“If anyone asks, you’re both in the restroom and Eira has been having stomach issues all morning,” Noelle said deadpan. Eira hadn’t realized she was listening. Her friend was better at being a shadow than Eira thought.
“Thank you.” Alyss squeezed Noelle’s bicep.
“Let’s go.” Eira started back for the coliseum entrance. The hum of Cullen’s magic vanished from her consciousness the farther she got from him. It no longer crashed against her, but was a subtle hum that faded away entirely.
He’s fine, she insisted to herself. She couldn’t sense him because her focus was elsewhere now. She was physically distant. He would make it through this game and come out as the winner on the other side.
As for Eira, she had more important matters to attend to.
20
“Competitors are supposed to stay on the balcony.” An attendant stepped in front of them, blocking the exit.
“I need to use the washroom,” Eira said. “Unless you expect us to relieve ourselves in front of the spectators, too?”
The attendant rolled his eyes and stepped aside. “Downstairs and right across. Don’t make any other deviations.”
“Thanks.” Eira put her hand over her stomach and winced. “I’m glad it’s not far. I think I ate something foul that will be bad coming out.”
“You poor thing, suffering all morning… Let me help you.” Alyss rested a hand on her back, rubbing it.
The attendant grimaced and didn’t stop them as they passed.
As soon as they were out of view, Eira raced down the stairs. There were three doors directly across. She opened one. Sure enough, it was a washroom.
“This is perfect.”
“Perfect for what, exactly?” Alyss was already playing the role of lookout, scanning for anyone who might be approaching.
“You wait here, I’ll be right back.” Eira closed the door. “If any attendant comes by just stick to Noelle’s story that I’m having digestion issues and buy me time.”
Alyss grabbed her hand. “I thought I came because we weren’t going places alone, not to be a decoy for you.”
“Someone needs to be a lookout—that will help keep me safe. Plus, I can make myself invisible.” Eira squeezed her friend’s fingers. Alyss wore a frown. “I swear I will stay invisible the entire time. No matter who I run into or what I see. And if I run into something dangerous, I’ll come back as safely and as quickly as possible. I’m not going looking for a fight, just information.” Alyss still said nothing. “But if you really don’t want me to go, or if you want to come with me, we could—”
“You better stick to your word.” Alyss pulled away and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small piece of clay that she pressed onto the back of Eira’s hand. It stuck. “I’ll keep my magic on this; I’ve enough practice with sculpting I won’t lose the connection so long as you’re in the coliseum, I should be able to manipulate it. If you see or feel it change shape, come back.”
“A line for urgency, a triangle for trouble,” Eira said.
“Sounds good. And please be careful.”
“I will.”
Eira stepped away, drawing her magic around her like a cloak. The power surrounded her, rendering her invisible. Alyss stared at where she stood for another minute before leaning against the wall to keep an eye out. Eira didn’t move, waiting to make sure she was completely invisible. Alyss didn’t glance back her way once, not even as she stepped away.
She moved swiftly through the halls. It was harder to keep herself completely invisible moving so fast. But the few attendants she crossed paths with were either busy with other tasks or watching the games themselves just underneath the shadow of the portcullis.
As Eira passed, the crowd erupted with shouts and cheers. She glanced between the opening and the hall opposite her. Cullen would be fine. Her focus had to stay on the task at hand.
The clinic was empty. She’d hoped that would be the case with only a handful of competitors currently involved in a game. Eira immediately went for the desk to the left of the entry.
She started for the drawer all the way to the right, the one Fritz had retrieved the papers from when he’d been referencing the cleric who’d treated Yonlin.
Eira knelt and drew a deep breath. She couldn’t keep her illusion in place while figuring out the innards of the lock. The process was just too fussy for that. Eira glanced around. There was still no one, not even the faintest whisper of a person.
You can do this, she reassured herself and relaxed her illusion. Wasting no time, she pressed the pad of her thumb against the opening of the lock and began to feel it out.
Her brow furrowed with focus, Eira allowed her ice to fill the lock, pushing against the tumblers. It extended out against the pad of her thumb and Eira turned. The drawer opened with ease.
