Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(117)

Following them through the gate, he counted again. Someone was missing.

His mother grabbed his arm, her face pale and strained. “Have you seen Harper? She was with us, and—I don’t know what happened to her. Do you think she wandered off?”

They both knew better. Harper had too much common sense to wander off—not now.

“I’ll look for her,” Hal said, turning back toward the gate, to find someone standing in the gap. Two someones.

It was Luc Granger, with a knife to Harper’s throat.





47


DOUBLE-CROSS


“Well, now,” Granger said. “How does it happen that, in the confusion after the explosions, the families of the rebellious thanes end up here—at the entrance to Lieutenant Karn’s private prison? Before you passed through the gate, I was able to intercept young Lady Matelon. When I attempted to question her, the little minx pulled a knife on me.” He scanned the crowd. “Now. Where is Lieutenant Karn? He has some explaining to do.”

Harper had her narrow-eyed, scheming face on. Please, Harper, Hal thought. Don’t make any sudden moves.

“She’s just a child,” his mother said. “You cannot blame her for trying to defend herself when she is attacked in the streets.”

“Where she shouldn’t have been in the first place,” Granger said. “An attack on a member of the nobility is a serious offense. It’s a shame, because I’d hoped that—well, so very disappointing.” His smug expression belied his words.

“Let her go, Granger,” Queen Marina said, taking a step toward them.

“Your Majesty!” Granger said. “And little Princess Madeleine. Curiouser and curiouser.” He didn’t look curious, though. He looked delighted.

“My lord,” Hal said. “I think you are misunderstanding what you see. My corporal directed us to escort these women and children here to Newgate where they could be safely held until we have identified and neutralized the threat.” The tactical language, at least, came easily to Hal.

“Is that your story?” Granger’s confidence dwindled a bit, but only just. “Well, we’ll see. Guillaume should be back at any moment with the King’s Guard.”

“In the meantime, Lord Granger, why not allow them to go inside, out of the rain,” Hal said. “If any of them fall ill, my corporal will have my ass.”

Granger licked his lips. “Everybody stays here,” he said, “until we sort this out.” He looked around again. “Where the hell is Karn?”

“Ow!” Harper cried. “You cut me!”

It all happened in a split second. The startled Granger dropped his blade hand away enough that Harper was able to twist in his one-armed grip, seize his hand with both of hers, and plunge the blade into his neck, leaning in so it penetrated all the way to the hilt.

Robert, who’d been edging closer the entire time, barreled into Granger, knocking the thaneling onto his back on the cobblestones, where he lay, both hands scrabbling at the knife, blood bubbling from his mouth.

Hal leapt to help his brother, but there was no need. Granger was gone.

“Now he looks disappointed,” Robert growled, “the greedy, gutter-swiving, ass-licking—”

“Language, Robert,” Lady Matelon said. She stood over them, one arm around Harper, who was pale as parchment, shaking so that her teeth rattled together.

“Are you all right, Harper?” Hal sat back on his heels, looking up at her. “Did he cut you?”

“I’m fine.” Harper’s voice trembled, just a little. When several of the lytlings began to cry, she forced a smile and said, “Don’t worry. The bad man won’t hurt us.”

They shouldn’t be here, Hal thought. Children should never have to witness a scene like this.

“Speaking of surviving the night, we’ve got to go.” It was Karn’s friend Lila. “Everyone! Into the building. Now, before the bad man’s friends show up!”

Hal and Robert exchanged glances. It seemed very strange to be rushing back into prison when they had gone to so much trouble to get out. Was this just some kind of new trap or power play by Destin Karn, who’d been notably absent since the explosion? Was he trying to gain custody of the hostages for his own murky purposes?

They had no choice, really. Leaving Granger lying in the street, they entered the prison, crossing the threshold, into which was carved: The Truth Shall Make You Free. They descended several staircases, each level danker, the air thicker and more oppressive. Harper gripped Hal’s arm, leaned close, and murmured, “Don’t tell me we’re going back to the Pit?”

“We’d better not be,” Hal said, with a dark look at Lila.

Eventually, they seemed to hit bottom, and then struck out horizontally into what now seemed to be a natural cave, only lightly shaped by the hand of man. At one turning, Lila pulled a large crate from an alcove in the wall, unlocked it, and handed a dozen torches to those in the lead. They were flashcraft, and began to glow as soon as they were lifted from the crate.

Some of the lytlings began to fuss. Their mothers pressed on grimly, carrying their children if necessary. Hal and Robert ended up carrying two of Lady Heresford’s four children. Hal had long since accepted the fact that they were so far in, there was no going back. With the distance they’d traveled, at least it was unlikely they were still anywhere near Citadel Hill.