words before.'
Max cleared his throat, his eyes glinting with the reflected flames of the fire. 'So have I,' he said. 'What saddens me is that his 'army' is made up of dog-heads, humans, gorgadons, even ogres I'm told. Fighting for their own little slice of the booty and to hell with the consequences.'
'What price a man's soul? Or a dog-head's, or an ogre's?' Rufus relaxed into his chair and put his slippered feet onto the table. 'Is it worth us leaving again? We could take an Egyptian Pegasus, make it impossible for him to find us.'
'He'll never stop searching,' Max said evenly. 'He'll have spies in every Skycoach station, checks on everything going out. That's what I'd do. And this stone of yours Elli, we could manage to hide that, get it out of here...'
Elli shook her head sadly, feeling the stone calling to be released from the red glass that covered it. She opened it slowly and handed Max the locket, the stone pulsing against her skin and soft lights darting around it.
'I can't trap it or contain it Max,' she said quietly, as she felt the familiar glow course through her. 'I think its chosen me and I don't know wha t would happen if I took it off; I don't think I can any more.' She saw them look at one another in slow realisation and fear. ' It's how it is,' she shrugged. ' Do the gendarme know?' she asked finally, looking from face to face. She heard the sound of Rufus choking on his thirteenth biscuit so guessed that this was not the option that he preferred.
'Elli, we can't tell them that you have the stone,' he said gruffly. 'It would bring even more trouble to everybody. No, we'll deal with this ourselves like we've always done. Of course we'll have to give up our jobs and keep an even lower profile.'
'Oh I don't think that's necessary son,' said Max, his eyes glinting in the firelight. 'After all, you're physically incapable of blending into the shadows for a start. If they haven't worked out who you are and where you go every day by now then I despair of the criminal classes. Er...' he added, glancing at Alpha Sawyre.
'You're quite right,' she interrupted, 'they'll know you by now. Carry on as you're doing and at least it will keep the Blemmyae Council happy. How is work going by the way?'
'Don't ask,' said Rufus, holding up his calloused hands for them to see. 'At this rate I owe them money to work there. Modern day slave-drivers.'
'Actually I'm enjoying it,' said Elli, sitting up in her seat. 'I'm learning all kinds of useful things for when we return to the Dogheadhood Alpha Sawyre, including a great recipe to take away the taste of onions. It's come in very handy, believe me,' she said, stifling a yawn.
'You must be exhausted Elli,' said Alpha Sawyre with a smile. 'Go on up to bed and I'll see you in the morning. Max here has very kindly offered to let me stay for a few days. I'll make you some breakfast in the morning.'
'Lovely, thanks,' said Rufus, stretching out his arms and yawning profusely.
'Ah Rufus, I'd have thought the two meat pies and a sausage roll that you have secreted on your person, in your inside pockets if I'm not mistaken, would be enough to keep you going for the day. If you'll all excuse me,' she said, walking elegantly to the door and going up to her room.
'What a lady,' muttered Max under his breath.
Lord Lansdown rode on ahead of his company and surve yed the scene. A large castle loomed ah ead and he rode up to the gates, his horse's hooves pounding the well-trodden path below. As he approached the imposing door he saw small eyes watching him from all corners of the strong grey building, and he reached up to touch the stone with his gloved hands.
A man sat waiting for him outside, his faded clothes once rich turquoise and golds and his skin like polished mahogany. In his lined hands he held a pack of cards that he continued to shu ffle, ignoring or oblivious to the magnificent horse in front of him. Lord Lansdown sat for a few moments staring down at him, until
Max cleared his throat, his eyes glinting with the reflected flames of the fire. 'So have I,' he said. 'What saddens me is that his 'army' is made up of dog-heads, humans, gorgadons, even ogres I'm told. Fighting for their own little slice of the booty and to hell with the consequences.'
'What price a man's soul? Or a dog-head's, or an ogre's?' Rufus relaxed into his chair and put his slippered feet onto the table. 'Is it worth us leaving again? We could take an Egyptian Pegasus, make it impossible for him to find us.'
'He'll never stop searching,' Max said evenly. 'He'll have spies in every Skycoach station, checks on everything going out. That's what I'd do. And this stone of yours Elli, we could manage to hide that, get it out of here...'
Elli shook her head sadly, feeling the stone calling to be released from the red glass that covered it. She opened it slowly and handed Max the locket, the stone pulsing against her skin and soft lights darting around it.
'I can't trap it or contain it Max,' she said quietly, as she felt the familiar glow course through her. 'I think its chosen me and I don't know wha t would happen if I took it off; I don't think I can any more.' She saw them look at one another in slow realisation and fear. ' It's how it is,' she shrugged. ' Do the gendarme know?' she asked finally, looking from face to face. She heard the sound of Rufus choking on his thirteenth biscuit so guessed that this was not the option that he preferred.
'Elli, we can't tell them that you have the stone,' he said gruffly. 'It would bring even more trouble to everybody. No, we'll deal with this ourselves like we've always done. Of course we'll have to give up our jobs and keep an even lower profile.'
'Oh I don't think that's necessary son,' said Max, his eyes glinting in the firelight. 'After all, you're physically incapable of blending into the shadows for a start. If they haven't worked out who you are and where you go every day by now then I despair of the criminal classes. Er...' he added, glancing at Alpha Sawyre.
'You're quite right,' she interrupted, 'they'll know you by now. Carry on as you're doing and at least it will keep the Blemmyae Council happy. How is work going by the way?'
'Don't ask,' said Rufus, holding up his calloused hands for them to see. 'At this rate I owe them money to work there. Modern day slave-drivers.'
'Actually I'm enjoying it,' said Elli, sitting up in her seat. 'I'm learning all kinds of useful things for when we return to the Dogheadhood Alpha Sawyre, including a great recipe to take away the taste of onions. It's come in very handy, believe me,' she said, stifling a yawn.
'You must be exhausted Elli,' said Alpha Sawyre with a smile. 'Go on up to bed and I'll see you in the morning. Max here has very kindly offered to let me stay for a few days. I'll make you some breakfast in the morning.'
'Lovely, thanks,' said Rufus, stretching out his arms and yawning profusely.
'Ah Rufus, I'd have thought the two meat pies and a sausage roll that you have secreted on your person, in your inside pockets if I'm not mistaken, would be enough to keep you going for the day. If you'll all excuse me,' she said, walking elegantly to the door and going up to her room.
'What a lady,' muttered Max under his breath.
Lord Lansdown rode on ahead of his company and surve yed the scene. A large castle loomed ah ead and he rode up to the gates, his horse's hooves pounding the well-trodden path below. As he approached the imposing door he saw small eyes watching him from all corners of the strong grey building, and he reached up to touch the stone with his gloved hands.
A man sat waiting for him outside, his faded clothes once rich turquoise and golds and his skin like polished mahogany. In his lined hands he held a pack of cards that he continued to shu ffle, ignoring or oblivious to the magnificent horse in front of him. Lord Lansdown sat for a few moments staring down at him, until
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