Faerie Wars

Thirty-one

Blue pushed the doctor's hands away and sat up. Tm perfectly all right now,' she said calmly. She looked around. Somebody had undressed her and put her to bed in her own quarters. There were three court physicians in the room and several servants. All of them looked concerned.

'Serenity,' the nearest physician said, the one who'd tried to keep her supine, 'we must advise that it is best for you to stay in bed. The manifestations of shock -and you have had a severe shock -are such that…'

A severe shock. That's what they will always call it, she thought as the physician droned on. A severe shock. Daddy was dead and the world was changed. A severe shock. She felt sick in her stomach and every muscle in her body ached from tension. But the strangest thing was that her head seemed detached, as if it was floating somewhere a foot or two higher than it ought to be. The result, no doubt, of a severe shock. But while her head stayed detached, she could cope.

'I would like you gentlemen to leave now,' she said firmly. 'I wish to get dressed.'

'Serenity – ' The physician caught the look on her face and decided not to argue. He and his colleagues took a fussy leave with much backing and bowing. The last to go said, 'Serenity, there is a sleeping draught by the bedside should you need it. And a relaxant in the blue vial – just two drops on the tongue when necessary, but no more than twelve drops in any twenty-four hours. And a stimulant in the red vial should you need to counteract the effects of the relaxant – one drop on the tongue will be sufficient. And the spell candle is a lethe. Once lit, it will enable you to forget until it is extinguished or burns out. There are further lethe candles in the drawer. And – '

'Thank you, Argus,' Blue said politely. 'You have performed your duties admirably.'

'Thank you, Serenity,' the physician Argus said, and finally withdrew.

'Please lay out something suitable for me to wear.' Blue pushed back the bedclothes and swung her feet on to the floor. Her body felt light, like her head, but that didn't matter. She had to find out why her father had died, why this creature from the Analogue World had decided to kill him. She had to ensure, absolutely, that the murderer was punished – although she suspected Tithonus would already have taken care of that. And Pyrgus was still missing.

She turned her head at the soft knock on the door. 'Yes?'

Anna entered hesitantly with something in her hand. 'Are you all right, Mistress Blue? They told me you were awake.'

'I'm all right,' Blue said. Anna was the one who'd brought her the news. Somehow she knew she would always remember that. 'What is it?'

I don't know if I should be bothering you,' said Anna uncertainly, 'but it's supposed to be urgent and I know how you like to keep on top of – ' She tailed off and proffered a piece of paper. That young boy spying on you in the bath. Got himself into even more trouble by the sound of it. Anyway, he sent you this with one of the guards.'

Blue took the paper and unfolded it.

Beleth was gone, but his demons remained in the hot, sulphureous cavern, bolting the outer plating on the Doomsday Bomb. They glanced up from time to time, as if curious to see what Pyrgus might be doing.

Pyrgus was doing nothing, since there was nothing he could do. His back ached and his legs ached even more from his crouched position in the cage, but the pain, which had built steadily for a time, was now levelling out, with an increasing numbness, so he was able to ignore the discomfort. He was less able to ignore the pressure in his head, which had been steadily worsening. He put it down to the stress of his situation.

Despite the headache, his mind was racing. He wondered if his father was dead yet, if Beleth's demon army had invaded. He wondered if his sister had survived. He needed to take action, to break free, to escape from Hael and join the fight against the forces of evil. But his cage was strong, the locks secure, so that he was as helpless as the kittens he'd rescued from the glue factory. That rescue seemed so long ago.

Beleth was right when he said you would never notice the downward movement of the cage. The machinery – the proper machinery the Demon Prince had called it – made no sound beyond the occasional random creak. But when he compared his distance from the cavern roof to what it had been when Beleth left, he could see a difference. The cage was definitely dropping. It was dropping slowly, a fraction at a time, but it was dropping surely. Below him, brimstone seethed and bubbled. The stress of his situation made him feel as if his head were about to explode.

'What's this?' Henry asked.

'Your share of the papers,' Fogarty told him. There's somebody coming.'

Henry looked at him blankly, then down at the crumpled ball in his hand. He looked back up at Fogarty.

'We have to eat them,' Fogarty said.

Henry unfolded the paper to discover he was holding two small torn sheets. On one was written in his handwriting, 'What happened to Pyrgus?' On the other were the words, also in his handwriting, 'Why did you murder the Emperor?' Hardly the most incriminating documents in the world. 'I'm not eating these,' he said.

Fogarty looked as if he'd like to argue, but his mouth was full and there was already the sound of footsteps immediately outside. A key grated in the lock and the cell door swung open. Two burly guards marched in to take their places on either side. Then a smaller figure entered, dressed in black.

'Blue!' Henry exclaimed, relief flooding over him.

She looked at him coolly. 'Come with me,' she said.

'Come on, Mr Fogarty,' Henry said delightedly. 'This is Princess Holly Blue. I told you she'd get us out of here.'

But Blue's face was unsmiling. 'Just you,' she said to Henry. 'The monster who killed my father stays here until he hangs.'

'Is this true?' Blue asked, her eyes boring through his fiercely. She was holding a piece of paper in her hand. He assumed it was the note he'd sent her. 'You know where Pyrgus is?'

