“There’re lots of hidden pathways and rooms throughout the monastery that they only seem to leverage when it’s necessary. Maybe they didn’t need it this year,” I say. “I don’t think the vicar knew what I was doing.”
Saipha frowns. “Or maybe the inquisitors will come in during the middle of the night and give us hell for being here?”
“It doesn’t matter where we go. If the inquisitors want to give us hell, they will.” I plant my feet and cross my arms. “This is where I’m staying tonight—and every night we can between now and the next test. I hope you both stay, too. We’re stronger together, and this place is hidden—at least from other supplicants. We can be safe here, and all get a good night’s sleep without having to take rounds of someone keeping watch.”
“I’m in,” Lucan says without hesitation.
We both look to Saipha, who turns her attention from us to the window, sighing heavily. “You’re sure, Isola?”
“I am.”
“Then I trust you.” Her words nearly make me tear up. “It’s definitely better than sleeping in the open.”
I smile, relieved she came around, but not surprised—Saipha always has moved on from things quickly once she understands them. “It’ll all be all right.”
“I hope so.” She rubs her eyes. “Sorry for being snippy, I’m just…tired.”
I cross to her and rest a hand on her shoulder. “It’s been a long day—many long days—for all of us. It’s not like one good meal is going to fix it. How about Lucan and I go and do an initial scout to see if we can find one of the supply caches left by the inquisitors? You take stock here. Maybe clean up a bit?” I imagine simple, mindless tasks will help her calm down. I never realized how much Saipha was the sort of individual who needed a consistent, safe space until she didn’t have one. I suppose we’re all learning things about others and ourselves in here.
“You’re sure you won’t need my help?” Her protest is weak. She’s never looked frailer.
“Someone should stay to stake our claim, just in case other supplicants manage to find this place.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” She doesn’t put up much of a fight. “I’ll see what I can do to clean up here.”
I toss her a smile, and Lucan and I head out, shutting the panel behind us. With little more conversation than a nod, we strike out. It’s the same plan as last time—see what we can find in the obvious places and then expand our search from there. Lucan heads for the greenhouses, still our resident expert on the plants.
I search high and low for a cache left by the inquisitors. But my heart sinks with every corner turned, every shelf looked behind, every piece of furniture peered under. The other supplicants I run into look just as frustrated as me as the hours drag on. Wherever these things are, they’re well hidden.
Dragging my feet, I make my way back to our base with some meager supplies I decided to gather from the artificer workshops. Cheesecloth, a hammer, some twine… It probably won’t be very useful, but I couldn’t bear coming back empty-handed.
With a heavy sigh, I’m about to turn the crossbow when I hear the familiar scrape of boots from down the hall.I know him by the sound of his gait. And something about that has me fighting a smile.
“Lucan—” The words are instantly lost. He’s holding a drawstring bag stamped with the image of a sword with a dragon curled around it.Mercy’s seal.
My heart jumps into my throat, and I rush to him. “Where did you find that?”
“It was strung up in the rafters above the second floor of the library. I had to climb the shelves and then jump into the beams to get it.” Way over my head, and something only a really tall person might be able to get to.
“The keys on the first day were all hidden in places related to dragons… Maybe the caches are all somewhere high—to mirror Mercy Knights on the wall?” I muse aloud.
“Something to check tomorrow. We should get this inside and wait out the night,” he says, but I don’t miss the note of approvalat my deduction.
We pull open the hidden door to find Saipha’s organized the shelves with items she found in the main room and adjoining areas.
“You got one!” Saipha jumps up from one of the chairs around the central table.
“Lucan did,” I say.
“Isola helped,” he lies and sets the bag on the table and sits.
I glance over at Lucan as he begins to unpack the bag, and something deep in my chest pinches as I sit next to him. Not for the first time, I’m grateful Lucan is my ally.Ourally. Just his presence really does make everything feel a bit better.
A few flat loaves of bread and bean cake wrapped in wax vellum are in the muslin bag tied with a ribbon that’salmostthe same shade of red as the robes the curates wear. I doubt they’d waste real dragon’s blood on ribbon for the Tribunal.
I take in the room with our added supplies. “Not a lot of creature comforts, but it’s sheltered, warm”—just as Callon promised and Saipha wanted—“and hidden.”
“We stay here as long as we can,” Lucan agrees.
