Eleos took the reins back when I dropped them. “What’s this?”
“There’s a tunnel inside.” I nodded at the house. “The Guild uses it to smuggle goods and people out.”
Seth dropped off his steed. “I’ll convince them to let us by. Wait here.”
“Don’t kill them.” I pleaded.
“What do you take me for?”
“An assassin?”
Winking, Seth drew a knife from his belt and leaned against the door, listening for activity inside before knocking.
When no one answered, he glanced at us before throwing the door open and stepping inside. A few moments later, he re-emerged, grabbing his horse to lead her through the door.
“No one’s home,” he said.
“No one?” I repeated, slipping off the saddle and limping through the threshold.
A musty scent clung to the tattered curtains and threadbare quilt. Dust gathered on the wardrobe, but not on the desk. Running a finger along the old wood, I wrinkled my brow in confusion.
Had this place been abandoned? When Ainwir had taken me through here, a man had stood guard inside, keeping record of comings and goings. More Guild members had guarded the passage, both ensuring the safety of their clients and preventing unwanted shadows from haunting their territory.
Seth threw open the back door and carefully descended the dirt slope into the underground. Thelovelyscent of sewage emerged from the tunnel, and I pinched my nose to keep it out.
The horses protested vocally as they were led down the slope into the old sewer system. Dark stone surrounded us on all sides, cracked and crumbling in places. Pulling his lantern from his saddle, Eleos lit a fire to guide our way.
Whisper ran ahead of us, scouting the path. With every step, I grew more concerned. Why did no one guard this passage? Whisper never returned to warn his master of danger, never barked to alert us to another’s presence.
When faint moonlight spilled in from outside, Seth narrowed his eyes. “Seems it’s unguarded.” He said, whistling for his dog.
Whisper rose from his seat by the tunnel exit and returned to Seth. Kneeling, the assassin reached into his bag and pulled out a crumpled ball of colorful fabric. He offered it to the hound and let him thoroughly sniff the cloth before stuffing it into his pack.
Eleos raised an eyebrow. “Is that Percy’s?”
“Who else’s?” Seth answered.
Nose pressed to the ground, Whisper ran outside, seeking the bard’s trail.
“Where is the Guild?” Eleos muttered.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I don’t like this.”
Seth remounted. “Take the blessings while they last.” He said, riding after Whisper.
We emerged from a hole in the ground, neatly obscured by fallen leaves and piles of tree branches. Thin woods and sloping hills surrounded us, dotted by chunks of white rock.
Closing my eyes, I flinched as our horse stepped over the rocky terrain and slowed to weave through the trees. My chest ached every time I was bounced around on the saddle. The glow from Eleos’s lantern painted an orange halo against the black of my closed lids.
My mind wandered. Why had Seraphim been late? She’d mentioned needing to meet someone before we parted. Had the red-haired man found her?
The horse stopped abruptly, and my eyes flew open. Whisper had paused, nose buried in a bush.
“He’s lost the scent.” Seth dropped off his horse, guiding the mare as he walked alongside the dog.
Eleos slipped off the saddle, sweeping his lantern over the dirt. “They’re bound to have left tracks.” He paused, glancing back at me. “Can you handle her alone?”
Balancing in the saddle, I took the reins and pressed my thighs to the mare’s side. “How hard could it be?”
