Tinderbox Under Winter Stars

by Emma Sterner-Radley

  Nessa chuckled. “Not if she’s grooming him to free her. Knowing Elise, she’s probably been charming him ever since he abducted her. He probably eats out of her hand by now.”

  “Possible,” Anja agreed with a new light in her eyes. “Well, we shouldn’t waste time. If we amble towards the stairs, the team should notice and subtly follow us.”

  “Good thinking,” Nessa said.

  She scanned the room, catching the eye of some of the others in their troop. Then she, Hunter, Anja, and the redhead walked towards the staircase. Soon she heard the clumsy steps of Albert Lindberg behind them. By the time they were one flight of stairs up, all eleven of the group were there.

  Anja filled them in as they hurried up the stairs, making her as out of breath as Albert and Hunter. The rest of them, more used to athletic endeavours, took the lead without having to pause for breath. Nessa only stopped when she saw two people outside a door in the corridor ahead. One was a young man in a Joiners Square uniform and the other was a tall woman from the Royal Guards.

  “There,” Nessa whispered to her followers. “Now we need to get past them.”

  “Should we knock them unconscious?” Hunter panted.

  “No,” said the big Sund man. “There’s too many people walking through the corridor who could see. Or who’d miss the guards when they were no longer on their post, yes? Also, they might hear thuds and shouts of pain.”

  “Precisely. We need to convince the guards to let us in,” Ravna agreed.

  “Leave it to me,” Albert said between wheezes.

  He took a few deep breaths and then strode towards the door. “Greetings. I’m Albert Lindberg, head clerk at the Charlottenberg branch. I’ve been sent here to document the situation and report back to the head office. Grand Marshall Karlberg wants a decree… a deb…”

  Nessa turned her head, unable to watch. No, no, no. He was doing so well, sounding so commanding.

  The Royal Guard quietly ventured, “A debrief, sir?”

  “Exactly, a debrief of this prisoner. My squadron and I need access straightaway,” Albert stated.

  The soldier, presumably this Dahl, peered at him while swallowing visibly. “Pardon me, head clerk, does your entire squadron need to come in for that? My orders are to limit the people who enter the prisoner’s – I mean the guest’s – room, yes?”

  Albert barked something in Sundish at him. The only word Nessa could make out was “Nordhall.” The young soldier stood to attention and opened the door for Albert, who turned and beckoned to them. They followed him in, Nessa trying to look as military and calm as she could.

  When the door closed behind her, Nessa’s world crumbled. Every minute of the past

  months, she had been waiting to see Elise. Needing her like air. Now she took in the sight of the woman who had changed her world and found herself breathless and dizzy.

  Elise got up from the bed she’d been sitting on and took a few stumbling steps towards Nessa. All the others moved to the side in quiet unison. Nessa didn’t care what they did or what was happening around her. She was busy assessing Elise and her sluggish movements.

  She’s so pale. How did that glowing, sand-coloured skin turn so grey? And her eyes are as unfocused as her movements. Wait, did Anja did say that they gave her shrooms?

  “My cherished. Are you quite all right?” Nessa breathed.

  “No,” Elise said in a sob. She threw herself at Nessa, pulling her close in clumsy, violent movements. Nessa matched the ferocity and held her tight, willing her own strength into Elise. Nessa’s heart hammered with anger at how her heartling had been treated. She conducted a quick check-up.

  She’s much thinner, but all body parts are present and accounted for. No bruises unless they’re under the long dress. Energy low. Mind and body clearly affected by the shrooms, but she remembers me and has the strength to stand and to hold me.

  The relief of embracing Elise was intoxicating. Nessa breathed in the scent of her skin, distantly wondering if she was crying as Elise was.

  “You’re going to be all right now. I’m here and I won’t let anyone hurt you or take you away ever again. You’re safe,” she said in a cracking voice.

  She kissed Elise’s thick, soft hair and mumbled “I love you” and “I’ve missed you so much” over and over again.

  Elise was still sobbing, holding on for dear life and spilling hot tears on Nessa’s neck and shoulder.

