Rook and Shadow (Salarian Chronicles Book 1)

by A. G. Marshall

  She pulled a quill and parchment from her apron pocket.

  “You should sell him the gems from the museum,” I said.

  Shadow looked at me, confused.

  “You were at the museum. We only stole fabric and a few books.”

  “The gems are heavily guarded,” Estrella said. “Impossible to get to.”

  “I know I’m not supposed to know about them, but you can trust me. You stole a shipment of sapphires a few days ago. Surely the profits from that can pay for the salt tax.”

  Shadow stared at me and shook his head.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Rook.”

  “But they went missing!” I said. “Everyone knows the Shadow stole them!”

  “Hush,” Estrella said.

  She motioned to Gerta. I felt my eyes go wide. Had I given away the secret?

  Gerta winked at me.

  “I know all about it,” she said. “But the children don’t. You’d better be more careful.”

  “She’s not the only one,” Estrella grumbled. “You didn’t take long enough to recover, Will.”

  She put a lot of emphasis on the name.

  “Are you feeling better?” I asked.

  Shadow looked at me, but didn’t answer.

  “I mean, you seemed-”

  “I just had some things to take care of elsewhere.”

  I searched his face. He seemed fine. Maybe I had just been on edge last night after my first heist.

  And now for other reasons. He didn’t know yet, I realized. I took a deep breath.

  “Edsel and Elsie are gone. Some noblewoman offered them a position in Castlemont. Edsel said we’re not welcome at the shop anymore, and they’ll turn us in if they see us.”

  “He said what?” Estrella asked. She slammed her quill down on the paper and smudged the ink.

  “Oh, I forgot you were unconscious then.”

  “You were unconscious?” Shadow asked. “Estrella, what happened while I was gone?”

  “Rook and I fixed a well, Elsie and Edsel apparently turned traitor, and William went to Roslynn’s farm.”

  “Well, at least one of those things isn’t a surprise,” Shadow said.

  “And the salt poisoning spread to the forest,” I said. “The trees are dying.”

  Estrella looked surprised, but kept her mouth shut.

  “Maybe we can figure out what’s going on when we’re in the palace,” Shadow said.

  “When we’re where?” I asked.

  He grinned at me.

  “A lot of people won’t be able to afford the salt tax. We need gold coins and fast. As soon as William gets back, we’re raiding the palace.”

  Estrella pulled a new piece of parchment from her apron, scribbled a few more lines, and sealed it. She handed the two letters to Gerta.

  “Have one of your orphans take these to Joe at the docks. He’ll know how to reach Captain.”

  Chapter 19

  Thomas returned just before dark. He frowned when he saw Shadow sitting at the table.

  “When did you get back? I gave up a day with Rook to look for you.”

  He set a black charm ring on the table. Gerta wrapped it in a cloth and put it on a shelf.

  “At least it wasn’t a total loss. I heard all the latest gossip from the miners.”

  “Why would miners know gossip?” I asked.

  “Thomas, you’re not supposed to talk to anyone when you’re in the tunnels,” Gerta scolded.

  “Oh, I know how to blend in. No one even knew I was there. They’re mostly upset about the salt tax. Apparently anyone currently working in the mines won’t have the option to pay it even if they have the money. They’ll all be down there another year.”

  “The King must be desperate,” Estrella said.

  “Money troubles?” Gerta said from across the room.

  “That opera can’t have been cheap,” Shadow said. “And since Divinia didn’t show up, they didn’t get to make any wishes.”

  “Not to mention the Dragon has made travel unsafe,” Estrella said. “He’s basically a one man blockade. It has been difficult to renew treaties because ambassadors can’t get through.”

  “This doesn’t sound like the King,” I said.

  Father never made quick decisions. It was one reason he spent so much time in council meetings. I wasn’t sure what the salt tax was, but it seemed significant. He would not be hasty about it.

  “Everyone shows their true colors eventually,” Shadow said. “All nobles are the same.”

