Wraith(88)

Another goblin went to Gabriel, untied him from the post and led him up the steps. For a second Gabriel’s eyes met mine – then a gigantic shadow passed overhead while the air filled with a strange, loud thumping. It was followed immediately by a screech. I craned my neck upwards and my stomach dropped.

A gigantic bird was spiralling directly over our heads. It screeched again, beating its wings with such force that the very ground seemed to reverberate, before it dive-bombed the nearest goblin. The Filits scattered. One of the cannier bastards pulled out a gun, aimed it upwards and fired. The bird swerved to avoid the shot and the goblin aimed again but it was clear when the trigger clicked that the gun’s chamber was empty. The bird swooped again, knocking the goblin off his feet, its beak tearing into the soft flesh of his cheek. The goblin shrieked and rolled away.

While I stood gaping, Gabriel leapt up the last of the steps. He removed the noose from my neck and wrapped one arm round my waist. ‘I need you to hold on tightly,’ he said grimly.

‘I … uh…’ I could barely speak.

‘Saiya!’ he snapped. ‘Hold on.’

I squeaked and nodded. Gabriel raised one hand and the bird dived towards us but, instead of attacking him, its clawed feet grabbed him by the shoulders.

I shook my head. This was nuts. Who commandeered birds like this? And it didn’t really help matters. The bird might be huge but we would to be too heavy for it. I started to release my hold on Gabriel; at least he would have a fighting chance.

‘Saiya,’ he warned. He gripped me tighter, refusing to let go. Before I could speak, we were rising up into the air. Then we were flying over the rooftops and away.





Chapter Twenty-Three


I estimated that we travelled less than ten miles before the bird dropped us by the side of a road. I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to feel solid ground under my feet. I gasped and fell forwards. By the time I got up again, the bird had already risen into the air, a black speck vanishing into the distance.

‘What the hell was that?’ I breathed.

Inscrutable, Gabriel looked at me. ‘I told you I had arranged for a way out of the city if we needed it.’

‘By bird?’ My voice rose. ‘By gigantic fucking carrier pigeon?’

For the first time in what felt like an age, he almost smiled. ‘It’s a roc. Its kind and ours have helped each other for centuries.’

I blinked. ‘It pays to be a Dark Elf. Do you get air miles?’

‘Is that a joke?’

‘Nervous tension,’ I muttered.

Gabriel shrugged. ‘You’re the person who can remove her shadow and split herself into two.’ He grimaced and I winced internally. ‘Besides, travelling like this is an emergency-only situation. Rocs have been hunted almost to extinction. They don’t like to reveal themselves unless they absolutely have to.’

‘How did it know to come? Was that some kind of Dark Elf magic?’

Gabriel held out his hand and opened his palm, revealing a small button. ‘If you call clever technology magic. It’s a sort of homing device.’

I swallowed. Damn. Apparently he’d thought of everything – but he didn’t know everything. With shaky legs, I set off back towards Stirling.

‘Where the hell are you going?’

‘I know where the Stone of Scone is,’ I called out. ‘We had the clue all along.’

Gabriel caught up to me and grabbed my elbow. ‘What do you mean?’

‘It was on the box.’ When he frowned in confusion, I explained. ‘The lacquer ware wasn’t just a pretty design, it was a map. I don’t know what was on the scroll that Ghrashbreg found. Maybe something, maybe nothing. It doesn’t matter. The Stone of Scone is being held underneath the Tolbooth. There was a line of blue on the box that represented the river. It led right up to a small cross, which is Mercat Cross, and then three little bars.’

Gabriel stared at me.

‘The Tolbooth. It’s a prison. That’s what the bars represent.’

‘I got that part. I’m just…’ He sighed. ‘You remember that the Tolbooth is in ruins, right? The Gneiss goblins have destroyed it.’

I shook my head. ‘They destroyed the surface. The Tolbooth extends for several floors underneath – and I bet there are more underground secrets beyond that. We know that the Filits were seeking the Stone underground. They probably thought it was under the castle and that’s why it’s never been bombed. But the Tolbooth is just as old as the castle. The Stone is there. I’m sure of it.’ I set off again.

‘So your plan is what?’ Gabriel called. ‘To single-handedly storm back into Stirling and retrieve a stone that weighs a ton? We have to get to Holyrood. Your friend Ange and the others will be there by now. We need to speak to the Prime Minister. We need to find the best way to manage this.’

‘The Prime Minister will want to destroy the city and destroy the Stone,’ I pointed out, turning to face him again.

‘All the more reason to go and talk to him first. Besides, the government has all sorts of tools at their disposal.’ He gestured upwards, as if referring to the roc. ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’

I sighed. ‘We’re in the middle of nowhere with no transport. Even if we had a car, it would take us—’