I was grateful that I had been well taught by the Spook and had fasted before entering the citadel. Seilenos' love of food and wine had cost him his life – maybe even his soul!
Then, to my right, I saw Grimalkin again, her face straining with the immense effort of fighting the powerful dark magic that bound us all. She slowly brought the mirror to her mouth. She breathed on it and, rapt with concentration, began to write with her forefinger. It was the signal to begin the attack.
Chapter 17
FIRE ELEMENTALS
For some time the dancing figures continued to whirl frantically to the wild rhythm, but finally they began to slow. The drums faltered, then ceased altogether. The daemons stood immobile, frozen in time, just as we had minutes earlier. Some inclined their heads and I sensed that they were listening.
I heard a distant pounding of feet. Closer and closer it came. The doors were flung back with a crash and the Pendle witches burst into the hall, long knives at the ready, their faces savage and eager for battle.
There were Mouldheels amongst them but no sign of Mab and her two sisters. Why hadn't they joined the attack? I wondered.
Once again, Grimalkin vaulted across the table and joined the fight. Any enchantments possessed by the daemons were either not used or ineffective against the combined wild onslaught of the witches. To right and left they cut, wielding their blades to powerful effect. Their enemies resisted, drawing their swords and fighting back, but within moments several of them lay dead, their red blood pooling on the floor.
It all happened so quickly that we had no time to join the fray. One moment there was ferocious fighting, the next the daemons were retreating down the steps into the pit. But it was an orderly retreat. Some fought a rearguard action while the women escaped. Soon only the witches remained, gazing down the steps into the darkness.
Alice gripped my arm tightly as we moved to join them, but already they were turning their backs upon the pit.
'It's too dangerous to follow them,' Grimalkin said, turning towards me. 'I expect that's exactly what they want. They gave up and retreated far too easily. No doubt they want to lure us down into the darkness and ambush us. We'll take the route advised by your mother, child. I suggest you wait here until the mercenaries have launched their attack. They're on their way now so we'll go ahead and press on deeper into the citadel.'
With that, she led the blood-spattered witches out into the tunnel, towards the inner courtyard.
'Best do as she says, Tom,' Alice said, still holding my arm tightly. 'We'll follow on in a few moments . . .'
Some of the survivors of Mam's escort nodded in agreement. Without their leader they seemed nervous.
The bodies of Seilenos and two more of Mam's escort lay in pools of blood, unseeing eyes staring up towards the high ceiling.
'Let's move closer to the door,' Alice said, looking nervously towards the steps. 'Now that the witches have gone those daemons might come back up.'
It seemed a good idea so we all headed for the open doorway.
Within moments we heard horses galloping towards us. We watched as the mercenaries thundered in through the entrance and along the tunnel to begin their attack. It took a long time for them to pass. As the last hooves echoed into the distance, we left the hall and followed them towards the inner courtyard.
I looked back briefly. There was no sign of Mam, the Spook or the others. Surely they should be here by now? I thought.
We hadn't taken more than a couple of dozen paces along the tunnel when the sound of galloping could be heard again. It was getting louder and louder! The warriors were coming back. They were in retreat already! What had gone wrong?
A rider -less mount swept past, almost trampling Alice beneath its hooves. Its eyes rolled in fear and it was foaming at the mouth. More horses galloped by, some with riders, their weapons gone, eyes wide with terror. Yes, they were in retreat all right. There was no doubt about it. This was a rout. What had made those warriors turn and flee like that?
As more and more thundered towards us, I realized that we were in real danger of being crushed. I pushed Alice into a niche in the tunnel wall, shielding her with my body. The horses buffeted against us, filling the tunnel with the beat of many hooves. It seemed to go on for ever, but at last all was silent again and I stepped away from the wall.
'You all right, Alice?' I said as I picked up my staff and bag.
She nodded. 'Where's your mam's escort?' she asked.
I looked around. Three more of them were dead, their bodies trampled, but of the remainder there was no sign. And where were Mam, the Spook and Arkwright? Were they in the tunnel behind us? Had they been crushed in the stampede? A lump came into my throat.
I called out, 'Mam! Mam!' but there was no reply, just an eerie silence.
'We should follow the witches,' Alice suggested. 'Maybe your mam and old Gregory have been delayed. They might not even have been in the tunnel when those horses came through.'
I nodded and we went on. I was still worried about Mam but also afraid of what might be waiting ahead.
Whatever it was, a thousand mounted warriors had fled in fear rather than face it. Was it the Ordeen herself? Had she received my blood and awoken already?
We were approaching the end of the tunnel now and mist began to swirl towards us. A strange fear gnawed at my insides. Waves of cold swept through me like a gale trying to force me backwards.
'Do you feel it, Tom?' Alice asked.
I nodded. For a spook, any degree of fear was dangerous when facing the dark. It made the enemies of the light much more powerful.
We struggled on. I tried to block out the fear by thinking of happy times in my childhood: sitting on Mam's knee or Dad telling me stories about his time at sea. We forced ourselves forward until at last, from out of the mist, the high inner wall of the Ord loomed up before us, its huge stones still steaming.
We'd reached the wide cobbled courtyard. There were dead horses on the ground; warriors too, their eyes wide open and staring, their faces twisted with terror.
'What killed them, Alice?' I cried. 'There are no marks on them. No wounds at all.'
'Died of fright, they did, Tom. It froze their minds and stopped their hearts . . . But look! There's an open gate.'
Ahead of us, set into the wall, stood a wide wooden gate. It was open, but darkness waited within. As I stared at it, despair washed over me and I couldn't find the will to take a single step nearer. It had all been for nothing. The warriors had fled or died and now there was no chance of entering and destroying the Ordeen before she drew on her mantle of power again.