43. Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Three
Ayse
Scanning with my head on a swivel, I checked that the coast was clear before scurrying across the frosty road to the entrance.
The door was large and heavy, and I had to throw my shoulder into it to make it budge, but thankfully, it didn’t creak.
With one hard shove, I forced it open just enough to slip inside.
Just like the abandoned building from before, it was darker inside than out, but cracks in the ceiling let in the smallest traces of light. My eyes strained against the obscurity, and as they gradually adjusted, vague outlines emerged from the shadows.
The old Weavers' Guild was decrepit. Dust hung suspended in the air, and I choked back a cough while stepping further into the building.
With each cautious step, the floor beneath me crunched softly.
I peered down to find a circular mosaic beneath my feet, broken tiles in various shades extending out in rings from a center point.
Standing in the middle of the circle, my eyes were drawn up to the high ceiling.
The domed rotunda, a distant silhouette at first, gradually took shape two stories above me through layers of cobwebs. Stone archways, initially hidden in the gloom, slowly materialized around me, leading off into smaller chambers of the guild.
In front of me, a large desk was positioned neatly between two hallways. A movement behind the desk startled me, and my hands flew to the hilt of my dagger.
A figure emerged from the shadows—a man sat behind the desk. His skin, rich and deep like the ebony night, seamlessly blended with the darkness around him.
His voice, quiet but resonant, cut through the silence. “State your business.”
My voice caught in my throat. There was supposed to be a man at the desk. What was I supposed to say again?
“State your business, shadow woman, or we might have a problem.” The unmistakable sound of a sword unsheathing followed.
Shadow. The passphrase had something to do with shadows.
“Uhm-th-the shadows are risen?” My tongue felt too big in my mouth, my forehead feeling hot despite the frigidity of my body. I didn’t think that was it.
“Want to try that one again, young lady?” he asked, his deep tone full of warning.
“S-sure. Yes. Sorry. Uhm. The… the dark has risen,” I stammered.
“Closer.” Through the darkness I saw him replace his sword and cross his arms. I couldn’t make out his expression though, no matter how hard I squinted.
I fumbled for the opening of my bag. “If you’ll just let me look, I think I have it written down somewhere…” My still-numb fingers found my folded maps and unfurled one of them. The shadows made it impossible to see any markings on the page in front of me.
“The phrase is the darkness is rising.” I think I detected a smile in the way he said it. “Come on, let’s get you dry and warmed up.”
Oh, thank the earth. Sighing, a tightness in my chest that I didn’t know was there lifted.
I folded the paper back up and returned it to my bag as he circled out from around the desk and offered me his arm.
Taking it, I allowed him to lead my weary body through the arched hall to the right of the desk.
The stone hallway turned slightly before we arrived at a series of doors. Opening one, he revealed a small bedroom where he flinted a crackling fire to life in the stone hearth.
Now that the man was clearly visible, his vibrantly colored patchwork clothing came into focus—a matching shirt and loose-fitting pants. I’d never seen any clothes so imperfectly beautiful before.
“I suggest you get out of your wet clothes and dry them on the rack next to the fire. Someone will be here shortly with a serving of rice. There’s a wagon heading north in the morning, you’ll be in it, so catch some sleep while you can.”
“Thank you,” I said as the man closed the door behind him.
I took his advice and removed my cloak first, hanging it on the wooden rack next to the fire, followed by my traveling clothes.
I had one other outfit in the bag Seok packed for me, the same shape and material as the one I’d just removed, but instead of black, the pants and tunic were brown.
Simply looking at the all-brown garb made me feel more like myself than a criminal already.
I took the garments from the satchel and laid them at the edge of the bed.
Knowing I would need to change my wound dressings before I put fresh clothing on, I stole a thin blanket from the bed and wrapped it around me. My sore muscles screamed as I sunk into the mattress before beginning to untangle the damp braid in my hair.
Seok’s shadows had disappeared. I wondered if it was because he somehow knew I was safe, or if it was because he had run out of magic. Or if something bad had happened to him.
A queasiness swirled in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t want to imagine what Queen Xia might do to either of the princes after they helped me escape. Regardless, there wasn’t much I could do but hope everything would be okay for them.
A soft knock tore me from my thoughts, and the door creaked open to reveal a gorgeous, young woman with skin as dark as night and a shaved head.
