Reciprocity : Volume 1 of The Fledgegate Cycle

by Zachary Smith

  “Just before dusk, I will go scout the path for our exit. We will try to limit the obstacles, considering the girl's condition.”

  Oarf listened to the two men planning.

  “I’m not the cook that Eiriean is but I will make sure that everyone has a full belly before you leave, and food to take.”

  Alyra and Rues carefully climbed down the ladder into the cellar and put together a makeshift bed for Eiriean using a mattress stolen from one of the rooms. Kiiryas, after eating, slipped out the back. “I’ll be back as soon as I check the path.”

  The last of the food was loaded into the packs as Kiiryas returned. “We are as clear as we can be,” he said. “The soldiers are roaming the streets, but they are planned patrols. It looks like they are asking everyone to swear allegiance to the Hasdingian King. If they swear and don’t offer any threat to the soldiers, then they are letting them go.” He looked at Oarf pointedly. “When you come out of the cellar, then if the soldiers come by, swear and don’t fight. Anything else and they will kill you.”

  Oarf nodded in agreement as he looked at his injured wife. “We will close the cellar before you leave. Swing the table to cover the door. If someone comes while we are down there, it will hide the entrance. I am strong enough to just lift it all up to open the door when we are ready to come out.”

  Glem walked over and shook hands with Oarf. “Thank you for taking care of the girls.”

  “When the time comes, kill the bastards.”

  “As many as I can.”

  “Get going then.” Oarf looked over to see Kiiryas holding Eiriean lightly.

  “As many as we can,” Kiiryas affirmed.

  Oarf went down into the cellar first to help Kiiryas with Eiriean if he needed it, but Kiiryas smoothly carried her down the steps and set her onto the bed the girls had prepared.

  “Be careful, my friend,” Kiiryas said, clasping forearms with the much larger man.

  Kiiryas moved back up the stairs and firmly closed the door in the floor behind him. They could all hear the large bolts being thrown on the underside of the door.

  Kiiryas and Glem now set about moving the table and benches over the door and setting out some random kitchen items on the table to make it look as though that was where the table had always sat.

  “He planned for something like this, didn’t he? Most cellars don’t have locks on the inside,” Alyra said. She watched the men from where she and Rues were holding each other up.

  Kiiryas looked at Alyra. “He’s a careful man.”

  Rues spoke up, saying, “Good. Careful will keep them both alive. Speaking of alive… we should get going too.”

  ✽✽✽

  Kiiryas led them through the back alleys of the city. Each time they reached a corner or an intersection, he would leave them hidden in safety as he scouted ahead. They had been moving steadily toward the west wall of the city for over an hour when he returned to the group even more silently than usual.

  “We have a major problem up ahead. A random patrol is coming toward us, and all the alleys between them and us are dead ends. In a few minutes, we are not going to be able to avoid them.” He looked at Glem for a moment as if trying to read Glem’s thoughts, searching desperately for a solution—any solution. “I think we hide the girls. They are too injured for a fight. When the guards get close, you and I will have to handle them.” He paused for a few seconds. “Just the sword. We don’t want to inadvertently burn the city down.”

  Glem raised an eyebrow. He nodded silently.

  It was as sound a plan as any he could come up with, and great choices were thin on the ground right about now.

  Kiiryas held up his hands to placate Glem. “Yeah, yeah. Grandmothers and sucking eggs and all that.”

  They worked quickly to stack some empty crates in the alley together, and got Rues and Alyra positioned behind them.

  “I want to help. I can fight.” Alyra said. “Really, I can. And I enjoy it.” She said and I enjoy it as if she was talking about a Sunday school outing. Despite the words, her face was glum.

  Glem looked at his granddaughter.

  “You will not be doing any fighting. Leave that to us. Really, I don’t expect a problem but if they manage to get past the two of us, you have to help Rues run.”

  “I’m feeling a lot better, so I can run or fight if I have to now, I think,” Rues replied.

  “Save your strength. You will need it soon enough.”

