Page 81 of A Crown of Darkness

Robin and Lark looked entirely innocent as they pushed their way through the force of fighters, but old magic coiled about them, stronger than ever, like leashed beasts ready to attack again.

‘You came,’ Roland said. ‘My thanks.’

Lark smiled and four crows with bloodstained beaks and claws came to rest on her shoulders. ‘We wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Hedge witch,’ she greeted Elodie with a tilt of her head. ‘It is good to finally see you again.’

‘Elodie,’ Roland started to explain. ‘They’re witchkind children who helped us in?—’

Elodie gave a stifled laugh. ‘Oh, they aren’t children, Roland.’ And to his surprise she bowed to them. ‘Old ones, my thanks for your aid freely given.’

Robin was grinning. ‘We brought help. Roland asked so nicely.’

Roland surveyed the scene. There were vines climbing up the marble walls, and animals of all shapes and sizes. And other things, things he didn’t have names for. Some had witchkind with them, directing them, some from the College of Winter and those who had lived hidden lives in Pelias, or who had lately found the old magic returning to their lives once more. Other things stalked the edges of the room and the corridors of the palace alone, wild and ungovernable. ‘I think you mean you brought chaos.’

The boy shrugged. ‘It’s how we help. Order is very boring. We gave your people back their courage. And magic, the ones who wanted it. It’s fun.’ He grinned, showing all his teeth. ‘We like you, Roland.’

Somehow that was more terrifying than anything he had ever heard. He glanced at Elodie, surprised to find her suppressing laughter.

‘I see that. And he is very likeable, I agree. But now’ – her tone sobered abruptly – ‘I need to reach my daughter before the Nox takes her.’

‘Oh,’ said Lark and her gleeful little face fell. ‘It might be far too late for that. The powers are meeting as we speak and they will tear each other apart. The old magic, our magic, is growing. It will not be constrained again and if it escapes, it might destroy those who would use it. She is the Nox, your Wren. Or part of it. Both she and the Aurum thrive on control of their own kind. The old magic does not. It will fight back.’

‘Please,’ Elodie whispered. To everyone’s consternation, she dropped to her knees. ‘Please help us.’

Lark gave a long-suffering sigh. ‘Again? Very well, but we’ll want a price.’

‘Oh yes.’ The gleam in Robin’s eyes turned avaricious. ‘There will definitely be a price.’

‘I’ll pay it,’ Elodie said without hesitation.

‘Are you sure? It could be a life. It could be a life for each of us.’

‘Elodie!’ Roland gasped, horrified.

‘It won’t matter if anything happens to Wren anyway. Please, whatever it is, I’ll do it. Whatever you want.’

The twins just stared at her with that unwavering unnatural gaze. ‘Not just you,’ Robin said at last and Lark wrinkled her nose, so like a child it was impossible to say what they truly were. Creatures of magic, powers in their own right.

Roland should have seen it all along. And they wanted him as well. A life. Well, he’d always been prepared for that. But he was damned if he was kneeling.

‘We need you,’ he said at last. ‘And if you need us, we’re here. But first, please, help us save Wren and Finn.’

‘That may be beyond our power,’ Robin told him solemnly. ‘I can make no bargain on that. Their fate is their own. And we will still demand our price whatever happens, Roland and Elodie. But we will try.’

CHAPTER 46

WREN

She sat on a throne. Wren was sure that wasn’t right and she shouldn’t be there, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. Her body didn’t want to obey her anymore.

The guards who had brought her here had carried her, slung like a sack of vegetables over their shoulders, laughing all the time. Pelias was theirs. They could do what they wanted.

Not to her, of course. Leander would have their heads. But to anyone else. They could treat the servants and the nobles as slaves and no one would care. They were drunk on their easy conquest.

Wren didn’t even know how it had happened. Treachery, she understood that much. The knights had been ordered to stand down and then it was too late. They took the palace first, then the Sanctum, then the city. Or so it seemed.

But each time another report came in to Leander, he looked a little less smug.

Pelias, and Asteroth, was fighting back. And he was losing. At least there was that.

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