“Leif, I don’t have time! Hunters are getting closer to Baldachin each and every day, according to Tui. I’ve got to get back home, as fast as I can!” My voice is rising with each word, but I can’t help it. Irritation grows with the realization that Leif is asking me to choose between him and my Baldachin family. An impossible choice!
Somehow, he reads my mind again.
“So, are you asking me to choose between my father and you? Is that it? How can I possibly do that?” Leif drops my hands and sticks his in the pockets of his jacket. I know he’s right—how can I ask him to choose me over his father?
Suddenly there’s a wall of ice between us. I so want to find the right words, the ones that will thaw it. But I fall short.
“Yes. I’m leaving with Tui, tonight. You can go with us, or meet up with us later.”
The ice spreads into Leif’s face, through his entire body. “I’ll let you know my decision later. I’m going out for a while.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Leif turns and climbs the ladder out of the cellar. When he’s gone, I uncurl my balled fists and sink back down to the floor.
My chest hurts. The last thing I want is for Leif to be angry with me. Or jealous of Tui. Especially when I might not see him again for a very long time. I hold myself together, but it’s a difficult struggle.
There’s no way to win this one. Somebody is going to lose. I have a deep feeling it’s going to be me.
As Tui and I pack up to go, I find the main advantage of the full skirt: I can conceal Fortissima within its folds. Having such a sword out in the open would surely draw attention from the Hunters we’re likely to encounter tonight, and we’ve got to do all we can to lay low. I fill my small pack with some food, and Tui fills his larger one with more food and blankets. We each have a leather bladder of water. Rosie has a small bag with her things: her favorite doll, a change of clothes, and one of her mother’s handkerchiefs. I’ve noticed she takes it out every now and then to smell it, breathing in her mother’s scent.
Imogen returns from checking outside. She’s got a small smile on her face, and I can tell she’s concealing news of some sort. “It’s nearly dark. Time for you three to be off.” There are wishes of good luck and safe travels from the others in the darkness, and then Tui, Rosie, and I climb the ladder and make our way through the dim cottage above.
When Tui holds the front door open, I nearly fall over at what I see.
Leif is waiting right outside the garden gate. He’s standing tall in his stolen Hunter’s coat, holding a horse’s lead in each hand. One horse is black, the other a shimmering gray. They’re our beloved horses: Pearl and Pango.
I drop my pack in the doorway and run through the small yard, crashing through the gate. I grab Pearl’s muzzle in my hands and kiss her all over. “Oh, girl! I can’t believe it’s you! You’re alive!” I look over at Leif, his face is still icy. “Where did you find them?”
“I found them a few days ago. Poking around in Araroa’s south stables. I knew it was them straight away. They’ve obviously been well treated.”
Tears drip down my nose. I was certain our horses would be killed after Araroa caught Tui and me months ago. Or tortured. Just to spite us. I can’t believe Leif found them, well fed and cared for too. Pearl shines more brightly than when I last saw her, that dreadful day I was taken from her, blindfolded.
Tui’s standing a few feet away, holding both our packs. Staring. Leif closes the distance between them with two steps and hands him Pango’s lead.
“Here you go, mate. Godspeed.”
Tui clasps Leif on the shoulder. Leif stiffens. “I’ll take care of your girl. I promise. We’ll see you soon.” I hope it’s only me who sees Leif flinch.
Leif takes my pack from Tui and returns to where I’m still caressing Pearl’s muzzle. He speaks so only I’m sure to hear.
“I still don’t like this, Raven, not at all. You are choosing Tui over me.”
“I can’t believe you’d say that. It’s not true. You are welcome to come with us. I want you to come with us. I’m sure we can find another horse for you—”
“That’s not the point,” Leif hisses. “Besides, what kind of family would the four of us make? Your plan doesn’t include me.”
I’m at a loss for words. I don’t think there’s anything I could say to make Leif understand that I’m not choosing Tui. I’m choosing everyone: Tui, my family, even Leif. I’m certain he’ll find Nile and we’ll be together, and soon.
