Creation Mage 6 by Dante King (red scrolls of magic .TXT) 📗

of ginger, and some rather unsavory characters at the racetrack.” Leah shook her head and shivered. “But I don’t wish to hear any anecdotes involving my Great Granddaddy. There are just certain subjects, like a basilisk’s fangs, that should remain untouched.”

I laughed. Mallory looked down and twiddled her fingers. Even Gertrude smiled.

“A fair enough protestation,” the old Inscriber said. “All I meant to say, in my roundabout way, was that of all the Chaosbanes with whom I have had dealings, you are, perhaps, my favorite. You are truly, unapologetically yourself. And that is a rare thing in this world.”

Leah shrugged and slurped her tea with one hand, while twirling a lock of hair with the other.

“I don’t really know who else I’d be,” she said.

“There are many two-faced people wandering outside these castle walls,” Gertrude said. “And even more so inside the Castle of Ascendance.”

Leah considered this, staring vacantly into space for a couple of seconds, and then said, “I’ve always thought that if you’re going to be one of those tricky duplicitous, two-faced bastards, then you should at least try and make sure that one of those faces is pretty.”

Mallory laughed happily at this bit of philosophy. “Snakes do always seem to be ugly creatures, don’t they?”

Leah nodded. “Thing about snakes is,” she said, “no matter how often they shed their skins, they’re still a snake.”

“Ah, that kind of mentality is exactly the type of talk that reminds me of Gorlbadock,” Gertrude said. “He always used to tell me that—”

“I don’t want to jump out from an alleyway and steal your purse while you’re taking such a nice trip down memory lane,” I said, “but, now that you’ve proved that you are to be trusted—”

“And you three have proved that you are, indeed, as capable as I thought you’d be,” Gertrude cut in.

“—could you tell us how we can get our hands on the next two relics?” I finished.

Gertrude pointed at Mallory. “Priestess Entwistle here knows well where the next relics are kept,” she said. “I need not direct you.”

Mallory inclined her head in affirmation of this declaration.

“She is well aware that the Garden of Ward and Curse is at the top of the next tower over from the Tower of Inscribers. It is a fair trek through the Castle of Ascendance, finishing in a long, winding stair of a one-thousand, one-hundred, and eleven steps, but one that you should be able to make without running into trouble.” Gertrude sipped her tea and pursed her lips before continuing. “After that, the Hall of Monsters and Demons can be found on your way back here.”

It might have been my imagination, but there seemed to be a cold note of dread in the Inscriber’s voice when she mentioned the place that the third and last relic was to be found. Of course, a place that was named the “Hall of Monsters and Demons” was hardly the type of venue that made you want to call up and make a dinner reservation. I don’t think I’d ever heard a more ominous and horror-steeped name for a hall.

“Okay, so we travel slightly further afield for the second relic and then pick up the third relic on our way back here,” I said. “That would seem to be the smart play here, wouldn’t it?”

“I think so,” said Mallory. “Now that Gertrude has shown what an asset she is, it would be prudent to collect the relics, come back here, and have her unlock your spell slots. Then, after that is done, we can figure out how to get out of the Castle of Ascendance without causing a fuss. After we have accomplished that, we should probably vacate Manafell.”

“We have two pegasi waiting outside the city gates,” I said. “I’m pretty sure Thunder and Lightning will be capable of carrying an extra passenger, won’t they?”

“Of course,” the Chaos Mage said. “Especially one as slender and fat-free as our lovely Mallory here.”

“Okay, that’s decided then. We go to the Garden of Ward and Curse first, then to the Hall of Monsters and Demons,” I said.

Leah slurped up the last of her tea. “Oh goody. Doesn’t that sound like just the outing to relax and unwind?”

Mallory got to her feet and reached out a hand to cup Gertrude’s wrinkled cheek. “Thank you, as always, for your help, Inscriber Gertrude.”

“A pleasure, my dear,” the old lady said, sitting back comfortably in her chair. “Try not to barge back in too loudly when you return.”

“We’ll do our best,” I said. “Fingers crossed we won’t be on the run from anything or anyone.”

* * *

It took us the best part of an hour to fetch up outside the door that Mallory told us opened onto the staircase of eleven-hundred steps. We’d had to combine all our guile and stealth with Mallory’s knowledge of the Castle of Ascendance to make it to the staircase. The Castle of Ascendance was surprisingly lightly guarded, but from what Mallory told us, that was out of the Queen’s aesthetic tastes rather than due to a lack of men.

“Queen Hagatha views the Castle of Ascendance as her ancestral home,” Mallory said in hushed tones as we waited for a troop of four armored guards to pass our shadowy hiding place by, “and not a military barracks. She is correct, of course. It is her ancient family seat, but it is an ancient family seat with its own private army.”

“What you’re saying is that, while we might not be able to see many soldiers right now, they’re waiting to come swarming out of the woodwork should the alarm be raised?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s right,” Mallory said. “Our footfalls must be feather-light, our eyes keen, and our ears sharp if we wish to get in and out without causing a stir.”

We slipped inside the doorway that led