Faina made her way out of the alley, using the dark of night as a cloak. The closest Sunlamp stood at least fifty feet away.
This was how Faina liked it. Back during her time with her crime lord Nalin, she had always operated at night. There was a strange thrill in doing this kind of activity again. She'd never hated the sneaking around. She'd hated the wrongs she'd done.
Now she was doing this for the right reasons. Her friends needed her.
She took a route through alleys that would lead her around to the back of the temporary Firelord headquarters. The place looked as if it had once been a prison. There were no windows, and though she couldn't do a Yellow/Green weave, she knew the stone had to be reinforced.
At the back of the building, a set of stone steps led up to the roof of the building. There would surely be Fire Guards up there, but it was the best chance she had. She started up the steps. In the darkness, she couldn't see far, but faint footsteps came from ahead. Her chest tightened as she neared the top of the steps.
At the top, she froze. Two Fire Guards stood atop the building. They weren't looking at her, but how long would that last?
The roof offered a few short stone walls she could hide behind. She raced over to one, feeling as if her heart would burst out of her chest. Peering around the corner, she watched one of the Fire Guards approach. Her legs trembled. She didn't remember feeling this terrified before. Had she been more confident back during her time with Nalin? Or did she know there was much more at stake now? Back then, she hadn't cared much about her own life and hadn't cared at all about anyone else.
The guard passed her location. She feared he'd turn toward her, but he didn't and began moving in the other direction.
This was her chance. She darted out from her hiding place and raced toward another wall, which she used to conceal herself from view. The first guard was at the other end of the roof and wasn't a threat currently, but now the second guard was approaching her location. She could sense their unease. Atarin must have told them to be on the lookout.
Once the second guard passed, she scurried toward the center of the roof with silent steps, surprised at how quickly she'd recalled her skills.
At the center of the roof, she found a closed trapdoor. Heart pounding, she put her fingers beneath the door and tried to pry it open. It didn't budge.
She didn't see the guards nearby, but she could hear, faintly, the sound of their footsteps and the rattle of their chain mail. Again, she tried to open the trap door, but it still didn't budge. Then she spotted the large keyhole in the trap door. She also had the feeling that she could have opened this if she had the ability to do a Yellow/Green weave.
But she couldn't, so she had to find another plan. She looked for the guards, and her stomach lurched. One of them was approaching, and there were no walls to hide behind here in the center of the roof.
Then she heard a different kind of faint rattle. It wasn't the sound of chain mail. No, it was the sound of a key against the guard's belt.
With a sudden surge of hope, she cast Purple to negate what little light remained. The air darkened, but she controlled her casting so that it didn't darken enough to alarm the guards. They would simply think a Sunlamp or two had gone out, which happened from time to time.
In the darkness, Faina tiptoed across the rooftop. There was one major drawback to a Purple casting. The guards couldn't see, but neither could she. However, they still made more noise than she did, which allowed her to make her way by ear.
She rounded one of the stone walls, circling around behind the guard. The key still rattled against his belt. Her chest felt tight as she approached him from behind.
To her relief, her footsteps were silent. The guard was a faint shadow in the darkness. She grew closer and closer. Although the air was frigid, sweat trickled down her forehead. She focused on keeping her breathing quiet, on the training she'd received under Nalin.
At last, she was within a foot of the guard. He hadn't turned around, focusing instead on his normal patrol pattern. Faina could just make out the key. It hung to the guard's side. He should have known that was foolish. You had to put a key like that at the front of your belt.
Not that Faina was complaining. She reached out her left hand and fastened it around the key. When she tried to pull, though, the key wouldn't come free.
The moment the guard turned, she did a Yellow/Blue weave and formed her shield so that it would block any sound he made.
"We have an intruder!" he shouted, but the sound didn't travel beyond her shield.
His first instinct was to go for his sword, and that was a big mistake. If he'd cast Yellow and produced light, it would have attracted the attention of the other guard. Faina was also too quick for him. She dragged her dagger across his throat before he could get his sword out.
He hit the ground, clutching at his bleeding neck. Faina felt a pang of sympathy for him. There was no proof that this Fire Guard was a bad man. He was probably just a man doing his duty. But sometimes sacrifices had to be made.
The guard fell still, blood covering the stone around him, and Faina let her Yellow/Blue shield drop. She grabbed the key from the guard's belt and was about to head to the trapdoor.
But then she realized she had to kill the other guard. As soon as he discovered his fallen comrade, he would foil her plans. She hated that she had to do it, but she had no choice. Fighting back her emotions, she made her way across the rooftop, toward the sounds the other guard made. Again and again, she tried to think of a way around this, but there wasn't one.
She judged the guard's movements to figure out which direction he was heading, and then she circled around the stone walls so that she'd come at him from behind. As she approached, she held her bloody dagger ready. Then she darted forward and slashed the guard's throat.
The guard made horrible gurgling noises as he collapsed. He tried to call for help, but she'd sliced through his vocal cords. As he died, he looked at her with wide eyes, as if asking her why she'd killed him.
