by Imogen Elvis
Briar blinked wearily at the first colours of dawn, which stained the eastern sky, her eyes gritty from lack of sleep. Night stopped work in the rest of the square, but in the healing tent, it never ended. Not that she wanted to sleep. Not after what she’d seen. Briar rubbed her eyes and sat back on her heels. In the quiet moments, she remembered Ava too much. The image of the Nameless Ones tying up her sister replayed over and over in her mind.
Why had they bothered to bind her? If they were just going to kill Ava, why would they have bothered to tie her hands and carry her away? Briar frowned. The Nameless Ones were ruthless. They murdered the mistresses without hesitation. They hunted the magicians down like animals. And yet they left Ava alive. It didn’t make any sense. Not unless they weren’t planning to kill her at all.
That was a crazy idea. And yet, not impossible. Mistress Rhosmari said that they had taken novices before. Why not Ava? While Briar was sitting around here in Osman, Ava could be out there somewhere, alive. And if that was true, there was no way Briar could just sit here and do nothing. She stood. There had to be something she could do. Maybe the soldiers would be able to help her, tell her what to do next.
Briar tapped Rayna on the shoulder. “Can you manage without me for a little?”
Rayna raised tired, red-rimmed eyes and nodded. “Sure.”
“Thank you.” Briar slipped out of the tent and headed for the soldier standing at the nearest street entrance. Most of the troops had been moved out of the main square that morning, but a few still kept an eye on things here. This soldier wasn’t paying any attention to what happened inside the square, however. His focus was on a young boy and girl staggering under the weight of a large crate that they had somehow managed to balance between them. The boy couldn’t have been more than ten, and the girl was younger still. As they drew close, a corner of the box slipped from the girl’s grip, and the whole thing tipped towards the ground.
Briar and the soldier both darted forward. The soldier caught the edge of the crate as it plunged towards the stones while Briar grabbed the other side, and between them, they steadied the box. Briar grimaced. It was heavier than it looked. She couldn’t imagine how the children had managed to get it this far on their own.
“You alright there?” the soldier asked the boy.
“Y-yes, sir,” the boy said breathlessly.
“Nice work finding this.” The soldier gave him an encouraging smile. “Come on, let’s get it to the stack with the others.”
Together, the four of them heaved the crate over to the store tent. Much of the food was now stored inside the makeshift shelter, but there was still a large stack of boxes piled against a nearby wall, waiting to be unpacked. So few of the shops and food stores had survived the blaze that supplies were scarce. Carefully, the foursome placed their crate on the ground by the pile.
“Good work,” the soldier said to the children. “Have you two had breakfast yet?”
“No, sir.” The girl shuffled behind her brother shyly, clutching his arm.
“Well, I think you definitely deserve some.” The soldier turned to the boy. “Make sure your sister gets some food. You both earned it.”
“Thank you, sir. Come on El.” The boy put his arm around his sister’s shoulders, and the pair scampered off in the direction of the fire.
The soldier started back towards his post on the street corner, and Briar fell into step beside him. “Excuse me, do you have a moment?” she asked.
“Of course. My name is Darin. What can I do for you?” Now that they weren’t hauling crates, Briar realised he was younger than she first thought, barely eighteen by her reckoning. Only a little older than she was.
For a moment, Briar struggled to find the right words. They all wanted to tumble out together in an incoherent rush. “In… in the attack the other night, my sister and I were chased by the bandits. They took her.” Briar choked on the words.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Darin’s voice was warm with genuine sympathy.
“Thank you.” Briar drew a deep breath. “But they didn’t kill her.”
Darin frowned. “Go on.”
“They bound her hands with rope, and they took her with them.” Briar stopped walking and looked up into his face earnestly. “I saw them kill other people and they never hesitated. But with Ava, they took her alive.”
“That’s strange.” Darin rubbed the back of his neck, his brows drawn together in a line of confusion.
“Do you think she could be alive?”
“It’s possible,” he said slowly. “But even if she is, I don’t know what we could do. I mean, you saw what they did to this town.”
“There has to be something.” Desperation clawed at Briar’s chest.
“I… don’t really know. You could talk to the captain. He might be able to help.”
“Where do I find him?”
“Last I knew, he was heading for the main gate. You could try there.” Darin hesitated. “I’m so sorry about your sister. Really, I am. But just don’t expect too much from the captain, alright? Osman’s a ruin. We’ve got to find a way to come back from that. I’m not saying he can’t help you. Just… don’t get your hopes too high. Please. For your own sake.”
Briar hurried through the deserted streets, her skin crawling as if someone was watching her from the shadows of the ruined buildings. This place should be bustling with people, but instead, the streets were empty and lifeless. She picked up her pace, head down, focused only on reaching the main gate.
Ah, there it was. Briar breathed a sigh of relief. Neither the main gate nor the walls appeared to have been damaged during the attack. Then again, who needed to burn down walls when you were already inside and could destroy everything with just a few notes?
Several soldiers stood clustered around the main gate. Two regular soldiers, wearing their vivid blue coats, and the captain, the gold threads woven in into his uniform glinting in the sunlight. One the soldiers caught sight of Briar and reached for his weapon.
