The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer (7 page)

The airship sailed over the wall, the guard at ground level saluting as they went by.

Skyhammer stretched, then shouldered his backpack as the airship touched down outside the Palace doors. Was the King really protecting them or did he too believe that Skyhammer wanted to sabotage the ceremony?

Chapter 7

Countdown to ceremony: 15 days

"Lady Higgins and the Keeper of the Retrograph Vault, your Majesty." The servant bowed low as they strode by him into the Crystal Room and handed off their backpacks to another servant.

"Come in." The King stood at the opposite end of the room, hands resting on his protruding belly. His crown sat askew on his short, blonde hair. Baggy, orange pants and a matching silk top in the royal shade gave him the air of a pumpkin. If his pointy nose had been green, the picture would be complete. Skyhammer couldn't discern if the King's expression was disapproving or concerned.

Between Skyhammer and the King, six straight-backed chairs encircled a large round table in front of open balcony doors. Next to the King, plates of cheese, bread and olives flanked by bottles of wine covered a corner table. Along one wall, a third table held a scattering of papers.

Guards stood on either side of the doorways. Gaudy orange wall hangings enlivened two of the purple, stone walls. The third wall had two rows of hooks. Seven sword-shaped spaces lightened the walls above the hooks.

Skyhammer bowed and Higgins curtsied before the King.

"Get something to eat and we'll get started as soon as Poly arrives." The King sat down at the central table. "Now that they know you're here, the mob will be converging on the Palace. We don't have much time."

Skyhammer piled his plate with food, then gazed at the sword wall for a moment, disappointed. He'd been looking forward to examining the King's sword collection. He must have moved the display. Skyhammer wandered onto the balcony. Outside, he ate in great gulps, looking out over the Crystal Lines. The gleaming white fissures zigzagged for miles behind the Palace. The fissures were largely unexplored but most people were okay with that; the strange screams and freakish howls that frequently rose from their depths put most adventurers off.

In the distance, he saw a sliver of light - a glimpse of the sky between Floatilla and the far-off mountains. Would he survive another magic attack long enough to be out in the wilderness again? To his relief, the King acted welcoming, so he must not think Skyhammer was the Sorcerer. What did the King think? They would find out shortly. Skyhammer glared at Floatilla, bustling like a beehive above him, and couldn't imagine how the King survived living in its constant shadow. Opening his Retrograph Whorl, he took a longing peek at Higgins's boat.

"Skyhammer!" The King beckoned him over to the paper-strewn table. "Record these with your Retrographs. You'll need to examine them later when we discuss the Byndari."

Skyhammer finished chewing an olive. The King didn't know about Skyhammer's changed Retrographs. He stared at each of the five drawings in turn, making sure his Retrographs recorded them. Again. He shivered, nervous again. A powerful Sorcerer was out there somewhere. Someone with no regard for Skyhammer's life or desire for magic. If they were willing to sabotage the ceremony, then perhaps the Sorcerer could already do magic outside the Royal Circle.

When the door swung open, Higgins was updating the King on the events surrounding the glove and the attack in Edgeton. Skyhammer straightened up and turned around.

"Lady Polygon, your Majesty," the servant announced, ushering the King's Wizard through the doorway. She curtsied to the King, long skirts spreading out over the floor and lengthy brown hair falling across her face. Polygon, though only in her late twenties, was one of the most powerful humans in the realm: a Wizard level magician.

Until now, Skyhammer realized. He wondered how that made her feel. The King's Wizard supposedly protected the King, but now an unknown, more powerful human was out there - a Sorcerer level magician. One who had the gall to change the King's Retrograph right under Polygon's nose. That had to make her pretty nervous.

Higgins rose from the table and walked over to Polygon. The two women embraced, holding each other a few seconds longer than necessary, Skyhammer noted. He shook his head. Higgins still carried that torch?

"We've got a lot to discuss," the King called. "Let's get going."

Polygon and Higgins joined Skyhammer and the King at the table.

A guard entered and whispered in the King's ear.

The King sighed. "A small crowd is gathering outside the Palace. They want us to give them Skyhammer." He paused, eyes flicking briefly to Skyhammer. "They think if Skyhammer dies they can find another Keeper who can do magic and protect them from the Retrograph Sorcerer."

