Chaos Broken (29 page)

‘You have bewitched them both!' Kalin screamed. He leapt, heaving the sword towards me. But I was ready and threw my dagger. It missed, but I was already throwing my last one, and it thudded directly in Kalin's right eye. He faltered, giving a scream of rage, and I dodged his oncoming attack easily. Seth stepped forward, casting salt and chanting in a low voice. The salt hissed to life as it flew towards Kalin, but I remembered how useless my attacks had been last time. The spell failed to ignite and the salt just fell to the ground. Kalin pulled the dagger from his eye, leaving a gaping, fleshy wound. He swung his sword at me clumsily and I easily kicked one of his legs out. He fell, gasping for breath.

‘Put the sword down,' I said in a level voice. ‘It's over. This quest you've been on? It's done. This power is eating you alive.'

‘No,' Kalin sobbed. ‘I will find another who will accept my gift.'

Shouts and approaching footsteps sounded and I knew back-up wasn't far away. Seth hung back, agony and despair on his face. I heaved a sigh, knowing I was going to have to grab that stupid sword myself. As I moved forward, Kalin raised a hand and a light flashed out, blinding me. When I blinked my vision clear, the kid was gone.

The roof and surrounding buildings were searched, but no one could find any sign of Kalin, and soon enough, people turned to other matters. The sentries on the rooftop were revived, all reporting throbbing headaches and the bittersweet taste of darkcraft in their mouths. It was assumed Kalin had been the culprit, though Seth was tight-lipped about how he managed to be on the roof at the same time. He disappeared soon after, saying he'd make sure Kalin was found. I didn't press Seth about what he was going to do with his son once he caught him. I'd seen the realisation dawn in his eyes, the understanding his son was lost, and I didn't believe in kicking a man when he was down.

As the morning warmed up, Roman and Casper became distracted with logistics planning and I saw my chance to slip out. Harken nephilim and Regulators were stationed everywhere around the neighbourhood and it took most of my skills and a borrowed salt pouch to sneak out under a shadow spell. While I still had the Apertor Elixir and the knives tucked back into my corset, I didn't have my belt, or my cane, and a heavy downpour started up, soaking me instantly.

I was loitering in the empty entryway of a dressmaker store, trying to come up with a plan, when a rickshaw driver pulled over and honked his horn. Limping over, I ducked my head inside the dry cab.

‘I don't have any money on me,' I told the driver.

His eyes skipped over my hair. ‘Doesn't matter. I know who you are. You can ride for free.'

I hesitated, then got in the back. A free ride in Harken? Usually I'd be looking for the catch. But this time, I got the feeling there wasn't one. People were afraid and looking for answers. Unfortunately, I didn't have any. At least, not yet.

‘Where to?' the driver asked. I changed my mind about going home and gave him the address for the Craft Aldermen building on Hickery Lane, in the respectable area of Applecross.

The driver glanced at me in his mirror, then pulled away from the curb, clockwork engine ticking loudly. He drove slowly and stopped at intersections, even when there was no traffic. Each time, there would be a Mercury boy on the corner and he'd give the driver some sort of signal before the driver headed off.

‘You drive pretty cautiously,' I said.

‘Dangerous times we're living in,' he replied lightly. ‘The Mercury boys have a system going, tracking the locations of the Thesma Regulators.'

‘Clever,' I murmured.

We arrived at our destination and I stared in horror at the building, the brick walls scorched, windows smashed above the glass-littered street.

‘Regulators hit it yesterday,' the driver told me. ‘About the same time they were burning that Grigori priest. The City Watch came to try and cool everyone down, but they were too late to save the place.'

‘Wait for me,' I told him, getting out.

The driver wound down his window to squint at me through the light rain. ‘There ain't nothing to see. You're wasting your time.'

He was right, but I crossed the street anyway and entered the building. A bakery had once taken up the space on the first floor, selling cinnamon scrolls you'd trade your soul for. Now the place was trashed. The walls were charred and the shelving and cabinets were nothing but rubble. Glass crunched under my boots as I made for the stairs. An accelerant must have been used and the enclosed staircase stank of it, the acidic smell hitting the back of my throat and making my eyes water. At the top of the stairs, the door to the Aldermen chambers sat open, the inside a picture of ruin. A great tapestry had once hung on one wall, detailing the events of the great burning, when full-bloods had been persecuted. Now, the epic story that had been told in threads of gold and sand was nothing more than charred bits of weaving. The wooden pews were blackened and the wooden table the Aldermen had sat behind was a mound of ash.

