I wasn’t entirely certain I could even fit through the window, but I at least had some hope based on the width of my shoulders. They were wider than my hips, so if my shoulders fit through it, I should be fine.
Once again, I turned toward the window, studying the courtyard more closely. I would not have my plan fail because I hadn’t noticed something small yet important.
The dirt in the courtyard had turned more into mud, although I hadn't paid enough attention to notice if it had been raining in the past few days. Overgrown weeds and tangled vines covered the once sturdy stone walls of the courtyard.
A long time ago, this part of the fortress must have been reserved for dignitaries, or other people more important than I was, just based on the cracked remains of the large fountain tucked into the corner. Now, I was the only one around to appreciate its strange beauty.
Stone benches sat unevenly in the mud, not moved back against the walls, just left where they were. Even from here, I could see the carvings in the stone, more intricate than I would have expected from a place so full of military dignity.
The musty scent of damp stone and decaying leaves drifted in through my window, although I could see a few flowers doing their best to struggle through the thick mud. One of them, a thin, white blossom that looked as if it had begun wilting before it had ever properly grown, was close enough to touch, given the slightly underground nature of my room.
I hesitantly reached out through the window and brushed it with my fingers, the petals soft and slick with rain. Part of me was tempted to pull it, to hold on to the one bit of beauty I had seen recently in this place, but I pulled my hand back before I could.
That flower deserved to live as much as I did, or maybe more. That poor thing had done its very best to grow, despite its harshconditions, and I had to smile at it. It had certainly given me a lot to think about. If a flower so pale and stilted could grow in harsh conditions, did I truly have any reason to complain? I should take inspiration from it.
My heart rose in my chest, and my grin didn't fade as I went to the desk against the far wall. I carefully poured a small amount of water into the bowl, watching as it swirled and settled. The liquid was crystal clear, reflecting the rays of sunlight that filtered through the bars behind me.
I dipped my hand in and gently washed away the specks of mud that clung to my skin. A remnant from when I had reached out to touch the delicate flower, but I didn't regret it in the slightest. Besides, my little exploration with the flower had shown me something else. Something far more important than a simple flower, no matter how much that plant lifted my spirits.
If there had been a guard posted anywhere in the courtyard, they certainly would not have taken kindly to me reaching out through the window of my room. The fact that no one had moved to stop me told me that there was no one out there, and getting out through that courtyard might be the best option.
I had also noticed one of the benches pushed against the wall, unlike the others, and it would certainly be close enough for me to step onto it and do my best to climb over the wall. What lay on the other side was a mystery, but at least I had a plan for how to get out of my cell and the fortress. Far better than I'd had before.
Now all I had to do was wait for night to fall and then use my power to bust out of here.
Hopefully not as difficult as I feared.
Chapter
Sixteen
Good news, the first I'd had in a while—I used my power to blow through the barred window in my cell with minimal ease.
True, I did nearly out myself by sneezing with the amount of dust it kicked up when I yanked the bars through the hole I had made. They were heavier than I expected, and I grunted as I carefully lowered them to the floor, doing my best to ensure that I didn't accidentally set them on my foot.
Once the bars leaned safely against the wall, I gulped down the rest of the water in the pitcher on the desk. I had no way of bringing any food or water with me, so I had been doing my best to eat and drink as much as I could in the hopes of being able to find more once I got out of here.
I reached up and rested my arms on the windowsill, doing my best to lift myself up with a grunt. I had lost weight recently with how little I had been eating, but apparently it wasn't enough to pull myself up through the narrow window. I clawed at the mud with my fingernails, kicking my feet against the wall.
Another stroke of luck, because it turned out that I had been right about me fitting through the window if I could get my shoulders through it. It took a bit of wiggling and diggingelbows, knees, fingers, anything to get some purchase, but I managed to slither through the narrow hole.
Less good news, though—someone grabbed my ankle as I was hauling myself out of the window.
Unable to twist around in the narrow space enough to see who it was, I instinctively kicked out behind me, clawing my way forward as much as I could so I was no longer trapped.
Outside, I scrambled to my feet as quickly as I could, but rather than hearing a shout from one of the guards that I had escaped, I instead heard a soft whisper, more frustrated than anything else.
"I'm glad I caught you, but that hurt."
A familiar voice.
My shoulders slumped as I turned back, dropping to my knees in front of the window, or what was left of it. If I hadn't recognized the voice, I would have already been across the courtyard and scrambling up the wall like a monkey.
"Varna! What on earth are you doing here?" I hissed.
I was glad to see her, but her being here made no sense whatsoever, nor did the timing. What were the chances that she caught me right in the middle of my escape?
Varna didn't seem the slightest bit upset at my tone, although she had every right to be. She held up a small leather bag, the straps looped around her wrist. "I brought you this. I stole things here and there because I knew you would be leaving soon. I wanted you to have something to take with you."