“May I come in?” she asked, holding a small bowl of brown rice in her hands.
“Please do,” I replied, pulling the blanket firmly over my torso.
As she entered, my eyes caught on her attire, a marvel of craftsmanship.
A subtly patterned, teal silk was pleated and pinned at her shoulder, draping diagonally across her chest and wrapping snugly on her torso before securing neatly around her waist and flowing to the floor.
Behind her, the satin fabric cascaded gracefully from her shoulder down her back, its edges elaborately embroidered with delicate gold thread.
As I admired the clothing, her gaze lingered on my legs poking out from beneath the blanket. Concern furrowed her brow. “I noticed your bandages. Would you like some assistance changing them?”
“Your outfit is beautiful.” The words tumbled from my mouth before I had a chance to process what she had asked me, but my mind quickly caught up. “Oh, uhm, yes. I would appreciate that very much. Thank you.”
She chuckled, her warm smile culling some of the chill in the air as she set the bowl of rice on the table next to the bed.
“My grandmother made this for me. I quite like it, so it’s wonderful to hear her craftsmanship complimented.”
My gaze moved to her face as she spoke, her soft features reminding me of the man who’d brought me to the room.
“So,” she started as she began untying the knots of linen strips on my legs. “You’re the girl the prince smuggled out of the castle dungeon, right?”
My stomach fluttered as I inhaled sharply. I hadn’t expected the news of my escape to be well-known already.
“Don’t worry.” She laughed. “Your secret is safe with us. My mother let my father and I know that you’d be arriving any day.”
I picked up the bowl of rice, scooping it into my mouth before it got cold.
“Was the man at the desk…?” I trailed off as a spoonful filled my mouth.
“My father? Yes. That was him. My mother’s name is Serafina, you’ll meet her tomorrow. She’ll be sad to have missed you tonight, I’m sure. I’m Zuri, by the way.”
I smiled at the friendliness exuding from her. “It’s nice to meet you, Zuri. I’m Ayse. And I’m eternally grateful for what your family is doing for me.”
Zuri finished removing the dressings from my legs and stood up. “I’ll be right back with a bowl of fresh water and a cloth to wash these.”
I nodded and she left, leaving me to chew with only the sounds of the crackling fire.
Once my rice was gone, I began to untie and remove the wrappings from my torso, my arms as heavy as lead.
Looking at the mattress, I was tempted to collapse into sleep, but knew that risking an infection wasn’t worth it.
Instead, I closed my eyes, drifting in and out of consciousness until Zuri returned.
“I brought an astringent as well. It will sting, but it should help,” she said as she closed the door with her hip, her arms full.
After Zuri went above and beyond, helping my exhausted, injured body get cleaned up, patched up, and dressed, I thanked her profusely and then thanked her again before she left me to retire herself.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, my head hit the mattress and I fell into the deepest sleep of my life.
A gentle jostling woke me from my slumber.
“Ayse… Wakey-wakey.”
My eyes fluttered open to the face of a dewy-skinned goddess with a child-like grin hovering above me.
“It’s time to go.” Zuri smiled as she pulled my covers off the bed in one swift motion.
Groggily, I rolled to my side and sat up, my body protesting every movement.
As I pulled on my boots, Zuri packed my now-dry clothes into my bag, slinging it over her shoulder before helping me to my feet.
“Goodness, this is heavy!” she exclaimed, the strap of the satchel sinking into her.
“You’re telling me,” I replied with a chortle, draping my cloak over one arm.
We walked out into the main atrium of the old guild building, and my eyes took in the view now that it was washed in daylight.
The walls were a weathered tan, perhaps sandstone, and carved with ornate geometric patterns. The mosaic floor came to life in the sun that filtered in from the high windows above, with small pieces of blue, green, and brown arranged in alternating precision.
In the heart of the aged space, a gentle figure moved with purpose, surrounded by an array of bags and supplies.
Her slender silhouette, draped in a thick, patterned tunic with matching, richly-hued pants, exuded a blend of warmth and practicality.
Black, wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders like a comforting shawl, the silky strands catching the light as she inspected each bag.
As I approached, she looked up, and her eyes—a deep shade of amber—met mine.
“Good morning, Ayse.” She greeted with a smile and a soft nod. “I trust you slept well. I’m Serafina.”