***
The shouts of conflict were a distant hum in Josie’s ears, covered by her own thundering heartbeat and the crash of waves as they collided with the eastern cliffs. She pursed her lips as she focused intently on steering their small rowboat to that fissure in between the rocks.
“I fucking hate the sea,” Aleissande grumbled from behind her, her knuckles white as she gripped the side of the boat. “It’s a deathtrap.”
Josie grinned over her shoulder. She’d grown up navigating these waters with her brother, whether on a sailboat or a small rowboat that ran the risk of her and Aidon getting slammed against the rocks and torn to pieces.
Failing to miss the gap in the cliffs meant certain death. It was why not many knew of the small private beach that led to the palace. There truly wasn’t much point—no one could access it.
No one, that was, except for Josie and Aidon.
Even still, Josie didn’t breathe easily until their rowboat was firmly beached on the sand.
“Going through the front door with the Royal Army would have been safer,” Aleissande muttered, her lips white as she laid a trembling hand on the lip of the boat to steady her while she stood.
“But far less effective for our plan,” Josie replied as she tossed the oar in the sand. She craned her head back as she took in the winding path that led to the back of the palace grounds. The sun was beginning to sink below the western cliffs, casting large shadows over them.
They were right on time.
Josie tried to keep that in mind as she and Aleissande began their ascent. The sounds of the fighting had faded, lost to the wind howling through the cliffs and the waves crashing around them. It made it difficult to tell what was transpiring at the palace gates.
Or in town.
They’re doing exactly what they should be doing, Josie reminded herself as her legs began to burn with the incline.They’re distracting the Bellare so you can get inside.
She repeated it over and over to herself, a steady cadence she used to time her steps to as she put one foot in front of the other. Her breath was ragged by the time they reached the top of the path—more cliff edge than anything else.
Josie toed a few of the loose rocks, watching as they scattered over the scant space and fell into the sea far below.
“Ready?” she asked Aleissande as she pressed her back firmly into the cliff face.
Aleissande cast a long glance upwards toward the Beyond. “As I’ll ever be,” she muttered.
It was the slowest part of the journey. But Josie let patience and years of sliding sideways across this very path ground her. She could hear Aleissande’s shaky breath over the wind, and she longed to talk to her, to use her words to soothe her, but there was a lone guard on the tower that settled into this cliff, and Josie did not want to draw his attention.
It seemed not everyone had joined the fighting. Or at least not yet.
They made it to the base of the tower, and Josie used the knife sheathed at her bicep to pry open the window.She ducked her head in, casting a furtive glance around the room.
All clear.
She heaved her body through the opening, Aleissande grunting as she came in behind her.
“Seriously?” Aleissande asked as she pushed herself to standing, her brow furrowing as she took in the wine barrels. “You and Aidon snuck in and out of the palace through thewine cellar?”
“Ridiculous how it isn’t more closely monitored, isn’t it?” Josie replied as she dusted herself off.
“Yes,that’swhat’s ridiculous about this situation,” Aleissande retorted, her voice as dry as the Preuve desert. Josie ignored her as she resheathed her knife, opting instead for the sword strapped to her back. She strode across the cellar, her steps soft as she reached the door and peered through the small window.
The hallway was empty.
Josie eased the door open as carefully as possible before she darted into the hall, Aleissande just behind her. They kept their pace quick as they made their way up the first staircase, then the second. It was still impossible to hear what was transpiring above while they were this deep in the palace, and the silence had Josie on edge.
It wasn’t until they’d reached the third landing that they came across anyone at all.
Aleissande grabbed Josie and hauled her behind one of the towering columns as an attendant scurried by, her hand muffling the startled gasp that Josie couldn’t prevent falling from her lips. The woman’s face was scared, her pale skin blanched as she rushed down the hall, throwing furtive glances behind her as she went. Aleissande’s hand slid down to rest at the base of Josie’s throat as Josie tried to catch her breath.
“The staff,” Josie whispered. “They should be far clear of the fighting.” She had made sure of it, had demanded theRoyal Army keep the attack focused on the area near the palace gates so that the palace staff did not get caught in the crosshairs.
