Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

I n the coming days, Shava proved herself a prodigy with climbing. It would be easy to say it was because of her birth as a girl from the mud quarter, but I was half of a mud-quarter boy myself and couldn't even climb a foot off the dusty ground.

Her bare toes and fingers could grip onto ledges that were more narrow than what should have been physically possible, and her eyes found tiny holds and cracks that mine didn't. Using this skill, she could get herself into a lot of cave openings without us having to rely on Zariah to cart us around everywhere. Once there, we could throw her rope and I could join her, or Cerys could, or the boy. At first, their presences annoyed me, but having others around made things easier. One of them could stand guard at an entrance, flagging down Zariah if anything went wrong. Or they could concentrate on menial tasks such as gathering firewood or preparing food, leaving Shava and I free to explore.

And explore we did. I needed to find a way back into the kingdom and fast. My next ritual would not plan itself, and the diagram wasn't satisfactory. I needed my notes from my room.

"Zariah seems to think this cave is promising," I commented to Shava.

Shava and I stood at the entrance of an old mine, quite a distance to the west from the kingdom. Zariah had noticed the odd configuration of rocks from overhead, and discovered the collapsed mine a few days before.

"Not exactly hidden, is it?" Shava asked.

The old mine shaft had caved in partially, but the wooden slats and rails still lead straight into the black abyss. An old, rusted cart sat right outside, tipped over next to the tracks.

"No one leaves the kingdom or goes in. It doesn't need to be hidden," I replied, frowning. I knew from perusing records in the archives that we had once mined gemstones much more than we do now, but I never stopped to think where those mines had been. Like everyone else, I supposed they were in the stone quarter.

"How old do you think it is?" Shava asked, crouching down by the old cart and running her hand over the rusty exterior.

Hmm. Great question. Decades, at least. Centuries, at most.

"One way to find out. Got the torch?" I asked her.

Shava fumbled clumsily for the little pouch tied at her waist. After we'd started our new hobby of cave exploration, I'd had Zariah bring a few materials needed to make torch kits for all of us.

"Do you remember how to do it?"

Shava rolled her eyes at me. "Yes, of course."

I knew from my uneasy alliance with a few Fireguards that you needed flint and rock to strike a spark, and that was used to light a fire. I made all of us pouches of flint, rock, charcoal, and dry bits of hay. I'd walked everyone through how to do it, but I'd yet to see them try.

Shava picked up the flint and striker and tried striking them together, but immediately dropped it. Her eyes flicked to me nervously.

I pushed down the urge to snap at her.

"Try again," I grit out, digging deep for any scrap of patience.

With a few attempts, she successfully caught a spark to the hay, which we transferred to my torch.

"All right, in we go." Confidently I strode into the mine shaft, torch in my hand. And immediately stumbled as my foot sunk through a broken wooden slat, plunging me down to my calf.

"Zephyr!" Shava offered an arm, and I took it, and with a heave she pulled me out of the hole. Broken bits of wood and twisted shards of metal bit into my leg, leaving bloody streaks down my skin as I pulled it free of the hole.

"Shit."

Going into a filthy cave with an open wound wasn't smart. I glanced into the darkness, then back out towards the light.

Shava snapped her fingers. "I got it. Give me the torch." She reached for it, hand outstretched.

I hesitated. Not because I didn't think she couldn't explore a tunnel on her own, but because I had a strong feeling that this would finally be the one that led us back to the kingdom. It was large and long, and clearly used to be a main artery of the kingdom's mining system.

I didn't want to miss anything.

"Zeph, for the sake of the gods, you're bleeding out. Just wrap it up and come on. Haven't you ever bandaged your own injury before?"

Blinking at her, I realized I hadn't. My entire life had consisted of going to the infirmary and having a prima tend to me every time I'd needed something. Shava huffed, then bent down and ripped off a strip of fabric from the ragged ruins of her dress.

I made a mental note to snag some breeches for her once we snuck back into the castle. Dresses made no sense out here in the desert. Or anywhere else besides a ballroom, for that matter.

"You still have the waterskin?" she asked.

I held it up from its tie at my waist, and she swiped it, opening the cap and trickling down the wound on my leg. It was cold and felt good against the bite of the cut. She wiped the area clear of debris and mud, then flipped it over and tied it tightly in a knot with practiced hands.

"We get hurt all the time in the mud quarter; there are fights over everything." She paused, tugging on the cloth. "There. It'll last you until we can do something better."

I turned my leg this way, and that, impressed.

"It'd be difficult to find something better," I argued, having seen how the primas had bandaged wounds on the other boys. Nothing in the dormitory had the tightness or precision of Shava's bindings. Was that because of a lack of skill by the primas or a lack of care?

