The Alchemists of Loom (Loom Saga #1)(48)
Florence knew they’d arrived the moment she saw the lock on the door. It was handedly Arianna’s craft, though it was less sophisticated than the turning locks she was used to from her teacher. This had a series of dials in which Ari entered a four-digit pass code.
She couldn’t help but notice that Ari entered the code with them both watching. The woman didn’t rest herself against the wall between them, or quickly turn the tumblers to prevent her or Cvareh from seeing. 1-0-7-4. Florence remembered the number. Ari either placed little value in the abode, or she wanted Florence and Cvareh to feel as though they had the ability to come and go easily. It was a notable shift from the Arianna Florence had first met, who had made her earn the ability to know the key into their flat in Dortam.
The flat was small—one room with a heavy layer of dust atop everything. The air was stale and the curtains had been shot through by time, small holes in the threadbare fabric letting in winks of light from the outside.
There was one large daybed, pushed against the far wall. A drafting table was squeezed in at its foot. Schematics done in Arianna’s hand had been pinned up all around. To the right, by the small galley kitchen and only separated room—the bathroom—was a long workbench. Empty shelves lined the wall above it. The wood grain showed remnants of chemical burns and stains.
Ari’s eyes went there first, and time seemed to stop for the woman. Cvareh poked his nose around, curiously drawn to the faded schematics and blueprints. Florence remained by her teacher.
“You never told me you had a place in Ter.4.2.” She closed the door gently behind her.
“There wasn’t a need. I never thought I’d be returning to it.” Arianna shrugged half-heartedly.
Florence took in the one-room flat again. It wasn’t much, certainly. But owning property—any property—in the major cities of Loom wasn’t easy. You had to be a graduate of a guild, at least, and usually preference was given to masters. Of which Ari was one, Florence reminded herself. But the woman was young, unmarked, and had to have achieved her mastery after the Five Guilds fell to the Dragons—meaning there hadn’t been much time for her to secure her own living arrangements on the merits of her guild rank.
“We’ll only be here briefly.” Florence didn’t know who Arianna was struggling so hard to convince. “By tomorrow nightfall, we’ll be moving again. By the dawn we’ll be gone.”
“How do you expect to break into the floating prison?” Florence crossed over to the bed and flopped down on it. Stale smelling and worn, it was far more comfortable than her bunk on the ship, and she instantly felt tired.
Cvareh wandered to the opposite side of the room, running his hand along the workbench. Ari turned and Florence expected a thrashing, given her look. But she kept it to herself, letting Cvareh continue to explore. The self-restraint was new.
“I’ll go to the port tonight, find a boat worth stealing. I imagine the guards of the prison do leave it now and then. If they go anywhere, it’s likely they’ll haunt the bars and parlors dockside, close enough to leave if they want to.”
“Information gathering.” Florence knew Arianna’s process. She just wasn’t used to the woman only taking a few hours to do it.
“Then, tomorrow, when it’s dark and quiet, I’ll head out to the fortress. Use my line to get in.” Arianna leaned against the door. Despite being in her own home, she looked incredibly uncomfortable.
Florence blinked, trying to fathom the logic. It seemed remarkably clumsy for the woman whose moniker was the White Wraith, and she’d say as much if it kept Arianna from rushing to her death to save two people whom Florence felt no urgency to see. “The walls of the floating fortress are at least three hundred peca tall. You don’t have a line that long.”
“I’ll have to combine two,” Arianna agreed, clearly having already given the matter thought.
“Even if you can use your magic to do that, and the line is strong enough to hold, and you still have enough magic to work your winch box… It would take you almost a minute to travel that distance. How can you possibly think you’ll go unnoticed from the guards for that long?”
“It’ll take me twenty-five seconds, actually, to travel the distance,” Arianna corrected.
The woman and her numbers.
“And I’m not worried about the guards noticing me.”
“Why?” Florence knew Arianna wouldn’t make the statement unless she truly believed it.
“Because time will be on my side.” Ari gave Cvareh a pointed look.
All color seemed to drain from the man’s face. He scowled and balled his hands into fists. “You cannot possibly be serious.”
“But I am.” Ari grinned madly.
And Florence jumped to her feet as the Dragon lunged for her teacher.
18. Arianna
“Because time will be on my side.” Ari looked to Cvareh for confirmation that he understood her meaning. A dark shadow passed over the man’s face. Good. He understands perfectly.
“You cannot possibly be serious.” He shifted as he spoke the words and Ari did the same. Barely perceptible movements braced them both for the storm that was on their horizon.
“But I am.” She welcomed the lightning that sparked in his eyes.
He moved on the crack of thunder that heralded the tempest that had been looming between them. His long fingers scooped up the neckline of her coat, tensing. His claws shot out, ripping holes through the otherwise well kept garb of the White Wraith.