Chapter 12
The second warning bell would sound soon. Those comfortably in the middle class hurried to finish their work and scurry home, while those in the slums made no fuss about the curfew. The Guild owned those streets, not the guards.
Eleos carried me through cozy cobblestone roads, occasionally saying something to convince onlookers I’d merely had too much to drink. Letting myself drift off, I closed my eyes and tried to relax.
I roused from my daze when Eleos gently set me down in the square centered by an old willow. The place where Seraphim had wanted us to regroup.
“Shit.” I cursed, eyes adjusting to the darkness. We were late.
A man paced the far side of the square with an agitated gait. Noticing us, he turned on his heel and ran over.
I didn’t recognize him at first. A tall man with silken black waves stood before me, his tanned skin marred by a scar across his cheek.
A scowl twisted his mouth, but I focused instead on his strong jaw and the hints of stubble that remained after a fresh trim.
The sleeves of his black coat were rolled up, revealing defined forearms criss-crossed with scars.
Was that Seth? Bathed and newly dressed, I hardly recognized him. Had he always been that attractive under the grime?
“Finally,” Seth folded his arms, scarlet eyes glowing with exasperation. “You’re late. I thought you were dead.” His eyes traced over my arms and studied my new gown. His scowl vanished. “You certainly look like it. What happened?”
“Aethra was attacked,” Eleos said coldly. “Is the inn safe?”
“By who?”
“We don’t know. A nobleman wearing a mask.”
“Great.” Seth spread his arms. “Your leader hasn’t returned, either. Percy ran out looking for you guys, and told me to wait here in case you returned.”
Eleos ran a hand over his eyes. “Do you know where he went?”
“It’s Percy. He doesn’t know where he went.”
Eleos made a sound of distress. “Gods, you’re right.” He shook his head. “But Aethra’s injured. I need to get her to safety.”
“I’ll search for them,” Seth walked around us. “If enemies lurk in the city, Percy’s an easy target.”
“Wait,” I called. “We’ll go with you. None of us should be alone.” I took a step after him and flinched. “But, can we take a horse?”
Without missing a beat, Seth spun on his heel and swept me into his arms. Gasping in surprise, I locked my hands around his neck as he marched down the street, heading for the stables.
Seeing him up close confirmed my suspicion: Seth was undeniably attractive, when he didn’t wear the caked-on mud and tattered rags of a deranged murderer. The stylish collar of his jacket framed his prominent collarbone and sharp jaw quiet nicely. . .
Eleos jogged to catch up with him. “What are you doing?”
“She’s injured,” Seth said matter-of-factly. “Making her limp is cruel and a waste of time.” His brow furrowed. “Tell me about this attack.”
“I didn’t get a good look at him,” I explained. “He dressed like a noble, wore a mask. He said he wanted me alive, but I didn’t get the impression the same extended to the rest of you.”
“Aren’t we doing the entire world a service?” Seth scoffed. “Who would want to stop us?”
I looked down, remembering the nobleman’s words. Why did he want me alive and no one else?
A towering, muddy hound sat patiently outside the stable doors; his tail wagged furiously when he noticed us. Seth set me down gently beside Whisper and hurried inside. Unsteady on my feet, I gratefully leaned on Eleos when he offered his arm.
“Are you sure you won’t stay here?” He asked.
“If he finds me, I won’t be able to defend myself.”
Eleos sighed. “You’re right.”
The stable doors flew open, and Seth led two mares out. “Nobles.” He spat, handing the reins of the red mare to Eleos. “Why is it always nobles?”
“I take it you have a history with them?” Eleos asked, helping me onto the horse’s back.
“Who doesn’t? They trod over the people for leisure every day.” Seth swung himself into his saddle. “And still, they haven’t had their fill of pain.” Clicking his heels into the horses’ flanks, he rode north. Whisper rose and followed him.
Sitting behind me, Eleos flicked the reins, and our mare followed. “If he thinks nobles are bad,” he muttered, “he’s clearly not dealt with the clergy.”
“I haven’t either,” I said. “The Guild stays away from them.”
“I don’t blame them.”
Shifting to make myself comfortable, I leaned against his chest, a warm, comfortable seat. Eleos wrapped an arm around me, carefully avoiding my wounds.
Stiffening, I fought a war in my head. I yearned to trust him, but couldn’t let foolish infatuation lead me to ruin again. Convincing myself the closeness was necessitated by my injuries, and we could return to simple friendship afterward, I relaxed.
Trying to be useful, I scanned the streets for Percy, hoping we’d find him alive and unharmed.