“Halt. What’s your business?”
Briar froze, her hands raised slightly. “I need to speak to the captain.”
The captain stayed the soldier’s arm. “She’s one of ours.” He came over to Briar. “I’m Captain Aspen. What do you need?”
Briar wiped her sweaty palms on her habit. “One of the soldiers from the square said to come and find you.” She launched into the same story she told Darin. “Isn’t there some way we can help Ava?” Briar finished at last.
Captain Aspen shook his head. “I’m sorry, but there’s not a lot we can do right now. I need every soldier I have to help keep Osman safe. I don’t have anyone to spare.”
“But she’s still alive out there. Please.”
“I want to help you. I really do.” The captain met Briar’s eyes with a steady gaze. “But there are so many people who need help, and I only have a few men. For now, I’m closing the town off until reinforcements arrive. Maybe when they get here, we can do more for you. But until we reopen the gates, the best I can promise is that you will be safe here in Osman.” He put a hand on Briar’s shoulder with an expression that was not unkind. “It would be best for you to return to the square for now.”
Briar bowed her head, hot tears welling as the captain re-joined his men. She curled her hands into fists. That couldn’t be it. There had to be something someone could do. But the gates were shut, and the soldiers wouldn’t help her. There was nothing to be done except return to the healing tent and try to lose herself in work.
She made her way slowly back towards the main square, turning the problem over in her mind. Captain Bren said the Nameless Ones went north, to Trava. And they only had a day’s start on anyone following them. If indeed there was anyone to go. But there wasn’t. Just Briar.
But there was nothing to stop her following them herself. She knew where they were going, and she knew the way. Certainly, the gates were shut, but that wasn’t such a problem. There were more ways out than just the one
s the soldiers knew of. Briar squared her shoulders. There wasn’t really a choice here. If the soldiers couldn’t do anything to help her, then she was just going to have to go after Ava herself.
CHAPTER NINE
The square was almost empty when Briar returned. Most of the work appeared to have moved into the nearby streets as the townspeople cleared away rubble, buried bodies, repaired damaged homes, and generally worked to start raising Osman from the ashes.
Rayna stood outside the healing tent, stretching in the sunshine. She turned as Briar approached. “Is everything alright?”
Briar nodded. “Everything’s fine. Thank you for looking after things here.”
“I think we’re through the worst now.” Rayna’s voice was quiet and sad. “Why did this have to happen?”
“I don’t know.” They were silent for a moment.
“What will we do now?” Rayna asked finally. “There’s so little left…”
“More than you’d think.” Briar tried to stir some life into her voice. “They’re rebuilding already. And the captain says that reinforcements will be on their way soon. It won’t be long, and you’ll hardly be able to tell that anything happened here.” The only remnants of that night would be the scars on the walls and the memories that lurked in the dark.
Movement at the edge of the square caught Briar’s eye. People. Not the workers that came and went occasionally, focused solely on their own tasks. These people huddled together in a small cluster, taking in the busy square with wide, wondering eyes.
Briar nodded towards the group. “More survivors.”
Rayna took a half step forward, her face pale. “Mama.” Her voice was a whisper. She darted forward. “Mama! Father!” She threw her arms around the new arrivals. Her parents held her close, tears streaming down their cheeks. Two little girls, Rayna’s sisters most likely, gathered in close. They held each other as if they might never let go. Briar smiled a bit sadly. Their reunion gave her hope that everything really would be alright for people in Osman. She wrapped her arms around herself and basked in their happiness for a moment.
She had to find Ava. Briar was sure of that now more than ever. Osman didn’t need her anymore. They were already rebuilding. Rayna didn’t need her either. She had her family back. Briar turned and strode away from the healing tent. There was no way she could stay here and let Ava just disappear.
The first thing she needed if she wanted to journey to Trava was supplies. Briar glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then slipped inside the store tent. Everyone seemed to be caught up either with work or with greeting the new arrivals, too busy to pay attention to her. Still, it paid to be cautious. An assortment of smaller bags and sacks lay in a stack by the tent opening. Briar picked out a satchel, one with a worn leather strap to sling over her shoulder. It was the only one in the pile that would suit any kind of journey. She gathered food quickly. How much would she need? How far was it to Trava? Captain Bren said it was up the north road, but not exactly how many days the trip would take. However, he didn’t seem to think it would long to reach the town. Surely she wouldn’t need many supplies?
It felt like stealing to take anything from the meagre stores. But Briar packed the food into her bag anyway. She’d eat it whether she was here or not. It was no more than her share. She slid the last couple of items into the satchel and buckled it shut.
“Going somewhere?”
Briar jumped and whirled around. A man stood behind her, blocking the exit. It took her a moment to recognise him. Kade? What was he doing here? She hadn’t seen him since they escaped from the Nameless One. He stood casually in the doorway, one eyebrow raised.
“What’s it to you?” The words came out more defensively than she meant them to.
“The gates are closed. No one is allowed to leave.”
“I know that.” Briar slung the bag over her shoulder. “Excuse me, please.”
Kade didn’t budge. “How are you planning on getting out?”
“That’s none of your business.” Briar clenched her fists. “Now, will you let me pass?”
