believe in what Bane is doing. Most of my village don’t like the idea of one Bellania beneath Stoman rule, but we all know how powerful Bane is! There’s never been a Stoman lord like him before. Jugged the Great, Hook the Thunderer and Stale the Swallower are like mice next to Bane and they’re mythical heroes and kings! The fact that Bane is real and stands head and shoulders above all the legendary lords makes what you’re suggesting absurd.’
‘Maybe it is and maybe it’s not,’ said Charlie. ‘But it doesn’t matter. I’m not asking you to join our fight. You offered to help and that’s all I’m asking. All you need to do is be our guide. Azariah said that the Western Mountains would be protected against unwelcome Portals so we’ll need to walk in. All you have to do is show us the way. Once Nibbler and I are there we’ll handle the rest.’
‘And do what?’ Crumble continued stubbornly, unwilling to allow a Keeper and a Winged One to walk towards what he saw as certain death. ‘What do you think that you can possibly do to Bane? Don’t you understand when I tell you that he’s the most powerful being that has ever sat upon the Devouring Throne?’
Charlie sat up straighter and clenched her teeth together. Without realizing it her hands knotted into fists as she imagined finally coming face to face with Bane. A dark shadow flickered across her eyes and her hair began to writhe as her Will – unsummoned this time – manifested itself as black flames that flickered round her knuckles.
‘Don’t worry about Bane. He and I have some unfinished business,’ she said with a voice that growled with the promise of violence.
‘Charlie,’ protested Nibbler. ‘Look, I know we’ve just gone over all our options, but surely there’s got to be something else that we can do? There’s got to be another option. There’s got to be.’
‘Like what?’ snapped Charlie. Little sparks of darkness trickled from the corners of her eyes. ‘Where in Bellania are we going to be safe? Nowhere! Can we afford to hide away and hope things get better? No! Things are only going to get worse. Either Bane conquers the land or Darkmount does. Yes we could play the waiting game in the hope that Darkmount and Bane eventually fight and we try to take the pendant from whoever wins, but the likelihood of that happening or us lasting that long are tiny.’
As Charlie continued to talk, she grew angrier and her voice grew harsher. ‘So if we make a move now or later our chances are still the same. Maybe better now because no one would expect us, maybe worse later with Bellania crushed and conquered. But all of that aside I’ve had enough! They’ve taken too much from me. Too much! And I for one think that Bane needs to learn that things don’t always go his way. I want to go to the Western Mountains, go to his Throne Room and show him that I mean business. I owe Bane a debt of agony!’
Seeing how alarmed both Nibbler and Crumble appeared she abruptly grew aware of how she must look. ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled and rubbed at her hands in an attempt to push her Will away. Using the action of tidying her hair into a topknot as a chance to recover her composure she did her best to smile reassuringly. ‘Just thinking about Bane gets me angry. Look, Crumble, honestly you don’t have to worry about us. Just get us to the Western Mountains and we’ll do the rest.’
The young Stoman looked concerned, but sitting in the presence of both a Winged One and a Keeper, young as they were, he found he couldn’t deny Charlie’s request. ‘OK. We’ll make a start in the morning.’
‘And you’ll take us to the Western Mountains.’
‘I’ll take you,’ he agreed with an unhappy expression.
Jensen the Willow and Sic Boy were not the only ones to witness the birth of Edge Darkmount’s stone army. Mr Crow, having cleared the surrounding landscape of prey, had been forced further afield in order to fulfil his constant gnawing hunger.
Spotting the odd green glow amongst the night-time drudgery of the Great Plains, he had swept out of the sky to stand on a grassy ridge that overlooked Darkmount’s temporary residence.
Crow twitched his head from side to side as he watched the events proceeding below. Something about the Stoman bishop fascinated him. Perhaps it was the