No one else sensed the pattern. Once, Nathan tripped against me, causing my hand to jut outside of the tapestry we hid beneath. A guard heard the sound and spun around. If he saw my hand out of the corner of his eye, I can’t say. But after only a few moments of inspection, he shrugged and continued his patrol.
Once we’d returned to the library, I closed my eyes, trying to recall the exact words in the memoir and hoping there’d not been any creative license taken on the descriptions. I started back toward the right side, past towers of bookshelves cluttered with books that had been ignored for generations. Along the right portion of the back wall, there was only one door. If the room did not contain a bookshelf along its left wall, then we’d have to switch tactics. I twisted the knob, but it did not budge.
“I’ve got this,” Nathan offered. We stepped aside as he pulled out two thin metal bars. “This lock isn’t very good,” he noted as he wiggled the metal. We heard a satisfying click and Nathan pushed the door open.
True to the story, a full bookshelf lined the left wall. “We have to pull on one of these.” I pointed at the books.
“You've got to be kidding,” Altis grumbled.
Euan started tipping the books, trying to find the one that would unlock the doorway.
“I thought you people could weave!” Nathan said.
“We’d still have to test each book, this is faster,” I explained as I flung book after book over my head.
“Oh...”
“Help test the books!” Euan said.
The four of us began pulling on books one at a time. “Kael's family line has never been very tall so it's probably on one of the middle shelves,” Altis said. “Assuming this even works.”
Finally, the bookshelf began to move. Everyone had been trying books, so no one knew who picked the right one.
I coughed as the tunnel’s stale air filled my lungs. I peered down the dark passage, wondering if it had been used since the Dark Ages when all those books were saved, finding a little humor that we carried out a book with us once again. I smiled wondering if Shezdon would be surprised at the lengths I had gone to in honoring his dying wish.
“Wait!” Altis called as he ducked back into the room and grabbed a golden candle lamp with rubies and sapphires melted into it.
“Won't they miss it?” Nathan asked, his eyes growing big as he stared intently at one of the bigger gems.
“Not as much as they will miss us,” I said.
Nathan ducked back into the room and returned carrying two more identical lamps. “What? We needed more light,” he explained as Euan shut the bookcase behind us.
Bumps and crevices pockmarked the tunnel's dirt floor. No spider webs hung from the ceiling. No sounds other than our own filled our ears. No living creatures inhabited the tunnel. It was as if we walked through the spaces between the stars where truly nothing existed.
Other than a stubbed toe, the escape was uneventful. We followed the tunnel as it wound around under the city for nearly half an hour before we finally reached the exit, which luckily was only a few blocks from Nathan’s house.
Perhaps, even in the light of day, the Guardians were finally smiling down upon us.
Chapter 16
“SOUTH! SOUTH! Go South. Axabrica! It must be you. Hurry! Axabrica!”
I coughed beneath the weight of the Mist swirling around me. I sat upright, unsure of where I was. It took me a few moments before I remembered that we were in the kitchen of Nathan's mother's apartment above her shop. My bed was folded up blankets on the ground. The tone of the voice in my first Mist Apparition was immediate but instructing. This time the voice sounded almost fearful.
I hugged my knees against my chest. I wanted to go away from the Mist, but there was nowhere to go.
“Hailey?” Altis whispered. His blanket was only a few feet away from mine.
“Shh… Don’t wake Euan. I'm okay,” I responded as Altis stared wordlessly at the Mist gathered around me. It wasn’t moving. He crawled over next to me.
He waved his hand through the Mist. “It’s amazing,” he whispered.
“We have to go,” I told him.
“Hmm?” Altis asked, still tracing shapes in the condensed Mist.
“The Mist said to go South… to Axabrica…. I don’t even know where that is.”
“It was in one of my reports,” Altis said. “It’s the only settlement along The Edge that hasn’t been having problems.”
I shivered. Altis pulled me toward him, and I laid my head on his lap. “It said it must be me.”
“But you didn’t even get that close last time.”
“I didn’t want to tell you because I was scared, but I did get very, very close. I saw red eyes looking back at me.”
Altis stroked my hair away from my eyes. The tendrils of Mist began dissipating. He traced my face down my cheekbone. “You truly are remarkable,” he whispered. I turned my head to kiss his finger. He left it on my mouth for a moment and then quickly withdrew it. I grabbed his hand and put it in mine.
He looked at me, uncharacteristically confused. He leaned his lips toward mine and then backed away.
“I...” he stammered. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't put you in this position.”
I intertwined my fingers in his. My stomach felt like it was doing summersaults. He leaned forward again and kissed me gently. I kissed him back a little harder.
I pulled away and, from the corner of my eye, noticed Euan sleeping in his cot. If I did this with Altis, I would be closing the door on Euan forever. But at this moment, I wanted… needed… Altis. I motioned to the door that led downstairs to the shop. I could never have imagined that I would lose my virginity to a prince on the counter of a peasant’s shop. But that’s exactly what happened. Afterwards we crept back up the stairs and feel asleep tangled up in each other.
