Her words do nothing to soothe me. My mind replays the caravan. Losing Elora and Galen. I can’t lose my mother too. The Stones. It’s all so much, the cramped space of the room closes in on me and?—
“Come sit.” Tallulah turns and leads us to a pair of chairs. Books are piled high onto a small table and a knit blanket is folded neatly on the ground. How many times has she visited this space? And for how long? She grabs a few of the books before taking a seat.
I join her at the table. She hands me a book with a smile. I take it but my eyes keep drifting to the door. Above us has quieted, no more shouts or boots scurrying back and forth so my shoulders relax. Must be nothing, just as she said.
I thumb through the pages of the book, the words all bleeding together. Giving up, I place it back on the table and stretch my arms and legs. I try not to think about my mother being cramped into a similar room, the Stones now placed in her protection when they should be with me. I try not to think about being underground. I try not to focus on how little air there is down here or how dark it is even with the small lantern.
Breathe, Sam.
Before my mind can shift to a dark place, more shouts erupt above us. Louder and more intense than last time. Tallulah jumps to her feet and her abruptness has my heart racing.
Not just an ordinary visitor, then.
“We need to help.” I head for the door without waiting for her to answer. “Jarek and my mother are up there and if something is wrong?—”
Tallulah grabs my arm again.
“It’s not safe.” Her eyes are wide, and I’ve forgotten, for a moment, that she isn’t like me. She wasn’t raised in a protectedvillage with parents who cared for her. She wasn’t afforded the freedoms I had until the uprising. Perhaps was never taught how to fight or defend herself. Taking her quickly in my arms, I clasp her shoulders.
“You can wait here if you want.” I give her a quick hug before heading back to the door. It pushes open silently, the dark, winding staircase looming before me.
Hope I don’t get lost.
I take a tentative step out. The voices above me are louder now, the scuffling is quicker. My heart races as I take another. The dagger placed on my hip is the only thing giving me any sort of peace. It’s not my bow, but it’ll do.
As I take a third step up the stairs, the door behind me shuts. Glancing over my shoulder, I see Tallulah just as she joins me on the staircase.
“I’m coming.” She takes a steadying breath. As if she needs the extra oxygen to fuel her steps. “I’m not always brave, but if the last few years have taught me anything, it’s that I’m capable of more than I think.”
Tallulah guides us through the labyrinth of staircases and hallways. Each level we go up, the voices and shouting rises.
Who could be here?
And why?
The pups. Dread coils in my stomach. If they got out or escaped somehow… If a hunter or guard found them…
My palms sweat as we round the last corner. Tallulah covers her ears as noise reverberates off the stone walls. Through all the chaos, a distinct Scandavi voice travels through.
Jarek.
“Set up in there!”
Pushing past Tallulah, I stumble and squint against the abrasive sunlight. But as my eyes adjust, my mouth falls open. I expected navy blue and grizzlies. Royal hunters or guards.Fighting and steel. But, instead, before me are men and women dressed just like the people of Loxley. Simple clothes and colors. All shuffling about. It takes a moment, disbelief and fear still pulsing through me, to realize they are not just dressed like the people of Loxley.
Theyarethe people of Loxley.
All here, inside the Jade Guild.
“What is happening?” I step toward the line of people still filtering down the hall.
My hands tremble.
“What is happening?” I ask again, but no one hears me.
Evren is somewhere I can’t see, but I hear him shout orders. Something about filtering to the second level.
“What is?—”
