Ten

Another knock at the door woke him, and he jerked upright, immediately on alert—and slumped in relief when it proved to be the woman again, bearing another tray of food, this one full of some sort of roasted meat, boiled vegetables covered in a mysterious sauce, and plenty of bread and tea.

He climbed out of bed and moved to the little table as she set the food down. "Thank you, I appreciate you bringing me food. Your name was Katrana, right?"

"Yep, that's me," the woman replied. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." She grimaced. "Wish the circumstances were better."

"Am I still a prisoner, then?"

"Yes, Gardi has decreed you're not to be released until Seneschal Havartin returns, which won't be for a few days. He has called for more helping hands down in the village, though, so I'll be leaving at first light to go help."

"What's wrong?"

"Illness is sweeping through the village. Nothing contagious, we think just really bad food poisoning from something eaten at a recent festival. But it's affected most of the village, and we can't figure out what did it and might do it again, meaning the village is struggling to function. So we're nursing them, helping to get things done. Least we can do, since they provide most of the foodstuffs we purchase, and help when things need to be built or repaired. Also, we don't want the food poisoning to come this way obviously, if it's something they would eventually trade to us."

Ninos hesitated, but this might be his only chance—assuming that Wintry's faith was well-placed, and Havartin would not prove to be as bad as, if not worse than, Gardi. "If I gave you a letter for the Seneschal, would you give it to him, please?"

"I will," she said somberly. "What they're doing is wrong. I know spirits are dangerous, but Seneschal Havartin specializes in spirits, that's his dark magic class. He and Gardi have always clashed on the matter, you know? There's a lot Gardi isn't telling you about his personal hatred for spirits. But one tragic mistake doesn't equate to all spirits being evil, though I don't know they're entirely to be trusted either. Regardless, you shouldn't be a prisoner because of it, especially since it sounds like you didn't do it on purpose. I'll deliver your letter, I swear it."

"Thank you."

She nodded, then her eyes fell to his arm. "Do you have to do anything special with the plant?"

"Make certain it doesn't get covered up so it can get air and sunlight, though obviously the ghost ivy can't absorb sunlight like regular plants. Otherwise, no. Their roots are in me, they use my blood or whatnot as their primary food source. Yanking them out would kill them and wound me." He absolutely was not telling anyone that they helped him talk to other plants; that'd just confirm for all of them he was insane and not to be trusted—cavorting with spirits, talking to plants, losing his damned mind.

"I really wish you could stay and tell us more; it's the kind of thing we'd love to study, especially the blood mages. I should go, though. Be careful."

On that strange note, she took the letter from him and departed, leaving him to eat his food in a silence that he absolutely hated.

So Havartin specialized in spirits, hmm? And Wintry had insisted he come here. He'd known, or suspected. But hadn't shared those thoughts with Ninos.

Sinn hadn't told him the truth either.

Why hadn't someone just talked to him? He was going to throttle all of them. So much of this could have been avoided if people just talked to him!

Then again, given how Gardi was acting… that Ninos had thought spirits a myth while people up here treated them as an obvious thing. He felt stupid. Used. But Sinn must have been scared this whole time how he might react.

"I'll get you back," he whispered.

Finished eating, he got dressed and returned to the window, reaching out to touch the ivy and ask for any new information.

Found .

Thank you so much! Can you show me?

The ivy did, indeed, show him, though it was difficult to sort out how they saw things, in pathways of light and dark, nutrients and no nutrients, safe and unsafe. Nothing as easy as even color, let alone full images. But… but up, all the way up, closer to the sky, to the sun they treasured above all else.

So he was in one of the towers. There were four, one for each cardinal point. He could work with that.

Undoubtedly there would also be wards, guards, the usual assortment of barriers, but he'd address those when he reached them.

Thank you, he whispered again, and withdrew, leaving the ivy be.

He had enough information to act, so it was time to act. Hopefully, he wouldn't get caught, because they'd just lock him up even more securely then.

There was always the option to wait for Havartin to return, as it had sounded like he would be on their side, but Ninos couldn't risk it.

Kneeling in front of the trunk, he went through it for everything that either might be useful in his rescue mission or was something he didn't want to live without should they have to leave with nothing but what they had on them. He still wore his jewelry, his money went into an inside pocket for safety, flint, empty waterskin, a packet of dried foods that would last long enough to reach a farm or village… and that should do it, really, much as it pained him to leave so much behind. Much as he'd like to take his cloak, it would be entirely too dangerous on the climb.

