The Fire King Page 4

  “Fair point,” he said. “But that still doesn’t mean they don’t have any.” He gestured at the opening. “Shall we?”

  Emily ducked, finding herself at the top of a rough-hewn tunnel that sloped away from her at a steep angle. A single, flickering torch lit the darkness, the flame giving off a putrid, greasy smoke that drifted up the tunnel, cloying the air with its rotten smell.

  Emily and Jack followed the slope down. At the bottom was an old stone wall that had collapsed sometime in the past. The stones still littered the ground, shifting precariously underfoot as Emily climbed through another rough opening.

  Katerina, Will, and Corrigan were waiting for them on the other side. Katerina held another of the foul-smelling torches, and by its light Emily could see that Corrigan had taken up residence on William’s shoulder and that the two of them were whispering about something. She wasn’t sure she liked that. Corrigan was a bad influence on anyone, never mind someone as young as Will. Emily moved closer to her brother while Katerina started leading the way along the low tunnel. “Why don’t you let me take Corrigan?” Emily suggested.

  “Oh, now you want to give me a ride,” snapped the piskie. “Every time I’ve asked it’s been ‘I’m not your slave, Corrigan,’ or ‘you’ve got feet—use them, Corrigan.’ Why do you want to help me now?”

  “Because she doesn’t want me having any fun,” said Will.

  “Fun? William, you think this is fun? You saw those knights! Those hounds! They tried to kill us.”

  “I’m not scared of them,” snapped William.

  “You should be, squire,” said Jack, edging past them to keep Katerina in sight. “I know I was.”

  “You were not!” scoffed William.

  Jack turned a solemn face to Will. “I was,” he said. “It’s a fool who doesn’t know when to be scared, squire. Fear’s what keeps you alive. Trust me.”

  William clearly didn’t know what to say to that. He looked slightly betrayed, as if Jack had turned on him.

  “Well I know I wasn’t scared,” boasted Corrigan. “Takes a lot more than a few ugly hags and their little dogs to scare me. Why, if it wasn’t for the fact that I had to look after you lot, I would have been right on top of those knights, sticking my blade in their necks.” Corrigan demonstrated his killing thrust into the air. “Hyah! Like that.”

  “Really?” said Will.

  “Of course. Have I ever lied to you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Just wait, squire,” called Jack over his shoulder. “You’ve only known him for a few days. It’ll come.”

  “Ignore him,” said Corrigan airily. “He’s just jealous of my lightning reflexes. Did you hear about the time I saved him and your sister from Black Annis and Jenny Greenteeth?”

  “No,” said William.

  “Allow me to set the scene. Your sister abandoned me to the cruel London streets….”

  Emily gritted her teeth and moved on ahead until she could no longer hear Corrigan.

  “You’d better watch your brother,” said Jack, falling into place beside her. “That piskie will have Will eating out of his hand before the day’s out.”

  “I know,” said Emily. “But what can I do? If I tell Will off, he’ll just do the opposite of what I want. All I can do is leave him be and hope he shows some common sense.”

  They both turned and looked behind them. Corrigan was balancing on Will’s shoulder, thrusting his sword at imaginary foes. Will’s eyes were wide with wonder as he listened to the piskie’s stories.

  “Mmm,” said Jack doubtfully. “Good luck with that.”

  After walking for some time, they found themselves in a tunnel with a high, arched roof, the bricks that lined the walls all neatly placed despite their apparent age. When Emily asked Katerina about it, the girl looked around as if seeing her surroundings for the first time.

  “I think it’s Roman,” she said. “Not sure what they used the tunnels for, but they’ve been a godsend to us.”

  “Do you and your … friends all live down here?”

  Katerina nodded. “Nowhere else to go, is there? Can’t live on the streets. Not safe. Especially not nowadays.”

  “How many of you are there?” asked Jack.

  “Hundreds.”

  “And you all follow this … what was his name? Goodman?”

