Bone Crier's Moon (Bone Grace, #1)(98)

“True,” I reply, then notice tiny marks below the strip. Without my nighthawk vision, I wouldn’t be able to see their ultra-fine lines and minuscule detail. They’re symbols of a bridge and earth and full moon. Leurress symbols. I turn the map over and find the same marks by the bridge— it has to be a bridge, then. “Where did this map come from?”

“I don’t know where it originated, but there’s a chest in the library of Beau Palais that’s filled with maps. We use them to plot strategy for small wars that break out across South Galle. A year or so ago, I found this one tucked inside one of the older maps.” Cas scratches his neck. “So do you recognize something that will help us?”

I nibble on my lip. Tonight is a full moon, just like the symbol drawn next to the bridge. That doesn’t necessarily mean that’s where Ailesse will be—Bastien wouldn’t know anything about that place, and neither would she—but I have a strong feeling I can’t ignore. It’s the same feeling I had when Odiva told me twice that Ailesse was dead, and somehow I knew she was lying. Now the feeling says I need to go there. “Yes,” I answer.

As soon as I’ve spoken the word, the silver owl emerges from the forest and flies past me. I start to smile—she’s confirming I’m right—but then she heads in a different direction than the ravine entrance of the catacombs. Is there a better way inside?

“Show me,” Cas says.

My finger moves to point to the bridge, but it never lands on the parchment. I’m distracted by a distant trampling of boots—many of them. I clutch Cas’s arm. “People are coming.”

His brow furrows. “How do you know?”

I shake my head, flustered and nervous. All my life I’ve been forbidden to let people outside of my famille see me. “We have to hide.”

“No, wait. Look.” Cas watches the path to Dovré, and nine uniformed men come into view.

“These are soldiers in my troop,” he explains. “It’s all right, Sabine. They can be trusted.”

I take a closer look at each of them. The men have lanterns, like Cas, and several weapons among them. That makes me all the more distrusting. “Why have they come?”

“To rescue Ailesse.” He frowns, confused by me. “She has three abductors, maybe more. I might be an excellent swordsman, but I’m not overconfident. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

“No, they can’t come with us.” My voice is more abrasive than I intended. “I never agreed to that.” The last thing I need is for an audience of sword-wielding men to witness their friend being slaughtered by Ailesse. Or worse, prevent her.

Cas crosses his arms. “Do you want to save Ailesse or not?”

“Of course I do, but we have to be smart. A barrage of soldiers will ruin our chance to attack by surprise.”

“Surprise can’t help us if we’re greatly outnumbered.”

I ball my hands. “If we make so much noise that they know we’re coming, Ailesse will be dead by the time we find her.”

Cas flinches when I say dead. His soldiers draw nearer to the bridge. He sighs and rakes a hand through his hair. “Where is she being held, Sabine?” He glances at the map. “Is it that place you thought was a bridge?”

I press my lips together and slightly avert my eyes. “No . . . the last time I saw her she was near the level right beneath the catacombs. Did you see how many tunnels are down there? You’d have to search for days before you found her, and by then she might be gone.”

He considers me. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m coming with you.” I push my shoulders back. “And I won’t tell you where we’re going until we arrive. And I won’t even take you there if we’re going with them.” I tip my chin at his soldiers.

Cas shifts on his feet. “Surely we can compromise. We have the same aim, after all.”

I don’t want to, but he’s just as stubborn as I am. We can spend hours we don’t have arguing about this, or we can find a middle ground on our terms. Even with all my graces, I can’t incapacitate nine men before I take him captive.

I eye the map again and spot a zigzagging staircase close to the bridge. It leads up past every tunnel level until it reaches a marked entrance outside. It looks like it’s a little over three miles away from here. “Ask your men to give us a head start once we reach the catacombs. The entrance where we’re going isn’t far from our final destination,” I add, without pointing it out on the map. “It will give us a window of time to see if we really need the extra help.”

He frowns. “Or it will give us an opportunity to be outnumbered and killed.”

I shrug and stand taller. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take to protect Ailesse. Are you?”

Cas rubs the side of his face, deliberating.

The soldiers reach us on the arched bridge, and I squirm, uncomfortable to be around so many men when I’ve only lived among women.

A young man with short-cropped hair steps forward, like he wants to speak to Cas, but then his gaze falls on me, and his brows lift.

Cas chuckles, prodding his companion’s shoulder. “Yes, Briand, she’s pretty. You can close your mouth now.”

Briand blinks and composes himself. “We’re, um, ready whenever you are.” He bows his head, but his eyes drift shyly back to me.