A sudden cold breeze swept through the mineshaft, sending a shiver down my spine. Shava's skin erupted in goosebumps and she took a step back.

I did the opposite, plunging into the darkness with my torch.

"This place gives me a bad feeling," Shava whispered, but she kept pace behind me. I didn't slow my steps. I had sensed it too, but unlike her, I recognized it. It sang in my blood, like calling to like.

Magick.

* * *

I was worried my brush with death last week would carry over as we explored new tunnels, but luckily, this wasn't the case. As we descended into the mine, the passageway opened until it was wide enough for four people to traverse together and twice our height, and sloped downward at a manageable angle. Claustrophobia wouldn't win today, but we had to pay attention, so we didn't trip over the slats of the old cart tracks.

Eventually, the tunnel ended into a cavernous space that only gave away its vastness by the amount of cold air blowing towards us.

"This was definitely one of the main mines, if not the main mine," I said, my voice echoing down the dark corridor. My eyes slid to Shava, the firelight of my torch bathing half her face in a golden glow. Her eyes strained to see anything in the pitch blackness, and I wondered if she realized the significance of her presence here.

Few people knew the true history of the mines, but I did—buried deep in the archives in disintegrating, discarded scrolls stuffed far back into deep recesses and cracks by scribes like me, trying to preserve what they could of history.

I'd found them. I'd taught myself the language. I understood.

The mud people were my people, and there was a reason they lived in squalor in our kingdom.

"Come, let's explore where our ancestors once toiled."

Shava rolled her eyes, but took my hand. "This better not be a better dead end."

I grinned. I had a feeling this would finally be the main tunnel that took us out to the kingdom.

"Only one way to find out."

Shava sighed. "Can we at least wait until morning? I'm tired."

Fine. We would wait until morning.

* * *

Morning came, and we strode off to investigate the main mine, only to get lost several times.

"I'm tired. Can we rest?" Shava asked, sitting down on the ground

I was a little sore, but feeling well enough. I didn't know if I'd done enough rituals yet to be that much stronger, or if years of neglect and starvation made Shava weaker.

Either way, we had been exploring for a long time. Until we broke out of the tunnel, it would be impossible to know. It was always dark in here.

Logically, I knew the kingdom was a distance from our cave in the desert, but riding on the back of a dragon had spoiled me as to exactly how long.

Surely, we'd come up soon, right?

I studied the way ahead while Shava rested. A bright crack of white caught my attention, my adrenaline spiking and flipping my stomach with anticipation.

"Look Shava! There"

I took off, knowing she'd follow.

"Are you serious?" she called after me, her voice echoing off the rock walls.

I ignored her and strode forward, out into the sunlight. My scribe robe was dirty and torn from my time in the desert, so I wasn't worried about sticking out with my clothing. A smile curled at the corner of my lips as I realized that today would be the first time that my hair color would help me and not hinder me.

Today I was another mud boy among the rest.

"You idiot." Shava jogged to my side, catching up with me.

"Aren't you happy to be home ?" I joked.

"Hardy har," she quipped back, nostrils flared with irritation.

I wanted to argue I didn't need her with me, but it would be foolish to deny help when freely given. The archives hadn't been helpful in dispensing much knowledge of the people who lived in the mud quarter.

I needed Shava.

"Fine," I conceded. "Just—"

Shava strode past me, her back straight and chin held high. I stuffed down my irritation at her presumption, recognizing the necessity. She knew these streets, and I did not. She knew the people, and I did not.

In front of me, the Seat loomed a distance away, through the other quarters atop its high wall of stone. It looked far more intimidating from down here.

"Are you coming? There is a curfew, and the sun will set in a few hours."

I shook my head and hurried alongside her. She frowned at my feet, still covered in my leather apprentice sandals.

"No one here has sandals. Let me—"

She reached for my feet and I backpedaled, scowling.

"I am not going barefoot like some sort of—"

"Mud boy?" she interrupted coyly, one dark eyebrow raised.

She had me there.

Lips pursed, I took my sandals off with ill grace, and shoved them deep into the inner pockets of my robe, thankful that I was a scribe. Our clothes were tailored with deep pockets in order to fit books, after all.

I tried not to grimace as my bare feet touched the dirt.

"Keep your eyes on the ground at all times to avoid the sharper rocks. Or any rocks, since I doubt your feet are tough like mine."

My face twisted to argue, but as she lifted one foot and I examined it, I couldn't. She had a tough layer of skin on the soles and platforms of her feet that I did not.

"Fine."

Apparently, that was the only thing I could say to her today.