Hopefully, they wouldn't also have to leave behind Strider and Serenade; that would hurt the most. But as long as he and Sinn were together, they'd be all right, and the horses would be safe and well cared for here if it came to that.

All right, time to get to work.

He climbed into the window, back facing out, and leaned out enough to get a look at what he was working with. Down below was a whole lot of rocky forest, that he'd checked before, because if he was over a bustling courtyard, his chances of success would have plummeted to all but zero.

This was going to be terrifying , but it was his only option so terrified he would be. Sinn would do it for him. Had done it for him, all the way down into that pit he'd fallen into, and then somehow all the way back out again.

So he grabbed the handholds that looked most promising, heaving himself up, set his feet, and started climbing. The wind was strong this high up, whipping against him, freezing and ominous, but he grit his teeth and focused on the climb.

Thankfully the stone was rough, weathered, giving him plenty of grip, and old enough to be uneven, even cracked and broken in places, providing even more hand and foot holds. He only slipped once, falling back down slightly, barely biting back a scream of terror. If he fell a second time, nobody would be able to save him, and then nobody would be there to save Sinn.

Heart beating so hard his chest practically vibrated, drumming in his ears more deafening than thunder, he resumed his climb. Up, over, over again, up, slightly down to get around an area with no places to grab, then thankfully from there it was all the way up.

Climbing over the edge he tumbled onto the roof on his hands and knees, gasping and laughing in relief. The very moment this little adventure was over he was never climbing anything ever again. Except maybe a tree, because he trusted trees, but he didn't want to climb anything at all. He was meant for the ground and that was where he was going to stay.

Except for cuddling with Sinn in the Grand Wheel. That was an exception he would make any day.

Right, then. Onward. Pushing to his feet, continuing to ignore the biting wind, he finally took in his surroundings. Shadowfell was an old castle, consisting of a central looming keep and various outbuildings. Unlike modern castles, where the keep was sprawling and elaborate, this was just the single boxy keep—with four towers, one at each corner, marking the cardinal points. Some architect really went to serious effort for that.

Two of the towers had no ivy at all, leaving the other two. Of those two… One butted up close to the mountains, surrounded by towering trees. It was almost entirely in shade for most of the day, so the ivy was sparse, small.

The other was in near-full sun most of the day, and the ivy was lush, green, and growing in over-abundance. Hot satisfaction rushed through him. That was it. "Getting closer, Sinn. Hold on just a little longer."

He walked across the roof, careful to walk as quietly as he could so as not to alert anyone who might hear his footsteps from below, and studied the tower. The ivy wasn't strong enough to support him, but it blocked any visible handholds, so he'd just have to go slowly and feel them out. The tower was as rigidly square as everything else about the keep, with a single small window on each side. Just big enough for him to squeeze through, he thought, but if not… well, one problem at a time.

Taking several deep breaths, shaking out his sore, tired limbs, Ninos started his next climb.

This one was much, much harder because of the plethora of ivy. But as always, it sensed him, spoke with him, and he found it shifting out of his way as best it could, revealing handholds one by one until he was able to grab the window ledge and heave him himself up and over.

Inside, he slid down the wall with another wobbly laugh, eyes closed as he waited for his trembling to ease and his limbs to stop feeling like pudding.

"Ninos?"

The achingly familiar voice jerked him upright, eyes snapping open. His breath caught. "Sinn! You're all right. Well, outside of being imprisoned I mean." He rushed across the room to him—and stopped with a cry of pain as he slammed into an invisible barrier. Wards, right.

Shaking it off, he stared at Sinn, some of his turmoil easing. "How are you, mouse eater?"

Sinn stared at him in surprise, then smiled ever so faintly. "Been better. What are you doing here?"

"What kind of stupid question is that? Rescuing you, obviously." His momentary joy collapsed. "I'm sorry. You kept saying we shouldn't come here, that we should just abandon the journey and go home, but I didn't listen. Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

"That I'm a much-reviled evil spirit?" Sinn asked, laughing bitterly, looking away to stare at the wall. "Historically, revealing the truth to humans has not gone well for me. The last mage I aligned myself with tried to kill me, after swearing he was my friend, and he would never hate me for the truth."

Anger filled Ninos, hot and sharp. "I hope you broke their stupid, backstabbing nose."

Sinn's eyes widened, face filled with genuine surprise. "I simply left. Without someone or something to bind me to a particular shape, I return to my spirit form, which is a whole lot of nothing, really. A presence, a feeling."

Ninos grinned. "A spirit?"

Sinn grinned back.

