by Tina Hunter
Malack noticed her look and shook his head. “You didn’t lose that much time. You were only ‘killed’ last night, and it’s only just passed lunch now.”
Lynn nodded. “Now I just need to steal my necklace back from Darkan, somehow,” Lynn said with a heavy sigh. That was the last thing to do before she was done with all this. She hadn’t been lying to Brutus last night, she really meant to give up the Black Shadow moniker. It was time to do something else. Something less dangerous.
“Wait, necklace? All this for a necklace?” Malack said crossing his arms.
“I’ll explain later. I promise,” she said.
“Well, I don’t think it should be too hard for a thief of your skills,” Dorothy said looking at her like she was her hero or something. She really shouldn’t get all the credit, especially not for avoiding death. She was lucky Patriza had given her that vial of magic-infused laudanum. She wouldn’t be walking away from this with her help. Or Dorothy’s either really. Which gave her an idea.
“You know... Someone with your ability could get that necklace off his neck without him noticing.”
“He wears it?” Dorothy asked. Lynn nodded.
The young girl’s eyes got distant while she thought about it. Malack crossed his arms and gave Lynn a very disapproving look. Lynn gave him a look of innocence in reply. He may not approve of her bringing Dorothy along on another theft, but she had been her age when Malack taught her.
“We just have to steal the necklace, right?” Dorothy asked. Lynn nodded. “Ok then. Let’s do it.”
“Let’s do what?” Gregorio said as he walked into the room through the still open door.
“You know exactly what we’re doing,” Dorothy said with a grin. Lynn sat up and felt stronger already.
Gregorio laughed. “You are correct. I do know what you plan to do. And I agree that with Lynn by your side, you will be able to accomplish it, no problem.”
Lynn felt herself blush. Apparently, she wasn’t healed enough to control her reactions just yet. Malack shuffled closer to the wall as if he was uncomfortable being in the same room as Gregorio. The thought that the two remaining men in her life wouldn’t get along made her sad.
“If you are in need of horses,” Gregorio continued, “I will happily lend you my fastest. After all, you have just given us enough magic to sustain us for years to come.”
“Thank you, Gregorio. You are very kind.” Lynn said with a little bow of her head.
Gregorio waved her gratitude away like a fly in the air. “Meh. Now tell me, do you hope to arrive before or after the men you betrayed?”
His words brought up images of her uncle trapped in the vault. He’d no doubt be in jail by now. Gregorio’s face darkened at the very thought of her uncle but at least he couldn’t know exactly what she was thinking. Not yet.
“Brutus and the others will take three days by carriage to get back to Iridan. I’m not sure how long it would take by horse.”
“Two days if you take the pass and the forest trail. One if you really push the horses and make it a very long day,” Gregorio said, coming to sit beside her on the bed. “So, when will you be leaving us and, more importantly, when are you coming back?”
Lynn looked between Gregorio and Dorothy. They were asking her to stay with them. Here. What about the farmstead? she thought. Over the last year, the farmstead had been her only focus. To get it back from Malack’s father. Just picturing it in her mind made her heart ache for happier times. But she was technically dead now, and to keep up the ruse she’d have to give up the farmstead. She had known that going in, but it was still hard to form her next words.
“Malack. Do be a dear and tell your father that I’ve passed on, will you?”
Malack looked blankly at her, only his eyes showing the pain and disappointment. He knew how much the farmstead meant to her, and she knew that living with Inborns was not something he approved of. Still, after a moment he gave her a weak smile and nodded.
“Well then, I guess we leave in the morning and come back as soon as we’re able.”
Dorothy looked like she would jump on her again, and Gregorio put a hand on both of their shoulders with a happy grin on his face.
Now she just had to go get her necklace.
Sixteen
~Monday Evening Outside Of Iridan City~
IT HAD BEEN a long two days and Dorjee was ‘saddle-sore’ according to Lynn. All Dorjee knew was her entire body hurt, and she never wanted to ride a horse again.