“You’re not being fair,” I finally say.
“And you’re not being rational. Besides, you should be in hiding, if anything. Imogen will keep you safe. You have no idea what’s out there.”
His condescending tone is the final straw. “No. I don’t. But I’ve got to do something. Not sit underground and do nothing but wait for who knows what. I don’t care how good the food is.” I snatch my pack from him, throw it over my shoulder, and swing myself onto Pearl’s back. “Find Nile, send word, and I’ll meet you. Promise me.”
Leif looks up at me. The ice in his face is melting, now dripping with hurt and fear. “I promise. I’ll find you.”
He grasps my hand and kisses it, then turns away and goes back into the cottage.
Suddenly my heart drops to my feet. I didn’t know it would be this difficult to be apart, again. Surely I’m doing the right thing. For my family.
For Leif and me, though? That I’m not certain of at all. And what if he’s right? I suppress that thought immediately—otherwise I’d never be able to leave.
I motion for Rosie to come closer. Her eyes are huge as she gingerly touches Pearl’s nose. Imogen helps her climb up, and I settle her down in front of me.
“Good luck, m’lady. I’m sure Leif will understand. I do. I hope he does find Nile, but in any event, he’ll find his way to you.”
“Thank you, Imogen, for all you’ve done. After I’m sure my family is safe, and I’ve met up with Leif, then we’ll be back. And I’ll think about what we were talking about—about leading. I will have an answer for you, I swear it.”
“I’m sure you will, and I look forward to your return.” She hesitates, as if there’s more she wants to say. But she doesn’t say anything further about it. “Well, off with you. Best be gone before dark when the night patrols start.” She touches Pearl on the neck, bows her head, turns back toward the cottage.
I turn Pearl in the other direction, toward the western Bastion gates.
We don’t hurry through the darkening streets of the Bastion. To do so would mean certain notice. Tui and I walk the horses, slow and steady. With them, we have to stick to the main streets, as the side ones are too narrow.
But I can sense Pearl’s eagerness to move faster. I touch her silky mane and wonder who took such good care of her over these past months. Pango is shimmering, too, in the lamplight. Both our horses look better than they ever have. Somebody must have known.
Rosie yawns. “We’ll rest once we’re out into the open,” I whisper into her ear. She silently nods her head, sending her curls bouncing. I adjust her small woolen cloak that has fallen open. The temperature is dropping quickly now that it’s dark.
I’ve noticed something very strange. I ride up so I’m next to Tui.
“Where is everybody?” At least half of the windows we pass are dark. It’s not that late. I’d expect families to still be finishing up their suppers at this hour.
Tui shrugs his shoulders. “Gone, I guess. A lot of people have been arrested. But I’ve also heard many have fled. Trying to keep their families … intact.” I catch him glancing over at Rosie. I wonder how many other children there are like her now, without their parents and siblings.
It’s not only commoners we’re not seeing, but Hunters too. Just as well. The last thing I need is to be stopped and questioned. Tui and I don’t have much of a plan, other than to hopefully slip unnoticed out the gates and into freedom beyond.
Before we know it, the wes
tern gates come into view. It also becomes clear that our luck may be over. The gates are closed tight, the whole area crawling with violet-coated Hunters. We stop in an alley to consider our options.
“Do you know the password?” Tui jokes.
“Ha ha. Very funny, as usual. No, unfortunately I have no idea. Imogen said the gates don’t close until dark.”
“I think it’s dark.”
“Clearly, it’s dark. Do we wait until morning?”
“Gods no, the sooner we get through those gates, the better.” Tui’s right: I can’t spend another hour in this dreadful city. Besides, every hour delayed is another hour the Hunters move closer to Baldachin. The very thought makes me wish Pearl could ride the entire way without stopping … but I know we’ll be on the trail for weeks, at best.
Rosie turns her head so she’s looking into my face. Her eyes sparkle with excitement. She’s not afraid. Which is good—because I sure am. I have no desire to be this close to the King’s Hunters. Especially knowing they are tasked with no other job than to find and capture me.
