Sapphique - Incarceron 02 (12 page)

They rode for over an hour, the land becoming more and more contorted, the air colder. Attia grew tired; her legs aching, her back an agony.

Finally, Keiro slowed the beast. His back was damp with sweat. He said, 'This will have to do?

It was a great overhang of ice, sheened with a frozen waterfall.

'Great,' she muttered.

Slowly, the horse picked its way in, among boulders furred with frost. Attia swung both feet over and slid gratefully down. Her legs almost gave way; she grabbed one of the rocks, then stretched, groaning.

Keiro jumped down. If he was stiff he was far too proud to show it. He took off the hat and mask and she saw his face.

'Fire,' he muttered.

There was nothing to burn. Finally he found an ancient tree-stump; there was still some bark that could be snapped off, and with some kindling from the pack and a great deal of impatient swearing he managed to get it alight. The heat was paltry, but Attia was glad to stretch out her hands and shiver over it.

She crouched, watching him. 'We said a week. You were lucky I'd managed to guess... '

'If you think I was going to hang around a stinking plague-heap, you were wrong? He sat opposite. 'Besides, things were getting rough back there
. That mob might have got to it
first.'

Attia nodded.

Keiro watched ice drip into the fire. The damp wood hissed and crackled. His face was edged with shadows, his blue eyes red-rimmed with weariness, but his old arrogance was still there, his effortless sense of superiority 'So how was it?' She shrugged. 'The magician's name was Rix. He was . . . strange. Maybe a little mad.'

'His act was rubbish.'

'You would think that? She remembered the lightning in the sky, the dripping letters painted by the man who could not write. 'A few odd things happened. Perhaps because of the Glove. I thought I saw Finn.'

Keiro lifted his head sharply. 'Where?'

'It was . . . a sort of dream.'

'A vision?' He groaned. 'Oh, fantastic! That's all I need! Another Starseer .' Dragging the pack nearer, he took out some bread, tore it open and tossed her the smaller part. 'So what did you see my precious oathbrother doing? Sitting on his golden throne?'

Exactly, she thought, but instead she said, 'He looked lost.'

Keiro snorted. 'Sure. Lost in his luxurious corridors and throne rooms. His wine and women. I suppose he's got them all eating out of his hand, Claudia and his stepmother, the Queen, and whoever else is soft enough to listen to him. I taught him how to do that. I taught him how to survive, when he was a stunned kid sobbing at every loud bang. And this is how he repays me.'

Attia swallowed the last of the bread. She had heard all this before. 'It wasn't Finn's fault you couldn't Escape.'

He glared at her. 'I don't need you to remind me.'

She shrugged, trying not to glance at his hand. He always seemed to wear gloves now, even when it wasn't so cold. But under the dirty and embroidered red gauntlet was Keiro's secret, the thing that haunted him and of which he never spoke, the single metal fingernail that told him that he was not entirely human. And that he had no idea how much of his body Incarceron had made.

Now he muttered,' Finn swore he'd try to find some way to get me Out. All the Sapienti of his pathetic kingdom would work at it. But I don't intend to wait around. He forgot the Outside, so maybe he's forgotten us now. All I know is if I ever find him again he'll regret it.'

'Unlikely to happen,' Attia said heartlessly.

He glanced at her, his handsome face flushed. 'And what about you? Always had a soft spot for poor old Finn, didn't

you?'

'He saved my life.'

'Twice. Once with my magic ring. Which I should still have, instead of it being wasted on you.'

She was silent. She was used to his scorn, and his moods. He tolerated her because she was useful, and she stayed with him because if Finn came back, it would be to find Keiro. She had no illusions about that.

Gloomily, Keiro sank a mouthful of sour beer. 'Look at me. Skulking in the Ice Wing, when I should have been leading the old gang now, out on some raid, taking the chief's share of the plunder. I beat Jormanric in a fair fight! I destroyed him. I had everything in my hands, and I let Finn persuade me to leave it. And what happens? He Escapes and I don't.'

His disgust was real; Attia didn't bother to remind him that she had tripped his opponent at the critical moment and won the fight for him. Instead she said, 'Stop moping. We've got the Glove. At least let's take a look at it.'

He was still a moment, then brought out the silk pouch from his pocket. He dangled it from one finger. 'What a

pretty little thing. I won't ask how you found out where he kept it.'

She shuffled closer. If her guess had been wrong..

Carefully, Keiro opened the drawstring, tipped out a small dark crumpled object. He spread the thing out on his palm, and they stared at it in fascination.

It was extremely old. And very different from the gloves Rix had worn in his act.

For a start it was not made of fabric, but of some glistening, scaly skin, very soft and supple. Its colour was difficult to define; it seemed to shimmer and change between dark green and black and metallic grey. But it was certainly a glove.

The fingers were worn, and stiff, and the thumb had been repaired with a patch, sewn by ragged stitches. On the gauntlet were pinned a few metal objects, tiny images of a beetle and a wolf, and two swans linked by a fine chain. But most unexpected of all, the fingers of the Glove were tipped with ancient, ivory-yellow claws.

Keiro said wonderingly, 'Is it really dragonskin?'

'Could be snake.' But she had never seen scales so fine and tough.

Slowly, Keiro took his own glove off. His hand was muscular and dirt' 'Don't,' she said.

Sapphique's Glove looked too small for him. It seemed to be made for a fine, delicate hand.

'I've been waiting a lifetime.'

She knew he thought it would somehow change things, that wearing it might negate the components that were part of him, that if Finn came back through the Portal to fetch him he could follow, by wearing this. But Rix's warning haunted her.

