Sapphique

floor, the Glove falling from his hand and skidding over the shiny marble, Keiro diving after it and grabbing it with a whoop of joy.

He scrambled back, out of reach. ‘Now, Prison, you get your freedom. But from me. And only if you do what you promised. Tell me I’m the one who gets to Escape with you.’ The Prison laughed, ominous. Do you really think I keep such promises?

Keiro circled, gazing up ignoring Rix’s howls of anger. He showed no disappointment. ‘Take me or I wear the Glove You would not dare.

‘Watch me.’ The Glove will kill you.

‘Better than living in this hell.’ Their stubborness made them equal, Attia thought. Keiro turned, a slow circle. He slid his metal fingernail towards the Glove’s opening.

I will torment you. Incarceron’s voice was a high metallic whine. I will make you pray for death.

‘Keiro, don’t,’ Attia whispered.

For a second he hesitated. And then from behind her the Warden’s cool voice cut the air. ‘Wear it. Put it on.’

‘What?’

‘Put it on. The Prison won’t risk destroying its only way Out. I think the result will surprise you.’ Keiro stared at him in surprise, and the Warden stared back. Then Keiro slipped his fingers deeper.

Wait. Incarceron’s voice thundered. The cloud flickered with invisible lightnings. I will not allow that. No. Stop. Please.

‘You stop me Keiro breathed. A spark leapt between his metal nail and the Glove. He gasped with the pain. And then he was gone.

There was no light, no blinding brilliant flash. Instead, as Finn stared at Claudia he saw she was no longer there. She had become a vacuum of herself, a shadow, a negative image. And as he watched she re-emerged from the darkness, pixel by pixel, atom by atom, the reassembly of a fragmented being, all its thoughts and limbs and dreams and features, and it wasn’t Claudia, it was someone else.

He groped for the sword, his eyes blinded by what might be tears, the blade whipping up to the face that stared at his, the amazed blue eyes, the dirty blond hair.

For a long moment Finn was still, both of them were, face to face, and then Keiro reached forward and took the sword from him and turned the point to the ground.

The door burst open. Jared took one look around the Portal and stood stock-still. His heart was hammering so hard he was breathless, and he leant back against the wall.

Behind him Medlicote pushed Caspar in, and they stared.

They saw, facing Finn, a stranger in a filthy red coat, his eyes blue with triumph, his muscled hand tight around the hilt of a sharp sword. There was no one else in the room.

‘Who are you?’ Caspar demanded.

Keiro turned and gazed at the shining breastplate and splendid clothes.

He levelled the blade an inch from Caspar’s eyes.

‘Your worst nightmare,’ he said. 

The Winged Man

29

Did he Escape? For there is a rumour that is whispered in the dark, a rumour that he remains, trapped deep in the Prison’s heart, his body turned to stone; that the cries we hear are his cries, that his struggles shake the world.

But we know what we know.

THE STEEL WOLVES

Jared stepped forward and grabbed the Glove from Keiro’s hand, flinging it down on the floor as if it was alive. ‘Did you hear its dreams?’ he said. ‘Did it control you?’ Keiro laughed. ‘Does it look like it?’

‘But you wore it!’

‘No. I didn’t.’ Keiro was too amazed to think about the Glove. He flicked Caspar’s coat—collar with the sword tip.

‘Nice material. And just my size.’ He was glowing with delight. If he felt sick or dazzled by the room’s white light he didn’t show it. He took in everything — the four of them, the cluttered Portal, the huge feather — with one avid sweep of his eyes. ’So this is Outside.’ Finn swallowed. His mouth felt dry. He glanced at Jared and almost felt the Sapient’s dismay.

Keiro tapped Caspar’s breastplate with the sword. ‘I want that too.’ Finn said, ‘It’s different here. There are wardrobes full of clothes.’

‘I want his.’ Caspar looked terrified. ‘Do you know who I am?’ he stammered.

Keiro grinned. ‘No.’

‘Where’s Claudia?’ Jared’s agonized question cut the tension.

Keiro shrugged. ‘How should I know?’

‘They changed places Finn kept his eyes on his oathbrother.

‘She was sitting in the chair and she just dissolved. Keiro appeared. Is that what the Glove does? Is that the power it has? Can I put it on now, and...’

‘No one puts it on until I say.’ Jared moved past him. He went to the chair and gripped it, leaning on its back. His face was pale with weariness and he looked more anxious than Finn had ever seen him. Quickly, Finn said, ‘Master Medlicote, pour some wine please.’ The fragrant smell filled the air. Keiro sniffed it. ‘What is that?’

‘Better than the Prison muck.’ Finn watched him. ‘Try some. And you, Master.’ As the drink was poured he watched his oathbrother prowl round the room, exploring everything. It was all wrong. He should be happy. He should be so elated to have Keiro here. And yet there was a deep dread inside him, a shivery, sickening terror, because this wasn’t how it should have happened. And because Claudia was gone, and suddenly there was a hole in the world.

He said, ‘Who was with you?’ Keiro sipped the red liquid and his eyebrows rose. ‘Attia.

The Warden. And Rix.’

‘Who’s Rix?’ Finn said, but Jared turned from the screen instantly. ‘The Warden was with you?’

‘He told me to do it. He said, “Put the Glove on.” Maybe he knew . . .‘ Keiro stopped, instantly. ‘That’s it! Of course he knew. It was his way of getting the Glove out of the Prison’s reach.’ Jared turned back to the screen. Placing his fingers on it he stared sadly into its darkness. ‘At least she’s with her father’

‘If they’re still alive.’ Keiro glanced at Caspar’s tied wrists.

‘What’s going on here, anyway? I thought this was where people were free.’ Turning he saw them all staring at him.

Medicote whispered, ‘What do you mean, if they’re still alive?’

‘Use your brain’ Keiro sheathed the sword and went to the door. ‘The Prison is going to be very, very angry about this.

It may have killed them all already.’ Jared stared at him. ‘You knew that might happen, and you still...’

‘That’s how it is in Incarceron,’ Keiro said. ‘Every man for himself. As my brother will tell you.’ He turned and faced Finn. ‘So. Are you going to show me our kingdom? Or are you ashamed of your jaibird brother? That is, if we’re still brothers.’ Finn said quietly, ‘We’re still brothers.’

‘You don’t seem so pleased to see me.’ He shrugged. ‘It’s the shock. And Claudia ... she’s in there.

..‘ Keiro raised an eyebrow. ‘So that’s how it is. Well, I suppose she’s rich, and enough of a bitch to make a good Queen.’