The Storm Crow (The Storm Crow, #1)(83)

I watched the team leave the training grounds, the rest of the soldiers dispersing. I didn’t move. A weight slowly settled on my chest. Then everyone was gone.





Twenty-Nine


You’re going to wear a hole in the rug,” Kiva warned halfheartedly from the couch in our room. Razel had canceled dinner, and the riders still hadn’t returned with news of Auma. Food had been brought to us, and the remains of it sat on the table by the fire. We’d barely touched it. “Do something useful and mix the acid.”

“I can’t. Not right now.” I was too anxious, too overwrought to keep my hands steady, and this was one mixture I didn’t want to spill. Was this what it was like for Caylus? Unable to do the thing he loved because his body wouldn’t comply? Except I didn’t love what I was about to do. I was making liquid fire to burn off a lock so we could sneak into a secret room full of magic.

I looked at my hands, clad in the gloves Ericen had given me, then out toward the open window. Our room faced the front castle yard, the rain pelting stone and glass the only sound. I hoped I’d hear the thunder of hooves at any moment.

“It’s been over two hours, and they’re not back yet,” Kiva said. “That’s a good sign, especially considering they took dogs with them. If they haven’t found her by now, they probably never will.”

I’d told myself the same thing several times, but the words fell flat. Until the team returned empty-handed—until Ericen returned empty-handed—I wouldn’t be able to relax. I doubted Kiva even believed her words, but I didn’t challenge her. This was how she handled things. She stayed calm. Logical. Freaking out was my job.

Another hour passed, during which Kiva convinced me to sit. I complied only because I knew my anxiety made hers worse. I might have been the one pacing, but Kiva’s hands were clenched in fists so tight, the knuckles were white. As we waited, I focused on the thrum of the cord with Res as he slept, letting it center me.

Suddenly, I sat up. I thought I’d heard—there! I leapt from the couch and rushed to the window, the sound of dogs barking mixing with the clatter of hooves and the bellowing of soldiers’ voices. The dim lantern light barely illuminated the procession as it rode into the courtyard in front of the castle. Was that a limp form across the back of that horse or a saddlebag? I leaned closer, but it was no good. I couldn’t see.

“I’m going downstairs.”

Kiva bolted upright. “Sure. And why don’t you just announce to the entire castle how concerned you are with Auma successfully escaping? I’m sure they won’t wonder if you had something to do with it at all.”

I glowered at her and resumed my pacing. She was right, but the knot of nervous energy in my chest was close to bursting. Just when I couldn’t take it anymore, someone knocked. Kiva sprang to her feet, flying across the room to wrench the door open. A rain-drenched and earnest-faced Ericen stood outside.

“We couldn’t find her.” His eyes lifted over Kiva’s shoulder to me. “I thought you’d want to know.”

My jaw tightened, but I said nothing as he turned on his heel and marched down the hall. Kiva closed the door and leaned back against it, letting out a breath.

“I’m going to mix the acid.” I crossed to the dining table where we’d set out our supplies. Kiva had had the foresight to swipe a pair of leather gloves from the training grounds, and though they made my fingers a little stiffer overlaid on my fingerless gloves, they were at least a barrier between my skin and the acid.

Kiva moved to the chair beside me to watch while I carefully measured out ingredients and mixed them together. Minutes later, I poured a muddy green liquid hissing into a glass vial.

“Hopefully, it’s strong enough to eat through iron,” I said.

“Oh good. I always love it when plans rest on hopefullys.”

I gave her a flat look. “Fine. Do you have anything iron we can test it on?”

Kiva pulled out one of her earrings and offered it to me. I grabbed one of our glass dinner bowls and dropped the earring inside.

Uncorking the vial, I carefully let a single drop out and shoved the cork back in. The liquid struck the iron and sizzled, and we watched as the earring slowly dissolved into nothing.

“It takes a little bit,” Kiva observed.

“I’ll pour more on the padlock, but we’ll have to make sure no one comes around for a few seconds.” I set the bowl aside. “The real problem is there’s no way to cover up someone’s been there. We have to make sure Razel doesn’t suspect us.”

Kiva’s face lit up, and she dashed into her bedroom, returning a moment later with Auma’s scarf. I resisted asking what Auma had been doing in her bedroom.

“She knows this belongs to Auma,” Kiva said. “They’ll be suspicious if they find it near the door, and if they’re still looking for her, this will make them think she’s still here and give her more time to get out of Illucia.”

“Perfect.” I took the scarf and wrapped the vial in it, then tucked them both in the pouch on my belt. I’d be wearing my flying leathers tonight. The plan relied on not running into anyone, but I wanted to be prepared if we did.

*

Later that evening, I went looking for Ericen, intent on finishing our conversation from earlier, but he wasn’t in the training grounds or his room. Finally, I found a servant who’d seen the prince near the northernmost tower. I followed her directions to a flight of spiraling stairs.