Errik waited until the guards clattered around a bend in the garden path and the light faded. His teeth shone white in the moonlight. “Close one.”
Ilanna nodded and mouthed, “Too close.”
Rising from his crouch, he motioned for her to follow. They flitted from shadow to shadow like wisps. The thick canopy blocked the moonlight, making it easy for them to slip through the gardens unseen. A stiff breeze rustled the trees, hiding the sounds of their passing. They reached the edge of the gardens without encountering another patrol.
Errik stopped her just before they broke from the cover of the gardens. Hounds barked in the distance. Ilanna stiffened and gripped Errik’s arm.
The Serpent shook his head. “Chained up.”
Her shoulders relaxed and her racing pulse slowed. That could be a problem! If the dogs were let loose in the gardens, their keen sense of smell would detect her presence long before she reached the base of the Black Spire.
Errik placed his lips close to her ear. “Hardest part, here. Crossing walkway, open space, fifteen paces wide. Have to run. Hope no one is watching. Do as I do.” He poked his head from the dense foliage, glanced around, and sprinted across the clearing.
Every muscle in Ilanna’s body tensed. She gasped when the Serpent reached the shadows of the wall. Ice coursed through Ilanna’s veins and her stomach churned. My turn.
She peered from the bushes. Moonlight revealed a garden walkway cutting through manicured lawns. She studied the ground, unable to tell if the darkness hid dips or bumps. She would make the run all but blind. What choice do I have?
Taking a deep breath, she burst from the hedge and sprinted across the clear stretch of ground. The sound of her soft-soled boots on the grass seemed as loud as a carriage rattling through Old Town Market. Her heart thundered. Almost there!
Her foot twisted on an uneven patch of lawn. Pain lanced up her leg and she sprawled to the grass. She tried in vain to roll with the fall and landed hard on her face. The impact slammed the wind from her lungs.
Errik broke from the cover of shadows, racing toward her and offering her a hand. “Come on, Ilanna!”
She pulled herself upright and half-ran, half-hobbled the remaining distance. Her chest and face ached and she struggled to breathe. She all but collapsed against the black stone tower.
Errik crouched beside her. “You hurt?”
Ilanna shook her head. She remained hunched, fighting to catch her breath. She was glad for the darkness; it hid her shame and embarrassment.
“Come on.” Errik glanced at the sky. “Not much time left. Now or never.”
A throbbing ache spread through her upper body, but she couldn’t let it stop her. Swallowing her pain, she straightened and nodded. “Let’s go.”
Errik crept along the base of the Black Spire, moving deeper into the shadows of the trees surrounding the tower. Ilanna groped her way down the wall. Her fingers traced fissures in the stone. None was large enough for an anchor, but the climbing spikes would fit. It will be difficult, but possible.
She held up a hand. “Here.”
Errik nodded and slid to a sitting position. “Good luck. Make it quick.”
Ilanna slipped the studded gloves and shoe spikes from her pack. She’d practiced with the climbing gear every day for the last two months. Master Gold had even taken time out of his day to instruct her on their use—a high honor, indeed.
She stepped up to the wall of the Black Spire. Time to see what I can do.
The dark tower taunted her. She could almost hear it daring her to attempt the climb. She clenched her jaw. Watch me.
Digging the spikes into the wall, she took her first step. Master Gold’s advice echoed in her mind. “Find a hold for your feet. Let your legs do the work. Your arms will tire more quickly.”
Her claws clacked on stone, but the rustling trees drowned out the sound. Higher up, the sound would carry, but there was no helping that. She climbed at a steady pace, fighting the urge to hurry. Tonight is a test, nothing more. She climbed to get a feel for the tower, its stones, and her surroundings. She would climb a few paces—no higher than the treetops.
The descent took far longer. Unable to see where she placed her hands and feet, she had to feel with the shoe spikes until she found a solid hold. Her muscles burned by the time she jumped into the soft grass beside Errik. The fire in her arms and legs couldn’t diminish the excitement coursing through her.
I did it. She’d known she could—had spent years training for this very moment. But it felt wonderful to prove it, even if just to herself.
