Page 41 of The Laws of Nature (Heirs of the Empire #3)

TOBI

I n his own room, Tobi gets into bed sulkily. He doesn’t want to be here. He hadn’t sought out his boots to run away, just to have something to wear on his feet. Just to be comfortable.

Harok thought Tobi was wearing boots as a sign he wanted to leave.

He didn’t mean that at all, but perhaps he does want to leave.

Perhaps he should try. That would be a fine story for the Rose Court.

Not only was he snatched by an Ambolk king and taken to their secret fortress, he escaped all by himself to tell the tale.

But he would need to go to the stables and collect Baby before finding a way to escape. And there are guards outside his door. Not Olladin, Cel, Ador and Lok, but the night guards, who would be even less likely to allow him to go wandering.

Tobi sleeps fitfully, stinging from all that has happened. He had been so excited to have Harok back, to share his bed again. But now, he thinks, being here will never feel sweet again.

The following morning, Tobi takes his time dressing in the alit he wore the day before and drinking bark tea by his fire.

He is doing so when Harok emerges through the door that joins their chambers. He looks drawn, as if he too has slept badly. He wears his chest harness and Tobi can see the bandage over the wound on his chest is stained with fresh blood.

“Kushir,” Harok says. He is holding something in his arms. A bundle of wool and fur.

As Tobi looks at him, Harok shakes the fabric out. “Cloak,” Harok says in Artemian.

Tobi takes it. This cloak is much bigger and longer than the one he had before.

Is it one of Harok’s own cloaks? He thinks it must be.

It is very fine. It will cover him far better.

The fur around the collar is so soft and the main part of it is thick wool.

Tobi knows wool is valuable in Urynwud. No sheep live in the forest. Wool has to be traded for gems and timber in Ceruleum.

Tobi comes over, still sullen, and takes it from Harok.

As he wraps himself in it, Harok turns and leaves without another word. Tobi wonders if that was meant to be an apology.

Tobi doesn’t want to go down to the Sacred Hall to be stared at and gossiped about by Solwen who witnessed him kneeling before the firepit as Harok burnt his clothing.

He doesn’t even want to see his guards who will be standing outside his door.

Led by Olladin, who he had begun to consider an ally of sorts, his laughing friend who often beats him at arca, betrayed him to Harok in the Sacred Hall.

He walks over to the chamber’s small window.

He knows it looks out on a small side courtyard at the back of Urynwud.

It is a long way down. But he has acrobatic skills.

He ought to be able to climb this wall. If he could get down the wall somehow, he would still have to get out of the gates.

But perhaps if he waited until nightfall…

But he could climb down this wall, fetch Baby from the stables.

He’s pacing around, thinking, when there is a knock at his door.

He walks over and opens it to find Lymok standing there, flanked by Ador and Lok.

“You weren’t at the library, kushir,” Lymok says. “Are you unwell?”

From Lymok’s expression, Tobi is sure he knows exactly why Tobi is not at his lessons, but he simply says, “I am in no mood for learning Harok’s language today.”

Lymok says, “I thought as much. But perhaps I should give you a short lesson in your chamber.” He stares at Tobi intensely. When Tobi doesn’t speak, Lymok says, “Invite me in.”

Tobi steps back from the door, saying, “Come in.”

Lymok smiles and walks into the chamber. Of course, Olladin, Ador, Cel and Lok follow him inside and take up a position against the wall.

Tobi ignores them. “Would you like some tea?” he says, as Lymok strolls across the room to sit himself by the fire.

Lymok shakes his head. “I won’t stay long. Come, sit by the fire.”

Tobi does as he is bid. As he sits down, Lymok leans closer. “Meet me at the traders’ house tonight. Can you get away from your guards?”

“For what purpose?” Tobi glances at them. But they are speaking Artemian and none of the guards can understand. Nor would they think it suspicious. They have stood silently and watched while Tobi and Lymok speak in a mixture of Ambolk and Artemian many times.

“I will not see another Azurian treated that way by an Irgo,” Lymok says. “Can you get away from the guards?” he repeats, giving Tobi a look that makes it clear what he is offering. Something he dare not say even in Artemian.

Escape.

Tobi shakes his head slowly in alarm.