She led me out of the tunnel and into a dark, cramped alley lined by giant rocks. Eyes warily watched us from underneath the larger ledges, dirty figures and bodies slumped over that twitched now and then, or simply didn't move.

Shava ignored them, pressing forward.

The hard rock underneath my feet gave way to flat sand, not unlike the desert that was just outside the walls. Instead of stone walls, rough mud huts squatted up against each other, crowded wherever they could fit. The dusty dirt turned into thick, sticky mud that congealed in between my toes and smelled of rancid vegetables and only the gods knew what else.

"Does everyone live in these … houses?" I said, just barely managing to not say ‘hovels.' I knew there was a reason it was called the mud quarter, but I hadn't expected it to be quite so … literal.

"Get that look off your face. That'll earn us more trouble than anything else."

Resisting the urge to glare, I tried to rearrange my face into something neutral. Again, I had to trust Shava. This was her domain.

"There's a reason we let the Fireguards take us away from here during every reaping."

Her face darkened as we continued.

"OY! They kick you out of the Seat already? Knew you were only good for one thing." The voice came from inside one hut, low and guttural.

Shava stopped. "I'd slap you P, but it'd be animal abuse."

She kept walking, head held high. I watched the hut the voice had emanated from, but only grumbling followed. He didn't emerge.

"Fucking pisspots," Shava grumbled.

"Never knew them to throw one back before. You that bad?"

Shava's hands clenched into fists at her sides as she ignored a litany of jeers and catcalls from the shadows.

"Who's he? Your prince?" cackled another man. The others thought this was funny, laughing and laughing. The alley felt like it was shrinking around me.

Don't panic.

"Need to get out of the fucking male alley," Shava whispered to me harshly, picking up the pace.

Oh. This was the male alley. Because that made so much sense.

"What's going on? Shut up down there!"

I didn't have time to react as Shava grabbed me and shoved us into the nearest hut, just as a trio of Fireguards stuck their heads down the opening of the alley.

The men went silent as the tomb.

It was dim and hard to see inside of the hut, but I could still make out two figures in the corner that were stirring.

"Who are you? Trying to steal what's mine?" A man threw off the ratty blanket covering him and a naked woman, rearing at me with a crude shank in his hand. Shava lunged, but I was right in his path. I caught his wrists with my hands, his rudimentary weapon slicing a thin line across my forearm.

Blood welled slightly, and I grinned. That was all I needed.

Golden lines flared in the darkness, filling the depressing hut with a warm glow. Shava stepped back in awe, mouth open.

Strength flowed through me, a rush of power and adrenaline that had me giddy.

"What the—"

I grinned.

And pushed.

The man flew back into the mud wall and crashed head first, sliding down to the dirt in a heap.

The woman with him scurried to her feet, tears streaking a path of clean skin down her cheeks as it washed away the dirt and grime. She fled the hut before Shava and I could say a word. Probably was terrified of me. I was already trying to think of how I'd explain to Shava what she'd seen.

"Well … that's useful," Shava managed, blinking at me.

I ran a hand over the small cut on my forearm, and the gold sigils of my bloodmagick faded back into my skin. When it was done, my arm was unblemished. "Come on. He won't be out long. Annoyingly hard head on that one. Hopefully, she got a good head start."

We darted out of the hut and towards the opening of the alley where the Fireguards had been. The girl was long gone.

I tensed, waiting for Shava's questions.

Nothing. Her full attention was on our surroundings as we slunk through the slum and went as quietly as the sucking mud would allow us. As we neared an open area, Shava grew weary. "It's not dark yet, so we should still be fine. If we can make it to the second row in the T alley, we can—"

I couldn't take it anymore. "That's all you're going to say? You don't have questions?"

It was possible that a part of me was more incredulous than worried about her reaction; she'd just seen actual blood magick, likely the first blood magick to be seen in centuries, and all she had to say was that it was useful?

She didn't spare me a glance, her eyes on the patrolling Fireguards who were guarding a large wagon in the center of what I supposed passed for the town square. It was just an open space of mud that was the intersection of several alleys.

"Well, yeah. Of course I have questions. Now isn't the time ." Shava waited until the Fireguards passed, then made a break across the square for the third alley on the left. I struggled to keep up, wincing at the mud and dirt. How would I ever explain my filth if I stumbled back into the Seat?

"Where exactly are we going?" I asked.

"To see my friend," she answered shortly, not even stopping to glance at me.

I bristled. "A friend? I'm not here to socialize. I—"

A woman's scream broke the air, piercing and shrill. I flinched, but Shava only frowned.

"Shit, knew she would get us caught. Hurry!"

She took off down a new alleyway and I ran after her, the pounding of feet hot on our heels.

"Hey! You! Stop!"