  Distant alarm bells were going off in Nessa’s head, telling her they had to move soon. But she couldn’t listen. She had to hold Elise for just a few more seconds. To make sure she was alive and knew how loved she was. To allow her own heart and mind a chance to slowly come off the precipice of constant fear and guilt. If she was killed or captured now, at least she would be with Elise. Nothing seemed more important in that moment.

  She noticed that she had begun gently rocking Elise while still kissing her hair. Elise clambered even closer and whispered, “You came for me.”

  “Of course, heartling. It was time for me to learn to be brave and bold. Just like you.”

  Chapter 37

  The Guard and the Soldier

  At first Elise had thought it another hallucination. After all, if there was one thing her mind would wish to conjure up, it’d be Nessa. However, if her brain was going to create a calming, wonderful fantasy, it would have made Nessa appear healthy and well-rested. She’d have been alone… and probably scantily dressed. What Elise saw when that door opened was a group of people in uniforms, ones which stuck out because they appeared newly washed and starched. In the group was a careworn, pallid version of Nessa. Consequently, no hallucination. That assumption was confirmed when Nessa melted into Elise’s embrace, solid, warm, and eagerly whispering that she loved her.

  There was no holding back her tears, Elise let herself sob like a child onto Nessa’s shoulder.

  As lost as she was in emotion, it was impossible to ignore that there was a risk in Nessa being here. If they were caught, Nessa would be hurt, punished, or even killed. Perhaps all three. And yet, Elise had to confess that if death was in the cards for them, she was glad they were together.

  Ah! What is this defeatist drivel? We shall jolly well not be caught, we are going to escape and that is that. Pull yourself together!

  Elise sniffed and wiped her tears away. Then, about to speak, she saw Nessa’s worried face and couldn’t help but kiss her. The kiss was like sunshine after a long, dark winter.

  Someone cleared their throat. “Come on, ladies, we must go. The guards will no doubt have heard the sobbing and become suspicious.”

  Elise recognised Anja's serious, gravelly voice. She broke away from the kiss and lurched over to hug Anja. Soon she noticed that Hunter was hugging them both. She allowed it to carry on for another second and then pushed them away.

  “I am ready. What is your plan? How do we escape a castle full of guards, servants, courtiers, and Joiners Square soldiers?” Elise asked before fishing out a handkerchief to blow her nose.

  She saw Anja look to Nessa, who looked to Hunter, who looked to Albert, who looked to the people they’d brought. Who all peered down at their shoes.

  Elise dropped her handkerchief, staring from face to face. “Do you mean to tell me that you arrived without a strategy?”

  Nessa kept her eyes downcast. “There wasn’t m-much time to plan, heartling.”

  “Oh my, and they call me impetuous. No time to plan? Did you not have a six-week voyage over here?”

  “Actually, we were delayed by ice floats that we had to circumnavigate. Thus, it took about eight weeks,” Hunter mumbled.

  Elise was spared raising her eyebrows at him by a man with a wiry beard, who stepped forward. “We did not have any information, yes? So, we came in Joiners Square uniforms. That, combined with Mr Lindberg giving us a sound reason to be here, means we’ve been able to simply walk in. Now, we walk out, yes?”

  Elise smiled, regretting her reprimand. “Ah, so you do have a plan of
sorts. It has a flaw, however. You can simply ‘walk out’. I cannot. I have no uniform and all of court knows my face.”

  “Right. Um. Well, we can’t alter your face since you can’t grow a beard like him.” Nessa pointed at Hunter. “But we can get you a uniform.”

  Elise took Nessa’s hand and ran her thumb over the back of it. To ground herself in the here and now, and not slip into the shroom-haze.

  This rescue is real. Nessa is real.

  Elise cleared her throat. “All right. Where and how will you get this uniform?”

  Nessa looked towards the door. “Hm. There’s a male Joiners Square soldier outside and a female Royal Guard. You would blend in better with us in his uniform, but it wouldn’t fit your slender, girlish physique.”