  “He’s under pressure from Castana,” Estrella said. “The Dragon hasn’t attacked their ships, so they don’t understand why the Salarian ships can’t get through.”

  “The Dragon hasn’t attacked any Castanian ships?” I asked.

  Estrella shrugged.

  “He must have a lot of fairy salt by now,” Gerta said.

  “And Salara portraits.” Estrella smoothed her hair back from her face. “Several diplomatic ships have gone missing. Captain was worried the value of his stock would drop, but so far none of the Dragon’s stolen goods have been sold.”

  “We have a problem!”

  William burst through the door.

  “Only one?” Shadow said.

  I laughed, and Estrella glared at me.

  “Was Roslynn at the farm?” I asked.

  William shook his head. “The salt has spread all the way to the village! Their well is useless. Three more farms have been destroyed.”

  Gerta pulled Thomas aside.

  “Go tell them we have fresh water,” she said. “Anyone is welcome.”

  “Really? You’re sending me away again?”

  “You’re my best rider. I’m sure Rook would love to see how fast you can get to the village and back.”

  “I am impressive,” Thomas said.

  He kissed my hand.

  “Until we meet again, angel.”

  “So you were expecting this?” William said. “I ran all the way here to tell you. Roslynn’s well is salty, but drinkable for now.”

  “If villagers are coming here, then we need to go,” Estrella said.

  Shadow nodded.

  “I told Captain to meet us in the usual spot,” Estrella said. “As long as Joe delivers our message, we’re set.”

  William smiled.

  “This is more like it. But we just had a raid.”

  “We’re going to the palace,” I said.

  “They’re having another gala already?”

  Shadow shook his head.

  “They’ve reinstated the salt tax. Two coins per person.”

  William clenched his fists.

  “That’s insane! Half the country will be in the mines! They won’t have enough owl eyes for everyone!”

  “What are owl eyes?” I asked.

  Shadow stood.

  “You keep the coins, Gerta. Get them to anyone who needs help.”

  “Thanks, Will.”

  Shadow, William, Estrella, and I walked through the moonlit night. The salt poisoned ground was blacker than the sky. When we entered the woods, our feet crushed dried leaves that had fallen from the dying trees. Moonlight illuminated our walk until we reached the line where the salt poisoning stopped. Then we walked in darkness as leaves rustled overhead and blocked the stars.

  The path led to the Ghone. We walked downstream towards the sea. I expected to spend the night in a hole underground, but Shadow led us to a small cabin. He knocked. No one answered, and we went inside.

  “This is used by boatmen traveling up and down the river,” Estrella said.

  I searched the bare cabin for beds but saw only a rough wooden table and chairs. I sat down and leaned against the table. Estrella snapped her fingers. A few stars flickered on the ceiling and disappeared. She sighed. Shadow pulled a candle from his pack and tapped it against the wall. A flame flickered as the wick ignited.

  “We’ll go tomorrow,” Shadow said. “Tomorrow night.”

  “We’ve
never performed a raid without an event as cover,” Estrella said. “Where will we sneak in? What will we take?”

  “Doesn’t matter, as long as it belongs to Salara,” William said.

  I sat quiet, thinking. It was silly, robbing myself. But I knew exactly how to do it.

  “I have a plan,” I said.

  They turned to me.

  “Lady Alma has been stocking her studio thanks to your last few raids. It is full of fabric, jewels, and everything Salara. If we rob the studio directly, we can take as much as we can carry.”

  “That’s ridiculous!” Estrella said. “She’s sure to notice things are missing!”

  I nodded.

  “Lady Alma’s studio is in the busiest part of the palace,” Estrella said. “There’s no way we can get loads of fabric out without people noticing. There are only four of us.”

  “So we’re a skeleton crew,” I said.

  “What?”

  “It’s a nautical term. It means-”

  “My father was a sailor. I know what it means.”

  She crossed her arms and glared at me.