# # #
The next morning, I woke up with Altis’s arms still wrapped around me. I slipped out from his arms, readjusted my shirt, and went down the stairs. I felt my cheeks warm when I looked at the counter went out the open door. Euan was sitting on the front step, looking at the busy city, beginning to come awake. “I’m sorry,” I said simply as I sat down next to him.
Euan shook his head. He wiped the back of his hand against his red-rimmed eyes and forced a smile.
“What do you want me to say?” I asked.
“Nothing,” Euan responded.
I opened my mouth to say something, but everything I could think of sounded insincere.
“I thought about you every day,” Euan said. “I always thought you'd come back to me and it would be like it was supposed to be.” He sighed. “But I'm just a blacksmith.”
“It's not like that!” I protested.
Euan looked at me, his brown eyes sad, but unreadable. “Yes it is, but not in the way you take it.” He stood up. “Our paths don't meet anymore. Yours is entwined with his. You were always so much more than our village. And I am that village.”
“Don't say it like that,” I protested. My throat felt closed in and tears stung my eyes.
“I'm going home. There's nothing more for me to do here. You're safe.” He took my hand gently and smiled down at me. “Try and keep it that way.” He brought my hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “It’s been an honor.”
I didn't say anything as he went inside and gathered his gear. Tears were trickling down my face now even though I knew he was right. He put the last item in his bag, and I didn’t say anything as he walked down the front steps.
He paused for a moment and turned back. “You left a long time ago. And I’m glad you came back.” He paused and turned to look at me. “If anyone can fix The Edge, you can.”
With that, he left. I watched as he walked down the street. He turned once more before he disappeared around the corner. I bit back tears, knowing I’d probably never see him again.
Chapter 17
I went back inside Nathan’s house and helped Altis pack our belongings. The motions were simil
ar to every day that we had packed up on the path, but the atmosphere felt entirely different. Neither of us looked directly at the other.
I felt guilty about the way that Euan had left, and I felt guilty that I felt guilty.
Once we had finished packing, we set out with Nathan to find suitable mounts. Altis was right. Things were different. What did he think of me? What did it mean?
Nathan did plenty of talking for the three of us. “My cousin's the best horse breeder around,” he babbled. “Well, Euan thought so.”
Euan. My breath caught in my throat.
Nathan’s monologue continued. “We went this morning. Dunno why he didn't want to go with you two. Must have wanted to get a good start back home. I'd miss my home, too, if I had to leave it. He told me that he had a brother my age.”
Altis tried to catch my eye, and I felt my cheeks warm. I looked down at my boots.
“Euan got a real good horse,” Nathan continued, unaware of the brewing tension between Altis and me. “But there are more left, dun worry.”
Altis and I wore clothes that belonged to Nathan's parents. Mine were too large, but Altis’s fit perfectly. I thought he looked as handsome in peasant clothes as he did in his proper Mist Weaver attire. He looked regal. Something about his posture and the tilt of his chin broadcasted his class, his upbringing.
It was nearly high noon and the city streets throbbed with activity. Half-dressed, dirty children ran in packs as merchants shooed them away from the produce and other goods. I paused briefly to admire the wares of a jewelry cart. Altis came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.
“They aren’t half bad,” he said. “You want one?” He picked up a strand of clear, sparkling stones that scattered the light.
“You have expensive tastes.” The merchant winked. “But perhaps too expensive. That strand is sixty gold.”
Nathan whistled. “You’re insane! My cousin’s best horse isn’t more than fifty.”
“We’ll take it,” Altis declared.
I backed to the side, away from the cart. “Oh, no. That’s too nice. I couldn’t.”
Altis grabbed my wrist. My pulse quickened. He gently pulled me back toward the cart and put the strand around my neck. “Mmm… Last night was nice,” he whispered in my ear. I felt my cheeks warm.
“It was, but we can’t take this on the road.”
Altis handed the necklace back to the merchant. “Perhaps you have an item more travel hardy?”
“I have exactly the thing.” The merchant dug around in his box beneath the cart and, after a few moments, stood up with two lockets, one on a chain and the other off. “A bit more, but if you can find a Mist Weaver, the locket will show you whomever holds the other locket. It’s Mist Fortified.”
“Fat chance.” Nathan rolled his eyes.
Altis took the lockets and handed the one on the chain to me. “Would the Weaver need any special instructions?” At the merchant’s negative response, Altis and I both opened our lockets. My vision field flooded with the merchant’s stall, centered on Altis as if I was standing a few feet in front of myself looking directly at Altis. I shut the locket and my field of vision returned to that which was in front of me.
“I don’t imagine that you can prove your claim?” Altis asked.
“Well, it’s not like Mist Weavers randomly roam the streets,” the merchant retorted.
“Of course, but you’ll understand why I don’t believe you,” Altis said. “Which is why I imagine you didn’t even have these on display. It’s an interesting tale so we’ll take them both for thirty.”
“I was hoping for thrice that.” The merchant bristled.
“Fine,” Altis said as he took the locket from me and handed the pair to the merchant.
“Oh, all right,” the man agreed.
