From Darkness Won (46 page)

“Sorry ’bout your necklace, my lady,” Harnu said. “I didn’t think we should pick a fight just then.”

“You were wise, Master Poe, though it would not hurt you to be more protective of your wife.” She reached into her neckline and pulled out the ring. “Fortunately I am not as shapely as Gren.” Averella blushed, shocked at her words. Since when did she say such forward things?

Gren’s lips parted. “Achan’s ring? They almost took it?”

“Arman did not let them. Gren, do you have some twine that I might use to put it back around my neck?”

“Of course.”

As Gren busied herself looking for twine, Averella took in their surroundings. The courtyard—which had been filled with merchants and animals the last time she was here—was deserted. The horses’ hooves and wagon wheels clacked over the cobblestone. “It must be a late hour.”

“Which way to the stables, my lady?” Noam asked.

“To the right of the fountain, past the temple.”

The wagon turned sharply. Averella gripped the side and stared at the fountain. What once had been a beautiful cascade of water over the sculpture of the Mahanaim justice scales now oozed dark slime. She wrinkled her nose and turned toward the temple of Dâthos.

The circular colonnade filled the northeastern corner of the courtyard. The black and white banners hung limp, moist from the stale air of Darkness.

Noam stopped the wagon at the stables. Harnu got down and quickly bartered a trade with the stablemaster.

“Any of them boats down there’ll do.” The stablemaster gestured toward narrow stone steps that led down to the canals. “You want to put up your horses, it will cost you extra.”

Noam unharnessed the horses, but Harnu said, “Leave ’em to me. You and the women carry the supplies to the boat. I’ll meet you there.” He and the stablemaster each led a horse inside the stables.

Noam stood staring after them.

Averella set her hand against his arm. “He is taking his role to heart, is he not, Master Fox? Come, I am sure all will be well. Can you carry the larger pack?”

The stairs leading down to the water were lit so poorly they could hardly see. They moved slowly down them until they reached a stone pier that stretched along a murky canal under the courtyard above. Dozens of small wooden boats were tethered along the pier. The occasional torch reflected off the dark water. On the end of the pier, to the far right of the stronghold, the canal turned and snaked between a city of buildings.

They loaded their gear into the nearest boat and stood beside it, waiting for Harnu to return.

“What about the horses?” Noam asked.

“They will be fine in the stables,” Averella said. “We will do as the guards suggested: we will rent a room and plan what to do next.” Her words were more confident than she felt.
Arman, show us the way.

Gren paced along the waterfront. Noam stood at the foot of the stairs, staring up. Averella sat in the boat, rocking gently in the canal.

A man yelled in the distance. A burst of orange flame arched overhead and landed on the thatched roof of a three story high building. A woman screamed.

Another cluster of arrows, tips ablaze, passed over the sentry wall and hissed as they sank into the canal. Armor jangled above as guards ran to duty. Voices split the silent night.

“From the east.”

“It’s the Pawn King!”

“Guard your thoughts, for he can enter your mind faster than Darkness.”

Averella smiled, amused at this embellishment of Achan’s gifts. But her amusement changed her smile to a frown. For what did she truly know of Prince Gidon’s gifts? And since when did she feel comfortable calling him Achan? It was as
i
f her heart knew something her mind hadn’t yet learned. Or remembered.

Another sprinkling of fiery arrows fell from the sky.

“He should be back by now!” Gren said.

Averella reached for Harnu’s mind.
Master Poe, are you well?

My lady! The stronghold’s under attack. Soldiers have set up a siege engine in front of the stairs. I cannot reach you. I’ll find you later.

Very well, Master Poe. Fare you well.

An arrow landed in the boat. Gren screamed. Noam clambered into the tiny craft and tossed his pack on the arrow, snuffing the flame.

“Into the boat.” Averella stood to help Gren into the craft.

Gren looked over her shoulder at the staircase. “What about Harnu?”

“He is trapped at the moment, as will we be if we do not move now. Come, Master Poe will find us later.”

Averella pulled Gren into the boat.

Noam helped her sit, then loosed the tether and pushed the boat away from the wall. He sat in the middle, facing the women, and started to row. “Where shall I take us?”

Averella took in their surroundings again. Now that they were on the water, something about this canal felt familiar. “Out into the city.”

An explosion of rock cracked overhead. Averella hunched down moments before a massive splash surged their boat forward. Pebbles and water rained over her head.

Noam rowed faster. The canal twisted and turned around buildings, some burning, some dark as if their residents were still asleep.

“My lady!” Noam said. “’Tis a fork. Which way?”

Averella studied the paths before them. “Left.”

Noam paddled the boat down the left canal. Averella’s heart thudded. Torchlight was scarce now. Darkness fell heavily upon them. She nudged Gren. “The lantern. Quickly.”