  “I know a secret passage,” I said. “I know exactly how to get there. There will be plenty to choose from. There is at least a chest of rubies there. Possibly more gems. If we can find the opera costume, we’ll have diamonds. She doesn’t lock the drawers.”

  “Don’t be absurd,” Estrella said.

  “Alright, Rook!” William said. He slapped me on the shoulder.

  Shadow stared at me. I met his gaze.

  “Are you sure the passage is a secret?” he asked.

  “I used it to sneak onto the towers when I lived there. I never met anyone else in it.”

  “And how did you find it?” Estrella asked, arms crossed over her chest.

  “It is behind a tapestry.”

  Mentioning Seda was just asking for trouble. He never left Salara’s side.

  What had Seda been doing while I was gone?

  “This seems like our best bet, Shadow,” William said.

  Shadow nodded.

  “Does anyone else have an idea?”

  “We can go by sea and climb the walls,” Estrella said. “We can raid the museum again and steal dresses off the mannequins. We can do anything else but this.”

  “Surely they’ll have more guards at the museum after our last raid,” I said. “There won’t be any guards in Lady Alma’s studio.”

  “We pretty much cleaned out the museum last time,” Shadow said. “It would take too long to steal the displays. Someone would notice us before we got enough.”

  “Where can we enter the passage?” William asked.

  “There are stairs that lead to the main garden. Once we get there, we’re set.”

  “The main garden? We’ll never manage to get across that undetected!”

  “We’ll have to take the prison route,” Shadow said. “That gets us to the kitchens. We can easily get to the gardens from there.”

  Estrella’s eyes softened.

  “Shadow, we weren’t going to take the prison route again. I know how difficult it is for you.”

  “You think everything is difficult,” I said. “But I know this will work.”

  “I’m in,” William said. “It doesn’t sound any crazier than our last few raids.”

  “First we have to get into the city,” Shadow said. “The gates are guarded. Can you get us in, Estrella?”

  She laughed.

  “I can get you anywhere.”

  “Except Lady Alma’s studio,” William said.

  Estrella glared at him.

  “I can get you anywhere worth going. We might get wet, but no one will see us.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  I had seen the sheer cliffs and jagged rocks circling Castlemont from the palace gardens. They did not look climbable.

  Estrella shrugged.

  “I can get us into the harbor, but there will be guards everywhere!”

  “Then you’d better let me worry about the palace.”

  Her nostrils flared. I smiled at her. We were in my territory now.

  We stayed up most of the night discussing details for our raid.

  “What about clothes?” Estrella asked. “We’ll stand out if we go dressed like this.”

  “We’ll be in trouble if we’re seen no matter what we’re wearing,” William said.

  Me especially. I had been lucky so far that no one had recognized me, but what if I ran into someone I knew in the palace? Even with my short hair and peasant clothes, they would surely know my face.

  “With Elsie and Edsel gone, we can’t get court clothes by tomorrow night,” Shadow said. “If we find some in the palace we’ll take them. Otherwise, just stay out of sight.”

  “The only time we’ll be in a main room is when we’re in Lady Alma’s studio, and most courtiers aren’t allowed there,” I said.

  The sun rose before we went to sleep. When I had first come from the palace, I thought that the mat on Elsie and Edsel’s floor was barbaric. Now, with bits of splinters from the floor poking me, the memory of it seemed luxurious. Estrella shook me awake sometime around sunset. I plucked slivers of wood out of my dress until it was time to leave.

  William pulled half a loaf of bread from his pack.

  “Gerta insisted,” he said. “Never risk your life on an empty stomach.”

  I chewed my portion as we followed the Ghone to the sea. The leaves were still green here, and the river bank rustled with grass. Stars reflected in the Ghone, and for once I understood why the poets compared it to my hair. Castlemont’s lights shone through gaps in the trees.

  “Point out the tower with the stairs once you recognize it,” Shadow said. “I need to plan our route.”

