Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge (Book 1) (17 page)

Charlie recoiled from Dridif’s angry face and took a step backwards, where to her further embarrassment she stood on Kelko’s toes.

‘Ouch!’ he shrieked.

‘Sorry!’ whispered Charlie. She wished her hair would cover her face. She could feel her skin go bright red in a heady mix of anger and humiliation as every eye turned to watch her. What had she been thinking of, challenging the councillors like that?

‘I think yer doing great,’ whispered Jensen encouragingly from her side. ‘I’ve never seen anyone stand up ta the Jade Circle before!’

Charlie was so shocked by his words of support that she turned to gape at her two friends. Kelko raised his hands in a thumbs-up gesture … Maybe she wasn’t making such a fool of herself as she had first thought.

‘Now then, for the last time, any useful suggestions?’ snapped Dridif.

‘I have a solution that I am sure will be found pleasing by all within the council,’ said a lady’s voice from the far end of the table.

Charlie craned her neck so that she could see who had spoken. It was Lady Narcissa, still breathtakingly beautiful, and lavishly dressed in flowing, white silk robes. The only indication that she had any association with the council was
a slender Jade tiara that rested lightly on her snow-white hair. Charlie was in awe.

‘Yes, Lady Narcissa,’ said Dridif. ‘By all means, please speak up.’

‘It would be my pleasure if the young lady were to come and live with me in my Ivory Tower. My security is second only to that of the Jade Tower. My home, as you all well know, is guarded day and night by a full regiment of Alavisian Watchmen. Furthermore, my adopted sons, the Delightful Brothers, can guarantee the safety of both the Keeper and the pendant,’ said Lady Narcissa as she addressed the Jade Circle with her melodic voice. ‘And in regard to Charlie’s day-to-day well-being and happiness, I’m sure she would enjoy living with myself and my daughter, Constantina, when she returns from the Alavisian K’Changa Championship later this week. In fact, if I were to act as her mentor and guardian I feel that I could show her a real taste of Bellanian life, which would also benefit her in the long run.’

‘Hmm,’ mused Dridif. ‘Yer proposal does, I must admit, have some advantages over wot has previously been suggested. Does any councillor have any misgivings or opinions about dis suggestion?’

The councillors remained silent. Charlie held her breath to see what the outcome would be. She liked the idea of meeting another girl who was into K’Changa. Maybe this Constantina could teach her a thing or two.

‘Who is more suitable than Lady Narcissa to ensure the child’s well-being?’ rumbled a dark, almost purple-skinned Stoman who sat opposite Flint. ‘Lady Narcissa’s great sense of charity and kindness is well known throughout Sylvaris
and Deepforest. If the young Keeper has the good fortune to live with her, then she should count her blessings.’

Rumbles of agreement echoed this sentiment. It appeared that for once all the councillors could agree on something, although Charlie noticed that Azariah failed to show any enthusiasm for the proposal. But with his large monk’s hood covering his face she couldn’t really be too sure.

‘Very well, then. It is settled,’ announced Dridif with a big smile of satisfaction on her face. ‘Charlie Keeper, I place ya under Lady Narcissa’s guardianship. The council will reconvene in two days’ time ta discuss wot is ta be done about the pendant. Until then, young Keeper, I bid ya a good day.’ Dridif smiled warmly at Charlie before leaving the Council Chamber, with most of the remaining councillors following her.

Charlie stared after Dridif. She couldn’t quite make up her mind about the old Treman lady, who seemed like a wise, grandmotherly woman one moment, then a hard-as-nails leader the next.

‘Come, young lady, follow me and I shall show you to my tower,’ said Lady Narcissa, interrupting Charlie’s thoughts.

‘What about Kelko and Jensen?’ asked Charlie as she eyed her steadfast friends.

‘Go on, lass, don’t worry about us,’ said Jensen. ‘We’ll come round and see ya dis afternoon.’

‘But I thought I was staying with you!’ stammered Charlie. Although she’d been aware that she was moving into Narcissa’s tower, it only now dawned on her that this would mean leaving Jensen and Kelko behind.

‘Yeah, I know, lass, I know,’ sighed Jensen, his large ears slightly drooped. ‘But the Jade Circle has decided otherwise and it’s not for me ta argue. Don’t worry. I’m sure dis will only be for a day or two at the most, so cheer up.’

‘He’s right, blossom,’ muttered Kelko with a glum look. ‘Dis is really for the best if it means keeping ya safe from Bane.’

Charlie felt a little crestfallen. Why was life always so unfair?

‘Come now, Charlie, this way,’ said Lady Narcissa before Charlie could complain.

Striding off briskly, Lady Narcissa gracefully made her way from the Council Chamber and Charlie had no choice but to follow. After a quick farewell to the two Tremen, she hurried after her new guardian.

20

Two-faced

The Shade half slid and half dragged its broken body into the Throne Room. Mewling in agony and fear, it crawled towards the Devouring Throne.

Bane, looking very much like a carved statue, sat impassive and still. Silently he watched the slow approach of his broken and injured servant. Offering no remorse or compassion, he just waited.

The Shade reached the foot of the dais and wearily hauled itself up the carved stone stairs to huddle at Bane’s feet.

‘Master, only I survived. All the others perished.’

