“Would any of you care to explain what that was about?” Lucenna crossed her arms. “Why did they want you?”
“It wasn’t me they wanted,” Dyna said. “The hilt of the elf’s sword, it was red.”
She’d barely paid attention to that detail, but she was grasping.
Lucenna cocked an eyebrow.
“I … I believe he was a Red Highland assassin.” Dyna shot Rawn a sheepish look. He subtly nodded, approving of the lie.
“Lord Norrlen is a wanted elf,” Cassiel commented casually as he sheathed his sword, extinguishing the flames. “Red Highland seeks to take his head.”
“Then why attack us first?”
In a puff of receding fur, Zev shifted. “Easy prey,” he offered, squinting through his bloodied eye.
The sorceress glowered at them. “If that’s your story, fine. Whatever it is, see that I don’t get involved. I have enough people after me. Once we have the scales, we will go our separate ways.”
Cassiel sneered. “Gladly.”
But Dyna didn’t want them to separate. If what happened today proved anything, they were stronger together.
Chapter 15
Von
The Blue Capital could be seen for miles. Von frowned at the city from where he and Len watched on a distant cliff. The royal castle rose like a white mountain with blue spires so high in the sky as though it hoped to reach the Heavens. It had taken them two days to get here, two days too long. Coal nickered uneasily, sensing his impatience. Von patted the horse’s dark gray neck absentmindedly, as if that would ease him too.
The sprawling city built was built into a hill with an immense wall of stone surrounded the entire circumference. Azure Guards manned the watchtowers on each corner. The only way in was through the gated entrance on the central road. There would be no ferryman to smuggle them into the city this time, and going through the main gate was too risky.
“The archers would take us out if we attempted to scale that wall,” Von said.
Len didn’t offer any response. Not that he expected one.
Tarn took the Versai native into his service when she was only a small, starved child. Von had never even heard her voice. Perhaps she didn’t have one anymore for reasons he could only imagine with the gruesome scar of an X burned on her cheek.
She sat straight on her chestnut horse. Dressed in all black leathers, Len had come fully equipped with a utilitybelt around her waist, black karambit knives strapped to her thighs, a bow and quiver slung on her shoulder. The sun shone on her long black hair braided from her tanned face. Len had been honed and sharpened, like the many weapons hidden on her body.
Tarn had made sure of that.
Von dismounted, and Len followed suit. They ate a quick meal of dried meat, cheese, and stale bread as they continued to observe the city. There had to be another way in. It wasn’t until he went behind a tree to relieve himself that an idea came to him. Von buttoned his trousers and hurried back to the cliff’s edge.
“The sewer tunnels.” He pointed at the large gateways that spilled water and sewage from the walls into the Liath River that passed by the northern end of the city. “There.”
Len nodded her wordless agreement. Good. They found an entry point.
“Weapons check,” Von ordered.
Tightening her leather straps, Len secured her blades in their sheaths. He double-checked the crossed bandolier loaded with throwing knives strapped to his chest and adjusted the weight of his belt. They didn’t know exactly what to expect on this mission, so they’d been sure to arm themselves well. Their arsenal included poison and explosives, but the latter was a last resort. Von wanted to slip in and out as quickly as possible, unseen and unheard.
He needed to return to Yavi. There were too many chances of her getting burned in the camp. Not being around to protect her gnawed at him.
They rode down the hill, keeping to the forest. Once they got close enough, they tied the reins to a tree at the edge of the tree line, and Von removed his cloak from his pack. Len had already donned hers. She tapped on the concealment rune embroidered on the inside, and the black cloth changed color with every movement, camouflaging her to their surroundings. Von slipped on his cloak and did the same. Static prickled along his skin, signaling the activated spell.
Pulling up their hoods, they made their way across the vast valley to the city. They kept to the tall grass and boulders, trusting their cloaks to keep them hidden, but also cautious of the Azure Guard archers who manned the wall. It was early afternoon by the time they made it to the river. They continued walking along the bank, watching the city walls until they reached a large, gated culvert that drained sewage into the river. Von chose a shallow end laden with wide boulders, sleek with moss. Carefully, they made their way across and headed for the culvert. A rusted inlet gate sealed it shut. The water and air stank of human waste and other revolting things he’d rather not give too much thought to.
Len removed a garrote from the many compartments on her utility belt. It was a tool he’d seen her take pleasure in using when strangling her targets. For now, it would make do. The sharp diamond wire glinted as she passed him the garrote and took out an extra one for herself. They got to work. Sparks scattered to their feet with each slice of wire against metal. He was soon drenched in sweat. The sun hung low in the sky, and his forearms ached by the time enough bars had at last been removed for them to slip through.
They drew masks up over their noses to stifle the stench before making their way into the dark, wet drain. Von had selected a culvert with a shallow current. He secretly thanked the God of Urn it didn’t reach their ankles. The light at their backs faded as they went deeper into the bowels of the city, the echoing drip of water their only companion. He took out two enchanted quartz crystals knotted to a line of leather cord. Thesowilorune was engraved on their polished surfaces.
