‘Well, it’s not five minutes,’ I said, walking up. ‘But there’s too much noise in the futures for me to see any further. Landis?’
‘Evacuation’s under way,’ Landis said.
‘Are you taking a shot at Anne?’
‘No,’ Tobias said.
I nodded. Now that the ritual had failed, an attack on the keep was pointless. The marid would just gate away. ‘Guess this is goodbye then.’
‘Verus,’ Landis said. His expression was serious. ‘I know I asked you to rescue Variam, but that was before we discovered his situation. I don’t want you and Mage Vesta to throw away your lives.’
‘Like I said, we were doing this anyway.’ I looked at Compass. ‘If all goes to plan, I’ll have a last few evacuees for you. If you could keep the gate open, I’d appreciate it.’
‘I’ll try my best,’ Compass said.
Landis extended a hand. ‘It’s been an honour, Verus.’
I shook Landis’s hand, then shouldered the sovnya and walked back to Luna and Ji-yeong. ‘Let’s go.’
Luna, Ji-yeong and I faced the keep.
We were maybe a hundred paces from the front gate. A flagstone avenue, bordered with lanterns of black iron, ran in a straight line from our feet to the double doors. In the distance I could hear the faint calls of the Council forces as they co-ordinated their evacuation, but nearby there was nothing. The keep loomed above us, cracked and broken but no less threatening. A wind blew over our heads, catching the trails of smoke rising from the south-east tower and carrying them away to the north.
As we stood, a quiver seemed to go through the castle, like a tremor in the world. It wasn’t as violent as the shockwaves we’d felt earlier, but there was something disquieting about it.
‘Wards are definitely down,’ Ji-yeong said. ‘But I can’t see the jinn.’
‘They’re hanging back,’ I said.
‘So,’ Luna said. ‘Just to review. Once we go into that keep, we’re going to be facing two marids and God knows how many lesser jinn. Not only do we have to beat both marids, we have to do it without killing Anne and Vari in the process. Does that sum it up?’
‘Don’t forget that the shadow realm’s going to collapse soon.’
‘Right, thanks for reminding me. Next point. Based on what we’ve been through since coming to this shadow realm, I think it’s fair to say that if it comes down to a fight, either of those marids is more than a match for the three of us.’
Ji-yeong raised a hand. ‘I’m not fighting a marid.’
‘Correction, the two of us,’ Luna said. ‘So, Alex. I don’t want to make it seem like I’m always coming to you for help. You know, I’m an independent mage now, I solve my own problems. But I really, really hope you’ve got a plan. Because I’ve been trying to think up a way to make this work and I’m drawing a blank.’
‘We’ve got a few cards left to play,’ I told her. ‘First is the Council’s focus. It worked on Caldera. Although that said, doing that burnt up about a quarter of whatever fuel this thing uses, and I think the marids are going to take more than that. Card number two is an idea I’ve had floating at the back of my mind about Anne’s dress. That dress is the last thing Arachne gave her. Arachne foresaw what was going to happen to Anne – well, maybe she foresaw this too. She might have woven in something to help.’
Luna looked sceptical. ‘I hope you’ve got a card number three.’
‘Card number three is the big one,’ I said. ‘I don’t think the marid possessing Vari wants us dead. It serves the sultan, yes. But every time we’ve faced it, it’s chosen to interpret the sultan’s orders in ways that don’t involve killing anyone unless it has to. I had it in the Arcana Emporium for nearly ten years and all it did was make a contract with a new host every twelve months or so. Maybe it might be willing to make a contract now.’
‘Well, it’s a better idea than fighting it.’
I looked at Ji-yeong. ‘How are you doing?’
‘I don’t think I’m getting my make-up out of my room.’
‘Ji-yeong.’
‘What?’
‘I know you weren’t especially close to Sagash or Aether,’ I said. ‘But you’re allowed to be upset.’
Ji-yeong was silent for a second. ‘I knew something like this could happen one day,’ she said. ‘I just didn’t think I’d be on the other side.’
Diviner curiosity is a funny thing. Even this close to the end, I couldn’t help but wonder what was keeping Ji-yeong at our side. It couldn’t be just self-interest or she’d have deserted long ago. Was it really just that she didn’t like to lose? Or did she see something in us, a way of living that was new to her?
Our footsteps echoed off the walls around as we approached the keep. I felt another barely perceptible shudder go through the castle. It was hard to be sure, but it felt a tiny bit stronger than the last one.
The double doors of the keep were closed. Luna covered us while Ji-yeong and I pulled them open to reveal a long corridor floored and walled in black stone. It ran straight as an arrow as far as the eye could see, disappearing into darkness. Small ominous-looking slits were spaced along the walls at regular intervals.
‘This is a trap,’ Luna stated.
‘Barbican corridor,’ Ji-yeong said. ‘Wards are meant to kill intruders. At least when they’re working.’
I walked in. Behind me, Ji-yeong cast a light spell and Luna clicked on a torch. The green and white lights cast two shadows from my body, bobbing and wavering as we moved, stretching out into the darkness. Our footsteps continued to echo, three times as loud, the sound bouncing up and down the tight corridor. The air seemed to grow colder the further we went. This was Sagash’s lair, the heart of his power. For decades he’d schemed, seeking to become immortal. Now he was dust and ashes, but his presence remained, dark and brooding.
A door appeared out of the darkness. My twin shadows bobbed, drawing together. As they touched each other, I stopped.
Ji-yeong halted just behind my left shoulder, and I could feel her staring at the door. ‘He’s there,’ she said.
‘Luck, be with us now,’ Luna said quietly.
Ji-yeong took a breath. ‘Master Verus?’ she said formally. ‘These past few days, I’ve been learning my limits. A marid is outside them.’
‘Fair.’ I turned to face Ji-yeong. ‘It’s been a dangerous road, and you’ve walked it well. Once you get back to London, if you need anything, use that phone I gave you and ask for November. For now, our agreement’s at an end. You’re free to go.’
Ji-yeong hesitated, then nodded. I looked at Luna. ‘Ready?’
Luna bit her lip. ‘Let’s do it.’
I pushed open the doors.
The space within was wide and square. Lamps along the walls cast a feeble glow, swallowed by black stone. The room looked like a final defensive position to hold any intruders; beyond were corridors to the left and right, and a central staircase at the back.
Variam stood at the centre. His black clothes and turban faded into the shadows, making him look like a disembodied face floating in darkness. Luna and I started forward, me holding the sovnya, Luna holding her whip. Ji-yeong hung back. Variam watched us approach, hands clasped behind him.
‘Halt,’ Variam ordered once we were ten feet in.
Luna and I stopped. ‘Marid,’ I said.
‘Host.’
‘I have a matter to discuss with your ruler.’
‘Yes.’
I could almost forget that Variam was possessed while looking at him, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the illusion broke. His voice was dissonant, inhuman. ‘Will you let me pass?’ I asked.
‘You are to be admitted,’ the marid said. ‘Others are forbidden.’