The Key (42 page)

‘Ten seconds!' Isabel calls out.

Jimmy and Arkarian grab both mine and Isabel's arms and pull. Together we leap on to a moving platform. Isabel looks at the timepiece. ‘Now!'

As Isabel screams this one word, the entire room and everything in it begins to glow first white, then yellow, then flashes brilliant red. Arkarian, Jimmy and Isabel suddenly look as if they're nothing more than skeletons.

‘Oh no!' Jimmy moans.

‘Quickly!' Arkarian pulls us all in close to him.

But I'm afraid it's too late. Beneath us the stairwell disappears, and all four of us start to drop.

Brick by brick, glass, marble and crystal, the Citadel falls. The survivors have gone to my father. He will welcome them with open arms. Their job is done here. They have earned their rest. I glance around the ridge as bits of the Citadel drift down. Another explosion shimmers in the atmosphere as more pieces of the Citadel shower over the mountain.

I look around, searching faces. Some Tribunal members are missing, but we know that King Richard has gone to Athens to release Lady Arabella. How wrong I was to accuse her! Lorian says he too treated her unjustly. ‘Something I intend on addressing the very next time we meet,' he earlier explained.

As for the other Tribunal members, Lady Devine and many of her soldiers have also gone to Athens to be treated in the healing rooms there. Around me, Queen Brystianne, Lord Samartyne and Lord Penbarin take stock of their remaining soldiers. Shaun and Dillon join them. Not counting Mr Carter, six of us are still unaccounted for. Where are Ethan and Neriah? The last word was that they had fled the control room with the other Tribunal members and soldiers. Apparently no one has
seen them since.

Another explosion rents the air as the final part of the Citadel shatters. It's the labyrinth, the part of the Citadel that Lorian and I made sure would blow up last. But there's still no sign of my sister, or Rochelle, Arkarian or Jimmy, who were all in there at the time. There is nothing we can do except wait, and hope they managed to escape. But as every second passes, and the dust begins to settle as the last bricks fall from the sky, agitation starts hitting us all.

Shaun is the first to crack. ‘There must be something we can do! Some way to locate them!'

I search for signs of their thoughts, propelling my mind into the remains both on the ground and in the atmosphere. Nothing.

Dillon frowns and runs towards a strange object dropping from the sky. ‘What's this?' He catches the object and brings it back to us.

It's a black leather belt. He holds it up for us to identify.

Shaun shakes his head. ‘I don't recognise it. I don't think it's Jimmy's or Arkarian's either.'

I take it in my hand and a powerful surge of Rochelle's thoughts sweeps into my brain, letting me know where they are. I start to run in a southerly direction.

‘Where are you going?' Dillon calls out, hurrying to catch up.

‘They're coming. And they're going to hit the ground hard.'

All four of them land in a very close circle. As they start to get up Rochelle pulls her hands away, quickly putting her gloves on.

‘Are you all right?' I ask her.

She nods. ‘I think so.'

Isabel is next. She crawls over to Arkarian, checking him for injuries. He assures her he's fine and she moves on to Jimmy. ‘Anything broken?'

‘My ankle.'

‘Be still.' She lays her hand on his leg and goes to work healing him straightaway.

Lorian speaks to me through his thoughts. He lets me know he is on top of the ridge and that we should hurry and get there.

‘Is everyone else all right?' Isabel checks with me.

‘Unfortunately we're not all here yet,' Shaun says with a tremor in his voice.

Rochelle has questions, but picks up that I'm still communicating with Lorian. His thoughts are troubling, bringing a deep frown to my forehead and a worried stare I can't conceal. She touches my arm. ‘What's going on?'

‘Lathenia is waiting with her army on the ridge.'

‘What?'
Dillon calls out. ‘But we just destroyed her army. What more has she got in store?'

With that sombre thought we make our way to the top of the ridge, where Lorian's outline stands like a yearning shadow in the afternoon sun. When we approach, he turns to face us. His eyes reflect burning rage. When he sees Arkarian, the look softens momentarily, but quickly hardens again. Inside, my heart starts beating a slow thudding rhythm. What awaits us up here? And then I understand Lorian's look. Ethan and Neriah have been captured! Lathenia must have got to them in the midst of all that turmoil when the Citadel was falling. Now they're her prisoners, locked inside golden cages sizzling with green flashes of electric currents and suspended high above the ground.