I had to do it, she thought, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't afford to dwell on what she'd done. She could face the emotional consequences of her actions later, once she saved her friends. It seemed callous, but what choice did she have?
She returned to the trapdoor and inserted the key in the lock. The trapdoor came open, and she ducked inside.
Chapter 6: The Rescue Attempt
"Karik, I need to talk to you."
Karik looked up from the book he'd been reading to see Atarin standing over him. Immediately, Karik rose. He knew better than to keep Atarin waiting.
"What do you need to talk to me about?"
"Rella."
"What about her?" Karik asked. He had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. In truth, he'd wondered why Atarin hadn't killed Rella already. Surely their family relationship wasn't enough to keep her alive. Atarin had never struck Karik as a sentimental man.
"I'm going to execute her," Atarin said. The words came with no emotion.
"Are you sure that's the right choice?"
"No. That's why I wanted to talk to you."
"I'm glad that you trust my advice," Karik said. They walked out of the main chamber and into a corridor containing a few rooms that were not prison cells.
"In truth, I'm not sure I do trust you."
Karik's stomach roiled. "Then why are you asking me?"
"I don't know. Maybe there's a part of me that wonders if she's right." Atarin stopped walking and stroked his red beard in deep thought. "I don't want to believe that Halarik destroyed my palace, I know of no human, Sunweaver or Fireweaver, who could produce a weave that powerful."
"Then you don't intend to free him?"
"No, I haven't changed my mind on that. I'm just wondering if I really have to kill my own family. I know I'm taking a chance by bringing Halarik back. It could be the wrong thing to do. Should I kill Rella for having the same doubts and making a different decision?"
&nb
sp; "You already tortured her," Karik said. "I don't see how killing her would be any worse."
"Death is permanent. Torture is temporary."
"If you don't kill her," Karik said, "then what do you intend to do?"
"That's the problem. I can't leave her alive if she's going to continue working against us. If I could somehow know that she won't continue on that path, then I could spare her. Otherwise, I see no other option. We can't bring her with us. She's too dangerous as a prisoner."
"Then leave her with the Fire Guard," Karik said.
Atarin leaned against the stone wall, considering for a few long moments. "No, I can't do that. It leaves too much to chance. There are those among the Fire Guard who would betray me."
"But if you don't want to kill her, that's the best option you have."
Atarin sighed deeply. "Then I suppose I'll have to kill her."
He turned and walked away, giving Karik no chance to change his mind. Karik watched him go, unsure of how he should feel. Yes, Rella had betrayed him. Yes, she was fighting for the wrong side in this war. But she was a good person beneath that. She didn't deserve to die.
With a heavy heart, Karik made his way toward her cell. He had to deliver the news. Maybe he could convince her to change her mind about things.
But he doubted it.
* * * * *
Beneath the trapdoor, a stone ladder led down to a dark landing. Faina reached the bottom with ease, but her heart was pounding. At any second, she might be discovered. Then there was the crushing weight of what she'd done. She had to ignore it, had to focus on her task.
After a few deep breaths, she stepped through an open door at the other end of the stone chamber, making her way by the light of a few small Sunlamps. The passage she'd entered sloped gradually downward, which seemed odd.
She reached a door at the other end of the passage and stepped into a brighter corridor full of barred cells. Her stomach twisted. There had to be guards around here.
But this might also be where she'd find her friends.
Taking care to step softly, she made her way through the corridor. The cells all appeared to be empty. Every time she passed one, she felt as if the air grew heavier. Where were Davin and Rella? Surely this was where they kept prisoners.
The silence was eerie. The air smelled of dust and disuse. Trembling, she continued through the prison. She had no idea what she'd find here or what would happen when she reached the other side. Though she'd lived most of her life with uncertainty, it felt more suffocating than ever.
No, you have to focus on finding them, she told herself. She could worry about the future later. All that mattered was the moment. If she thought too far ahead, if she considered how she'd escape this place, she'd surely crumble under the pressure.
At last, she heard a faint tapping sound. Shivering, she made her way toward the sound. It was coming from a cell ahead and to the left. When she reached that cell, she peered inside.
"Davin?" she said, feeling as if a heavy weight had lifted from her chest.
"I hope you're here to rescue me."
"I am, but I'm still not sure how I'll do it." She grabbed the large key, which she had tucked inside her tight underclothing. "Don't think this key will work." She stuck the key in the lock and tried to turn it, but it didn't do a thing.
"Guess you have to find the right key," Davin said. Faina was amazed at the calm in his voice, and wished she could feel the same sense of calm. Her trembling had subsided a little, but she still felt more nervous than she had in a while. So much rested on her shoulders.
"Do you have any idea where they might have the key?" she asked.
"No. They threw me in here and haven't been back to tell me anything." He chuckled. "Though I wouldn't expect them to tell me about the key anyways."
"Do you have any idea what I should do?"
"I'm afraid not."
