“You’re doing great, Sonah,” he said, touching her arm. Her hair hung in limp, dirty clumps, shielding her face when she turned away. Croak moved closer to Rydon, hoping to get a better look at his sister when Gabriol’s head appeared.
“Clear,” he said. He held out his arms as Rydon shifted Terena, transferring her to Gabriol. After Gabriol pulled Terena out, Rydon hoisted himself up and out of the sewer, then leaned back down. “Croak, you’re next.”
“What about?—”
“Easier to help the others if you’re up here too.”
“Good thinking,” Croak mumbled. He reached up to clasp Rydon’s outstretched hand, yelping when he was yanked up.
“Sonah.”
Sonah was already waiting below the hole, and reached up when Rydon poked his head down.
Croak moved to help her. Moving her a few feet away to where Gabriol was settling Terena, Croak dropped to the ground beside him. “Easy, easy.”
“Cleric, come on,” Rydon urged. Croak ran back and dropped beside Rydon.
Orry stumbled over and stretched up his arms. Rydon lifted him out, with Croak pulling on his friend until he was up on the lip of the hole. “You gotta lose some weight, brother,” Croak groused.
Rydon stood and strode over to scoop up Terena in his arms. Croak let out a long breath and raked his hands through his hair.
Gabriol had his arm around Sonah, water trickling down her chin onto Croak’s cloak. She must have gotten a drink from the creek. Orry, too, was now standing, his hands wet as he wiped water from his mouth.
Gabriol whistled, and a boy of around ten came out of the woods across the water, holding the reins of a pair of horses. Rydon crossed the creek with Gabriol close behind, lifting Sonah over the water. Croak went to Orry to see if he needed help. Orry shook his head, patting Croak on the shoulder, and they both crossed the stream.
“What the fuck? Only two horses?” Croak whined.
“Another boy is waiting with horses a mile that way,” Rydon answered, gesturing somewhere to his left. You know the woods near Baldana?” Rydon asked Croak as he mounted his horse. Gabriol then lifted Terena high enough Rydon caught her and positioned her in front of him in the saddle. Croak’s lips thinned when he saw she was still out.
“Croak?” Rydon prodded.
“What? Yes. Yeah, I know them. Just past Dawn Lake.”
“Right,” Rydon said with a quick nod. “You and Orry meet us there. Stick to the trees until you get your horses and do not, whatever you do, do not take the Greek roads. They’ll have soldiers all over them.”
Gabriol leaned down and motioned for Sonah to take his hand. Her lips parted but didn’t say a word as she took his hand and mounted behind him.
Rydon turned his horse and rode off, Gabriol right behind him.
Croak watched them take off, then turned to Orry. “Just us now, kid.”
Orry bent over and puked.
Sonah wasn’tsure how long they rode before stopping at the edge of a lake. She looked across at Terena, still unconscious in the arms of the big man who had helped Croak in their rescue.
Gabriol, the other man, swung a leg over his horse, then reached up to help Sonah dismount. He was taller than his friend, his dark blond hair braided and pulled back in a leather tie, blue eyes flashing up at her as he gently settled her on the ground. When he lifted his hand to drag across his mouth and short beard, she noticed he had rings on almost every finger.
Sonah loosed a shaky breath and wiped her sweaty palms on her tattered chemise, cheeks flaming. She tugged the edges of her borrowed cloak tighter around her and walked on stiff legs toward Terena.
“Is she…” Sonah couldn’t finish her question, but when she lifted her eyes to the other man—Rydon, Croak had called him—he gave her a grim smile.
“She lives,” he said, his voice deep and rough.
Sonah nodded, glancing back to see Gabriol coming back after tethering his horse.
“We rest until her brother arrives,” Rydon added gruffly. Sonah watched Gabriol reach up to take Terena from Rydon’s arms.
He carried her to the water’s edge and laid her gently on theground. Sonah cradled her arms at her chest and hunched down at Terena’s side.