Skyhammer, chewing on a hunk of cheese, halted mid-bite and stared at the King, wide-eyed. He swallowed. "Do they know how much time it'll take to find a replacement?" Exasperated, he shook his head.

"I don't think they care," Poly said, looking at him coolly.

Eyes narrowing, Higgins laid a hand on Skyhammer's arm. "They can't have him. And they can't get to him through the King's defences. The sooner we get through this meeting, the sooner we can get out of the Circle."

The King nodded to the guard. "Keep us updated."

The guard saluted and left. But not before throwing a furious glance at Skyhammer, who slumped back in his chair, stunned. He looked around. The King and Higgins focused on Polygon. What if the guards felt the same way as the mob outside? He pushed the thought away. He needed to concentrate on this conversation.

"Polygon, give them the details."

"Yes, your Majesty." Polygon faced Higgins and Skyhammer. "You know about the ceremony already. The drawings the Byndari made of the wall Relic have been circulated to all six countries. Here in Quasianti, we've seen them in the newspapers at least once a week since we received them."

Skyhammer rubbed his heel against the leg of his chair. Thinking about the changes to the drawings in his Snapshots made him anxious. The Sorcerer possessed a scary amount of power.

"The Byndari told us about the Relic and the ceremony seven weeks ago," Polygon continued. "Three weeks ago, the King opened his Retrograph Whorl and discovered--"

"An outrage!" The King leaned forward. Flecks of spittle flew from his lips as he spoke. "The morning of the alterations, the Byndari ambassador had dropped by for a chat. We sat at this exact table and looked over the drawings." He shook his head. "That evening when I went back to review my Retrographs, the Byndari ambassador had a sword from my display thrust through his chest and so did I!"

That was certainly more frightening than having a couple of drawings turned over in a Retrograph. Skyhammer couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'm sorry to hear that, your Majesty," Higgins said. "Was anything else changed?"

"Oh yes. Every page of every drawing of the wall that I have in my Retrographs has been turned over. And the one that isn't turned is always the last one showing all the species with their magic powers all over the world. That drawing has a sword through it as well!" The King's face grew redder and redder as he spoke.

Polygon signalled a servant to get the King a drink.

"I've been King for forty years and these last seven weeks will be the death of me." He downed his wine in one gulp and held out his glass for more.

"Your Majesty, is the Sorcerer threatening you or the ceremony or the Byndari?" Higgins asked.

Polygon answered. "We have no idea. Of course, we thought the Sorcerer was Skyhammer at first. No one else has access to the Vault. But since he has no magic and was away Relic hunting when the Retrographs were changed, we didn't think it was probable."

The King and Polygon glared at Skyhammer, who shook his head.

"It didn't stop there unfortunately." Polygon cast a spell to warm her wine. "The Sorcerer has begun changing other humans' Retrographs."

"He changed mine," Skyhammer said. "Turned over my drawings as well."

"That's what's been done to everyone's Retrographs," Polygon continued. "The Sorcerer is only focusing on the drawings."

Higgins spoke up. "Turning them over is like trying to get rid of them."

"That's what we think. And we guess the Sorcerer is a human, which makes trouble for us with the other species." The King slid a half-eaten piece of cheese around his plate. "We're at peace with most of the other species. And the ceremony requires all our cooperation. The Byndari have talked to the other Royals and obtained their agreement, even the Nasuchu."

"The Nasuchu?" Higgins sniffed. "I guess Byndari aren't exactly palatable to those cannibals."

"Also," the King's Wizard continued, "Floatilla is bursting at the seams. Overcrowding is increasing the spread of disease-"

"It will give us a chance to seize resources from nearby countries," the King added, eyes gleaming.

Uh oh, Skyhammer thought. He didn't need to look at Higgins' face.

"You're planning to invade our neighbours? After cooperating for the ceremony?" A flash of anger then disgust crossed Higgins' face before she could control herself. "I apologize, your Majesty," she said, sitting back into her chair. "Your decisions are not up for discussion." She stared down at the table.