  “Goodfellow. Rob Goodfellow. Yes, we follow him. He looks after us. Trains us. Keeps us alive.” She threw a warning look at Jack. “And I’ll not hear a word said against him.”

  Jack raised both his hands in a gesture of surrender.

  Katerina glared at him for a moment, then turned her attention back to navigating the dark passage.

  After about an hour of walking, the tunnel opened up into a large, echoing room, with crumbling pillars receding into the darkness. Something crunched underfoot when Emily entered the chamber. She tried to see what it was, but Katerina had walked on ahead, taking the torch with her. She looked back, though, as if able to read Emily’s thoughts.

  “It’s human bones,” said Katerina. “Rob says the Romans tried to hide here during one of the fey/human wars, but they died of starvation.”

  “Charming,” muttered Jack.

  The chamber opened onto a wide set of smooth stairs that led down into a second room, this one much smaller than the first. A flickering orange light came from beyond an arched doorway. Emily could see shadows moving against the portion of wall visible through the arch. Many shadows, crossing over one another, stretching and distorting as their owners moved around the room beyond.

  What was odd about it was that Emily couldn’t hear any sound. Going by the amount of shadows, there were quite a few people in the room. But there was no noise whatsoever. Not even whispering.

  She and Jack exchanged an uneasy look. She checked to make sure Will and Corrigan were close by. The two of them were right behind her, their faces reflecting the same uneasiness she felt.

  But Katerina didn’t seem at all bothered. She marched toward the doorway, her torch held high. When she noticed their hesitation, she paused and turned toward them.

  “Come on then. You can get some food inside you while Rob decides what to do.”

  Without waiting for a response, she stepped through the doorway, taking the torch with her. The others hurried forward, unwilling to be left standing in the darkness.

  As they approached, Emily saw that the shadows on the wall suddenly started moving faster, as if their owners were rushing forward to greet Katerina.

  Emily stepped through the archway and found herself in a large room with niches set into the walls all around them. The niches contained beds and wooden chests, clothing laid across threadbare covers. This was obviously where Katerina and her gang lived.

  But she saw this only in the first glance, because her attention was quickly taken by something else.

  Besides Katerina, there was only one other person in the room. A boy who looked to be about eleven years old. As Emily watched, the shadows she had seen moving on the walls rushed across the brickwork from all directions, joining together into a single shadow that belonged to the boy. He grinned at them and bowed, his lone shadow mimicking his movement, although to Emily, it seemed there was a slight delay before it moved. “Greetings,” he said. “And welcome to the lair of Robin Goodfellow.”

  Emily heard a noise of surprise and irritation coming from Corrigan. She turned around to find him staring at the boy with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

  “Puck,” said Corrigan. “Just what are you up to now?”

  “You know him?” Emily asked in surprise.

  “Know of him,” replied Corrigan. “He’s fey, Emily. Just like me.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  In which Puck explains what is going on and reveals troubling news about the Invisible Order.

  Emily, Jack, William, and Corrigan were seated around a table eating bowls of soup that Katerina had brought to them before disappearing into another room to talk
to Puck. It was turnip soup. Emily hated turnip soup, but she was so hungry she forced herself to swallow every last mouthful. One of the things she had learned over the last few years was that when you were given food, you ate it, because there was no telling when the next meal would turn up.

  They were all finishing up when Katarina and Puck reentered the room. As he walked toward them, Emily couldn’t take her eyes off his shadow. Or rather, shadows. She counted at least ten, all of them attached to Puck. They danced around the chamber and darted across walls, constantly moving and shifting under their own guidance. But whenever Puck stopped moving, the shadows paused to see what he was doing. If it seemed remotely interesting, the shadows darted back to their proper place, joining together to form a single shadow as would be cast by any normal human being.

  It was as if they were separate, self-aware beings who were listening to and watching everything that was going on.

  Puck sat down and drummed his fingers on the wood.

  “Katerina tells me you may have saved my soldiers,” he said, a frown marring his young face. He surveyed them with large, green eyes. “That’s the only reason you aren’t dead already. To be honest, I’m still not sure if I shouldn’t just kill you all now. You, boy,” said Puck, turning to William, “what do you think I should do?”

