“Really?” Alistair grinned at the devilish sparkle in Dareena’s eyes. “And when were you going to tell me aboutthat?”
“When the time came for us to make our great escape, of course.” She gave him a teasing smile. “With me as the brains and you as the brawn, we might just be able to make thiswork.”
“Do you think you can do something about the guard outside?” Alistair asked. “I could take care of him with my brawn, but that might draw attention tous.”
“I do believe Ican.”
“Wait a minute,” Alistair protested as Dareena rose from the bed. “You’re going to do itnow? We’re not evendressed.”
“Something we’re going to remedy right now.” Dareena donned her dressing robe. “Go into my room and search the trunk. You’ll find the clothing I stashedaway.”
Bemused, Alistair did as she asked, using the adjoining door. While he rummaged through the trunk, he heard Dareena open the door and call to the guard at the end of thehall.
“Excuse me, sir? Can you please fetch some water? Alistair’s fever is going backup.”
“Can’t it wait until morning?” the guard said gruffly. His voice was gritty with tiredness; he was not their usual guard, and Alistair gathered he had just been put on night shift. “I won’t be relieved from my post for another fewhours.”
“Not unless you want to explain to the princess why Alistair is sick again,” Dareena said in a severe tone. “I imagine she’ll be very displeased after all the money she spent on thatdoctor.”
The guard heaved a sigh. “I’ll send for some. Don’t try anything funny while I’m gone. Iwilltrack you down if you try toescape.”
“Of course,” Dareena saidsweetly.
Alistair pulled out a maid’s outfit that looked to be Dareena’s size. Frowning, he searched the trunk for male clothing, but came up with nothing. Had Dareena forgotten an outfit for him? He couldn’t very well go running about in his ownclothes.
Alistair was nearly about to return to his room to ask Dareena about it when his hand closed around something hard and metallic. Grinning, he pulled a long, sheathed dagger that he knew Dareena had not taken from Dragonfell—they had not been allowed any weapons, and besides, this one was forged frommithril.
“I see you’ve found my surprise,” Dareena said, hurrying into the room. “Quickly now. The guard will be back anyminute.”
“That’s all well and good,” Alistair said as he handed Dareena her outfit, “but what am I to wear? I imagine running about the castle naked will attract just as much attention as wearing my ownclothes.”
Dareena chuckled. “As amusing as that would be, I have no plans to let you run amok with your twig and berries hanging out for everyone to see,” she said. “You’ll take the guard’s clothing, ofcourse.”
“Of course.” Why hadn’t Alistair thought of that? Perhaps he wasn’t as fully recovered as hethought.
Alistair helped Dareena into her clothing, then double-checked both rooms to make sure they weren’t leaving anything important behind. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of anything small enough for them to take. Dareena slipped her elven magic primer into her skirt pocket, and at least Alistair would have the dagger. He might be feeling better, but he still couldn’t breathe fire—he’d tried it more thanonce.
A few minutes later, Alistair tensed as the guard’s footsteps came closer. At a signal from Dareena, he hung back while she waited just behind the door. “I’ve got your water, Miss,” the guard called through the door, sounding more than a little grumpy. Alistair rolled his eyes; he’d never encountered such a whiny guard in his life. Clearly this one was either new, or the captain of the guard was not training his subordinates verywell.
“Oh, thank the gods,” Dareena said. She opened the door, and the guard shoved the jug into her hands. Alistair watched closely as Dareena wrapped her fingers around his wrist, and he felt that strange hum in the air. The guard’s eyes widened, then fluttered shut, and Dareena moved out of the way as he toppledover.
“Damn!” Alistair darted forward and caught the guard before he crashed onto the floor. “How did you do that?” he asked, pressing two fingers to the man’s neck. His pulse was faint, but steady, as if the guard were merelysleeping.
“I siphoned his life energy, and gave myself a boost in the process,” Dareena said, closing the door. She looked simultaneously pleased and relieved. “I’m glad I didn’t take too much—I’ve never tried this on anyone before so I had no idea if it would kill him or not. Is he allright?”
“I’m sure he’ll be even grumpier when he wakes up,” Alistair said as he stripped off the guard’s clothing, “but unless you damaged something internally, he should befine.”
“Good. Let’s get goingthen.”
Alistair donned the guard’s clothing, fastening the elf’s sword to his left hip along with the dagger. He’d practiced some with his left hand, and though he knew he wouldn’t be winning any duels, he could use the dagger to great effect in close quarters, or distract a guard with the sword until Dareena could move in to steal his life energy. With any luck, nobody would notice his danglingsleeve.
Once Alistair finished with the guard, he shoved him beneath the covers, then ushered Dareena behind him as he opened the door. He looked both ways, listening for any approaching footsteps. Once he was satisfied the coast was clear, he took Dareena’s hand and crept down thehall.
“Squeeze once to go right and twice to go left,” he whispered as quietly as he could. Since Alistair had been confined to either the bedroom or the dungeon, he didn’t know the castle well enough. “We need to go out through a side entrance, preferably one used byservants.”
Dareena nodded. She had him take a right, then two lefts, sticking to the shadows and listening for any signs of someone approaching. They were just about to make another turn when Alistair caught the scent ofblood.
Blast it!He immediately flattened himself against the wall, pulling Dareena with him. Sure enough, footsteps, so faint as to nearly be undetectable, approached. Who else would be sneaking around at night, and wounded, besides that? His nostrils flared as he sniffed deeper, and his eyes widened as he recognized thescents.