* * * * *
Rella sat in her cell, wrapped tight in her furs. There were not enough Sunlamps here to keep her properly warm. By now, she and Andra had run out of topics to discuss. They sat in silence, waiting for their fate, whatever it might be.
Footsteps sounded from Rella's right, and she turned toward the sound to see Karik again. She glared at him, then looked away. He didn't deserve to speak with her.
"Why are you here?" she demanded without looking at him.
"I have some bad news for you. Atarin has decided that you are to be executed."
She was surprised at how little the news affected her. After what she'd endured in Atarin's dungeons, death seemed like nothing. "Have you come here to carry out the deed?"
"No. I came here to talk to you." He settled down on a stone chair out in the corridor. "This isn't easy to say, but for some reason, I like you, Rella. I don't want to see you die." His expression became earnest. "If you promise to leave Atarin alone, he might change his mind."
"Do you truly expect me to believe that?"
Karik was about to respond, but then he shook his head. "No, you're too smart for that. Atarin wouldn't believe your promise. That is true."
"Then, as I see it, there's no reason for you to be talking to me."
Karik hesitated. "Maybe I'm going to get you out of here."
"And risk Atarin's anger? I don't think so."
"Atarin doesn't have to know."
"And what will he think?" Rella said. "That I escaped on my own? You're not stupid, Karik. You can't possibly believe that he won't suspect you."
Karik's tone became irritated. "Do you want to live or not?"
"I do, but I've accepted that it won't happen."
Karik slammed his fist against the stone wall. "Why do you have to make this so damned hard? I'm trying to help you here, and you keep going against every suggestion I have."
"Why are you trying to help me? I betrayed you." She met his gaze. "Or have you reconsidered your views on Halarik?"
"Our plans will work whether or not you interfere."
"If that's so certain," Rella said, "then why can't Atarin let me go?"
Karik turned away. "This is useless. You don't want my help. I can see that much now. He started to walk back toward the building's main room, then turned toward Rella for one last look. "I hope you enjoy dying."
"If you bring Halarik back, we'll all die anyways."
He had no response for that. Once he stepped out of view, she kicked the wall in her cell. She wanted to strangle somebody at the moment. It wasn't the fact that she was about to die. She'd accepted that as soon as the Fire Guards captured her. No, it was Karik's condescending tone, as if he were doing her a great favor in bringing her this news, in offering his useless help.
He couldn't possibly care about her. This had to be some ploy of Atarin's.
* * * * *
Faina left Davin behind as she made her way deeper into the building. The corridor containing the cells was empty, but she heard faint voices in the distance. The farther she walked, the louder those voices sounded.
She reached a closed door at the end of the corridor. The voices were louder here, but they didn't sound as if they were coming directly from the other side of the door. After a deep breath, she eased the door open, and then stepped through.
The room she'd entered was dark—no Sunlamps at all. She inched through the darkness, wondering if she'd made a wrong turn. The voices were more distinct, though.
Up ahead, a little light filtered into the chamber, and she determined that she was still in a corridor containing cells. How many people had this abandoned prison once held? She was reminded of her time in the prison in Hyrandel, of how she'd been sure of her impending death.
Now she felt some of those same fears, but at least she could do something about it. She continued inching through the corridor. At last, she reached a place where the Sunlamps glowed brightly. She listened for guards but didn't hear any.
Around a corner, she found a rack containing two keys, though it looked like there was room for more. How could
she know if one of these keys was the right one?
She grabbed both and made her way back through the darkness, returning to the corridor where Davin was imprisoned. There, she inserted the first key in the lock and turned it. The door didn't open, and her heart climbed into her throat. This had to work. She needed someone else to help her through this. This mission felt overwhelming.
To her relief, the second key did open the door. Davin filed out of the room, glancing about warily. "What's our plan now?"
"We still need to free Rella, and possibly Andra."
"I wish I could tell you where they were."
"I understand," Faina said. "I'm just glad I've rescued someone."
Davin chuckled. "Let's not go making wild assumptions. We still have to get out of here, and I doubt that'll be easy."
"It shouldn't be that hard," Faina said. "If you go back the way I came, you'll find your way to the roof. I killed the guards up there, so you won't have to worry about them. You can climb down from there and make your way through the alleys."
"I'm glad to know we have an escape route," Davin said, "but do you really think I'm going to abandon you here? We have more people to save."
Faina wanted to tell him to think more about himself, but from what she knew of him, he wouldn't listen. Instead, she gestured for him to follow her, and they made their way through the dark corridor beyond, reaching the place where she'd found the keys. She didn't return either key to the rack, as she didn't know if one of them might be the key to Rella's cell.
The voices had faded. Had the people nearby gone somewhere else, or had they simply stopped talking? Chest tight, Faina pushed through the door at the end of the corridor.
The room beyond looked like the main chamber. This corner of it was deserted, but she could hear voices coming from her right. Thankfully, there was a wall between her and those voices, but she didn't see anywhere she could go without stepping into view.
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