I realised someone stood in one corner of the room, near the tapestry, partly hidden behind its remains.

‘Who's there?' A voice called out, high pitched and afraid.

‘Lora Blackgoat,' I answered.

A woman stepped into view and I recognised Aldermen Aria, a gorgon who had sat at the ruling table with five other appointed craftusers. Her normally animated hair hung limp around her face, twitching now and then, as if exhausted. A thin gold circlet, a symbol of her Aldermen status, sat crooked on her head and her white robes were filthy with soot and blood.

‘What do you want?' Her voice was dull. ‘Have you come to gloat?'

‘No,' I said, shocked she might think this. ‘I came looking for help.'

‘You'll find no help here,' Aria said. ‘The Thesma Regulators destroyed everything.'

‘Where are the other Aldermen?'

‘Those who could, fled the city. The Regulators killed some others.' Aria lifted a thin shoulder, then dropped it. ‘The rest, I don't know. Gone to ground, I suppose.'

‘We need to unite the craftusers of the city.' I stepped around the destroyed pews, closing on her. ‘Could you rally those left and prepare to defend the city?'

Aria waved a weary hand about. ‘Don't you know defeat when you see it? The Thesma Regulators and Witch Hunters are too powerful, too ruthless. Didn't you hear what they did to Andela the Spider Witch? She was the most feared darkcraft practitioner in the city and they killed her. There is no one powerful left.'

‘What about the Defiler?' I asked desperately. ‘He's summoned in times of great need. I'd say this is one of those times, right? Why don't you call him up to fight alongside of us?'

‘The Defiler?' Aria looked at me as if I was crazy. ‘The last time the Defiler was called, it was to drag you back to the Aldermen Council to answer for your crimes.'

‘Right,' I said. ‘A complete misunderstanding. The Defiler is a symbol for all citizens in Harken as a purveyor of justice. We call him up and ask for his help.'

‘Don't be stupid.' Aria shook her head, walking for a nearby exit behind the ruined tapestry.

‘I'm not being stupid,' I called after her, fists clenched by my side. ‘I'm trying to save this city from descending into civil war. Something the Aldermen should have been here to do. They were supposed to be there for their people and they failed. Now, there's only me left to stop this madness.' My voice rose. ‘You hear? Just me.'

Silence fell and I realised I was alone. My heart sank and my throat locked up, tears prickling the corners of my eyes. Wearily, I turned and began to leave the chambers, knowing there was nothing left to do.

‘You want the Defiler to judge the High Grigori?'

I turned to see Aria had reappeared in the doorway, though it was with a doubtful look.

Hope unfurled in my chest. ‘Someone has to. The High Grigori is persecuting craftusers and otherkin, the very people the Defiler was sworn to protect. He has no choice but to take a side.'

‘Even if you could convince him of this, ‘ Aria said. ‘The summoning spell for the Defiler is in the great Alderman grimoire, which was confiscated by the City Watch when they came to help the Regulators.'

‘The City Watched helped burn the Council?' I asked, feeling faint.

Aria made an impatient gesture. ‘They stopped us from fighting back, took our most powerful books of magic. What else would you call it? No doubt they were afraid we would retaliate against the Regulators in kind.'

‘I can go and get the book. I'm friendly with a City Watch Captain.'

One of Aria's eyebrows arched. ‘It would still take a powerful craftuser to summon the Defiler.'

‘Orella Warbreeder has been my teacher,' I said. ‘And I've gotten pretty damned good lately.'

Aria's hair twitched about her shoulders with faint hissing sound. ‘Even if you had the spell, you would also need to be near the High Grigori, otherwise the Defiler would turn on you. Calling him forth without purpose is punishable by death.'

‘No problem.' I grinned. ‘I'll get up nice and close to the High Grigori before I start the spell.'

