So that’s what she did.
FORTY-FOURRUNE
SHE EXPECTED A LEGIONof soldiers to ambush her from the shadows. But no one was waiting for Rune in the darkness. The clouds had moved on, leaving the stars burning brightly overhead.
Rune kept glancing behind her, searching the streets for any sign of Gideon on her trail. But there was no trace of him. So Rune pulled his jacket closer around her and rode her stolen horse faster.
When she arrived, she found Blood Guard soldiers encircling the waterfront. Quietly, she loosed the horse and entered the wooded park where she’d left Aurelia and Meadow.
“They doubled the security after you left,” Aurelia whispered when Rune found her hiding place in the trees. “There are hounds everywhere.”
The dogs would smell Rune and Aurelia long before they even got to the wharf.
But that wasn’t their most pressing problem: Meadow was crying.
“Hush,” Aurelia whispered, hugging the child. “Shhhh, my love. We need to be very quiet.”
But it was too late. Before Rune could pull one of Gideon’s apples out to soothe her, a shout came from nearby, followed by footsteps. Rune dragged Aurelia deeper into the trees.
If there were witch-hunting hounds, they were done for.
Three soldiers entered the park. Rune glanced at Meadow, whose cries had quieted to a whimper.
“Over here,” said one, stepping into a patch of moonlight three paces from Rune. “Do you hear that? Sounds like—”
Somethingclickedbeside her. Rune looked to see that Aurelia had drawn her pistol. Hearing theclick, the soldier turned, squinting into the darkness.
If she fired, the sound would draw every Blood Guard soldier in hearing distance right to them.
And if she didn’t, in a few seconds, the soldier would find them.
Aurelia raised her gun.
Rune held her breath, her hand going to Gideon’s gun, tucked into her belt.
“Wheatley!”
Rune backed up a step as a puffing soldier ran into view, stopping to catch his breath. “We’re needed on the other side of town. Captain’s orders. All hands. Make haste!”
The soldiers looked at each other and ran.
Silence flooded the park.
Rune looked to the waterfront, and further out, to Alex’s boat waiting patiently in the water.
The way was clear.
FORTY-FIVEGIDEON
HALF AN HOUR AFTERRune left his apartment, Gideon stood in the supply room of the new Blood Guard headquarters. He’d ridden straight here and given the order to move most soldiers to the main harbor, where the Crimson Moth would make her escape.
Or so he’d led them to believe.
But Rune wouldn’t be smuggling witches aboard theArcadiatonight. The moment Gideon had first accused her of it, she would have abandoned the idea. No, Rune would avoid the main harbor, expecting Gideon to double the security.
But his soldiers didn’t know that.
And Gideon intended to buy Rune as much time as possible.
