CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

The captain and Trinket stared at each other, waiting for the other to explain the ‘silent children’.

Tom broke the moment, ‘What are the silent children?’

Trinket looked at him, and her green eyelashes blinked.

‘Do not concern yourself … We might still be able to go into the city without going through the catacombs.’

‘But that doesn’t explain …’

‘I am the only one who can get you into the city of Coronet without going through the catacombs,’ said the captain. He grinned, then let his grin drop. ‘The princess cannot.’

This was something Tom hadn’t experienced before … to be in a tug-o-war between two people who wanted to claim him.

The captain grinned again, ‘As I saw you with that bag over your head I suspected you were Elion.’

‘You are worth a million risers to the captain,’ Trinket said. ‘You are nothing more than a payday to this man.’

‘I can walk right up to the front gates of the city of Coronet,’ said the captain to Tom. ‘I can bring you right in through the front gates. The princess will be intercepted long before she gets to the gates. Your only hope is with me.’

‘Why would he want to go through the front gates?’ said Trinket. A spike of derision pressed a spot of dark green on her top lip. ‘He will be handed over to the Emperor who will execute him.’

‘Why do you suppose the Emperor will execute him?’ asked the captain, sounding reasonable.

Trinket didn’t answer his question. Instead she said, ‘What do you want the rizers for, captain? A new ship? Do you want to sell Elion out for a new ship?’

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The captain shrugged.

‘Okay, so I get the reward. That doesn’t mean the Emperor wants to execute Elion. I am sure that the Emperor wants to see Elion back inside the machine as much as everyone else in Paris.’

Trinket exploded, her mouth opening so wide it seemed to split her face.

‘Hogs’ mud! You know that the Emperor will have him killed. All the Emperor wants is the key.’

Tom looked at Trinket, and he put his two buck teeth over his bottom lip.

‘The thing is, Elion,’ said Trinket. ‘I know you have one of the three keys. The Emperor just wants the key.’

Trinket spoke quieter now, urgently. ‘All he wants to do is access the machine. He doesn’t want you back inside the machine. He will execute you.’

‘He will not be able to access the machine,’ said the captain. His voice had risen in volume and temperature. ‘He will still only have two keys. If he executes Elion what hope will he have of the person with the third key coming forward?’

After a moment of silence Jane knew that Trinket was not going to reveal that the third key lay beneath her tunic.

Trinket said, ‘I forbid you to take Elion into your custody.’

The captain took a step toward Tom, and he now spoke with a tone of quiet menace.

‘I do not take orders from the princess of Wyld Fell, I will take Elion with me.’

‘Stop,’ said Trinket.

In the usual blur of motion she had an arrow nocked and drawn with her cat’s eye lined up behind it.

‘You only have one arrow,’ said the captain. ‘You will have to get lucky with your shot.’

‘There will be no reason for luck. I suggest you turn and take yourself off down the path to Coronet … alone.’

The captain turned and looked down through the mist toward the south, as though reasonably considering Trinket’s suggestion. He looked back at Trinket and grinned.

‘Why don’t we let Elion decide who he feels is best trusted to keep him safe.’

The captain reached as though he was going to take Tom’s hand.

‘Leave him,’ said Trinket.

There sounded a high note of straining wood as Trinket pulled more pressure back into the bow string.

‘You can decide to come with me,’ said the captain to Tom. ‘This overgrown elf will not be able to stop you.’

‘You will die if you go with the captain,’ said Trinket.

‘You will die if you go into the catacombs with the princess,’ said the captain.

Tom turned to Jane

‘What should I do?’