Wraith(87)

‘This is going to end up with same result, de Florinville,’ Ghrashbreg purred. ‘It’s your choice whether you both die quickly.’ He paused. ‘Or slowly.’

Gabriel let out an inarticulate mutter. ‘Fine. I’ll go to your damned gallows.’

The goblin lord smiled. ‘Shame. Submit your hands then.’

For a moment, I thought Gabriel was going to refuse again but he lifted both hands reluctantly. The goblin by his side immediately bound them tightly with rope.

‘Make sure the knots are secure,’ Ghrashbreg advised. ‘His skills are not to be underestimated.’

I heard Gabriel’s sharp intake of breath as the ropes were tightened. Then I was shoved away from the group while Gabriel was dragged from in front.

‘If one of them does turn out to be a wraith,’ Ghrashbreg called after us, ‘or if another wraith shows up to mount a rescue, you have my permission to make all their deaths as unpleasant as possible.’

I rolled my eyes. It was obviously important to him to have the last word. I couldn’t have said anything in response even if I’d wanted to, however. I received a sharp blow in my back, making me double over and gasp for breath. The only saving grace was that I managed to catch Ghrashbreg’s muttered expletive when he unrolled the tiny scroll. ‘What the fuck is this supposed to say?’

Then Gabriel and I were pulled away, out of both sight and earshot.

***

We were dragged along several streets to Mercat Cross to the sinister and silent gallows. Or they would have been sinister if the nooses had been replaced. I guessed that Ghrashbreg had forgotten his fiction and this was now merely an auction block, rather than a site for swift executions. Gabriel and I were securely tied to a post while the Filits organised themselves.

My mind raced, analysing the possibilities. There had to be a way out of this. Stirling was depending on me and I wasn’t going to let my city down if I could help it.

‘Gabriel,’ I murmured under my breath when our captors started hastily repairing the gallows and re-knotting the nooses. ‘Do you have anything on you that can help us get out of this?’

He didn’t answer; his expression was blank with intense concentration. Huh. Maybe it was some kind of Dark Elf meditative state. So much for elven magic.

I cast around. Other than the goblins, there wasn’t a soul in sight. Everyone would know by now that something terrible was stirring and would be keeping well away from the Filits. I’d have to manage our escape on my own. Unfortunately, given the number of goblins Ghrashbreg had sent with us, that was easier said than done. Of course I could have detached my shadow again – it would be more convenient to attack the goblins that way. But they had hold of both my physical body and Gabriel. If these Filits had a single brain cell between them, they’d slaughter us both before I could damage any of them.

I flicked my eyes around. Of the dozen or so goblins with us, there was only one who looked small or vulnerable. He was barely out of his teenage years and I noted that a few of others went out of their way to help him, guiding him with noose-looping instructions and occasionally sending him glances to check that he was managing with his grisly task. If they were worried about how he was coping, then he would be my target. If I was fast enough, I could send my shadow out to grab him and take him hostage. It was hardly a foolproof plan but it was the best I could come up with.

‘Gabriel,’ I whispered when I was sure that the goblins weren’t listening. ‘Pay attention. I know where the Stone is. I have a plan. You need to—’

‘Be quiet, Saiya. I’ve got this under control.’

He didn’t look like he was controlling anything. ‘Don’t be an idiot,’ I hissed. ‘I’m telling you that—’

‘Trust me. You wouldn’t trust me before – and God knows I don’t trust you – but believe that I’ve got this.’

He didn’t look at me. I stared at him, clenching my fists. We were trussed up like turkeys. I had a plan that could help him to escape and save Scotland from an eternity of servitude to the goblins – and he seemed determined not listen.

He let out a short, humourless laugh. ‘I can almost hear the cogs in your mind whirring. I’m telling you, just relax and trust me.’

I didn’t want to. Every part of me was screaming to ignore him. This wasn’t just my life on the line – it was everyone’s. But the truth was that he’d never given me any reason not to trust him. Whether he hated me or not, whether he was a prejudiced bastard with preconceived ideas or not, there was no doubt that his motives were pure. I ground my teeth. ‘You understand the consequences if they hang us?’

‘Saiya,’ Gabriel answered, ‘shut up.’

I took a deep breath and a gigantic leap of faith. My hands were shaking; hell, my entire body was shaking. Despite that, I had faith in Gabriel.

The young goblin walked over to us. He was biting his lip and looking for all the world as if he wished he were somewhere else. It was probably his first execution and part of me felt almost sorry for him. Almost. Throwing Gabriel a last meaningful look, I stayed where I was when the goblin untied me, then let him to lead me up the rickety wooden steps. When he placed the heavy rope round my neck, however, it took all I had not to resort to my plan. I was already imagining the rope tightening and constricting my throat.