“Come on, Errik. Let’s get the hell out of here before the guards come back.”
* * *
“You should have seen me Ethen!” Thrusting her spade into the soft earth of her garden, Ilanna whirled to face her friend. “I made that run three times without making a sound.”
Ethen raised an eyebrow. “Out of how many attempts?”
Ilanna blushed. “Five.”
Ethen laughed. “Not the worst odds, you know. So you think you’re ready for it?”
“I don’t have much choice. The year is almost up. Between now and nameday, I have just one more new moon.”
Ethen’s eyes widened. “You mean…?”
Ilanna nodded. “Two weeks, Ethen.”
She found it hard to believe. The Night Guild had given her a year to prepare for her Undertaking. She’d invested every moment into her training in preparation for the challenge. She had run out of time.
Ethen grew serious. He leaned against the garden wall, his eyes taking on a faraway look. Lines of worry etched his face.
She squeezed his arm. “You knew it was going to happen eventually.”
“I know.” Ethen shook his head. “I was just hoping you’d…”
“Change my mind?” Ilanna bolted upright, glaring. “Don’t you know me better than that?”
Ethen threw up his hands. “Easy, Ilanna. Of course, I knew you wouldn’t change your mind. Still, it can’t hurt to hope that the woman you…your friend decides to not choose something suicidal as her Undertaking.”
Ilanna raised an eyebrow. “You worry too much, you know that?”
Ethen shrugged. “Girl like you around, a fellow has a lot to worry about.”
With a snort, Ilanna settled her head back into his lap. His fingers twirled a lock of her hair. Heat rushed in her veins. Something about the way he touched her felt right. With Ethen, she never had the strange, uncomfortable feeling she’d had when Werrin made advances on her.
She let her mind drift, pondering what could happen once they became full-fledged members of the Night Guild. Perhaps we’ll have time…
Ethen spoke in a soft voice. “I’ve missed you, you know.”
Ilanna smiled up at him. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“It’s been odd coming here without you. The garden started to feel…lonely. But now you’re here.”
“I know I’ve been absent, but you can blame Denber for that. He’s never pushed me that hard before. I barely managed to steal a moment of time today to—”
“Damn it! Time!” Ethen scrambled to his feet and Ilanna’s head struck the ground.
“Ow! Frozen hell, Ethen! What’s wrong?”
“I’m late!” Panic stained his face. “Master Scorpion will kill me if I don’t make it.”
Ilanna waved him away. “Go! I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Ethen vaulted over the wall without a backward glance. Ilanna snorted and turned to her viola plant. Ethen had cared for the garden in her absence. The patch of bright flowers had grown; come spring, the color and rich fragrance of violas would fill the garden. I’ll have to spend more time here once my Undertaking is complete. And more time with Ethen…
“I knew I’d find you, bitch!”
Ilanna stiffened at the voice. Her blood turned to ice. No! Him, here? How? She leapt to her feet, whirling and drawing her saber in one smooth motion. “Sabat.” She spoke through clenched teeth. “G
et out of here, now! I won’t be responsible for what I do to you.”
Sabat’s scarred lip twisted up into a sneer. “With that thing? I doubt it.”
A thump sounded behind Ilanna and she spun. Two of Sabat’s cronies dropped into the garden. When she turned, four more Bloodbears had joined Sabat. Fear twisted knives in her stomach. Seven to one. Impossible odds, even with her sword. Though armed with only knuckledusters and coshes, every one of the Bloodbears towered over her. Even if she stopped one or two, the rest would overwhelm her.
She gripped her sword tighter. “What do you want, Sabat?” Sweat trickled down her spine.
Sabat parroted her voice in a high, whiny pitch. “’What do you want, Sabat?’” His sneer turned into a snarl. “I’ve been looking for you for years, trying to find out where you go when you come down from the roofs. And now I’ve found you.”
But how? Her heart thundered. She’d kept the garden secret from all save Ethen. Her friend would never tell Sabat. No, he had to find out some other way.
Sabat cracked his knuckles. “It’s time for payback, little Hawkling. You thought I’d let you get away with what you did?”