"How do I get you out of there?" Ninos asked. "I grow plants, I don't know anything about real wards. If you can't hold a form, how are you like that? Why were you always a raven?"

"Questions later, little mage."

Ninos's eyes blurred, the words hitting him right in the heart. "Didn't think I'd hear that again. So how do we get you free?"

"Easier than you might think. The problem with mages who shut themselves away all the time is that they get set in their ways and complacent. This is a good ward, but not good enough for a divided bonded pair. Spill blood and will it to break."

"All right." Ninos knelt on the ground, carefully feeling out the edge of the ward, hissing as it sparked and stung. Taking out his knife, he cut a fingertip and let the blood drip, watching in fascination as it struck the ward and hissed like water on a hot pan. "How much blood?"

"That's enough. It doesn't require much, just your presence, really. Now will , little mage, will it with all your heart."

Ninos had the feeling that his heart was inside the ward, so willing the ward to shatter and give it back to him wasn't hard. He closed his eyes, hands tangled together to still their trembling, and imagined cracking, breaking, shattering , pouring everything he had into it, breath caught in his throat, afraid to even breathe—

And then it shattered with so much force he toppled backward with a cry. Before he could get his breath back, Sinn was on him, pulling him upright, holding him close, cradling the back of his head as he practically sat in Sinn's lap. "Well done, little mage. I told you that you'd be great."

"You told me I'd be good with plants, mouse eater," Ninos said with a tear-soaked laugh. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you? Do you need anything?"

"I needed my freedom and my mage, and you brought me both," Sinn murmured.

Ninos reached up with one trembling hand to rest it against Sinn's cheek. He was so warm, even looking worn and exhausted. "I'm so sorry."

"You did the best you could with the information you had," Sinn said. "You're not to blame for that. I'm just glad you're alive. You should have died—" His voice cracked, and he looked away, clearing his throat. "You fell so far. You had broken legs, a broken spine, broken everything. You were coughing up blood and more of it spilled from your head." He closed his eyes, shaking so hard Ninos could feel it everywhere they were pressed together. "If you hadn't agreed to the binding—" He opened his eyes slowly, shining and glittering, as red as the ruby earring still in his ear. "Still, the circumstances were hardly what anyone would call truly consenting."

"I consent, obviously," Ninos said. "Maybe it's because I didn't even know spirits were real, but I don't see what all the fuss is about, why everyone is so angry. But, uh, maybe we should set this discussion aside for when we're safe. They said Seneschal Havartin specializes in spirits, but that could mean he'll let you leave with me, or it could mean he wants you for a specimen, and I'm not interested in finding out which. Though I don't know how we'll get the horses or all my things—but I brought enough to survive until the next village."

Sinn smiled, pressed their foreheads together, making Ninos's heart race so fast he thought it might pop, but oh was this possibly the best way to go. "Thorough as ever. Let's get you out of Shadowfell, and then leave the rest to me. I have far more power now than I did before, thanks to you." He withdrew, got them on their feet, and rather than the window, he pointed up to a trapdoor in the ceiling. There was a chain to open it, but it had been secured up well out of reach.

With a rush of magic, Sinn was a raven again, and easily flew up to grasp the chain and pick away at the pin keeping it secured. Mere seconds later it dropped, and Ninos was just able to crane up and reach it. He yanked, and the trapdoor opened, a ladder sliding smoothly down. "So much easier than climbing walls."

Sinn let out a series of amused clicks and flew to his shoulder, exactly where he was supposed to be, and Ninos might have cried all over again if he wasn't so focused on getting out. He scaled the ladder quickly, up to the roof of the tower, where he quickly found another folded ladder. Back on the roof of the keep itself, he said, "Now what?"

The west tower, by the trees.

Ninos headed for it, and thankfully this time he didn't need to climb the tower itself, the trees were near enough that he was able to make the small jump from the roof to a limb as wide as he was, if not slightly wider.

Can you manage from here? Sinn asked. I'll get your things and the horses. Follow the road, keep to the trees as best you can, and wait for me at the crossroads.

"What if they catch you again?"

Sinn laughed, and it was filled with his usual smirking but rippling with a power that made Ninos gasp. "Little mage mine, we are bound by blood, which gives me my full power, or near enough, in this form. I've had time to rest and recover, and you are healed. Do you think these arrogant children stand a chance against an unfettered spirit of mischief?"

"I suppose not," Ninos said. "Go be mischievous, then. I'll meet you at the crossroads."

Sinn rested a hand against the side of his face for a bare moment, and Ninos had the wild thought for a split second that Sinn was going to kiss him. But then he only whispered an urgent, "Go quickly," before he was gone out of sight.

