05 Dragon Blood: The Blade's Memory by Lindsay Buroker Page A
Authors: Lindsay Buroker
Tags: Fantasy
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board being nailed to a window. Tolemek’s shoulders slumped.
“It’s a tea canister, right?” Ridge said. “Even if he finds it, he’ll just think the vandals threw it with the rock. He won’t be able to tell it held chemicals.” Ridge had no idea whether that was true, but he tried to sound confident for Tolemek’s sake.
“That will be my hope. You may be a national hero that your people want to keep in the sky, but I have no such distinction to protect me from that idiot’s wrath.”
Chapter 5
Thanks to Sardelle’s tricks for diverting people and Kaika having been to the castle before, their group made it to the upper levels that held bedchambers, a library, and private meeting rooms without being seen. So far, the infiltration had not been difficult, but it had not been swift, either. They’d had to duck into linen closets and lavatories to keep from being spotted, and Sardelle felt the press of time. Jaxi was keeping her informed about the guards searching the rocks. Only two men had gone out, but they had lanterns, and seemed to have a good idea of where to look. It would get much harder to sneak around in here if that tunnel was discovered. Having their only escape route discovered would prove problematic, as well.
Maybe you can rappel down the walls , Jaxi suggested.
You didn’t even have faith that I could jump down a ten-foot hole. You want me to fling myself down a fifty-foot wall and onto a bunch of sharp rocks?
Captain Kaika brought a rope and grappling hook. Perhaps she could carry you.
Funny.
“King and queen’s suite should be at the end of this hallway,” Kaika whispered, a set of lock picks in hand. It seemed she had a few ways to infiltrate enemy strongholds aside from explosions.
“Then I’ll hope we reach it before we have to spend another ten minutes snuggling together in a linen closet,” Sardelle whispered.
“Snuggling? Is that what you call it when someone’s giant sword is poking you in the hip?”
“I call it foreplay,” Cas said.
Kaika had been leading the way as they crept down the hallway, but she paused to thump Cas on the shoulder. “Good one.”
Sardelle wouldn’t have guessed that Cas had a ribald streak, but perhaps Kaika inspired it in those around her. Sardelle thought about mentioning that when last Jaxi had checked in on Ridge and Tolemek, they had been hiding under a bed together, but sensed the moment had passed. Comedic timing—and ribald joke telling—was alas not part of her repertoire.
“Watch my back,” Kaika whispered and pressed her ear to the door at the end of the hall.
Cas did so, reaching for her rifle, but she paused before touching it and lowered her hand. Yes, even if someone charged up the stairs, they could not shoot the person. These were their own people. Sardelle would have to do her best to create an illusion to hide them, which she could do if only one or two staff members appeared. She kept her mind open, watching the stairs that led up to this level and also checking the rooms behind the doors. Some of them were occupied, and it wasn’t so late that everyone was sleeping.
“I don’t hear anyone,” Kaika whispered. “Sardelle, can you tell if she’s inside?”
Sardelle had already done a check of the room behind the door, but the suite had a number of interconnected rooms, and she examined them more closely. “There’s a fire in the hearth and lanterns burning, but nobody’s in there at the—” A presence stirred on the level below, a wood boy heading for the stairs with a basket of firewood. They had passed the diligent worker a couple of times already. “Someone’s coming up,” she whispered.
“How long? I need a couple minutes.”
As Kaika slipped two slender tools into the door lock, Sardelle searched for a way to delay the boy. He was only steps from the base of the stairs. She could employ an illusion, but if he was delivering wood to the queen’s suite, then he would walk right into them.
You
“It’s a tea canister, right?” Ridge said. “Even if he finds it, he’ll just think the vandals threw it with the rock. He won’t be able to tell it held chemicals.” Ridge had no idea whether that was true, but he tried to sound confident for Tolemek’s sake.
“That will be my hope. You may be a national hero that your people want to keep in the sky, but I have no such distinction to protect me from that idiot’s wrath.”
Chapter 5
Thanks to Sardelle’s tricks for diverting people and Kaika having been to the castle before, their group made it to the upper levels that held bedchambers, a library, and private meeting rooms without being seen. So far, the infiltration had not been difficult, but it had not been swift, either. They’d had to duck into linen closets and lavatories to keep from being spotted, and Sardelle felt the press of time. Jaxi was keeping her informed about the guards searching the rocks. Only two men had gone out, but they had lanterns, and seemed to have a good idea of where to look. It would get much harder to sneak around in here if that tunnel was discovered. Having their only escape route discovered would prove problematic, as well.
Maybe you can rappel down the walls , Jaxi suggested.
You didn’t even have faith that I could jump down a ten-foot hole. You want me to fling myself down a fifty-foot wall and onto a bunch of sharp rocks?
Captain Kaika brought a rope and grappling hook. Perhaps she could carry you.
Funny.
“King and queen’s suite should be at the end of this hallway,” Kaika whispered, a set of lock picks in hand. It seemed she had a few ways to infiltrate enemy strongholds aside from explosions.
“Then I’ll hope we reach it before we have to spend another ten minutes snuggling together in a linen closet,” Sardelle whispered.
“Snuggling? Is that what you call it when someone’s giant sword is poking you in the hip?”
“I call it foreplay,” Cas said.
Kaika had been leading the way as they crept down the hallway, but she paused to thump Cas on the shoulder. “Good one.”
Sardelle wouldn’t have guessed that Cas had a ribald streak, but perhaps Kaika inspired it in those around her. Sardelle thought about mentioning that when last Jaxi had checked in on Ridge and Tolemek, they had been hiding under a bed together, but sensed the moment had passed. Comedic timing—and ribald joke telling—was alas not part of her repertoire.
“Watch my back,” Kaika whispered and pressed her ear to the door at the end of the hall.
Cas did so, reaching for her rifle, but she paused before touching it and lowered her hand. Yes, even if someone charged up the stairs, they could not shoot the person. These were their own people. Sardelle would have to do her best to create an illusion to hide them, which she could do if only one or two staff members appeared. She kept her mind open, watching the stairs that led up to this level and also checking the rooms behind the doors. Some of them were occupied, and it wasn’t so late that everyone was sleeping.
“I don’t hear anyone,” Kaika whispered. “Sardelle, can you tell if she’s inside?”
Sardelle had already done a check of the room behind the door, but the suite had a number of interconnected rooms, and she examined them more closely. “There’s a fire in the hearth and lanterns burning, but nobody’s in there at the—” A presence stirred on the level below, a wood boy heading for the stairs with a basket of firewood. They had passed the diligent worker a couple of times already. “Someone’s coming up,” she whispered.
“How long? I need a couple minutes.”
As Kaika slipped two slender tools into the door lock, Sardelle searched for a way to delay the boy. He was only steps from the base of the stairs. She could employ an illusion, but if he was delivering wood to the queen’s suite, then he would walk right into them.
You
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