But Ethan and Neriah are not the only weapons Lathenia has brought to this final battle. Behind the cages, in staggered rows that stretch back as far as the eye can see, stands an army of demons. Restless demons, that grunt and snort and pound the earth with their feet. There are many hundreds of them, maybe even a thousand. There is one in particular at the front that catches my eye. This one is their leader. He will be the one to watch, the one I will have to deal with.

Beside me I hear the others gasp and moan. Lord Penbarin's head shakes in disbelief. Queen Brystianne clutches the cloth at her throat. Both Tribunal members are in shock.

Shaun can't take his eyes off his son. ‘How did this happen?'

Rochelle tries to comfort him. ‘We will get them back.'

Inside me a fire is building. I go to pass Lorian, but he stops me with an open palm against my chest. ‘Stay calm. You are no good to either of them if you lose control. Remember now more than ever the skills your father taught you.'

‘I will kill the Goddess, along with every one of her army!'

‘I will kill her first,' he mouths softly. ‘For she has cost me much this day. The taking of these two hostages will be her undoing. She has gone too far.'

Isabel comes up beside me, her eyes skimming from Ethan to Neriah and back again repeatedly. ‘They've been beaten. Ethan has broken ribs and can hardly breathe. Neriah is hurt too, but her injuries are repairing themselves.'

I look across to Neriah and our eyes lock. I feel her pain go through me as she propels her thoughts.
The
cages are electrified. Nothing can pass through them. It's Lathenia's plan to take us with her. You have to save Ethan first. You have known him all your life. His mother cannot lose another child, and … I will be with you no matter what world I am forced to live in
.

No! You listen to me –

Lorian turns and says, ‘Watch your thoughts. My sister hears them. Look at her smile.'

He's right. Lathenia's smile is devious and even … exultant. She wants me to make a mistake, to let my emotions rule. And to her right, Marduke stands watching. Occasionally his eye travels to where his daughter hangs, and I have to ask myself: how can any father do this to his daughter? Then he snorts, and spittle flies out from a pig-like snout, and I have my answer.

My eyes shift to the demon beside him. In one hand he holds a chain, the other an axe. He stares at me, and while holding my gaze, he lifts both weapons into the air and grunts. His message is clear. I search deeply for a steadying breath.

Shaun touches my arm from behind, making me jump. ‘Why doesn't my son use his wings and escape the cage?'

‘Maybe he can't,' Dillon says. ‘He looks in a bad way.'

Rochelle adds, ‘He won't leave Neriah to die by herself.'

Her words are true. There were times when I thought Ethan's character unworthy. How wrong I was.

Isabel suddenly sighs. ‘I've been able to heal them, so at least for the moment they are breathing easier. And look, Ethan is closing his eyes. Matt, I think he's up to something.'

I search his thoughts. They're busy. Very busy. I withdraw so as not to interfere with whatever he has
planned. Without taking my eyes off Ethan, I turn slightly to those around me. ‘Prepare your weapons. Wait for the signal. Jimmy, you aim for the back lines. Isabel, take yourself into the middle. Arkarian, you go where you're needed.'

Isabel nudges me. ‘Wherever you put Rochelle, put me with her.'

‘Why?' Rochelle hears and snaps.

I give my head the slightest shake, enough to convey to Isabel that I will have Rochelle covered and to let the matter drop.

‘I just thought we worked well together,' she finishes lamely, not wanting to alarm Rochelle. She's been through enough in the past few hours – she doesn't need more to worry about.

Quickly I finish giving out my instructions. ‘Shaun, you and Dillon destroy the front rows.'

‘Remember,' Lorian reminds me, ‘Lathenia is mine.'

And while I would love to deal with that immortal myself, there is so much passion in my uncle's voice, I don't dare argue.

‘What about me?' Rochelle asks.

‘You released me once from Marduke's bonds, now I want you to do the same for Ethan and Neriah. And when you have freed them, come to the front lines and work beside me.'

