Aelia barked a humourless laugh. “And how do you propose we do that?”
The Dogs’ barking was almost on them.
“We run.” Shiva grabbed her wrist and broke into a sprint, dragging her with him through the iron gate and onto the lit street.
Aelia tore her arm free from his grip but kept pace beside him. Any trace of her earlier weakness had disappeared, her legs buzzing with energy from Keeran’s blood as she pounded after Shiva.
There was every chance he was leading her straight into a trap, but at least with him, she stood a chance. Alone, she’d never make it, not least of which because she had no idea which was the quickest way to the sea. Downhill, sure, but unless she made it to the docks, she’d just find herself trapped between the hounds and the sea wall. So, she followed him as he took turn after twisting turn, gravity lending them speed as they ploughed down the steep streets, the scent of brine growing steadily stronger.
She began to recognise where she was and her heart skipped in her chest as hope lent her legs another burst of speed. Shiva was struggling next to her, his second form built for short bursts rather than endurance, so she grabbed his arm and half dragged him towards the docks.
The baying of Dogs picked up behind them, but she didn’t dare turn to look. Shiva cursed beside her, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
“Nearly there,” she panted, her lungs burning.Nearly there.
She chanted it to herself in time with her frantic breathing, willing them to make it. They skidded round a bend and Aelia nearly whooped when she saw the fragmented light of themoon reflected in the sea, the skeletal masts of the great ships protruding from them like the emaciated limbs of great beasts.
“Where now?” Aelia wheezed, slowing slightly.
“We…jump,” Shiva managed to say past his desperate breathing.
“Gods, Shiva,” Aelia grumbled, tugging him towards the harbour. “If we survive this, you have to start doing some cardio.”
She turned as they made it to the water, just in time to see the shadows of the Hounds charging round the corner. She jumped, her feet hitting the water a fraction of a second after Shiva's. The water sucked her in, rushing over her head. She resisted the urge to burst back up, instead swimming alongside the slimy stone harbour as far as her straining lungs would allow. When they eventually threatened to take matters into their own hands, she slipped her head above water and took a deep gulp of air before submerging herself once more.
She could feel Shiva brushing against her as he followed. At least she hoped it was Shiva. She suppressed a shiver, trying not to think of the creatures she’d seen in these waters just yesterday. They kept swimming, coming up for air as quietly as possible as they navigated their way to the edge of the harbour, where the enormous wall sprang out of the sea to encircle the city.
Aelia pushed herself into the corner where the two structures met, clinging to the wall as the waves gently lapped at her, sucking her out just to push her back in again. Now she was in it, the ocean felt like a living creature, with an alien sentience that made her skin crawl. The sooner they could get out of it, the better.
“What now?” she whispered, nearly choking on seawater as a wave forced itself into her open mouth.
Shiva put a finger to his lips, before pointing at an enormous hole in the sea wall. A trickle of water flowed from its open maw, and Aelia looked from Shiva, to the hole, and back again.
“Thedrains?” she hissed, suddenly filled with immense regret for trusting him.
Shiva just slammed a finger back to his mouth, his head jerking angrily to where the Astraea were searching the docks, the Dogs whining at having lost their scent. Aelia huffed through her nose, keeping her lips pressed firmly shut against the salty water. He didn’t wait for her to agree, he just took off towards the hole, his arms slipping silently through the waves.
Aelia glowered after him, wishing to the gods she had another choice, any other choice, but to follow him.
Aelia cursedShiva for what felt like the millionth time in the last hour. The drain was vile, filled knee deep with the city's waste, and even breathing through her mouth hadn’t been enough to stop her from vomiting at the smell.
So here she was, lost in a network of tunnels she wasn’t utterly convinced Shiva could navigate, covered in countless people’s excrementandher own vomit. Right at that moment in time, she wasn’t sure if she’d rather be on a ship to Ideolanthea.
“Will you stop moaning?” Shiva said, shooting her an exasperated look. “You think I’m enjoying this any more than you are?”
Aelia snorted. “You belong here, just as much as every other piece of shit we’re wading through.”
Shiva stopped and spun to face her, the brown water splashing around his knees.
“I don’t need to be here, Aelia,” he reminded her with a snarl, their surroundings seeming to have worn away at his earlier remorse. “I could very easily leave you to rescue your friend on your own.”
Aelia averted her eyes and waded past him. His sigh echoed off the circular stone walls, but she heard him start to slosh towards her.
“Did you know Fenrir had been taken?” she asked, after a while.
Shiva hesitated before answering. “I was going to get him out, that was always the plan. He didn’t trust me when I told him as much, but I swear I was waiting for the right moment for us both to make a break for it. That’s the only reason I stuck around.” His voice darkened. “Then Beserkir found out it was someone from Callodosis who’d killed his men by the lakes, and he worked out the connection between you and Fenrir. The next thing I knew, Fenrir had been taken from the warehouse. You know the rest.”
Aelia’s lower lip trembled and she shut her eyes against the prickle of tears, grateful Shiva was still behind her and couldn’t see. She’d been so foolish to think she could help; if she’d just stayed in her little hole in Callodosis, Fenrir might have got free. How egotistical had she been to think she could do anything of any worth? She was nothing, she had always been nothing, and she’d got Fenrir killed trying to prove otherwise.
