The Law of Isolation (34 page)

After that, she waited. She blew out the lamp and lay down in her bed, pulling the covers up to conceal her clothing in case Kabos looked in on her. She was glad of the precaution later, when without warning the door creaked open. She kept her eyes closed and her breaths slow and even. A few moments later, it clicked shut again.

She fixed her eyes on the stars outside her window. When they’d moved an hour’s arc across the sky, she slid from the bed and crept to the door. She eased it open, catching her breath every time it squeaked. The sitting room was quiet. The fire had burned down to a bed of ash-covered coals. The door to Kabos’s bedroom was shut, all silent within. She didn’t dare open it to make sure he was truly asleep.

Her feet moved as silently as they had when she’d stalked deer through the jungle. She slid back the latch of the main door of their suite. Its hinges only sighed a little as she pulled it open and stepped into the dark, deserted hall.

She needed help. She’d do Kevessa little good alone and unarmed. Two girls would be just as vulnerable in the streets of the city as one. Luckily, she knew who’d be eager to come to her aid. Shonika never complained, but she didn’t have to. Nirel could see from the tense economy of her movements at meals—the only time Shonika emerged from her room—how much her friend hated being stuck in the palace. She’d leap at the chance to venture out, no matter what the reason. The possibility they might have to engage in combat would only make her more eager.

Shonika wore a forbidding scowl, however, when she opened her door to Nirel’s cautious tapping. “You woke me up.”

“I’m sorry, Shonika. Please, let me in. I can explain.” Nirel put on her most winning smile. “I need help sneaking out of the palace.”

“Hmmph.” Shonika’s expression didn’t change, but she opened the door wide enough for Nirel to enter.

She listened impassively as Nirel poured out her story. When Nirel finished, Shonika looked at her silently for so long her heart fell. But eventually Shonika jerked her head toward a corner of the room. “Get your bow. I had them brought up from the ship.”

Nirel wanted to break into effusive thanks, but she constrained herself to a small smile and nod. She rummaged through the neatly stacked pile of bows and quivers until she found her own. She strung the bow and slung it along with her quiver full of arrows across her back. The feel of them resting against her shoulder blades, ready for use, filled her with a wonderful sensation of confidence. She’d almost forgotten what that was like.

Shonika took only a few minutes to dress and arm herself. In addition to her bow, she’d managed to acquire one of the Ramunnan long knives. Swords, they called them. It hung sheathed at her hip, shorter and wider than most of the ones Nirel had seen, with a plain hilt. Nirel was sure Shonika would use it competently and without hesitation against anyone who threatened them.

Shonika took the map from Nirel, studied it for a moment, then handed it back. She led the way out of her room and through the corridors of the palace.

The guards at the main entrance barred the way with their long pikes. “Ladies, I’m sorry, but the streets of the city are far too dangerous at night for unescorted women.” The guard who spoke bobbed his head apologetically. “Believe me, there’s nothing out there that can’t wait until morning. Go back to your beds.”

Shonika fixed him with her most penetrating stare. “Are we prisoners?”

The guard blinked. “Ah—not prisoners, no.”

“Has the Matriarch ordered that we may not leave?”

He deflated under her withering glare. “Not in so many… No.”

“Then let us pass.”

He dithered for a while longer, but in the face of Shonika’s unrelenting silence he finally gave way. He lifted his pike and gestured for the other guard to do the same. “Go ahead.”

Shonika waited unmoving while he fumbled the lock open and pushed the doors wide. Then she swept out without a glance to either side. Nirel did her best to imitate Shonika’s imperious manner. The woman strode with as much assurance as the Matriarch herself.

She dealt with the guards at the stable in much the same way. The stablehands fell all over themselves to give her what she wanted. Quicker than Nirel would have believed possible, they were mounted and riding away from the palace, with Shonika leading an extra horse for Kevessa.

Shonika led them through the dark city streets. Once or twice she stopped, put out her hand for Nirel to give her the map, peered at it by the light of the quarter moon peeping over the rooftops, and handed it back. The rest of the time she wound through the twisting, branching streets as if she’d been born in the city and roamed it all her life.