As we walked away, I grabbed Altis’s hand. “Why fight for a lower price? We knew they worked.”
“Why should I pay more? Besides, that was fun.” He smiled at me. “Neat little twist on a standard locket.”
We turned the corner, and I was face-to-face with my own picture. “WANTED: Traitor to the Knights” the poster proclaimed.
“Still think Kael is harmless?” I asked Altis as he tore it down.
“We need to leave this city,” he said.
“Obviously.”
Luckily, the stables were only a few storefronts down. To be honest, I was expecting Nathan’s cousin to be like Nathan. Instead, Shellan was a petite woman clad in fine-made riding britches and boots and a beautifully fitted green lace tunic cinched at the waist with a thick leather belt. Meena would have simply adored this outfit.
All the stables carried were racehorses, so we selected a pair of distance runners that Shellan said could handle the added weight of our packs.
Either no one recognized my face from the posters or figured a traitor to Duke Kael Ondes of Tabor was a benefit rather than a detriment, but our journey through the city was uneventful until we reached the city gates. While a barricaded city’s primary goal was to keep the enemy out, gates also served to keep us in.
“Nathan, I think you should head home. I don’t want you seen with us,” Altis told the boy. Nathan started to protest, but Altis would not be swayed.
I put my hand on Nathan’s shoulder. “We thank you sincerely. You’ve done more than you can realize. One day when The Edge is gone, you’ll be able to tell your own children that you helped.” This seemed to make him feel better. He shook my hand and then Altis’s and plunged into the crowd.
“Nice speech,” Altis said.
I shrugged. “Got to stay alive so we can make that happen.”
“Get out your pendant,” Altis said, a bit urgently. “The one from your friend Garth.”
I fished it out of my bag without question and handed it to him. He held it up, gesturing to one of the guards. The man snarled at us. Altis simply moved on to the next gate, repeating the same thing.
“What are you doing?” I hissed. “You are bringing too much attention to us.”
“This city sees thousands of merchants each month,” he explained. “One of these guards will want to trade this pendant for our safety.” At this gate, the guards looked annoyed at Altis’s gestures. We moved on.
“There is no way—” Fear made my voice higher pitched than I’d intended, but at that moment, one of the guards smiled and whispered to his partner. He waved us over.
“What do you want?” he growled, but greedy anticipation shone clearly in this eyes.
Altis dangled the medallion in front of the guard. “We want to get out of town.”
The guard licked his lips. “You are the traitors. There is a bounty on your head.”
“This is worth more than a duke’s bounty,” Altis said, jingling the medallion.
“I could turn you in and take both the bounty and the medallion. Not bad for an afternoon’s work.”
“The Merchants’ Guild won’t stand for that kind of treachery. If we end up dead, Garth’s revenge will be worse than a duke’s revenge.”
“Even if I help you, you could end up dead.” His eyes narrowed. “The duke will come after you.”
“A chance you will have to take if you want the pendant.”
The guard glanced around and sighed a few times. “Fine,” he huffed. “Follow me.”
We trailed after him, waiting while he spoke a few words to the other guard on duty. Then the bridge was lowered, and Altis and I led our horses through the gates.
“That was too easy,” I said.
“I told you, Garth is a powerful friend,” Altis said simply. “Let’s pick up the pace. We need as much distance as we can get.” He swung up onto his horse, not waiting for me to do the same as he thundered down the muddy path. I patted the horse and scrambled on top, turning once more to look at the city before I chased after Altis.
Chapter 18
Arwan rejoined us early that evening. She mostly kept to herself, padding far behind and then racing ahead. We cont
inued to ride through the night, Altis and me taking turns weaving light over the path. Between the strain of weaving and being up all night, I wasn't sure how much longer I could last.
Finally, dawn began to break over the trees to our left.
“We should set up camp soon,” Altis said. “Travel at night, sleep during the day until we're sure we've lost them.”
I made an affirmative sound. Without too much trouble, we located a small cave, the entrance covered by the bony branches of a willow tree and evergreen bushes whose tiny needles scratched as I went into the cave. I pushed aside the bushes and gingerly stepped through the undergrowth so as not leave an obvious footprint path to our soon-to-be-slumbering bodies. I laid out our bedrolls right next to each other, the edges softly touching, but then I dragged mine to the other side of the cave, which wasn’t more than five feet away since the space was so small.
Only a few stubborn leaves remained on the near-bare tree limbs. The birds that had not yet migrated called to each other in the early morning crisp breeze. Altis came up behind me, a little too close. I stepped to the side. “Do you think they are really following us?” I asked.
Altis nodded. “I tried covering our trail as best I could, but it's not perfect. Best case, we have plenty of distance on them. Worst case, they pass by us while we are sleeping, and we take up their lead.”
“Shouldn’t one of us stand watch?” I asked.
Altis gestured at Arwan. “I'm sure she'll hear them.”
The sunrise was barely beginning. Just like at The Edge, I couldn’t see the orange yellow dot of the sun, only its rays, streaming through the trees. I made myself busy, collecting grass for the horses.
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