They had stopped in Carnstone, the small town that stretched right into the Iridan wall along the river. Aguarian merchants had to inspect all the small, shallow-bottomed cargo ships she saw docked everywhere, which meant there were many inns and restaurants wherever she looked.
Lynn was walking her horse through the muddy streets and, as much as Dorjee wanted to get off, she also wasn’t sure she’d be able to walk just yet. So, she stayed on until Lynn stopped in front of an inn with a stable.
“This is it. You might want to get off now,” Lynn said with a wink.
“Huh?” Dorjee said. “We aren’t bringing the horses with us?”
“No, this is as far as they go.”
Dorjee gingerly lowered herself off the horse and winced with pain for the first few steps. Even the new packs that Grandpa Gregorio had given them were still heavy, and she grunted putting in on.
While Lynn stabled the horses, Dorjee inspected her surroundings. They were close to the wall now, she could see it towering above her with men marching along the top. The bottom was just five buildings away. She had never seen it from this side before.
Lynn had been vague about how they would get in. She had mentioned that since Darkan knew all of her 'identities’ they wouldn’t be able to get in through a gate. Staring up at the wall, she didn’t see how there was any other possible way in. Even when she had run away from Iridan it had been through a gate. At the time she’d been covered in mud and laying with some pigs in a cart, but they still went through a gate.
“The owner is expecting us. Come on,” Lynn said, pulling on Dorjee’s sleeve lightly. Dorjee followed, finding her steps becoming less painful as she went along.
Inside the inn was not what she was expecting. It seemed so cheerful on the outside. Inside, the gruff-looking men sitting around a few tables stopped talking as soon as they walked in. Some even growled and shifted in their seats to get a better look at them. Dorjee and Lynn were dressed as men but that didn’t seem to matter. Dorjee found herself hiding slightly behind Lynn. She knew she could take care of herself if she had to, but there were a lot of men in here.
A tall man approached them. He was as big as a horse and looked ready to snap her like a twig and use her bones to pick his teeth.
“Baker Brothers?” he said.
“That’s us,” Lynn said cheerfully.
“This way,” he said, leading them deeper into the poorly lit establishment. Dorjee did not want to be here.
As soon as they passed the front desk, the men behind them started talking again. Lynn had better know what she was doing here.
They entered a back parlor with a well-dressed gentleman sitting on an old torn couch. He put down his delicately engraved glass and stood up. The big man left.
“The Baker brothers I presume. My stable hand says you paid in advance on your stable fees. Three full days? My, my. I wonder what you are up to?”
Dorjee saw Lynn roll her eyes and then she was giving him a hug.
“Pableo, you scoundrel,” Lynn said, laughing, “You’re going to give him a heart attack you know.” Lynn pointed over her shoulder at Dorjee.
Dorjee crossed her arms and frowned. “You could have said something too, you know.”
Lynn grinned, “Sorry.”
Pableo pushed Lynn aside and grabbed Dorjee’s hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, young man. My name is Pableo and I am the owner of the Cuddly Dragon Inn.”
Dorjee raised her eyebrows at the name but kept herself
from laughing. “Pleasure to meet you, sir. I’m Douglas.”
“Splendid. But we must hurry if you want to make it inside before even I will have to close the door,” he said, turning to approach a painting on the wall.
“Even you? What have the guards done now?” Lynn said with a huff.
“I’m afraid it’s on the King’s orders. Something about missing crystals from the fort. Nothing in or out until they are found.” Pableo removed the painting from the wall and pushed on the solid rock behind it. There was a low grinding sound as a section of the wall moved backward, revealing stairs leading underground.
“Earth Magic?” Dorjee whispered to Lynn.
Lynn nodded and pointed at his hat. Dorjee couldn’t see anything glow, or odd shapes, but if he was using crystal magic it was well concealed.
The grinding noise came to stop and Pableo took out a handkerchief to pat his forehead though Dorjee knew if he had used a crystal it wouldn’t have been any effort at all.
Lynn walked up and snatched the kerchief away, “You better stop pretending to be an Inborn. It’ll get you into trouble one day.”