  The men rapidly moved into place opposite one another on the sides of the alley where the soldiers would pass. They waited frozen in situ as the majority of the soldiers marched past into the alley where the girls were hidden without noticing them. As the last one passed, both men stepped out, weapons in hand. Using all their skill and surprise tactics, they were able to kill six of the eight men before the first of them was able to even shout. One of the last two yelled once before Kiiryas’ long knife entered his brain. The loudest sound of the whole fight was when both heavy bodies fell clattering to the cobblestones.

  They grabbed the bodies of the soldiers and drug them to the girls' hiding place, tucking them behind the debris.

  Unnoticed during the fight with the soldiers, the slash over Glem’s eye had opened up and was beginning to bleed slowly, giving him a ghastly look. But he would have to just look like that for now—they had more worrying things to get on with.

  The group was nearing the west wall when Kiiryas pulled them to a halt again. “The next part is tougher. We have to go up.” Kiiryas pointed to the top of the wall a few houses away. “Go into the third house on the left and up the stairs in the main hall. On the third floor, I left a door open when I checked things earlier. You can then climb out the window onto the roof.

  “From there, we will go across the series of roofs all the way to the wall. There are ropes in the room. I put them there earlier thinking we would need them, so make sure to grab them.

  “I’m going to go up to the roof here. There are guards on the wall, and I’ll be able to deal with them. Go in the house and give me five minutes before you come out.”

  Alyra looked at Rues and Glem and then back to Kiiryas. “Got it. Good luck.”

  Kiiryas grabbed the protruding stones from the wall of the house and began to climb. In less than a minute, he was able to pull himself over the edge of the roof and begin to make his way forward.

  “Let’s get to the house and upstairs so we are ready for him when it’s time,” Glem whispered.

  Peeking out the window, they could see Kiiryas crouched on the roof against the wall. The guards walking the wall stopped almost directly over him, and spoke for a moment before turning and beginning to walk away. As soon as they were both clear of him, Kiiryas hopped onto the wall between them. In the shadows, Glem and the girls could not tell what happened but both guards crumpled to the ground silently, mere seconds apart.

  “I think that's our signal,” Glem said to Rues and Alyra. He climbed out the window and then helped each of them out too.

  When they reached the wall, Kiiryas was sitting on it with a dead guard on each side of him. “I’m going to hand them down to you one at time. The window on that dormer is unlocked,” he pointed. “If we put them in there, it will take longer to find them and longer for them to realize something’s happened here.”

  The guards dealt with, Glem lifted each of the girls up far enough that Kiiryas could grab them and pull them the rest of the way to the top of the wall. Glem could feel his strength draining rapidly after the brutal day. “We need to hurry. I’m not sure how much longer I’m good for.”

  “Next step is a long one. Rope goes through the iron ring back there.” He pointed behind him. “Then we go over the wall and to the tree line. Once we are in the trees, we should be clear. If I go over first, do you have enough left to lower them?” he asked Glem. “It’s not something to get wrong.”

  “Yes. Definitely enough.”

  “Then let's get started,” Kiiryas replied.


  They moved toward the ring he had indicated and found that Rues had already set the rope though it with a turned knot. As they watched her, she checked over the wall quickly and then threw both ends of the rope over.

  Taking one of the ropes, she held it up.

  “Stay on this side. When we all get down, we can pull the other and the knot will release. They will never know we were here.”

  Kiiryas looked at Rues with a new respect.

  “Sneaky. I think I like you.” He grabbed the rope she indicated and swung out over the wall. In seconds, he was down.

  Glem pulled the rope back up and tied a loop in it near the end. “Alyra, you first.”

  She sat in the loop on the edge of the wall, holding onto the rope. She eased off the wall slowly as Glem held her weight, and he began to lower her cautiously.

  She was near the bottom when she went limp and toppled backwards out of the makeshift sling.

  Glem felt the rope go slack as she fell.