“Most of them will go away soon,” Rosie whispers. “They will be called to dinner, and only a couple of them will stay here.”
“How do you know all this?”
She grins mischievously. “I have my ways.”
I laugh and ruffle her hair. This kid is pretty funny.
“Well,” she continues, “we know when all the food is served. There’s always extra. For the Hunters, that is.”
Sure enough, a few minutes later, the clang of the supper bell rings out from the Palace, and all of the Hunters depart except for two.
“That increases our odds anyway,” Tui says. “Two of them, two and a half of us.” Rosie gives him a pretend scowl. He submits. “Okay, two and three-quarters.”
She winks at him. “That’s better.”
“So—how are we going to get rid of these two?” I’m thinking aloud, but my companions remain silent. I watch the Hunters walk back and forth in front of the closed gates. “I bet they’re hungry,” I say, a plan niggling in my mind.
“I bet they’re starving,” Tui agrees.
“Let’s find out.” I nudge Pearl to start her moving toward the gates. My hand drifts to the hilt of Fortissima, still concealed in the folds of my skirt.
When we come into view, the Hunters stop their pacing and look at us in disbelief.
“Who goes there?” one calls out.
“Nobody,” I reply. “And nobody is ordering you to open these gates.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I cannot do that. We have strict orders to not let anyone through after dark. Not unless they have permission from the King.”
I take a deep breath. I have no idea if this will work or not, but it’s the only way out I can think of. I start to draw Fortissima from her sheath, then hesitate.
If I do this, King Araroa will know I’ve left the Bastion. He’ll know I’m on my way to Baldachin.
He’ll know he’s failed to catch me. Again.
So I do it: I pull Fortissima fully from her sheath, whipping her around so the tip is resting on the nearest Hunter’s throat. “Your dinner is ready.”
His throat bobs as he gulps. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right to the dining hall.”
“You too,” I say, swinging Fortissima toward the second Hunter—this one’s quite young, probably not even fifteen yet. He’s looking wide-eyed at Tui, who’s pulled a very long knife from his coat, and has it pointed at the kid too.
“You heard the woman. Go—eat,” Tui orders. The young Hunter nods silently, then scurries toward his partner and grabs his coat, pulling him away.
We can still hear their footsteps echoing on the stones when Tui hops down off Pango and pulls one of the gates open, wide enough so I can ride through. He leads Pango through it, then closes it behind us.
I look behind me at the Bastion gate, and a vision of Leif flashes through my mind, still inside there. Probably in the underground cellar with Imogen and the others. Angry with me for leaving him behind. I feel like I’ve wounded him, this time. It all feels too real now. What if Nile has been killed and Leif’s efforts to find him are for naught? What if Leif is captured too? I was so sure before I was doing the right thing. But now …
Leif is right about me choosing Tui. But I’m also choosing my home and my family.
I force the doubt from my mind and turn toward the road before us. It slices through the western moor, empty. Above us lies a clear, starry sky. Tui’s mounted Pango, and I can tell he’s ready too.
“Let’s get out of here,” I say, giving Pearl a gentle kick. We’re off at a run, leaving the Bastion gates far behind us.
I don’t look back for a long time. Pearl and I run so fast that tears pour from my eyes, flying behind me. Mostly from the wind.
When I do look behind me, the Bastion is completely dark, like it’s not even there. But when the moon rises before us, I turn and look again. This time I can just make out the walls around Araroa’s city. Silver. Ghostly. It looks like a giant grave.
Tui and Pango run beside Pearl, Rosie, and me. Our horses are strong, easily keeping the hard pace up. All our eyes are on the forest ahead where we can stop and rest for a few hours. I know Rosie will need to sleep. I’m not sure I’ll be able to until we reach Baldachin. But I must.
We ride for another hour. It’s a huge relief when we reach the other side of the moonlit moor and the road snakes into the cover of the trees.
I’m glad to have that moor behind us for more than one reason: the last time I saw it was the worst day of my life, when I’d found out Leif had been leading me to the Hunters—what had been Queen Seraphine’s idea. When they’d taken me away to Araroa’s dungeon. When I never thought I’d see anyone I loved ever again.
