When a server passed me carrying a full tray, I tripped her. The poor girl flew forward and the mugs of ale splashed all over the next table. Amid cries of dismay, I crushed the spiders in my hand, hoping no one noticed the huffs of air and the flashes.
About a dozen spiders appeared on the table. “Crawl all around the tavern,” I ordered, sending them a mental image of what I needed them to do. They scurried to obey. I smiled. Handy little guys.
Shrill shrieks and screams followed gasps of horror as the spiders dashed and scuttled through and over the tavern’s patrons, providing me with an excellent distraction. I left without trouble and, after a fruitless search of Ognap for Ulrick, I returned to the Tourmaline Inn.
While waiting for Janco to return, I reviewed my conversation with Ulrick. The whole encounter felt surreal, and not as I expected. His reaction to me had been justified, but his desire to remain in Devlen’s body must be part of the addictive nature of the blood magic. Yeah, right, Opal. Better to blame blood magic than to blame yourself. Or Ulrick.
Devlen claimed the exchange had been mutual, but Ulrick hadn’t been given all the facts. Plus, the magical persuasion made the whole endeavor suspect. I would need to track Ulrick down and capture him somehow. Perhaps Janco would have a few ideas on how to accomplish that.
Then what? Escort him to Yelena? She was the only person who could corroborate my story. Janco’s word didn’t count, as far as the Sitians were concerned.
I stretched out on the bed, but sleep eluded me. My thoughts whirled out of my control, matching my life. If I was caught by the Council now, they wouldn’t hesitate to lock me in the Keep’s cells. Better to stay free and sort this mess out on my own.
The bang of a door woke me from a light doze.
Janco rushed into the room. “Wake up! We need to leave. Now!” He shoved my stuff into my bag.
I pushed up to my elbow. “Why?”
“The local guards have been…ah…alerted to our presence.”
Hopping out of bed, I grabbed my clothes. “How?”
“Minor…miscalculation. I’ll explain later. Move!”
I tossed my saddlebags over my shoulder and followed him into the inn’s hallway. He skidded to a stop at the top of the stairs. Janco put a finger to his lips as Carleen’s irritated voice reached us.
“…indecent hour. My customers won’t be happy.”
The glow from a lantern brightened the staircase. We backed away as Carleen and a large group of soldiers mounted the steps.
8
AS THE SOLDIERS STORMED UP THE STAIRS, JANCO AND I BACKPEDALED to his room. He locked the door.
“Do we pelt them with pillows when they break in?” I asked.
“Cute.” He crossed to the window and opened the shutters. “I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”
“You first.”
He hung a leg out and turned so his stomach rested on the sill. “Watch the landing—there’s a puddle about a foot to the left.” Janco dropped from sight.
Fists pounded on the door and a loud voice ordered me to open up. All the incentive I needed. I tossed my saddlebags toward the right side of the window, then followed Janco’s example and lowered myself down. Hanging by my hands, I let go. After a second of stomach-buzzing free fall, I hit the ground hard.
Voices shouted from above. A figure leaned from the window. Janco grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet.
“Come on. Come on.” He pulled me down the alley.
Dark shapes appeared ahead of us. Janco changed directions, whipping me around. He stopped. More soldiers blocked the other end.
“How important is it to stay free?” he asked.
“Important, but not enough to seriously hurt anyone.”
He nodded and pulled his sword. “Choose an opponent and rush him,” he instructed. “Don’t stop. Use your momentum to break through the barricade and keep going. Step on the person if you have to. Just keep going.”
He charged the line of soldiers, yelling a battle cry. I kept pace beside him. They flinched back. Interesting strategy.
Hindered by my saddlebags, I couldn’t grab my sais. Instead, I palmed a few spiders. When we drew close, I crushed them. The flash helped to confuse the soldiers, and I ordered the spiders to bite their hands. It’s hard not to drop your weapon when a large eight-legged creature sinks its teeth into you.
I rammed my free shoulder into a man who swatted at his clothes. He rocked back and I spun around him, stumbling for a heart-cramping moment.
Yelps of pain and cries of confusion surrounded me, but I listened to Janco’s instructions and kept going. We broke through the line. Janco flashed me a huge grin and a thumbs-up.
We ran through dark streets and stayed in the shadows. My bags kept sliding down my arm, throwing me off my stride. The weight dragged on me and my chest heaved with the effort to suck in air.
“Horses?” I huffed.
“Being watched.” Janco sprinted with ease. He wasn’t even out of breath. “You need to get more exercise.”
“And…you need…to not…make…miscalculations.”
“And ruin the fun?”
I glared, but it failed to diminish his obvious glee in being pursued by a pack of soldiers.
We zigzagged through Ognap until I lost my sense of direction and we lost the most dogged pursuer. My companion moved as if seeing the surrounding buildings with a second sight.
Eventually we slowed as the tight rows of factories broke into single dwellings and dwindled into farms, stopping only when we reached the relative safety of the forest.