Ilanna’s eyes widened. “That was—”
“Five years ago, Ilanna.” He spat her name like a curse. “Five years ago you humiliated me in front of my crew. You know what happened after that? Your beating was nothing compared to what they did to me. The abuse they heaped on me, all because you made me look weak!” Spittle flew; his face twisted into manic rage.
“And you deserved every bit of it, you bastard! For everything you did to me and to all the other defenseless Foxes and Grubbers you’ve beaten.” Ilanna edged backward, a wary eye on Sabat and his companions.
“No one deserves that, you cunt!” Sabat flexed massive hands.
He took a step forward, and Ilanna’s heart lurched. The Bloodbear towered over her; the top of her head didn’t reach his shoulder and he stood easily twice as wide as she. Only the saber in her hand kept him and his cronies at bay.
“Keep back, Sabat! And the rest of you.” Her sword whistled through the air.
Sabat sneered. “I’ll snap that thing in half!” He took another step forward. The stem of her mother’s rosebush snapped and the velvet petals crumpled under his heel.
Ilanna gasped involuntarily, her eyes widening.
Sabat looked down and his smile grew. “Oh, poor little Hawkling. Did I ruin your garden?” He lifted his foot and stomped, trampling the crimson flower deeper into the soft earth.
Ilanna gritted her teeth. Bastard!
Sabat turned to regard the viola shrub. “What’s this? Such pretty little flowers. So delicate. It would be a shame if something happened to them.” His boot crushed the purple and yellow blooms.
“No!” The word burst from her lips. Fury burned in her veins, setting her hands trembling. All the time she’d spent in the garden, tending to the little patch of flowers. They were her last link to Mama, to baby Rose. And Sabat had destroyed them just to spite her.
The gleam in Sabat’s eye told Ilanna he had much more in mind. “You think that’s bad? Wait until we’re done with you, little Hawkling. Even the filthiest whore in the city won’t envy you.”
He advanced, his friends falling in behind him. Her eyes darted around. She had no hope of escaping through the garden. She was trapped, the door at her back.
Without thinking, she twisted the door handle and leapt inside the house. She dropped the bolt into place just in time. Wood shuddered beneath the impact of heavy bodies. The door wouldn’t hold for more than a few seconds. Her eyes darted around in search of anything she could use to fight off the Bloodbears, wished she’d had the foresight to store weapons in the house. Her father’s rotted corpse had kept out squatters; why hadn’t she turned the house into a safe haven with weapons, supplies, and coin?
Cursing herself for not anticipating Sabat’s discovery of her hiding place, she sprinted through the kitchen and burst out the front. Her feet pounded in time with her racing heart. I just have to reach Old Town Market! She could lose him in the crowd and it would be easy to find a way up to the rooftops. Once there, she would be out of his reach. They’ll never find me on the Hawk’s Highway.
Old Town Market flashed by in a whirl of colors and scents. Ilanna slithered through the crowd, ducking and dodging the myriad carts, animals, and people. People hurled curses at her retreating back, but Ilanna didn’t care. Can’t let him catch me!
She raced toward a darkened alley and lunged into the shadows. Ducking behind a stack of crates, she scurried up the hidden rope ladder. Slipping, she slammed face-first into the stone wall, but she bit back a cry of pain. She had no thought for anything but escape.
Pulling herself onto the roof, she hauled up the rope ladder and sagged to the warm tiles. She gasped for air, her lungs burning. She peered over the edge. Below, Sabat and his companions shoved through the marketplace, snarling, cursing, and hurling people aside. One Bloodbear scanned the rooftops.
Heart thundering, Ilanna ducked out of sight. Twin blazes of fury and hatred burned in her chest. Damn you, you bastard! Heaving sobs shook her shoulders. Tears blurred her vision. How could anyone be so cruel, so vicious? He’d destroyed her garden out of sheer malice. She’d lost the one thing she cared about more than anything, all for vengeance.
Someone has to do something about him. Someone has to stop him! She clenched her trembling fists. And it has to be me.
