“WHERE’S ASHER?”
MIRA glanced up from where she was sharpening Foebane. “He’s gone out to collect supplies.” Her gaze traveled over to the window. The shutters were open, letting in a damp breeze that ruffled the white hawk’s feathers. Last night’s storm had spent itself, and the day had been grey and cold. Outdoors, the last of the light was fading from the sky. “He needs to hurry up … we should go as soon as it’s dark enough.”
Across the room, Ninia had been neatly folding items of clothing before placing them inside her pack. Unlike Mira, who merely stuffed her belongings into her pack, the princess liked to keep her possessions in order. Finishing her task, the girl perched on the edge of the bed, her gaze settling upon her companion.
Mira ignored her for a while, focusing on running the whetstone along the edge of her blade. However, when the princess’s stare became uncomfortable she looked up, frowning. “What is it?”
“Do you think he’s handsome?”
Mira huffed. She should have seen this question coming; she’d noted the way Ninia gazed at the enchanter. “Aye,” she answered, “and he knows it.”
Ninia gave a soft sigh, ignoring her sarcasm. “He saved me.”
“He did,” Mira replied, her frown deepening, “but that doesn’t mean we should trust him. We don’t know this man. He just appeared from nowhere with a story about how he’s been sent to help you. We should be careful.”
Ninia’s brow furrowed. “Why don’t you like him?”
Mira shrugged. “Because I’m not a fool who’s too easily swayed by a pretty face.”
Ninia flushed at that.
The door swung open behind her then, and Asher stepped into the attic. He bent his head, just in time to avoid cracking his skull on the low ceiling, and tossed a heavy cloth bag on the bed. “Evening,” he greeted them.
Mira turned, her gaze traveling over him. “I take it you have everything?”
He nodded. “I’ve got enough supplies for a few days at least. Once we get across the border, there will be villages where we can restock.”
Mira continued to observe him, noting the tension in his broad shoulders and jaw. “What is it?” she asked, rising to her feet and sheathing her sword.
“They’re stepping up their search,” he replied. “You can’t go two yards without nearly colliding with a soldier. They’re now going from inn to inn. We’ll need to be careful tonight.”
A mist settled over the shoreline of the lake, trailing its smoky tendrils through the network of piers and walkways of Thornmere. It was a windless night. The muffled sounds of conversation and the clink of crockery echoed out from behind shutters and doors.
Three cloaked figures made their way through the darkened walkways illuminated only by the faint, red-gold glow of the occasional lantern. The fog was their ally tonight, a welcome shroud that aided their passage.
Asher led the way, his gaze scanning his surroundings. Trout Walk was on the other side of town to his lodgings, and unfortunately their path would take them down Broad Walk for a spell. He didn’t want to gather the Light, for he needed to conserve his energy for the task that still awaited him. Yet getting to their destination unnoticed would be difficult otherwise.
There would be more lanterns upon Broad Walk. They wouldn’t be able to hide in the shadows.
The three of them turned onto Thornmere’s main thoroughfare, and up ahead he spied the outlines of men approaching through the drifting mist. Asher glanced back at his two companions. “Walk closer … get in right behind me. I’m going to try and make our passing less obvious.”
Neither woman questioned him; even Mira for once held her tongue. Instead, they did as bid, quickening their stride so that they walked at his heels. He felt a tug on the back of his cloak as one of them took hold of it.
Asher flexed his right hand, feeling a heat build in his palm, and as they passed under a lantern he gathered the Light. His gift wasn’t as strong at night, and unlike those of the Dark, he couldn’t beckon the shadows to shield them. Instead, he used the lantern light to harness the mist.
It swirled in close, shrouding them in white and blocking the rest of the walkway from view.
A few moments later the sounds of men’s voices reached them. Asher heard them cursing the thick mist and allowed himself a tight smile. Good.
Farther down Broad Walk, he was forced to lower the shroud—for he risked missing the turn off into Trout Walk otherwise. However, there were no soldiers here, and they passed unmolested into the walkway.
At the edge of the wharf, Asher halted and turned back to his companions. Luck was with them for now; this area looked deserted. Yet they had to move fast before a patrol spotted them.
“We climb down here,” he said, keeping his voice low, “and then we swim to the boat I’ve got moored under the pier.”
Both the women’s faces tightened at that. “You know I can’t swim,” Mira muttered.
“I can’t either,” Ninia added. The girl’s face was a pale oval in the mist, her eyes dark.
Asher swallowed a sigh. “You’ll have to wait for me at the bottom of the pillar,” he replied. “I’ll bring the boat round.”