  Kiiryas caught her, as nimbly as a ballet dancer catches another mid-flight. He lowered her to the ground and checked her over, and looking up, he saw the faces of Rues and Glem looking down at him. They clearly feared the worst. Unable to shout to them, he gave a thumbs up and put his hands together in the sign for sleep.

  “Quickly now, Rues.”

  Glem pulled the rope up for the second time and began to lower Rues. His hands were shaking and cramping by the time she reached the ground, so he took a deep breath to steady himself and went over the wall, then hand over hand down the rope. Ten feet from the ground, however, his prodigious strength finally gave out and he slipped down the rope the rest of the way, tearing his hands on it as he crashed into the ground.

  Rues was there in an instant. “Are you ok? What happened?”

  “I’m ok, I am just exhausted, and I slipped. I just need a minute to recover. My hands may take a while longer. Anyway, less about me—how’s Alyra?”

  “She seems ok, but she is completely unconscious. Kiiryas said he was watching her come down and all of a sudden, she went limp and fell backward. He was close enough to catch her as she fell. She never hit a thing, landed in his soft arms like a baby and she won’t be any the wiser for it.”

  Glem sighed thankfully. “Going to have to buy that boy a beer when we get somewhere that has it again.”

  “I’ll take you up on that,” Kiiryas answered as he carried Alyra over. “Can you two make it across?”

  A heavy mist started to fall as they spoke.

  Rues walked over the rope and gave a sharp tug on the second line, and the one they had come down started to slither up the face of the wall. She wrapped it over her shoulder in a coil as it descended. “That should make it harder for them to figure out we left.” She looked up into the mist.

  “Why’s it always raining when we have to run for our lives? At least this time, the town’s not on fire. Guess that’s something.” Rues pulled Glem to his feet and slid her shoulder under his arm. “Let’s go.”

  Glem leaned heavily against Rues as they made their escape toward the woods. He was able to walk, but only just, his feet sometimes trailing on the ground as he was too weakened to lift them. The battle with Hazk had taken a severe toll on his body, and he was getting old now, of course. Besides that, rivers of blood continually dripped into his left eye from the cut above his brow. Now and then, it began to knit together and would cease bleeding, but then some facial expression or a brief few words moved the skin and opened it up again. There was no time to tend to himself; all effort was put into their escape.

  Kiiryas clutched Alyra in his arms and scanned the area for any sign of chase. The main body of the Southern Army was flowing into the city from the East Gate still, and it did not appear that they were interested in rounding up the few that had managed to escape.

  “A few hundred yards, and we will be out of sight,” Glem groaned as he tried to pick up his pace.

  Kiiryas looked at the two struggling to keep up with him. They were taking too long, and he considered his options, then made a decision. “Keep moving. I am going to get Alyra to the woods, then return for you. Just don’t stop.”

  Rues acknowledged with a grunt of resolve and continued their labored pace. Kiiryas pulled Alyra in tighter to his chest and broke into a sprint. He was as gentle with her as he could be, considering the circumstances, but speed equaled survival at the moment. She would just have to forgive him later, when it was all explained to her and she was in recovery.

  Alyra moaned in pain as they made their way but kept as quiet as she could. When they arrived at the edge of the forest, Kiiryas carefully set her down behind the nearest large tree. “Stay here. I’m going to help Rues and Glem get to safety. I’ll be back with them in just a few minutes.”

  Kiiryas was much faster on the return trip, no longer burdened by the awkward weight of Alyra in his arms.

  Rues smiled in relief too as Kiiryas took Glem from her. “Hurry up and get to the woods,” Kiiryas commanded. “I’ll get Glem the rest of the way by myself.”

  But he soon found Glem was far too heavy for Kiiryas to carry like he had done Alyra. Their pace was still slower than either of the two liked, even if it was substantially faster than what Rues was managing. Kiiryas continued to scan for the enemy as they slowly made their way out, but the cacophony of battle still sounded in the city, although its intensity was obviously lowering. It was doubtful that many were still fighting; at this point, those stuck in Eshly could only have two choices: to surrender or to die.