“Take me with you.”
Briar blinked. Wait, what? “Why do you want to go?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
He had a point. And Briar didn’t particularly want to share her mission with him. Besides, his reasons didn’t concern her. The only thing she really cared about was getting out of here and on the road to Trava. “Doesn’t matter.” She waved a hand. “As you said, the gates are shut, so I guess we’ll have to wait, won’t we?”
“And yet you’re preparing to go anyway.” Kade met her eye. “I think you know another way out.” Briar held his gaze, and eventually, he sighed. “Look, all I want is to leave Osman. That’s it.”
No. Taking him along was out of the question. It was going to be hard enough getting herself out of here without having to worry about someone else. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.” Briar sidestepped around him.
Kade’s hand closed on her arm, pulling her gently to a halt. “Please. I really need your help.” He met her stare with a face that was surprisingly pleading.
Briar blew out a heavy sigh. There was no reason why she shouldn’t help him. Just her own stubbornness. And even with all her soul singing skills trained on him, she couldn’t sense a lie in his earnest entreaty. “I get you out, and that’s it? You go your way, and I go mine?”
“That’s it. I swear.”
There was no lie in his words. Briar sighed. “Fine. But that’s all I’m doing.” She glanced out into the square. A couple of soldiers entered from the road that led to the main gate, ample reminder of just how difficult it was going to be to get out without anyone seeing. “We need to get moving. Follow me, if you’re coming.” She strode out of the tent without waiting to see if Kade would follow. In the end, it didn’t matter where he was going, or why. The important thing was that she got out of here as soon as possible.
To those who really knew Osman, the gates were never the only way out. For instance, there was the little tunnel she had hidden in during the attack, which went right underneath the walls and out the other side. It was this way that Briar led Kade, retracing her steps from the night of the fires, though this time, it was a very different journey. Here and there, people moved through the streets, accompanied by the sounds of building from the houses nearby. Without the fires and the smoke, Osman looked a little more like its old self.
“Where are we going?” Kade asked.
“North wall.” Briar turned the corner and caught sight of the boundary wall up ahead. Finally. “It’s not far.”
“The north gate is still going to be guarded.”
“We’re not going to a gate. It’s… hard to explain. You’ll see.”
There it was, the tiny gap at the base of the wall, little more than a shadow beneath the blocks of stone, which gave no hint of the tunnel beyond. The soldiers would have closed it up if they knew, but so far, no one had tried. Briar chewed on her lower lip. The opening looked a lot smaller when she compared it to Kade. Well, he was just going to have to squeeze himself through if he really wanted to get out. “We’re here.”
Kade eyed the entrance to the tunnel and grimaced. “Don’t tell me that’s our way out.”
Briar shrugged. “Only if you want to leave.”
“I’ll never fit.”
“It’s bigger than it looks.” Sort of. “And it gets wider once you’re inside.”
Kade cocked his head to one side. “You’re sure we can get out this way?”
Briar nodded.
He heaved a heavy sigh. “Lead the way.”
Briar slid her bag off her shoulder and slipped easily through the entrance. She and Ava used to creep in and out this way all the time when they first arrived in Osman. Past the narrow mouth, the cave did widen out, just a little. And the exit was only a few steps away.
“Come on through,” she called back.
The soft daylight filtering
in from the Osman side disappeared as Kade crouched in front of the opening. “Here, can you take my pack?” He stuffed it through. Briar grabbed the straps, dragging it out of the way.
“It’s clear,” she called.
“Alright. Watch out, I’m coming in.” Kade squeezed himself sideways through the entrance. His back and chest scraped on the rocks, and he let out a little grunt, pulling himself free with an effort. “That was tighter than I expected.” He glanced around. “I thought you said it gets bigger in here.”
Briar just shrugged. “Come on.” She clambered through the tunnel and out the other side. The opening was wider here, and Kade had little trouble climbing out, even carrying his large pack. They stepped straight out onto the exposed, rocky hillside. It sloped steeply, falling away from the town walls.
“This is the tumbledown. Watch your step. If you fall, it’s a straight slide all the way to the bottom.”
“Noted.” Kade looked around. “Where’s the road from here?”
“East. It comes past the main gate at the south side of the town, winds its way around the walls and carries on northward.” Briar hitched her bag up on her shoulder. “Follow me.”
If Briar felt exposed in the silent streets, out here, she felt positively naked. Her eyes moved constantly, ears pricked for the first sounds of danger. If the soldiers saw them, they’d be in real trouble.
Close to the walls, the slope was gentle. There were a few large rocks, which she skirted around, but the ground underfoot was reasonably solid. It was only once you got out past the shelter of the wall that the solid earth turned to loose gravel and the hill fell away into an almost sheer drop, straight into the waiting jaws of the razor sharp rocks at the bottom.
There was a path down the side of the hill, but it wasn’t exactly easy to follow unless you knew where to go. Where the tunnel let out, there was no way straight down, but bear to the right a little, and the rocks were more stable, making a tiny goat track down which it was possible to scramble. It wasn’t easy, but then again, the alternative was either marching straight back to Osman or sliding all the way to the bottom.