“And smuggling goods and people in and out of the Empire’s city will not?” Pableo grinned but took his kerchief back before ushering them inside the little stairwell. Dorjee followed Lynn down the stairs, giving a short bow to Pableo before he was out of sight.
Once the stairs stopped at the bottom Dorjee couldn’t see anything, the only light coming from the top of the stairs. She heard Lynn’s hands running along the wall for a moment and then a Light Crystal was being uncovered in Lynn’s hand. She waved it over her head and Dorjee heard the grinding noise again. Soon they were relying on the Light Crystal to show them the way.
It was nothing more than a tunnel, but someone had carved it out of the rock and stone that made up the ground under Iridan. There wasn’t even any water in it even though they were likely lower than the river or even the sea.
The darkness behind her and the walls being so close made Dorjee very nervous. No, more than nervous. She was terrified. Her breath was catching in her throat, she couldn’t seem to take full breaths. And was it hot down here? Her forehead felt wet when she wiped it.
When Lynn started walking up another set of stairs, Dorjee clung to her pack like a lifeline. “Dorothy?” Lynn whispered with concern, but Dorjee couldn’t move her mouth properly to form words.
Lynn tapped out a sequence of some sort on the rock and then there was the grinding sound above them again. When Dorjee could see the rest of the stairs, she pushed Lynn out of the way and bolted into whatever room was at the top.
The man that stood there was saying something but Dorjee was concentrating on taking delicious, deep breaths.
When she felt calm enough, she lifted her head and saw Lynn looking at her with concern, and the new man moving the stone back into place.
“You ok, kid?” Lynn asked.
Dorjee nodded weakly.
“Shame on you, Lhamo for putting the boy through that,” the man said. His voice wasn’t kind at all, and he was looking at Dorjee like she was a flea-covered dog. She stood up quickly. Lynn was about to respond when the man held up his hands to stop her.
“I don’t want to hear it. And I don’t want to see you back here for a few days. A week even. Too much pressure. The door is closed, you hear me?”
Lynn nodded and bowed low. “Thank you, Norbu, for allowing us through your tunnel. You are too kind to me.”
Norbu huffed but seemed to enjoy the flattery. “Out you go. Go on, now.”
Lynn led the way through another inn, filled with Dockers and other folks from Lower Iridan. They weren’t as scary but they didn’t look friendly either. Outside, Dorjee took in the sight of the city. It was lower Iridan, near the river, and it stunk, but it gave her a familiar happy feeling.
“This way,” Lynn said, leading them away from the river and deeper into Lower Iridan.
Dorjee was starving, but all of her subtle hints about getting food didn’t get through to Lynn at all. The older girl seemed focused on one thing only.
When they stopped at a small apartment building, Dorjee was surprised.
“This was where I was living,” Lynn said when Dorjee gave her a confused look. Clearing out all her things before everyone knew she was dead was more important than Dorjee’s tummy. She supposed it made sense, it just didn’t help her stomach.
However, when they reached the second-floor apartment, it looked like it had already been looted.
“Darkan,” Lynn said under her breath and moved a broken chair from where it lay in her way. Dorjee didn’t know whether to follow Lynn into the rest of the home or not, so she stood awkwardly by the broken door and looked around. It was sparse, not much in the way of personal items, with little furniture even if you counted what lay broken around her.
It didn’t take Lynn long to emerge from the only room beyond the sitting area, dragging a large suitcase with a broken handle behind her.
“Don’t worry,” Lynn said noticing Dorjee’s stare. “We’ll get a new one shortly.” Lynn paused to take one last look around. Dorjee could imagine what it was like. She had done the same thing in her room the night she had run away.
“Two more stops to make before we get what we came for,” Lynn said, leading the way down the stairs. At the bottom, she paused at a door that said ‘maintenance.’ Lynn produced a key from her pocket and unlocked the door.