Lymok leans closer. “Don’t worry. Harok is shut away with his mother and the Verilissia this day while they repair the tear to his magic marking. He will not return until late.” Lymok leans even closer. “We could be gone by then. So, can you get away from your guards or not.”

“I cannot,” Tobi says. “No.”

Lymok leans even closer. Close enough that Tobi thinks they would alert the suspicions of the guards far less if they simply had this conversation as if it were a normal Ambolk lesson. “Kushir, have you considered what he might do next time you anger him?”

“I cannot,” Tobi says. “I cannot leave without Baby.”

Lymok nods. “I will get Baby. If you can find a way to get away from your guards, come and meet me at the traders’ house at dusk.”

“But what would become of you if you did such a thing?” Tobi says. “If you helped me escape and Harok discovered it, you would be severely punished.”

Lymok smiles. “I will not be here for him to punish. I’m going with you. I want you to take me with you to Azuria. I want to find my true family.”

As the sun is setting, Tobi climbs out of the small window and slips down from the sill, carefully finding places for his bare feet.

He lowers himself down. Slowly, inch by inch.

His fingers grip at the craggy stone and thick stems and leaves.

The walls of Urynwud are covered in plants which makes it easy enough to find a place to grip.

There are plenty of handholds and small jutting pieces of stone.

But the stone is crumbling in places. There are a few terrifying moments as a root he holds comes away from the wall when Tobi tries to have it bear his weight, but despite this, he scrambles down and down the rough wall until eventually, he has his bare feet on the cobblestones of the courtyard.

He turns around, heart beating hard, and finds the yard is deserted.

He pulls his new, thick cloak tight around himself and walks briskly towards the workshops and the traders’ house, sticking to the shadows.

His heart beats hard and fast, he knows there would be no excuse he could give if he was caught.

But he arrives in the large room of the traders’ house to find Lymok loading a cart.

Two horses are hitched to the front and before them a wide door stands open leading into a small open yard.

Tobi is delighted to see Baby, asleep in her cage on the cart.

He goes over to pet her and finds her calm, her eyes are glassy. “Lymok,” Tobi turns. “I think Baby is unwell.”

“I had to give her sofi,” Lymok says. “I spun a story to Sami and Jer that after your behaviour Harok was sending your beast back to Azuria as punishment. But I thought it best to make sure she was quiet.”

Tobi feels slightly sick at the idea that Baby has been drugged. He puts his arms through the cage’s bars. Baby is breathing softly like she is in a deep sleep.

“Kushir,” Lymok says tightly. “I had to do it. Do you want to escape this place or not? ”

Tobi turns. “Of course I do,” he says sharply. Then checks himself. “I am sorry,” he says. “I appreciate your help.”

“So get in the cart. Quickly, before anyone comes. I will cover you and Baby with sackcloth.”

Tobi does as he is bid, climbing up to crouch down beside the cage on the back of the cart. Lymok brings over some large sheets of sacking.

“How will we get through the gates?” Tobi says.

Lymok reaches out and pats Tobi’s cheek. “Worry not, kushir,” he says. “The traders have their own gate. And I have a key.” And with that he throws one of the pieces of sacking over Tobi.

The cart rocks as Lymok climbs up at the front and there are a few small sounds as he begins to urge the horses forward and the cart begins to move.

Tobi holds his breath. After a few moments, he tries to guess where they are. Are they still within Urynwud or have they already passed through this traders’ gate?

Eventually he feels the cart slow to a halt and the sacking that covers Tobi is pulled away. The cart is on a narrow track in the dark forest. Looking over his shoulder Tobi can see the shape of Urynwud in the distance.

He is free.

Tobi scrambles up onto the front of the cart with Lymok. The forest all around them is dark as a mortingale’s wing. The air is bitingly cold.

Tobi shivers. “You were right about the way kushirs are dressed,” he says to Lymok as the cart begins to move again. “It would be impossible to run away like this.”

Lymok looks Tobi up and down with a smirk. He shakes the reins urging the horses to pick up speed. The cart sways on the narrow track.

A moment later, when Tobi looks over his shoulder, he cannot see Urynwud anymore. There is no sign of anyone following. They are truly free.

They have not gone much further when Tobi hears the howl of a wolf. He startles and at the same moment the long arm of a tree branch catches the side of his face.