  “I shall take that as a compliment,” Elise said with a smile, squeezing Nessa’s hand.

  Nessa, momentarily distracted, smiled back. It struck Elise like a pleasant lightning bolt.

  That smile is exactly as stunning as I remember. Thank the gods I got to see it again.

  “Oh, for snow’s sake!” Anja said. “We don’t have time for romance. Guards and soldiers probably walk together all the time in this castle, so just pick the woman’s uniform. Let’s get them both in here and knock them out as quietly as possible. Then you steal her uniform and hurry out, hoping no one looks at your face or sees your room unguarded.”

  Elise took her eyes off Nessa for a moment. “Wait. The soldier outside, I have been building a relationship with him and gained his sympathy. I wager I can convince him to create a distraction. To ensure fewer people will notice us escaping.”

  “Fine,” Anja murmured. “Let’s just get on with it before the Queen decides to check on her pet. Or Nordhall comes to speak to Albert.”

  Nessa licked her lips. “Right. Albert, order the guard and soldier to come in. Say that something’s wrong in here and they need to take a look.”

  Albert had been cowering by the wall but now scurried back to the doorway. He stood tall and attempted to pull the trousers up over his belly before opening the door.

  “Soldier. Guard. Come in here and explain why the prisoner is foaming at the tongue… I mean, mouth.”

  In a flash, they were both inside, the guard looking grim while Anders Dahl appeared more worried. When they saw Elise, hale and healthy, they both frowned.

  The guard stepped forward, putting her hand to the pistol at her side. “What is going o—”

  She didn’t have time to finish her sentence as Anja thwacked the back of her head with her prosthetic arm. The guard fell to her knees, holding her head but still conscious. Anja struck again, now with more momentum. This time the blow was hard enough to knock the guard out.

  “What? W-what if her brain broke? What if she’s killed?” Albert spluttered.

  Anja tried to wipe some blood off her sleeve. “She’s still breathing. The state of her brain cannot be our problem. She might’ve shot us all dead a moment ago.”

  “That thing is more weapon than limb,” Nessa said shakily. “That’s the second person you’ve floored with it since I met you.”

  Anja shrugged. “You have to use what life gave you. Good or bad.”

  “That was marvellous! Just… Boom, thump!” Hunter exclaimed, thrilled like a little boy.

  “Less admiring of the violence and more explaining, yes?”

  The words came from behind them. The voice was rife with panic, but Elise still recognised it as Dahl’s. He was backing up, heading for the door with his pistol pointed in their direction. He shook so hard the flintlock pistol rattled.

  Elise held up her hands, maintaining eye contact. “Take it easy. Do not leave until you hear us out. You want explanations? Then stay and listen to me. Please, Anders.”

  Reluctantly, he stopped.

  Elise tried for a smile. “Good. Thank you. Well, I think you see the situation. My friends and some reinforcements have come to rescue me. The man who called you in here? He really is with Joiners Square, high up in the ranks. You can trust him to steer you right.”

  His gaze flitted from Elise to Albert, who nodded and in Sundish said, “She’s right. I’m with Joiners Square, and I’m here to rescue her. This isn’t right. She’s done no wrong and you can’t imprison innocent persons. You know that, don’t you, son?”

  Elise was pretty sure that had been the word for “son,” if only because of how it made Dahl freeze and stare at Albert. She knew that look.

  Missing a father figure.

  Elise put a gentle hand on Dahl’s arm. “I do not want to cause trouble. I merely wish to be free.” He swallowed visibly, and she carried on. “I know you want to help me, you have shown it in so many ways, but you cannot disobey orders. Well, here is a high-ranking member of Joiners Square telling you to let me go.”

  Dahl let his weapon drop to the side but was still silent. Elise saw his gaze move to the two Viss who were undressing the unconscious Royal Guard.

  One of them, a capable-looking woman, caught him staring. “We’re only taking these off so that Elise can wear them. The Queen will not let her go, so she must disguise herself.”

  The explanation seemed to calm him a little, and he nodded.

