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

and began to retrace her steps to the western tower. She paused for a moment, then turned, heading towards the tower at the opposite end of the residence instead. Latude was imprisoned within a room there, and if he was going to be executed, then she wanted to see if he was holding onto any useful information first.

She entered the eastern tower, passing more soldiers who bowed before her. They asked her no questions, allowing her to walk where she pleased. She ascended to the second floor, where a row of locked chambers sat next to the stairwell. Two soldiers standing guard in the passageway glanced at her, but said nothing. She would need them to unlock the door to Latude’s chamber, and she was thinking of a suitable reason when someone began thumping on the inside of one of the other doors.

She frowned. She hadn’t thought that there were any other prisoners kept within the eastern tower.

‘Belinda?’ came a muffled voice from within the other room. ‘Belinda; are you there?’

Belinda walked towards the door where the voice was coming from, her heart rate rising. It was Vana; she recognised the voice. Vana was in the Governor’s residence. She glanced at the two soldiers.

‘Open this door,’ she said. ‘I wish to speak to the prisoner.’

The soldiers bowed, and one approached with a set of keys. He selected the correct one and unlocked the door. Belinda pushed it open.

‘Belinda!’ cried Vana from the doorway. ‘You’re here to release me? At last.’

Belinda walked into the chamber and shut the door behind her.

Vana frowned. She looked rough – her clothes were soiled from travelling, and her eyes were tired and wide.

‘What are you doing?’ she said to Belinda. ‘Aren’t you here to let me out?’

‘How long have you been in here, Vana?’

‘Four days,’ the demigod said. ‘I was hiding in Alea Tanton, and then soldiers arrested me and brought me here. Didn’t you know?’

‘No.’

‘You have to get me out; I’m going crazy in here. I’ve been given hardly anything to eat or drink, and they’ve not even allowed me to take a bath or change my clothes.’

‘Have you been questioned?’

‘What? Em, no, not really. A god was here; she came to see me when I arrived, but no one since then. I don’t understand; I know I was in the Falls of Iron, but so were you, and you’re free. Are the Ascendants going to have me killed? I’ve done nothing wrong.’

‘Sit down for a moment,’ said Belinda; ‘let me think.’

Belinda took a seat, but Vana began pacing up and down the narrow chamber. It was sparsely furnished, with just a low bed and a couple of chairs, and the window was barred.

‘I know you left Kin Dai a while ago,’ said Belinda. ‘What happened then?’

‘I sailed to Capston, and stayed there, but after a few days I could sense the presence of agents – demigods, I think – searching the town, and I was worried I would be discovered, so I got another ship, this time to Alea Tanton, and I hid there instead. I was living in a horrible little place, but I thought I was safe, but then soldiers burst through my door and dragged me here.’

‘And the god who visited you? Who was it?’

‘She’s called Felice. She came here an hour after I’d arrived. She didn’t ask me any questions, though.’

‘She didn’t need to; she has vision powers.’

‘Then she must know that I’m innocent.’

Belinda’s gaze fell. ‘I doubt she’s interested in you, Vana, though your powers are probably the reason you’re still alive.’

‘That’s how I knew you were in the passageway outside,’ she said; ‘I could sense you.’

Belinda said nothing. If Felice had read Vana’s mind, then she would know Corthie was still alive, and she would know that Naxor was with him, and that Naxor knew how to get to the City of Pella. Like Silva, Vana had powers that were unusual, and Felice would have sensed that too.

‘Did she say anything to you?’

‘She told me that she was the governor of Khatanax, and that I would not be harmed if I cooperated, but then she left.’

‘And did you sense her using her powers?’

Vana hesitated for a second. ‘Yes. Am I in trouble?’

Belinda ignored the question, her mind racing through the possibilities. If Felice knew about Corthie, then why hadn’t she reported that fact to Arete or Leksandr? Was she playing a game for her own advantage? The Ascendants could read Felice’s thoughts, but perhaps she had buried the information, just as Leksandr had told her they could do. She glanced at Vana. The demigod knew too much, and was a threat to everything Belinda was trying to achieve. If Karalyn had been present, she would have been able to wipe Vana’s memories clean of anything incriminating, but Belinda lacked that power.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ said Vana, taking a step back.

‘I know what I need to do, but…’

‘What do you mean? What do you need to do?’

‘If the Ascendants discover what’s inside your head, then everything I’ve done will have been for nothing.’

Vana’s eyes widened. ‘You’re going to kill me? I knew you were ruthless, but I thought we were friends.’

‘We’ve never been friends, Vana. You disliked me from the start.’

Vana fell to her knees, tears springing from her eyes. ‘Please, Belinda, I’m begging you. None of this is my fault; I was brought to this accursed world by Naxor, and then Irno was killed and I had to go along with the others; I had no choice; I’ve never had a choice. And then Corthie was behaving like a pig, and I had to leave; it’s not fair.’ She sobbed. ‘All I want to do is go home.’

‘Be quiet.’

Vana fell into silence and closed her eyes, as if she expected her life to end at any moment.

Belinda stood. ‘You’re Aila’s sister. I know I should kill you, but I can’t.’

Vana burst into tears again.

‘You must do something for me.’

‘Anything,’ said Vana.

‘Tell me where