Gren fiddled with the lantern. A rotting yellowstone building loomed ahead. The lantern burst aflame, spilling golden light over the boat.

“Straight ahead, Master Fox. Through that hole in the wall.”

“My lady, are you certain?”

“Yes, though perhaps we should duck.”

Averella tucked her head between her knees. Gren screamed. The temperature dropped suddenly and all was black but the light in their boat. Averella picked up the lantern and held it over her head. “Slow down, Master Fox. There will be some turns ahead. I just cannot remember… There!” Averella pointed to a narrow crack in another wall. “Through that opening.”

Noam steered the craft through. The left side of the boat scraped against the stone wall.

Averella’s skin crawled at the sound. She quickly scanned the walls. “Slightly right, through the gap that looks like the letter M.”

Noam mumbled, “I don’t know my letters, my lady.”

“Never mind that.” Averella set her hand on his shoulder and pointed. “It looks like the flapping wings of a bird.”

“I see it.” Noam rowed them through the opening.

“How do you know where we are going?” Gren asked.

“I have been here before. This path leads to the dungeons. There!” She pointed to a stony ledge that ran along a wall to their distant left. “Stop the boat there.”

Noam obeyed. He found a peg to anchor the boat to, and the three of them got out. It was silent, as if all was well above the castle.

Averella took the lantern from Gren and made her way along the wall until her fingers found a gaping crack in the stone.

She slipped inside and followed a narrow tunnel. Rock and minerals drowned the bitter smell as they moved away from the water and up a jagged stairwell carved from rock.

An orange glow lit a narrow crack ahead. Averella set the lantern down. “We shall leave this for our return.” She inched between two wall-sized rocks. Voices came to her mind. Flashes from a different time, spoken here, in this same cave.

“What did the letter say?” Achan asked.

“You never read it?”
Averella’s voice, raspy and strange in her memory.

“I meant to, but I didn’t want Gidon to catch me.”

“I cannot remember it word for word, but—”

“She can’t spell.”

“I noticed.”

Achan sucked in a deep breath. “Tell me.”

“Well, she said you were her true Kingsguard knight. She wanted you to run away from the prince. She wanted to marry you and not
…
Riga, was it? She loves you.”

He blew out a sigh. “Figured it was something like that.”

“Why did you throw it away?”

Achan’s feet shuffled. “Because it didn’t matter what she wrote. It changes nothing.”

Averella’s stomach tightened. “How can you say that? It must have broken her heart to write those words. You should have cherished it.”

He scoffed. “So I can read it again and again, dragging myself through the memories? That would be torture. Sparrow, you should have been born a woman.”

Averella bit her lip, then shoved Achan, figuring that was what a boy would do when called a woman. She chose her next words carefully. “What’s wrong with remembering?”

“It hurts, that’s what. And I want to forget. That’s why I tossed it.”

“My lady!” someone whispered, angry, like a hushed yell.

She blinked away from the past and met Noam’s brown eyed gaze. “Forgive me, Master Fox.” She pointed out the crack. “This corridor passes between two half flights of stairs that separate the first and second dungeon levels. We are already past the gate. We must watch for guards who might be patrolling. Are you ready?”

“Suppose I’ll have to be,” Noam said.

“Gren, wait here. If anything should happen, go back for Master Poe.”

“As if I could find my way out of that maze. I’m coming with you. I’ll pretend to be Sir Rigil’s sister.”

Averella choked back a laugh. The very idea of this peasant girl being mistaken for Lady Viola…

“That’s a good idea,” Noam said. “But Lady Averella would be more convincing, don’t you think? Do you know whether Sir Rigil has siblings, my lady?”

“Well, yes. His elder sister is married to my cousin. She is not much older than I am. I suppose I might pass as her. Sir Rigil also has a half-brother, my
fath
…” A gust of knowledge rushed through Averella. Her father was Sir Rigil’s half-brother. When had she learned this?

“Think I could pretend to be the brother?” Noam asked. “What is his name?”

“Sir Eagan Elk. I don’t think it would be wise to claim to be him, Master Fox. He is in his late forties and is a famous knight from King Axel’s reign.” Averella took a deep breath. These sudden memories made her feel like a woman in the Veil, floating between two realities. “I shall be Lady Viola. And since you are dressed as such, you both will be my servants. First let me call to Master Rennan. Perhaps he can help us find his cell sooner.”

Master Rennan? We are in the dungeons of Mahanaim, past the guard. Can you tell me where your cell is?

How in all Er’Rets did you get past the guard?

Never mind that. We must make haste.

Of course. Well, once you are past the guard, turn left at the foot of the stairs. Follow that corridor to the corner, turn right, and go to the end of the next corridor. Our cell is on the right. I shall watch for you.