Sonah opened the door of her room and Jenos immediately stepped into her line of sight, a worried frown on his kindly face as he took in her pale countenance and trembling hands.
“Lady? Is everything all right?”
“Jenos,” she started in her breathiest voice, “would you fetch the physician? I am not feeling well.” She threw in a coughing fit to sell the ploy. “Please, hurry.”
“At once, lady,” Jenos rumbled and strode off.
When he’d rounded the corner, Sonah turned back and motioned Lerek forward. He had a large sack slung across his chest, his thick wool cloak hiding his simple tunic and leather jacket. He wore the same grey breeches she’d seen the previous night. Sonah reached out and pulled his hood to cover hiscopper-brown hair. If they were stopped, he’d look like any other Spartan at first glance.
Snatching her cloak from Lerek’s hands, she quickly fastened it and tugged up the hood. With a jerk of her head, Lerek moved out of the room, and Sonah closed the door silently.
They headed down the opposite hallway Jenos had taken, moving swiftly on silent feet, ducking into an alcove to hide from a couple of roving guards. When the hall was clear, they scurried down a few flights of stairs and through corridors leading to the servants’ quarters.
“Wait!” Sonah hissed when Lerek was about to head right into a group of maids carrying empty plates toward the kitchens. She grabbed the back of his cloak and hauled him back, her arm pressed to his chest as she peered out.
“Now,” she whispered, her shoulders hunched as she hurried around the corner. Hidden in a deep recess of the stone wall near the arched doorway leading to the kitchens, an old wood door was the only thing standing between them and freedom.
Sonah pushed the door, cringing when it groaned. She stopped to look over her shoulder, waiting a beat to be sure they hadn’t been discovered. When no one came running, she tugged on Lerek’s sleeve and they slipped through the door.
Not bothering to close it, they ran in a crouch, hugging the stone wall to their right. They followed the wall until they reached a dip and dropped down.
“Where—”
“There’s a ladder a few yards ahead and we can climb up to the top of the wall,” Sonah panted as they moved.
“And then?”
She didn’t answer until they’d reached the ladder. Taking a closer look at it, Sonah worried it wouldn’t bear their weight. Well, maybe hers. She looked from the ladder to Lerek, then back again as she chewed on her lip.
“And then, Sonah?” Lerek prodded, grabbing hold of her arm and giving it a shake.
“Then we drop on the other side,” she hissed.
Without looking at him, she clambered up the ladder. Behind her, she heard Lerek’s muttered curse before he climbed up. Sonah looked down over her shoulder when she heard a gasp and the crack of wood.
“Lerek?”
“I’m fine,” he whispered.
Turning back, Sonah climbed and crouched at the top, waiting. She scooted back so he’d have room to step up.
Sonah’s chest squeezed. Looking down into the black abyss on the other side of the wall, she frowned.
“How far down is it?” Lerek gasped at her side.
She looked up at him to see him scowling down at the endless darkness beyond.
“I… I think not far?”
He shot her a look of disbelief. “What’s that mean? Is it a foot? Two? Ten?”
“I’m not good with distances,” she mumbled. “Or numbers.”
He scoffed.
“Do you have a better idea?” she seethed. “I’ve had a day to scout out an escape route. This is the best I found. It’s not far down. I don’t think the drop will kill us.”
“You don’t—” Lerek sputtered and then cursed under his breath.
