by Drae Box
“Should we get out of here then?” asked Aldora. The less time spent here, the safer Raneth is.
He nodded, leading her quickly back the way they had come and to the rooftop.
As Aldora jumped down from the wet roof, she pitched forwards, catching the heel of her hand with a small burning sensation against the ground. She hissed even as Raneth darted close, and the shriek of a whistle smashed through the evening air. Please no, thought Aldora, looking to their right. An inspector was running towards them, a small silver whistle protruding from his lips. Why didn’t we see him?
“You OK?” asked Raneth.
“Later,” insisted Aldora. She yanked the Dagger of Protection free from its sheath and pointed it towards the approaching inspector, who was still blowing his whistle. “Shut it,” she growled. The whistle dropped from his lips. “Better.” She turned to Raneth. “Move.”
Pedibastet ran in front of them. “This way.” He pounced onto a bench before he paused, wiggling his hips and tail as he looked at a brick column that stood between two panels of the fencing that surrounded the university. It was too tall to use from the outside but as Pedibastet jumped from the bench, he proved to Aldora that it could be done. Her heart pounded in her chest and she was grateful when Raneth grabbed her hand and led her to a bench. He released her hand and jumped onto the bench. He kept his momentum going, striking the stone column between the metal fencing with his boots to get high enough to grab the top. He pulled himself onto it then shuffled over the other side of the fence and jumped down. He turned and watched Aldora expectantly.
I can do this. Raneth did. She ran at the bench, jumped onto it but slid down the stone column. Raneth grabbed hold of a section of the fence next to the pillar. White mist swept around the steel bar, congregating into an ice foothold.
“Here,” he said.
Aldora stepped onto it and pushed herself up, grabbing hold of the pillar’s top before her foot slipped off the ice. She pulled herself up as more inspectors joined the gawping one, the words “Giften scum” rippling between them.
The royal official raised a hand towards the gates. White mist swept to the centre of the gates and curled around the lock, hardening into a thick lump. As Aldora’s feet touched the street, Raneth grabbed for her hand. She shivered as it started to rain.
“Let’s go,” he said, yanking her away from the inspectors’ university.
Aldora fled, willingly letting him hold her hand as he yanked her almost too quickly for her feet to keep up. Pedibastet ran at her side. She looked over her shoulder at the inspectors; one of them was kicking at the iced lock.
“Your ice isn’t going to keep us safe for long,” she warned.
“Why do you think we’re running?” snapped Raneth as a bell started to ring from somewhere else on the inspectors’ property. They jerked to a stop at a cross-junction. “Come on!” He tugged Aldora faster.
She tripped. He yanked her arm upwards, catching her, preventing her fall but hurting her shoulder. She winced but kept running, dashing through freezing rain. In silence, hearing only the sound of their rushed breaths, they ran back towards the hotel.
A hand bell ringing caught Aldora’s ears.
“No, no, no,” hissed Raneth, jerking to a stop.
Aldora’s shoulder screamed in protest as she failed to stop at his side, taking another three steps before she halted.
Pedibastet paused and turned to face them. “Come on! Move!” he screeched, before darting ahead and out of sight. “I’ll get Stonefist to help!”
Aldora ran a hand down her face, wiping the rainwater away from her eyes. “Raneth?”
“The bells – that’s inspectors. They’re chasing us. They ring bells to make you scared.”
Aldora turned around on the spot. Where can we hide? “What do we do, Raneth?”
The Bayre mimicked her movements, a hand resting atop his head, scrubbing at his hair. He’s panicking. That’s a first. I have to help him or we’ll get caught.
She took hold of his shoulders. “Raneth, look at me. We can find another way to the hotel. Where do we go?” repeated Aldora.
“If we get caught here, that’s it, I’m done. Deader than a doornail,” uttered Raneth. “There’s too many inspectors. Somebody will ignore Regina’s orders that we’re off limits, if she’s even thought to tell the inspectors here, not just gate guard units.”
Aldora kicked his foot. “Oi, if they were Thane what would you do?” she asked firmly.