‘That is of no concern to me,’ growled Bane. ‘What of the pendant and the squishy Human maggot?’

‘We failed to attain either, lord.’

‘Bah!’ spat Bane. ‘That fleshy girl still runs free! How could you let this happen, you useless cur! Tell me what happened. Tell me all of it and leave nothing out!’

The Shade painfully pulled itself upright and despairingly began to relate to the Western Menace all that had occurred within Sylvaris. Bane sat silent and still on the throne as he listened to the Shade’s account. Only when the black shadow fell silent did he say anything.

‘You failed me, Shade, when I commanded you to perform a simple task,’ he rumbled as he stared down at the wretched shadow lying at his feet. ‘You know the penalty.’

‘Aye, lord.’

Moving so fast that he practically blurred, Bane reached down and snatched up the Shade with both hands. It wriggled and flopped within his iron grasp.

‘How dare you fail me?’ hissed Bane, his temper rising to shroud his silhouette with a dark cloud. ‘How dare you?’

And with a huge, furious roar he tore the black shadow in two and flung the still-writhing pieces of Shade to the Throne Room floor. Hissing faintly, the wriggling flaps of darkness dissolved into a puddle of black, ash-like powder.

Bane stared briefly at the miserable stains that blemished his floor before snapping his fingers. One of the many silent footmen hurried over.

‘Tell me something good,’ snarled the Stoman Lord. ‘Tell me that the treasonous councillor from the Jade Circle has finally promised to deliver me that squishy Keeper into my hands.’

‘My lord, our agent in eastern Sylvaris has just informed us that the traitor has requested the presence of a Shade to finalize details. Hopefully the deal shall be settled by this evening.’

‘It had better be. Now get me my generals. I wish to know what new lands my armies have conquered. Go.’ Cracking his knuckles, he watched as the footman hastened from the Throne Room.

Lady Narcissa’s Ivory Tower glinted and glimmered in the midday sun. Flags and pennants fluttered in the breeze and long garlands of white lilies cascaded down from the many tiers of balconies that graced the slender tower. As they drew closer, Charlie noted that Lady Narcissa’s crest, featured on all the white flags, was a black and silver heron with a rose caught firmly in its beak.

They walked across a narrow drawbridge and passed silent yet fierce-looking guards who wore strange, spiked armour. Striding beneath a thick portcullis and passing yet more guards, they entered the tower. Marble hallways and delicately painted corridors led to willowy staircases as the two travelled deeper into the building. Charlie was getting slightly nervous. Her new guardian, she noticed, had not spoken a word since leaving the Jade Tower.
Stealing a look at Lady Narcissa, Charlie was shocked to see that her beautiful pale face was spoiled by a horrible frown. Anger lines wrinkled Lady Narcissa’s forehead, causing her stunning green eyes to squint and peer. But even worse, her wide mouth had puckered and shrunk into a thin line, making her seem mean and cruel. She looked like a completely different woman. What had caused such a change?

‘Lady Narcissa, is everything OK?’ asked Charlie with concern. Maybe her new host was ill.

‘Of course everything is all right!’ snapped Lady Narcissa. Without slowing her brisk stride, she threw Charlie a scathing look.

Charlie almost stumbled over her feet in shock. What had happened to the beautiful, caring Lady Narcissa? Had she done something to offend her?

‘In here,’ said Lady Narcissa curtly, and pointed with a perfectly manicured finger to a door near the end of the corridor.

Charlie drew back in alarm as the door they were approaching opened. Inside she could see both Stix and Stones, the Delightful Brothers. Charlie stopped. She didn’t like the look of this. Not at all. Something fishy was going on.

‘Why are they here?’ she asked.

‘How dare you question what happens in my house!’ snapped Lady Narcissa, her beautiful face twisting into an angry mask. ‘Did you not hear me say that my adopted sons were to be a part of your security? Now do what you are told and get in there!’

Stix and Stones came out of the room and stationed themselves on either side of the door.

‘I don’t care what the Jade Circle said!’ shouted Charlie, her fear quickly turning to anger. ‘You can’t just tell – ow!’

Lady Narcissa, eyes blazing like a crazed woman, slapped Charlie furiously on the cheek.

Charlie saw stars and lost her balance. She frantically tried to regain her senses, but while her head was ringing Lady Narcissa grabbed her by the hair and forcefully dragged her into the room.

Laughing at Charlie Keeper’s misfortune, Stix slammed the door shut.

21

The Isiris Bracelets

Charlie still felt woozy, so when Lady Narcissa let go of her hair she was only too happy to slump to the floor.

‘Hello, Mother,’ rumbled Stone’s unforgettable voice, as he and Stix followed Charlie and Lady Narcissa into the room. ‘I see you’ve brought that little minx of a Keeper with you. Do you want us to do anything with her? Perhaps cut off her feet?’

‘Or tear out her nails one by one and stick them back in upside down?’ suggested Stix.

‘No, my beautiful, strong sons. We can do nothing too permanent to her otherwise the council will know. However, if the little brat doesn’t do exactly what I instruct her to do, when I tell her to, beat her. Beat her hard but not so that it shows.’

‘We can do that. In fact, we might just do that anyway,’ leered Stix, and laughed as Charlie tried to regain her feet. ‘It would serve the brat right for fooling us back in Deepforest.’