The Traitor Queen (The Traitor Spy Trilogy #3)(105)

“Safe from you,” Cery told him. Sources in the Guild? So the rumours are true. But how do they know Anyi is here?

“Is she?” Skellin must have removed the barrier, as he moved past Cery into the next room, his globe light floating before him. “Who sleeps on the third bed, then?”

“Someone you don’t want to meet.”

Skellin didn’t reply. He was looking at the doorway to the passage leading to the Magicians’ Quarters. Though his face was turned away from Cery, the set of his shoulders suggested he was listening to something.

Anyi and Lilia? Cery felt a rush of hope followed by fear. I hope Lilia is ready for this, and Anyi has the sense to stay out of the way.

Skellin took a step toward the doorway, then another. Cery sensed that Gol had crouched down. He looked away and saw that his bodyguard had picked up a still-burning candle. Skellin’s two henchmen had moved into the room, however. They would be able to stop Gol getting to any of the minefire tubes set into the walls.

A laugh drew Cery’s attention back to Skellin. The Rogue had stepped into the passage. He extended a hand toward something out of Cery’s view. An all-too-familiar voice cursed. Anyi appeared, struggling as an invisible force pushed her into Skellin’s reach.

At the sight of her Cery felt his heart jump and twist like an animal struggling to escape – and it hurt. He clenched his fists against the pain and started forward, but something caught and held his legs. Gol, too, lurched to a halt.

Where is Lilia? As Skellin reached out to grab Anyi, she stopped resisting and darted forward. Surely Anyi didn’t come back without Lilia. But the hand that stabbed toward Skellin twisted as it encountered his torso and she cursed in pain. Skellin grabbed her wrist and prised the knife out of her grip. But if she couldn’t find Lilia then …

The Thief looked up at him, grinning. “Safe from me, eh? Looks like you’ve failed to protect your family again, Ceryni.”

Cery gritted his teeth. Had Anyi at least sent a message to Lilia? Was Lilia on her way? Cery wanted to ask Anyi, but the pain in his chest made it hard to breathe and he didn’t want to warn Skellin that Lilia was coming. We have to delay him. Give Lilia time to get her.

Anyi was still fighting, but she could do nothing to harm or unbalance Skellin. Cery swayed as a wave of dizziness hit him, and the room darkened. When his sight cleared he saw that Skellin had pushed Anyi against a wall. She stayed there, held in place with magic. Skellin whistled, and the men pushed past Cery.

“Search and bind her.”

Anyi’s jaw tightened as the men stripped off her coat and felt for weapons. Cery wrapped aching arms around his chest and dragged in a breath to speak.

“You want me, not her,” he managed.

Skellin laughed. “I want all three of you. But you have to die in the right order. And …” Skellin looked up and around as if he could see the magicians above them. “Not here.” He turned to face them, his eyes moving from Cery to Gol. His nose wrinkled and he shook his head. “You’re not worth the trouble.” His eyes narrowed and Cery heard a sickening crack. Gol cried out in agony and surprise, and fell to the floor.

No! I have to stop him killing Gol. Slow him down! Cery tried to think past the fire in his chest. Find some way to delay Skellin a little longer. He opened his mouth to speak but only ended up gasping out a breath. Another wave of blackness consumed him and he felt his knees go weak. He suspected that only Skellin’s magic was holding him up. What has he done to me?

“Wait a moment,” he heard Skellin say. “There’s something wrong with him.”

Cery felt a growing fear as he realised Skellin was right. It’s not him. It’s me. My body … my heart … Though his eyes were open, darkness still obscured his vision. A bitter triumph rose. At least Skellin didn’t get the satisfaction of killing me. But … Anyi …

The force holding Cery melted away and he felt himself land on the hard floor. Whatever Skellin said next, he said at such a distance that Cery could not hear it. Then, after a stretch of silence, he felt cool hands on his face and he heard Gol talking from far, far away.

“Don’t worry. He won’t kill Anyi. He wants to make a trade. Lilia will get her back. If Anyi doesn’t kill him first. Those two will always look after each other. You know it. Don’t worry. It’ll all be fine. Anyi will be fine. We’ll make sure of it.”

Lilia hurried down the passage, keeping a tiny globe light floating before her.

Should I extinguish it? The intruder might see the light and know I’m coming. But if I do that, I’ll have to feel my way in the dark. It’ll slow me down. What’s more important? Speed or remaining undetected?

Her footsteps sounded loud in the narrow space. They would betray her approach anyway. She decided to keep the light burning.

Aside from her own footsteps, she heard no other sounds. The secret entrance to the passages that Anyi had cleared was on the far side of the University, so Lilia had to make her way around the foundations of the building. Fortunately, the passages were no labyrinth here. They were straight and turned at right angles until they led away from the University, under the gardens. Lilia’s heart was pounding by the time she reached the first curved wall.

I don’t think I’ve been so scared in all my life, she thought. I think I’d even consider having a little roet right now, if someone offered it to me.