

‘Nothing has become of it,’ I informed him, exasperated, for I was unable to provide a full explanation now that Taylor had proved himself a traitor. ‘The tablet is still where you left it; I suspect that it has just levitated to a frequency of resonance where we can no longer perceive it.’

‘Rubbish,’ decided Taylor after a moment, and he dug the barrel of the pistol deeper into Miss Koriche’s form.

I tried to disclose what I could without mentioning my personal experience with Star-Fire. ‘According to what I have read, the ancient manna was mixed with metals and precious metals to produce a product that, when exposed to great heat, will levitate. And, once it reaches a certain temperature, will vanish from this plane of existence altogether. So, if you must blame someone for the theft, I am afraid your culprit is the sun.’

Taylor still appeared sceptical.

‘If I am lying, then my deception will be plain enough this evening when the temperature drops,’ I said. ‘If I am correct, then you are really in luck, for no trace of the legendary substance has ever been unearthed.’

‘To the restoration room then?’ Taylor suggested, relieving Miss Koriche of her keys before he stood and shoved her in my direction. ‘It appears you get to live for a few more hours. I feel very sure the representatives of his Holiness will wish to speak with you both.’

Miss Koriche appeared genuinely fearful of that prospect, and I didn’t blame her. The Church had little enough respect for any woman, let alone one who was Eastern and not of the faith.

By the time I had finished chronicling the above, the sun hung low in the sky and the temperature was dropping rapidly. I expected the tablet’s reappearance any time now.

Miss Koriche had fretted herself into a state of exhaustion and fallen asleep. I had not the heart to
wake her to advise that the party of the Holy See had arrived several hours ago, despite her request to be alerted if there were any new developments.

Still, she was awake in a flash when Taylor burst through the door at sunset, accompanied by several men of the holy guard.

‘It would seem your theory was wrong,’ he said angrily.

Miss Koriche and I were taken to the crime scene, where the holy entourage awaited us.

‘This is where I left the tablet,’ Taylor said, skipping the introductions to get right to the point. ‘It is evening now, so where is it?’

‘Have you checked the tablet room?’ I suggested.

‘You said it would return to where I left it,’ Taylor countered. ‘So why would I check the tablet room?’

‘You know as well as I do that the plate on which the tablet was seated is magnetised.’ I left it to Taylor to draw his own conclusions.

He begged the patience of his guests while he descended into the dig to investigate the possibility himself. An uncomfortable silence prevailed as we awaited his return. No member of the holy party would even look at us, let alone speak with us. They appeared frightfully unamused about their little foray into the Persian wilderness.

Taylor re-emerged looking overjoyed. ‘Devere was right,’ he announced, sounding rather amazed. ‘The tablet has returned to its rightful place.’ He let out a laugh. ‘Extraordinary.’

‘Indeed,’ replied the only cardinal amid the holy throng, who, by contrast, sounded not surprised in the slightest. ‘Have the arch at the bottom of the staircase bricked up,’ his Holiness instructed the head of his guard. ‘And then have the entire hole filled with dirt.’

‘What?’ Taylor exclaimed in panic.

‘I do not want a single trace of evidence left to suggest that this piece of dirt was ever disturbed.’ The cardinal then leaned close to whisper in his guard’s ear a moment, before he turned to retire to the site house. ‘We shall depart as soon as you are done,’ he concluded.

Taylor chased after his vanishing audience. ‘What about our agreement?’

The cardinal held high a finger, as if he had suddenly realised that he had overlooked something. He turned to me. ‘Mr Taylor informs me that you have a notebook in which you have recorded information you obtained from the tablets. May I have it, please.’

Miss Koriche glanced at me, her concern plain in her expression; I sensed she was as desperate to find Levi as you and I, Mrs Devere. I forced a half-smile of surrender for the benefit of the cardinal, which was clearly of no consolation to the young woman, and reached into my pocket for the notebook.