Raneth lifted his eyebrows at her then pointed towards another street. “We run and try to be faster. Back to the hotel still, I guess.”
“Then let’s keep running,” uttered Aldora, grabbing Raneth’s hand and taking her turn to drag him through the rain.
“That way,” ordered Raneth a few minutes later as they splashed through a puddle.
He pointed to a barely visible side turning. Aldora took it, slamming her shoulder against the brick wall as they turned. She ignored the pain and ran through it. The bells followed, growing increasingly louder as more added to their chimes.
“They’re surrounding us,” warned Raneth. “Wait.”
Aldora slowed to a stop, resting a hand against the stone wall, her chest heaving as she sucked in lungfuls of freezing air. I can’t take much more of this. I’m not built for this like Raneth is.
Raneth knelt down and pressed two fingers to the ground. White mist spluttered from his hand and curled around their feet, sweeping back the way they had come. An ice lip began to form at the mouth of the alley but an inspector jumped over it, ringing his handbell.
“Surrender, Giften scum!” he roared, kicking at Raneth’s face.
Raneth jerked backwards, and Aldora rushed forwards. She jabbed the Dagger of Protection at the inspector’s face and he dodged, slapping her face as he did. Aldora twisted to the side and slammed a hand against the wall to steady herself. Raneth stepped closer to the Newer, palms out towards the inspector in warning.
“I’m the chief inspector here, Giftens,” stated the Newer as a second inspector’s foot smashed through the ice lip and he fell onto his front. “Get on your knees.”
“No,” growled Raneth. “Back off. How’d you find us, anyway?”
“Lodema,” smirked the inspector as three more inspectors joined him in the mouth of the alleyway.
Aldora eyed the chief inspector and Raneth. Her partner had his palms held out towards the man still, in the typical pose of a Giften about to use his Common Gift. She couldn’t let it come to that, if this inspector was that important. Even if they got away, it could cause a manhunt for Raneth. I can’t let you do that, Raneth, she thought, stepping to his side and yanking his elbow.
He glanced at her and the chief inspector rushed at them. His bell slammed across Aldora’s face. She stumbled backwards and screamed, warm blood pouring from her nose. Raneth caught her, spun her on her feet and threw her over his left shoulder. He turned and ran.
“Put me down,” said Aldora as they neared the end of the alleyway, the chief inspector chasing after them, screaming orders at the other inspectors.
“Quicker this way,” said Raneth breathlessly.
Aldora jolted on his shoulder as he jerked to a stop. She heard a smack and Raneth inhaled a hissing wince before he jolted to the right, past an inspector who was holding his nose and sitting in a puddle. Raneth spun as he sidestepped another Newer running at them and darted around a third.
From Raneth’s back, Aldora watched as the inspectors chased after them, slowly getting winded as Raneth kept running. He’s going to hurt himself if he doesn’t stop, thought Aldora, her face pounding where the bell had hit. She gingerly pressed a hand to her nose and winced. That HURTS!
“In here,” whispered a voice, causing Raneth to slow.
Aldora screamed a warning as a man stepped out from a side alcove and grabbed at them, yanking them into a room waiting beyond. The door was slammed shut and a wooden crate dragged across it. Aldora was prised off
Raneth’s back and dumped onto a padded wooden chair. Raneth was pushed into a matching seat.
Aldora looked at him for a brief moment, watching his chest rise and fall as the footfalls of the inspectors thundered past the door, the crate behind it shuddering at each footfall. She looked at their saviours.
“She’s broken her nose,” stated one of the two men, standing in a huddle in the light of a gas lamp on a steel table. “That’s never gonna be straight again.”
Why are they wearing aprons?
“Who cares? We’re lucky that gob of hers didn’t give away the door’s position. You know the paint job only works if nobody’s looking too closely,” stated the other, a thin stick of a man with a thick pair of glasses. “Would you two care for a drink? Whisky perhaps?”
