Page 159 of Keeper of the Word

“How do you?—”

“Shush. Quiet. Come Rasa,” Elanna said, feeding the roan’s reins through the ring she’d found. “All of you come.”

In the darkness, while Elanna slid her hands first along the wall and then the ground, searching for a sign of the door she Saw was there, the others hitched their horses.

Her hand came across a loose floorboard. She yanked it up, revealing the ring knob to lift the hatch. “Come,” she said, allowing her feet to drop down the hole to find a foothold on the ladder. Below ground, ’twas cooler, and the air smelled dank. Joss was next down the ladder, followed by the others one by one. Tolvar was last, and he pulled the hatch tight behind him.

He gave anooph,his head hitting the ceiling of the cramped space they found themselves in.

Tolvar whispered, “What now?”

“This is a tunnel,” Elanna returned. Stars, she grew tired. She was asking too much of the stars. “It leads to Buchton’s cellar. That is where we make our hiding place.”

Everyone searched the darkness with their hands until they found the tunnel walls. Elanna took the first step. The blackness was everything. She could not see her hand even when she held it inches from her eyes.

They tread carefully for stars knew how long until finally, the dimmest of light could be detected ahead. ’Twas slight, but it illuminated a short door at the tunnel’s end.

Elanna took a deep breath and pushed it open, finding herself inside the cellar she’d Seen weeks ago in the streets of Asalle. Shelves covered with goods and supplies surrounded the perimeter of the cellar. On the floor were beautiful cedar boards, which perfumed the space. Three chests sat near the stairs at the far end of the cellar. On one chest was a pile of blankets, on the next was a crate filled with fresh food, and on the last was a lit lantern. Everything was tidy.

Once inside, Tolvar quietly climbed the stairs to listen at the door. “I hear nothing.”

The sound of motion came. Not from the cellar door at the top of the stairs but the tunnel from where they’d just come. Swords were drawn, and Hux propelled Elanna behind him.

Voices. One had the timbre of a woman.

“Wait!” she whispered.

“Stand back, Elanna,” Tolvar growled.

“Should we escape up the stairs?” Gus asked. “There’s no telling how many we face, and this is a tight spot, m’lord.”

“Nay. We stand,” Tolvar said.

The group poised ready with their weapons. Elanna held her breath. The door creaked open.

“What in stars’ holy name!” a man’s voice came.

“Prince Dashiell?” Tolvar said.

Elanna pushed her way through the group. “You’re alive, Your Highness!”

“Aye.” The prince scanned the room. “Mayhap you could all lower your weapons. You’re giving Aven a fright.”

Beside the prince was a woman, thin and pretty, with dark hair and thick eyebrows, which were upturned in fear.

Swords were sheathed, and the prince and Aven entered. “Bit cramped in here,” Dashiell said, shifting his weight.

“What are you doing here, Your Highness?”

“This is Aven’s village. We’re hiding in plain sight.” He winked, and Hux chuckled as the others swore under their breath. “But what are you all doing here?”

Elanna gazed from Dashiell to Aven. “We are here to witness your wedding.”

The daysthey hid in the cellar were miserable. Buchton kept them stocked with food and news, and, a few times, Tolvar and Hux spied through the tunnel, though they surveyed little. The only other use for the tunnel had been a makeshift privy they created.

The horses had been moved to various sheds throughout Renstown to be cared for. Three Ashwinian Lusters together would rouse suspicions. Tolvar had his doubts, but Dashiell laughed, saying that if the village wasn’t loyal to the heir to the throne, they wereveryloyal to one of their own daughters. Aven’s father had served as a constable before he’d been killed defending a group of children from a gang of thieves years ago. The village had taken it upon themselves to care after Aven and her four sisters. Nothing would sway their loyalty, the prince said.

According to Buchton, the horsemen who had trampled into Renstown were a group of Anscom’s men, leagues from his province and seeking to keep the peace, they’d informed the new constable. They had shown the village the WANTED banner of Tolvar and asked if anyone had spotted the prince. They were on orders to safely return the prince to Asalle.