A Dawn of Onyx (The Sacred Stones, #1)(26)

Dagan and I continued to work, with only a few other patients—all soldiers—coming in throughout the day. He let me do all of the healing, checking on me once in a while to make sure I hadn’t made any obvious mistakes. I tried not to take it personally.

I was just cleaning up in the infirmary after an unusually gory javelin wound when I heard a gruff voice that made my stomach swirl with unease.

“Dagan, welcome back.” Bert said, “Commander tells me Jade was a bust. Pity.” The sound of boots scraping toward me was slow and persistent, like the dread unfurling in my chest. “Where’s the girl?”

Shit. I couldn’t be this close to freedom and fall into Bert’s hands now.

Silently, carefully, with such gentleness my hands shook, I closed the infirmary door, then pushed the daybed up against the lock.

I had to get out of here before Dagan brought Bert in here to take me. But my heart pounded so loudly in my ears, I couldn’t think.

The window.

If the stranger could do it with the wound he had, I could too.

My fingers reached the glass before I had full awareness of it, and I pushed and pushed and pushed.

The latch wouldn’t budge. The latch wouldn’t budge and I was stuck in here, like a mouse in a trap.

Had it been sealed since the day the prisoner had fled? I slammed myself into the frame over and over, pain searing through the muscles and bones in my shoulder and forearm.

Sweat beaded at my brow, at my hairline.

I licked my lips and strained with the effort, teeth clenched, ears ringing.

Come on, come on, come on.

Finally, it gave with a pop.

Thank the Stones.

I lifted it up, and a cool breeze kissed over my face. My vision narrowed on the view beneath me. The soldiers milling about. The blacksmith slamming his hammer like an executioner. My palms itched at the sight—I would never make it to the stables. I would probably never make it at all. It was a steeper drop than I was expecting, even from the second floor. I still had no idea how the prisoner had done it.

The doorknob to the infirmary jiggled and I hoisted myself up.

“Arwen? Why is this locked?” I pulled in a sharp inhale.

It was Dagan.

I listened for Bert’s voice, one foot dangling out the window, wind snapping at my ankle—but didn’t hear anything.

“Arwen?”

I hadn’t heard Bert’s voice again. The banging continued, and I said a silent prayer to the Stones that this was the right decision before pulling myself back inside.

By the time I moved the bed away and opened the door, Dagan was red in the face.

“What were you doing in there?”

I cradled my bruised arm. “I… got stuck.”

Dagan shook his head and retreated into the apothecary.

I followed him, asking, “Did I hear the lieutenant?” I tried to sound casual, but it came out two octaves too high.

Dagan made a disgruntled sound. “Unfortunately.”

“Not a fan of his?”

“Is anyone?”

A smile twitched at my lips. “How’d you get him to leave?”

Dagan gave me a pointed look. “I did not have what he was looking for.”

A huge exhale found its way out of my lungs. I hadn’t even been aware I was holding my breath.

Relief had my eyes on the clock—it had to be midnight by now, right? I needed to leave Shadowhold more than I needed my heart to beat or my lungs to breathe.

But it was only dusk.

“Dagan… I’m not feeling too well. I think my porridge was a bit off this morning. Do you mind if I head out a little early?” I grasped at my stomach a beat too late to sell the story.

He looked at me, suspicion in his eyes. “If you must.”

“Thank you.” I almost said that I’d see him tomorrow, but I felt like I’d done enough lying for a lifetime.

Barney walked me back to the cells in uncomfortable silence. Clearly something was on his mind, but I didn’t care to know what. I had a single mission this evening. I had plotted all day as I stitched and mended, and now it was time to see if I had learned anything from a lifetime growing up with Ryder. It was all I could do not to fall apart at the enormity of the danger that stood before me if I succeeded.

We arrived at my cell and Barney closed the door behind me, pushing the iron key into the lock.

“Barney,” I asked, grasping his hand through the bars. He flinched slightly but met my gaze as he waited for me to continue.

“I just wanted to say. I am so grateful to you. For your kindness and your bravery.”

As I spoke, my heart spun inside my chest. Using my foot, I slowly pulled the cell door inward, toward me, inch by inch. So careful, to make sure he didn’t notice the rusted lock would only close properly if it was pulled tight. So subtly, that I could hardly tell if I had actually moved it at all. So slight, that he would never have noticed the misalignment of the deadbolt to the strike.

“You’re so thoughtful and have made me feel so at home here. To be honest,” I looked down demurely and thought I saw Barney blush. “You’re… the only thing getting me through this difficult time. I just wanted to say thank you.”

Barney regarded me with painfully uncomfortable silence and pink cheeks. “…All right.”

He shook his head in confusion and finished turning the key before heading back up toward the spiral stone steps, faster than I’d seen him move before.