Part 36 (2/2)
Averella smiled, amused at this embellishment of Achan's gifts. But her amus.e.m.e.nt 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 if 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 ca.n.a.l felt familiar. ”Out into the city.”
An explosion of rock cracked overhead. Averella hunched down moments before a ma.s.sive splash surged their boat forward. Pebbles and water rained over her head.
Noam rowed faster. The ca.n.a.l 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 ca.n.a.l. 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 sc.r.a.ped 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.”
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