“Who are you?” asked Aldora, watching as Raneth heaved in a breath and eyed the men suspiciously as they spaced themselves out. The man without glasses went to stand by a second doorway that exited the rectangular room they were in; a second gaslight hung above the door from a hook, casting long shadows across the room.
“We’re friends,” stated the man with glasses. “I’m Corbett. We heard the bells. You two have been busy.”
“We… haven’t done… anything,” uttered Raneth, still catching his breath.
Aldora stood up, but Corbett stepped closer and pushed on her shoulder, forcing her to sit back down.
“Rest, girl,” he said. “You two are safe here. Elm, get the boy some whisky. The girl a black tea.”
The man by the lit door nodded and disappeared through it.
Aldora wiped the blood away from her mouth and the bottom of her nose, trying not to catch her nose with her hand. “Raneth, are you OK?” she asked, standing again. She went to his side and this time Corbett didn’t stop her.
Her partner nodded. “Just catching my breath,” he said hoarsely, blue eyes watching their saviour closely.
“I don’t care what you have or haven’t done. Please rest,” stated Corbett. He gestured to the chair as he smiled at Aldora.
Aldora chose to remain standing at Raneth’s side. “Thanks for saving us, but how did you know where we would end up?”
“We didn’t. We just happened to be in the perfect spot to help you two out.”
Aldora glanced at Raneth to see him frowning around the room. She rested a hand on his shoulder and did likewise. Opposite the door they had been pulled through, and in line with the other door, was a metal table on wheels. The rest of the room was almost completely bare, except for a few paintings lining the walls and the chairs they were sitting in.
“I apologise for the lack of furnishings,” stated Corbett. “We’ve only just helped ourselves to this place.”
Aldora ignored him as she wiped at the blood rolling from her nose again.
Raneth reached out and wiped the back of his hand against the bottom of Aldora’s chin. His hand came away bloody. He stood up, taking hold of Aldora’s shoulders and easing her into his seat. He knelt in front of her, gently taking hold of her head in his hands, turning it side to side slowly and frowning at her. What are you doing?
“This will hurt,” he warned, a hand reaching for her nose.
Aldora shied away, moving her head as far back as she could without tipping the chair, but he caught her nose between his fingers and gave a grunt. Aldora yelled as his hand crunched her nose straight. She pawed at his hand, but he refused to move it, squeezing her nose between his fingers.
“Breathe through your mouth so I can stop this bleed.”
Aldora did as instructed, wincing as her nose twinged in sharp pain.
“Your friend is good at that,” stated Corbett, smiling at Aldora.
The other rescuer stepped back through the door, a small tray of drinks in his hands. He set it down beside Corbett and held a drink out to his talkative friend.
“Thank you, Elm. Please give our guests their drinks. Boy, you’ve reset people’s noses before?”
“Once,” admitted Raneth, slowly standing in front of Aldora. “Your nose will be fine, A,” he added softly, giving her a smile. “Might be a slight permanent bump, but your nose will look fine from the front.”
Aldora frowned then winced as her nose twinged again.
“Try not to use your face muscles,” he added. He refused an offered cup and instead grabbed the chair Aldora had been sitting on and pulled it close to her, but he didn’t sit. Aldora took the offered drink and sipped at the hot tea, grimacing as its steam tickled her nose and the sharp taste rushed down her throat.
“The two of you are welcome to stay the remainder of the night. The inspectors should retire at sunrise – that’s when they’re relieved. The chief inspector coming out for you suggests there’s something interesting about you. Are you important at all?”
“I’m Giften’s Dagger Bearer,” stated Aldora matter-of-factly. “So somewhat important, I guess.”
“I’m the royal official captain.” Raneth continued to observe Corbett.
Why is Raneth watching them like he’s expecting them to pounce on us? Aldora felt her legs and hands go slightly numb, her fingers tingling. She frowned, slowly leaning forwards and placing the cup on the floor beside her seat.
“I don’t feel right,” she uttered.
“That will be the adrenaline and the tea,” stated Corbett, and his voice seemed to slurp into one giant swirl of noise that bashed inside Aldora’s head. “Elm has a bad habit of over-brewing the tea.”
