The Threshold Child (63 page)

“Good afternoon, Adesina,” she said to the young woman she had
come to greatly respect.

Adesina was sitting next to L’iam, giving him instructions on how
to pass himself off without rousing suspicion. She looked up in surprise and
then glanced towards the sky. “It will be evening soon.”

She smiled. “Well, good evening, then.”

L’era met the intent gaze of their leader and saw her purple eyes
narrow slightly. “You seem to be in better spirits,” Adesina remarked.

She hurried to cast a bit of gloom over her naturally sunny
features. “Not really.”

L’iam also gave her a searching look. “I hope you are not planning
anything foolish, L’era. This mission is too important and too dangerous for
you to dash off some half-formed scheme that will get you and the rest of us
into serious trouble.”

She gave him the most scathing glare she could muster. “I
know
,
L’iam. Stop treating me like a child.”

Adesina’s expression became carefully neutral, which usually meant
that she had some sort of scheme of her own. She got to her feet and casually
walked away from the brother and sister. L’era wanted to keep an eye on her,
but couldn’t watch too carefully because she herself was being watched by
L’iam.

She crouched down by Sa’jan, who was attempting to make the simple
meal more interesting. Their supplies were limited, but he had a knowledge of
herbs and spices that made the most redundant of foods bearable.

Out of the corner of her eye, L’era could see Adesina speaking to
Aleron in a quiet voice. She felt her stomach clench in anxiety. What was she
telling him?

They ate their meal as the sun began to set. The conversation was
limited and the tension was high. Who knew if they would ever share a meal together
again?

Afterwards, Adesina pulled out her pack of apothecary supplies and
began mixing a bit of this and that. Her focus was completely on her work, and
no one disturbed her.

L’era sat next to her brother, who finally spoke in a hushed
voice. “You know, I hate leaving you here all alone. It is still too close to
danger.”

She gave him a hopeful glance. “Then take me with you! At least
you can protect me, then.”

He was shaking his head before she finished. “That is out of the
question, and you know it is.” He sighed, “I should have left you back in the
old forest. At least the
vyala
there
offers some measure of protection.”

“Hmph!” she snorted. “I would not have stayed.”

L’iam smiled sadly. “Yes, I know.”

The last tendrils of light were fading into dark, and the feeling
of finality was upon them. The L’avan prince looked first at the sky, and then
to his little sister.

“I love you, L’era, and I want you to be safe when I come back.”

Tears welled up in her eyes when she felt the goodbye in his
words. “You had better come back,” she said fiercely, “or I will be so angry
with you!”

He laughed softly. “Of course I will come back. I have a Shimat
and a Rashad with me, so what could go wrong?”

She choked on a sob and threw her arms around her brother. “I love
you, L’iam! Please be careful!”

Around them, the others were also saying their goodbyes. Sa’jan
shook Aleron’s hand and gripped his shoulder, passing on a few words of wisdom.
E’nes and Adesina stood close to each other, speaking in low voices. L’era could
barely hear what the former Shimat was saying to her brother.

“I want you to take this with you,” she said, handing him a belt
lined with a few small darts.

E’nes smiled ruefully. “Are these the ones that knocked L’iam and
myself flat?”

She tried to return his smile, but failed. “Yes. There are only
five, but it will be better than nothing.”

He tried to give them back to her. “You may need them more than
us.”

Adesina put her hands behind her back, shaking her head. “No, you
will need them. I only hope that five will be enough.”

He embraced her, whispering words of comfort in her ear. When they
broke away, Adesina turned to speak to Aleron once more.

The young man nodded uncomfortably, as if faced with a difficult
task. L’era was about to smirk, surmising that he didn’t want to be left alone
with her, when she froze. She watched as Aleron leaned down and quickly kissed
Adesina on the cheek.

Scared by his own daring, he hurried away from her, his eyes fixed
on the ground. The princess’ eyes first went to Adesina, who was looking after
him with a stunned expression on her face; then to L’iam, who was doing his
best to appear indifferent.

They all mounted their horses, except for L’era and Aleron.
Adesina faced her brother for what might be the last time. She seemed about to
say a number of things, but stopped herself each time.

Finally, she settled with, “Remember, we enter the fortress at
midnight tonight.”

E’nes nodded, his eyes swimming with tears. “We will see you in
the Shimat stables.”

With that, both parties rode off. E’nes and Sa’jan heading east;
Adesina, L’iam and Ravi heading south. L’era watched them for a moment before
heaving a sigh and walking over to her horse.

Aleron watched her movements in alarm. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think I am doing?” she replied tersely. “I am
following them!”

He ran over to her side. “Adrie said that we were to stay here!”

She clenched her jaw. “If you think I am letting my brother go on
alone-”

“Please, L’era,” he pled, “stay here, like you were told.”

The L’avan princess refused to listen to him. “You can either come
with me or stay behind. Either way, I am going.”

Aleron was almost beside himself. “Please do not make me do this!”

She was about to ask him what he was talking about when she felt a
sharp pain and cried out. She looked down to see that he had pressed a small
knife in the crook of her arm just hard enough to draw blood.

“What-?”

L’era’s head began to spin and she felt a heavy drowsiness spread
over her body. Her mind sluggishly registered that there must have been some
sort of compound on the blade of the knife.

Aleron put his arms around her and gently lowered her to the
ground. “I am sorry. She made me promise to keep you here.”

