by Cait Ashwood
Sasha gave her a knowing look before gesturing to the mounts behind her. “Care to mount up? I believe the guard would slay me if I made you walk in.”
Ace chuckled. “Fair enough.”
Audrey followed him to the horses, both white geldings from the look of things, and accepted his hand as a step up into the saddle. She hadn’t ever gotten the hang of vaulting onto their backs from the ground, and was grateful for the help as she settled into her seat. She didn’t get to ride often, and only ever at a walk. She tugged on the reins and kicked the horse, her eyes drawn back to the wall as she followed Sasha through the gates. Is it to keep enemies out, or keep them in? Not being able to answer the question set her stomach churning.
Sasha led them inside the wall, and there was quite a bit of space between the wall and the tower itself. Audrey wasn’t a pro at judging distances, but it seemed that there were a few football fields between the two stone constructs. A few stalls that looked like they might be part of a market were set up to her right, currently empty. Audrey hardly had to direct her mount as it followed Sasha’s brown horse around the tower. Audrey smelled the stables before she saw them, the sweet smell of fresh hay putting her immediately at ease. Across from the stables was a door in the side of the tower. A small porch had been built over it to shelter the guards standing at attention on either side. Audrey squinted at one and was able to pick out the silver stitching of the Raven’s emblem on her chest. So Zeche’s influence has spread even here.
“I can’t wait to show you the inside.” Ace was beaming like a kid in a candy store. She’d been distracted studying the guards and hadn’t even noticed that Ace had dismounted. Getting off was almost as awkward as getting on, but she managed to land with both feet on the ground, and didn’t need his proffered hand.
“So this is what’s kept you away so much.” While she was hardly his keeper, she’d found it rather convenient that he was assigned to some additional project as soon as the kids got sick for the first time. Thankfully Falda had stepped in and been a lifesaver, but he was still on her shit list at the moment.
He grimaced, face flushing. “Well, I knew this would be a pretty important thing for you, so…”
She nodded briskly. “Of utmost importance, yes. Gwyn has been making do, but I know she’ll appreciate a place to call her own and be with the others.” Assuming we’re as successful as we hope we’ll be. Nope. Don’t go down that road. You should think positive. Ace was giving her an odd look, so she figured her emotions had been playing out across her face as usual. She never could hide her thoughts from anyone.
“Would you like a tour, Lady Audrey?” Sasha had apparently seen to their horses. She dusted her hands off on her leather pants, looking up at them expectantly.
Ace cleared his throat, but Audrey spoke over him. “That would be lovely, Sasha, thank you.” Audrey glanced over at Ace and, predictably, he was frowning. She fought the urge to roll her eyes and leaned into him, whispering in his ear. “They need to feel important too, you know.”
His brows rose slightly before he shrugged, seeming to relax.
Audrey let out a sigh of relief as they turned and followed Sasha into the tower. Ace had been getting harder and harder to handle lately, and she wasn’t sure if it was her own impatience and fatigue at the end of the day, or if something had changed between them. She found herself looking forward to the times when his duties took him away from the Manse, feeling like she could breathe and think clearer in his absence.
She did her best not to stiffen as he took her hand, leaving them linked as they followed Sasha through the halls. He peered into her face and she forced a smile, inclining her head towards Sasha to indicate that she was listening to their guide.
The tower was quite impressive, and free of design despite the circular parameters. The quality of the furnishings and supplies matched Hallie’s Manse, and Audrey suspected that quite a bit of the material was brand new, and had been donated. Sasha gestured towards the stairs, halting at the bottom. Audrey glanced up at her, confused.
“You’ll notice each floor has two staircases now. There used to be just the one, and that would make evacuation in case of an emergency mighty dangerous if it got blocked. So now there’s two flights down from each floor, and every window has an iron chest at the base with rope ladders and hooks to allow for safe descent via the windows.”
Dear heavens, they only had one way out before? I guess they don’t exactly have fire marshals in this day and age, but still. It seemed common sense to Audrey, and she was happy to see that the changes were being implemented.