As a child, I’d run afoul of a crowd of panicked, angry people. Curious what might be happening, I’d strayed toward them. Ainwir had caught my hand and barked a harsh whisper: Stay away from the tainted.
A woman with snow-white hair had stood in the middle of the throng, her face buried in her hands, sobbing. The last I saw of the unhappy event was the guards arriving to drag her away.
Tainted were cast out, driven to the edge of the Empty by armed guards. Bound in shackles, they were left to die. If anyone caught wind of Percy’s condition. . .
We rode back to the markets, hoping he’d gone to search for us there.
The streets had emptied since the first bell had chimed.
In the shadows of night, the Maiden Brizo’s statue looked more ominous than holy; the black water trickling through her fingers bore an uncanny resemblance to the still water of the Empty.
Lonely lanterns shone down on us, guiding us through the market stalls towards a crowd gathered near the temple.
Whatever had drawn people here was already over. The throng broke up as a pair of guards marched through the promenade, torches held aloft, shouting for the crowd to disperse. Fear and anger painted the people’s faces as they fled.
Seth cursed under his breath. “What’s going on?”
Pulling out of Eleos’s grip, I dropped off the horse and caught up to a woman, who clutched a young child by the hand, desperately leading him away. Catching her arm, I spoke to her in a friendly, concerned tone.
“What happened? Is it safe that way?” I nodded my head toward the temple.
“You didn’t see?” She gasped, whirling around. “A tainted. Here!” Her hand trembled on her child’s.
Blonde hair flecked with gray fell to the woman’s shoulders, framing her sharp nose and soft eyes—the baker I’d been so fond of as a child.
Collecting myself, I shrank away in feigned fear. “Did-did they get rid of it?”
“Yes, thank the Maiden.” Her bulging eyes darted around. “Get away from this place. It needs to be cleansed.”
She pulled from my grasp, and I let her go. First, she hadn’t remembered me; now, she condemned one of mine. Everything I’d once loved had lost its luster.
Eleos rode up beside me. “How did anyone notice?” He wondered. “Percy’s always exceptionally careful about concealing himself.”
“I doubt there’s another tainted in the city,” I accepted his hand back onto the saddle. “The guards are taking him to the Empty. They might’ve only just left.”
Yanking the reins, Eleos rode toward Seth, who’d paused on the bridge beneath the maiden’s left hand. Water trickled to either side of the passage, tumbling into the channels below.
Seth turned toward us, red eyes laced with concern. “If we’re lucky, they’ll leave him bound an inch from death. If we’re not-”
“The bounds of the Empty aren’t far.” Eleos interrupted. “We can catch them.”
“We’ll be branded heretics for trying to stop them.”
“Then we won’t stop them,” I said. “Can Whisper track Percy? We’ll wait until the guards leave, and then untie him.”
Eleos’s eyes darted around. “Do you have a plan for getting out of the city? The guards aren’t going to let us saunter through the gates past curfew.”
“I know a way. It’s guarded, too, but members of the Guild are easier to bribe.”
Seth grinned. “Lead the way.”
Taking the reins from Eleos, I directed the horse south, fleeing the temple and traveling along thin roads pressed against the empty waterways, driving us into dark alleys.
Retracing the path Ainwir and I had walked once before, I stopped outside an unassuming-looking wooden shack resting along a dirty channel.
Eleos took the reins back when I dropped them. “What’s this?”
“There’s a tunnel inside.” I nodded at the house. “The Guild uses it to smuggle goods and people out.”
Seth dropped off his steed. “I’ll convince them to let us by. Wait here.”
“Don’t kill them.” I pleaded.
“What do you take me for?”
“An assassin?”
Winking, Seth drew a knife from his belt and leaned against the door, listening for activity inside before knocking.
When no one answered, he glanced at us before throwing the door open and stepping inside. A few moments later, he re-emerged, grabbing his horse to lead her through the door.
“No one’s home,” he said.
“No one?” I repeated, slipping off the saddle and limping through the threshold.
A musty scent clung to the tattered curtains and threadbare quilt. Dust gathered on the wardrobe, but not on the desk. Running a finger along the old wood, I wrinkled my brow in confusion.
Had this place been abandoned? When Ainwir had taken me through here, a man had stood guard inside, keeping record of comings and goings. More Guild members had guarded the passage, both ensuring the safety of their clients and preventing unwanted shadows from haunting their territory.
Seth threw open the back door and carefully descended the dirt slope into the underground. The lovely scent of sewage emerged from the tunnel, and I pinched my nose to keep it out.