Years of being conditioned to obey slowed my feet, but Shava grabbed me and tugged. "What are you doing? They're not talking to you! "

She shoved me up against the wall of a mud hut, putting her arms under my shoulders and turning me so my body covered hers. Her lips descended on mine, hungry.

Before I could ask what the fuck she was doing, two Fireguards ran by us, buckling their scabbards back into place as they ran.

Oh. Now I see.

Relaxing into Shava's kiss, I pushed my tongue into her mouth and bit down on her lip.

Disappointingly, she pushed me away as the woman's screams continued from the open square.

Perhaps now wasn't the best time.

"Mari! There you are. Why aren't you in your hut? Don't—"

"Shava? Is it really you? I thought I'd never see you again! Momma ran out again. I think the bad man has her."

I glanced down at the little girl, maybe ten or eleven. Her huge, dark eyes stared up at Shava as though she was the girl's personal salvation. Her dress was a tattered scrap tied around her bosom and waist, held together by roughly-sewn leather. She was painfully thin.

Shava winced. "Mari, your mother is … out. The Fireguards will help her. It will be ok. Can you show us that one tunnel you said you found a while ago? The one you don't think anyone else knows about?"

My ears perked in interest, even as I ignored the falsely bright tone she used.

The little girl's—Mari's—eyes narrowed. "I'm not a stupid kid. I know what she's doing. And the Fireguards will do the same thing. Doesn't matter who gets her."

Her voice was tough, but it wavered a bit at the end and her eyes grew wet.

Shava pursed her lips. "Fine. We are looking to sneak into the Seat. Can you tell us what direction the tunnel was in?"

The girl scowled. "I want to come."

My mouth opened to argue, but Shava beat me to it. "Yes, of course. Now lead on."

Mari's eyes lit up, but she didn't argue. She turned and ran.

Right back towards the square.

"Mari, I don't think—"

"Momma will keep them busy. That one Fireguard enjoys saving her. I think he likes her."

Her tone was matter of fact. I couldn't help but admire her callousness.

"Don't look so intrigued. This place does it to you," Shava spat out, angry.

I really needed to control my face better.

We ducked down a third alley, past a couple groping each other in the darkness. By Mari's little growl I assumed it was her mother, getting it on with a Fireguard.

A Fireguard who looked suspiciously familiar.

"L?" I whispered.

His head turned to me, and we locked eyes for just a moment. There was a flash of anger, but regret quickly replaced it. Was this why I hadn't seen him around the palace in a long time? Had he been banished to the mud quarter for associating with me?

I shook my head. That was ridiculous. Wasn't it?

"Go! What are you doing?"

I left L and Mari's mother as we sprinted down an alley. The girl was fast and took branching alleys and twisting turns so quickly that I soon lost my bearings. If I lost either Shava or the girl, I'd be utterly lost.

"Just up here. Between the two rows."

A large boulder jutted up from the ground, separating two more ‘rows.' The mud quarter had some kind of order to it, but the streets were anything but clean and straight. At least it made sense to the girl leading me through it.

"Under the boulder?" Shava asked, almost disappointed at how obvious it was.

Mari huffed. "The crack is small and narrow. Not many people can get under it." She eyed my taller, lanky frame with incredulity.

Little brat. If she thought I was hauling her ass to the Seat or feeding her, she had another thing coming.

"Right," Shava said tiredly. "Thanks, Mari. I—"

WHAM.

Mari's eyes rolled back into her head as she fell perfectly into my arms. My fist didn't even hurt from nailing her in the jaw, a footnote I'd read once in the archives indicating it was the preferred striking area if you wanted to knock someone out.

"What the fuck, Zephyr?"

A bolt of unease shot through me as she stepped towards me, hands raised. My bloodmagick flared gold in response to my adrenaline, but I'd anticipated her anger. That's why I had to hold the girl in my arms, like a shield.

"You didn't want her following," I protested. "We can leave her in the tunnel and she will be safe. Everyone wins, yes?"

A war waged in her eyes as she stared me down. If I thought my little display of bloodmagick earlier would cow her, I was mistaken. She wasn't afraid of me. She never had been. "Fine. But fuck you."

She turned on her heel and bent down at the rock's base, uncovering a large (yet narrow) crack.

"Repeatedly," I murmured back as she disappeared into the void with a grunt and shuffle.

"Pass Mari down next," came Shava's echoing voice.

The girl was so skinny it was easy to fit her down the hole; the difficult part was not knocking her head against the rocks.

Then it was my turn.

My stomach flipped and twisted as the memory of nearly dying in the cave in the mountains came back to me. I closed my eyes and fought through it.

Shava is here with you. It is safe. She is already on the other side. Grit your teeth and do it.

So I did it.