But not yet. She couldn’t allow anything to distract her from her Undertaking. She couldn’t risk confronting him. Even a minor injury could spell the difference between success and failure in her attempt on the Black Spire.
So be it. Sabat could wait. One problem at a time. The Undertaking is more important. In two weeks, she would take on the impossible. She would conquer the Black Spire and earn her place in the Night Guild. After that, she would return to the matter of Sabat. I will find a way to deal with the bastard once and for all!
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Ethen burst through the double doors of House Hawk. “Ilanna! Where are you?” The fury in his voice echoed from the vaulted room.
Ilanna slid down the pole to the Aerie floor.
Ethen turned to her, eyes blazing. “What in the twisted hell happened to our garden?”
She shook her head. “Sabat. Sabat happened.”
“What? When?”
“Yesterday, after you left. I don’t know how he found it, but he did. And he…” Ilanna swallowed.
Ethen seized her shoulders. “Did he hurt you? If he laid a finger on you, I swear I’ll—”
“Ethen!” Ilanna’s voice cracked like a whip, and the Scorpion flinched. “I’m fine. I slipped through the house and escaped out the front. I lost them in Old Town Market.”
Ethen’s shoulders relaxed, but the rage in his eyes remained. “He can’t go unpunished, Ilanna. He’s gone too far this time.”
“This time?” Ilanna’s lip curled into a snarl. “He’s been out of control since the beginning. Someone should have done something about him long ago, but here we are.”
Disbelief flashed across Ethen’s face. “How can you be so calm? After what he did to you, to our garden? Why aren’t you stalking through House Bloodbear and carving him to pieces right now?”
Ilanna shook her head. “I can’t. Not yet.”
“What does that mean, Ilanna? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of him!”
Ilanna slapped him, hard. “If that’s what you think of me, Ethen, then you don’t know me at all.”
Ethen rubbed his cheek more from shock than pain. “Then what’s stopping you? Why are we talking instead of hunting him down and making him pay! I know of a poison that will—”
“Because I can’t, Ethen.”
“Why not?”
“The Undertaking. I-It’s going to take everything I have to make that climb. If I so much as stub my toe, it could mean failure in my attempt. I want to confront that bastard, Sabat, more th
an anything else in the world. But not until after the Black Spire.” She placed her hand on his cheek, where she had slapped him. “One enemy at a time, Ethen.”
Ethen looked ready to relent. Something snapped. He straightened, throwing his shoulders back, clenching his jaw. “No. I won’t let this go unpunished. Not again.”
“Ethen, you can’t—”
“Can’t what?” His eyes flashed. “You have no idea what I’m capable of, Ilanna. When he hurt you before, your friend Denber convinced me to leave it alone. He said he would protect you. But where is he now? It’s up to me to keep you safe.”
Ilanna’s heart lurched. “Don’t be stupid, Ethen. Sabat is twice your size.”
“I wouldn’t care if he was a hundred times my size! I won’t let him hurt you, not again. Not when there’s something I can do about it.”
Fear coursed through Ilanna. What is he going to do? She opened her mouth to warn him.
“Ilanna! You ready?”
Ilanna whirled. Denber strode from the tunnels, a large sack clutched in his hands.
“What?” The word came out in a shout.
Denber raised an eyebrow, surprised at her vehemence. “We’re headed out for a practice run, remember? Going to see how you handle climbing with the weight of the rope.”
She’d forgotten. “O-Of course. Give me a minute, will you?”
Denber nodded. He threw the sack at her feet and leapt up into the Perch. “I’ll meet you up there. Don’t be long. We’ve barely got a week until the new moon.”
“I know, Denber. I’ll be right up.”
She turned to face Ethen. One glance at his tight lips, blazing eyes, and clenched fists told her everything she needed to know. “Don’t do it, Ethen.”
“I have to, Ilanna. I won’t let him hurt you. I l…” He swallowed. “I care for you too much to let that happen.”
Ilanna seized his hands in hers. “Promise me. Promise me you won’t do anything foolish.”
Child of the Night Guild (Queen of Thieves Book 1) Page 31