Neither of his companions looked keen to climb down the slippery pillar, but as this was the only way out of town they didn’t argue with him. Asher went first, sucking in a breath as he sank into the icy water.
Moments later Mira and Ninia joined him, clinging like squirrels to the support.
“Hurry up,” Mira hissed at him. “This water’s freezing.”
Asher struck away from the pillar and swam under the huge pier. The darkness was deeper under here, save for the arrows of light darting down from the gaps in the planks above.
Treading water, Asher gathered the Light once more, drawing those pale streams of light onto his palm to illuminate his way. For a few long moments he lost his bearings and couldn’t remember where he’d left the boat. Even with the light glowing on his palm, the shadows around him were deep. He glanced around, panic rising.
Someone’s taken it.
His gaze slid over the darkness, straining to catch sight of his boat. A moment later he loosed a relieved breath when he spotted the craft’s dark outline.
Thank the shadows.
He swam to the boat, untied it, and towed it back to where Mira and Ninia waited. He swam as silently as he could, yet on this still night noise seemed to travel. Every splash thundered in his ears, and he tensed, waiting for the sound of shouts, of heavy booted feet heading their way.
None came.
Getting Mira and Ninia onto the boat without making any noise proved difficult as well. Ninia lacked the upper-body strength to heave herself up, and so Asher had to help her. Mira did manage to pull herself in, but then fell into the bottom of the boat with a loud thud.
Asher made a hissing sound between his clenched teeth, and all three of them froze. The thud had echoed like a drum in the mist.
Long moments passed and still no sound of approaching soldiers reached them.
Climbing in last, Asher positioned himself in the center of the row boat, picked up the oars, and gently pushed the craft away from the edge of the wharf. He dared not try to row, not yet, for the splash of the oars would carry.
The sound of drunken laughter reached him then, followed by the heavy tread of someone approaching. Craning his neck up, Asher heard the rumble of a man’s voice, before the feminine lilt of his companion chimed in.
Asher gripped hold of the oars and gently propelled the boat backwards once more. He could see the outline of two figures above him now, as the couple embraced.
Don’t look down.
They didn’t, for the pair were too engrossed in each other to notice the small craft that slid through the still water into the mist.
Asher let out a long breath. Their luck had held.
Time drew out, and eventually they rowed out into the lake, leaving the mist behind.
Mira leaned forward, her eyes straining in the darkness. There was a full moon tonight. It broke through the swirling mist overhead, illuminating the surface of the lake, the boat, and her companions in silvery iridescence.
“Do you know which way you’re heading?” she asked.
“Aye, I'm using the moon to guide me,” Asher replied, “although I can’t guarantee where exactly we’ll land along the northern coast.”
Mira fell silent. Her relief at leaving Thornmere was almost giddying. Finally after all these months she was moving again. Right now she didn’t care where they were headed, just as long as they weren’t traveling back to that town—as long as she was free.
Free … not yet, but I will be soon.
The enchanter had done as promised so far. He’d gotten them out of Thornmere—and if he managed to get them across the border as well, she might rethink her opinion of him.
Her thoughts turned to the future then. What would she do with the remainder of the gold she carried? Even though she’d spent some it during the past few months there was still enough for her to build a new life.
Where will I go?
She hadn’t the faintest idea. All she cared about was severing her ties with her past. Soon she’d be able to make a fresh start, to rewrite the story of her life.
The thought made her feel strangely tense. She wasn’t sure where to begin.
The journey continued, the monotony broken only by the rasp of their breathing and the rhythmic splash of the oars. And the farther they edged north, the more Mira relaxed.
Her gaze shifted to Asher’s outline as he rowed up ahead. She still didn’t trust him, but for the moment he was proving useful. Mira had been looking for an excuse to leave Ninia, and until now her conscience had prevented her.
A conscience she hadn’t even known she had.
But with Ninia left in Asher’s hands, Mira’s obligation to the girl would end.
I’ll leave them as soon as we cross the border.
Mira continued to study Asher’s silhouette, her gaze lingering upon the width of his shoulders, the smooth motion of his rowing. His hood had fallen back, and the moonlight glinted silver on his long pale hair.
Mira watched the enchanter, entranced. Her strong physical reaction to Asher disturbed her. It was a distraction she didn’t need. Yet there was still something about him that made her instincts sharpen. He held himself back. That morning she’d caught him watching Ninia with a look in his eyes that made her wary.
Keep focused, she warned herself. We’re not out of danger yet.
She’d wait till they were over the border before she started making plans.