Wraith(78)

Under any other circumstances, this would have funny. The goblins’ jaws dropped open, displaying yellowing teeth and melodramatically shocked expressions, while Tilly and I froze like rabbits in headlights.

Gabriel raised his head and blinked. ‘Hey guys,’ he said blearily. ‘What’s up?’

Several things happened at once: I dropped Gabriel and his body sagged against Tilly’s; unable to hold him on her own, she staggered backwards, and Gabriel collapsed onto the ground.

‘What the fuck?’ The guard Ophelia had kissed tried to yank himself away but she snagged her silk scarf round his neck and spun him round so his back faced her. She leapt up, planting her feet against his back and pulled on the scarf. The goblin’s squat fingers scrabbled at the fabric and his eyes started to bulge.

At the same time, Cordelia darted forward. From out of nowhere, she pulled a slim dagger. Before I had the chance to spring towards her, she slid it across the guard’s throat. Hot blood spilled over his fingers and he sank to his knees.

Isabella was even faster. With barely a flicker on her beautiful face, she lashed out one hand at the last guard. A spring mechanism on one of her rings was released, revealing a tiny, glistening barb. The guard barely murmured before his eyes rolled back into his head and he too collapsed.

‘Nice work, Tilly,’ said Ophelia with a snarky grin. ‘I like the way you stumbled there.’

‘Piss off. That bloody Elf is heavy. The only reason I didn’t do anything is because you were already in prime position. It’s not my fault I was given scut duty. At least I wasn’t locking lips with a goblin. Yuck.’

Isabella held up her hands. ‘Hush.’ She raised an eyebrow at me. I was still gaping at the lot of them. ‘What? You didn’t really think that just because we’re rich bitches, we can’t look after ourselves? We’ve been in training since before the siege began. Daddy doesn’t like leaving anything to chance.’

‘I … uh…’ I stammered.

From the ground behind me, Gabriel coughed. ‘What’s going on?’ His voice was weak but at least he was coherent and able to speak. I breathed out in exhausted relief.

Isabella met my eyes. ‘What’s going on is that we’ve just killed the guards at the main gate, and the fire I’m assuming you created as a diversion has been extinguished. Even if we hide the bodies,’ she said, giving the nearest goblin corpse a kick, ‘I estimate you’ve got less than ten minutes before half of the Filit horde is on your tail. I assume you’ve got a plan and that it’s not contingent on bumping into the right kind of people at the right time?’

Er… ‘The plan is that we leave. Now.’

There was a ragged but loud cheer from beyond the nearest buildings by the King’s Old Building. ‘Well,’ Isabella said, ‘you should probably get a move on then.’

The rich bitch was right. I helped Gabriel to his feet. He looked confused, and frankly I didn’t blame him, but he was keeping his balance. He even managed a few steps towards Tilly, followed by a sweeping bow. She blushed.

I realised I was scowling and quickly wiped my expression. ‘Thank you,’ I said to the women.

‘You’re welcome.’ Isabella smiled, although the smile didn’t reach her eyes. ‘We will deal with these three idiots. You will find the Stone of Scone before any of the Filits do.’

I nodded. I liked that she’d phrased it as a statement rather than a question. ‘Yes. We will.’ To say anything else would be to admit defeat and I would never do that.

‘Can you do this?’ I asked Gabriel. ‘Can you stay conscious and keep on the move?’

His eyes narrowed as if I’d questioned his masculinity but he couldn’t see what I could. His pallor was still tinged with green and he looked as if he were about to collapse again. But I had to trust his judgment; if Gabriel de Florinville was well enough to take offence then he was well enough to run.

Five seconds later, both of us were out of the castle and heading for the cover of the tree-lined cliff. Before long, every goblin in Stirling would be after us.

***

It was a gamble whichever way we went. Using the roads and passing through the Stirling streets would enable us to go faster and we might bump into more Stirling citizens who could help us get to where we needed to be. If Isabella Markbury and her crew were willing to come to our aid then just about anyone would. However, we would also be more visible. Gabriel might be fully conscious but he was still suffering from the effects of the poison and it was possible he’d relapse. I couldn’t risk him collapsing in the middle of Mercat Cross.

Traversing the slope at the side of Stirling Castle offered us an opportunity to stay hidden. The trees grew close together and there was no obvious path. Even if the goblins suspected we’d gone this way, they would struggle to find us. Also, the slope was virtually perpendicular in places and very dangerous. Of course, what was dangerous for the Filits was doubly perilous for Gabriel and I, especially when he was still sick and we’d have to move so slowly. The Filits would spread out across the city in front of us and we’d lose any lead we might have.

In the end it was a simple decision to make. There were enough hidey-holes in and around these slopes that I could bundle Gabriel into and keep him concealed. Then it would be simple to sneak out on my own and retrieve Ange’s puzzle box. It was so small and lightweight that my shadow could carry it. Using my wraith form was the only way this venture would work.