“All right,” Vi reluctantly agreed. She’d always had either Jayme or Ellene by her side. Just because the stakes had changed didn’t mean she had to let go of her friends entirely. “Let’s go.”
“Not yet.” Jayme looked to the clock that hung on Vi’s wall. “Wait an hour, then we’ll go.”
They didn’t talk much while they waited. Vi had half expected Jayme to probe her for information about her magic. To ask about her visions… search for reasons as to why she felt so strongly about getting to the Apexes.
But when they did talk, their subject was much the same as all her other conversations for the day: departing the North. As exhausted as Vi was about that topic, she appreciated that Jayme wasn’t digging too deep. Perhaps the woman had been completely honest about wanting nothing more than to ensure Vi’s safety. Throughout her whole life, Jayme had been nothing but helpful, always on Vi’s side.
When the clock struck ten, they ventured outward.
“The guards are on rotation right now,” Jayme murmured as they wound down. “By the time we get there, they’ll be settled in positions. We should have a blind spot of about ten minutes before anyone has a chance to notice us at the store room.”
“That should be enough time.” At least, she hoped it would be.
They passed by the guard positioned at the entrance to the royal quarters. The woman gave a nod to them both, settled her eyes on Jayme, and didn’t ask any questions. Otherwise, they only ran into two other servants on their way down to the pits.
The storeroom was just as Jayme had said, adjacent to the warrior barracks and back by the wall. There was one door that led in and out of it, a lantern blazing over top, and a heavy padlock hanging from the handle that seemed to grow larger as they approached. Vi stared at it, running through the words of power in her mind. She could destroy it clean off withjuth,but that would likely arouse suspicion, prompting a search. Perhaps there was something withmysst,fashion a key of some sort? Though Vi didn’t know of—
“Stand there.” Jayme pointed to a spot just before the door, by the padlock. “And keep an eye out.”
“What?”
Jayme was already crouching. She unrolled a small kit, tools lining various pockets. Vi stared at the silver that flashed in the lamplight as Jayme selected her first picks and began to insert them into the lock.
“How did you…?”
“You pick things up on the road.” Jayme shrugged. She situated one of the tools and held it in place, beginning to fidget with a second at the bottom of the lock. “I want to do the best I can for you and your protection, princess. That means learning as many skills as I can.”
“I don’t know how many guards learn lock-picking to protect nobility.” Vi swept her eyes across the pits and bridge-ways, but saw no one.
“Well, don’t you think my eagerness to account for every possibility makes me even more valuable?” There was a metallic click, and Vi heard the shank of the padlock slide from its place. She turned, shocked at Jayme’s speed. By the time her eyes landed on on the lock again, Jayme had already hung the lock on the door, her tools collected. “After you, princess.” Vi continued to stare dumbly, struggling to process what she had just witnessed. “Ten minutes, remember? We need to keep moving.”
“Right,” Vi mumbled, slipping past her and into the darkness.
Just how much about her friend did she not know? How many skills did she possess that Vi would never suspect? Who had she learned them from? Vi glanced back at Jayme, who closed the door nearly all the way, leaving just a crack to peer through.
Questions for another time, Right now Vi had to—
Her mind went blank as she stared at the sheer amount of goods stacked up. Boxes were piled high, making small mountains out of the tarps that covered them. Baskets lined the floor, making it difficult to walk. Everything was sealed and packed away.
Where should she even begin?
“What’re you looking for?” Jayme asked, glancing at her.
“A key.”
“A key in a haystack.” Jayme looked back out. “If I can help, let me know… but I want to keep an eye out for any rogue warriors who happen to wander by and notice the lock dangling open on the door.”
Vi shifted all of her focus on the goods before her. She began peeling back canvases and taking a quick loop of the room, trying to see what was there. She was looking for something familiar—something that would remind her of Grendla—though there was nothing in the illogical piles to suggest that any one person’s goods were still together.
Closing her eyes, Vi took a deep breath and followed her nose. It led her to the back corner, where six familiar-looking baskets stood next to each other. Pulling off the tops, Vi affirmed they were the same the woman had in the market.
“Then… where’s the rest of your things?” Vi mumbled. She began pulling back all of the tarps in the area, looking for something—anything that seemed like it would belong to that woman.
“Any luck?” Jayme called back. “We should move soon, the patrol up on the wall will be crossing shortly.”
“Do you really think they’d notice?” Vi had only just begun sifting through everything. She’d barely made a dent. If she had more time in the North, she could come back and slowly sort through methodically. But this would be her only shot.
“Trust me, they’ll notice,” Jayme said gravely. “Sehra’s training for the warriors is second to none and you saw how big that lock was. The Mother herself sees it from the sky.”
