The Dark Army by Marcus Alexander

Book Preface

Hands glowing, Darkmount grasped first one manacle, then the other. At his touch the metal peeled back, releasing Charlie so that she fell to the floor in a puff of dust with a startled ‘Oof!’

‘Huh?’ gaped Charlie, too shocked and too tired to register the pain in her backside. ‘Why’d you do that?’

‘Would you rather I had not?’ said Darkmount. ‘If you prefer that I leave you to your fate it will take but a moment to reattach the manacles.’

Charlie managed to compose herself, but only just. ‘But why would you want to set me free after betraying me?’

‘You weren’t betrayed. Alavis simply had the misfortune to fall faster than anyone expected.’

‘Come again?’

‘The Stoman army invaded the city and when you opened your Portal you were unlucky enough to open it into one of the courtyards that the Stomen were using.’

‘Yeah, a courtyard you picked!’

‘When I picked it,’ reasoned Darkmount, ‘Alavis was still a free city. Let me repeat myself, you weren’t betrayed; it was just … poor fortune.’

‘What?’ sneered Charlie, still angry and suspicious. ‘Like you couldn’t send me a message or at least give us some kind of warning!’

‘And how would you have suggested that I do that?’ Darkmount held up his hand and ticked off points on his fingers. ‘One, Bane’s forces were far larger than predicted. Two, the city was surrounded so no message could get out. Three, even if I had sent a message it wouldn’t have reached Sylvaris in time to stop your arrival.’

‘OK, so if you didn’t betray me how come you weren’t there to warn us?’

‘So I could be captured too? Pah! You are either innocent or idiotic, and neither personality trait is acceptable, particularly in a Keeper. Fortunately for you I am no fool, which is why I used my time wisely.’

‘Yeah, doing what?’

Again Darkmount ticked off points. ‘One, moving my research and books to a safe place. Two, keeping an eye on the guard movements and, three, planning a safe method of extraction.’

‘Extraction?’

‘Escape! I’m helping you escape, you foolish child! Enough of this idle chit-chat. Now that you are in a position to make a bid for freedom it is time for us to discuss the requirements for our deal.’