Free The Silver Swan by Kelly Gardiner

guards at the top, otherwise anyone at all could just walk up and down there.’
    â€˜It doesn’t matter,’ said Miller, looking more closely. ‘The gate’s well and truly locked, and it looks like they’ve thrown stones down to block the stairway.’
    â€˜You see,’ Ricardo sniffed. ‘I told you.’
    We waited a bit longer. It seemed like hours.
    â€˜This is really boring now,’ said Francesco.
    â€˜Right, I’m sick of this,’ said Jem. ‘Let’s get on with it.’
    We all unsheathed our swords and started walking quietly, together, in the direction that Papa had taken. After a few paces, I could make out the shape of another gate set low into the mighty wall.
    â€˜What the hell?’ Miller stopped suddenly.
    My uncle, Ebenezer Black, stood in the entrance to the tunnel with two pistols aimed straight at my head.

7.
Into the labyrinth
    â€˜Here you are at last, lass,’ Ebenezer said. ‘I thought you’d never arrive.’
    â€˜Uncle! What are you doing here?’
    Ebenezer took a few steps towards us, but the pistol muzzles did not waver from my face.
    â€˜As you see, I have come to abort your ridiculous plan.’
    â€˜What?’ I nearly shouted it.
    â€˜Get out of the way, Black, or you’ll answer to me,’ Jem warned.
    â€˜If you so wish,’ said Ebenezer, with a lazy motion of one wrist that brought a gun to bear on Jem’s chest.
    â€˜What are you talking about, Uncle?’ I pleaded.
    â€˜There have been rumours for some weeks that the city would be attacked on the new moon,’ he said quietly. ‘Imagine my surprise when I heard the raid was to be led by our pirate princess.’
    Gideon was growling low in his throat, and I put out a hand to steady him. He had no idea who Ebenezer was — only that he stood in our way with his pistols aimed at us.
    â€˜I must admit I was relieved to hear you were alive,’ Ebenezer went on. ‘Diablo came to me three days ago to tell me you were dead.’
    â€˜You spoke to Diablo?’ Wherever we went, that brute was always snapping at our heels.
    â€˜I had little choice in the matter. He came to threaten me over a silly trifle — a chalice that had once been in my possession. You may remember it, Lily.’
    â€˜Of course. But what does he want with it?’ I was playing for time. I felt sure there must be some mistake, some way to talk him out of standing in our path.
    â€˜I cannot explain the workings of Diablo’s feeble mind to you,’ Ebenezer said. ‘Alas, as the chalice had been stolen some months ago, he left empty-handed.’
    â€˜Did he tell you he had killed me?’ I asked.
    â€˜He laughed about it.’ Ebenezer’s voice was bitter. ‘That man is too vile to be borne. But that very morning I saw your ship from the headland and I wondered …’
    â€˜It’s you who’s been spying on us?’
    â€˜I like to know what’s going on, in case I need to intervene,’ he said. ‘Now it appears that I do. You cannot attack the city tonight. I will not allow it.’
    I took half a step towards him. ‘I thought you were on our side,’ I said.
    â€˜That depends entirely on which side you’re on, Lily.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ I asked.
    â€˜It’s simple,’ Ebenezer replied. ‘If you and yourmen have returned to the islands to help rid us of the French, then I am at your service.’
    â€˜Come on then, blast you,’ said Jem.
    â€˜On the other hand —’
    â€˜By Drake’s beard!’ Jem fumed. ‘We haven’t got all night.’
    â€˜On the other hand,’ Black continued, unperturbed, ‘if your plan is to replace the French invasion with a British one, then I will do everything in my power to prevent it.’
    â€˜But the French are evil!’ I cried. ‘They’re trying to take over the