"That blasted meeting’s got us all on extra shifts,” one grumbled. “Commander Tannin ordered it.”
“Then why not just station us in the eastern tower for the meeting, then?” the other asked. “It’s closer to the kitchens.”
“And the ale,” the other said with a laugh.
"Eastern tower, huh?" I breathed.
Behind me, Varna raised an eyebrow, a silent question.
"Got our fox's den," I whispered. “Eastern tower.”
She poked her head out to peer at the guards and nodded slowly. "Okay, so how do you propose we get past the brigade between us and there?"
"Distraction," I said.
The distraction needed to be something loud, something chaotic. Something that would send these guards scrambling.
With a flick of my hand and a mental nudge, the air around us shimmered. I summoned my magic and sent it dancing down the corridor like a mischievous spirit.
"Oi, what's that sound?" The guard's voice sharpened with alarm as a distant clatter echoed through the halls, a symphony of crashes and bangs that I'd plucked from thin air.
"An intruder?" The other guard unsheathed his sword, the rasp of metal on leather underscoring the raucous noise.
We slipped into the resulting bedlam, shadows amongst shadows, as the guards abandoned their post. The fortress erupted into pandemonium, voices shouting orders, the clamor of feet thundering toward my phantom noise.
"Very nice," Varna said.
"Thanks."
We crept onward, the tension coiling tighter within me, toward the eastern tower. It wasn't just the threat of discovery that sent shivers skittering down my spine—it was the thrill of the hunt, the allure of Tannin being so close.
Tonight would be his undoing. I could feel it.
Loud voices came from ahead and around a corner. I shot out my hand and latched onto Varna's arm to halt her advance.
"Into the alcove," I hissed, yanking Varna along by the elbow.
We squeezed ourselves into the small recess in the wall and stilled, as motionless as statues.
Two guards rushed around the corner toward us, their footsteps bouncing off the stone and into our cramped hideaway. My pulse beat against my throat. Our survival hinged on the sweep of a guard's gaze. If they chanced to look left, we'd be spotted, as obvious as a bonfire.
I fixed my gaze on the worn leather of the guards’ boots as they entered my line of sight. Each of their steps thudded into my chest, a countdown to discovery or escape.
The guards passed by without a glance our way, their hurried footsteps dwindling. In the stillness that followed, I dared to breathe again.
Varna puffed air from her cheeks that blew her greasy hair back from her face. We slinked out of the alcove, and after one glance behind us, we continued onward.
To get to the eastern tower, we would need to cut across the training yard, so we made our way there. A light wind blew across it, carrying the scent of freshly turned earth and steel. We hunkered close to the wall behind the straw dummies and targets, and I kept my steps light, my senses on high alert, while Varna's shadow flitted beside me.
"Watch your—"
Varna's warning came a heartbeat too late.
My foot snagged on something beneath the grass, an invisible snare camouflaged by the shadows. I lurched forward with an inelegant yelp, my arms wheeling for balance. The ground gave way beneath us, and we tumbled into the dark abyss below.
Thankfully, we didn’t drop far.
Varna released an “oomph,” catching the brunt of our fall.