Sighing at himself, Ninos walked further down the wide trunk, then carefully made his way down the tree, heeding its quiet nudges of advice to keep his footing, until he could jump the last bit to the ground.

He had not worn his cloak during the venture because it would have only endangered him on the climb, and he was grateful he would not have to manage without it now because the air was absolutely frigid, even away from being buffeted by it as he climbed.

Right. Onward. He could be warm later by a crackling campfire, with the horses settling into sleep behind him and Sinn flitting about in his usual fashion, playing with other birds or hunting mice—

Or sitting beside him because he didn't seem to be confined to one form anymore.

That lovely thought kept him warm and distracted the entire journey to the crossroads—so distracting, he nearly kept walking right on by. He stared, mind hurting. He had no memory of this crossroads, of this road at all, which was in better condition than the one they'd been traveling when he'd fallen.

How far had Sinn carried him? How had he gotten out of that pit to begin with?

If only he could remember any of it, but all he remembered was falling. Pain. Sinn begging for him to declare the binding, as though he would ever refuse Sinn anything. He'd only refused to abandon the trip because he'd mistakenly believed it was the best thing for Sinn, for whoever was waiting on them to fix the mistake.

There was no one though, and Sinn had chosen him. Despite the fact he was shivering so hard his teeth chattered, Ninos couldn't help but smile.

"You look cold, I—"

Ninos screamed, throwing himself forward and whipping around before he registered the voice. "You bastard ."

Sinn's mouth dropped, and then he grinned like seeing the sun after a hundred days of rain. "Did you just curse at me?"

"No," Ninos retorted. "Give me my stuff and then fly off, you absolute scoundrel."

"Call me a bastard again, that was delightful."

Ninos ignored him, pointedly and loudly, as he went to go fuss over the horses. Serenade greeted him happily, but Strider decided he needed a stern dressing down. That seemed fair. "We're going home, never fear. Lots of traveling yet to do, but we are going home, finally."

"We should move, put us as much space between us and Assfell as possible. They will notice you're missing soon, and they'll go right to me."

"I'm surprised you didn't have guards posted."

"It's a glorified academy for mages who do icky things, they're lucky to afford food and paper, nevermind security. The only ones guarding me were some young students being punished and too busy playing cards to notice if a whole army marched by."

Ninos had so many questions, but their priority really was getting as far from Shadowfell as quickly as possible. The harder it was to get to them, the less likely they were to do it at all.

Sinn landed on his shoulder, clicking and croaking, nibbling at his hair. No, they'll work quite hard. It's not every day they get a real, live spirit to hold prisoner and experiment on.

"I was really hoping Seneschal Havartin would be on our side."

He wouldn't want to kill me, for whatever that's worth.

"It doesn't take much common sense to know there are things worse than death, and being turned into a specimen is one of them." He heeled Strider into motion and off they went, despite the fact it would be wiser to walk. Not that walking and being careful had done him any good in the end.

I really don't want to think about that ever again, Sinn said.

"I'm part frustrated, part grateful I can't really remember any of it. Just you being upset, really. How did I manage to fall through the road ."

"From what I could tell, it was a known problem that someone solved by putting a wooden cover over it. Forgetting, apparently, how quickly such a thing would rot and break in harsh winter conditions if not properly maintained."

Ninos grimaced.

After that, they lapsed into one of their easy silences, Sinn taking to the sky like always to keep watch for them. How long they traveled, he didn't know, as he'd lost all track of time since leaving his room, and it had already been tenuous at that point.

They finally halted as the light began to fade, with enough time left for them to settle the horses and make camp. "Feels weird to be right back to this, after so little time at Shadowfell, and all of it rotten." He laughed. "Also feels completely normal."

Sinn cawed loudly as he landed in a nearby tree, wiggling his tail feathers. Glad to be rid of that place. So back to the Academy now? To get your rose and maybe punch Wintry in the face?

"Tempting, but I just want to get my rose and go. Stop by to see my parents, and then continue on to Corlock." He felt guilty for that decision, because he was meant to be moving back to Goldfell, but the more time passed the more he had to admit he just didn't want to. Especially now, when he'd seen and done so much, and had an entire house full of possibilities waiting for him.

You've worked hard for your life; you deserve to enjoy it in a way of your choosing. The village has gone this long without you, and with next to no contact or support. Really want to see this fancy house you were bequeathed.

"So do I," Ninos said as he got to work on dinner. "Now get down here, mouse eater. We've got a lot to talk about."