In Her Shadow(43)

An impolite word he'd learned from a life among soldiers escaped his lips. It was fear, yes, but the healthy sort. The kind of fear that kept you aware – and alive – without mind clouding panic. He had to get off this roof before a hole opened up and swallowed him.

Valex scurried up the chimney until he sat atop it, legs dangling over into the opening. The bricks were cool, if shifty, and no smoke rose from the darkness below. Unless it narrowed near the bottom, or there was a grate in the way, he would fit just fine. Without stopping to think about it, he slipped inside. With his back against one side, his feet against the other, and using his arms for added stability, he carefully wormed down the pipe. The ancient ash choked him, made his eyes water, and his nose itch. A moment of clarity hit him halfway down, and he realized what an insane thing he was doing. If he got stuck, or someone lit a fire below him, he would die. But he sucked it up. Kids younger than him did this for a living. He kept going.

When he saw light below him, he slowed his descent, trying to be silent. Not that it mattered at this point. If anyone were in the kitchen, they would have noticed all the debris he'd knocked loose. Better be careful anyway, he told himself as he slid down the last few yards. He dangled for a moment, feet first, holding himself up by the arms before thumping into the wide fireplace below.

He hunched over, peeking into the kitchen. It was quiet. Nothing moved. Sure there was no one inside, he slipped out, standing on the hearth of the fireplace.

Someone shrieked. As Valex spun to face the sound, a mass of broom straw slapped him in the face, poofing out a cloud of ash from the coal he'd spent the last few minutes bathing in. He stumbled backwards, blinded as he whipped his arms in front him in an attempt to fend off the assault. His left foot caught on his right. He fell backwards, sprawling on his back, arms played. Someone jumped atop him, pinning him to the ground with their knees on his shoulders.

"Why are you here?" asked the distinctly young, female voice.

"I can't see," said Valex. "I can't see!"

"Why are you here?"

Valex squirmed. "Get off me and I'll tell you!"

"Why are you here?"

"At least wipe my eyes! Get off! I won't hurt you."

"You're a soldier! Why are you here?"

"Get off!"

Valex heaved with every bit of strength he could muster. He rolled to the side, tossing the girl on him in the opposite direction. Instead of standing, though, he threw his back against a nearby cabinet, wiping his eyes best he could with his sooty tunic. He heard the girl grab up the broom. She loomed over him as she raised it to strike. Valex threw up his hand, wiping his stinging eyes clean with the free hand. "Wait! Wait! Just – just give me a moment."

The girl didn't hit him again. Now would be the perfect opportunity to strike back, if he were that sort of person. He wasn't. He had no interest in a fight. All Valex cared about was delivering the message he carried.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to deliver a message to the Abbess of Night from the Dux."

"She's not interested in anything he has to say."

"I know. But this is important. I. . ." As the blur in his eyes faded, his breath caught at the sight of the girl standing over him. She was tall, thin, scrawny even, with straw blonde hair and bright green eyes. A year or two older, and an inch or two taller, she stood, broom cocked over her shoulder ready to swing. Valex's heart jerked. His tongue wouldn't work like he wanted it too, and all the words in his mouth fled him. He'd been battles before, just risked his life to get inside this crumbling abbey, and he'd never been so terrified as now – of this girl. Not her, specifically, but what should happen if he said the wrong thing to her. What if she didn't like him? Sweating. Was he sweating?

"I– I–"

"Spit it out," she said.

Valex's thoughts snapped back to the matter at hand. This was important enough Captain Marcus had quietly taken him aside and threatened to beat him if Dux Lucius's message didn't make it to the Abbess. And that's what Valex told the girl.

"What does it say?" she asked.

"I don't know. I didn't read it."

She cocked an eyebrow. Of course he'd read it. With all that had happened the last few days, Valex knew the contents of the message would be too juicy not to read. The problem was that the girl saw right through his lie – right through him.

"Okay," he said, "maybe I read a little bit of it."

"What's it say that's so important you felt the need to sneak in here to deliver it?"

"Why don't you read it for yourself?"

"Maybe I should, since everyone else is doing it apparently."

Valex struggled to his feet, using the counter as balance. He dug around in his messenger belt and pulled out the folded up piece of parchment. "I'll let you," he said, "if you can help me get it to her."

"You're not going anywhere in this abbey except back out the way you came." The girl shifted on her feet. "I mean, out the front door."

"Right. Okay. Look. I can't do that. The Abbess has to see this letter. I'll fight you if I have to."

The girl cocked her eyebrow again. She set the broom down beside her. "Really?" she said. "You'd really fight me?"