Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6)

brought me any insights?’ he said. ‘I do hope so, as I have been reflecting upon the workings of the Sextant for some time now without success.’
She stared at the huge device, seeing the complex interconnections of wood, metal and glass.
‘Out of all the Ascendants,’ she said, ‘who has used a Sextant before?’
Leksandr took a sip of wine. ‘Nathaniel and yourself, obviously,’ he said. ‘Theodora, the Blessed and dearly-missed First Ascendant, was the undisputed master of working the device; she created dozens of worlds with her Sextant, before it was destroyed and she was… rendered to her present condition. Simon, the Tenth Ascendant, was also known to have used a Sextant; he created Dragon Eyre with one.’
‘I know that the First Ascendant is dead,’ she said, ‘but where is Simon?’
‘He disappeared many millennia ago. Apparently, his Quadrant was damaged at the precise moment he was travelling between worlds, and he never arrived at his destination. Apart from those four, yourself included, none of the other Ascendants had a deep knowledge of how the Sextants operated. Edmond, the Blessed Second Ascendant, was present at the creation of many worlds; he assisted Theodora in her tasks for long ages, but she never allowed him full access to the knowledge required.’
‘Then why did you think it would be easy? In Yoneath, you seemed to think you would be able to get it working without a problem.’
He raised an eyebrow at her. ‘Arrogance, perhaps? I confess that the Blessed Second Ascendant gave me his assurance that it was activated in the same manner as a Quadrant, and perhaps he believes that to be true. I have examined every inch of the device that can be reached without attempting to dismantle it, and cannot find any mechanism by which it might be brought to life.’
‘May I look at it more closely?’
‘Of course,’ he said, waving his hand. ‘Please do.’
She stood and approached the device. It was five feet tall, and she could see over it and look down into its inner workings. It had a thick glass panel protecting the top, but the sides were open, revealing the intricate cogs and wheels that fitted together. She traced her fingers down the smooth metal of a gear lever; it felt dull and lifeless to her touch.
‘Did you see the salve mines?’ Leksandr asked.
Belinda frowned.
‘On the world of the City, where you were living before you returned to Lostwell; did you see the mines with your own eyes?’
Her mind went straight to the large deposit of salve they had found in the mountains where Blackrose had stayed after leaving the City. ‘No.’
‘But you know where they are?’
‘I think so. I was told that three of the palaces in the oldest part of the City have access to mines dug into the hills. I presume that’s why the palaces were built in those locations. I was only inside one of the palaces, in a place called Ooste.’
‘How much is left to dig out?’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t know.’
‘And the Quadrant that transported you from there, where is it again?’
‘I told you; it was taken by Karalyn Holdfast. Why are you asking about Quadrants?’
‘Because, Belinda, I fear we will soon have to give the news to Implacatus that we have failed in our mission. We have the Sextant, but it is inoperable, and we have been unable to track down either a Quadrant that has been to the salve world, or a person who has used a Quadrant to get there. Any one of these three things would be sufficient to bring us success.’
‘You could use a person to get there?’
‘Yes, if the person had operated a Quadrant to travel to that world. The memory of their finger movements over the device would be enough. If you were in Lostwell before going there, how did you travel?’
‘Karalyn Holdfast sent me; she doesn’t need a Quadrant.’
Doubt shone in his eyes as he gazed at her.
‘She drew power from two demigods,’ Belinda went on, ‘and nearly killed them in the process. She then used that power to send me to the City of Pella.’
‘Then why did she need a Quadrant to travel back to her home?’
‘Because she was being cautious; she was worried about time, worried about making a mistake.’
‘Ah, so she’s not perfect.’
‘Karalyn Holdfast is far from perfect.’
‘Yet I sense you still hold her in some esteem.’
‘The Holdfasts are formidable opponents. I respect them.’
‘You love them, I think.’
‘Is this about Corthie? Are you concerned that I bear a grudge towards you for killing him?’
‘Yes, though Arete is not so sure about that. She thinks you revived him. Is that true?’
Belinda stood and faced Leksandr. ‘It crossed my mind, but he was too far gone. He would have been an empty shell; a monster.’
‘But you were tempted?’
‘I admit it; yes, I was.’
‘It is good that you are honest with me, but I will have to inform the Blessed Second Ascendant about this. When I spoke about the objectives of our mission, I omitted our one success – you. As well as finding the salve world, we were ordered to bring you to Implacatus when our mission was complete. I would have taken you back there myself by now, Belinda, were it not for one slight problem: your allegiance.’
‘Did I not kneel and swear an oath?’
‘You did, but your subsequent actions in Yoneath have cast doubt upon your true intentions. Arete, of course, is rather more forthright about the matter; she believes that you are still a rebel, and has advised me to dispatch you to the Second Ascendant for judgement without delay. I, on the other hand, want to give you a final chance to prove your loyalty before resorting to such drastic measures. Forget the Holdfasts. I want you to find me a Quadrant that has been to the salve world, or someone who has used one to travel there. There is very little time to spare, Belinda. Any day, the Blessed Second Ascendant will send an emissary to