Aria stared at me as if I was talking gibberish, the steady sound of rain against the roof the only noise. Then she moved forward, taking off the gold circlet from her head.

‘You must wear this,' Aria said.

As I touched the gold band, an electric charge skirted through me, making me jump. My fingers closed reflexively around the metal.

‘I relinquish my position on the Aldermen Council,' the gorgon whispered. ‘And give all my rights to you, Lora Blackgoat.'

My eyes dragged up to meet hers. ‘Wait. What?'

She stepped back. ‘Only an Alderman has permission to call the Defiler. It is necessary for the spell to work. You want this responsibility, now it is yours.' She made a fluttering motion. ‘Now put it on.'

Arms heavy, I lifted the circlet and placed it gingerly on my head. Nothing happened when the cold metal pressed against my forehead and I relaxed a little.

‘Is that it?' I asked.

‘You now have my place as a Craft Alderman,' Aria said. ‘The Defiler will have no choice but to rise and obey you. Remember to use plenty of salt when you cast.'

My feet were already moving to the door. ‘Thanks.'

‘Don't thank me yet.' I heard Aria mutter, but I didn't bother stopping to reassure her the plan would work. After all, it wasn't the best plan. But it was all I had.

I walked back to the idling rickshaw, head ducked against the rain, slipping as I went. As I clambered in, the driver twisted to look at me, jaw dropping when he spied the circlet.

‘Bit low, isn't it? Stealing from the Craft Aldermen?'

‘I didn't steal it,' I said. ‘I got recruited.'

The driver snorted and straightened in his chair. ‘Okay, Alderman Blackgoat. Where to now?'

‘Take me to the nearest City Watch station.'

‘That one at Piccano Square?'

‘Sounds right to me. Seems they've got something I need.'

‘Right-o,' the driver grunted, grinding gears as he pulled into the road. The rain subsided a little and I stared morosely out the window, unable to believe things had gotten so damned bad, so damned quickly. Aria's faith in me was heartening, but her sacrifice of her position made my plan more of a reality than I'd originally thought. I'd kind of hoped she might have been able to call up the Defiler there and then. Maybe have a little chat, explain what was going on, and then we'd all sit back as he struck Laeonder down and drove the Thesma Regulators from the city.

Guess not.

Once we reached Piccano Square, I got out and gave the driver my thanks.

‘We gotta stick together, don't we,' he muttered. ‘I'll wait, see if you need me after you're done in there.'

I nodded my thanks, then approached the City Watch station. Inside, the duty Sergeant sat behind his desk, reading the street press. When I cleared my throat, he took his time looking up.

‘Can I help you, citizen?' he asked.

‘I need to speak to Caleb,' I told him. ‘It's important.'

The Sergeant's eyes narrowed, as if he suspected I had something nefarious planned. ‘He's busy.'

‘He won't be for me. Tell him Lora Blackgoat is here.'

‘I know who you are.'

That surprised me a little, but whatever reputation had preceded me, it wasn't enough for him to jump to it and get Caleb. I folded my arms and flashed him some dimples. ‘You're going to get him right now, before I tear off your arm and beat you with the soggy end.'

The Sergeant squinted at me, his look saying he was unsure I'd go through with the threat. I tried to look tough. I tried to look mean. The Sergeant gave a huff of disgust.

‘Last office on the right,' he said, before going back to the street press.

I walked around to find Caleb in a room filled with bustling City Watch officials. Some stood in groups, talking in low voices, while others cleaned pistols and polished swords. When Caleb saw me in the doorway, he crossed the room.

‘Lora.' His eyes took in my haircut and the circlet. ‘Are you alright? I heard what happened yesterday.'

‘Not my best day.'

He pointed at circlet. ‘Is that what I think it is?'

I self-consciously touched the metal. ‘Yeah. I guess I kind of got recruited.'

‘Right,' Caleb said, looking confused. ‘And…why?'

‘I'll explain later. Did the officers here take a book from the Council of Aldermen?'

‘A few things were confiscated.' Caleb gestured to a back table, littered with scrolls. ‘We wanted to make sure the Aldermen didn't bring the city down around our ears.'

‘You mean, fight back?' I started heading towards the table and Caleb raised a hand to stop me.