Page 52

Fifty-One

Lira had visited every stall at the faire and eaten far too many of Pip’s doughnuts, not to mention indulging in one of Fenni’s cheese and honey pairings that had been the perfect contrast of savory and sweet. But wherever she walked, Vaskel always kept Rygor on the opposite side of the faire.

The one person she hadn’t seen yet was Korl, but she told herself that he must be on duty at the castle. He could be hidden within the crowd, but he was too big to go unnoticed for so long. Still, she couldn’t let it bother her since Durn was occupied with the chandler and Rygor was following Vaskel’s pockets filled with gold like a child trailing after a piper.

“It’s time.”

She hadn’t heard Iris walk up behind her because of the din of the crowd and a fiddler who’d joined the lute, but she’d been expecting her. The faire was getting close to its peak, and they’d both put in enough of an appearance that they wouldn’t be missed.

Without another word, the pair made their way to the tavern, smiling and greeting people as they went. When they reached the door, Iris did a full rotation.

“Cali should be here. I sent her ahead a few minutes ago.”

Lira frowned. “I watched her walk this way.”

Iris rubbed her arms, even though they were covered by her nubby, green sweater. “Maybe she stepped inside to wait for us.”

Lira’s pulse spiked, but it wasn’t because she sensed she was being watched. Her instincts told her something was off. Cali was nothing if not reliable. If she’d said she would be outside the tavern, that’s where she would be. Unless…

Lira wished she had one of her blades, but she hadn’t taken the time to grab them before going to the faire, and she didn’t want anyone to see her wearing them. She slid her gaze to Iris, whose hand was already going into one of the pockets in her voluminous skirt. At least the apothecary had tools that could be used as weapons.

Iris produced a chisel from one pocket and an iron hammer from the other. She handed the chisel to Lira and gave her a solemn nod.

Lira held her breath as she opened the tavern door. It was quiet and empty inside, which was an unusual sight now that they’d built up a bustling business. But since they were closed for the Night Faire, no one was in the tavern and no fire was lit. Iris kept close behind her as they moved on silent feet toward the cellar door.

Despite the empty great room and the silence that hung over the tavern, Lira’s neck had started to prickle again. When they reached the cellar door, it stood slightly ajar.

Lira went still. That door was never left open. Not by her, not by Sass, not by Durn.

She hesitated, straining to hear voices. There were none, but there were footsteps. Iris put a hand on her arm, as if to pull her back, but the steps weren’t coming toward them. Lira was sure someone was pacing.

She considered going upstairs for her blades, or even going back to the village and getting help. Vaskel would come to her aide without question, but that would alert Rygor. Besides, she still didn’t know where Cali was, and she had a bad feeling that someone was using the cover of the Night Faire to make another attempt at the wall.

Her mind raced as she motioned for Iris to follow her, and the two walked gingerly down the stairs, the only light coming from the far corner.

Lira was right. Someone was there, and she would bet coin that it was the same person who’d tried to break through the wall before. As she crept on her toes around the corner, she raised the hammer and prepared to strike.

The light from the lantern on the dirt floor only extended a few feet in each direction, but it was enough to illuminate Cali, who lay sprawled unconscious on the ground. Lira pressed her lips together to keep from calling her name, but she couldn’t stay silent when she saw who whirled to face her from where he crouched by the stone wall.

“ Malek ?”