Aldora felt Raneth’s strong hands take hold of her again, pulling her up from her seat. She frowned at him but he moved his mouth close to her ear. “I think they’re body snatchers.”
The Dagger. Use the Dagger. Save us both. With fumbling fingers, Aldora drew the Dagger of Protection, even as Raneth’s touch withdrew. Thanks, she thought as Raneth stepped away from her side, giving her space to do her work with the Dagger. The door they had entered through shuddered, the crate behind it sliding back at some force from outside. Aldora watched it warily. Knowing our luck, that’ll be the inspectors. She held the Dagger ready, pointing it towards the ground whilst Raneth drew his sword. From the blade’s end, a teardrop of blue liquid fell and solidified at Aldora’s feet as a blue orb. She eyed the door as something slammed against it again.
“What the hell?” uttered Corbett. “Whatever you’re doing, girl, stop it now!” He and his friend pulled long knives from the back of their belts and advanced on her and Raneth.
The blue orb was growing, but too slowly. Raneth picked up one of the chairs as Corbett’s lackey took another step closer. The door crunched and a fist slammed through the door. The hand grabbed hold of some of the wood and yanked it away from the rest of the door.
“Ice?” hollered a voice.
“Stonefist!” yelped Raneth.
“Hold on, Ice. I’m getting you out!”
Raneth spoke again, closer this time. “Aldora?”
She opened her eyes and frowned at him. When did I close my eyes?
“The Dagger – is it going to do the next bit?”
Aldora inspected the blue orb then nodded, glaring at it. “I’ll manage it.”
A pop rustled through the air and Aldora heard Raneth inhale sharply, as if he’d been punched. The orb expanded and took them both within it as it turned translucent. Lightning rushed along the Dagger’s blade, slicing into the top of the growing blue dome around Aldora and her partner and scattering down towards Corbett and Elm. It burned through their chests.
With a rush like a fire’s rumble, the blue dome slurped back to the centre of the room, devolving back into the blue orb, before bubbling with a hiss into a small blue mess. The door gave way to Stonefist. He stepped over the crate by the door, knuckledusters gleaming on both hands. Behind him, Prince Pedibastet jumped into the room and sat on the crate.
Stonefist rushed over to Raneth and Aldora, his chunky hands settling on their shoulders as he gazed towards the smouldering bodies of Elm and Corbett. “Any others?” he
asked.
“Not unless they’re in there,” said Raneth, nodding towards the other doorway. “They drugged Aldora, but she’s barely had any so she should metabolise it pretty quickly.”
That’s good, thought Aldora. The tingling is leaving my hands and feet already, so he’s probably right. She slid the Dagger back into its sheath.
“What are you two doing getting dragged into alley-holes, anyway? You should know better, Ice. You two ready? The inspectors are still looking for you, so we’re going to have to retreat to your hotel on the double. Bronze Compass, right?”
Raneth nodded.
“Good. I’ll explain when we get there what’s going on. You’ve upset a real hornet’s nest, Ice.”
Chapter Sixteen
Raneth
They reached the hotel without incident, although Aldora’s nose started to bleed again when they stepped into the reception room. She rested a hand under her nose as she followed Stonefist to the stairs and told him her room number. Raneth grabbed hold of Aldora’s other hand, slipping his fingers between hers. His chest rose sharply as he breathed in. Stonefist hadn’t been kidding about the pace. Raneth glanced at Aldora at his side, surprised he hadn’t had to carry her to keep the pace, although his wrist twinged from catching her twice when she had tripped. We’re safe for now. That’s all that matters. He looked ahead. Assuming nobody else is waiting for us in our rooms. Last thing we need is Algernon sitting in them or something.
After Raneth unlocked the door, they crept inside, shutting it firmly behind them. Aldora went to the table and sat down, and Pedibastet jumped onto the table and headbutted her hand. She stroked him.
“Alright, Stonefist,” said Raneth, joining Aldora at the table but standing behind a chair, hands resting on its back. “Hornet’s nest. Spill.”