  Will blinked in surprise. “Uh … definitely not kill us.”

  “Mmm,” said Puck thoughtfully. “Maybe I should just kill the piskie, then?” he said hopefully. “Save you lot for later.”

  Emily leaned forward. “You won’t kill any of us. We helped you.”

  “So you say. Could be a trick, though.” Puck cocked his head, looking for all the world as if he were listening to someone speak. For some reason, Emily found her eyes drawn once again to Puck’s shadows. After a moment, Puck nodded, muttered something beneath his breath, cracked a grin, then turned serious again, all in the space of two seconds. “The piskie could be a spy. You could all be spies. Sent here to destroy my army. Take me down from the inside.”

  “Spies for who?” snapped Jack. “If you’re going to sit there accusing us of spying, at least tell us what’s going on.”

  Puck opened his mouth, then paused and turned his head to listen once again. “Think you …?” he muttered. “Could still be a trick.” He listened again, then slapped his hands angrily on the table. “Well, fine then!” he shouted. “Have it your way!” The boy folded his arms and stared sullenly at the table.

  “Well?” prompted Emily.

  “Well what?” he snapped.

  “What’s going on? We helped Katerina. It’s only fair you give us an explanation.”

  “Oh, it’s only fair, is it?” asked Puck sarcastically. “Well, if you put it that way, then I suppose I have to tell you, don’t I? Don’t want to be seen as unfair, do we? No. Not at all.”

  Katerina sat down next to Puck and laid a hand on his arm. “They did help us,” she said softly. “I’d be lying in that lane with the midnight rider’s lance through my back if it wasn’t for her.” She nodded at Emily.

  “Then you talk to them,” said Puck. “Because I’m not sure I like them. Especially him.” Puck nodded at Jack. “Looks a bit shifty, that one.”

  Katerina sighed. She patted Puck’s arm, then turned to face the others. “Ask, then. I’ll try to answer your questions.”

  “What’s going on?” asked Emily immediately. “Why are you fighting the fey? Why are Black Annis and the others after you?”

  “The first question to answer,” interrupted Corrigan, “is who rules the fey. There were a lot of changes going on now. Changes for the worst.”

  “Were a lot of changes?” said Puck. “You speak like it’s all over. Believe me, things are just getting started.”

  “To answer your question,” said Katerina, “Titania is the Faerie Queen. She and Oberon rule over the fey.”

  Emily turned to Corrigan in confusion. “Titania? But isn’t the Queen’s name—?”

  Corrigan held up a hand to cut her off. He leaned toward Puck. “Who are you fighting?” he asked. “Not Titania, surely. You’re Oberon’s Puck. And Oberon was always loyal to Titania.”

  “I’m my own Puck,” said Puck, offended. “But no, we’re not fighting them. There are others …” He sighed. “Things are difficult at the moment. Rebellion in the ranks. Some of the fey think that Titania and Oberon have grown too soft, that they have too much fondness for the humans. They want the King and Queen deposed.”

  “Who leads these rebels?”

  “A fey called Kelindria,” said Katerina. “At least that’s what everyone is saying. That she fancies herself as the next Queen. And she has support.”

  “Black Annis,” said Emily.

  “And the Morrigan.” Katerina shivered. “She’s a bad piece of work, that one.”

  “She defeated Baba Yaga, you know,” said Puck. “Over in Europe. Baba Yaga ruled over the Winter fey. They called her the Bone Mother. But then the Morrigan stepped right in and killed her. Those knights used to be Baba Yaga’s protectors, but now they’re loyal to the Morrigan.”

  “And that means they’re loyal to Kelindria?” asked Emily. Puck nodded. “The split goes right down the center of our people. Titania can’t do anything outright, because a lot of fey are wondering whether Kelindria doesn’t have a point. If Titania arrests Kelindria, some will think she felt threatened. It will give Kelindria’s cause strength, turn her into a martyr.”