They passed through a district where lights and raucous music spilled from doorways. Rough-looking men and women wearing much scantier clothes than Nirel had yet seen in Ramunna clustered around tables piled with food and drinks. A few of the men hailed them as they passed. Some of their words Nirel didn’t recognize, but she could guess what they meant. She swallowed and blushed, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead. Mocking laughter followed them.

After that they entered an area with many closed shops, which grew gradually larger and more expensive-looking as they ascended. At last they reached the residential area where the map indicated Kevessa lived. Nirel gawked at the huge houses they passed. Each one rivaled the palace for splendor. Enormous columns supported soaring roofs, and fountains gurgled in walled gardens.

Shonika stopped in front of one of the largest. She looked at Nirel expectantly.

Nirel gulped. Should she tap on the front door? She hadn’t arranged anything with Kevessa or Gevan. She swung down from her horse and gave the reins to Shonika. Her knees shook as she mounted the marble steps and crossed the porch to the imposing doors. Was she sure Shonika had read the map correctly and found the right house? What if guards or dogs raised an alarm as soon as she disturbed the silence?

She raised her hand, but before she could touch the door it swung silently open. Nirel choked back a yelp as Kevessa slipped out and eased the door closed behind her. Instead, she forced her voice to a whisper. “You startled me.”

“Sorry.” Kevessa grinned at her in the moonlight. She hefted a satchel to her shoulder.

“Is that all you’re taking?” Nirel doubted the small bag would hold even one of Kevessa’s voluminous dresses.

“I sent a trunk to the ship earlier. I told the servant to say it was for Father. Come on, let’s go.” Glancing back, Kevessa bit her lip, and a shadow passed over her features. But she gave Nirel another crooked grin and led the way to the street.

Kevessa settled her pack on the horse they’d brought for her and swung astride, her riding skirt fluttering around her legs. She nodded to Shonika. Shonika acknowledged her with a quick jerk of her head and kicked her horse into motion. Together the three of them rode down the sloping streets toward the docks. Nirel let herself breathe a little easier.

They were passing down a dark street, tall featureless warehouses on either side, when three horsemen emerged from an alley ahead and ranged themselves across the road. Behind the women, three more rode out of the shadows. Nirel jerked her horse to a halt, heart pounding.

“Excuse me, ladies,” said the man in the center of the three in front. He wore a dark robe, its hood hanging down his back. “We’ve been charged with the protection of Lady Kevessa Navorre. Lady Kevessa, allow us to escort you home. It’s not safe for a woman to be out on the streets of Ramunna at night.”

“Do you know them?” Nirel muttered to Kevessa.

“Never seen them before,” she whispered back. Louder, she addressed the man. “There’s no need, gentlemen. My friends and I are quite able to defend ourselves. I merely wish to ride down to the docks and bid my father farewell. His ship departs at sunrise. If you insist, you may accompany us there.”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, my lady. Keeper Yoran has asked us to make sure you’re safe at home when your father sails.” The man kneed his horse forward a few steps. “If these women refuse to allow us to escort you home, we’ll be forced to assume they’re kidnapping you.”

Shonika shot Nirel a glance, giving one of her barely perceptible twitches to indicate the bow on her back. Nirel responded with an affirmative dip of her eyelids. She settled her legs firmly against her horse’s sides.

“Keeper Yoran need not concern himself with my safety,” Kevessa told him, lifting her chin and urging her horse forward. “My friends will take offense if you treat them with anything but the greatest respect.”

The man looked at each of his companions in turn, receiving acknowledging nods. He drew his sword with a lazy movement, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Kidnappers, release Lady Kev—”

Shonika’s arrow thudded into his chest and knocked him from his horse. Nirel’s flew only a breath behind, taking out the man on the left. Kevessa bent over her horse’s neck and kicked it into a gallop. It leaped over the fallen man and charged down the street. Nirel clung to her mount and started to send him after Kevessa, but pulled back when Shonika didn’t follow. Wheeling, she saw the man on the right advancing against Shonika.

The man slashed at Shonika, who drew her sword barely in time to block his thrust. He crowded his horse close to hers, bearing down, grinning as his superior height and strength forced her to give way an inch at a time.

The other three men converged warily on the battling pair. Nirel snatched another arrow from her quiver. Her hands shook so much she was barely able to nock it, but she forced them still and took aim. Even so, her arrow flew wide of her target, only grazing his companion’s arm. But her next arrow flew true and slammed into the man’s gut. He doubled over, dropping his sword.