We leave the road and make our way through the trees. When we’re well hidden, we find a spot to camp until dawn.
Tui makes a small fire while I settle Rosie down in a blanket. Her head had been bobbing for the last part of our ride; as soon as I tuck her in, she closes her eyes and falls asleep. How I wish I’ll be able to rest so easily.
I boil some water in a small pot. When it’s ready, Tui and I settle close to the fire to drink our tea. And plan.
“Do you really think we’ll be able to make it along the main road?” I ask him. This was the plan Tui and I had talked about earlier in the evening. “Won’t there be heaps of Hunters?”
Tui takes a slow sip of tea. “It’s the way I returned to Baldachin when you left for Nuimana. Would have taken the main route again had I not run into the bearcats and they offered to give me a ride. That was way faster!” He grins from the memory of ripping through the forest on Cecil’s back. But then his face grows serious again. “And yes, we’ll meet a lot of Hunters. They have various checkpoints set up on the main roads—one’s coming up very soon. We could always go the way we came, I suppose, over Zenith …”
“No. We don’t have time. We wouldn’t have to worry about snowstorms at this time of year, I guess—it was nearly winter the last time we crossed the peak—but still. It would take too long.”
“It would,” Tui agrees. We both know the Hunters are likely taking the fastest route toward Baldachin. Burning and killing as they go.
“Besides, no way am I leaving Pearl behind again,” I say. “Speaking of, what’s happened to Catriona?” The last time I saw her was on that moor as well.
“She’s doing fine,” Tui replies. “I think. I mean, the last time I saw her she was …” His voice has an odd tone, and I look over to study his face. A dreamy shadow has crossed over it.
“No way!”
“What?”
“You two?”
“Well …”
I punch his arm, grinning at him. “Good for you!”
But he’s shaking his head vehemently. “No, no. We’re not a ‘two’ anything. Although … okay, I admit I wouldn’t mind being that. If I could find her, that is.”
“Where’s she been
?”
Tui looks around into the darkness. Which is funny, because we’re definitely alone out here. Still, he whispers. “Catriona’s been running messages around. Between the groups of Treasoners living around the kingdom. Long before Araroa stopped any official mail. Nobody would use that anyway. Not for this type of communication.”
“Where is she now? And why didn’t they have her send Miss Lilith’s warning to me? Why you?”
Tui scratches his head, ruffling his wild black hair even more. “We haven’t seen her in weeks. So I volunteered. Besides”—he’s looking at me with a grin again—“I’m the only one you’d listen to.”
“I didn’t listen to you.”
“Of course you didn’t.”
I change back to the most interesting subject at hand. “You are hoping to find Catriona too.”
Tui nods. “That would be a bonus. But I swear to you, Raven,” he quickly adds, “getting us back to Baldachin to warn everyone is my goal. Although I’m kind of nervous, I’ll admit, at what Miss Lilith’s going to do to me when she sees I’ve brought you back. I’m supposed to be seeing you off on a ship to Nuimana.”
“I think she’ll forgive you.”
“I know she will.” Tui pats my leg. “Let’s get some sleep, m’lady. We’ve got a long day of traveling tomorrow.”
We spread out our bedrolls on either side of Rosie and tuck ourselves in.
“Happy dreams, Tui.”
“You too, Raven.” My eyes are closed, but I can hear the smile in his voice.
Tui and Catriona. Who would have thought?
Chapter 9
Leif
I’d sworn to myself that I wasn’t going to watch. I wasn’t going to watch as Raven and Tui rode off together, away from here. Away from me.
But of course I do. I follow them all the way to the western Bastion gates. Making my way along the side roads, I watch as Raven rides atop her silver horse. The sight makes my knees weak. She is so beautiful. So powerful, and she doesn’t even know it. One of her hands grips the horse’s reins, and the other is holding the girl’s shoulder in front of her tenderly. It makes something in my chest hurt.
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