"Quite so, Lady Higgins." The King's face was stern. "Apology accepted. Conditions are deteriorating inside Floatilla and as King, our first duty is to our people. But as you can understand, this relates to the Retrograph Sorcerer's next move. If the Sorcerer is a member of one of the races from whom we are planning to appropriate land, our plans could be foiled if our Retrographs reveal them. But we cannot invade if the ceremony does not happen. What if the Sorcerer can modify the Kingmaker Towers in the same way he or she can alter our Retrographs?"

"I had a thought earlier," Skyhammer said. "If the Sorcerer is planning on sabotaging the ceremony, then maybe he or she doesn't need planet-wide magic. Perhaps they can already do magic outside the Royal Circle." He stiffened in alarm as three guards burst through the door. Two of them took up a position by the wall, the other approached the King.

"Your Majesty, the group outside is growing. No spells have been cast, yet but we fear it may happen soon. If it continues to grow at the current rate, we may have a mob attack on our hands."

The King glared at Skyhammer. "You'd better not be more trouble than you're worth." He turned back to the guard. "Keep us informed. If they attack, you have our permission to defend with whatever force necessary."

The guard left.

"So you see, Skyhammer and Lady Higgins." The King clasped his hands over his belly. "We have an unknown element in this Sorcerer. Extraordinarily powerful, arrogant enough to threaten us through our Retrographs-"

"What did you bring us here for, your Majesty?" Skyhammer couldn't wait any longer.

"Isn't it obvious?" Polygon snorted in derision. "If the Sorcerer is changing our Retrographs, then they could be inside the Retrograph Vault. And since you are the only one who can get in the Vault . . ."

Skyhammer nodded. It made sense.

A shadow blanketed the room. Every head swivelled toward the balcony doors.

A cloud of humans on flying carpets blocked the light from outside. They hovered about fifty feet away from the balcony but close enough that Skyhammer could see the fury and hatred in their faces. They disappeared behind a wall of light, spells exploding against the Palace's shield.

Skyhammer leapt to his feet. He had no way to fight these people, no magic powers. They had the Palace surrounded and there was no escape. He looked over at Higgins, desperate. Inside him, anger surged at how useless he was, at his dependency on other people.

Standing up and putting her hands on his shoulders, Higgins pushed him back into his chair. "Please tell us more, your Majesty," she said. "I'm sure your guards can handle the people outside."

Slumping in his chair, Skyhammer eyed his Majesty.

The King signalled for the balcony doors to be closed, then leaned forward, his eyes locked on Skyhammer's. "Go to the Vault. Find the Sorcerer. Bring him back. Alive, preferably, but dead if necessary. You have 15 days."

Their solution was to send a magic-less human to fight the most powerful Sorcerer alive? The King had guards. They could go and wait outside the Vault; the Sorcerer had to come out sometime. "But your Majes-" He paused, cocking an ear towards the door.

Voices, loud, yelling, the boom of exploding spells. Everyone stood up.

"Grab-" The door to the hallway opened and slammed shut, cutting off the King's words.

Two guards faced the doorway, casting spells frantically with their slates. The third guard strode up to the King - Acidophilous.

"Your Majesty, treachery has broken our defences." Acidophilous scowled at Skyhammer.

"Tell me," the King ordered.

"A few guards agreed that it was better the Vault Keeper died. They argued with other guards. While distracted, the mob seized the opportunity to get through. The traitors were slain and we are in pursuit of the attackers. They are headed here. They know you are here. They are also trying to break the shield so the attackers outside," he gestured to the balcony without taking his eyes off Skyhammer, "can get through as well."

Skyhammer and Higgins exchanged glances, then fetched their backpacks.

Polygon clasped her hands around Higgins' for a brief moment. Their eyes met, faces softening. Higgins smiled and whispered a few words to Polygon.

Skyhammer frowned. "How do we get out of here, your Majesty?"

"There's a secret passage behind that wall hanging." He pointed to his left. "It leads-"

The balcony and hallway doors exploded open at the same time. The hallway teemed with attackers fighting guards amongst sparks of light. Attackers on carpets outside the balcony door zipped through the air, chasing and being chased by guards. One of the attackers spotted the open door and zoomed towards it.