  Movement to the left of Kiiryas grabbed his attention, and he slammed Glem and himself to the ground, crouching low. Glem stifled a gasp as the wind was knocked from his lungs, and injuries from the fight shot pain throughout his body. There seemed to be no limb or joint that didn’t hurt atrociously, and he yearned for a lie down on a soft bed—or on anything—and to sleep for a few hours.

  But right now, it seemed a very long way off.

  “Sorry, Glem,” Kiiryas whispered. “A small group of soldiers is patrolling the wall. If we move, we will be seen.”

  Glem cautiously pulled his arm from underneath his body, repositioning his legs into a more comfortable position.

  “No apology needed. Didn’t think you were doing it for the fun of it.”

  The guards continued on their patrol around the wall and gave no indication that they had seen the two escapees. Kiiryas watched as they neared the Southwest corner of the city wall, anticipating they would continue their way around the city. But of course, they didn’t. The patrol stopped, turned around, headed back north. They weren’t leaving.

  “Glem, we need to go. I am going to try something, but it may get us killed if it doesn’t work. I want to try my stealth ability and see if I can shroud you with it as well.”

  Glem considered it for a moment, then nodded with agreement. “You’re right. We can’t stay here any longer. They will begin patrolling out further on the next sweep. It’s likely that a good portion of the Army will be outside these walls soon as well. Let’s give it a try.”

  Kiiryas concentrated and willed his power to present itself. He felt the veil envelop his body, hugging him like a second skin. Glem gasped as Kiiryas disappeared beside him.

  “I know you are there. I can feel you. I can feel your breath on my face, yet you have gone from my sight completely!”

  Kiiryas pushed against the veil of invisibility, trying to force it to extend over Glem. The effort was extremely draining and sweat broke out on his brow. He could feel his power inching incrementally outward, and he continued to push.

  Glem was startled as he felt the cool, tingly sensation of the veil envelop him, and Kiiryas was visible once again. “Unbelievable. You’ve actually done it.”

  “Don’t get too excited, old man; I can only hold this for a little while. Five minutes at most, that’s all. We need to be in the trees by then.”

  Kiiryas stood, offering Glem a hand to pull him up.

  Once they
were both securely on their feet, they made for the tree line and Glem’s gait smoothed out somewhat, as the stress of being seen was eliminated.

  Now nicely hidden by the dense forest, Kiiryas let his power drop and slumped down against a small tree.

  He sighed with exhaustion, then looked to see how the rest of the group was going. Glem had hobbled over to where Alyra remained unconscious. He peered down at her with concern.

  “Is she going to be ok?” Rues squeaked, as tears welled up in her eyes.

  “We all are child. We are out of the city now, though not out of danger. Alyra will come to soon, I’m sure, and she’s tough—she will be fine, you’ll see. I have an inkling about what is going on with her, but now is not the time to discuss it. We need to get as far from here as we can. Kiiryas, let me know when you are able to move. I think I’m feeling well enough now to help carry my granddaughter.”

  Kiiryas opened his eyes in shock, then chuckled.

  He knew that Glem was recovering quickly, but that he wasn’t as well as he was trying to let on. It was more of a brave face for Rues than anything. “I’m sure you are feeling well enough, Glem, but let’s not risk you stumbling and dropping her. She’s been through enough already, wouldn’t you say? The last thing she needs is for some old man to throw her to the ground. Give me a minute, then we will carry on.”

  Glem mustered a feeble, half-hearted laugh. But Kiiryas was quite right. How could Glem possibly think to carry the girl? He could barely carry his own self a hundred yards.

  After a short rest, far shorter than the four companions needed, they moved off again, headed deeper into the woods.

  “We can’t risk being seen. If we fight in this condition, we will die quickly,” Glem stated heavily. “The journey will be hard, but we must stay hidden in the forest until we are well clear of Eshly. It will be uncomfortable, but at least it’s safer.”