Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6)

system of cellars, some filled with barrels and casks, others lying empty, and were made to sit in one while Maxin watched them with his crossbow. The ropes securing their wrists were cut, and the new shackles attached with much fuss and confusion, none of Amalia’s hired helpers having much experience in the art of chaining people. The window slits of the cellar were barred to prevent robberies and the two lengths of chain were attached to an iron bar, the other ends fastened to the shackles around the prisoners’ right wrists. Aila had been slow to recover from the death powers inflicted by Amalia, and Kelsey’s twisted ankle had also rendered her unable to flee. Finally, after more than an hour of angry words and muttered curses, the shackling was finished, and the small group led by Maxin left the cellar room, its door closed and locked behind them.
Kelsey got up from the floor as soon as they were gone, and hobbled over to the nearest window slit. She grasped the bar and shook the chains, but everything seemed secure.
‘We’re on the coast,’ she said. ‘All I can see is water.’
Aila nodded.
‘The walls are ten feet thick,’ Kelsey went on, ‘like a fortress or something. Any idea where we could be?’
‘No.’
Kelsey glanced down at her. ‘You better yet?’
‘I think so. This is my fault. I panicked when she grabbed my arm.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous; she could have killed you. I know you’re probably regretting your intervention back in Yoneath, but I’m grateful that I’m not alone. Between us, we’ll think of a way to get out of here.’
Aila lifted her eyes. ‘Oh yeah? How?’
‘I don’t know. They’ll get complacent if we play along for a bit. And they haven’t worked out how they’re going to feed us, or let us go to the toilet. They’re bound to make a mistake eventually.’
Aila shook her head, and resumed staring at the damp stone floor.
‘Come on,’ said Kelsey; ‘don’t get despondent. Didn’t you once tell me that you’d escaped from house arrest?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, how did you do it?’
‘I used my powers to impersonate lots of different people.’
‘Oh. Hmm, well, that won’t work this time.’
‘Do you think I hadn’t realised that?’
‘Don’t get snippy with me; I’m just trying to help.’ The Holdfast woman patted down her pockets, then frowned. ‘No cigarettes. Damn it. I wonder if the guards will get me some. If not, you might be in for a few days of grumpy-Kelsey, so allow me to apologise in advance.’ She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall of the cellar. ‘What do you think’s happening in Yoneath?’
‘I don’t know. If Corthie has any sense, he will have fled along with the others.’
‘But that would mean the Ascendants will have the Sextant.’
‘I know. We failed, utterly.’
‘Not necessarily. Blackrose might have destroyed it first. And there’s Belinda; who knows what she’ll do? I watched her kneel before Arete and Leksandr, but her heart isn’t with them.’
‘You don’t get it,’ said Aila. ‘Our worlds might already be open to the Ascendants. Right now, they could be sending soldiers to the City, and greenhides to your world. Or maybe they could use the Sextant to destroy your world? Sitting here, wherever here is, we’d never know.’
Kelsey shrugged. ‘I’m not giving up hope, no matter what you say.’
‘Then you’re living in a dream world. It’s over.’
‘It’s not.’
‘Let’s see if you’re still saying that after a while being chained up.’
Kelsey let out a low laugh. ‘Do you think I’ve never been chained up before? I was in shackles for months, for exactly the same reason that I’m chained up now – my blocking powers. People who want to hide from the gods have always wanted to get their hands on me. I survived that; I’ll survive this.’
‘You don’t know that.’
‘Actually, I do.’
‘Why?’ said Aila, a smirk on her lips. ‘Can you see into the future?’
Kelsey’s eyes widened. ‘I told my brother to keep that a secret.’
Aila paused. ‘Eh, what?’
‘Did Corthie tell you? I should have guessed he would. I hope you didn’t tell anyone else.’
‘What are you talking about, Kelsey? Did Corthie tell me what?’
Kelsey crouched down by Aila, keeping her weight off her twisted ankle. ‘You mean he didn’t tell you?’
‘Is this about Van? If so, then no; Corthie wouldn’t say anything about why he allowed you two to go off together. So, you can relax, sure in the knowledge that he sided with you over me.’
‘Oh. Right. Well, I can see into the future. Corthie knows, and that’s why he was happy for me to leave with Van.’
Aila said nothing. She could recall Karalyn saying something similar in the Falls of Iron, and she realised that if Kelsey was speaking the truth, then she could understand why Corthie hadn’t told her.
‘No comment to make?’ said Kelsey.
‘Naxor would have read it out of my mind.’
‘What?’
‘That’s why he didn’t tell me. He knew that Naxor would discover it, and, well, my cousin has proved that he can’t be trusted. Are you just like Karalyn?’
Kelsey glared at her. ‘I am nothing like Karalyn.’
‘Except you can block powers and see the future.’
‘Aye, apart from stuff like that. Also, Karalyn can decide if she wants to block someone’s powers, whereas I have no choice in the matter; it just happens. The future thing, though? Aye, we can both do that, and I know I’m not going to die here.’
‘What about me?’
She shrugged. ‘I have no idea what happens to you.’
‘Good,’ said Aila; ‘I don’t think I want to know.’
‘But you believe me, though?’
‘I guess so. After everything I’ve seen of the Holdfasts, it wouldn’t exactly surprise me.’
Kelsey nodded. ‘You wouldn’t have been my first choice as a fellow prisoner.’
‘Do you think you’re mine?’
‘No, but I’m the one Amalia wants. She tortured you so that I would give her the Quadrant back, and she might do it again, you know, to keep me in line. She seems to dislike you quite a lot.’
‘We’ve not had the best of relationships.’
‘Try not to antagonise