  “And while Titania dithers, Kelindria grows stronger,” said Katerina. “She’s gathering her forces together. There will be a war soon, and I don’t think Titania can stop it.”

  “And that’s what you’re doing?” Corrigan said to Puck, jerking his head in Katerina’s direction. “Building your own army? You gave them all the Sight, I suppose?”

  “Aye,” Puck said, a note of defensiveness creeping into his voice. “What of it?”

  “They’re just children.”

  “Hah! Shows what you know,” said Puck. “They’re hard as nails. Tough. Besides, who else is there? I don’t trust adults. Treacherous, they are. I’m fighting the war Titania can’t. Understand? If it can’t be traced back to her, then no one can accuse her of being scared of Kelindria.”

  “Are you under her orders?” asked Corrigan.

  “No. I’m doing this of my own will. No one else has the courage to act. They’re too scared to make a move in case it’s the spark that ignites the inferno.”

  “And you don’t have that fear?”

  Puck shrugged. “What happens, happens. All you can do is make the most of the situation and try and turn it to your advantage.”

  “What about the Invisible Order?” asked Emily. “Why aren’t they fighting?”

  Puck’s shadow suddenly split into ten separate shadows again, fanning out along the wall behind him and leaning toward Emily. “What do you know of the Order?” Puck asked, surprised.

  “Just … things.”

  “What kind of things?” asked Puck, a note of danger entering his voice.

  “Keep your distance, Puck,” said Corrigan. “You took your humans into your confidence. I’ve done the same. I told her about the Order. And her question stands. What

  of them?”

  “Where have you been for the last ten years?”

  “Not here.”

  Puck snorted. “That’s obvious. The Order is gone.”

  “What do you mean, ‘gone’?” asked Jack.

  “Gone. Finished. Ceased to exist. Dead.”

  “Dead?”

  “Dead. Every single one of them. Hunted down and killed.”

  “Who by?” asked Will.

  “Who do you think? Kelindria and her followers. Least, that’s what I think. She wanted the Order out of the way for when she makes her move. Anyway, that’s why I took matters into my own hands.” He grinned. “You could say we’re the new Invisible Order.”

  “But what about Christopher Wren?” asked Emily. “He can’t be dead.”r />
  “Who?” asked Puck.

  “Christopher Wren. He was an important member of the Invisible Order.”

  “’Fraid you’ve been misinformed. Never heard of him.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Corrigan. “He’s a scientist of some sort. Member of the Royal Society.”

  “The Royal Society? I’ve heard of that lot,” said Puck.

  “They meet over at Gresham College. Bigwigs. Think they’re going to change the world with mathematics.” He fixed his eyes on Emily. “But they’ve got nothing to do with the Invisible Order. Never have.”

  “If they did they’d all be dead by now,” said Katerina.

  Emily glanced helplessly at the others. None of this made any sense. Christopher Wren was supposed to be a member of the Invisible Order. He was the one who had made sure Emily got the clues she needed to find the key back in her own time. He had to be involved.

  “We need to speak to him,” she said. “You said it yourself. Members of the Order have been targeted. Maybe he’s just keeping his head down.”

  “And you think he’s just going to open up to you?” scoffed Puck. “What are you going to do? Bat your little eyelashes at him?”

  “I’ve never batted my eyelashes at anyone,” said Emily firmly. “And all I can do is try. It’s better than sitting here doing nothing.” She turned her attention to Katerina. “Will you take us?”

  Katerina hesitated, looking to Puck for some kind of signal. He waved his hand at her.

  “Take her,” he said. “But the rest of them stays here.”

  “Why?” asked Emily.

  “Because I’m still not sure I trust you. With these three still here I can at least make sure you don’t get into mis

  chief.”

  “What kind of mischief?” asked Jack.

  “Like bringing Black Annis and the Morrigan to my hideout,” said Puck.

  “We’ve already explained that we’re on your side!”

  Puck leaned back and folded his arms. “Those are the conditions.”

  “So you’re saying we’re prisoners?” asked William.