But there, halfway along the causeway—
Muted yellow lights approaching the island. Eight or maybe ten in total, spaced out in a long, snaking line, like fireflies.
“Torches,” Llir breathed.
My thoughts felt sluggish. “Why…why in intervals like that?”
“Look,” he said, shifting, giving me more room. “You see the darker areas, black clusters around them? Men. Groups of them. One torch at the head of each.”
Like a procession.
Or a fighting force.
My insides flopped. My pulse picked up.
No.They were a whole night early. I’d said a sevenday—not to come till full archwater. My panic was mixed with irrational anger. Though I knew, in truth, it would make little difference in the end.
“Ten torches,” he whispered. “And the way they’re spaced out…” I watched as his lips moved silently. “Eighty, maybe a hundred men.”
A hundred men.
My lips clammed up. Llir stared at me for a few long seconds, then wheeled, almost pitching forward. He took the steps downward two at a time.
His frantic shouts, when they finally came, echoed sharply under the high ceiling.
“Father…Father!”
32
Itmade no sense. It made no sense at all.
I stood, paralyzed with shock, in the stairwell. A hundred men. Far more than I’d expected. That was an infantry company, a small army…I’d thought the Cage would just send Orha. I moved to the window as though in a trance and stared, disbelieving, down at the causeway. Why had they come that way? Out in the open?
They had to have tracked across the flats at first, to avoid a march right through Port Rhorstin. But I’d envisioned the Cage keeping more of a low profile, sneaking in from the unguarded east. Even at archwater, when the tide was well out, boats could be floated on the slow-moving rivers. It was daring, and they’d have to be quick about it, but with a couple of Floodmouths, it could be done. There were safe areas on the sands they’d know about if they’d done their research.
Shouts from below. The scudding of feet. I jerked into motion.
Avrix. I had to find him.
I hurried back to the imperial staircase, down the wide steps andinto the dark entrance hall. There, as I was crossing the flagstones, a figure barrelled out of the shadows and shrieked, “Oh!”
I threw out my hands, staggered backward, but it was only Debry, her brown curls askew.
“Who’s that?” She sounded panicked, and I realized I was still wearing my eerie white mask.
“It’s me,” I said, tugging it off and dropping it.
“Corith. Have you seen Tigo?” She was wide-eyed, breathless. “Master Llir sent me to fetch him. Oh, Moons—do you know?”
She meant the intruders. “I know,” I said quickly. “Why do you need Tigo?”
“For hisspeaking, of course.” She wrung her hands, terrified. “Will you help me? Will you stay with me?”
I hesitated. I had to find Avrix. But I also knew that I couldn’t seem suspicious. I nodded tersely. If we did find the Cormorant, I’d just have to think of some excuse to get rid of Debry.
“Let’s try the servants’ parlor,” I said, crossing the hall.
Debry trailed after me, breathing rapidly. “What’s happening? Who is it? When will they get here?”
