Lia nods. ‘She was. But we think it may have been a poison being administered by a servant. Slowly. The servant was killed in a freak accident last week and Isbeth made a miraculous recovery. She’s back on the Council now, but the servant wasn’t working alone. There’s more at work here. Anyway, Calder had used his leverage and the usual fears to lock the Underhill down, but Isbeth was able to sway the vote. That’s how we’re here, and why we’re late. I’m sorry that we weren’t able to help you before, my friend.’
‘Don’t blame you,’ Morgan grunts. ‘Knew it had to be something to do with Calder. Coward that he is.’
The villagers are almost all through now. Tavish, at the back with his wife and babe, stops when he gets to us. He nods at me and Lia respectfully, and he takes Morgan’s hand in a friendly grip.
‘I was wrong about you, orc,’ he says to Morgan, then glances at me. ‘I was wrong about a lot of things.’
‘Wait!’
‘Please!’
Our eyes look to the voices and we see that a group of slaves has congregated at the archway. They look desperate and many are wounded. The ones with weapons seem to be protecting the weaker ones in the midst of them.
‘Don’t leave us. Please! We know you’re going to the Light. Take us with you. We beg you!’
Tavish looks at Dawn. She says nothing aloud, but her eyes speak volumes as she cuddles Taramel closer.
Tavish turns back to them, making his decision quickly.
‘Come!’ Tavish calls, and they begin to run for the Ring.
‘But they’re Dark Realmers,’ an older man in the line says. ‘We can’t. The laws…’
‘Fuck the laws,’ Tavish growls. ‘They’re humans like us. We can’t leave them here. We’ll find a way. We have to.’
It doesn’t take long for everyone to go though, and soon the last of them disappears into the Breach.
‘And you, Bryn,’ Morgan says. ‘Fiana will be caught. You’ll have your place in the light.’
The look I give him is incredulous.
‘I don’t care if she’s already in shackles! I’m not leaving without you, Jak, and Locke!’ I exclaim, stepping away from him quickly in case he tries to grab me and take me through himself.
But he only nods. ‘Come then. Let’s find them.’
JAK
I keepout of sight in one of the corridors off Fiana’s elaborate ballroom that the slaves use to stay out from underfoot when they’re serving, but every hundred paces or so is a thin doorway, so I’m able to keep an eye out for Morgan, who should be coming back upstairs anytime now.
If he’s found Bryn.
Gods, I hope he has.
I walk slowly down the narrow corridor that follows the ballroom in parallel. A human male darts in through one of the tiny doorways and stops short as he sees me.
He blanches. ‘Apologies, master,’ he whimpers, head bowed.
I shake my head. I don’t have time for this.
‘I’m not a master,’ I mutter, stepping around him.
If all has gone according to plan, Locke should be with Fiana now, keeping her distracted and busy so that we could get Bryn and, hopefully, the rest of the village back to the Light. I’d hoped that the Underhill would finally come to their senses and help take Fiana while we could, but even I was surprised when their numbers started marching through the Ring in the courtyard with Lia and Dane at the forefront.
The battle is still being waged, but it looks like our side is winning.
I just need to find Locke…
‘Wait!’ I turn back and the human male freezes in place. He turns to face me slowly, terror in his eyes.