Her vision began to darken, but she still struggled against the
drug that was pumping through her system. “L’iam…”

***

Adesina sat crouched among the branches, as she had when she had
taken her final examination two years ago. There was a feeling of irony as she
considered the girl that she had been back then. She had thought that she knew
everything, she had thought herself invincible. She had also been completely
alone, and had often tried to convince herself that such solitude was what she
preferred.

If she had known back then all the things she knew now…

She sighed and glanced at the moon for what felt like the
hundredth time. It was probably still an hour before midnight.

L’iam shifted slightly on the branch next to her. He was wrapped
in his long cloak, and his face was hidden by his cowl—just as Adesina had
instructed. She was in her full Shimat attire, including the hood and scarf.
Ravi waited down on the ground, next to the horses.

Adesina waited until there was only a half hour left before
turning to her companion. “I need you to go ride the horses in circles until it
is time to go.”

He frowned in confusion. “Why?”

“Because we need to appear as if we have come from a long distance
at a fast pace. They will notice if our horses are too well rested.”

He asked no more questions, but climbed down out of the tree where
they had been keeping watch. He mounted his horse and took Adesina’s by the
reigns. Then he urged them into a run, going as fast as he could in the thick
forest. He wove through the trees, never slacking his speed.

The former Shimat kept an ear out for any trouble in the forest
behind her, but her eyes were fixed on the fortress before her.

Once she had found comfort in the solitary strength of the
building, but now it looked dark and sinister. The stone seemed to absorb the
moonlight rather than reflect it, and the battlements were like crooked fingers
tearing at the heavens.

Guards could be seen pacing along the wall, keeping a sharp eye
out for any sign of trouble. The entire section used by the Shi was dark, but a
few lights could be seen in the towers.

Adesina’s heart sped up when she felt the time was upon them. She
whispered down to her guardian, “Go get L’iam.”

Ravi disappeared like a shadow, making no noise whatsoever. It was
only a couple of
minutes before she heard the soft sound of hooves against the damp
ground. She climbed out of the tree and mounted her horse.

Her eyes turned to her two friends and
she asked in a voice tight with tension, “Are you ready?”

They both nodded, unable to speak. Adesina had to remind herself
to take a deep breath.

“Remember: keep your head down, and
do not speak under
any circumstance. Shimat who keep servants make sure that they are mute. Stay
close, but remain at least one step behind me.”

L’iam nodded again. “I remember.”

She glanced at Ravi, but she was certain that he had been
invisible to strange eyes for quite some time now. She took another deep breath
and braced herself.

“It is time.”

A sharp kick spurred their horses into a run. Adesina urged her
horse to go even faster, keeping her head low to its neck.

They rode across the open grass, bathed in moonlight. A flurry of
motion swept across the fortress’s battlements where the Shimat guards were
stationed as soon as they came into view. The two L’avan rode up the hill that
led to the main gate and then slowed their horses to a stop.

“Open up!” shouted Adesina in the Shimat language. “I have an
urgent message for the Sharifal!”

A whispered conversation passed between the two guards closest to
the gate before one of them addressed Adesina.

“Where do you come from, messenger?”

“That is only for the Sharifal to know,” she replied haughtily.

The whispered conversation continued for a few moments more.
“Dismount, Shimat. We will send down an escort.”

Adesina’s stomach clenched in anxiety. “We need no escort. I know
the way to the Sharifal’s tower.”

“Even so,” replied the guard, “you must be accompanied.”

She dismounted, and indicated that L’iam should do the same. He
gave her a panicked glance as he moved to stand behind her. She tried to appear
confident, but she wasn’t sure if she succeeded.

The gate opened just enough to permit two Shimat to walk through.
They gestured for Adesina to pass, but held L’iam back.

“Your servant can wait here.”

Her mind raced, trying to find an adequate excuse for keeping her
“servant” with her. “The Sharifal requested that I bring him with me.”

The two Shimat exchanged glances, as if they knew something that
Adesina didn’t. Finally, the first one nodded and waved them both through. On
the other side of the gate they were met by two more Shimat, and led through
the courtyard by all four escorts.

Adesina could feel a multitude of eyes fixed on their party as
they walked through the darkened halls. She lifted her chin defiantly, as if
showing that she had nothing to fear.

Even so, she was afraid.

She had not intended to actually be taken to the Sharifal’s tower.
It was too late to turn back, but it was also impossible to try and take on the
Sharifal and her guards. Her mind was scrambling, trying to come up with some
sort of plan that would save them from imminent death.

The two leading guards made an unexpected turn in the darkened
corridors of the fortress. Adesina frowned and asked, “Where are we going? This
is not the way to the Sharifal’s tower.”

“The Sharifal is not in her tower.”

This gave Adesina a small measure of hope. They wouldn’t have
stood a chance if they had been in the confined space of Signe’s study. If they
were going towards someplace more open, and on ground level, they might be able
to overtake the guards, or at least escape.

They were led through the guarded door that went away from the Shi
section of the fortress, and down a set of stairs. Torches were much more
plentiful in these hallways, and L’iam lowered his head even further to hide
his L’avan features from the light.

After the maze of corridors, they came to a simple wooden door.
The foremost guard knocked twice, and a voice bid them to enter.

Adesina braced herself, ready to spring into action.

The room they entered was small and simple, with no windows and
means of escape other than the door they were walking through. She was about to
throw the Shimat nearest to her into the room and call for L’iam to bar the
door, when she caught sight of the face seated across the desk.