Ace chirped up for the first time since they’d entered the tower, giving her hand a slight squeeze. “The entire structure has also been reinforced with magnetic ores. Multiple electromagnets have been installed, and the women will be schooled in their operation. At the first sign of alarm, they can activate the magnets and limit phasing.”
“Then it would be an arms race. Still, means there’s time to call in reinforcements.” Audrey bit her lower lip as she thought over the improvements to the structure. Things looked good to her, but what would it be like for those women who had been stolen from here to return?
“Shall I show you the living quarters?”
Audrey nodded and Sasha led them up the stairs, babbling on about various decor elements as she showed them the second floor and guided them up to the third. The floor plan here operated in concentric rings, with a small core of rooms in the center of the tower, separated from the rooms ringing the exterior walls by a hallway.
“How many rooms are available per floor?” Audrey withdrew her head from the room she’d stared in. Everything was clean and smelled fresh, not at all stuffy as she’d been expecting. Though the interior rooms without windows are probably stuffier.
“Thirteen, to match the moons.” Sasha’s smile wavered, as if she were feeling unsure about something.
Audrey did the math in her head. “There’s room for nearly sixty women here.” That seemed like a good number, for whatever reason.
Sasha’s smile fell further. “Not exactly. The First Leaf’s quarters are on the sixth floor, and the central five rooms are converted into a larger space for her use.
“Ah, so there’s only nine rooms on her floor?”
Ace chuckled. “Your floor, don’t you mean?”
Audrey blanched, the blood running from her face. “I’m the leader now by default, and because Gwyn refuses the role. There may well be a more qualified leader among the refugees.” She held no illusions about her position. She was finally getting some training, thanks to Gwyn, but she was still essentially an initiate in the Order. Hardly leadership material.
“Aw, Lady Audrey, you should give yourself more credit than that. You’ve been fighting for the Order’s interests all along.” Sasha beamed, clapping a hand on her shoulder. “In fact, I doubt they’d have fixed up this place without you breathing down their necks.”
Audrey raised an eyebrow and looked towards Ace, who grinned sheepishly.
“Yeah, it was mainly your voice arguing for better quarters that inspired the project.”
A grin tugged at her lips. “I don’t remember making an argument about that.”
“Well, I guess technically you didn’t…” Ace trailed off, his face scrunched up as he tried to remember.
Audrey chuckled. “Well, where would they have stayed if I wasn’t here?” She doubted the answer would be much different.
“Without you? Uh, we probably wouldn’t have given it much thought. Seeker barracks, most likely, or possibly in the guard barracks of a big city, if they wanted more amenities.”
Her mouth dropped open in horror. “Seriously?”
Sasha nudged her shoulder. “See? I told you you needed to give yourself more credit.” Her smirk of satisfaction did boost Audrey’s confidence somewhat. “Come on, I wanna show you the roof.”
Audrey didn’t have a chance to argue against ascending four more flights of stairs, bec
ause Sasha was off at a wicked pace. She groaned as she mounted the last flight, Ace’s chuckle from behind her not improving her mood any. Panting, she put her hands on her hips as she looked around.
The staircase came up towards the edge of the roof, and Audrey had to grin at the retaining wall. It had square blocks that alternated with shorter ones, mimicking the rook in her old chess set back home. In the center was a flag pole, the rope clanging against the metal pole. It was an aching sound, and Audrey squinted up to its full height, shading her eyes from the sun. No flag waved proudly in the breeze, no banner, no sigil. It was empty.
Ace left her side and met Sasha half-way across the roof, taking something from her and carrying it reverently with both hands. Audrey blinked against the blinding sun, trying to get her vision back from staring up into the sky. The object was made of cloth, in a dark green material. Sasha had followed him over and took part of the material back from him.