Henry took a deep breath. 'It's sort of complicated,' he said.

'Then you'd better simplify it for me,' Blue told him coldly. She waited, her eyes never leaving him.

Henry repeated the story Fogarty had told him about the demon.

He could sense her growing disbelief the more he talked. Not that he blamed her – he was still far from sure about Fogarty's story himself. Then suddenly her expression changed. 'Did you say Beleth?' she asked urgently.

'That's right,' Henry said. 'He's some sort of demon king, I think.' He regretted the choice of words at once: they sounded like something out of a Christmas panto. 'Look, I know this sounds pretty batty, but I've known Mr Fogarty for ages and he would never – '

But she cut him off. 'Beleth was the demon Brimstone called up -the one who nearly killed Pyrgus. How could Fogarty know that name? How could anybody know that name? Pyrgus didn't tell anybody. I only know because I saw it in Brimstone's magical diary. And there was another book with something to do with Beleth…' She stopped, frowning.

'You mean you believe me?' Henry asked with relief.

'I'm not sure,' Blue said. 'If you've just killed someone, then pretending you were controlled by a demon is a very convenient excuse. All the same…'

Henry knew what she meant. If demons really existed – and Blue herself seemed to accept that they did – then why shouldn't they take over people? It occurred to him it was a point he might clarify. 'You believe in demons, don't you?'

Blue blinked in surprise. 'Nobody believes in demons,' she said shortly. 'They're just there' She caught Henry's expression and added, 'In their own world, of course. Usually trying to get into this one. Nighters work with them a lot.'

'Can they take over people?' Henry asked. 'Like, control their minds?'

'Yes, of course,' Blue said. 'Everybody knows you must never look a demon in the eye.' She suddenly realised where this was going and said quickly, 'That doesn't mean I believe there's a demon loose in the palace or that it made Mr Fogarty kill my father.'

'No, but it's possible, isn't it?'

She stood lost in thought for a long time before she said, 'Yes, it's possible.'

'We need more information,' Blue was saying. 'I have to get another look at those two books.' She caught Henry's blank look. 'I don't know if he told you, but Pyrgus got involved with a Nightside sorcerer called Brimstone who tried to sacrifice him to this demon. I found that out when I stole Brimstone's magical diary and another book about Beleth. Only my father – ' she blinked, but went on without hesitation ' – didn't approve and sent the books back. I was only able to glance at them.'

'Where are the books now?'

'I think Tithonus may have them,' Holly said.

'Can you ask Tithonus for them back? I mean, if you explain they might be important…'

Blue nodded uncertainly. 'I expect so. I'll send a servant.'

Minutes later, Tithonus's manservant, a taciturn individual named Atolmis, was presenting his compliments. He wore footman's uniform with a canvas sack slung over one shoulder. 'Grave news, Your Serene Highness,' he said formally.

'What is it, Atolmis?' Blue asked sharply.

'The Gatekeeper has asked me to suggest you remain in your rooms for the moment, Serenity. He's in the Situation Room. We have received information the Nightside has launched a full-scale military attack.'

Blue's face was already pale, but Henry noticed she blanched even further. 'I should go to the Situation Room,' she said. 'There may be something I can do.'

'The Gatekeeper would prefer you to remain in your rooms, Serenity. He fears for your safety,' Atolmis said woodenly.

'My safety? Why should there be a threat to my safety?'

Atolmis had large dark eyes that never seemed to blink. He turned them on Blue now. 'Since the death of your illustrious father, my master has assumed the powers of Regent pending the return of the Crown Prince. As Regent he is now in charge of the defence of the Realm. I was at his side until a short time ago. We are – ' He hesitated, as if selecting his words carefully. 'We are experiencing some difficulties in containing the Nightside attack.'

'But they are under-manned!' Blue protested. 'My – ' She stopped. Her contacts in the Espionage Service had alerted her to the state of the Nightside armies, but she didn't want to admit that.

Atolmis said dully, 'The Nightside has been joined by demon forces.'

Blue blinked. 'How? How are the demons getting through?' There were always one or two demons in the Realm of Faerie, invited in by sorcerers, necromancers and the like, but a breakthrough by a full-scale demon army was impossible.

Tm afraid we don't know, Serenity. But they have already crossed the Teetion Valley and there is fierce fighting on the Plains of Lilk. Demon reinforcements are marching to join the advance party.' He took a deep, noticeable breath. 'Serenity, it may be only a matter of hours before they threaten the city. The safety of the Royal Family is my master's prime concern. May I assure him you will remain in your rooms?'

Blue nodded soberly. 'Yes, Atolmis. Yes, you may.'

'Thank you, Serenity,' Atolmis said. He half turned to take his leave, then turned back and drew a cloth-wrapped package from his canvas sack. He held it out to Blue. 'The books you requested, Serenity.'

'It sounds serious,' Henry said when Atolmis had gone.

Blue glanced at him. 'That's stating the obvious,' she sniffed. She caught Henry's hurt expression and added quickly, 'But there's nothing we can do directly and it only means it's more important than ever to find Pyrgus.' She untied the ribbon enclosing the package. 'Come on – you can help me study these books.'