‘Can I have my knife back?'

‘Your knife won't cut through those electrified cages.'

‘I want the knife to fight the demons.'

I stare at her for a moment. Are we really having this conversation again? ‘Your knife will be useless against those creatures. You have to use your hands.'

She glances at the beasts and shivers. ‘But that means
I'll have to get close. Matt, you don't know how brutal they are. Mr Carter was petrified of them.'

‘I'll be fighting by your side. OK?'

Lorian lets me know something is happening. Right before our eyes Ethan and Neriah begin to fade. In seconds the two of them disappear.

‘What's happening?' Lathenia calls out. She jabs a sword through Ethan's mesh repeatedly. Sparks fly and electricity sizzles. The whole cage vibrates with the impact. Lathenia does it again and again, this time lunging her sword into Neriah's cage. Again, nothing. ‘Marduke! Where have they gone? Did you do something to release them?'

He argues his innocence and their momentary confusion is my cue. We have to act fast to take the advantage. Who knows how long Ethan's incredible illusion will last? I raise my hand, then let it drop. ‘Now!'

Jimmy sends his grenades soaring into the back rows, creating chaos among them. Marduke orders the demons to attack. They grunt and growl and strike the earth with their feet. Then, armed with axes, swords and chains, they come charging at us.

I hope I haven't underestimated these beasts. They are completely unlike the wren, or any of the other creatures we've dealt with so far. Their odour alone is enough to knock us out.

Shaun battles two demons at the same time. King Richard suddenly appears along with Lady Arabella. I will have to apologise, but now is not the time. Lady Arabella looks around, searching for someone, and I point down the ridge. ‘He is that way, my lady, covering the northern flank.' She nods and takes off, while King Richard withdraws his sword and helps Shaun out.

I end up face-to-face with the demon who proclaims himself leader. Using his chain with incredible skill, he strikes, flinging my axe into his own hand. I will the thought of power to my fingers and, in the same split second, project this power towards him. Blue light flickers across the small space between us. It knocks him backwards. On the ground he grunts, and while there is now a wide gaping hole in his stomach, he still manages to get up. Surprising me, he charges again, head-butting my chest and knocking me off guard for a moment. He pulls back and comes at me again, wielding the chain and my axe with incredible force. I grab his arm and we fight for domination of the axe. With his other hand, he wields the chain across my back. The pain of it slices through me, over and over. Now it is my turn to grunt. I attempt to grab his other arm, but he is clever and avoids my grasp. With his sheer weight alone, he shoves me on to my back. Sensing success, he puts his knee into my throat, choking off my air supply. I would use my power to shove him off me, but I'm having trouble just finding air to breathe. And now he is lifting my axe into the air, aiming it straight at my skull. Still gasping for air, I watch as it starts to lower.

Suddenly the demon screams and arches his back. And then his weight is being lifted off me as he is tossed, a whip curled around his middle. In his place Arkarian, with his shock of vivid blue hair, swims into focus. He lowers his hand to me and I grip it.

‘How did that beast get the better of you?'

I shrug, retrieving my axe from the dead demon's clutches. ‘He winded me.'

Arkarian finds my comment amusing. ‘That easy, huh? Anyway, you were wasting your time with that demon;
you're needed elsewhere. Lathenia is in a rage and Lorian has his hands full dealing with her.'

‘What about Ethan and Neriah?'

He points, and my eyes follow. Rochelle has brought Neriah's cage down, and, using her hands, is in the process of destroying the mesh. Neriah is visible again and almost free, but Rochelle's actions have drawn the attention of Marduke. She needs more time.

I close my eyes and find an inner focus. Overhead, black clouds gather at my command, bringing a fierce wind with them. Marduke looks into the wind and a bolt of lightning strikes him. But the lightning doesn't come from the sky. It comes from his own daughter's hand. He lets out a wailing moan, and as Neriah stands before him, he snorts and disappears.

I take a look around. The battlefield is a mass of dead demons. The weapons are effective, and I'm glad to see Neriah was able to conceal hers even while captured by Lathenia. I hope Ethan was able to do the same, but somehow I doubt it. His weapon would be harder to hide.