Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
N eve pressed her body into Eleksi’s, holding her breath in anticipation. Within moments, the men would open the canopy and look inside the cart.
The assassin was silent and still. The only movement she could feel was the steady thud of his heart. How was he so calm in the face of danger? They were about to be caught attempting to break into the palace. And she was supposed to be dead.
Guards giving the interior a cursory glance was one thing, but men had specifically flagged the cart. Had they seen Neve and Eleksi slip inside? Would there be a fight?
Magic coursed through her veins, propelled by her racing heart. She hadn’t conjured for nearly two days, leaving her refreshed and at full strength. So, although she was meant to conserve her magical energy, she considered using a Camouflage spell.
“Do nothing,” breathed Eleksi, seeming to read her mind.
With his body locked around hers, she had little choice but to comply. Casting magic while enveloped in his arms would put him at risk of harm. The last thing they needed was for him to be incapacitated right before he was supposed to present her body to the queen.
What would Meliohr do with Neve if she caught her alive now? Burn the sorceress at the stake? That was how they did things in Morktland. The thought made her skin prickle and crawl.
The cart’s flap whipped open. She was grateful Eleksi’s body blocked her view, because seeing the men would’ve increased her anxiety tenfold. The cart’s interior was unlit and shadowy—the men would only notice the stowaways if they knew to look. But judging by the man’s command, they did know.
“Aye, this is the one,” said the man in a brusque voice.
Neve tensed, expecting a shout of discovery.
“Good job,” came another man’s cheery voice. “How many?”
“Just the one should suffice,” replied the other. “My wife will be well pleased.”
Frowning, Neve listened hard. What on earth were they talking about? The men clearly weren’t referring to her and Eleksi though, at least.
“She’s with child, isn’t she?”
The scrape of wood moving against wood filled the cart. There was another noise, louder and more sudden. They’d opened a crate.
“Aye,” replied the man, biting into an apple with a crunch. “She’s been craving apples like a bat craves blood. I dare not return home without them.”
Neve almost laughed in relief. The man was removing a box of apples for his pregnant wife.
As he retreated, the flaps of the canopy fell closed. The men thanked the coachman, and their voices receded. The cart resumed bumping along, the wheels on the cobblestoned driveway causing Neve’s body to jounce and vibrate against Eleksi’s.
He whispered to her. “We’ll slip out as soon as the cart stops, or we risk being found by the coachman. I’ll go first.”
She thought this sounded like an impossible ask, because wouldn’t the entrance to the kitchens be swarmed with servants and coachmen? But Eleksi had been right so far. And besides, it wasn’t like she had a better idea for exiting the cart unseen, let alone gaining entry to the palace.
“Ready?” he asked as the cart slowed.
“Yes,” she whispered.
With one arm wrapped around her, he lowered both their bodies until they stood on the wooden boxes. A cacophony of voices came from outside—there were people everywhere. Before she could express her doubts to Eleksi, he crouched down and twitched the canopy flap open.
He beckoned to her. “You must behave as if you aren’t doing anything wrong. That’s all it takes. Head straight into the kitchens, like you work there. I’ll be right behind you.”
The cart stopped. Eleksi held the canopy wider and, whether she was ready or not, she had no choice except to hop down.
Neve found herself in the middle of barely contained chaos. The cart had stopped haphazardly on the driveway, as close to the kitchen entrance as possible, jostling for space with other carriages.
No one paid attention to her. Resisting the urge to wait for Eleksi, she made for the wide-open kitchen doors, dodging men lugging boxes and servants inspecting produce. Chickens squawked, a black hen flapping her wings to escape a flimsy pen. The bird ran madly across the cobblestones, dodging wheel spokes and human legs in her bid for freedom.
The kitchens were the ideal place to enter the castle by stealth. They were full of billowing steam and clanging pots and chefs barking orders at besieged underlings. Neve shuffled along the back wall, trying to stay out of the way.
“Come on,” said Eleksi into her ear, making her jump.
How had he snuck up on her like that? One moment, he wasn’t there. Then, she blinked and he was at her side.
“Are you sure you don’t have magic?” she asked him as she took his offered hand and followed him through the busy kitchen.
“Just good at blending in,” he replied over his shoulder.
That would seem unlikely given his immense height, good looks, and broad shoulders. And yet, he was able to blend his essence into his surroundings in a way most people couldn’t, including Neve.
Was it a learned skill? Or did the assassin possess a latent and undefined form of magic that allowed for his incredible stealth and agility?
Eleksi led her through a wooden archway at the rear of the kitchen and down a cramped stone staircase. At the bottom of the stairs was a labyrinthian cellar lit by torches in brackets. Rows of dusty wine bottles, mead barrels, and liquor flagons lined the tiny interconnecting rooms.
Servants came and went, arms laden with bottles. They squeezed past Neve and Eleksi in the small walkway with no more than a disinterested glance.
At a dead end, several floors beneath the palace, Eleksi finally stopped.
“This will be the safest place for you to wait. I’ll investigate the route to the drawing room where I’m to meet Meliohr. I’ll also try to gauge who she’s bringing with her. When I met her last time, she had that head royal guard in tow. He’s corrupt and vicious.”
Neve swallowed hard. “Sounds fine.”
It actually sounded terrifying, but what could she do?
He placed his hand on her shoulder, his piercing eyes moving back and forth between hers. “I’ll kill her and her guards if I have to. Ideally, it won’t come to that, but I want you to know that I won’t let anything bad happen. Alright?”
She nodded. “How will we get back out?”
“There are many ways. It’s far easier to escape the palace than sneak in, particularly during the festival.”
“I’ll be ready, then.”
“I don’t expect anyone will bother you, but if you’re questioned, tell the truth as much as possible. Say your husband is here on official business and you’re waiting for him. If I don’t come back for you by sundown, flee. Leave Klatos, leave Zermes, and never return.”
Neve licked her quivering lips, too nervous to speak.
“But I will come back for you,” he said.
Before she could find her voice, he melted silently into the shadows, and she was alone.