Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Mira ran through the dark streets. Her heart was pounding as she ran. She kept looking behind her. The street was empty. She turned down an alley, then another. She knew these streets well. She knew where to hide.

She stopped behind a stack of crates near the fish market. Her hands were shaking. She pressed her back against the wall and waited. She took a deep breath about ten times.

As she waited to catch her breath, she heard voices coming from far away. Men talking. They passed her without looking. She counted to a hundred. Then she moved.

Her room was at the back of the servants' quarters. She slipped through the kitchen. The pots were clean. The fires were out. No one was there.

She pulled her bag from under the bed. She had packed it weeks ago. Clothes, bread, jam, a knife, unripe papaya and avocadoes, and some coins.

She picked her bag and went to the kitchen door. The garden was dark. The wall was high. She knew where the stones were loose. She climbed. Her hands found the gaps. Her feet found the holds. She pulled herself up and dropped down the other side.

Her ankle twisted. She bit her lip in pain. She stood up and limped down the lane.

She looked back. No one was outside. She walked toward the south gate.

Marik stood in the warehouse with blood on his face. His men were spread out behind him.

The young man came back from the back room. "Nothing. They're gone."

Marik wiped his face. His cheek was cut. His lip was split.

He said "Which way?"

The young man said "The alley. There's a window."

Marik walked to the window. He saw the blood on the frame.

He said "He's hurt. He won't get far."

Kell came in from the street. "The girl went toward the main road."

Marik said "Follow her."

Kell said "And the Greyman?"

Marik said "Find him. Split up."

He looked at the window. At the blood. At the dark alley.

He said "You see him, you don't fight him. You follow him. You come get me."

The men moved out.

Kaelen ran as fast as his tired legs could carry him. His chest burned. His arm was numb. Blood dripped onto the stones. Rook was beside him. Sparrow was ahead, checking corners and signaling them to keep moving.

Sparrow stopped. She looked back. "They're coming. Three of them."

Kaelen leaned against the wall. His breath came in gasps.

Rook said "We need to hide."

He saw a gap between two buildings. Narrow. Dark.

He said "There. We are going through there.”

They squeezed through. Kaelen's shoulders scraped the walls. He left blood stains on the stone.

They came out in a small courtyard. It was empty. A well was in the middle.

Kaelen sat down. His legs would not hold him anymore.

Rook said "We need to keep moving."

He pushed himself up.

Voices came from the gap. Footsteps followed.

Kaelen went to a door at the back. Old. Wooden. Locked.

He put his hand on it. Closed his eyes. He could feel the echo. An old woman. Her key was on a hook by the door.

He pushed. The lock clicked.

They went through. He closed the door.

The voices came into the courtyard. Close.

One said "Nothing here. Keep moving."

The footsteps faded.

Kaelen slid down the wall and closed his eyes. He was in severe pain from the various cuts on his body.

Mira reached the south gate. The moon went behind clouds. The gate was open. The guards were looking at the street, not at her.

She walked through. She did not look back.

Outside the city, the road was dark. She walked until the lights of Charter were just a glow.

She stopped. She looked back. She could not see the house anymore. She could not see the kitchen.

She said smiling, "I'm out."

She kept on walking.

Kaelen opened his eyes. The room was dark. Rook was beside him. Sparrow was at the window.

He said "How long?"

Rook said "An hour or so."

He said "Are they gone?"

Sparrow said "They came back twice and left."

He stood up. His legs held.

He said "Elara's. It's the only place."

They went out the back. Through a garden. Over a wall. Down an alley.

The streets were empty.

They walked for forty minutes. Kaelen stopped at a tenement. Old. Dark. Windows boarded.

He found the spot. Pushed. The wall swung open.

They went down the stairs.

Elara was seated, mixing herbs. Colored lamps were everywhere. The smell of herbs filled the room.

She looked at him and said, "You look worse."

He said, "I feel worse."

She said, "Sit."

He sat.

“You brought the girls,” she said. Sparrow looked at her and said, “No. We brought him here.”

She pulled the cloth from his arm. The cut was red around the edges.

She said "This will hurt a little."

He said "I know."

She put some salve on it. His hand tightened. He did not make a sound.

She wrapped his arm. She looked at his chest. "You were lucky."

He said "I know."

She said "Marik is everywhere. Alden wants you dead. Vane wants you dead."

He said "I know."

She picked up a piece of paper. Handed it to him. "Alden's house. Guards. Weak points."

He put it in his pocket. "Thank you."

She looked at him with a hard face and said "Don't thank me. Kill him." Kaelen nodded.

Marik stood in the street. Kell came back. His hands were empty.

Kell said "She's gone. Out the south gate."

Marik said "You let her go?"

Kell said "She was already out."

Marik's face was hard. "The Greyman. The girls. All gone."

Kell said "They can't be far."

Marik said "Someone's hiding them. We search every house."

Kell said "That will take days."

Marik said "Then we take days."

He walked down the street. His men followed.

Kaelen sat in Elara's shop. The paper was in his pocket.

Rook said "What's the plan?"

He said, “I need some time to plan. I am unable to use echoes properly. I can't face Alden like this. I need to become stronger. The earlier, the better."

Sparrow said "You can barely stand."

He said "I'll be ready."

She said "We're coming."

He said "No."

She said "You can't stop us."

He looked at her. Her face was hard.

He said "Fine."

A knock came at the door. Three quick raps.

Elara looked through a small hole. Her face changed.

The door opened. Mira stood there. Her face was pale. Her ankle was swollen.

She said "They're coming. Marik. His men. They'll be here in minutes."

Kaelen stood up. "Go. Why did you come back?"

Mira said "I can't. My ankle."

He grabbed her arm. Pulled her toward the back.

Elara opened a door in the cellar. Dark beyond.

She said "The tunnel. Leads to the old cemetery."

Kaelen said "What about you?"

She said "I'll be fine."

He looked at her. "Thank you."

She said, "Go."

He went into the tunnel. Rook followed. Sparrow followed. Mira limped behind.

The door closed.

Above them, boots pounded. Voices. Elara's voice, calm.

Then nothing.

They moved through the dark. The tunnel was narrow. The walls were wet.

Kaelen said "Keep moving."

They kept moving.

A light appeared ahead. Torchlight. Voices.

Kaelen stopped. He held up his hand.

A voice said "They went this way. I saw them."

Another voice. "Check the tunnel."

Kaelen turned to Rook. Whispered "Back. Now."

They moved back the way they came.

The torchlight grew brighter. The voices grew louder.

They reached the cellar door. Kaelen pushed it. Locked.

He put his hand on it. Closed his eyes.

The key was not there. The echo was gone.

Rook said "Kaelen."

He turned. The torchlight was at the end of the tunnel. Men were coming.

He looked at the door. He looked at the light.

He raised his fist to pound on the door.

It opened. Elara stood there. Her face was white.

She said "Quick."

They went through. She closed the door behind them.

The pounding started on the other side. "Open up!"

Elara moved to a shelf. Pushed a jar. A section of wall slid open.

She said "The back room. No one knows about it. Go."

Kaelen said "You're coming."

She said "I have to hold them off."

He grabbed her arm. "You'll be killed."

She pulled away. "Go."

The door to the tunnel burst open.

Men poured in.

Kaelen pulled Rook into the back room. Sparrow followed. Mira limped behind.

The wall slid closed.

They stood in darkness. On the other side, shouting. Elara's voice. Cold. Quiet.

Then nothing.

They waited in the dark.