It was a flag, admittedly one torn in half. A silver leaf had been stitched over a field of forest green. The blade had cut right through the middle lengthwise, and the banner was effectively ruined. Audrey reached for the sullied banner, letting her finger trail over the destruction there. She turned, heading for the safety wall, a frown tugging at her brows. This should be a new place, a new start. I’ve long thought that change needed to come to the Order. Her thoughts drifted over their words. Maybe the leader of the Order didn’t have to be the oldest, or the most skilled in the healing arts, or even the most popular. Maybe all one required to be a leader was passion and good sense. She had been fighting for the Order’s interests, and apparently she was making good progress. Could she be bold enough to act on this new idea that was tickling her brain?
This needs to be the Order of the future, not the past. Secrecy ruined them, made them impossible to rescue. The new Order needs a level of transparency. She turned, her eyes lingering on the half of a leaf embroidered on the flag. Lily is my future, the future of the Order. Her blood is pure, and she’ll be the one to carry us forward. Audrey bit her lower lip, eyes flicking to Ace. He gave her a little smile, tilting his head as if to ask, what are you thinking?
“My Lady, we were hoping you might commission a new flag to fly from the tower.” Sasha dipped her head, holding out the tattered fabric with its fraying embroidery.
Indeed. “I shall, at that. I’m sure the guard would appreciate a sigil to wear on their uniforms, as well.”
Sasha’s smile was broad and genuine. “We would, at that. The prestige of being stationed here is great enough, don’t you worry, but the sigil will stay with the family. A true badge of honor.” Sasha’s fist crossed her chest and thumped against her heart and she bobbed her head in a salute.
Audrey swallowed, her anxiety flaring. I stumble into the most momentous things…
“We’ll see to it, Sasha. I believe I’d better get our Lady back to her training, though.”
Audrey shook her head, snapping out of her reverie. “Oh, yes, of course.”
Sasha brightened up, standing a bit taller. “Do you think you’ll get them out soon, then?”
Ace’s gaze drifted to the southwest, where the Institute’s tower would be if they could see it from here. “I believe our forces are just about ready.”
Sasha’s salute this time was more traditional in nature, her hand rising to the crown of her head. Ace shifted the other half of the flag to his left hand and returned the gesture, back stiffening formally.
“We’ll be ready, sir.”
Sweat beaded on Hound’s brow, but no matter how he tried to find a way around her defenses, Audrey’s shield on the men was nearly impenetrable. Using the taint always made him feel sullied, and he forced himself deeper into its throes. The others relish the power. I can’t make her think she’s ready because I don’t feel like getting dirty. He withdrew his feelers and gathered his energy into a central location, preparing for an all-out assault. He sensed a ripple in Audrey’s shield and threw everything he had at it, hoping to catch her off balance.
The shield wavered and one of the men in front twitched, but then Hound was repelled just as thoroughly as before. This time, the shock wave literally sent him reeling backward, hands going to his head to stave off the pressure.
“I think you’re ready.” Gwyn stood with her arms crossed over her chest, but she had a small smile for Audrey, who had her hair tied back and looked exhausted.
“No. I’m capable when I’m prepared for a direct attack and have my full attention on the men. Those aren’t going to be the circumstances underground.”
She has a point. He’d never seen her this zealous about any kind of training before, and he was equally impressed and worried. Ace hadn’t been around much, likely at home caring for the twins while she was training with Gwyn. While he had voiced his views on her attendance multiple times, it was obvious she was committed to the trip. At least he’s smart enough to let her learn everything she can before she goes, because there’s no way in hell he’s talking her out of this.
Gwyn frowned, biting her lower lip and shooting a lightning-quick glance at Hound. “What do you suggest, Audrey?”
Audrey paced, arms crossed over her chest, still agitated despite her success. “I need to be doing what I’ll be doing underground. Shooting things, dodging attacks, making decisions.” She gesticulated as she paced, and Hound had to squash the smile starting to spread across his lips. She was turning out to be quite a bit like him, just more stubborn.
“We can set up a multi-target range and let you go at it.”