  With her hands up in a surrendering gesture, Elise moved over to the two women and the clothes they had piled on the floor.

  “I am just going to get into these clothes while you reason this out. No harm in that, right? You still hold all the power and you have a while to make your mind up,” she said calmly.

  He nodded again. Elise was quickly helped out of her dress by Nessa. She pulled on the guard’s uniform. It was a little big but would sustain the illusion as long as no one looked closely. At least, it fit better than that uniform did on Albert, folded trouser legs and all.

  When she was dressed, she looked back to Dahl. He was glancing between her and Albert, looking like a little boy unsure of whom to trust.

  Elise took a deep breath. “Under Lieutenant Anders Dahl.”

  His snapped to attention, focusing on her.

  She made her voice as commanding as she could. “I know your father would have wanted you to do the right thing. And to follow orders. Do what Albert says and you will achieve both.”

  “All right,” Dahl whispered.

  “Good. And besides… you have to report the fire.”

  He frowned. “The fire?”

  “Yes,” Elise stated simply. She walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a poker. She used it to push two burning logs out onto the large woven rug. It started to smoke and sizzle right away. Elise heard people gasp and whisper to each other.

  She cupped Dahl’s chin and caught his eye. “You must take the unconscious guard, run out and down the main stairs, screaming that there is a fire. But for my sake, and to live up to your father’s expectation of doing what a good person does, you must wait until you are a few stairs down to say where the fire is. That will give us time to escape and you a cover for why you were not guarding me.”

  Dahl broke the eye contact to look at the rug, which was increasingly catching fire. Then his eyes went to Albert.

  In Sundish, Albert said, “She’s right, boy. There’s a fire! Warn people, but don’t say where the fire is until you’re downstairs. Run!”

  Dahl pulled his face out of Elise’s grip and put his pistol away. “Good luck, Elise. May you be free and make your own father proud.” With that, he began to run towards the main stairs with the guard slumped over his shoulder.

  The fire was spreading fast, now covering the rug and climbing up the curtains. Elise saw a spark shoot out to the ornately woven runner lining the corridor floor. These threadbare, musty fabrics were just begging for the flames.

  Elise coughed and began running away from the smoke and flames. “Quickly, we must take the servants’ stairs on the other side of the corridor!”

  As the others followed, she heard Hunter whisper, “Thank the gods you knew of another staircase.”

  Elise smiled
as she started taking the steps two at a time. “That is the joy of having spent weeks befriending servants – you learn of passages and rooms you never would have known otherwise.”

  They ran on light feet, trying for that illusive mix of speed and discretion needed for any escape. Screams about fires and the need for buckets of water echoed between the marble walls. Elise was barely breathing, terrified that they’d meet someone on the stairs or that people would run out with them in fear of the fire. Luckily, no courtiers could be seen, and all the staff, guards, and Joiners Square soldiers were busy panicking. Elise heard shouts about “needing more blankets” and “why no one manages to keep proper amounts of water up here.”

  Here is a lesson for the Queen about refusing to spend coin on fire-fighting equipment. Not all new inventions are bad, Your Majesty.

  Elise led them out a side door, and soon they were running across the courtyard. The gleaming, golden gates beamed at her from the distance. She was almost free.

  But then a shout rang out.

  “Stop right there, girl!”

  Elise shivered. Not the Queen. But almost as bad. Adaire.

  She turned and saw the queen’s aide running effortlessly towards them, immaculate features locked in a severe frown.

  Why did it have to be her? Why not a servant we could have bribed or scared off?

  “I ordered you to stop, Lady Falk.” Adaire shouted.

  “Bugger tha’ for a start,” Hunter grunted, slipping into his native Nightport dialect.

  Elise was about to agree and pick up the speed when she looked ahead and saw the gates closing. In front of them stood the Queen and one of the head Royal Guards.

  Elise allowed herself a muttered “oxen-shit.” If ever there was a time to break her habit of not cursing, it was now.

  The whole group halted in front of the massive gates as they banged shut. The courtyard seemed to shrink while the surrounding walls and gates closed in further.