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Careful not to leave ashy footprints on the floor, he crossed to the window and once again exited onto the ledge. Moments later, he was back in the empty clerks’ offices.
At this time of morning, the corridors had a subdued bustle as maids started their duties, kindling fires, cleaning the rooms before the nobles woke up, and returning clothes that had been washed the night before.
Edmund had to duck into several rooms and hide while he waited for the maids to pass. His heart pounded a little harder, and he clamped down on the reaction. This was fine. Sure, there were more people about, but he would just have to be extra careful.
As he reached the room where he would find the rope, a shout came from the other end of the corridor. Alvin raced across the end of the corridor, ducking out of sight in a nearby room.
Moments later, two Mongavarian guards raced after him, shouting and pointing. “He went this way! Search the rooms!”
Uh-oh. It wouldn’t be good if one of them was caught snooping. Or if the Mongavarians found the rope.
Edmund stepped out of hiding and knocked over a nearby potted plant.
At the crash, the two guards snapped to attention and looked straight at him.
Hopefully the dimly lit corridor was dark enough that they wouldn’t be able to tell who he was.
Spinning on his heel, he ran down the corridor, then whirled around the nearest corner. He nearly bumped into a maid, and she stumbled, shrieking and dropping her pile of laundry.
The guards’ footsteps pounded after him. Good, he’d provided enough distraction to lure the guards away from Alvin, but now what was he going to do? The only thing worse than having one of his guards get caught spying was to be caught spying himself.
He glanced over his shoulder, gauging how close the guards were. He’d put a little distance on them.
He whirled around another corner, then immediately tried the nearest door. Unlocked.
He ducked inside, the room smelling musty enough to tell him that it wasn’t currently in use.
Quickly, he raced across the room, unlocked the window, and climbed onto the ledge. Shutting the window behind him, he eased along the ledge and halted when he was between two of the windows.
His body tensed, but he forced himself to stay still and wait, hugging the outside of the castle.
Far below, the formal gardens spread out, filling the space from the castle wall all the way to the edge of the cliff. Below the cliff, the ocean waves crashed against the rock in a steady, soothing rhythm.
At least on this side of the castle, there were no walls and thus no patrolling guards. A few guards wandered in the gardens in a circuit, but none of them seemed inclined to look up. Even if they did, they likely wouldn’t be able to spot Edmund against the castle wall, dressed in dark clothing as he was.
At least, he would remain invisible until the sun started rising. Then he would be a very dark bug highlighted against a bright white wall.
How long should he wait before he dared move? The guards would quickly realize they’d lost him, then they’d start searching room by room. When that happened, hopefully they wouldn’t think to peek out the windows. Only once they were finished would he dare move and return to Jalissa.
In the meantime, he might as well settle in as comfortably as possible and memorize the guard rotation below. It seemed like something that might come in handy to know in the future.
* * *
Jalissa stirredfrom her light doze. She must have drifted off while waiting for Edmund to return. Where was he? He was usually back by now.
Had something happened? Had he been caught snooping?
As she blinked and stared into the darkness, the voices outside her door grew louder.
Sarya. And…Crown Prince Jimson.
What was he doing here? At this time of morning? It was not yet light out.
“I am sorry, Your Highness. You cannot go in there.” Sarya’s voice held a tight, flustered quality that it normally did not.
“Are both of your ambassadors in that room? Are you sure?” Crown Prince Jimson’s voice rose.
Sarya’s voice called in elvish, “Has the amir returned?”