'Keiro... '

'Shut up, Attia.' He opened the Glove. It crackled slightly and she smelt its fusty, ancient smell. But before he could slide his fingers in the horse raised its head and gave a sharp snort. Keiro froze.

Beyond the rigid waterfall the Ice Wing seemed dark and silent, deserted in its black night. As they listened they heard the low moan of the wind that gusted out there, a cold echo in the meltholes and glaciers of the abandoned landscape.

And then something else.

A chink of metal.

Keiro stamped on the fire; Attia dived behind a rock. There was no way of hiding the horse, but it stood quietly, as if it too sensed the danger.

With the flames gone the Prison's night was blue and silver; the seamed currents of the waterfall twisted like grotesque marble.

'See anything?' Keiro squeezed in beside her, shoving the Glove into his shirt.

'I thought so. Yes. There.'

A glint, out on the tundra. Aurora reflecting on steel. A flicker of torchlight. Keiro swore. 'Is it Rix?'

'I don't see how it can be Rix could never have caught up with them, not with the clumsy waggons. She narrowed her eyes and stared.

There was something out there. It lurched in the shadows. As the light it carried flared up she glimpsed a grotesque creature, lumpy, as if it had many heads. It clanked, as if its body was made of chains. A thread of dread touched her spine.
'What is that?'

Keiro was very still. 'Something I hoped never to run into.' His voice was drained of all bravado; glancing at him she saw only a flicker of his eyes.

It was making straight for them. Perhaps it could smell the horse, or sense the frozen water. The chinking became regular, as if the thing marched with military precision. As if its centipede legs were a legion.

Keiro said, 'Get on the horse. Leave everything.'

The fear in his voice made her move without question. But the horse sensed it too, and it whinnied, loud in the silence.

The creature stopped. It whispered. It had many voices, and its heads turned, hydra-like, to each other. Then it began to lope raggedly, awkwardly, parts of it falling, being dragged, staggering up. It yelled and swore at itself, bunched in a dark bristlin
g mass. Sword blades and flames
gleamed in its hands. Green aurora flickered over it. It was a Chain-gang.

Claudia stared at the boy. He straightened, saw her, and smiled, warmly. 'Claudia! You've grown up so much. You look wonderful!' He stepped towards her and before she could move or the guards could stop him he had taken her hand and kissed it, formally. Astonished, she said, 'Giles?'

Instantly there was uproar. The crowd buzzed with excitement, the soldiers looked to the Queen. Sia was standing absolutely still, as if thunderstruck; with an elegant movement she recovered, lifted her hand and waited for silence.

It came slowly. A guard banged his halberd on the floor. The crowd hushed, but there were still whispers. The Sapienti glanced at each other; Claudia saw Finn stride forward and stare at the newcomer angrily. 'What do you mean, "the real Giles"? I'm Giles.'

The stranger turned and looked at him as if he was dirt. 'You, sir, are an escaped Prisoner and an imposter. I don't know what malice lies behind your claims, but I can tell you they are certainly not true. I am the rightful Heir.' He turned to the crowd. 'And I've come to claim my inheritance.'

Before anyone else could speak the Queen said, 'Enough! Whoever you are, sir, you are certainly far too

bold. I will hear this matter in private. My lords, please join us.' Her pale eyes glanced at Finn. 'You, too, are entitled to hear.'

She turned, regally, and the Ambassadors and courtiers bowed low. Claudia grabbed Finn as he came past. He shook her off.

'It can't be him,' she hissed. 'Keep calm.'

'Then why did you say that name? Why did you say that, Claudia!' He sounded furious. She had no real answer.

'I was
...
it was just the shock. He has to be a pretender.'

'Does he?' Finn's glare was hard. Then he had turned and was striding swiftly through the crowd, one hand on his sword.

The room was in uproar. Claudia felt Jared grab her sleeve. 'Come on,' he hissed.

They hurried to the door of the Privy Chamber, pushing through the perfumed and bewigged mass of bodies, Claudia gasping breathlessly, 'Who is he? Has the Queen set this up?'

'If so she's an excellent actress.'

'Caspar hasn't got the brains'

'Certain metal animals then?'

She stared at him for a second, wide-eyed. Then the spears of the door-guards clashed in front of her.

Astonished, she said, 'Let me through.'

A flustered footman murmured, 'I'm sorry, my lady. Sapienti and Privy Council only.' He glanced at Jared. 'You can enter, Master.'

Claudia drew herself up. For a moment Jared almost felt sorry for the man.

'I am the Warden of Incarceron's daughter: she said, in a voice that dripped ice. 'You will stand aside now, before I ensure your transfer to the most rat-ridden keep in this Realm.'

The footman was young. He swallowed. 'Madam 'Not a word.' She stared at him, impassive. 'Just move.' For a moment Jared wondered if it would work. And then

an amused murmur came from behind them. 'Oh let her in.

What harm can it do? I wo
uldn't want you to miss all the
fun, Claudia.'

Faced with a grinning Caspar the footman shrank. The guards stood back.

Instantly Claudia swept past them and through the door. Jared waited, and bowed, and the Prince hurried after her, his bodyguard close as a shadow. Walking behind, the Sapient felt the door click shut at his back.

The Privy Chamber was small, and smelt musty. The seats were of ancient red leather, arranged in a horseshoe, the Queen's in the centre with her coat of arms suspended over it. The Councillors sat, the Sapienti gathered behind them. Not knowing where to go, Finn stood near the Queen, trying to ignore Caspar's grin, the way he leant over and said something in his mother's ear, the way she tinkled a laugh.