  I nodded. Estrella rolled her eyes.

  “How long has the salt tax been abolished?” I asked.

  “King Nicholas removed it years ago, and he renovated the mines in the first year of his reign. Most of the people down there are working off debts or paying for small crimes.”

  “So you think the renovations were a good thing?”

  “Yes. The King added charms to help with the digging so fewer workers could mine the same amount of salt.”

  “I thought you hated the royal family.”

  My family.

  “Salara is detestable. In some ways, the Queen is worse. The King at least tries.”

  “Tries what?”

  “To help people. To make things better.”

  That wasn’t fair. As Princess, I had constantly worked to be better.

  We reached a clearing. I had not realized how near we were to Castlemont. Torchlight flickered. I pointed to a tower.

  “There. The second tallest one.”

  Shadow followed my gaze.

  “It is near the prison,” William said. “That works out well.”

  His face was grim. Estrella looked horrified. Shadow’s face was unreadable.

  “You’re sure that’s the one?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  Estrella put her hand on Shadow’s shoulder.

  “Let’s raid the museum instead. We can break into someone’s country estate. Anything else. You don’t have to do this.”

  “If we wait, Captain will be gone.”

  Estrella tried to wrap her arms around Shadow, but he slid out of her embrace and quickened his step until he was ahead of us. I jogged to join him before Estrella could stop me.

  We walked in silence. I could hear and smell the ocean now. I had missed the familiar rhythm of the waves.

  “Will it be hard to break into the prison?”

  “I know it better than any other part of the palace.”

  “Have you broken in before?”

  “No, but I’ve broken out. We’ll be fine.”

  He didn’t look fine. I grabbed his hand. He flinched, but wrapped his fingers around mine after a moment. I realized what I had done and blushed, but he didn’t let go.

  “We’ll make i
t out,” I said.

  His lips twitched into a small smile.

  We stopped at the ocean shore. Estrella and William caught up with us.

  “Pay attention, and you won’t get too wet,” Estrella said.

  Shadow squeezed my hand and let go. Estrella walked along the coast and climbed under a dock. We followed her, climbing on boards slick with algae. Mist from the waves made everything damp, but the docks were high enough to keep us out of the water.

  Estrella held a finger to her lips and grabbed a rope ladder hanging over the dock. As I climbed it, I realized it hung from a ship. We crossed the ship’s deck. The sailor on guard duty raised his hand to challenge us.

  “It’s me,” Estrella whispered.

  “Oh, good to see you, Strella.”

  He sat and watched the moon while we crossed. Ships crowded together in rows, a few feet of seawater visible between each one. Estrella hopped from deck to deck, circling around the coast until we walked down a gangplank and entered the city. In the upper tiers, spacious gardens surrounded immaculate buildings. By the sea, buildings huddled in rows that stayed upright by leaning on each other like books on a shelf.

  From the tower, the buildings in Lower Castlemont looked tiny. Up close, I was too busy wondering how they stayed together to think about how small they were. Newer patches, less faded than older ones, created a mottled effect.

  “Welcome to the docks,” Estrella said. “Home to sailors on both sides of the law.”

  Two men stumbled out of a building with a bottle painted over the door.

  “Estrella! Long time no see!”

  Estrella waved to them and smiled.

  “I was never here, boys. Got that?”

  “Hey, Joe, Estrella’s not here!”

  Joe stumbled out of the building. Bandages soaked with blood held his arm to his side. He grinned weakly at me.

  “Nice to see you again, Rook.”

  “Joe, what have you done?” Estrella asked. “Did you get my message to Captain?”

  Joe nodded.

  “Thomas brought it to me. Captain sustained some damages after his run in with the Navy. He has to make some repairs before he can sail long distances.”

  He handed Estrella a note. She tucked it into her apron.

  “What about your arm?” I asked.

  “I was helping with repairs and got hit by part of the mast. I don’t suppose you have time to heal it?”