Shonika twisted and gave her opponent’s mount a vicious kick in the groin. The horse reared, screaming, and the man grabbed to keep from being thrown. Shonika slashed her sword at the horse’s rear leg, hamstringing it. It fell atop the man, its thrashing legs hindering the other horses. Shonika drove her heels into her mount’s sides, sending him charging past Nirel. Nirel yanked her horse around and fell in behind.

Their two remaining foes raced after them. At least they didn’t seem to have bows. Nirel urged her horse to greater speed.

Ahead, she spotted Kevessa, who’d slackened her speed and was looking back. “Go!” Nirel shouted. “Don’t wait for us!” But they were nearly on top of Kevessa when she finally turned and drove forward.

The pounding of her horse’s hooves rattled Nirel’s teeth and blurred her vision. It was all she could do to cling to its back without falling off. The dark buildings of the city flashed by. Kevessa and Shonika pulled ahead. They were both far better riders than Nirel. She hoped at least one of them knew the way and that her horse would follow theirs, because she didn’t think she could make the beast turn even if she knew where to guide him.

She glanced back. Their two pursuers weren’t any closer, but they still stubbornly followed. Just then her horse lurched violently left, sending her sliding out of the saddle to the right. She grabbed for its mane but missed, and for a breathless instant fell. She slammed into the hard dirt of the street, her hip and shoulder taking the brunt of the impact, and rolled until she came up short against the wall of a building.

Pain exploded in her head. She couldn’t breathe. She fought to make her lungs obey, oblivious to anything else, until finally a rush of air stabbed her chest like fire.

Rough hands grabbed her and pulled her up to a sitting position, sending a new wave of pain through her body. Darkness swam in front of her eyes. Dim and hollow, as if from far down the length of a stone corridor, she heard a man’s voice. “You’ll pay for killing Kerol, you—” She didn’t know the Ramunnan word he used, but he pronounced it with such venom she could easily guess its import.

She couldn’t black out. She might never wake. Terror flooded her with strength and cleared her vision. She saw the fist coming at her face just in time to twist out of its path. Her body screamed at her, but she could move all her limbs. She kicked in the direction of the man’s crotch. She must have missed, for he only cursed again and grabbed at her, his fist going back for another blow.

He grunted and his eyes bulged. Then he collapsed, his body falling heavy across her legs and hips. She cried out and writhed to free herself. She couldn’t heave the dead weight off until hands came to her aid, rolling the man away. Nirel saw the fletched shaft of Shonika’s arrow protruding from his back.

“Nirel, are you all right?” Kevessa’s voice was high with panic. Nirel tried to reassure her, but she couldn’t seem to make her lips and tongue work. She managed a nod that sent the world spinning wildly around her. She had to close her eyes and gasp for breath lest she vomit.

Firm hands ruthlessly prodded the places Nirel hurt worst: her hip, her shoulder, the back of her head. She swallowed and bit her lower lip to keep from screaming. Shonika’s voice was calm. “I don’t think she broke anything. She’ll have a lump on her head, and a lot of bruises. Nirel, get up. You have to ride.”

Nirel couldn’t imagine standing up, let alone getting back on her horse. But Shonika didn’t leave her any choice. She grabbed Nirel’s hands and pulled her to her feet. Nirel lurched, but didn’t fall. Her head swam for what seemed a long time, but eventually cleared. She opened her eyes to see Kevessa’s anxious eyes studying her. One of Nirel’s arms was slung around Kevessa’s shoulders, the other around Shonika’s.

“Shonika, we’ve got to get her back to the palace,” Kevessa said. “The Matriarch has the best physicians.”

“Only if you want the Purifiers to capture you. I expect they’ve got a lot more than six men at their disposal. They’ll be after you as soon as they learn what’s happened. I don’t care one way or the other, but if you want to escape, you need to be on that ship.”

“It doesn’t matter what happens to me. I can’t let Nirel—”

Nirel forced her mouth to form words. They came out weak and breathy, but loud enough to interrupt Kevessa. “I’m fine. I can ride. Shonika’s right. We’ve got to get you to the ship.”