Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) Christopher Mitchell (classic reads .txt) 📖

‘But Deepblue and Broadwing hate her.’

‘I know. All the same, she’d be more valuable than either of them.’

‘You need to tell Blackrose.’

Sable laughed. ‘Yes. I intend to.’

‘When? Are you going to speak to her soon?’

The Holdfast woman made a decision. She glanced up at the others. ‘I’m going to rescue her today.’

Maddie’s eyes widened. ‘What?’

‘Can you think of any reason why it shouldn’t be today?’

‘Well, no, but I assumed you’d think of one. You’ve been delaying for ages.’

Sable frowned. ‘I haven’t been delaying anything. We needed to get myself and Sanguino fit again, and we needed to recruit a few dragons. Millen also had to get Blackrose’s new harness ready, and we required supplies.’ She pointed to a pile of stacked sacks and crates. ‘That stuff you’ve been stealing with the Quadrant; we’ll need it all. It’s called being prepared.’

Maddie narrowed her eyes. ‘I hope Blackrose agrees.’

‘I intend to tell her that I’ve only just managed to steal the Quadrant; she’ll never know any different.’

‘But Millen and I know!’ cried Maddie. ‘What if she uses her truth powers on us? We’d be forced to tell her what’s really been going on.’

‘I’ll take care of that,’ Sable said.

‘How?’

Sable smiled. They didn’t know that she had the power to remove certain memories from their minds, and she intended to keep it that way.

‘Trust me.’

Maddie shook her head, her exasperation evident. Next to her, Millen chuckled, then frowned.

‘Hang on,’ he said. ‘You’re going today?’

‘Yes.’

His frown deepened. ‘What date is it?’

‘The twenty-first,’ said Sable.

‘Of Luddinch?’

‘Obviously.’

‘Oh.’

Sable sighed. ‘What does that mean?’

His brow crinkled. ‘There’s a huge game on in Alea Tanton today; one that will affect Blackrose. The Blue Thumbs will be visiting the Deadskins’ arena, and Blackrose will probably be scheduled to fight.’ He glanced towards the daylight at the end of the tunnel. ‘In fact, the games will have started by now.’

Sable stared at him. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’

‘Well, you didn’t give us any clues about when you were going to rescue her, and I kind of lost track of the date. Every day in the Catacombs is the same.’

Sable got to her feet, and began pacing as her thoughts whirled. How could she have been so stupid? She had been so wrapped up in preparing for their trip to Dragon Eyre that she had forgotten what was going on back in the city.

‘Maybe you should wait until tomorrow,’ said Millen.

‘No way,’ said Maddie, her eyes wide. ‘Blackrose might get hurt, or worse.’

‘Maddie’s right,’ said Sable. ‘Damn it. This is my fault, but I’ll fix it.’

She strode over to a pile of luggage and removed the Quadrant from a bag.

‘I’m coming with you,’ said Maddie, getting to her feet.

‘No,’ said Sable; ‘it’ll be too dangerous. I’ll have to leave right away. Tell Sanguino when he wakes up.’

She studied the Quadrant, and poised her fingers over the engravings.

‘You’re not even armed,’ said Maddie. ‘Are you not taking a sword, at least?’

Sable shook her head. ‘I won’t get into the arena with a weapon.’

‘Then what’s your plan?’

She shrugged. ‘I’ll make it up as I go along. See you soon.’

‘Wait!’ Maddie cried.

Sable traced her fingers across the surface of the Quadrant and the cavern shimmered, then was replaced by a back alley, deep within the Fordian district of Alea Tanton. She glanced around. High tenement blocks rose on either side, and raw sewage was flowing down the centre of the alley, which led to a busy street twenty yards ahead of her. She gagged from the smell, then slipped the Quadrant into the inside pocket of her long cloak.

She knew the layout of the streets well, having scouted with her vision over the area several times. The Northern Pits were about a quarter of a mile to her left, and she could hear the low roar of the crowd in the arena. She paused for a moment, clearing her thoughts as she felt a mixture of anxiety and exhilaration pass through her body. She could do it.

She strode to the end of the alleyway. The street beyond was packed with people. Most were green-skinned, but groups of Torduans were walking down the middle of the road in the direction of the arena, flanked by militia who were shielding them from the locals. Sable began pushing her way through the thick press of Fordians towards the Torduans. She would have to pretend that she was a Blue Thumbs supporter, as no one would believe for a moment that a non-Fordian would follow the Deadskins.

A few locals stared at her as she tried to pass through them, and a man spat at her, while others shoved and jostled her.

‘Blue Thumb bitch,’ muttered one, his fists clenched.

She powered her battle-vision and prepared to fight, but a few members of the city militia spotted her at the edge of the crowd, and barged through the Fordians. They grabbed her, and hauled her into the middle of the road along with the other Torduans.

‘Get lost, did you, miss?’ said one of the soldiers, his eyes tight. ‘You’re supposed to stay on the main roads. The Fordians will tear you to pieces if they catch you on your own.’

‘Sorry, officer,’ said Sable.

‘Yeah? Well, don’t do it again.’

The militia turned back to their flanking positions, leaving her in the middle of a group of blue-sashed Torduans. Sable gave them a sheepish smile, and tagged along with them as they walked down the road. Ahead, the large arena of the Northern Pits loomed. Hundreds of militia were on duty around its entrances, and more lined every street that led to it.

‘You were lucky, girl,’ said a man next to her. ‘Those green-skinned bastards could have lynched you.’

Sable nodded.

‘You get separated from your friends?’

‘Yeah. They had my ticket too.’

The man shrugged. ‘You can buy another one at the gates.’

‘And, eh… how much would that be?’

‘Five silver, same as always.’

‘Right, of course.’

He gave her a smile. ‘You can sit with us if you want.’

‘Thanks,’ said Sable.

‘Is this your first visit to