“What do you need from in here?” Dorjee asked, skeptical there would be anything in the dusty, dark room. There were no Light Crystals in there and the tiny window was covered in grime. She would rather sleep on the street than in that room. There were large machines and a few bed frames against the walls, but Lynn walked passed them all leaving her suitcase at the door.
She stopped and crouched down in the back corner. To see more clearly, Dorjee had to walk into the room as well. What she saw was very impressive.
Hidden under some floorboards was a small safe, and in the safe was more money than she could count. Hundreds of coins jingled in three large bags.
“Wow,” was all Dorjee could muster. Lynn laughed.
“I guess I was just waiting for something worth spending it on.”
“Ok. Sure.” Dorjee was still a little shocked but followed directions as Lynn told her to put one bag in her pack. The other two went into the suitcase. The safe was closed up, and the floorboards replaced. Lynn even messed up the dust in odd shapes and patterns. When they left, Dorjee couldn’t tell where the safe had been.
Outside, Dorjee recovered enough to realize she was carrying more money than anyone should out in public.
“Shouldn’t we be in a carriage or something?”
Lynn dragged the suitcase across the cobblestone.
“I think you can walk to the next building,” Lynn said, gesturing with her head toward the tall building across the street. Dorjee didn’t like how many people were around so she picked up her pace and made it to the door of the building before Lynn. She went to open it and found it locked.
“But...”
“Not that way, silly.” Lynn continued dragging her suitcase into the alleyway between that building and the next. It stunk, and Dorjee had no illusions about what lived in the damp corners around her. Lynn found a door that Dorjee wouldn’t have seen unless she had a huge Light crystal with her and knocked in a rhythmic pattern.
After a moment, the door swung open and Lynn went inside. Dorjee couldn’t see what was in there, but she trusted Lynn and followed.
The door slammed shut behind them and then a blanket was removed from a large Light crystal by a scrawny man in lush, velvet robes. The crystal lit up the luxuriously furnished room they were standing in. It seemed like a home, with couches and a table and what appeared to be a bedroom just beyond the main room.
“My darling, Emelia!” The man exclaimed and embraced Lynn in a friendly hug.
“Archibald, my dear,” Lynn responded. “I’ve done it,
Archy. I’ve left him,” Lynn said dramatically. Dorjee could only assume she meant a fictional husband, perhaps? “I’ve even brought my handmaiden with me,” she said, waving in Dorothy’s direction. Dorjee looked down at the floor and tried to act like a handmaiden would. She would have to talk to Lynn about giving her more of a heads-up next time she would have to act.
“I’ll need a carriage, a change of clothing for both of us - nice dresses but nothing that would call attention to us - and of course,” she kicked the luggage she had dragged inside, “some new luggage pieces.”
“Oh darling,” Archibald took Lynn’s hands, “While I will be sad to see you go, I’m so happy to hear you are leaving that awful man.” He paused as if taken by emotion. “I do hope you took some coins with you?”
Even Dorjee could see through his poor acting, but Lynn pretended not to notice.
“Of course,” she said, waving Dorjee over, and rummaged through her pack to produce the bag of coins. “How much do think it’ll cost?” Lynn looked soft and scared as she spoke and Archibald took her chin in his hand.
“Don’t worry, Emelia. I’ll make sure you’ll still have enough to live the life you deserve.”
He let go of her face and took the bag, digging his hand into it and pulling out coins by the fistful. He lined them up on a table in stacks of ten until he had 100 coins sitting there. Then he turned her and gave Dorjee the much lighter bag back.
“That will do. Now, why don’t you go up to the spare rooms and settle in for the night? I’ll be back in the morning with everything you will need for the journey.”
Archibald ran his hand down Lynn’s cheek and she leaned into it with her eyes closed. Then, with a swoosh of his velvet robe, he left them to go down a long hallway and closed the door behind him.
Lynn turned to Dorjee and made a disgusted face, rubbing her cheek where he had caressed it. Dorjee had trouble suppressing a giggle.
“This way,” she said in a whisper and, still dragging that awful suitcase, she led the way to a set of stairs. There were only two doors at the top of the stairs, and Lynn went through the left one.