She turned to him and gave a brief, distracted smile. “That would be perfect, thanks.”
There was a day when he could have raised his chin, had someone’s attention, and waved his hand, and men would have jumped at his commands. Now? Now he was trudging across the courtyard, mentally tired from the exercises and putting his body to use dragging targets around and working them into some semblance of a range. He glanced over his shoulder at their volunteers, letting his glare linger for a moment. A few of them jogged over and helped him set things up; the others pretended not to notice. Typical.
Job done, he waved at the girls. They headed over, followed by the rest of the lazy group. I’m starting to see why they volunteered. Standing around is easier than anything else they could be doing. He was grouchy by the time everyone was in position and ready to try again. Audrey had her bow in hand, and it somehow changed her entire demeanor. She was calmer and seemed more focused.
“Start shooting.”
She nodded and drew back, the feathers of the arrow almost touching her cheek. She let the first one fly, pausing before reaching for another arrow. Hound waited until she was really into her routine, picking routines at random and her attention wholly on the task at hand. He swallowed back his disgust and reached for the taint in his blood, urging it forward into the men before him. He got through enough to start ensnaring them, but before he could bend their will to his, Audrey was fighting him off.
Except, this time, it was different. Pain, white hot and blinding, surged into his chest. He broke his connection, but the pain stayed with him, forcing him to his knees.
“Audrey! Stop!” Gwyn’s voice was high and panicked, but he could barely hear her.
The pain stopped as suddenly as it began and he fell to all fours, panting heavily. Rushing footsteps approached, and he didn’t even have the energy to tell her not to bother.
“Oh my gosh, Hound, are you okay?” Concern and fear poured into him from the mark, and he couldn’t keep their emotions separate. Was the fear his, or hers?
Her hand on his shoulder was fire on a burn and he hissed, pulling back from her and curling into a ball in an effort to shield himself. Shame wasn’t even something he could feel right now, he was so overwhelmed.
Guilt, wave upon wave of guilt. He guessed that was more hers than his. It could have been seconds, or minutes, or hours, but slowly the pieces of his world started putting themselves back in order.
The pain faded first, and he uncurled slightly while he tried to get his head back in line. When he finally opened his eyes, tears had matted his lashes into clumps. The sun seemed preternaturally bright and he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision.
He picked up his head, trying to get his bearings. Audrey was sitting on a hay bale nearby, Ace next to her with an arm around her shoulders. Her eyes were puffy and her face flushed; she’d been crying. Gwyn wasn’t anywhere he could see. Hound struggled to pull himself up into a sitting position. Audrey’s head jerked up and she rose to her feet, running halfway to him before skidding to a halt, her hands in front of her face.
Another wave of guilt threatened to toss him adrift again, but she cut off the emotion and he was able to keep his tenuous grip on reality. He grunted as he forced himself into a crouch, wavering off-balance for a moment as he caught his breath. Ace finally came walking up behind her, giving her a concerned glance. Then he was coming closer. When he extended his hand, Hound took it, not too proud to admit he needed a hand up at this point.
“You okay?” Ace didn’t immediately let go of him, making sure he had his feet under him, first.
“That was…” Hound shook his head, unsure how to describe it.
Ace glanced over his shoulder at Audrey, who still stood in the open courtyard, looking lost. “She was freaking out. Whatever she did, I don’t think she meant it.”
Hound snorted. “Of course she didn’t.” Because it hurt her just as much as it hurt me. The pain had seemed astronomical, but while faced with it, he’d forgotten about the connection of the mark. He hadn’t shielded her at all. He’d felt it once himself, and a second time as it hit her. Then it was a matter of the constant rebounds. It was a miracle they’d pulled out of it.
Hound forced his gaze over Ace’s shoulder, but she looked away. He could feel her shame, and just how hard she was trying to keep it from him. His legs felt shaky beneath him, but he started over towards her. Ace remained at his side, ready to help him out if needed. She finally looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. If he never saw her cry again, it would be too soon.
